Evan Jones
Roanoke City recorded its first fatal shooting for August less than one hour into the new month. Police say officers were called to the 400 block of Westside Boulevard around 12:50 am where they found a man lying outside a vehicle. He died later under hospital treatment. As has been the case with a series of other gun-related murders in the city, police say they have limited information and no suspects. This comes after Roanoke recorded seven gun-related murders in July.
NEWS RELEASE: On August 1, 2023, at approximately 12:50 a.m., Roanoke Police were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of a person with a gunshot wound in the 400 block of Westside Blvd NW. Responding officers located an adult male victim with what appeared to be serious gunshot wounds lying outside of a vehicle. Officers rendered aid to the victim until Roanoke Fire-EMS personnel arrived and transported him to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. Later, officers were notified that the man had succumbed to his injuries and passed away.
Details about what led to this shooting are limited at this time. No suspects were located on scene and no arrests have been made. This is an ongoing homicide investigation. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call (540)344-8500 and share what you know. You can also text us at 274637; please begin the text with “RoanokePD” to ensure it’s properly sent. Both calls and texts can remain anonymous.
Roanoke County Parks will celebrates completion of six new pickleball courts today at Walrond Park in the Hollins area. It is the latest part of an to create more such courts across the county. If you are unfamiliar, pickleball is somewhat like tennis but on a smaller court, and in recent years, it has surged in popularity nationwide. Roanoke County’s outdoor courts are lit, meaning they can be used until 10:00 pm. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Teachers in many area school systems will return to their classrooms tomorrow, preparing for the start of another school year. As they do, even where all — or almost all — teaching positions are currently filled, there are serious concerns about the long-term prospects. In Botetourt County, Superintendent John Russ says as of last Friday, the teaching ranks were entirely full, but he is not so sure if that can be maintained there or anywhere else long-term. He says among the many reasons is a relatively new one: since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, public schools are now frequently entangled in the nation’s culture wars, discouraging many college students from seeking teaching careers. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Dr. Karen Shelton
Thousands of children will be headed back to school soon, and state health officials say that means it’s time to check your child’s vaccine records. Area doctors’ offices are getting busy as parents hurry to get their children ready for a new school year. If you are not sure what vaccines your student may need, State Health Commissioner, Dr. Karen Shelton says your child’s pediatrician will know. Dr. Shelton urges parents to schedule an appointment with their health care provider because this appointment encompasses more than just a series of shots; it also gives the doctor a chance to check in with your child on other healthcare concerns including mental health. WFIR’s Denise Allen Memreno has more:
Photo: Ian Price
The Roanoke River Greenway’s “missing link” is missing no longer. Roanoke City and Greenway Commission officials cut the ribbon today on a one-mile section that connects the greenway all the way from southeast Roanoke to Salem, including its longest bridge span over the Roanoke River – almost 300 feet. City Manager Bob Cowell tells us the next step is building strong Greenway connections to Roanoke neighborhoods:
Cowell says there is just one bit of work that needs completion in the city — a small greenway portion that currently runs along a southeast city street:
Cowell says today’s ribbon-cutting culminates a quarter century of planning and perseverance — not to mention support from City Council as projected completion costs kept rising over those 25 years.
Teachers in several area school systems report for work next week as a new school year gets ready to begin; in many areas, the hallway bells will ring well before Labor Day. And three years after the pandemic struck, schools are still coping with its impacts. In Franklin County, new Superintendent Kevin Siers says the learning loss there was less than in many other school systems, but it remains one of the main ongoing COVID-related challenges they face, and another is dealing with the COVID-related loss of both learning and students’ socialization skills. And as WFIR’s Evan Jones reports, a third challenge involves working with parents more than students:
Both major political parties are set to spend many millions of dollars in this year’s General Assembly races, and our political analyst says there is one local contest likely to capture a good portion of that attention — and money. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
CLICK HERE to learn more about the 4th State Senate District from the Virginia Public Access Project
UPDATE: Northbound Interstate 81 is once again open, but some residual backups may take some time to entirely clear.
PREVIOUS:What VDOT calls a “security-police activity” is blocking a portion of northbound Interstate 81 through the Salem area — and creating some major backups. It means all northbound traffic is being taken off the highway at Thompson Memorial Drive, exit 140. So far, there is no word on what exactly the police activity is, but VDOT traffic cams show police dogs at the scene.
From VDOT at 10:55 am: On I-81 at mile marker 140 in the County of Roanoke, motorists can expect delays due to other security/police activity. All north lanes are closed. The north entrance ramp is closed. Traffic backups are approximately 5.5 miles. Traffic is being detoured off at Exit 140. The on ramp at Exit 141 is also blocked. Expect delays.
Image: Universal Studios
If you saw “Oppenheimer” over the weekend — or plan to any time soon — a Virginia Tech physicist says the movie avoids going Hollywood and is remarkably accurate. Kevin Pitts has studied J. Robert Oppenheimer’s life and the Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb. Pitts is Dean of Tech’ College of Science, and he says the film’s portrayals of the man and profound nuclear science decisions and events of the time are generally spot-on — to the moviegoers’ benefit. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
There is still a long way to go, but Roanoke County’s plans to revitalize the Tanglewood area took another step forward Monday when Popey’s opened a new restaurant along Electric Road. The county formally adopted its “419 Town Center” plan four years ago in efforts to transform the corridor into more of a mixed use destination — commercial, retail and residential. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Click here for Roanoke County’s 419 Town Center information website.