News Briefs

From elsewhere: Dominion proposes pilot to test longer-lasting battery storage. Buc-ee’s buys land in Rockingham County for second Virginia location. Ford pauses work on $3.5 billion battery plant in Michigan; Virginia had been considered for the project.

Danville to host second regional housing summit in October. Community-wide job fair in Danville set for Nov. 1.

From elsewhere: Mental health pilot program for Virginia schools shows early results. Bristol’s ongoing air monitoring program addresses landfill gas concerns. Dominion offshore wind farm hits next federal benchmark.

Blacksburg council candidates to speak at forum. Warm Hearth, Sustainable Blacksburg host home solar event.

Food City to pay $44.5 million in Tennessee opioid settlement. Blue Ridge Rock Festival attendees still plagued by gastrointestinal illness, health department says. Marking a first, teenagers approved as student representatives on Danville School Board.

Strauss lecture at VTC to focus on machine learning. Harvester to host Grace Potter in November.

From elsewhere: Virginia reinstates almost 45,000 people to Medicaid programs to fix eligibility glitch. Hotel revenue still up, but shows signs of softening. JMU agrees to move Virginia Tech football game back a year, to 2026.

A roundup of events in Southwest and Southside over the next week.

From elsewhere: Data centers added $54.2 billion to Virginia GDP over five years. Blacksburg partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build 11 townhomes. Montgomery County School Board certifies collective bargaining rep for teachers.

From elsewhere: Despite success, Virginia public-private program for early childhood care still far from meeting need. Dominion wants to test new types of batteries — one based on rust. Rare millipede in Montgomery County proposed for federal protection.