Blacksburg Town Council approved the fireworks permit for the town’s Fourth of July celebration at its June 10 meeting.
The permit states that the fireworks show will begin at about 9:30 p.m. on July 4 and last about 25 minutes. The fireworks will be set off from the Old Blacksburg High School site.
During the public comment period of the meeting, Samantha Livesay introduced herself as the new executive director of the Montgomery County-Blacksburg-Christiansburg Regional Tourism Office, which is funded by Blacksburg and Christiansburg town councils, as well as the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors and the transient occupancy tax.
A Montgomery County native and Radford University graduate, Livesay said she is “excited and grateful” to be representing the area.
In an announcement of Livesay’s new position, the county website states, “prior to joining Montgomery County, Livesay was the Senior Director of Business Engagement for Onward New River Valley. Before that, she served as the Community Relations Coordinator for Community Housing Partners. In addition to previously serving as Co-Chair of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce’s Ambassador Team (2018–2020), she has served on the Chamber’s Board of Directors since 2023 and currently Co-Chairs its Business Resource Committee.”
Livesay will work with Blacksburg Town Manager Marc Vernial, Christiansburg Town Manager Randy Wingfield and County Administrator Agnie Hill to market the region’s attractions and events, including museums, concerts, lodging options and more.
Also during the meeting, council set several public hearings to take place on July 8.
The first (Ordinance 2079) proposes the rezoning of .655 acres at Jefferson and East Roanoke streets from transitional residential to planned residential zoning, and the second (Ordinance 2080) proposes the rezoning of 2.8 acres on North Main, Kabrich and Progress streets, and Winston Avenue, from transitional residential and general commercial to planned residential.
Ordinance 2081 proposes vacating nearly 3,000 square feet of town-owned alley right-of-way between the 800 block of North Main, 100 block of Winston Avenue and the 900 block of Progress Street NW.
Another public hearing about accepting and appropriating nearly $2.4 million to the VDOT Revenue Sharing Fund was set for June 24, which Mayor Leslie Hager Smith said is a bit more of a compacted schedule than normal.
Additional details about public hearings set for July 8 can be found on the town’s website at www.blacksburg.gov. Upcoming events, several of which were highlighted during individual council members’ announcements, can also be found online.
