Imagine this is a living room.  Please sit down on the sofa and help yourself to a cup of tea or coffee.  I’d like to invite you to spend a little time with some neighbors you might know, and others you might like to meet.

It’s with pleasure that I introduce The Botetourt View.  Thank you for taking the time to look through this first issue.

As you travel through this edition, you’ll see orange information balloons with a little bit of information about various features.  These balloons describe ways that you can contribute information and suggest topics for community writers and photographers to pursue. 

The Botetourt View prints weekly, and updates fresh information throughout the week on a companion Web site, www.botetourtview.com   I’d like to draw particular attention to The Notebook, a news blog updated frequently by community journalist Cathy Benson and others.  The Notebook offers fresh stories and pictures from Botetourt County throughout the week.

I hope that you enjoy your reading, and that this publication will become a place to share what’s happening in your part of the world.  Please feel free to contact me with your comments or questions.