Blue Ridge Area Food Bank reaches 1 million lbs in food donations

News to know valley graphic created by Royal Broadcasting employee Brooke Greene used by permission

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank reports by email that their 2025 Scouting for Food campaign has surpassed total contributions to over 1 million pounds of food.

This historic milestone is an 11,000-pound increase over last year’s campaign.

During this year’s campaign there were 52,868 pounds of food collected along with $195 in donations which would be enough to provide about 600 meals, in total all donations equates to just under 45,000 meals for people living with food insecurity.

Local Scout Troops from Shenandoah Area and Virginia Headwaters assisted in the distribution of door hangers encouraging donations to the food bank in an effort to end hunger across Central and Western Virginia.

Livia Marrs, a volunteer and food drive manager said “We are deeply grateful to the Scouts, their families, and the community. This year’s drive alone provided more than 44,000 meals, and together we’ve surpassed 1 million pounds of food collected over more than a decade. It’s a testament to the power of collective action, The Scouting for Food drive shows how neighbors can come together to help solve hunger, every day.”

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

Fall foliage forecast

Shenandoah National Park Skyline Drive sign picture taken by employee of WZRV/WFTR used by permission

In Virginia, fall is practically a statewide celebration , and it’s all about scenic drives, crisp hikes, and jaw-dropping foliage.

According to SmokyMountains.com’s 2025 Fall Foliage Prediction Map, peak leaf season in Virginia will hit between October 13 and 20, with some areas hitting their most vibrant just a bit later.

In Northern Virginia, colors are expected to approach peak by October 13, with the brightest, most vivid displays arriving between October 20 and 27.

After that, the leaves will begin to fade past their prime.

Want to track the colors in real time?

SmokyMountains.com offers an interactive map where you can slide through the weeks and watch the foliage forecast change across the country, a handy tool for trip planning.

Thanks to cooler-than-average temperatures and below-normal rainfall across the Northeast and Appalachians, forecasters say we’re in for an earlier peak and especially vibrant leaves.

Mountain areas, like the Blue Ridge, will turn first, often a week or more ahead of lower elevations nearby.

That means if you’re planning a leaf-peeping road trip, starting higher up could deliver a better show earlier in the season.

So whether you’re hiking Skyline Drive, winding through the Shenandoah Valley, or taking the back roads through Loudoun or Albemarle counties, October in Virginia is the perfect time to chase the colors.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

Bedford man charged in multi-jurisdictional unlawful filming case

Leesburg Police Department reports an individual who has been charged in a multi-jurisdictional unlawful filming case.

Police were notified of a male who filmed an individual inside of a Target store in Leesburg.

Police determined the suspect involved in this incident to be Tate E. Dietrich of Bedford.

Dietrich left the store prior to officer’s arrival.

Leesburg police identified four victims connected to this incident.

Multiple agencies including LPD executed a search warrant at Dietrich’s Bedford home on August 11th where he was arrested by the Bedford Police Department.

Detectives determined that Dietrich committed similar acts across Bedford, Roanoke County and Leesburg.

Dietrich is being held at Blue Ridge Regional Jail in Lynchburg, Virginia.

The case still remains under investigation.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

Flood watch in effect for much of listening area

lightning

A flood watch remains in effect for much of the listening area until 10 a.m., while a flood warning is in effect for southeastern Rockingham and northeastern Augusta counties until 11:15 a.m.

The National Weather Service says repetitive rounds of rain and runoff into rivers and streams could cause flooding, especially in low-lying or poor-drainage areas.

Officials recommend monitoring weather forecasts, being ready to take action should flooding occur and, of course, not driving through when water is covering the road.

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center needs food for patients

giving tuesday

The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center is in need of food for its patients.

If your garden is doing well or even leftovers from the grocery store would be greatly appreciated.

You can drop food off at  106 Island Farm Lane in Boyce any day of the week 9 a.m. to 5 p.m..

Native fruits and nuts plants are yielding fruit right now and the harvest would be especially useful.

Mulberries, bluebarriers, hackberries and serviceberries that are native to Virginia are especially useful.

Anything the native wildlife would dine on in the wild is very useful for the patients being rehabilitated.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.