Virginia
Virginia mother who lost son in car crash encourages seat belt safety
ROANOKE, Va. – Many people are planning their holiday travel next week, but before you hit the road, remember to buckle up.
The majority of deaths over the Thanksgiving holiday resulted from people not wearing their seatbelt in the vehicle, according to Virginia State Police.
10 News spoke with Christy King whose son, Christopher, died in a car crash just two weeks after he graduated high school.
“We get that knock on the door that no parent should ever have to answer,” she said.
Christopher was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.
“When the officer told us he was ejected from the car and not wearing his seat belt, we were astounded because he always wore his seat belt,” said Christy.
The number of people not wearing seat belts has increased in Virginia over the past couple of years. According to Youth Of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO), 65% of teenagers killed in car crashes last year were not wearing their seatbelts.
“The general population is not buckling up as often as they used to. Virginia seat belt use rate is lower than it has been in a number of years,” said YOVASO Program Manager, Mary King.
Since her son’s death, Christy has started spreading awareness about the importance of buckling up and formed the Christopher King Foundation.
“When I’m talking to kids and adults and they start tearing up, I’m like, ‘Good, you understand. You are going to remember Christopher’s story and you are going to tell your kids, tell people that you love, because it can happen to you,’” said Christy.
Christy is also fighting to change the law.
She’s fighting to make not wearing a seat belt a primary violation as opposed to Virginia having it as a secondary, meaning law enforcement cannot pull over people for not wearing their seat belts.
Copyright 2023 by WSLS 10 – All rights reserved.
Virginia
Virginia housing market for 24 ends strong – Shore Daily News
Virginia’s housing market showed a significant uptick in November, according to the latest Virginia Home Sales Report from Virginia REALTORS®. The data reveals strong growth in closed and pending sales, as well as continued price increases across most areas of the state.
In November, 7,853 homes were sold statewide, marking a 13% increase compared to the same time last year. This marks the second consecutive month of double-digit growth in closed sales. Pending sales also rose sharply, with 6,863 homes placed under contract—a 15.2% increase from November 2023. “This strong performance caps off a year that, despite challenges, has ended on a high note for Virginia’s housing market,” said Ryan Price, Chief Economist for Virginia REALTORS®.
The state also saw a boost in new listings, with 9,031 homes listed for sale, a 10.3% increase from the previous year. “More sellers are entering the market, contributing to the growth in new listings,” noted Lorraine Arora, President of Virginia REALTORS® for 2025. However, she cautioned that while inventory is expanding, the total number of listings remains about 40% smaller than it was five years ago. By the end of November, there were 18,870 active listings statewide, a 12% year-over-year increase.
Home prices continued to climb, with the median sales price reaching $415,000, a $30,000 increase from November 2023. Nearly 76% of local markets in Virginia saw median price growth. Despite this, affordability remains a challenge for many buyers, especially as mortgage rates remain elevated.
The Virginia Home Sales Report provides a comprehensive snapshot of the state’s housing trends, offering valuable insights for both buyers and sellers navigating this dynamic market.
Virginia
Christmas Eve crooks burglarize Virginia electronics store
Detectives are asking for the community’s help identifying four thieves who broke into a business and stole electronics on Christmas Eve in Reston.
Fairfax County Police responded to a burglary alarm shortly after 5 a.m. on Dec. 24 at the PayMore electronics store along Reston Parkway. Officers determined that the suspects forced their way into the business and made off with merchandise.
The Criminal Investigations Division has released still images and surveillance video of the suspects in hopes of generating leads.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Reston Police Station at 703-478-0904 and ask to speak with a detective.
Virginia
WVU Loses Talented Young Offensive Lineman to the Transfer Portal
Friday morning, West Virginia On SI learned that West Virginia offensive lineman Kyle Altuner has entered his name into the transfer portal.
Altuner was expected to push for some playing time at center as a true freshman under the previous coaching staff until he suffered a lower-body injury that cost him several weeks and months of development.
Coming out of Good Counsel in Olney, Maryland, Altuner chose the Mountaineers over offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Duke, Florida State, Liberty, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, NC State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, and several others.
He will have four years of eligibility remaining.
Technically very sound football player. Seals and walls off defenders with ease in zone run blocking schemes, climbs quickly to the second level in gap schemes and pulls much better than your ordinary right tackle. The combination of his high-level diverse run-blocking scheme success and IQ make for a perfect fit at center, which is where he’ll play at West Virginia. Good knee bend and plays with consistent control and balance in pass sets that will translate even by kicking inside. I’d expect WVU to take full advantage of his athleticism and get him pulling consistently to lead the way in the run game. My number one recruit in this class for the Mountaineers. Very few concerns.
MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI
Tomas Rimac Follows Matt Moore to Virginia Tech
West Virginia set to Hire William Green as Defensive Line Coach
Chad Scott Returning to West Virginia
West Virginia Offers Sam Houston Defensive Line Transfer Chris Murray
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