Weekly News Media Briefs – Week Ending March 29, 2008

From the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office: Weekly News Media Briefs – Week Ending March 29, 2008:

On March 23, 2008, Deputy J. K. Miller stopped a vehicle for a traffic infraction.  After investigating, Travis S. Carter, 27, of Ruther Glen charged with driving on a suspended license – 3rd offense.  He was ordered held under a $1,000 bond and an arraignment date of March 26, 2008 was set.

On March 23, 2008, Deputy W. D. Lipscomb responded to a domestic.  After investigating, Maricha L. Jordan-Anderton, 42, of Milford was charged with domestic assault.  She was released on her own recognizance and an arraignment date of March 25, 2008 was set.

On March 24, 2008, Deputy W. M. Jones encountered a subject in Ladysmith.  After investigating, Ishmail Rios, 33, of Midlothian was charged with being drunk in public.  He was released on his own recognizance and a court date of March 18, 2008 was set.

On March 24, 2008, Deputy C. M. Polliard stopped a vehicle for a traffic infraction.  After investigating, Fred C. Miller, 49, of Burlington, NC was charged with being a fugitive from Maryland.  He was ordered held without bond pending his extradition to Maryland.

On March 28, 2008, Deputy K. D. DiGravio-Ferguson responded to a domestic violence call which took place in Bowling Green.  After investigating, Timothy Tolson, 39, of Bowling Green was charged with two counts of domestic assault and one count of brandishing a firearm.  An emergency protective order was issued and an April 1, 2008 trial has been set.

On March 29, 2008, Deputy B. N. Doucet responded to the Howard Johnson’s in Ruther Glen in reference to a domestic violence call.  After investigation, Terrance Shawn Mosley, 43, of Ruther Glen, was charged with domestic assault and held without bond pending an April 1, 2008 trial date.

On March 29, 2008, Deputy F. L. Brennan stopped a vehicle on Rt. 639, driven by Debra D. Weinstein, 53, of Ruther Glen who was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence.  An April 4, 2008 trial date has been set.

On March 29, 2008, Deputy C. S. Wooldridge responded to an address on Cedon Road in Woodford on a reported incident involving an adult with a juvenile who appeared to be intoxicated.  After investigating, Russell M. Bowles, III, 24, of Woodford was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor (17 years of age).

Caroline County Sheriff’s Office Wrap Up

According to Sheriff Tony Lippa, Caroline Deputies made 4 drug arrests, 1 driving under the influence arrest, 7 domestic violence arrests, and 40 other criminal arrests during the past week.  The deputies served 160 civil papers, issued 312 traffic summonses, handled 2 motor vehicle crashes, responded to 35 alarm calls, and dealt with 4 juvenile offenders.  The Sheriff’s Office Communications Center dispatched 414 calls for service and handled 1,682 telephone inquiries.  The CCSO also logged 31 calls assisting outside agencies and had 169 self initiated calls.

Ryan McDougle to run for Attorney General?

That would be your representative to the Senate of Virginia for you simpletons out there (you know I love you through). :)

The Shad Plank:

Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, a conservative Republican from Fairfax County, is holding a press conference at this hour to discuss his political future, and it looks like he’s running for attorney general in 2009.

A new web site is up and running to promote his candidacy. Next year’s race could attract a number of Republican candidates. Among those mentioned as possible contenders in the blogs and in the press are Del. Rob Bell of the Charlottesville area and Sen. Ryan McDougle of Hanover County.

Interestingly, Bill Bolling was the previous representative for the 4th Senate District before he ran for and won the Lieutenant Governor’s race in November 2005. McDougle won the senate race the following January in a special election (he had been representing the 97th House District [Chris Peace won another special election a couple weeks later for the 97th House District and is the current representative]). If both McDougle and Bolling win, that means there would be two statewide elected officials that have represented the 4th Senate District.

WUSA 9 News is a joke…

A few minutes ago (around 9:30) they made the comment that the “Chinese government is angry that the Dalai Lama is stirring up trouble” or something to that affect.

Yeah, nothing like stirring up trouble when the ChiComs have their police men dressing up as Tibetan monks and starting riots.

I’m sure “King George III was angry that Thomas Jefferson was stirring up trouble” too. Ditto for Samual Adams (and I’m not talking about the beer there folks).

I’m sure “Lord Willingdon was angry that Gandhi was stirring up trouble” as well.

More expert leadership in Virginia…

So much for Virginia’s prisons being overcrowded. NBC12:

Despite Virginia’s own corrections crunch, Wyoming is sending up to 300 inmates to the state prison system.

The transfer over two years is part of a contract that could pay Virginia $18.5 million.

The Wyoming inmates will be held at the high-security Wallens Ridge State Prison in Wise County and the state’s new medium-security Pocahontas State Correctional Center in Tazewell County.

Last year, Virginia officials warned that the number of state prisoners projected to be added to the system would require a new 1,000-bed prison each year for the next six years.

Virginia corrections spokesman Larry Traylor says that forecast has not changed.

He says the alternative to contracting for out-of-state prisoners could be closing prisons and laying off employees.

No, the alternative should be putting more money into the “corrections” system and cut money for student centers or whatever pet (corrupt) project some Delegate or Senator has.

Privatizing the special tax on poor people?

That would be the Virginia Lottery by the way. Richmond Times-Dispatch:

The odds of winning the Virginia Lottery may be better than chances that the state turns it over to private business.

But that’s not stopping some politicians, policymakers and plutocrats from discussing the idea, particularly when the declining economy has Virginia scrounging for dollars.

“If we’re not going to raise taxes and we’re not going to cut expenses, then we have to find a third way,” says Del. David E. Poisson, D-Loudoun, a proponent of a privately run lottery.

Poisson’s legislation to put the 20-year-old lottery in private hands was ignored by the 2008 General Assembly. It went no further than a House committee, where it died without a public hearing or vote.

Poisson’s bill did not specifically mandate the sale or lease of the lottery; rather, it required the five-member board that oversees the game to study options for privatization by July 2010 and make a recommendation to the General Assembly.

Such a shift would be of particular interest to the lottery’s primary beneficiaries, the state’s public schools, which last year shared $437 million in game profits on sales of $1.3 billion. Educators and their allies in the legislature would likely demand guarantees that privatization does not threaten profitability.

So, only 33.62% of the money goes to education? I thought all the money was supposed to go to schools. I guess like any government agency 60% of the money goes to “administration”.

[…]

Paula I. Otto, the new director of the Virginia Lottery, says the reluctance of American lotteries to privatize may be rooted in an important selling point for players: that the games are public.

“Because lotteries have been operated by government, at least modern lotteries, there is a trust factor, there is an integrity factor that for the public feels right,” says Otto.

Yes, sure, we trust the government.

[…]

Virginia law prohibits the lottery from using promotions that could be seen as inducing people to play. Instead, radio and television commercials, bus and highway billboards and point-of-purchase displays can be only informational.

Um…yeah, sure, I’m buying that. Those Bacardi advertisements on your television are for “informational” purposes only too. Ditto for the Marlboro and Newport ads in magazines.

While we’re talking about privatizing stuff, why don’t we privatize Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC)? Why is the government in the business of selling booze in the first place?

And don’t give me the story about how the government is better able to stop underage persons from buying booze. I see just as many ABC employees getting arrested for underage sells as private employees when ABC does their sting operations.

Here’s my solution: Privatize the sells/business portion of ABC and move the enforcement portion into the Virginia State Police (VSP).

Of course, I’m sure the ABC agents would love that since they get along so well with VSP.

Tell ’em to “suck it up”.

RIP

Richmond Times-Dispatch: Vehicle accident fatal to Henrico firefighter:

A Henrico County firefighter died early yesterday after he became pinned between a tree and a vehicle at his home in what authorities described as an accident.

Joseph J. Ritzenthaler, 30, of New Kent County also was a paramedic in the Army Reserve who served in Iraq in 2003.

“He was engaged to be married in August,” Henrico fire Capt. Douglas Reynolds said last night.

Rescue workers responding to a 5:45 a.m. call in the 8900 block of Piney Branch Lane in Providence Forge found Ritzenthaler trapped. They pulled him out, provided medical care and took him to VCU Medical Center, where he later was pronounced dead, according to the New Kent Sheriff’s Office.

Ritzenthaler may have been trying to start the vehicle to go to work, authorities said. The vehicle lurched forward, trapping him against the tree.

The firefighter and paramedic would have completed his sixth year with Henrico Division of Fire this summer. He also worked part-time at the VCU Medical Center emergency room, Reynolds said.

Ritzenthaler enlisted in the Army Reserve at age 19 and was still active, Reynolds said. He was a paramedic sergeant with the military police.

Before coming to Henrico, he worked for Richmond Ambulance Authority and was a volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Williamsburg, Reynolds said.

“He was a well-liked person within the division [Henrico],” the fire captain said. “He’s certainly going to be missed by the people who worked with him.”

Leesburg requesting donations for Virginia Tech memorial

WTOP:

Organizers of the Virginia Tech Memorial Grove, to be located on the southeast corner of Ida Lee Park in Leesburg, are seeking donations. This landscaped grove of ornamental and shade trees memorializes those who lost their lives on the campus of Virginia Tech University on April 16, 2007.

Names of contributors will be permanently placed on a metal and stone marker nearby.

Tax-deductible checks may be made payable to the Town of Leesburg (note on memo line: “VA Tech Memorial Grove”) and sent to Town of Leesburg, Parks and Recreation Department, 50 Ida Lee Drive N.W., Leesburg VA 20176, ATTN: VA Tech Memorial Grove.

Dedication of the Virginia Tech Memorial Grove at Ida Lee Park is scheduled for 10 a.m. on April 12. The public is welcome to attend.

For more information, visit www.leesburgva.gov, or call 703-777-1368.

I blame those damn Russians…

Or the Irish, the Muslims, the Persians, the Japanese, the Chinese, the Indians, the Columbian drug cartels, various domestic terrorists, etc.

Tom Clancy’s Home Damaged By Fire:

The fire caused an estimated $10,000 in damage.

The cause has yet to be determined.

The home is located on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay about 30 miles southeast of Washington.

No injuries are reported.

Clancy is the author of thrillers including “The Hunt for Red October,” “Patriot Games,” and “Clear and Present Danger.”

UPDATE: TMZ.com has a pretty funny write-up: Clancy’s Home Under Clear and Present Danger

April 1st BOS meeting: I think Charity Hill can kiss their permit goodbye.

From Percy Ashcraft’s April Message from the County Administrator:

In addition, a worksession on the 2008-09 Budget will be held Tuesday, April 1 at 6 p.m. at the Community Services Center. Also included on the worksession agenda is a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. to receive comments regarding the revocation of a special use permit for the Charity Hill Shooting Range.

From the board’s public hearing notice:

The Caroline County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, in the Community Services Center, Auditorium, located at 17202 Richmond Turnpike, Milford, Virginia, at 7:30 p.m., to consider the Revocation of the following Special Exception Permit based on the permittee’s failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the permit:

SPEX-04-2005 – FLOYD S. & CYNTHIA C. SMITH III, OWNER; FLOYD S. SMITH III, APPLICANT: This property is located on Route 601 (9482 Golansville Road), approximately ¾ of a mile east of Route 633 (Bull Church Road), tax on a portion of 68-A-103 consisting of 100 acres, Mattaponi Voting District. Revocation of Private Hunt Club Permit. The 2006 – 2026 Comprehensive Plan identifies this area as rural preservation with a density of one dwelling unit per ten acres of land.

Any persons desiring to be heard in favor of or in opposition to the above is hereby invited to be present at the Public Hearing. Copies of the above are on file in the Department of Planning and Community Development, 233 West Broaddus Avenue, Bowling Green, Virginia 22427.

Percy C. Ashcraft
County Administrator

The budget work session will include the budgets for the Sheriff’s Office, Commonwealth’s Attorney, volunteer fire/rescue departments, and the Clerk of the Court according to the agenda.

Oh, NOW they are going to do something about it.

The Caroline Progress:

Renowned county historian Herb Collins announced Thursday he is giving his trove of Caroline historical records, hundred’s of rare books, genealogies, cemetery records, family Bibles, plats, files on every aspect of the county, antique photographs and 40 Sidney King paintings to the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center in Fredericksburg.

Frustrated in his years of attempts to give his collection to the County, the former Smithsonian curator and life-long county resident told The Caroline Progress on Thursday, “I cried when I made the decision. I started the collection in order to one day give it to Caroline.”

Collins said he had wanted a site for his collection either in Bowling Green or Port Royal.

County Administrator Percy Ashcraft said the county wants the collection but does not presently have space. “I can’t make something happen that’s not available at this time,” he said.

[…]

Collins pointed out that the neighboring counties of Essex, King William and King George have museums, but Caroline does not. “All we have is a cubbyhole in the back of the library,” said Collins. “It’s embarrassing.”

And now from Percy Ashcraft’s April Message from the County Administrator:

  • Consideration by the Board of Supervisors to receive a large donation of books and periodicals from local historian Herb Collins will be held at the April 8 meeting. The challenge before the Board is adequate County space to house the donation.