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.

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

Today on WFIR News Express (4/29/25): A Cardinal News investigation into Flock camera surveillance sparks a court battle over public records. The search continues for Timothy Bryant after the death of K-9 Knox. Governor Youngkin orders flags at half-staff for Fentanyl Awareness Day. Congressman Gerry Connolly announces he will not seek reelection after a cancer diagnosis. Russia proposes a three-day truce as Ukraine pushes for a month-long ceasefire. Two Roanoke residents are identified after a fatal crash on Route 460 in Bedford County. Roanoke’s Riverland Road residents turn to skeleton signs to battle dangerous speeding. A striking new mural brightens 12th Street NW. Roanoke County invites residents to weigh in on the Glenvar Center Plan. Plus: Planning notices shift to Cardinal News and The Roanoke Rambler, and an update on the latest community, business, and international headlines.

Real news, real fast — subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts!

Today on WFIR News Express (4/29/25): Virginia's Lieutenant Governor race erupts into chaos as John Reid defies Governor Youngkin’s demand to drop out over an alleged extortion scandal involving explicit photos. Virginia State Police announce a $2 million drug and gun seizure during a statewide crackdown. Hitachi Energy brings 120 new jobs to Bland County. A car crashes into a Roanoke home. Roanoke City real estate appraisers go high-tech with iPads. A groundbreaking ceremony launches the New River Valley Rail Project. Lynchburg police arrest a teen for armed robbery — and a separate hit-and-run crash leaves a juvenile seriously injured. Plus: Virginia’s Invest529 program rebrands, the Washington Commanders close in on a D.C. stadium deal, and VTPD warns students after a rash of scooter thefts. Real news, real fast — subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.

In today’s WFIR News Express: Two inmates found dead on the same day at a regional jail. Roanoke restaurant owners and school board members push back against the city’s proposed budget and tax plans. Plus, Virginia confirms its first measles case of the year, a nitric acid spill is contained at the Radford Arsenal, and Democratic Lt. Governor candidates weigh in on the future of Southwest Virginia. Catch all your top local stories in under 10 minutes — real news, real fast.

Local restaurant owners push back on a proposed meals tax hike in Roanoke, while city school leaders warn of major classroom cuts if budget plans move forward. Plus: immigration rights groups say new federal policies are disrupting lives across Virginia, including revoked visas and Social Security issues.

Also in this episode:
– A gun found in a student’s backpack prompts charges against a parent
– A new Christiansburg arrest at a massage therapy clinic
– Missing person alert in Roanoke County
– Updates on the Homeland Security gang crackdown
– And a major scientific hint at possible alien life from a Virginia Tech perspective

🎧 All this and more — in today’s WFIR News Express. Real news, real fast.

A Roanoke City Police K-9 officer is tragically killed in the line of duty during a vehicle theft pursuit. The Salem Red Sox honor a local teen battling stage four cancer. We cover new developments in the Radford shooting, a major layoff announcement from Volvo in Dublin, and what one new report reveals about Virginia’s growing food insecurity crisis. Plus: oral cancer awareness in the Valley, a major drug bust by State Police, the Commonwealth’s first measles case of the year, and a scam warning from the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.

All that and more in today’s WFIR News Express — real news, real fast.

A Texas school district has banned the Virginia state flag, claiming its imagery violates school policies. A major local media shift as longtime Roanoke Times journalist Todd Jackson joins the Roanoke Rambler team. Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick returns to Virginia as a head coach—and BET is turning it into a docuseries. Also in this episode: an update on a double shooting near Radford University, a new solar energy push in Roanoke, a community response walk following a tragic South Roanoke homicide, and Christiansburg residents rallying against a controversial deportation. Plus: Dog Bowl concerts return, Google loses a major antitrust case, and Roanoke ranks among America’s Top 100 Best Places to Live.

Roanoke Police are searching for a missing 15-year-old girl with a mental disability. Two immigration-related stories dominate today’s headlines—ICE arrests a Honduran man accused of incest after his release from a Virginia jail, and a federal judge dismisses charges against the alleged MS-13 East Coast leader. Senator Mark Warner visits Salem to hear from veterans about VA funding cuts. Plus: Salem Red Sox’s Blair Hoke donates part of her liver to save a child’s life, Roanoke hosts a Chief’s Walk in South Roanoke, and biotech takes center stage in a new economic series. Also featured: a teacher honored, election finance scrutiny, a beloved local business changes hands, and playoff hockey in Wytheville.