ARC Federal Co-Chair Earl F. Gohl (left) and Charles A. Ford, Deputy Director General of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, today signed a new Export Promotion Partnership aimed at boosting exports from Appalachian-based businesses. The partnership will leverage the tools & resources both organizations can provide to help businesses in their exporting efforts.

Appalachian Regional Commission and the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service signed a Export Promotion Partnership that will increase exports in Appalachian-based businesses. The partnership will work to increase awareness about exporting among small and mid-sized businesses. Thirteen states are covered by this initiative.

Here is the press release from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Washington, D.C., November 15, 2012 — Charles A. Ford, Deputy Director General of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service (U.S. Commercial Service), and Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Federal Co-Chair Earl F. Gohl, today signed a new Export Promotion Partnership aimed at boosting exports from Appalachian-based businesses.   Read more »

The Virginia Information Technologies Agency announced that a hosting services contract has been awarded to SiteVision. They will provide hosting service and Software as a Service  to Virginia’s state agencies. This contract can be used by all counties, cities, towns, agencies, educational institutions and public safety providers in Virginia.

Here is the press release from SiteVision.

Roanoke, VA September 16, 2012: SiteVision has been selected as a hosting service and Software as a Service (SaaS) provider for Virginia’s state agencies, including all local government entities. The new contract is part of Virginia’s electronic government services program (eGov).

The Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) announced the contract awards with the stated objective of modernizing the Commonwealth’s procurements and providing enhanced value to the state, greater transparency, broader participation by multiple suppliers, and cost-effective access to best of class technology services. 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 »

The U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology will invest $212,800 in Genedge Alliance, a statewide manufacturing support program based at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville.

Here’s more on the announcement from the offices of Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner:

Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will invest $212,800 in GENEDGE ALLIANCE, a statewide manufacturing support program based at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Virginia.  Both Senators have consistently supported federal funding in Congress for the program, which supports industrial and manufacturing jobs by helping private businesses across the Commonwealth compete and succeed.

“I have been a big supporter of this concept, where high-quality advisors help small and mid-sized companies compete nationally,” said Senator Webb.  “The GENEDGE ALLIANCE manufacturing program is a strong example of a public-private partnership that will strengthen Virginia communities and invigorate local economies.” Read more »

The city of Roanoke has been ranked in the Center for Digital Government’s 2011 Digital Cities Survey for the 11th year in a row.

The city ranked eighth this year, for the second year in a row. Cities, towns, villages and city/county governments with populations of more than 30,000 are invited to participate in the survey from July to August each year.

Here’s the full news release from the city of Roanoke:

The Center for Digital Government has announced the results of its 2011 Digital Cities Survey and, for the 11th year in a row, has ranked the City of Roanoke as a leading digital city.

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The Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will hold two ribbon cuttings this week, for Elegance by Marivic and the Holiday Inn Christiansburg.

The Elegance by Marivic ribbon cutting and grand opening will take place at noon Wednesday at the Courtyard by Marriot, 105 Southpark Drive, Blacksburg.

The Holiday Inn Christiansburg ribbon cutting and grand opening will take place at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Holiday Inn Christiansburg, 99 Bradley Drive.

The city of Roanoke will hold an auction Nov. 7 for 28 properties that have delinquent real estate taxes, assessments for weed and trash abatement and demolition or board-up costs.

The auction is scheduled for 5 p.m. in the Jefferson Center’s Fitzpatrick Hall. Successful bidders must meet Bidders Qualification Program terms and all sales are subject to Circuit Court approval.

Owners must pay, in full, all accumulated taxes, penalties, assessments, interest, costs and legal fees by 5 p.m. the day before the scheduled sale in order to redeem any tax sale property.

Here’s the full news release from the city of Roanoke:

The City of Roanoke will hold an auction at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7, at the Jefferson Center’s Fitzpatrick Hall for approximately 28 properties that have delinquent real estate taxes, assessments for weed and trash abatement, and demolition or board-up costs. A listing of the properties is online.

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Vito Scarola, assistant professor of physics at Virginia Tech, has been named a Young Faculty Award winner by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

It is the first award given to a Virginia Tech faculty member since the program started in 2006. The program honors 39 young scientists every year and provides them with grants totaling $11.7 million.

The program is designed to familiarize research standouts in junior-level faculty positions with the needs of the Department of Defense and DARPA’s program development process.

Scarola’s research centers on quantum materials, and he will work with DARPA’s Optical Lattice Emulator program.

Here’s the full news release from Virginia Tech:

Vito Scarola, assistant professor of physics, was recently named a Young Faculty Award winner by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The program allows junior faculty members broad latitude to explore scientific advancement in a particular research area.

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The hours have been changed for two scheduled open house events at the Roanoke Main Library about Elmwood Park improvements. The new hours are 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 19-20.

The public is invited to learn about developing ideas for improvements to the park and offer feedback to the team of engineers and architects working on the project.

Here’s a news release from the city of Roanoke:

 The hours have been changed for the two Open House events the city will hold on Wednesday, Oct. 19, and Thursday, Oct. 20, pertaining to Elmwood Park improvements. The event hours are now scheduled for 3 to 6 p.m. on each day in the auditorium on the lower level of the Roanoke Main Branch Library. Citizens are invited to see developing ideas for the park’s improvements and provide feedback to the team of architects, landscape architects, and engineers who are working on this project.

For more information, please contact the Department of Parks and Recreation at 540-853-2236.

Roanoke will hold an open house at the Main Library, located at 706 S. Jefferson St., for the public to see developing ideas for improvements to Elmwood Park.

The open house will run from 5 to 6 p.m. Oct. 19 and Oct. 20 and will give residents a chance to provide feedback to architects and engineers working on the project.

Residents are also invited to take an online survey available on the city’s website.

Here’s the full news release from the city of Roanoke:

On Wednesday, Oct. 19, and Thursday, Oct. 20, the city will hold an Open House pertaining to Elmwood Park improvements at the Main Library Branch, located at 706 South Jefferson St. The public is invited to attend to the Open House in the auditorium on the lower level of the library from 5 to 6 p.m. on each day, to see developing ideas for the park’s improvements and provide feedback to the team of architects, landscape architects, and engineers who are working on this project.

Read more »