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James Quarles of Botetourt recently bagged a nine-point buck while hunting. We have a photo on outdoor writer Mark Taylor's Wild Life blog.

It's a Christmas tradition!  Each year, the students at Read Mountain "adopt" several families in our area in order to provide a happy Christmas for those in temporary need of assistance.  Students collect gifts and money to be delivered secretly to families, and each year the students outdo themselves in showing generosity and Christmas spirit.  Last year, an anonymous
donor outside the student body asked to be a part of our program, and donated bikes to be given to our adopted families.  If you do not have a student at Read Mountain Middle school, but would like to be a "Christmas Elf" and participate with us in this program, please contact our SCA sponsor, Mrs. Heidi Maust at 966-8655, or at hmaust@bcps.k12.va.us.
We'd be happy to have you join us in this wonderful Christmas event.

Submitted by Heather Simmons, Read Mountain Middle School.

Dee Sheffer, Nancy Womack and Joyce Mandeville, three Relay For Life of Botetourt Committee Members took part in an American Cancer Society Relay Leadership Conference on Saturday, November 7th at Lewis Gale Hospital.

The conference was designed to foster enthusiasm and garner ideas.  Participants attended workshops on topics as varied as marketing, team recruitment, volunteer recruitment and year round fundraising.  The general sessions included guest speakers such as Pediatric Oncologist, Dr. Joan Fischer and many Cancer Survivors and Family Members.

In 2009, the Relay For Life of Botetourt raised $ 88,779.00.  The conference attendees are shown here with the American Cancer Society Staff Partner and Botetourt County Relayer, Andrea Britt.  Andrea helped to organize the conference as well along with her co-workers within the Roanoke, Lynchburg and Martinsville American Cancer Society offices.

The 2010 Relay For Life of Botetourt is scheduled for May 21-22, 2010.  If you are interested in forming a team to participate in this event or have questions, please feel free to contact Tammy Wilson, Event Chair at (540) 473-1158.  You may also contact Andrea Britt, Community Manager at (540) 774-2716.

Submitted by Andrea Britt, Community Manager, American Cancer Society.

The Central Academy Robo Patriots placed first in their Division in regional Competition.

The CAMS/4H team at the Lynchburg Regional where they placed first in their division.

MacKenzie Tyree digs the ball for CNU

MacKenzie Tyree in her 1st season of collegiate volleyball at Div.II Carson Newman College, as the Eagles were selected Sunday night November 15 as one of the 64 teams to play in the Division 2 Championship.

Tyree, a 2009 graduate of LBHS and a Daleville resident, is a defensive specialist. She helped lead Carson Newman (22-8, 12-4 SAC) to a second place regular season finish in the South Atlantic Conference as well as runner-up in the tournament.

The Eagles are a number 4 seed in the Southeast Region and will play at Wingate University Friday Nov. 20th against Catawba College.

Tyree, on the right.

Tyree lead the Carson Newman team in serving percentages at 99% (365/370), 3rd in serving aces/gm, 2nd in serve receive percentage at 95%, and is 4th in digs/gm at 2.23.

Submitted by Tyree Family, photos by Rick Elliott

Advance Notice
Planning Commission & Board of Supervisors
Board of Zoning Appeals

December 2009

The following applications will be heard at the December 14, 2009 Planning Commission public hearing and the December 22, 2009 Board of Supervisors public hearing. There are currently no requests for the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Planning Commission/Board of Supervisors

Fincastle Magisterial District: Donald L. Meredith (Cingular Wireless/AT&T Wireless, lessees) requests a Special Exception Permit with possible conditions in an Agricultural, (A-1) Use District to construct and maintain a 195-foot telecommunications tower within a 10,000 square foot lease area, plus access road on a on a 97.0 acre parcel located off of West Wind Road (Route 635), approximately 0.27 miles southwest of its intersection with Mary Alice Road (Route 681), identified on the Real Property Identification Maps of Botetourt County as Section 48, Parcel 15.

Buchanan Magisterial District: Larry W. and Rebecca T. Thompson request to rezone 2.334 acres from Forest Conservation (FC) District to Rural Residential (RR) District and 2.265 acres from Agricultural-Rural Residential district to Rural Residential to create one new lot and to re-adjust the boundary lines of an existing lot. This property is located on State Route F054 (Purgatory Mountain Road), approximately 1.0 mile southwest of Interstate 81, Exit 168, identified on the Real Property Identification Maps of Botetourt County as Section 52, Parcels 25 and 32C.

Board of Supervisors

Amsterdam Magisterial District: Timberbrook Associates (Strauss Construction Corp.) requests to vacate an existing 20' waterline easement in Botetourt Commons. This site on Commons Parkway is located approximately 0.08 miles west of its intersection with US Route 220 (Roanoke Road), identified on the Real Property Identification Maps of Botetourt County as Section 101(14) Parcel 7.

VDOT has requested that the Board of Supervisors abandon those areas of Route 605 (Cougar Lane) that are no longer within the right-of-way of the reconstructed Route 605.

Board of Zoning Appeals

There are none.

submitted by Laura Goad, Planning and Zoning

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!