Keswick tragedy raises questions about fire agreement, smoke detectors

“It’s fire! Fire! My kids and wife are inside!” The desperate 911 call made by an Albemarle County man who arrived home from work around 1:30am on January 18 to discover his home ablaze offers a heartbreaking glimpse into the tragedy that took the lives of 34-year-old Sayeda Nadia Ghaffer, 7-year-old Ammar Sheikh and 2-year-old […]

In McDonnell indictment, feds describe Star Scientific’s push for UVA research

After months of rumors, innuendo, leaks and mea culpas, the other shoe has finally dropped in the ongoing gift scandal surrounding former first couple Bob and Maureen McDonnell. On January 21, 2014, both were named as co-conspirators in a federal indictment that alleges, among other things, that they—separately and together—are guilty of wire fraud, false […]

Embezzler sentenced, fatal fire, CAT app, “Dumler” bill: News briefs

Hollymead embezzler sentenced The county woman who pleaded guilty in October to embezzling more than $73,000 from the Hollymead Citizens Association will serve 15 days in jail for her crime, according to reports from NBC29 and The Daily Progress. The rest of her five-year sentence was suspended. Patricia Cuthbert, who served as the treasurer of […]

Recycling news: Albemarle balks at privatizing trash service—again

Albemarle County threw out a plan to privatize trash and recycling disposal last week in the wake of fierce opposition from residents, revving up the argument over who should handle solid waste in the region—the county or private contractors. A proposal agreed upon by the previous Board of Supervisors to quit funneling money to the […]

Update: After arrests, differing accounts of alleged Mall assault surface

Charlottesville Police have arrested two men in association with the December 20 assault on the Downtown Mall, and, following the arrests, different accounts of the night have emerged. Malcolm James Stevenson, 25, and Richard Bernard Spears, 23, surrendered on Wednesday, January 8, according to Police Chief Tim Longo, who announced the arrests at a same-day […]

Could tragedy and scandal bring consensus in Richmond?

Virginia’s General Assembly has descended on Richmond for the annual legislative session, and with 60 days to come up with the state’s biennial budget, local legislators seem optimistic that this year won’t be as contentious as 2004, when it took an extra 100 days to pass a budget—and it won’t reflect the gridlock in Congress […]