Richmond-area police officers and firefighters were recognized for selfless acts of bravery and awarded gold, silver and bronze awards at the 20th annual Valor Awards breakfast at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

A Rockingham County grand jury will consider arson charges against two former New Market volunteer firefighters accused of setting several fires.

The Supreme Court ruled that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge.

Cooperation among Richmond’s badge-wearing public servants was on full display yesterday in Church Hill. William E. Hill, 52, of Richmond, was charged with breaking and entering and grand larceny for allegedly stealing a cell phone from the city’s fire station No. 1. Richmond police arrested him minutes after the alleged theft—with a major assist from the station’s firefighters.

On Jan. 10, I was privileged to attend a party to honor current members who are leaving the fire service. Due to a new retirement package, we will lose 60-80 members out of a 400plus department. That is a lot of experience. Never before in our 150-year history have we had such a turnover—from a battalion chief who retired with 49 years of service, to a firefighter who spent his entire career at Station 18. Or the firefighter who suffered secondand third-degree burns to both of his hands and two years later returned to the job he loved. These are just some of our members’ legacies. They have seen our department grow. They also saw challenges.