News Near You for Nov. 21

NEWS NEAR YOU

Chesterfield Holocaust survivor Alexander Lebenstein today will recount his journey of pain and suffering, loss, and recovery after the Nov. 9, 1938, Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, when the Nazis invaded his hometown and destroyed synagogues, Jewish businesses and homes. He and his family were forced into hiding and eventually sent to concentration camps, and upon his liberation, he discovered he was the sole Jewish survivor of his hometown, Haltern am See, Germany. The presentation is open to the public and will be held at 7 p.m. at St. Augustine's Catholic Church, 4400 Beulah Road. A book signing in the church hall will follow the talk.

Richmond Richmond police are investigating the armed robbery of a man who was shot and wounded Thursday night in the 2000 block of Mechanicsville Turnpike. Police said the victim was approached by a man with a black revolver who demanded money just before 10 p.m. The victim gave the robber an undisclosed amount of money and then attempted to flee after being asked for more cash. He was shot in the leg and forearm and ran to the home of a friend, who took him to VCU Medical Center. The victim was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. A description of the suspect was not immediately available.

Petersburg City Council on Tuesday approved the appropriation of $68,000 of federal grant money to the current fiscal year to hire five new police officers. The funds are part of a $814,000 federal recovery act grant.

Hanover The 40th Old Time Ashland Holiday Parade is tomorrow. The parade starts at 2:30 p.m. at Thompson Street and South Snead Street, heads east across the railroad tracks and along England Street to Henry Street. It will end on Archie Cannon Drive in front of John M. Gandy Elementary School. For details, call the Ashland Police Department at (804) 798-1227.

Richmond Richmond police yesterday declined to elaborate on an exchange of gunfire that erupted while authorities were serving a search warrant Thursday night in the East End. Police said late Thursday that the incident occurred as narcotics officers were serving the warrant in the 1200 block of North 28th Street about 8:40 p.m. Police also said Thursday that they had detained several people and that no injuries were reported.

AROUND THE STATE

Abingdon An assistant biology professor at Virginia Highlands Community College is the Virginia Professor of the Year. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching presented the award to Kevin Hamed on Thursday. The Bristol, Tenn., resident says it's an honor to receive the award but that the true honor is being able to work with students. Hamed has been a member of the Virginia Highlands faculty since 2003. He previously served as nature center manager at Steele Creek Park in Bristol, Tenn.

Charlottesville A 19th-century church in Charlottesville is undergoing an estimated $5 million renovation that will transform it into a day shelter for the homeless. Janet Matthews, the new shelter's project director, says the renovations will be completed Dec. 15. Matthews says 14 agencies have expressed interest in having a presence in the building, either with a permanent location or informal office hours. Film director and University of Virginia graduate Tom Shadyac bought the property in 2006. He vowed to convert it into a place that would provide services to the homeless and working poor.

Newport News An inmate mistakenly released from the Hampton Roads Regional Jail is back in custody. Police say Christopher Devon Barrett, 23, surrendered at the Newport News City Jail at about 6:30 a.m. yesterday. Barrett was being held without bond on a firearms charge when he was erroneously released from the regional jail Thursday. A regional jail spokesman said there was a miscommunication over paperwork among the jail, the Newport News Sheriff's Office and the Newport News Circuit Court. -- From Staff and Wire Reports