Arts, Leisure and Sports
Landon Howard-VBR /G Marrano photo
The Great American Outdoors Act passed in the U.S. Senate yesterday with bipartisan support. The bill will help states fund deferred maintenance in national parks. Senator Mark Warner, a co-author of the Great American Outdoors Act, says President Donald Trump has expressed his support for the bill and expects him to sign it. Landon Howard, president of Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, isn’t sure what projects will start first on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but said the act is providing more than half of the necessary funds for needed maintenance.
The Grandin Theatre Foundation now says due to growing concerns “regarding the spread and proliferation of the Coronavirus” the Grandin Theatre will be closing down until further notice. The Grandin had not yet started showing movies again but patrons were allowed to come in to buy popcorn, and small group rentals were allowed. The 5th annual walk to the theater by West End Center students to see a film for kids had been scheduled for tomorrow but is now postponed to June 30.
Amateur golfers took to the links at several tournaments in the Roanoke Valley over the weekend. John Hatcher Ferguson won the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame event – held at the Roanoke Country Club. Ashnoor Kur won the women’s title in a playoff over Cassidy Chambers tied for the women’s crown. Meanwhile at the Valley Girls Junior Open,Herndon Virginia native Danielle Suh won by six strokes.
FloydFest 2020 was scheduled for next month but was canceled due to coronavirus concerns. Today Across the Way Productions has announced one of the headliners for FloydFest 2021 “Odyssey” – the Avett Brothers. The Avett Brothers first played at FloydFest 15 years ago; Kris Hodges says they will announce another headliner about once a month and some of the groups that had been booked for this year will be back in 2021. Hodges is co-founder of the two-decade old music and outdoor festival – he says most of those with tickets for this year’s FloydFest intends to be back on the mountain next summer from July 21 through the 25:
(news release) The Virginia Museum of Transportation Inc is excited to announce they will be reopening on Thursday, June 11th 2020. This date has amazing significance to VMT as it is 6.11 – the number of their beloved, iconic N&W Class J 611 Steam locomotive.
Governor Northam has released guidelines for youth sports under Phase 2 of his re-opening executive orders. They vary by sport, but administration officials say all rely on common sense. Northam’s Chief of Staff Clark Mercer said at Tuesday’s briefing the basic principle is incidental contact is to be expected, but intentional contact should not. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more: