Transcripts For WFXR WFXR News First At Ten 20160212

Developing news in campbell countythe abandoned dan river plant caught fire today in brookneal and it continues to burn at this hour. People who work in the area tell wfxr news they noticed the thick smoke around 3 this afternoon. According to the town manager, the plant has been closed for about 10 years and was major employer in the area. The plant has been empty since it closed and was in the process of being demolished. The fire shut down part of route 501 as crews worked to put out those flames. People we spoke with say the smoke changed from light to dark and ashes were falling from the sky. Its been black, black billowing smoke and then it looked like it lightened up. It seems to have picked up and right now it looks like its more black smoke coming. I looked like it blew up, i anything that close. No evacuations have been ordered at this time but city leaders say the heavy smoke is so bad that some who live near the plant have decided to leave their homes for the night. And were keeping our eye on some dangerous wind chills here. But first. Lets go somewhere theres just a cool breeze in the air. This is a live look from a camera in kauai hawaii. That looks really nice. You can see the waves hitting the shore. Its a balmy 79 degrees there. But back to reality. Lets get to john carroll whos tracking the possibility of snow . Overnight. Partly cloudy this evening. Then becoming mostlycloudy. Cold with lows around 17. Temperature rising into thelower 20s. Northwest winds around 10 mph this evening. Becominglight and variable. Friday. Cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs in themid 30s. Light and variable winds. Becoming southwest around10 mph in the an update tonight to a police chase that ended with a car overturned in a ditch on route 220 in Roanoke County. You saw it first at 10 last night here on wfxr news. Police say a 15 yearold was behind the wheel. When the car crashed he took off running. Now investigators are trying to track him down. Police say the chased started when the suspect did not pull over for a traffic stop around 9 last night. Police chased the car into Roanoke County. Thats when driver lost control hit another car then went off the roadand flipped. Investigators say the 15 year old driver ran away and they believe he is armed with a small handgun. There were four passengers in his car. They were taken to the hospital and are expected to be ok. The driver of the car that was hit was not hurt. A fire in the Green Hill Park area of Roanoke County and now the cause is under investigation. Today at around 1 30 pm fire and rescue crews responded to a home on green hill drive. When they showed up there were smoke and flames. No one was home at the time and there were no injures, although one firefighter did fall a long distance. Brian clingenpeel Roanoke County fire and rescue firefighter that fell from the second floor all the way to the basement, so he fell through two floors, he extricated himself, and walked out of the structure. The firefighter is doing ok and went back to working to put out the fire at the home. In Downtown Roanokethe Wells Fargo Bank branch is moving into the wells fargo tower. The banks new location is scheduled to open in april. Dozens of Bank Employees will relocate from the Current Location at 201 South Jeffersonto 10 South Jefferson st. , which already houses Wells Fargo Financial lost because of the move. The 201 South Jefferson location will be sold. For decades, the United States has celebrated black History Month. But not everyone realizes, the man who founded black History Month, dr. Woodson g carter. Was born right here in virginia. Turn to one shot born and raised in new canton, dr. Woodson went onto become one of the first African Americans to receive a doctorate from harvard. In an effort to include African American history into our nations history books. Dr. Woodson began negro history week in 1926. Tonight, we take a look at how the black History Month has, and continues to influence our communities. 1 211 28 2 062 28 nats pastor preachingthe pastor of a local church. Nats singing at church dissolve into nats of carla reading poem 00nats carla reading 37 49i am the dark girl who crossed the red sea. Of the free. A retired librarian who spent her career carrying on the legacy of education from generations past. Carla lewis 17 56virginia y lee came here in 1928 she would collect any African American books she could find, any kind of material she could findcarla lewis, now retired from roanokes gainsboro library, and pastor bill lee at loudon avenue christian church, are no strangers to sharing their knowledgewith anyone willing to learn. Nats carla reading poem. 39 24all you dark children in the world out there, remember my sweat, my pain my despair. Remember my years heavy in sorrow and make those years a torch for tomorroweducation. That was the goal of dr. Carter g woodson, knowns as the father of black history. Pastor bill lee1 48i guess it was critical for dr. Woodson, as its critical for me today, that people of color, esp. Black people, tell their own story. Dr. Woodson began negro history week in the early 1900s in an effort to write the history of African Americans into our nations history books. A week that turned into what we now know as black history or African American History Month. Carla lewis 19 55when you looked at history books, in that time, you saw slaves, but you didnt see the contributions they made. Pastor lee3 27i dont think he ever intended for us to get stuck in a week or a month he was trying to get something started. Nats carla 27 45as i flip through here, you can see the different people, miss whitworth is here, roanoke tribuneits a month that has sparked much needed conversations, and research, about the accomplishments of African Americans in history. Carla says 24 12one of the students came to me and said, when i did my report, my teacher didnt know the person i did my report on. Information out. If we didnt have African American month, would the teachers send kids to the library to pick a person to find a person of their choosing, to do this . And its an education, pastor lee beleives must go beyond amous faces. Pastor lee3 45not seeing ralph munch, not seeing Martin Luther king jr. , not seeing Carter G Woodson himself, or dubois, but seeing what blacks have done in roanoke, va, what have people in vinton, what people have done in salem. But how being black in american, how our education system, prepared us to be movers and shakers. Carla28 52i encouraged them to do a figure they didnt already know. To do someone unknown. And the search for that someone pastor lee believes, should extend beyond American History and the slavery and reach back to africa and egypt. Church nats both believe black History Month was wellfounded. Pastor lee says, 3 17i am a black person, and i am making history every day. Church natsnow, its up to us, in the 21st century, to move together, into the future. Carla 22 41i think we need to shine a light on African Americans, as well as other races who have contributed to this world, to this society. Pastor lee11 55i think that more reading, more being together,im not talking about just being in rooms and being together i mean robust conversations, dialogue, might the road. Reading poem 40 17oh my dark children, may my dreams and prayers impale you forever up the great stairs. For i will be with you, to no white brother dares keeps down the children of the negro mother. Langston hughes drums. Alleluia dr. Bill lee could not emphasize enough how important it is to read and said a great place to start was reading this book the mis education of the negro written by dr. Woodson. Tune in tomorrow morning on good day virginia. We will have a live interview with a woman who graduated from William Fleming high school in one of the first integrated classes. And went on to become the first black journalist at the roanoke times. Florists are busy this time of year. With valentines day just a few days away theyre putting final touches on floral arrangements. But one local florist has more than just valentines day to worry about. Hes also doing arrangments for a party with hundreds of people. Wfxrs Sophia Borrelli shows us what it takes to prepare flowers for the heart ball 0 08 0 110 57 1 06 nat of phone ringingthe phone is ringing off the hook as employees arrange beautiful mark frye owner of creative occasions oh no its stress, lets call it what it is, its stress. Owner mark frye says he and his crew have been planning for months. Mark frye owner of creative occasions we bulk up with extra delivery drivers, we bulk up with extra people to help answer the phones, all of those kinds of things go into planning for this holiday. Mark says he enjoys seeing his products bring a smile to peoples faces each year. Mark frye owner of creative occasions this morning, this 92 year old man who has been calling us for at least the last 15 years called to schedule his valentines day delivery for his two daughters. And valentines day deliveries isnt his only concern. Mark is also doing all of the floral arrangements for the heart ball this saturday as well. Mark frye owner of creative occasions Heart Disease has affect my family members and so its kind of a personal thing and i love to be involved in helping to promote that organization. Standup for the heart ball, mark says they will be arranging oscar themed Center Pieces and also using heart shaped flowers like this one. Mark frye owner of creative occasions love means Different Things to different people and thats the beauty of what we get to do. Arranging flowers for customers who want show their loved ones they care. In if you still would like to get tickets to the heart ball, you can head to our website virginiafirst. Com for more information. Coming upas we celebrate black History Month, new lessons are emerging from a small town. Stay with us as we continue on americas untold journey. Overnight. Partly cloudy this evening. Then becoming around 17. Temperature rising into the lower 20s. Northwest winds around 10 mph this evening. Becominglight and variable. Friday. Cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs in themid 30s. Light and variable winds. Becoming southwest around10 mph in the afternoon. Friday night. Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snowshowers in the evening. Then partly cloudy after midnight. Blustery and cold with lows 11 to 19. Northwest winds 15 to25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Chance of snow 20 percent. Wind. Saturday. Mostly sunny and blustery. Cooler with highs in thelower 20s. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Wind chill values as low as 8 below in the morning. Saturday night. Partly cloudy. Cold with lows around 8 above. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph. Wind chill values as low as6 below. Sunday. Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 20s. Sunday night. Mostly cloudy. A chance of snow after midnight. Cold with lows 15 to 20. Chance of snow 30 percent. Wind chillvalues as low as 5 above. Washingtons birthday. Snow showers likely. Highs in the lower30s. Chance of snow 70 percent. Wind chill values as low as5 in Botetourt Countytonight a Public Meeting was held to discuss moving Historic Structures that were once slave dwellings. According to the friends of greenfield, preston plantations Facebook Page Botetourt County bought the property in 1995 and last year the county approved an agreement to transfer the property to the greater Roanoke Valley development foundation. They say under the agreement, Botetourt County must relocate the two Historic Structures. The group is working to keep these Historic Structures on the original site. As people all over america celebrate black History Month, new lessons are emerging from a small town in florida. The city of Saint Augustine was instrumental in shaping the dialogue of racial equality in our country. All month long well be bringing you special reports unveiling aspects of this historic city. Today we take you to the 1960s and a narr 20 by the 1960s, lincolnville had become a vibrant African American neighborhood a stronghold of middle class values and commerce. Otis mason 00 06 02 00lincolnville was never totally segregated in terms of living. I can recall when i was a kid on the corner of, what is now ml king and lincoln street, there were a couple of Grocery Stores located in the immediate neighborhood that were owned and operated by jewish families. Essie bush 01 38 32 12 oh we were a closeknit family of people. Now i had fun in lincolnville, now otis mason 0006 29 12 we were not totally segregated, white families lived in the community as well. Narr 21 while its influence on the local economy grew going to go so far in the face of segregation. Otis mason 01 11 59 20 i could not attend the university of florida. I went down for an interview interesting about the results of my visit there. I was told that i spoke very well. Thats all i heard. Thomas jackson 00 49 18 00 my father was a teacher and he was told that if he participated in the movement, he would lose his job. Narr fearing retribution many of st. Augustines middle class blacks were either hesitant or silent about the growing civil rights movement. There needed to be a new front opened in the fight against segregation, and there was no better place to do it than in a city about to celebrate its 400th the story doesnt end there. In our next installment of americas back to the intense summer of 1963. Coming upa big conference geared toward farmers is being organized in virginia. How you can get involved in tonights Virginia Tech is teaming up and other state organizations to host the 8th annual governors conference on agricultural trade. That event is happening next month in richmond. The twoday conference will bring agriculture producers, foreign ambassadors, landgrant University Leaders and government officials to discuss ways to expand the agricultural economy. Mcauliffe is the keynote speaker and leaders like senator mark warner will also address the conference attendees. The conference will be held march 7th and 8th at the Hilton Richmond downtown hotel. We have information to register on our website virginia first dot com. And its cold and flu season again but instead of rushing for some medication doctors say there are other ways to get relief including through some foods available at the Farmers Market doctors with the Cleveland Clinic say when you feel a cold coming on vitamin c and zinc are good ways to start fighting the virus and you can get those nutrients from bell peppers, kale and broccoli all sold plusa lesson in engineering. Coming up at 10 30 well show you the event that allows kids to create robots, and how breaking news out of roanokepolice have westbound between plantation and Williamson Road to investigate a crash involving a pedestrian. Police say the crash happened just after 8. The driver stopped when it happened. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital. Officers are still looking into how it happened. Wfxr news is your local election headquarters and tonight mayoral candidates met in Downtown Roanoke to discuss thier vison for the city. This as voters prepare to cast ballots in the mayors race on saturday. Wfxrs Kristen Eskow was at the event tonight and she joins us live in Downtown Roanoke. Becky that Mayoral Candidates Forum which was hosted by the Roanoke Regional Chamber just wrapped up a short time ago inside center in the square. Both candidates vice mayor dave trinkle and city councilman sherman lea discussed a variety of issues with less than 48 hours to go before their democratic a major issue discussed tonight was the economy. The candidates each called for stronger communication with councilman lea emphasized businesses, while vice mayor trinkle talked about making actions like permit businesses and offering more incentives to businesses. Transportation was also a big issue discussed here tonight. Both candidates discussed street improvements, especially lea, who advocated for overall street and Infrastructure Improvements in the city. Trinkle discussed 10th street improvements as well as calling for an increased focus on multimodal transportation in the city. But one of the most interesting moments candidates were asked what their three most important issues are heading into this race. Both discussed job creation as one but trinkle talked about raising incomes and higher paying jobs and increased access to healthcare. Lea chose education and Public Safety in addition to jobs. Virginia western outqueand the candidates did agree on several issues tonight including increasing funds for city schools, expanding vocational tech programs, and placing an importance on arts and culture. And both candidates also discussed their experience working in the city and what they have done and want to continue to do if elected say about revitalization projects in the city . And the candidates fopr mayor were the only ones talking about important issues in roanoke. Nine City Council Candidates came together at the same event to discus several isses including regional partnershipsfor all the latest in election news head to our website head to our election news latest in for all the partnershipsregional including isses same event to together at the candidates came council nine city in roanoke. Important issues talking about only ones mayor were the candidates fopr and the and the candidates fopr mayor were the only ones talking about important issues in roanoke. Nine City Council Candidates came together at the same event to discus several isses including regional partnershipsfor all the latest in election news head to our website virginia first dot com. The 20th annual childrens held today. It brings teachers from all over the commonwealth together to learn new ways to educate their students. But as wfxrs Charlie Cooper shows us, some students at the conference were the teaching educators something new nat sound of robotits might look like a toy. Nat sound but its a robot 7th grader Nicholas White invented in school. Nicholas white 7th grade, millboro elementary schooli think the most exciting part is getting to show it off to people because you get to show them all the hard work youve put into it. Nat sound robothe brought it to the childrens Engineering Convention to show teachers how to make stem subjects like science, engineering and math more interactive in the classroom. Nicholas white 7th grade, millboro elementary schoolhe was made out of felt, styrofoam balls, soda bottle and what we did was we hooked up all the Electronics Inside this little robot here and you can put the coin in and it should start. Nat sound administrators say its one example of what students can create when theyre taught stem subjects in a handson way. Kimberly dempsy va childrens engineering council, board memberteaching that engineering cycle of design, test, redesign, reflection. All of those are good practices that we want our teachers to do. Its a way for them to enhance the subjects their required to teach while learning with students. Wesley strayer kindergarten teacherim just as amazed when their contraptions work, when they at what they can teach me. When moving pieces, links and loud noises are involved nick says it makes learning harder subjects a bit easier. In roanoke, Charlie Cooper wfxr news. If you missed the convention today, you can attend tomorrow at hotel can register g ly cloudy this evening. Then becoming mostlycloudy. Cold with lows around 17. Temperature rising into the lower 20s. Northwest winds around 10 mph this evening. Becominglight and variable. Friday. Cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs in themid 30s. Light and variable winds. Becoming southwest around10 mph in the afternoon. Friday night. Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snowshowers in the evening. Then partly cloudy after midnight. Blustery and cold with lows 11 to 19. Northwest winds 15 to25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Chance of snow 20 percent. Wind. Saturday. Mostly sunny and blustery. Cooler with highs in thelower 20s. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Wind chill values as low as 8 below in the morning. Saturday night. Partly cloudy. Cold with lows around 8 above. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph. Wind chill values as low as6 below. Sunday. Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 20s. Sunday night. Mostly cloudy. A chance of snow after midnight. Cold with lows 15 to 20. Chance of snow 30 percent. Wind chillvalues as low as 5 above. Washingtons birthday. Snow showers likely. Highs in the lower30s. Chance of snow 70 percent. Wind chill values as low as5 lets toss it over to jeff with sports northside met William Fleming in a fun final game of the regular season. And one former colonel player was honored with a special ceremony at halftime. Well have details on that, plus highlights from the game. And that wasnt the only school tonight that had a special ceremony. The salem Spartan Football Team added a new piece of hardware to add to their trophy case. More the final days of the High School Basketball regular season are upon us. And with that we get some suprising good games to close this portion of the schedule on. William fleming hosting northside. The vikings trying to finish unbeaten in district play. 1. I love good ball movement. Shey webb draws the defense. Passes to boogie basham for the easy 2 and an 11 point lead. 2. The colonels would rally. Shiquay price splits the double team. Finds james hagins for the jam and the foul. Strong play. 3. Then its tyrell adams with the clock winding down. From nba range. Bottoms. The lead was cut to 7 at the half. 4. But northside always had an answer. This time its shey webb with the Corner Pocket 3 to push the lead to 10 in the 3rd. The vikings pick up the 8163 win. Northside is now 211 on the season. Place at William Fleming this evening. Former colonel standout and current Charlotte Hornet troy daniels had his jeresy retired tonight. Its the first jersey to be retired in William Fleming basketball history. Its an honor daniels takes great pride in. Troy daniels its an honor to have my jersey retired here. If im not mistaken im the first. So its a great feeling just to give back to my family and my community. I tell all the young people around the Roanoke Valley that you can be anything you want to be. Its not just talk. If you want to be a doctor, lawyer, president of the United States, you just have to believe. After playing at William Fleming, daniels went on to have a very good career at vcu, playing for shaka smart. Over at salem high school, the Football Team was honored this evening. The spartans finished the season ranked 86th in the nation by maxpreps. Salem was 140 and claimed the state championship. Maxpreps acknowledged that accomplishment tonight with a trophy presentation. Anytime that someone like maxpresp and the National Guard does Something National like this it is special to our team. And just to be recognized, anytime High School Sports is recognized im excited about that. And im excited to be a part of it with our Football Team. The spartans selection in the top 100 comes out of a pool of more than 15,000 schools nationwide. Coming up. The Liberty Flames Basketball Team is on a roll, winners of six straight. Kevaney martin finds out what they are doing so well. And what krispy kreme has to do with it. Stick around. Those sugary answers are next as sports basketball entered this season with a new head coach and a nearly unanimous last place ranking in the big south preseason poll. But as Kevaney Martin reports. Grit, determition and some good coaching have the flames in the top half of the conference and on a current 6 game win streak. 20 29 401 06 little was expected of the liberty mens with the nations youngest roster and a first year head coach, it looked to be a rebuilding year. But the flames sitting at 1115 overall and two games out of first in big south are surprising everyone, excpet for themselvesright now we have already surprised some people, but that is not good enough for us because from the beginnig we felt like we were a championship level team and since noone believed it we wanted to prove it. Its surprising from the stand point from you never know what a season is going to bring, but i like our guys i like our chances to be in a game in the end and thats all you can ask forstandup the old addage offense sells tickets and defense wins championsships is ringing true for the flames as they are on a 6 game win streak behind ritchie mckays packline defensethe pack line defesene is a work in progress. But our guys do have a commitment to it and it has given us a chance to win games and now that we have won a game or two our guys are getting confident and its really helped our cause. Defense is the only for sure thing we have and for everyone to know that and buy into that, thats just huge. Yeah, everybody wants to play offense, but we understand that if you dont oplay defense you dont play and you dont win gameswhen you get those wins you should be rewared. Just the teams recent trip to krispy kreme following a road winand if the team keeps playing this way coach mckay and the rest of the flames will be seeing a lot more of that hot now signcovering coach mckay and the flames decorating for holidays is usually something done on christmas or halloween. But one virginia family goes all out for valentines day stephanie loving, says she starts decorating shortly after christmas. Her yard is filled with massive hearts and even a kissing booth she says its for the entire community to oh, man. That was intense. I need some fluids. I must have been down a quart. Guess that makes you up a quart, huh . A pudding cup. sobbing um. You have a bad experience with pudding . What are we doing, charlie . Well, youre crying, and my best guess is im about to apologize for something. Every time i come over, its the same routine. We have chinese takeout, then we have sex, then we roll over and go to sleep. Which is why i suggested the pudding. You know, mix it up a little. Besides, what about all the wonderful talking and joking and, you know, sharing we do . Sharing . What do we share, charlie . Well, uh, we share chinese takeout. And, uh. Hey, the other night we watched the laker game together