www.roanoke.com

Chauvin D. Bailey

Sandy M. Ball

The Botetourt County Sheriff's Office has issued the following:

Two Roanoke residents were arrested and approximately 59 grams of heroin worth an estimated $30,000 at the street level was seized Sunday afternoon in an I-81 traffic stop by Botetourt County sheriff’s deputies working in coordination with Virginia State Police, Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle has announced.
Sheriff Sprinkle identified the man and woman arrested as: Chauvin Dwight Bailey, 31, and Sandy Marie Ball, 28. The sheriff said that each was charged with possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, transporting heroin into the Commonwealth with intent to distribute, and child endangerment. The latter charge was based on the presence of a ten-year-old child in the vehicle at the time of the arrests, Sprinkle said.
The arrests followed a traffic stop for speeding in the southbound lanes of I-81 at mile-post 160 at 4:32 p.m. Sunday, and the heroin was located in the vehicle’s spare tire by a State Police drug-seeking dog, Sheriff Sprinkle said. The two persons arrested stated that they were en route from New York City to Roanoke, the sheriff said.
The two were arraigned Monday in General District Court for Botetourt
County and remain in custody in the Botetourt County Jail, Sprinkle said.

We have updates on this story here.

JRHS varsity players Maribeth Kern and Taylor Statome made 1st Team All-District for volleyball. Conner Sprinkle and Savannah Sharkey received Honorable Mentions for volleyball.

OTHER RECENT COVERAGE OF JAMES RIVER:
* Nov. 6: Japanese exchange with James River High School
* Nov. 6: James River's Britta Grim going to state cross-country meet
* Nov. 3: Photos from senior night for James River band
* Nov. 2: More photos from the James River - Bath game
* Nov. 2: Photos of James River football vs. Bath
* Oct. 24: James River rolls over Parry McCluer
* Oct. 23: Photos of Korey Watts, who finished second in state golf tournament
* Oct. 17: Photos of James River volleyball vs. Parry McCluer
* Oct. 17: Photos from James River football vs. Covington
* Oct. 15: Photos of James River volleyball vs. Covington
* Oct. 15: James River student tries to win scholarship in Spirit FM contest
* Oct. 15: Send a card to Amanda Petty
* Oct. 12: Photos from James River 50th anniversary celebration

Event: Veterans Day Service
When: Wednesday, November 11
Where: Troutville Elementary School auditorium
Time: 10 am to 11 am
Information: Special recognition of each veteran attending. Music provided by "Four For You", a quartet from the Virginia Gentlemen. Special message and flag presentation. Refreshments. This event is being coordinated by Troutville's Friends of the Park.

Submitted by Dan Naff

Mark and Wendy Mountcastle, of Blue Ridge, sent in this photo of their 7-month-old granddaughter, Lillian Renick. She is ready to venture out for her first Halloween.

Thanks, Mark and Wendy!

Carmela and Lacey Putney earlier at the Aqua Virginia meeting.

Delegate Lacey Putney had a Town Hall meeting in Fincastle at the Old General District Court Building on Thursday night, October 29. Putney is up for re-election this year and if he wins, will have spent 50 years of his life in legislative service at the end of the next term.

The turnout was light, but school superintendent Dr. Tony Brads of the Botetourt school division was there as well as several other interested parties. Putney did not sugar coat the dire financial state of the Commonwealth and said that the public should be prepared for more budget cuts come January when the General Assembly returns to Richmond.

"I do not support new taxes. The taxpayers of the State of Virginia do not need that right now during these hard economic times. We must be prepared that perhaps for the next four years there may be as much as eight billion in new budget cuts and unless there is a general turn around, this is going to hurt."

Nor could Putney promise that K-12 funding will escape the budget axe the next time around. Last year Gov. Tim Kane was able to keep those education funds in the budget. He spoke directly to Brads on the issue. "Tony, I just don't know." Putney is the chairman of Appropriations Committee, so he has a really good read on the financial status. He noted that both the general fund and the special fund are down and that the shortfall is going to be the reason for more cuts. "People who paid quarterly taxes are way down for one reason," he said.

Putney did say that higher education has already taken a beating and they have needs that are not being met. He sponsored legislation that is keeping some construction going at state colleges and universities as he said, "while contractors are lean and need the work, the costs are less." both the state and private industry are benefiting from that legislation he said.  He hopes to find funds to re-open Troutville's Camp 25, and perhaps the juvenile facility in Rockbridge, but there are no promises that will be a possibility. "Money is just really tight," he said and offered up, "I have sponsored legislation that has created new jobs it is just imperative that we keep supporting the creation of such."

Transportation is a huge part of the needs in Virginia. He was not sure any more stimulus money would come in and help either. Putney said he didn't want to burden the Town Hall attendees, but they needed a realistic look at what the Commonwealth is facing. Election Day is November 3 and he faces two challengers, Will Smith of the Constitution Party and Lewis Medlin, a Democrat.

These students traveled with People to People, pictured from left to right: Kelsey Conley, Kabra Taylor, Robert Switzer, Amber Snider, Carly White, and Alec Travers..

Debbie Harris, a Read Mountain Middle School teacher, traveled with a group of local students who were nominated to work with People to People and serve as student ambassadors to Australia in July of this year. The students completed a substantial amount of work before traveling. Students were required to successfully complete training modules, participate in orientation meetings, complete a research project, complete a community service project, and meet with an elected official before traveling.

The students met with Bob Goodlatte in April to discuss People to People's goals and the work they were doing.

The students volunteered at the Salem VAMC, helping to host a bingo evening and providing snacks for the veterans. Their choice of a community service project at home was good preparation for their community service project in Australia. The student ambassadors visited with the early pioneers who helped settle Malanda, Australia after baking and serving them scones.

The two week excursion in Australia took the students from Cairns to Sydney. The student ambassadors had the opportunity to interact with Aboriginal people as they learned about the didgeridoo, boomerang, and Aboriginal dances. The ambassadors had time to enjoy many of the sites Australia has to offer. The ambassadors enjoyed a tour led by a marine biologist as they snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef. They viewed the rain forest from a World War II amphibious vehicle and from the canopy while walking on an elevated walkway of the Wooroonooran National Park (picture above from left to right: Kelsey Conley, Kabra Taylor, Robert Switzer, Amber Snider, Carly White, and Alec Travers.) The ambassadors saw a dingo in the wild while staying on Frasier Island and were taught the basics of how to play cricket while visiting the Sidney Cricket Ground. Ambassadors participated in a "Full On" activity where they were given the opportunity to abseil 200 feet down the exposed rock face of the Blue Mountains while in Sydney.

The student ambassadors interacted with different Australian hosts in numerous settings from a sheep farm in the bush to the Sydney Opera House, and they demonstrated exceptional character and manners representing the United States in a way in which all Americans should be very proud.

submitted by Debbie Harris

Our paparazzi photo crew was at the Positively Pink Parade over the weekend -- and so were lots of people from Botetourt.

You can see all the photos in the slideshow above or in this gallery format. Or, you can go straight to the photos of these Botetourt folks:

* Madalyn Cook
* Dana Wimmer
* The Jackfe 7
* Donna Price
* Pamela Price
* Roxie Wright

Do you have photos involving people or events from Botetourt? If so, you can share at news@botetourtview.com.

Our paparazzi photo crew was at the Wine and Unwind Festival in Salem on Saturday -- and so were lots of people from Botetourt.

Among those who stepped onto the red carpet were:

* Mary and Danny Lugar
* Gary Shifflette
* Katie Sloan
* Jim and Jan Reeks

Do you have photos from your weekend? Or anything, for that matter, involving people or events in Botetourt? You can share at news@botetourtview.com.

Blue Ridge Supervisor Billy Martin spoke with Aqua Virginia several weeks ago.

Blue Ridge Supervisor Billy Martin is holding a Town Hall Monday October 26 at 7 p.m. at Rainbow Forest Baptist Church sanctuary meeting on the proposed water rate increase Aqua Virginia has requested from the State Corporation Commission.

He has detailed  below what he finds wrong with the proposed 69% increase and believes the water customers in his district need to knowAqua Virginia Inc.

What is going on?
• Aqua Virginia Inc., has petitioned the VSCC for a 69% rate hike in your water rates in June 2009. Aqua has asked the SCC to consolidate rates for their customers. Regardless where they live, all will pay the same rate. (NOVA vs. Botetourt) Wage scales in NOVA are much higher than this area. We should not be burdened with this increase.
History on rate increases:
• Rate increase in 2005
• Rate increase in 2007

Facts about Aqua Virginia Inc.:
• Filed petition for a $3.2 million increase

• Equates to $18.00 per month per customer or $216 increase per year

• Aqua has Invested $44 million across Virginia to improve water and wastewater systems

• At $18 per month increase for Botetourt customers, the $1.3 million investment would be paid off in 2 ½ years Read more »

Come on along we are going for a hayride!

Vanessa Romas sent these pics of the Botetourt Buddies going on their first field trip of the year to Layman's Farm in Montvale. Botetourt Buddies pairs special education students with general education students for fun and fellowship. Ramos, a senior, started the group with the help of many in the school and from the community last year because her sister Stephanie and other special education students needed a better way to interact with the rest of the Lord Botetourt High School student body. The result has been a terrific success for all involved.