A Petersburg man has been sentenced to serve 13 years in prison for fatally shooting his mother’s neighbor in the back during a trifling disagreement that spiraled out of control. “I think it was [a situation] where people just didn’t know how to resolve conflicts,“ said Petersburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Cassandra Stroud-Burns, who prosecuted the case. “It’s just really sad.“

A Petersburg man was arrested yesterday about 25 minutes after police said he set a former co-worker on fire and then fled on a public bus. The 35-year-old victim, whom police didn’t identify, suffered burns to her head and was airlifted to VCU Medical Center, where she was in serious but stable condition yesterday, police said. Henry Morton, 51, was charged with aggravated malicious wounding in the 8:35 a.m. assault, which occurred in the parking lot of the Petersburg East Complex at 110 Croatan Drive in the city’s eastern end. Morton had been fired as a maintenance worker at the apartment complex Monday, police said.

A Petersburg man was arrested today about 25 minutes after police say he set a former co-worker on fire and then fled on a public bus. The victim, who wasn’t identified, sustained burns to her head area and was airlifted to VCU Medical Center, where she is in serious but stable condition, police said. Henry Morton, 51, was charged with aggravated malicious wounding in the 8:35 a.m. assault, which occurred in the parking lot of the Petersburg East Complex at 110 Croatan Drive in the city’s east end. Morton had been fired as a maintenance worker at the apartment complex yesterday, police said.

PETERSBURG Dana Ballenger brought home two baby doll sheep and gave them good Southern names, Jezabell and Thelma Lou. She checked first with city authorities to be sure zoning would allow for sheep on her 2-acre lot in historic Petersburg. “I am going green with my sheep,“ she said. “Forget the lawnmower belching out toxins and making lots of dust and stirring up allergens. My little sheep munch the grass, fertilize it and look beautiful while doing it.“

A man found fatally shot in Petersburg on Wednesday has been identified as Harry Stevenson, 25, who had been staying with friends in Richmond, police said. Petersburg authorities said Stevenson and another man, Shamondray Chavis, 20, of the 600 block of South Jefferson Street in Petersburg, were shot early Wednesday as they were attempting to break into a home in the 700 block of Ramsom Street about 7:30 a.m.

Chickens: No permit is required for up to 10 chickens. The enclosure must be 30 feet from another person’s house.
  Chickens, sheep, other livestock: Enclosures must be 200 feet from property lines.
  Chickens or other live stock: Conditional-use permits would be considered by the Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission, and neighbors would be invited to express their opinions.

Several school divisions in central Virginia are reporting delays tomorrow after this week’s heavy rains and flooding. The following county school districts are reporting two-hour delays for Friday: Amelia, Dinwiddie, King and Queen, New Kent and Prince George. Also, Sussex County schools are closed Friday.

A man found fatally shot in Petersburg yesterday was identified this afternoon as Harry Stevenson, 25, who had been staying with friends in Richmond, police said. Authorities today said Stevenson and another man, Shamondray Chavis, 20, of the 600 block of South Jefferson Street in Petersburg, were shot yesterday morning as they were attempting to break into a home in the 700 block of Ramsom Street about 7:30 a.m.

Petersburg police are investigating the shooting death of a man who was discovered about 9:30 this morning in the 600 block of Harrison Street. Details were not immediately available. Police also reported that another person suffering from a gunshot wound arrived at Southside Regional Medical Center about 7:40 a.m. Esther Hyatt, a police spokeswoman, said she had no immediate information about whether the two shootings are related.

A Petersburg man died yesterday afternoon after his pickup truck crashed into a tree in Dinwiddie County, Virginia State Police said. Nelson E. Morton, 82, of the 5000 block of Sterling Road, was driving north on U.S. 1 about a mile and a half north of state Route 613 when he veered off the road to the left and hit a tree shortly after 12:30 p.m., Sgt. Thomas Molnar said.

PETERSBURG—Changing the culture of low student achievement at Petersburg High School didn’t happen overnight. Through steady, persistent work by an administration and instructional staff led by Principal Alicia Fields, the high school is leading a resurgence in student achievement in Petersburg’s much-maligned school system. For the first time, Petersburg High is fully accredited by the Virginia Department of Education and met Adequate Yearly Progress benchmarks set forth by the federal No Child Left Behind.

HOPEWELL—The incumbent commonwealth’s attorney in Hopewell was defeated by a big margin last night, while Petersburg’s sheriff and Colonial Heights’ commissioner of the revenue easily won re-election. Newcomer Richard K. “Rick” Newman defeated Anthony N. “Nino” Sylvester for Hopewell’s commonwealth’s attorney. Newman, 53, an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Petersburg who has lived in Hopewell less than a year, received 62 percent of the vote, compared with Sylvester’s 38 percent.

HOPEWELL—The incumbent commonwealth’s attorney in Hopewell was defeated by a big margin last night, while Petersburg’s sheriff and Colonial Heights’ commissioner of the revenue easily won re-election. Newcomer Richard K. “Rick” Newman defeated incumbent Anthony N. “Nino” Sylvester for Hopewell’s commonwealth’s attorney. Newman, 53, an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Petersburg who has lived in Hopewell less than a year, received 62 percent of the vote, compared with Sylvester’s 38 percent.

In the Tri-Cities elections, Hopewell elected a new commonwealth’s attorney, and Colonial Heights’ commissioner of revenue survived a challenge. In Hopewell, challenger Richard K. “Rick” Newman defeated incumbent Anthony N. “Nino” Sylvester to become the commonwealth’s attorney. Newman, 53, is an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Petersburg who has lived in Hopewell for less than a year.

Petersburg’s visitors center has a new home in Old Towne. But it’s not the historic Farmers Market building, as long planned. The center has moved to another historic building, the Farmers Bank at 19 Bollingbrook St., just a block from the center’s former location, the McIlwaine House at 425 Cockade Alley. In March, the city sold that property for $140,000 to a private investor.