DOJ Sues Virginia to Block Assault Weapons Ban, Fired Martinsville City Manager Documents Released, Heat ER Visits Surge | Roanoke Valley's Morning News – July 2, 2026

Missed the morning broadcast? Catch up on the top stories impacting the Roanoke Valley and the Commonwealth of Virginia for Thursday, July 2, 2026.In this episode of Roanoke Valley’s Morning News with Joey Self and Ian Price, we cover the widening legal battle over Virginia’s newly enacted assault weapons ban. Following localized court injunctions blocking enforcement in six jurisdictions, the U.S. Department of Justice has officially filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth to permanently block the ban.We also cover critical health warnings as a dangerous, multi-day heatwave sends temperatures blazing past 100 degrees, prompting a massive surge in heat-related emergency room visits across Virginia.Local and Regional Stories Covered in This Episode:Assault Weapons Ban Legal Battle: DOJ sues Virginia to block the ban permanently, following local court injunctions in Lancaster and Washington County that leave law enforcement and gun dealers facing confusion over local enforcement.Martinsville Mismanagement Exposé: Newly unsealed documents reveal the startling reasons behind the firing of former City Manager Aretha Ferobe-Benavides, citing severe financial mismanagement and the near-loss of $4.4 million in pandemic relief funds.Roanoke County Assault Arrests: Police arrest a 19-year-old and a juvenile for malicious wounding following a violent weekend assault in a former 7-Eleven parking lot on Plantation Road that left two elderly residents seriously injured.Equality Virginia Pushes for Protections: Following a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding bans on transgender athletes in other states, Equality Virginia calls for state-level action to codify trans student-athlete rights.Rural Broadband Expansion: Congressman Morgan Griffith highlights how recent policy shifts will allow low-Earth-orbit satellite internet providers like Starlink to receive federal funding and bring high-speed connectivity to rural Virginia.Financial Insights: Roanoke-based Creekmur Wealth Advisors celebrates cracking USA Today’s top 20 national advisory firms, while offering warnings about unprecedented stock market overvaluations.WFIR Sports: The U.S. Men's National Soccer Team advances to the World Cup Round of 16 with a thrilling 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina; plus a massive NBA trade sending Boston's Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George, and the Chicago Cubs' historic 23-3 blowout over San Diego.Stay informed on the go—subscribe to the WFIR News Express feed for your daily Roanoke Valley news updates.