Botetourt County officials delayed action Monday on a proposal for a 33‑acre solar facility off Route 220 in Fincastle after dozens of residents raised concerns about property values, local environment and where the power would be sold.

Botetourt County’s Planning Commission will consider a proposal Monday night to build a 5-megawatt solar facility on a 53.4-acre lot off of Roanoke Road in Fincastle. The agenda states, “33 acres of which will be leased by New Leaf Energy to construct and operate a solar energy facility.”

A plan to relocate the Botetourt History Museum from historic Fincastle to an industrial park is drawing criticism from local residents concerned about both location and design choices.

A 16-year-old has been charged after a fatal stabbing that occurred in Fincastle on Saturday, Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office said.

A homeowner was airlifted to the hospital after a house fire in Fincastle Wednesday, according to the Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department.

As cooler temperatures arrive, fire experts have a warning for you. Get your chimneys and flues cleaned.

Dry conditions and shifting winds are contributing to higher fire danger today.

As families prepare for Halloween festivities across the region, fire officials are urging you to stay safe.

Botetourt County Public Schools has reinstated random drug testing for students participating in certain extracurricular activities and those with parking passes, allocating $65,000 of its budget towards the new policy.

Meet Chevy! She’s a three year old boxer and collie mix looking for her new forever family.

One-year-old Joyce arrived at the League for Animal Protection in Fincastle at four-months-old with her sister Grace, and since then has been waiting to find her fur-ever home!

The Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department responded to a vehicle fire on Tuesday night.

No injuries have been reported following an overnight fire in Fincastle, according to the Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department.

Severe flooding is overwhelmed several areas in our region Monday and Tuesday.

People in Fincastle found a pile of rubble where Botetourt County’s historic courthouse stood this week.

A local golf pro was found dead in his jail cell on Tuesday, Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office said.

A local golf pro was found dead in his jail cell on Tuesday, Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office said.

The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office announced that they have arrested and charged an individual for possession of obscene items, depicting an individual engaged in sexual contact with an animal.

James River High School (JRHS) has appointed John “Jack” Baker as the new head football coach, effective Dec. 13.

The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office arrested a suspect wanted for probation violation in connection with a home invasion.

Midnight and Haus are a dynamic duo and want to be your new BFF, best feline friend that is.

Fincastle Fire Department responded to a small plane crash this morning.

A structure fire was reported on Sunday that left a family of five displaced, said Botetourt County Fire Department.

Your little ones can fish, hunt, and kayak this Saturday at BOCO Wild at Buchanan Town Park.

A Fincastle man is behind bars and is facing several charges following a domestic violence abduction that resulted in a standoff with deputies that lasted several hours, according to the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office.

Multiple crews battled the blaze on Saturday night.

Crews from the Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department are responding to a 30-acre brush fire in a forest near Stone Coal Road, according to Botetourt County Department of Fire & EMS.

New Year’s Eve, a day sometimes filled with spending time with family and friends, is almost here. If you’re planning on going out instead of staying home, there are plenty of events taking place.

Power outages throughout the Fincastle area could affect the school day for several Botetourt County Public Schools, according to school officials.

Maggie Stickler's mother, Mary told 10 News her daughter's death is being investigated as a homicide.

Thanks to Jennifer S for sending us today’s picture of the day from Fincastle.

Prosecutors have recommended that Markus Maly be sentenced to 188 months of incarceration, or 15 years and 8 months.

A family of three in Fincastle lost all of their belongings and their beloved family dog in a house fire on Thursday, according to the Botetourt County Department of Fire & EMS.

There are plenty of other places taking part in Botetourt County's Restaurant Week

All week long they are hitting the roads to train, learn together, and experience the area

The back and forth temperatures could lead to problems in crops.

The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a student from Central Academy Middle School (CAMS) in Fincastle received a threat on Snapchat on Tuesday.

A federal jury in the nation’s capital has decided the fate of a Fincastle man who is accused of storming the capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

A man has been arrested in connection with a robbery and bomb threat that happened at a Botetourt County grocery store earlier this year, according to the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office.

Rock was sentenced to 12 months with 11 months suspended on Monday, the court document said, and now has a restricted license, for use only to and from work during work hours, to transport a minor child, and to and from court-ordered facilities.

The department proposed an amendment allowing 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds that are certified to fully participate as a firefighter in the field.

Don't miss Virginia's most extravagant celebration of craft cocktails, the Cocktail Classic powered by Freedom First Credit Union, Saturday, May 21st at the Preserve at Crooked Run in Fincastle!

The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man considered armed and dangerous after he reportedly robbed a convenience store at knifepoint early Sunday morning.

Historic Garden Week returns to Fincastle with a tour of five featured Virginia homes.

Tim Fulton to lead the Cavaliers Athletic Department, Aaron Davidson taking over at James River.

While most Americans sat back to watch the Bengals and Rams duke it out at the Super Bowl, not all first responders had the day off.

The Roanoke Valley community is dabbing their tears after the loss of a Fincastle cyclist who died in a crash Friday, but her big personality will always have a lasting impact on the community.

If you missed Wednesday’s COVID-19 testing in Roanoke, you have another chance Thursday in Fincastle.

The president of Historic Fincastle Inc. joins us with details on this year's marketplace event!

Bridget sits down with a Botetourt County painter to learn more about this weekend’s art event.

High COVID-19 transmission rates in the Botetourt County community are forcing school officials to figure out a way to combat a shortage of teachers and available substitutes.

Toys 4 Bot-E-Tots has started its 2021 toy drive campaign.

Some Botetourt County students had to find other transportation to school Tuesday morning.

The courthouse in Fincastle dates back to the 1700s, but another historic spot in this area is celebrating its 170th anniversary.

Debates sparked at the Botetourt County School Board meeting when parents spoke about the state’s policy requirements for transgender students.

Tuesday, the Botetourt County Board of Directors approved a $25 million courthouse construction plan.

Summer is right around the corner and summer camps still aren’t staffed. Now, they’re getting creative to help fill positions.

FINCASTLE, Va. – Botetourt County leaders are holding a public hearing Tuesday to decide the fate of a Confederate monument. The monument currently sits outside the county courthouse in Fincastle. While it will likely be relocated a few hundred yards away, within Courthouse Square, before any move can happen, board members need to hear from the public. “It’s important to get a broad perspective from the people of Botetourt County,” said Clinton. If the board votes to move the monument, there’s a 30-day waiting period to hear offers from museums or historical societies.

Thanks to Carol from Fincastle for sending us today’s Picture of the Day!

FINCASTLE, Va. – The plan to move a Confederate monument in Botetourt County is moving forward. The monument, which is currently in front of the Botetourt County Courthouse, will likely be moved not too far away. On Tuesday, the county’s board of supervisors unanimously accepted a committee’s recommendation to move it a few hundred yards away from its current location to the Botetourt County History Museum and add a plaque to provide historical context. Before any move can happen a public hearing will need to take place. That hearing has not yet been scheduled.

BOTETOURT COUNTY, VA. – After months of discussion on where the Botetourt County Confederate Monument should go, a decision is growing near. The monument currently sits in front of the courthouse in Fincastle and it likely won’t be going far, although its new home will not be in front of the courthouse entrance. The committee asked the architects that are renovating courthouse square to find it a new home. “The long and short of that is it will be located not too far from where it has been but the actual location will depend on the reconfiguration of courthouse square itself,” Botetourt County Board of Supervisors member Steve Clinton said. The committee will formally present its research and recommendation to the board in January.

FINCASTLE, Va. – It’s time to hit the Tinsel Trail in the Town of Fincastle! The Botetourt Chamber of Commerce and the Bank of Fincastle have teamed up to create a trail of decorated trees. Each tree is sponsored by a local business or organization. The idea is to get folks out in a safe way to enjoy this special season. “We really wanted to do something to bring some holiday cheer to the community and we felt like this was the perfect venue in the beautiful, historic town of Fincastle,” said Cindy Bailey, Bank of Fincastle marketing director.

FINCASTLE, Va. – Some Virginia voters doubted if their votes had been counted on Election Day after a viral, but misleading, social media post. The post claimed some votes were ignored by the Commonwealth based on a section of the Virginia Department of Elections' voter information page. “Different offices across the state are different sizes and have different numbers of staff, which means they move at different paces.”The Virginia Department of Elections also used social media to counter the claims about the ballots. Clark hopes voters understand there is no need to worry about a ballot once it is in the system. “We’ve probably been working anywhere from 10 to 16 hour days at the election office," Clark said.

BOUTETOURT, Va. For the first time in 94 years, Camp Bethel in Fincastle did not have overnight summer camps because of the coronavirus pandemic. Despite all the changes, Camp Bethel is still helping families with the first-ever Schools Out Camps In day camp. Kids are split into groups of six to 10 students where the majority of the day they do active, engaging outdoor projects. They have a home-based facility that is only their home-based facility so at no time does the groups and their leaders interact with other groups, said Camp Bethel director Barry LeNoir. Camp Bethel is all about being an active, engaging outdoor learning setting so the majority of the day camp will consist of that.

FINCASTLE, Va. – On Tuesday, the National Weather Service announced the rating for the tornado that touched down in Botetourt County on Saturday. Your Local Weather Authority was on the air Saturday evening after the National Weather Service in Blacksburg issued a tornado warning for parts of Botetourt and Rockbridge counties. A day or so later, the National Weather Service fielded calls of damage to trees on a property near Lee Lane. Monday, a crew went to survey the damage and found that the damage was consistent with that of a tornado. Her neighbor is a weather spotter and sent photos of the damage to the National Weather Service.

Fincastle on Blacksburg Road at 6:32 p.m.BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – As a reported tornado moved through Botetourt County on Saturday, Aug. 1. One place you can send your photos to us is at wsls.com/pins

BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – A tornado warning issued for Botetourt County and Rockbridge County has expired. The warning covered southwestern Rockbridge County and north-central Botetourt County. The warning followed a first warning that was issued for central Botetourt County at about 6:45 p.m. and expired at 7:30 p.m. The video above was captured by Kayleigh Addington at about 6:30 p.m. in Haymakertown, Virginia, in Botetourt County. This video below was sent to 10 News of the possible tornado spotted in Botetourt County.

FINCASTLE, Va. Out of an abundance of caution, Heritage Family Market is temporarily closing its doors because some of its employees are sick. While none of the markets employees have tested positive for COVID-19, the store says some are waiting for results after taking a coronavirus test. The market, which is located along US 220 in Fincastle, will deep clean and sanitize before it reopens. There is no word on when it will reopen.

FINCASTLE, Va. The Botetourt County Sheriffs Office is investigating after paint was splattered on a Confederate monument in Fincastle. At 1:35 a.m. Tuesday, a woman was seen on surveillance footage vandalizing the monument, which is located on the front lawn of the Botetourt County Circuit Courthouse. The Courthouse Obelisk, which was erected in 1904, according to the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, names all the companies from Botetourt County that served in the Confederate forces. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Sgt. The monument has since been cleaned.

FINCASTLE, Va. – “As soon as the doors opened, we started coming.”Lynne Bolton and company make Fincastle Café a regular destination. At the center of the escape is Stephanie Payne, who says one of the main purposes of Fincastle Café is to have, “A spot where relationships can develop. “We are actually opening a pie shop featuring the Pie Lady,” says Payne. They’ll have a rooftop bar that will be above the pie shop. This will open up the opportunity for them to host trivia nights, game nights and storytelling too.

FINCASTLE, Va. – Botetourt County is getting ready to celebrate a major milestone in the region’s history. February 1 begins the year-long party for the county’s 250th anniversary. The county’s charter began February 1, 1770, and many of the places in Fincastle, like the courthouse, date back just as far. The goal is to not only honor the history but help shape the future of the county. The first event is Saturday at Lord Botetourt High School from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Camp Bethel is welcoming hundreds this weekend to its beautiful property in Fincastle as part of the 35th Annual Heritage Days. It's a homecoming that includes foods, fishing, crafts and kids activities. Copyright 2019 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.

ROANOKE, Va. - Attic Productions in Fincastle is getting ready for their summer musical: Meredith Willson's "The Music Man". They have a large cast, ranging in age from 6-65 so it has a real community theatre feel to it. Check it out! Copyright 2019 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.

Attic Productions in Fincastle is getting ready for their summer musical: Meredith Willson's "The Music Man". They have a large cast, ranging in age from 6-65 so it has a real community theatre feel... Copyright 2019 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.