Lynchburg Better Together City Council candidates Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall have released a new summary of feedback gathered during an August 12 listening session with renters and community members. The document, “What We Heard: Renters in Lynchburg,” reflects the challenges residents face finding housing that is not only affordable, but also safe, accessible, well-maintained, and suited to their families and circumstances.

Three Democratic candidates say the incident has prompted a larger conversation about hateful rhetoric in the community. While the candidates say the vandalism itself was upsetting, they say the community response has been a more important reflection of Lynchburg. “To me the biggest statement about Lynchburg is the community’s reaction to it,” Henderson said. “We had people immediately come out to report the sign, remove the sign, and offer their help. And again, that speaks so much more about what Lynchburg is versus a symbol of hate.” The candidates say their response is not about political parties.

The Lynchburg Better Together slate of City Council candidates released the following statement after the Lynchburg Police Department announced it would temporarily pause the city’s fifteen fixed Flock Automatic License Plate Recognition cameras while an independent third-party review is completed.

The Lynchburg Police Department has paused the operation of its 15 fixed Flock Safety license plate reader cameras located on city rights-of-way in response to concerns raised by elected officials and residents, the department said Wednesday. City Council candidates responded with a variety of statements. Lynchburg Better Together candidates said they support the pause, and offered some steps the city could take.

With a month left until early voting starts in the general election, a large campaign sign for three Democrats running for city council was vandalized. Lynchburg Better Together, a group that endorsed Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall for city council, said it learned on Monday morning that one of its 4-feet-by-8-feet campaign signs at Vassar Street and Langhorne Road had been vandalized with swastikas, antisemetic imagery and other graffiti.

A hateful symbol now has Lynchburg candidates from both parties speaking out after someone vandalized a campaign sign with antisemitic graffiti. “To think that that could happen in our community is really hard for me to fathom,” said Dave Henderson, a Lynchburg City Council candidate. Someone vandalized a “Lynchburg Better Together” campaign sign Sunday night. It was covered with antisemitic imagery and other graffiti. “I'd say it's deeply painful for the city of Lynchburg to have an experience like this. That swastika that was on that sign is a symbol of hatred and violence,” Henderson said.

Lynchburg Better Together City Council candidates Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall have released a new summary of feedback gathered during a listening session with community faith leaders. The document, “What We Heard From Community Faith Leaders,” reflects a call for city leadership that listens before making decisions, respects Lynchburg’s diversity, strengthens public schools, addresses poverty seriously, and protects the dignity of every resident.

Lynchburg Better Together City Council candidates Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall have released a new summary of feedback gathered during a July 14 listening session with leaders from the Greater Lynchburg Transit Company. The document, “What We Heard From Public Transit Leaders,” emphasizes: public transit is essential city infrastructure. Reliable transit connects residents to jobs, schools, health care, shopping, housing, and community life while supporting employers, downtown activity, public events, and economic development.

Lynchburg Better Together City Council candidates Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall have released a new summary of feedback gathered during a July 12 listening session with young people ages 14 to 20. The document, “What We Heard From Lynchburg’s Youth,” reflects a clear message: young people want to be seen, heard, respected, and included in decisions that shape Lynchburg’s future. Participants discussed public schools, downtown, arts and culture, outdoor spaces, inclusion, trust in local government, and what would give more young people a reason to build their futures in Lynchburg.

Lynchburg Better Together candidates Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall today called on Lynchburg City Council to commit to funding the 4% teacher raise included in the Virginia state budget — and to move expeditiously to make that commitment a reality.

Dave Henderson, owner of The Water Dog and candidate for Lynchburg City Council, knows firsthand how local businesses help build community. As The News & Advance highlights, The Water Dog’s World Cup watch parties brought people together across Lynchburg — soccer fans, casual viewers, families, neighbors, and visitors — creating the kind of shared experience that makes a city feel alive. That is what Dave understands: strong local businesses do more than drive the economy. They create gathering places, strengthen downtown, and help people feel connected to the city they call home. From The Water Dog to City Council, Dave is ready to keep helping Lynchburg move forward.

Throughout the 20th century, Lynchburg was a complacent city, often averse to confrontation over social advances, panelists said at a Monday discussion on race relations in the city… Along with Martin, Monday’s discussion, titled “Race Relations in Lynchburg: Where We Were, Where We Are, Where We Need to Go,” featured Shaun Spencer-Hester, the granddaughter of poet and activist Anne Spencer, and Nat Marshall, a lifelong Lynchburg-area resident and city council candidate.

Lynchburg Better Together City Council candidates Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall have released a new summary of feedback gathered during a May 12 listening session with local business owners. The document, “What We Heard From Business Owners,” reflects a clear message from Lynchburg’s business community: local economic growth depends on more than business recruitment alone. Business owners want city leadership that understands the connection between strong schools, safe streets, vibrant public spaces, affordable commercial corridors, infrastructure investment, and opportunities for young people.

Nat Marshall, a lifelong Lynchburg-area resident, highlighted the dedication of Phyllistine Mosley and the other co-founders of the Juneteenth celebration for their 25-plus years of work on the event. Marshall, a candidate for one of the three at-large seats on Lynchburg City Council, commented about the diverse nature of the crowd at Saturday’s event, many of whom “are trying to learn and celebrate” freedom and Black achievement.

On Saturday, the state Republican Party’s governing body threw out the results of the Lynchburg Republicans’ May 30 nominating event for the city council on the grounds that it had violated multiple party rules. For those trying to understand the rest of what happened with the Lynchburg Republicans, and what happens now, here’s a full seven-point guide, one for each of the hills in the “City of Seven Hills.”

In a few weeks, my wife and I will have lived in Lynchburg for 50 years. Our children were born here, attended public schools, and both of them graduated from Heritage High School. We have spent the greater portion of our lives within the City of Lynchburg. Never in all those years have we witnessed the total dysfunction that is on constant display from our local Republican-dominated City Council. Temper tantrums (literally throwing objects to the floor), personal insults, campaigning against each other, allowing meetings to descend into chaos — perhaps fans of reality television, where toxic behavior is paraded as entertainment, are amused and entertained. I’m appalled and embarrassed. Fortunately, we still have elections and alternatives. I have met and spoken with Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall, who are running as a ticket under the Lynchburg Better Together and Democratic banners.

Lynchburg Better Together City Council candidates Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson, and Nat Marshall have released a new summary of feedback gathered during a March listening session with Lynchburg City Schools teachers and staff. The document, “What We Heard From LCS Teachers,” highlights concerns raised by educators and school staff about teacher pay, staffing, classroom resources, curriculum, student support, building maintenance, and inequities across Lynchburg’s school system. Across the conversation, one message came through clearly: Lynchburg’s public schools need city leadership that treats student success as central to the city’s future.

For Lynchburg City Council candidate Dave Henderson, improving the quality of life for Hill City residents is his top campaign priority. From upgrades to the school system to continued improvements in downtown and other parts of the city to attracting mid-sized businesses, Lynchburg needs to keep the focus on investing in the quality of life, Henderson said at a candidate event hosted by the Central Virginia Young Democrats on Friday.

Lynchburg Democrats now know which candidates will be representing the party for the three at-large seats on city council in November’s general election. Because only three candidates filed paperwork with the Lynchburg Democratic Committee by the state’s deadline of 5 p.m. Thursday, the party will not need to hold a primary in August to pick who will be the party’s nominees. The three Democratic candidates — Nat Marshall, Christina Delzingaro and Dave Henderson — are the slate selected by Lynchburg Better Together to run for council. The trio held an event at Monument Terrace in January to announce their candidacies and explain why they are running for office.

Lynchburg Republican City Committee (LRCC) Chair Virginia Bratton must have had to really dig deep to find an objection to the Lynchburg Better Together (LBT) City Council Conduct Pledge. How can you attack a group that’s calling for professionalism, discipline, and respect in the conduct of the city’s business? Think, Virginia!