Holiday Happenings in RoCo

Across Roanoke County you will find many holiday events that are fun for the whole family. Visit our Holiday Happenings in RoCo page to learn about the Tree Lighting, Illuminights, Santa visits at the library, and more! Click here for details.

Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Seeking Applicants to Fill Vinton District Vacancy

(ROANOKE COUNTY, VA - November 16, 2023)   The Board of Supervisors of Roanoke County is searching for candidates to fill the Board’s vacancy in the Vinton Magisterial District, which has resulted from P. Jason Peters’ election to serve as the Ro...

Roanoke County Breaks Ground for New Bonsack Fire Station

Roanoke County, VA – November 16, 2023- Roanoke County hosted a groundbreaking event to mark the construction of Roanoke County Public Safety Building #12 in the Bonsack area.

The new $8 million, 12,500 square foot Fire and Rescue facility is ant...

Parking at McAfee Knob Trailhead on Route 311 to Close During Bridge Construction Starting Nov. 30

As part of a project to construct a new pedestrian bridge to carry the Appalachian Trail over Route 311 (Catawba Valley Drive), parking at the McAfee Knob trailhead will close on November 30. Hikers will still have access to the Appalachian Trail at this ...

11/14/23: Phase 1 of the West Roanoke River Greenway Set to Begin

Roanoke County announces the start of construction on an approximate 0.60-mile section of the West Roanoke River Greenway (VDOT UPC No. 97171) proposed along the Roanoke River in the vicinity of West Riverside Drive and Kingsmill Drive. Development of the...

Roanoke County Offers Text to 9-1-1

Roanoke County's Emergency Communications Department offers Text to 9-1-1.  Call if you can, but text if you can't. It's a viable option for the hearing impaired, or for those in a situation where they are unable to tal...

Illuminights Tickets On Sale Now

Illuminights tickets are on sale now! 

See Illuminights schedules, activities, and links to get tickets!

Brighten your nights and explore your holiday spirit through a dazzling world of over 650,000 lights at Illuminights Winter Walk of Lights! Roa...

VDOT Awards Contract for New Pedestrian Bridge over Route 311

The Virginia Department of Transportation has awarded a $1.5 million contract to construct a new pedestrian bridge to carry the Appalachian Trail over Route 311 (Catawba Valley Drive) in Roanoke County. The contract was awarded to Stonewall Bridge from Vi...

Watch Board of Supervisors Meetings Online

Board of Supervisors meetings and agendas can be viewed online on our Meetings and Videos page. 

If a Board of Supervisors meeting is in progress, select the "LIVE MEETING" link at the top of the page to stream the meeting on your comput...

Hollins Library Replacement Project

Submit Neighborhood Concerns

Roanoke County's Zoning Code Enforcement officers work with citizens and property owners to investigate and resolve violations of the County code and zoning ordinance. These rules and regulations are in effect to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of ...

Watch Board of Supervisors Meetings Online

Board of Supervisors meetings and agendas can be viewed online on our Meetings and Videos page. 

If a Board of Supervisors meeting is in progress, select the "LIVE MEETING" link at the top of the page to stream the meeting on your comput...

RoCo Mobile App Now Available!

Roanoke County’s new RoCo Mobile app for iPhone and Android devices puts County services and information at your fingertips! The app features one-touch access to easily view County News, Emergency Alerts, Calendars, Public Notices, and more! Just tap to g...

Submit Neighborhood Concerns

Roanoke County's Zoning Code Enforcement officers work with citizens and property owners to investigate and resolve violations of the County code and zoning ordinance. These rules and regulations are in effect to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of ...

Sign-up Your Cell Phone for RoCo Alert Notifications

You can now add optional cell phone numbers to our RoCo Alert system to receive notifications in the case of an emergency. New features in the system also allow you to voluntarily share information that may help save your life, including health conditions...

Report Fraud, Waste and Abuse

Roanoke County is committed to conducting government business with integrity and accountability to our citizens and employees. Roanoke County’s Fraud, Waste, and Abuse hotline is designed for citizens and employees to report concerns of fraud, w...

Roanoke County Rural Broadband Initiative Website

Roanoke County Rural Broadband Initiative website showcases the progress being made to expand broadband access into under-served and unserved areas of the County.

The Rural Broadband Initiative website includes information about the 2019 Broadband Availabi...

RoCo Ready Emergency Information

Our RoCo Ready page features important safety and contact information in case of emergency situations. See our Roco Ready page for short safety videos, links to Emergency Agencies, and contact information for local utilities. In the event of an emergency,...

About Our Banner Image

Our iconic website banner image featuring hikers at McAfee Knob was taken by photographer Brent McGuirt. This image is owned and copyright Brent McGuirt / Splendor of Light Photography and licensed for use on Roanoke County's website. For more information...

Roanoke County Offers Text to 9-1-1

Roanoke County's Emergency Communications Department offers Text to 9-1-1.  Call if you can, but text if you can't. It's a viable option for the hearing impaired, or for those in a situation where they are unable to talk. Text your location first...

20th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

The 20th Annual Roanoke County Christmas Tree Lighting will take place at South County Library on Monday, December 4th from 6:30-8:30pm! The event will feature visits with Santa, live music, children's crafts, teen activities and more! T...

Holiday Happenings in RoCo

Across Roanoke County you will find many holiday events that are fun for the whole family. Visit our Holiday Happenings in RoCo page to learn about the Tree Lighting, Illuminights, Santa visits at the library, and more! Click here for details.

Martin Clark Coming to South County Library

Martin Clark, Patrick County native, will be speaking at the South County Library on Thurs., Nov. 30 at 6pm. Bring your own copy of The Plinko Bounce or other Clark titles to be signed. After his talk, there will be a short Q and A. Ten lucky winners will...

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Reading aloud to babies, toddlers, and preschoolers helps them develop important early literacy skills. RCPL is committed to supporting every child on their journey to reading.

We’ve joined with 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, an organization serving the ...

Brainfuse VetNow

Brainfuse VetNow gives free online job and academic assistance for Veterans, and much more.

Learning Tablets for Kids

Playaway Launchpads feature learning apps grouped together by subject, theme, grade level, and age.

Each Launchpad features themed learning packs, such as:

• STEAM
• Early Literacy
• Award Winners
• Language Learning
• Life Skills
• Brain Play
• English Language Arts

Launchpads...

It's Science!

American Physical Society Journals gives access to review journals about physics. 

Ancestry for Libraries

Ancestry Library Edition is a genealogical database featuring a variety of family history resources. Available for in-library use only.

Read on Libby

Did you know that Libby is available on Fire tablets? Download the app today to get started reading for free with your library card. Find eBooks and more here.

Reference Solutions

Reference Solutions contains detailed information on more than 12 million U.S. businesses and 102 million U.S. residents. Listings include telephone numbers, street addresses, zip codes, demographic and financial data for businesses, local compet...

Find Your Next Read

Novelist Plus is the perfect tool if you cannot decide what to read next. Use Novelist to discover your next favorite author, series, or title!

Read Major Newspapers

U.S. Major Dailies collects the contents of five major newspapers: Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

Free Homework Help

Brainfuse HelpNow features real-time eLearning for all ages and levels. HelpNow offers a personalized homework help in core subjects, including SAT preparation. HelpNow also features an Adult Learning Center for GED prep, US citizenship test prep...

Extra, Extra! Read All About It.

Newsbank The Roanoke Times Collection allows you to read full-text articles on local news, issues, events, and people, as well as current and archived issues of Roanoke Times. Updated daily, it includes obituaries, editorials, announcements, and ...

Need a holiday gift idea?

Did you know that you can submit designs to be 3D printed at the library? The Library provides access to new and emerging technologies, such as 3D printers, to inspire interest in design and assist people in bringing their creations to life. Our ...

Hollins Library Replacement Project

Roanoke County Offers Text to 9-1-1

Roanoke County's Emergency Communications Department offers Text to 9-1-1.  Call if you can, but text if you can't. It's a viable option for the hearing impaired, or for those in a situation where they are unable to talk. Text your location first...

C.O.P.S Camp

Trespass Bar Notification

Self-Defense for Women

Roanoke Valley Crisis Response Program

Domestic Violence

Citizen's View Program

Blogs, News and More...

Videos, blogs, and more news from Roanoke County.

11/14/23: Phase 1 of the West Roanoke River Greenway Set to Begin

Roanoke County announces the start of construction on an approximate 0.60-mile section of the West Roanoke River Greenway (VDOT UPC No. 97171) proposed along the Roanoke River in the vicinity of West Riverside Drive and Kingsmill Drive. Development of the...

Parking at McAfee Knob Trailhead on Route 311 to Close During Bridge Construction Starting Nov. 30

As part of a project to construct a new pedestrian bridge to carry the Appalachian Trail over Route 311 (Catawba Valley Drive), parking at the McAfee Knob trailhead will close on November 30. Hikers will still have access to the Appalachian Trail at this ...

Road Notice 10/23: Sidewalk Project on Williamson Road

On weekdays starting the week of October 9, work on a project to construct new sidewalk along the section of southbound Route 11 (Williamson Road) between Plantation Road and Peters Creek Road may cause lane closures. Drivers in the Hollins area can expec...

Road Notice: Interstate 81 Lane Widening Construction from Exit 137 to 141

A $179 million design-build project to widen both directions of I-81 between mile markers 136.6 and 141.8 from two to three lanes is underway. Work is being performed on the inside and outside shoulders along a five mile section of both northbound and sou...

Roaming RoCo for the Best Holiday Gifts!

It's the most wonderful time of the year... to support local! 

In Roanoke County we are so fortunate to have so many incredible local businesses! Last year I truly enjoyed checking out a number of businesses across the County as we made o...

Fort Lewis Fire Station Tour and Ride Along

October marks National Fire Prevention month, so who better to spend some time with than some of Roanoke County's fire and rescue experts? 

Station #9 in Fort Lewis fully immersed me in a C-Shift day in the life. Much like my visit at th...

Pickleball Fun Across the County

It's game time, Roanoke County! No, I'm not talking about football; we are talking pickleball! 

Recently, some staff roamed over to Garst Mill Park for a friendly pickleball tournament. We were fortunate enough to have USA Pickleball Ambassador,...

Homegrown Goodies at Catawba Valley Farmer's Market

Hello from the Catawba Valley Farmer's Market! 

If there's one thing I dread doing, it is going to the grocery store, so last week I avoided the shopping cart collisions and hustle and bustle within the aisles by picking up a few things at t...

Roaming RoCo with General Services Team

The alarm clock rang very early on the day of my visit to our General Services Department. I am not a morning person, so I have to offer major props to them for beginning their route by 7am every day!

I, first, got to hop in the truck and practic...

Kaelyn Goes Back In Time at Explore Park

I'm back from my roaring adventure through Explore Park's T-Rex Trail! 

Alex and I passed through the time portal with Dino Don that led us down four different time periods. We saw a Dilophosaurus from the Jurassic time period, ...

On Par at Mayflower Hills Disc Golf Course

Ever wanted to experience something that is recognized across the globe? We have the perfect opportunity for you that doesn’t involve a passport or plane ticket! Explore Park’s Mayflower Hills Disc Golf Course is ranked #40 in the world by UDisc, up 40 sp...

On Top of the World at Camp Roanoke

I truly was on top of the world during a recent adventure to Camp Roanoke, and I think my heart is still racing from all the fun!

Camp Roanoke is nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains, and it is beautiful!! Little did I know what was in store for me as I...

Insider Tips on TreeTop Quest (take 2)!

Hi, Roanoke County!

We are truly swinging into spring now that Explore Park’s TreeTop Quest 2023 season has begun, which meant I had to check it out for “take 2” of “Kaelyn conquers her fear of heights” on ...

Vinton Fire Station Tour and Ride Along

Wee-oo-wee-oo! Time is of the essence when at the fire station!

On today's Roam RoCo, I got to visit Vinton Fire Station, Roanoke County Station #2, where I heard the calls roll in, in addition to getting the exclusive tour! 

Upon my arrival, it di...

First Steps to Self Defense

Happy Friday, Roanoke County!

I feel like a whole new person after meeting up with Deputy Young and Captain Beheler from Roanoke County Sheriff's Office! It's no secret that safety has become an increasing concern for many, so when I found out about the va...

Love Is in the Air in Roanoke County

Read on...

Kaelyn Explores the Brambleton Center

Hey there, Roanoke County!

Feeling inspired from my visit to Green Ridge Recreation Center, I decided to check out the Brambleton Center to continue on my journey towards a healthier, more balanced me in 2023. It is learned that I am epically failing on th...

Achieving Fitness Goals at Green Ridge Rec. Center

Happy 2023, RoCo! 

It's day three of the new year, the first day back to work for some from the long weekend, which means it's go-time on achieving those New Year's resolutions. Some of the most popular resoluti...

Top Places to Shop in Roanoke County for the Outdoor Adventurer and Fitness Guru!

• If you're shopping for someone who thrives in a gym-like setting, consider gifting various membership or personal training packages at Green Ridge Recreation Center. They have a little bit of everything in their 76,000 square-feet-facility.&n...

Top 3 Places to Shop in Roanoke County for the Foodie!

• Check out RND Coffee in Vinton for multiple reasons. The first reason is to pick up some holiday donuts for your foodie friend or bags of coffee for your coffee lover. They also have monthly subscriptions which is such a fun gift! A second reason, is to g...

Top 3 Places to Shop in Roanoke County for a Pamper Queen!

• A personal favorite place of mine for some pampering is Polished salon in the Forum Shopping Center! They have a table in the front of the store full of pampering goodies as well as handmade exfoliant in an array of scents upon request. You can never go w...

Top 3 Places to Shop in Roanoke County for the Person Who Has Everything!

• PacaBerry Farm Shop has some of the most unique gifts you can find in Roanoke County thanks to their supply of products made with alpaca fleece. They have socks, ear warmers, hats, yarn, and even ornaments. If you order something online, be sure to use th...

Top 3 Places to Shop in Roanoke County for the Beer and Wine Lover!

• For a gift that's a bit outside the box, consider gifting at-home brewing supplies. Southern Hills Homebrew Supply has everything your gift receiver could need to brew beer or wine including kits, bottles, corks, hops, and more! They can even mill it for ...

Adventure Dog Takes Kaelyn on an Adventure

Fresh from my afternoon with Moki, a shelter dog at the Regional Center for Animal Care and Protection (RCACP), I don’t know who had the biggest adventure- Moki or me!

After hearing that the local shelters, including the RCACP, were at full capac...

Hello From the Top of McAfee Knob

Hey, RoCo!

I am writing to you fresh from McAfee Knob, and what. a. view. Despite living in Roanoke for the last few years, I have yet to cross the McAfee Knob hike off my bucket list. 

It's a 3.8-mile hike to the knob, the most photographed spot o...

Fire Station Tour at Cave Spring Station #3

Happy National Fire Prevention Month, RoCo!

To kickoff the national celebration, I decided to celebrate with none other than some of Roanoke County’s fire and rescue team. In doing so, I got to spend the better part of a day with the B shift team at Statio...

Conquering Treetop Quest

I am writing to you, RoCo, with sore muscles and an adrenaline rush! Why? I am just getting back from TreeTop Quest at Explore Park, and my friend Keara joined me!

Heading into it, Keara and I thought this was going to be a breeze, and I definitely would n...

First Time Camping at Explore Park

Hey RoCo!

The weather is finally starting to feel like fall! I even noticed a few leaves changing on my drive home from work the other day which confirmed those fall feelings. For many, fall means the last chance to pitch a tent, roast s’mores, or get the ...

Roanoke County Circuit Court Christmas and New Years schedule.

Roanoke County Circuit Court Christmas and New Years schedule.

December 22, 2023- Closing at NoonDecember 25, 2023- ClosedDecember 26, 2023- Closed

January 1, 2024- ClosedJanuary 2, 2024- Closed