Volvo Trucks to lay off 734 workers at its Virginia plant

DUBLIN, Va. (AP) — Volvo Trucks will lay off 734 production workers at its plant in southwest Virginia due to a slowdown in demand, the company disclosed Tuesday. Layoffs at the New River Valley Assembly Plant in Dublin will take place over three weeks starting in early February, company spokesman John Mies said. He added … Continue reading →

Program to deliver Christmas trees to troops during holidays

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — About 400 live Christmas trees will be delivered to Fort Eustis to help active-duty U.S. service members and their families celebrate the holidays. The Joint Base Langley-Eustis said in a news release Monday that the 11th annual “Trees for Troop” program is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Dec. 4. FedEx, … Continue reading →

Alexandria man sentenced in tax refund fraud scheme

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — An Alexandria man has been sentenced to five years and 11 months in federal prison for mail fraud and money laundering. Thirty-four-year-old Sean M. Weaver was also was ordered Tuesday in federal court in Richmond to pay more than $20 million in restitution to clients. A statement of facts filed with … Continue reading →

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted three Virginia men accused of plotting to shoot up or bomb synagogues and black churches. The Richmond-area men were originally charged last month. A federal magistrate found probable cause to send the case to a grand jury, which returned a three-count indictment Tuesday. Court records … Continue reading →

Pilot uninjured in crash of small plane in King and Queen

WEST POINT, Va. (AP) — Virginia State Police say a pilot was not injured when his single-engine airplane crashed in King and Queen County. Sgt. Stephan Vick says the crash occurred about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday about a quarter of a mile west of the West Point Regional Airport. Vick says pilot Christopher P. Strasser of … Continue reading →

Civil jury hears claim of assault, battery on Muslim cabbie

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A Muslim cabbie whose passenger unleashed a vicious diatribe on him is presenting evidence to a jury that he also suffered a broken jaw and should receive monetary damages. Lawyers presented opening statements Wednesday in the civil case being heard in federal court in Alexandria. The cabbie, Mohamed Salim, says he … Continue reading →

Norfolk State launches online student organization

Norfolk State University is proud to announce the launch of Norfolk State University Online Student Organization (NSU-OSO). NSU-OSO is an online student organization for students taking online courses. NSU-OSO welcomes any and all NSU students who are enrolled in online courses and wish to stay in the loop with happenings on NSU’s campus when they … Continue reading →

Wade to begin VCU’s post-Shaka era with modified ‘Havoc’

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Will Wade won the day at his introductory press conference at VCU with four words: “Havoc still lives here.” As Wade prepares for his first game as Shaka Smart’s successor, the havoc he envisions figures to look a little bit different than the 94-foot, helter-skelter attack that Smart’s teams employed. The … Continue reading →

Lifelong friends still going strong at 87

CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. (AP) — Five Northampton County natives who graduated from high school together 70 years ago have remained friends throughout the decades. The women vacationed together on Chincoteague last month, enjoying shopping, dining out and visiting the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. But mainly they just enjoyed catching up with news of each other’s lives … Continue reading →

Fraternity files $25M defamation suit against Rolling Stone

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The fraternity that was the focus of a debunked Rolling Stone article about a gang rape filed a $25 million lawsuit against the magazine Monday, saying the piece made the frat and its members “the object of an avalanche of condemnation worldwide.” The complaint, filed in Charlottesville Circuit Court, also names … Continue reading →

George Mason senior Patrick Holloway suspended for 6 games

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — George Mason senior guard Patrick Holloway has been suspended for the team’s first six games because of academic issues. The school announced the punishment Tuesday. George Mason opens the season Friday at home against Colgate, then plays its next five games on the road. New basketball coach Dave Paulsen says in … Continue reading →

Virginia boy who lost father gets football from Cam Newton

Chris Baker says there’s only one explanation for his grandson getting a football from Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton at last Sunday’s game, and it had to do with his late son-in-law. “We all felt like Ben was looking down from heaven,” Baker said Tuesday. “Even Cam didn’t know that there was maybe a divine … Continue reading →

2 charged in alleged plot to attack synagogues, churches

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Two men described by authorities as white supremacists have been charged in Virginia with trying to illegally buy weapons and explosives to use in attacks on synagogues and black churches. Robert C. Doyle and Ronald Beasley Chaney III tried to buy an automatic weapon, explosives and a pistol with a silencer … Continue reading →

Gang leader sentenced to life for drug, gun crime

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A Hampton Roads gang leader has been sentenced to life in federal prison for drug and gun crimes. The Virginian-Pilot reports  that 32-year-old Christopher Smith of Portsmouth was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Norfolk. Smith pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to distribute narcotics and possession of a firearm in … Continue reading →

Who’s next at Virginia Tech? Possible successors for Beamer

The cliche goes that you don’t want to be the guy who follows the coaching legend. Well, it’s worked out OK for Jimbo Fisher, who has returned Florida State to elite-program status since taking over for Bobby Bowden at Florida State. Virginia Tech does not have the advantage of the fertile Florida recruiting ground, but … Continue reading →