News Releases
The latest new releases from the Office of Public Information appear below.
Past news releases are posted in Adobe PDF format.
For more information, contact:
Teresa Hamilton Hall, Director
Office of Public Information
(540) 772-2010
thall@roanokecountyva.gov
Roanoke County Named One of the Nation’s Top Digital Counties
County captures fifth place in nationwide Digital Counties Survey
ROANOKE COUNTY, VA (July 20, 2010) – Roanoke County is once again ranked among the top digital counties in the nation for its use of information and communication technology to support and provide public service, placing fifth in its population category in the annual Digital Counties Survey.
The survey, administered by e.Republic’s Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties (NACo), identifies best practices and recognizes those counties that provide exemplary electronic service to their public. “Roanoke County places an emphasis on Information Technology, and we are pleased to be recognized for our efforts,” said County Administrator Clay Goodman.
This is the seventh year that Roanoke County has been named among the top ten digital counties in the nation. In 2004, 2005, and 2006, Roanoke County placed first in the Digital Counties Survey. In 2007 and 2008, the County earned second place in its population category. In 2009, the County regained its top spot for a community its size. Competition within Digital Counties is based upon population categories derived from metropolitan statistical area (MSA) data and is based on a number of criteria. Roanoke County’s award is particularly significant because the locality competed against counties with populations between 150,000 and 249,000. The population of Roanoke County is roughly 90,000.
The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. The Center is a division of e.Republic, Inc., a national publishing, event, and research company focused on information technology in the public sector. For more information, visit http://www.erepublic.com.
The National Association of Counties (NACo) is a full-service organization that provides legislative, research, technical, and public affairs assistance to county governments. Created in 1935, NACo continues to ensure that the nation’s 3,068 counties are heard and understood in the White House and Congress. For more information, visit http://www.naco.org.
To view a full list of 2010 Digital Counties winners: http://www.govtech.com/dc/surveys/counties/90/2010
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News Release: Digital Counties Award 2010
For more information, contact:
Teresa Hamilton Hall, Director
Office of Public Information
(540) 772-2010
thall@roanokecountyva.gov
Roanoke County to Host Community Meetings in Glenvar
Citizens Asked to Envision the Future of their Community
ROANOKE COUNTY, VA (June 21, 2010) – The County of Roanoke will host two community meetings in the coming weeks to gather citizen input for the Glenvar Community Plan. Work on the plan, which will help guide future growth and development in the western part of the County, has been underway for several months.
The first of the two meetings will be held on Tuesday, June 29 at 7:00 p.m. in the Fort Lewis Baptist Church Fellowship Hall located at 4215 West Main Street. This meeting will focus more on growth and development issues related to the West Main Street corridor. The County will host a second community meeting on Thursday, July 15 at the same time and location. This meeting will concentrate on the Dixie Caverns area. Although each meeting will have a particular focus, citizens are encouraged to attend either meeting. Additional opportunities to comment after the meetings will be available on the County’s website and through materials that will be handed out at each meeting and will be available at the Glenvar Library.
Once adopted, the Glenvar Community Plan will become a part of the Roanoke County Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan is a general, long-range policy and implementation guide for decisions regarding growth and development. For more information, contact David Holladay in the Roanoke County Department of Community Development by phone at (540) 772-2068 ext. 227 or by email at dholladay@RoanokeCountyVA.gov.
Information about the plan is also available on the Roanoke County website at http://www.RoanokeCountyVA.gov/GCP.
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News Release: Glenvar Community Meetings Scheduled for June 2010
For more information, contact:
Teresa Hamilton Hall, Director
Office of Public Information
(540) 772-2010
thall@roanokecountyva.gov
Roanoke County to Host Community Meetings in the Peters Creek/Hollins Area May 19th and May 20th
ROANOKE COUNTY, VA (May 11, 2010) – Roanoke County is asking for citizen input as work begins on the development of a Community Plan for the Peters Creek/Hollins community. The plan will become part of the County’s Comprehensive Plan, which is a long-range policy and implementation guide for decisions concerning the overall growth and development of the County.
As part of the process, the County has scheduled two community meetings in May. These meetings will be held at Mountain View Elementary school and Northside Middle school. Each meeting will be identical in style and will include a brief presentation and question/answer session in an open-house format.
The meeting dates, locations, and times are as follows:
Mountain View Elementary School Gymnasium
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Time: Open House at 6:30 pm
Presentation to begin at 7:00 pm
Northside Middle School Auditorium
Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010
Time: Open House at 6:30 pm
Presentation to begin at 7:00 pm
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News Release: Community Meetings for Peters Creek-Hollins Area
For more information, you may contact Chris Patriarca in the Roanoke Co. Community Development Dept. by phone at (540)772-2068 ext. 267 or by email at cpatriarca@roanokecountyva.gov. You may also contact Nicole Pendleton in the Roanoke Co. Community Development Dept. by phone at (540) 772-2068 ext. 266 or by email at npendleton@roanokecountyva.gov.
Arbor Day Foundation Names Roanoke County Tree City USA® Community for Twelfth Year
Roanoke County, Virginia, was recognized by the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA community for its commitment to urban forestry.
It is the twelfth year Roanoke County has earned this national designation.
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service.
Roanoke County has met the four standards to become a Tree City USA community. Tree City USA communities must have a tree board or department, a tree-ca re ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
"We commend Roanoke County's elected officials, volunteers and its citizens for providing vital care for its urban forest," said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. "Trees provide numerous environmental, economical and health benefits to millions of people each day, and we applaud communities that make planting and caring for trees a top priority."
Communities that earn Tree City USA recognition not only have taken the time to meet the four standards, they know that trees:
- Promote healthier communities by filtering the air we breathe by removing dust and other particles.
- Moderate climate, conserve water and provide vital habitat for wildlife.
- Reduce the heat island effect in urban areas caused by pavement and buildings.
- Increase property values and reduce energy use and add beauty to our homes and neighborhoods.
More information about Tree City USA can be found at www.arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.
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News Release: Arbor Day Foundation Names Roanoke County as a Tree City Community
VDOT Posts Weight Restriction on Route 116 Bridge
Over Back Creek in Roanoke County
SALEM – The Virginia Department of Transportation has lowered the weight limit on the Route 116 bridge over Back Creek in Roanoke County. Due to the bridge’s deteriorating concrete riding surface, VDOT has reduced the weight of vehicles that can use the bridge.
Signs are now in place on the bridge indicating a weight limit of 31 tons for tractor-trailers (semi-trucks) and 23 tons for all other vehicles. The bridge is located 0.8 mile north of the Franklin County line.
The bridge is a multi-span beam and concrete deck structure that was built in 1961. At the last traffic count in 2008, approximately 5,400 vehicles use the bridge each day.
There are funds currently identified in VDOT’s Six-Year Improvement Program to begin developing plans to replace the bridge. No timetable has been established.
VDOT is also completing a study to restrict truck traffic on Route 116 at the request of Roanoke and Franklin counties. VDOT anticipates holding a public hearing on restricting truck traffic on Route 116 sometime later this year.
The weight limit reduction on the bridge is independent of the through truck restriction study on Route 116.
For more information, contact VDOT's Jason Bond at 540-387-5250.
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News Release: VDOT Notice for Rt 116 Back Creek Bridge Weight Limit