HopeTree Development Approved, Hollins Professor on Syria, and Is College Education a Holiday Gift Idea?

In today’s WFIR News Express, Salem City Council approves a major development plan for HopeTree Family Services’ land, allowing for new apartments, houses, and businesses. Despite residents’ concerns about traffic and runoff, HopeTree officials vow to maintain transparency throughout the project. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has the details. Gene Marrano speaks with Hollins University political science chair Ed Lynch about the fall of Syria’s Assad regime and the geopolitical impact of Bashar al-Assad’s exile to Russia after insurgents seized Damascus. Families are turning to 529 college savings plans as meaningful holiday gifts. Virginia’s Invest529 program offers tax advantages and flexibility, making it a smart choice for addressing rising educational costs while spreading holiday cheer. Former Franklin County Sheriff’s major Justin Sigmon is denied a new trial after being convicted of abusive sexual contact with a minor last November. Sigmon will be sentenced next week. In other news, no injuries were reported following a gas explosion at Forest Level Baptist Church in Bedford County, though the building’s structural integrity remains in question. Roanoke-based Branch Civil Inc. receives a $34.4 million contract to improve intersections along the Route 220 and Route 419 corridors. Additionally, a Virginia man faces trial for allegedly funneling funds to the Islamic State. Catch these stories and more on WFIR News Express.