Mayor Bill Euille and the City Council presented former Sen. John Warner with a key to the city Tuesday night at City Hall, recognizing his service as a dedicated and admired servant of Virginia and the city.

Warner received a standing ovation from crowd at the City Council meeting, where he thanked the mayor and the entire city. Before saying a few words, Warner joked, Blessed be the brief and youll be re-invited, before addressing a group of Charles Barrett Elementary School students in attendance to present artwork.

After advising them that art is the one national, universal language in the world, Warner, an artist, said, I yield the floor to the artists, before bowing out during another standing ovation.
He later joked that he lost his key to the city like a set of car keys, but found it on his seat.

We have plenty more, Euille joked.
The Republican centrist spent 30 years in the Senate before retiring in January.