Here’s a round-up of news briefs from around Southwest and Southside. Send yours for possible inclusion to news@cardinalnews.org.
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Roanoke Regional Parternship exceeds fundraising goal
The Roanoke Regional Partnership economic development group has announced that its campaign surpassed the $3.6 million fundraising goal.
In total, the economic development group’s Thrive 2027 project raised $4,041,900, pledged over five years, to achieve four initiatives for the Roanoke region: economic growth and innovation, talent attraction and workforce development, commercial real estate and infrastructure, and placemaking and livability. Success measurements for these initiatives are the creation of 3,000 new jobs, $350 million in capital investments, a 10% increase in population growth from in-migration, a 15% increase in per capita income, and a 300% increase in inventory of certified sites by 2027.
More than 122 businesess contributed, according to John Hull, executive director with the Roanoke Regional Partnership.
The group, founded in 1983, is the public-private economic development marketing and strategy organization supported by Alleghany, Botetourt, Franklin and Roanoke counties, the cities of Covington, Roanoke and Salem, and the town of Vinton, as well as more than 200 businesses.
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Four localities in Southwest get federal funding
Four localities in Southwest Virginia have received grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to a release from Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem. They are:
- $534,673 in Community Development Block Grant funding and $651,299 in HOME Investment Partnerships Program funding to the town of Blacksburg;
- $269,250 in Community Development Block Grant funding to the city of Bristol;
- $125,664 in Community Development Block Grant funding to the town of Christiansburg; and
- $183,174 in Community Development Block Grant funding to the city of Radford.
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Roanoke theater delays show due to COVID
Showtimers in Roanoke has announced that this week’s performances of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” have been canceled due to COVID.
The performances on May 20-22 will run as scheduled, and a Sunday evening performance has been added.
If you have already purchased tickets, Showtimers says the box office manager will be calling soon to discuss rescheduling for another date. If you have not, you can call or visit this link to purchase tickets for the shows running May 20-22.
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UVa Wise to hold summer band camp
The University of Virginia’s College at Wise is offering its annual Summer Band Conservatory again.
Started in 2007, the series, which has been postponed the past few years because of the pandemic, is back this summer. As always, it’s free and open to students grades eight through 12.
The Summer Band Conservatory runs July 11-14 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the College’s Gilliam Center for the Arts.
Organizers are asking students to sign up at https://tinyurl.com/uvawisebandcamp
The final concert will be held at 4 p.m. July 14 at the college’s Black Box Theater.
For more information, contact UVa Wise director of bands and music education Richard Galyean at 276-328-0235 or Rdg3y@uvawise.edu.
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Virginia Western student one of 100 national scholarship winners
Lukas Havenstein, a student at Virginia Western Community College, is one of 100 recipients of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s prestigious Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The highly competitive national scholarship will provide Havenstein with up to $55,000 a year to complete his bachelor’s degree.
Havenstein is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke. He plans to transfer to the University of Virginia and study commerce. This year, more than 1,200 students from 332 community colleges applied to receive the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.