NRV internet

Montgomery County and City of Radford Study Internet Needs

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – At the end of March, Governor Northam announced that both Floyd and Giles counties received Virginia Telecommunication Initiative Grants. These grants come from federal and state funds that have be designated for broadband improvement projects across Virginia.

Now Montgomery County and the City of Radford will be joining in the effort to make sure all the communities in the NRV have better internet connectivity. The two localities plan to conduct a study that will find areas that have insufficient internet service. It will also look into how to remedy those insufficiencies.

The NRV Regional Commission conducted a survey in 2017, in which Montgomery County residents reported insufficient internet speeds from Blacksburg (30%), Christiansburg (36%), and Montgomery County (48%).

Before making improvements, the localities need to understand exactly where the greatest needs are. That’s why they’re in the process of hiring a consultant to create a plan for both localities. Bids on the project were due in late April.

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development awarded Montgomery county a $30,000 grant to help pay for the the plan’s development.

Find more details from Jacob Demmitt at the Roanoke Times.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Project Wing Delivery, First Commercial Drone Delivery in US

NRV to Be Home of First Commercial Drone Deliveries in US

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by
VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY — Blacksburg and Christiansburg are the first towns in the U.S. where residents can have drone deliveries to their homes. Google subsidiary Wing is leading a project that will bring commercial drone deliveries to the U.S., starting in Virginia’s New River Valley. Wing received the same FAA and Department of Transportation certifications as smaller airlines. According to Bloomberg’s Alan Levin, the FAA is currently working on rules regarding “flights over people” as they relate to drone activity. Wing is currently looking for drone staging sites in the NRV and gauging interest of local businesses that might want to utilize their services. Read detailed coverage on this breaking story from Jacob Demmitt at the Roanoke Times: https://www.roanoke.com/business/drone-delivery-set-to-land-in-blacksburg-and-christiansburg-this/article_13af81c2-490e-5340-85b3-2279da2e85eb.html. Also see coverage from Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-23/alphabet-s-drone-delivery-business-cleared-for-takeoff-by-faa.  

###

  Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”
1901 Group Expansion

The Next Big Trend in IT

/0 Comments/in , , /by

VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY — 1901 Group recently announced that they will add 580 jobs to their Blacksburg location. This follows what 1901 Group Founder Sonu Singh refers to as “the next big trend in rural IT jobs.”

“Our goal of creating high-quality IT jobs clustered in rural areas is the best way to improve quality and performance for the federal government, especially as the pace of cloud adoption increases,” said Singh in a recent Virginia Business article. “Our revenue and headcount growth are proof that this is the next big trend in rural IT jobs.”

“Virginia Tech is one of many pipelines,” said Senior Vice President Brian Lubin in the same article. “It’s an important one, but it’s not the only one. … Draw a 20-mile-radius circle around Blacksburg, and there’s probably 50,000 college students that, in a lot of cases, have a technology focus in Virginia Tech, Radford and also New River Community College.”

Read more about 1901 Group, their presence in Virginia’s New River Valley, and their plans for the future from Tim Thornton at Virginia Business.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Blacksburg #4 Safest Town In Virginia

/0 Comments/in , , /by

VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – Blacksburg was recently named one of the safest towns in Virginia by SafeWise. This is the fifth annual Safest Cities report by SafeWise.

Crime rates in Virginia are below the national average. In fact, all cities had fewer than 1.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

Top 5 Safest Cities in Virginia

1. Bridgewater
2. Berryville
3. Vienna
4. Blacksburg
5. Tazewell

The safest city rankings are determined through FBI crime data, population thresholds. For more information visit the methodology page from SafeWise.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Amazon HQ2

Amazon HQ2’s Effect on the NRV

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – While Northern Virginia may feel far away, Amazon’s new HQ2 locating in Crystal City will have a major effect on Blacksburg and the entire New River Valley.

Not only will Virginia Tech increase undergraduate enrollment, but it will also add over 100 jobs in Blacksburg.

The entire Commonwealth of Virginia will be affected as the General Assembly looks to increase the “tech talent pipeline” by increasing computer science undergraduate degrees by 25,000 across Virginia by 2039.

Radford University is slated to help in this initiative as well, especially with the IMPACT program, which is part of the Artis College of Science and Technology.

Read the full coverage of Amazon’s impact from Robby Korth at the Roanoke Times: https://www.roanoke.com/news/education/higher_education/virginia_tech/amazon-s-impact-hundreds-of-new-jobs-higher-enrollment-at/article_103e28e5-e03c-5a24-b28f-5a7e5479e320.html

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

NRV Among Best of Virginia Aerospace

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – Several assets and locations in Virginia’s New River Valley have made the cut as some of the best of Virginia’s Aerospace industry. The accolades were published in the Fall 2018 Edition (current issue) of the Southern Business & Development Magazine.

Virginia Aerospace Rankings

The best places in Western Virginia for Aerospace included Montgomery County-Blacksburg and Radford.

Virginia Tech was also named one of the Best Colleges for Aerospace Worker Training. The Virginia Tech Aerospace and Ocean Engineering is the #5 program in the world according to the center for World University Rankings (2018).

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium, which Virginia Tech is a part of, was also mentioned as one of the best in Aerospace R&D in Virginia.

Click to enlarge the photo on the right to view all rankings in Virginia.

###

Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

Blacksburg Commute

Blacksburg Has the Shortest Commute in VA

/0 Comments/in , , /by

BLACKSBURG, VA – The numbers are in and according to Business Insider, Blacksburg has the shortest commute time in Virginia.

The average commute in Blacksburg is 13.9 minutes.

The shortest commutes in neighboring states include:

  • Murray, Kentucky — 12.4
  • Fruitland, Maryland — 15.7
  • Boone, North Carolina — 13.3 minutes
  • Paris, Tennessee — 13.2 minutes
  • Elkins, West Virginia — 11.4

    • Blacksburg Commute

    Business Insider used data from the American Community Survey from the Census Bureau. Data from 2013 to 2017, Business Insider identified cities/towns with at least 1,000 workers over the age of 16. It also excludes college campuses and military bases.

    For full list of shortest commute times in the state, visit Business Insider.

    Explore more accolades won by NRV counties, city, towns, and universities here.

    ###

    Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

    Blacksburg Mountain Bike Park

    Blacksburg Mountain Bike Skills Park Now Under Construction

    /0 Comments/in , , /by

    FROM TOWN OF BLACKSBURG – On February 18, Lynchburg-based Native Landworks began construction on the Blacksburg Rotary Mountain Bike Skills Park located on the back four acres of Brush Mountain, off Meadowbrook Drive. The park is expected to be finished by mid-April.

    The Blacksburg Rotary Mountain Bike Park is a community effort, led by Blacksburg Parks and Recreation, with funding provided in part by the Blacksburg Rotary Club and over 150 individuals and area businesses. The primary purpose of the project is to establish an off-road experience in a structured setting that provides various riding opportunities and experiences to the public. The park will include 3560 feet of downhill trails with obstacles to give beginners and intermediate riders the opportunity to learn how to maneuver on the terrain; while more advanced riders can work on perfecting their skills.

    “We’re very excited to begin construction on the mountain bike skills park,” said Blacksburg Town Manager Marc Verniel. “The park will provide an additional outdoor recreation amenity for area residents and will add to our wider region’s appeal as a mountain biking and outdoor recreation destination. This project is possible because of the community members and organizations that have contributed their ideas and funding to support the park’s construction.”

    For more information on the park visit http://blacksburgmtbpark.org/ or contact Dean Crane, Director of Parks and Recreation at dcrane@blacksburg.gov or 540-443-1101.

    ###

    Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

    Meld training program

    MELD Manufacturing Announces New Operator Training Course

    /0 Comments/in , , /by

    CHRISTIANSBURG, VA – MELD Manufacturing Corporation has launched a new training program that will give participants certification in operating MELD machinery. The 4-day courses will be hosted at MELD’s headquarters in Christiansburg, VA and attendees will receive both hands-on machine training and classroom instruction led by experts in the technology.

    MELD training course

    MELD Manufacturing Corporation’s patented and award-winning technology is a unique no-melt process for the additive manufacturing, repairing, coating, and joining of metals and metal matrix composites. The training course will review the history of how MELD was developed and provide participants with a deeper understanding of its material compatibility, application capabilities, and other properties.

    Participants will also be instructed on identifying required machine settings for the wide range of metals compatible with the technology and be taken through each step of the MELD process, from digital print file creation to deposition.

    “This program creates certified MELDers and delivers the capacity to integrate and innovate with MELD,” said MELD Manufacturing Corporation CEO Nanci Hardwick. “Our customers have raved about the elegance of the MELD process and the ease of training. We’re excited to offer more of these opportunities.”

    Class sizes will be very limited to ensure the maximum amount of hands-on machine time for each attendee. At the end of the sessions, participants will receive a certificate demonstrating their ability to operate MELD machinery.

    Visit http://meldmanufacturing.com/meld-operator-training/ for class details and registration for remaining openings.

    ###

    MELD Manufacturing Corporation holds more than a dozen patents for MELD™ technology, an innovative process for additive manufacturing, coating, joining, and repairing metals and metal matrix composites. MELD™ offers the power to build parts in solid state, thereby avoiding the issues associated with melting. The technology is also open-atmosphere, meaning no special vacuums or chambers are needed for operation. The MELD™ equipment is scalable and can produce parts much larger than similar processes. MELD Manufacturing Corporation offers MELD machines sales, contract manufacturing, and consulting services. Learn more at www.meldmanufacturing.com.

    ###

    Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”

    Nest Realty Publishes 2018 NRV Annual Report

    /0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

    VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – Nest Realty has officially published their 2018 annual report for Virginia’s New River Valley, which may indicate the start of a re-balanced housing market in the region.

    There is nothing to suggest that the real estate market will crash, as it did in 2008, but buyers might be re-gaining some leverage. Overall, the median housing price went up, and the number of sales went down.

    Nest Realty says the NRV housing market is “slow and steady,” which can help both buyers and sellers avoid mistakes. Read more about why Nest says the real estate market in Virginia’s New River Valley remains strong: https://www.nestrealty.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/2018AnnualReport_NRV-web.pdf

    ###

    Virginia’s New River Valley: Virginia’s New River Valley is an eclectic mix of interconnected small towns that each offer their own unique vibe and appeal. The region provides an abundance of cultural and social offerings due to the presence of three world-class universities, while retaining the charm and benefits of small town living. The NRV is home to a diverse and innovative business community with companies that range from high-tech startups to foreign-based corporations to specialty agribusiness. These organizations benefit from the collaborative spirit of our region and a loyal, highly-skilled, and educated workforce. The scenic beauty of the region also fosters a deep connection to nature, which is deepened by access to outdoor recreation and the preservation of our natural environment. It’s clear why Virginia’s New River Valley is “A Natural Fit.”