🌱 Grammy-Winning Singer To Perform + VT Team Wins Silver In War Games

Hello again, everybody! It's Friday in Blacksburg and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening in our community.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Warm with periods of sun. High: 80 Low: 56.
• Saturday: Heavy rain and a thunderstorm. High: 61 Low: 40.

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Here are the top three stories in Blacksburg today:

1. Grammy-winning singer Cécile McLorin Salvant will be performing with her band at the Moss Arts Centers Anne and Ellen Fife Theater on Apr. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Salvant has won three consecutive Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album for three of her albums and has been called "one of the greatest jazz singers of her generation" by Rolling Stone. Guests can purchase tickets online here, which start at $20. (WFXRtv.com)
2. A team of Virginia Tech students recently won second place and $30,000 in a competition involving the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to play a version of Battleship. The group of four recently competed in the 2023 Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Development Challenge in Dahlgren, Virginia, and competed against teams from 10 other universities. Carnegie Mellon took first place, and the College of William & Mary came in third. (The Roanoke Star)
3. Virginia Tech student and pole vaulter Kenna Stimmel was recently named the Virginia Sports Information Directors Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year on Thursday. Stimmel also received Field Rookie of the Year honors. The new recognition comes after Stimmel was named the ACC Women's Field Athlete of the Year last month and finished fourth during the NCAA Indoor Championships. (Hokies Sports)

Today and tomorrow in Blacksburg:

Friday, April 21

• Horticulture Club And Hahn Garden Plant Sale At Hahn Horticulture Garden (8:00 AM)
• Spring Red Cross Community Blood Drive At Blacksburg Christian Church (11:00 AM)

Saturday, April 22

• Blacksburg Farmers Market At Market Square Park (8:00 AM)
• Blacksburg Fork & Cork 2023 At Historic Smithfield (1:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Check out the Montgomery County Public Schools' Approved Academic Calendar for the 2023-2024 school year. The calendar is available on the district's website here. (Montgomery County Public Schools in Virginia via Facebook)
• Mark your calendars for the used book sale this weekend! You can fill a plastic grocery bag for only $5 on Friday, Apr. 21 from 1-4 p.m., and on Saturday, Apr. 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Blacksburg Library, Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library, Va via Facebook)
• Keep using old items by getting them repaired. Don't miss out on the upcoming Repair Cafe event at the Habitat ReStore in nearby Christiansburg this Saturday, Apr. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Sustainable Blacksburg via Facebook)
• The construction phase of the Hand-in-Hand playground is nearing its end. Stay tuned to learn what happens next, and check out a video of the construction at the link. (Town of Blacksburg Government via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday! See you soon for your next 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.