Evan Jones
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine
Senator Tim Kaine says his 47 colleagues who sent an open letter to Iran’s leaders are undermining nuclear negotiations. The Republicans who signed it warn Iran that any nuclear deal they cut with President Obama could expire the day he leaves office, but Kaine says senators should not attempt to undercut any agreement before one is reached. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Roanoke County Police want the word out: they are increasing speed enforcement on three heavily-traveled roads, the result of more crashes along them last year. They say increased enforcement along Electric Road, Franklin Road and Challenger Avenue will continue until the accident numbers go down. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Associated Press photo
Spring Break season is just getting under way, and with it, an increase in travel. The TSA wants air travelers to know about a program called “Pre-Check” that lets you skip some of the airport screening steps. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Click here for full TSA Pre-check information
Fifteen private colleges in Virginia are joining forces in efforts to develop plans for solar power on their campuses. The colleges will share in an $800,000 federal grant to lay the groundwork for bringing solar to their grids. As WFIR’s Evan Jones reports, Hollins University is one of the colleges making solar plans.
Bob and Maureen McDonnell
(Associated Press photo)
Today is deadline day for federal prosecutors and attorneys for former Governor Bob McDonnell — the final day to submit briefs in his appeal. McDonnell wants a federal appeals court to overturn his corruption convictions. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) _ A former Roanoke woman has been sentenced to eight years in prison for operating a Smith Mountain Lake mortgage fraud scheme. Susanne Helbig, who now lives in Georgia, also was ordered to repay $10.5 million to the banks she defrauded and pay nearly $180,000 to the Internal Revenue Service. The 50-year-old Helbig pleaded to one count of mortgage fraud conspiracy and one count of tax fraud in October. She was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Lynchburg. According to the indictment, Helbig and others submitted false and fraudulent mortgage loan applications and settlement statements in the name of straw purchasers. Helbig kept the loan proceeds for her own purposes.
The union representing workers at Roanoke’s mail processing facility continue to hold out hope it can remain open past July, but as things stand, all first-class mail to and from Roanoke will head through Greensboro by late summer. Roanoke processing employees got the official timetable this week, as WFIR’s Evan Jones reports.
