Gene Marrano
Roanoke-based State Senator John Edwards will run for a sixth term … Edwards told supporters at the Roanoke Higher Education Center today that he will continue to fight for Medicaid expansion to cover more low-income Virginians … the Democratic lawmaker also said the Mountain Valley Pipeline should not come through the 21st District … for safety and environmental reasons. Republican Nancy Dye is his presumptive challenger:
Ralph Smith (at podium) with Dave Sutterlein, far left
Republican State Senator Ralph Smith will NOT run this November for a third term, representing the 19th District that included parts of the Roanoke Valley … instead it will be his 30-year-old legislative aide, Dave Sutterlein … Smith made that surprise announcement this morning:
Smith wouldn’t rule out a run for public office in the future … another thirty-something, Democrat Mike Hamlar, has already announced a run for the 19th District Senate seat as well. Sutterlein paid homage to his mentor:
A Roanoke County police department crime analyst put all the pieces of information together regarding break-ins at various fitness centers and into vehicles at the Green Ridge Recreation Center that have been going on since November … now its led to the arrest of 51-year-old Mark Anthony Martin, a Washington D.C. resident stopped after his vehicle was recognized from surveillance videos… Roanoke County police arrested him yesterday (March 12) near Gold’s Gym on Electric Road… Martin is also wanted in South Carolina for break-ins there.
Roanoke City police are always attempting to “drill down” on predicting where crimes may occur in the future … this year they have full-time help from a Professor of Criminal Justice … more from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
Click below to hear more from criminologist Isaac Van Patten, speaking with WFIR;s Gene Marrano:
Sen. John Edwards (D-Roanoke)
Not so fast … State Senator John Edwards says an amendment to a Virginia law that allows natural gas pipeline and utility surveyors access to property without the owner’s permission was amended to slow that process down … more from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
photo courtesy Roanoke City schools
Looking for its first state basketball title ever the William Fleming girls team will receive a police escort tomorrow morning out of town as they head to Richmond … the Colonels head coach may also be their biggest cheerleader … as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports: