Good morning, Charlottesville.

Kroger is partnering with Feeding America to donate peanut butter to food banks across Va as 66 local stores join the drive.

Donations will support the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (a popular need due to its shelf life and protein) through Sept. 15.

Rowing for Responders returns to Albemarle County with a 24-hour event starting 10 a.m. Aug.

29 at Pantops Station 16 to raise funds and spark conversations about mental health for first responders following past losses.

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal will perform a free concert on Aug.

29 for UVA students at the green space at the base of Observatory Hill following the ACC Huddle broadcast from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Students need a N.C. State game ticket to attend.

Nonprofit Cville BioHub runs an accelerator at North Fork Research Park, connecting UVA life sciences students with local biotech firms including AstraZeneca set to open in 2030.

The program, started in 2016, tackles retention challenges and will soon expand outreach to middle and high schools (to build local talent).

U.Va. School of Medicine has named Bettina Winckler as chair of Cell Biology (appointed early August) and Nassima Ait-Daoud Tiouririne as permanent chair of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences on Aug.

10 following thorough searches with faculty input. Both leaders aim to boost research and mentorship.

The city of Charlottesville appointed Joshua V.

Barr as chief prosperity officer to lead equity–focused initiatives and expand community access and opportunity.

Bellair Farms in Albemarle County and Furniture By Design in Orange County have been awarded state grants to enhance local operations.

Bellair Farms will use its $11,000 grant plus matching funds to buy a refrigerated truck for better delivery, while Furniture By Design will add a new kiln and storage.

UVA Health launched Virginia's first robotic heart surgery program after completing a mitral valve repair using smaller incisions to speed recovery.

Dr. Michael E. Ibrahim said the program will add more robots to help further improve care for cardiac patients.

Rowing for Responders starts 10 a.m. Aug.

29 at Pantops Station 16 and runs for 24 hours to raise funds and promote mental health awareness for first responders following the loss of two firefighters plus organizers hope to spark supportive conversations among emergency workers.

Virginia Cavaliers coach Ryan Odom signed a new contract that extends his tenure through 2032 and raises his annual pay from $3.25 million to $4.15 million.

His buyout drops from $15 million to $2 million by his final year (reflecting his strong start with the team).

Peachtree baseball teams ended their world series runs last week with the 11U team finishing as runners-up in the Cal Ripken Series and the 10U team falling short in the Ironman bracket, showing strong determination despite tough challenges.

Albemarle County Parks and Rec has opened registration for fall middle school sports at all five county schools, offering tennis, cross country, and basketball.

Registration costs range from $75 to $90 with half-price available for students on reduced lunch (first-come, first-served).