Council honors Juneteenth, hears Miss Virginia and youth college‑trip report; citizen asks to extend Roanoke Star lighting

Roanoke City Council opened with a proclamation recognizing Juneteenth and invited Jordan Bell and family to accept the acknowledgement. A community organizer described continuing Juneteenth celebrations at Eureka Park and thanked the city for support of the event scheduled for June 20.

Madison Whitbeck, Miss Virginia 2025, addressed the council and described her year of service, saying she visited more than 75 elementary schools as part of the Virginia ABC education partnership and spoke about leadership and substance‑use prevention programs. "I am the 90th Miss Virginia," she told the council, and she described the travel and educational work that accompanied the role.

City manager Miss Turner and Anita Price introduced Youth Services Board delegates Zariah Bell (William Fleming High School) and Lily Quas (Patrick Henry High School). The students summarized a college tour including Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Union and the University of Richmond, described campus characteristics and answered council questions about their postsecondary plans.

During citizen comment, Barbara Durk urged the council to consider extending a previously approved temporary lighting schedule for the Roanoke Star (noted on the agenda as July 1–Sept. 12) to continue through Constitution Week (Sept. 7–23) and asked the council to review and consider bringing an extension back for formal approval.

The council thanked presenters and agreed to review the lighting request; no formal action on the lighting extension was taken at the meeting.