10 News spoke with former Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea about Susan Williams and the legacy she leaves behind. Williams was known as a life long public servant, dedicating her time to help underserved communities.

Sherman Lea is ending his term as mayor, after announcing his retirement in Dec. 2023.

Sedrick Alexander ran for two touchdowns, Randon Fontenette scored on a pick-six and Diego Pavia outplayed Heisman Trophy candidate Jalen Milroe as Vanderbilt stunned Alabama 40-35 for the Commodores’ first win over the nation’s top-ranked team.

The Vanderbilt Commodores have beaten a No. 1 team in football.

Diego Pavia makes winning debut helping Vanderbilt stun Virginia Tech 34-27 in OT

Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea is one of the 119 delegates representing Virginia at the DNC who said he supports Harris.

Until next July, city council members will still be paid $23,000, and the mayor makes $25,000.

With City Manager Bob Cowell resigning, it leaves a lot of questions about what comes next.

Roanoke’s sister city from Wonju, South Korea, is paying the Star City a visit.

A new task force is making a difference in the Roanoke Valley and keeping dangerous drugs off the street, including fentanyl.

The pressure was on during Tuesday night’s Roanoke City Council meeting on Evans Spring.

10 News is working for you to highlight some of the biggest decisions and hurdles Mayor Lea has had to face during his 20-year tenure working for the city.

10 News sat down with Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea about the highs and lows of his nearly 20-year career on city council.

After serving the City of Roanoke for nearly 20 years, Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea has announced that he won’t be seeking re-election in the upcoming election.

Dr Pepper Day took over Downtown Roanoke Tuesday.

Ceasefire: Victory in the Valley is a new initiative aimed at stopping gun violence in Roanoke.

Another person shot and killed in Roanoke over the weekend, marking 24 homicides in the Star City so far in 2023.

Danville's police chief, Scott Booth is the finalist for the chief position in Roanoke.

After an arrest was made in a Williamson Road shooting that injured three, the recent incident is sparking conversation among city leaders.

Affordable housing in Roanoke was one of the main topics at Thursday’s State of the City address.

Mayor Lea wants parents to know where their children are, after a shooting left one teen dead and another injured Saturday.

Roanoke City leaders want the community to engage in the search for the next Chief of Police.

Roanoke City Leaders came together for a press conference Monday afternoon to address the recent string of shootings.

The City of Roanoke is looking at ways to revitalize the Gainsboro neighborhood.

Roanoke City Council voted to amend the city’s youth curfew ordinance on Monday.

Monday's Roanoke city council meeting addressed a rise in youth instances involving guns, and how to fix the problem.

Roanoke City council has talked about expanding the youth curfew for months, and reexamined it during Monday's meeting.

The mission to combat gun violence in Roanoke continues.

City councilwoman Stephanie Moon Reynolds is calling on city manager Bob Cowell to do more to address gun violence.

Less than an hour after the conclusion of a Gun-Violence Workshop, three people were shot in the Hurt Park area of SW Roanoke.

Amid growing questions, concerns and criticism of Roanoke’s Gun Violence Prevention Commission, the group came together with city leaders to share their progress and mission on Monday for a gun violence prevention framework meeting.

Over 20 Roanoke city youth participated in the first of it's kind talent show.

In an effort to curb gun violence among teenagers, Roanoke's Mayor wants to adjust the city's curfew. But not everyone is on board with the proposed approach.

Roanoke's mayor is looking to expand the city's youth curfew — and we want to hear what you have to say.

A public hearing was held for the proposed curfew in Roanoke City on Tuesday night.

Roanoke City Council members are raising concerns over the way the city's Gun Violence Prevention Commission is spending money.

Roanoke City leaders are looking for ways to mitigate gun violence following a series of shootings in the area.

Attorney General Jason Miyares released a 69-page report investigating what he called a “parole-granting frenzy” during the pandemic.

Roanoke City Council unanimously approved the new complex which will be built off of Orange Avenue.

One of the top priorities for Roanoke city council in 2023 is going to be addressing and combatting gun violence in the city.

Roanoke's Mayor Sherman Lea says he wants to speak with City Council about possibly enforcing a curfew for young people.

Mike Wright completed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Will Sheppard with 32 seconds left for a 24-21 win over Kentucky and snap a 26-game Southeastern Conference losing streak.

A teenager’s death over the weekend and other recent shootings have Roanoke city leaders re-evaluating what’s working and what’s not in their efforts to combat gun violence.

Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea gave an update on the city's recent successes and challenges during Thursday's State of the City Address.

25 safety recommendations were adopted by the school board at their last meeting, including a new safety tip line, new, more secure classroom door locks, and an additional 15 school resource officers on top of the 11 already on staff.

25 safety recommendations were adopted by the school board at their last meeting, including a new safety tip line, new, more secure classroom door locks, and an additional 15 school resource officers on top of the 11 already on staff.

"I enjoy athletics. Athletics have been good to me. It allowed me to go to college."

Roanoke City Council held a public meeting to hear many concerns and frustrations you all shared: the increase in personal property taxes.

Every two years, the City of Roanoke looks to get feedback from its residents using a citizen survey. Some of the biggest concerns voiced in 2021's survey were crime, housing and downtown parking.

Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea isn’t looking to end the Star City’s relationship with its sister city of Pskov, Russia anytime soon.

Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea is resigning from the Virginia Parole Board after eight years of service.

A request to rezone property along Brandon Avenue to build 54 apartments and 15 townhomes was rejected by Roanoke City Council Monday night with a 4-3 vote.

Communities across the country, and right here in our area gathered for National Night Out on Tuesday.

Tax dollars will now be put to work to combat the rising gun violence in Roanoke.

A new season of Lea Youth Outdoor Basketball is underway and it’s not too late for players to get in on the fun.

The murder of George Floyd sparked a year worth of conversations regarding police reform in the United States.

The City of Roanoke has narrowed it down to four possible names for Lee Plaza. It’s the former home of the Confederate memorial in downtown Roanoke and council wants the name changed.

Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea feels the community needs to step up to the plate and be accountable following two shootings earlier this week.

Roanoke City Council still plans to implement a plastic bag tax but said they need to figure a few things out. Earlier this week, the council postponed a vote until May amid concerns that the tax would disproportionately affect low-income residents.

ROANOKE, Va. – Hundreds of people flocked to downtown Roanoke Saturday night to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea believes their decision may set the city back in its battle against COVID-19. “We do not want another spread that could affect me, you and others if we have a spread in this city again,” Lea said. Lea said while Roanoke’s COVID-19 vaccination rates are improving, they are not high enough in his opinion for gatherings as large as of Saturday night’s festivities. He says he will look to enforce COVID-19 capacity guidelines more harshly in the city after the celebrations. What we want to do is save lives.”Lea said restaurants are liable to face punishment if they violated capacity guidelines on Saturday.

ROANOKE, Va. – Mayor Sherman Lea said he meant it as a joke, but he’s now receiving criticism for a recent Facebook comment. After the Patrick Henry girls basketball team won the Region 5D championship Monday night, their excitement soon turned to frustration. Mayor Lea.”On Tuesday, Lea told 10 News that he considers Hedrick a good friend and thought he was private messaging him. He also said that he and the mayor have had a private conversation since the post. The Patrick Henry girls said they’re going to be using this as fuel for their next game, the state semifinal, against Potomac Falls on Wednesday.

ROANOKE, Va. – Though a shooting over the weekend at Roanoke’s Valley View Mall was isolated, it had many shoppers running for their lives, thinking it was something much worse. [‘I have never in my life been this scared’: Valley View Mall employees react to the shooting]Saturday night’s shooting happened during an argument between two people at the mall, according to the Roanoke Police Department. As chaos ensued, store employees knew Colquhoun was deaf because the word ‘Deaf’ is printed on his face mask. This concern has led to an enhanced law enforcement response, including realignment of certain personnel to increase the resources available to respond to violent crime. This law enforcement response has been accompanied by a non-law enforcement response as well, involving the Gun Violence Task Force, use of a Rapid Response Team, etc.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt is negotiating a deal with Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea to make the former Commodores player its new head coach. The 38-year-old Lea is a Nashville native who played baseball at Birmingham-Southern and Belmont before walking on as a fullback at Vanderbilt, where he played from 2002-04. He started coaching at UCLA and also has coached at South Dakota State, Bowling Green, Syracuse and Wake Forest. The Fighting Irish made the College Football Playoff in 2018 behind a defense that ranked eighth in the nation in yards allowed per play (4.53). ___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke’s mayor is officially back for another term, and a fresh face has now joined Roanoke City Council. Mayor Sherman Lea and Councilwoman Stephanie Moon Reynolds both took their oaths of office Thursday afternoon after winning their respective elections last month. Lea returns for a second term as mayor, while Moon Reynolds transitions to city council from a 42-year career as Roanoke’s city clerk. Lea said he is excited to lead in his new term with new councilmembers Moon Reynolds and Robert Jeffrey. “Roanoke is a resilient city with resilient people, and I’m proud to be mayor of this city.”Jeffrey and fellow councilmember Trish White-Boyd will be sworn into office on Friday.

ROANOKE, Va. – When NBC News determined Joe Biden would win the presidential election Saturday morning, it was the moment Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea had waited four years to experience. “I was following this all week, even in the midst of my own election,” said Lea, who was elected for a second term as Roanoke’s mayor this week. Roanoke teenagers Jasmine Rosser and Morgan Fletchall said this was the first election they have ever voted in. Although Biden won the election, Virginia Tech politics professor Karen Hult said Republicans still have a lot to celebrate. Lea said he is looking forward to how the next four years will be under President-elect Biden.

ROANOKE, Va. – For the first time in the Star City, minorities will hold the majority on Roanoke City Council with four African Americans, one Latina and two white members. Democrat Robert Jeffrey Jr. and independent Stephanie Moon Reynolds will join incumbent democrats Mayor Sherman Lea and Councilwoman Trish White-Boyd. “It speaks well to the equity and empowerment that we’re trying to project in our city," said Lea. Council members Michelle Davis and Anita Price did not run for re-election in 2020. Lea said council is going to hold a public hearing on the bus station and council members are going in with open minds.

ROANOKE, Va. – Sherman Lea declared himself the winner Tuesday night in the race for Roanoke Mayor, securing his second term. The two did share some top priorities, including tackling gun violence in the Star City and the downtown bus station. Lea and Bowers both see the downtown bus station as a main concern, but their visions for the project differ. Lea wants to see a new bus station built in front of the Virginia Museum of Transportation, while Bowers wants to renovate the current station on Campbell Avenue. Back in 2016, Sherman Lea won the mayoral election and had no opponents.

ROANOKE, VA. – The polls open when the sun comes up Tuesday morning and candidates all over our area made their final push to get out the vote Monday night. Monday night was dark and chilly as the clocks rolled back and a burst of winter moved in, but candidates for Roanoke mayor and city council made their final push. On election eve, Republican candidates for council, Peg McGuire and Maynard Keller knocked on doors in southwest Roanoke hoping to get Republicans on council for the first time in a while. Democrat Sherman Lea, the incumbent mayor, spent election eve making calls to Roanoke citizens asking for their vote. Mayoral candidate David Bowers did most of his work in the afternoon, but like other candidates, will make his final push at the polls Tuesday.

One star city. Current Roanoke City Mayor Sherman Lea is facing off against the former mayor, David Bowers, in the 2020 election. The candidates differ on one controversial, key point: the downtown bus station. Bowers wants to focus on jobs and wants Roanoke to take a different route. That will bring a new direction to the Star City,” said Bowers.

ROANOKE, Va. – Sen. Mark Warner continued his “Get Out the Vote” campaign and the Star City was one of his several stops on Saturday morning for his final push to garner support. Roanoke’s mayoral candidates also talked with voters and while they differ on their top priorities, both agreed that making your voice heard is important“This is a big election. “People should be very confident of the early voting here in roanoke. The early voting has gone very well,” said David Bowers. Mayor Lea says his focus is helping the city get through the coronavirus pandemic while former Mayor Bowers says he wants to address Roanoke’s gun violence.

ROANOKE, Va. – On Tuesday, both Governor Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring visited Roanoke to campaign for local Democrats. Northam greeted the small crowd Tuesday night, while he and other state and local leaders rallied for their candidates. Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea is running for a second term and said it’s a show of support he hasn’t seen in a long time. “Make sure you re-elect your great mayor Sherman Lea, he is a proven leader, he is getting the job done. “I think it’s a sign of desperation, I think our mayor, Mayor Lea is behind the curve, I think he’s unpopular with a lot of people, including Democrats," Keller said.

ROANOKE, Va. – After four years in office, Roanoke City Mayor Sherman Lea said he’s ready for four more. When it comes to jobs, bringing in businesses and economic development, Lea said he collaborates with other localities and gets input from citizens. During the pandemic, he and the Roanoke City Council let citizens help them decide how to spend recovery funding. We’re still opening businesses, small businesses are still happening in our city.”Lea said that building a new bus station downtown will promote economic development. However, Lea said he wants to take a hard look at equity in Roanoke.

ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke City Councilwoman Djuna Osborne announced that she plans to step down from her seat, effective Wednesday at 5 p.m.Osborne told 10 News that the pandemic has taken a toll on a lot of families, including hers. Osborne said it was a very tough decision to make because she’s proud of her work on council to serve citizens. Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea said that he’s sad to see her go. “It’s just a really tough choice. It’s really really hard," said Osborne.

ROANOKE, Va. In a year unlike any other, Roanokes State of the City address Wednesday morning took a much different tone. The speech presented a stark contrast between the Star City pre-coronavirus pandemic and now. I think the city needs to have a strategy for new economic growth. Were going to ensure everyone in our city has an opportunity to live in a safe and vibrant environment, Lea said. Bowers told 10 News hes disappointed Lea didnt address increased violence, but agrees equality needs to be a priority moving forward.

ROANOKE, Va. – Business owners are prepared for Phase Three of Virginia’s reopening plan, which starts on Wednesday. Of those positive cases, 17% are from three local communities -- Roanoke city, and Roanoke and Botetourt counties. “I have my concerns as I’ve stated that publicly,” said Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea when questioned on whether he believes the area is ready for the next phase. Mayor Lea said if things get worse in terms of the number of cases, he will consider pausing or scaling back reopening guidelines. “At some point, if it gets too bad, maybe we’ll have to pause,” said Mayor Lea.

ROANOKE, Va. – The countdown to Phase 3 is on and the city of Roanoke is preparing to reopen on July 1 following Gov. Are we moving too fast?” asked Lea. As of Thursday, the Star City has had 359 cases, 14 hospitalizations and 10 deaths. The Mayor has no intent to seek any formal actions to defer the City’s movement into Phase 3 of the reopening. I want businesses to get back and come back, but also, at what cost?” said Lea.

ROANOKE, Va. – “Just sad, that’s all,” said Qae Copeland, whose mother lives near the scene of Saturday’s deadly shooting. Copeland said gun violence needs to stop. Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea took a shot Monday at the community and legal system. I’m frustrated, angry, and saddened," said Lea. When 10 News asked the mayor for a timeline for the task force implementations he referenced, he said they are ongoing.

ROANOKE, Va. – High school basketball players from around the Roanoke Valley played on Roanoke’s largest stage this weekend. The annual tournament at the Berglund Center showcased the area’s largest rivalries, including William Fleming vs. Patrick Henry and North Cross vs. Roanoke Catholic. Lea said he organized the tournament to unite the city and the county through sports. Money received from the tournament will go to non-profits in the Roanoke Valley.

ROANOKE, Va. - Monday's Roanoke City council meeting got unusually heated over whether the city should move election day for council members from May to November. Those in favor said it will increase voter turnout, while those opposed said local elections would get lost in elections for Congress and president. Council voted to get the wheels moving on the issue, on a 4-2 vote. Councilman Bill Bestpitch and Councilwoman Michelle Davis voted no. Odd-year voting would put local elections in line with state elections rather than federal ones, which some were in favor of.

The FBI's report says Roanoke's 2018 violent crime rate, which measures murders, rapes, robberies and assaults, is 235.2 crimes per 100,000 residents. Roanoke's violent crime rate is on par with Richmond and Hartford, Connecticut. Lea says the violent crime rate does not matter if homicides keep occurring within the Star City. Lynchburg and Blacksburg both had lower violent crime rates than Roanoke. The violent crime rates for Roanoke, Blacksburg and Lynchburg are much lower than the most violent cities.

ROANOKE, Va. - Local leaders from across Virginia finished a conference on Tuesday that focused on finding solutions to what they consider to be the biggest problems facing their communities. The Virginia Municipal League annual conference is designed to help local governments communicate and share ideas. Inside Hotel Roanoke, he laid out his goals for the future, focusing on improving education and workforce training. Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea and others put their heads together and decided what they want to push lawmakers to change come the next legislative session, which begins in January. Roanoke last hosted the conference in 2014, according to Lea, who said it's been great to show off the Star City to the commonwealth.

ROANOKE, Va. - Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea maintained his optimism for the city in his annual update. Lea gave his State of the City address to the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning. The mayor drew attention to Roanoke City Schools' 90 percent graduation rate, as well as major projects which finished such as the rebuilt Franklin Street Bridge and the new Melrose library. Lea says he's proud of how far the city has come and believes it will continue to improve. "We can sustain our momentum as a positive, progressive, successful community in which everyone plays a role in making our incredible potential," Lea said.

They left early this morning on a bus from Roanoke to demonstrate for gun control and Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea went with them. Despite spending six hours on a bus just to turn around with nothing, they felt the trip was worth it. "I was disappointed with the shenanigans and I say that word strongly, shenanigans today to not deal with this opportunity that the governor has given us," Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea said. That bill was exactly what Mayor Lea is advocating for. Roanoke Indivisible hosted the bus trip and was happy to have the mayor along, despite being critical of him in the past.

ROANOKE, Va. - A busload of people will leave Roanoke bright and early Tuesday morning destined for Richmond to advocate for gun reform, and Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea will be with them. The city has unsuccessfully asked the state to let it restrict guns in the municipal building for a few years now. Roanoke Indivisible organized the bus trip and as a whole has been critical of City Council in recent months on a number of topics. Lea said while he may not agree with all of their ideas, it's important to stand in solidarity with them. Those in Roanoke Indivisible who have been critical of the mayor and council in the past say they're happy to have the mayor in their corner this time around.