🌱 Community Rallies After Vandalized Jewish Sign + Robotics Event

Hello, everybody. I'm here with your Wednesday edition of the Blacksburg Patch newsletter, full of everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Partial sunshine. High: 52 Low: 29.
• Thursday: Partly sunny. High: 56 Low: 36.

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Here are the top three stories in Blacksburg today:

1. The Blacksburg community is rallying behind the local Blacksburg Jewish Community Center after the group's sign was vandalized with racist and anti-semitic words and symbols last week. The group's president, Eric Hallerman, said he first learned about the vandalism online, and by the time he got to the recently vandalized sign, he found a member of another local church already attempting to clean off the damage. On Monday, a local sign shop reached out to the group with an offer to create a new sign for free using material that would make it "as vandal-proof as possible." (WSLS 10)
2. Blacksburg High School hosted thousands of high school students for the FIRST Chesapeake Robotics District Event over the weekend. During the event, high school students from across the Commonwealth came together to compete with robots that they designed and created. In a video available at the link, a local high school student and an attending coach talked about the experiences preparing for the event and what it means to help prepare kids for careers in STEM. (WSLS 10)
3. Neighborhood residents recently talked about their opinions regarding the proposal to build 176 single-family homes on vacant farmland near Glade Spring Crossing. The proposal is currently under review by Blacksburg officials and the council's advisory board and includes a plan to redistrict 45 acres of the property to a planned residential district. Residents of nearby neighborhoods expressed concerns about the effects that the planned density would have on the surrounding area. (Subscription: Roanoke Times)

Today and tomorrow in and around Blacksburg:

Wednesday, March 8

• Storytime For Littles At Radford Public Library, Radford (10:00 AM)
• Lady Gaga Music Bingo At McClain's At Frist & Main (7:30 PM)

Thursday, March 9

• Jeep Club Meeting At Due South BBQ, Christiansburg (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Calling all job hunters! Check out this roundup of available job opportunities in and around the Blacksburg area, including opportunities in sales, retail stores, property management, and more. (Blacksburg Patch)
• Donate caps and gowns to support the 2023 Blacksburg High School senior class. You can drop off previous years' graduation gear at the YMCA at Virginia Tech during its Cinderella and Prince Charming Boutique or at the main entrance of Blacksburg High School between 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. (Sustainable Blacksburg via Facebook)
• Join the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony of Coffeeholics on Tuesday, Mar. 14, at 12:00 p.m. (Montgomery County VA Chamber of Commerce via Facebook)

That's it for today. I'll be back in your inbox soon with another update!

— Michelle Paul

About me: Michelle Paul is a Utah-based writer and photographer with a professional background in content management and registered nursing. When not working on projects ranging from photo editing to copywriting, they enjoy traveling, video games, and expanding their skills.