The week in review
Biggest ouster: The Fluvanna Board of Supervisors fires five department heads March 14 following wage increases that were made without the board's knowledge. Canned are planning director/interim administrator Darren Coffey, public works director John Robins, parks and recreation director Dwight Godwin, finance director Renee Hoover, and human resources director Brandy Amos. The Fluvanna Review has the story.
Biggest potential ouster: Culpeper citizens start a recall petition against Sheriff Scott Jenkins, whom a judge cited for police misconduct in the Michael Hash capital murder case, for which Hash served 12 years in prison before being released last week, the Star Exponent reports.
Biggest corruption potential: Virginia receives an "F" in the State Integrity Investigation, conducted by the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity and other groups, which assessed the state, found it at high risk for corruption and ranked it 47th nationally.
Smallest tax reduction: The Albemarle Board of Supervisors votes to advertise a 76.2 cents per $100 tax rate— 0.2 cents less that the county's recommended equalized tax rate and 2 cents more than the current 74.2 cents property tax rates.
Latest project from the creator of Richmond Sunlight: Waldo Jaquith unveils Virginia Decoded, "the Code of Virginia, for Humans," a platform for state legal information in a "friendly, accessible, modern fashion."
Most grateful: Anyone who's ever tried to decipher the Code of Virginia.
Most deranged: The person who said he had an explosive device at UVA's Fontaine Park March 15, which caused an evacuation of two buildings that see patients, some of whom had come great distances for their appointments. The alleged bomb carrier is described as wearing not-inconspicuous attire of a red shirt and gray hat.
Most strung out? Two men break into an Orange County home March 12, fire a handgun into a wall, demand money and prescription drugs, and fire again when the owner confronts them with an unloaded shotgun, with a bullet striking the stock of the owner's gun, and then escaping out the back door. Arrested are Roger Cody Gibson, 22, and Gary Raymond Smith, 37.
Most negligent: Jurors find that Virginia Tech did not do enough to warn the university community of the two shootings that started Seung-Hui Cho's murderous rampage April 16, 2007. The parents of Erin Peterson and Julia Pryde brought the wrongful death suit which brought an $8 million jury award. Jurors were not told that state law may cap the award at $200,000.
Most sobriety checkpoints: Albemarle police conduct three simultaneously on St. Patrick's Day on Scottsville, Richmond,and Ivy roads, pulling in 60 officers from the the Virginia State Police, UVA Police, and the Sheriff's Office to stop 1,576 vehicles and arrest five people for driving under the influence, one for felony narcotics distribution, as well as cracking down on less serious crimes, like two failure to display front license plates, racking up a total 109 arrests or summons. The sober-op, the first such multi-pronged effort, was funded by a $29,088 grant from the Department of Motor Vehicles, according to a release.
Worst attempted break-in: A homeowner shoots Keith Scott March 16 while Scott allegedly attempts to get into a house in the 8700 block of Chestnut Grove Road in Esmont. Scott, 45, is transported to UVA Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, according to a release, and has been charged with aggravated malicious wounding and B&E in the daytime with the intent to commit a felony.
Worst plant closure: Video Gaming Technology in Ruckersville plans to shutter its facility at the end of the year, taking its 200-plus jobs to Nashville, Tulsa, and Reno.
Worst driving: An 81-year-old woman backing out of a handicapped space March 14 on Pantops strikes three cars, then hits the accelerator and slams into Quiznos. Police estimate the damage at $85,000. NBC29 has the story.