Evan Jones
Roanoke County Police will conduct crisis response training today at Glenvar Middle School. It’s mostly for school resource and patrol officers who would be first to respond to what’s called an “active shooter” incident. Police say this was planned before last Friday’s school shootings in Connecticut, but they always look at such cases to see what can be learned and applied at the local level. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Roanoke Regional Airport officials are warning travelers that air travel may be tricky for the next few days, especially to and through the Midwest. A big snowstorm is moving its way across the country, and while Roanoke flights to Chicago and Detroit are most likely to be directly impacted, connecting flights at many hubs may also be subject to delays or cancellations. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
UPDATE: The Roanoke Planning Commission unanimously voted against the proposal. It therefore heads to City Council with a “no” recommendation.
———–
The Roanoke Planning Commission today considers a rezoning proposal to permit construction of two hotels and a restaurant on the Huff Lane School property. The school has been closed since 2009 and sits on valuable land adjacent to Valley View Mall. Some nearby residents object to the plan, saying it would harm the quality of life in their neighborhood. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
UPDATE: WDBJ7’s parent company and Dish Network reached an eleveth-hour agreement Thursday night on a new deal that keeps Channel 7 on the Dish lineup. Negotiators had faced a midnight deadline.
—
Dish Network and WDBJ7 offer sharply differing accounts for what’s getting in the way of a new agreement. Unless they reach one by midnight, Dish will have to remove Channel 7 from its lineup — at least temporarily. Dish says the dispute centers around the “Hopper”, which automatically skips recorded network commercials. Channel 7 says it’s simply about basic rights fees for their programming. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Here is our Wednesday story with WDBJ-7 General Manager Jeffrey Marks:
Click here for WDBJ7’s web page addressing current negotiations.
Click here for Dish Network’s web page addressing current negotiations.
Center in the Square rooftop
Construction workers face a December 31st deadline to complete building renovations at Center in the Square, and Center officials say they’ll get it done. The deadline is a firm one because millions of dollars in tax credits require the work to be completed this year. The center is set to reopen after the $27 million renovation next May. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
(Continue reading for photographs inside and atop the building.)
A deadline is drawing near for Dish Network and WDBJ7, and without a new agreement by midnight tomorrow, Dish subscribers may soon lose Channel 7 for a while. The two are negotiating on a new rights agreement — how much Dish should pay the Roanoke station to carry its programming. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Click here for WDBJ7’s web page addressing negotiations with Dish Network
More than 1,100 high school seniors now have their college futures set at Virginia Tech; the University sent out its early decision notices in the last week. Officials in Blacksburg say more than 2,100 seniors applied for the binding early decision. Those whose applications were deferred will be considered with the regular applicant pool. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Governor McDonnell has ordered a statewide school safety review in response to Friday’s mass school shootings in Connecticut. The review will attempt to identify and and address areas where school security should be changed. In Roanoke City, schools turned to an outside expert several years ago to develop a school safety and security plan. School officials call the plan “sophisticated” and say what’s in it is regularly reviewed and practiced. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Click here for National School Safety and Security Services, which developed Roanoke City Schools’ safety plan and training procedures
Roanoke County School principals were instructed to go through their buildings over the weekend and determine if any additional security measures were immediately needed, this in response to Friday’s mass shootings in Connecticut. Superintendent Lorraine Lange says Roanoke County Police have an increased presence in neighborhoods around schools, even as those schools tried to conduct normal class days as much as possible. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
The Salvation Army is opening the doors to its Christmas distribution center to the public today, allowing you to see all that each year’s community support provides for area children. The open house is inside the former Sleep Zone building behind the Carmike Tanglewood Mall Cinemas this afternoon from 4:30 to 6:30. Right now, the building is full of presents, but by Christmas, it will be empty again. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
(Continue reading for larger photos inside the distribution center.)