News
The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs are in the middle of a six-game homestand at the Berglund Center – with games tonight against Fayatteville and tomorrow versus Huntsville. The Dawgs picked up 4 of 6 possible points in games last week. Sam Ftorek is Roanoke’s head coach- WFIR’s Gene Marrano spoke with him at length earlier this week:
The 2017 General Assembly session starts next Wednesday with budget shortfalls due in part to reduced tax revenues high on the priority list. WFIR’s Gene Marrano with more from one local delegate:
Click below to hear an extended in-studio conversation with Sam Rasoul from earlier this week:
Isiah Surles
From Roanoke Police Department: Roanoke Police Detectives have obtained warrants for the suspect. His name is Isiah Jahad Surles, age 21, of Roanoke. He is 5’3″ and 140 lbs. Anyone with information can call the RPD tip line at 540-344-8500. Surles is charged with two counts of malicious wounding , use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and shooting into an occupied home. All those charges relate to the incident Tuesday at the residence on 13th Street SW.
Bart Prater (Photo: patrickwgarrett.com)
A long-time Roanoke radio veteran has died. Bart Prater was a prominent disc jockey for years at WROV AM and later at K92 FM. Prater received national recognition for his work. David Lee Michaels worked alongside him at K92:
In more recent years, Prater worked behind the scenes for WVTF public radio before retiring. He died last night in his sleep. Funeral arrangements are not yet complete.
Click here for Pat Garrett’s web page devoted to Bart Prater.
Tom Perriello
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello is making a surprise entrance into the Virginia governor’s race. Perriello announced his plan to seek the Democratic nomination Thursday morning on his Twitter account. The former one-term congressman from Charlottesville and State Department official’s decision to enter the race shocked Virginia’s political class late Wednesday. Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam has long been considered the presumptive Democratic nominee and Perriello’s kept a tight lid on his interest in running. A spokesman for Northam did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Perriello faces an uphill climb. The primary is in June and Northam has effectively been running for nearly two years, raising more than $1.5 million and locking up key endorsements of party leaders like Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
(Continue reading for the rest of the story.)
Kmart is closing more than 100 stores nationwide, including two in the Roanoke Valley. The area stores set for closure are on Hershberger Road at the former Crossroads Mall and West Main Street in Salem. Kmart and its parent company Sears are closing about 150 stores in all, but there are no indications that any area Sears stores are on that list.