Roanoke County officials today announced changes to this week’s trash collection schedule as a result of Friday’s storm. Officials also announced that the Roanoke County Administration Center on Bernard Drive in Roanoke will be closed on Tuesday, July 3, due to the continuing power outage.
The following are among the public departments impacted by the Administration Center closure: Community Development, Treasurer, Commissioner, Registrar, and Real Estate Valuation. A temporary location will open at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday at Roanoke County’s Brambleton Center at 3738 Brambleton Ave. to process building permits.
Roanoke County held a press conference this afternoon at the Roanoke County Public Safety Center to update the public about the storm’s impact on county operations. During the briefing, officials announced changes to the week’s “July 4 Holiday Trash Collection” schedule.
• Solid waste crews were originally scheduled to be off on Wednesday, July 4. They will now pick up brush-only on Wednesday, July 4th for households on the “A-Week” trash collection schedule.
• Due to the holiday schedule, household trash collection for Wednesday’s routes will be picked up on Thursday. Thursday’s household trash will be collected on Friday.
• Residents are reminded to place any spoiled food in bags before placing in garbage cans.
• Brush must be no longer than 6 feet in length or wider than 12 inches in diameter.
The Roanoke Valley Resource Authority is open during the following extended hours this week for residents who want to take their own storm debris, brush, or any other trash to the Transfer Station on Hollins Road:
• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Roanoke County residents with no transportation and no medical conditions requiring treatment can receive free transportation to an Evacuation Shelter set up at the Roanoke Civic Center. Van transportation will be available throughout the day until 10 p.m. tonight, with transportation to the shelter continuing through Thursday, July 5. Roanoke County residents who need a ride to the Evacuation Shelter are asked to call the Roanoke County Emergency Information Line at (540) 777-8798.
The Salvation Army will open a Mass Feeding Center tonight (July 2) in the Exhibit Hall of the Roanoke Civic Center for citizens without power on a first-come, first-serve basis. Dinner can be picked up from 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. These meals are take-out only. Lunch and dinner will also be available on Tuesday (July 3). Lunch will be available for pickup from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Dinner will be available for pickup from 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Roanoke County’s Administrator reminded the public that Roanoke County’s public libraries are open. The County’s six library branches – South County, Glenvar, Vinton, Hollins, Mt. Pleasant, and Bent Mountain – are a great place to seek refuge from the heat and have outlets available for the public to recharge mobile phones and laptops.
Additional Police and Fire and Rescue personnel have been working overtime since Friday to assist with emergency calls, traffic control and other public safety issues. Since the storm began on Friday, Roanoke County’s Emergency Communications Center (ECC) has answered more than 5,000 calls from the public. Of that number, 1,250 were calls for assistance that were dispatched and handled by Police and Fire and Rescue personnel. The remainder of the calls to the ECC were from citizens with generic questions.
To assist with traffic control Monday afternoon, police have closed a small section of Ogden Road between Route 419/Electric Road and Starkey Road. Motorists traveling on Route 419/Electric Road will not be allowed to turn onto Ogden Road and will have to travel one block farther to Starkey Road for access to Ogden Road.
Citizens with questions are asked to call the Roanoke County Emergency Information Line at (540) 777-8798 to help keep emergency dispatchers free to answer 9-1-1 emergency medical calls
For information about electrical service, residents are asked to contact Appalachian Electric Power at either 1 (800) 956-4237 or 1 (800) 281-3916.

Submitted by Roanoke County

We have more storm coverage below:

TODAY’S STORM COVERAGE
* Regional storm updates from The Roanoke Times
* Access to Ogden Road from 419 temporarily blocked
* Police ask motorists to avoid Tanglewood area during rush hour
* Grandin Court Baptist Church opens as a cooling center
* Tanglewood Mall closed due to power outage
* Roanoke County creates emergency information page
* Parks and rec office closed due to power outage

GENERAL STORM RESOURCES
* Weather journalist Kevin Myatt has weather updates on the Weather Journal
* Health department issues advisory on how to deal with food after power outage
* Food writer Lindsey Nair has tips on how to deodorize a refrigerator or freezer after a power outage

PHOTOS
* Loren Wright shares photos of storm damage around Southwest Roanoke County
* Hot enough to fry an egg outside? This family tried it and shares their results.

PREVIOUS STORM COVERAGE:
* July 1: Roanoke County administration office closed Monday
* July 1: Regional storm coverage for July 1 from The Roanoke Times
* June 30: Power could be out in parts of Roanoke County until July 7
* June 30: Regional storm coverage for June 30 from The Roanoke Times
* June 30: Gov. Bob McDonnell declares state of emergency
* June 30: Shelter available for Roanoke County residents
* June 30: Early morning reports of storm damage around Roanoke County

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