What's News Today: January 8, 2019

Here's a look at some of the stories we'll be following today as they make headlines across the country and Southwest Virginia.

A special election takes place today to replace Jennifer Wexton in the state senate.  Wexton resigned after winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives.  The district covers parts of Fairfax and Loudoun Counties.

One of the men, charged with capital murder in the death of Lynchburg Teen Raymond Wood, will be in court today for a motions hearing.  Kevin Soto-Bonilla is one of the five men charged with the teen's March 2017 death.  Attorneys have previously asked to move the trial out of Bedford County.

The case of a father, accused of concealing the body of his missing 3-month-old daughter, goes before a grand jury today in Montgomery County.  Andrew Terry told police that Arienna Day's mother gave the child to him.  He says she was bruised and later died.  Police say he told them she was buried near train tracks between Blacksburg and Interstate 81.  Arienna's mother claims the child went missing from her home.  The toddler is presumed dead.

The burial service takes place today at Arlington National Cemetary for the Lexington native, Army Captain Andrew Ross.  The 29-year-old died in November while serving in Afghanistan, when an IED hit his vehicle.  The Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing that also killed three other service members.

The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors will discuss the opioid epidemic today.  The board could vote to hire outside counsel to recover costs due to the epidemic.  The county attributes this, in part, to "aggressive and misleading market of prescription opioids by pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors."  

The city of Roanoke holds a kick off meeting about Financial Empowerment Centers.  It will talk about the process it will use to develop and implement the centers.  The centers will offer free one-on-one financial counseling to help people address financial challenges and plan for the future.  The meeting begins this morning at 8:30 a.m. at the Salvation Army on Dale Avenue.  

Students and teachers in central Virginia will gather today to "Break the Cycle" of bullying and prejudice.  The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities will lead the discussion on diversity, discrimination and respect.  Students will them break into teams, looking for solutions to challenges they face, with a goal of reducing conflict and prejudice.

Fresenius Kidney Care holds an open house for its new dialysis facility in Lynchburg.  More than 12,000 people in Virginia are living with end stage renal disease and are on dialysis.  The clinic can treat up to 50 patients a week.  

Parts of Euclid Avenue and Talbot Street in Lynchburg will be closed today from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  Crews will pace the street.  

Martinsville City Council will discuss the fiscal distress monitoring process from the Auditor of Public Accounts.  The office monitors localities, looking for early signs of fiscal distress.  It says Martinsville, preliminarily, needs to be followed up on.  The auditor has asked the city for additional information about budgeting, debt, and expenses and revenue.  If a fiscal distress is identified, the auditor will notify the Governor and several agencies regarding state assistance or intervention.

Student athletes in Salem had a chance to give their feedback on coaches and the programs for the first time.  All fall sports at Andrew Lewis Middle School and Salem High School got the chance to answer fifteen questions.  About 100 students responded.  The information will be presented tonight at the school board work session and shared with the coaches as part of their evaluations.  This is the first time the school system has done the survey.  It plans to sue it for winter and spring sports later this year.