Local |
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| Posts from August 2012 |
Remains Found in Stafford are a Woman
by Bill Dubensky
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posted Aug 29 2012 2:46PM
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The Stafford County Sheriff's Office said the body found August 16th near the 140 northbound off ramp of I-95, the Stafford Exit, is that of a 25 to 40 year old woman.
The remains had been in thearea where they were located for at least 1 year, possibly longer.
Detectives are handling the case as a suspicious death because of the evidence found at the scene.
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Driver dies in fiery tractor-trailer crash
by AP
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posted Aug 29 2012 2:33PM
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NEWINGTON, Va. (AP) - Virginia State Police say the driver of a tanker truck filled with 9,000 gallons of fuel has died after a fiery crash at Interstate 95 north and the Fairfax County Parkway.
Deputy Chief Chuck Ryan of the Fairfax County fire department says responders were called to the Newington area about 2:15 a.m. Wednesday and found the truck lying on its side, fully engulfed in flames. Ryan says the driver was found dead inside the cab of the trailer.
Police identified him as 59-year-old Edwin H. Hall of Charles Town, W.Va.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but police say the tanker overturned as Hall tried to merge onto I-95.
The accident left only a charred shell of the tanker and caused major disruptions to Wednesday morning's rush hour.
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Lawyers in WikiLeaks case argue over email access
by AP
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posted Aug 28 2012 5:13PM
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FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) - Lawyers for an Army private accused of leaking classified information are asking the government to turn over all emails related to his pretrial detention at a military brig in Quantico.
Lawyers for Pfc. Bradley Manning say military prosecutors have provided only a small portion of the emails they have. The attorneys plan to discuss the issue in court , the first in a three-day pretrial hearing this week.
Manning is accused of sending hundreds of thousands of diplomatic cables and war logs to the website WikiLeaks.
A judge is also expected to consider a government request for access to Manning's medical files. Prosecutors want to speak with a psychiatrist who interviewed Manning when he was detained in Kuwait two years ago pending an investigation into unauthorized leaks.
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17-year-old Virginia Delegate Shines at Republican Convention
by AP
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posted Aug 28 2012 10:29AM
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A rising high school senior from Virginia has become a top commodity at the Republican National Convention in Tampa.
Seventeen-year-old Evan Robert Draim is believed to be the youngest delegate participating in the convention. He's been getting so many interview requests from the media that The Virginia Pilot reports the national Republican Party is helping manage the demand.
The Alexandria teen has been active in GOP politics since middle school and says public life is in his future.
He argues President Obama's policies on college tuition and employment will draw in young voters who supported him four years ago. Draim turns 18 in about three weeks and will be eligible to vote.
Draim was selected as a Virginia delegate with backing from the Tea Party movement.
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Police Seize Kids from Home Because of Squallier Conditions
by Bill Dubensky
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posted Aug 27 2012 12:17PM
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Eight children ranging in age from seven months to sixteen years-old are removed from a home on Courthouse Road in Spotsylvania due unhealthy and dangerous conditions at the house.
It all starts Sunday when a naked two year-old girl was found wondering the parking lot of Wa-Wa on Courthouse Road. Police were called and the two year-old was able to point for the deputy to what house she came from.
The deputy found the house to be in a deplorable condition. All 8 children are taken into protective custody and turned over to their grandmothers.
Under arrest are 29 year-old Crystal Craig and 38 year-old Amy Lam. Both are being held in jail under no bond.
Three of the children belong to Craig and the other five to Lam.
Craig
Lam/Photos: Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office
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Grant Saves Caroline Fire, Rescue Jobs
by Deirdre Blake
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posted Aug 27 2012 10:26AM
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More than $600,000 in federal money awarded to Caroline County saves five career fire and rescue positions that were in jeopardy.
Chief Jason Loftus says they are grateful for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant to fund the positions for the next two years. The previous grant money would have run out in September and could not be picked up in the 2013 county budget.
The saved positions will maintain daytime service at stations in Upper Caroline, Ladysmith and Bowling Green.
This is the third time in recent years that Caroline has received such a grant, but it is the first Virginia locality to get the money in this grant period.
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Raw Video: Earthquake Drill at Louisa School
by AP
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posted Aug 24 2012 4:44AM
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<VIDEO> Earthquake drills are now as ubiquitous as fire drills at Louisa County schools in central Virginia, where 4,600 students were attending classes when the 5.8-magnitude quake struck nearby on Aug. 23, 2011.
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Deadly fiery crash on I-95
by Bill Dubensky
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posted Aug 23 2012 5:35PM
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One person was killed and two were hurt in a fiery crash Wednesday night on Interstate 95 in Stafford.
State police say the crash happened just before 9 o'clock when the northbound car ran off the right side of the interstate and hit a tree near the American Legion Road overpass. The car caught fire with all three occupants still inside.
Police say a truck driver stopped and pulled the driver’s daughter from the back seat of the burning vehicle. Rescue workers and police were able to get the other two occupants out of the car.
The driver, 32-year-old Monica Andre of Brooklyn suffered burns and was flown to VCU Medical Center in Richmond. She died of her injuries early Thursday morning.
The two passengers were taken to Mary Washington Hospital.
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Investigation continues in mid-air collision
by AP
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posted Aug 22 2012 3:47PM
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WARRENTON, Va. (AP) - Canadian officials are continuing the investigation into what led two small, private planes to collide in mid-air on Memorial Day in Fauquier County.
Two people were killed and another injured in the May 28 crash near Warrenton-Fauquier Airport.
The crash is being investigated by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada because the pilot of one of the planes was a National Transportation Safety Board employee and the other plane is owned by an employee of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Officials Wednesday said the investigation team is working to determine what caused the crash and how to stop it from happening again. Investigator Jon Lee says they're focusing on whether the aircraft were visible to each other before the collision and what role traffic control may have played.
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Spotsy man convicted of 12th DUI
by AP
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posted Aug 22 2012 10:50AM
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SPOTSVYLVANIA, Va. (AP) - A Spotsylvania man has been convicted in a drunken driving case for the 12th time.
Forty-four-year-old David Maron Apraham pleaded guilty Tuesday in Spotsylvania Circuit Court to felony driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license and refusing to take a breath test.
In exchange, prosecutors dropped a felony charge of eluding police.
Apraham faces up to seven years in prison. Sentencing is set for Nov. 6.
Court records show Apraham has six previous DUI convictions in Mississippi and three in Alabama, starting in 1990. His other Virginia convictions were in Williamsburg in 2008 and Colonial Heights in February 2012.
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Student faces charges in bomb threat
by Bill Dubensky
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posted Aug 22 2012 10:32AM
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A seventeen year-old Spotsylvania boy who is a student at Massaponax High School is facing charges for making a bomb threat to the school.
The school was placed on lock down around 11:25 Tuesday morning and searched. Several bomb sniffing dogs from Spotsylvania, Stafford, Fauquier and Dulles Airport were brought in to assist with the search. No bomb was found and no students were injured.
The student was not at the school at the time of the threat.
Tuesday was the first day of classes in Spotsylvania.
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DOG WASTE MURDER TRIAL: Jury Finds Man Guilty on Two Counts of First-degree Murd
by WTVR-Richmond
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posted Aug 21 2012 10:17AM
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<VIDEO> RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A Richmond man has been convicted in the fatal shootings of two men in a dispute over dog feces left outside an apartment.
A Richmond Circuit Court jury recommended a 46-year prison term for 37-year-old Darryl Lamont Jefferson after finding him guilty Monday night of two counts each of first-degree murder and using a firearm in a felony.
24-year-old Ahmad K. Phillips and his 28-year-old brother, Ahkeem, were shot April 18. Both were from Richmond.
A friend of Jefferson's, 21-year-old Randy L. Trent, faces a murder trial in October.
Authorities said Ahmad Phillips had found dog feces in front of his apartment. Trent lived in the apartment building and was the dog's owner. Trent had summoned Jefferson after arguing with Ahmad Phillips.
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Campaign Stops Cost Greater Richmond
by WTVR-Richmond
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posted Aug 21 2012 9:26AM
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Voluntary Water Restrictions to Continue in Stafford County
by Deirdre Blake
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posted Aug 17 2012 2:13PM
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Residents in Stafford County are reminded that voluntary outdoor water restrictions remain in effect indefinitely.
The lack of significant rainfall and consistently high water demand is challenging the county's capacity to treat and distribute water. As a continued precaution, officials are asking all water customers to voluntarily discontinue outdoor water usage.
If it is necessary to water bushes, flowers, and other plantings, customers are asked to please use buckets of water to do so.
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US Slavery Museum bankruptcy case dismissed
by AP
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posted Aug 17 2012 1:10PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The U.S. National Slavery Museum's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case has been dismissed.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Douglas O. Tice Jr. granted the museum's dismissal motion Friday.
Museum board attorney Sandra R. Robinson sought the case's dismissal after Tice ruled earlier this week that Celebrate Virginia could be a party to the case. Celebrate Virginia donated land in Fredericksburg where the museum is to be built.
Celebrate Virginia had filed a motion to convert the case to Chapter 7 or dismiss it.
Robinson's motion says the cost of converting the case to Chapter 7 would reduce the museum estate's value before any creditor is paid.
The motion also says a donor has agreed to pay about $250,000 in delinquent property taxes owed the city of Fredericksburg.
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Morning Accidents Snarl Traffic
by Frank Hammon
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posted Aug 17 2012 10:29AM
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A number of accidents Friday morning kept police and emergency crews busy and motorists fuming.
The first accident happened after 5 a.m. along southbound I-95 in Caroline County. Traffic was shifted to the left lane as an overnight road paving project took up the two right lanes. There was an accident in this area about midway between Thornburg and Ladysmith. Three vehicles were involved.
Virginia State Police report that no one sustained life-threatening injuries.
Charges are pending and all lanes reopened to traffic just before 7 a.m.
In the northbound lanes a few miles away a logging truck overturned halfway between Thornburg and Spotsylvania shutting down all lanes for a period of time.
The two right lanes were reopened just after 8 a.m. The left lane opened about an hour later.
The investigation is continuing.
In the backup to this accident a vehicle exiting northbound at Exit 118 was involved in an accident at Route 606.
There are no other details available on this accident as it is investigated.
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77-year-old Charged with Abusing 11-year-old
by Frank Hammon
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posted Aug 17 2012 10:18AM
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Jimmie Will Rodgers/Photo: Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office
A 77-year-old Spotsylvania man is jailed on charges he sexually abused an eleven-year-old girl.
The girl's father found inappropriate pictures of his daughter in Jimmie Will Rodgers bedroom on Piney Branch Road and contacted the sheriff's office.
Rodgers is charged five sexual counts, including two counts of sexual battery on a child less than 13 years of age. He is jailed without bond.
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Northern Virginia Man Dies in Crash; DUI Related Manslaughter Charge
by Deirdre Blake
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posted Aug 16 2012 5:23PM
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One man is dead and three others injured following an early morning alcohol and speed related crash Thursday in Alexandria.
It happens on the south I-395 ramp to Route 236. An Audi A8 ran off the road, spun around and struck a tree. The impact was severe enough to split the vehicle in half. Both back seat passengers were ejected.
The driver, Javed Hussaini of Manassas and two passenger was transported to a hospital. A. Tawab Ebadi, of Chantilly, died at the scene. Hussani is charged with DUI related manslaughter.
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Skeletal remains found in Stafford
by Bill Dubensky
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posted Aug 16 2012 11:56AM
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Human skeletal remains are found by a truck driver near the north bound 140 off ramp on 1-95 this morning.
At 9:13 Thursday a truck driver, who had parked his tractor trailer on the 140 exit off ramp, discovered some human skeletal remains in the wooded area where he was walking. He immediately called 9-1-1 and Stafford deputies and state police responded.
The Stafford County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident with help from state police.
This is an ongoing investigation. No other information is available at this time.
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Company Recalls Soup Sold in Wegmans Stores
by AP
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posted Aug 16 2012 5:15AM
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - A Fall River, Mass., manufacturer is recalling about 4,000 pounds of soup products after consumers found bits of plastic in the soups.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the products made by Blount Fine Foods were sold at Wegmans supermarkets in Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Wegmans is based in Rochester, N.Y.
The following products, all under the Wegmans Food Markets label, are being recalled:
- 16 oz. cups of Chicken and Dumpling Soup with a "use by" date of August 24.
- 16 oz. cups of Gazpacho Soup with a "use by" date of September 2.
- 16 oz. cups of Italian Wedding Style Soup with Meatballs, Tomato Basil with Orzo, Caribbean Black Bean and Lobster Bisque, all with a "use by" date of September 3.
No injuries were reported.
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Three Women Charged After Drug Deal Goes Bad
by Frank Hammon
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posted Aug 15 2012 11:23AM
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A call for a disturbance sends sheriff's deputies to a residence in Lake Caroline over the weekend.
Caroline County Sheriff Tony Lippa says a couple from King George went allegedly to the residence to purchase some narcotics when the three women attempted to rob them. He describes it as a drug deal that went bad.
Charged are 23-year-old JoAnn Marie Ball, 63-year-old JoAnn Dale McBride and 43-year-old Endora Yvette Jamie-Fitting. Each of the three faces two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery. In addition, McBride faces a count of malicious wounding and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Jaime-Fitting faces one count each of assault and distribution of a controlled substance.
The three were jailed pending arraignment on September 28.
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Louisa Schools Start New year on Wednesday
by Deirdre Blake
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posted Aug 14 2012 7:51PM
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Kids in Louisa County head back to class Wednesday.
Things are much improved, following the massive earthquake last year, but Superintendent Dr. Deborah Petit says the campuses will look a little different. There will still be modular classrooms and Louisa High School will make use of a vinyl style "bubble gym" for a while.
A groundbreaking to rebuild Thomas Jefferson Elementary could happen by the end of next month. Demolition of the badly damaged Louisa High School continues and some walls could come down next week. The school board is looking for an architect to help rebuild.
Amazingly, since the earthquake last August, test scores across the district did not suffer. The longer days needed before to get in hours for time lost will be no more and middle and high school students return to a regular school day, with a release at 3:15 p.m.
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Man Dies in Rappahannock River Tuesday,;One Man Rescued
by Deirdre Blake
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posted Aug 14 2012 5:34PM
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A call for a disturbance at the City Dock off Sophia Steet in Fredericksburg turns to tragegy Tuesday afternoon.
Fredericksburg Police Spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe says the call of a disturbance came in about 1:30 p.m. The caller said that there was an intoxicated man at the dock, making a scene and trying to drive his scooter away from the area.
When an officer arrived, they instead found a man in the Rappahannock River, where it is about eight feet deep, hanging on to a blockhead by the dock to stay above water. It took several minutes for it to be revealed that there was a second man that had been there, but was in the water. Witnesses and the man in the water said they had not seen him for several minutes.
Rescue crews from Fredericksburg and Stafford were called. When they arrived, a rescue boat was launched and pulled the first man from the water. The second man was found around 2:00 p.m. by divers, unconscious. CPR was started immediately and continued in an ambulance, on the way to Mary Washington Hospital. He was later pronounced dead.
Bledsoe says the investigation continues, but they believe that the deceased man was causing the disturbance at the dock that led to the initial call to police. Witnesses say he was fighting with people in the area and he and the rescued man went off the dock, into the water.
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New Center in Stafford to Ease the Building and Development Process
by Deirdre Blake
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posted Aug 14 2012 1:34PM
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Construction of a new Community Development Services Center in Stafford County, already underway, is the latest step in an ongoing campaign by Stafford officials to make the area more friendly and helpful to businesses and more competitive in the economic development arena.
The Board of Supervisors approved $400,000 for the center last year. It is aimed at streamlining the processes that citizens and businesses must go through for building and development projects.
The center will be located in the George L. Gordon, Jr., Government Center on Courthouse Road and is expected to be completed by sometime next month.
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Fire destroys group home in Stafford
by Bill Dubensky
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posted Aug 14 2012 10:58AM
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Fire destroyed a group home in Stafford County Monday afternoon around 2:40.
The blaze on Whispering Pines Lane was brought under control in forty minutes.
The home is a group home for special needs adults and nobody was inside at the time of the fire. The eight residents of the home were relocated to other facilities.
No injuries were reported, the cause is under
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Attempted abduction in Fredericksburg
by Bill Dubensky
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posted Aug 13 2012 10:43AM
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A 22-year-old Fredericksburg woman told police that she was the victim of an attempted abduction around 8 Saturday morning.
She says she was jogging on Westmont Drive around Oak Hill cemetery when she was approached by a male in a vehicle who stopped and asked her a question. The victim could not understand what the male was saying and she stepped next to the vehicle. The suspect opened the passenger side door and grabbed the victim, partially pulling her inside the car.
The victim was able to get free and she ran from the scene. She was not hurt.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his 50's with a stocky build, short dark hair, and an unshaven face. The woman says he spoke limited and heavily accented english. He was driving an older white car with four doors. The suspect was last seen on Highland Road.
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Three Arrested in Pot Busts
by Frank Hammon
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posted Aug 13 2012 10:38AM
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Spotsylvania authorities swooped down on a couple of alleged marijuana suppliers Friday.
A quantity of marijuana was seized from a home on Teal Court.
Charged with possession with the intent to distribute are 63-year-old John Cicilese and his 31-year-old daughter Gianna. Mr. Cicilese was also charged with possession of firearms while possessing more than five pounds of marijuana. $2,000 cash and two handguns were seized in the raid.
In a separate incident more than three pounds of finely ground marijuana or KEIF was seized from a residence on Old Greenwich Drive.
Charged with possession with intent to distribute is 31-year-old Aaron Lancaster.
 John Cicilese
 Gianna Cicilese
 Aaron Lancaster/Photos: Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office |
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Restaurant Robbed, Car Stolen
by Frank Hammon
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posted Aug 13 2012 10:23AM
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Spotsylvania authorities are looking for the suspects that robbed the Chili's on Southpoint Parkway Sunday night.
Four employees were shutting down for the night and when two went to take out the trash they were approached by two black men wearing masks. They then forced the two employees back into the restaurant at gunpoint and demanded to be taken to the safe.
There they forced the other two employees onto the floor.
They took cash from the safe and an employee's car to make their getaway. The car is silver, 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer.
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UPDATE: Citizens Camping in Woods Help Bring Down Shoplifting Suspects
by Frank Hammon/Deirdre Blake
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posted Aug 13 2012 6:48AM
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{SUSPECT PHOTOS ATTACHED}
The Southpoint area of Spotsylvania a flurry of police activity Sunday afternoon as authorities pursue three shoplifters who ran from the Walmart.
One woman was taken into custody in the store and the other suspects ran toward the woods near American Family Fitness.
Captain Mike Harvey with the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office says two of the women involved were caught a short time later. A deputy chasing the lone man in the area radioed requesting water. He was found about 15 minutes later, unconscious, and apparently suffering from heat stroke.
Authorities say state police came in to help find the final man that had run into the woods. A group of people that were camping in the woods told officers the direction the suspect had run and the easiest way into and out of the woods. Harvey says they are grateful for the help and that citizen involvement makes their crime fighting more effective.
All four of the suspects are jailed and face felony charges.
Erica Lorraine Gaine
Olivia Frances Monk
Percil Scott
Dawn Ray White
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King George County agency faces pollution fine
by AP
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posted Aug 8 2012 11:52AM
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KING GEORGE, Va. (AP) - The King George County Service Authority has agreed to pay a $5,320 civil fine to settle alleged sewage treatment violations.
The fine is part of a proposed settlement between the authority and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The consent order must be approved by the State Water Control Board.
According to the order, the Dahlgren District Wastewater Treatment plant exceeded discharge limits for phosphorous in 2010, and enterococcal bacteria and nitrogen in 2010 and 2011.
The plant discharges treated sewage into Williams Creek, which is on the state's list of impaired waters.
The authority was fined $12,500 in 2011 for violations at two other wastewater treatment plants.
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Construction on HOV/HOT Lanes starts
by Bill Dubensky
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posted Aug 7 2012 5:00PM
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Virginia breaks ground Tuesday on the Washington region's latest large-scale road construction project.
The state kicks off construction on its $940 million I-95 Express Lanes Project.
Existing HOV lanes on I-95 will be converted to use by carpoolers and those willing to pay tolls that will fluctuate based on traffic.
The HOV lanes will also be extended from Dumfries to Garrisonville.
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Sheriff's Office Campaign Drops Crime in Spotsylvania
by Deirdre Blake
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posted Aug 7 2012 4:37PM
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An effort to reduce property crimes in Spotsylvania last weekend is so successful that a police presence will continue to stay beefed up in the community.
With the help of neighbors and citizens, the sheriff's office says Operation Out of Sight helps yields a reduction in the crimes by 73 percent from the previous weekend.
The county has been plagued with thieves entering unlocked vehicles, breaking windows and stealing what is inside.
Residents can expect to see more patrols, surveillance and bikes units in coming weeks.
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UPDATE: All I-95 North and Southbound Lanes Reopened
by Frank Hammon
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posted Aug 7 2012 4:43AM
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All lanes of I-95 northbound and southbound have reopened following an incident involving a paving crew.
At about 2:20 a.m. a dump truck struck overhead power lines as crews were attempting to put down asphalt. The power lines came down across all lanes of the highway shutting it down. Two vehicles traveling northbound struck the power lines. There are no reports of injuries.
The power company has cleared the lines from the roadway by 6 a.m.
The driver of the dump truck, 39-year-old William Zimmerman of North Chesterfield has been charged with reckless driving.
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Local University Extends President's Contract
by Associated Press
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posted Aug 6 2012 2:07PM
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FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) - University of Mary Washington President Richard V. Hurley's contract has been extended for three years.
The university says in a news release that the Board of Visitors unanimously approved the extension during its annual retreat last week. Hurley's contract will run through June 30, 2015.
Hurley became the university's ninth president on July 1, 2010.
Board members also named Pamela J. White as the board's rector, Holly T. Cuellar as vice rector and Xavier R. Richardson as secretary. Each will serve two-year terms.
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Local Woman Hits Lottery
by Deirdre Blake
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posted Aug 6 2012 1:47PM
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A quick lunch break turns into a windfall for one Locust Grove woman.
Paulette Archie stopped to buy some Virginia Lottery tickets while she was out and bought the Virginia Lottery Black. When she discovered she had won the top prize of $150,000, at the 7-11 on Germanna Highway. Lottery officials says she had to ask store employees to bring her a chair. Archie is the fourth top-prize winner in the game, which means one $150,000 ticket remains unclaimed.
She plans to put the money to good use on her new home, to invest and pay bills with some and use the rest for donations to charity.
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'What Happened?' Planes Come Close in D.C.
by AP
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posted Aug 3 2012 5:42AM
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<VIDEO> The FAA is investigating how three commuter jets came too close near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport outside the nation's capital. They were operated by US Airways carrying 192 passengers and crew members.
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4 Historic Sites in Fredericksburg Change Owners
by Frank Hammon
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posted Aug 2 2012 10:03AM
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Four historic properties in Fredericksburg have changed owners.
The Mary Washington House, Rising Sun Tavern, Hugh Mercer Apothecary and St. James' House are all linked to President George Washington and his family.
Preservation Virginia has signed over ownership of the sites to the Washington Heritage Musuems. The new local nonprofit group will maintain the properties.
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Report: 3 Jets Avoid Midair Collision Near DC
by AP
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posted Aug 2 2012 9:16AM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - US Airways says it is working with federal officials to investigate a newspaper report that three commuter jets narrowly averted a midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The Washington Post is reporting that three US Airways jets carrying 192 passengers and crew members came within seconds of a midair collision on Tuesday afternoon. The newspaper cites federal officials with direct knowledge of the incident.
The newspaper reported that air traffic controllers mistakenly cleared two outbound flights to head in the direction of an incoming plane.
An FAA representative couldn't be immediately reached for comment late Wednesday.
The Post reports that the FAA issued a statement Wednesday night saying it is investigating the matter and would address the communication lapse.
USAirways spokesman Todd Lehmacher said in an email that the airline is "currently investigating and working with the FAA to determine what occurred." He had no other details.
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K-9 Tracks Down Suspect
by Frank Hammon
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posted Aug 1 2012 9:19AM
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Photo: Culpeper County Sheriff's Office.
Monday night Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office deputies apprehended a man wanted on warrants in three localities.
Shortly before 5 p.m., deputies located the suspect traveling along James Madison Highway near Wal-Mart in Culpeper.
Dep. David Jenkins followed 29-year-old Albert J. Burns of Culpeper. When Jenkins attempted to make contact with him, Burns ran from the lot.
Dep. Derek Emmel and K-9 Dep. Kato assisted in the search. K-9 Dep. Kato tracked Burns to a nearby shopping center, where he was found in a bush in front of a store.
Burns was served with warrants for contempt of court (for failure to appear) in Culpeper County, Fauquier County and Charlottesville. He was also charged with driving on a suspended license as a result of yesterday’s incident.
Burns is being held in the Culpeper County Jail on no bond.
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NTSB Says Fatigue Contributed to Fatal Caroline County Crash
by AP
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posted Aug 1 2012 7:49AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Federal officials say a Virginia bus crash that killed four people and injured dozens was likely caused by driver fatigue and several other factors.
The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday said the low-fare bus company, Sky Express, had no regard for passenger safety. The federal agency also said that ineffective government oversight allowed the company to operate despite various safety violations.
The crash occurred May 31, 2011, when the bus bound for New York overturned on Interstate 95 about 30 miles north of Richmond.
The board said the fatalities resulted from injuries suffered when the bus' roof collapsed. There also were no passenger seatbelts.
Driver Kin Yiu Cheung faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter in November. Dispatcher Zhao Jian Chen is set to face the same charges in October.
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Express Lanes to Stafford Get a Green Light
by AP
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posted Aug 1 2012 7:49AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Department of Transportation has reached agreement with a private partnership on a $925 million project to build 29 miles of express lanes on Interstate 95 from Stafford County to Fairfax County.
Gov. Bob McDonnell said Tuesday work will begin in early August. He said the work will support nearly 8,000 jobs over the life of the project through 2014 and stimulate $2 billion in economic activity.
The 95 Express Lanes LLC is a joint venture between Transurban DRIVe and Fluor Enterprises Inc.
The express lanes will be free for vehicles with three or more people. Vehicles with fewer than three passengers can choose to pay a toll or use the general purpose lanes for free.
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Voluntary Water Restrictions to Continue in Stafford County
by Deirdre Blake
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posted Aug 1 2012 7:47AM
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The grass around many of the homes and businesses in Stafford County is turning brown this summer.
Watering lawns continues to be prohibited on county properties and residents are being asked to do their part on a voluntary basis. County Spokeswoman Shannon Howell says it is for the greater good of everyone to avoid a crisis situation. Much of the area remains more than six inches below normal rainfall this year. Though reservoirs there are still within a normal range, that could change if rainfall levels continue below normal.
Populaton levels in Stafford county have increased by a third over the past decade.
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