Evan Jones
School resumes today for students in many area schools, among them Roanoke, Botetourt, Franklin and Craig Counties. Many school systems will begin their year with some teaching positions still open, but there is at least one exception in our region: as the week began, Roanoke County schools had exactly one teaching position still unfilled. Superintendent Ken Nicely says at a time when far more teachers are leaving the workforce than the number of new ones are entering, no school system is safe from the resulting staffing challenges. But it’s clear that the Roanoke County Schools are currently better able to retain and attract teachers right now than many others. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Image: AFGE Facebook
More than 300,000 Veterans Administration workers nationwide now have a new labor agreement after a signing ceremony today in Salem. As contract talks go, this was an unusually long process, starting in 2017 and not culminating in a tentative agreement until this spring. The union represent close to 80% of VA workers. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones:
Bear Mange Photo: Va DWR
State game officials are seeking public review before approving a new bear management plan for Virginia’s black bears, and one of the newest issues involves is a skin disease that is afflicting some bears along the Appalachians and other portions of northwest Virginia. Bear mange has slowly been working its way southward from the Winchester area — but there are no confirmed cases yet in our immediate region. Several states are working together in efforts to get a better handle on it. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones:
Click here to see the 2023-2032 Virginia Black Bear Management Plan and how to provide comment through September 5.
A Liberty University professor of government says there is no question in his mind that Governor Youngkin is preparing a run for president, but a key element for any chance of success depends upon this fall’s election. Youngkin has been unable to see much of his agenda passed because the General Assembly is under split party control. And Professor Aaron Van Allen says if Republicans are unable to regain control in the state senate and maintain it in the House, Youngkin will have less of a Virginia record to cite in any race for president. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Photo: Fireup611 Facebook
The Virginia Museum of Transportation expects the return of 611 steam excursions to bring many visitors to the the region. It’s a complicated challenge; Museum Executive Director Mendy Flynn says it starts with finding a railroad to run such excursions — and developing a plan likely to make such excursions profitable. After that, there are considerations like watering and fueling the iconic Roanoke-built locomotive when it hauls passengers from the small community of Goshen to Staunton and back, plus staffing the train both mechanically and for the passengers. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones:
NEWS RELEASE: August 2, 2023 — The Virginia Museum of Transportation, Inc. (VMT) and the Virginia Scenic Railway (VSR) are excited to jointly announce that the Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611 steam passenger locomotive will be operating a series of specially scheduled passenger excursions later this fall within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The sleek and powerful Class J locomotives, designed and built in Roanoke by the Norfolk & Western Railway, were widely hailed as the finest steam passenger locomotives in the world. The 1950 Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611 is the sole surviving member of fourteen Class J locomotives produced and is owned and operated by VMT as a traveling exhibit, showcasing the legacy and craftmanship of Virginia’s railroad workers. The 611 will remain in Roanoke for preparation and maintenance and its annual Federal Railway Administration inspections. Following that work, public excursions behind 611 on the VSR track will begin.
The VSR is delighted to host these 611 excursions, which will be operating twice daily as the Shenandoah Valley Limited throughout October and November 2023. Upon boarding the train in Goshen, Virginia, guests will travel eastward through the fall foliage of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, into the rolling hills of the Shenandoah Valley where the train will pause without disembarking, to be joined by a pair of diesel locomotives for the return trip back to Goshen. We are delighted to help make this run possible,” says Steve Powell, President of the Virginia Scenic Railway. “We love trains and railroad history, and we look forward to partnering with the Virginia Museum of Transportation to host the legendary 611 and bring the steam engine roaring to life in the Shenandoah Valley. This is one of the prettiest routes around, and we are excited to share it.”
Tickets will be available for purchase by the general public in mid-August via Virginia Scenic Railway’s website (virginiascenicrailway.com). Seating options will include Coach, Premium Coach, First Class, and Dome Classes, ranging from $99.00 to $249.00 per seat. Sign up on VSR’s or VMT’s (vmt.org) website to be among the first to know when tickets are available. “We are excited for the opportunity to partner with Virginia Scenic Railway. These excursions will have a major tourism impact on the region and showcase Virginia’s Rail Heritage to visitors near and far.” said
Mendy Flynn, Executive Director of the Virginia Museum of Transportation.
611’s Excursion Schedule
The Shenandoah Valley Limited will depart at 9:00 AM and 2:30 PM on the following dates:
▪ October 6 – 8
▪ October 13 – 15
▪ October 20 – 22
▪ October 27 – 2 9
▪ November 3 – 5
If you are thinking of buying a new car any time soon, be prepared to pay more than sticker price for almost any model on the market — in some cases, much more. The average difference is 8.7% which is very close to the national figure. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
CLICK HERE for the full national survey. Here are the local numbers:
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New Cars Priced the Highest Above MSRP in Roanoke-Lynchburg, VA |
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|
Rank |
Vehicle |
% Above MSRP |
$ Above MSRP |
|
1 |
Jeep Wrangler |
23.7% |
$9,640 |
|
2 |
Kia Rio |
22.8% |
$3,953 |
|
3 |
Ford Mustang |
20.1% |
$7,995 |
|
4 |
Jeep Gladiator |
19.0% |
$8,584 |
|
5 |
Ram 1500 |
17.9% |
$8,811 |
|
Roanoke-Lynchburg, VA Average |
8.7% |
$3,189 |
|
|
New Cars Priced Below/Closest to MSRP in Roanoke-Lynchburg, VA |
|||
|
Rank |
Vehicle |
% Above MSRP |
$ Above MSRP |
|
1 |
Jeep Grand Cherokee L |
-1.9% |
-$1,087 |
|
2 |
Mazda CX-90 |
0.6% |
$306 |
|
3 |
Volkswagen ID.4 |
0.6% |
$312 |
|
4 |
Volkswagen Taos |
0.7% |
$228 |
|
5 |
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 |
1.0% |
$526 |
|
Roanoke-Lynchburg, VA Average |
8.7% |
$3,189 |
|
Franklin County hopes to encourage more business development — and help address a county-wide housing shortage — by transforming more than 80 acres of county-owned land into residential development. County officials say there are no homes listed anywhere in Franklin County right now for under $100,000 and just seven homes between $100,000 and $200,000. With a countywide unemployment rate of 2.9%, officials believe more available housing is vital for future business development because a continued shortage could discourage employers from locating or expanding in Franklin County. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
MGN
For the first time in Virginia, both political parties are fully embracing early voting as a major part of their campaign efforts. At stake this fall is which party controls the General Assembly. Former Virginia Tech Professor and WFIR Political Analyst Bob Denton says both Democrats and Republicans realize that early voting is essential to their campaign strategies. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones:
All teachers in at least four Roanoke-area school systems are back at work today — Roanoke, Franklin, Botetourt and Craig Counties — preparing for the resumption of classes next week. As they do, one main goal across the region is closing the learning gap that developed during the pandemic. State and national student tests scores declined dramatically between during COVID, the result largely of COVID-related school closings and remote instruction. In Franklin County, Superintendent Kevin Siers says one component of efforts to make up that gap comes from county leaders’ allocation of additional government funding. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones:
Botetourt County Supervisors will continue leaving it to library staffers to determine what books should be available. Teens can visit and make choices without a parent, but children under 13 must still have a parent present. That continues current policies and practices, but in recent months, some opponents have been urging Botetourt County to restrict teenagers’ unsupervised access, saying some of the books intend to deliver gay and transgender rights activists’ messages behind parents’ backs. Supporters of current policy say calls to restrict what is in the libraries, and who can access them, violate fundamental First Amendment rights. Supervisors passed a resolution Monday night saying Botetourt County Libraries’ current policies and practices protect both parental rights and citizen’s first amendment rights — and should remain as they are. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones: