Gene Marrano
The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors wound up punting on a vote to continue ICLEI membership after more than two hours of public comments and debate last night. Instead, the Board will review its $1200 a year membership in the controversial environmental organization as part of the budget process over the next few months. Vinton supervisor Jason Peters made the motion to table a vote and suggested the county also look at options other than ICLEI software to measure carbon emissions. The money spent on ICLEI membership could be removed from the next fiscal year budget. If it stays the annual membership fee is due in October. Peters also said Roanoke County has more important issues to focus on – like the stormwater management plan now taking shape
The vote was 3-2, with supervisors Peters, Joe McNamara and Charlotte Moore choosing to delay any decision. Supervisors Butch Church and Al Bedrosian voted against the resolution.
Sid Witt Jr. joins his father Sid Witt Sr. as one of more than 100 members in the Hall of Fame on Thursday night. The Witts have been heavily involved with Little League Baseball’s Challenger program, which allows children with physical and mental handicaps to play the game of baseball
At a public hearing tonight the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors will again take up the issue of paying 12-hundred dollars annually for ICLEI membership and software that measures efforts to reduce carbon footprints. Its become a political football in recent years. WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:
There’s a World of Song” by Darrell Scott, with tracks from Tim O’Brien, Rene Marie, Blind Boys of Alabama and other notable performers was recorded at the Jeff Center’s Music Lab…its now available at on-line music stores like I-Tunes.. proceeds will support the Music Lab.
Nine days in to his term, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe was in Botetourt County this morning, talking about education funding. McAuliffe is pushing an amendment that would restore some of the education funding that was cut in the current budget. WFIR’s Gene Marrano has the story.
Governor’s office photo
A Roanoke family of seven was displaced by fire three days before Thanksgiving at their rented house – they lost everything and didn’t have renter’s insurance. So event organizer promoter Willow Rosenblatt is putting together a benefit at Cornerstone Bar & Grill this Sunday, starting at 2-pm. Cornerstone Bar & Grill will donate a portion of proceeds from food sales and there will be a silent auction. There will also be live music and a kids corner…Rosenblatt hopes to turn the “Just Be-Claus” fundraiser into an annual benefit for people in need around the Christmas holidays. This event was rescheduled from December. (sound/story from WFIR’s Gene Marrano)