Chamber of Commerce seeking volunteers
Editor:
The Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce is growing and happy to be of service to the business community. We are seeking a few industrious volunteers be a part of our growing presence in Botetourt County. If you are outgoing, looking to get involved in the community and curious to get to know business leaders and other members, please contact Executive Director Grant Holmes at 473-8280.
The tasks of the volunteers would consist of running errands, answering the office phone, and doing some light office tasks. These volunteers may also help at events to meet and greet attendees at registration and more! If you know of someone who would be well suited or interested please pass this along to them.
Grant Holmes, ED
Botetourt County Chamber of Commerce
Rocky Forge wind project will benefit Botetourt County
Editor:
I encourage Botetourt County to support the rocky Forge wind project and the benefits it will bring to our community. This project will not only bring the Commonwealth its first onshore wind project, but it will also benefit our community through tax revenue, job creation, road improvements and pride for hosting the future of energy here in our own community.
The location of the project is as isolated as they come. The closest neighbors are over a mile away and they look forward to the project’s construction. As someone who has spent a lot of time on the mountain over the years, I support utilizing our resources to our benefit, while also preserving what makes Northern Botetourt so special. I urge the community to support this as well as this project checks both boxes.
Cleatis Lester
Eagle Rock
Supervisors should learn of the negative aspects of industrial wind plants
Editor:
Soon the Board of Supervisors will have to decide on changing the zoning ordinance and on the amendment to the SEP as requested by Apex to increase the height of the proposed industrial wind turbines from 550 feet to 680, a 23 percent increase in height. I sincerely hope they make their decision based on facts and the experience other counties have had with industrial wind turbines. In the recent letter to the editor “Wind turbines good opportunity for Botetourt,” I find a few misunderstandings.
First, the author claims the electricity produced will provide enough for over 20,000 homes. This is not correct. In Apex’s proposal they claim “up to 20,000 homes.” When Apex was asked where they got that estimate from, they admitted it was not based on expected wind data from North Mountain, but that it is typical for wind developers to assume they will produce about a third of the installed capacity of the project. That means while 78 megawatts is the installed capacity, they assume the project will not produce more than about 23 megawatts. Furthermore, PJM, the local grid operator believes only about 13 percent of the installed capacity will be produced. This is based on their experience with other industrial wind projects in the Northeast. So, no 20,000 homes, it is an exaggeration.
While it is true that each turbine will require about 1.2 acres of clear cutting, the 11 miles of road was not mentioned, in all about 150 acres will require to be cleared to construct the roads, turbines and buildings to generate about 10 megawatts of energy on an intermittent basis.
Finally, there is a misconception about how clean wind energy is; it isn’t. Because electricity generated by wind turbines is intermittent and unpredictable, fossil fuel plants continue to run at idle while wind generated electricity is being accepted to the grid. As such there is no real reduction of emissions from the fossil fuel plants.
I hope that the Board of Supervisors will take time to learn some of the negative aspects of industrial wind plants. A good place to see articles on the impacts of wind energy is www.wind-watch.org and the National Platform against wind power- www.na-paw.org.
Over 125 counties in the US have made wind turbines illegal in their county, there must be a reason.
Melissa Hundley
Clifton Forge
Parade a success
Editor:
The Fincastle Christmas Parade was a great success this year. The weather was great and there were many parade participants and people watching the parade.
A great thanks to those who donated, New River Electrical Co., The Bank of Fincastle, Town of Fincastle, Wiegandt & Doubles and Cahoon’s Florist & Gifts.
Also a great thanks to all the parade participants, Grand Marshal Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle, First Baptist Church of Fincastle, Fincastle Fire & Rescue Department, 4-H Honeybee Club, Botetourt County Library System, James River Marching Band, Pack 137, Girl Scout Troop 1280, Lord Botetourt FFA, Troutville/Buchanan VDOT, Fincastle United Methodist Church, Brent Hershey-State Farm, Eagle Rock Fire & Rescue, Harmony Equestrian Center, Fincastle Preschool, The Bank of Fincastle, Fincastle Baptist Church, Buchanan Fire & Rescue, Brian Center, Star City Corvettes, Eagle Rock VDOT, Botetourt 4-H Robotics and Floyd Ward School of Dance.
Many thanks to the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Department, R.D. and Cathy Henderson, Greg Boothe, John Boothe, Joan Boothe and Matt Stump.
Thanks to the judges, Lee Minnix, Barbara Vasser and Judy Craft, who did a wonderful job.
Also, a wonderful thanks to The Fincastle Herald for publishing all the articles and pictures of the parade.
Fincastle Christmas Parade Committee
Helen Morris, David Tickner, Paige Ware
Moose Lodge thanks supporters of its fundraisers to benefit community needs
Editor:
Buchanan Moose Lodge #2182 is a community-based lodge that has outstanding members and supporters. In 2019, we have raised over $43,000 for 12 different events, including many families that have experienced life-altering situations. Some of these situations benefited young children with different medical conditions (whether it be different types of cancer, inoperable brain tumor, polio-like symptoms, and a dog mauling accident). We were also involved with the Toys for Tots for the Botetourt area, and finally, Backpack Buddies for Buchanan Elementary School.
Also, in 2019, we helped many adults, including a family whose home was considered a total loss caused by fire, a husband whose wife tragically passed away in a car accident, and a friend who was diagnosed with cancer. In the spring, we always participate in a fishing rodeo for disabled veterans and in November we served a Thanksgiving dinner for the seniors in our community. We were also able to raise enough money to supply the two local food banks in the Buchanan area with 50 boxes filled with a complete Thanksgiving meal for a family in need; not to mention many other small gestures of generosity that are done behind the scenes.
Without the outpouring of community support, lodge members, churches, local Botetourt County businesses and banks and the “Fundraiser Crew” of the Buchanan Moose Lodge, none of this would have been possible. We, as the Moose, want to thank each supporter during the year of 2019. The lodge is a lot more than just a private club. We are a nationwide group that gets involved with not only fishing carnivals, 50-50s, cake walks, poker runs, fundraiser dinners, raffle tickets, Toys for Tots, tournaments and Backpack Buddies, but when a tragedy strikes, we join forces and rally together. If you wish to be apart of this and get involved within your community, please join your local Moose Lodge and become one with us!
We want to wish each and every one a prosperous, healthy, and peaceful New Year.
The Fundraiser Crew
Buchanan Moose Lodge #218
