AP
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) _ The Forest Service is giving the green light to surveying in the George Washington National Forest for a proposed natural gas pipeline. The surveying would be along 4.4 miles of forestland in Highland and Augusta counties. The Forest Service had already given special use permits for previous surveys sought by energy companies behind the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Dominion Resources and its partners are proposing a 500-mile pipeline from West Virginia, through Virginia and into North Carolina. It would deliver natural gas from West Virginia and other states to the Southeast. The Forest Service said the surveys are needed for federal agencies that will review the pipeline’s path.
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) _ Albemarle County schools chief Pamela R. Moran has been named Virginia’s superintendent of the year. Moran received the honor Tuesday evening at the Virginia Association of School Superintendents’ annual awards banquet in Roanoke. She was chosen from among eight regional finalists by Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven Staples and the leaders of seven education organizations. The association says in a news release that economically disadvantaged students’ performance has improved significantly under Moran’s leadership. Moran as served as Albemarle County’s schools superintendent since 2005.
LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) _ A former SunTrust executive who pleaded guilty to wire fraud will spend more than three years in prison. Kirsten F. Hawkins also must pay $472,000 in restitution to the bank. Hawkins was sentenced on Tuesday in federal court in Lynchburg. The 46-year-old Staunton woman had pleaded guilty in January to three counts of wire fraud. She was accused of transferring funds to her own account and using the money to pay rent and other expenses, to buy jewelry and clothing and to travel. Hawkins was a vice president at the bank when the fraud occurred between August 2011 and August 2014. Defense attorney Dana Cormier said at Tuesday’s hearing that Hawkins made poor decisions after having personal and financial setbacks.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ The campus and courtroom battle over Sweet Briar College’s planned closure has shifted to Richmond. More than two dozen people met Wednesday at the office of the Virginia attorney general in hopes of reaching some common ground on plans to close the small women’s college this summer. The meeting included a mediator. In a joint statement, the participants called the meeting candid and “a productive step.” The parties have agreed to meet again on May 18. Sweet Briar’s administration announced in March the school would close on Aug. 25. The news has been met by a torrent of opposition. It has also spawned a fund-raising effort aimed at keeping the 114-year-old school operating.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ The Virginia Association of REALTORS says home sales in the state increased by 6.3 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2014. The association also says the first-quarter median sales price increased by 4 percent to $244.467. Figures released Tuesday by the association show Northern Virginia is the only economic region where sales declined. Home sales in Northern Virginia dropped by 4 percent compared to the first quarter of 2014. Southwest Virginia saw the largest increase in home sales, 18.5 percent. Home sales in Central Virginia increased by 15.9 percent. The dollar value of residential real estate totaled $5.8 billion, up 8.5 percent from $5.4 billion in the first quarter of 2014.
Jesse Matthew, Jr.
Hannah Graham
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — The man charged with abducting and killing a University of Virginia student has been charged with capital murder and now faces the prospect of the death penalty. An indictment announced Tuesday in Virginia’s Albemarle County adds the charge in the case against Jesse Matthew Jr. Prosecutor Denise Lunsford said the charge is based on new forensic evidence in the slaying of 18-year-old Hannah Graham. Lunsford said she would seek the death penalty if Matthew goes to trial and is convicted on the capital murder charge. He already is charged with first-degree murder and abduction with intent to defile. Graham disappeared in September after a night out with friends in Charlottesville, where the school is located. Her remains were found weeks later in an area about 12 miles from the campus.
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) _ A couple has pledged $6.5 million to Hollins University to fund upgrades at the Dana Science Building and Hollins Theatre. Hollins says the gift also will be used to endow a faculty chair and visiting professional artist positions in the theatre program and the graduate Playwright’s Lab. Hollins announced the gift commitment from James McDonnelll III and his wife, Elizabeth “Libby” Hall McDonnell, on Monday in a news release. Hollins President Nancy Gray says Bob Moss will be the Playwright Lab’s first visiting artist.
LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) _ The cost of attending VMI is rising by 5.5 percent. The board of visitors of Virginia Military Institute approved tuition and fee increases over the weekend. The total cost for in-state cadets will increase next academic year to $25,202. That includes tuition, fees and room and board. For out-of-state cadets, the total cost will increase to $48,216. That’s a 4.9 percent increase. The increases are effective for the academic year beginning in August. VMI has an enrollment of approximately 1,700 cadets. It is the nation’s oldest state-supported military college.
Jesse Matthew, Jr.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) _ The man charged with abducting and killing a University of Virginia student is due in court for a pretrial hearing. Albemarle County Circuit Judge Cheryl Higgins is expected to set a trial date Tuesday for Jesse Matthew Jr. In March, Higgins granted a request by Matthew’s lawyers to postpone his scheduled June 29 trial. Matthew is charged with first-degree murder and abduction with intent to defile. He faces up to life in prison if convicted. Eighteen-year-old Hannah Graham disappeared in September after a night out with friends in Charlottesville. Her remains were found about five weeks later in Albemarle County, about 12 miles from campus. Matthew also faces trial June 8 on charges of attempted murder and sexual assault in an unrelated case in Fairfax County.
vdacs.virginia.gov
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ The state’s agricultural trade representatives are heading back to Virginia to meet one-on-one with producers. Meetings are scheduled in Richmond, Blacksburg and Winchester during the week of June 22. At the meetings, the state’s international representatives will talk to growers, herdsmen and foresters to explore export sales opportunities. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has representatives in trade offices in Canada, Central America, China, Europe, Honk Kong, India, Mexico and the United Kingdom. The value of agricultural and forestry products shipped to foreign markets reached a record $3.35 billion in 2014.