Dept of Ed Shutdown Blocked, VT AI Water Model, Chief Booth Myrtle Beach Finalist | Roanoke Valley's Morning News — July 31, 2026

Miss the morning broadcast? Catch up on the top stories impacting the Roanoke Valley and the Commonwealth of Virginia for Friday, July 31, 2026.In this episode of Roanoke Valley’s Morning News, hosts Joey Self and Ian Price cover a bipartisan Senate pushback against dismantling the Department of Education, Virginia Tech's new AI model to balance data center water consumption, and Roanoke Police Chief Scott Booth being named a finalist for a top law enforcement position in South Carolina.Department of Education Shutdown Blocked: In a bipartisan vote, the Senate HELP Committee passed legislation co-authored by Virginia Senator Tim Kaine to prevent the White House from dismantling the Department of Education, preserving core programs like K-12, rural, tribal, and special education.Virginia Tech AI Water Optimization: Associate Professor Ferass Batarseh and a VT research team developed an AI model to simulate and optimize water usage scenarios for high-demand semiconductor plants and data centers nationwide.Chief Booth Myrtle Beach Finalist: Roanoke Police Chief Scott Booth has been named one of four finalists for the Police Chief position in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with final interviews scheduled for the week of August 10.Melrose Avenue Convenience Store Burglary: Roanoke Police are investigating an overnight break-in at Dove & Cardinal's Convenience Store on Melrose Avenue, where an intruder cut A/C unit wires to enter and stole a month's worth of cash and slot machine revenue.Henry County Data Center Water Buffer Proposed: During a three-hour meeting, Henry County residents urged supervisors to enact a 1,500-foot buffer requirement between data centers and local waterways, though officials confirmed there are currently no active data center proposals for the county.Mill Mountain Star Scaled for Film: Professional climber and filmmaker Chad Heddleston scaled the Mill Mountain Star early Thursday morning as part of a promotional film showcasing Roanoke's outdoor recreation.New Hemp & THC Enforcement Unit: Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones announced the creation of the Regulated Products Enforcement Unit to inspect retailers and crack down on illegally or deceptively packaged liquid nicotine and hemp-derived THC products.Vince Maiden Named Virginia Energy Director: Governor Abigail Spanberger appointed Radford University graduate Vince Maiden as the new Director of the Virginia Department of Energy.Parkway Brewing Opens Downtown Roanoke: Parkway Brewing Downtown Roanoke officially opens today at 11 a.m. on the ground floor of The Bower development on Campbell Avenue.Glenn Youngkin Speaks on Civility: Former Governor Glenn Youngkin addressed the Reagan Civility and Democracy Forum, calling Virginia a "purple wildcard state" and urging political leaders to maintain civil debate.Appalachian League Playoff Action: Pulaski plays Danville tonight in the Appalachian League East Division Championship, with the winner advancing to Saturday's title game against Kingsport or Johnson City at Calfee Park.Salem RidgeYaks Update: The Salem RidgeYaks defeated Kannapolis 6-2, staying within a half-game of Fayetteville in the Carolina League Northern Division.Rail Yard Dawgs Schedule Released: The Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs officially released their 2026–2027 season schedule, featuring a home opener on October 16 against Fayetteville at the Berglund Center.UVA Football Practice Underway: Cavalier football began fall practice this week ahead of their August 29 opener against NC State in Charlottesville, while Virginia Tech and Liberty prepare to start camp next week.Stay informed on the go—subscribe to the WFIR News Express feed for your daily Roanoke Valley news updates.📌 Local & Regional Headlines🏆 WFIR Sports Wrap-Up