Another slaughter: Senate rejects gun restrictions

Within a few days, Colorado Springs and San Bernadino became the scenes of the most troubling trend in America: The mass murders of unarmed citizens by gun-wielding killers. The day after Syed Farook, aided by his wife, Tashfeen Malik, mowed down 14 of his coworkers at a holiday party, the U.S. Senate blocked legislation to […]

Gene Washington appears for last motions hearing of the year

The man charged with brutally beating a mother and daughter to death before setting their Rugby Avenue home on fire one year ago appeared in Charlottesville Circuit Court December 7 for a motions hearing. Gene Washington faces capital murder charges for the death of special education teacher Robin Aldridge and her daughter, Mani. Judge Rick […]

The blade has landed at the Paramount

The last piece of the recreation of the historic Paramount Theater was hoisted into place Thursday morning when the 33′ blade was secured to the front of the theater. “This is giving me chills,” says Jane Belisle, one of the onlookers gathered on the Downtown Mall around 9:30am to watch a crane hoist the 3,000-pound Blade into […]

Open dialogue: Group helps special education community

The parent of an eighth-grader who receives special education at Buford Middle School says her daughter doesn’t appear like she’s disabled. Lisa Torres’ daughter is moderately to severely dyslexic and has some difficulty with speech articulation, but she’s enrolled in advanced classes and also in the band. “I’m a parent who’s at a different end […]

SWAT PTSD: Albemarle police sued for false imprisonment

How many cops does it take to check on a man when his employer is concerned that he hasn’t shown up for work? At least a dozen, by Benjamin Marshall Burruss’ estimate. According to his November 19 lawsuit filed in federal court, Albemarle County Police held Burruss for two hours in his truck after he […]

Three votes: Will Signer be the new mayor?

When City Council meets for the first time January 4, the five councilors will vote for a new mayor, which typically is already a done deal, and rumor is Mike Signer, incoming city councilor, has the three votes necessary to secure the mayorship. Signer, understandably, declined to confirm he has the job in the pocket, […]

Nelson sheriff candidate indicted for election fraud

William Everette “Billy” Mays, the Nelson sheriff’s office investigator who led the Alexis Murphy missing teen case, was indicted on two counts of election fraud November 24. Mays ran for sheriff and lost to David Hill in the November election. Both men were the subjects of Virginia State Police investigations after a private citizen complained […]

UPDATED: No UVA students aboard crashed bus

Virginia State Police have determined that speed was a factor in the November 29 motorcoach accident by an Abbott Trailways driver in North Chesterfield County. The bus, driven by Thomas B. Chidester of Salem, was en route to the University of Virginia around 7:15pm when the driver lost control on the curve of a ramp […]