Good morning, Blacksburg.

Animal shelters across Southwest Virginia are waiving adoption fees during Clear the Shelters month to help pets find homes.

The Roanoke center hosts a special event on Aug. 27 and centers in Montgomery and Lynchburg schedule adoption events through August end + invite community members to apply.

A local farmer said on Monday, Aug.

24 that support for locally grown food is key to maintaining a stable supply in Blacksburg + his advice stressed that buying local helps keep farms thriving.

Virginia Tech in Blacksburg has been awarded four research grants totaling $563,970 by HHS to support new tech innovations for human health.

Congressman Morgan Griffith said the funding will guide scientists+doctors+patients in improving treatment outcomes.

College-bound students receive back-to-school safety tips from AAA, which advises leaving valuables at home and locking dorm and car doors as classes resume while checking insurance coverage for adequate protection.

Local colleges are welcoming students back as classes resume today with safety tips for college-bound students, tuition promise programs at Radford & expanded tuition-free options at W&L while leadership initiatives support community engagement.

Owens Food Court now offers all-you-can-eat dining at $13 for breakfast and $17.95 for lunch + dinner as it features a new coffee bar and noodle offerings replacing Freshens, aligning with Virginia Tech’s updated dining plans for students.

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources announced fee increases for hunting, fishing, trapping and boating licenses starting Oct.

1 and introduced a new $10 fee for primitive camping on wildlife management areas, while youth, apprentice and disabled licenses remain unchanged.

Virginia Tech football players hosted a t-shirt painting event with Carilion Children's Hospital patients at the Beamer-Lawson Practice Facility on Sunday; a 10-year-old patient worked with safety Tyson Flowers as fans prepared to wear their hand-painted shirts at home games starting Sept. 5 against VMI.

The Hokies named their team captains yesterday in Blacksburg in preparation for the football season; local coaches expect the new leaders to guide the team on and off the field & strengthen community support.