Hunter Monk was Grand Marshall for the Buchanan Christmas parade.

Hunter Monk has fought his second battle with leukemia this year. The Bedford boy whose roots are set in Buchanan was in remission for several years before the disease came roaring back this year. Numerous fund raisers were held for Hunter and his family including a barbeque dinner at the Buchanan Town Park. He has had a difficult year, but is beginning to get his hair back.

Hunter walked with his family and friends this past June with Relay for Life at the Buchanan Town Park. His zest for living has never been better.

In the summer Hunter won three wishes from Q99. He just went on his dream Disney trip that covered his three wishes, an all expense paid trip with his family, this past week. Hunter served as the Grand Marshall of the Buchanan Christmas Parade. His grandparents, the Hambricks, live there in Buchanan and his mother grew up in the town. Though he gets tired, his enthusiasm for the trip to Disney has been a huge motivator for his health. He is still in treatment but every one is positive and hopeful for a good outcome.

Rob and Karen hold Josh on their laps happy to be at home!

Ten months ago Joshua Frate was waiting to find a donor for his rare genetic condition. He has (or maybe had is a better term) Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, a rare immunodeficiency disorder that can be cured only with a bone marrow transplant. The Botetourt community, especially through Ebenezer United Methodist Church and the generosity of hundreds of supporters, raised funds for the little boy to go to Cincinnati to get a bone marrow transplant both before and after a matching donor was located. From June 8 through the Saturday before Thanksgiving the Frates lived in a little Kentucky town called Florence on the outskirts of Cincinnati where the hospital that specializes in the syndrome is located. On June 28 Joshua received his bone marrow transplant.

Fast forward to December. At long last Rob, Karen and Joshua Frate are back in their Troutville home. They had to spend 100 days near the hospital after the transplant before they could come home. “The transplant was successful but he is still on meds and has to be very careful about what he is exposed to,” said Karen Frate. “They can’t have a Christmas tree this year, but that is ok to have their son cured,” said Rob Frate. They have to use caution when dealing with Josh’s immune system for a while longer.

Things are going very well. Josh is an active 2-year-old and he is a bright as a bulb on the Christmas tree! He loves Thomas the Tank Engine is quite independent when his mother offers to put the batteries backing one of his Tank Engine characters, he responds, “No, Josh,” to let her know that he can handle it. He has grown a bit more hair from his medications but otherwise is a very normal tyke.

He knows his colors, the names of animals and liked to tease the Botetourt View reporter about what he placed on the table. As for the parents- well they aren’t breathing a complete sigh of relief yet but the days are numbered until Joshua’s medical treatment is complete. Rob works at Wachovia so he is awaiting the Wells Fargo merger news final outcome and Karen is back at her property management job. Being away from home for five months was strenuous but they have managed well she said.

Josh will have to go get bloodwork at RMH for awhile and will return to Cincinnati once per month. Karen said, “We haven’t been thinking too far ahead.” For the most part Josh doesn’t recall all that he has been through. He stays home during the day with a relative while Karen and Rob are at work.

“We especially want to thank our church family which organized many of the things that raised funds for Josh like a spaghetti dinner, music fundraisers and so forth.” Rob said, “Rev. Garry Shelton (who has since retired) was especially helpful.”

“Both of our employers have been wonderful as well,” noted Karen.

The Frates want the community to know how much they are thanked for all of their help. “They were great!” Said Rob and Karen with Josh perched happily on their laps at the dining room table. Things are looking up indeed.

I had my radar up! This is the National Radio Observatory telescope in Green Bank, WVA which is many millions of times more sensitive than me!

It’s Terrific Tuesday again. How’s everything in your neck of the woods?

Watch your bank accounts folks!

I got phished. This morning I received an email from my self and I was selling male enhancement products. While I found that amusing in itself, I knew that I had a real problem with the use of my address. I called the bank to make sure no one had any sensitive info from my computer. I used to cover the public safety and the courts sector, friends. It made me forever suspect of things like this. Lo and behold a $1 transaction from Pay Pal was coming through my account. Marcus at the Bank of Botetourt and I slammed the door shut on that baby!

Since I had recently updated info at Pay Pal, I was worried. I canceled the credit card and called Pay Pal. It was a less than satisfactory experience. After going through a long drawn out menu I finally hit a real person who said nothing had come out of my account. He transferred me after putting a limited access on my account.

The next guy was named Cleo. Can you believe that! Remember Miss Cleo the psychic who took all that money via credit card? “Oi vey,” I said to him, “It’s a sign!” I told him I am a reporter and I knew how this scheme worked and that seemed to impress him not one bit. He told me they, Pay Pal, used the credit card for a $1.99 to see if it had any money on it. I asked why Guy 1 didn’t know that. He didn’t reply. I never signed anything that said for them to do that. Matter of fact I was just updating my records. There was no new account–I have had this one, used sparingly, for five years!

So I asked him how I knew this was the legitimate Pay Pal office, maybe the “phisher” people had a telephone, a couple of guys and a smart computer. He didn’t like that at all. Said they would credit my money back to my account. I asked him to close out the account and said his $1.99 never left my Bank of Botetourt because we were on top of this. I also told him I was calling the Sheriff’s Office. That did seem to impact him. He got really quiet and he would not tell me his last name. He did say he was located in Nebraska.

Indeed I did call the Sheriff’s Department. Here’s some advice from Crime Prevention Specialist Sharon Coleman.

Coleman said, “Yes often account info that has been stolen does start with a dollar or two transaction before they go for big money or spending. Watch your account.”

A company may see if money is on the card, they have to refund it, but unless you are ordering why would they? Check the Internet to see which companies have business complaints against them for such practices. If you ever feel like your security has been breached take proactive measures like calling the bank and the local sheriff’s department. By all means keep up with your bank account and spending! Times are bad and more of this sort of thing is expected to happen. And if you got an email from me today about Men products–I didn’t send it. Never would I get in that bizness! Notify your server.

Coleman had another story for us that just happened here to a lady in the county:

“A lady here in the county checked her checking account balance one morning a few weeks ago to learn that the balance was zero. She contacted her bank and learned that a check had come through in the amount of $800 submitted at a Walmart in Amarillo, Texas. The lady had not been to Texas, nor had she authorized an electronic payment, although according to the bank, an actual check was presented. It is being investigated by the Amarillo Police Department.”

I repeat: watch your bank accounts, please!

Glenda M. Snyder of Buchanan, Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) unit leader and 4-H youth agent in Botetourt County, recently received Virginia Tech’s 2008 Alumni Award for Excellence in International Outreach.

Sponsored by the Virginia Tech Alumni Association, the Alumni Award for Excellence in International Outreach is presented annually to a faculty or staff member who has had a significant impact on international outreach and research at Virginia Tech. Selection is based on contributions to the internationalization of Virginia Tech, global impact, significance of the project, and sustainability of the project. Recipients are awarded a $2,000 cash prize.

Snyder was recognized for her leadership in delivering CHARACTER COUNTS! — training to teachers, administrators, and community representatives from Santa Catarina and Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Extension has been involved in CHARACTER COUNTS! since 1994, when Virginia 4-H first joined the national coalition focused on character education, which promotes the six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Since 1999, Snyder has provided character education leadership and training to schools and communities in Botetourt County and the surrounding region, as well as in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alaska.

Snyder’s local involvement with CHARACER COUNTS! led to the expansion of the program in Brazil. She was instrumental in forging relationships with representatives from Partners of the Americas who were interested in implementing the program in Joinville, Santa Catarina, due to the high rate of violence in the city’s schools and communities.

These relationships have continued to grow and develop over the years as VCE faculty members have trained hundreds of Brazilians in methods of teaching character education. During a 2008 trip, VCE provided basic and advanced training for more than 270 state school personnel and for about 75 youth.

In addition to the educators’ involvement in the program, the Brazilian judicial system has been very interested in the program. In 2007, Snyder coordinated the visit of 34 judges who came to Virginia to learn about the federal, state, and local judicial and rehabilitative systems. Upon returning to Brazil, several of the judges requested CHARACTER COUNTS! training for their states.

Snyder received her bachelor’s degree in human nutrition, foods and exercise and her master’s degree in career and technical education from Virginia Tech.

Submitted by: Virginia Tech

Girl Scout Brownie Troop 779 of Botetourt Service Unit earned the Lighthouse Try-It in November 2007. The girls learned about different types of Lighthouses, female Lighthouse keepers, Lighthouse terms, and Lighthouse restoration. The girls designed Daymarks for their lighthouses, (painted designs to stand out against the prevailing background, i.e. stripes, checks, etc.).

The troop is pictured with their Daymark designs: Tyler Waddell, Amelia Arzola, Alexa Arzola, Courtney Stultz, Jordan Adams, Cora Blom, Morgan Perry, Julia Graybill, Alexia Auen, and Rachel Bonanno (not pictured) Troop Leader is Tabatha Stultz

Submitted by: Jane Garnett

Roanoke Crush was a travel team which was put together by a Botetourt County Recreation Coach to play in the Orange County Stingers 2nd annual Football Tournament in Orange, VA on the weekend of November 21-22. The players were from various teams in Botetourt (including several from the Sandlot Super Bowl winning Botetourt Bulldogs) and North Roanoke Counties. The coaches were Kurt Giantonio, Mark Harrison, Tim Overstreet and Jeff Fralin. This team of boys, many of whom had gotten used to playing against each other over the past several season, came together as a team for the first time and won the tournament. They came in 1st place in their division.

The fire on Caldwell Mountain was a top story of 2008.

Like a baby’s first year, The Botetourt View has taken many steps since our first blogs hit the Internet in late March. Our first print pubs came out in late April. Here are some of the stories that garnered a great deal of attention in Botetourt County. They are still online in the archives on The Notebook at www.botetourtview.com . If you feel like for Auld Lang Syne’s sake they deserve another read — scroll to the right and just hit the months. The blogs are organized by days from the end of the month to the first of a month.

NEWS:

Walgreens got nixed, came back and out again before another vote by the Board of Supervisors. In many circles this is still a source of chatter because the fault has been placed at the feet of the Board of Supervisors, but really, it’s probably the economy.

Larry Ceola’s video about the state of disrepair at Happy Food Mart in Fincastle has garnered 677 views as of last week. Nothing has happened in way of improvements, though we heard from Supervisor Don Meredith that a replacement sign came to be placed and was broken before it was finished, so back to square one.

The Caldwell Mountain Fire in June. The fire, likely started by lightning, made headlines for days as the smoke and fire snaked its way from Stone Coal Gap to Lee’s Gap.

Dollar General opened in Fincastle and has been one of the top producing stores in western Virginia ever since.

The death north of Fincastle along U.S. 220 by apparent suicide of Roanoker Fred Hutchens left many wondering why. He was an aide to Sen. James Webb.

Truck accidents on I-81: Thanks to Jimmy Carter we have many photos of the accidents that backed up traffic for hours. Most accidents happened near mile marker 167 north of Buchanan, but Exit 150 always has it’s share. Speaking of which, due to state budget woes the Exit 150 improvements have been seriously whittled by VDOT.

However, the double lanes at the intersection corner of U.S. 220 north and U.S. 11 north near Exit 150 have helped traffic flow tremendously since their September construction completion.

The supervisors re-elected Don Assaid 3-2 to be Chairman of the Board again for another year.

The overhaul of the radio system for EMS Services in Botetourt County will cost $880,000 over the next 5 years.

Botetourt County showed its Republican mettle, overwhelmingly choosing Sen. John McCain over now President elect Barack Obama by a 2-1 margin.

Sports:

Caleb Dorton graced our cover as a pitcher for the James River Knights 2008 baseball team. Dorton went on to become VHSL player fo the year with his extraordinary pitching record. The Knights made it to the state finals.

The retirement of Virginia Tech softball star Angela Tincher’s jersey at James River High School. She may be one of the finest athletes in the nation, but certainly brought her high school much attention and state softball championships along the way. It was the first jersey retirement in the school’s 49-year history.

Read more »

The normally docile black bear (like the one in this file photo by Ben Schrader's auto camera) can be a dangerous animal when cornered.

The bear attack took place during a bear hunt outing at Kelly’s Hollow in the Jefferson National Forest just off Grove Hill Road on the way up Caldwell Mountain towards the Craig County line.

A citizen listening to the scanner said the attack took place around 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 27. Lt. Tony Fisher of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Law Enforcement division out of Forest, Virginia, said that was about right. Game Commission police officer Shannon Smith answered the call.

Fincastle Fire and Rescue dispatched to the scene. According to the first responders, they used a Stokes Basket to go up the mountain about 200 yards to retrieve the victim, Barry Belcher of Fincastle.

One hunter shot at the bear while it was in the tree. The bear came out of the tree quickly and came by the first shooter and headed for the second hunter, Belcher, the victim. The bear charged the victim, biting him in the left lower leg. He shot the bear and killed it, firing once or twice. Fisher said it was estimated that the bear weighed 170 to 200 pounds. As far as bears go, he said that’s about an average size for a black bear.

Bears will do something when cornered, he said. “All black bears are not aggressive and we want the public to know that,” said Fisher. “It is a wild animal and we should respect the fact, but usually bears don’t like to be around humans.”

Eagle Rock Volunteer Fire & Rescue is pleased to announce the winners of two contests held recently.

• Children’s Art Contest: Charles Johns of Eagle Rock, 1st grade, and Emily M. Dooley of Eagle Rock, 3rd grade. Both artists received first place ribbons and their artwork was framed, matted, and returned to them.

• Raffle Drawing: Kathy Deal of Centerville, VA, 1st prize of a $300.00 gift card from Wal-Mart and Mike Moran of Fincastle, 2nd prize of a $150.00 gift card from Kroger.

Submitted by: Susan Owen

Bethany, Chip, Brad and Lisa Tarbutton

The Tarbutton Family of Fincastle celebrates Christmas.