Roanoke approves grant, provides housing opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities
The Roanoke City Council is pushing an incentive forward to increase housing opportunities in the Star City โ City leaders approved a $50,000 grant from the Virginia Housing Development Authority during their session Tuesday.
Sherman Lea, Stephanie Moon Reynolds sworn in as Roanoke mayor, councilwoman
ROANOKE, Va. โ Roanokeโs mayor is officially back for another term, and a fresh face has now joined Roanoke City Council. Mayor Sherman Lea and Councilwoman Stephanie Moon Reynolds both took their oaths of office Thursday afternoon after winning their respective elections last month. Lea returns for a second term as mayor, while Moon Reynolds transitions to city council from a 42-year career as Roanokeโs city clerk. Lea said he is excited to lead in his new term with new councilmembers Moon Reynolds and Robert Jeffrey. โRoanoke is a resilient city with resilient people, and Iโm proud to be mayor of this city.โJeffrey and fellow councilmember Trish White-Boyd will be sworn into office on Friday.
Meet the newest members of a historic Roanoke City Council
ROANOKE, Va. โ For the first time in the Star City, minorities will hold the majority on Roanoke City Council with four African Americans, one Latina and two white members. Democrat Robert Jeffrey Jr. and independent Stephanie Moon Reynolds will join incumbent democrats Mayor Sherman Lea and Councilwoman Trish White-Boyd. โIt speaks well to the equity and empowerment that weโre trying to project in our city," said Lea. Council members Michelle Davis and Anita Price did not run for re-election in 2020. Lea said council is going to hold a public hearing on the bus station and council members are going in with open minds.
Roanoke voters elect cityโs first majority Black city council
ROANOKE, Va. โ The results are in, and voters in Roanoke have selected three new city council members. Trish White-Boyd (D) has been elected as Vice Mayor, along with Robert Jeffrey Jr. (D) and Stephanie Moon Reynolds (I), who were elected to city council. The three beat out five other candidates, and the only incumbent among the group was White-Boyd. This is the cityโs first majority Black city council. To see the results from the race, click here.
Panel discusses Black history, race and racism in Roanoke
ROANOKE, Va. โ Race, racism and its history in Roanoke were topics that a special panel of local experts explored on Monday. The panel kicked off a month-long educational program to teach people about the history of the African American community in Roanoke, which has deep roots in Gainsboro. The panel was hosted by the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. They talked about the changes theyโve seen over the years and the impact that change has had on the Black community, like segregation and urban renewal. Thatโs why the schools are offering 5K walking tours of Roanoke that will hit ten locations to delve into Roanokeโs African American history and talk about how to spark change.