Mill Mountain star honors Paris terrorism victims

Roanoke’s famous Mill Mountain star is lit in red, blue, and white, the colors of the flag of France, to honors those who perished in Friday night’s terrorism attacks in Paris, according to the Roanoke Times. The display is expected to continue through the weekend. It is just one of many gestures throughout America and the world as they stand with France after over 100 were killed and hundreds more were injured in six separate attacks by gunmen and suicide bombers. Vive la France.

Virginia’s new Senator Stooge

By John Fredericks
Guest Post

Ralph Smith: We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Election!
Virginia’s General Assembly prides itself on being populated by ‘citizen legislators.’ The implied meaning of that is the legislature is the people’s deliberative body. The people select its members. That’s why what is going on in Roanoke County-centric Senate District 19 is so troubling.

You see, outgoing Republican Sen. Ralph Smith has cynically rigged the system to ensure his hand-picked successor – tenderfoot legislative aide David Suetterlein – would have no formal GOP challenge for the nomination.

This brazen maneuver compels me to ask some uncomfortable questions.

Since when do the political elites and power brokers pre-determine election outcomes by gaming the system in a way that denies voters expressing their will?

Is this the new “Virginia Way?”

Roanoke-Blacksburg tech corridor and the Millennial factor

By Lynn R. Mitchell

There was a summit over the weekend in Roanoke showcasing the city as Millennnial-friendly and a great place to work and live (see Our View: The young and the restless — and Roanoke):

It’s hardly a news flash that the economy is changing. The Roanoke and New River valleys have a small but interesting base of technology companies to build on, usually ones you’ve never heard of because the products they sell aren’t ones for the general market.

One problem they face, though, is finding enough workers. That’s hardly a Roanoke phenomenon; a recent survey by the Technology Councils of America found that 74 percent of executives at tech companies say they face a labor shortage, with about one-third calling it “significant.” Both those numbers are up from the last survey two years ago.

Republican Party of Virginia State Convention this weekend

Star City, here we come! Republicans from throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia — although not as many as usual — will be descending on Roanoke for the next two days for yet another convention to nominate our U.S. Senate candidate.  Word on the street is that as few as 2,500 delegates may be there. From the sounds of people who are unable to make the trip for one reason or another, it may be less than that.

It shouldn’t be the debacle we witnessed at the 2013 convention in Richmond. We hope. Conventions have a way of pulling out some ridiculous resolutions that are popped on delegates who vote without knowing background, facts, or time to research. I would like to present a resolution that says we have no more resolutions at conventions unless every delegate is presented with a copy of said resolution two weeks before the convention. I’ve seen fireworks at these things over resolutions.

We’ll make the most of it and hope that the whole thing wraps up at a decent time on Saturday. LynnRMitchell.com is credentialed with RPV so look for us in the media area and throughout the convention center with camera in hand. We’ll try to live-blog as much as possible (internet service tends to be hit-and-miss at these things), we’ll get photos to share, and generally take in the atmosphere.

See you in Roanoke!