State |
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| State News |
| Posts from April 2012 |
Tourist Slaying May Be Linked to Other Attacks
by AP
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posted Apr 27 2012 7:12AM
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<VIDEO> WASHINGTON (AP) - D.C. police say the slaying of a tourist in a residential section of northwest Washington may be connected to two nonfatal attacks in the following 27 hours in the same neighborhood.
Police Chief Cathy Lanier said Thursday that all three victims suffered head trauma and appear to have been attacked suddenly and without provocation. Lanier says there's no apparent motive for the attacks and no similarity between the victims other than they were walking alone.
The tourist, 66-year-old Gary Dederichs of Denver, was killed Tuesday night. The other two victims were a 53-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman. They were seriously injured and remain hospitalized. The attacks occurred within a 10-block radius. Police say there isn't any evidence Dederichs was targeted because he was a tourist.
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Metro Fare Hikes Approved
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 26 2012 4:13PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Fares are going up for riders of Washington's Metro transit system.
Metro's board of directors voted Thursday for the first increase in bus and rail fares in the system in two years. The hike raises the average rail fare by about 5 percent. Bus fares are increasing by a dime, rising to $1.60 for those who use SmarTrip cards. The rates take effect July 1.
Two weeks ago, a board committee approved the fare increases. Metro officials hope to use revenue from the fee increases to help close a budget gap of about $100 million for the next fiscal year.
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Denver man killed while visiting Washington
by AP
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posted Apr 26 2012 2:30PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Police in Washington say a man whose body was found in an alley was a 66-year-old Denver resident who had been visiting the nation's capital.
Authorities say Gary Dederichs was suffering from head trauma when he found Tuesday in the city's Petworth area, which is a residential area miles away from tourist attractions. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lt. Robert Alder says Dederichs was killed near a rental property where he had been staying during his visit. Alder says he cannot remember the last time police had a case where a tourist was the victim of a homicide in the city.
Dederichs had worked as a registered nurse in the Denver area.
They are investigating his death as a homicide.
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2 workers exposed to ammonia at plant
by AP
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posted Apr 26 2012 2:28PM
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HOPEWELL, Va. (AP) - An ammonia leak at a plant in Hopewell has sent two workers to a hospital.
Hopewell city spokesman Herbert Bragg says the leak occurred inside a tank at the Lindie Corp. plant.
Media outlets report that nearby schools suspended outdoor activities as a precaution after the leak occurred Thursday morning.
Firefighters say the employees were exposed to ammonia that they thought had been purged from a pipe. They were taken to a local hospital for observation.
The leak has been contained. Firefighters say there wasn't any risk to the public.
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Ex-store owner in Va admits selling bath salts
by AP
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posted Apr 26 2012 2:26PM
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - A Charlottesville woman faces up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to selling bath salts at a store she formerly owned.
Lois Lee McDaniel also faces a fine of up to $1 million.
She pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute bath salts.
McDaniel formerly owned the C-Ville Video Store. She admitted in court that she sold more than 200 grams of bath salts between April and August last year from behind the counter at the store.
U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy says abuse of the highly addictive substances is rising in Central Virginia, particularly among young people.
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Judge Refuses to Combine Charges in WikiLeaks Case
by AP
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posted Apr 26 2012 11:49AM
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FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) - A judge has rejected a defense motion that would have reduced the number of charges against an Army private accused in the biggest leak of government secrets in U.S. history.
The defense had argued that the government had piled on multiple charges in an attempt to increase Pfc. Bradley Manning's potential punishment and that some of the 22 charges were duplicative.
Col. Denise Lind rejected that argument during a hearing Thursday at Fort Meade.
She did not rule on a motion to dismiss the most serious charge, aiding the enemy. That offense carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. She is also still considering motions seeking dismissal of some other individual charges. She did not indicate when she will rule on those issues.
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Drinking and Drug Use Affecting College Students
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:19PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Drinking and drug use on or near college campuses affect the safety of the students who partake of alcohol and drugs as well as those with whom they interact.
Students from Old Dominion, Radford and Virginia State universities, the University of Virginia, and two community colleges discussed alcohol and drug use Wednesday at a panel discussion hosted by the State Council of Higher Education.
The students at the four-year schools agreed that alcohol is especially a safety concern, despite colleges and universities making clear to students what their drug and alcohol policies are as well as resources that are available for those who need assistance.
The conversation came in light of longstanding concerns about college students overusing alcohol and the recent discovery of suspected student drug-making operations at two universities.
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Obama to Campaign in Virginia Next Weekend
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:17PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - President Barack Obama will make a campaign stop in Richmond next weekend.
Campaign officials tell media outlets that the president and first lady Michelle Obama will attend a rally on May 5 at Virginia Commonwealth University's Siegel Center. His first appearance that day will be at Ohio State University in Columbus.
Obama's campaign has been opening offices across Virginia in recent months.
The president won Virginia by 6 percentage points in 2008, making him the first Democrat to win the state in a presidential election since 1964.
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Slain VaTech officer's name to appear on memorial
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 11:03AM
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) - A national memorial to slain law enforcement officers will add the name of a Virginia Tech police officer a gunman shot to death last year.
Officials say they'll unveil the engraved names of Deriek Crouse and two others killed in 2011 on Thursday at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The memorial is adding 362 names this spring, including 163 officers killed in 2011 plus 199 recently discovered officers who died in previous years. The names will be dedicated next month and will be part of the 19,660 officers honored on the memorial.
A student from nearby Radford University ambushed and fatally shot Crouse as he was working a traffic stop on the Blacksburg campus on December 8. The gunman killed himself shortly afterward.
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Students discuss alcohol, drugs, campus safety
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 11:02AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Students attending Virginia colleges and universities plan to discuss how drug and alcohol use affects campus safety.
The students from Old Dominion, Radford and Virginia State universities, the University of Virginia, and two community colleges are expected to share their views at Wednesday's panel discussion hosted by the State Council of Higher Education.
The conversation comes in light of longstanding concerns about college students overusing alcohol and the recent discovery of suspected student drug-making operations at two state universities.
The students are members of SCHEV's student advisory committee. The 22-student group advises the council on issues of concern at Virginia's colleges and universities. Previous panel discussion topics have included the affordability of higher education and the impact of out-of-state students at Virginia's colleges and universities.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Students attending Virginia colleges and universities plan to discuss how drug and alcohol use affects campus safety.
The students from Old Dominion, Radford and Virginia State universities, the University of Virginia, and two community colleges are expected to share their views at Wednesday's panel discussion hosted by the State Council of Higher Education.
The conversation comes in light of longstanding concerns about college students overusing alcohol and the recent discovery of suspected student drug-making operations at two state universities.
The students are members of SCHEV's student advisory committee. The 22-student group advises the council on issues of concern at Virginia's colleges and universities. Previous panel discussion topics have included the affordability of higher education and the impact of out-of-state students at Virginia's colleges and universities.
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Study makes economic case for renewable energy
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 11:01AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - George Mason University researchers are assessing the potential for renewable energy to satisfy Virginia's future demands.
The report due out Wednesday was prepared by George Mason's Center for Regional Analysis for the Virginia Conservation Network, a coalition of environmental groups and advocates of renewable energy.
The report is expected to make the economic case for renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass, which is the burning of wood pellets made from sawdust or sawmill waste. Those sources will be measured against fossil fuels.
Gov. Bob McDonnell has made energy development a big part of his Republican administration. He advocates an "all-of-the-above" approach that includes coal, nuclear and natural gas, as well as wind and solar.
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Appalachian Power seeks to raise Va. fuel levy
by AP
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posted Apr 24 2012 5:13PM
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ROANOKE, Va. (AP) - Appalachian Power is seeking to increase the assessment it charges Virginia customers to recover higher costs of coal and other fuel.
The company asked the State Corporation Commission on Tuesday to approve its request to increase the fuel factor it charges in Virginia.
If the request is approved, residential rates would increase from 10.5 cents per kilowatthour to 11.26 cents.
Appalachian Power says it doesn't expect any other rate changes this year.
The company has 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee.
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Lethal Injection Lawsuit
by AP
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posted Apr 24 2012 10:36AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Two Alexandria lawyers claim Virginia's lethal injection practices are illegal.
Attorneys Meghan Shapiro and Christopher Leibig filed court papers Tuesday saying the execution team at the Department of Corrections is practicing medicine, pharmacy and anesthesiology without a license. The complaint, filed in Richmond Circuit Court, seeks an injunction halting the allegedly unauthorized practices.
Shapiro said in a telephone interview that she's just trying to hold prison officials accountable.
Identities of the execution team members are secret under state law. But Shapiro says depositions and discovery materials in federal lawsuits support her claims.
In Virginia, death row inmates can choose lethal injection or electrocution. If they decline to choose, they get the injection.
No executions are scheduled at this time.
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Governor Asks Schools to Limit Tuition Hikes
by AP
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posted Apr 24 2012 9:05AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Gov. Bob McDonnell is asking Virginia's public colleges and universities to limit tuition increases.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that McDonnell made the request in a letter sent last week to school presidents and board members.
McDonnell wants tuition hikes to be limited to the increase in the consumer price index. He says dramatic tuition increases would deter qualified Virginians from getting a college education.
The U.S. Labor Department says the consumer price index rose 0.3 percent in March, compared to 0.4 percent in February.
Inflation has eased since last fall and is expected to stay tame. In 12 months that ended in March, prices rose 2.7 percent. That's below last year's peak year-over-year rate of 3.9 percent.
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Va AG sues gate crasher Salahi over wine tours
by AP
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posted Apr 23 2012 5:33PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has sued White House party crasher Tareq Salahi, claiming Salahi cheated customers who purchased wine tours in northern Virginia.
The lawsuit filed Monday in Fauquier County Circuit Court accuses Salahi and his Virginia Wine Tourism Inc. and Celebration Entertainment Productions LLC of not delivering promised tours, not providing refunds for cancelled tours and misrepresenting businesses as "official partners." The tours were offered through VirginiaWineTour.com.
An attorney who has represented Salahi did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
In February, Cuccinelli settled a complaint against Salahi and his Journey for the Cure Foundation for making false statements, submitting inaccurate financial statements and soliciting donations without being registered with the state.
Tareq and his wife, Michaele, gained notoriety in 2009 when they crashed a White House state dinner.
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CBF defends EPA model in bay restoration lawsuit
by AP
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posted Apr 23 2012 3:58PM
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BALTIMORE (AP) - The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is defending the model used by the Environmental Protection Agency to create the federal agency's restoration strategy for the bay.
The bay foundation said Monday it is asking a federal judge to rule in the EPA's favor and toss out a court challenge by the American Farm Bureau Federation and other groups. Opponents have asked a federal judge in Pennsylvania to rule in their favor before the lawsuit goes to trial. Opponents say the model is flawed and the EPA has overstepped its authority, burdening states with a costly plan.
The foundation says the model used to set pollution limits is constantly being improved and that tossing out the strategy would diminish the efforts of those who have worked for decades to restore the waterway.
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Inmate who escaped back in custody
by AP
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posted Apr 23 2012 3:56PM
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COURTLAND, Va. (AP) - Police have captured an inmate who escaped from the Southampton County Jail.
Media outlets report that 47-year-old Sherman Hix was hiding in a farm vehicle when deputies found him Sunday morning.
Southampton County sheriff's Maj. Gene Drewery says Hix resisted arrest but there were no injuries.
Drewery says Hix escaped Saturday morning after he was let out of his cell to work.
Hix was in custody at the jail for burglary and grand larceny.
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Fatal Crash Closes Outer Loop of Capital Beltway
by AP
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posted Apr 23 2012 6:23AM
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SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) - A fatal overnight accident has closed the outer loop of the Capital Beltway in the Silver Spring area and could disrupt the morning commute.
All lanes of the outer loop between Colesville Road and Georgia Avenue were closed early Monday.
The accident occurred about 2 a.m. and involved several cars and a tractor-trailer. Scott Graham, a spokesman for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, says one person was killed. The victim's identity has not been released
Drivers are advised to avoid the area.
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Virginia'a Unemployment Rate Lowest in Three Years
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 20 2012 5:51PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia's unemployment rate dipped slightly in March but it was enough to make it the lowest jobless rate in more than three years.
The Virginia Employment Commission reported Friday that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell 0.1 percent to 5.6 percent. The fourth consecutive monthly decline put the state's jobless rate at its lowest level in more than three years, according to the governor's office.
Gov. Bob McDonnell said the rate is also the lowest in the Southeast. He said it's evidence "Virginia is growing strong again."
The commission said the state's unemployment rate has been trending down since January 2010, when the jobless rate peaked at 7.3 percent.
The March 2012 rate is well below the U.S. jobless rate of 8.2 percent.
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New York Lawsuit Against Military Academies
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 20 2012 5:48PM
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NEW YORK (AP) - A New York lawsuit is asking a court to force the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy to improve their response to rapes and sexual assaults.
The lawsuit was filed Friday on behalf of two women who say they were raped at the training grounds for military leaders.
The lawsuit says both institutions systemically and repeatedly ignored rampant sexual harassment. It also says they have a history of failing to prosecute and punish students who have sexually assaulted fellow students.
A Naval Academy spokesman, in Annapolis, Md., said he cannot comment on litigation. However, William Marks called the academy's sexual assault response program among the strongest in the nation.
A U.S. Military Academy spokeswoman said every report of sexual abuse is taken "extremely seriously."
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McDonnell: jobless rate shows Va. 'growing strong'
by AP
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posted Apr 20 2012 12:59PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia's unemployment rate dipped slightly in March but it was enough to make it the lowest jobless rate in more than three years.
The Virginia Employment Commission reported Friday that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell 0.1 percent to 5.6 percent. The fourth consecutive monthly decline put the state's jobless rate at its lowest level in more than three years, according to the governor's office.
The commission said the state's unemployment rate has been trending down since January 2010, when the jobless rate peaked at 7.3 percent.
The March 2012 rate is well below the U.S. jobless rate of 8.2 percent.
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Governor seeks gun check improvements
by AP
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posted Apr 20 2012 12:56PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is asking other governors across the nation to improve their states' record-sharing with a national background check system for gun purchases.
McDonnell made the request in a letter sent this week to all 49 other governors. The letter came as Virginia observed the fifth anniversary of the April 16, 2007, mass shootings at Virginia Tech that left 33 dead, including the gunman.
In his letter, McDonnell asks the other governors to evaluate their state's reporting of mental health and other information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, and to take any necessary action to prevent future tragedies.
McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin says the governor sent the letter after he heard from family members of the Virginia Tech victims.
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Va justices order new trial in school fight suit
by AP
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posted Apr 20 2012 12:55PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Supreme Court has ordered a new trial in a former Gloucester High School student's lawsuit against an assistant principal.
A jury in 2010 found assistant principal Travis Burns liable for injuries suffered by student Gregory Gagnon in a lunchroom fight. Another student had told Burns that the fight would happen, but the administrator did nothing to prevent it. The jury entered judgments of $1.25 million against Burns, $3.25 million against the attacker and $500,000 against the assailant's sister, who encouraged the fight.
The Supreme Court ruled Friday that the Burns case was improperly tried under a "simple negligence" standard. The justices ordered a new trial under the tougher standard of gross negligence.
Medical experts testified at the nine-day trial that Gagnon suffered permanent brain injuries in the fight.
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Romney to speak at Liberty U.'s commencement
by AP
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posted Apr 19 2012 3:58PM
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LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is set to deliver this year's commencement address at Liberty University, the evangelical Christian institution founded by the late televangelist Jerry Falwell Sr.
Romney, a Mormon, has never before visited the Lynchburg, Va., college.
The university announced news of the May 12 commencement address on Thursday.
Romney will deliver the address weeks after becoming the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. He struggled during the primary fight to win over evangelical Christians who are a key part of the Republican base.
The speech will draw a huge crowd.
The university says more than 14,000 graduates and 34,000 guests will be on hand. It also plans to broadcast video of the speech to an estimated 70,000 Liberty online students around the world.
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Rabid bear attacks people in Albemarle County
by AP
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posted Apr 19 2012 3:56PM
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SOUTH RIVER, Va. (AP) - Albemarle County police say no one was injured when a rabid bear attacked people in a utility terrain vehicle near Rockfish Gap.
Authorities said Thursday that the occupants in Tuesday's attack ran from the vehicle as they were chased by the bear. They were able to get away when one of them shot it.
The Daily Progress reports (http://bit.ly/HQ56mZ ) that the bear's head was removed and tested positive for rabies,
Officials have confirmed that none of those involved were directly exposed to rabies.
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Va. man accused in $11 million scheme
by AP
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posted Apr 19 2012 3:53PM
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NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A Chesapeake man has been indicted on federal charges he cheated Virginia and the federal government out of more than $11 million in a scheme involving historic tax credits on properties in Norfolk.
The government said Thursday that 48-year-old George P. Hranowskyj (rah-now-skee) was indicted on 14 counts, including wire fraud, unlawful monetary transactions and conspiracy.
According to the U.S. attorney's office, Hranowskyj enriched himself and others by approximately $8 million through the tax credit fraud scheme. The alleged scheme involved inflating the amounts spent on renovating properties, thereby increasing the federal and state tax credits.
The government says Hranowskyj and with an unidentified partner used the money for their own personal purposes. The investigation is continuing.
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New Virginia Budget Passes through the General Assembly
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 18 2012 7:38PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Without notice, Virginia's divided state Senate has taken up and quickly passed an $85 billion, two-year budget.
The 21-19 vote in favor of a budget conference report came a day after the Senate voted against the bill for the third time. Before the vote on Wednesday, Democratic leaders huddled together considering their options as the political fallout settled in.
The vote for a new budget came 10 1/2 weeks before the current budget expires June 30
The budget bill now goes to Gov. Bob McDonnell for consideration.
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Virginia Business Owner Pleads guilty in Government Kickback Scheme
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 18 2012 7:37PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - The owner of a Virginia-based construction management company has pleaded guilty to his role in a bribery and kickback scheme involving the awarding of federal government contracts.
James Edward Miller pleaded guilty in Washington's federal court on Wednesday to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charge carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
He is the sixth person to plead guilty in the investigation, which concerns more than $20 million and bribes and kickback payments in contracts awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Miller was the owner of Big Surf Construction Management LLC, a company based in Virginia Beach that received millions of dollars in subcontracts.
No sentencing date has been set.
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4 people dead in Va. domestic incident
by AP
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posted Apr 18 2012 10:53AM
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HAMPTON, Va. (AP) - Four family members in Hampton are dead following a domestic incident, including an armed man on a roof who was shot by police.
The other victims are a woman and young child found inside a burning house and another woman who was found in a street.
Hampton Police Cpl. Jason Price says officers responding to a neighbor's call around 3:56 a.m. Wednesday found the woman in the street. She had multiple stab wounds and at least one gunshot wound. She died at a local hospital.
As the officers approached the house, Price says they encountered a man armed with a gun on the roof. He was killed in an exchange of gunfire with the officers.
Firefighters found the other victims in two upstairs bedrooms.
The victims' names haven't been released.
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Silver Line Work to Cause Road Closures
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 17 2012 2:08PM
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McLEAN, Va. (AP) - The construction of Metro's silver line through the Tysons Corner area in northern Virginia will cause some closures on local roads in the coming weeks.
Three right lanes at Route 7 and the ramp from eastbound Route 7 to eastbound Route 267 will close each night through Friday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. They will also be closed April 22-24 during the same hours.
Three left lanes will also close April 25-27 and April 29-30 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
The silver line will run through Fairfax County and eventually into Loudoun County. The first part of the project is expected to be done in August 2013. Construction on the second phase is expected to start in January 2013.
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Discovery's new home at Dulles Airpprt
by AP
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posted Apr 17 2012 9:00AM
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Space Shuttleis Discovery at its final home today - a Smithsonian display at Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
NASA's oldest shuttle took a ride atop a modified jumbo jet, to Dulles with a flyover Washington.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
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Make-or-break vote looms on state budget
by AP
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posted Apr 17 2012 4:08AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Democrats in the Virginia Senate are still trying to reach an accord with Republicans, chiefly Gov. Bob McDonnell, that would guarantee passage of a new state budget Tuesday afternoon.
The Democrats - particularly those from northern Virginia - want $300 million for the project to extend Washington Metro rail service to Dulles International Airport.
Without it, $2.25 one-way tolls on a 14-mile road linking the Beltway and the airport could double by 2014 and triple within six years.
McDonnell and the GOP-ruled House say only $150 million is available this year.
Democrats hold 20 of the Senate's 40 seats. If they all oppose the budget, the stalemate would kill the $85 billion two-year state spending plan 2 1/2 months before the old budget expires.
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Va governors to address crowd at U.Va.
by AP
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posted Apr 17 2012 4:06AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - All eight living former Virginia governors and Gov. Bob McDonnell are being celebrated at an event at the University of Virginia.
The Charlottesville school's Sorensen Institute is set to hold its 11th annual fundraising gala on Tuesday night in Richmond.
Officials say Linwood Holton, Chuck Robb, Jerry Baliles, Doug Wilder, George Allen, Jim Gilmore, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and McDonnell will all speak to the crowd of about 350 Virginia political leaders and their guests.
The 19-year-old institute was founded to identify and train emerging political and community leaders in Virginia. To date, about two dozen institute alumni have been elected to the Virginia General Assembly, and more than 100 have been elected to local office.
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13 defendants in khat smuggling case go to trial
by AP
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posted Apr 17 2012 4:05AM
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - A federal trial is set to begin against 13 men accused of illegally smuggling millions of dollars' worth of the illegal African drug khat (COT).
Prosecutors in Alexandria charged the men, all natives of Somalia or Yemen, last year with operating a smuggling ring that imported nearly 10,000 pounds of the leaf since 2005. The drug is popular in East Africa and parts of the Arabian peninsula; users chew on the leaf to induce feelings of euphoria.
Two of the ring's alleged ringleaders have already pleaded guilty and were sentenced to multiple years in prison.
A judge has already barred one potential defense. He told lawyers that they may not argue to the jury that use of khat is culturally acceptable in the defendants' home countries.
Jury selection begins Tuesday.
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Former UVA Lacrosse Player's Sentencing Date Set
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 16 2012 4:09PM
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - A former University of Virginia lacrosse player is set to be sentenced Aug. 30 for the beating death of his ex-girlfriend.
George Huguely V's sentencing date was scheduled Monday in Charlottesville Circuit Court, according to the clerk's office. The Chevy Chase, Md., man was found guilty of second-degree murder in February for the slaying of Yeardley Love in May 2010.
The suburban Baltimore woman was Huguely's on-again, off-again girlfriend and a member of U.Va.'s women's lacrosse team. She was found dead in her Charlottesville apartment with injuries from a beating.
Huguely faces up to 26 years on the second-degree murder conviction and a guilty finding on another count related to Love's slaying.
Huguely's attorneys have already asked a judge for a hearing on a motion to have the case retried.
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Somali Man to Go on Trial in Virginia in Piracy Case
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 16 2012 4:08PM
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NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A Somali man U.S. authorities consider the highest-ranking pirate they have ever captured will go on trial in Virginia under a cloud of uncertainty about what the definition of piracy is.
Mohammad Saaili Shibin is charged with piracy for his role in the hijacking of an American yacht in which all four passengers on board were shot and killed. Jury selection begins Tuesday.
Shibin's case is unique because he never set foot on the Quest. Prosecutors say he acted as a land-based hostage negotiator.
The federal judge in the case has been waiting for a federal appeals court to rule on the definition of piracy in another case. At issue is whether piracy is limited to robbery at sea. It's unclear if a ruling will happen before Shibin's trial ends.
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5 Years After Rampage: Scars, Hope Fill Va. Tech
by AP
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posted Apr 16 2012 5:46AM
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BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - Each anniversary since the April 2007 massacre on the Virginia Tech campus, classes have been suspended for the day in memory of the 32 students and faculty killed in the rampage by a lone gunman who then killed himself.
Today, the fifth anniversary of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, the 28,000 students on campus will head to class to honor the 32.
Provost Mark McNamee, who chaired a committee that planned memorial events in the years after the shooting, says the return to classes reflects the lives of those slain.
The day will be remembered in other ways on the Blacksburg campus, in Washington and by alumni across the country.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has issued a proclamation recognizing April 16 as Virginia Tech Remembrance Day.
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Fate of data held by Megaupload up in the air
by AP
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posted Apr 13 2012 12:49PM
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - A judge has ordered further negotiations on what should be done with millions of data files that were removed from the Internet when federal investigators shut down one of the world's largest filesharing sites.
The judge heard arguments Friday in federal court in Alexandria on what to do with files once controlled by the website Megaupload.com.
Prosecutors say Megaupload was a criminal enterprise that facilitated illegal sharing of copyright-protected movies and TV shows. The government shut down the site when it charged the company's top officials earlier this year.
Carpathia Hosting, the Dulles, Virginia company that owns the 1,100 servers holding Megaupload's data wants guidance on what to do with the files. Megaupload no longer pays for the servers' upkeep, but wants to preserve the files as potential evidence.
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Va. man to be sentenced for aiding terrorists
by AP
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posted Apr 13 2012 11:55AM
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - An electrician from northern Virginia who admitted producing an online propaganda video for a Pakistani terrorist organization has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
A federal judge in Alexandria imposed the sentence Friday for 24-year-old Jubair Ahmad of Woodbridge. Ahmad pleaded guilty to providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani organization that was blamed for the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people.
Prosecutors sought a maximum term of 15 years. They said that in addition to producing the propaganda video, Ahmad also received military training from Lashkar and professed a wish to die as a martyr.
Ahmad's lawyers had asked for only a two-year term. They say he did not appreciate the criminality of helping Lashkar, a group that has widespread support in his native country.
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Condo Fire Kills 2 in Virginia Beach
by AP
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posted Apr 13 2012 9:40AM
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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Two people are dead following a fire at a condominium complex in Virginia Beach.
The fire was reported around 5:20 am. Friday at the Lynnhaven Beach condominiums.
Virginia Beach Fire Department Battalion Chief James Ramsey tells media outlets that the bodies of a man and a woman were found on the second floor of one building. Both victims were senior citizens. They haven't been identified.
The cause of the fire hasn't been determined.
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Calif. man arrested in 1975 Va. murder
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 4:04PM
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NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A California man has been arrested in the 1975 murder of a Virginia man.
Media outlets report that Joel Joaquin Saenz was taken into custody by police in Indio, Calif. after police in Norfolk, Va., obtained a murder warrant on Monday.
Saenz was wanted in the slaying of Lionel Wayne Baldwin. Baldwin was a part-time cab driver when he was stabbed in the head, chest, neck and arms in his cab.
Police say Saenz is awaiting extradition to Virginia.
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Jet crash apartment residents collect belongings
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 4:03PM
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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Several residents of an apartment complex that was hit by a Navy jet have been allowed back into their homes to collect their belongings.
Fire officials escorted residents of nine apartments into their homes Thursday. Residents in dozens of others apartments weren't let in by fire officials because their homes were so badly damaged.
The Mayfair Mews apartment complex in Virginia Beach was struck by an F/A-18D Hornet last Friday shortly after it took off from nearby Naval Station Oceana.
Navy officials are investigating the cause of the crash and expect to complete debris removal by the end of the week.
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Virginia Capitol Makes List of Influential US Buildings
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 10:28AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia State Capitol has been selected as one of 10 influential buildings in America.
Thomas Jefferson's Classical Revival style design is set to appear on a national PBS television special "10 Buildings That Changed America" slated to air early next year.
The 10 buildings were selected in consultation with architectural historians and others. The show's host, Geoffrey Baer, says the sites had to have had a powerful influence on the environment and "the way we live."
The state Capitol that was first occupied in 1788 has influenced scores of other buildings, from the U.S. Capitol to banks across the country.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the TV crew filmed around the Capitol on Wednesday after collecting footage of Monticello and the University of Virginia.
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Richmond Juvenile Center to Stay on Probation
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 10:27AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Richmond's juvenile center will stay on state probation until January 2013.
Media outlets report that the state Board of Juvenile Justice voted Wednesday night to keep the facility on probation.
The board also directed the city to have a third party investigate whether training records were forged. The findings are to be presented to the board by its June 13 meeting, along with a plan for documenting training.
A full audit of the center also is planned.
Board members placed the facility on probation in January because of safety concerns. Since then, the city has fired former superintendent Dianne Gadow and corrected malfunctioning locks and other deficiencies.
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Wildfires Burn More Than 14,000 Acres in Virginia
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 10:26AM
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COVINGTON, Va. (AP) - Firefighters continue to battle wildfires that have burned more than 14,000 acres in Virginia.
The largest fire is in a remote area in Alleghany County 10 miles west of Covington. The Virginia Department of Forestry says more than 6,000 acres have burned since Saturday.
Another fire in Page County is more than 5 miles long and has burned more than 4,700 acres.
Large fires also are burning in Craig and Shenandoah counties, along with smaller fires in other areas.
A section of Route 850 near the Alleghany-Rockbridge county line and part of Route 770 in Alleghany County remain closed because of wildfires.
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U.Va. board to consider raising tuition, fees
by AP
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posted Apr 11 2012 5:05PM
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - The cost of attending the University of Virginia could go up by 4 percent next year under a proposed increase in tuition, fees, room and board.
Under the proposal, in-state students would pay $25,400 for tuition, fees, room and board. Out-of-state students would pay $51,600.
The university's Board of Visitors is scheduled to consider the proposed increase Friday.
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Governor planning June European trade mission
by AP
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posted Apr 11 2012 5:03PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is planning an economic development trip to England, Germany and Sweden this summer.
McDonnell's office on Wednesday said the trip to promote Virginia and its goods and services is tentatively scheduled for mid-June.
McDonnell is currently leading a four-day trip to New York and Canada. That trip included a reception to promote Virginia tourism, wine and film with Donald Trump on Tuesday and another reception scheduled for Thursday in Montreal. The governor's office says the trip is expected to cost about $140,500.
It is the Republican governor's fifth international trade mission since he took office in January 2010. He has previously led trips to Israel, India, Japan, China, South Korea, Germany, England and the Netherlands. Those trips have yielded several export agreements and business deals.
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Wildfires burn more than 7,000 acres
by AP
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posted Apr 11 2012 5:00PM
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STAUNTON, Va. (AP) - Parts of Interstate 64 have been reopened while other Virginia roads remain closed because of wildfires that have burned more than 7,000 acres.
The Virginia Department of Transportation says I-64 was reopened in both directions Wednesday in Alleghany and Rockbridge counties. The interstate was closed Tuesday near West Midland Trail in Rockbridge County and Clifton Forge in Alleghany County.
Route 850 remains closed near the Alleghany-Rockbridge county line. Route 770 is shut down in the vicinity of Longdale Furnace Road.
Route 723 in Albemarle County is closed in the vicinity of Old Green Mountain Road. And, Route 675 in Shenandoah County is shut down near Liberty Furnace Road. Detours have been set up.
The Department of Forestry says five large fires are burning in Alleghany, Craig, Page and Shenandoah counties.
| | | Tags : Topics: Disaster_Accident, Environment, Hospitality_RecreationSocial: Disaster_Accident, Hospitality_RecreationLocations: Albemarle County, Alleghany County, Alleghany-rockbridge, Craig, Page, Rockbridge, Rockbridge County, Shenandoah, Shenandoah County, Staunton, VirginiaPeople: Clifton Forge
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McDonnell Plans Mid-Summer Economic Development Trip
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 11 2012 4:22PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is planning an economic development trip to England, Germany and Sweden this summer.
McDonnell's office on Wednesday said the trip to promote Virginia and its goods and services is tentatively scheduled for mid-June.
McDonnell is currently leading a four-day trip to New York and Canada. That trip included a reception to promote Virginia tourism, wine and film with Donald Trump on Tuesday and another reception scheduled for Thursday in Montreal. The governor's office says the trip is expected to cost about $140,500.
It is the Republican governor's fifth international trade mission since he took office in January 2010. He has previously led trips to Israel, India, Japan, China, South Korea, Germany, England and the Netherlands. Those trips have yielded several export agreements and business deals.
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Virginia Long-Term Care Costs on the Rise
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 10 2012 5:41PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The cost of home and long-term health care is increasing in Virginia and is rising faster than national levels in some cases.
A Genworth Financial survey shows the hourly rate for home health care is $18 in Virginia, an increase of about 2 percent a year over the past five years. Nationally, the rate is $19, but has only increased 1 percent a year during the same period.
In Virginia, the annual cost of an assisted living facility is $41,775, an increase of nearly 6 percent annually over the past five years. The national average is $39,600 and has increased at about the same rate.
The cost of a private nursing home room has risen 5.5 percent annually over the past five years in Virginia to $82,125. Nationally it's $81,030.
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Governor Vetoes at Least Seven Measures
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 10 2012 5:41PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Gov. Bob McDonnell has vetoed at least seven bills passed by the 2012 General Assembly and amended dozens more.
One of the amendments would allow cities, counties and towns to phase in 5 percent pay raises that teachers and local employees will have to contribute to the underfunded public employee pension fund.
Among bills McDonnell vetoed were those that required the Department of Health to begin a program for screening infants with cyanotic heart disorders and that limited the ability of residential community associations to ban or restrict solar energy panels.
He also vetoed a bill that would have added a $250 annual penalty for Virginia residents who don't put Virginia tags on their vehicles in the allotted 30 days.
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3 Maryland School Workers Split Mega Millions Win
by AP
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posted Apr 10 2012 9:07AM
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BALTIMORE (AP) - Maryland Lottery officials say three public school employees are sharing the spoils of the record Mega Millions jackpot.
The winning Maryland ticket is one of three nationally that split the $656 million jackpot.
Maryland Lottery director Stephen Martino told a news conference in Baltimore the winners there were remaining anonymous. But he did provide a few details, including that they bought 60 tickets as a pool.
The two women and one man work in public education in the state. Officials did not disclose where.
One is a special education teacher, one is an elementary school teacher and the third is a school administrator.
Each will receive a lump sum payment of $35 million after taxes. Their plans include backpacking in Europe and paying for a daughter's college education.
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Rosetta Stone and Google Suit Could Head to Trial
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 9 2012 6:11PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Foreign language education company Rosetta Stone's lawsuit against Google over use of trademarks in its advertising search terms may be headed to trial.
That's after a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond on Monday sent the case back to the lower court.
Rosetta Stone had sued Google for allowing rivals to advertise copycat software when Rosetta trademarks are used in search terms in its AdWords system. It argued that Google's actions created consumer confusion by allowing counterfeit products to be sold using its trademarks.
A district court dismissed the suit in 2010, saying that the use of trademarks as search words that trigger competing ads was legal. But the appeals court says that some of the claims should be heard at trial.
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Abortion Protesters Could Get Community Service
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 9 2012 6:01PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The 30 abortion rights protesters arrested last month for refusing to leave the steps of the Virginia Capitol during a rally could get by with community service.
Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Colette McEachin tells the Richmond Times-Dispatch she offered to drop trespassing charges against the 17 women and 13 men if they perform community service with a "legitimate nonprofit" organization. She said she also would drop unlawful assembly charges against each, because it would be difficult to prove.
The protesters were arrested March 3 during a rally against Republican-backed bills to require ultrasounds before abortions, among other anti-abortion measures.
McEachin said she had not heard from the protesters' attorneys.
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Man Rescued From Burning Car
by AP
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posted Apr 6 2012 7:23AM
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<VIDEO> A driver rescued a man from a car that was engulfed in flames on Interstate 195 in Richmond early Thursday morning. The man inside the car was treated for minor injuries and later charged with driving under the influence.
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Once Jailed Man to Get $1 Million from Virginia
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 5 2012 5:48PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Gov. Bob McDonnell has signed legislation to award a Richmond man more than $1 million after he was imprisoned for nearly 30 years for sexual assaults he didn't commit.
Thomas Haynesworth was exonerated in December after spending 27 years in prison.
McDonnell said Thursday it was "morally right" for the state to provide financial security to Haynesworth because of the years he lost in prison. The state has a formula to determine how much those wrongfully imprisoned should be compensated.
Police arrested the 18-year-old Haynesworth in February 1984 after a victim in one of the assaults reported he looked like her attacker. Ultimately, he was convicted in three attacks and was acquitted of one. Prosecutors now believe serial rapist Leon Davis was responsible for each of the attacks.
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Former CIA Officer Indicted
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 5 2012 5:39PM
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - A former CIA officer has been indicted on charges that he leaked classified secrets to journalists.
A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Va., on Thursday returned a five-count indictment against John Kiriakou, who was arrested in January.
The indictment charges Kiriakou with leaking the identity of a covert CIA officer. It also accuses Kiriakou of disclosing the name and contact information of an officer who worked with him on the capture of suspected al-Qaida financier Abu Zubaydah in the months after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Kiriakou is charged with making false statements and with violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act and the Espionage Act.
Kiriakou is scheduled to be arraigned April 13.
Robert Trout, one of Kiriakou's lawyers, declined to comment Thursday.
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Possible Mega Millions Winner Appears
by AP
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posted Apr 5 2012 8:19AM
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The woman who claimed she purchased one of the winning Mega Millions lottery tickets appeared with her attorney on Wednesday. The attorney said he hasn't seen the ticket and he doesn't know if Mirlande Wilson has it.
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Tim Kaine Pushes Education Investment and Less Tax Cuts
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 4 2012 6:11PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Democrat Tim Kaine has offered his U.S. Senate campaign's first policy presentation calling for government investment in education, transportation infrastructure and research and ending tax cuts for those earning $500,000 or more annually.
Kaine and Sen. Mark Warner, back-to-back former governors, are barnstorming Norfolk, Arlington and Richmond Wednesday in Kaine's most conspicuous public swing after months largely spent raising cash, huddling with advisers and citizen round-tables.
The former Democratic National Committee chairman called for a simpler tax code for small business, more schooling before kindergarten and after high school, closing tax loopholes for the wealthy and Big Oil.
He called for more development of alternative power sources such as wind and solar electricity and jabbed at Republican George Allen, saying he belittles all forms of energy that aren't carbon-based.
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Uranium Mining Met with More Critics
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 4 2012 6:09PM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A state panel examining the prospect of uranium mining in Virginia met with critics who feel the process is not sufficiently transparent, leaving a few still skeptical.
Members of the Uranium Working Group met Wednesday with environmental groups and others who have concerns about how the group is conducting its business.
Leaders of the panel insisted they are committed to openness.
After the meeting, several in attendance said they weren't satisfied. One suggested the committee include critics on the panel. The suggestion did not elicit a response.
The group was formed by Gov. Bob McDonnell to look at the safety of mining a 119-million-pound deposit of the radioactive ore in Pittsylvania County. It also is examining a possible regulatory framework for uranium mining.
Virginia has a ban on uranium mining.
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Indictments in East Coast Rape Case
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 3 2012 8:05PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - A man suspected in a series of sexual assaults up and down the East Coast has been indicted in Virginia and could stand trial this summer.
A grand jury in Prince William County, Va., returned an indictment Tuesday charging Aaron Thomas with abducting three teenage trick-or-treaters on Halloween 2009 and raping two of them.
Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert said the indictment includes two counts of rape, three counts of abduction with intention to defile and three counts of use of a firearm during a commission of a felony.
A trial is scheduled for July 31.
Thomas was arrested last year in Connecticut and had been held there on charges connected to a 2007 sexual assault. But Connecticut officials agreed to extradite him to Virginia to face charges there first.
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Clinton Honored at VMI Tuesday
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 3 2012 8:04PM
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LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was honored by Virginia Military Institute, and she returned the favor by paying homage to a VMI alumnus.
Clinton accepted the Distinguished Diplomat Award on Tuesday on VMI's Lexington campus. During an address to students and faculty, she praised George C. Marshall, class of 1901.
Marshall was secretary of state from 1947 to 1949 and was among the architects of the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after World War II.
The Roanoke Times (http://bit.ly/Hklnii ) reports that Clinton spoke to about 1,600 cadets, VMI staff and the public.
VMI's superintendent, Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III, called the award given to Clinton "highly appropriate" based on her long and varied career on the national and international scene.
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Active Duty Military in Virginia for Challenge
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 2 2012 5:38PM
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YORKTOWN, Va. (AP) - More than 300 active-duty personnel from around the world are expected to compete in this year's All-Military Wilderness Challenge in southern West Virginia.
Registration opened Monday for the competition, which is set for Oct. 4-6.
Four-member teams will compete in five races. The competition includes an 8K mountain run, a 12-mile mountain bike race, a 14-mile forced hike through the mountains, a 13-mile whitewater raft race on the Gauley River and a 7-mile kayak race on the New River.
Event coordinator Michael Bond says the Wilderness Challenge is one of the armed forces' most grueling competitions.
The event also is a regional qualifier for the United States Adventure Racing Association's Adventure Race National Championship.
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More Interest in Wind Energy off Virginia's Coast
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 2 2012 5:37PM
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NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - Virginia's offshore winds are attracting global interest.
Eight companies have expressed interest in developing wind farms off the Virginia coast, including two from Spain.
Dominion Resources and Apex Virginia Offshore Wind of Charlottesville are two state-based developers that previously signaled their interest in planting turbines in waters off the coast.
The others filing the necessary paperwork last week include two New Jersey companies, one based in Nevada, one from California and the Spanish interests.
Each will be reviewed by federal regulators to see if they are capable of paying for offshore wind development. If more than one survives the review, an auction would be held for the offshore blocks.
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Minor Injuries for School Bus Riders
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 11:09AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - State police say 10 Chesterfield County students were treated for minor injuries at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center after their school bus, a public-transit bus and two other vehicles were involved in a crash on Interstate 64 near Richmond.
State police tell WWBT-TV that the crash occurred shortly after 9 a.m. Monday on I-64 eastbound just east of the Shockoe Valley Bridge. It forced the closure of one of the eastbound lanes, causing some delays.
VCU officials describe the injuries as mainly cuts and bruises.
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Mega Millions Increases Final Jackpot to $656M
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 11:07AM
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CHICAGO (AP) - Lottery officials say the record-breaking Mega Millions jackpot was even higher than originally announced.
After sales from the 44 state lotteries were totaled, the final jackpot for Friday's drawing was increased to $656 million. It had previously been reported as $640 million.
Three winners who purchased their tickets in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland will split the prize. None of the winners have been made public.
The three tickets matched all six numbers: 2-4-23-38-46 and had the Mega Ball 23.
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Maryland Lottery Director: Winning Ticket Unclaimed
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 11:06AM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - The director of the Maryland Lottery says no one in the state has stepped forward with a winning Mega Millions lottery ticket yet.
Stephen Martino said Monday on NBC's "Today" show that the ticket, one of three winning tickets purchased for the record-breaking $640 million prize, has yet to be claimed.
The New York Post reported Monday that McDonald's employee Mirlande Wilson claims she holds the winning ticket. The newspaper reports that Wilson plans to contact lottery officials Monday.
Lottery officials say a winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven store in Milford Mill. The other two were sold in Illinois and Kansas.
A phone number listed for Wilson went to a voicemail inbox that said it was full early Monday.
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Charlottesville in Water Conservation Competition
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 8:21AM
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Charlottesville residents are being asked to conserve water as part of a national competition.
The Daily Progress reports that the city is participating in the National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation.
Cities are competing to get the highest percentage of their citizens to pledge to do activities aimed at reducing water usage and pollution.
The competition began Friday and runs through April 30.
Cities are competing in four regions and three population size categories. Residents in the winning cities will be eligible to win sprinkler systems, water-saving toilets, a hybrid vehicle and other prizes.
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Virginia Schools Get About $22M from Mega Millions Sales
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 8:19AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - No one in Virginia may have won the Mega Millions jackpot, but lottery officials say the state's public schools were big winners.
During the jackpot run that began after the Jan. 24 drawing and continued until Friday, sales of Mega Millions tickets in Virginia generated nearly $22 million in profit. By law, all of that profit goes to K-12 public schools in Virginia.
In addition, officials say that Virginia retailers that sell lottery tickets earned more than $2.4 million in selling commissions.
The Virginia Lottery generates approximately $1.2 million per day for Virginia's K-12 public schools. The lottery raised more than $444 million for Virginia's public schools in fiscal year 2011. That's about 8 percent of state funding for public education in Virginia.
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DMV Launches Mobile Application
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 8:18AM
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is going mobile.
The state agency recently launched a mobile application that allows customers to access DMV services, locate the closest DMV office and their average wait times.
Officials say the app gives users access to more than two dozen DMV transactions, including renewing decals and driver's licenses. Users also can design and purchase license plates. Sample driving exams also are available.
The app also includes news and alerts from the department. It is currently available for Android phones, but a similar application is being developed for the iPhone and iPad.
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