Virginia Tech is headed to the Gator Bowl assuming Clemson can beat Virginia on Saturday and the Peach Bowl takes the ACC's No. 2. Sportswriter Randy King figures both of those are locks. He and Doug Doughty talk football and more in the Nov. 19 episode of the Sports TimesCast, our weekly college sports webcast.
Once again, The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com are offering our readers a searchable map and database of holiday lights displays in the Roanoke and New River Valleys -- and beyond. And we need you folks with the lighting displays to populate it for us.
Data dude Matt Chittum tells you how to do this in this entry on his Datasphere blog.
Junior center Beau Warren was listed as probable Thursday for 16th-ranked Virginia Tech's home finale against North Carolina State on Saturday at Lane Stadium. Sportswriter Randy King has details on his Insiders sports blog.
Mill Mountain Theatre has announced the complete cast of "Annie Jr.," a production of the beloved musical with the familiar roles filled by 35 students, ranging ages 6 to 18, from schools all over the Roanoke and New River valleys. The play will be performed Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 17-20 on the Trinkle Main Stage in Center in the Square. Tickets $10-$12.
Cast members from the New River Valley are: Taylor Dawson, Jessica Wollman and Meija Eller, all from Blacksburg Middle School.
Arts writer Mike Allen has more details, and the full cast list, on his Arts & Extras blog.
Sixteen-year-old Max Hiner of Radford has won a national competition for classical guitar. Music writer Tad Dickens has details -- and video -- in this post on his cut'n'scratch music blog.
The Montgomery County School Board meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. Here's the agenda.
Christiansburg Town Council meets tonight at 7:30. Here's the agenda.
You can hear the Met’s “Live in HD” program, — if you don’t mind driving to movie houses in Lynchburg, Danville, Bristol or Charlottesville. So why not in the New River Valley? Would any opera fans in the NRV like to see this? If so, weigh in on this post on arts writer Mike Allen’s Arts & Extras blog.
Virginia Tech moves up to 16th in the AP Poll, 15th in the BCS poll. Sportswriter Randy King shares his thoughts in this post on the Insiders sports blog. You can weigh in with yours, too.
Officials said today that Morgan Harrington, the 20-year-old missing Virginia Tech student last seen in Charlottesville following a Metallica concert Oct. 17, was hitchhiking on the Copeley Road bridge in Charlottesville the night she disappeared.
Investigators are confident based on independent witness statements that Harrington was seeking a ride with a passerby, according to a Virginia State Police news release.
We have more on this story from the newsroom of The Roanoke Times.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF MORGAN HARRINGTON:
* Nov. 11: Harringtons to appear on "Dr. Phil" show
* Nov. 6: Volunteer searchers now combing Charlottesville in Harrington case
* Nov. 4: Family seeks community help in finding missing daughter
* Oct. 30: Police say Harrington suffered facial injury at concert
* Oct. 28: Police say Harrington last seen on bridge in Charlottesville
* Oct. 26: Metallica adds $50,000 to reward fund
* Oct. 23: Video from vigil for missing Lord Botetourt grad
* Oct. 21: Police set up tips line
* Oct. 20: Police ask Metallica fans to check video and photos for images of missing fan
* Oct. 20: Former teacher describes Harrington as "genuinely nice person"
* Oct. 19: Missing Tech student is Lord Botetourt grad
