4BETTER OR WORSE- The week in review

Published online 8:00am Thursday Jun 12th, 2008
and in print issue #0724 dated Thursday Jun 12th, 2008

Biggest sticker shock: Charlottesville sees its first $4 a gallon gas prices over the weekend.

Stormiest: June 4 starts with thunder and lightning around 4:30am, and another tempest hits around 7:30pm that knocks out power, particularly in the northern part of the county, for thousands of residents, some of which is not restored until June 7.

Worst run of police chases: Louisa sees its second fatality in two weeks when shotgun-wielding Michael Ray Duncan Jr., 36, rolls his T-Bird during a June 7 high-speed chase, short timer Seth Rosen reports in the Daily Progress. The driver of a Geo Metro who was killed May 29 after crashing just over the Albemarle line still has not been identified.

Closest call: A three-year-old is pulled from a Forest Lakes pool June 9 and survives, thanks to prompt action by a lifeguard.

Grimmest detail: Police say that 11-year-old Aziz Damar Booth was shot intentionally June 3. According to a Brian McNeill DP story, Captain Bryant Bibb alleges the Walker Upper Elementary student was not killed by a stray bullet in his kitchen.

Biggest bust: Police seize 43 grams of cocaine, $5,129, and a handgun in a raid on Carlton Drive. Arrested are Rigaberto Topbar Gonzales, 24, Jimmy Orlando Chirinos, 31, and Denise Holsapple, 37, charged with conspiracy to distribute. Gonzales gets a possession charge, and Chirinos picks up an assault and battery on a law officer.

Most wince-inducing photo: The smashed windshield of a Hyundai after it slams a cyclist June 9 on Preston Avenue is shot by the DP's Kaylin Bowers. Driver Mike Napier is charged with failure to yield; the bicyclist is taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Greenest: Albemarle restricts toxic chemicals in county buildings and grounds– except when fighting poison ivy, short-timer Jeremy Borden reports in the Progress. The School Board will decide on school buildings separately next month.

NIMBYest: The Board of Supervisors okays real estate broker Lane Bonner's plans to subdivide in swanky Bellair June 4, much to the dismay of some neighbors, who accuse him of "gaming the system," according to Charlottesville Tomorrow.

Longest detour: UVA shuts down University Ave. for two months to repair steam tunnels.

Latest Meadowcreek Parkway detail: City Council picks a diamond-shaped interchange for the intersection of McIntire Road and U.S. 250 bypass, rather than the roundabout suggested by a citizens' committee. Rosen has the story in the DP.

Latest lesbian mom news: The Virginia Supreme Court upholds Janet Jenkins' right to see the daughter she had with Lisa Miller after the two were joined in a Vermont civil union in 2000. Miller gave birth to Isabella in 2002, moved to Virginia, renounced homosexuality, and denied Jenkins visitation with the child, represented by Liberty Counsel founder Mathew Staver.

Best boys tennis team: Western Albemarle wins the Group AA state finals June 7 in Blacksburg, taking the state championship for the second year in a row.

Best rehab: Harry the abducted hot dog goes into Old Dominion Prosthetics & Orthotics June 5 for treatment of injuries suffered when he was snatched from the All Good Groceries April 9, including snapped off limbs and lost shoelace and mustard and ketchup bottles. According to Tasha Kates in the Progress, kidnapers Jeremy Strain and David Dudley were in court June 5 where Strain pleaded guilty to misdemeanor destruction of property and got a 30 days suspended sentence and paid $500 restitution. Dudley also pleaded guilty to destruction of property and petty larceny, and will serve 10 days in jail and pay $1,000 in restitution.