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.

On today’s WFIR News Express for Monday, November 24, 2025:

• Virginia Senator Tim Kaine makes a last-ditch push to save Affordable Care Act subsidies, warning that thousands of Virginians could see major premium hikes if the expiring ACA tax credits aren’t extended before year’s end. Kaine says the cost of extending the subsidies is far lower than critics claim — but the clock is almost out.

• Bland County standoff ends with a shooting, after deputies say Johnny Ray Hull III pointed a stolen firearm at law enforcement.

• Major Roanoke warrant operation nets dozens of felony arrests, plus fentanyl, cocaine, guns, and cash.

• Virginia Tech’s new football coach James Franklin reveals why he consulted Frank Beamer before accepting the Hokies job — and details emerge on his five-year, $41.75 million contract.

• Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger clashes with Governor Youngkin over UVA’s presidential search, citing an incomplete Board of Visitors.

• National reporting places Glenn Youngkin on Trump’s potential cabinet shortlist, as he prepares to leave office.

• Delegate-elect Lily Franklin says Beth Macy could flip Virginia’s 6th District, calling her campaign a serious threat to Rep. Ben Cline.

• The Drumstick Dash returns for its 20th year, raising funds for the Rescue Mission as thousands prepare to hit the streets Thanksgiving morning.

• Roanoke restaurants see a surge in Thanksgiving reservations, with some booked solid weeks in advance.

🎧 Your fast, local, SEO-friendly update on health care, politics, public safety, and the stories shaping Southwest Virginia.

On this Friday edition of the WFIR News Express:
🚓 A solemn homecoming for Officer Jeremy Hall, as a motorcade returns the fallen River North correctional officer to his family — and VADOC leaders call for better pay and protections after last week’s deadly inmate attack.
🏛️ A West Virginia lawmaker renews his push to let several Southwest Virginia localities jump state lines, reviving the “Best Virginia” proposal that once stalled in Charleston.
🪖 Bedford prepares to dedicate its new Vietnam Veterans Memorial, honoring 14 fallen soldiers and recognizing those who returned home.
⚖️ A Lynchburg woman receives a 27-year sentence — most of it suspended — after knife attacks on police and CPS workers in 2023.
🔐 Senator Mark Warner warns that national security vulnerabilities are growing, blaming deep cuts and personnel upheaval under the Trump administration.
🎭 Actor Michael Keaton jumps into Virginia’s 6th District race, endorsing Democratic challenger Beth Macy after her strong fundraising launch.
🏢 Martinsville weighs whether to repair or rebuild its aging City Hall, after an assessment finds fixes may cost more than the building is worth.
🚬 A new cigar lounge opens in downtown Roanoke, with its owner aiming to create a community hub steps from Center in the Square.
🎼 The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra explores forming an inclusive adult ensemble — and wants local musicians to weigh in via a new survey.
🎓 Averett University announces a major tuition reset for 2026, cutting its sticker price to improve clarity and access.
🔬 Virginia Tech surpasses its research spending goal but braces for continued uncertainty as federal cuts deepen.

🎧 WFIR News Express — your fast, dependable look at what matters across the Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia.

On this Thursday edition of the WFIR News Express:

• ⚖️ Defense attorneys lay out their case as the UVA shooting trial moves toward a Friday sentencing, describing Christopher Darnell Jones Jr.’s traumatic childhood and deteriorating mental state.

• 🗳 Spanberger campaign leadership breaks down their winning strategy, crediting an affordability-focused message that resonated statewide.

• 🏥 Rural Health Day highlights growing shortages, as advocates warn that nearly half of Virginia’s neighborhoods lack adequate primary care access.

• 🚑 LewisGale Montgomery’s ER marks one year, with leaders calling the facility a long-needed upgrade for Christiansburg and I-81 travelers.

• 🏛 Rep. Ben Cline pushes a symbolic vote on socialism, drawing criticism from Democrats who call the measure political theater.

• 💰 Beth Macy posts a huge opening haul, raising $350,000 in her first 24 hours running in VA-06.

• ⚖️ Pulaski County moves to end a 47-year tax-sharing agreement with Radford, prompting a fight over millions in lost revenue.

• 🐴 Healing Strides reflects on more than a decade serving veterans through equine therapy.

• 🦅 Avian flu confirmed in vultures across Southwest Virginia, but experts say the risk to people and poultry remains low with proper precautions.

• 🚫 Water authorities urge residents not to dump holiday grease, offering free disposal kits to prevent sewer blockages.

🎧 WFIR News Express — your quick, reliable update on what matters across the Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia.

WFIR’s Ian Price goes On The Record with The Roanoke Rambler’s Jeff Sturgeon to discuss this week’s top local stories:

• A judge’s ruling ordering officials to release water-use data tied to Google’s potential data center in Botetourt County

• A proposal that could reshape how much city funding Roanoke schools receive

• And the official launch of author Beth Macy’s campaign for Congress

On The Record: with The Roanoke Rambler airs every Wednesday on the WFIR News Express Podcast, bringing you deeper context behind Roanoke’s most important local stories.

On this Wednesday edition of the WFIR News Express:

• 🗳 Beth Macy makes it official, launching her campaign for Virginia’s 6th Congressional District with a pledge to represent working families.

• 🏈 James Franklin introduced at Virginia Tech, offering new insight into the coaching search and his move to Blacksburg.

• 🏛 Roanoke City Schools funding shift proposed, with draft formulas that could reduce the city’s contribution in future budgets.

• 📉 Economists eye unexpected signals—from cardboard boxes to Hamburger Helper—as indicators of consumer confidence.

• 🦒 Two missing baby giraffes spark national attention, with PETA and Alicia Silverstone offering a $50,000 reward.

• 🏥 Substance-use treatment proposal at Valley View rejected, as council weighs concerns about location and patient wellbeing.

• 🎓 Radford University scholarships under federal review, following a Title VI complaint.

• 🌿 Local businesses push back against new hemp restrictions, warning the ban could hurt patients, veterans, and families.

• 🚌 Valley Metro turns 50, celebrating decades of service and honoring long-term employees.

• 🗳 Blacksburg mayoral candidate seeks recount, with the race decided by just 18 votes.

🎧 WFIR News Express — Fast, local, and focused on what matters across the Roanoke Valley.

A deadly attack inside a Southwest Virginia prison leads today’s headlines as the Commonwealth mourns a corrections officer killed at River North. Also on this Tuesday edition:

• 🔥 Botetourt–Craig brush fires fully contained after burning more than 4,500 acres.

• ✋ Roanoke College expands ASL instruction, strengthening access and awareness for Deaf culture.

• 🐾 106 dogs seized from a Martinsville home after hazardous conditions were uncovered.

• 🗳 Beth Macy officially enters the race for Virginia’s 6th Congressional District, joining a growing Democratic field.

• 🌿 Cannabis retail proposals advance as lawmakers prepare for 2026 legalization debates.

• 🏠 Virginia’s housing market stabilizes, with rising inventory shifting power toward buyers.

• 🏦 Ridge View Bank marks one year at its Roanoke headquarters as local expansion continues.

• 🚂 Norfolk Southern’s merger moves forward in what could become the nation’s first transcontinental railroad.

• 🏙 Clifton Forge renovates a historic bank into a multi-business community hub.

🎧 WFIR News Express — fast, factual, and focused on the Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia.

As Virginians recover from the nation’s longest federal shutdown, key developments are reshaping the Commonwealth — from food security to politics and education:

• 🥫 Full SNAP benefits return this week, with long-term funding now secure through 2026.

• 🎓 UVA Faculty Senate calls for board resignations amid fallout from former president Jim Ryan’s departure and a federal DEI probe.

• 🗳 Two Democrats — Joy Powers and Ken Mitchell — launch campaigns to challenge Republicans Morgan Griffith and Ben Cline, setting up major Southwest Virginia races ahead of 2026.

• 🚉 Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific shareholders approve a merger plan that could reshape freight operations by 2027.

• 🏛 Roanoke City Council to consider a Fishburn Mansion historic marker and a major solar expansion for schools.

• 🎶 The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra creates a new memorial fund honoring late Superintendent Dr. Rita Bishop and her legacy in music education.

🎧 WFIR News Express — your daily rundown of Virginia’s top headlines, local impact, and stories shaping the Roanoke Valley.

Top Virginia and Roanoke Valley headlines for Friday, November 15, 2024:

🏳️ Flags at Half-Staff: Governor Glenn Youngkin orders flags lowered statewide to honor Navy Captain Thomas Scheurich, missing in action since 1968 and recently identified.
📄 Epstein Files Vote Effort: A bipartisan push advances to release all Epstein-related documents; Rep. Suhas Subramanyam says the files could clarify what President Trump knew, while Trump calls the move political deflection.
🚂 Eagle Rock Collision: A train strikes a tractor-trailer on Narrow Passage Road in Botetourt County — no injuries reported.
💼 Insurance Marketplace Update: Nearly 600,000 Virginians have enrolled through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace; officials urge residents to compare plans as deadlines approach.
🏥 Rural Health Funding Bid: Youngkin submits Virginia’s application for $1 billion in federal support to expand the rural health workforce, connect hospitals, and grow telehealth access.
🏘 Blacksburg Housing Initiative: The 70-unit Stroubles Ridge project moves forward, part of a wider effort to close the New River Valley’s 5,000-home affordability gap.
🛠 Roanoke CTE Center Progress: The $76 million Career & Technical Education Center, replacing the Burton Center, is on track for early 2027 and pitched as a major regional workforce engine.
🎨 Therapeutic Art Show: The Brambleton Center hosts the Therapeutic Recreation Services Art Show tomorrow from 11–1; exhibits stay open for voting through November 23.
🥾 Drumstick Dash Registration: Spots remain open for the Rescue Mission’s Thanksgiving Day Drumstick Dash 5K, supporting shelter services and community programs.