Lord Botetourt football practice is closed to the public this year, so these photos by Sam Dean of The Roanoke Times might be the only look you get until the opening game.

Sportswriter Robert Anderson had more about LB’s new coach, Jamie Harless, in this story in today’s daily paper.

Of note: Harless says he’s like to stop the tradition of Lord Botetourt and James River playing football, saying its not to either team’s advantage.

Korey Watts, a rising senior at James River, leads the pack after the first day of the Virginia State Golf Association Junior Stroke Play Championship.

Here’s a release from the association: Read more »

Randy Baynton, son of Dick and Elaine Baynton of Cloverdale and father of Ben Baynton has completed the TransAmerica Bike Trail. Randy started May 4 from Catawba and arrived in Florence, Oregon on July 26. Randy retired from Carilion in January 2012 after 30 years of service as a respiratory therapist. Randy will fly back to Roanoke on Wednesday, Aug. 1 at 10 p.m.

– Submitted by Stephanie Baynton

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

I am back from a trip to Savannah, Georgia which is a great city. The Roanoke City Manager  came from there to here. I cannot imagine why he left unless of course he is getting paid a lot more. The way they do business is exceptional from eco friendly shopping centers and  stores and big box areas, to walking all over the city. Just park and walk.  Walking is really fun in Savannah.

I went to movie sites mostly. “Forrest Gump” and “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” I went in the Piggly Wiggly, too. I haven’t seen one of those since I was a child.

My daughter Brittany, the one  from Vermont, treated  me and her little sister and a friend to the trip. We had fun. Poor Brittany  mixed up with a jellyfish on Tybee Island.  It won.

We ate at a seafood place that has a lot of alligators and a lot of three legged cats.  Somehow I believe they are  related…. Hmmm, change up–the food was really good.

I sang with a street  performer named Jeff who moved to Savannah from Michigan. We sang “Country Roads,” one of my fav John Denver songs.  He had a dog named Chicka that wore shades. How cool is that.

I went on a ghost tour with my daughter Julia that was pretty entertaining. The girls took me for an early bird buffet at Paula Deen’s “The Lady and her Two Sons.” It was fun. Paula has some good food, the corn fritters to die for, but I think The Home Place in Catawba does as well. More than that, Momma and my grandmother could country cook her under the table. Vesta Mills my “Mam” as we called her, could fix cornbread with the best of them, fritters included.  Mom knew no equal in beans of any kind. “Paula, your pork loin was just plain tough–I can cook you under on that one. You have deep fried your chicken like a paid cook would.” My mother and grandmother pan fried that stuff to perfection.

But Deen has millions to show for it –according to a press release Paula Deen made 17 million last year, the 4th highest paid Chef in the country.

I did get to go there  and was happy for the experience and thank you very much, doubt I would go back to eat with her again.  I ate at cafe from the “Midnight” movie and it was exceptional and cheap! Clarys Cafe est. in 1903. They know how to do “old” in Savannah and those moss drapped trees add to the spooky feel.

We had a great time all in all. The ride down and back uneventful though I slept most of the way home. I felt well rested to come back. It is weird though to come back to sameness. I am wasn’t ready for it to return so quickly.

I have always been a gal who liked a change up. We are being challenged tomorrow  in a Roanoke Times meeting to do something different for 31 days. I am contemplating just not working so much.  I doubt that is what they had in mind!

I try to cover as much as possible, but I need more time– one for me as this has been a rough year for too many reasons, two– I realize how fleeting the last child at home will be with me and  well, often I get plugged in  on  the last minute, “Why can’t you cover this?” That is what I am saying. We have a submission process, so I don’t have to cover everything. Everyone has a digital camera or cell phone practically. Most people like to send in stuff from photos to events– so send it in! news@botetourtview.com

No one else works 24-7, so maybe that is what I will give up for a month and that should make the paper happy. No overtime in August. I hardly think my extra efforts will be missed.

See ya next week– the 40 hour one!

Savannah Fruit Tea:

Six  Luzianne tea bags, 1/2 cup Lemonade mix, dried fruit like raspberries and blackberries, maybe peaches. Prepare the tea in 2 quarts boiling water for three minutes. Allow to steep for 3 more off heat. Add lemonade mix. Remove tea bags. Stir. Add sugar or  Stevia to the mix to taste. Add the dried fruit.  Cool at least 20 minutes. Add 2 quarts ice water. Stir well and dispense through a jar with a tap into ice cube filled glasses. Pretty and tasty.

After 26 years with the post office, the last 20 of them in Fincastle, Frances Boatman is retiring. From 2- 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31, a retirement reception featured Fincastle patrons dropping by to wish her well.

Kathy Naff, window clerk said, “We will miss her expertise. Frances has been precise in the way she works.” Mike Wilhelm also a postal worker had a cake made to look look an addressed envelope and patrons were dining on cake, lemonade, mints and nuts.

Fincastle resident Malanie Jones wrote her a poem which she read aloud.

So what is the next step for Boatman who lives in SW Roanoke County?  “I plan to  spend time with my four granddaughters. I hope to travel- I have several children and one daughter lives in South Carolina to go visit, and then travel with my sister to Kentucky to the horse races in the fall. I hope to volunteer, go  back to school at VWCC and get back into  ballroom dancing, which I enjoy.” Things she said she has not had time for in the past 20 years.

” I am very pleased with the office and the relationship I have had with the workers that I was able to hire. We have been quite a team,” noted Boatman.

Rob Struppler who used to be in Troutville, but lately of the Wirtz Post Office will come in as officer in charge for a while. “I couldn’t have picked a better replacement, ” she said.

Her first day as a retired person will come tomorrow. When asked what she planned to do, she responded with a smile, ” Go to a leisurely breakfast at the Roanoker with my next door neighbor.”

Boatman’s  words of farewell to Fincastle 24090, ” I have thoroughly enjoyed being here 20 years. It has become like family to me.  I think of the people here that way. I hope to keep in touch and come down and have lunch.”

BOTETOURT COUNTY BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP MEETING

AUGUST 7, 2012

The regular monthly meeting of the Botetourt County Breast Cancer

Support Group will be held on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. Our

speaker will be Meaghn Gliniecki, Recreational Therapist from the Senior

Transitions Unit, Lewis Gale Hospital –Alleghany, on the topic of Stress

Reduction. The meeting will be held at the Fincastle United Methodist

Church, Family Life Center, 137 S. Church Street, Fincastle, VA.

All women who have experienced or who are facing breast cancer are encouraged to attend the meetings whenever possible. The group meets on a monthly basis and is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. For more information, contact the American Cancer Society at 540-774-2716 or Dolores Turner at 540-863-8031.

Directions to Fincastle United Methodist Church:

Traveling toward Fincastle on 220 North, turn right on Church Street, just before the Happy Food Mart. The church is approximately .02 miles on the right, just past the intersection at Academy Street. The Family Life Center is on the left side. There is ample parking at the Health Department, the Masonic Lodge, and the Library, all on Academy Street.

Choctaw YouTube  or   http://bit.ly/NGNsd9

Tim Craft,  Youth Director at at Bonsack United Methodist Church provided this video of their recent mission trip.

He said, “This was our 4th year to the Choctaw Indian Reservation.  Steve Claris is the United Methodist Missionary that works there at the Choctaw Mission.  Steve is from the area and is a member at Bonsack. He has been a missionary there for the past five years.  We had a team of 51 people that went  from July 13-21.  We spent the week doing home repairs on the reservation and each night we did a VBS at Great Spirit UMC in Bogue Chitto ( a community within the Choctaw Nation.)”

Fun events await at Evening in Buchanan

The Town of Buchanan Downtown Revitalization Program, the Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce and Buchanan Area Businesses invite you to enjoy Buchanan’s tenth annual, “An Evening In Buchanan.” Set against the backdrop of Buchanan’s historic Main Street, bring the whole family to rediscover the slower pace of life in “small town America.” Find great savings coupons, gift coupons and coupons for drawings of prizes in the Buchanan Coupon Book.

The coupon book is $5.

Six Restaurants Offering Great Food including Burgers & Fries, Mexican Fare, Homemade German Specialties, Pizza, and, Good Old-Fashioned Southern Cooking.

Extended Business Hours, Antique Auto Show, Strolling Barbershop Quartet,

Carriage Rides, Caricature, Artists and a  Farmer’s Market,DJ Playing 50′s Music Movie In Buchanan Theatre, Cow Pie Bingo. For additional Information contact the Buchanan Downtown Revitalization Program at 540-254-1212 or check our website at www.townofbuchanan.com

The following students from Botetourt County received degrees at Mary Baldwin College’s 170th Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 20.

Lynn Ferguson of Buchanan VA received a Master of Education

Mallory Nicely of Eagle Rock VA received a Master of Arts in Teaching

Samantha Galanes of Buchanan VA received a Master of Education

Suzanne Lynch of Troutville VA received a Bachelor of Arts

Mary Pate of Troutville VA received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude

Traci Persinger of Eagle Rock VA received a Master of Education

Founded in 1842, Mary Baldwin College is a diverse institution that transforms lives through personalized education, innovatively integrating liberal arts, experiential learning, civic engagement, and global citizenship. At the undergraduate level, the College for Women serves about 800 students on the historic main campus in downtown Staunton, Virginia, and the Adult Degree Program serves both men and women on campus and at regional centers throughout Virginia. A top-ranked master’s level university, MBC also offers co-educational graduate programs in teacher education and Shakespeare and Performance. U.S. News & World Report named MBC a top-tier master’s university in the South and Washington Monthly ranked the college No. 8 among all master’s.

Submitted by Mary Baldwin College

Dabney S. Lancaster Community College has been recognized as a Military Friendly School for the 4^th consecutive year by G.I. Jobs magazine. That puts DSLCC in the top 15 percent of schools nationwide and one of only 36 colleges in Virginia that receive the recognition. In-state tuition for non-residents, scholarships, discounts for dependents, online and distance learning,  evening and weekend classes and the percentage of military and veteran students enrolled are among the attributes considered.   Fall classes begin August 20; for more information, contact DSLCC Student Services at (540) 863-2820.