🌱 14.5% Positivity Rate In VA + Roanoke Gas Prices Drop 5 Cents

Good morning, people of Roanoke! It's me again, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Roanoke Daily.

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First, today's weather:

Warmer with clouds and sun. High: 65 Low: 60.

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Here are the top 3 stories today in Roanoke:

1. The Virginia Department of Health is reporting 1,067,849 cases of COVID-19 across the commonwealth as of Monday, dating to the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. 11,105,788 PCR tests have been conducted in Virginia as of Monday, with a 14.5% positivity rate from those tests over the last week. Currently, 76.9% of the state's population have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, with 67.4% fully vaccinated. 88.3% of Virginians 18 and over have received at least one dose and 77.9% are fully vaccinated. (WDBJ7)
2. Roanoke gas prices have fallen 4.8 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.05 per gallon as of Monday. Gas prices in Roanoke are 15 cents per gallon lower than a month ago, but stand $1.04 per gallon higher than a year ago. The national average is down 14 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands $1.00 per gallon higher than a year ago. (WDBJ7)
3. Looking for a new job in the Roanoke area? Check out this week's newest job openings. (Roanoke Patch)

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Today's Roanoke Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Ring, the home security company. Ring does a lot more than doorbells: check out their full suite of smart home products at Ring.com. And thank you Ring for helping to make local news happen in Roanoke!

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Today in Roanoke:

• Quick Reads Book Club - Adults - Mt. Pleasant Branch Library (7:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• The Roanoke Valley SPCA is collecting items for its annual online auction, "Sit. Stay. Give!" The organization will use the auction to help raise funds for life-saving medical care, critical pet safety-net programs, and safe sheltering. (Facebook)
• The Virginia Children's Theatre will hold auditions for its upcoming productions on Saturday, Jan. 8; all audition materials are available online. (Facebook)
• Enjoy a cold one at Fork in the Market, which will be selling $1 cans of PBR from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. today through Thursday, Dec. 30. (Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with a new update.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.