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Philpott Dam’s powerhouse has been out of commission since a landslide in May 2020 sent mud and debris into the building. Construction is now expected to finish in summer 2027, followed by testing of two new generators. The project includes hillside stabilization and a $21 million generator replacement. Once operating, the dam is expected to produce 18 or 19 megawatts — potentially enough to serve about 1,900 homes. Its primary purpose, though, is flood reduction, protecting communities downstream. Virginia Tech has named Richard Linton its 17th president. The Board of Visitors voted unanimously Wednesday to appoint the three-time Hokie, who has led Kansas State University since 2022. Linton earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s and doctorate in food science at Virginia Tech. He later held academic and leadership roles at Purdue, Ohio State and North Carolina State before becoming Kansas State’s president. He succeeds Tim Sands, who announced in April that he planned to step down. “The transition is already underway, as of now,” Sands said. We now have a weekly newsletter just for the Roanoke Valley. Comment "newsletter" so we can send you a link to sign up for free! Danville has added 112 rental homes and 16 for-sale homes since 2023, with 233 more units under construction. But the region’s housing need has grown faster than its supply. A 2025 update found pent-up demand for nearly 4,000 rental units and 1,300 homes for purchase in the city. Thousands of jobs expected at Berry Hill — including about 2,000 promised by Microporous and 2,500 proposed by data center developer Stack Infrastructure — are adding urgency. Officials say nearly 1,000 units are needed for the Microporous project alone. The upper half of the Creeper Trail is scheduled to reopen March 31, nearly two years after Hurricane Helene washed away parts of the popular route. But rebuilding bridges and trestles is only one part of the recovery. Flooding, fallen trees and construction have created openings for invasive plants, including kudzu and Japanese knotweed, to spread along Whitetop Laurel Creek. Area ranger Ed Wright says the ecological restoration could take up to a decade — with knotweed alone posing a five- to 10-year battle.

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