Staunton City Council defers hearing on noise ordinance
Staunton officials announced today that a planned public hearing on a noise ordinance amendment has been postponed. The deferral is designed to explore other possible options.
The previously proposed draft amendment, to be advertised for public hearing, would have provided a cut-off time of 11:30 p.m. for outdoor music. There have been numerous complaints this year as a result of outdoor bands performing outside until as late as 2 a.m., raising questions about impact on neighbors and neighboring properties and businesses.
As one member of City Council who has been a strong supporter of downtown businesses, Vice Mayor David Metz, said, “I want to see what other arrangements can be made to solve the problem. As much as I enjoy music and support the local arts community, I believe everyone, including our tourist guests, is reasonably entitled to a good night’s sleep. But I remain open to—and welcome— exploring other options to resolve the matter”.
Mayor Lacy King said, “Council is looking for a potential win-win solution to this issue, which has so far eluded us. I hope further dialogue and compromise will help mediate the problem, possibly without the immediate need for a new ordinance. We all take pride in the vitality of our downtown area, and I fully support Vice Mayor Metz’s open approach to exploring other options.”
Grant to fund extension of streetscape signage in Staunton
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
The Staunton Downtown Development Association has been awarded a Main Street Improvement grant valued at $2,500 to fund the extension of Downtown Service District streetscape banners to include Churchville Avenue and North Augusta Street.
“I’m sure that the new banners on Churchville Avenue will help bring a more unified look to our downtown,” said Sarah Butterfield, SDDA Board president and owner of Blue Mountain Coffees. Read more
Shenandoah Pizza owners branch out into concert promotion
Edited by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
When Shenandoah Pizza owners Cheryl and John Huggins started following one of their favorite bands the Allman Brothers around from concert-to-concert years ago, they never imagined that a few years hence they would be hosting musicians associated with the band in their very own concert series.
“We just loved that music scene and wanted to be a part of it all back then,” said John Huggins. “Now we want to bring some of that same excitement and enjoyment to the local music scene.”
The Bruce Katz Band will headline the Shenandoah Summer Blues Fest Aug. 21 at the Steve B. Dod Amphitheater located at the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton. Katz has toured with the Allman Brothers and still plays with Gregg Allman regularly, who says about Bruce, “He can play jazz, blues, Bach, anything. Man, he’s a heavy!”
A deep well of local blues musicians will round out the schedule, with a variety of food, drink, vendors and other special activities on tap. Read more
Staunton: Back to the drawing board for conservatives
Special Report by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Two years ago, the Staunton May elections saw conservative Dickie Bell elected for a fourth term, Amdrea Oakes, fresh off her work with a community group that had raised a fuss over the opening of a porn shop, elected for a first, and musician Bob Campbell outpoll incumbent Dave Metz in two of the city’s five voting wards and nearly do the same in a third while falling just short of being added to City Council. Read more
Mixed bag in local election results
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Tighter-than-expected elections in Waynesboro, and results as expected in Staunton. That was Election Day in the Valley on Tuesday. Read more
Election Guide 2010
Compiled by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
AFPTheMagazine.com offers up information on the candidates for public office in contested races in Staunton and Waynesboro to be decided on May 4.
Free public service of AFPTheMagazine.com. Read more
Read my lips? Candidates debate taxes
Story by Chris Graham
freepress2@ntelos.net
Carl Tate looks at it as reinforcement.
“It reinforces my promise to the citizens of Staunton not to vote to raise their taxes,” said Tate, a candidate for Staunton City Council, who made news in his upstart campaign with his April 8 announcement that he had signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge of the conservative Washington, D.C.,-based Americans for Tax Reform.
His opponents in the all-at-large election, incumbent City Council members Carolyn Dull, Bruce Elder and Lacy King, can almost be said to speak with one voice on the wisdom of what critics refer to as the “no-tax pledge.”
Free read from AFPTheMagazine.com. Read more
