Thank you for choosing good day virginia. Its thursday february 11. Im january keaton and im kyle benjamin. We start this morning in Roanoke County still waiting for new information on a wreck that sent four people to the hospital. Youre looking at the scene along route 220 and webb road wednesday night. Roanoke county officials tell wfxr news a car being chased by Virginia State police from Franklin County crashed, flipped, and caught on fire. Police used a canine unit and helicopter to look for the driver of the crash. State police say the chase began after troopers tried to pull the car over for reckless driving. Kyle and jason at wx posa the ohio valley will move east thank you thank you for choosing good day virginia. Its thursday february 11. Im january keaton and im kyle benjamin. We start this morning in Roanoke County still waiting for new information on a wreck that sent four people to in danville a man has been was involved in an Armed Robbery. Jov hall was charged yesterday after calling police was the victim of an Armed Robbery at the intersection of south main street and kemper road. Police say the information hall told to police about the Armed Robbery was inconsistent and false. Hall was taken before a judge and released on bond pending a court date. Crews at the Virginia Museum of transportation are steaming up 611 this morning to take off for spencer, North Carolina where the train will be stored until the spring excursions. Wfxrs Taylor Kanost is live in Downtown Roanoke this morning with more on whats ahead for 611 over the next few months. Good morning. As you mentioned, 611 is leaving the Virginia Museum of transportation this morning for North Carolina. It will be taking the old virginian route through hurt, then switching to the southern route through danville, and greensboro later on today. 611 is slated for a number of passenger excursions this spring, the first of which will travel from spencer to lynchburg on april 9th. In may, the steam engine will head back up to roanoke for several half day excursions from roanoke to lynchburg and roanoke to walton. The excursions will then wrap up in manassas, virginia in early june. As many of you know, 611 was restored last year and is the only remaining train of roanoke back in the 1950s. 611 is the last of the j class. J class was designed and built right here in roanoke at the roanoke shops. There were 13 of them. 611 is the only one that survived and the only one thats actually out on the tracks and pulling under steam. Train lovers day here at the Virginia Museum of transportation has been moved from this saturday to saturday, february 20th from 10 am to 5 pm. Unfortunately, 611 will not be at the museum for the event, but a yclass locomotive also built in roanoke will be on display for visitors to get an upclose look at. The museum will also offer train rides, a flea market, and other educational events for the whole family. Museum officials chose to move train lovers day to february 20th because of the forecast cold conditions. Reporting live in roanoke, route 220 is one of the busiest and congested roads in our region. There have been plans to end the traffic headaches with the construction of a new interstate. That would also run through several states. To the south, North Carolina already wrapped up a big chunk of the project, South Carolina has plans to begin construction next year. Here in virginia started in fact, plans interstate 73 have been stalled for the past two decades. We sent wfxrs Kristen Eskow in search of answers in this wfxr news special report 73 questions 1 001 051 341 392 162 22 2 242 29 if youre driving one of the thousands of vehicles that cruise down interstate 581 and route 220 every day youve probably seen the signs but not much else when it comes to progress on i73 in virginia. Blaine lewis coowner, Fleet Feet Sportslewis weve heard very little about it. Blaine lewis says he moved his athletic wear shop Fleet Feet Sports to route 220 in Roanoke County three and a half years ago. Running one of the many businesses along the road lewis says he believes a new interstate could benefit all businesses in the roanoke area. Lewis it just gives another corridor that connects roanoke to other locations, which could be good, you know, for businesses in a lot of ways and good for the valley. Goodlatte it would make this area more attractive for more businesses to locate here. U. S. Congressman Bob Goodlatte says discussions about the creation of interstate 73 began in the early 1990s. The interstate would run between michigan and myrtle beach, South Carolina. Goodlatte says he wanted to bring this highway through the roanoke area to Better Connect the star city to other destinations in North Carolina. Goodlatte people here in the Roanoke Valley and Central Virginia travel to North Carolina a lot for a lot of different reasons, and the roads could be improved a lot. Goodlatte says among those improvements would be a safer highway. People who live in the area and travel route 220 regularly say right now the highway is windy and can get very congested. The highway as it is now is windy and can get very congested. Ronald rigney Franklin County resident rigney the roads overcrowded, and its just holding too much traffic. Weve had some near misses the signs along route 220, the Virginia Department of transportation says interstate 73 may not necessarily overlap with route 220. The idea of an interstate next to 220 makes a lot of sense for some of the Business Owners we talked to. Some local businesses we spoke with say the idea of a new highway does not worry them. Some Business Owners say they hope a new interstate could lessen through traffic to North Carolina. Susan ober owner, southern lamp shadei think it would take a lot of the congestion of the bigger trucks, campers, people that are traveling that are really not going to stop at a little local store like this. Our people come in theyre coming for a reason. Kristen eskow keskow virginiafi rst. Comstandup but so far interstate 73 has not been designed in virginia due to a lack of funding. The Virginia Department of transportation says a location study was completed years ago to help select a corridor between roanoke and the North Carolina state line. But vdot says that study is all that the commonwealth has chosen to fund. Vdot estimates the cost to design and build interstate 73 just between roanoke and the North Carolina line is roughly four billion dollars. According to vdot, only 11 Million Dollars has been raised so far for the project. Vdot says it does not make decisions about how the interstate 73 project is funded. Lawmakers say those decisions for funding transportation projects like this one are made by state governments. Goodlatte there are a lot of other competing priorities in virginia and so far, the increased funds there and increased funds that the state has managed to work out in the last few years have not gone to this project. Congressman Bob Goodlatte and other federal lawmakers recently joined with congressman robert hurt of virginias Fifth District to propose legislation encouraging all states along the corridor to Work Together under an interstate compact to build i73. Eskow will we ever see this come to fruition in virginia . Goodlatte i think we will. Initiative has been taken to try to improve transportation here. Rigney i dont think ill see it as long as i live. I think itll be after im gone. I think at some point theyll fix it, but, you know, when . I dont know. Kristen tag there is a committee in the state legislature here in virginia focused on interstate 73. That committee is run by state senator bill stanley he told us his group is working on ways to build and fund i73 in virginia we wont see any consruction any time soon. In Franklin County, checking in for changeroanokes best known hotel is getting set for a multimillion dollar makeover. The details are next on good day virginia. And just in time for valentines our own chef jeff and other volunteers work to temporarily ease the stress for the parents of the here in vineland, home of progresso, we f furededut h h to o t rich ingredients like bacon into 22 light soups, so if you want 100 calories or less per serving without giving up rich flavor do what we do. Make it progresso. Look at this sweet face. So sweet. Ok, were going to need a napkin in tonights ag life, good news for shoppers and farmers in bedford. The chamber of commerce has announced some changes. The market will now be open tuesdays in addition to the normal friday markets. They are also continuing a monthly event on saturday aimed to get the whole Community Involved downtown the first saturday of each month april to october well do a large event that will also include artisans and Live Entertainment from 9 to 1 so people can enjoy the activities, shop locally and enjoy the farmers marketthe chamber of commerce made the changes because of an for local food. That is good for farmers in bedford, which is a large and diverse agricultural community. Changes are coming to an iconic Roanoke Valley landmark. Hilton officials have announced that starting february 28th, Hotel Roanoke will be rebranded. Curio, a collection by hilton is expanding to over 30 hotels in many different countries. Our cameras also got a a first look at the newly renovated executive rooms and lounge. Officials say they are excited because the curio brand still lets the hotel show off its unique and iconic qualities. Gary walton Hotel Roanoke general manager we think, you know there is a great interest out there by travelers to want to be in unique and Distinct Properties and event he millennials that are coming these days, really are looking for more unique and Distinctive Properties and not necessarily those cookie cutter brands. The Hotel Roanoke is the first hotel in curio brand. Youll also want to get your hands on those double tree cookies as well. A new guest treat will debut when the Hotel Rebranding becomes official on the 28th. And Hotel Roanoke is hosting the American Heart Association annual heart ball this saturday. There are still seats available. Its a black tie optional event, february 13th. We have full details on our website including how to get some tickets on virginia first dot com. Chef jeff bland cooks on this morning show quite often, but he also volunteers to cook as a labor of love. Last night, jeff cooked for parents and the families of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at carilion roanoke memorial hospital. The dinner was sponsored by the march of dimes to help parents in this stressful time. Elliot broyles nicu parent Advisory BoardSomething Like this thats on site and parents dont have to leave their children, for very long. They can come down for a 15 minute dinner and really get a relaxation break. Volunteers of the nicu parents have been in the nicu before, helped volunteer at the event and host many dinners like this one throughout the year. Welcome aboard my starship. Ahoy, mateys its full of things i love. Like me brave crew. And my fellow Space Adventures and free of things i dont. Like aliens. Just like eye patches. And when its time to refuel, i eat chex cereal. s full ofoftuff weweirates need. No artificial flavors, and its glutenfree. Excelsior eat up, me hearties keep it down im exploring the galaxy. A strong upper low centered over the ohio valley will move easttonight into thursday. Weak upper shortwaves will move across themountains through tonight resulting in scattered snow showers andsnow flurries. A clipper system will cross our region on friday with some light snow accumulations. Especially in and dont forget you can get your latest weather and news on virginia first. Com. 24 hours a day. Wfxr news is your local election headquarters and this morning the republican president ial campain has two fewer candidates. Carly fiorina has suspended her bid for president. The former hewlettpackard ceo made the announcement on facebook today. She finished 7th in last nights primary and failed to Republican Debate in New Hampshire. And new Jersey Governor Chris Christie has suspended his president ial bid. Christie reportedly made the announcement on a call with his campaign. The move comes after christies sixth place finish in the New Hampshire primary. At the same time some candidates are getting the shot in the arm their campaigns desperately need. And from hollywood, the oscars are at the end of the month. And while not every star gets an academy award, no one goes home empty handed. Up after the break we will tell you what is in their very expensive gift scal good day, mlady i am sircanalot, here to save you from another breakfast bore. Wake up those eggs with glorious spam the gift bags for the oscar nominees are setting a record on swag. They will contain about 200thousand dollars worth of stuff. On the highend, items such as a 10day, firstclass trip to israel and unlimited audi car rentals from silvercar. But the most interesting item might be the voucher for the vampire breast lifta new hollywood must have. It is said to use bloodderived growth factors to revive rounder cleavage without implants. Also on the long list of highpriced items. Toilet soothing and absorbent available. It is valued at 275 dollars. The 88th Academy Awards ceremony is february thank you for choosing good day virginia. Its thursday february 11. Im kyle benjamin. And im january keaton. In Franklin Countyrocky mount police need your help finding a pharmacy robbery suspect. Joshua cundiff from boones mill is wanted for the robbery of the Family Pharmacy tuesday night. Police believe after the robbery he left the area. Police say cundiff went into the pharmacy with a gun, and demanded narcotics. After the Robbery Police received tips that his vehicle had been abandoned in the 3800 block of old forge road in Franklin County. With wind chill values expected in the single digits, danville utilities is asking its customers to conserve power during peak periods. Today, friday, and monday between 7am and 10am. Power Officials Say there is plenty of power available and the grid is in good shape right now, but urge residents to conserve if possible due those low temperatures january and jason at wx posa strong upper low centered over the ohio valley will move easttonight into thursday. Weak upper shortwaves will move across the mountains through tonight resulting in scattered snow showers andsnow flurries. A clipper system will cross our across the commonwealth, fire destroyed a log cabin in greene county. The fire broke out last night as a family was still inside. They were able to make it out safely. The roof collapsed a. With crews say the safest decision was to allow the fire to burn itself out. The fire was so large. People could see it from miles away. Theres no word yet on a cause. Shoppers inside the jc pennys store at roanokes valley view mall got a surprise yesterday. The Sprinkler System malfunctioned soaking the entire store. The Fire Department showed up to help clean up. Carpet cleaners were also called in to try help dry things out. Over one third of adults in the us are obese, and as people recognize the cost of being overweight either to their pockets or to their overall healththey try to lost weight. But that is not easy, especially when you have to do it by yourself. But there is support out there. Wfxrs paris holmes is at Fleet Feet Sports where owners have challenged the community to come together and support of weight. Owners at Fleet Feet Sports have come up with ton of funa year Long Community challenge where participants are supported in losing weight together toward a Community Goal of 2000 pounds which equals a ton. The Program Provides tools needed to live a healthy lifestyle.