Good morning, Blacksburg.

Local organizers held the Empty Bowls Event in the New River Valley to raise funds to fight hidden hunger.

The event united community members and provided steps for locals to help neighbors in need.

Volunteers at the YMCA pottery studio crafted over 200 bowls for an Empty Bowls event that raised nearly $2,000 to fight food insecurity in the New River Valley - organizer Laureen Blakemore said the fundraiser supports programs serving about 500 people weekly in Montgomery County.

A developer ended its contract with Virginia’s First Regional Industrial Facility Authority by letting the agreement expire on Oct.

5, leaving nearly 475 acres available at New River Valley Commerce Park and triggering a transfer of $580,000 in escrow funds as the authority now seeks new offers.

Virginia Humanities announced $226,858 in grants to 30 cultural organizations with projects to preserve local history, including a Voices of Smithfield initiative in Blacksburg that documents community heritage through historical records and oral narratives.

Virginia Tech students in the Theme Park Engineering and Design club build model roller coasters and join design competitions to learn how theme parks work; they will visit Dollywood later this semester to see behind-the-scenes engineering in action.