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If you drive through Fincastle very often, you may have noticed that the old Captain's Tavern and Bill's Seafood location is the site of a brand new Italian restaurant called Leonardo's. Botetourt County community journalist Cathy Benson has a little bit more info on her blog. Apparently, the new owners of this endeavor are related to the folks who run New York Pizza in Vinton. That's promising!

Out in Salem, there are plans for a new Mexican restaurant in the space that used to house Fast Freddy's. It sure was a shame to see Fast Freddy's go after so many successful years on that corner. But fans of Rancho Viejo will be pleased to see Jenny Boone's report here.

Prefer to cook at home? Well, check out the cooking classes on offer to the general public this summer at the Culinary Institute at Virginia Western Community College. That's the campus located at 109 Henry Street, behind the Roanoke Higher Education Center. The classes are $40 per person. Topics are:

* July 20, 6-9 p.m., "Sassy Sushi."
* July 24, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., "Mediterranean Tour."
* July 27, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., "Going, Going, Gone! Meals in Minutes."
* July 30, 6-9 p.m., "Party Panache."

To find out more about these classes and to register for them, go to http://www.virginiawestern.edu/bet/culinary/. For questions, contact Lacey Carey at (540) 857-6210.