Nicholas Soldano and Amanda Winger went to the homecoming dance at Lord Botetourt High School.

MORE LORD BOTETOURT HOMECOMING COVERAGE:
* Bradley Mason and Gabrielle Kessler before LB homecoming
* Lee Overbay shares homecoming photos of LB couples
* Homecoming photo of Ben Quirin and Katie Sandy
* Photos from the homecoming ceremony
* Dunn LaPrad gets ready for homecoming
* Paparazzi photos from the homecoming dance
* Photos from post-game tailgating
* Photos from the powderpuff game.

Do you have homecoming photos? You can share at news@botetourtview.com.

James River homecoming coverage begins here.

Bradley Mason & Gabrielle Kessler getting ready for LB’s homecoming.

Submitted by Gabrielle Kessler

MORE LORD BOTETOURT HOMECOMING COVERAGE:
* Lee Overbay shares homecoming photos of LB couples
* Homecoming photo of Ben Quirin and Katie Sandy
* Photos from the homecoming ceremony
* Dunn LaPrad gets ready for homecoming
* Paparazzi photos from the homecoming dance
* Photos from post-game tailgating
* Photos from the powderpuff game.

Do you have homecoming photos? You can share at news@botetourtview.com.

James River homecoming coverage begins here.

Boy Scout Troop 211 recently completed their summer adventures with a weekend campout on a private island at Smith Mountain Lake.  After being shuttled to the island with their gear via personal boats the troop set up camp.  Some of the scouts decided to sleep on the beach under the stars.  While the boys enjoyed the freedom of the nine acre private island with swimming, fishing, snorkeling, cooking, and camping they were able to complete a large number of requirements for rank advancements and merit badges. After preparing dinner each evening the scouts engaged in a friendly game of “capture the flag” along with campfire stories and tales.

Scouting prepares boys and young men for leadership by teaching them the importance of service to others.  The scouts of Troop 211 and their leaders built and erected a new outhouse for the land owner on the island after the old one was destroyed by a fallen tree.  They also performed a “leave-no-trace” sweep of the island, collecting multiple bags of trash and cleaning up fallen debris from the March and June storms.

After waking up to pouring rain and being ferried back to the mainland to the private residence of one of the scout leaders, the scouts and adults were treated to a pizza party after which they spent some time working on life-saving and other water safety skills.  The troop is grateful for the leaders, the boat owners and the Christmas Tree Island owner for a great weekend of wonderful memories.  For more information about the troop you may contact Julie Gladu, Committee Chairman, at 992-4222 or Scoutmaster Steve Pappas at 992-3318.

Submitted by Steve Pappas

Iain Graff enjoys his donut decorated with chocolate icing, M & M’s, & marshmallows.

Breckinridge Elementary recently held a Donut Party for the students who completed their summer reading assignments.  At the party, 55 students decorated donuts and watched the classic movie Henry Reed and the Donut Machine by Robert McCloskey.  Also, each student was able to choose a book as a reward for a job well done.  Thanks to Krispy Kreme for the donation of 100 donuts.  Breckinridge students will continue their reading as they “Pig Out On Reading” this school year.

Submitted by Marcy Wohlford

Joseph Allison, Jack Berry, Tanner Dillow & Heath Andrews show off the books they chose as a reward for completing their summer reading assignment.

The Botetourt Kiwanis entertained Kiwanian Lt. Governor Andre Brooks who swore in a new slate of officers at the Friday, Sept. 28 meeting. During the ceremony 12 past presidents passed the gavel down the line to the new president Kevin Meade an Executive Vice President of Valley Bank.

The officers are as follows: Kevin Meade, President; Immediate Past President, Chuck Geiger; President Elect, Doug Ross;  Treasurer, Carl Persing; Secretary, Weldon Martin.

Other offices include Chaplain, Rich Workowski, Sgt. at Arms, George Honeycutt. Board members: Tim Alderman, Ed Wright, Jim Bushong, Lyn Hayth, Les Talbott, George Honeycutt and Hi Nicely.

“Botetourt Kiwanis will remained focused on the kids and youth of Botetourt County,” said Meade to the assembly. He also wants to raise membership by 10% in his year long service. The next Kiwanis event is  a catfish fry fundraiser at Mountain Magic on October 6. See any Kiwanian for an $8 ticket that includes  catfish, coleslaw, fries, hushpuppies and a drink.

JRHS boys compete in home cross country meet at Greenfield on 9/26/2012.

Submitted by McAllister

JRHS Lady Knights take 1st place on home course at Greenfield 9/26/2012.

Submitted by McAllister

They had an Ikenberry Adventure! Troutville Elementary kindergarten students in Ms. Rebecca Boone and Ms. Allison Reaves classes learned about cabin life in colonial times, about apples and pumpkins and took a hayride through a functioning commercial orchard. It was a big day of not only fun, but getting a hands experience on some of the standards of learning in their grade level.

Cindy Bailey and Jean Craft head up the staff for the Ikenberry Adventure that is in its fourth fall season. Others who work at the site off Haymakertown Road in western Botetourt are teachers Lyn Burton, Gretchen and Lee Greiner and Bev Schade. Kip Burton is traffic coordinator.

Set next to not only an orchard but also a pumpkin patch, a functioning spring and an over  200 year- old cabin, the setting provides plenty of room to experience agriculture and farm life.

“So far this fall 3,000 young people from elementary school, homeschoolers and preschools have signed up to take the tour,” said Bailey.

Craft explained the tour. “Each group tours four sites that include a hayride through the orchard, (featuring Disney Character scarecrows this year) and local wildlife that would frequent the area, an apple classroom, a pumpkin classroom and a look at life inside a colonial cabin.”

Every student makes it through all four of the learning stations in about 15 minute slots. Each will get either an apple or a pumpkin as part of the Ikenberry Adventure tour. The classrooms feature apple crate seats and the hayride bales of hay of course!

Parent volunteer Dana Shelton rode along on a hay bale with her girls Tora Grace and Bella Hope who exclaimed “Look there’s Snow White!” and remarked that Mrs. Reaves should get out to “pose with the Farmer Ikenberry Scarecrow.”

“We have seen over 10,000 students in the past four years,”  said Bailey. For more information click on the  Ikenberry Adventure Facebook or call (540) 588-3324.

Come to Military Appreciation women's softball tourney.

You are invited to the Women’s College Softball Military Appreciation Tournament this weekend at the Botetourt Sports Complex located just off exit 150 from interstate 81 in Daleville.

Experience great women’s fast-pitch softball and help honor our veterans and active duty military personnel and families. Games begin each day at 12noon.

There will be a military appreciation ceremony on Saturday only beginning at 2pm with a demonstration by the All American Freefall team from the 82nd Airborne Division of the US Army. They will kick off our ceremony and parachute from the sky onto our field.

Adrian Cronauer will make a special appearance as our master of ceremonies and will sign autographs immediately following the ceremony. Mr. Cronauer, a Botetourt County resident and former Air Force Vietnam DJ, was portrayed by Robin Williams in the 1987 hit film “Good Morning, Vietnam.”

Come out and meet Mr. Cronauer, climb into the fuselage of an F-4, see military humvees and experience fantastic fast-pitch softball!

$5 donations are suggested with proceeds to benefit the Military Family Support Centers, Inc.

–submitted by Catherine Herlocker

Sheriff Sprinkle says: Beware of telepnone scammers.

Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle reports his office in recent weeks has received numerous complaints of unwanted telephone solicitations from county citizens.  The overwhelming majority have been determined to be fraudulent.  The content of the message may vary, from exuberant claims of lottery winnings, or a vast inheritance from a long lost relative, a family member in distress needing money and in some instances actual threats of arrest if the victim does not comply.  There are other types of phone fraud but keep in mind the solicitor’s goal is to obtain funds by means of deception.

Common fraud indicators may include a solicitor with a heavy accent, pressure to act immediately, the use of Western Union for wire transfers, and the instruction of “don’t tell others.”

Law enforcement recommends should you receive an unsolicited call for products or services:

1.    Hang up.

2.    Do not engage in conversation.

3.    Do not furnish any information.

4.    Do not confirm any information.

Remember-if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is!

Local law enforcement officials find apprehension a challenging task.  The clear majority of modern day scam artists are located overseas (majority in Nigeria and Jamaica) and their operations are quite mobile.  When they feel they have exhausted their resources or are about to apprehended they simply pick up and move to another location, starting the process all over again.

The Federal Trade Commission is the federal agency responsible for consumer protection and enforcement.  For more information visit www.ftc.gov.

Should you have comments, questions or need further information please contact

Lieutenant Jeff Stritesky at the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office, (540) 473-8351 or jstritesky@botetourt.org.

–Jeff Stritesky Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office