Gene Marrano
Greg Habeeb, the 8th District Representative based in Salem, has been holding town hall meetings – live and on line – and has conducted surveys, asking for feedback on what people want legislators in Richmond to focus on. Habeeb says job creation, education funding and debating the possible expansion of Medicaid are at the top of the to-do list for constitutents – and in Richmond for the next 60 days.
If you’re pulling out the space heater as temperatures head below zero tonight, Roanoke City Fire & EMS has a few tips. Don’t use extension cords – they normally are not designed to handle space heaters – keep the room well ventilated and make sure the space heater won’t tip over. Roanoke City’s fire prevention specialist, Tiffany Bradbury, also says clearing out room around the space heater is important.
Two years ago Roanoke City Parks and Recreation wanted to get people off their couch with the Roanoke 100 miler program. It begins again tomorrow. 850 participants signed up in the first year, and 1,200 did last year. Those who sign up at roanoke100miler.com are pledging to walk, run, bike, paddle or exercise 100 miles or more between January 7th and April 15th. WFIR’s Gene Marrano has the story.
Tomorrow voters in the 11th House of Delegates District go to the polls during a special election. Democrat Sam Rasoul has run for Congress before and for the Mayor’s position in Roanoke City. He’s hoping the third time is a charm in his quest to replace Onzlee Ware, who vacated the seat in November.
The World is not your ashtray..that’s the slogan and message Roanoke County is sending with a new anti-littering campaign launched this morning. It focuses on people who throw their cigarette butts out of car windows. County residents will be able to report on line if they see someone tossing cigarettes – those people may get a form letter from the police department. The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors passed several resolutions in November that made the anti-littering campaign possible; it includes bill board advertising and temporary road signs.
The last weekend before Tuesday’s special election for the 11th District Seat in the House of Delegates means Republican candidate Octavia Johnson will be out knocking on more doors. Octavia Johnson is now the former Roanoke City Sheriff – her term ended December 31st. Now she’s in the final stages of her campaign against Democrat challenger Sam Rasoul for the seat vacated by Onzlee Ware.
Diana Christopulos,president of the Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition, will speak this Sunday morning about “Positive Community Action on Climate Change,” at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Grandin Road. Christopulos is encouraged by a recent report that shows the average amount of household electricity usage has fallen to the lowest level since 2001
Beginning today, Market Street within the Market Square Parking area will be closed to through traffic as construction of a $1.2 million dollar pedestrian plaza gets underway. Motorists can still access Market Street from Kirk Avenue, and the road should be opened to through traffic again by mid-February. But the larger project – making the area more pedestrian friendly – won’t be completed until early April.
Virginia has awarded the City of Salem a $50,000 Tourism Grant for Marketing. Salem Tourism Director, Carey Harveycutter says the grant will be used to increase attendance at events including, The Blue Ridge Music Festival, Shrimpfest, The Roanoke Valley Horseshow,The Salem Fair and Salem Red Sox Baseball Games. Bob Clark has more: