Bowers and Moon Reynolds Run, RCPS Eyes Cuts, Gas Spikes and a Tribune Milestone

Roanoke Rambler

May 13, 2026 • 3 min read

Happy Wednesday, all. This week in Roanoke, the stories shaping our city stretch from City Hall to the gas pump.

First, in politics, we have breaking news! Former Mayor David Bowers and Former City Councilwoman Stephanie Moon Reynolds are jumping back into the arena, this time vying for City Council. Their independent bids upend the usual party math and set the stage for one of the most competitive local races in years, with big implications for education, development and the city’s political future.

Meanwhile, Roanoke City Public Schools are weighing cuts to transportation and after-school programs, raising urgent questions about which families will bear the brunt of belt-tightening and how students will get to class, jobs and enrichment safely if buses and programs disappear.

If your own budget feels squeezed, we’ve got help there, too. As gas prices climb, we feature a working mechanic, breaking down five practical, affordable steps, you can take right now to stretch every tank a little farther without needing a shop degree.

And finally, we celebrate a milestone: the 87th anniversary of the Roanoke Tribune, a pioneering Black newspaper that has chronicled this region through segregation, civil-rights battles and today’s fights over equity and representation.

We hope you’ll not only read and share these articles but also consider supporting the reporting behind them so we can keep digging, explaining and amplifying the voices that often go unheard.

Then, be sure to check out our happenings calendar of events, which lists regularly-occurring events, from fitness, to family outings, to trivia.

Don't forget to read to the bottom for our recurring historical photo. Questions or comments? Please just reply to this email, and we'll look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you very much to our current supporters, subscribers, and sponsors. We hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

The Roanoke Rambler