A soldier from Chesterfield County has been missing since a resupply mission in Afghanistan that claimed the life of a unit member from Massachusetts, the U.S. Department of Defense said yesterday. Sgt. Brandon T. Islip, 23, of Chesterfield, and Sgt. Benjamin W. Sherman, 21, of Plymouth, Mass., were swept away in a river Nov. 4 in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan, officials confirmed yesterday.

Chesterfield County police declined to provide details of an accident this morning involving a county motorcycle officer. The officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital after the 11:30 a.m. incident at Courthouse Road and Berrand Road, near Reams Road. Police declined to release the officer’s name or details of the accident; a dispatcher said a chase was not involved.

Technology is a marvelous thing, and the world would be much poorer without it. Chesterfield’s intention to spend $13 million on faculty and administration netbooks, an electronic portal, and similar whiz-bangery probably will usher in a number of benefits, planned and unplanned. It probably also will usher in a number of headaches, many of them unforeseen. Henrico’s experience with iBooks proved a double-edged sword.

A veteran hospital system employee and manager will serve almost as much time in jail as she did embezzling from the Bon Secours Richmond Health System. Jeanne Miles Martin, 42, who had risen in 19 years of work to manager of the system’s patient account refund department, was taken from a Henrico Circuit courtroom yesterday in handcuffs to serve a six-month jail sentence.

A Chesterfield County man helped assure his own capture by overdosing on drugs he allegedly stole from his neighborhood pharmacy. Chesterfield police said this morning they have arrested Aaron M. Trainham, 26, of the 11400 block of Pine Ridge Lane. Trainham faces multiple charges in connection with the armed robbery of a Rite Aid store Oct. 8 on Courthouse Road a few block from his home.

A Chesterfield County husband and wife are listed in critical condition this evening after a shooting at their Arsenal Hills home off Huguenot Road. Chesterfield police said they are treating the shootings as domestic in nature. According to VCU Medical Center, Marshall E. Johnson and Lisette P. Johnson were in critical condition last night.

The following are recently issued business licenses in Chesterfield County. Extravagant Brides (personal service); licensee Shelly R. Brown, 2601 Twain Lane, Richmond 23224. Jabowa Enterprises (professional service); licensee Janet L. Davis, 4810 Wilconna Road, Chesterfield 23832. TNL Sales (itinerant merchant-merchandise); licensee Leslie Thierry Dechaunac, corner of Midlothian & Courthouse.

When Denny Hamlin arrives in Richmond, he knows he is going to be involved in a full-speed, pedal-tothe-medal, careering-through-the-corners affair. And that’s just the days leading up to the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Hamlin, a former Chesterfield County resident who now lives in Davidson, N.C., is Richmond’s favorite NASCAR son. From the moment he arrives in town until someone shouts, “Gentlemen, start your engines!“ Hamlin faces one question.

The Richmond school system eliminated half of its funding for field trips. The Hanover County schools cut an elementary school strings program. The Chesterfield County schools laid off many reading teachers and math coaches. With the exception of the Henrico County schools, area school districts are starting this school year with fewer resources, after having to cut millions of dollars to make up budget shortfalls.

A 20-year-old man is charged with driving under the influence after a three-vehicle crash this morning sent a Chesterfield police officer to the hospital. Police said Victor Leonardo Brizuela Cuestas, 20 of the 9200 block of N. Arch Village Court in Chesterfield, was traveling northbound on Chippenham Parkway when he lost control of his 1998 Mitsubishi and collided with a Chesterfield County police vehicle around 12:30 a.m.

A man has died after being shot by Chesterfield County police in a standoff last night in Midlothian. Police said Brett M. Rivers, 36, of the 500 block of Kerri Cove Court died shortly before 2:30 this morning at VCU Medical Center. Police said they opened fire on Rivers at his apartment complex after he opened fire on members of the department’s SWAT team.

Chesterfield County police are investigating the theft of lawn mowers, trimmers and blowers from 25 church sheds since mid-March. Police today said the thieves cut or pried open doors to get in the sheds, leading to the theft of equipment with a combined value of more than $30,000.

A 16th birthday party Friday in Chesterfield County ended with a fight involving as many as 100 people, reports of gunshots and a search for a missing teenager, police said. The brawl took place shortly after 10 p.m. outside the Bensley Community Center on Drewrys Bluff Road—the same building where an event was held this month to celebrate National Night Out, an anti-crime effort.

Chesterfield County police are investigating a three-car wreck yesterday that involved an officer’s cruiser and left one person with serious injuries. An officer on patrol was driving a marked cruiser west on Beulah Road shortly after 1 p.m., when an eastbound car turned in front of the cruiser and they collided, said Chesterfield police Capt. Kevin Smith.

University of Richmond, owner; Taylor & Parrish Inc., contractor; 1 Gateway Road, academic building expansion, $10.1 million. RCS Group LLC; 2508 Alexander Ave., $77,916; 3601 Lynhaven Ave., $122,914. Gary R. Treaster, owner; Hilton M. Rubin Inc., contractor; 5301 Horne St., $120,000. Robert B. Scoggins, owner; Ark Construction, contractor; 1820 Monument Ave., alterations, $195,000.