John McGuire III is projected to win the U.S. House of Representatives seat for the 5th district, defeating Gloria Witt.

Candidates make final push in Virginia’s 5th District

Across Southwest and Central Virginia, people are voting in three contested races for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gloria Witt (D) and John McGuire III (R) are vying for Virginia’s 5th congressional district seat for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Election day approaches in crucial district

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020, drawing civil unrest nationwide, Lynchburg police have been creating an action plan to collaborate with the community. This is not just a one-and-done type of a plan,” said Police Chief Ryan Zuidema, who presented that plan to Lynchburg City Council on Tuesday. Gloria Witt, a community and social justice activist, is also a consultant and was hired by police to facilitate those gatherings. “We want to free up our officers to have more free time so they’re engaging in our community in a non-enforcement setting,” said Zuidema. Witt believes over the last few months, police have been listening and responding, “The work they’ve done so far is admirable.

AMHERST COUNTY, Va. – A local NAACP chapter is urging the Amherst County Board of Supervisors not to adopt any First Amendment Sanctuary resolution against Governor Ralph Northam’s COVID-19 restrictions. “[A resolution] is not a great thing because health matters,” said Gloria Witt, a member of the Amherst County NAACP chapter. The chapter started an online petition to support restrictions and oppose Amherst County from accepting a resolution of their own. Witt points out that while they’ve collected 400 signatures so far, only a fraction are from Amherst County residents. Dean Rodgers, Amherst County administrator, says the Board is still in the drafting stage.

AMHERST, Va. – A peaceful protest for civil rights popped up in Amherst Saturday evening. “No lives matter if Black lives can’t matter, and we have to say Black lives,” said Amherst NAACP President Gloria Witt. “They don’t think about us as a young voice. Some say, ‘oh, you’re so young, you don’t need to be heard.’”Before the march, county leaders explained what steps they have taken for equality. “As young people, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do what you can’t do,” Watkins said.