Here is the latest news from around the Roanoke Valley and Commonwealth of Virginia.

Here is the latest news from around the Roanoke Valley and Commonwealth of Virginia.

WFIR’s Ian Price goes On The Record with Roanoke Rambler reporter Jeff Sturgeon to break down this week’s top local stories. City Council approved its annual legislative wish list — but not without pushback, including a lone vote against recommending a school-related tax increase and a surprising lack of action on the controversial casino proposal.

Jeff also updates us on the planned reopening of a Franklin Road strip club, which appears to have the approvals it needs after questions about zoning, ownership, and whether the previous use was ever officially abandoned.

The conversation closes with highlights from the Rambler’s monthly food column, including a new Fifth Street specialty shop, a Vinton café opening, a Bonsack coffee spot, and a first look at Mama Jean’s new Brandon Avenue location.

Read the full stories — free with an email subscription — at RoanokeRambler.com.

On this Wednesday, December 3, 2025, WFIR News Express brings you the day’s top stories across the Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia:

• Six people died on Virginia roads over Thanksgiving weekend, as State Police released new enforcement stats showing hundreds of seatbelt violations, more than 4,200 speeding citations, and 63 DUI arrests.
• A Roanoke pastor urges City Council to reject a proposed casino at the Berglund Center, warning it could harm public safety, neighborhood trust, and the city’s long-term well-being.
• A bomb threat at Liberty University prompted a major law enforcement response last night, with streets closed and students diverted as police investigated a suspicious item.
• New bill filed for the 2026 General Assembly session targets ICE raids in Virginia, banning federal agents from covering their faces during enforcement and allowing civil penalties for violations.
• The Life Ring Foundation donates $1.25 million to Carilion Children’s, supporting cancer and blood-disorder care—with more fundraising planned.
• State Sen. Bryce Reeves takes aim at Sen. Mark Warner’s reelection bid, arguing Warner has abandoned earlier promises and no longer represents Virginia values.
• The Trump administration plans to end IRS Direct File, a move advocates say could cost Virginians up to $500 million in lost savings each year.
• K&W Cafeteria closes all locations—including Roanoke—after 88 years, leaving longtime customers stunned.
• Roanoke County considers selling land in the Vinton Business Park to a developer proposing new affordable housing.
• Multiple dead vultures found in Rocky Mount, prompting investigation by state wildlife and health officials and an advisory to avoid nearby waterways.

🎧 Your fast, reliable daily news update for the Roanoke region.

On this Tuesday, December 2, 2025, WFIR News Express brings you the top stories across Southwest and Central Virginia:

• A Roanoke man is sentenced to life in prison for the brutal killing of 80-year-old Susan Williams, a longtime leader of the Local Office on Aging.
• Internal frustration grows inside the Virginia GOP, as Loudoun County’s Scott Pio says election losses and outgoing party chair Mark Peake’s leadership failures are pushing the party toward a breaking point.
• VMI’s new superintendent, Lt. Gen. David Furness, pledges a “center-line” approach, aiming to restore stability and avoid political controversies that plagued prior leadership.
• Holiday shopping boosts small businesses, with Roanoke shops reporting strong Small Business Saturday sales and hopes for continued momentum through December.
• Roanoke Police’s iSTAR Unit wins statewide honors, named Virginia’s Crime Analysis Team of the Year, with analyst Brittin Corker also earning New Analyst of the Year.
• Campbell County supervisors consider an emergency ordinance to tighten oversight of data centers, requiring special-use permits even on industrial land as residents debate jobs, noise, and tech-sector growth.
• Montgomery County School Board weighs major pay raises to fill vacancies in skilled trades and transportation, including salary jumps for HVAC techs, electricians, plumbers, and bus drivers.
• Healing Strides launches a benefit auction featuring a Taylor Swift-signed guitar, with proceeds supporting equine-based mental health programs for veterans and first responders.
• Friendship Health-Rehab North and South earn Newsweek’s “Best Nursing Homes 2026” recognition, highlighting top-tier care and resident satisfaction.
• Berglund Center prepares for its 10th Annual Holiday Craft & Vendor Show, featuring 240+ vendors, free admission, Santa photos, and Toys for Tots donations.

🎧 Your fast, reliable daily news update for the Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia.

Here is the latest news from around the Roanoke Valley and Commonwealth of Virginia.

On this Friday, November 28, 2025, WFIR News Express brings you the top stories across Southwest and Central Virginia:

• Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger adds Roanoke Mayor Joe Cobb and Christiansburg Mayor David Horton to her transition team, elevating regional voices on housing, economic development, and homelessness.
• Roanoke keeps a proposed casino at the Berglund Center on its General Assembly wish list, despite firm opposition from Del. Sam Rasoul, Del. Joe McNamara, and Sen. David Suetterlein.
• A recount is officially set for December 12 in the extremely tight Blacksburg mayoral race — separated by just 18 votes.
• 6th District Democratic candidate Ken Mitchell says he supports the legislature’s redistricting push, but will respect voter sentiment if lawmakers ultimately decide not to proceed.
• Lynchburg Police seize stolen guns during a traffic stop, arresting two men tied to a shooting into an occupied home.
• Small Business Saturday returns to Downtown Roanoke, with local stores urging shoppers to keep holiday dollars in the community.
• Roanoke musician Theodore Jefferson, newly signed with Sony, announces plans to build a free creative studio for foster youth, inspired by his own childhood.
• Two Virginia brothers are charged after allegedly discussing plans to kill ICE agents, prompting a Homeland Security investigation.
• The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle season is underway, with volunteer bell-ringers still needed and a holiday donation goal of $185,000.
• More than 8,000 people turned out for the Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving morning, helping fund the Rescue Mission’s holiday dining services.
• Hotel Roanoke’s “Fashions for Evergreens” display is now open, featuring over two dozen decorated Christmas trees through New Year’s Day.
• Vinton’s Christmas Parade and tree lighting arrive next Thursday evening, with road closures at 5:30 p.m.

🎧 Your fast, reliable local news update — all in one place.

WFIR’s Ian Price goes On The Record: with The Roanoke Rambler as reporters Sinclair Holian and Jeff Sturgeon break down this week’s top local stories. Sinclair explains why Goodwill’s Market on Melrose in Northwest Roanoke is running a roughly $1 million first-year deficit, what that says about the grocery business, and why the nonprofit still sees a path to sustainability.

Jeff walks through the stalled talks over Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport’s hoped-for runway expansion across I-581, including the gap between what the city paid for the former Countryside golf course land and what the airport has offered so far — plus a proposed $7 million study.

The conversation closes with Sinclair’s Q&A with iHeart Southeast co-chair Jessica Maharan, who describes choosing Southeast Roanoke as home, calling it an “unpolished gem,” and talking about neighborhood pride, economic segregation, and what targeted investment could mean for the area.

Listen to the full segment and read the complete stories for free at RoanokeRambler.com.

On today’s WFIR News Express for Wednesday, November 26, 2025:

• Court documents confirm a downtown Roanoke shooting was gang-related, with five arrests and new insight into gang activity trends from Roanoke Police.
• Former Congressman Denver Riggleman raises red flags about a U.S.–Saudi arms deal, questioning national-security risks and what the administration stands to gain.
• A new White House proposal to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies sparks divisions among Republicans, even as hundreds of thousands of Virginians brace for major premium hikes when enhanced subsidies expire at year’s end.
• Roanoke College’s latest consumer survey shows Virginians balancing optimism and caution heading into the holidays amid inflation pressures.
• The Rescue Mission readies a massive community feast right after tomorrow’s Drumstick Dash, expecting more than 400 people for Thanksgiving meals.
• Brown Friday approaches—local plumbers warn about post-holiday grease clogs and explain why the day after Thanksgiving is their busiest of the year.
• Aqua Virginia seeks a 26% rate increase, including a 33% hike for Botetourt County customers, prompting pushback from county leaders.
• Botetourt officials review new proposals for the Orchard Lake Dam, after residents asked for alternatives to breaching.
• Rep. Morgan Griffith discusses what may be revealed under the newly signed Epstein Files Transparency Act, requiring DOJ release within 30 days.
• Blacksburg Police begin targeted deer-culling operations for public-safety reasons as collisions rise.
• Roanoke’s Angel Tree program gets a boost from social media, but organizers remind donors that small gifts still make big impacts.
• Roanoke’s housing market cools slightly, with higher inventory and policy discussions on affordability—even as home prices remain elevated.

🎧 Your essential, fast, local news update heading into Thanksgiving in the Roanoke Valley.

On today’s WFIR News Express for Tuesday, November 25, 2025:

• A Honduran national arrested in Roanoke is sentenced for illegal reentry, following a felony DUI case that revealed two prior removals from the U.S.
• Democrats signal hesitation on mid-decade redistricting—Delegate Marcus Simon says the effort may risk alienating voters unless the final map upholds anti-gerrymandering principles.
• Delegate Joe McNamara defends Virginia’s fiscal health, noting rising revenues despite nearly $9 billion in tax relief and projecting another major surplus next month.
• Regional leaders gather in Salem, discussing bipartisan priorities ahead of the 2026 General Assembly session, including housing, infrastructure, and the Blue Ridge Innovation Corridor.
• Roanoke’s annual Thanksgiving bike ride brings in more than 3,600 pounds of food for local pantries, uniting cyclists across the valley.
• Mountain Valley Pipeline landowners in Pittsylvania County say they feel misled as the proposed Southgate extension moves closer to federal review.
• A deer rescue in Botetourt County, a longtime Thanksgiving meal partnership helps 123 Roanoke families, and Roanoke County prepares for its 22nd annual Christmas Tree Lighting.
• Plus: local clean-energy advocates look to Governor-elect Spanberger for a shift in Virginia’s energy policy, a LewisGale rehab patient car gets replaced by a modern model, Virginia Western launches a new business degree pathway, and communities remember Lucille Hoback Boggess, a key figure behind the National D-Day Memorial.

🎧 Your fast, trusted look at the stories shaping Roanoke and Southwest Virginia.