Across Virginia
Aug. 25, 2023 — Roanoke College is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduates, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company spotlighted Roanoke in the newest edition of its annual guide, “The Best 389 Colleges: 2024 Edition” (Penguin Random House).
Only about 15% of the nation’s four-year schools are picked for profiles in the book. The Princeton Review chooses colleges based on data collected from annual surveys of 2,000 higher ed administrators on their institutions’ academic offerings. The company also reviews survey data from students who report on their experiences at their institutions.
Roanoke students who took part in surveys reported that they were happy on campus, loved the Blue Ridge region, and had access to great facilities and internship opportunities. In addition to beingprofiled in the book, Roanoke was singled out for inclusion on multiple best-of lists:
>> Great Schools for Business/Finance Majors
>> Great Schools for Psychology Majors
>> Best College Radio Station
>> Best Athletic Facilities
The Princeton Review’s best-of lists are based on the student reviews gathered in its surveys. The company poses 85 questions to 165,000 students across all the schools profiled. More information about its methodology isavailable here.
Roanoke has been recognized by the best colleges guide every year since the book’s 2012 edition. It was elevated to the list of Great Schools for Business/Finance Majors in 2014 and Great Schools for Psychology Majors in 2015.
Its world-class athletic resources at the Cregger Center and its popular student radio station, WRKE, joined the accolades in 2022.
“We created our rankings to provide a resource for college applicants that helps them answer what may well be the toughest question in their college search — ‘What’s the best school for me?’” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review and lead author of “The Best 389 Colleges.” “Our selection of colleges for this book reflects our high opinion of the schools: We recommend each one as academically outstanding.”
The profiles and rankings in “The Best 389 Colleges” are posted online and can be searched for free. The annual guide has been featured on NBC TODAY more than two dozen times and referenced by many other media, including NPR, The Wall Street Journal and The Chronicle of Higher Education.
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Richmond-The Virginia Department of Corrections is investigating the death of an inmate that occurred at Red Onion State Prison on August 24, 2023.
At approximately 2:37 p.m., an inmate reported to staff that his cell partner fell out of his top bunk bed. Staff entered the cell and found the cell partner unresponsive, which prompted staff to perform lifesaving efforts. The unresponsive inmate was transported to Dickenson Community Hospital and at 3:57 p.m. was pronounced deceased. This incident is being investigated by the VADOC’s Special Investigations Unit.
Virginia lawmakers now have a tentative budget agreement to vote on. Conferees from the Republican-controlled House of Delegates and Democratic-controlled State Senate have reached a deal. Officials say it includes a one-time tax rebate and an increase in standard deductions. A vote is needed in a special session, one that is not yet scheduled.
NEWS RELEASE: We are pleased to announce that we have a budget deal between the House and Senate budget conferees. While the major components have been agreed to, our conferees and staff will be completing the final touches in the days to come.
The deal is one that provides Virginians with additional tax relief and unprecedented investments in education, natural resources, and behavioral health. It is a win-win for the citizens of Virginia.
It includes a one-time tax rebate of $200 for individuals and $400 for joint-filers, increases the standard deduction ($8,500 for single-filers and $17,000 for joint-filers), removes the age requirement for the military retiree subtraction, and reinstates the sales tax holiday. Taken together, these actions provide relief to low- and middle-income Virginia citizens and Virginia businesses.
We also prioritized investments in education at all levels to ensure that our students recover from pandemic learning loss and are workforce ready. In higher education, we are providing additional operating support to maintain college affordability and increased financial aid to ensure access is not limited due to family income.
We were able to negotiate these investments while maintaining an eye on Virginia’s continued budgetary integrity. Virginia remains in a strong fiscal position based on these actions, which will continue to protect our triple-AAA bond rating.
While the negotiations have been deliberate and extended, we are very pleased that the outcome is both fair and balanced toward the priorities of the House and Senate. In an era when partisanship often prevails, the negotiations were cordial and respectful.
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our dedicated conferees and talented staff.
From Roanoke County Public Schools:
Currently, phone lines are down for all schools and buildings in Roanoke County Public Schools. Alternative numbers have been established so parents can reach schools for urgent messages.
Back Creek Elementary: (540) 776-7144
Bonsack Elementary: (540) 977-5879
Burlington Elementary: (540) 561-8162
BCAT: (540) 857-5061
Cave Spring Elementary: (540) 776-7145
Cave Spring Middle: (540) 772-2195
Cave Spring High: (540) 772-2107
Clearbrook Elementary: (540) 776-7148
Fort Lewis Elementary: (540) 387-6348
Glen Cove Elementary: (540) 561-8164
Glenvar Elementary: (540) 387-6351
Glenvar Middle: (540) 387-6283
Glenvar High: (540) 387-6347
Green Valley Elementary: (540) 776-7149
Herman L. Horn Elementary: (540) 857-5062
Hidden Valley Middle: (540) 772-7519
Hidden Valley High: (540) 776-7322
Masons Cove Elementary: (540) 387-6995
Mount Pleasant Elementary: (540) 427-5779
Mountain View Elementary: (540) 561-8167
Northside Middle: (540) 561-8152
Northside High: (540) 561-8160
Oak Grove Elementary: (540) 776-7150
Penn Forest Elementary: (540) 776-7151
W.E Cundiff Elementary: (540) 857-5065
William Byrd Middle: (540) 890-0703
William Byrd High: (540) 890-7568
Please use these numbers for urgent messages only. When regular phone service is restored, we will send an update.
A recent study named Virginia as one of 2023’s top ten best states to live in. WFIR’s Emma Thomas has details on where the state shined — AND where it fell flat:
MGN
Election day is more than 2 1/2 months away, but early voting in Virginia begins September 22 — five weeks from this Friday. It comes as a national debate continues over exactly how should we be able to vote ahead of the traditional day to cast ballots. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
This year, eight schools in Roanoke County will be providing free meals to all students through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as implemented through the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
Schools participating in CEP this year are:
Burlington Elementary
Herman L. Horn Elementary
Masons Cove Elementary
Mount Pleasant Elementary
Mountain View Elementary
Northside High
Northside Middle
W.E. Cundiff Elementary
All students attending a CEP school will be provided a nutritious breakfast and lunch meal each day at no cost. Households with students attending these schools will not be required to submit a meal application or to pay a fee for these students to receive meals.
All other schools will continue with the school meals program as in previous years. Roanoke County Public Schools encourages parents at these schools to consider applying for free and reduced meals, even if they think they may not qualify. Applications can be completed online athttps://linqconnect.com.
Meal prices for the 2023-2024 school year will be as follows:
Daily Lunch
Student: $3.00
Adult: $4.75
Breakfast
Student: $1.50
Adult: $2.75
Milk: $0.50
For the 2023-2024 school year, reduced-price meal costs will be waived.
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.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday set a special election to fill the few remaining months in the term of a southwest Virginia lawmaker who recently resigned to become a judge.
Voters will choose former Republican Del. Jeff Campbell’s successor in the 6th House District on Aug. 29, according to the writ of election signed by Youngkin.
Campbell resigned July 14 effective immediately after being appointed the same day to fill a judicial vacancy. He had represented the 6th District, made up of Carroll and Wythe counties and part of Smyth county, since 2014.
The new delegate chosen by voters will serve out the remainder of Campbell’s term, which ends in January. They may not see much action this year as the Legislature isn’t currently meeting, though lawmakers could be called back to Richmond if a deal to end the long-running budget stalemate is reached.
Every seat in the General Assembly is on the general election ballot in November, and candidates will be running under new maps overhauled during the redistricting process.
It wasn’t immediately clear if Jed Arnold, the GOP nominee running unopposed for the newly created 46th District, which includes some of the localities in the existing 6th District, would also run in the special election. His campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Arnold practiced law with Campbell and was his legislative aide.
The last day for candidates to file is Wednesday at 5 p.m., according to Youngkin’s office.
The new maps generated by the redistricting process have triggered a flurry of legislator retirement announcements. While there are other current legislative vacancies that are expected to go unfilled until the November general election, a new law that took effect July 1 set a deadline by which Youngkin was required to set the special election for Campbell’s seat.