AP
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Virginia lawmakers are proposing new rules that would require university officials to report allegations of sexual assault to law enforcement personnel and prosecutors. Three Republican leaders in the House said Monday that violent crimes should be addressed by the criminal justice system, not by school officials. Rolling Stone magazine published an article last month detailing the woman’s account and describing what it called a hidden culture of sexual violence. The three Republicans, Dels. Dave Albo, Rob Bell and Todd Gilbert, are all U.Va. alumni who have worked as state prosecutors. They pledged to strengthen requirements of school officials to report violent felonies to the authorities. Springfield Democrat Del. Eileen Filler-Corn introduced similar legislation Monday, and Democratic Senate Minority Leader Richard Saslaw said he too will pursue similar legislation.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) _ University of Virginia President Teresa Sullivan says the university will re-examine its policy of allowing sexual assault victims to decide whether to prosecute. She also said officials will evaluate the system of allowing the student-run judiciary to decide whether an assault has occurred. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/1vLdJdF ) that Sullivan made the remarks Monday in a speech to about 25 students that was live-streamed as the university deals with outrage over a Rolling Stone article that described a gang rape at a U.Va. fraternity house that was not prosecuted. Last month, Sullivan canceled all fraternity and sorority activities until the start of the spring semester. Sullivan said she met with Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo over the weekend to discuss whether U.Va.’s “victim-centered approach” strikes the wrong balance.
Bob and Maureen McDonnell
(Associated Press photo)
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ A federal judge has overturned one conviction against former Virginia first lady Maureen McDonnell but affirmed others corruption verdicts against her and her husband. Judge James R. Spencer rejected the McDonnells’ request for a new trial and their arguments that the guilty verdicts should be overturned. But Spencer did toss a jury’s decision that Maureen McDonnell was guilty of obstructing justice. Spencer said prosecutors did not prove that she attempted to mislead a federal grand jury investigation. Maureen McDonnell is now guilty of eight counts instead of nine. She is set to be sentenced next year. A jury convicted the McDonnells in September of illegally trying to help a dietary supplement maker in exchange of more than $165,000 in gifts and loans.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ The Virginia tobacco commission gave away millions of dollars more than what commission staff calculated was necessary to help a politically connected energy company. Records obtained by The Associated Press show that commission staffers told the state’s inspector general that the first of three $10 million installments should have only been $6.5 million based on staff calculations. The grants went to help build a pipeline that will fuel a new Dominion power plant in Brunswick County. Commission staff told the inspector general’s office that they felt pressured by Gov. Bob McDonnell’s office, but the inspector general’s office say it did not find evidence to support those allegations. Lawyers for the former governor say commission members acted independently and approved funding at a level they felt was appropriate.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Budget cuts have prompted the Virginia Department of Forensic Science to reduce its analysis of gunshot residue and several other kinds of trace evidence. Beginning Monday, the department is discontinuing routine analysis of trace evidence in what it calls general chemical cases, including cosmetics and unknown liquids or pastes. The agency also is limiting gunshot residue testing to evidence from the hands of suspects in cases where someone was shot. The Richmond Times-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1valmLM ) reports that the department hopes to save about $168,000 in the fiscal year that ends June 30. More savings are expected in the next fiscal year.The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police opposes the cuts. Association executive director Dana G. Schrad tells the newspaper that police chiefs are concerned about the cuts’ effect on investigations.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Virginia state senator has introduced a bill to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the bill is sponsored by Sen. Adam Ebbin, a Democrat from Alexandria.Under the proposal, the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana would be decriminalized. Currently, that’s punishable by a $500 fine and 30 days in jail. Among other things, the bill also would reduce the criminal penalties for distribution and possession with the intent to distribute by creating a presumption that a person who grows no more than six plants would be raising them for personal use. Virginia State Police figures show that in 2013, there were more than 24,000 marijuana arrests in the state.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The governor’s Executive Mansion is set to receive its Christmas tree from a Virginia tree grower. Christmas tree growers John and Virginia Carroll of Claybrooke Farm in Louisa County will present the tree noon Monday at the mansion in Capitol Square. Gwen Jones of Jones Tree Farm in Spotsylvania is giving wreaths. Both growers won awards at this year’s annual meeting of the Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association. Virginia has more than 500 Christmas tree farms and ranks in the top 10 for number of trees harvested and total acres in production. Gov. Terry McAuliffe has proclaimed December as “Virginia Christmas Tree Month.”
UNDATED (AP) _ Millions of Americans have settled into a new tradition: gobble up turkey and then go shopping. Just a few years ago when a few stores started opened late on the holiday, the move was met with resistance from workers and shoppers who believed the day should be sacred. Last year, more than a dozen major retailers opened at some point on Thanksgiving evening. And this year, at least half of them _ including Target, Macy’s, Staples and J.C. Penney _ opened earlier in the evening on the holiday. The Thanksgiving openings are one way retailers are trying to compete for Americans’ holiday dollars. It used to be that the day after Thanksgiving _ known as Black Friday _ was when they’d focus their sales promotions. But increasingly, they’ve been pushing those promotions earlier and earlier _ and eventually into the holiday itself. Bill Martin, co-founder of ShopperTrak, which tracks data at 70,000 stores globally, is expecting a sales increase of 3 percent to 5 percent to $2.57 billion to $2.62 billion on Thanksgiving.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ State regulators have directed Appalachian Power to refund more than $5 million to Virginia customers. The money will be refunded as a credit on future bills over six months. The average residential customer will receive a total $6.85 credit.The directive follows a rate review by the State Corporation Commission. The commission said Wednesday that the review found Appalachian Power’s return on equity for 2012 and 2013 exceeded its authorized level. Appalachian Power’s maximum authorized return was 11.4 percent. During the two-year period, the commission says the company earned, on average, a return ofequity of about 11.86 percent on its generation and distribution services.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Virginia’s largest electric company has told federal regulators that proposed federal regulations to cut carbon emissions from power plants are unfair to the state. Dominion submitted comments about the Clean Power Plan to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday. The utility said the plan would impose unreasonable reductions on Virginia compared to other nearby states. The EPA’s target rate of 810 pounds of carbon dioxide emitted per megawatt hour of electricity generated in Virginia is far lower than the 1,620 pounds in West Virginia and 1,763 in Kentucky. Dominion says those targets create an economic and competitive disadvantage to states like Virginia that have already significantly reduced emissions. The utility also says the proposed rules would increase the typical residential customer’s electric bill by 30 percent by 2025.