New COVID-19 Cases + Gas Bills Set To Rise + Haze From Wildfires

Good morning, neighbors! It's me again, your host of the Roanoke Daily.

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First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High: 87 Low: 66.

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Here are the top stories today in Roanoke:

1. New COVID-19 cases are being driven by younger, unvaccinated people in the Roanoke area. Around 50 percent of new cases are in people under 34 years old, and among those, 25 percent are under 18 years old. The Virginia Department of Health has reported that new cases for the week of Sept. 4 were 15 times higher in people who were unvaccinated. (WSET)
2. The Roanoke Gas Company is expecting home heating bills to rise about 20 percent this winter. President and CEO Paul Nester says early estimates project overall rates rising due to higher prices for natural gas supplies, lower national inventories, and significant continuing hurricane impacts. Spot market prices for natural gas are about double what they were last winter. (WFIR News Talk Radio)
3. Smoke from the western wildfires are creating haze over the Roanoke Valley this week. (WDBJ7)
4. Roanoke's Quinton Maurice Dillard has pled to the malicious wounding in the Williamson Road shop brawl. (News Break)
5. A Roanoke nonprofit, The Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society, received more than $585,000 in federal funding to aid victims of assault and violence. (WSLS 10)

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Today in Roanoke:

• Wise Up with the BBB: Scams Against Seniors - Roanoke Public Libraries (10:30 AM)

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Events:

• AARP Boomers and Beyond Academy (September 18)
• Add your event

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You're all caught up for today! See you tomorrow morning for your next update. If you're feeling these newsletters, consider bringing some of your friends and neighbors on board. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Lauren Wingo