Evan Jones
Rep. Bob Goodlatte
Roanoke Congressman Bob Goodlatte will be the next chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and in that role, he holds a key position in determining what action Congress takes — or does not take — on changing immigration laws. That includes whether to grant amnesty to illegal aliens already in this country. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling
Next year’s race for Governor now appears to be set now that Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling has suspended his campaign. In his statement, Bolling says the Republican party’s decision to pick next year’s nominees through a convention creates too many obstacles for his campaign to overcome. His decision leaves Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli as the likely Republican nominee, and Terry McAuliffe appears all but assured the Democratic nomination. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
(Continue reading to see Bolling’s full statement.)
Virginia pro-life groups say they will focus much of their attention in Richmond next winter on implementation of President Obama’s health care overhaul act, especially when it comes to rationing health care — and access to it. The debate is likely to center on the roles states like Virginia can or should play in the act’s implementation. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Roanoke Police say 53-year-old Michael Byers is charged with holding up the First Federal Credit Union office on Williamson Road this morning. Byers allegedly walked in just after 9:00 am and handed a note to a teller demanding money. Police arrested Byers less than an hour later in the Valley View mall area.
(Continue reading for the full Roanoke Police news release.)
Roanoke area firefighters hope a good soaking rain will reduce the threat of brush fires like the one that erupted on Bent Mountain over the weekend. The fire threatened eight homes, and one had to be evacuated for a time. Recent conditions have raised the fire threat — a combination of warm temperatures, little rain and dry vegetation. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Scammers are hard at work during this holiday season. The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to watch for deals that appear to be too good to be true. Shoppers are also reminded to know the return police of stores and to always get a receipt with a purchase. WFIR’s Bob Clark has our report.
Representatives from Community Health Centers across the country are expected in Washington this week, lobbying to keep their current funding levels in place. Centers like Lynchburg-based Central Virginia Health Services say their funding should remain in place because they save taxpayers money. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
The Virginia ABC is measuring customer response to statewide Sunday sales at state liquor stores, especially during the busy holiday season. So far, Sundays appear to be proving generally popular, but after the holidays, the ABC will review each store’s performance to determine if any should go back to six days a week. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones.
WFIR photo
The new furniture and new look are now mostly in place at the Roanoke City Market Building’s ground floor, and starting this Sunday, they also bring a new purpose. The kiosks that went unused were torn out, replaced two days ago by flexible furniture that can be arranged as bench seating or a performance stage. Those performance start Sunday — every week from 11:00 to 3:00. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
(Continue reading for another, larger view of the building’s ground floor.)
Downtown Roanoke is a crowded police for several hours Thanksgiving morning as thousands of people walk and run in the Stellar One Drumstick Dash. It’s a holiday bonanza as well for a few downtown businesses like Mill Mountain and Coffee, where they expect to sell about double a normal weekday’s worth of coffee and espresso products. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.