June 30, 2008Photos of Botetourt Nationals All-Star team We have a photo gallery of 67 photos of the Botetourt Nationals All-Star team that participated this past weekend (and again tonight) in the Dixie Baseball tournament at Walrond Park in Roanoke County. This particular game was against the North Roanoke All-Stars. Left: Jack Anderson awaits pitch as Aaron Surgeon waits on deck. Photos by Jeff Marvin Do you have sports photos involving teams or players from Botetourt County? If so, you can share them at news@botetourtview.com Rare find at Blue Ridge quarry estimated at 500 million years old Boxley Aggregates today displayed the rare intact head of a stromatolite found last month in the Blue Ridge quarry operation. It looks like a turtle shell. Matter of fact, that is what Richard Benge the operator of the loader working in the quarry thought it was when he dug the fossil out of the cliff side. Ions ago the sea coast of Virginia was along the ridges of mountains in our area. "Stromatolites were among the first single cell life forms blue green algae and they ived in a colony," explained Dr. James Beard of the Virginia Museum of Natural History where the fossil is headed. When we first saw this last week, we were flabbergasted." He said prior to their development the atmosphere was carbon dioxide and they actually oxygenated the earth. Continue reading "Rare find at Blue Ridge quarry estimated at 500 million years old" » Smart car an unusual sight in Botetourt Jim Dixon who works for Botetourt County Public Schools in IT drives a Smart car. It's the itty -bitty blue car tooling off I-81 at exit 150 Monday through Friday. It is economical. Dixon says it will save him $125 per month in gas and it was relatively cheap. The Smart cars are sold out of Winston Salem, North Carolina and begin at $13,500. His has additional features-- satellite radio, sunroof and heated seats.The 1 litre, 3 cyclinder engine has a combo automatic/straight shift transmission and no clutch. The car gets about 50 miles per gallon on the highway and about 40 around town. Inside it is amazingly roomy for a two seater car. Continue reading "Smart car an unusual sight in Botetourt" » Amateur Radio Field Day 2008 They do it as a hobby but also for the safety of the public during emergency situations, they are the key to restoring communication and on Saturday and Sunday they practiced their skills at Charlie Draper of Salem on the radio and Darin Stultz of Blue Ridge set-up in the Command Center for Field Day. June 28, 2008Rare Stromatolite discovered in Blue RidgeRare find in local Blue Ridge gravel mine: Stromatolite is a viewed as a powerful crystal (or as a rock) by many New Age enthusiasts and formed from ancient blue green algae. Dog show at Blue Ridge Vineyard a howling success Last Sunday hounds and horses came to the show at Blue Ridge Vineyard. But the contestants were large and small from a Silky Terrier to an Irish Wolfhound. A Dachsund dressed as a hot dog won the costume contest. Our last post about Blue Ridge Vineyard was June 17.
Carnival Fun! Buchanan Carnival now underway through July 5
 The Buchanan Carnival got underway last night and runs through July 5. Nightly from about 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. These two children Chase and Brooke Spangler separate tickets--24 tickets for $20 and this ride took 5 each. Alex Webb searches for his daddy Vernon Webb. Our last post about the Buchanan Carnival was June 27. Continue reading "Carnival Fun! Buchanan Carnival now underway through July 5" » Daleville sees plenty of through hikers The Appalachian Trail brings them through by the dozens this time of year especially to Kroger, Outdoor Trails and Mill Mountain Coffee Shop. Many hikers are about midway on their trek to Maine. Continue reading "Daleville sees plenty of through hikers" » June 27, 2008Photos of Botetourt soccer players Fifteen current and former Botetourt United Youth Soccer Club, James River High School, Lord Botetourt High School, Northside High School & Patrick Henry High School players and coaches went to Jackson River Sports Complex in Covington for an all day "Friendly" soccer tournament on June 21. George Ewen shares this photo gallery of six photos from the day's events. Do you have sports photos involving teams or players from Botetourt County? If so, you can share them at news@botetourtview.com Students go to enrichment classes Classes were held this week at Read Mountain Middle School and ranged from Art to Spanish to Science to governmental law and a trip to the Chesapeake Bay for one group, but for the gifted and talented middle school students, it was fun to be back in school! One group tackled Censorship and the Internet. Karen Busher's class explored censorship and the Internet. Each student was given the opportunity to formulate an opinion on some of the content on the Internet that lawmakers and others have said should not be allowed. They looked at different sources finding Wikipedia to be an unreliable source of information. Because of their youth the know that the Internet can be a potentially dangerous and terrifying place for children who get into websites and chat rooms that are hurtful in their approach to children. Contacts come from story about the WWII friends Mike Huggins of Irvine California contacted the Botetourt View after our story on Fincastle resident E.C. Westerman and his long time friend from Pontypridd, Wales, Leo David who came to wish Westerman a happy 85th birthday. Continue reading "Contacts come from story about the WWII friends" » Buchanan Carnival starts tonight French fries, rides, funnel cakes and games. The annual Buchanan Carnival begins tonight at the town park in Buchanan and runs through July 5. Tonight's big raffle give-away is cash -- so don't forget to get some chances! For more photos, see our June 26 post with a photo gallery by SJ Carter from last year's carnival. The Buchanan Fire Department usually raises $100,000 during carnival week. They plan to make a donation to the Buchanan Resource Center as well. The ferris wheel is always a hit. Photo courtesy of Sharon Coleman. So what's your favorite thing about the carnival? Let us know! You can leave comments below. And if you take photos of this year's carnival, you can share them at news@botetourtview.com Lord Botetourt student has art displayed at U.S. Capitol Lord Botetourt High School student Nick Weirup has won a district-wide art competition sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke County, and now has his winning painting displayed at the U.S. Capitol. The painting -- "The Girl Behind the Barn Door" -- is the one above Weirup and Goodlatte in this photo. For a close-up, plus a look at artwork from other congressional districts, click here and follow the link to Virginia. The press release from Goodlatte's office on the contest follows: Continue reading "Lord Botetourt student has art displayed at U.S. Capitol" » Free football camp for ages 6-12 Sunday through Tuesday Fincastle Baptist Church will hold its football camp Sunday June 29- July from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mitchell and Cort Clark at the recent James River High School football camp. Our last post about Fincastle Baptist Church was June 26. June 26, 2008An online guide to the June 27 print edition of The Botetourt ViewCan you believe June is almost over? Our latest issue of The Botetourt View comes out Friday, destined to reach more than 90 percent of the households in Botetourt County. (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.) Meanwhile, in the June 27 issue, you’ll see several places where we direct folks online for more photos or other coverage. Here’s a guide to our . . . SPECIAL ONLINE EXTRAS * Photo gallery (and more!) of the Caldwell Mountain fire (You'll see we posted updates multiple times a day when the fire was at its height -- but we always update this site multiple times each weekday, sometimes even weekend, even when there isn't a big fire going on, so you can think of this as daily coverage of Botetourt County.) Finally, some shout-outs: Send us your summer photos! Click here to find out more. And high school grads, you can still write your graduation blurb about your plans and we’ll publish it for free. Click here to find out more about that. Want to find out how to get other news and photos in The Botetourt View? Keep reading below! Continue reading "An online guide to the June 27 print edition of The Botetourt View" » Buchanan Carnival starts Friday, runs through July 5 The annual Buchanan Carnival kicks of Friday -- and runs each night from around 6ish until 11 p.m. SJ Carter has graced us with a gorgeous photo gallery of 17 shots from last year's carnival. If you go to this year's carnival and take photos, you can share them at news@botetourtview.com Or maybe you want to tell us what your favorite part of the carnival is? You can leave comments below. For more information on the carnival, including the line-up of musical events, see the story we did in the June 20 issue of The Botetourt View. Fincastle Baptist's Vacation Bible School draws more than 270 to Cactus Canyon
Cody Codgill preps to take the zip line across the field with the help of Andrea Wilson and Tom Turner at Cactus Canyon Bible School at Fincastle Baptist Church. Continue reading "Fincastle Baptist's Vacation Bible School draws more than 270 to Cactus Canyon" » Botetourt residents are happy with the county but worry about growthBotetourt County conducted a citizen satisfaction survey and the results were presented Dr. Harry Wilson of Roanoke College, who conducted the survey, presented the results. The survey interviewed 308 residents and believe them to be representative of the population. He said, "The results were extremely positive. Residents are really happy to live here. Most everyone sited they were happy with the schools and the county employees, the quality of life." He said 2/3 of those surveyed felt they get their tax dollars worth in county services and 3/4 believe that county employees are good to excellent. Growth has been the dominating concern for the next five years and has been each of the three tri-annual surveys. Future priority focus he said for citizens were: growth and growth management, education and public safety. Citizens stated they were currently happy with the later two. What are you doing for the 4th of July? That's what we asked 11 Botetourt residents. You can check 'em out in our photo gallery. Lauren Coleman (left) said she always goes to the fireworks at Breckenridge Elementary in Fincastle: "It's not a bunch of people. It's more like a small community event." Others we talked to were: Katie Jones, Chris Hoy, Mikayla and Hannah Palmer, Paige Klasing, Brenda McClean, Kelly Bailey, Deborah Carter, Bob Fagg, Vernon Webb. So what are you doing? Click "comments" below! June 25, 2008Farm Bureau opens new building Farm Bureau officials happily cut the ribbon on their new building The ribbons are cut and Farm Bureau has spent to day feeding hot dogs and meatballs to the public in celebration of the new office building on Roanoke Road north of Daleville. Out on Roanoke Road on US 220 north near Ashley Plantation, Farm Bureau has had a building for many years. Last year it began construction of a new building and today, had a ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate the new building. Farm Bureau is the largest group insurer in the Virginia Anthem system and provides home and auto insurance as well to thousands of Virginians. It also helps with many facets of farming including Young Farmer groups. The public rolled into the parking lot and dined on hot dogs, chips and drinks and farm decorated cakes. They offered the famous Farm Bureau BBQ meatballs as an appetizer as well.Freebies like cups, pens and pads were given under a tent and door prizes including gas and meal cards. Reading programs very different between the high schools While James River High School students read "Rocket Boys" by Homer Hickam, technology oriented Lord Botetourt will have high school students reading on the web every thing from safety instructions to English assignments. The block schedule presented a summer reading dilemma, said Dr. Joni Poff who is supervisor for secondary instruction. She said they think they have come up with satisfactory reading programs for the summer on the high school level. Lord Botetourt High School students read around a maple tree in front of the school this spring. Photo courtesy of Jackie Newman Continue reading "Reading programs very different between the high schools" » Eagle Rock Library plans approved Librarian Steve Vest and architect Glenn Reynolds with the final Eagle Rock Library design. At the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday June 25 at Greenfield Technology Center, the final plans for the new Eagle Rock were approved. Glenn Reynolds of Reynolds and Associates (they have designed most of the area libraries) brought forth renderings of the parking lot, interior plans and a finalized exterior plan for the new building. As County Administrator Jerry Burgess stated, "is just a little behind schedule." The building will be 9,576 square feet with a meeting room and a computer lab plus computers spread through out the building for a total of 18 computers. There will be 72 parking spaces in the lot and two full time employees and two-part-time on tap for the building. June 24, 2008Terrific Tuesday It's Terrific Tuesday. So whats new in your neck of the woods? It seems we have a sixth supervisor as Chairman Don Assaid asks citizen Bob Bagnoli of Daleville his opinion from the floor in non public hearing situations. I find that amusing. Bagnoli is a nice fellow, but we haven't elected him to anything. I might need to move to the front row -- I have a lot of opinions that I would like share, too. LOL. Hey -- The Botetourt View's Terrific Tuesday column made it on best-selling author David Baldacci's website under "on the the web" for our summer book list from last week. I went to Smith Mountain Lake and met him in late April when he signed "The Whole Truth" for me. I have a picture of us together on my cell phone. I found the Stone Coal fire mesmerizing, too and it was only two miles from the house. I do not miss the smoke however. Did anyone besides me see the flock of about 20 white doves -- not pigeons -- flying through Daleville yesterday? Is there a race on, a big wedding? Someone let me know. I spent time at the Board of Supervisors meeting today. We have a brand new library coming soon to Eagle Rock (look for the blog tomorrow) and a new trash transfer station coming to the landfill (see today's blog.) We will not have a Walgreens coming to Daleville. Thus turns the wheels of county government. I think I had not been to one of these meetings in almost a year. Supervisors say no to Walgreens rezoning The proposal to rezone two pieces of property on the corner of Catawba Road and US 220 in Daleville for a Walgreens came to the Board of Supervisors today. After discussion that revolved around traffic and the real need for one more drug store, the supervisors voted 3-2 against rezoning for the project. Supervisors say Walgreens will not be at the corner of Catawba Road and US 220. Continue reading "Supervisors say no to Walgreens rezoning" » Photos of Botetourt contestant in the Miss Virginia pageant The Miss Virginia pageant got underway Monday night -- well, the festivities anyway, the actual competition won't begin until Thursday night. One of the contestants this year is Madison VanDuyne of Fincastle -- and also Miss Apple Blossom Festival. Here she is at an opening night dance; that's Bootie Chewning, the pageant president on the right. Below is another photo from Monday's events. We had a previous post about Madison VanDuyne on June 17 -- with a link to a "people's choice" contest the pageant is running, so you can click and maybe pick her to make the final round on Saturday night. Photos by Josh Meltzer Continue reading "Photos of Botetourt contestant in the Miss Virginia pageant" » Trash transfer site for citizens gets approval The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors passed a motion today to give the go ahead for bids for the new Citizen Convenience Center or trash transfer site at the current landfill which is almost full. Trash will be brought to the site and transported to Salem. On the left of the above picture, the Recycling Center will come off the road to the right at the top of the hill. It will be spacious and comfortable said Public Works Director Ron Smith. The Scales House for weighing will be relocated to the hill and be central to both the Convenience Center (at the far right in the picture) and the Recycling Center with road entries on both sides of the Scales House (in the middle of the picture). In real time, the road will meander off to the left to the site where citizens will dump their trash at the Convenience Center. Commercial haulers will go behind the structure so the two groups have different places to dispose of trash. The firm of Thompson and Litton has designed the above pictured rendering of how the new transfer site will be arranged. The project is scheduled for completion in 2009. Continue reading "Trash transfer site for citizens gets approval" » Fire dies down, but burn pattern visible on Caldwell Mountain Tuesday, 9:45 a.m.: The Stone Coal Fire remnant died down last night on the eastern slope of Caldwell Mountain, but the burn pattern showed in the morning sunlight from last week's Stone Coal fire. Forecast weather conditions of low humidity and brisk wind may stir the fire again today. U.S. Forest Service officials are keeping watch on the movement, if any, of the smoldering fire. Cattle graze in the foreground as a puff of smoke rises from a knob on the eastern slope. The reddish areas along the ridges show the fire's path on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before rains fell on the blaze over the weekend. The Stone Coal fire has burned about 820 acres on Caldwell Mountain in western Botetourt County. We have a photo gallery of fire scenes before and after dark on Friday. Photos by SJ Carter. We've also had previous posts about the fire (most with photos): Will Walgreens be approved today? Botetourt County Board of Supervisors will receive recommendations from the Planning Commission today to approve the proposed Walgreens at the corner of US 220 North and Catawba Road in Daleville. The position narrowly passed 2-1 in the June 9 Planning Commission meeting. Public opposition due to traffic and concerns over a daycare center on the lot were voiced at that meeting. Catawba Corner LLC has proffered road improvements on both US 220 and Catawba Road for the re-zoning of two lots including Barbara H. Goad and one to Botetourt Warehouse Associates from M-1 industrial to B-2 business as part of purchase the properties and combine them with the Pauley property on the corner of Catawba Road and US 220 South . The combination would form a B-2 site for the proposed Walgreen’s and be purchased by Catawba Corner LLC. The public hearing will be held today at 1:30 p.m. at Greenfield Education and Technical Center. What do you think about the proposal? You can click "comments" below. Jordan Hoover selected for Governor's School of Humanities Jordan Hoover of Troutville, a rising senior at James River High School, has been selected to attend the Governor's School for Humanities at the University of Richmond June 29-July 26. The intensive four-week program of classes, workshops, field trips and special events is designed to encourage student's growth as well as to challenge them to achieve personal excellence in their fields. Our last post about James River High School was June 13. June 23, 2008Caldwell Mountain fire flares up again Monday, 7:50 p.m.: This afternoon's stiff breezes and dry conditions have proven to be right for the re-kindling of at least a small fire on the side of Caldwell Mountain again. This area of knob on the eastern slope nears Lee's Gap had burned Friday night and Saturday before thunderstorms brought rain on Saturday and Sunday. Meanwhile, U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Barb Walker issued this update: Restrictions/Closures: General Information: Today, crews improved the containment line on the south corner of the fire, where a small amount of flame and smoke continues to occur. Fire activity may increase again in a few days as temperatures rise and fuels dry out. Crews will continue to monitor the fire daily until it is out. The fire is entirely on national forest. If you have photos of the smoke rising from the mountain, you can share them at news@botetourtview.com We have a photo gallery of fire scenes before and after dark on Friday. Photos by SJ Carter. We've also had previous posts about the fire (most with photos): Photos from Troutville Elementary Arts Night We're still getting in photos from end-of-the-year activities at school and we're still happy to share them. Here are some that Jane Wolfe has sent us from Arts Night at Troutville Elementary. Jane tells us: "Music, Drama and Visual Arts were showcased three different ways. Artwork from PTA-sponsored art class for children in grades K-2 was proudly displayed for all to admire. Shown here are the musical and dramatic components with the fourth grade performing a concert on recorders and the Drama Club getting silly after their hilarious performance of Little Red Writing Hood. Many thanks to the Drama Club sponsor, Kim Trask, music teacher and chorus sponsor, Beth Radford and K-2 art teachers Carla McCabe and Lee Pembroke. Kudos to all the parents and volunteers who made this fantastic event possible." Left: The cast of Little Red Writing Hood. Below: A musical performance. And dig the shades! Do you have photos to share? You can send them to us at news@botetourtview.com Continue reading "Photos from Troutville Elementary Arts Night" » Godwin Cottage contents auctioned Saturday The pineapple bed in the background brought $3000 at the Auction of the Godwin House contents. Godwin Cottage is empty and looking for a new owner.The contents of the old home in the town of Fincastle were auctioned on Saturday June 21. It had belonged to Frances Carr who died with in the past decade, a daughter of Pete Huff who owned the remnants of the Breckinridge plantation Grove Hill Farm and also owned the property in Roanoke City where Valley View Mall is built. Continue reading "Godwin Cottage contents auctioned Saturday " » Bank of Botetourt recieves top performance recognition  US Bankshares Magazine named the Bank of Botetourt Bankshares Inc. one of the top performing financial community banks in the country in the June 2008 issue. They are among the 200 best sited by Joseph Rosta, the author of the piece, for their three year performance and avoiding the subprime mortage enticements. H. Watts Steger, III, Chairman of the board and CEO said," We are pleased to be recognized as one of the top performing banks by the magazine..." President of the bank, G. Lyn Hayth commended his staff as being committed to the success of the bank. Bank of Botetourt has sites through out Botetourt, Roanoke and Smith Mountain Lake. Pictured here are members of the senior management team at the Bank of Botetourt. |
