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The Virginia Department of Transportation issues the following release:

STUDY TEAM PRESENTS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ROUTE 419 CORRIDOR
Citizens encouraged to attend meeting December 3
SALEM – The Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will hold a citizen information meeting to
present recommendations to address transportation needs along the Route 419 corridor from
Route 311 to Route 220 in the Roanoke area.
The meeting will be held Thursday, December 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the gymnasium of the
Brambleton Recreation Center located at 3738 Brambleton Avenue in Roanoke.
Representatives from the MPO, VDOT and the study team will be available to answer questions
and receive comments regarding this study to determine how to make travel along the Route 419
corridor safer and more efficient.
The recommendations presented at this meeting were developed as a result of public input
gathered in the spring 2009. Input from the community, especially those who travel or live and
work within the corridor, is extremely important to the success of the study. To review materials
prior to the meeting, a draft of the study can be found at http://www.rvarc.org/419/419plan.htm.
Written comments about the study may be submitted at the meeting or by December 18 to
Michael Gray, Virginia Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 3071, Salem, VA 24153. E-mail
comments can be sent to saleminfo@VDOT.virginia.gov. Please reference “Route 419 Study
Comments” in the subject heading.
Anyone requiring special assistance to attend and participate in this meeting may contact
VDOT’s Civil Rights Division at 540-387-5320, 800-611-5812 or TTY/TDD 711.

So, what do you think needs to be done? You can share your comments below.

Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mike Altizer delivered the annual State of the County address this morning. Reporter Neil Harvey has details.

The supervisors meet this afternoon and again tonight. Here's the agenda.

WHAT: Roanoke County will present the 2009 State of the County Address at the site of its largest capital project – the state-of-the-art Green Ridge Recreation Center. The facility is not yet open, so the speech will provide a sneak peek for the hundreds who will be in attendance. Following Chairman Mike Altizer’s comments, the audience will be invited to tour the facility. The building will officially open to the public on January 1.

WHO: Chairman and Members of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors
Members of the Business Community

WHEN: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
7:30 a.m. (The speech will begin at 8:00 a.m., but we recommend that you arrive early to get set up.)

WHERE: Green Ridge Recreation Center – 7415 Wood Haven Road
From Interstate 581, take Exit 2 North onto Peters Creek Road
At the first stoplight, turn left onto Valleypointe Parkway
Travel 0.7 miles to the intersection with Wood

A controversial novel challenged by the parent of a Roanoke County high school student will not be banned, but school officials have chosen to restrict access to it. We have more on this story from reporter Courtney Cutright.

Here's the full text of the release from Roanoke County schools:

CHALLENGED BOOK TO RETURN TO SHELVES, WITH RESTRICTIONS

Review committee restricts access to juniors and seniors

ROANOKE – Following a concern raised by a William Byrd H.S. parent about "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," a committee consisting of three librarians met to review the merits of the book, as required by Roanoke County Public Schools policy.

At the time of the challenge, the book was available in the libraries at William Byrd and Hidden Valley high schools. Copies of the book were pulled from the shelves during the review process.

The committee recommended that "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" be restricted to juniors and seniors only. Freshmen and sophomores may check out the book, with parental permission.

"I would like to thank the review committee for their diligence and thoroughness,” said Roanoke County Public Schools Superintendent Lorraine Lange. “The committee gave this concern careful consideration and we feel their recommendation is appropriate,” Dr. Lange said.

As a result of the committee's recommendation, the book will be returned to the library shelves at William Byrd and Hidden Valley high schools.

The committee’s complete report is available on the Roanoke County Public Schools Web site at http://www.rcs.k12.va.us.

The Roanoke County School Board meets tonight. Here's the agenda.

Sarah Palin's book tour will bring her to Roanoke on Nov. 22 -- but her stop will be at the Valley View Barnes and Noble, not the one at Tanglewood.

We have details here.

The former Republican vice presidential candidate is on a nationwide book tour to promote her book, "Going Rogue." The Associated Press reports today that one of her confirmed stops in Roanoke -- and that many of her appearances are associated with the Barnes and Noble chain.

Barnes and Noble has two stores in Roanoke -- one at Tanglewood, one at Valley View.

So will we see the former Alaska governor at Tanglewood?

We're working on getting details about Palin's visit. When we find out more, we'll let you know.

Until then, here's what we know.

Republican Bill Cleaveland won a seat in the House of Delegates Tuesday night, succeeding Del. William Fralin, R-Roanoke, who retired. He represents three precincts in Southwest Roanoke County; House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, represents the rest.

Here's video from Cleaveland's victory party last night that shows the two together. We also have this photo gallery of election scenes which includes several shots of Cleaveland and Griffith.

We have more election news and analysis here.

With all but the absentee votes counted, Republican Ed Elswick holds a strong led over Democrat Sarah Goodman for the Windsor Hills seat on the Board of Supervisors:

Elswick: 3,693
Goodman: 2,662

We have complete results here.