Ferrum College will continue the tradition of providing family entertainment to the region with the new Blue Ridge Performing Arts Series.

The 2013 series begins this summer in partnership with the Virginia Commission for the Arts. A variety of talented, professional performers are booked throughout the next year.

The first event, a performance by Larnell Starkey and the Spiritual Seven, is slated for June 15.

In the tradition of the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre (BRDT), food, fellowship and education will be featured in the college's new performing arts venture. The BRDT, which made its home at the college for more than 30 years, closed its doors at the end of the 2012 season when its founders, Rex Stephenson and Jody Brown, retired.

Another scam has been targeting seniors in Western Virginia.

Seniors are receiving "robo-calls" from a company identifying themselves as "Emergency Medical Alert Systems," offering a free medical alert system, according to the Better Business Bureau.

The callers claim everything is paid for including shipping and handling and that the call is simply to confirm shipping instructions.

Consumers are also told they have been recommended for the product by a family friend or relative.

After consumers press a button to accept the offer, they quickly receive another call asking for personal information, including credit card numbers.

Franklin County High School's Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class got a first-hand look at the equipment on board Carilion's Lifeguard 10 last week, following a related lesson.

The helicopter landed on the pad at Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital, so the students could get a feel for a career on the life-saving aircraft. Students also learned helicopter safety.

The experience was part of the curriculum of the class, which involves technical classroom instruction, as well as field work, according to instructor Eric Newman with Franklin County Public Safety.

National Dog Bite Prevention Week is May 19-25 and Janice Minnix, Boones Mill postmaster, is reminding pet owners to help prevent the hazard of dog attacks.

Last year, nearly 5,900 U.S. Postal Service letter carriers were bitten nationwide, according to the U.S. Postal Service website.

That's an average of 11 dog attacks every delivery day, and that figure does not include the number of threatening incidents that did not result in injury. However, these numbers pale in comparison with the more than 4.5 million people, mostly children and the elderly, who suffer injuries from dog attacks each year.