Web Staff
Franklin Road in Roanoke is back open after a crash this morning that sent one person to the hospital. The driver of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries after hitting a ditch and knocking over a power pole in the 33 hundred block of Franklin Road — that’s the area before Kabuki as you’re driving towards Electric Road on Franklin.
Photo: Vinton PD
NEWS RELEASE: On September 24, 2019 at 3:42 PM, the Vinton Police Department was called to the 900 block of Shelbourne Ave for a fight in progress with a weapon. Upon arrival, officers found an injured male lying in the roadway. Preliminary investigative findings indicate the subject had been stabbed. The stabbing victim, 51 years old and from Roanoke, was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. His condition is not known at this time.
Vinton Police have arrested and charged John Timothy Frye, age 50, of Bedford County with Aggravated Malicious Wounding. He is being held at the Roanoke County Jail.
The matter remains under investigation and no further information is currently available for release.
For the first time since Quinnipiac University started asking about Democratic Presidential Primary candidates in March, Joe Biden does NOT have the lead. Instead, the poll released this morning shows Elizabeth Warren leading Biden 27 to 25 percent. However, that is well within the margin of error. Bernie Sanders is in third with 16 percent, followed by Pete Buttigieg (boot-a-jedge) at 7 percent, and Kamala Harris at 3 percent. You can read the full summary of the findings below.
FROM QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY:Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is essentially tied with former Vice President Joe Biden in today’s Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll. Warren gets 27 percent of the vote while Biden gets 25 percent of Democratic voters and independent voters who lean Democratic. Though well within the margin of error, this is the first time that a candidate other than Biden has had the numerical lead in the primary since Quinnipiac began asking the question in March.
The top two candidates are followed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders with 16 percent, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 7 percent, and California Senator Kamala Harris at 3 percent. While this is Harris’ lowest number yet, support for these candidates as well as the rest of the field has remained relatively stable since the last national poll in August. No other candidate tops 2 percent.
In the August national poll, Biden received 32 percent, Warren had 19 percent, Sanders got 15 percent, Harris had 7 percent, and Buttigieg got 5 percent.
While Warren picks up support across the board, she receives one of her largest gains among white voters with a college degree. These voters were split in August, with 29 percent supporting Biden and 25 percent supporting Warren, and today they support Warren over Biden 37 – 20 percent.
“After trailing Biden by double digits since March in the race for the Democratic nomination, Warren catches Biden,” said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy. “We now have a race with two candidates at the top of the field, and they’re leaving the rest of the pack behind.”
Warren is generating the most excitement among Democratic and Democratic leaning voters, who said 70 – 18 percent that they would be excited if she became the 2020 Democratic nominee. Biden and Sanders would also excite a majority of these voters, who say 56 – 35 percent that they would be excited about Biden and 55 – 38 percent that they would be excited about Sanders.
Half, or 50 percent, of Democratic and Democratic leaning voters want to see the Democratic nominee support policies that would result in major changes but would be more difficult to pass into law, while 42 percent want to see the Democratic nominee support policies that would result in minor changes but would be easier to pass into law. Moreover, 49 percent of these voters think the best way to handle health care is to replace the current private health insurance system with a Medicare for All system, compared to 44 percent who say keeping the current private health insurance system and building on Obamacare is the best way to handle health care. Democratic and Democratic leaning voters also say 55 – 29 percent that they would trust a government health insurance program more than a private health insurance company when it comes to their health care.
“Dig a little deeper, and the reasons behind Warren’s rise become more clear. She generates a lot of excitement as a potential nominee,” adds Malloy. “On top of that, half of Democrats want a presidential candidate that supports big changes – even if it means things are harder along the way.”
Today, Biden’s favorability rating among registered voters is split 45 – 45 percent, and his rating is a favorable 72 – 19 percent among Democratic and Democratic leaning voters. Both of these numbers have gotten worse for the former Vice President since he began his campaign for president. In a December 2018 survey, Biden’s favorability rating was 53 – 33 percent among registered voters and 82 – 8 percent among Democratic and Democratic leaning voters.
Sen. Warren, though less well known than Biden, gets a similar mixed favorability rating among registered voters: 39 percent favorable and 41 percent unfavorable. Among Democratic and Democratic leaning voters, her favorability rating is slightly better than Biden’s at 74 – 10 percent. Her trajectory on these numbers, however, is very different than his – both of her favorability ratings have gotten better since December, when her favorability rating was 30 – 37 percent among registered voters and 56 – 13 percent among Democratic and Democratic leaning voters.
President Trump
While the top two Democratic contenders have mixed favorability ratings among registered voters, President Trump’s is underwater. His favorability rating is a negative 38 – 55 percent, nearly matching his rating at this point in the 2016 election cycle, which was 36 – 57 percent in a September 2015 Quinnipiac University poll. His opponent at the time, however, had a score that was almost as negative as his; Hillary Clinton’s favorability rating was 41 – 55 in September 2015. If he ends up facing either Biden or Warren in 2020, he will have an opponent that is more well-liked at this stage of the game.
President Trump’s job approval remains in the tight range that it has been in nearly his entire presidency, with 40 percent of registered voters approving of how he’s handling his job, while 55 percent say they disapprove. This disapproval number is close to the percent of voters who say that they will definitely not vote for him in 2020, 54 percent, while 33 percent say that they will definitely vote for him and 10 percent say they will consider it. This 54 percent is the same percentage that did not vote for him in the 2016 election.
While more than half of voters disapprove of his job performance, only 37 percent of voters say that President Trump should be impeached and removed from office, while 57 percent say no, he should not be impeached.
Among Republican voters and independent voters who lean Republican, Trump remains very popular. He dominates the Republican primary with 80 percent support, while none of his three opponents get more than 2 percent. Additionally, 67 percent of these voters say that they would be very satisfied with Trump as the Republican nominee for 2020, and 17 percent say they would be somewhat satisfied.
U.S. House Background Check Bill
A huge 83 percent majority of voters support the background check bill that the U.S. House of Representatives passed in February of this year, while 14 percent oppose the bill. Support for the bill includes 71 percent of Republicans, 78 percent of gun households, and 72 percent of gun owners.
From September 19 – 23, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,337 self-identified registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points, including the design effect. The survey includes 561 Democratic voters and independent voters who lean Democratic with a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percentage points, including the design effect, and 568 Republican voters and independent voters who lean Republican with a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percentage points, including the design effect.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts gold standard surveys using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll conducts nationwide surveys and polls in more than a dozen states on national and statewide elections, as well as public policy issues.
Photo: Salem PD
NEWS RELEASE: Salem Police have made an arrest related to a shooting incident that took place earlier this summer. On June 29, at approximately 2:30 a.m., officers from the Salem Police Department responded to the 1700 block of Ellis Court after receiving a 911 call saying gunshots had been heard in the area. Upon arrival, officers found several empty cartridge casings in the roadway and they discovered that three of the discharged rounds had struck two occupied homes and one parked vehicle on the street. No injuries were reported that morning. As a result of the investigation, Khari H. Brice, 20, of Roanoke, has been arrested and charged with two counts of Shooting into an Occupied Dwelling, three counts of Damaging Property, Reckless Handling of a Firearm, Discharging a Firearm in City Limits and Shooting a Firearm from a Vehicle. Brice is currently being held without bond at the Roanoke County/Salem jail. Salem Police believe these circumstances are related to another disturbance in this same area that took place in late July. Both incidents remain under investigation.
UPDATE: Roanoke County Police have identified the suspect in the multiple vehicle crash last week that killed a driver on Brambleton Avenue at Garst Mill Road. He is 58-year-old Kenneth Inger of Roanoke. Police say no charges have been filed yet, but an earlier news release said speed, drugs and alcohol were all possible factors.
NEWS RELEASE: Roanoke County Police confirm the alleged suspect involved in the multiple vehicle crash on Brambleton Avenue on September 10 is Kenneth Inger, 57, of Roanoke. Charges are pending the conclusion of the ongoing criminal investigation.
PREVIOUS FROM ROANOKE COUNTY POLICE: On Tuesday September 10, 2019, a Volvo sedan was traveling southbound on Brambleton Ave. in Roanoke County when it rear ended a Toyota driven by 48-year-old Thomas Orr II. Mr. Orr’s vehicle then left the right side of the roadway where it struck a utility pole. Mr. Orr was pronounced dead at the scene. The sedan continued southbound on Brambleton Ave. where it struck a Cadillac and pushed the Cadillac into a pickup truck. The driver of the Cadillac was transported to the hospital and has been released. The driver of the pickup truck was not injured. The driver of the Volvo was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. All parties were wearing their seat belts. Speed along with drugs and alcohol, may have been a factor in the crash. Brambleton Ave. was closed for a period of time while members of the Blue Ridge Regional Crash Team worked to reconstruct the incident, but all lanes of Brambleton Ave are back open at this time. Charges in this case are pending, and the investigation ongoing.
PREVIOUS: At 2:30 today, a single vehicle struck multiple vehicles at the intersection of Brambleton Avenue and Garst Mill Road. The accident resulted in two being transported with non-life-threatening injuries and one fatality. Speed was a factor in the accident. The police department received additional reports of a possible suspect vehicle involved in an additional accident on Brambleton Avenue.
Police and VDOT are on scene diverting traffic. People should avoid Brambleton Avenue northbound because it is completely blocked. Brambleton Avenue southbound traffic should go to Pinevale or View avenues. People should also avoid Garst Mill to Brambleton and detour to Cresthill Drive.
These roads will remain closed for a number of hours while POLICE continue to investigate.
Photo: HCSO
NEWS RELEASE: Francis Cabiness Kissee, 62, 316 Inge Dr., Martinsville, Va. was charged with one count of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor (misdemeanor). Kissee was arrested on September 16, 2019, and was released on a $1,500 unsecured bond.
Anyone having information regarding this crime is asked to contact the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at 276-638-8751 or Crimestoppers at 63-CRIME (632-7463). The Crimestoppers Program offers rewards up to $2500.00 for information related to crime. The nature of the crime and the substance of the information determine the amount of reward paid.
PREVIOUS FROM HENRY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE: On 09/16/2019, at 11:33 am, a 9-1-1 call was received in reference to an infant in a car parked at Wal-Mart located at 976 Commonwealth Blvd. The call was dispatched at 11:34 am and Deputies arrived on scene at 11:37 am. Upon arrival, a citizen had already broken the window out and removed the infant from the vehicle. The infant was taken inside the store, EMS responded and checked the child. The child did not suffer any injuries.
Deputies obtained surveillance video from the store security cameras. After reviewing the video, it was determined the child was left in the motor vehicle with the engine off for less than 10 minutes. This incident remains under investigation.
UPDATE: NBC12 in Richmond reports the victims are a man, woman and their 10-year-old son.
UPDATED STATE POLICE NEWS RELEASE: DILLWYN, Va. – The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office is continuing its investigative efforts into determining the origin and cause of Monday’s fatal fire in Buckingham County. At this time, state police fire investigators, with the assistance of the Buckingham County Sheriff’s Office, are still combing through the burnt debris for evidence to help them determine if the fire was accidental or suspicious in nature.
The Buckingham County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at 4:54 a.m. Monday (Sept. 16) about a house fire in the 20,300 block of James Anderson Highway/Route 60. Volunteer fire departments from Dillwyn, Buckingham, Toga and Arvonia responded to the scene. The house was engulfed in flames when the first fire crews arrived on scene. Once the blaze was extinguished, fire officials found three deceased individuals inside the residence.
The remains of two adults and a juvenile are being transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond for examination, autopsy and positive identification.
STATE POLICE NEWS RELEASE: At 5:59 a.m. Monday (Sept. 16), the Buckingham County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the Virginia State Police with a fatal fire at a residence in the 20300 block of James Anderson Highway. Once fire crews were able to extinguish the fire and make entry into the residence, the remains of three individuals were located inside. The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation at this time.
Photo: HCSO
NEWS RELEASE: On September 10, 2019 at approximately 5:33pm a threatening message was discovered inside Hanes Brands Inc. located at 380 Beaver Creek Dr., Martinsville, VA. The message indicated that an explosive device had been placed inside the facility. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office Explosives Detection Canine and his handler along with other deputies conducted a systematic search of the building. Nothing suspicious was located.
The Henry County Department of Public Safety and local volunteer fire and rescue units were on scene as a precaution. The Henry County Sheriff’s Office and Hanes Brands officials worked together to ensure the safety of the employees. Through the course of the investigation a male employee was developed as a suspect.
Alvin Donnell Hunt, 22, of 1004 Smith Lake Rd., Martinsville, Va. was charged with one count of Threat to Bomb (Felony). Hunt was released on a $3,500 unsecured bond.
Anyone having information pertaining to this incident is asked to contact the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at (276) 638-8751 or the Crimestoppers Program at 63-CRIME (632-7463). The Crimestoppers Program offers rewards up to $2500.00 for information related to crime. The nature of the crime and the substance of the information determine the amount of reward paid.
NEWS RELEASE: – A jury in U.S. District Court in Abingdon convicted an inmate at Red Onion State Prison of sending threatening communications through the mail following the conclusion of a one-day jury trial, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced. Randall J. Keystone, 55, was convicted yesterday of two counts of transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat to injure another person.
“Communicating threats of death or bodily harm is a serious federal crime and one that we will aggressively prosecute,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “I am grateful for the hard work of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Virginia Department of Corrections in bringing this defendant to justice.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Keystone, while incarcerated at Red Onion State Prison, sent a pair of threatening letters to the former state prosecutor who handled his case in the late 1990s. The former state prosecutor, who is now an Assistant United States Attorney in North Carolina, received one letter at his home and one at his office.
In both letters, written on or about January 11, 2017, Keystone wrote, “How’d you like someone to put a bullit [sic] in your head? How’d you like me to be the one to do it?”
The investigation of the case was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service for the Western District of Virginia and Eastern District of North Carolina and the Virginia Department of Corrections. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer R. Bockhorst and Cagle Juhan are prosecuting the case for the United States.
NEWS RELEASE: The Roanoke County Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a person of interest in a grand larceny that occurred on Monday, September 2 at approximately 8:30 p.m. in the 5300 block of Peters Creek Road. More than $500 and mainly tools were stolen. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Saul at the Roanoke County Police Department at (540) 777-8641.