Foreign Exchange Student Missing From VCU
(Metro) As of Monday, Virginia Commonwealth University police say they're no closer to locating a missing foreign exchange student. Police say 22-year-old Jonathan S. Dorey, from the University of the West of England, was last seen riding his bicycle away from Gladding Residence Center last Tuesday at 11:19 a.m. Dorey is described as a white male with brown hair, around five-feet-ten, 180 pounds and wearing glasses. Investigators say Dorey was also riding a black mountain bike with a red stripe in the middle of the seat. Anyone with information about Dorey's whereabouts is asked to contact VCU police at 804-828-1196.
Mall Fight Arranged On-line
(Metro) A fight that closed down Fashion Square mall on Friday night was apparently he result of a pre-arranged meeting between students from rival high schools. Mall officials say the students apparently used the Internet to arrange the meeting which led to a fight that started in the parking lot and caused a commotion in the mall when police showed up and the teens ran in the shopping center. The mall says it may bring in off-duty police officers to keep order and mall security is in communication with local school resource officers.
Three McDonnell Education Proposals Pass VA Senate
(METRO) Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's three education reform proposals have the approval of the state Senate. One bill would give charter school applicants the ability to ask the state Board of Education for help when dealing with a local school board. A second measure would lead to virtual classes for public school students. A third bill would help in establishing college partnership lab schools. All three of the Republican governor's bills passed fairly easily despite the Democratic majority in the state Senate.
(WCHV) The man who robbed and attacked an elderly woman at a Buckingham County store has been sentenced
Officials say Malcolm Mosley will serve five years in prison and will be put on probation when he gets out. Store owner larry baber says he is thankful that he bought the security system that lead to his arrest.
Baber says his 78 year old mother hasn’t been the same since the robbery, but he hopes this will bring her closure.
Officials say mosley could face up to 25 years in prison if he violates his probation.
(WCHV) A jury has sentenced a Louisa county man to serve two life terms for abusing a child
Prosecutors say 50 year old Clevis Conn was found guilty of three sex offences that occurred during two assaults in 2008. They say conn had previously been convicted of murder and other sex offences. Officials say the jury wants conn to serve consecutive life sentences in prison with no possibility for parole.
The search is on to replace retiring Madison County schools superintendent Brenda tanner
The school board says they know what kind of leader they are looking for
That’s board chair jeff early. School board officials say they held a private meeting Tuesday to go over applications with the Virginia school board association. They say the board will determine who they feel is appropriate to interview and they will go from there. Early says the board hopes to name a new superintendent by may.
Fluvanna County school officials are also looking to replace retiring superintendent Tom Smith. They say smith’s last day will be june 30th.
(WCHV) Piedmont Virginia Community College 26th annual job fair will be Wednesday
Officials say the job fair is from ten to two in the afternoon in the main building of the pvcc campus. they say around 900 people attended last years event and organizers say they are expecting a big crowd this year too
(WCHV) Albemarle County Police increase security at the fashion square mall after last Friday night’s fight among teenagers
Police say the fight was not gang related but they will have more police presence at the mall. Police say they will keep a watch over the back entrance near the cts bus stop where the fight took place. They say the investigation is ongoing and police are working closely with Albemarle county schools in handling the case.
(WCHV) A parliamentary maneuver yesterday in the House of Delegates will prevent the General Laws Committee from reconsidering a bill to include gays in the state's anti-discrimination policy.
The maneuver follows an opinion issued last week in which Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said the state's publiccolleges and universities do not have the authority to bar discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation because the General Assembly has not authorized them to do so. Unlike his two immediate predecessors, McDonnell has not issued an executive order barring discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Organizers at VirginiaCommonwealthUniversity are planning a protest rally that they expect will draw a thousand participants tomorrow.
(Metro) Dominion Resources Inc. wants to reduce its work force by about 6 percent through buyouts. A spokesperson says The energy company expects that about 1,000 of the 4,800 employees eligible for its voluntary separation package will take advantage of the program. Richmond-based Dominion is the parent company of Dominion Virginia Power. the company has been quietly pushing the plan companywide in an effort to save money during the recession. The energy company has 17,000 employees, with about 10,000 working in Virginia.
(METRO) A make-shift, tea party-like rally occurred on the steps of the state Capitol yesterday. About 300 people turned out for the protest. they hoped to pressure the General Assembly to overturn hiked taxes and fees proposed in the state budget. The Senate calls for balancing the budget with over 200-million-dollars in fees, imposed on services such as lawsuits and other legal business. Meanwhile, the House of Delegates has only agreed to 76-million-dollars in fees.
Senate Committee Approves Expanding Death Penalty (Metro) The Virginia Senate Courts of Justice Committee has rejected a House of Delegates version of a bill that would have expanded death penalty eligibility to include accomplices and accessories to the murder of a law enforcement officer. The panel did, however, approve expanding the death penalty for the murder of fire marshals and auxiliary police officers. Both measures now move to the full Senate.
(WCHV) The contractor who paved the Belmont Bridge several weeks ago will be repairing the bridge Wednesday from 8:30am until 4pm. At least one lane of traffic will remain open on each side of the bridge with flagmen present to direct traffic. This is to correct a faulty batch of asphalt that was applied by the contractor during the previous installation.
(wchv) the albemarle county fire marshal’s office says they have updated information regarding a fatality from a sunday morning house fire in the Scottsville area.
they say the fire happened at around six sunday morning at 4726 eyeland drive off secretary’s road.
Investigators say they have determined that the fire was accidental in nature resulting from an undetermined electrical source in the kitchen area of the house.
they say the victim has died from smoke inhalation
that’s fire investigator mel bishop. officials are still awaiting final confirmation for the victims identity. familiy members have identified the victim as 90-year-old Louise Brown.
Virginia state police say the investigation continues into a two vehicle crash in Albemarle County that happened on March 4th involving a state employee. police say 50 year old eric jones of Waynesboro was traveling sound bound on route 29 when he hit a pick up truck that was stopped at a traffic light at airport road.
officials say jones is employed by the Virginia department of alcoholic beverage control and was on duty at the time of the crash. jones told the trooper that he was responding to a call and had he his lights on at the time of the crash.
(wchv) a new local organization says it will provide valuable resources for the terminally undertaxed
the organization “I’m paying additional county city commonwealth taxes” or impact will help local citizens pay more taxes. co founder Keith drake says impact provides an opportunity for those who support tax increases to put their money where their mouth is and pay additional taxes.
Officials say at the end of every calendar quarter, impact will send the donations they receive to the city of Charlottesville, Albemarle county and the state of Virginia designated by the donor.
drake says he got the idea for impact after attending last week's Albemarle county public budget hearing. he says the organization could eliminate a lot of the legwork and make it easier for citizens to pay additional taxes.
Charlottesville city officials say the eastbound right lane of hydraulic road will be closed for utility exploration and water main tie-ins from march 9th to the 12th.
officials are encouraging the public to take alternative routes including using 250 to emmet and rio to park street to get into downtown during this period.
(wchv) Average retail gasoline prices in Virginia have risen 3.3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.63/g today. This compares with the national average that has increased 4.7 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.74/g
(wchv) the journey through hallowed ground tourism group says they are working to create a Charlottesville team of ambassadors.
the group says they held a meeting for future ambassadors at city space on the downtown mall Monday to study up on the region’s civil war history. the group says they expect a lot of tourist to come to the region next year for the 150 anniversary of the start of the cival war.
(wchv) A Mineral man is dead following a crash in Louisa County late Sunday afternoon.
A 1993 Honda Accord was traveling eastbound on Route 208 when the vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway and struck several trees. The passenger 22 year old Richard S. Glass Jr. of Mineral died at the scene. Glass was not wearing his seat belt.
The driver 18 year old Ashley R. Bonner of Stafford, Va., was injured in the crash and was transported by ambulance to the University of Virginia medical center. she is expected to recover. police are still investigating the crash.