Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission News
Connect
Collaborate
Cooperate
COVID-19 Dashboard
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission staff has prepared a COVID-19 dashboard to track regional cases and also includes demographics and mapping of vulnerable populations.

Included in the dashboard are unemployment claims, nursing home locations, and zip code COVID-19 data. COVID-19 cases and deaths are updated hourly from Johns Hopkins. To access the dashboard, click HERE.
Image captured 5/28/2021 at 9:00 AM
Regional Commission Names Jeremy Holmes as Next Executive Director
he Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission announced today that Jeremy Holmes has been named the new Executive Director. Holmes follows Wayne Strickland, who retires June 30th after 42 years with the Regional Commission.

Holmes has served as director of the Commission’s RIDE Solutions Commuter Assistance Program for the past fifteen years and in January of 2020 became the Commission’s Associate Executive Director. In addition to his leadership of the RIDE Solutions program, Holmes has been involved in a number of regional community advocacy efforts, including the Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition, the Greater Roanoke Valley Asthma and Air Quality Coalition, Roanoke Valley Reads, and Healthy Roanoke Valley. Holmes holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Roanoke College and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Hollins University.

Holmes plans to focus his first several months on the job in assisting localities and other regional organizations to take advantage of the many funding opportunities being made as a result of the American Recovery Act and related COVID-recovery programs at the federal and state level.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee Welcomes New Members
The Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee is pleased to welcome eight new members who bring diverse perspectives, knowledge, and connections of walking, bicycling, and disabilities to the committee: Wayne Wilcox, Phil Hobrla, Heather Brush, Emily Scott, Liz Ackley, Sandy Beyers, Brendan Hall, and Nathan Hilbert. For a list of current committee members, click here.
Town of Vinton Hosts Ribbon Cutting and Arbor Day Event
The Town of Vinton held a ribbon cutting this week for the opening of Glade Creek Greenway Phase II. This celebration also doubled as the Town’s 2021 Arbor Day event. Funding for the planting of over 30 trees was provided by the Virginia Department of Forestry through a grant secured by the Regional Commission.
Regional Commission Releases Celebrate Transportation Day Video
On Thursday, May 27th, the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission and the Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization celebrated transportation.

Our organizations are responsible for planning future improvements to our region’s transportation system from the Alleghany Highlands to the Roanoke Valley.
Applications Being Accepted For VEE’s James River Water Quality Improvement Program
The Virginia Environmental Endowment is currently accepting applications for its James River Water Quality Improvement Program. The program aims to fund projects focused on producing significant water quality benefits through on-the-ground investments and initiatives. Funding priorities include projects related to riparian buffer installations, agricultural conservation practices, and stream restorations.

Applications are due by June 15th. Visit the program’s page for more details.
Clean the Bay Day Spans from May 31st – June 5th
Clean the Bay Day has been an annual tradition in Virginia for 33 years. As part of Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week, the event encourages groups and individuals to remove litter from local rivers and streams. To ensure clean ups are able to occur safely, the event has been extended to run the entire week.

Partakers can register a group or as an individual to upload data to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Registration information can be found here. Participants are encouraged to post videos and photos using #CleanTheBayDay for a chance to win prizes.
Ongoing Projects
The Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission is always working with localities on projects that benefit the region. Some of these projects are listed below.

  • Alleghany Highlands Economic Impact of the Arts
  • Roanoke Valley Transportation Plan
  • Rural Long-Range Transportation Plan
  • City of Covington Downtown Revitalization Planning Grant Assistance
  • City of Roanoke Neighborhood Walk Project
  • City of Roanoke Pedestrian Safety Campaign
  • Promotion and access improvements for the Roanoke River Blueway
  • RVTPO Surface Transportation Block Grant Funding Program FY22-27/28
  • Botetourt County Community Mobility Design Challenge
  • Regional Study on Transportation Project Prioritization for Economic Development and Growth in the Roanoke Valley

For more information on ongoing projects contact Tim Pohlad-Thomas or visit RVARC.org.