News
Shirley Hodges
Thanksgiving won’t be the same this year for a Franklin County woman still searching for her mother. WFIR’s Timothy Martin has an update on the disappearance of Shirley Hodges.
[audio:http://wfirnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Shirley-Hodges-Update-Wrap-1-WEB.mp3|titles=Shirley Hodges Update Wrap 1-WEB]Click here for updates on the search.
Roanoke has two election days next year: the first one is in May for races that include Mayor and three members of City Council. Mayor David Bowers says he’s made his decision on whether to seek re-election — but isn’t quite ready to announce what it is. But as WFIR’s Evan Jones reports, there seems to be little question what direction he will take.
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There’s a guarantee of snow in downtown Roanoke for Friday, December 16th — tons of it. And as WFIR’s Evan Jones reports, this forecast looks like a sure thing.
Work on renovating the former “Ice House” building is well underway, and Roanoke is now taking steps designed to make it the centerpiece of a new urban neighborhood. It was the subject of a public hearing last night on rezoning properties near the five-story building to permit mixed commercial and retail use nearby. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
With the holiday shopping season here, there’s a different traffic pattern around Valley View Mall. WFIR’s Timothy Martin has details.
Virginians with serious medical conditions can now get brief hold on utility shutoffs — if they follow the procedures under a new state law. It provides a 60-day grace period if a household member can document a serious medical condition. You still have to pay the utility bill, but this provides those people more time to make arrangements. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more.
Click here for the Serious Medical Condition Certification Form from the State Corporation Commission.
Federal funds will soon pay to train inmates for careers in computer technology. The Tech Careers program is targeted at non-violent offenders with mental health disorders. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story.
VirginiaTech has received a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to work on the elimination of polio throughout the world. If progress is shown, the $100,000 grant may be extended. WFIR’s Bob Clark has the story.
For the fourth consecutive year, Virginia roads will see an increase in travel during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. About 1,300,000 Virginia residents will travel at least 50 miles for the holiday, and AAA reports 60% of travelers say the economy will not impact travel plans. Details from WFIR’s Bob Clark.
There’s something unusual going on with gas prices. They’re hardly low, but as crude oil prices rise sharply once again, pump prices may actually fall between now and Thanksgiving. The prediction comes from GasBuddy.com, which runs more than 200 gasoline price tracking web sites. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more.
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