Dept of Ed Shutdown Blocked, VT AI Water Model, Chief Booth Myrtle Beach Finalist | Roanoke Valley's Morning News — July 31, 2026

This is the Roanoke Valley's Morning News with Joey Self on WFIR, Roanoke. Good morning to you, 705 and WFIR. We're heading for the weekend full. Steam ahead, 63 degrees. Gorgeous weather continues today with slightly unsettled weather, returning Saturday and widespread rain chances Sunday. Stop local stories. Senator Tim Kaine, applauding a bipartisan vote. The Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passed yesterday, pushing back on plans by the White House to dismantle the Department of Education. We get more on the Help Committee vote. With WFIRS G Morano. The bill would block the DOE from transferring programs to other federal agencies that Kane says lacks the staff and expertise to oversee those departments. He opposes the White House plan to shutter the Department of Education and transfer all of its functions elsewhere. Previously, a federal court said only Congress could do that. If we can't agree on everything, what is a core that we can agree on that should stay within the Department of Education? And we ended up coming up with four... functional areas that actually cover nine of the 14 programs within DOE. We are going to retain within the Department of Education, special education and rehabilitative services, tribal education, rural education, and K-12. education can work with senate republican help committee chair Bill Cassidy to vote on that legislation saying it sends a clear strong bipartisan statement from the senate when it goes to the house for a vote and if passed that same message goes to the president those core responsibilities of d oe will now not be handed off to the department of labor not be handed off to hHS headed by a vaccine skeptic who's an anti-science guy and not be handed off to any other agency either. We were able to pass that with a nice bipartisan vote. The HELP Committee also passed four other pieces of related legislation, led or co-sponsored by Virginia's junior Democratic U.S. Senator. Bernie Moreno, WFRN. News. Coming up, this morning, Ronald Police Investigating an overnight burglary. Meanwhile, is the Star City's police chief eyeing another job in Chowie Self. I'm Ian Price. Still ahead. There's a new state unit to regulate liquid nicotine, THC, and hip-derived products. Another beautiful day on this Friday with temperatures in the cool 60s waking up this morning. Mostly sunny skies and low humidity continues today with high temperatures in the upper 80s by this afternoon. Heading into Saturday, we will see an increase in cloud cover with an isolated shower chance, but widespread rain is not expected. However, Sunday will bring more rain chances throughout the day and cooler temperatures. An unsettled weather pattern moves in with multiple chances throughout the week. From WBBJ7, I'm meteorologist Caroline Mathini on WFIR. Gilligan traffic flow are at 63 degrees. More news. Any of Price. Joey Roanoke Police are investigating an overnight burglary at a Melrose Avenue convenience store that left the owner stripped of a month's revenue.

The store owner says an intruder cut wires on an air conditioning unit and pushed it inside Dove and Cardinals convenience store early yesterday morning. The burglar spent nearly 25 minutes emptying the cash register and slot machine just 40 minutes after closing. Roanoke Police Chief Scott Booth has been named one of four finalists to lead the police department in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Officials in Myrtle Beach, say Chief Booth, will travel for interviews and community sessions this week, August, or the week of August 10th. Booth has served as Roanoke's police chief since October of 2023 after spending five years as police chief in Danville. A Virginia Tech research team has developed an AI model to help optimize water use, as WFIRS to Nissan Membrania reports. This is important because data centers and semiconductor plants use a high volume of water. Feraspatarse is the project's lead researcher and an associate professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering and the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative. He says the increased need for chip production is putting pressure on already strained water systems in many parts of the country. When we talk about AI, we talk about those two infrastructures. Semiconductor facilities that then would power the hardware for AI and data centers that would enable the software and the training of these models for them to be used in different domain. So as those two are being developed, you know, water is becoming an afterthought. So Patarsi and his team analyzed semiconductor facilities, irrigation patterns, and water stress indicators across all 50 states. In this study that we did, we looked at the competition basically for water is. from different demand sources. We look at agriculture, obviously, is the prime one. Then you have the manufacturing and data centers and so on, right? What's the balance here? You know, are we making those decisions intentionally or are we just building more things than crossing our fingers? But Tarsi says the AI model, the team design, can simulate scenarios, test water policy options, and identify strategies that reduce water stress without sacrificing economic growth. Denise Allen Membrano, WFIR News. During a three-hour-long meeting, members of the Henry County Board of Supervisors heard from residents who want to have a potential data center special use permit after undergoing a thorough review process. Resident Joe Prater says he is concerned about how a data center's water usage could make future drought conditions worse. We do this more for you? I think we need to put a restriction of 1,500 feet that they can come. They cannot come within 1,500 feet of any waterway in Henry County. I'm talking springs. I'm talking creeks. I'm talking people out here talking about not having water. Whales are going dry. Well, I'm talking about that also. Look up the definition of waterways. He covers any and all water.

At this time, there are currently no plans for a data center in Henry County. Local professional climber and filmmaker Chad Hettleston scaled the Mill Mountain Star early yesterday morning as part of a film project that will draw attention to Roanoke's outdoor recreation opportunities. Hedleston will promote the star climb in a film he's producing. Climbing on the Mill Mountain Star is not permitted without written permission from the city of Roanoke. Live in the WFIR News Center, I'm Ian Price. Coming up this morning of Rafford University graduate appointed as a state director by the governor. Coming up in sports, big baseball game to tell you about tonight in the Appalachian League. All then a more ahead. WFIR depend on it. Now, a moment in history to celebrate America's 250 years. I'm Bernie Moreno. The framers of the Constitution knew that holding the original 13 colonies together as the United States meant kicking the slavery question down the road. The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Lincoln in 1863 shifted the Civil War from a conflict to preserve the nation into a moral crusade to abolish slavery. Closer to the Declaration that All Men are created equal. Brought you by Okies. Still family. owned and operated for 160 years. If you see an accident called the WFIR traffic line, 5277979, you'll get started to the final morning of July already with sunshine. It will have sun all day today with a high of 90, but rain will be sent by later tomorrow night into Sunday 63 degrees, back over 2 in price. Joey, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones created a new state unit to regulate liquid nicotine, THC, and hemp-derived products. State officials say the regulated products enforcement unit will conduct retail inspections, enforce product directories, and take legal action against illegal or deceptively packaged intoxicants. Governor Abigail Spanberger has appointed Radford University graduate Vince Maiden as director of the Virginia Department of Energy. Maiden previously served as managing director of the State Energy Office, where he ever saw the Virginia Energy Plan and Federal Infrastructure Grants. The Commonwealth's former governor is calling for civility to return to state and national politics. Details from WFIR's Clark Palmer. Over Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin can wait before attendees of the recent Reagan's Civility and Democracy Forum and said the Commonwealth has seen its political climate change over the past 15 years and is due in large part to population growth in northern Virginia.

Glenn Youngkin added that despite the Democratic trifect in Richmond, he still sees Virginia as a wildcard state. Once one party begins to demonstrate repetitive wins, there's a deflation that goes on in the other party. And so engagement changes a lot, too. And yet, for issues that Virginians care deeply about, It really is a purple state. As we head into next week's primary elections in November's midterms, Glenn Youngkin says both sides can agree to disagree. and focus on issues impacting American. And there's just a moment here where, listen, I will get red-faced about a policy issue or an initiative, and I had lots of red-faced moments during my time as governor. But there's just a moment where you've got to draw a line. Youngie says whether it's politics or business, the goal is not to stagnate. Clark Palmer, WFIR News. You're never more than 10 minutes from local news. Morning's here on WFIR. I'm Ian Price. 715 and Sports Time at TVFIR. Let's begin with some baseball Carolina League last night. Salem beat Canapolis. It was 6-2, Fayetteville over Hill City, 11 to 2. Fayetteville, leading the Carolina League's North Division by half game over Salem, heading into tonight's game. Meanwhile, Appalachian League tonight, the East Division Championship game with Pulaski at Danville. Now if Pulaski wins. They'll play the winner of Kingsport Johnson City in the Appalachian League Championship game tomorrow at 6th at Calfee Park. If Pulaski lose, his season is over. Major League Baseball, Boston by the A's 5-4, White Sox over the Yankees 2-1, and Atlanta v. Washington v. 4. This afternoon, the Yankees at the Cubs. Tonight, Boston at the Dodgers, Philly will be at Baltimore, Washington at Atlanta. College football fall practice started this week for UBA, and the Cavalier season opened on August 29th against NC State in Charlottesville. Virginia Tech and Liberty scheduled to start practice next week. Tech and Liberty opens September 5th. The Hokies host, VMI, Liberty travels to JMU. NFL to preseason kick it off next Thursday with Carolina against Arizona and the Hall of Fame game. You can hear the game on Sports Radio 101.1.1.m. coverage at 7 Panthers, head coach Dave Canales, saying they have a lot to look forward to after coming off a great season. Having a taste of what it feels like, to be in the wild card round, to win the division, hosting a playoff game, the support that we've got from our fan base, you know, as people asked me, like, what was that game like? The ones who weren't able to be there, it was just like, it was special from, you know, from pregame. The energy was right. And the guys could feel that. They come bouncing out of the tunnel a little different when they have that kind of support. This is 2026. This is a new season. Nothing is guaranteed. The work is today. Excited to get back into our stadium. Play ball like we know how. Meanwhile, Washington's first preseason game is August 14th against Miami. WNBA tonight. Here's what the schedule looks like. Dallas.

at Washington, Indiana will be at Portland, and Seattle will play at Atlanta. Hockey, the Railyard Dogs, releasing their schedule for the upcoming season. The dogs open October 16th. It'll be against Fayetteville at Berglum Center. You can see the full schedule at Railyard Dogs.com. Golfs, a second round of the Rocket Classic underway this morning in Detroit. Peter Mulnoughty was the first round leader. Racing, NASCAR and IndyCar both off this weekend. And that's sports this morning, WIFIR. This is the Roanoke Valley's morning news with Joey Self on WFIR. From the Heartland. of Virginia's Blue Ridge. This is WFIR, Roanoke.