LewisGale Medical Center and City of Salem leadership kicked off their Stroke Smart Salem partnership with a community activation day on Tuesday. Hospital leaders and community officials, including Salem Mayor Renee Turk and members of city council, canvassed businesses on Main Street to spread awareness about stroke education.

HopeTree proposed selling over half its property to a developer who would build up to 340 residences and several businesses

SALEM, Va. – On Wednesday morning, the Salem City Council named its new mayor and for the first time in the city’s history, it’s a woman. After the newly elected members of council were sworn in, they nominated and selected Renee Turk as the new mayor. Turk is no stranger to politics; her brother Ray Ferris was on Roanoke City Council for a number of years. Nelson Harris is a former Roanoke mayor and local historian, most recently publishing a history of the Roanoke Valley during the 1940s. He said Turk is not only making Salem history, she’s making regional history as both Vinton and Roanoke City have never had female mayors.