Local Government, Civic Affairs and Education
This week is National Work Zone Awareness Week, and work zones continue to be a dangerous area for workers, WFIR’s Alex Torres reports:
A group of panelists – from academia, regional partnerships, private development and public housing government agencies – met for a 90 minute “think tank,” session late last week, with affordable housing on the agenda. The story from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
This week is ‘Roanoke Valley Saves Week,’ an initiative promoting financial literacy– in addition to that, April is financial literacy month, and with that WalletHub has released a new report where the commonwealth didn’t do half bad, WFIR’s Alex Torres reports:
More money, less problems? That’s what the City of Roanoke is hoping for after ‘Roanoke Valley Saves Week,’ WFIR’s Alex Torres has details:
[Click here for more information and to register for ‘Roanoke Valley Saves Week’ events]
[Click here for more information on the ‘Bank On Financial Wellness’ series]
Please see the attached message that I shared with Mayor Lea earlier today.
“After much consideration, I have decided not to seek re-election. Please be assured, I will continue to dedicate myself to develop, advance, and promote a legislative program setting forth the needs of the city and its school system, and I remain committed to all of the duties incumbent upon me as a Council Member for the City of Roanoke.”
Once again Wisler, the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs and Wheeler Media are joining forces today and tomorrow for “Do Good Days,” lending a hand to local non-profits that might need help with small tasks like painting, cleanups, landscaping – even sorting food for distribution. Volunteers for the third annual Do Good Days are spending time over the next few days at the Keystone Community Center in southeast Roanoke, with the Cave Spring Rescue Squad, the Humble Hustle program and at several other locations. Rail Yard Dawgs team captain Mac Jansen was at Feeding Southwest Virginia this morning:
A Roanoke youth organization is hosting clubs from Virginia and Washington D.C. to compete for the title ‘Youth of the Year,’ WFIR’s Alex Torres has details:
It took almost four hours last night at a public meeting, but when it was over Roanoke City Council voted 5 to 2 to amend its zoning regulations. The new “Urban Center district” is meant to allow for the creation of more multi-family and affordable housing within the city.
Most of the speakers during the public hearing before the vote expressed concerns about the rezoning proposal; advocates said it was an approach other cities across the country are adopting in order to address the affordable housing crunch. Councilman Peter Volosin (pictured left) before he voted “yes.”
Women history month | Freepik
March is Women’s History Month…At Virginia Tech women are changing the landscape of the field of engineering. WFIR’s Denise Allen Membreno introduces us to one of the changemakers.
Virginia Tech’s top ranked Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering boosts 12 women faculty and researchers who are inspiring and paving the way for the next generation. WFIR’s Denise Allen Membreno introduces us to Department head Dr. Eileen Van Aken.
David Bowers. Clark Palmer photos
A former Roanoke City Mayor has officially launched a new campaign for his old job. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has that story.
Previous: Former 4-term Roanoke Mayor David Bowers made it official today – he’ll run as a Republican for Mayor again this November, assuming the party gives him the nod. Bowers says he hears from Roanokers that the city is “a mess,” and said today at his downtown law office that reducing gun violence should start with taking more of them off the streets – before searching for root causes. Bowers was a longtime Democrat and said switching parties only came after much thought and agonizing.