No fry zone: Guv bans burns
In light of recent dry conditions, today Gov. Tim Kaine (D) declared a state of emergency and enacted a ban on open fires across the Commonwealth beginning at 12:01am tomorrow– i.e. a minute after midnight tonight. (The declaration did not include an apology from the governor for spoiling Halloween bonfire plans across this  fun-lovin’ Commonwealth.) “We have looked at all the current data and reviewed the projections for the fall fire season, and everything points to a significant threat to public safety,” says Kaine in a release. Violation of the ban is a Class 3 misdemeanor and carries a minimum fine of $500. Additionally, the governor is seeking a disaster declaration from the federal Department of Agriculture and the emergency funds that come with it. To date, 70 Virginia counties, including Albemarle, have made that same aid request. # (1)

GOP chooses convention for '08
Over the weekend, the Republican Party of Virginia opted for a convention rather than a statewide primary vote to choose its nominee for retiring Senator John Warner’s seat in 2008. According to UVA professor and political pundit Larry Sabato, conventions do not bode well for perceived moderates like Rep. Tom Davis (R-Fairfax County) because delegates’ politics tend to skew to the party’s base, and could derail the seven-term congressman’s Senate campaign before it begins. “It’s a major help in dissuading Davis from running, which is far from a sure thing,” says Sabato. “I think it will give him pause.” # (1)

Jews now 10% of UVA
The Jewish Ledger, a weekly newspaper, finds that UVA has just joined another elite club, the universities that have a student population that’s at least 10 percent Jewish. The Ledger got the info from Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. (4)

General to run for Warner's seat?
Though he recently stepped down as President Bush’s top military man, four-star Marine general and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Peter Pace may not yet be finished in Washington. Since the conservative National Review floated the idea in an October 1 editorial, the Washington Post and the Virginia blogosphere have been abuzz with the idea of the Fort Meyer resident running as a Republican against former Governor Mark Warner (D) for the seat soon to be vacated by the retiring Sen. John Warner (R, no relation). In addition to being a staunch proponent of President Bush’s Iraq war policy, Pace was polarizing figure for telling the Chicago Tribune in March, “I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that [the U.S. military] should not condone immoral acts.” # (6)

Tragic trifecta: 3rd Shifflett sought
A third brother in the family notorious for dodging felony warrants is now being sought by Albemarle County Police, according to a report on NBC29. Nearly a year ago, authorities conducted manhunts for Jeffrey Shifflett and Elvis Shifflett, the latter of whom they shot at the end of a standoff in a field. (3)