Across Virginia
Former Liberty University student and Indiana Congresswoman Jacqueline R. Walorski (IN-2) died Wednesday at age 58. She was tragically killed in a head-on vehicle collision in her northern Indiana district.
Rep. Walorski died along with two staffers, Zachery Potts (27) and Emma Thomson (28). Jackie attended Liberty University, known as Liberty Baptist College at the time, from 1981 to 1983 and graduated from Taylor University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration in 1985.
Jackie’s husband, Dean Swihart, was informed by the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office of her passing, her office said in a statement Wednesday. “She has returned home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” the statement said, “Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.”
“This is a sad day for our country and Liberty University. Our thoughts and prayers are with Rep. Walorski’s family,” said Liberty University President Jerry Prevo. “We are grateful for her service and devotion to our nation as a member of Congress and most importantly for her faith in Christ. We know, and we are thankful that as believers in Jesus Christ, we will one day be with Him and see each other again.”
“The Liberty family is saddened by the loss of Rep. Walorski,” said Campus Pastor Jonathan Falwell. “While her time at LU was many years ago, she has been a great example of what it means to be a Champion for Christ. We are praying for the families involved in this tragic accident.”
Ranking members of the House and Senate on both sides of the political aisle have offered their condolences and praised Rep. Walorski as a respected member of Congress and for her kindness and devotion.
Seven Virginian Red Cross volunteers have joined hundreds from across America in aiding those affected by the floods in Kentucky. A spokesman for the organization describes how you can help from home. WFIR’s Emma Thomas with more:
Click here for more information on how to help the Red Cross
HUBERT, N.C. (AP) — A Virginia man drove more than 300 miles to confront a 27-year-old man who he said dated his daughter, then fatally shot him in a fight, according to authorities in eastern North Carolina.
The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office said emergency responders found Jared Musgrove suffering from two gunshot wounds at a Hubert mobile home park on July 5, news outlets reported. Musgrove was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators learned that James McAlee, 46, drove from Alexandria, Virginia, to confront Musgrove about an alleged relationship with McAlee’s adult daughter and they got into a physical altercation, the sheriff’s office said. After the men were separated, McAlee got a gun from his truck and shot Musgrove, the sheriff’s office said.
On Monday, the U.S. Marshals Service and a sheriff’s office detective found McAlee and arrested him. He was charged with murder and initially held without bond. On Tuesday, a judge. On Tuesday, a District Court judge set McAlee’s bond at $500,000, WITN-TV reported. Court records do not list an attorney for McAlee, according to court officials.
The father of a slain WDBJ-7 journalist has created a political action committee to support candidates looking to pass gun control and rein in big tech.WFIR’s Clark Palmer has that story
Photo: Angels of Assisi
62 of the beagles rescued from a Virginia breeding facility are now in the care of Angels of Assisi in Roanoke, and if you are interested in adopting any of them, you can begin the process right now. Most of the beagles sent here are nursing litters, and most of them are currently in foster homes until they are ready for adoption, and that will probably occur three to four weeks from now. Angels of Assisi expects even more Beagles to arrive late next week, but she does not yet know exactly how many. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
If you are interested in adopting one of the beagles, contact Angels of Assisi at adoptions@angelsofassisi.org.
Free career and personal development courses will be hitting the valley soon thanks to Goodwill Industries. WFIR’s Emma Thomas has more:
Click here to register for events and workshops
Assessment teams head out today across a hard-hit area of Buchanan County to determine full scope of damage from this week’s devastating floods. The assessment will count the number of structures damaged or washed away and come up with a total dollar loss. As WFIR’s Evan Jones reports, officials say the work covers a wide geographic area and will take considerable time to complete:
WHITEWOOD, Va. (AP) _ Authorities say flooding in a remote corner of southwest Virginia has damaged more than 100 homes but there are no confirmed deaths or injuries despite some 40 people being unaccounted for. Officials said at a news conference Wednesday that the flooding occurred in Virginia’s Buchanan County. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency to aid in the rescue and recovery efforts from Tuesday’s floodwaters. Authorities said the number unaccounted for was expected to decline as swift-water rescue teams continue their work. Buchanan County also suffered serious flooding damage last year, when the remnants of a hurricane hit the area in August, washing away homes and leaving one person dead.
