Bald Mountain Fire spreads; Salem man arrested after standoff; Spanberger, Youngkin meet; Warner, Bannon react to election results – Nov 7 | WFIR News Express
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24 segmentsHappy Friday, it's November 7th. I'm Connor Arthur. Here's our top local story. Fire crews are still working to contain two major wildfires burning in western Bottatat County, near the Craig County line. The largest known as the Bald Mountain Fire has spread more than 1,600 acres in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, west of Oriscony. A smaller blaze nearby, the Lignite fire, has burned about 125 acres. Officials say there's no immediate danger to homes, but several forest roads in the area remained closed. The U.S. Forest Service, Virginia Department of Forestry, and local crews are using aircraft and water drops to contain the flames, which are expected to keep burning through the weekend. A Salem man was arrested after a standoff that began with a report of shots fired early Thursday. Police say officers arrived on Waltham Street around 5.45 a.m. and found 22-year-old Lazarus Jerome Powell armed with a handgun. After hours of negotiation, Jerome Powell surrendered peacefully and was taken into custody. The Speaker of the House of Delegates says the Democratic Party is starting to make progress when it comes to reaching rural voters. WFIRS Clark Palmer explains. Democrats picked off Republicans that represented rural areas in Virginia and routed to picking up 13 new seats in the House of Delegates to reach 64 seats altogether. This is the largest majority Dems in the House of Delegates have had in almost 30 years. During a press conference this week, Speaker of the House, Don Scott said success in those rural areas is a result. of actions taken by Democrats over the past few years. We've created the select committee on rural health care, and we delivered. We delivered resources. We delivered legislation that helped solve problems. We expanded telehealth. We made it easier for people to get access to dental care, the maternal health care. When you do that and dress it people, they're like, I don't know, I like Trump, but those guys stay at least talking to me. Scott says Republicans in rural areas who were able to hold on to their seats Tuesday should not feel safe. Trump shutting down rural hospitals. People are filling the pinch out there. Farmers, when a soybean farmer calls me, me, Don Scott, from Postman, and said, I got a problem. I need some help with the USDA because I have to put my soybeans in storage. They don't last that long because the USA, who I used to sell them to, I can't sell them now. There's something going on in this country. Scott says while the party has a sizable majority in the House, they will remain disciplined and avoid overreaching. Clark Palmer, WFIRE News. Virginia senior U.S. Senator Mark Warner offered his views yesterday on what some are calling the blue tsunami that swept through the Commonwealth and other states on Election Day. More from WFIR's Bernie Moreno. Senator Mark Warner says Republican candidates for governor undown stood in solidarity with President Trump as they campaign, despite Trump's consistently low favorability numbers in Virginia. And he says Abigail Spanberger stayed our message. This was clearly a rejection of Donald Trump. It was her focus on affordability. And I think the current Republican administration in Richmond and all the Republican candidates tied themselves so closely to Trump that there was no way they could avoid the voter's wrath. Warner also.
says turning the governor's mansion from red to blue wasn't all about Nova. You actually could take Northern Virginia out of the difference and Democrats still won the governorship. That is, I think, a remarkable achievement. I was particularly happy as my mantra for my 20-plus years in this has been, you've got to let folks in rural communities have the same hope as folks in more urban communities. Post-election, President Trump said Republican Party losses weren't due to White House policies, blaming it instead on the federal shutdown that he says was the Democrats' fault. Bernie Moreno, WFIR News. In the wake of Republican losses during Virginia's statewide elections on Tuesday, former Trump administration official in Virginia Tech alum, Steve Bannon, believes Governor Glenn Youngkin was not focused on helping Republicans win back seats in the House of Delegates. Ben, and also thinks Glenn Youngkin has set the Republican Party of Virginia back a generation. Virginia is going to go 10-1 in house. They're going to be like New England or they're going to be like Illinois or they're going to be like California, the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is a disgrace that you push that lieutenant government, that you weaponized against Trump in 21 and 22 when you wanted to Bernie Sanders. You weaponized her. And then you rigged it that wasn't even a primary. She's going to be the candidate. And she was an unmitigated Trump hating disaster. Steve Bannon took issue with Glenn Youngkin holding events in Iowa, which is traditionally a key presidential primary state. Staying on Governor Glenn Youngkin, he and Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger met yesterday at the Executive Mansion in Richmond for lunch, marking the ceremonial start of Virginia's transition of power. The meeting comes three days after Abigail Spanberger's decisive victory overwent some Winsome Earle-Sears, which made her the first woman elected governor in Virginia history. Both governors were joined by their spouses and pledged a smooth transition ahead of Abigail Spanberger's inauguration, January 17th. In non-election news, two people have been charged as part of a narcotics investigation in Henry County. 43-year-old William Servant is charged with sale of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs, and 61-year-old Rhonda Hutcherson is facing the same charge. Police say throughout the course of the investigation, the Vice Unit, purchased illegal narcotics from the Reed Creek Drive homes, including transactions within the past month. The primary target of the investigation was Servant. who had been under investigation by the vice unit in connection to the distribution of illegal narcotics. Hutcherson was also identified as allegedly being involved in the ongoing criminal activity. A Roanoke nonprofit leader honored last night is using the spotlight to challenge the community. Dr. Jacqueline Nunziato, named Social Entrepreneur of the Year by Junior Achievement of Southwest Virginia, says long-term health in the region depends on deeper private sector involvement in efforts like huddle-up moms. The nonprofit supports hundreds of families each month with diapers, education, and postpartum care navigation. She says the old saying is true.
The people that have the lease give the most. What if we envision something different in 2026, right? What if the people that had the most gave the most? What if they even gave more of their time, put more of their value in really dumping? and really investing in infrastructure and in the economy of Roanoke in the surrounding counties. Last night's Hall of Fame event also recognized the owners of Blue Cow Ice Cream Company, Paul Nestor with Roanoke Gas, and Nicholas Conti with Carillion Clinic. United Way of Virginia's Blue Ridge has launched a short-term emergency relief fund campaign that runs through December 2nd. The goal says United Way president and CEO Abby Hamilton is to raise $40,000 or $10,000 a week from October 30th through December 2nd. It was really in response to... economic downturn, rising costs of living, you know, that's been compounded by the federal shutdown. The fund is really there to extend the capacity of our nonprofit partners who are providing some of the very basic supports for individuals and families, food, shelter, utility assistance. The fund is designed for them to be able to help more families that are needing some of this assistance. Hamilton says nearly half of all calls to the 211 emergency hotline are from people seeking affordable housing or shelter. One in five callers need help paying utility bills. Here the complete in-studio conversation with Abby Hamilton on the WFIR News website or watch it on Facebook. After more than five decades of chart-topping hits and rock anthems, Journey is saying goodbye and going their separate ways with the final frontier tour. The band that gave us Don't Stop Believing any way you want it and faithfully will make a tour stop at the Bergland Center Coliseum on June 4th. Tickets go on sale next Friday to the general public. Floyd Fest 26 Daydream has released its initial lineup, a performers set to appear at Festival Park in Floyd County next July 22nd through July 26th. It includes Tedesky Trucks Band, My Morning Jacket, Lucas Nelson, Andy Frasco, Caitlin Crisco, and The Broadcast, and local favorite Isaac Haddon. Until November 14th, Floyd Fest is offering early bird pricing. That's the latest. Check back on Monday for our next update. Connor Arthur, WFIR News.