WFIR News Express

Salem residents are discussing their homes being damaged by an EF-1 tornado over the weekend. Storms ripped the roof off a Roanoke asphalt business. During National Travel and Tourism Week Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge officials traveled to Washington DC last week to build on the success of its 2023 spring marketing campaign in DC and northern Virginia. Louisa native Tyler Wenrich is scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow after pleading to guilty to taking ammunition onto the island of Turks and Cacos last month.LewisGale Medical Center and City of Salem leadership will celebrate their commitment to being a ‘Stroke Smart City’ by kicking off the project with a proclamation during the city council meeting tonight.

Latest Virginia and Roanoke Valley News.

Here is the latest news from around the Roanoke Valley and Commonwealth of Virginia.

Latest Virginia and Roanoke Valley News.

Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell is set to resign from the position he has held for nearly 7 years. Roanoke City councilman Luke Priddy officially announced his resignation during council’s meeting yesterday afternoon. A former employee at Southwest Virginia Arms in Salem admitted yesterday to stealing 21 firearms from the business and falsifying records to conceal the thefts. An area nonprofit is hosting collections for items to send to flood and tornado victims in Texas. The US Supreme Court yesterday declined to weigh in on a case regarding whether or not Mountain Valley Pipeline can take private land for the project. The husband of Pulaski’s mayor is now facing criminal charges following a number of alleged thefts at a Walmart in Dublin.

A healthcare authority in the Commonwealth says THC-related hospital visits for young people are decreasing. Governor Youngkin took final action on legislation that was returned to his desk after the General Assembly rejected his proposed recommendations. A man was taken into custody last week after Henry County Sheriff’s deputies seized more than 100 thousand dollars’ worth of drugs. The annual list of Endangered Sites in the valley has been released, another reminder of the past and a call to action to promote the stewardship of structures that are a part of Roanoke's history. Former Roanoke Mayor Nelson Harris has a new book out focusing on the Roanoke Valley's history in the 1950's. Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne Youngkin presented a Spirit of Virginia Award to Former Washington Commanders Head Coach Joe Gibbs’ Youth For Tomorrow nonprofit at the annual Burgundy and Gold Banquet.

Campbell County authorities say a 21-year-old man, who is in the US illegally, has been charged with raping a minor. With Presidential polls showing a statistical dead heat or Donald Trump up by a few points in many "swing states," President Joe Biden threw down an early gauntlet and challenged Trump to a debate next month - and the ex-President accepted. A former local GOP party chair says it could be a trap of sorts. Virginia State University officials say they are disappointed to hear media reports that President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump may not be participating in a debate scheduled to take place at VSU on October 1st. Archaeologists in Virginia have uncovered what is believed to be the remains of a military barracks from the Revolutionary War, including chimney bricks and musket balls indented with soldiers’ teeth. An anchor institution in downtown Roanoke for more than 100 years is rebranding to be better suited as a central hub. The Roanoke City Market Building is at 100 percent occupancy with restaurants of a wide variety, and it is now looking to do an interior redesign. A captain with the Roanoke Fire and EMS department says winning the National Firefighter of the Year award wouldn’t be possible without help from his fellow firefighters.

Virginia’s Senior US Senator is raising awareness about ongoing disinformation campaigns being conducted by foreign adversaries and cyberattacks that could happen before November’s election. A Salem CVS has been fined 75 thousand dollars after authorities learned the pharmacy delegated the administration of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 to an untrained nurse who injected a youth with six doses at once. The James River Regional Drug Task Force seized more than 3 million dollars in illegal drugs from drug pop-ups in Bedford County earlier this month. The Amherst County Sheriff’s office searched 4 smoke shops in Madison Heights on Tuesday after multiple children fell ill, and were even hospitalized, from products. A portal announced this week for tracking incidents of “adverse effects” involving children and teens being exposed to cannabis products comes at a time when incidents of minors going to the ER for cannabis-related issues have gone down. US Senator Tim Kaine is concerned about rising sea levels - how they have impacted military coastal bases in Virginia - and will do so more in the future. The Southwest Virginia Coalition for Palestine is set to host a concert on Saturday, May 25th to raise funds for two local Palestinian families with relatives in Gaza. The event will take place at Century Plaza in Downtown Roanoke at 7 pm.

Latest Roanoke Valley and Virginia News.

Roanoke City Council has opted to change the funding formula for the city school district. Governor Youngkin has signed off on a new two-year state budget that includes 3% raises for state employees and teachers while not raising taxes. A Democratic delegate used time in front of the House yesterday to point towards Governor Youngkin’s priority of removing Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. A political action committee that helps Republicans get elected to Congress is doing the unusual - spending more than $450,000 to defeat GOP incumbent Bob Good. Total Action for Progress has issued a call for help - via a monthlong Crowdfunding Campaign to raise money for its Domestic Violence services in southwest Virginia. The Virginia Museum of Transportation is hosting the 2nd annual Star City Rockabilly Festival this Friday and Saturday from 5:00 - 9:00 pm. Berglund Center has announced that Old Crow Medicine Show is coming to Elmwood Park on Saturday, August 10th.

Medical regulators have cleared Carilion Clinic after a state report released in February found significant deficiencies in the cleaning of surgical tools at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital between March and September of 2023. Several students at VCU walked out of graduation over the week in protest of Governor Youngkin and the Israel Hamas war. Officials with the Virginia International Raceway have announced the 2024 Blue Ridge Rock Fest has been canceled. FloydFest 24 - Horizon is two months away. The music and outdoors festival is several decades old but it is brand new this July at its relocated home. The 2024 Local Colors Festival will have everything you've come to expect: international cuisine, traditional dances and merchandise. The Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office recently hosted the first of four fundraisers for Special Olympics of Virginia.

Here is the latest news from around the Roanoke Valley and Commonwealth of Virginia.

Salem area Congressman Morgan Griffith is criticizing the Biden Administration for halting a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel over concerns that the country has not adequately taken civilian safety into account in its upcoming military operation in Rafah. The Commonwealth’s junior US Senator Tim Kaine says he is pleased to see that certain offensive arms deliveries to Israel have since been paused, and encourages the Biden Administration to continue to be wary of transferring weapons that could be used in offensive military actions that result in significant civilian casualties. A new online hub for resources to assist low-income Virginians facing evictions launched this month amid more and more people losing their homes. The owners of a heavily-scrutinized bed and breakfast in Blacksburg recently filed for bankruptcy.

We have team coverage of protests on college campuses from UVA to VT. Discussion of a ceasefire proposal in front of Roanoke City Council. A traffic note for Vinton. A new puppy store opens at Valley View Mall.

Latest Virginia and Roanoke Valley News.

25 people were arrested at the University of Virginia for trespassing Saturday after police clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters who refused to remove tents from campus. Pro-Palestine protesters and Virginia Tech students made their way through Blacksburg yesterday again calling for an end to violence in Gaza. "Hope over Hate," is what many are calling for in the recent clashes being students on college campuses over the war in Gaza, on immigration and racial issues. Roanoke College’s President asked graduates to use their ‘superpowers” and make the world a better place during graduation ceremonies over the weekend. When fall rolls around they'll be playing college football at Roanoke College for the first time in more than 80 years.

Here is the latest news from around the Roanoke Valley and Commonwealth of Virginia.

Here is the latest news from around the Roanoke Valley and Commonwealth of Virginia.

Latest Roanoke Valley and Virginia News.

Police are investigating after anti-Semitic flyers were discovered across Southwest Roanoke City over the weekend. Jewish students at Virginia Tech are responding to a recent campus protest that resulted in close to 90 arrests. Virginia Commonwealth University says multiple arrests occurred last night as police broke up a pro-Palestine protest on campus. Virginia’s Junior U.S. Senator Tim Kaine says he believes there’s action the executive branch could take regarding protests. Governor Youngkin says his administration will continue to fully support campus, local and state law enforcement and university leadership amid recent Pro-Palestinian protests at several schools including Virginia Tech.

Latest Roanoke Valley and Virginia News.

Bedford County authorities say a man is in custody following a shooting this morning in the Montvale area. According to Virginia State Police, former Alleghany County Chief Deputy Chad Wickline has resigned and is now charged with two misdemeanors following an accident earlier this month. Phase 1 of a three-part makeover of what Roanoke College is calling its new forward-looking Science Center if officially underway, after a groundbreaking this past Saturday. Residents went before Roanoke City Council to voice concerns about how an increase in property values could impact them. Around 68 firefighters responded to a blaze at a Rocky Mount area recycling center. An attic cleanout is being used as a soft launch of sorts for a new art venue just outside of downtown Roanoke. Motel Studios is being founded by well-known local artist Sarak K Parcell and Pottery Instructor Celeste Hodges.

Roanoke City Police say a child is being treated for what appear to be serious injuries after being struck by a car last night in the 43 hundred block of Shenandoah Avenue NW. Virginia State Police now say six people, including a 2-year-old with life-threatening injuries, were injured Tuesday night when a Ford Mustang crashed into a home on Foggy Ridge Road in Franklin County. A Roanoke City parent is voicing concerns about potential changes to school district’s transportation system. A Giles County woman has been sentenced to 33 years in prison for killing her husband, a New River Valley Regional Jail officer, nearly three years ago. TikTok could disappear from mobile devices a year from now if the Chinese parent company doesn't sell it. Virginia State Police will be conducting Operation DISS-rupt on all 325 miles of Interstate 81 in Virginia today and tomorrow.

A woman is speaking out after her brother was injured during an officer-involved shooting in Roanoke earlier this week. Developers of the Mountain Valley Pipeline have filed a request with the federal government seeking permission for the pipeline to go into service by May 23rd, to get natural gas pumping through as soon as June 1st. As part of the Interstate 81 widening project in Roanoke County near Salem, VDOT says a nighttime lane and ramp closure on southbound I-81 is scheduled for this Friday and Saturday so a barrier wall can be moved and a new traffic pattern put in place. Weather permitting, starting at 8 p.m. on Friday southbound I-81 will be reduced to one lane between mile markers 138 and 136 until 7 a.m. on Saturday. The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week stemming from two cases out West - where cities wanted to forcefully remove the homeless from public places - but do they have the right to do so? The Roanoke metro area was named among the nation’s cleanest cities for an eighth consecutive year for ozone pollution, according to the American Lung Association’s 2024 “State of the Air” report, released today.

Here is the latest news from around the Roanoke Valley and Commonwealth of Virginia.

Iran has fired air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones. Virginia Tech International Affairs Professor Ariel Arhem says this response could have been very different if the attack on Israel had been worse. A Roanoke grand jury has charged a pair of men with multiple federal crimes related to a 2023 drug robbery and a victim’s body being set on fire. An area State Senator believes the issue of skills games will be front and center during a special session next month. In a move that could imperil his speakership, Republican speaker of the House Mike Johnson will put foreign aid bills up for votes over the next few days. Virginia's junior Democratic Senator commends the move. A Lynchburg man has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to rob a bank in Johnstown, New York. Three new bouncy friends are on full display at the Mill Mountain Zoo - a trio of Bennett's Wallabies native to Australia. Wallabies are a smaller cousin of the kangaroo.

Latest Virginia and Roanoke Valley News.

Latest Virginia and Roanoke Valley News.

Area convenience store owners are pushing back against Governor Youngkin’s skill games amendments. A bill vetoed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin would have raised the state’s minimum wage to 15-dollars an hour starting in 2026. A developer has removed two buildings on Crystal Spring Avenue in South Roanoke to make way for a 21-room boutique hotel. The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center will get ready to move ahead with an expansion project after City Council authorized the issuance of publc improvement bonds at its meeting yesterday. Governor Youngkin has ordered all US and Virginia flags be lowered to half-staff today to honor the 32 people killed during a shooting on the campus of Virginia Tech on this day in 2007.

Latest Virginia and Roanoke Valley News.

Latest Virginia and Roanoke Valley News.

Latest Virginia and Roanoke Valley News.

Roanoke City leaders are planning to discuss an increase in the number of vehicle collisions involving pedestrians. Governor Glenn Youngkin earlier this week signed legislation proposed by Roanoke delegate Sam Rasoul, which would increase monitoring statewide for hazardous chemicals like the one found in Roanoke County’s Spring Hollow reservoir in 2022. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has proposed a rewrite of legislation intended to legalize and tax skill games, adding stiff new restrictions that industry supporters argued would still amount to a de facto ban of the slot-like gambling machines. The Virginia NAACP served Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Office with a notice of intent to sue for violation of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. The latest research projects being conducted by Carilion Clinic and its partners in Roanoke were on display yesterday during an annual event that shows off the region as a hub for research, collaboration and patient-centered innovation. It's Roanoke Valley Saves Week., and new timely report found that, compared to most other states when it comes to financial literacy, Virginia banked a noteworthy spot.

We hear from the Governor about the budget. Then you hear the Democratic response. Virginia State Police say a Mississippi murder suspect was arrested in Dixie Caverns yesterday. Tips from Roanoke County Police about not enticing thieves to break into your vehicle.

Bedford County prosecutors say a man in the US illegally was sentenced Friday for sex crimes with a child 15 years of age or older. One person was killed and another person was injured when a disabled vehicle rolled down a hill in Bedford County. A Roanoke County mother is asking for safety improvements after her car was broken into Saturday while she and her daughter practiced softball. As Governor Youngkin faces a deadline to take action on a proposed budget, the Commonwealth’s Lt Governor doesn’t believe the proposal can stand in its current form. Two people have been hospitalized after an electric scooter caught fire at a home in the Forest area of Bedford County. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopes to open one channel for cargo ships by the end of April, where the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being hit by one of those giant freight haulers. Governor Glenn Youngkin Friday announced that an upcoming untitled Pharrell Williams feature film from Universal Pictures will film throughout Central and Coastal Virginia this spring and summer.

A 15-year-old girl is safe after being abducted by a man in Richmond Wednesday night. The Wytheville Police Department and the DEA are reporting that a cocktail of fentanyl and xylazine is making its way through the Commonwealth. As APCO looks to secure another rate increase, a Roanoke resident fears she may not be able to keep up higher bills. Governor Glenn Youngkin took additional action on legislation sent to him by the General Assembly. Numerous colleges are hosting viewing parties for the Solar Eclipse on Monday. Among them is Radford University. Roanoke College is joining other entities in hosting an eclipse watch party on Monday. Multiple telescopes, outfitted with solar filters for safe viewing, will be available for use. The weather is warming up -- and the Valley's Greenway coordinator says its a good time to be reminded about greenway "etiquette,".

A Kansas man, who told a 14-year-old Lynchburg girl he wanted to “take a kid’s virginity” after meeting her online, pled guilty this week to federal child exploitation charges. A Virginia Tech student is facing several charges after being arrested during a drug trafficking investigation. Pulaski County officials say they have accepted the biggest donation in the localities history. According to the Virginia Department of Corrections, a K-9 officer was killed while protecting its assigned Corrections Officer, staff, and inmates at Sussex I State Prison. In vetoing a bill with bi-partisan support that would have established a legal retail cannabis market, Governor Youngkin said, "attempting to rectify the error of de-criminalizing marijuana ... is an un-achievable goal." --A former lawmaker from his own party disagrees. A new truck that's best described as a Mobile Coffee Shop will also have movies for people to view -- silently.

A man has been formally sentenced following a shooting at a Blacksburg hookah lounge that killed an 18 year-old. Lynchburg Police are searching for a suspect who allegedly broke into a marijuana dispensary earlier this week. Virginia US Senator Tim Kaine formally announced his re-election campaign during a speaking tour across the Commonwealth yesterday. Not only are more pickleball courts coming to the Moyer sports complex in Salem, building 13 of them where the skate park was - but so is "PickleBRAWL," a tournament in September expected to attract up to 450 players from the Mid-Atlantic region.

Latest Roanoke and Virgina News.

The Virginia Department of Forestry announced a part-time firefighter died while battling a three-acre wildfire in Scott County. Emergency crews have successfully contained a Blue Ridge Parkway wildfire in Bedford County. The blaze covered close to 13 acres of land. Bedford County Emergency crews say a charcoal kebab grill sparked a structure fire on Wetherwood Drive Saturday. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. SARA Roanoke is using this time to stress its mission and educate the public. One of Virginia’s US Senators says Russian President Vladimir Putin discounted American intelligence before a recent terror attack.

Marijuana News -- A retail marijuana market has been vetoed. Pushback from cannabis advocates after a letter to the DEA. A look at slavery in Charleston, South Carolina is at the VT campus.

Latest Roanoke Valley and Virginia News.

Here is the latest news from around the Roanoke Valley and Commonwealth of Virginia.

The six percent real estate commission - 3 percent to both buyer's and seller's agents - was never "set in stone," but a lot of people did think that due to the business practices of a trade organization. It led to a class action lawsuit - and a major upheaval in the Real estate business. The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office says a Blue Ridge man is facing charges connected to the murder of a 5-year-old boy in August of last year. Recently passed legislation will soon require drivers in the Commonwealth to have car insurance. Salem City Council has unanimously agreed the city’s manager could sign a deal with Roanoke City to provide funds for a new skate park and mountain bike facility in the Wasena area. Southern Living Magazine has listed Roanoke-based Mama Jean’s Barbecue as the 2nd best BBQ spot in the Commonwealth. The beach party is back when "Party in Elmwood," returns.

The family of a nine year old boy who died after being hit by a car in Roanoke City is asking for changes to be made. Officials say crews battling still-burning wildfires in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley are getting an assist from rain and from the state government, which has deployed new resources to the area. With the Presidential election less than 8 months away, Virginia's senior US Senator is worried about foreign actors meddling in that contest - like they did in 2016. A former GOP State Delegate was arrested over the weekend on felony gun and drug charges, according to the Campbell County sheriff’s office. This year's OnBoardROA cohort kicks off June 5. The program is an effort to keep young professionals in the region. The attorney general for the District of Columbia claims the Washington Capitals and Wizards are obligated to play their games in the downtown area through 2047. A power outage on Saturday ended the Roanoke Valley Comicon before it could get underway.

Latest Virginia and Roanoke Valley news.

Virginia’s Attorney General says the Commonwealth has experienced a decrease in violent crime thanks to an initiative carried by his office. Charges have been dismissed against a Blacksburg High School student accused of a sexual assault at a Virginia Tech dorm in September of 2023. Efforts to make sure Governor Glenn Youngkin signs a bipartisan bill that would make it cheaper for Virginians to get prescription drugs came to the Roanoke Valley. The second of two in the latest round of continuing resolutions to keep the federal government funded on a temporary basis while all the budget bills get passed is up tomorrow.

Latest Roanoke Valley and Virginia News.

Emergency crews say a wildfire on North Mountain in the Catawba area of Roanoke County has grown to 13 to 14 acres. Authorities say as of yesterday the fire is 80 percent contained. Roanoke County emergency crews say a brush fire we told you about yesterday is estimated to be over 50 acres and 0% contained. Students and faculty at Averett University are remembering a professor who was found dead in Florida. Its hardly a shock, but as of one week ago the battle lines are set - President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will compete for a second term this November. Researchers say legal marijuana sales are not associated with increased use among adolescents. The analysis compared trends in marijuana use among middle school students in Nevada and New Mexico - during that study period, Nevada permitted retail sales of cannabis products while New Mexico did not.

A shooting in Covington on January 15th involving Alleghany County Sheriff’s deputies, has been ruled justified. A Raleigh man, who lied about his age to a teen he met online before traveling to Virginia to have sex with her, pled guilty Wednesday. The Possible closure of an elementary school was a topic of discussion during last night’s Bedford County school board meeting. US Senator Mark Warner may have some reservations about the bill passed this week by a wide margin in the House to ban TikTok unless it separates from the Chinese company that owns it, but as a Senate vote approaches he may be changing his tune a bit.