Opinion

In 2012, Mandrel Stuart, the 35-year-old owner of a small Staunton barbecue business, was stopped for a routine traffic violation in Fairfax County. In his vehicle was $17,550 in cash from his business that was going to be used for payroll and other expenses. Without being convicted of a crime, the Fairfax County Police Officer took the $17,550 under the authority of the current Virginia Asset Forfeiture laws.

He rejected a settlement for half his money, demanding a jury trial. He eventually got all of his money back, but lost his business because he didn’t have cash to pay his costs. Currently a local sheriff or police officer can seize your property without a criminal conviction. In fact you can be found not guilty of the criminal charge and the forfeiture action could continue.


News

“What these numbers show is, is that we are looking at a competitive race for this Democratic nomination,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor and director at the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington.

According to the State Board of Elections website, McPike reported $50,000, Qarni reported $35,743 and Futrell reported $31,716 for this first quarter.


News

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will be holding a public hearing for the Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) on April 30 in Fredericksburg.

The hearing will be held at 6 p.m. at the Germanna Community College location in Fredericksburg.


News

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office says they have their suspect in an early morning shooting in the county: 

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that Antoine Gray Johnson, age 26, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland has been charged with 1 Count of 1st Degree Murder and 1 Count of Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony.  Johnson is currently in the process of being incarcerated at the Rappahannock Regional Jail. 


Press Release

Third-grade students at Piney Branch Elementary School in Prince William County connected with nature in a fun and memorable way during an Arbor Day celebration to culminate their learning experience with Dominion’s “Project Plant It!”

The educational program was established in 2007 by Dominion Resources, parent company of Dominion Virginia Power, to teach children about trees and the environment. Teachers got a kit of instructional tools that included innovative math and science lesson plans, posters, certificates and other classroom materials. Each participating student received a redbud tree seedling to plant at home for Arbor Day, April 24.