Monday, March 22 through Friday, April 2
Noise alert: Steam ventilation
From March 22 – April 2, if the weather is unseasonably warm resulting in temperatures above normal, the university and surrounding community members may notice elevated noise levels in the proximity of the Virginia Tech power plant due to the steam venting process associated with the commissioning of the plant’s new boiler.
This notice is provided as a precautionary measure to inform the surrounding community of the possible need to vent steam. There are no immediate plans to vent steam during this period. However, if temperatures are unseasonably warm, steam produced by the new boiler may need to be vented, resulting in elevated noise levels in the proximity of the power plant and in the surrounding area.
Possible intermittent noise will be limited to normal work hours (between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.), Monday through Friday only. All efforts will be made to reduce noise levels as possible. The Division of Campus Planning, Infrastructure, and Facilities thanks the university community and local residents in advance for their patience and understanding. Questions related to the steam venting process (and during the process) may be directed to vtrepair@vt.edu or 540-231-4300.
Tuesday, March 23:
Radford City School Board meeting
The Radford City School Board will have a regular meeting at 6 p.m., at the School Administration Building. A copy of the agenda can be seen at www.rcps.org.
Wednesday, March 24, April 14, April 28, May 12, May 26
Hahn Horticulture Garden Virtual Road Trips
First stop on this virtual road trip is the Des Moines Botanical Garden in Des Moines, Iowa. Since travel restrictions are still in place, five gardens and arboretums are being brought here via Zoom.
The schedule for the Zoom road trips is as follows: March 24 at 2 p.m.: the Des Moines Botanical Garden with Sydney Algreen-Hunter; April 14 at 2 p.m.: the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center with Tanya Zastrow; April 28 at 3:30 p.m.: the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden with Brian Trader (VT Alumnus); May 12 at 2 p.m.: the Wisconsin Arboretum with David Stevens (VT Alumnus); May 26 at 2 p.m.: Lotusland with Paul Mills and Rebecca Anderson. Register online for these talks and a zoom link will be provided:
https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cumxRA4Mec96guy.
Tuesday, March 30:
Neighborhood meeting for Conditional Use Permit for Kent Square
The Town of Blacksburg has received a request from Aaron Harris of Pointe West Management (applicant) on behalf of Kent Square LLC and Pointe West Management Co. (owners). to combine previously approved conditional use permits (CUP 11-0002; CUP 11-0007; CUP 16-0002 and CUP 18-0002) at Kent Square at 202 and 250 South Main St. (Tax Parcels 256-A 115 and 257-C A 1) to increase the maximum allowed ground-floor medical and general office square footage in the Downtown Commercial zoning district . A neighborhood meeting to consider the request will be held on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at 4:30 p.m., in the Roger E. Hedgepeth Chambers.
Thursday, April 1:
One Good Mama Bone Book Club
Bren McClain, author of “One Good Mama Bone,” will be visiting library patrons virtually in April. In preparation for her author talk, a virtual book discussion will be held on April 1 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting ID is 810 1631 3691; the passcode is 570599.
Ongoing:
Head Start Enrolling
New River Community Action is now accepting applications for three- and four year olds for Head Start for the 2021-22 school year. Head Start offers a no-charge pre-school for income eligible families. Families may apply by calling the local Head Start center, applying online at newrivercommunityaction.org or by picking up an application form in person at the local center. Applications are accepted year-round.
The phone numbers for the three local Head Start centers are Christiansburg 540-381-7559, Radford 540-731-4107 and Blacksburg 540-552-0490. Anyone applying in person should bring proof of the child’s birth and proof of the family’s income such as a 1040, a W-2, pay stubs, child support income, money received from grants, and unemployment income.
All month of March
Grab-and-Go Crafts
All month of March, at the Meadowbrook Public Library. Call the Meadowbrook Library to request Take and Make Craft Kits, available for grab-and-go with curbside pickup. They are free but supplies are limited. Spring and Easter crafts will be available for pickup from March 22 through March 28.
StoryWalk
All Month of March, at the Christiansburg Library; Exercise your brain and body as you read and walk the trail. Begin at the library at the College Street entrance of Downtown Park. This month’s book is “The Big Red Barn.”
Teen/Adult Craft-Felt Smartphone Cover
All month of March at the Meadowbrook Public Library. Request a teen/adult craft to receive supplies to make your own felt phone cover. Supplies are limited.
Through March 31:
Keep Virginia Beautiful Annual “Shiver” Fundraising Event
Keep Virginia Beautiful (KVB) has opened registration for Shiver in Virginia, a reimagined version of its annual Shiver in the River festival that has been KVB’s largest annual fundraiser since 2015. Shiver in Virginia runs until March 31. Participants engage in activities including litter cleanups, recycling, trail cleaning, graffiti removal and other good deeds.
For a donation of $20.21, participants will receive a free Virginia State Parks parking pass with no expiration date. Participants will also have access to the KVB Mission Challenge website, where they can map the collective progress on the 2,021 mile path across the state. With each act reported, participants will be entered into drawings for additional prizes.
Virginia Tech Parking Survey
Virginia Tech has released a 2021 Parking Survey. All those who utilize parking and transportation in and around the Virginia Tech Blacksburg campus are invited to participate, including visitors and Blacksburg residents. The survey will close March 31, 2021, at 5 p.m.
All responses will remain anonymous and will be analyzed at the aggregate level. The survey should take fewer than 15 minutes to complete. To take the survey, visit
https://vtnews.vt.edu/notices/adm-evergreens/Transpo-parkingsurvey.html.
Through Thursday, April 15:
“ART GAWK: Selections from the Radford University Permanent Collection”
The exhibition is a selection of 111 works that range widely in media, artistic styles, and historical periods. The hours of the exhibition are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday from noon until 4 p.m. at the Art Museum at the Covington Center.
Through Saturday, April 24:
‘Unbearable Beauty’ Exhibit at Moss Arts Center
The exhibit is open each Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. through Saturday, April 24. The exhibit is a demonstration of the devastation human activity has wreaked on the environment. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
