Local Government, Civic Affairs and Education
The town of Vinton will be among localities in our area casting votes in tomorrow’s municipal elections. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has more.
Voters in Salem will select from two incumbents and three challengers to fill three open seats on the city council during tomorrow’s municipal elections. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has that story.
Cindy Petersen -courtesy Taubman Museum
Distance learning for young children has proven to be a challenge with schools closed through the end of the academic year. Now the Taubman Museum of Art is hoping that its “Brush Pals” program will help keep the excitement of learning new things alive. WFIR’s Gene Marrano has that story:
Dan ODonnell- Roanoke
Roanoke County Administrator Dan O’Donnell delivered bad news to the Board of Supervisors today – a five million dollar-plus cut in the proposed operating budget and another three million in the capital projects budget, due to tax revenue loss associated with the Coronavirus. O’Donnell said the next fiscal year will feature a one-time “stop-gap budget” not sustainable beyond that without major changes within the county. It also includes a hiring freeze, a reduction in funding to outside agencies like Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge and a reduction in the joint funding program with Roanoke County Public Schools.
Many Roanoke County high school seniors woke up over the weekend to find themselves being congratulated in a very unusual and public way. School staffers and seniors fanned out to surreptitiously plant yard signs in the seniors’ front yards. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story:
Maynard Keller
Northwest Roanoke resident and financial planner Maynard Keller says Roanoke City Council doesn’t listen to its citizens – and that has prompted him to announce a bid for office as a Republican candidate. Council’s failure to vote on a Second Amendment Sanctuary resolution and the decision to move municipal elections to November during federal election years were tipping points. Keller’s Council campaign platform includes creating a focus team of small business owners to advise the city, and solidifying Roanoke’s emergency management plan to address the current and future crises. He joins Peg McGuire in announcing runs today for Roanoke City Council on the Republican ticket.
Peg McGuire
The first two Republican candidates to announce a run for Roanoke City Council have emerged. Peg McGuire is a communications consultant who used to work for the Virginia Museum of Transportation. McGuire’s platform includes an elected school board, moving the November municipal election to non-presidential years and electing City Council members via a ward system. As for running as a conservative Republican in Democratic-leaning Roanoke:
Financial planner Maynard Keller has also announced a GOP bid for Council.