Here’s a roundup of news briefs from around Southwest and Southside. Send yours for possible inclusion to news@cardinalnews.org.
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Daniel Donato, Andy Frasco lead Rooster Walk 15’s first lineup announcement
Country, rock, hip hop, Americana, bluegrass and funk lead the genre lineup for Rooster Walk’s 15th edition.
Cosmic Country bandleader/guitar phenom Daniel Donato and party-sparking rockers Andy Frasco & The U.N. led the list on Tuesday, for Rooster Walk’s first preview of the May 22-25 event near Martinsville. It will be Donato and his band’s fourth time at the festival.
Stoner-rap act Little Stranger, Rooster Walk stalwart Yarn, country-slinging Hogslop String Band, bluegrass-shredding ShawdowGrass and funk purveyors Cool Cool Cool were also part of the announcement. The Rooster Walk House Band — an annual conglomerate of regional all-stars — will make lots of appearances, though its lineup isn’t finalized.
The announcement and the ones to come reflect audience “wishes and wants,” the festival’s executive director, Johnny Buck, said in the news release.
“Luckily for us, our fans have excellent taste,” Buck added.
Rooster Walk will add more than 35 other acts to its lineup, including top-of-the-bill talent.
“Early bird” ticket prices are in effect, along with more festival information, at roosterwalk.com.
The Memorial Day weekend event at Pop’s Farm began as a tribute to two of the organizers’ friends, Martinsville High School alumni Edwin “The Rooster” Penn and Walker Shank. Its governing nonprofit organization has donated more than $330,000 to local and regional charities, including its own Penn-Shank Memorial Endowment Scholarship Fund for students at Martinsville High School.
This time around, a portion of each ticket sale before Jan. 1 will go to a United Way program dedicated to Hurricane Helene victims in the mid-Atlantic region.
Along with about 80 sets of music, festival organizers have planned for craft beer and food sales, children and family programming, arts, and outdoor activities such as guided fly-fishing trips, bike rides, disc golf and yoga.
— Tad Dickens
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VCEDA awards grant to agribusiness in Coeburn
The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority has awarded a $10,000 Seed Capital Matching Grant to Jordan’s Pumpkin Patch in Coeburn.
Seed capital grants are funded from regional funds received by VCEDA which are paid by the natural gas industry.
In addition to pumpkins, the new business also has plans to be known for its strawberries and Sugar Baby watermelons. The business projects three full-time and three part-time employees within five years, according to VCEDA.
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Roanoke County announces business grant recipients
Roanoke County announced $115,000 in grant awards to 13 businesses through the Economic Development Authority Business Equipment Acquisition Program Grant.
The BEAP program was established for fiscal year 2025 as a pilot program to support businesses in Roanoke County and the town of Vinton, according to a news release from the county. The funds are designed to help businesses acquire new capital to grow their operations. The award per business was up to 50% of capital acquisition costs, with a cap of $20,000.
This year’s BEAP grant recipients:
Children’s Castle Early Learning Center Inc.
Creative Occasions
Fit Studio VA Inc.
Fleet Feet Roanoke
Keltech Inc.
Stickers Plus Ltd. (DBA Magnets USA)
Optical Cable Corp.
CMKS BBQ LLC (DBA Pok-e-Joe’s BBQ)
Ride Source LLC
RND Coffee
The Hearing Center at Hollins Communication Research Institute (DBA Beltone)
Varsity Landscaping & Grounds LLC
William H. Moore Dentistry