News - WSVA

News

Huguely Trial Slogs on

It may take more than the two days allocated for jury selection in George Huguely's first degree murder trial in Charlottesville Circuit Court, Attorneys found more unsuitable that suitable possible jurors according to media spources. Huguely was in the courtroom Monday wearing a coat and tie and looking thinner and pale. He pleaded not guilty to the six felony charges in

Fatal New Market Fire

No smoke detectors. Fire officials believe there were no working smoke detectors in a mobile home that caught fire in New Market over the weekend killing three people.

Former Sky Chalet Mountain Lodge Burns

It appears hot coals in a fireplace caused a fire in one of the former Sky Chalet Mountain Lodge houses Sunday. The Northern Virginia Daily reports residents discovered the fire when they returned home about three in the afternoon.

Pharmacy Robbery Suspects At Large

The weekend's work is not over for Harrisonburg Police. They remain on the lookout for two men that robbed a city pharmacy at gun-point.

School Budget Request Unchanged

As Harrisonburg struggles with a tight budget year, City Manager Kurt Hodgen will not be getting squeezed by the school system for more money. Superintendent of School's Dr. Scott Kizner says that his proposed budget does not seek any increase in funding from the city over last year.

Medicap Pharmacy Robbed

The Medicap Pharmacy on Virginia Ave was robbed this afternoon! Two white males in their 20's,one displaying a firearm,robbed the pharmacy of various medication

H'burg Population Boom

Harrisonburg is one of the fastest growing cities in Virginia. New numbers from the Weldon Cooper Center at UVA, show Harrisonburg's population has increased more than 2-percent since the 2010 census.

Local HS Participates in Seat Belt Initiative

Fort Defiance is among nearly three dozen Virginia high schools are participating in a safe driving campaign starting this week. The Virginia State Police is teaming up with Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety.

Tractor Trailer Driver Killed in Fiery Wreck

A tractor trailer crash on I-81 that shut down the half the highway in Rockbridge County Monday night into Tuesday claimed the life of an Alabama man.

SNP Visitation Slumps

A colder and snowier October is being blamed for a not so stellar year at Shenandoah National Park. Visitation at the park was down nearly three and a half percent in 2011 compared to 2010 numbers.

Survey Says: No New taxes

Broadway Delegate Tony Wilt has received a directive from his constituents: Find cuts instead of raising taxes to deal with the state's financial problems.

Shooting Outside Elkton

An Elkton businessman is under arrest after a shooting outside of town yesterday afternoon. Rockingham County Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson says following a dispute of some type, 46-year old Rudy Dean shot 42-year old Robert Crawford in the neck.

Program Reaches $1M in Prescription Savings

Local residents are putting more food on the table and less money out for prescription drugs. A partnership launched several years ago by the United Way of Greater Augusta and FamilyWize has saved local residents a million dollars in prescription drug costs.

Teens Allegedly Involved in up to 50 Theft Cases

As many as 50-cases may have been solved with the arrest of several teens in Waynesboro. Police say a weekend traffic stop led to the arrest of three self-proclaimed gang members and turned up items stolen from homes and cars throughout the city.

Man Accused of Exposing Himself at Library

A Staunton man has been arrested, accused of masturbating in the Staunton Public Library. Police say 31-year old Glacier Johnson was touching himself while using a computer next to a 16-year old girl Friday.

Paul Wins JMU Straw Poll

Ron Paul's popularity with younger voters was evident in a recent straw poll take at James Madison University. The Breeze reports that Paul won the poll that included more than just his Republican rivals, but also had President Barack Obama among the choices.

Weekend Brings Theft & Vandalism

A weekend smash and grab at a Harrisonburg gas station. Police say sometime overnight Saturday into Sunday someone broke a window at the Liberty Station on East Market Street and stole an undisclosed amount of cash.

Fire destroys Edinburg Home

A One and a half story log house in EDinburg was destroyed by fire before midnight on Tuesday. The fire at 3036 Swover Creek Rd was first reported at 11:40pm and firefighters stayed on the scene until 4am on Wednesday according to the NV Daily.

Gun Control in State Senate

A Virginia Senate committee has endorsed legislation to repeal Virginia's one handgun a month law-Two other measures supported by gun rights advocates have been carried over until next year.The bills prohibiting colleges and other government bodies from regulating gun possession.

Sunday Hunting nixed

The Virginia Senate has rejected a proposal to allow localities to decide whether to have hunting on Sundays.Sen Richard Stuart offered the local option today as an amendment to allow Sunday hunting on provate property statewide. The bill will be up for a final vote on Thursday.Sen Emmett Hanger spoke in favor of the amendment.

Murder Victim With Local Ties to Be Buried Friday

Funeral services will be held this week here in the valley for a man murdered and placed in a shallow grave in West Virginia. West Virginia authorities found the body of 20-year old T-J Blankenship late last week.

August Trial set in Augusta Murder Case

Three days in August have been set aside for the trial for a Waynesboro woman accused of killing her husband. Court records show Debra Washington's trial is set to begin August 27th on four charges.

School Lunch Increase Likely

No matter how Rockingham County School's plan to deal with students behind on their lunch payments, it looks like the meals will cost more next year. A Federal mandate may mean a five cent increase.

Cuccinelli & Va Farm Bureau

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli says a proposed constitutional amendment to limit the governemnts taking of private land has its best chance in years to emerge from the General Assembly.

Late Unemployment Checks

The VEC says some unemployment benefit checks could be a day late because an 800 number used by recipients to certify claims went down. The call center usually handles 3500 calls on a Monday when those collecting unemployment benfits check in to tell of their efforts to find a job.

VA Unemployment Rate Unchange

Virginia's unemployment rate remains unchanged in December after falling the two previous months. The VEC says the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December was 6.2 per cent. Unchanged from November and down from 6.6 per cent in December 2010.

Kwiatkowski Challenges Goodlatte

6th District Congressional Republican primary karen Kwiatkowski was in Hburg yesterday afternoon to publicly sign her bonded term limit pledge. Kwiatkowski says that term limits are not her main disagreement with 10 term Congressman Bob Goodlatte. She says he is not a constitutionalist that she is.

Cabby Beater sentenced

That Hburg man who ran down a cabby on the parking lot of RMH in May,pleaded guilty today to felony unlawful wounding,failure to stop at the scene of an accident,felony injury and a misdemeanor cjharge of reckless driving on a parking lot. 33 Year old Jesse Waugh was sentenced in Rockingham Circuit court to 5 years of prison with two years suspended. 44 year old ABC Cab Driver Gerard Visco

Lil Ceasars Embezzler

That Little Ceasars pizza manager who allegedly skimmed over 700 dollars over a six month period last year has had her case continued until February 10th. 31 year old Terra McDonald's thefts were turned up in an audit and she was arrested on december 31st of 2011.

Wboro Scammers

Waynesboro police are alerting everyone especially the elderly of a scam where young adult males are knocking on doors late at night asking for gas money.

Triggerman Bill Stirs Debate

Harrisonburg Senator Mark Obenshain and Woodstock Delegate Todd Gilbert are again trying to repeal Virginia's triggerman rule...and again they are up against death penalty opponents. Obenshain and Gilbert want to overturn the state law that protects murder accomplices from being executed.

Senator & Governor Combine

Governor McDonnell and US Senator mark warner appeared at a news conference today to introduce "My Digital Life>" This is a new digital education program aimed at 8th and 9th graders to encourage them to use technology and social media safely and responsibly.

Shrine Mont closed by DEQ

The DEQ has closed the Shrine Mont waste Water facility in Orkney Springs.

Gov wants GA to leave Uranium alone

Governor Bob McDonnell asking the 2012 General Assembly to leave the Commonwealth's ban on Uranium mining in place has received a mixed reception.and

JMU Soccer Coach

JMU's longtime soccer coach Dr Tom Martin has been named the 2011 virginia Soccer coach of the year by members of Virginia Sports Information Directors.Four Dukes were also named to the All state team-Jr Midfielder Paul Wyatt,sr Fwd Patrick Innes,r/sr Justin Epperson on the first team and sr defender Jason Gannon on the second squad

Mitchell Indicted for Murder

Lori Ann Mitchell has been indicted on charges of killing her mother. Rockingham County's Grand Jury has charged the woman with first degree murder in the choking death of her mon,68 year old Betty Lou Armstrong.

Sperry Marine firings

Sperry Marine in Charlottesville is eliminating about 50 jobs at its Naval and Marine Systems Division in Charlottesville.

5 yr old Stabs three

Police are evaluating a 5 year old boy from Green County who allegedly stabbed three people in an "edged object" The three injured during the attacks-two juveniles and one adult-were treated for non life threatening wounds at UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville.

only 2 on GOP Primary Slate

Mitt Romney and Ron Paul will be all alone of the Virginia GOP Priomary ballot. Federal Judge John Gibney rules against Texas Governor Rick Perry and three other candidates Friday-saying they four should have challenged Virginia's primary qualifying rules earlier.