Carter Elliott, Staff Columnist~
Having lived in Lynchburg for nearly 20 years, I have seen a lot of things change in our city. When I was much younger, downtown Lynchburg was definitely not my favorite place to go. With its run-down factories and abandoned buildings everywhere, it certainly wasn’t the prettiest of places.
However, in the past two decades we have seen downtown being revitalized and a significant population growth in the city. Now that Lynchburg is on the cusp of hitting an 80,000-person population, we have some very important decisions that we are going to have to make in the next several years. The median age in Lynchburg right now is about 27, which means that about half of the population of Lynchburg is under the age of 30, yet not a single member of our city council represents that age demographic.
In the crucial time that we are in, in the city, we need council members that are young (whether in age or at heart), passionate and caring. After considering these three qualities, I have found that city council candidate Beau Wright is the right person for the job. Wright is an independent candidate that was born and raised right here in Lynchburg, Virginia. Like myself, Wright has a strong love for the city of Lynchburg. Our main priorities for the city of Lynchburg aligned perfectly: growing our economy, building our future and strengthening our community.
I love Lynchburg for many reasons, including the people, Lynchburg College, our strong Virginia values, our ambition and our potential. Wright is fighting for the things that I believe make Lynchburg the greatest city in Virginia, and we would be so fortunate to have him serve on our city council. Over the next couple of months, I urge you all to become informed citizens and make the Wright decision this May!
