The proposed construction of a large lodging facility at Fort Lee has triggered concern among hotel industry leaders and local government officials in the Tri-Cities. The Army is contemplating building a 1,000-room facility at Fort Lee to support a projected student growth at the installation because of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission process.

This daily column features short news items from some of the 20 localities that make up the greater Richmond area. If you have a news item, call 649-6990 or e-mail us at . Henrico The Keep Henrico Beautiful Committee will honor winners of the 2009 Land Lover and Clean Business awards at tonight’s Henrico County Board of Supervisors meeting at 7 in the Government Center Board Room, 4301 E. Parham Road. The awards recognize one homeowner and one business in each magisterial district for maintaining an outstanding property through landscaping, lawn care, litter removal and recycling.“

PETERSBURG Tourism is up this year in the Tri-Cities area, an encouraging sign for the region that could be somewhat attributed to the economic crisis. The increase may stem in part because Virginians, facing tighter budgets this year, are more inclined to take day trips to local attractions than go on overnight or long-distance trips, local tourism industry experts say.

This daily column features short news items from some of the 20 localities that make up the greater Richmond area. If you have a news item, call 649-6990 or e-mail us at . Charles City The Charles City County Board of Supervisors will meet tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in the Government and School Administration Building, 10900 Courthouse Road.

James Garcia-Otero loves to read books. In fact, the rising sixth-grader at Colonial Heights Middle School recently set a record in the Colonial Heights Accelerated Reader program. James read about 155 books and passed each ensuing quiz to earn 1,070.3 points by the end of the school year, far surpassing the previous citywide record of 833 points, according to Tussing Elementary librarian Nancy Turner.

The family of slain Petersburg businessman Robert L. Braswell Jr. was optimistic last fall when police announced the arrests of four people in the trusted shopkeeper’s 2006 robbery and shooting. But the closure they hoped for slipped away this week when a prosecutor advised that his case was too weak to proceed. Murder charges were withdrawn Wednesday against one of the suspects, and identical charges are to be withdrawn today against the second suspected gunman.

City residents agree: The former Colonial Heights Baptist Church building should be turned into the city’s courthouse. Two resident-run committees formed at the City Council’s request have reached similar conclusions after nearly a year of public meetings to study options for the church at 231 Chesterfield Ave., which is owned by the city.

A Colonial Heights woman was been charged in a two-vehicle crash that killed a man on a motor scooter and critically injured his passenger Saturday in Chesterfield County. Megan L. Brown, 24, of the 1200 block of Duke of Gloucester Street was charged with involuntary manslaughter “and maiming as a result of driving while intoxicated,“ a police news release said.

Chesterfield County celebrated National Trails Day on Saturday with the opening of the John C. Radcliffe Appomattox River Conservation Area. The conservation area consists of river bottom land and a 50-acre freshwater swamp with a 1-mile walking trail, an elevated boardwalk and riverbank fishing access. The trail project is the result of a partnership between Chesterfield County and Alliance Engineering. Alliance prepared the plans and donated labor valued at $12,000 to complete the project.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has appointed Judge Harold W. Burgess Jr. to Virginia’s 12th Judicial Circuit, which serves Chesterfield County and Colonial Heights. Burgess, a judge of Chesterfield’s Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, will fill the seat vacated by Judge Cleo E. Powell, whom Kaine appointed in August to the Virginia Court of Appeals.

A Colonial Heights man who brought a BB gun that looked like a semiautomatic pistol into a Chesterfield County church service now faces charges of robbing a Chinese takeout delivery driver at gunpoint. A Colonial Heights General District Court judge yesterday certified robbery and felony firearms charges against Christopher A. Smith, 24, in the Jan. 30 holdup of a Lucky Garden Restaurant employee in the Pickwick Shopping Center.

Henrico County is reaping the rewards of a new mailing address by harvesting increasingly scarce sales-tax dollars that had been going to Richmond. The formal transfer of multiple ZIP codes to “Henrico, VA” on Jan. 1 already has resulted in $2 million in additional tax and business license revenue, according to county finance officials. They say the switch has been a lifesaver as the recession continues to put a deep dent in taxable sales.

American Legion Post #284 in Colonial Heights has selected 23 delegates from five area high schools to attend Boys State 2009 from June 21-27 at Liberty University in Lynchburg. They are: L. C. Bird High School: Henri L. Tetreault, Adam M. Chamberlain and Stewart C. Ball Colonial Heights High School: Aaron B. Doherty, Christos Galanopoulos, Alan Zhou, Adam G. Wolcott, Thomas F. Wise, Jacob J. Rhodes, Zachary Murdock, Thomas R. Lester, Vincent C. Kong and Matthew L. Hess

Since 1984, catching crooks in Chesterfield County and Colonial Heights has been a little easier, thanks to Crime Solvers. This month, the program celebrates its 25th birthday. What is it? The community-involvement program helps gather clues for law-enforcement agencies, offering rewards to residents who help solve crimes. Each week, details about local crimes are publicized on television, radio and in newspapers with information on how to contact the program anonymously. Rewards of as much as $1,000 are paid for information leading to successful resolutions.

The Virginia Department of Transportation will hold informational meetings about the state’s new secondary street acceptance requirements in Hanover County, Colonial Heights and Williamsburg next week. Officials will provide an overview of the policy and answer questions about its implementation. The requirements establish standards for new streets to be accepted into the state highway system. They go into effect July 1.