City Council voted last week to encourage outside dining in town, including on public sidewalks, with a special license. Council also heard a preliminary report on diverting trucks out of downtown when not making deliveries there. Supporters say the two moves will help create a more pedestrian- and visitor-friendly environment downtown.

The city already allows outside dining on public sidewalks, but Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance and some restaurant owners wanted a formal statement encouraging the practice.

Public Works Superintendent Andrew Williams said his staff is looking at prohibiting through-truck traffic downtown between Cantrell Avenue and Gay Street. Because of potential costs, potential enforcement complications and other pending projects, Councilwoman Carolyn Frank said moving ahead with those plans should be a low priority. Williams said the issue of a truck route has come up regularly, but it hasn’t been pursued because of a lack of staff time.

Rasoul keeps pressure on for debates
Democratic 6th District congressional candidate Sam Rasoul is keeping the pressure on Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, to engage in a debate before the Nov. 4 election. This month, Rasoul of Blue Ridge proposed a series of six debates in Roanoke, Lynchburg and in the Shenandoah Valley. Goodlatte has yet to agree to, or reject, the proposal.

Goodlatte campaign spokesman David Rexrode said setting debate dates is difficult because of Goodlatte’s unpredictable congressional schedule. Rexrode also said the congressman will debate Rasoul, as he has done with past Democratic opponents.

“Sam [Rasoul] has been ready to debate for months, and Representative Goodlatte has been giving excuses consistently,” said Carey Markoe, a spokesman for Rasoul.

This is the latest attempt Rasoul has made to get Goodlatte to agree to a debate.

Last month, he unsuccessfully tried to get the congressman involved in an Internet forum. Independent Janice Lee Allen of Bridgewater has also said she would like the opportunity to debate Goodlatte.

JMU preparing to cut budget
James Madison University, like many state-funded agencies, is preparing to cut up to 15 percent from its budget, a figure that for JMU could amount to $11.7 million.

Last month, Gov. Timothy Kaine announced impending budget cuts because of weaker-than-expected tax revenues. Although no firm figure has been set, reports suggest Virginia’s two-year budget could be short $1 billion.

To get ready, the governor required state schools to prepare reduction plans of 5, 10 and 15 percent of the education and general portions of their total budget.

For JMU, those cuts would range from about $3.9 million to $11.7 million of the $207.8 million in those portions of the budget, officials said. Last week, JMU President Linwood Rose announced restrictions on hiring, equipment purchases and travel funds to help prep for the cuts. Rose said the reductions may be “lifted, continued or modified” once an actual budget reduction amount is known.

Shopping center fire ruled arson
Fire officials ruled Sept. 15 that a fire that ripped through Harrisonburg’s Rockingham Square Shopping Center Sept. 11 was intentionally set. The early morning fire on South High Street destroyed the New China restaurant, where it started. The fire also severely damaged Mr. J’s Bagels and Deli, the Movie Gallery and an ABC liquor store. Fire officials estimated damages to the shopping center to be at least $1 million.

Harrisonburg Fire Captain Arthur Miller has ruled out all accidental causes but did not release how the fire was started. A partially collapsed roof delayed the investigation for much of Sept. 11-12. Once investigators were able to explore the entire scene, they began ruling out causes and discovered the fire started in the public area of the eatery, not in the kitchen, Miller said. City fire and police departments are cooperating on the ongoing investigation.

This was the second major arson case in Harrisonburg this year. In February, a fire destroyed the N2 Salon on West Market Street. That case remains open, and investigators say there is no connection to last week’s fire.