For waking up with thank you for waking up with good day virginia. Im kyle benjamin. And im january keaton. We begin in Botetourt County with a rally. Held by a group trying to stop the relocation of what were once slave houses. Members say county leaders are planning to build a Shell Building on the hill. And as wfxrs Sophia Borrelli tells us, ralliers think that would disgrace the memories of their ancestors. 0 13 0 220 56 1 061 07 1 17 nats of amazing gracesongs nat of poemsand poems to celebrate those who lived on this hill long before any of us were born. Stephen clinton support of not moving houses to show respect and admiration and honor a society that had a lot more to do with the building of this country than weve acknowledged in the past. The friends of greenfield preston Plantation Group held a ceremony. Some like Stephen Clinton are hoping county leaders will see the support and reevaluate their decision to move these historic slave homes. Stephen clinton support of not moving houses perhaps we can stop the action that is preceding right now and Work Together for a solution that suits all of the parties involved. Nat of ceremony Shirley Johnson lewis says she is a decendant of slaves and is leading the fight to save this historic land. Shirley Johnson Lewis organizer of event i think the slaves didnt have a say and so i kind of feel like im working for them now. I think they are depending on me. To do what i can to preserve the heritage and yes im going to fight. Standup shirley says todays ceremony was to commemorate those peoples lives who were on this hill, and she said seeing the house on the platform, was just heartbreaking. Shirley Johnson Lewis organizer of event it brought tears to my eyes when i saw that. Just to do it was bad enough, it was distressing. Around 50 people gathered to show their support, but they say there are more in the community who stand with them. In Botetourt County, members of the group say they want to attend the next Botetourt County board of supervisors meeting on february 23rd. An organization in amherst county is starting to develop a strategic economic plan, with for the first time the help of an outside consulting firm. Officials with the Economic Development authority of amherst county held their kickoff meeting yesterday to start developing the Strategic Plan. The development of the plan is being funded through federal, state and private grants. Officials say the plan is needed now more than ever. Since the Central VirginiaTraining Center is expected to close by 2020. Sotvo victoria hanson executive director, Economic Development authority of amherst county the idea is that we will be able to do something positive that will help retain jobs, that will bring in new jobs, and that will also build our tax base so that we can improve the quality of life of amherst county citizens. Officials say the Strategic Plan is expected want to get invovled with developing the Strategic Plan you can find information on race fans are excited about this weekends start of the nascar season. We already know that Chase Elliott and matt kenseth will occupy the front row at the daytona 500 on sunday. Where everyone else in the field will start would be determined in last nights canam duels at daytona. The duels are a pair of 150 mile races. The first one was run pretty clean and it would finish with a story book ending. On the 15th anniversary of dale earnhardt, srs death it was junior taking the checkered flag. It the second Straight Year dale junior has won a duel. And a fantastic race from ryan blaney and the Wood Brothers. The 21 car finished 3rd, which means blaney will start in the 4th row. A great race for them. The second race was not as clean. The big wrecked happened behind him cars pile up as Jamie Mcmurray tried to block Jimmie Johnson for second place. Johnson hits kurt bush who racks up other drivers. Matt kenseth, aj allmendinger and martin truex jr. Were all collected in the crash. The daytona 500 is this sunday and it will be one of the most watched events of the year. But as we settle in to the new race season, we have to remember. It all started with some colorful characters right here in our part of the world. Lets take a look as we go runnin to racing. 28401231332 312 42 4 154 27before dale. Before jimmie and dale. Before before 4 154 271231332840 1231332 312 424 154 27 before dale. Before jimmie and jeff. Before joey, tony and kevin. Before the car of tomorrow and the chase for the sprint cup. Before Million Dollar sponsors and aero push. Before daytona rising. And the night race at bristol. Man and machine pushed the boundaries of sanity. To eke out a living. Moonshine and stock car racing are forever linked together. Some of the early pioneers. Nascar hall of Famers Curtis Turner and Junior Johnson honed their skills in the backwoods and backroads of appalachia. Campbell 4 5 06 01 they could manhandle a car. And growing up the way they did, wether on the backroad or the race track. So the guys in that era it was mainly their talent and their expertise that got them to the front 5 22turner began his bootlegging career at age 9 and amassed a small fortune by age 20. He quickly developed a reputation for offtrack antics. And ontrack talent. Bootlegging roots as the years passed and fortune 500 joined the southern 500. But those roots are still firmly planted in franklin countyone of the selfproclaimed moonshine capitols of the worldauthor and reporter Morris Stevenson spent nearly all of his career chasing moonshiners with federal and state agents in franklin county. Morris 1 34 16 18 52 years his stories of the wild west literally fill a book. Morris says Curtis Turner would run a load of shine out to norfolk. The sailors would wave him on to the base, and he would trade his liquor for sugar a key ingredient in the liquor. Morris 6 41 52 20 he took it to races with him. He took a load to a racetrack, sell it, whatever and then race with the car in the early days, before they towed them around 42 00 20in 1947 h. Clay earl built Martinsville Speedway after he watch a race at a dirt track and decided to get in on the action. His grandson, clay campbell, is track president. Martinsville is nearly indentical to its original form. It is now paved. Back then, cars raced on dirt. Campbell 2 2 30 00 the racing hasnt changed that much in 69 years. Butt to 2 40 10 half mile racing is half mile racing and thats what the fans love 2 43 25 much like the cars that now grace the iconic flat corners. The track evolved over the past 69 years. Campbell 1 1 54 23 to walk that line of modern versus the history of the place and not cross over and maintain that charm, that history that started this place. I think its a delicate balance 2 07 10 a line martinsville and nascar walk every season. Trying to move the industry forward, but staying true to the sports past. If the pettys are nascars first family of fast. That makes the Wood Brothers, from stuart virginia. The emperors of engineering. Hall of famers glen and leonard are some of nascars still living pioneers. Fielded a car every year since the very beginning. Leonard says it started as a way to have some fun. Wood 3 2 18 14 19 then pretty soon it turned into winning races, sitting on pole, setting track records and making a little money and then it started to become a business. 2 18 27 16wood pioneered the pit stop. And in his day, was the ace mechanic and engine builder. In an era where many of the drivers ran moonshine. The Wood Brothers prided themselves on staying clean. Leonard says it doesnt matter how you got started. Its all about what you bring to the track. Wood 4 2 19 15 number one we never had anything to do with moonshine. People think the ones racing were the ones doing that. We had no part of that. But no matter what youre driving, or how you learn, its the amount of how to be good drivers and techniques and stuff, but the ones whove got the touch are born with the talent the others dont have 2 19 44 18 and the woods would know. 10 of the 25 men enshrined in the nascar hall piloted the famed 21. Wood 2 2 16 18 27 theyre David Pearson won 43 races for us, he would probably be at the top of the list. They were all fun to deal with. All had different personalisties, different driving styles, but at the end of the day, they all wanted to win. 2 16 43 27 pick the watershed moment for his namesake team. Wood 1 2 15 11 10 when trevor bayne won the 2011 daytona 500, i wasnt the crew chief but it was the most exciting day of my racing career, 2 15 19 25 and as the bootleggers helped start nascar, they also helped launch a new business in franklin county. Long after the feds chased off the illegal moonshine. Chris prilliman is the owner of twin creeks distillery in rocky mount. He makes and sells franklin countys finest the first legitimate moonshine in the county. Prilliman 1 1 16 10 theyre a dying breed, the bootleggers. They do what they had to do to survive and the liquor buisiness went along with it. 1 32while chris and his small crew are legitimate. He knows he wouldnt be where he is today. Without the old breed. Prilliman 2 1 32 20 i know a lot of people in the business, been accused of being in the business and been caught at stuff. Ive got as much respect for them as any friends ive ever hadin my Chris Prillaman and his parterners set out big plans for twin creeks. Right now, they are waiting for the virginia alcohol Beverage Control to order more jars of franklin countys finest. The Wood Brothers 21 and driver ryan blaney will start 7th on sunday. And tickets are on sale for the april 3 stp 500 at Martinsville Speedway. We have a lot of daytona 5oo coverage for you this weekend. On saturday night its jeff gordons daytona 500 preview party. Then on sunday, our coverage actually begins at 11 30 with the 30 minute big race special. And of course, they actually cameras catch some scary moments for people at one popular tourist arraction. We will have the details on what happened when good day virginia continues. And in our ag life report, do you think maple syrup only comes from vermont. We will see what it takes for local farmers to produce the sweet stuff. When i lay in my tempurpedic contour the next thing i know its morning. With tempurflex youve got the spring and bounce of a traditional mattress. My cloud feels like somebodys hugging you. vo theres a tempurpedic for everyone. And now through february 28th, save up to 300 if you are eating breakfast as you watch us, there is a chance you are enjoying some maple syrup this morning. When many of us think of maple syrup, we think of vermont. But canada is the biggest producer. It accounts for 80 percent of the worlds supply. You dont have to go north to get good maple syrup. A couple in Botetourt County is getting ready to make a few gallons of their own. Yesterday they went out to tap the trees. And its a lot of work because it takes nearly a hundred gallons of sap just to make a small amount of the sweet stuff. Wfxrs solina lewis shows us how they do it in our ag life report. 2439125136 thats why tom did it, cuz uncle jim did it have been married for 48 years, known each other 68 years, and have been making maple syrup together since 2009 the way fays uncle used to do it, many years before they were even born. In the wintertime what they did was bring in a cash crop, they tapped their sugar maple trees and sold their maple syrupnow that tom and fay are retired, they do it as a hobby, not a business. We started in our garage and worked our way up to a regular panthey love the smell of sweet boiling sugar, and their daily walks by the creek near their house to check for sap. It has to be a passion project they say, because of how long the process takes. We started this morning at 8am with 32 gallons and its a gallon and its still not syrupfor every 75 gallons of sap, only about 5 gallons end up as actual syrup. Last year was as good as we get we made five gallons and we gave it awayto their children and grandchildren, and some lucky friends and community members. Close to twenty hourswhile the process of collecting, boiling, refrigerating, and filtering does take a while, the end product is worth it, and they get to spend some quality time together enjoying the little things. The smell is what we love you cant see or smell tom says if they gather sap later in the season the syrup High Pressure will drift southeast across the region overnightinto friday. Passing offshore the carolinas friday night. A weakcold front should dip south into the area later saturday followedby a second stronger cold front sunday. Weak low pressure willtrack along the front sunday night into monday ahead of a possible stronger storm near the southeast coast by midweek. Today. Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 40s. South winds 10 to15 mph. Tonight. Mostly cloudy. Not as cool with lows in the upper 30s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. Saturday. Partl y sunny. Not as cool with highs in the lower60s. West winds around 10 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. Saturday night. Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s. West windsaround 10 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. Sunday. Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers. Highs around 60. Southwest winds around 10 mph with gusts up to20 mph. Sunday night and monday. Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chanceof showers. Lows in the mid 40s. Highs in the mid 50s. Monday night. Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain. Lows in the mid 30s. Tuesday. Snow likely. Cooler withhighs in the upper 30s. Chance of precipitation 60 percent. Tuesday night. Rain showers. Snow showers after midnight. Nearsteady temperature in the mid 30s. Chance of precipitation80 percent. Wednesday. Snow showers likely in the morning. Rain likely. Highs around 40. Chance of precipitation 70 percent. Wednesday night. Rain likely in the evening. Mostly cloudy witha chance of snow showers. Lows in the upper 20s. Chance ofprecipitation 70 percent. Thursday. Partly sunny with a chance of snow showers in the morning. Then sunny in the afternoon. Highs in the upper and dont forget you can get your latest weather and news on virginia first. Com. 24 hours a day. A tour helicopter in hawaii crashed near the uss arizona memorial at pearl harbor yesterday. Of the 5 people onboard at least three were hurt. One, critically. The helicopter went. People who saw the chopper crash into the water near ford island. Jumped in and pulled the victims to shore. Its not clear yet what caused the crash. I definitely thought it was part of the tour, i thought they were just getting close and i mean when someone ran. Witnesses believe the pilot prevented the aircraft from hitting people on shore. Which would have caused more injuries. Wfxr news is your local election headquarters and this morning the president of Liberty University is coming to the defense of president ial candidate donald trump. Pope francis blasted trumps much repeated Campaign Promise to build a wall along the us mexico border. The pontiff says christians would also think to build bridges not just walls. In the end, francis said trump was not a christian. That is not a view shared by trump friend Jerry Falwell junior. Ive gotten to know donald trump very well over the last four years and ive seen his generosity to strangers, to his employees, his warm relationship with his children, and im convinced ive spent a lot of time with him on his plane recently and through personal christian. Trump said he has a lot of respect for the pope, but he insists he is a christian. Have you ever had a problem with your order at a Fast Food Restaurant . We all have, but not many of us would take our reaction to an extreme. What happened at one wendys is up facing charges in virginia after police say she attacked a wendys worker because of a apparently so hungry, she was angryworkers at the richmond restaurant say 25 year old lovely robinson would fit the script for angriest customer they ever personally served. When she complained she got the wrong food, she jumped the counter and bit the worker on the knee. The crew was able to fight robinson off and Police Charged the richmond woman with a whole host of things. Thats the charge nelson said robinson claimed kicked the violence off. The worker says robinson left a biggie size bruise on her knee, but she will be all right. Since it is a safe bet the suspect will not be allowed back in wendys any time soon, she may want to try mcdonalds. It is trying something new at some of its locations. Mcdonalds is a southern classic chicken and waffles. Theyre calling this sandwich the chicken mcgriddle. Its a Fried Chicken patty surrounded by a pair of maple syrupysweet buns. But if you want to try it, you need to go to ohio. Eleven Mcdonalds Restaurants in central ohio are testing the chicken mcgriddle through the end of march. It could go national depending on customer feedback. When we go to the store, i find my box of honey bunches of oats best cereal in the world right there. Will drift southeast across the region overnightinto friday. Passing offshore the carolinas friday night. A weakcold front should dip south into the area later saturday followedby a second stronger cold front sund