Virginia redistricting appeal, Roanoke homeless ministry ruling, surveillance debate & dance studio closure — WFIR News Express 5/15/26

This is the Roanoke Valley's Morning News with Joey Self on WFIR, Roanoke. Good morning. It is 605 Friday morning on the way chilly start, but the heat will arrive by tomorrow. Right now, it's 48 degrees. Temperatures this weekend reach potentially record-breaking heights. It's finally going to start to feel like May. Beginning tomorrow, top local story, regional farmers markets, farm to table eateries, brew pubs, organic farms, and more. A new initiative that connects residents and visitors to local food businesses in the area has officially launched a unique trail. WFIRS G Moreno as more. It's called the Roanoke Region Food and Farm Trail with several dozen local farms and food businesses on board. Think of the Crooked Road Trail or a Brew Pub Trail. Moe Maganagal is director of the Roanoke Food Shed Network. Kind of a one-stop hub where people can access all things, food and farms across the region. Farmers markets, food hubs, farm retail outlets, farms across the region. We're going to have a calendar of events for agritourism experiences. to table restaurants. So anybody that's passionate about supporting local regional food. Episode two of a six-part video series showcasing regional food businesses debuted yesterday during the official launch for the Roanoke Region Food and Farm Trail held at Big Lick Farm in northwest Roanoke City. A lot of excitement. It's been great because over the past year we've also been doing a storytelling campaign to go along with it. So we have a docu-series called Good Food, Good People, with a documentarian who's been going out and capturing footage of farms. and interviews with farmers, pairing that with the trail. Look for trail videos. Roanoke Food and Farm Trail.com. The Roanoke Food Shed Network created the Roanoke Region Food and Farm Trail to help kick it off. There are scavenger hunts at trail participants on Saturday at the Leap Hub on Patterson Avenue, the Granite Farm and other venues. On Sunday, you can tour the Smoke and Chimneys Trout Farm in Craig County. Bernie Moreno, WFIR News. Coming up, another appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court attempting to get the voter-approved congressional maps reinstated. And one locality has hit pause on its sweeping zoning rewrite and show a cell. E dime Ian Price, still ahead. Roanoke Delegate Sam Rousseau is publicly opposing the planned expansion of flock surveillance technology in the city. Conditions today are a hometown home run. We could see some lingering breezy winds into the early afternoon, but for the most part, sunshine and comfortable air in the 70s sets the tone as we close out the work week. However, this weekend is looking to bring the heat. Highs tomorrow reach the mid to upper 80s with some mostly sunny skies. Now, most of us will stay dry for your Saturday, but daytime heating could result in a pop-up thunderstorm for a few hometowns. From WDBJ7, I'm First Alert meteorologist, Ava Herrera on WFIR. Weather brought to you by Southern Team, Alamo, Roanoke Fair, start 48 degrees. More news, and Ian Price.

Joey, the NACP is joining the fight to overturn Virginia's redistricting ruling at the U.S. Supreme Court, adding to the emergency appeal already filed by Attorney General Jay Jones. Virginia Mercury reports the civil rights organization followed its own request, asking the High Court to reinstate the voter-approved congressional map that Virginia Supreme Court struck down last week. Franklin County has a pause on its sweeping zoning rewrite after supervisors decided earlier this week, the draft wasn't ready for public review. The process had been underway for two years. Supervisors say recent changes in state law created gaps that need to be corrected first. The proposed ordinance included restrictions on future data centers. A key concern for some residents. No firm timeline for resuming the process has been set, though one supervisor hopes it won't take longer than a year. A Roanoke homeless ministry will be forced to remove its outdoor lockers and portable restroom after losing its zoning appeal earlier this week, as we've been telling you here on WFIR. The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 6 to nothing on Wednesday to uphold violations. The city issued in February against the least of these ministry. During the public comments period at that hearing, supporter John Shaver spoke about T-Lot. It's a stepping stone. It's a place to have their goods, their medication, their personal belongings, will they be safe when they go on a job interview and they try to become protective servants of the world? The board recognized the importance of those services for Roanoke's homeless population, but agreed with the city that they aren't permitted under the property's downtown zoning designation. No deadline for removal has been set. T-Lot founder Don Sandoval has not said yet whether she will pursue further legal action. A run-up dance studio is closed with no explanation and a recitals less than three weeks away. Ardell Stone School of Dancing. Shut its doors Wednesday with a sign on the door and an email to parents saying, quote, legally we cannot say anything further. The adjacent dance supply store is also closed. The studio's May 30th recital at the Berglund Center, performing arts theater is still on the calendar. Studio owner Lynn Hungate has not responded to requests for comment. Live in the WFIR News Center, I'm Ian Price. 610. On the way, some of the best young amateur golfers in the country are in Ronald this weekend. More sports news coming up in a few minutes. Latest on the NHL and the NBA playoffs and more. It's WFIR. It depends on it. Local weather to plan your day, WFIR. Well, we got a nice looking weekend, and weather-wise it'll start to feel like we should in May. Sunny today, 76, by tomorrow and Sunday. Upper 80s tomorrow, 91 of Sunday. Right now, it's 48 degrees, back over 2 in price. Joey Roanoke Delegate Sam Rasul is publicly opposing the planned expansion of flock surveillance technology in the city. Rasul, a Democrat who represents most of Roanoke in the House of Delegates, is calling on City Council to pump the brakes before finalizing contracts for a network of acoustic sensors. Devices that he says could record residents' voices.

City already has flock license plate readers on local roads. City Council approved the Raven Gunshot Detection System last month, but contracts have not been signed and no devices have been installed. The Roanoke Women's Foundation held its 21st annual luncheon at the Taubman Museum of Art yesterday, a celebration of women in the arts and arts education in the community. One of the two honorees was Judy Larson, former director of the Taubman Museum of Art. when it was at Center in the Square as the Art Museum of Western Virginia. Women get written out of art history. I don't know why that is. I think it has turned around in the 21st century, but this luncheon today is trying to write something that hasn't been terribly right for decades, maybe centuries. The women were always there. They just rarely made the art history book or the lecture or the important collection. They were passed over. Judy Larson was with the Art Museum of Western Virginia when Randall Stout was hired to design the Tobman building. She left before it opened in 2008 for a museum post in California. Also honored was Joanne Leonard Casolo, a board member for the Tobman Museum in Reno College. Corrillion Clinic CEO Emeritus Nancy Agee, who rose from nurse to the top post at Carillion, was the keynote speaker. Some of the best young amateur golfers in the country, some might be future pros, are in Roanoke this weekend for the Scott Robertson Memorial Tournament, which benefits First T of Roanoke Valley. The organization helps create opportunities for very young players to learn the game while building character, as tournament chair John Newton tells WDBJ7. We want to teach the children the values of golf, which is the integrity, the sportsmanship, really making them better life citizens. If they happen to be good golfers, that's wonderful. But that's not really the mission. First round play in the Scott Robertson Memorial at Renoke Country Club begins this morning. You're never more than 10 minutes from local news. Morning's on WFIR. I'm Ian Price. 615, we go to sports now, NHL playoffs. Montreal will be Buffalo 6.3. They take a 3-2 series lead. Vegas over Anaheim last night, 5 to 1. They win the series in advance to the Western Conference Fideleneke on Colorado. Tomorrow it will be Buffalo and Montreal. NBA playoffs tonight, Detroit and Cleveland, San Antonio will be in Minnesota. Baseball Carolina League, Salem beat Fredericksburg 63, Wilson Over Hill City, 73. Major League Baseball, Philly by Boston, 3-1, Cincinnati, down Washington, 15-1, and the Cubs shutout Atlanta, 2-0. Tonight, Boston at Atlanta. Baltimore at Washington, the Yankees will be at the Mets. College Baseball, the NCAA Division III tournament. Starts today, Penn State Barron and Lynchburg, Bridgewater at Scranton. Farmingdale State will be at Shenandoah, Randolph-Macon at Trinity. Other games this weekend, Clemson at Virginia Tech, Virginia at Louisville, Liberty and Middle Tennessee, JMU and ODU, Citadel of VMI.

And then Raffer will be at Charleston Southern High School Baseball today. Lord Potter taught at Northside, Hidden Valley at Kay Spring, William Fleming at Franklin County. Pulaski will be at Salem, William Bird, at Stanton River. College softball, the NCAA. Division 3 tournament. Virginia Wesleyan yesterday beat John Jay 14-0. Virginia Wesley improves to 46 and 0. NCAA Division 1 tournament starting today. The Hokies play South Alabama in Louisiana and Virginia takes on Indiana in Knoxville. High school sawball this afternoon. Salem is at Pulaski, Northside at Lord Bottatake Spring at Hidden Valley, St. River, William Bird. College football reports say Peter Bork, a four-star quarterback in top 100 prospect has committed to Virginia Tech. The NFL released the 2026 regular season schedule last night. Season opened September 9th with a Super Bowl rematch, New England at Seattle, Washington and Carolina, open September 13th, commanders at Philly, Chicago, Carolina. Golf, Scotty Sheffler with a share the lead after the first round of the PGA championship. NASCAR, the All-Star race Sunday at Dover, horse racing the Freakness. Coming up tomorrow. And there's some relief. for World Cup soccer fans. People attending World Cup matches in New Jersey getting a break as more transportation options open up and prices get slashed in the face of backlash from fans. For instance, shuttle service tickets for the MetLife Stadium, which were going for 80 bucks, plunging to 20 thanks to support from New York State and sponsors. New York Governor Kathy Hochul saying it's to make the games as accessible as possible. Organizers also enlisting the help of some school buses to help expand service. Louis and Wu Fox News. All righty. You're up to date with sports on WFIR.