The week in review

Most damning testimony: The partner of Wanda Marie Turner, the woman charged with second-degree murder in the March 3 death of Robert "Eddie" Snead Jr., tells a judge at a preliminary hearing October 4 that Turner told her she'd killed Snead and stolen items from his home. According to a Samantha Koon story in the Progress, Karen Nash said Turner returned to the house they shared with a bag of bloody clothes and said she'd "snapped" because Snead was "disrespecting her."

Most active elders: The Senior Center plans a $21 million, 60,000-square-foot new facility at Belvedere with a gym, classroom, and performing arts space, according to Matt Talhelm at NBC29.

Most wanted: Alfredo Santana Miranda, 40, sought in Mexico for the February 12, 2006, murder of Alcindo Roman Roman, is arrested in a Charlottesville hotel September 7 and returned to Mexico October 5, according to a release.

Most wrecking: Two single car accidents on October 8 send three people to the hospital. Brenda B. Rigney, 56, of Pulaski, is charged with reckless driving after she plows into the median and several trees on eastbound I-64 near Crozet around 8am, according to police. Her son, William J. Rigney, 32, has minor injuries. Around 9:30am, a northbound driver on U.S. 29 near North Garden runs off the left side of the road, overcorrects, and flips her car. She'll likely be charged with failure to maintain control of her vehicle, the Progress reports.

Worst mowing down of a pedestrian: A 19-year-old UVA student crossing Emmet Street around 2:10pm October 4 is thrown onto the hood of an Explorer and suffers serious but non-life-threatening injuries, the DP reports. Stephanie K. Huntley, 26, of the Ruckersville area of Greene County, is charged with reckless driving.

Worst street rage: Mark Bernard Wicks, 38, turns himself in October 8 for allegedly punching in the face a paving worker he accused of damaging his car August 20 near the Preston Avenue Shell, according to NBC29. The incident was recorded on a surveillance camera at the Shell. Wicks is charged with misdemeanor assault and battery.

Latest plan for the West Main landscape: Coran Capshaw's Riverbend Management and an entity called Ambling University Development Group want to put a 219-unit mixed use complex between the Hampton Inn and Amtrak station to be marketed to UVA students, according to Charlottesville Tomorrow. The Plaza on West Main goes before the Planning Commission for a special use permit to build an eight-story building and increase the density on a two-acre parcel from 43 units to 103 per acre.

Best news for the real estate bubble: Sales for the third quarter in the Charlottesville area are up 23 percent, the average sales price of $313,445 is up 7 percent, and it takes 23 fewer days to sell a house compared to the same quarter a year ago, according to the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors.

Worst week for Al Groh: The former UVA football coach is fired as Georgia Tech defensive coordinator October 8, WINA reports. Groh, 68, was fired in 2009 after nine years as head coach at UVA.

Worst loss for lovers of Virginia: Legendary ad man David Martin, 82, who in 1969 coined the slogan, "Virginia is for Lovers," dies October 2, according to Ad Age.

Worst ideas of 2012: "Ousting UVA's president" makes the Washington Post's 10 worst for the year.

Worst crisis communication: Another Post story documents the three public relations firms Rector Helen Dragas consulted as the firing of Teresa Sullivan fireballed in June.

Third-best business school: Darden, according to the Economist.

One-hundred-eighteenth best university in the world: The University of Virginia, according to the Times rankings.

Best Southern college town: Southern Living, which recently put UVA on its list of best tailgating, adds Charlottesville to yet another "best" list.

Read more on: best town lists

1 comment

After the Huguely case I have a renewed interest in the Haysom and Soering case. Anyway you can get an interview with Soering about his parole denial? Are they going to spend the rest of their lives in prison or will they get out within the next ten years? Does Elizabeth Haysom do interveiws?