Impressive, young ones.

I'd like to announce a new blog has joined the Roanoke scene - one that really does have the ability to change things.


NewVaConnects has started a blog, and is shooting out the gate with 2 provocative posts.

PARTNERS ON ROANOKE CITY COUNCIL

Anyone who pays attention to the Roanoke City Council, should have noticed that Councilman Lea and Councilman Wishneff often vote together. They also seem to be of like mind on various projects, for example, this week I received a newsletter style email from them discussing a proposed development of the former Grand Building on Campbell Avenue.

They wrote: "As you know by now, City Council voted 5-2 yesterday to give an $880,000 grant to the developer of the former Grand Building on Campbell Avenue. We were the two no votes and we wanted to give you our reasons for voting no."

The letter goes on state "City Council was not handed one piece of paper documenting the need. We saw no analysis (slight or vigorous) by staff verifying anything to do with the request. Nor did anyone on Council, except us, even ask to see the Developer’s numbers.
(read more)

and...

FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN ROANOKE

Every day we read about the future of downtown Roanoke. Where will a new music venue go? What about apartments? Lofts? Office space? The latest debate, is the future of the Jefferson Motor Lodge - you know, that great looking motel next to Elmwood Park and the library on the corner of Elm and Jefferson.
(read more)

Keep an eye on them, who knows - maybe they are the leaders of the new generation.

Curious, but good..

City rejects Countryside Golf Course plan

"Roanoke's government has rejected a development plan for Countryside
Golf Course because the latest version, submitted last week, was
"totally unacceptable," City Manager Darlene Burcham said today."

Ok - considering the interested developers had changed the plan the first time around to appease the community directly around the course, one has to wonder what changes were revealed that would have Ms. Burcham decrying them as 'totally unacceptable."

Did they give even more green space over to the community? Was the number of houses cut, or perhaps the targeted prices slashed?

Maybe we will eventually find out.

Keep your eyes over here for further developments.

Now, you too can have your own Nelson Harris sighting!

Roanoke, VA- Mayor Nelson Harris will give the annual State of the
City
address at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16, at the Roanoke Civic
Center's Special
Events Center. Citizens are invited to attend.

Should be interesting to see if he actually shows up. Been a while since anyone has seen him outside of council chambers.

Wonder if he regrew the goatee?

Also, why are there 6 (SIX!) closed door meetings today for the Council? We know one is for Countryside, but what of the rest of them?

RED ALERT! RED ALERT!

This is no joke folks, a rumor was reported on the Farmer's Market Blog, and I have independently verified this. The City is planning to take back the Farmer's Market from Downtown Roanoke, Inc.

Effectively canceling the contract between The City of Roanoke and Downtown Roanoke, Inc. within the next 6 months, with the Market falling under the auspices of the City.

This, in the wake of the City dumping Car Park as the management company for the parking garages (wonder if that has anything to do with the parking fee hike) - along with a few high profile departures in the city's contractors (DRI, EventZone) leaves more questions.

Will EventZone be booted out in favor of the city's new Arts Commissioner?

At this point, from the information I gathered - thats a 50/50.

What is the deal here? Does the city really just want to destroy everything it worked for for the last 25 years?

God help us all.