www.roanoke.com

Just a reminder that we are now taking registrations for soccer, football and cheerleading so please do not hesitate to call us at (540) 473-8326 or sign your child up online at www.botetourt.org/recreation.
May 19, 2012, 8:30am to 11:30 am, NRA Youth Shooting Clinic for Children 8 to 18. Free of Charge. Held at Ridge Rifle Shooting Range. Contact Roy Gross @ 254-2293, Cathy Cofflin @ 366-6244, or Bill Moskowitz @ 966-5902
May 28, 2012, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, Out of School Fun at Glow-A-Rama, Buchanan, Va. Children 8 to 14. Charge $18.00. Participants MUST register in advance by calling Glow-A-Rama at (540) 254-3183 before May 25, 2012. If attendance is low, the event will be cancelled by Friday, May 25th.
For parents who want to plan ahead for their children’s activities this summer, we have listed the camps/clinics and other events that will be offered through June 2012. In next week’s email, we will list activities from July 2012 through August 2012. A complete listing of summer activities are on our website at www.botetourt.org/recreation.
June 2, 2012, from 9:00am to 1:00 pm, Botetourt Children’s Fishing Carnival at the Buchanan Carnival Grounds on Lowe Street. There will be no pre-registration. Registration will be taken at the event and cost is FREE.
June 11 thru 15, 2012, from 9:00 am to Noon, Junior Golf Camp #1, Ages 6 to17. Cost $135.00, $25.00 Deposit, $110.00 due to the Golf Academy payable on the first day of Camp. To be held at Ashley Plantation.
June 11 thru 13, 2012, 9:00 am to Noon, Get Outside! Environmental Day Camp, Ages 5 to 8. Charge $47.00. To be held at Camp Bethel.
June 19 thru 21, 2012, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Outdoor Adventure Camp at Camp Eagle, Ages 8 to 13. Charge: $65.00.
June 19 thru 21, 2012, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Summer Baseball Day Camp, Ages 8 to 13. To be held at the Botetourt Sports Complex. Charge is $155.00. To register, please call Roger White at 966-4834 or 529-7275.
June 25 thru 29, 2012, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Day Camp at Camp Eagle, Ages 5 to 12. Charge: $180.00, Deposit of $45.00, with balance due of $135.00 on first day of Camp.
June 25 thru 28, 2012, 9:00 am to Noon. Academy Soccer Camp for 5 to 12 Year Olds. Cost: $80.00, Deposit of $40.00 at time of registration, with balance due of $40.00 due on first day of Camp.
If you would like more information, please give us a call at (540) 473-8326.

June 30,  2012. 1-2:30pm

Ceremony to honor and remember Revolutionary War Veterans and patriots and War of 1812 veterans interred or memorialized in the historic grounds of the Fincastle Presbyterian Church. Color Guard will be in attendance and some people will be in period clothing.

Sponsored by:

Sons of the American Revolution, Virginia Society, Fincastle Resolutions Chapter, Society of the War of 1812, Virginia Society.  Fincastle Presbyterian Church, Fincastle Virginia

Contact:

Sons of the American Revolution,Fincastle Resolution Chapter

Dennis Fritts- Historian

540-992-6475

Virginia Western Community College held its graduation May 11 and our paparazzi photo crew was there. Here are the Botetourt County people who stepped onto the red carpet:

* Marcus Sullivan
* Brooke and Chase Cuddy, and Ronda Armentrout
* Madison Palmer, Ripkan Vandevander, Michelle Palmer, and Tricia Vandevander
* Sandra, Haley, and Ashley Moran, and Ray Murphy

You can see the entire gallery here.

Do you have graduation photos involving Botetourt students, either at Virginia Western or other institutions? You can share at news@botetourtview.com or use the “share” tool at right to upload 10 at a time.

Wyatt Wilhelm. Photo courtesy of Dawn Wilhelm

Dawn Wilhelm of Fincastle shares this photo of her youngest son, Wyatt Wilhelm, at the Craig County “Hooked on Fishing — Not on Drugs” Day on Saturday, May 12.

Thanks, Dawn!

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

Uneasy is the Iron Throne occupied by King Joffrey...on his elbow scheming advisers vie for power.-- Publicity Photo courtesy of HBO, "Game of Thrones."

Hey, it’s Terrific Tuesday again! How’s everything  in your neck of the woods? Who besides me is tired of gray skies and rain accompanied by the weird sound of the 17 year cicada? I think I am in the twilight zone.

Off I go to spin a yarn for this bleak day.

I have been watching Game of Thrones again on HBO this season. HBO is my sinful extra cost. While I buy  meat and food with pink stickers,  I use the savings to afford HBO so I can watch Game of Thrones until Nucky Thompson and Boardwalk Empire return.

I absolutely love Game of Thrones. The rebirth of Dragons has driven me wild with visions of my childhood when I wanted so to find a dragon skeleton or even a single dragon tooth or scale. The scheming and politics in such an ancient place– well they remind me of something…Hmmm….

I have noticed a great parallel in Game of Thrones to local, state and national politics. Who has the King’s elbow and whispers sweet nothings into his ear,  is likely to be the one who is influencing policy. Look at the whole sordid John Edwards affair. Certainly those who whispered in his ear influenced him to his demise and of course in his own stupid quest for love in all the wrong places. But, they received a lot out of doing it allegedly in dollar terms.

Here, the King has changed in some respects, to a Queen. Who at her elbow whispers in her ear?  She ought to get out more and discover the truths of Botetourt County on her own. More than one is concerned she isn’t getting a true picture. You see,  I hear the whispers of others elsewhere throughout the county–I drive around here about 500 miles per month. Maybe some people who desire the spot at the elbow, but certainly voices that need to be heard so she can form her own viewpoint.

I Googled “Lewis and Clark” (as in proposed Legacy Trail)  46,900, 000 in .22 seconds and then Googled “Greenfield” 8,930,000 .53 seconds.  Which could matter most? In tourism dollars and the L&CLT, it could be built upon a love story. “William Clark visits Julia Hancock before Thomas Jefferson! News at 6.” Good copy, baby!  Not to mention historical context, which made me laugh when the two were compared.  Greenfield could be part of the L&CLT because they were contemporaries, but it will never have anything more than local historical context on its own. Lewis and Clark helped build a nation with a gritty and determined exploration. It has huge significance in a country beleaguered–  could it become a rallying point– who knows?

On the other hill, I am all for the Sports Complex– its time will continue to build. Diversity will help America expand in the future economy, I feel. This country loves sports and being entertained.  The lack of the new business end worries me after all of those budget meetings this year.  Many whisper to me that to add more smaller businesses at Greenfield would make sense. 40 or less employee companies.

But do the folk whispering at the elbow think so? Who is leading the charge to attract business here? That could be where all the difference is made.  We have “Winter is Coming” (lack of revenue) and what have we done to prepare besides raise some taxes ? Have we sent the  Knight’s Watch beyond the Wall while we fight amongst ourselves like they do in The Game of Thrones? Where will the alliances be made? Ahhh….

And the final part of this yarn. There are those fallen from grace that many, not as attuned to Botetourt County, do not know are no longer in power here (and from where I sit, I am not sure some of those fallen good old boys  have figured that out yet, neither). For example, two Republican chairs from a different viewpoint have now been elected in the party in so many years plus. For the folks who play in Richmond and Washington– that would be a good fact to keep in mind. The King has changed and you can bet there is someone looking for his elbow.

See you next week!

Photo courtesy of Julia Adkins

On May 11, Mrs. Rachel Davis’ kindergarten class from Eagle Rock Elementary School took a field trip to Mill Mountain Zoo. All the kids enjoyed visiting the animals. They even got to enjoy a picnic lunch before their trip back. What a nice way to end the year!

– Submitted by Julia Adkins

JRHS senior Taylor Campbell interviews with Jennifer Hall of Austin Electrical.

“Not everyone is going to go to college after high school.” That is a given fact stated by  Career and Technical Education Specialist Lisa Barnett of BCPS last fall when speaking to members of the CTE  Advisory Board. Yet thousands of hours of teaching and training have gone into preparing students not on the college track as well those who are going to college, at both high schools and at Botetourt Technical Education Center in technical and career training. Classes like welding, agriscience, drafting, technology, criminal justice, building trades, automotives, cosmetology, and many, many others.

A path highlighted by the jobs requiring technical skills that are  often unfilled by the lack of skilled laborers in the US work force and addressed for their importance by the visit to BTEC in the Spring of 2011 by former Virginia governor and now U. S. Senator, Mark Warner. For the CTE non college bound student, all of the years of technical training lead to a job hopefully after graduation. The dots and lines finally connect from school, skills training to job.

On Monday afternoon, Austin Electrical, a local company that has national recognition and is headquartered in  Buchanan, interviewed students at BTEC and James River High School. Yes, something new. The student had to be  18 or soon thereof, to be interviewed by Jennifer Hall of Austin Electrical during lunch period at the school.  “The jobs offered are entry level and will require some travel,” noted Kathy Austin also of Austin Electrical.

Featured in the photo is Hall interviewing JRHS senior Taylor Campbell who agreed to have his photo taken (and so did his mother Tammy.) After a series of questions during the personal interview and the application process, Campbell left the interview hopeful.  From the significant event, he leaves with an interview under his belt and high hopes that when he  gets that diploma on June 7 from James River High School, he has a job lined up and is ready to go forward with life in whatever path that may lead him.

Story by Cathy Benson; Photo by Kathy Austin

The Read Mountain Middle School track team participated in the 47th annual Cosmopolitan Invitational Track Meet on May 5 at William Fleming High School. The boys 4-by-100 relay team placed second and set a new RMMS record of 49.92 seconds.

– Submitted by Kathy Boyer

We have this photo gallery with captions.

LBHS Drama is presenting “Arsenic and Old Lace” as our Spring Play. Arsenic and Old Lace is a dark comedy written by LBHS Drama is presenting Arsenic and Old Lace as our Spring Play. Arsenic and Old Lace is a dark comedy that will appeal to everyone. We encourage everyone to attend and bring others along to enjoy as well.

The shows are on May 18th AND 19th and will start at 7:00 pm in the school auditorium.

Tickets are five dollars and will be available at the door the night of the performances.

– submitted by Kyle Walker

ERES Ecology Club with the Greenhouse!

The Ecology Club of Eagle Rock Elementary proudly announces the arrival of a greenhouse to be used for future growing projects.  At their last meeting of the school year, the members of the club met with the Trail Dawgz from Central Academy Middle School to work on the beatification of the grounds for the summer and the planting of the vegetable beds.  The Trail Dawgz are a sixth grade student leadership team that is part of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy project.  The goal of the team is to lead other students to learn more about the conservation of our environment in Botetourt County.  Plants were donated by Clark BeCraft of the Horticulture Technology Department of Virginia Western Community College with Laurie Harlow being the contact person for the school.  Pictured with the Eagle Rock Ecology Club are the members of the Trail DAWGZ from Central Academy.

–Tamera Teaff