Here’s a roundup of news briefs from around Southwest and Southside. Send yours for possible inclusion to news@cardinalnews.org.
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YMCA announces branch at Tanglewood Mall
The YMCA of Virginia’s Blue Ridge will open a location at Tanglewood Mall late this year, the nonprofit announced Tuesday.
The new Y, located on the upper level of the Roanoke County mall, will have more than 47,000 square feet of space, including pickleball courts, a wellness center, group exercise studios, a children’s programming space and a community gathering area, according to a news release announcing the project.
The Y intends to raise $2 million to build the Tanglewood branch, the release said. Bill Kirk, chairman of Associated Asphalt and a longtime financial supporter of the region’s YMCAs, has pledged to match $250,000 in community contributions for the project, according to the release.
This will be the sixth location for the YMCA of Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Other branches are in Botetourt County, Lexington, downtown Roanoke, Gainsboro and Salem.
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Youngkin makes state board appointments
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has announced additional state board appointments, including a number of residents of Southwest and Southside:
- Cybersecurity Planning Committee: Uma Marques of Botetourt County, information technology director, Roanoke County Government.
- Coal Surface Mining Reclamation Fund Advisory Board: Justin Bentley of Wise, assistant project manager, Tuck Mapping Solutions; Richard Davis of Jonesville, retired Abandoned Mine Land Project Coordinator, Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, Division of Mined Land Reclamation.
- Virginia Coal Mine Safety Board: David Dillon of Scott County, manager of training, Alpha Met Resources.
- Virginia Manufactured Housing Board: Mark Pressley of Wytheville, retail operations specialist, Clayton Homes; Jamey Young of Rocky Mount, quality assurance manager, Fleetwood Homes.
- Radiation Advisory Board: James Nunn of Blacksburg, senior medical and health physicist, Varian Medical Systems Advanced Oncology Solutions, assistant professor of health sciences, Virginia Western Community College.
- Task Force for the Identification of the History of Formerly Enslaved African Americans in Virginia: Cainan Townsend of Farmville, executive director, Robert Russa Moton Museum.
- Cave Board: Steve Ahn of Damascus, science teacher, Washington County Schools.
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Virginia Tech, Roanoke College offer accelerated master’s degree in agricultural and applied economics
A new collaboration will allow Roanoke College students who are working toward a bachelor of science degree to complete a master’s degree in agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech in just one additional year.
The program integrates industry and government issues with applied coursework in commodity markets, pricing and contemporary issues and responses in food systems, according to a news release announcing the partnership.
The master’s degree program is online and open to all Roanoke College students with a 3.3 GPA who have completed certain required courses. Students will not have to pay application fees or submit GRE scores to Virginia Tech.
Last year, the two schools inked a similar agreement to offer an accelerated Master of Engineering program in either computer science and applications or computer engineering.
