The Franklin County Varsity Competition Cheer team competes at an invitational in 2024.
The Franklin County Varsity Competition Cheer team competes at an invitational in 2024.
Crime-courts
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“A CULTURE OF SEX-BASED DISCRIMINATION” LAWSUIT
Lawsuit claims culture of sex discrimination in Franklin County Fire & EMS Department
Female firefighters and paramedics face “a culture of sex-based discrimination” in Franklin County, a former captain in its Fire & EMS Department claims in a lawsuit.
Rena Jennings became Franklin County Fire & Rescue's first female fire captain in 2021. She was featured in a March 2024 department Facebook post for Women's History Month when she was serving as shift commander for C shift.
Rena Clark Jennings, who became the department’s first female captain in 2021, alleges that she was forced to quit four years later, after making repeated — and unheeded — complaints about her treatment and that of other female employees.
“Multiple female subordinate employees confided in and reported to Ms. Jennings that they, too, had experienced hostility and discrimination on the basis of sex,” the lawsuit, filed Friday in Roanoke’s federal court, alleges.
The 21-page pleading cites a number of examples of what it calls a deep-seated and systemic pattern of discrimination and harassment.
In the fall of 2023, two female employees informed Jennings that an instructor in a fire academy class made sexually degrading comments, including called women firefighters “Ho’s.”
“We have a hose for the Ho’s,” the instructor allegedly said.
Jennings made complaints to her supervisors about that and other incidents, which were never addressed, the lawsuit states. The instructor and other individuals were not named as defendants in the lawsuit, which was filed against the Franklin County Department of Public Safety.
A call to the department Tuesday morning was not returned.
In response to an email later in the day, Chief Mike Fowler said he had not heard about the lawsuit and referred questions to the county attorney, Jim Guynn of Salem. Guynn could not be reached.
Jennings was hired as a firefighter and paramedic in 2003 and received positive performance reviews through her 22-year tenure with the department.
She hit a “glass ceiling” in September 2020, when she sought a promotion to captain of the department’s operations division, according to the lawsuit.
After being recommended for the job by a five-person interview panel, Jennings heard nothing for the next five months. When Jennings asked then-Chief William Ferguson about the delay, he told her there was opposition to having the position filled by a woman, the lawsuit contends.
Ferguson
Ferguson, who has since retired and who also unsuccessfully ran for Franklin County Board of Supervisors last fall, ended up “reluctantly” making Jennings a captain.
The lawsuit alleges that from then on, Jennings faced resentment and resistance to her concerns, which caused her so much anxiety and loss of sleep that she decided to resign Feb. 28, 2025.
After making a stalking complaint against a volunteer department chief — who Jennings said had requested tracking data on her vehicle and asked about her whereabouts while on duty — she began to receive threats and intimidation, according to the lawsuit.
Fowler allegedly called Jennings a “failed leader” and told her: “Females in the Fire Department need to hold their own.”
The lawsuit said county officials referred to Jennings as a “female supervisor,” a form of “gender-marking” that suggested she was an exception to the norm.
Shortly before she resigned, Jennings said, an inspirational T-shirt was issued to employees that bore the phrase “Fir Na Tine,” translated as Men of Fire. The shirt “further established the ingrained culture of discrimination against female employees,” the lawsuit states.
Jennings also complained of not being recognized for her accomplishments — which included being the department’s only female captain — when she left her job.
But the year before, Jennings was featured on the department’s Facebook page as part of Women’s History Month. Photographs of her and 10 other women, “who proudly serve our community as firefighters and paramedics,” appeared in the social media posts throughout the month.
Jennings’ lawsuit makes allegations of sexual discrimination, a hostile workplace and retaliation. She seeks an undisclosed amount in compensatory and punitive damages, as well as back pay and front pay.
Nationally, such lawsuits are not uncommon, according to a 2021 Associated Press story.
The National Fire Protection Association says that in 2020, about 9% of the country’s firefighters were women. And studies have shown that reports of discrimination and harassment are a key barrier to having more women in service, according to a 2019 report by the U.S. Fire Administration.
Jennings’ lawsuit does not say how many female firefighters are employed in Franklin County. Her attorney, employment law specialist Tommy Strelka of Roanoke, could not be reached Tuesday.
Laurence Hammack (540) 981-3239
Development
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WESTLAKE AREA
Franklin County approves 103 new single-family homes for Westlake area
The Franklin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday night approved a proposal by ABoone Development Inc. to construct more than 100 single-family homes in the county's Westlake area near Smith Mountain Lake.
No one came out in opposition of the development at Tuesday's public hearing. Supervisors also expressed their full support in ABoone Development Inc. expanding development in Westlake. The developer is currently constructing a 158-unit development on an adjacent property that consists of 62 townhomes and 96 condominium units.
Alexander Boone with ABoone Development said the proposal for 103 single-family homes is the next step in their development in Westlake that started with the 158-unit development approved in late 2024 and set to be completed later this year.
The new single-family homes would range from one-story to three-story homes.
Boone said, with the single-family detached homes, they will be providing a wide mix of homes for potential homebuyers. The homes, he added, are also expected to be at a similar price point of the townhomes and condominiums, at around $400,000 each.
"We should be able to meet anyone's criteria for housing," Boone said.
Alexander Boone with ABoone Development speaks to the Franklin County Board of Supervisors Tuesday evening on the developer's proposal to construct 103 single-family homes in Westlake.
The 103 single-family home lots would be constructed on 45 acres at around 2.28 homes per acre. An additional 24.5 acres would be left open for public space.
County Administrator Steve Sandy said Franklin County is also working with ABoone Development to move forward with years-long efforts by the county to construct a walking trail in the community. The county obtained a $600,000 federal grant in 2017 to construct the trail but has so far been unable to get the project moving.
The development will also include five commercial lots that could be used by retail businesses or restaurants. Boone said the lots could be used by fast food chains or even medical offices. Any of the lots could also be combined for a larger space for more upscale restaurants, he said.
Gills Creek District representative and Chairperson Lorie Smith thanked ABoone Development for their proposal. She said the next step for the county is to provide additional traffic lights, crosswalks and sidewalks for the Westlake area for the upcoming residents in these new developments, as well as for the residents in an apartment complex recently completed in the area.
"What we are aspiring to do is create this walkable community," Smith said.
Jason Dunovant (540) 981-3324
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Government-politics
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APPALACHIAN POWER
Del. Sam Rasoul's bill to lower Appalachian Power costs passes Virginia House
“Regardless of your immigration status, schools should be a safe place for students,” said Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke.
Proposed legislation aimed at curbing increases in electricity bills for customers of Appalachian Power Co. was passed Tuesday by the Virginia House of Delegates.
A bill sponsored by Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, will now be considered by the Senate.
House Bill 1075 would require the State Corporation Commission to review APCo’s rate requests with increased scrutiny and determine the reasonability of any proposed increase, Rasoul said.
The bill also directs the SCC to examine APCo’s efforts to improve system efficiency and reliability to address the rising costs of responding to severe weather events.
And it directs the Virginia Attorney General’s Office to review the methods used to determine cost equity.
“We have a responsibility to serve all Virginians. No matter income, age, or background,” Rasoul said in a statement Tuesday, following an 85-12 vote by the House to pass the bill.
The legislation “received overwhelming bipartisan support – proving that providing for Virginians should never be about party politics,” he said.
In announcing the bill’s introduction last month, Rasoul said power costs have skyrocketed for APCo customers, increasing 159% between 2007 and 2024.
At the time, the company said its customers already get the lower price between its own power generation or the PJM Interconnection, a regional pool of utility companies.
APCo says it has implemented affordability measures that include seasonal rates, energy efficiency investments and home weatherization programs.
The company serves some 545,000 customers in Southwest Virginia and extends east into western Pittsylvania County and north into parts of Albemarle County.
Rasoul’s legislation follows last year’s passage and enactment of the APCo Rate Reduction Act, sponsored by Del. Jason Ballard, R-Giles, that included several measures, including prohibiting any rate increases from taking effect from November to February.
Laurence Hammack (540) 981-3239
Government-politics
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MARTINSVILLE
Judge suspends Martinsville mayor, orders show-cause hearing in removal case
Martinsville Circuit Court Judge G. Carter Greer on Wednesday suspended Mayor LC Jones from the Martinsville City Council and ordered him to appear in court Feb. 26 to show cause why he should not be removed from office.
Judge G. Carter Greer suspended Mayor LC Jones on Wednesday and ordered a hearing on the matter in Martinsville Circuit Court next week.
In a show-cause order filed in Martinsville Circuit Court, Greer wrote that a petition seeking Jones’ removal was filed Jan. 13, that the general registrar certified Jan. 22 that the petition contained more than the required number of valid signatures, and that on Feb. 17, Commonwealth’s Attorney Patrick Flinn notified the court he had determined there are valid grounds to remove Jones.
“L.C. Jones shall appear on Feb. 26, at 9 a.m. in the circuit court of the city of Martinsville in order to show cause why he should not be removed from office,” the order states.
Greer also granted the petitioners’ request to suspend Jones pending the hearing. The clerk was directed to ensure Jones is personally served with the order.
The Feb. 26 hearing will come one day before Greer’s final day on the bench. The Martinsville Circuit Court Clerk’s Office confirmed that Greer is retiring at the end of the month, with Feb. 27 set as his last workday.
Prosecutor: “Valid grounds” found
Flinn said Tuesday evening that he filed an 11-page “Notice of Commonwealth’s Review” after determining the citizen petition meets the legal threshold to proceed under Virginia’s removal-of-officers statute.
In a press release issued shortly after 5 p.m., Flinn said his effort to “find the truth” was “frustrated” by limited cooperation and, in some instances, “outright refusal to cooperate,” noting that many individuals involved “have ‘lawyered up.’”
Flinn cautioned that to the extent any allegations could be viewed as criminal, all individuals are presumed innocent. He said a special prosecutor has already been appointed to handle any related criminal investigation or prosecution.
Allegations outlined
In the filing, Flinn said his office relied on eyewitness testimony and documents from cooperating individuals. Among the allegations summarized:
- Hot tub: Eric Payne, hired by the City Council as the city attorney’s designee, told investigators he observed a hot tub at former City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides’ residence in September 2024 and was told it would be given to Jones. Payne later reported seeing a new, boxed hot tub at Jones’ residence in December 2024. The notice states Jones later said in closed session that the hot tub was for his significant other, Nikima Robinson, but that he was advised it still created a conflict of interest.
- Airfare: The notice states Ferrell-Benavides’ city credit card was used on April 22, 2024, to purchase airfare for Jones and Robinson for a May 18–22 trip to Las Vegas. According to the filing, the city repeatedly sought reimbursement for Robinson’s ticket, and Robinson repaid $544.71 on June 25, 2024.
- Employment efforts: The notice alleges Ferrell-Benavides indicated in spring 2025 that she was trying to help Jones obtain employment with the city of Petersburg.
- Free legal advice: Payne reported he was asked to advise Jones regarding an employment matter with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. Payne said he could not provide legal advice in Virginia but offered nonlegal observations.
- Shared attorney: The notice cites an October email in which Jones stated he had retained former Judge Verbena Askew in a potential defamation matter and questioned whether sharing an attorney with Ferrell-Benavides created a conflict of interest in council matters.
- Failure to disclose or recuse: The filing alleges Jones failed to disclose potential conflicts or disqualify himself from participating in related discussions in closed and public meetings.
- Compensation discussions: The notice describes a March 17 closed session in which the council discussed Ferrell-Benavides’ compensation and states Jones was given authority to finalize negotiations. An offer letter dated the following day, on city letterhead bearing Jones’ signature, detailed an increase effective April 1, 2025.
- EEOC closed meeting: The filing recounts a Nov. 12 closed session regarding a pending federal complaint filed by Ferrell-Benavides. It states concerns were raised about Jones’ alleged conflict and possible sharing of closed-session information, and that legal decisions were made without counsel’s advice after attorneys declined to provide further guidance.
- Economic interest statements: The notice states Jones filed Statements of Economic Interests in early 2025 and early 2026 and checked “no” on the gifts question on both forms.
Flinn’s filing concludes that, assuming the allegations are true, the conduct could be found to have had a “material adverse effect” on the office. It says alleged failures to disclose or recuse contributed to the city’s continued employment relationship with a “significant monetary increase,” which was later terminated for cause, and led the council to make legal decisions without the benefit of counsel.
Under Virginia’s removal process, the circuit court will decide whether Jones should be removed from office after the Feb. 26 hearing.
