Published November 17, 2005, in issue 0446 of The Hook

Biggest changing of the guard: Charlottesville voters overwhelming approve a referendum brought by lone City Council Republican Rob Schilling to elect school board members.

Newest supe: Dem David Slutzky takes down Republican Gary Grant, a former school board member, for the open Rio District seat on the Albemarle Board of Supervisors.

Closest race: Republican Bob McDonnell leads Dem Creigh Deeds in the attorney general race by 357 votes at press time, a number that had teetered around the 400 mark the preceding few days.

Most optimistic: Democrat Al Weed tosses his hat into the 5th District ring-- again-- announcing a run against Congressman Virgil Goode in 2006. Weed took 38 percent of the vote in 2004.

Most fenced in: Goode proposes a fence along the southwest border of the U.S.

More frequent assessments: Albemarle County votes to go from biannual to yearly real estate assessments.

Most squashed: A Saturn that swerves in front of a tractor-trailer on I-64 November 8 is crushed and traps passengers in a 12-inch space.

Luckiest: Although one passenger in the car is critically injured, two others have only minor injuries, and the truck driver is unharmed.

Worst driving: Carlos Diego Arellano, 25, whose allegedly illegal attempt to make a U-turn caused the accident and backed up traffic for hours.

Most gripping trial: Crozet teen Jessica Fugett is found guilty November 9 in the stabbing murder of Nola Charles and the death of Charles' three-year-old son in the fire set to cover up the crime February 19, 2003. The high-profile case put Public Defender Jim Hingeley and Commonwealth's Attorney Jim Camblos before Judge Paul Peatross, against whom the two attorneys filed a judicial complaint last year.

Least serious honor code violation: UVA third-years Joel Schlingbaum and Lindsay McClung violated the Honor Code when they collaborated on homework, but they're acquitted at an open hearing because the honor trial jury decides the infraction doesn't violate the Code's seriousness clause-- whatever that is.

Worst time to get suspended: Two days before the November 12 Georgia Tech game, four UVA football players are suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules. The Cavaliers nevertheless manage to stomp the Yellow Jackets 27-17.

Best use of the jumbotron at Scott Stadium: To unite soldiers in Iraq and their Virginia families at the November 12 Georgia Tech game, courtesy UVA Health System's telemedicine program.

Fifth-highest paid public university prez: UVA's John Casteen pulls in $659,670, according to a Chronicle of Higher Education Survey.

Best showing by Sorenson Institute grads: Twenty of the 31 who run for office November 8 are elected.

Best nod from Hollywood: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences grants the Virginia Film Fest $15,000.

Latest minority-support hire: Joy Pugh is named full-time coordinator for UVA's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center, following William B. Harvey, who was appointed vice president and chief officer for diversity and equity last month.

Third most hotspots: Charlottesville ranks behind Bozeman, Montana, and Alpharetta, Georgia, on MetroFreeFi.com's list of cities between 10,000 and 50,000 with most free wi-fi.

Top governor: Mark Warner is named one of the five best guvs in the country by Time magazine.

Latest in bank robbery trends: The Cell Phone Bandit robs four DC-area Wachovias in the past few weeks while talking on her phone. Candice Martinez, 19, is arrested November 15.

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