Its back again this weekend - the 68th annual Sidewalk Art Show

From the WFIR News room this is your Culture Calenda

With a look at some of the local events coming up this weekend and in the near future. Sponsored by the Roanoke Cultural Endowment. See more at Roanoke Cultural Endowment.org.  This weekend only - the play Land and Liberty - a Virginia 250 Commemoration - based on an the land grant that led to the creation of the town of Vinton - 4 shows this Friday night through Sunday afternoon. See bear theatre.com for tickets. Its also a fundraiser for the Vinton Museum.  The last Roanoke Symphony Orchestra event of the season is a pops concert at the Salem Civic Center this Friday night .... Nashville Meets the Symphony

Virginia Tech study finds pet dogs outperform humans in spotted lanternfly searches

Virginia Tech researchers say ordinary pet dogs may be better at finding spotted lanternfly egg masses than trained human searchers. WFIR's Ian Price report

Bedford cold case search, Roanoke school cuts & cannabis talks — Roanoke Valley's Morning News 6/10/26

Today’s Roanoke Valley’s Morning News covers renewed FBI activity at a Bedford County property tied to decades-old missing persons investigations, major budget cuts approved by Roanoke City Public Schools, and concerns about Medicaid funding under the new federal budget law. We also report on the Roanoke Parks Foundation stepping back from work with the city, Virginia’s ongoing discussions about a legal recreational cannabis market, a shooting investigation in Northwest Roanoke, and new gun violence legislation. Plus two orphaned bobcats at the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center, Broadway in Roanoke’s new season announcement, local weather, high school state tournaments, the Stanley Cup Final, and more sports from across the Roanoke Valley and Virginia.

Baby Buri author brings her illustrated books to Roanoke

Many parents know how hectic and disruptive it can be to bring a new child into a family with older children, where everyone - in this case the parents, a teenager and a "tween," are already in a groove. That's the setting for a new series of colorful illustrated books for young readers, and parents who like to read to their children. The author of the Baby Buri series will tell stories and sign copies in downtown Roanoke today.

Andrew Lewis - if you live in the valley the name is probably familiar

You've may have seen his statue outside the Salem Civic Center - but who was General Andrew Lewis? Lewis had been a loyalist fighting under Lord Dunmore - England's Royally-appointed Governor for Virginia - until Dunmore was a no-show on the battlefield. Here is WFIR's Gene Marrano with the first in a series of VA250 stories, In Depth."