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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LewisGale Hospital Montgomery completes first phase of expansion for surgery department
LewisGale Hospital Montgomery has marked the completion of the first phase of a $16 million expansion of the hospital’s surgery department.
Construction started in February 2022 to add an additional 7,500 square feet to its existing surgery department including two operating rooms, a 15-bed post-anesthesia care unit, and storage.
The surgical improvement and expansion project brings the hospital’s total capital investment since 2019 to nearly $35 million, including a renovated state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization, women’s health service line enhancements and improvements, advanced medical equipment, and new patient safety and quality projects, according to the hospital.
The project also includes renovating 4,800 square feet of the existing surgery department, which will be completed this summer.
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Roanoke County sets six community meetings on update to comprehensive plan
Roanoke County will host six open house community meetings in February and March for citizens to provide comments on the Roanoke County 200 Plan, a major update to the county’s Comprehensive Plan.
More than 1,000 people have participated in the development of the plan throughout 2021 and 2022.
All six open house style meetings are from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
1. Catawba, Glenvar and Masons Cove: Glenvar Middle School – Monday, February 27
2. Peters Creek: Green Ridge Recreation Center – Wednesday, March 1
3. Bonsack/Vinton and Mount Pleasant: Vinton War Memorial – Monday, March 6
4. Windsor Hills: Hidden Valley High School- Wednesday, March 8
5. Back Creek and Bent Mountain: Bent Mountain Center – Monday, March 13
6. Cave Spring and Clearbrook: South County Library – Wednesday, March 15
Additionally, there will be two Planning Commission Public Hearings on the Draft Roanoke County 200 Plan, both beginning at 5:00 p.m.
1. Green Ridge Recreation Center – Thursday, March 23
2. Roanoke County Administration Center – Monday, April 3
Contact the Roanoke County Department of Planning at: planning@roanokecountyva.gov or (540) 772- 2065. In the event of weather, please visit the website or contact the department to confirm meeting.
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Tech’s Sands to hold public talk with entrepreneur Scott Hartley
Entrepreneur and author Scott Hartley will hold a conversation with Virginia Tech President Tim Sands on Friday, Feb. 24, at 10 a.m. about the importance of the humanities, technology, and leadership at a public institution. The event is free and open to the public. It will be held at Haymarket Theatre in Squires Student Center on the Blacksburg campus. Learn more.
Hartley’s appearance rounds out Humanities Week, a series of events sponsored by the Center for Humanities at Virginia Tech. The events explore the connections between technology and the human condition. Hartley also will participate in a panel discussion with Rishi Jaitly, the center’s distinguished humanities fellow, on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m.
Hartley has spent his career in the technology field, including at Google, where he helped launched Google teams in India, and later started two companies of his own. He is the author of “The Fuzzy and the Techie: Why the Liberal Arts will Rule the Digital World.”
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Governor’s Fire Service Award winners announced
Governor Glenn Youngkin has announced the recipients of the 2022 Governor’s Fire Service Awards as part of the annual Virginia Fire Chiefs Association Expo and Symposium in Virginia Beach.
Established in 2002, the Governor’s Fire Service Awards honor excellence in Virginia’s fire service and are facilitated by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs in collaboration with the Virginia Fire Services Board.
VIRGINIA FIRE CHIEF OF THE YEAR
Matt Tobia, City of Harrisonburg Fire Department
Barry Lotts, Riverheads Volunteer Fire Department (Augusta County)
VIRGINIA FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Meaghan Gruber, Loudoun County Fire-Rescue
James Parker, Town of Bedford Fire Department
EXCELLENCE IN VIRGINIA FIRE SERVICES
Ryan McGill, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
EXCELLENCE IN VIRGINIA COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION
Jessica Xenakis, Virginia Beach Fire Department