The Palisades Wins Restaurateur of the Year Award

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Giles County, VA – Shaena Muldoon, owner and manager of The Palisades, received the Jim Wordsworth Award for Restaurateur of the Year from the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA).

This award recognizes an “Owner, GM, Manager, etc. for his/her extraordinary contributions to Virginia’s restaurant industry and his/her restaurant–and its patrons”. It is named for Jim Wordsworth who continues to set high standards for commitment to Virginia’s Restaurant and Tourism Industry. Shaena received this award for her creative and innovative work in the restaurant industry as well as her contributions to the community at the VRLTA Annual Dinner on October 10th in Richmond, VA. Every year the VRLTA selects winners for the Ordinary Awards to celebrate and honor all of Virginia’s restaurants, lodging establishments and hotels, DMOs, attractions, and more. A full list of all the winners can be found on their website.

Originally Pyne’s General Store, the Palisades Restaurant retains the unique features of its Historic Landmark building, including exposed brick walls, pressed tin ceilings and hardwood floors, in addition to displaying memorabilia from the Eggleston’s lively past.

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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.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

site selection; top metro

Virginia’s New River Valley Top 10 Metro for Site Selection

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New River Valley, VA – The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford metropolitan statistical area, known locally as the New River Valley, has been named a “Top Metro” for 2018 by Site Selection magazine. The 2018 rankings were split into three Top 10 lists based on population, including less than 200,000, 200,000 to 1 million, and over 1 million. Among metropolitan areas with populations less than 200,000, the NRV ranked No. 10 (tie) nationally with six new or expanding corporate facility announcements in 2018. The NRV has consistently held the 10th spot for the past two years. This past year in the New River Valley, six companies have announced projects that are investing a total of $405,702,500 million and creating 1,490 jobs. Published by Conway Inc., Site Selection delivers expansion planning information to over 48,700 readers including corporate executives, site selection consultants, and real estate professionals. The annual “Top Metros” rankings appeared in the March 2019 issue. In order to be considered in Conway Project Database, projects have to meet specific requirements. New construction must meet one or more of the following qualifying criteria:
  • 20 or more new jobs created
  • 20,000 sq. ft. or more
  • $1,000,000 or more investment
Office and/or industrial leases must have an investment of at least $1 million plus add 20 jobs or at least 20,000 sq. ft. of new space. Project also must fall into one of the following categories:
  • Manufacturing
  • Call Center
  • Headquarters
  • Data Center
  • Distribution Warehouse
  • Office
  • Research and Development
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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.” Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.
fall in the nrv

Fall Things to Do in the NRV

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New River Valley, VA – Now that the weather outside feels like fall, here’s a list of fun things to do across the New River Valley to embrace the season of Fall. Adventure around the NRV with your friends or family and enjoy everything it has to offer.

Pumpkin Patches & Apple Picking

Sinkland Farms Pumpkin Festival
Thornspring Pastures Farm Fest
Crows Nest Greenhouse
Apple picking at Doe Creek Farm

Fall Festivals

Pearisburg Scarecrow Festival
Newbern Fall Festival
Draper Village’s Fall Festival
Narrows Annual Fall Festival
Randolph Park Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular
Radford Highlanders Festival
Smithfield Halloween 2019

Oktoberfest

OktoberFest in Floyd takes place on October 12th at Chantilly Farm. This Oktoberfest Dinner Show provides an evening filled with traditional German music, great food, and brews! Family-friendly fun for all ages.

Halloween-Themed

Haunted House: Slayhouse
Halloween Spooktacular: 3-D Drive-In Movie
Backwoods of Terror
Hexed Haunted Attraction

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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.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

NanoSonic

Giles County Company Selected for VALET Program

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Two-year export program provides resources to support international business expansion

NanoSonic, Inc., into its two-year Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program. The VALET program assists companies in the Commonwealth that are committed to international exporting as a growth strategy. To participate, each business must meet both quantitative and qualitative selection criteria. Participating firms are chosen based on their dedication to growing export sales. To date, 335 Virginia companies have been accepted to participate in the VALET program.

“The VALET program, administered by VEDP’s dedicated International Trade team, is one of our most well-regarded tools for bolstering trade activity in the Commonwealth,” said VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret.

“This world-class program has helped nearly 340 homegrown companies to increase their export sales, contributing economic growth and ensuring that Virginia remains competitive in the global marketplace.” – Stephen Moret

“The VALET program puts participating companies on the fast track to international business growth by connecting them with the necessary tools for successful international sales,” said Paul Grossman, Vice President of International Trade. “We are happy to welcome NanoSonic into the VALET Program and look forward to working with them over the course of the next two years.”

Currently, the VALET program has 45 companies as participants. The program provides participating companies with export planning services and assistance from a team of experienced international service providers to help meet the companies’ international business goals. These private sector service providers contribute essential expertise to assist companies in executing export plans and include attorneys, web designers, bankers, translators, accountants, and freight forwarders.

The Commonwealth of Virginia exports more than $35 billion in goods and services annually. Exports of Virginia’s products and services to the world are vital to the growth of the Commonwealth, supporting more than 257,000 jobs and generating $2 billion in annual tax revenue. VEDP offers numerous programs to assist Virginia companies with selling into the global marketplace and has a network of international market research consultants covering more than 70 countries around the globe.

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NanoSonic, Inc.

NanoSonic is a Research & Development company specializing in the design and manufacture of innovative materials, especially new materials that are currently unavailable in the commercial market. NanoSonic has developed a range of polymer-based materials and services for the aerospace, defense, and electronics industries, and its clients include the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and NASA. For more information, please visit http://www.nanosonic.com.

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1995 to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. To accomplish its objectives of promoting economic expansion within the Commonwealth, the Partnership focuses its efforts on business recruitment, expansion and international trade development.

For more information on the VALET Program, visit http://exportvirginia.org/services/programs-grants.

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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.”

Floyd

Virginia’s New River Valley Claims Top Trending Mountain Destinations

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Virginia’s New River Valley – Two counties in the NRV were selected as the “Top Trending Virginia Mountain Destinations 2019” by Blue Ridge Country Magazine.

Both Floyd County and Montgomery County made it into the top five for the state of Virginia. Floyd County is quoted as “a haven of natural beauty renowned for small-town hospitality and for a vibrant, eclectic culture of music, arts, outdoor recreation and local foods, farms and spirits.” They highlight Montgomery County as “a perfect mid-Atlantic destination for getting outdoors while staying connected to town amenities.”

    1. Floyd County
    2. Roanoke County
    3. Montgomery County
    4. Albemarle County
    5. Culpeper County

The magazine chose their top eight locations based on increases in travel spending from 2016 to 2017 according to the U.S. Travel Association. Once the top eight was identified from the data, the readers voted on their favorite/hope-to-visit locations.

Virginia’s top five locations, make up a larger top 35 locations for the Blue Ridge Mountains. Click here to read more.

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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.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

broadband

Giles County Receives Grant to Expand Broadband

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Giles County, VA – Giles County receives grant from Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) to help bring broadband to the county.

The request for broadband from the citizens of Giles County has not gone unheard. However, due to the rocky, mountain terrain, building the infrastructure to host a broadband network would be very challenging and costly, until now. Thanks to the grant from VATI, almost $600,000 of the cost to implement a broadband infrastructure will be offset. The VATI grant was specifically created to help service providers expand reliable broadband to more and more rural areas.

The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) has been working for the past year to identify which areas in the county have the biggest needs. They found that residents living and working in the outlying areas of the county have been the most disconnected. In these areas the topography is the most challenging and the population is less dense, which means more infrastructure is needed to reach those families. With the help of the current service provider, Gigabeam’s match grant of $266,000, the hope is that by next summer, the new expansion of broadband will be complete. This project will bring reliable broadband connection to more than 2,300 homes and 60 businesses in the west part of the county.

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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.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

RIDE Solutions

RIDE Solutions Launch in New River Valley

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New River Valley – RIDE Solutions, a grant-funded program, provides alternate transportation options to those living in the greater New River Valley area.

RIDE Solutions is a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Agency “dedicated to expanding the efficiency and life of the roadway network and reducing the environmental impacts – air pollution – of vehicle emissions”. The ultimate goal is to connect individuals and businesses in order to reduce traffic, improve air quality, and support safer roadways. However there are many added benefits to those who participate such as social interaction, better quality of life, and increased job access.

RIDE Solutions

RIDE Solutions provides carpool matching, links to cycling/walking resources, and bus trip planners. Recently they launched a new mobile app which not only helps users better find and communicate with their ride shares but also allows them to receive points for logging their commutes. These points can be cashed in for over 2,000 different rewards at local and national retailers and restaurants. The new app even allows commuters to participate in long-distance, event, and one-time ridematching.

Not only is RIDE Solutions great for the environment, but it also helps you save money. For example, a commuter living in Blacksburg and working in Radford can easily save almost $2,000 each year by carpooling every day. Check out their map HERE to find out who is commuting near you. Plus if you use the app for events, like the upcoming Floyd Fest, you can save on gas and parking making your experience even better.

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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.”

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Virginia Broadband Grants

Floyd & Giles Counties Receive Broadband Grants

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VIRGINIA’S NEW RIVER VALLEY – Both Floyd and Giles counties received Virginia Telecommunication Initiative Grants, which Governor Northam announced on Friday, March 29.

Floyd County and Citizens received $348,018 for their Copper Hill project.

Giles County and Gigabeam received $589,444 for their Western Giles County Fixed Wireless Coverage project.

This funding will help extend broadband service to underserved areas.

From Governor Northam’s Office:

More than 15,000 homes, 300 businesses, and community anchors to gain broadband service.

RICHMOND, VA — Governor Ralph Northam announced over $4.9 million in grants through the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) for 11 projects within 12 counties throughout Virginia. The VATI program provides targeted funding to extend service to areas that are presently unserved by any broadband provider.

“In our 21st century economy, broadband connectivity is tied to every facet of our daily lives, from education to business to health care—that’s why making high-speed internet available to every Virginian, in every region of the Commonwealth is a top priority for my administration,” said Governor Northam. “This funding will help to close the digital divide in Virginia by putting in place the necessary infrastructure to expand affordable and reliable broadband service to currently unserved rural communities.”

Governor Northam is committed to ensuring universal access to broadband in the Commonwealth. The Governor’s broadband plan focuses on increasing access to these VATI grants which spur public-private partnerships to expand access.

The VATI program is a state-funded program administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The goal of VATI is to create strong, competitive communities throughout the Commonwealth by preparing those communities to build, utilize, and capitalize on telecommunications infrastructure. DHCD allocated grant funding to eligible applicants to provide “last-mile” services to unserved areas of Virginia. The state budget currently includes $19 million in Fiscal Year 2020 for the VATI program.

“Slow, sporadic or limited broadband services present significant challenges for businesses looking to locate in Virginia’s rural communities,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Through these grants, we are making another step forward towards expanding access to quality broadband internet throughout the Commonwealth.”

Projects were selected through a competitive process evaluating each project for demonstrated need and benefit for the community, applicant readiness and capacity, and the cost and leverage of the proposed project. The level of funding awarded is based on the infrastructure needs in the project areas.

An estimated 15,000 households, and 300 businesses, and community anchors will have broadband service available due to these grant awards, along with the public-private partnership involved in each project. Thirty-one applications requesting more than $10.9 million in funding were received. This year’s funding leverages $9.2 million in local and private sector matching funds.

2019 Virginia Telecommunication Initiative Grants:

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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.”

Downtown Narrows

Roanoke Times: $1 Million in Revitalization Work Slated for Downtown Narrows

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FROM ROANOKE TIMES – “Narrows is banking on Giles County’s abundance of outdoor recreation assets and just over $1 million in grant funding to bring vitality back to its downtown.

Project planning began in 2015, said Susan Kidd, director of strategic development. ‘We’d like to become a little more vibrant in our community and revive Narrows like it used to be — or maybe it’ll be something better.’

Downtown Narrows

Narrows received $699,346 from Virginia’s portion of the federal Community Development Block Grant program to do several public infrastructure improvements, from parking lots to trails to property acquisition. The grant will also offer owners of downtown commercial buildings up to $15,000 for facade improvements, if they do an equal amount of other qualifying work on their properties. Kidd said that at least seven such projects would be funded.”

To read the full article by Tonia Moxley for the Roanoke Times, visit: https://www.roanoke.com/business/news/giles_county/million-in-revitalization-work-slated-for-downtown-narrows/article_c4e5dced-42b0-5050-a02a-c8e92a29c5f9.html

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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

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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

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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.”