Roanoke restaurant and bar owner Jason Martin says Governor Northam’s latest executive order will help improve the atmosphere at Virginia bars, and it will provide a financial boost to bartenders. Northam says seating is once again permitted at bars, but as with tables, there must be six-foot spacing. Jason Martin owns Martin’s Downtown and Sidecar,…… Continue Reading
The COVID case rates and related deaths per 100 nursing home residents is down dramatically in the most recent 4-week period according to AARP’s own COVD-19 dashboard. But there’s more work ahead. An update on a story we reported on previously, with WFIR’s Gene Marrano: 4-22 AARP Wrap#2 The post AARP Virginia says nursing home…… Continue Reading
The pandemic has hit a number of business sectors – like the arts – especially hard. But professional dancer Will Smith with Roanoke Ballet Theatre will be back on stage this Saturday when Roanoke Ballet Theatre’s “Black Box” series returns: WFIR-AMNE for nweb The post RBT returns with Black Box Series this Saturday first appeared…… Continue Reading
From the Wason Center at Christopher Newport University: With just over 6 weeks until Virginia Democrats’ June 8 gubernatorial primary, former governor Terry McAuliffe holds a commanding lead. McAuliffe has the support of 47% of Democratic voters, followed by Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (8%), Richmond Sen. Jennifer McClellan (6%), former Prince William Del. Jennifer Carrol…… Continue Reading
Governor Northam has issued an executive order allowing people to sit at the bar of a restaurant for service, if you can be spaced out effective immediately. However, the alcohol curfew remains at midnight. Northam said that more restrictions will be lifted as more Virginians get COVID vaccinated. Click here to read the full executive…… Continue Reading
Governor Northam says Virginia’s new marijuana law will help many residents avoid facing lifetime roadblocks over a marijuana possession conviction. But critics say as written, the measure creates new problems. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones: 04-22 Marijuana Law Wrap-WEB (Associated Press) — The legislation would allow adults 21 and up to legally possess up to…… Continue Reading
The Western Virginia Water Authority says about 1,500 of its customers are at least 30 days past due. The authority says those customers collectively owe close to a half million dollars in back water bills. Spokesperson Sarah Baumgardner says while shutoffs have been suspended during the pandemic, it is not a financially-sustainable long-term practice, and…… Continue Reading
Updated weekly numbers for the Near Southwest Region, which includes Carilion, Centra, LewisGale, Sovah, and the Salem VA Medical Center as of today: there are 143 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 36 ICU patients and 8 people on ventilators. Last week 130 patients were hospitalized for COVID in the near Southwest Region. At the peak in January…… Continue Reading
WFIR’s Greg Roberts reports that former Radford High School and West Virginia standout basketball player Darious Nichols will be the new head basketball coach for the Radford University Highlanders; succeeding Mike Jones, who left for UNC-Greensboro. Nichols will be announced at a 2-pm news conference according to Roberts. Nichols had been an assistant coach at…… Continue Reading
A new report finds that Roanoke has some of the cleanest air among all metro areas in the country. But the American Lung Association says that is hardly true in all parts of the state. The association released its national “State of the Air” report overnight, and it gives the Roanoke region an “A” rating for…… Continue Reading