[November 18, 2009] James River High closes early after bomb threats: Eagle Rock Elementary students also evacuated to another school after similar threat. Tweet Nov 18, 2009 (The Roanoke Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Authorities are in the process of searching two Botetourt County schools following a pair of midday bomb threats. School Superintendent Tony Brads said that sometime before noon today, threatening phone calls came in to Eagle Rock Elementary School and James River High School within minutes of each other. He said the schools' caller I.D. systems had registered a telephone number for both calls but was uncertain whether they were the same. More than 150 students from Eagle Rock have been transferred to Breckenridge Elementary School at 331 Springwood Road in Fincastle, about 12 miles away, where the students will receive lunch, he said. "Pick up for Eagle Rock students will occur at Breckenridge," Brads said. James River has closed for the rest of the day and about 480 students, plus all staff, have been sent home, Brads said. He said James River would take much longer to search and, based on the time of day, it was best to dismiss everyone. Botetourt County Sheriff Ronnie Sprinkle said Roanoke County police and Virginia State Police would be assisting in the search. It was unclear whether the investigations would alter Thursday's schedule. Brads advised parents with questions about the day's changes should call the school board office at 473-8263. To see more of The Roanoke Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.roanoke.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, The Roanoke Times, Va. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]