🌱 Downtown Improvements Coming Soon + Huckleberry Park Being Delayed

Hey, everybody! It's Friday in Blacksburg and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening in our community.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Humid; a stray p.m. t-storm. High: 84 Low: 66.
• Saturday: An afternoon t-storm; humid. High: 84 Low: 66.

Here are the top three stories in Blacksburg today:

1. The Blacksburg Town Council will be working in the near future to make downtown more pedestrian-friendly, adding more sidewalks and trails to Main Street. With help from money granted from the American Rescue Plan in 2021, the project will begin moving forward. The Blacksburg community was very influential in moving forward with this project as a survey was sent out asking how the $13.3 million in funding should be used and a large number of residents said it should be used to make pedestrian improvements. (Virginia Tech Collegiate Times)
2. The nearby opening of Huckleberry Park in Christiansburg has been delayed short-term due to global supply-chain issues. It is believed that this delay will not stop the park from opening for long. The new park will include several components including multiple multi-purpose fields, two dog parks, a splash pad, an all-inclusive playground, and much more. You can stay up-to-date with the status of the park by clicking here. (WSLS 10)
3. Noodles and Company officially opened its doors to the public nearby in Christiansburg on Friday at the Christiansburg Marketplace Center. The staff and managers are excited that they now have the opportunity to serve the community and give back after all the preparation ahead of the day. Noodles and Company will be featuring different noodle styles of pasta from all over the world, the most popular item at this point is the Wisconsin Mac and Cheese. Customers will be able to make their own pasta dishes or select from the list of pre-selected pasta dishes. (WDBJ)

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Today and tomorrow in Blacksburg:

Friday, June 30

• Friday Night Outdoor Concert Series: Redd Volkaert Trio At Henderson Lawn (6:00 PM)

Saturday, July 1

• Blacksburg Farmers Market At Market Square Park (8:00 AM)
• Summer Arts Festival Free Classic Moves At The Lyric (3:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• The Blacksburg Police Department is sad to announce former K9 Mika has passed away. Mika served the department for over seven years with her handler Officer J. Blackburn before retiring in November 2021. (Blacksburg Police Department via Facebook)
• Virginia Tech University continues to strive for greatness and thrive as the university has moved up 61 spots from last year's QS World University Rankings. About 3,000 institutions are evaluated each year globally and still, VT continues to stand out, receiving praises for indicators of international research, student employability, and sustainability. (Virginia Tech via Facebook)
• If you have ever had an interest in joining the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport team, the time is officially here as they are hiring for a couple of positions. The Regional Airport is searching for a new law enforcement officer as well as a new equipment mechanic. (Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport via Facebook)

You're all caught up for today. I'll catch up with you 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.