NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Security lapses at the main gate to the world’s largest naval base allowed a civilian to come on base in 2014 and fatally shoot a sailor aboard a destroyer, according to a Navy investigation. The report says Jeffrey Tyrone Savage drove on base at night without being asked for identification or … Continue reading
Author Archives: dee6williams
Hampton upsets Norfolk State 75-64 in MEAC semis
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Quinton Chievous had a season-high 23 points with 16 rebounds and Hampton upset No. 2 seed Norfolk State 75-64 on Friday night to advance to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship. Saturday’s MEAC final will match sixth-seeded Hampton (15-17) with No. 5 seed Delaware State (18-16). The Hornets upset top-seeded North Carolina Central 63-57 in the … Continue reading
Norfolk-based sailor sentenced for wearing unearned medals
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A Norfolk-based sailor has been sentenced to 45 days’ confinement for wearing medals that he didn’t earn on his uniform. Seaman Matthew Cottom also received a reduction in rank to seaman recruit. His pay will be cut in half for two months. The Virginian-Pilot (http://bit.ly/1L16EQr ) reports that Cottom was sentenced Wednesday … Continue reading
2 Virginia women sentenced in Medicaid fraud scheme
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Two women have been sentenced for their roles in a fraud scheme that cost Medicaid more than $2 million. Fifty-year-old Lisa Marie Barrett of Norfolk received an eight-year sentence, while 34-year-old Jacqueline J. Harris of Portsmouth was sentenced to five years in prison Wednesday in federal court in Norfolk. U.S. Attorney Dana … Continue reading
Navy captain receives 30-day sentence on porn charge
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A Navy captain has received a 30-day sentence after pleading guilty to a pornography charge. A military judge also ordered Capt. Richard Frey to forfeit $18,000 in pay over the next year. The Virginian-Pilot (http://bit.ly/1GRsujF ) reports that the 48-year-old Frey was sentenced Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to charges of downloading … Continue reading
Small plane crashes in botanical garden in Virginia; 3 dead
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Three people have been killed in an airplane crash at Norfolk Botanical Garden in southeastern Virginia. Officials tell local media outlets that the plane was approaching the nearby airport and was one or two miles away when the tower lost contact about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Searchers found the plane around 7:20 a.m. … Continue reading
Norfolk baseball program gets $22K from MLB charity
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — When the city started a youth baseball program geared toward predominantly black communities a decade ago, some children would show up wearing jeans and without baseball gloves. So the city would come up with the money to pay for a glove here or a baseball uniform there. The baseball program, … Continue reading
Va. panel kills bill to arm school officers with stun guns
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia Senate committee has killed a proposal to allow school security officers to be armed with stun guns, pepper spray and similar weapons. The Republican-controlled Education and Health Committee rejected the measure Thursday on an 8-6 vote. Two Republicans, Jeff McWaters of Virginia Beach and Thomas Garrett of Buckingham County, joined minority Democrats in … Continue reading
‘Snow Buddy’ program seeking volunteer snow shoveler’s
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — a program that helps residents of three Hampton Roads cities shovel out if they can’t is looking for volunteers. The Virginia Beach humanitarian organization Operation Blessing operates the “Snow Buddy” program in Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Since a storm left parts of Virginia under nearly a foot of snow this … Continue reading
USAF report: Pilot error caused midair collision in Kansas
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — An F-16 crashed in a southeastern Kansas field in October after a student pilot failed to maintain visual contact with his instructor’s jet, resulting in a midair collision that caused the instructor to lose control and eject, the Air Force said Friday. The pilots were participating in a combat maneuvers training … Continue reading
Veterinarians provide in-home hospice care for Va. pets
HAMPTON, Va. (AP) — Beady-B lies on his bed in the living room, one eye warily watching the adults sitting around the nearby table. The 13-year-old beagle seems to sense they’re discussing his declining health, but at the moment he’s content. Melanie Cohen, a veterinarian with Lap of Love, instructs Kenny and Deana Pekarovich … Continue reading
Norfolk International Airport traffic decreases
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Norfolk International Airport is reporting a decrease in passenger activity for January The airport says it experienced a more than 3 percent drop in the number of passengers who used the airport last month compared to the previous year. Overall, about 200,000 passengers flew through the airport, down from about 208,000 January 2014. … Continue reading
Heavy snowfall dumps up to 11 inches in parts of Virginia
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Heavy snowfall overnight dumped up to 11 inches in some places in Virginia. According to National Weather Service reports, the storm that began Monday afternoon dumped up to 11 inches of snow in Powhatan near Richmond and areas of Tazewell County in southwest Virginia. Snowfall totals varied drastically across the … Continue reading
Navy debuts robot that can fight fires aboard ships
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The Navy has developed a prototype of a man-sized robot to do one of the most dangerous jobs aboard a ship: Fighting a fire. Standing 5’10” and weighing in at about 140 pounds, the humanoid robot is capable of walking on an uneven ship floor and seeing through smoke, detecting … Continue reading
New app helps police catch phone thieves
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) — When a thief stole a smartphone recently in Western Branch, the tech-savvy victim knew what to do. He had been shopping in December when he set down his phone, police said. Moments later, the Samsung Galaxy S3 was gone. So the man activated an app installed on the phone called … Continue reading
Norfolk police issues 300 officers body-worn video cameras
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The Norfolk Police Department is equipping 300 officers with body-worn video cameras. The department says the cameras will record audio and video of police interactions. The police department issued the video cameras on Monday. Norfolk Police Chief Michael Goldsmith says in a news release that he believes the cameras will … Continue reading
Va. Beach man gets 20 years in prison for child pornography
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A 21-year-old Virginia Beach man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for producing child pornography. Michael John Baigert was sentenced in federal court in Norfolk on Monday, February 9th. Baigert pleaded guilty in October. According to court records, he traveled from Virginia Beach to York County to visit … Continue reading
Virginia Zoo asks public for help naming baby siamang
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The Virginia Zoo is asking the public to help it name a baby siamang. A list of names provided by zookeepers and staff is posted on the zoo’s website, virginiazoo.org. Members of the public can vote online for their favorite name on the list through Feb. 16. The zoo says … Continue reading
Norfolk man pleads guilty to killing girlfriend
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — An April sentencing is set for a Norfolk man after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend. The Virginian-Pilot (http://bit.ly/1z7GL5u ) reports that 43-year-old Cortez Scott entered his plea Monday in Norfolk Circuit Court. According to court documents, Scott admitted that he hit 43-year-old Rosa … Continue reading
Sailor sues Norfolk, police officer over shooting
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A sailor wounded in a police shooting is suing the city of Norfolk and the officer. Jasmine Glespie’s lawsuit says the officer used excessive force and was negligent. She’s seeking $5.3 million in damages. WAVY-TV (http://bit.ly/1zeHEOp ) reports that Glespie filed the lawsuit last month in Norfolk Circuit Court. A … Continue reading
Norfolk to dismiss charges against police dog bite victim
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A Norfolk spokeswoman says the city attorney has decided to dismiss criminal charges against a woman who was bitten by a police dog in a show of force that was deemed unreasonable by the police chief. Lori Crouch says city attorney Bernard Pishko has also offered to pay for London … Continue reading
Virginia may ban releasing balloons into the atmosphere
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia lawmaker says banning the release of helium balloons into the air could help save wildlife on land and in the water. Balloons are fouling the state’s beaches and can be deadly to wildlife, says Republican Sen. Jeff McWaters of Virginia Beach, who is sponsoring a bill to prohibit releasing … Continue reading
Va. to pay $520K to lawyers in same-sex marriage case
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Virginia will pay $520,000 to the lawyers for two same-sex couples who successfully challenged the state’s gay marriage ban. The settlement agreement was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Norfolk. The attorneys had sought more than $1.7 million. The law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher will receive … Continue reading