Susan Allen with left to right Lethia Hammond, Christine Broughton, Allen, Wade Anderson, Back: John Alexander and Jeff Stritesky.

Susan Allen once a first lady of Virginia and wife of former Governor and Republican Senatorial candidate George Allen, came to Botetourt County and Greenfield Training and Education Center on Monday, April 30. On a campaign stop for her husband, the personable Susan Allen shared time with a number of Botetourt business owners and elected officials.

Explaining why George Allen is running once again for the Senate seat he lost to Jim Webb, Susan Allen said, “My husband does not believe the country is going in the right direction.” A confirmed conservative, George Allen is currently in a race with three other candidates for the Republican nomination. The June Republican primary will choose the candidate who will challenge another former Governor, Democrat Tim Kaine.

During the course of an hour Allen spoke candidly with many different business owners in attendance. Barbara Kolb who described herself as a farmer and is the owner of Blue Ridge Vineyard and a retired teacher, said to Allen, “The wine industry is growing. There are now over 200 wineries. We appreciate the tourism assistance that the state has given.” Rud Peters who owns a landscape business said he is “swamped with work but no complaints.” Then he said, “I’d like to sell.”

John Rader a local stockbroker commanded that whoever is elected, the partisan fighting in Congress must stop that it is ruining the country. Terry Austin Buchanan Supervisors said he hopes that if Allen is elected, that he can work with Sen. Mark Warner. Susan Allen mentioned that George Allen has worked with Warner before. Larry Ceola asked Susan Allen about the uncertain future many feel. He said, “The unknown is taking its toll for many and taking a chance to hire more employees or new equipment is scary.” She replied, “Many Americans are tired about being worried and concerned for our country. We have to be positive.”  She added to be positive in November with the election.

Among talking points she discussed were coal, off shore drilling, gasoline prices, energy, energy costs, healthcare and business taxes. She pointed out that during Allen’s time as governor, 300,000 jobs were created (including JTek and Virginian Forge in Botetourt.) During Kaine’s administration she noted, “100,000 jobs were lost.”

Susan Allen speaks of clean coal energy.

She asked all Botetourt Republicans to support George Allen as an Ambassador for George Allen. “Tell someone you know to support George Allen.  Tell them a good George Allen story.”

The Hawgs for Hokies rolled through Botetourt on Saturday, April 28. Thanks to Doug Bruce of Eagle Rock, one of Botetourt’s finest  for sending the cool pics!

NOTE: The name of Blackfriars Playhouse has been corrected in this post.

Photos feature the JRHS trip to the Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton to see Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on April 25th.

–Submitted by Josh Boblett

JRHS Jessica Simmons is an Academic All Star

A Junior pitcher on the James River girl’s softball team, Jessica Simmons has been named an Academic All Star by local TV Station Fox 21/27. Simmons was an important part of the state championship softball team last year and has a 4.0  grade point average. She is a pitcher for the JRHS Varsity team. She was nominated by Basketball coach Mike Goad.

Edited on May1.

Photo courtesy of Connie Johnson

Connie Johnson shares this photo of storytime at Eagle Rock Library.

Thanks, Connie!

Do you have photos from around Botetourt County?  You can email us at news@botetourtview.com or use our “share” tool to upload 10 photos at a time.

Photo courtesy of Pam Coloton

Pam Coloton shares this photo from the Civil War Weekend in Buchanan this past weekend, April 27-29.

Do you have photos from around Botetourt County? You can share at news@botetourtview.com or use the “share” tool to upload 10 at a time.

Todd Clingenpeel shares these photos of Read Mountain girls soccer vs. Andrew Lewis on April 26.

Do you have photos from around Botetourt? You can share at news@botetourtview.com or use the “share” tool to upload 10 at a time.

REMINDER: MAY 1 EARLY-BIRD $50 DISCOUNT FOR SUMMER CAMP!

Several programs are filling fast! Take advantage of the early-bird $50 discounted fee by May 1:

1. Register online instantly at www.campbethelvirginia.org/summer.htm (payment in full required, but no extra fees!) OR

2. Get your paper/mail registrations post-marked by May 1: www.campbethelvirginia.org/reg.htm

May 1 is NOT the deadline to register, but May 1 IS the date our summer camp fees increase to their “normal” cost. See www.campbethelvirginia.org/summer.htm for all you need, including updated week-by-week camp availability for girls and boys.

We place campers into their chosen camps in order of date received, (for example, registration received May 9 gets placed before the registration received May 10). This means YOU need to register AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to secure the camp of your choice. We highly recommend sending your registration TODAY or registering today online to beat the rush. It seems more and more folks are finding out about Camp Bethel’s summer camping excellence! Thank you!

RECRUIT 5 NEW CAMPERS AND SAVE $100!

Earn $100 credit toward your camp fee for each group of 5 new campers you recruit! Print multiple copies of the “Recruit” tee-shirt form online. Note: For this offer, new campers must fully enroll in three-day resident/Mini camps, weeklong trips, adventures or resident camps, or weeklong day camps. We track your recruits through your submitted “Recruit” forms; start today!

– Submitted by Camp Bethel

Read on for a list of upcoming events at Camp Bethel or visit www.campbethelvirginia.org/calendar.htm. Read more »

Our paparazzi photo crew was at the kick-off concert Saturday for this year’s Botetourt Wine Trail series, and here’s the photo gallery of those who stepped onto the red carpet.

Do you have photos from the show? You can share at news@botetourtview.com or use the “share” tool to upload 10 at a time.

Sally Eads is a noted Botetourt Historian.

As part of the Buchanan Civil War event April 28, the Friends of the Buchanan Library presented Fincastle’s Sally Eads. Eads, retired as a history professor at Virginia Western, spoke at the Wilson Warehouse on how both northern and southern women coped with the absence of their men. These women had to take full responsibility for feeding their families, clothing them and bringing in some income from farm crops. With horses gone to the war effort, often women even had to pull the plows themselves, as well as do everything else they did before the war. However, Eads concluded, their experiences gave them a confidence in their abilities they never had before. And resulted in saving family properties, too.

–submitted by Priscilla Richardson