Good morning, Blacksburg.

The ABWA NRV Express Chapter will install its 2025-2026 officers at a luncheon on Wednesday, August 20 at the Holiday Inn Christiansburg-Blacksburg, 99 Bradley Drive—registration and networking start at 11:30 a.m. with VP of Programming Louise Baker presenting a membership orientation after the officer installation.

Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment announced Thursday that it will lead a $2 million, four-year project (funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation) to restore red spruce forests in the central Appalachians.

The project will replant spruces and improve headwater stream areas (in parts of Va., West Virginia, and Maryland) to help these rare forests for years to come.

Virginia Tech led a project called sharkPulse that uses artificial intelligence and citizen science to scan online photos for shark sightings and create a live database of location data, timestamps, and species.

The project has validated over 91,000 records from 285 species and will expand globally — helping researchers improve shark conservation.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded Virginia Tech research grants on August 11 for brain imaging, safe water access, and enzyme studies in Blacksburg.

Congressman Morgan Griffith said the awards, totaling over $1.8 million, will boost the school’s research + expand medical insights.

Researchers with the Virginia Cancer Screening Research Network are seeking Virginia residents ages 45 to 75 without a cancer diagnosis in the past five years to join the Vanguard Study testing new multi-cancer screening methods for breast, prostate, lung and other cancers.

The study will last three years with surveys and blood samples—if proven effective, a national trial will follow.

Marquee Night Out - Classics Mixology Tasting

7:30-9 p.m. — B&B Theatres Blacksburg 11 with B-Roll Bowling — Limited seats — Learn to craft iconic cocktails like a pro while enjoying a guided tasting experience.

September General Book Club

6:30-7:30 p.m. — Moon Hollow Brewing Company — 10% off drinks — Discuss Tiffany McDaniel’s captivating novel, Betty, in a cozy brewery setting.