Good morning, Blacksburg.

On March 29th at 3:21 p.m., Blacksburg Police, Volunteer Rescue Squad, and Fire Department responded to a crash in the 200 block of Prices Fork Road where investigators determined that pedestrian Franklin S.

Zhang of Canada was on the sidewalk when he was struck by a vehicle and later died at the hospital.

Franklin S. Zhang died after being hit by a vehicle on the sidewalk at the 200 block of Prices Fork Road in Blacksburg Saturday afternoon — Blacksburg Police said the crash involved two vehicles and is under investigation.

The Milken Institute's report ranked Virginia's New River Valley among the top 25 best performing small cities in the nation, using 13 metrics like job growth and tech expansion — a result that underscores the region's strong economic potential — and highlights its lower cost of living.

Virginia Tech chemists led by Feng Lin and Louis Madsen developed a new imaging technique that shows the hidden battery interfaces where problems start.

Their findings, published (April 1st in Nature Nanotechnology), will help guide the design of safer and more efficient batteries.

Virginia Tech's associate vice president for engagement, Susan E.

Short, said the university values strong partnerships with faculty, students, and local communities (stating that these connections help solve real problems and guide research). She explained that the school will host an Engagement Scholarship Consortium Conference this fall to showcase its evolving mission and community impact.

Virginia Tech physics professor Giti Khodaparast was elected a 2025 fellow of SPIE for her work in multifunctional materials and service to the optics and photonics community.

She was honored alongside 46 colleagues recognized for significant technical contributions in the field.

Chris Smith has built Virginia Tech’s Office of Postdoctoral Affairs since January 2022, launching programs such as the Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship and Research and Innovation Postdoctoral Scholar programs to support more than 260 postdocs across Blacksburg, Roanoke and Northern Virginia. He also chairs the National Postdoc Association board and gave opening remarks at its March conference in Boston—an effort to strengthen the postdoc community.

Virginia Tech research showed that search and rescue dogs took longer and made more mistakes after facing frustration than after exercise.

PhD student Sally Dickinson led tests using twelve dogs to track their stress levels and improve training for faster, more accurate searches.

Spring Candle Making Workshop

6-8 p.m. — Beliveau Farm Winery — Ticket required — Craft two personalized soy candles while enjoying wine and treats in a spring-inspired setting.

Virginia Tech vs. Troy Baseball Match

3:30 a.m. — English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park — Tickets available — Watch the Virginia Tech Hokies face off against the Troy Trojans in an exciting baseball matchup.

Florida State Seminoles at Virginia Tech Hokies Baseball

1-5 p.m. — English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park — Tickets required — Come watch the Hokies face off against the Seminoles in an exciting afternoon of college baseball.

The Grass Is Dead: Bluegrass Tribute

8 PM – 12 AM — The Milk Parlor — $ — Experience America's original bluegrass tribute to the music of the Grateful Dead and beyond!

Bonsai Painting Night at Beliveau Farm Winery

6-8 p.m. — Beliveau Farm Winery — Ticket sales end March 21st, 2025 — Unleash your creativity while sipping wine and painting your own bonsai masterpiece.