Richmond Times-Dispatch

NEW YORK—A plainclothes cop chased a Times Square scam artist through sidewalks crowded with holiday shoppers and tourists today, exchanging gunfire that shattered Broadway theater and gift shop windows, before killing the suspect near a landmark hotel, police said. No one else was injured. The 25-year-old suspect was believed to be conning tourists along Broadway and 46th Street when he was ... Full Story »

Richmond prosecutors believe Nathan Randolph strangled his girlfriend with one of his own neckties. Two of Randolph’s housemates found Alnita Coleman Randolph’s body in Randolph’s bed at his rooming house in North Richmond on April 22, prosecutor Mary E. Langer told a jury today during her opening statements in Richmond Circuit Court. Full Story »

Virginia has reached the 2 million mark in the number of doses of H1N1 flu vaccine allocated to the state, health chief says, and a quarter of the state’s children have been vaccinated. Full Story »

A Richmond man has been charged with robbing and firing shots at an off-duty Richmond sheriff’s deputy last month after the officer left a restaurant in the Meadowbrook Plaza shopping center in Chesterfield County. Duane K. Hope, 23, of the 1500 block of Jennie Scher Road was charged with robbery, using a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm after being convicted of ... Full Story »

A Midlothian Middle School student in Chesterfield County is facing disciplinary action after bringing a toy gun to school yesterday morning, school officials said.  Full Story »

RICHMOND, Va.—Richard Toscan, who in 14 years as dean of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts led it to recognition as one of the best arts programs in the United States, is retiring. Toscan yesterday said he will step down June 30. While Toscan was dean, the school’s rankings in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of “America’s Best Graduate Schools” grew from 25th to fourth ... Full Story »

RICHMOND, Va.—The National Weather Service says it will be cool in the Richmond area over the next couple of days, and some snow is possible this weekend. Today’s forecast is for mostly sunny skies with a high near 48 degrees. Tomorrow should be sunny with a high near 42, and Saturday should be mostly sunny with a high near 44. There is a 40 percent chance of rain or snow Saturday night, when ... Full Story »

This week’s rains are coming home to roost in the form of minor flooding along the James River in Richmond. The National Weather Service says the river had risen to 13.1 feet at Westham Gauge by 5:30 this morning. Flood stage at Westham is 12 feet. The forecast is for the river to continue rising to about 14.8 feet by tomorrow morning, then fall back within its banks Saturday morning. Full Story »

U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman will be the guest speaker at Virginia Commonwealth University’s fall commencement. Wittman represents Virginia’s 1st District, which stretches from the Hampton area to the Eastern Shore and reaches inland to the Fredericksburg area. VCU will confer more than 1,800 degrees at Saturday morning’s ceremony at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. Doors open at 9 a.m., and commencement ... Full Story »

Freed from the threat of immediate legal action, the retired Army colonel at the center of a fight over a flagpole and the American flag thanked supporters and pledged to fly the flag “without interference.“ Full Story »

Henrico Henrico County and the Greater Richmond Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition are seeking volunteers for a program that provides free tax-preparation assistance for qualifying residents. Volunteers are needed to help eligible families and individuals prepare and file tax returns, serve as interpreters and site coordinators, and greet and screen taxpayers. The coalition will operate sites ... Full Story »

Hanover County real estate has lost nearly $200 million in value since last year, supervisors learned yesterday from the county’s chief assessor, John W. Nelms Jr. The overall decrease of 1.5 percent in value represents a nearly $195 million decline in residential real estate and a $2.8 million decline in commercial real estate, Nelms said. Assessments were calculated based on sales through the ... Full Story »

A new animal shelter in Prince George County has taken another step toward becoming a reality. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday night to seek $1.75 million in bonds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to use toward the construction of a new facility, which they hope to have in place by the end of next year. Full Story »

Requests should be made in writing to the attention of The Richmond Christmas Mother, P.O. Box 12400, Richmond, VA 23241 and postmarked no later than Monday, Dec. 14.People seeking aid must include their addresses and phone numbers in their written requests. Full Story »

Next year’s high school freshmen in Virginia will be required to take an economics and financial literacy course to graduate, but some educators worry that the new class will force students to drop electives such as art or band. Others question the timing of adding a required course when many school divisions don’t have money for new textbooks and materials. Full Story »

The son of a retired, longtime Henrico County detective was fatally shot yesterday morning by an unknown assailant. Henrico police Lt. Eric E. Owens identified the victim as Robert D. Hewlett III, 34, who was found inside his home in the 3900 block of Hallwood Farms Road in eastern Henrico about 5:55 a.m. Hewlett died later in the morning at VCU Medical Center. Full Story »

The weapon used by a Woodbridge college student charged with the attempted murder of his math instructor jammed on him, preventing him from firing a third round from his high-powered rifle. Jason M. Hamilton, 20, was unable to continue shooting Tuesday at instructor Tatyana Kravchuk, who ducked behind a desk and was not hit, Prince William County police Maj. Ray Colgan said yesterday. Full Story »

Police are asking the public to help them find a man they describe as a suspect in the killing of a Goochland County man in Richmond. City police are hunting for Bryan Antoine Green, 33, of the 3600 block of Lynhaven Avenue in connection with a slaying in May in South Richmond. Authorities said Green faces a charge of conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Darius Alphonzo Athey, 19, of the ... Full Story »

A federal judge this week sentenced a Verona man to 20 years in prison for running a methamphetamine operation valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars. More than 30 friends and relatives showed up at U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg on Tuesday to support Douglas Jay Rankin, 45, and his wife, Lisa Drumheller Rankin, 41. Sniffling and dabbing their eyes, supporters watched as Judge Glen ... Full Story »

A 17-yearold Hampton resident was found guilty Dec. 2 of maiming by mob and malicious wounding in the beating of two airmen at a McDonald’s restaurant in February. Edward “Boonie” Johnson, who was tried as an adult, was the second person convicted in the McDonald’s beating, which involved several people beating up the two airmen from Langley Air Force Base, said Hampton Senior Assistant ... Full Story »

Five young Americans captured in Pakistan are under investigation for possibly trying to meet up with a terror group, authorities said Wednesday. Full Story »

Hanover County real estate has lost nearly $2 million in value since last year, supervisors learned today from chief assessor John W. Nelms Jr. The overall decrease of 1.5 percent in value represents a $194,940,900 decline in residential real estate and $2,807,800 decline in commercial real estate, Nelms said. Assessments were calculated based on sales through the end of October, he said. Values ... Full Story »

Police are asking the public to help them find a man they describe as a suspect in the killing of a Goochland County man in Richmond. City police are hunting for Bryan Antoine Green, 33, of the 3600 block of Lynhaven Avenue in connection with a slaying in May in South Richmond. Green is described as a 160-pound black man who is 5 feet 9 inches tall. Full Story »

Water from heavy rains this week is forcing lane closures along Woolridge Road in Chesterfield County where it crosses Swift Creek Reservoir.Alternating lane closures will be in effect this afternoon, causing delays. Through rush hour today, motorists should use alternate routes, if possible. Full Story »

The son of a veteran Henrico County detective was shot and killed this morning by an unknown assailant.Henrico Police Lt. Eric E. Owens identified the victim as Robert D. Hewlett III, 34, who was found inside his home in the 3900 block of Hallwood Farms Road in Eastern Henrico about 5:55 a.m.Hewlett died later this morning at VCU Medical Center.Owens said there were signs outside the home of a ... Full Story »