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One word: paparazzi.

Another word: homecoming.

Two more words: James River.

Yes, our paparazzi photo crew was at James River's homecoming last weekend. You'll find a photo on the cover of this week's print edition of The Botetourt View -- and two pages of photos inside. But we took pictures of everyone who wanted to be photographed and we share them all online in this photo gallery -- including this one of Olivia Williamson, Reanna Hamm, Alexis Brown, and Ceira Webb.

Those aren't the only online extras we have this week. Here's an easy way to find the others:

* James River grad Debrissa McKinney featured on new jazz CD
* Lord Botetourt students visit Australia in People-to-People program
* More photos from Heritage Days
* More photos of Botetourt Republicans honoring Del. Lacey Putney
* Not one, but two photo galleries from the James River homecoming parade
* More photos from "See You At the Pole" at Botetourt schools
* More photos from the Attic Productions show, "Moon Over Buffalo," which opens Oct. 8.
* More photos from KidsFest
* More photos from the Greek Festival
* More photos from last year's Heritage Days at Camp Bethel

AND IN SPORTS . ..
* More photos from the James River homecoming game
* More photos from rec night at Lord Botetourt's football game
* More photos of the Flyboys vs. the Cobras
* More photos of 18u fall ball
* Photos of Blue Ridge Bears vs. Blue Ridge Superstars
* Photos of James River volleyball
* Photos of James River grad Da’Von Ross playing at Emory & Henry

So how can you get your news and photos in The Botetourt View? Easy! Just share at news@botetourtview.com.

For more information -- including how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Botetourt County -- see below:

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There are lots and lots of rec league games going on each weekend in Botetourt (and some weekdays, too.) Goodness knows, we can't be at all of them. So how do we decide which ones to drop in on with our roving camera?

We use a very scientific method. Sometimes, yes, we go by the team names.

So when we spotted a match-up on the schedule between one girls soccer team named the Storm and another named Category 5 -- as in a Category 5 hurricane -- well, we just couldn't resist that one.

You'll find photos of that game in this week's print edition of The Botetourt View -- and you'll find the entire photo shoot from the game online in this gallery.

Those are just some of this week's online extras. But before we get to the rest, well, like we said, we can't be everywhere. But you can be! So if you have photos of your favorite rec league team, send 'em on to us. We'd love to help you show them off!

And now, the other online extras of the week:

* Three Lord Botetourt students hurt in wreck in Salem
* Spaghetti dinner to benefit Amanda Petty on Oct. 17
* Paparazzi photos of Botetourt people at Greek Festival
* Parks and rec wins honors from state association
* Virginia Forge, Blue Ridge Vineyards sponsor Dabney S. Lancaster fundraiser
* “Mommy and Me” classes begin Oct. 15.
* More photos from the Heritage Days festival in Fincastle
* More photos of the James River and Lord Botetourt bands
* More from Lin-Z-Jack's Hot Dog Shack
* More photos of ZZ Top fans
* More paparazzi photos from Olde Salem Days

AND IN SPORTS . . .
* More photos from Knights Crossing cross country
* Photos of Lord Botetourt volleyball
* Photos of Flyboys vs. Cobras soccer
* Photos of Botetourt Wasps football team
* Swimming lessons for children begin Oct. 27

So how can you get your news and photos in The Botetourt View? Easy! Just share at news@botetourtview.com.

For more information -- including how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Botetourt County -- see below:

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It's a bird! It's a plane!

No, it's a hot air balloon -- one you may have seen floating over Botetourt recently.

If not, well, you'll see some photos of it in this week's print edition of The Botetourt View -- and lots more online.

Because, well, that's what we do. We put things online first -- and when it comes to photos, we often put them up in vast quantities.

So for those of you who like extras, well, here's the guide to finding all of this week's online extras:

* More on the Youth Risk Behavior Survey
* More on the llama visit to Everything Art
* More photos from Troutville's Party in the Park
* More photos from the Oriskany Festival
* More photos from the Antiques Roadshow at The Glebe
* Fire damages home in Blue Ridge
* PETA offers to lease Botetourt Correctional Facility to create “Chicken Empathy Museum” -- original story and follow-up
* Denise Sprinkle named Educator of the Year
* Paparazzi photos of Botetourt people at Olde Salem Days
* Photo of flying squirrel and other Botetourt wildlife
* Last class at Troutville High School holds reunion
* Business PAC endorses Austin, Clinton for Board of Supervisors
* More photos of Meritha Rucker in Greece
* More of Sheila Terry's deer photos
* More on Destiny Booze's second romance novel

AND IN SPORTS . . .
* More photos from Lord Botetourt - Hidden Valley football
* More photos from James River - Altavista football
* More photos from Lord Botetourt vs. Glenvar JV volleyball
* More photos from the North Botetourt Titans vs. Cave Spring Saints
* Photos of Botetourt runners at Knights Crossing cross country meet
* Lord Botetourt cross country results

So how can you get your news and photos in The Botetourt View? Easy! Just share at news@botetourtview.com.

For more information -- including how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Botetourt County -- see below:

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Lord Botetourt Booster Club President Randy Landes mans the grill prior to last Friday night's game against Salem.

The food on that grill looks pretty tasty, eh?

Speaking of cooking, here are all the online extras we've cooked up for you this week:

* Lord Botetourt grad completes basic training at West Point
* Botetourt Correctional Center to close
* More photos related to the Shirley Niday Poker Run
* More photos of bear damage at Wheatland Lutheran
* More photos of Cheryl Lunsford's guitar students
* More on the concert at The Glebe
* More of Ruth Everhart's nature photos from Fincastle and Roaring Run

AND IN SPORTS . . .
* Free volleyball seminar at Fincastle Baptist
* More photos of the Roanoke Star u15 Premier team
* More photos of James River-Glenvar football
* More photos of Lord Botetourt-Salem football
* More photos from Lord Botetourt-James River varsity and JV football

So how can you get your news and photos in The Botetourt View? Easy! Just share at news@botetourtview.com.

For more information -- including how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Botetourt County -- see below:

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We can almost hear Hank Jr. singing now: Are you ready for some football?

We hope you are, because we've got plenty of it.

In this week's print edition of The Botetourt View, we have four pages of photos from last Friday's Lord Botetourt - James River football game. (Five, if you count the cover.)

And yet -- we still have more to show you right here online.

Even better, those aren't the only online extras we have this week. Here's an easy guide to the rest:

* Attic Productions holds auditions Sept. 5 and 7
* Free Internet safety workshop set for Sept. 10
* Church holds baptism in James River
* VDOT issues advisory on lane paving near Orchard Market Place
* Police seek help identifying purse-snatcher at Bonsack Wal-Mart

AND IN SPORTS . . .

* Photos of Lord Botetourt - James River volleyball -- both varsity and JV
* Botetourt Star seeks soccer players
* Botetourt Central All-Stars win sportsmanship trophy

So how can you get your news and photos in The Botetourt View? Easy! Just share at news@botetourtview.com.

For more information -- including how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Botetourt County -- see below:

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Kids are back in school -- and so are we!

In this week's print edition of The Botetourt View, we have photos from the first day of school (and some other days, too.) And, as you might expect, we have even more here online.

The one at left shows students getting off the bus at James River High School. You can find others in this photo gallery.

Those aren't the only online extras this week. Here's an easy way to find the rest:
* Wright Kids to perform at Heritage Days in Fincastle
* Troutville’s Party in the Park will be Sept. 12
* Lord Botetourt freshman serves as judge for hand-held devices
*Greenfield Elementary seeks artists and crafters for fall festival
* Reader photos from the Food Lion opening
* More photos of Bob McDonnell at Blue Ridge Vineyard
* More photos from the Fincastle Baptist Car Show
* More on the controversy over whether bear hunters with "kill" permits can keep the meat
* More bear sightings, in general
* More photos from the Food Expo

AND IN SPORTS . . .
* Photos from James River-Narrows benefit game
* More photos of Botetourt American Legion team

So how can you get your news and photos in The Botetourt View? Easy! Just share at news@botetourtview.com.

For more information -- including how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Botetourt County -- see below:

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It's a big week in Botetourt.

Schools went back into session.

The new Food Lion opened.

And we tied our record for the biggest section ever -- once again weighing in at 40 pages.

And still, we have more!

Here's this week's guide to all our online extras:

* Photos from Cheryl Lunsford’s summer jam
* More photos from the Food Expo
* More photos from Central Academy schedule day.
* We also have photos from Read Mountain schedule day.
* More photos from the RAYSAC pool party at Limestone Park (such as the one above).
* More photos of wild critters out in the woods
* More photos from the Runway to Recovery fashion show
* More photos from the Bank of Fincastle Customer Appreciation Day

AND IN SPORTS . .
* Photos of two Botetourt softball players in Atlanta
* JV football schedules listed
* Lord Botetourt grad plays on winning baseball team in Cape Cod league
* More photos from the Salem Distance Run

So how can you get your news and photos in The Botetourt View? Easy! Just share at news@botetourtview.com.

For more information -- including how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Botetourt County -- see below:

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Yearbook staffers at Lord Botetourt on schedule pick-up day.

It's back to school time.

In this week's print edition of The Botetourt View, we have the second of our two back-to-school issues. Last week we focused on elementary and middle schools. This week, it's the high schools.

Naturally, we have online extras for you -- including photo galleries from schedule pick-up days at Lord Botetourt and James River.

But wait, there's more! We also have these online extras:

* Photos from RAYSAC Middle School Pool Party
* Oriskany Strings play Saturday in Clifton Forge
* More photos from Bank of Fincastle Customer Appreciation Day
* More photos from the Farm Tour
* More photos from the Standing Rock Mission
* More photos from Pete McKnight
* More photos from "Nunsense," which plays Friday (sold out) and Saturday at Attic Productions
* More wildlife photos by Ben Schrader's trail cam
* More bear sightings around Botetourt
* More photos from Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio
* More photos of a snake up a tree near Cloverdale
* More photos from Blue Ridge Farm Center Customer Appreciation Day
* Cathy Benson's Terrific Tuesday column

Gus Brannan and Micheal Lancenese at James River

AND IN SPORTS . .
* Botetourt Star holds soccer clinics Aug. 17 and 19
* Maroon Crush softball team holds try-outs Aug. 15-16
* More photos from Lord Botetourt football practice
* More photos from James River football practice
* More photos from swim meet at Ashley Plantation
* More sports schedules not included in our back-to-school calendar

So how can you get your news and photos in The Botetourt View? Easy! Just share at news@botetourtview.com.

For more information -- including how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Botetourt County -- see below:

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Pictured here last June, this summer has been much better for Allyson McClellan since she has been treatment free and enjoying her life!

Here's an update about Allyson McClellan the Cloverdale girl who has battled cancer in the past year and remains cancer free since completing her treatment. Her mother has written about the Blizzard event on Thursday August 12 at the Dairy Queen on Orange Avenue US 460 west from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. Funds will go to the Children's Miracle Network.

"Allyson has truly had a wonderful summer.... It has warmed my heart to watch her swim, eat tons of ice cream, make smores, have slumber parties, and do everything 8 year olds are suppose to do. She starts school next week and we are not ready for the early mornings and homework. Her BFF is in her class so she is happy!"

"This Thursday is "Miracle Treat Day" at Dairy Queens everywhere. All blizzards are $2 and all of the money goes to Childrens Miracle Network-all the money in our area will go to our hospital-Carilion Childrens Clinic Hospital. Allyson will be working at Dairy Queen on Orange Avenue from 12pm-2pm-come out for lunch and enjoy a blizzard made by Allyson. Enjoy the rest of your summer and we hope to see you Thursday!" said McClellan.

Football's in the air -- and you know what that means. Back-to-school isn't far behind.

This week, we kick off the first of our two back-to-school issues, to be followed by, well, our two fall sports issues.

And, as always, we have lots of online extras. We have more photos from the parks and rec football camp. We also have info on this week's tax holiday on back-to-school supplies -- a list of what's tax free and tips on how to shop to your best advantage.

And we also have all these:

* James River students and teacher spend week at Green Bank observatory
* Photos from customer appreciation event at Blue Ridge Farm Center
* More photos from Botetourt Chamber of Commerce dinner and auction
* More photos from "Nunsense," which continues this weekend at Attic Productions
* More wildlife photos from Ben Schrader
* More photos from Touch-A-Truck
* More photos from the open house at The Glebe
* More photos from Boy Scout Troop 211 in New Mexico
* More photos of Jake DuVall's veggies. You can share your vegetable photos, too!

AND IN SPORTS . . .
* Football practices start at Lord Botetourt and James River
* More photos from Botetourt soccer players in Europe
* More photos of Botetourt American Legion baseball players
* More photos of the Virginia Attack baseball team
* More on the Roanoke Valley Senior Golf Tournament
* Video from the city-county swim meet

So how can you get your news and photos in The Botetourt View? Easy! Just share at news@botetourtview.com.

For more information -- including how to advertise and reach more than 90 percent of the households in Botetourt County -- see below:

Read more »