Local Government, Civic Affairs and Education
Bill Bestpitch
Roanoke City Council may vote next week to to sever sister city ties with Pskov, Russia. Council member Bill Bestpitch is Treasurer of the Roanoke Valley Sister Cities Board, and he says doing so would help only Vladmir Putin’s efforts to diminish relationships between Russian citizens and those in the U.S. and other western nations.
And Bestpitch says such an action would not in any way help those in Ukraine seeking to repel the Russian invasion.
Roanoke City Councilman Joe Cobb will seek a second term in office this year. Cobb made that announcement this morning at 5 Points Music Sanctuary on Maple Avenue, surrounded by supporters and guest speakers that included Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea and Delegate Sam Rasoul. Cobb said “the city is hurting” and stressed the work of the gun violence prevention commission he chairs. He also wants to cut the red tape for Roanoke startup businesses, and do more to become a “healing-centered community” with greater access to mental health services. Four Democrats have announced their intention to run so far in a June 21 primary.
The Upper Craig Creek Volunteer Fire Department has a new water heater and water treatment system for their station house – courtesy of Southern Trust Home Services. Owner Ted Puzio says a Southern Trust employee who also volunteers for the fire department suggested the water system makeover that was worth 3000 dollars or more. Puzio said the Upper Craig Creek station’s water quality was so poor they couldn’t hold on-site fundraising events that often help keep volunteer fire departments afloat.
Goodwill photo
Goodwill Industries of the Valleys calls its new strategic plan “Inspire 2026,” and it was rolled out this morning to stakeholders, other non-profits it hope to collaborate with, and to several Roanoke City officials. Inspire 2026 is focused on reducing poverty in the entire region that Goodwill Industries. Goals include strengthening the non-profit’s internal operations, creating more opportunities for its own employees, developing a skills-based pipeline to support jobs growth and more collaborative efforts with other social service agencies. Richmond Vincent is Goodwill’s President and CEO:
Dalton Baugess – FB photo
A Grandin Village resident says he intends to run for Roanoke City Council this November as a Republican candidate, assuming he is nominated. Dalton Baugess says the gun violence in Roanoke is a principal reason he wants to run for one of the three seats that are up for election this year. He says paying police officers more will help retain them – and would bring down the violent crime rate with more cops on the street. He would also like to see an elected school board in Roanoke City – there’s more accountability to the public that way he says. Baugess works for the Salem Fire & EMS Department.
(from Valley Metro) Effective Monday February 28, 2022, Valley Metro will begin transit transfer operations at Third Street Station in the temporary configuration, vacating Campbell Court. The temporary configuration consists of three office trailers and a two lane transit bus service design. Valley Metro expects to be in this phase of the project for six to eight months. In addition to the service move, Valley Metro will be offering fare free transit service for two weeks commencing on Monday February 28, 2022, through Sunday March 13, 2022. This fare free period will give passengers the opportunity to experience the new service configuration without the burden of having to pay the fare. Valley Metro has been operating transit service out of Campbell Court since 1987. This change is a true milestone, there will be a period of nostalgia and adjustment to the new experience.
Kevin Price is the General Manager for Valley Metro:
The Fraction House was where a family of the same name lived while they were enslaved at a plantation that once stood where the Virginia Tech Blacksburg campus is now. That site is the focus of a virtual panel discussion later this week, subtitled “An Unfinished Conversation on a contested space.” More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni, or ACTA, compiled data on the cost effectiveness of colleges to create a new tool to see how they spend money. This allows parents, students and state legislators in Virginia to compare colleges across the commonwealth. With the details, WFIR’s Caroline Moore.
Referring to Monday’s Virginia Supreme Court decision, the Botetourt County School Board said today in a statement, that “In light of this clarification and declining positive cases of COVID-19 in our community, it is the will of the Botetourt County School Board to implement Executive Order Number 2, allowing parents to determine whether their child should continue to wear a mask.” The School Board added that wearing masks indoors is “still encouraged as an effective component of layered mitigation strategies.” Masks will still be required for all employees while inside all K-12 school buildings and students must still wear masks on school buses, in accordance with a Federal mandate.