The Virginian-Pilot

A father and son accused of a hate crime for yelling racial insults at a black neighbor pleaded no contest to lesser charges of trespassing Tuesday in Circuit Court. Full Story »

PORTSMOUTH A Coast Guard cutter based in Portsmouth seized about 6,000 pounds of cocaine from a vessel in the Caribbean Sea earlier this month, the Coast Guard said Tuesday. Full Story »

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. The federal agency in charge of studying the effects of contaminated water on Marines and their families at a North Carolina base said critical gaps in funding still exist. The Department of the Navy and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry have been fighting for months over the funding of a mortality study at Camp Lejeune. Full Story »

By JESSICA GRESKO WASHINGTON The Washington, D.C., City Council voted Tuesday to legalize gay marriage in the nation's capital, handing supporters a victory after a string of recent defeats in Maine, New York and New Jersey. Full Story »

VIRGINIA BEACH Police have arrested two suspects in two unrelated burglary incidents. On Monday morning, a resident at the Carriage House Apartments, in the 5300 block of Hitching Post Lane, called 911 after seeing a gloved man checking the doors to five units, said Officer Adam Bernstein, a police spokesman. Full Story »

VIRGINIA BEACH The FBI raided two Virginia Beach homes this morning as part of a non-violent crime investigation, officials said today. Full Story »

NORFOLK Afr’Am Fest will return to downtown’s Town Point Park next spring, but a week before its traditional Memorial Day date. After months of wrangling over the issue, city and Afr’Am officials came to an agreement during today's City Council meeting. The festival will be held Friday, May 21, through Sunday, May 23. Full Story »

By Manu Raju Senate Republicans say they want to “smoke out” Democratic senators who could help them bring down the health care bill, and so far, they think they’ve found one in Sen. Jim Webb. Full Story »

  City Councilman Don Williams announced today that he’s ending a 24-year career in public life in which he served two terms in the House of Delegates, proposed a plan that led to the city’s first elected mayor in a century and helped lift the region’s trash agency through its most difficult crisis. Full Story »

VIRGINIA BEACH A woman charged in the death and injury of pedestrians at Town Center last month will remain in jail without bond, a judge ruled today. Full Story »

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By Kenneth P. Vogel  Conservative leaders are eager to turn Tea Party anger into election-year cash – and to do that, they’re launching a flurry of new political action committees aimed at collecting small-dollar donations from newly engaged anti-tax, anti-spending activists. Full Story »

LOUISA A Louisa County man who pleaded guilty to killing his wife after an argument over Christmas lights has been sentenced to life in prison. Louisa Circuit Court Judge Timothy K. Sanner sentenced Forrest M. Smythers Jr. on Monday to life plus three years for first-degree murder and felonious use of a firearm, and five years for possession of a firearm by a felon. Full Story »

NEWPORT NEWS Police are investigating a shooting death in a trailer park near Jefferson Avenue. The shooting happened about 4 a.m. at the Warwick Mobile Home Park in the 100 block of Spur Drive, said Harold Eley, a police spokesman. Full Story »

RICHMOND Virginia's consumer affairs office is cautioning residents about contributing to charitable organizations that have not registered with the state. Full Story »

SURRY The issue of possibly allowing a mega power plant in Dendron bounced back Monday night to the Town Council and the Surry County Board of Supervisors. Full Story »

A second letter of support from members of Congress has gone out on behalf of three Navy SEALs charged with mistreating an Iraqi detainee. The latest letter, written by U.S. Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., and signed by 40 of his Republican House colleagues, asks Army Maj. Gen. C.T. Cleveland, head of Special Operations Command Central, to drop all charges against the men. Full Story »

By Corinne Reilly NORFOLK Sweating in the galley aboard the guided-missile destroyer Bainbridge on Monday morning, chef James Major examined a giant pan of mashed potatoes and meat loaf on the stainless-steel counter in front of him. Full Story »

NORFOLK A special prosecutor will conduct an inquiry into allegations made by Commissioner of Revenue Sharon McDonald that Treasurer Thomas Moss Jr. and Deputy Treasurer Anthony L. Burfoot violated state privacy laws. Full Story »

PORTSMOUTH Former medical providers for the City Jail will pay $1.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the widow of a mentally ill man who died of pneumonia and dehydration six days after he was jailed on a misdemeanor charge. Full Story »

NORFOLK Eventually, city leaders would like to see a high-rise hotel or residential development peering over the Chesapeake Bay in Ocean View. Today, they will take steps towards one day landing that kind of development. Full Story »

NORFOLK Troy Titus cocked his head and furrowed his brow quizzically. "In retrospect, do you believe you were too optimistic?" his lawyer asked him as he sat on the witness stand in U.S. District Court. Titus replied: "Yes. I was both overwhelmed and optimistic." Full Story »

CHESAPEAKE At its final meeting before new state rules take effect, SPSA's board of directors moved Monday to calm nervous creditors about a proposed deal to sell its trash-burning power plant to a private company for $150 million. Full Story »

Crew/unit size: About 50 soldiers Leader: Lt. Col. Marc Spencer Location of deployment: Kuwait Deployed date: Sunday Return date: Expected one-year deployment Highlights Full Story »

VIRGINIA BEACH The city is getting $4 million in federal stimulus money for programs aimed at reducing energy consumption. Full Story »