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Shirley and Wayne Niday

Shirley Niday of Troutville continues her struggle against recurrent breast cancer. A musical benefit will take place for her on Saturday November 28 at LBHS auditorium. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. they can be purchased at the old Mill in Fincastle.

Junior Sisk and his band headline the show .

Botetourt Gymnastics hosted the Commonwealth Games on Saturday Nov. 14th. Owner Susan Powers described the scene. "It was a ton of fun and we had a good turnout, especially from Botetourt. Creative Fitness from Buchanan and our gym both did very well. We also had Roanoke Academy, Galax Gainers and VA Techniques from Blacksburg." The list of results are included below.  "It was a first meet for several of the BGA girls girls and Creative Fitness girls and they did really well for their first meet," said Powers. Two of the BGA girls took Gold medals. This was the 11th year that Botetourt Gymnastics has held the meet here at their site.

Level 4-Age 6-8 Vault Bars Beam Floor All Around
Tyler Dawson 8.55-5th 8.70-4th 7.50-5th 8.00-4th 32.75-4th (Qualified for Sectionals)

Level 4-Age 9
Cora Blom 8.20 7.10 6.70 6.60 28.60

Level 4-Age 10-11
Hannah Burch 8.45-6th 7.70-5th 7.65-5th 7.70-5th 31.50-6th (Qualified for sectional)

Level 5-Age 9-10
Abby Spangler 8.70-8th 7.95-5th 8.575-5th 8.25 33.475-6th (Qualified for Sectional)

Level 5-Age 11
Gabby Mittelstetter 7.85-7th 7.675-4th 8.90-3rd 7.45-6th 31.875-5th (Qualified for Sectional)

Level 5-Age 12+
Alicia Ralston 8.50-3rd 7.00-1st 8.10-2nd 6.15-4th 29.750-2nd

Level 6-Age 7-11
Jaylen Reeves 9.10-1st 6.75-5th 8.15-4th 6.75-5th 30.75-5th

No telling yet how much money the bomb threats today will end up costing Botetourt County, citizens, schools and the Sheriff's Office will have a price tag for additional services. The students at James River High School and Eagle Rock Elementary got sent from the respective buildings without backpacks and coats and no lunch for most.

Lunch at JRHS was just ready to serve. So what will happen to the food left in the cafeteria while the threat is searched? No doubt there's a financial loss. Gym students went out into the 45 degree temperatures in gym shorts and t- shirts. Many students had on regular shorts expecting to spend the day in side. Most who had on jeans had on short sleeve shirts and no jackets. The threat of rain hung heavy in the air.

Parents arrived at the school to pick-up students before 12:30. Those cell phones came in handy today as parents verified that a student could ride home with another parent, too. Not to mention the text messages that alerted the Botetourt View about what was transpiring at the school. Students filed off the field when a bus number was read to get on a bus to go home. Oh yes, extra Diesel fuel and additional pay to the drivers should be added to the cost.

Though they spent over an hour outside,  hope springs eternal in high school youth.

Hungry from the lack of lunch and standing in the cold, many traveled with parents and each other over to the Burger King in Buchanan. When asked if the students were sad to be out of school, a resounding "No" filled the dining area." No one felt threatened or a least admitted to it. "Take our picture,"  shouted Taylor Statum a junior and a "Yes,"chorused through the group. The order taker seemed less than thrilled with the additional business, but imagine how the coffers will count out tonight when perhaps a hundred students and parents eventually purchased food from the fast food spot. So not everyone lost money on the bomb threat today.

Several of the seniors recalled three years ago a student wrote a bomb threat in the bathroom and a similar situation happened.

Bomb sniffing dogs and additional personnel were called into Botetourt County. The JRHS staff went back into the school after the all clear around 2:15 p.m.

Watch for updates as they arrive.

OTHER COVERAGE OF THE BOMB THREATS:
* Sheriff says bomb threats traced to Southeast Roanoke
* Eagle Rock students now at Breckinridge; searches underway
* James River students dismissed; Eagle Rock also evacuated
* James River High School evacuated

Ever had a dream come true? The James River band had the  time of their young lives last week when a dream came true for the musicians and flag team. The main excitement for the James River High School band students was to be participants in the annual Veteran's Day parade along 5th Avenue in NYC! They  rode the subway and saw some sights of New York City. They also traveled about 1,000 miles round trip in a couple of days. Through out the lives of these talented young people, they will carry the awesome memory of  marching in a New York parade --an event few can claim as an experience.

Band Director Will Divers applied for the parade position for the band last winter. The school board approved the trip in late spring and the rest so they say is history. The band members worked hard on their competition routine but always in the November 11 and the Veteran's Day parade in NYC lurked just beneath the surface. Plenty of fund raising and band booster activities from parents and well wishers helped make the dream come true for the Knights band.

On Tuesday morning, November 10, the band departed the parking lot at JRHS. Parents and principal Jamie Talbott accompanied the band to New York. On November 11, the Knights donned uniforms and marched down the streets of New York City doing their best to show their musical ability and to make Botetourt County proud. By the looks of it, they were successful. Parents along the way snapped pictures, and smiles abounded.  For more pictures of the trip.

Divers remarked, "The big city was a bit intimidating, but certainly broadened the world view of those who went on the trip."

By Friday they were back in Botetourt County and off to the game at Fort Chiswell. When asked how it was the band members replied, "Great!"

Way To Go! River band!

The Botetourt County Sheriff's Office has issued the following release on today's bomb threats at James River High School and Eagle Rock Elementary:

Botetourt County authorities have traced nearly simultaneous telephone threats that emptied two Botetourt County schools shortly before noon Wednesday to a southeast Roanoke pay-phone and are seeking assistance from persons in the area in identifying a possible suspect, Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle has announced.
Classes were dismissed for the day at James River High School. Students at Eagle Rock Elementary School were sent to Breckenridge Elementary School where they were fed lunch and later were picked up by buses. A bomb was specifically mentioned in the call to the elementary school. A danger was implied in the call to the high school.
Sheriff Sprinkle said that the calls came from a pay-phone at a Unimart at 1219 Jamison Ave. Officers are now in the process of examining security cameras in that area, and are asking the public for any information regarding activity at that telephone between 11 and 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Persons with any information are asked to call the Botetourt County Sheriff's Office at 473-8230.
Eighteen sheriff's deputies, five Botetourt County fire departments and five rescue were occupied for nearly three hours at the two locations before the schools were cleared at 2 p.m., the sheriff said in discussing the degree of disruption and operational costs that resulted from the two hoaxes. Virginia State Police and Roanoke County provided bomb-sniffing dogs.
--END--

OTHER COVERAGE OF THE BOMB THREATS:
* Eagle Rock students now at Breckinridge; searches underway
* James River students dismissed; Eagle Rock also evacuated
* James River High School evacuated

Cloverdale resident Jane Garnett’s film, “A Sailor’s Story”, has been accepted for viewing at the Grandin Theatre’s Open Projector Night. The film tells the story of her father, Jackson H. Jones, and his D-Day experience. Jones was a motor machinist on LST-504. The 504 made 13 crossings of the English Channel during the week of June 6, 1944. After D-Day, Jones served in Africa, Italy, the Southern Invasion of France, and Pearl Harbor. The story is told in Jones’ own voice and personal war photos. Open Projector Night is a quarterly film screening of locally produced short films. The event is open to all ages, and all levels of experience. Submissions are paneled by the Young Curators and the Teen Advisory Committee of the Taubman Museum of Art. Screening is November 23, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. and admission is $6.50.

Photos are of Jackson H Jones on LST-504 gun and Jones in 1942.

Submitted by Jane Garnett.

This event was organized by Lee Minnix, a community involved resident.  Attendees included community volunteers, 3rd thru 5th grade students from Troutville, as well as parents, TES Staff, many Veterans from the community, Cub Scout Troop 137, The Virginia Gentleman Quartet, Rev. Dave Rochford of St. Mark's United Methodist Church and more.   The Cub Scouts carried in the flag and the pledge was recited.  Several individuals spoke of the flag and the meaning of Veteran's Day.  The Veterans were presented with medals.  Special singer Dottie Henry with Rose Young at the piano sang the service songs to the Vets.  Also, TES students sang songs to the Vets lead by Ms. Radford (music teacher).  Refreshments were served to the Veterans.  Troutville Elementary would like to give a very special Thank you to Lee Minnix for all of her hardwork.

Submitted by Sheila Feltis, Troutville Elementary School PTA Treasurer.

These photos were submitted by Tammy Riggs, Principal of Colonial Elementary School in Blue Ridge.

First photo: Fourth & Fifth grade students literally "singing in the rain" at the National D-Day Memorial.

Second photo: Representative Tom Perriello shakes hands with Grayson Bond, Colonial's SCA president, before speaking at the event.

Third photo:  Kindergartens wave their flags and sing for veterans at the VFW Post 1264.

Fourth photo: First and third graders sing at the Virginia Veteran's Care Center.

This lovely pair were for sale last year at the St. Mark's craft fair.

St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Daleville will host their 33rd Annual Christmas Fair on Saturday, December 5, at Lord Botetourt High School cafeteria from 8 am - 2 pm.
The church and more than 35 local crafters will offer many quality crafts, decorations, wreaths, jewelry, a silent auction, and much, much more. Always delicious Whaley's Pecans will be available packaged in 1-pound bags in both halves and chopped.
An extensive Bakery area will offer a large assortment of special goodies for the Holidays ready to be eaten or frozen. Be sure to look for many home-canned items including pepper jelly, apple butter and "Donna's Pickles".
A large menu of delicious Breakfast, Snack and Lunch foods will be served throughout the day.
Church members have created a beautiful handmade queen-size Jacob's Ladder Quilt. Donation tickets of $1.00 for the Quilt will be sold at the door. The drawing for the Quilt and several door prizes will be held at 2 pm.
Monies raised will support many mission projects.

--submitted by Ramona Tolley

Twilight In Buchanan Tree Lighting
Please, help us fill Main Street Buchanan on Saturday, November 28th at
7:00PM.
Join us as we kick off the Christmas Season by lighting the Buchanan
Town Christmas Tree.

Rediscover an old fashioned Christmas in Downtown Buchanan.
Saturday, November 28th at 7:00PM
Town of Buchanan Christmas Tree Lighting
Help us make this the best year to date.

FREE REFRESHMENTS
OFFERED BY THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES
THAT WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 9:00PM!

“Rediscover an Olde Fashioned Christmas!” For more than six decades hundreds have returned to lined Buchanan’s Main Street cheering floats, marching units and bands as they announce the arrival of the Christmas Season. This year’s parade features the award winning James River High School Marching Band, a Scottish Bagpipe Band known as War Pipe, dozens of marching units and floats prepared by area churches and civic organizations as well as antique autos, clowns and horses and our most honored guest, old St. Nick. The Parade will begin its way down Main Street at 4PM. To enter call the Buchanan Downtown Revitalization Program at 254-1212.