4BETTER OR WORSE- The week in review
Biggest dean scandal: Rick Turner, head of UVA's African-American Studies, goes on administrative leave after admitting he lied about his knowledge of the "activities of a known drug dealer," Bob Gibson reports in the Daily Progress. In an agreement filed in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville, Turner will be on probation for a year, must testify truthfully in court, and is subject to random drug tests if he wants to avoid prosecution.
Most alert: An Amber Alert is issued July 16 for two Madison County children taken from their grandfather's house the morning of July 14 by his girlfriend, Stacy Smith. The two tots, Amaya Jasper, 10 months, and Diyon Jasper, 2, are returned unharmed to their mother July 17. Smith is charged with abduction and kidnaping.
Biggest unlocked-safe heist: A thief takes more than $5,000 from an office in the CVS at Barracks Road July 14. Surveillance images show a black male between 15 and 20, around 5'6" tall and weighing 130 pounds.
Coldest case: Louisa County Sheriff's Office files first-degree murder charges against Irvin Fountain, who's accused of killing his eight-months-pregnant girlfriend in 2001, according to Rob Seal's story in the Progress. Shantay Latrice, 18, was last seen April 20, 2001. Her body was discovered September 26, 2001.
Most inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean? The Carmike theater is robbed for the second time in a month July 15, its coffers no doubt swelled from Pirates. The theater also was robbed June 19.
Worst double jeopardy: The Albemarle County School Board considers asking legislators to change state code so police can inform schools when students are arrested for underage drinking, thereby possibly allowing schools to impose additional penalties on not-yet-convicted students who face legal consequences for off-campus behavior and whose identities are now protected in the juvenile justice system.
Most obvious unasked question: Why is the drinking age still 21 when that so clearly does not deter teenage drinking?
Worst hacking: A VCU student is arrested for allegedly using keylogger programs on lab and library terminals to steal personal information. George Nkansah Owusu, 26, is arrested June 28 at his dorm with 20 pages of ID numbers and passwords in his pocket. He's being held without bond on three felony counts, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.
Most obvious unasked question: Why is a 26-year-old living in a dorm?
Most like Big Brother: Albemarle High installs surveillance cameras, NBC29 reports.
Most like WW3: Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon pound each other in escalating attacks over the past week.
Most recurrent sinkhole: A southbound lane of U.S. 29 below Airport Road opens up again thanks to the same leaky pipe that caused a crater last November.
Worst snakebites: A copperhead at the bottom of the stairs in a Beaverdam home chomps down on a father and his 15-year-old son July 12.
Worst gas leak: One man is killed and 100 are hospitalized by a carbon monoxide leak in a dormitory at Roanoke College July 14.
Most fecally– if not fiscally– feasible idea: The state Department of Health floats plans for floating restrooms to reduce human waste levels in state waterways– as soon as it can find a municipality to fund 25 percent of the $40K-$80K cost.
Second best: Charlottesville is edged out in the best-trail-running-town category by Bend, Oregon, in the August issue of Outside magazine.
Reddest-headed stranger: Willie Nelson sells out the Charlottesville Pavilion July 16 for a performance to benefit the Charlottesville Free Clinic.
#