This was perhaps the one public occasion when former Lynchburg Mayor Jimmie Bryan was guilty of not being optimistic enough. After he helped celebrate the groundbreaking of the city’s first Habitat house with a stab of his gold-plated ceremonial shovel on Dec. 1, 1988, Bryan (known for his cheery pronouncement, “It’s great to be alive and living in Lynchburg, Virginia”) told onlookers: “Let’s get behind this. Let’s build 20 houses.” Little did he know. Just over two decades later, the Greater Lynchburg Habitat chapter has surged far beyond Bryan’s expectations — 270 completed dwellings, including two Habitat subdivisions.

The smell of barbecue wafted through the early morning air as an onslaught of more than 100 vehicles — including tractor-trailers, hot-rods and a school bus — paraded through the streets of Appomattox. The Saturday morning parade was the official kickoff to the 37th Historic Appomattox Railroad Festival, a two-day event now considered a tradition in the town.

The skies cleared as the stands filled at Lynchburg’s 35th annual Lynchburg Classic marching band competition on Saturday. The event, held at Lynchburg City Stadium, was the largest in the event’s recent history, with 18 high school bands lining up to compete against their peers, some from as far away as Hot Springs and Staunton.

A piece of Lynchburg’s history is about to get some modern new digs.

A shotgun that played a part in a family’s heartbreak is now in the hands of Lynchburg police, its owner hoping it will serve as a statement toward a continuing anti-violence campaign in the city.

Plans for a shopping center near the intersection of U.S. 501 and Lakeside Drive in Lynchburg are forging ahead, but don’t expect construction to start any time soon.

Lynchburg has adopted a new measure that will make it easier for authorities to seek restitution from drivers who cause accidents in the city. Only drivers convicted of certain charges, such as driving under the influence or reckless driving, will be affected.

City Councilman Scott Garrett is calling for the creation of new tax incentives aimed at stimulating job growth in Lynchburg.

Lynchburg City Council narrowly approved the new big-box ordinance Tuesday, bringing more than two years of debate and negotiations to an end.

The city expects to begin introducing paid parking to the streets of downtown Lynchburg as early as next spring or summer.

Since its founding 35 years ago, Meals on Wheels Inc. of the Greater Lynchburg Area has seen a lot of changes. One thing, though, has managed to remain the same: the important friendships formed between clients and volunteers.

The Lynchburg Police Department is looking for information — not on a particular crime but on how well the community thinks the department is performing.

In an election between a surgeon and an incumbent legislator who is married to a doctor, Lynchburg residents can expect TV commercials — a Hill City rarity in local races — in addition to the usual door-knocking campaigners.

The much-debated Fifth Street roundabout was officially opened Friday, a milestone hailed as the dawn of a new day for this once-vibrant city corridor.

A Madison Heights man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison Friday after being convicted earlier this year of wrecking his car into a taxi on the Lynchburg Expressway in the midst of a drug-addled fight with his girlfriend.