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El Niño could be our drought buster, but might turn into too much of a good thing
All signs point to warming equatorial Pacific waters, which often portends much wetter weather than Virginia has experienced in the past few months.
Politics
Gov. Spanberger does not support replacing state Supreme Court justices to retry redistricting
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger issued her opposition to one of many ideas being floated by members of her party after the state Supreme Court struck down the redistricting effort.
Local
Roanoke budget approved by 5-2 vote — the second consecutive year of significant cuts
Mayor Joe Cobb said a third year of cuts is not out of the question.
Culture
The Cheesy Western, a longtime Roanoke food icon, guest stars on a Manhattan menu. (Chile is extra.)
Lower Manhattan’s Hamburger America diner will feature the Texas Tavern staple this month, paired with a Southern Living article that features the Church Avenue eatery.
education
Hiring new Virginia Tech president likely to take 6 to 8 months, search firm says
When longtime President Tim Sands announced that he would step down a month ago, board of visitors Rector John Rocovich said he believed the hiring could be done by July 1.
eCONOMY
Tech Briefs: Virginia Tech grad students conduct drone research with Secret Service
Also: In what is likely Virginia Tech President Tim Sands’ final end-of-semester note to university community, he notes technology and research wins.
OPinion
Rasoul: Mass surveillance is bad for Roanoke
Just like cameras that track residents’ cars, microphones that constantly record sound are ripe for abuse.
Health Care
State moves toward closing Hiram Davis Medical Center, but lawmakers express concern about plan
The state-run medical center, which has been slated for closure since 2024, currently houses 32 high-need patients.
news briefs
Headlines from across the state: Virginia becomes first Southern state to mandate paid family and medical leave for workers; more …
From elsewhere: Former Richmond Free Press building sold to apartment developer for $2 million. Cavalier Hotel property could be sold to real estate investment firm. Richmond judges take legal action against city government over courthouse conditions.
Sports
‘Martinsville Missile’ sets a new land speed record for a stock car
With a Henry County driver behind the wheel, the car designed and built in Martinsville broke the record of 244.9 mph with a top speed of 253 mph.
WEATHER
April was historically hot, but similar to some other recent Aprils
The weather pattern has shifted from an extremely warm and dry April to a cooler, slightly wetter early May.
Cardinal 250
One of Virginia’s most eccentric patriots was John Sinclair, a government-sanctioned pirate
Privateers were an important component of the American war effort. They were something akin to government-sanctioned pirates — armed vessels that chased down and confiscated the cargo of civilian enemy merchant ships. The techniques privateers employed wouldn’t pass muster today. They’d often approach a ship under a false flag and captain and crew would get…
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