The largest of the Tazewell County family’s pumpkins weighed in at 1,048 pounds.
Lindsey Hull
Lindsey Hull is a 2023 graduate of Hollins University, where she studied English, creative writing, and leadership. She is a published poet and is working on a creative nonfiction book about storytelling performances in and around South-Central and Central Appalachia.
Posted inCulture
Historic Buchanan Theatre prepares for a much-needed facelift
The theater, which opened in 1917, received $500,000 in state funding that will be used to upgrade the sound system, the stage lighting and the bathrooms, among other projects.
Posted inEducation
Virginia Tech student from Botetourt County travels the country as FFA president
Andrew Seibel ceremoniously pardoned the nation’s turkey at the White House last year and he hasn’t stopped moving since. Both his siblings have also held national FFA offices.
Posted inEconomy
A disaster caused by lack of water brought a flood of support to this Craig County trout hatchery
Smoke in Chimneys lost nearly half of its winter crop of trout last month due to low water levels. The Roanoke Valley culinary community has rallied around the Walker family to help sustain them through this devastating loss.
Posted inCulture
New marker will share the history of Roanoke’s Gainsboro Library — and of the librarian who saved its collection
The Gainsboro Library was the first public library for African Americans in western Virginia when it opened in 1921. Librarian Virginia Y. Lee made sure that its collection of Black history books remained intact, despite city opposition.
Posted inCulture
Lee Hunsaker takes her ‘Hoot and Holler’ storytelling on the road
Since Lee Hunsaker launched Hoot and Holler storytelling events in Roanoke in 2016, she’s developed a reputation as a “story midwife” who helps bring out the best in her storytellers. Next month, she takes the show on the road to Bristol’s Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival.
Posted inCulture
Apprenticeship program brings the next generation into folklife traditions
Roanokers Bernadette Lark and Alanjha Harris are part of this year’s Virginia Folklife apprenticeship program. They will perform Gullah Geechee gospel music Thursday at the Taubman Museum of Art.
Posted inCulture
Immersive documentary reveals Roanoke’s often-overlooked African American history
“Hidden in Plain Site: Roanoke” explores six sites in Roanoke that played key roles in the city’s African American community but are unknown to many residents.
Posted inCulture
With autism certification, Lynchburg’s Amazement Square seeks to be more inclusive
The hands-on museum has taken steps to make things easier for families dealing with neurodivergent diagnoses. It offers quiet spaces, sensory-friendly toys and a staff trained in autism awareness.
Posted inCulture
For longtime hot air balloon enthusiasts, Wytheville rally is about both soaring and connecting
Pilots from across the region converge on Wytheville for the Chautauqua Festival every year to fly their balloons and to see old friends. “First you get to know their kids. Then you hear about their kids’ weddings, and then you get to see their grandkids,” one balloonist said.