Carvins Cove Drought Plan, VA Ranks 3rd for Business, Weapons Ban Warning | Roanoke Valley's Morning News – July 10, 2026

This is the Roanoke Valley's morning news with Joey Self on WFIR, Roanoke. The morning at 7.05 at WIFIR some sunshine this morning, Friday underway 72 degrees. We're tracking another heat up with highs reaching the 90s. And our top local story now this hour, the Western Virginia Water Authority has issued a voluntary step one drought contingency plan. With the water level of Carvins Co. Now down almost 15 feet below normal and after months of abnormally low rainfall, has it helped refill local water sources. Story with WFIRS, G Moreno. Water Authority spokesperson Sarah Baumgartner on some simple tips residents can take to voluntarily reduce their water consumption. Water your lawn or plants before 10 a.m. or after 7 when the evaporation rates are the lowest. Brushing your teeth or shaving or washing your hands and using that bathroom faucets. Turn the water off while you're doing those activities. That actually saves about two gallons of water a day when you do that. with each one of those activities. Shortening your showers and then making sure that you have fixed any leaks. Baumgartner says this voluntary drought conservation request comes after reaching a specific drop in water depth at Carvins Cove. We have a trigger point in there at this time of year if we were around 15 feet low that it would bring us into voluntary conservation. The trigger points vary throughout the year based on what the reservoir levels typically are. But this time of year, that's where it is. Today we're 14.7 feet low, and we wanted to get this plan implemented. No reason to be alarmed at this point, says Bob Gardner, the Western Virginia Water Authority, which also entails Spring Hollow Reservoir, other water tributaries in some wells, has 430 days of water supply left in its inventory. Bernie Moreno, WFRI on News. Giving up a Republicans and gun rights advocates to remain cautious ahead of an assault weapons ban. In a local financial institution, expanding its financial backing for adult education in the role of Pallium, shall we sell. A dime, Ian Price, still ahead. Virginia is securing a top spot on a major national business ranking. Daytime warmth and high humidity continue as we close out the work week today. Highs this afternoon reach the mid to upper 80s and high Mike DeWine points means that we feel pretty sticky as you step outside. Pop-up showers and storms don't look incredibly widespread in coverage, but be sure to stay weather aware this afternoon. Saturday is looking much sogier. After a foggy start, we'll see highs in the afternoon reach the 80s, and then rain chances kick off in the late morning and continue into the evening. From WDBJ7, I'm First Alert meteorologist Ava Herrera on WFIR. Alrighty morning commute traffic is good at the moment. 72 degrees. More local news, Eddie and Price. Joey, a former Republican state delegate is urging gun rights advocates to not buy assault weapons as a ban on those weapons remains in limbo.

WFIR's Clark Palmer has that story. And Washington County judge this week stated a temporary injunction handed down prior to an assault weapons ban going into effect on July the 1st was for the Holes Commonwealth and not just localities that were included in that suit brought by Franklin County Republican State Senator Bill Stanley. Former Republican State Delegate Tim Anderson said Attorney General Jay Jones. had pushed for the injunction to only be levied against the parties involved. All prosecutors, all law enforcement are enjoined from enforcing Virginia's assault weapons ban. But. It doesn't take effect until July 21st. And that is an important component. Anderson says gun rights advocates should be careful until a final decision has been made in regards to the fate of the assault weapons ban. The best advice is is don't do anything to buy any kind of what they're calling assault weapons or pistols with. magazines that hold more than 15 until July 21st. If the Supreme Court doesn't stay it, then that injunction will go into effect statewide. If it does stay it, then we'll have more clarification of what you can and you can't do. Attorney General Jay Jones said it a statement that his office will continue defending the Commonwealth's assault weapons ban and he remains confident the law will be upheld. Clark Palmer, WFIRE News. A local financial institution is expanding its financial backing for adult education in the Roanoke Valley. Virginia Credit Union officials say the company is continuing its multi-year, $150,000 commitment to Goodwill Industries of the Valley's. The latest $30,000 investment will support the Excel Center, Adult High School at Melrose Plaza, bringing the total contribution to $90,000 since 2023. The program originally launched with support from member one credit union prior to its 2024 merger with Virginia Credit Union. The Rennock region has become known as a mountain biking destination, so much so that USA cycling announced that organization's endurance mountain biking national championships will be back in 2027. The championship events start Sunday and run through July 19th. Last year, the endurance mountain bike national championships had a $2.6 million impact on the region. Catherine Lucas, Director of Public Relations for Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge. Says having a high profile event such as this for multiple years allows organizers to improve from year to year, which attracts more athletes and spectators to the event. I know to explore Park, there are some new course features. They've incorporated some of the new Greenway trails out there. In Elmwood Park, we're going to have a lot of great spectator experiences. And then also word of mouth among the riders. When we have all these racers come into town and they have a band.

fantastic experience. They feel welcomed in our area. The courses are really exciting to them. They're going to go and they're going to tell the rest of that cycling community and that's going to generate even more buzz for the coming year. The championships also raise money for the upkeep of local trails. Each athlete pays a $10 fee as part of their registration, which last year amounted to $22,000 for trail maintenance split between the two localities. Commercial business growth and new investments are picking up speed across Roanoke County. Economic development officials highlighted the ongoing local momentum in a newly released summer business update. The Roundup features several retail shifts, including Georgia's flowers moving to Ogden Road from the city, wine gourmet expanding at Old Country Plaza for its 25th anniversary, and construction wrapping up on the region's first crumble cookies. Local leaders also highlighted the recent launch of Nonstop Daily Air Service from the Roanoke-Blaxburg Regional Airport to Dallas-Fort Worth as a major competitive win. Live in the WFIR News Center, I'm Ian Price. Up ahead of new healthcare studies showing significant success in reducing hospital visits across the Commonwealth. Coming up in sports, lot to get you. We've got some rail yard dogs off-season developments to tell you about, latest in the baseball world. Also. The Washington Commanders, about to retire a legend's jersey. We'll tell you what's what it is. This is WFIR, depend on it. Through the community support, the dream of the Karelian Talmud Cancer Center is becoming a reality. Hello, I'm Mark Pace with E.C. Pace Company, proud to help build the new Karelian Taulmin Cancer Center. Now comes the time to focus on what's next and goes inside the building to transform lives. Proton Therapy. Proton therapy will provide world-class treatment for cancer patients right here. As far as the Roanoke Valley is concerned, in Southwest Virginia, this brings top docs, nurses into the valley that we haven't seen before, not having to travel to get the best care for cancer, especially being born and raised in the area. Having it at home means everything to me. Being able to be home at night with the other family members, especially if you have children that go to school and you're caring for your parents. your brother, your sister, your loved ones. Being home is everything. You can help patients get world-class care without leaving their world behind. Please visit carillionfoundation.org to give. Our region's high school students deserve a bright future. CCAP of Virginia Western makes that future possible. I'm Dr. Laura Traynor, president of Virginia Western. And since 2008, CCAP has provided 5,000 local high school graduates with tuition-free college access. That's over 12 million in potential student debt eliminated. Removing barriers allow students to focus on their education free from financial worry. CCAP is transforming lives and strengthening our community. Visit virginiawestern.edu slash give.

We'll be leaving Roanoke to play for an FDHL expansion team in Oceanside, California. That is very much near San Diego, and that team is set to begin play in October. Meanwhile, the baseball and the Carolina Lake, Columbia v. Salem, B. Salem, B. Salem, B. Salem, B. Salm., B. Salm., B. Salaimps, 10, 5. In the Appie League, Elizabethan by Pulaski, 14, 2. Major League Baseball to be the White Sox 2-1. Orioles over the Cups, 3-2. Yankees by Tampa, Bay, 12, 4, Atlanta, B. Pittsburgh, 10, 5. Tonight it's Boston at the Mets, Kansas City at Baltimore. Yankees at Washington, Atlanta will be at St. Louis. All-star festivities start Monday in Philly with a home run derby and the All-Star game will follow on Tuesday. NBA headlines go eye luther's trade to Toronto now on a whole because of a league investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers. The league examining whether the Clippers circumvented salary cap rules. WNBA winners last night, Indiana, Atlanta, Las Vegas. NFL word that the Washington commanders have announced their retired John Riggins number 44. On Sunday, November 8th, that's when Washington will host the Rams. Riggins is a Hall of Fame running back, helped the team win Super Bowl 17. Tennis in Wimbledon, Carolina Mikova beat Cocoa golf yesterday. Men's semifinals this morning, Novak Djokovic, Plasionic Center. In golf, the Uistco Championship underway in Kentucky, Lucas Clever with a share of the lead after round one. Soccer in the World Cup quarterfinals, France be Morocco 2-0 this afternoon at 3 at Spain against Belgium. Tomorrow England plays Norway, Argentina against Switzerland. World Cup fever strikes again the TV networks are cashing in. America is falling in love with soccer no matter what teams are playing as more than 44 million people in the U.S. watch the Mexico versus England game in the round of 16, 23.2 million on Telemundo and 21.7 million watched on 5. The 21.7 million on Fox made it the most watch U.S. English language World Cup telecast ever that didn't feature the U.S. men's national team. The network said Wednesday the average audience for England's three to two win in Mexico City on Sunday night tops the previous record of the final between Argentina and France in 2022, which was seen by 16.7 million people. The U.S. Belgian game the following night is the most watched at 30 million. Michelle Polino. Fox News. NASCAR, the Cup Series Sunday night. Atlanta. We'll get more in that in just a moment. That's sports. WFIR. From the heart of Virginia's Blue Ridge. This is WFIR. Rowing Oak.