Evan Jones – 105.9 WLNI-FM: Recent Episodes
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WLNI is changing hands. As of this weekend, local broadcaster James River Media will assume ownership and operation from Wheeler Media, which has owned WLNI since 2013. The new owners include well-known Lynchburg broadcasters Mari White Smallshaw and Rich Roth, and they will continue to operate the station from its current Wyndhurst studios.
With August arriving tomorrow, time is running short for families with school-age children to take a summer vacation. A Virginia Tech travel expert says doing so can be difficult this year — but not impossible. Nancy McGehee says apartments and full homes are especially popular accommodations this summer, along with RV’s. More from WLNI’s Evan […]
Long-time broadcaster Larry Dowdy called it a career today, 47 years after first sitting behind a microphone. For the last five years, Dowdy has hosted the Morning Line here on WLNI Radio. It culminates a career that included earlier stops at K92 Radio, WDBJ7’s Mornin’ Program, and Sunny FM. Dowdy says he still expects to […]
Democrats in Richmond are laying the groundwork for changes in Virginia criminal justice laws when they meet next month in special session. Two House of Delegates committees conducted an on-line hearing today focusing on sentencing and parole, subjects that included current minimum sentences in Virginia for hundreds of felonies and a lack of discretionary parole. […]
Governor Northam says most of Virginia is holding relatively steady in the rate of new COVID-19 cases, but the situation in Hampton Roads is much different and very concerning, and as a result, he is reinstating a new set of restrictions for that region only. They include no alcohol sales or consumption in restaurants after […]
NEWS RELEASE: LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Lynchburg Police Department is investigating after burglaries involving women’s clothing. On July 27, 2020 at 10:54 a.m., officers responded to the 400-block of Three Creeks Court for a report of a burglary in progress. The victim returned home and found a male in her residence. After investigation, officers and […]
Business of all kinds have been finding creative ways to deal with the months-long coin shortage. Convenience stores in particular like Sheetz have a higher-than-normal percentage of cash sales than many other businesses, and while company officials say their hundreds of mid-Atlantic outlets have never run out of change, they have looked for ways to […]
Bedford County Public Schools are moving back the start of classes by one week. The announcement was delivered in a video posted on the school system’s YouTube channel. Officials say teachers will report on their originally-scheduled date, and the additional week allows them more time to prepare and train for the blended learning system that […]
Virginia Democrats in the General Assembly are making it clear – they plan to enact major legislation next month involving police conduct and criminal justice laws. Ahead of that, the process is already underway, as two House of Delegates committees combined yesterday for an on-line hearing. More from WLNI’s Evan Jones: 07-24 Policing Laws-WLNI WEB […]
Classes resume next month at area colleges and universities, and right now, just about all are planning to have all students back on campus. That has kept college officials busy all summer, preparing for unprecedented challenges, including Virginia Tech, as WLNI’s Evan Jones reports: 07-22 VT Move-In Wrap-WLNI WEB
Virginia Republicans say they intend to address public education when the General Assembly reconvenes next month in special session – even if Governor Northam has not called for any consideration on that subject. Republicans say any steps that keep students out of school for any number of days puts them at a permanent disadvantage behind […]
The oldest among us – and their families – face serious questions over how much they should remain isolated over COVID concerns. A Virginia Tech gerontology expert says lengthy isolations may create as many or more risks than they avoid. Ila Schepisi is a senior instructor at Virginia Tech and Director of its Adult Day […]
Virginia Republicans says Governor Northam is going about it all wrong when he threatens to pull licenses from businesses that do not enforce his COVID-19 regulations. Northam said yesterday that a recent surge in case counts led to his warning. But Franklin County State Senator Bill Stanley joined other Republican legislative leaders in saying Northam […]
Governor Northam says his administration is leaving it up to local school boards to decide how many classes are taught in person or on line. The governor says unlike his statewide COVID-related regulations, public education is not an area where one size fits all, but one guideline in particular remains constant. More from WLNI’s Evan […]
Governor Northam says Virginia must strongly enforce COVID-19 restrictions to slow and reverse a recent increase in cases, especially in the Hampton Roads region. Northam has directed state health officials to implement stronger enforcement procedures, particularly against businesses like restaurants. He has also directed the ABC to ready an order that will call for an […]
The union representing tens of thousands of Virginia Teachers says health and safety must be top priorities in deciding how schools open in person, on line, or both. But supporters of five-day in-person instruction say anything less will put all Virginia students behind the education curve. WLNI’s Evan Jones has more: 07-13 Reopening Schools Wrap-WLNI […]
Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Junior says he supports calls to change the name of Lynchburg. The city was named after its founder, John Lynch, but Falwell says it is too often thought to derive from the act of lynchings. An on-line petition is calling upon Lynchburg leaders to change the city’s name; Falwell says […]
The Virginia Department of Health reports 16 new confirmed or “probable” COVID-19 cases in the Lynchburg region, bringing the total to 461. The VDH attributes 177 cases to Lynchburg, an increase of eight, Amherst County holds steady at 38, two new cases in Appomattox County for a cumulative total of 46, 144 cases in Bedford […]
Virginia no longer has a backlog of untested rape test kits used to collect and test DNA samples from sexual assault victims, and advocates for those victims say it is about time. Attorney General Mark Herring says more than 2600 of these kits were sitting in storage when he took office — never tested — […]
The total number of confirmed at “probable” cases of COVID-19 is nearing 450 in the Lynchburg region. “Probable” cases are defined as those for which patients are showing clear symptoms of the virus but have not yet had test results confirmed. The Virginia Department of Health assigns 169 cases to Lynchburg, 38 in Amherst county, […]
Governor Northam held a ceremonial bill signing today that will prohibit hand-held cellphone use when the measure takes effect about six months from now. AAA Mid-Atlantic research shows 97% of Americans cite texting or email use while driving as a serious safety concern, but 45% say they have nonetheless read one while behind the wheel […]
A new nationwide poll conducted in part by Roanoke College finds more Americans have a generally positive opinion of local police than those who do not. But from there, the survey finds some major differences, as WLNI’s Evan Jones reports: 07-08 Roanoke Poll Wrap-WLNI WEB NEWS RELEASE: Pluralities of residents of the United States are […]
Virginia’s DMV reopens three more customer service centers today in Southside and southwest Virginia, bringing the total statewide number close to 40, but several in our region remain closed. They include Altavista, Bedford and Lexington. Officials ask for patience as the re-opening process continues. The latest from WLNI’s Evan Jones: 07-06 DMV Reopenings Wrap-WLNI WEB […]
The Washington Redskins released a statement today saying they will begin a review of the team’s name. The Redskins have long resisted calls to change that name, but owner Dan Snyder says this move follows “recent events around our country and feedback from our community”. Critics say the team’s name is a slur against Native […]
State health officials say they are working to determine why COVID-19 test results at some nursing homes and assisted living centers are taking up to a week to be returned. State Epidemiologist Laurie Forlano acknowledged yesterday that some facilities report the results aren’t coming back for up to a week. WLNI’s Evan Jones has more: […]
Virginia Lottery players are now able to purchase tickets wherever they may be within the state – without visiting a retailer. More from WLNI’s Evan Jones: 07-02 Lottery Online Wrap-WLNI WEB NEWS RELEASE: The Virginia Lottery has begun selling tickets to many of its most popular games online. As of July 1, games like Mega Millions, Powerball, and Cash4Life® can be played […]
Virginia’s DMV is resuming its road skills testing for residents 18 and over – but it may not be very close to you, you may have to wait a while, and it will be significantly different in some ways than before. WLNI’s Evan Jones has more: 07-02 DMV Testing Wrap WLNI-WEB The nearest site to […]
Virginia Tech expects state approval any day now to begin a new School of Communication and Digital Media. It will replace and expand upon what is now a department, and leaders say the difference is much more than a new title. More from WLNI’s Evan Jones: 06-25 New VT School Wrap-WLNI WeB
Governor Northam says weeks of nighttime violence and vandalism in Richmond should not continue. Northam says there have been close to 500 demonstrations across Virginia since George Floyd died, and they have focused attention on racial justice — and injustice — but he says what has happened since in Richmond is a different matter. WLNI’s […]
Governor Northam has set Wednesday, July 1 as the day Virginia will move to Phase 3 of his reopening executive orders. Among other things, social gatherings will be permitted up 250 people. Retail stores and restaurants will be permitted to resume operations at 100% permitted capacity, but physical distancing guidelines will still have to be […]