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Polls are open until 7 p.m. today, Cardinal Country! 🗳️ If you haven’t made it to the polls yet, there’s still time to cast your ballot. Grab a friend, make a plan and head out to vote. Your voice matters, and we’re cheering you on! Wells Fargo will lay off 87 employees at its Roanoke County customer support center by the end of the year, according to notices sent to state and local officials. The cuts will happen in three phases: 60 employees on Nov. 28, six on Dec. 12 and 21 on Dec. 26. Based on the job titles in the company’s letters, most of the positions are in fraud and claims operations. Wells Fargo said it is making the decision “to exit support operations” as it reviews staffing needs. The company announced in 2023 that it would invest $87 million at the Plantation Road facility and add 1,100 jobs. Eligible employees will receive severance and career transition services. The notices were filed under federal law requiring advance warning of mass layoffs. About one-third of drivers cited by speed cameras on I-81 haven’t paid their fines — and there’s no clear mechanism to make them. In the work zone between mile markers 143 and 150 in Roanoke and Botetourt counties, Virginia State Police had issued 10,295 citations through Oct. 13. Of those, 6,663, or about 65%, had been paid. Farther north on I-81, roughly 71% of cited drivers had paid. Each ticket is a $100 civil penalty for driving at least 10 mph over the posted limit. It does not add DMV demerit points or affect insurance rates. State police say the cameras are meant to change driving behavior and make dangerous areas safer; revenue goes to Virginia’s literary fund, which supports schools and teacher retirement. A 99-room Home2 Suites by Hilton is planned for Ridgeway, with construction expected to finish in spring 2028. Shamin Hotels bought two acres on Old Sands Road for $800,000 and plans to invest $20 million in the 63,000-square-foot hotel. A groundbreaking is set for December. The site sits near the U.S. 58 bypass and U.S. 220 Business, next to the Wendy’s, and is currently used by @martinsvilleswy visitors camping in RVs. Shamin says the nearby Smith River Sports Complex was the biggest factor in choosing the location. County leaders say the hotel could help the complex host larger tournaments and provide lodging for visitors attending race weekend and Rooster Walk. The development comes as Churchill Downs plans to buy nearby land for a relocated Rosie’s Gaming Room. The Islamic Leadership Institute of America has closed on the $300,000 purchase of a former Bank of America building in downtown Norton, its founder says. The planned community center will include a worship space for local Muslims, who currently pray at home, along with classrooms and programs focused on youth development, workforce training and food security. The first-floor programs are expected to begin after preparatory work over the next several months. Norton’s building official says a change-of-use permit will be required if the institute plans to alter the building’s layout; no application or renovation plans had been submitted as of Wednesday. The property is assessed at $499,500 and is zoned for several uses, including churches, schools and offices.

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