It was a furry, feathery, scaly day as the First Graders of Penn Forest Elementary arrived to the tennis courts. Each year, students are invited to showcase their pets or bring along stuffed animals for the Annual PFES Pet Day. From dogs, cats and hamsters to snakes and even a PIG, the children enjoyed a wide variety of pets at a petting zoo right in their own backyard!

Submitted by Shannon Sweeney

Do you have photos from around Southwest Roanoke County? You can share at news@swo-co.com or use the “share” tool to upload 10 at a time.

Nakia Wimberly Photography shares these photos from Hidden Valley JV football vs. William Byrd on Thursday.

Check back later this weekend for photos from Friday night’s varsity game.

Do you have photos from around Southwest Roanoke County? You can share at news@swo-co.com or use the “share” tool to upload 10 at a time.

Weather permitting, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 4, nighttime lane closures will be in place on Route 613 (Merriman Road) and Route 907 (Ranchcrest Drive) in Roanoke County for paving and line marking operations.

Work on Route 613 will be from Cartwright Road to Route 907 and from Meadowlark Road to Cartwright Road. Work on Route 907 will be from Route 221 to Route 613.

Work will be performed from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday. Traffic will be reduced to one lane with a pilot truck and flaggers controlling traffic.

Estimated completion is mid-September.

Submitted by Virginia Department of Transportation

It’s your last chance to visit Splash Valley Water Park this season! We’ll be open on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 11am to 7pm, with 10am early admission for Roanoke County Residents. Enjoy a day at the beach, without the drive!

Submitted by Roanoke County

Southwest Virginia Ballet will hold auditions for its annual production of “The Nutcracker” starting at 2 p.m. Sept. 9 at Tanglewood Mall.

Auditions are open for children 7 and up.

Arts writer Mike Allen has more details on his Arts & Extras blog.

The public is invited to tour the new STEM academy located at the Burton Center for Arts and Technology on Monday, September 17. Tours will begin in the lobby at 7:30 a.m., and prior to the tour we will have refreshments.

Earlier this year, the Virginia Board of Education approved a new Governor’s STEM academy for Roanoke County Public Schools. Governor’s STEM academies offer rigid academic and technical and career education programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Please RSVP to Jason Suhr at jsuhr@rcs.k12.va.us or by phone at 540-857-5000.

The Burton Center for Arts & Technology is located at 1760 Roanoke Blvd. in Salem.

Submitted by Chuck Lionberger, Roanoke County Public Schools.

All garbage collection routes for the week of September 3 – 7, 2012, will be delayed by one day for the Labor Day Holiday. All offices will be closed on Monday, September 3, 2012, for the Labor Day Holiday. For more information, please call 387-6225.

Submitted by Roanoke County

Experience the adventure, pageantry, magic and romance of the medieval times at Roanoke County’s Green Hill Park. On Saturday September 29th from 10AM to 6PM and Sunday September 30th from 10AM to 5PM ye can revisit history made reality and explore the festive tentage of merchants offering wares from mystical lands. Throughout the day ye will smell the luscious aromas of treats and turkey legs, experience music and merriment, colorful dancers, nobles, ladies, knights, and the sounds of haunting bagpipes drifting over the Blue Ridge Mountains. Attend the Faire dressed in medieval garb and receive FREE admission; otherwise entry is $5 cash-only at the gate, and those under 5 are free.

This year’s Faire promises to be like no other. In support of the community that has supported us we are showcasing statewide performers and living history groups. We are proud to present Fencing and Archery demonstrations from the Kirk Family YMCA and Northside High School in Roanoke, the Roanoke Sword Guild, belly dancing performances by the Rhythm Fire Dance troupe in Floyd, a Falconer from Franklin County, and Scottish Dancers performing on Sunday from Montpelier, VA.

Also new this year the Masquerade Ball will be held on both days! Saturday beginning at 4:30PM and Sunday beginning at 3:30PM the Masquerade Ball will begin with Her Majesty’s Royal Pageant; dress for the ball if ye so desire, engage in the wooing contest and learn the dances from days of old charm.
The Highland Games will return on Saturday September 29th. Athletes of varying skill levels will compete in seven challenging and varied categories. Ye won’t want to miss the incredible feats of agility and strength performed by these talented athletes!

Attention Students! The Green Hill Medieval Faire and Highland Games is of importance for the younger lads and lassies as the relevance of this time period in history is often included in SOL testing. Also scouting badges and patches are available for Scouts of all ages who attend the Faire. For those college students in the area be sure to participate in the College Clan Competition and check in Sunday, September 30 at 3:30 to see which school reigns supreme!

For more details about the Green Hill Medieval Faire visit www.RoanokeCountyParks.com, www.facebook.com/GreenHillMedievalFaire, www.medievalfantasiesco.com or call Roanoke County’s Live Learn & Play Line at (540) 387-6455.

Submitted by Roanoke County Parks and Rec

Patrick Lynch of Daleville, VA was the overall winner of the Roanoke Valley Senior Golf Tour’s tournament played today at The Vista Links in Buena Vista, VA.  Lynch, playing in Division 2 (handicaps 14-18) recorded a net score of 57.  Other Division 2 winners were: 2nd, Bill Oliver – 61; 3rd, Sherwood Woodford – 62; 4th, Ken Kornegay – 63; 5th, Dan Shelton – 63.

Playing in Division 1, (handicaps 0-13), Andy Shumate of Southwest Roanoke County finished 1st Place in his division with a net score of 63.  Other Division 1 winners were: 2nd, James Sitton – 64; 3rd, Alan Brenner – 65; 4th, Doug Spencer – 65; 5th, David Heath – 66.

Rick Elmore of Salem, VA carded a net score of 61 to finish 2nd Place in Division 3 (handicaps over 18).  Other Division 3 winners were:  2nd, Pat Smith – 65; 3rd, Tom Garland – 67; 4th, Randall Phillips – 68; 5th, Bob Hamblen – 69.

Low Gross honors went to Woody Deans; David Heath; and Patrick Lynch all with 73′s.

Submitted by Tommy Firebaugh

Weather journalist Kevin Myatt

Cave Spring is at home tonight for a 7 p.m. game against Martinsville.

Hidden Valley is on the road for a 7 p.m. game at William Byrd.

Weather journalist Kevin Myatt offers this forecast:

This may well be the warmest night of the football season. Afternoon highs could reach low 90s in Roanoke Valley and well into 80s in the New River Valley, with temperatures hanging in the 80s at kickoff most places and only slowly falling into the 70s. Can’t rule out a few isolated showers and storms, but it looks like most of that will wait until some of Isaac’s remnants can make it our way late in the weekend – perhaps raining on Virginia Tech’s opener Monday night.

For more weather news, see Kevin’s Weather Journal. We’re expecting photos from each game, so check back this weekend for those. Or you can share your own at news@swo-co.com or use the “share” tool to upload 10 at a time.

From last week’s season opener we had:
* Photos from Cave Spring vs. William Byrd (with band photos) from T.J. Witten
* Photos from Hidden Valley at Patrick Henry from Nakia Wimberly and Jeanna Duerscherl
* Photos of the Hidden Valley band from David Atkins.