Published October 14, 2004, in issue 0341 of The Hook

Biggest trial: Shawn Breeden and Michael Carpenter are found guilty in U.S District Court October 5 on charges relating to the murder of Kevin Lee Hester. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Biggest mistrial: A second trial against former National D-Day Memorial president Richard Burrow on eight counts of fraud ends with a second hung jury October 6. The federal prosecutor drops all charges.

Biggest Mall bust: Downtown Mall resident Joshua Torbick is arrested early October 3 for firing a gun in a friend's house in July and then backing his Ford Bronco into a house across the street, causing an estimated $25,000 in damage. When police arrive to arrest him at his York Place apartment, they discover suspicious materials that could be used to make pipe bombs, a quarter ounce of cocaine, and seven guns, Claudio Pinto reports in the Daily Progress.

Most insufficient bribes-- er, proffers: Albemarle County staff tells North Pointe developers their offer of a connector road, land for a school and library, and $25,000 for a regional transportation study just doesn't measure up to the incentives offered by Hollymead Town Center and Albemarle Place developers, according to a Julie Stavitski story in the Progress.

Most belated warning: Police alert residents in an October 4 email that that they're looking for a man who approached a five-year-old boy several times in Belmont Park September 25. WINA broadcasts the news October 12.

Oddest choice for a robbery: A thief uses a hammer to damage a cash register so that it won't open in an October 7 robbery at Stoney's Grocery on Avon. Clerks open the other register, and the thief flees with a handful of money, Reed Williams reports in the Progress.

Best college prez perk: Deferred compensation for retirement, which 13 out of 15 state college chiefs receive. UVA President John Casteen leads the pack with $125,000 on top of his $391,000 annual salary, followed by Virginia Commonwealth's Eugene P. Trani ($108,656) and Virginia Tech's Charles Steger ($108,000), the Virginian Pilot reports.

Best spokesperson: Actor and UVA grad Sean Patrick Thomas (The District, Save the Last Dance for Me, Cruel Intentions) is the face of Access UVA, the university's ambitious financial aid program that replaces need-based loans with grants.

Most eye-catching chapeau: Delegate Mitch Van Yahres adorns page one of the October 7 Progress wearing a giant orange fez with yellow streamers as he escorts Burnley-Moran students in honor of International Walk to School Day. Photo by Brady Wolfe.

Second most fetching headwear: UVA's Dean of Arts and Sciences Ed Ayers dons a crown to celebrate the College's 187th birthday, a look captured by Cav Daily photographer Alex Sonneborn the same day that Van Yahres makes his bold fashion statement. Could this be a trend?

Second biggest potty mouth: NASCAR fines Dale Earnhardt Jr. $10,000 and takes away points, dropping him to second place for the season because he said, after winning the Talladega race October 3, "It don't mean sh*t right now. Daddy's won here 10 times."

Biggest potty mouth: Shock jock Howard Stern announces his departure from broadcast radio for the unregulated world of satellite radio after years of wrangling with the FCC and a recent $1.75 million fine that caused Clear Channel to drop him. Stern signs a five-year, $500,000 contract with unregulated Sirius Radio.

Worst potties: The rest stop on eastbound I-64 below Afton Mountain, which has been closed for two years, reopens-- sporting portable toilets. Real toilets should be operational by January.

Worst loss for Caddyshack fans: Rodney "I don't get no respect" Dangerfield dies October 5 at age 82.

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