Local Government, Civic Affairs and Education
Photo: From New River Valley Regional Commission Facebook page
The New River Valley is putting together a collaborative response to address the opioid crisis. WFIR’s Emma Thomas talked to an official from the organization who’s spearheading the aptly named “Ecosystem Program”:
Salem City Manager, Jay Taliaferro, announced today that he is retiring from his current position on November 1, 2023. Taliaferro has been Salem’s City Manager since December 19, 2019, and has served the city’s citizens in several capacities for over 32 years.
“To be able to serve others while giving back to the community that helped raise me has been an extremely special and unique experience,” Taliaferro said. “I appreciate the opportunity to lead the city more than anyone will ever know.”
Taliaferro began his employment with the City of Salem in 1991 as a Staff Engineer and in 1998, he was named City Engineer by City Manager Randy Smith. In 2000, Taliaferro moved into administration as Assistant City Manager and he served in that role under both Forest Jones and Kevin Boggess.
Ian Price photos
Hired away from the Tennessee Department of Education, Lisa Coons become Virginia’s superintendent of public instruction in March of this year. This morning she made a stop in the valley at Burlington Elementary School, where Coons said summer programs are still helping students to overcome pandemic-related “learning loss.” Coons is visiting schools around the Commonwealth – she also says there are many great ideas and methods that educators should be sharing with their counterparts elsewhere.
Brandy S. Faulkner – Va Tech photo
The 6 to 3 majority conservative US Supreme Court has struck down the use of Affirmative Action in higher education as a way to gain admittance. The Supreme Court ruling today came after lawsuits filed by Asian students who felt they were being discriminated against on college admission policies due to Affirmative Action that gave black students precedence. Brandy Faulkner is a professor of political science and Afrikaner studies at Virginia Tech:
Meanwhile Republican Congressman Morgan Griffith has commented about the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action in higher education, calling it “a well-reasoned opinion by the Court” Griffith agreed with the 6 to 3 conservative majority opinion that, “it violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.”
Photo: From the Montgomery Museum of Art and History Facebook page
A local museum is inviting the public to a party celebrating 40-years in the hopes of raising $40-thousand-dollars. WFIR’s Emma Thomas has details:
Pamela Irvine FWSVA photo
Feeding Southwest Virginia’s Summer Food Service Program is underway at 30 locations in the Roanoke area and about 60 overall in the 26-county region the Salem-based food bank serves. WFIR’s Gene Marrano spoke with Feeding Southwest Virginia President and CEO Pamela Irvine about that program – and here is that story, “In Depth.”