WFIR News Express

Former Cave Spring High School AD Randall Meck pleads guilty to distributing child porn while living in Singapore; sentencing to follow. Roanoke mother criticizes City Council over arrest footage of her son, who was allegedly put in a chokehold despite a hearing disability. Roanoke City Council approves 3% pay raise for city employees. Redevelopment plans for the old Sunlight Bakery Building get a...

Bradshaw Road in Montgomery County closes for four days for bridge work over Bradshaw Creek, with detours in place. A rifle-wielding suspect robs a 7-11 store in Lynchburg; police are searching for the individual. GOP LT. Gov. nominee John Reid blasts Democrats after Arlington County limits local police cooperation with ICE. 52 golf carts are destroyed in a fire at Copper Cove Golf Club in Frankli...

On this Friday, May 16th edition of WFIR News Express: A downtown Roanoke restaurant owner calls out city leaders over a controversial meals tax increase. Political experts weigh in on local fallout — and the economic impact. Plus: • Book No Further may close without a buyer by June 1 • New courthouse project underway in Fincastle • Alpha-Gal therapy shows promise for food allergy sufferers • Down...

A 12-year-old child swept away by floodwaters in Crozet has been found deceased, according to Albemarle County officials. Roanoke formally begins construction on the In-River Play Park and a first-of-its-kind Wasena Skatepark. Former Roanoke City Council candidate Jamaal Jackson pleads not guilty to election fraud related to forged petition signatures. Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears expresses mo...

Bio (SEO-Optimized Teaser Format): Floodwaters trap two women in Bedford — hear how first responders got them out safely. A Franklin County teacher accused of misconduct will soon face a grand jury. Roanoke City School Board braces for painful budget cuts after changes in city funding. Botetourt County Schools investigate a cyberattack disrupting services. Roanoke’s Homeless Assistance Team moves...

Monday, May 13, 2025 — A controversial meals tax hike in Roanoke sparks frustration from local restaurant owners. Plus, Route 311 in Roanoke County sees a multi-vehicle crash that sends two to the hospital. And a new bipartisan bill could reshape SNAP benefits and job training across Virginia. All that and more on today’s WFIR News Express — your trusted source for breaking local news across Roano...

Monday, May 12, 2025 — A man is under arrest after a deadly shooting in southeast Roanoke. Plus, big changes in northwest Roanoke as Melrose Plaza welcomes a new community bank—and Metallica gets a taste of local flavor, thanks to a farm in Blacksburg. WFIR’s News Express has these top local stories and more, including a Sub Station revival, Griffith’s Gulf of Mexico theory, and a salute to Nation...

In today’s WFIR News Express (5/9/25): Roanoke Police are investigating a deadly overnight shooting on Jamison Avenue SE, and five suspects have now been arrested following last weekend’s downtown shooting that injured three people. A Bedford man is facing serious child sex crime charges, and Carilion Clinic has received state approval to establish a kidney transplant program—the first of its kind...

In today’s WFIR News Express (5/8/25): Lynchburg Police identify a former EC Glass athlete as the victim of a Tuesday night homicide. Roanoke’s air quality earns mixed grades in a new American Lung Association report. New data shows most Roanoke-area job switchers stay in-state. Demolition begins on Botetourt County’s aging courthouse as part of a $35 million replacement. Roanoke celebrates art an...

Today on WFIR News Express: YMCA child porn charges expand Crystal Spring tenants face eviction Roanoke schools battle for budget Callaway woman found shot Bus driver faces 25 assault charges Griffith blasts trucking mandates EPA rollback on tire emissions Logan’s Roadhouse closes abruptly 22 miles of BRP to be repaved Valley Metro audit begins Parkway Brewing expands downtown 🎧 Catch all the loc...

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-d...

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. Ro...

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...

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 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 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 Unive...

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: Sal...

Immigration enforcement headlines today's update: a high-profile MS-13 case is dismissed just weeks after a federal takedown, and ICE arrests a Honduran man released despite an active detainer. Plus, what Governor Youngkin says about job cuts to the federal workforce, election fraud charges in Roanoke, and major medical manufacturing expansion in Salem. Also today: scams tied to Social Securit...

From a fatal fire on Hollins Road to a massive infrastructure update on Salem’s Apperson Drive Bridge , today's WFIR News Express has what you need to know. Roanoke County's top prosecutor is sounding off on bullying policy, Virginia's Attorney General joins a national push to rein in pharmacy middlemen, and allergy season is officially here. Plus: Why a true crime class at Virginia Te...

In today’s WFIR News Express : 📦 What does the China–U.S. tariff war mean for the average American ? Virginia Tech economist Jadrian Wooten explains how rising tensions could hit your wallet—and whether a recession is on the horizon. 🚨 A major drug bust in Roanoke nets over 6 kilograms of cocaine , crack, marijuana, firearms, and more than $75,000 in cash. The DEA and state task force led the Ap...

In today’s WFIR News Express : 🚨 Roanoke County’s school board meeting turns emotional following the suicide of 10-year-old Autumn Bushman. Despite public outcry, only small edits were made to the district’s bullying policy. 💥 A car slams into a Southeast Roanoke home — sending one person to the hospital and displacing a family. 🌍 Virginia Tech confirms nine members of its international communi...

In today’s WFIR News Express: Roanoke Fire-EMS has determined what caused the major Riverdale fire, the Roanoke Police Department arrests a man on child pornography charges, and a lawsuit is filed on behalf of dozens of Covington Middle School families following a carbon monoxide leak. Plus, Senator Warner reacts to tariff whiplash, zoning lawsuits in Roanoke, trash troubles behind the Berglund Ce...