Daily
Roanoke
Friday, January 9th, 2026
Good morning, Roanoke. Here's your local news at a glance for Friday, the 9th of January.
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Roanoke welcomes Do Portugal Circus as it sets up its big top in the Valley View Mall parking lot. The show, featuring musical and acrobatic acts (without animals), kicks off today and runs through Jan. 25. WSLS 10
- ➤ Buzz Live returns to downtown Roanoke this January when free live shows will be held at the Waldron Stage on Church Avenue. The series – featuring local nonprofit voices and musical guests – will run Thursday nights, with upcoming shows on the 15th, 22nd, and 29th at 6 p.m. WSLS 10
- ➤ Tonight at 7:30 p.m. on WSLS, Buzz4Good’s 'Raising the Shade' episode streams to spotlight nonprofit groups and share the Civil War story of the United States Colored Troops; it marks the series’ first regional broadcast. WSLS 10
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Roanoke County Public Schools launched a free telehealth service on Thursday that offers students and families a new way to access counseling for mental health support. Roanoke.com
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Roanoke’s Wasena Bridge replacement project progresses as one steel tub girder is set to arrive later today, with two more deliveries planned for Tuesday and Wednesday next week; once installed, these components will allow workers to extend the bridge deck foundation over the Roanoke River. WSLS 10
- ➤ Center in the Square is considering a $250,000 feasibility study for a Ferris wheel to boost tourism while Delegate Sam Rasoul decides within 10 days whether to ask the General Assembly for state funding; local leaders, including Mayor Joe Cobb and the city council, support the idea + see potential benefits for downtown though no official moves have been made. WSLS 10
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ New research shows that stopping weight-loss drugs can lead to weight regain & reversal of benefits, while pregnant women receiving whooping cough vaccines transfer antibodies to their newborns for early protection. A separate study finds that short-term yoga practice eases opioid withdrawal by reducing anxiety, pain, and sleep issues. WDBJ7
REAL ESTATE NEWS
- ➤ Crews are continuing construction of the largest apartment complex in the Roanoke Valley near District Vue Apartments on Orange Ave; completion is expected in spring. The project, four years in the making, is designed for comfort & convenience. WSLS 10
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Today at the Salem Civic Center, the Salem Stampede Championship Rodeo begins with events like bull riding and breakaway roping; it will run through Sunday and include mutton busting, live rodeo clown acts plus animal meetups. WFIR News
- ➤ Dave Walls was welcomed as the new sports director at WDBJ7 in Roanoke on Thursday, Jan. 8. He will lead sports coverage to keep local viewers informed on recent athletic developments. WDBJ7
- ➤ Salem will host a three-day rodeo championship soon that brings local competitors and fans together to enjoy competitive rodeo action (more details on timing and venue are expected). WDBJ7
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K-Pop Glow Party and Laser Show
6-8 p.m. — Science Museum of Western Virginia — Family-friendly event — Experience an electrifying glow party with a mesmerizing laser light show set to K-Pop music.
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Speakeasy Jazz Nights
7-9:30 p.m. — The Pine Room at Hotel Roanoke — $40 ticket — Experience the charm of a pre-Prohibition jazz club featuring T-FOX & the Fox City Band.
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Do Portugal Circus
7:30-10:30 p.m. — Valley View Mall — Tickets available — Experience the excitement of a circus under the Big Top for the first time in Roanoke!
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Winter Majesty: A Cozy Paint & Sip Night
6-8 p.m. — Well Hung Vineyard - Restaurant — Check ticket price — Dive into a cozy painting session with splashes of winter colors.
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Do Portugal Circus
7:30-10:30 p.m. — Valley View Mall — Ticket prices vary — Experience the magic of Do Portugal Circus for the first time in Roanoke under the Big Top!
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Do Portugal Circus
7:30-10:30 p.m. — Valley View Mall — Tickets available — Experience the magic of the circus in Roanoke for the first time under the Big Top.
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Do Portugal Circus
7:30-10:30 p.m. — Valley View Mall — Tickets available — Experience the excitement of a circus performance in Roanoke for the first time ever.
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Public Ice Bumper Cars
12:30-6:30 p.m. — Berglund Center — $11 + fees — Experience the thrill of ice bumper cars, perfect for all ages.
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WNRN's Dead Air 5
5 PM — Jefferson Center — Proceeds support WNRN and local non-profits — Celebrate 30 years of WNRN with over 20 bands performing Grateful Dead tunes.
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Big Lick Comic Con
10 AM – 5 PM — Berglund Center — Tickets available — Celebrate comics, cosplay, and pop culture with celebrity guests and panels.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.
~ Chinese Proverb
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