The hospice recently received the largest grant ever given by the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia.

Michael Hemphill
Michael Hemphill is a former award-winning newspaper reporter, and less lauded stay-at-home dad, who has spent the last 20 years becoming an entrepreneurial nonprofit leader in Southwest Virginia. He is the creator and host of BUZZ (http://buzz4good.com). Airing on public television throughout Virginia, BUZZ features nonprofit organizations and the marketing professionals who donate their time and talent to helping these life-giving organizations attract more donors, volunteers and clients to their cause. He can be reached at michael@buzz4good.com.
After drag show and racial equity event, Floyd arts nonprofit could lose county funding
One county supervisor proposed cutting the June Bug’s $4,500 appropriation after the board discussed their drag show. A second supervisor agreed, but cited the center’s informational booth at a local Juneteenth celebration as her reason.
Trademark infringement case forces Rocky Mount’s “Buddy’s BBQ” to change its name
A Tennessee restaurant chain has the same name, so Buddy’s BBQ in Franklin County is holding a contest to pick a new name.
Virginia Tech professors get $3 million grant to create monuments to untold stories across Appalachia
The professors will work with community groups across Virginia’s Appalachia region to commemorate the stories of peoples who haven’t received historical recognition. Six to 10 monuments will be erected by the end of 2025.
Dr. George Smith was a driving force behind community projects in Shawsville
The legendary Montgomery County physician died Saturday at age 96.
Son of Tuskegee Airman to share story in Roanoke
Only three members of the famed World War II unit of Black pilots remains alive. Gordon Smith has taken it upon himself to carry their story forward. He will speak Friday at the Harrison Museum of African American Culture.
Mountain Gateway one of three colleges to get state grant for planning lab schools
Mountain Gateway hopes to partner with Amazon to create a program for high school students from Alleghany County to Buena Vista to study computer technology.
Roanoke’s Film Lab after-school program is turning out student filmmakers
In just its first six years, Film Lab students have been accepted into some of the country’s most prestigious film schools, as well as earning three National Student Production Award nominations from the organization that hands out the Emmys and entry into more than 30 national and international film festivals.
Roanoke museum exhibit aims to get kids interested in construction trades
The Branch Group and Carter Machinery partnered with Kids Square to plan, design and build The Construction Zone as part of the museum in Center in the Square.
Old Valleydale plant in Salem to be turned into 300-unit apartment complex
Salem mayor says it’s the most transformative economic development project in city’s recent history.