Evan Jones

611A classic Roanoke-built steam locomotive may one day again return to rails to pull excursion trains. The Virginia Museum of Transportation is looking at restoring Norfolk and Western 611. The study will determine what is needed to restore, operate and maintain the steam engine — and what it would cost. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.

Click here for full information on efforts to restore NW 611.

WFIR-LOGO-1The federal government wants all Social Security recipients to receive monthly benefits electronically by a week from today, but the AARP says seniors should not worry if they have not yet made the switch — the checks will keep coming. The government wants to go all-electronic as a means to save money and reduce fraud. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.

wfir-linkA Radford University criminal justice professor and former police officer say it’s not uncommon for murder-for-hire attempts to fail — like the one police say was tried this week in Franklin County. Professor Tod Burke says someone hoping to find a hit man rarely knows how to actually do so, and far more often than not, the attempt ends up with an undercover cop instead. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.

 

 

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Angela Nolen (State Police photo)

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Cathy Bennett (State Police photo)

A Franklin County elementary school teacher and school nurse are charged with conspiring to hire a hit man to kill the teacher’s former husband. State police say both were employed at Sontag Elementary School. Teacher Angela Nolen and nurse Cathy Bennett were arrested today. Police say Nolen paid an undercover officer $4,000 up front and agreed to pay another $4,000 once her former husband was dead. School officials say none of this occurred on school property, and no students were ever in danger.

(Continue reading for the full State Police news release.)

Continue reading

USPS-LogoWhen the U.S. Postal Service consolidates its Lynchburg mail sorting operations into Roanoke this weekend, it will mean 90 fewer positions — but no layoffs. The union representing affected workers say some will make the move to Roanoke, others will fill other positions within the Postal Service, and still others will take early retirement. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.

The U.S. Postal Service says the Lynchburg-Roanoke consolidation alone will save $4 million a year. It is a part of a national cost-cutting effort.

 

Health-NewsThe number of reported whooping cough cases in Virginia rose by almost 45% last year to 578 —  the largest number reported statewide since 1959. State health officials say one of the main reasons may be a small decline in the pertussis vaccine’s effectiveness, but they say vaccinations remain the best way by far to protect young children from whooping cough. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.

The Virginia Department of Health says 399 pertussis cases were reported statewide in 2011 and 578 cases in 2012, an increase of almost 45%.

Singleton-PhotoUPDATE: Singleton’s family says he is alert and communicating, but his condition remains serious.

WSET-TV meteorologist Jamey Singleton was airlifted to Roanoke after an accident this morning in Bedford County. A Carilion spokesperson say he has “no information” to report on Singleton’s condition. State Police say Singleton was driving north on State Route 122 north of Moneta when his car crossed the center line and into the path of an oncoming delivery truck. Singleton was airlifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment.  Singleton is the former WSLS 10 meteorologist who had been off broadcast TV in recent years until Channel 13 hired him as a web producer and fill-in weathercaster. He lives in Rocky Mount.

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Moneta Volunteer Fire Department photo

Gas-Prices1The relentless winter rise in gas prices goes on — a spike frequently seen each spring, but not in February. AAA reports prices have now climbed 43 cents a gallon in the Roanoke region in just the last month. Analysts at GasBuddy.com say they’re hopeful this is simply an earlier price rise this year, not a bigger one than normal, but it is too early to tell if that will be the case. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.

 

logo-head-us-vaGoogle is bringing a website team to Roanoke today in hopes of helping many area small businesses get on line for the first time. The company is providing small business owners a web site, training on how to run it and free use for a year. Google says 45% per cent of Virginia small business have no on-line presence in an era when almost everyone turns to the web at times for local products and services. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.

Click here for full Virginia Get Your Business Online information.

Dish-2721Roanoke television station Fox 21/27 says it is pleading with Dish Network to put its signal back to its local subscribers while negotiations continue. The two are in talks on retransmission fees, and Dish took the local Fox affiliate off its lineup Saturday — just as the network’s heavily-viewed Daytona coverage was starting. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.

The same dispute also effects CW5, which is owned and operated by Fox 21/27.

Click here for the full Fox 21/27 statement.

Click here for the full Dish Network statement. You will have to enter your zip code to see it.