Because of the fire, Virginia 43 is blocked to through traffic between the Buchanan town limits and the Bedford County line, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Local traffic is still permitted.

For more details, click here.

We had a previous post about the fire (with a photo) earlier this morning.

Do you have photos of the fire? You can send them to us at news@botetourtview.com

We'll provide regular updates on this site. You may recall our coverage a few weeks ago of the fire on Caldwell Mountain west of Fincastle.

Traffic on I-81 was light today for the holiday and yes, gas prices in Botetourt have jumped above $4 per gallon as evidenced at Brughs Mill Exxon near Troutville.

On this July 4th Rachel Nichols proudly displays the license plate on her car-a 1976 bicentennial tag with the seal of Virginia. She got it in the fall of 1976 and put it on her brand new 1977 Ford T-Bird purchased from Webby Booze at Buchanan Motor Company. The plate has been on her successive five cars since. Though the plate is crackled, she has yet to give in to letters from the DMV asking her if she is ready to trade the tag for a new model. She may have some kind of record-- the tag has been on one of her vehicles for 32 years!

Rachel Nichols of Troutville, who runs the Apple Barns in the area, decked out in her patriotic finery displays her car tag from 1976.

On July 3 around 1:30 p.m. a fire was first noticed on Yellow Stone Mountain just north of Buchanan along Virginia 43.

As of this morning, the U.S. Forest Service continues to monitor the fire with assistance from the Buchanan Volunteer Fire Department and the Virginia Department of Forestry out of Pulaski. The fire runs just below the Blue Ridge Parkway. At dark last night a fire department spokesman said the fire was waste high in the underbrush and had consumed at least fifty acres.

(How do we do that? See below. And if you’d like to find out how you can advertise in The Botetourt View to reach all those households, click here for retail advertising or click here for classifieds.)

Whenever you get your print edition, you’ll see a couple things.

One, send us photos from whatever you’re doing on the 4th of July. And if you’re going to the Salem Fair this weekend, send us photos of you at your favorite carnival attraction! (By the way, we have video of the elephants.) Or, just send us photos of what you’re doing this summer -- or that weird-shaped eggplant you’re so proud of. Whatever you have to send us, we’re here at news@botetourtview.com

And now, on to our . . .

SPECIAL ONLINE EXTRAS

* James River teacher to search for pulsars at West Virginia observatory
* Kroger fuel center to open in Bonsack July 9
* Jim Dixon’s smart car an unusual sight in Botetourt
* Photo gallery from the Buchanan Carnival (which runs through Saturday).
* Another photo of Madison VanDuyne, who competed in the Miss Virginia pageant
* Another photo from amateur radio day
* More photos of the fossil found at the Boxley quarry in Blue Ridge
* Photo gallery of the Botetourt Nationals All-Star team. (Do you have photos of your sports team? If so, send 'em on!)
* Photos from the football camp at Fincastle Baptist Church
* Another photo from the pool patrol visit to Read Mountain Swim Club
* More photos of Botetourt folks taking about their 4th of July plans
* Photo gallery from Vacation Bible School at Fincastle Baptist Church
* Photos of the congressional art display featuring Nick Weirup of Blue Ridge

So how can you get your news or photos in The Botetourt View? Keep reading below!

May 30 - Damage to a cabin on Craig Creek Road.

May 16 - May 23 - Car Washes on Cloverdale Road had vending machines tampered with and/or money stolen from.

May 15 - Vandalism to a vehicle on Cabin Hallow Road.

May 12 - Theft of a utility trailer and generator from Traveltown in Cloverdale.

May 6 - Theft of vehicle parts on Spring Hollow Road.

We promised photos from the recent dog show at Blue Ridge Vineyard and Steve Jones has come through for us. You can take a look at some of the pretty pooches in this photo gallery.

Our previous post about the event was June 28.

So do you have photos from events in Botetourt County? If so, you can share them at news@botetourtview.com just like Steve did.

Katelyn McDaniel, our summer intern and Pool Patrol photographer, dropped by Read Mountain Swim Club recently. Among those she found there were: Rachel Simpson, 12, Allyson McClellan, 7, Emily McClellan, 9, Haley Davis, 8, Jordan Oyler, 12.

We have more photos from Read Mountain Swim Club right here. Earlier in the summer, Katelyn visited Limestone Park in Buchanan. For those photos, click here.

Do you have a suggestion on where we should visit next? Email us at news@botetourtview.com

Photos by Katelyn McDaniel

Monty Bowman has been playing the guessing game at the Buchanan Carnival for 29 years. He wins more than he looses.

Bowman who comes from Clifton Forge in Allegheny County is an auctioneer by trade but has made a career of guessing weight and especially if you get woman's weight wrong in the wrong direction it can be a touchy situation he has said before. He uses 140 pounds as his baseline for women. When he began years ago he used 110 pounds. Yes Americans are getting heavier! Wearing a headset and a smile, he entices the crowd with "cracks." Those are pull-in lines that make folks want try to fool him. When he looses he has a stand full of trinkets to award the lucky customer.
Bowman has a set of scales right at his stand and weighs folks on the spot. He also guesses birthdays, favorite colors, just about whatever he can to get a few dollars from the average Buchanan Carnival goer.

The carnival is winding down (it ends Saturday), so come on down to Buchanan and see if you can fool Bowman! He will be there waiting for you.

For more Buchanan Carnival photos, we have this photo gallery.

Our last post on the Buchanan Carnival was June 28.

"The Town was losing 100,000 gallons of water per day and the pumps were constantly running," said Mayor Tom Middlecamp. "They came from Buena Vista with special equipment he said that pinpointed the site of the two leaks near the Old Castle Lawn and Garden property."

Fincastle Presbyterian Church supports Botetourt Resource Center with a partnership.

RAYSAC held a team building camp yesterday at Camp Eagle near Fincastle. Campers are students that have ties to prevention clubs schools in the Roanoke Valley. They practiced team building skills in hopes that one day it will lead to a unified council of prevention leaders for the Roanoke Valley.

Jacob Crawford shows the others how to high step through the drill.

Over 90 players participated and the coaching staffs from all of the high schools and middle schools assisted. Here are some photos from ending night. The cool air provided that hint of football season around the corner. The church and Barkett-Allen Capitol sponsored the event and were helped by many others. Each camper got a t-shirt, goodie bag and football from the camp and some spiritual uplift as well.