🌱 Lynchburg Highway Billboard + Center For Entrepreneurship

Good morning, neighbors! It's Monday in Lynchburg and I'm back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in the community.

But first, today's weather:

A couple of morning showers. High: 72 Low: 44.

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Here are the top three stories in Lynchburg today:

1. Two Lynchburg business organizations have received grant funding to develop a Center for Entrepreneurship to support new and veteran entrepreneurs. On Mar. 14, the Alliance was awarded $240,000 from GO Virginia and $187,035 in matching funds by the counties of Amherst, Bedford, and Campbell, as well as the city of Lynchburg and the towns of Altavista, Amherst, and Appomattox. The project aims to help budding and veteran entrepreneurs get support from seasoned mentors and build community connections. (Lynchburg News and Advance)
2. Photos of fentanyl poisoning victims are now on a Lynchburg Highway billboard to spread awareness of the deadly drug. The youngest one on the sign is Jacob Robertson, who was just 15 years old when he passed. Earlier this year, lawmakers in Virginia voted to label fentanyl as a weapon of terrorism. Now, families are vowing to take a stand against the epidemic so one else has to lose a loved one to fentanyl. (WSET)
3. One city official is encouraging residents to come together in support of kids in the community following the shooting of a 16-year-old on Thursday. City Council Member Sterling Wilder said that they have been talking with Lynchburg police about how they can support the department in combatting gun violence. Wilder thinks change starts at home, and suggests parents become more engaged in their kids' lives. This comes after police found a 16-year-old shot inside a car after crashing into a utility pole; the victim was pronounced dead at the hospital. (WSET)

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Today in Lynchburg:

• Moonlight Reflections At Ledo Pizza (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The City of Lynchburg invites residents to the sixth annual International Festival Saturday, May 6 at Riverfront Park. The International Festival will be packed with local and regional entertainment, vendors showcasing cultural artifacts, and more. Learn more at the link. (City of Lynchburg, VA)
• Former Vice President Mike Pence is set to make a guest appearance at Liberty University for two invitation-only events Tuesday, Mar. 28. The events will be exclusive to students, faculty, and staff of Liberty Law. Pence is scheduled to participate in Liberty Law’s Ad Fontes ceremony, an annual event for 3L students and their families to prepare for graduation. (WSET)
• Lynchburg native Stuart J. Turille, Jr. was named the new county administrator in Pittsylvania County! Turille has experience in both the private and public sectors and has served in local government management in North Carolina and Virginia for over 20 years. He is set to replace David Smitherman effective April. (WSET)

You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow with another update!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.