A Botetourt County welder who risked his life to drag a collapsed neighbor from a house fire last year was one of 20 people awarded a Carnegie medal for heroism today.

Frederick T. Smith, 53, saved Daniel Knight, 46, the owner of the Blue Collar Joe’s donut shop, from the April 7, 2010, blaze that destroyed Knight’s Daleville home. Smith will receive $5,000 from the Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, as well as a bronze medal.

The Roanoke Times has more on this story.

Sam Foster is running for Blue Ridge Supervisor's seat

Sam Foster is running for the Blue Ridge Supervisor’s seat currently held by Billy Martin. Foster is a Botetourt  native who has owned water companies, farmed and been an educator for over forty years in Virginia and Florida.

Foster is currently circulating petitions and is making a more formal announcement next week, he stated.

The Summer Baseball Camp that was held June 21st to 23rd. There were 23 participants this year and the camp consisted of all aspects of the game of baseball. Roger White coordinated the camp. This camp targeted youth ages 8 to 13 years old.

Submitted by Angela Crawford.

Isaac Austin who is a student at James River High School had trouble getting to school when Craig Creek was high and he could not ford the creek due to the closure of Brahma Bridge in Oriskany. He is speaking with Fincastle Supervisor Larry Ceola.

Russell Anderson has been unable to use a swinging bridge called the Brahma Bridge to his farm since April 1, 2009. On Tuesday, June 28, Debra Penley as spokeswoman for the Oriskany group, mentioned over a half dozen park and walk bridges over Craig Creek in Oriskany that VDOT has held  in peril for two years while a study has been performed by VDOT.

Looking back to 2009, VDOT claimed they took responsibility in the 1930s and really were not in the swinging bridge business, so they could not do it anymore which mean they would not fix the Brahma Bridge, a swinging bridge, to the Anderson farm.

For the residents who park on one side of the creek and walk ( thus park and walk) to homes on the other side it is instrumental to keep the swinging bridges open. When the water is high in the creek, they are unable to ford the creek to get home. There are approximately 80 or so people in the small community, but they are bound and determined to live the good life in Oriskany and that includes swinging bridges.

Penley said she and the community were at the board of the supervisors to gain support. “VDOT has said they will not repair any bridges until their study is complete,” said Jerry Burgess, County Administrator.

Anderson said, “The 15 year old can’t get out to school, the cemetery cannot be visited and funerals cannot be conducted if the water is high.”

Everrett Harris a local resident said the bridge can be fixed for $2,000.

The supervisors maintained support to get the bridge fixed, but as Billy Martin said, ” We will support you on this matter and get in touch with Richard Caywood from the Salem District.”

Burgess recommended the board convey their support of the Oriskany bridge upkeep and repair to VDOT in writing.  Terry Austin of the Buchanan District asked about listing the people who are in the area as well to send with the written notification.

Isaac Austin is a rising sophomore at James River High School. He lives on the farm where the Brahma Bridge is located.  He missed 20 days of school this year due to the inability to cross the creek either by ford or swinging bridge. He lives at the home of Russell Anderson. “It didn’t really affect my grades because I had make up worksheets and stuff,  but it isn’t the same thing as being there to hear it.”

Some of the residents are older and health concerns are part of their reasoning about the bridges. Anderson as a farmer needs the bridge to get easily from his home to his farmland on the other side.  If he cannot get across the ford, he can at least walk across to his car and equipment parked on the other side. Anderson and his brother have had to man a boat in high fast water and pull across to the other side.

So for what ever reason that a resident may list, the swinging bridge in a very remote community like Oriskany is an integral part of being able to live there.

Perhaps a clear bag like this one will be the best way to recycle.

At the June 29, regular board meeting, David Moorman, assistant county administrator, presented the  assessment for a pilot recycling curbside collection in Botetourt County. Many disparities are in the cost of areas of the county. The board approved the pilot program.

The curbside pilot program will be with the customers of Kelley’s Hauling and Community Sanitation for a sixth month period. He said, “Our people will work with the the two haulers to determine the pick up methods.” One concern is for contaminated materials and how that will be determined perhaps by see through bags and what will be done to those items.

The sixth month period will determine the costs. Moorman believes it will about $7,700. He asked the board to approve it as a pilot program to residential and office class one customers. The recyclables will be transferred to RDS in Roanoke County.

“We will continue to operate our recycling centers through out the county.” Those 10 sites are at the 7 elementary schools, the two high schools and the citizens convenience center (landfill.)

The benefits of gardening are abundant and an attractive garden can provide us with a sanctuary from the daily grind. The Greenfield Education & Training Center will hold a Theme Garden class on Thursday, July 21 from 6:30 – 8:30pm. This class will teach you to create a themed garden, complete with examples of popular themes. Projects to inspire inner peace and family fun, including wind chimes, water features, meditation benches and more! Theme Gardens is taught by Master Gardener, Donna Haley. To register, call 540-966-3984. Registration deadline is Monday, July 18th.

Submitted by: Cassandra Dove, Greenfield Center Coordinator.

The Greenfield Education & Training Center will be running a one day wizard’s camp on Wednesday, July 13th from 9am – 4pm. The camp will have wand making, face painting by Sally Edelman, a potions class, and teach about the Magic of Honeybees. The camp will also feature a popular wizard sporting event taught by members of the VT Pheonixes. Children ages 5 – 13 are welcome and dressing up is encouraged! The cost of the camp is $75 per student. Registration ends July 8th but space is limited so register early! Parents/guardians can stop by the Greenfield Center to register their child. For more information call 540-966-3984.

Submitted by: Cassandra Dove, Greenfield Center Coordinator.

The Botetourt American Legion baseball team — composed of players from Lord Botetourt and James River — played a marathon game Monday night before finally topping Vinton 8-7 in 15 innings.

That’s more than twice the length of a standard high school baseball game, which is 7 innings.

We have a photo gallery from the action, and a few notes:

* The game was at James River. Some fans set up lawn chairs on the hill beyond the outfield.

* Those fans had a particular treat when Tyler Duke (James River grad) blasted a home run in their direction.

* The visitors from Vinton seemed to enjoy the longhorn cattle that graze next to the James River field; we took a picture of one of the fans taking a picture of a cow. Here’s Duke coming into the plate after his home run trot, except our view of him is blocked by Dylan Powers (Lord Botetourt) who was due up next.

* The game went on so long that during the change of sides in the 13th inning, the automatic sprinklers on the field came on — and action was suspended until one of the coaches cut them off. In this photo, you’ll see the umpire waiting patiently, and some of the visiting players have dropped to a knee (as in soccer) during the wait. Here’s a view of the Botetourt dugout during the “rain delay.”

But back to the action: At least twice during extra innings, Botetourt fell behind — and rallied in the bottom of the inning to tie things up again. Finally, in the bottom of the 15th, Martin Henderlite (Lord Botetourt) slammed a double. Vinton intentionally walked Jaret White (James River) to create an opportunity for a double play. That brought up Landon Ward (Lord Botetourt) who laid down a bunt. The catcher fielded the ball and tried to throw out Henderlite at third. However, the throw was high and sailed into the outfield. Henderlite, who had slid into third, jumped up and powered into home for the winning run.

The team plays in Danville on Thursday night and then has a doubleheader in Salem on Saturday, with games at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Those games are at Kiwanis Field.

One of the crowning moments of Jerry Burgess career in Botetourt is helping land Dynax America as a business located in Botetourt County in an education building Greenfield Ed and Training Center built during his tenure.

Addressed to the members of the Board of Supervisors, Gerald (Jerry) A. Burgess, County Administrator submitted a letter of resignation at the end of today’s June 28 regular board meeting. It began:

“This is to inform you of my intent to resign as County Administrator in January of 2012. my last day on the job will be on or about January 20.” He goes on to tell the board it is time for him to pursue other interests and that the county is in excellent financial shape as well as indicate that he will be as helpful as possible in helping them find a successor and in orientation of his replacement.

Burgess stated he has been County Administrator for 19 years and that he and his wife Pam have made a home here. He commended the staff, the school division, the constitutional officers  for the wonderful teamwork and cooperation.

He concluded the letter of resignation by stating, “It has been my privilege to work with these individuals and many outstanding Board members to serve our County.”

Burgess had a stellar career here in Botetourt County the new General District Courthouse, the new jail,  Greenfield Education and Training Center, multiple companies, a Triple A bond rating and much more happened during the past 19 years.

This just in: County administrator Jerry Burgess today announced his resignation, effective in January 2012.

He made the announcement at the end of today’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

We’ll have more details later.