Good morning, Blacksburg.

The Kiwanis Club hosted a pancake breakfast on May 5 to bring neighbors together—further details about the event were not provided.

Metallica will rock Blacksburg tomorrow with nearly 100,000 fans expected to visit, and local businesses plan to boost services for the crowd.

Virginia Tech will also release a new collection of branded shirts and hats—supporting excitement for the upcoming football season.

Blacksburg native Emma Grace Woolsey was named Robert D.

Dryden Outstanding Senior in industrial and systems engineering at Virginia Tech — she will soon move to Arlington to work as a quality engineer for Appian.

Virginia Tech announced the inaugural winners of three new research awards funded by the alumni association—these awards honor exemplary work in early career scholarly impact, mid-career innovation, and engaged research with $2,000 prizes and plaques.

Sofia Killar, an outstanding senior in animal sciences, will attend Virginia Tech for a master’s degree in translational medicine so she can work in cancer research—she gained key lab skills as a research assistant and interned at a cancer institute while volunteering at a local shelter.

A list of college graduation ceremonies shows events scheduled from May 9 through May 29 at schools such as Liberty University, Mountain Gateway Community College, and Virginia Tech — residents can adjust their travel plans accordingly.

The list provides dates and times to help those attending or avoiding traffic prepare in advance.

Local mom Brittany Mallette shared a positive midwifery experience after giving birth to baby Shiloh seven weeks ago by choosing the hands-on care of Carilion midwife Holly Borkert.

Carilion has expanded its maternity services to new locations — now offering eight certified nurse midwives on staff to help more women access holistic care.

Virginia Tech researchers led by Taylan Topcu are testing a digital twin system to track health care provider stress and predict burnout using real-time data from local primary care centers.

The team will apply for NIH funding to build a prototype and conduct surveys to capture factors like fatigue — steps that could improve working conditions for doctors and nurses.

Paint Nite: Perfect Spring Lookout

6-8 p.m. — Rising Silo Brewery — $45 per person, supplies included — Unleash your creativity in a fun painting party hosted by The Heartworks Co.

Summer Flora Candle Making Workshop

6-8 p.m. — Beliveau Farm Winery — $41 plus fees — Craft two custom candles with summer floral scents while enjoying a relaxing winery atmosphere.