As General Assembly begins, some tax cut agreement seen likely

As General Assembly begins, some tax cut agreement seen likely

State lawmakers begin this year’s General Assembly session Wednesday and as it gets underway, retired Virginia Tech Professor and WFIR Political Analyst Bob Denton expects a mix of bipartisan cooperation on some issues — and plenty of political positioning on others ahead of November’s legislative elections. Denton says lawmakers can agree on some tax cuts,…Continue Reading

Study: Virginia ranks so-so as state to raise families

Study: Virginia ranks so-so as state to raise families

If you are raising a family in Virginia, a new study suggests the commonwealth is somewhere near the middle of the best states to do so. The personal finance site Wallet Hub examined 51 publicly-available data sets, looking at factors that include median annual family income, housing affordability and unemployment rates, and it ranks Virginia…Continue Reading

Gov. in on 2024 bid talk whether he wants to be or not

Gov. in on 2024 bid talk whether he wants to be or not

A day before the ’23 General Assembly Session gets underway our political analyst is looking at how Governor Youngkin holds his events and how he’s positioned himself. WFIR’s Ian Price has more. 1-10 Denton-Youngkin WRAP The post Gov. in on 2024 bid talk whether he wants to be or not first appeared on News/Talk 960-AM…Continue Reading

Local delegate on this year’s General Assembly session

Local delegate on this year’s General Assembly session

The General Assembly session the convenes in Richmond tomorrow will be bi-partisan by necessity – with each party controlling a chamber. A Salem-based delegate talks about this year’s “short session” and what’s on his agenda, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports: 1-10 Joe Mac Wrap#2-WEB   The post Local delegate on this year’s General Assembly session…Continue Reading

Homicide in NW Roanoke last night

Homicide in NW Roanoke last night

On January 8, 2023 at approximately 9:40 p.m., Roanoke Police were notified by the City of Roanoke E-911 Center of a report of a possible homicide in the 800 block of 30th Street NW. Responding officers located an unresponsive adult male inside a residence with a gunshot wound. Roanoke Fire-EMS personnel pronounced the man deceased. His…Continue Reading

VT alum donates winning Miss America gown to her alma mater

VT alum donates winning Miss America gown to her alma mater

A former Miss America’s gown worn the night she was crowned is now part of a historic costume and textile collection at Virginia Tech.  Kylene Barker majored in what is now called Fashion Merchandising and Design, but is she is much better known for winning the Miss America title in 1979. Now Kylene Barker McNeill, she…Continue Reading

Lawmakers to consider Suetterlein bill on minor’s online privacy

Lawmakers to consider Suetterlein bill on minor’s online privacy

State lawmakers return to Richmond Wednesday for this year’s General Assembly session, and among the many proposals to be considered is one from a local lawmaker regarding minors’ online privacy. Republican State Senator David Suettlerlein has authored a bill that would ensure that tech companies cannot collect, trade or sell online material from anyone under…Continue Reading

Botetourt County gets feedback as it updates comprehensive plan

Botetourt County gets feedback as it updates comprehensive plan

Botetourt County is working on an update of its “Envision Botetourt 2040” comprehensive plan – and now the people have spoken via a 5-point public survey. More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano: 1-9 Boty Plan Wrap#1-WEB   See survey results here The post Botetourt County gets feedback as it updates comprehensive plan first appeared on News/Talk…Continue Reading

Trial set for Black soldier suing police over violent stop

Trial set for Black soldier suing police over violent stop

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A U.S. Army lieutenant who was pepper sprayed, struck and handcuffed by police in rural Virginia, but never arrested, will argue to a jury that he was assaulted and falsely imprisoned and that his vehicle was illegally searched. Video of the 2020 traffic stop got millions of views the next year…Continue Reading