BRIEFS: NEWS NEAR YOU

NEWS NEAR YOU

Caroline Fifteen people were arrested yesterday on a total of 57 indictments in what the Caroline County Sheriff's Office described as a war on illegal drugs and distribution. The arrests resulted from a yearlong undercover drug investigation. The indictments, handed up by a Caroline grand jury Oct. 1, ranged from distribution of cocaine and conspiracy to distribute cocaine to distribution of marijuana. Sheriff A.A. "Tony" Lippa credited the Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and neighboring law-enforcement agencies with help in the investigation.

Chesterfield During October, the county is supporting a national effort to educate Internet users about safe computing and Internet practices. Today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Johnny Long, a professional hacker, security researcher and author or co-author of numerous books about computer safety, will speak during an event at the county's Public Safety Building for county employees and invited guests. For details, call (804) 748-1590. .

Hopewell The 12th annual City Point 5K River Run & Walk will be held tomorrow at 9 a.m. The walk along the Appomattox River will start and end at John Randolph Medical Center. On-site registration begins at 7:45 a.m. For details, call race director Malcolm Covington at (804) 541-2356.

AROUND THE STATE

Williamsburg A roughly $943,000 grant will help Colonial Williamsburg create a virtual experience for visitors. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation this week announced the funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services awards. Colonial Williamsburg is partnering with the Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities at the University of Virginia to develop 3-D computer models of five historical sites within Colonial Williamsburg as they appeared in 1776. The interactive models also will provide scanned, digitized facades of 23 buildings to create a complete streetscape.

Virginia Beach A high school student who allegedly sent death threats to classmates through MySpace has been arrested and charged with two felony counts. Police said the 17-year-old student sent the threats to two female classmates on the social networking site and told a third to her face he would harm her. Police spokesman Adam Bernstein said the parents of one of the girls alerted the school resource officer. The student was arrested earlier this month and has been held in the Virginia Beach Detention Center until an appearance in juvenile court.

Lorton Fairfax County police say the search for a missing police officer in Pohick Bay has become a recovery mission. The police department enlisted the help of the dive team, police marine patrol and the county fire department after 2nd Lt. Frank Stecco failed to resurface during a helicopter water rescue exercise on Tuesday. Stecco had volunteered to portray a victim during mandatory training for police officers in Pohick Bay Regional Park. Crews searched through the night Tuesday and continued Wednesday and yesterday.

Martinsville Authorities say the abduction of a grocery store manager near Martinsville may have been in retaliation for his brother's $300,000 unpaid drug debt. The Henry County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that Juan Pedro Lopez, 32, was forced into an SUV bearing North Carolina license plates outside the Mexican Grocery and Deli on Oct. 16. Authorities are looking for three men in Lopez's disappearance. They say Lopez's brother lived in Burlington, N.C., but likely has fled to Mexico.