Polls across Virginia opened at 6 a.m. today; they close at 7 p.m.
Do you have news (or even photos) to share from your polling place? Long lines? Short lines? No lines at all?
Let us know by posting a comment here.
We'll have updates through the day; and then tonight, we'll be posting election returns and analysis both here and on roanoke.com's election site.
A 17-year effort to bring National Wild and Scenic River designation to a 19.3-mile stretch of the New River (from Glen Lyn to Bluestone Lake in West Virginia) is nearing an end.
Public comment on a 194-page report ends this week. The Giles County Board of Supervisors will consider a resolution of support at its Wednesday meeting. Public comment made be made then or here.
Comments on the report, and designation, at the federal level can be made to the U.S. National Park Service here.
The full report is here.
Both candidates for governor will be in Blacksburg Thursday, campaigning in and around the tailgating at the Virginia Tech - North Carolina game.
Here are the official schedules for both Republican Bob McDonnell and Democrat Creigh Deeds. McDonnell's is a little sparse on details at the moment; if we get more specifics, we'll post them here.
MCDONNELL:
4:15pm Tailgate at Virginia Tech University
Blacksburg
DEEDS:
4:30 PM IN BLACKSBURG - TAILGATE WITH VIRGINIA TECH YOUNG DEMOCRATS. Sen. Deeds will join the Virginia Tech Young Democrats for a tailgate before the Virginia Tech Hokies take on the University of North Carolina Tarheels. Deeds will talk to students about the importance of getting out to vote on November 3rd.
When: 4:30 PM
Where: Lane Stadium Parking Lot
Corner of Spring Street and Stadium Road
Lot # 1, Space 327
Blacksburg, VA
7 PM IN BLACKSBURG - VIRGINIA TECH VS. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL GAME. Sen. Deeds will attend the Virginia Tech football game. Kick off time is 7:45 PM.
When: 7:00 PM
Where: Lane Stadium
Corner of Spring Street and Stadium Road
Blacksburg, VA
Also, Deeds will be back in the New River Valley on Friday and Saturday. On Friday night, he'll at the Floyd Country Store and on Saturday, he'll be in Christiansburg. Here are details on the Floyd visit; the Christiansburg info hasn't been finalized yet:
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2009
9:30 PM IN FLOYD - FLOYD COUNTRY STORE FRIDAY NIGHT JAMBOREE. Sen. Deeds will attend the Floyd Country Store Friday Night Jamboree. The Floyd Country Store Friday Night Jamboree features live music and dancing.
When: 9:30 PM
Where: Floyd Country Store
206 South Locust Street
Floyd, VA
The Radford School Board meets tonight at 6 p.m. Here's the agenda.
Blacksburg Town Council holds a work session at 5:30 and a regular meeting at 7:30. Here's the agenda.
The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors meets today. Here's the agenda.
The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors meets at 7:15 p.m. Here's the agenda.
Blacksburg Town Council meets at 7:30 p.m. Here's the agenda.
By Sharla Bardin
BLACKSBURG — Candidates for town council say they want to serve because they love the town, have ideas about how the community should grow and want to work for open and accountable government.
Those were some of the responses given in Monday’s candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County and held in council chambers.
More than 70 people were in attendance at the forum that allowed the candidates to talk about why they are running, while also answering questions that touched on such topics as council actions, alternative transportation and affordable housing.
The candidates for the four open seats are incumbent Susan Anderson, Bryce Carter, Frank Lau, Cecile Newcomb, Robert “Tom” Rogers, Michael Sutphin, John Bush, Krisha Chachra and Greg Fansler. Incumbent Mayor Ron Rordam is running unopposed.
Candidate Paul Lancaster announced in September that he would cease active campaigning for the election to dedicate time to his health. Lancaster was hospitalized in April with an extremely rare spine infection that affected his mobility. He returned home in July.
The election is Nov. 3, and the council seats are voted on at-large.
In Monday’s forum, candidates were asked to cite examples of what the current town council has done right and wrong.
Carter said he applauds efforts to create a more sustainable community but would like to see officials take a closer look at the historical value of structures in the historic overlay district.
Chachra said what the council has done right includes partnering with groups in the community and working to make it a tourist destination. She said a challenge in the town is the use of land and space in downtown and thinks it’s important to take a look at zoning and the best use of downtown space.
Fansler thinks what the council has done right is revitalizing downtown storefronts . One action he questions is the renovated Blacksburg Motor Co. building. Fansler also said there is no current plan for the Blacksburg Middle School property redevelopment.
Lau said what the council and town staff have done right is addressing the sewer capacity issues in the north end of town. As for what the council has done wrong, he said a lot of time is spent on issues in downtown and there are other issues in the town.
Newcomb said what the council has done right is passing the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in 2006. One of the goals is adopting emission reduction targets, according to the town’s Web site. Newcomb thinks a wrong action was that town council should not have rezoned the entire First & Main shopping center property as commercial. She said there should have been a buffer of less-dense zoning between the homes and businesses.
Rogers said what the council has done right is the approach with protecting the environment. “We need to be good keepers of our land.” As for what’s wrong, Rogers said the town needs a better tax base to afford different projects and needs to work more with retail developers.
Sutphin said what the council has done right is creating an open government, complimenting the town’s use of its Web site. As for a wrong action, Sutphin said the council did not create a buffer zone between the residential area and commercial area at the First & Main shopping center property.
Anderson said what the council has done right is the environmental efforts going into “greening our community.” Anderson also said she thinks the Blacksburg Motor Co. building “is a showcase and gem” and was an effort to take a historic building and reuse it. She also thinks the farmers market renovation will help enhance downtown. As for something that council needs to address, Anderson said there needs to be a closer look at overoccupancy of some residences.
Bush said right actions from the council have been the efforts on downtown revitalization and the Blacksburg Motor Co. building. He thinks the council needs to focus more on creating more affordable housing.
More pathways needed?
Candidates also were asked whether they think it’s important for the town to have a totally connected and uniformly identified system of pathways for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Rogers said he thinks the pathways are important and also said they should be safe. Sutphin said the town needs to be a pedestrian-, bike- and transit-friendly community.
Anderson said it is important to have a connected community of pathways and there are plans in the town that aim to enhance pathways. Bush also said he supports more bikeways and walkways and suggests that the town partner with neighboring communities to provide more paths.
Carter said he supports more pathways and also would like to see a trolley system. Chachra said she believes in the benefits of alternative transportation and thinks incentives could be used. She also said she is interested in a trolley service that connects to the town’s commercial centers.
Fansler said pathways are also beneficial and that it’s important to improve the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians in the town. Newcomb also wants to see pedestrian and bike paths throughout the town, as well as more lighting for pedestrian paths in some areas.
Lau said he thinks students need more education about safety with alternative transportation, such as their roles as pedestrians and bicyclists.
Christiansburg Town Council meets at 7:30 p.m. Here's the agenda.
