Local Government, Civic Affairs and Education
Its called “My City Academy,” an initiative desiged to draw Roanoke’s immigrant and refugee population closer to the services they may need – and to develop leadership within that community. The story from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
G Marrano photos
A parking lot painted with simulated streets, bike lanes, railroad crossings – along with “Stop” and “Yield” signs – is now the “Westside Traffic Garden” in northwest Roanoke at Westside Elementary School, where Kristen English is the Principal. Westside students on bikes got the chance to check out the Traffic Garden after a ribbon cutting this morning. It will be open to other Roanokers when school is out as well. Funding came from a $200,000 grant.
John Fishwick, Jr.
Attorney John P. Fishwick, Jr. holds a news conference today at 2pm outside his office on Franklin Road; he’s requesting Congressional legislation to rename the Poff Federal Building in downtown Roanoke, quote, “to honor one of Roanoke’s undeservedly forgotten legal, “civil rights attorney Reuben E. Lawson.” Fishwick says Lawson was an African American attorney who played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement in Virginia. Reuben Lawson practiced law in Roanoke from an office building he had built for himself. Fishwick also says Richard H. Poff, a longtime Congressman, quote, “publicly opposed integration and repeatedly voted against the Civil Rights Act.”
The demolition of the Ramada Inn and Conference Center has been underway since late August. Roanoke City Leaders have set up a survey for residents to help determine what to put in that space where a building cannot be built again due to it being a flood plain. The survey will be open until at least the end of the month. Click HERE to fill out the survey.
A local community college has partnered with Steel Dynamics to offer a handful of employees the opportunity to earn a degree at no cost. The group will be pursuing classes towards a two-year mechatronics degree. A Dean of the college says the agreement demonstrates investment in employee development in the area. WFIR’s Emma Thomas with more:
Its mission has changed slightly but now Friends of the Blue Ridge – they dropped “Parkway” from from the title – still has to raise money as a non-profit. Now the memory of a legendary traditional music giant will help Friends do that during a “Blue Ridge Jamboree.” WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:
See more information about the Blue Ridge Jamboree here
Stephanie Moon-Reynolds
An independent member of city council — who is not running this November — is endorsing almost every candidate that is in this fall’s race except for the Democrats. WFIR’s Ian Price has more.
Note: retiring Democratic City Council member Bill Bestpitch has also endorsed Preston Tyler.
In a recent interview after the unveiling of an historic highway marker, a Virginia State Delegate talked plans to build a new history museum in Botetourt County. WFIR’s Emma Thomas has that story: