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.

A funnel cloud was spotted in the air late yesterday afternoon near the Wal-Mart store in the Southpark Mall area of Colonial Heights, but it dissipated without causing any damage, authorities said. Colonial Heights police reported that hail and heavy winds toppled a couple of small trees near the mall before what they called a tornado was seen about 4:35 p.m. No one was hurt.

COLONIAL HEIGHTS The 20 or so volunteers at the Colonial Heights Food Pantry gathered with their clients at noon Friday and held hands. They said a small prayer, as they usually do—blessing the food and the recipients, many with low or fixed incomes, some with disabilities, others elderly or unemployed. The nonprofit at 530 Southpark Blvd. was so close to closing this year that volunteers and clients say they are especially thankful.

The 34th annual Fort Clifton Arts, Music and Craft Festival will be from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. May 9 and 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. May 10 at Berberich Park, site of Fort Clifton, in Colonial Heights. The fort is behind Tussing Elementary School, 5501 Conduit Road on Brockwell Lane. Family-oriented and educational, the festival highlights the historic significance of the fort and its role in the Civil War to the Petersburg defense line.

The first step to make the 2010 census as accurate as possible is being taken. Actually, it’s quite a few steps. In the Richmond area, temporary workers for the U.S. Census Bureau will walk street to street beginning April 13 to verify addresses in preparation for next year’s population count. The canvassing has started in other areas and is set to conclude by mid-July.

The property-tax rate would remain the same and layoffs would be avoided under the general-fund budget proposed by City Manager Richard A. Anzolut Jr. last night. The fiscal 2010 general-fund spending plan for Colonial Heights is $48.46 million, 0.4 percent higher than the current one. Anzolut plans to use nearly a half-million dollars in cash reserves to prevent 4 percent of the work force—10 positions—from being cut.

Officials roll out for meals event Meals on Wheels delivery day draws mayors, supervisors Public officials in central Virginia visited their communities yesterday morning, but it wasn’t to make campaign promises. They delivered food for local Meals on Wheels programs during the nationwide Mayors for Meals event. C. Scott Davis, in his first term as mayor of Colonial Heights, said the city has contributed to the feeding program for many years but that this was the first time he had seen first-hand how it benefits the community. It was an experience he’d do again.

Wilson Sample Caldwell Colonial Heights police charge three suspects in home robbery Colonial Heights police charged two men with 20 counts each related to the robbery of a home early yesterday. A third man faces three counts. All three were being held in Riverside Regional Jail without bond. Ryan Patrick Wilson, 20, of the 65000 block of Woodlake Village in Midlothian and Daryl Lamonte Sample, 21, of the 1100 block of North Avenue in Hopewell each face charges including five robbery and five abduction counts.