The week in review
Deadliest month for tornadoes: Violent storms across Virginia April 27-28 leave four dead in Washington County in southwest Virginia, and one dead in Southside's Halifax County, the AP reports. Two deaths in Pulaski April 16 make April the second worst since a September 30, 1959, tornado killed 12 people in the Ivy area.
Grimmest homicide scene: Three bodies, apparently victims of gunshot wounds, are found dumped on a Greene County road near Stanardsville around 3am May 3.
Worst homeless casualty: The Albemarle County Fair looks DOA this year because it doesn't have a site upon which to hold the up-until-now annual event. Brandon Shulleeta has the story in the Daily Progress.
Biggest computer heist: Albemarle Public Schools are missing 111 computers using primarily for Standards of Learning testing and kept in a secure, off-site facility, according to a police release. Alex C. Hunt, 34, of Stanardsville is arrested and charged with grand larceny.
Latest in last summer's church torching: Sean Douglas Heiderscheid enters an Alford plea for the August 22 fire that gutted Ruckersville Baptist Church, which means he maintains his innocence, but acknowledges there's enough evidence to convict him, Tasha Kates reports in the Daily Progress. Last month, a jury found defendant Stephen Fox, 18, guilty of burning the church and knocking over tombstones.
Latest Foxfield arrest stats: The April 30 Foxfield races net 55 arrests, most of them alcohol related, according to a police release. There were 61 traffic tickets, most of which were related to defective equipment, state inspection, and registration violations, and one minor crash.
Latest Grisham ties to UNC: The University of North Carolina will award mega-selling author John Grisham an honorary doctor of letters degree at its May 8 commencement. Last year, Grisham was the Commencement speaker as his wife, Renee, received her bachelor's degree. Daughter Shea graduated from "Carolina" in 2008.
Best omen for the former Albemarle Place: The 7-Eleven on Hydraulic and U.S. 29 is closed, indicating the long-planned mixed-use development is closer to breaking ground, the Newsplex reports.
Most generic name for a prominent location: The Shops at Stonefield could be in Anytown, U.S.A., but that's what the developers of the former Albemarle Place decided to dub the shopping center.
Best grants: UVA's Hui Li, assistant professor of pathology with the UVA Cancer Center, receives $750,000 from Stand Up to Cancer. And professor of biology George Bloom gets $100,000 from Cure Alzheimer's Fund for his groundbreaking work on the disease that affects 5.2 million Americans.
Best gardener: Monticello's Peter Hatch receives the Garden Club of America Historic Preservation medal April 30 in Indianapolis. Hatch has been at Monticello 34 years, and is considered one of the foremost scholars on Jefferson and gardening.
Best yard sale: The Greenbrier plans to clean house and get rid of excess limos, champagne buckets, and items from its Cold War bunker at a May 21 auction at the state fairgrounds in Fairlea, West Virginia, WINA reports.
Best chance to catch Paul Wagner's latest documentary: PBS airs Thoroughbred, an inside look at the world of big-time horse racing, on WVPT and WHTJ at 9pm May 5, just in time for the Kentucky Derby on May 7.
Best Snooze Dogg photo: The Sun captures rapper Snoop Dogg napping with a cigar in his mouth, a wad of cash in his hand, and wearing a UNC jersey, purportedly after the April 25 show in Charlottesville, where he also was photographed wearing a Cavalier shirt.
Best NFL attendance: At the aforementioned Snoop Dogg show, according to his website, which features a backstage photo of the Vikings' Chris Cook, the Giants' Clint Sintim, and hometown player and Rams' Chris Long.