Evan Jones
Roanoke Police say man fatally stabbed his wife and then tried to kill himself overnight at a home on the 1300 block of East Salem Avenue. Officers were called just after 2:00 am and had to force their way into the home. Police say the couple’s eight children also lived in the home, ranging in age from four to 21 years old.
(Continue reading for the full Roanoke Police news release.)
Roanoke County photo
A popular Roanoke County recycling center is about to move. Some people have treated the recycling trailers at Hidden Valley High School more as an illegal dump, and school officials say it has to go. The last day there is Friday, and come next Monday, the trailers move to the Brambleton Center near Cave Spring Corners. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
(Continue reading for a larger photo of the Hidden Valley recycling site)
It’s a high enforcement holiday weekend for Virginia State Police. They’ll have extra patrols on duty, but as has usually been the case in recent years, don’t look for any in the air. State Police say budget cuts have severely curtailed aerial enforcement efforts — but those cutbacks have not eliminated the air patrols altogether. WFIR’s Evan Jones.
Sen. Mark Warner
Senator Mark Warner has put an end to any remaining speculation and says he will not run for governor next year. His announcement appears to provide a clear path for Terry McAuliffe to become the Democratic nominee for governor, but party voters but first make that decision in next spring’s primary. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones.
Click here to see Senator Warner’s full announcement.
Roanoke Regional Airport officials say both runways are open again after a small plane’s landing gear collapsed on landing, effectively halting all airport operations. Nobody was hurt, but airport traffic was disrupted for several hours. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office says deputies found and removed two infants from a suspected meth house last night near Boones Mill. They’ve placed meth charges against 28-year-old James Alexander Smith and 53-year-old Martha Jo Landgrebe. The house sits along Crowell Gap Road.
(Continue reading for the full Franklin County Sheriff’s Office news release.)
Lt. Stephen Keatts commands the city’s Valley View area
Traffic patterns are changing in the Valley View Mall area through the holiday season. The basic difference is prohibiting left turns in three places around the mall where they are normally permitted. The changes are designed to improve traffic flow and reduce accidents. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
The changes are:
No left turn from westbound Valley View West onto Ring Road.
No left turn from northbound Ring Road onto Valley View West.
No left turn from southbound Ring Road at the Valley View Boulevard
access road.
Sunday’s fatal car-deer accident that killed a Moneta teenager is one of roughly 1.5 million such accidents in the U.S. every year. Each one is different, and many happen with little time to consider options, but experts say there are ways to often reduce the chances of serious outcomes when you encounter a deer. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
State Police say 17-year-old Ashley Barton of Moneta died Sunday night when the car she was driving left State Route 24 and struck a tree. Investigators say Barton’s car left the roadway when she tried to avoid striking a deer. Barton is the third Staunton River High School student to die in traffic crashes on Route 24 in less than a week. Two others were killed last week when their car pulled out in front of a pickup truck as they headed to school.
(Continue reading for the full State Police news release.)
The Roanoke urban farm is beginning to take shape, and the first produce is likely to be ready in January. The farm will allow the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-Op to provide its members eggs, fruits and vegetables direct from farm to store. It’s on land sold by the city in recent months that had little other valuable use. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
Click here for more Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op urban farm information.
(Continue reading for some larger photos)