Rocky Top Building Products in Rocky Mount and their companies have been acquired by Great Southern Wood Preserving, a producer of pressure treated pine lumber. Rocky Top has plants that serve lumberyards, home improvement chain stores and more in Hagerstown, Md. and Fombell, Pa.

Here’s the press release from Great Southern Wood Preserving. Read more »

More than 60 businesses will be attending the 2012 Business & Technology Showcase on Feb. 1. The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce will host the showcase from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Salem Civic Center Community Room.

Here is the press release from the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce. Read more »

The City of Roanoke has opened registration for their annual Leadership College. The program serves as a way for residents to gain knowledge about the Roanoke city government and how to better serve their community. Classes will begin March 21 and happen each Wednesday evening through May 16.

Here is the press release from the City of Roanoke. Read more »

JanSport co-founder Skip Yowell will lecture at Roanoke College as part of their Honors Conference Week. The free lecture will be held Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in  the Colket Center’s Wortmann Ballroom.

Here is the press release from Roanoke College. Read more »

Pamplin marketing student Kristina Kelly, marketing professor Richard E. Buehrer, and marketing student Nick Wells pose with Sam Basu, dean of the Cotsakos College of Business at William Paterson University.

Kristina Kelly, a senior in the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech, won first place at the National Sales Challenge. She also won first place in the overall individual competition and second place in the speed-selling contest. Kelly is from Vinton.

Here is the press release from Virginia Tech. Read more »

In a no-till farming system, crop residue is left on the field in order to increase the amount of organic matter, influencing nutrient and water holding capacity in the soil, and help to decrease erosion.

A free, no-till conference will be held Feb. 6  from 8:30 a.m to 3 p.m. at the Franklin Center for Advanced Learning and Enterprise in Rocky Mount. Farmers can get hands-on experience and gain knowledge about conservation tillage. The conference is hosted by Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Virginia No-Till Alliance and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Here is the press release from Virginia Tech. Read more »

Pictured (from left to right)—Virginia Western Educational Foundation Board of Directors Past President Jim Arend, Educational Foundation Board of Directors Member Michael Warner, Foundation for Roanoke Valley Executive Director Alan Ronk, Educational Foundation Board President Edwin C. Hall, Virginia Western President Dr. Robert H. Sandel, Foundation for Roanoke Valley Board of Directors Chair Jan Garrett, Foundation for Roanoke Valley Board of Directors Member Damon Williams, Foundation for Roanoke Valley Board of Directors Member Lucy Ellett, Educational Foundation Board of Directors Secretary Ken Randolph, Educational Foundation Board of Directors Member Sarah Tune Doherty, Foundation for Roanoke Valley Program Officer Michelle Eberly, and Associate Director Carly C. Oliver.

The Community College Access Program at Virginia Western Community College received a $50,000 grant from the Foundation for Roanoke Valley. The access program gives local high school students the opportunity to attend the college at no charge.

In an earlier blog post, we reported that VWCC is now accepting applications for the CCAP. Click here for more information.

Here is the grant press release  from Virginia Western Community College. Read more »

The Barrister Book Buddies program has entered its 12th year in encouraging reading among elementary school students. The Roanoke Bar Association along with Roanoke City Public Schools launched the program  which  places buddies in  classrooms once a month to read to students for one hour.

Here is the press release from The Roanoke Bar Association. Read more »

Virginia Tech’s online Masters of Information Technology program was listed as one of the best by U.S. News & World Report’s first  Top Online Education rankings. The masters program was ranked fourth for teaching practices and student engagement; 10th for faculty credentials and training; and 16th for student services and technology.

Here’s the press release from Virginia Tech. Read more »

Area high school graduates have the opportunity to attend Virginia Western Community College tuition-free. Students can now apply for the Community College Access Program for the 2012-2013 year. Deadline for applications is March 30.

Here is the press release from Virginia Western Community College. Read more »