ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 23, 1996 TAG: 9604230143
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY
Roanoke is shooting for a fifth national award recognizing cooperative problem-solving by citizens and their governments.
Local officials were informed Monday that the city is one of 30 finalists in the All-America City competition in which 105 communities are vying to be named one of the 10 best local governments in the nation. The city won in 1952, 1979, 1982 and 1988.
The awards, bestowed annually by the National Civic League, are the local-government equivalent of the motion picture industry's Academy Awards.
Roanoke's entry cited three projects that have demonstrated community involvement: the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, for which the community raised millions of dollars; saving the old Jefferson High School building on Campbell Avenue as an arts and cultural center; and work done in picking a site for the Roanoke Valley Trash Transfer Station.
The 10 winners will be named in June in Fort Worth, Texas.
"Regardless of whether we're named one of the top 10," Mayor David Bowers said, "the fact we've been named a finalist is a sign that in Roanoke, we believe in working together to make this city a great place to live and work."
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