News
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Virginia is preparing to set an execution date for a man sentenced to death in the New Year’s Day 2006 slaying of a Richmond family.Attorneys will hold a hearing Monday via teleconference with Richmond Circuit Court Judge Beverly Snuckals to set an execution date for Ricky Gray.Gray and another man were convicted in the slayings of Bryan and Kathryn Harvey and their daughters, 9-year-old Stella and 4-year-old Ruby, in a home invasion.The Attorney General’s Office has asked the court to set an execution date of Jan. 17 or 18 to give Gov. Terry McAuliffe time to consider any clemency request.Gray was initially scheduled to be executed March 16 but the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals put it on hold while he appealed the case.
The Roanoke Rescue Mission has named Lee Clark as its next Executive Director and he is no stranger to the mission. Clark served as development director there for 11 years before heading to the American Red Cross in 2011 to serve as the regional CEO. Clark will succeed Joy Sylvester-Johnson, whose family founded the Rescue Mission in 1948. He rejoins the Mission on December 5th – her last working day is on December 23rd
Besnik Pula (VT photo)
It’s not clear yet whether President-elect Trump’s policies toward Russia will mirror some his campaign comments, but a Virginia Tech political science professor says Russia’s leaders would no doubt be happy if he does. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Virginia state lawmakers are forming a new panel to monitor changes in federal health care policy under President-elect Donald Trump.The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that House Appropriations Chairman S. Chris Jones and Senate Finance Co-Chairman Emmett W. Hanger Jr. are creating the panel to help lawmakers prepare for the changes to, or the repeal of, the Affordable Care Act.Trump and the Republican-led Congress are pledging to repeal and replace federal health care law, though Trump has indicated that he wants to keep some parts of the law.
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine says he’ll seek re-election in 2018 but is ruling out a presidential bid in 2020. The former Democratic vice presidential nominee said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday that his decision is final. “Period. Full stop,” Kaine said. The 58-year-old said he wants to serve in the upper chamber for as long as he’s healthy and the voters of Virginia, and his wife, allow him. Kaine said that as a member of the Senate’s Democratic minority he will work as a key check on President-elect Donald Trump. Kaine says he will continue his work to expand Congress’ role in voting for and declaring war.
Appalachian Power employees are spending time at local elementary schools on “Read to Me Day.” At Glenvar Elementary School in Roanoke County this morning dozens of attentive kindergartners listened to APCO’s Jesse Corl read “Gingerbread Man – Loose in the School” to them. Afterwards Glenvar students got to “Skype” with the book’s author, Laura Murray. The Washington D.C. resident told the youngsters “there are no bad ideas for a book out there.”
