4BETTER OR WORSE- The week in review

Worst spate of homicides: Joshua Lee Gibson, 20, dies September 30 from a knife attack at Friendship Court and a 44-year-old man is wounded. Lamont Jermaine Blakey, 26, is charged with first-degree murder and malicious wounding. Around 11:40pm that same day, a shooting on Commonwealth Drive leaves 17-year-old Emilio Morales dead and two men wounded.

Roughest run for # 171: An Albemarle County school bus carrying Stony Point Elementary students crashes at 2:45pm September 30 on Penny Baker Lane. Three children have abrasions and bruises; bus driver Ronald Moore is charged with reckless driving and relieved of his bus driving duties. 

Oddest disappearance: Earl Funk, 50, disappears in Shenandoah National Park September 29 while hunting ginseng and remains missing at press time. 

Most National Merit semifinalists: Adequate Yearly Progress-plagued Albemarle County schools produce an unprecedented number– 21– of National Merit semifinalists out of Virginia's 382 semifinalists, raves a county release, with 10 from Albemarle High, seven from Western Albemarle, and four from Monticello. 

Most appealing: Albemarle School Division is deemed to have made Adequate Yearly Progress on appeal, and Burley Middle School makes the grade, but five other county schools are still on the inadequate list.

Most sordid: Greene County resident Tammy Harlow Cox, 39, is arrested on two felony and three misdemeanor charges for having sex with "numerous" members of the William Monroe High School football team, according to a Greene County Sheriff's Office release. The football team is also being investigated for a hazing incident that resulted in the expulsion of one player. Cox is being held on $5,000 bond.

Most legendary: Julian Bond is named a living legend by the NAACP; Tiki Barber is named an ACC legend.

Latest UVA players' day in court: Accused beer swipers Will Barker and Dave Roberts are found not guilty of theft at Club 216 July 26, but Roberts pleads guilty to possession of a fake ID, according to Scott Shenk in the Progress.

Latest intersection of church and state: City Council proclaims October 20-26 Pastoral Care Week.

Biggest boycott: Fifeville residents refuse to show up for a second public hearing that City Council held October 6 about selling two city-owned lots at 521 and 529 Ridge Street to Southern Development. The residents cite a petition 100 citizens signed a year ago protesting the sale as adequate notification to the city of the neighborhood's opposition. Rachana Dixit has the story in the Daily Progress.

Biggest art-world lawsuit: After getting sued by Sotheby's in federal court, CNET founder/hotel builder Halsey Minor files a class action "deceptive practices" suit against Sotheby's after he buys Edward Hicks "The Peaceable Kingdom with the Leopard of Serenity" for $8.6 million without knowing the auction house's alleged financial interest in it, Tasha Kates reports in the Progress.

Latest Progress circulation numbers: The local daily reports a distribution of 26,806 copies October 1, down from the previous 12-month average of 28,218.

Best sign newspaper readership isn't dead: UVA's Student Council announces September 30 that it will spend $14,000 to provide 1,500 free daily copies of USA Today and the New York Times. Half the funding comes from the Arts and Sciences Council.

Best sign readership: UVA revokes its questionable ban on placards at football games October 2 in time for the Maryland game.

Best free ride: Charlottesville Transit System offers gratis bus rides November 4 to get citizens to the polls in anticipation of limited parking and a record number of voters. [See News for the skyrocketing voter numbers.]

Best coinage of the week: Food Lion freshens its look at its Charlottesville stores and plans "re-grand" openings.

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