News
Virginia DMV officials say they took a look at what similar departments in other states were doing before changing real-time wait information on the department’s web site. You now get information on the waits for each particular transaction at each office, rather than an average wait for all transactions. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Click here to access the DMV’s wait time information page. Enter your zip code, select the office on the map, then click the prompt for estimated wait times.
Chris Hurst
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) – A former Virginia news anchor whose girlfriend was fatally shot during a live broadcast in 2015 says he’s raised more than $30,000 during the first week of his campaign for the House of Delegates.The Roanoke Times reports that Chris Hurst announced the fundraising total during a campaign kickoff event on Saturday. He has yet to file a campaign finance report.Hurst quit his job as an anchor at WDBJ-TV to run as a Democrat in Virginia’s 12th District, which is currently represented by Republican Del. Joseph Yost.Hurst’s girlfriend and colleague, Allison Parker, was fatally shot while reporting for the station. Hurst said he considered running for office as he struggled emotionally to report on gun violence.Republicans have criticized him for his pro-gun control stance.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) – Virginia Republican hopefuls for governor have played nice during their first debate.The candidates avoided attacking each other Saturday at an event in Charlottesville and instead stuck largely to GOP talking points.Corey Stewart, a one-time chairman of President Donald Trump’s campaign in Virginia, has blasted former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie several times in interviews and social media accounts.But Stewart ignored Gillespie during the debate, which only featured a handful of questions and speaking opportunities.State Sen. Frank Wagner and distillery owner Denver Riggleman are also running.Virginia’s widely watched contest for governor is seen by many as a potential referendum on Trump’s first year in office and an early test of opposition groups aligned against him.
From Virginia State Police: Virginia State Police A. B. Absher is investigating a fatal crash that occurred at 8:26 p.m. February 17, 2017 on Route 501, seven tenths of a mile of a mile north of Route 122 in Bedford County.A 2004 Buick Rainer was traveling south on Route 501, when the driver lost control and ran off the right side of the roadway, striking a wall and a utility pole, overturning several times ejecting the occupants.The 2004 Buick was driven by Brian Edward Dabney, 24, Buena Vista, VA. Mr. Dabney was not wearing his seatbelt and was transported for injuries received in the crash.55 year old Darlene Spinner was a passenger in the vehicle. Ms. Spinner was not wearing her seatbelt and was transported for injuries received in the crash.25 year old Candice Paige Clark, of Nellysford, VA was not wearing her seatbelt and died at the scene.The Virginia State Police Accident Reconstruction Team was called to assist with the crash.Alcohol and speed were a factor in the crash, charges are pending.The crash remains under investigation.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ A federal appeals court has rejected a Virginia company’s bid to end the state’s decades-long ban on uranium mining. A panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond on Friday upheld the ruling of a district judge who threw out a lawsuit from Virginia Uranium Inc. challenging the ban. The Pittsylvania County company wants to mine a 119-million-pound deposit of the radioactive ore beneath the rolling hills of Southside Virginia. It argued that a federal law should pre-empt state regulations, but the courts disagreed. Attorney General Mark Herring hailed the ruling. Neither an attorney nor a representative for the company immediately responded to requests for comment. Virginia Uranium has also filed a separate lawsuit in a state court. A trial date in that case hasn’t been set.
Democratic candidate for Governor Tom Periello is on an “Opportunity Tour” in the region today. Late this morning he spent time at Virginia Western Community College. While at Virginia Western, Periello talked about making two-year colleges and trade schools tuition-free if he secures the Democratic nomination in the June primary and is elected Governor in November. The former one-term Congressman is now tied with Democratic Lt. Governor Ralph Northam in the new Quinnipiac University poll – with his campaign less than 2 months old.
It’s a really early poll, but Quinnipiac University says if either one of two well-known women would challenge Senator Kaine in 2018, both would start well behind – even among women. The poll shows Kaine holding close to 20% margins right now over talk show host Laura Ingraham and businesswoman Carly Fiorina, and among women, the margin is 23% in either race.
Click here for full poll results and methodology.
It’s getting down to crunch time in Richmond as the General Assembly works on a budget for the coming year. Many public school teachers say state funding in recent years for K through 12 education is inadequate, and a rally toward that end is planned tomorrow in Roanoke. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.