Good morning, Blacksburg.

Historic Smithfield is holding its Annual Juneteenth Remembrance & Community Gathering today at the Merry Oak (1000 Merry Oak Way) to honor 200 enslaved individuals with remarks by Town Councilman Darryl Campbell, a name reading, music by the Blacksburg Master Chorale, and a potluck from historic African American cookbooks.

A recent Virginia Tech graduate is launching a new bar in Blacksburg, inspired by European restaurants (and his native Peru).

He plans to offer local patrons an elegant and sophisticated venue that reflects international flair.

Summer Solstice Fest brings live music, food, crafts, and a Kids Zone plus a Downtown Sundown 5K scheduled for today.

Vendors run from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. while live music plays from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Taubman will open an exhibit celebrating a key historic moment, inviting locals to explore an important part of our past.

The exhibit is set to launch soon — check local updates for further details.

May saw Bristol’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino record $24.18 million+ in gaming revenue that benefits 14 localities; Appalachian Power will install new equipment along Whitetop Road this summer, and a raffle with $250K in cash + prizes will support the country music museum on Sept.

13.

Gas prices in Virginia dropped below $4, with AAA reporting regular gas at $3.72 a gallon Friday (premium is $4.62 and diesel is $4.97).

Drivers in Blacksburg, Christiansburg and Radford can enjoy lower costs as summer travel heats up.

Nearly 500 first responders from across Virginia are training in Blacksburg this week to practice technical and medical skills in realistic scenarios.

The event also includes a youth Rescue Camp (43 campers) offering sessions such as scuba diving.

Reese was named head coach in Blacksburg while Kathryn Ha won the Donna Andrews Invitational Golf Tournament, and USA Cycling announced the Endurance Mountain Bike National Championships will return to Roanoke soon.

Nike Softball Camp at Virginia Tech

9 a.m.–3 p.m. — Tech Softball Park — $444 — Elevate your softball skills with professional coaching from Virginia Tech's Head Coach Pete D'Amour and his staff at a top-notch training facility.