News to Know for Nov. 23: 6 people killed in shooting at Virginia Walmart; Student loan pause extended; How to get free Thanksgiving meals

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Here’s a look at our top headlines for Wednesday!

6 People, Suspect Dead in Mass Shooting at Chesapeake Walmart

At least half a dozen people are dead and multiple others are wounded after a shooting inside a Chesapeake Walmart.

Chesapeake Police say the call came in just after 10 p.m. Tuesday night while the store was still open and just minutes after the evening crew had arrived for work.

Officials say the suspect acted alone and was an employee or former employee of the store.

They say he walked into the breakroom and started shooting other employees.

Police confirm the shooter is now dead, believing he turned the gun on himself.

Sentara Norfolk General Hospital also confirmed five patients are being treated there. There’s no word on their conditions.

A family reunification area has been set up at the Chesapeake Convention Center for the immediate family of anyone who may have been inside the Walmart.

Two Teenage Girls, One Man Killed in Powhatan Crash

Two teenage girls and a man are dead after the car they were riding in was crushed by another vehicle during a crash.

State police say around 8 Tuesday morning, a car pulled in front of a pickup at the intersection of Anderson Highway and Judes Ferry Road.

That car flipped with the truck landing on top.

All three people who died were passengers in the car.

The driver is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The man driving the pickup is expected to recover.

Pres. Biden Extends Federal Student Loan Repayment Pause

President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that his administration will extend a pause on federal student loan payments while the White House fights a legal battle to save his plan to cancel portions of the debt.

“It isn’t fair to ask tens of millions of borrowers eligible for relief to resume their student debt payments while the courts consider the lawsuit,” Biden said in a video posted on Twitter.

The moratorium was slated to expire Jan. 1, a date that Biden set before his debt cancellation plan stalled in the face of legal challenges from conservative opponents.

Now it will extend until 60 days after the lawsuit is resolved. If the lawsuit has not been resolved by June 30, payments would resume 60 days after that.

AAA Predicting 1.4 Million Virginians Traveling Ahead of Holiday Weekend

AAA expects nearly 1.5 million Virginians to travel for Thanksgiving as more COVID-19 restrictions are removed.

“This year’s been much more of an open book. We saw the cruise industry come back. We saw a lot of countries that have been closed for two years reopen their borders and invite tourists back in,” Morgan Dean with AAA said.

Dean said if you’re leaving on Wednesday or Thursday, try and leave before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m. to avoid the most traffic.

They say you can also expect to see the most cars on the road on Sunday.

What if You’re Looking For a Free Meal?

A Richmond tradition to feed families on Thanksgiving is returning to its pre-pandemic form this year.

Volunteers with the Giving Heart are hard at work preparing for the community feast.

Each year, the non-profit provides food and essential items to thousands in need.

You can get a meal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day - completely free.

Volunteers say it’s a way to make sure people don’t feel alone on the holiday.

How’s the Weather?

The cold spell will relax for the rest of the week, with dry weather through Thanksgiving.

Today will be a mostly sunny day with highs near 60 and lows in the low 30s.

Thought of the Day

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” - Maya Angelou

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