The week in review
Most surprising National Book Award finalist: The 567-page report of the 9/11 Commission, for which Miller Center chief Philip Zelikow served as executive director and "surrogate author."
Worst Black Hawk down: An Army helicopter crashes in Buckingham County during night-vision exercises October 27. Of the seven on board, the pilot is in critical condition at UVA Medical Center, and three soldiers are treated for minor injuries.
Latest setback for Faulconer Construction: After the Albemarle Planning Commission shoots down the company's plans to build a maintenance facility off Morgantown Road in Ivy, the Board of Supervisors unanimously rejects Faulconer's site plan October 27.
More minimum wage: UVA raises its lowest pay scale from $8.37 to $8.62 an hour starting December 22.
Best headline: "Police seize shroom supply" in the October 29 Progress.
Biggest psychedelic haul: Police arrest Ian J. Saul October 27 after finding 100 grams of psilocybin mushrooms and 67 hits of ecstasy in his Albemarle residence, according to the Reed Williams story, and say Saul was growing the shrooms.
Most expensive bomb threats: Madison County pegs the cost of school bomb threats– five in 36 days– at $14,500, reports Olympia Meola in the Progress.
Most inane bomb threat: Mark Edward Baber is charged with threatening to blow up Applebee's October 31.
Worst hit on Bodo's: Twin brothers Jeff and Gregory Coleman are charged with breaking and entering the bagelry on Preston Avenue October 28.
Worst Halloween costume: Estranged husband Kurt William Kroboth allegedly breaks into his wife's house around 4am November 1 wearing a werewolf mask and attempts to put a chemical-soaked handkerchief over her face. Police charge Krobeth with abduction, attempted malicious wounding, and attempted murder.
Most shocking academic shooting: University of Richmond Professor Fredric M. Jablin is found dead in his Henrico County driveway October 30 while his three children are asleep inside his house, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.
Most personal political ads: In the last week of the election, Fifth District incumbent Virgil Goode blasts Democratic opponent Al Weed with the L-word, while Weed calls Goode "out of touch" as wine glasses clink in the background.
Worst news for the NAACP: The IRS threatens to yank the organization's tax-exempt status because of remarks NAACP chairman (and UVA prof) Julian Bond made disparaging George W. Bush at the group's annual convention in July, the Washington Post reports. Nonprofits like the NAACP are prohibited from participating in political campaigns. Bond responds that the NAACP has always been nonpartisan– "but that doesn't mean we're noncritical."
Biggest diss to Larry Sabato: The Washington Post asks 13 prognosticators to dust off their crystal balls and predict the election outcome– but the Crystal Ball-meister himself does not appear in the October 31 op-ed piece.
Most eager for the day after the election: The City of Charlottesville is poised to shut down Seventh Street almost as soon as the polls close to begin construction of Presidents Plaza, the amphitheater, and transit center.
Twenty-first most: UVA ties with five other research institutions for the number 21 spot on the list of Fulbright Scholars producers.
Most embarrassing St. Anne's-Belfield gaffe: The prestigious private school runs an ad in the November 1 Progress for an open house that reads, "Your invited!"– but promptly corrects the mistake in a November 2 ad.
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