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.

There will be no tricks, treats or Halloween parties this year for many of Virginia’s convicted sex criminals. Officers with the Virginia Department of Corrections and the Virginia State Police are teaming up again to make sure registered sex offenders who are under state supervision won’t cause any harm to young ghouls and goblins.

The candidate for Petersburg sheriff who was charged last week with committing voter fraud claims he was targeted by his opponent just days before Election Day. Troy B. Fobbs Sr., 56, a native of Petersburg, is running against his former boss, Sheriff Vanessa R. Crawford, who is seeking a second term in Tuesday’s election. Since his Oct. 23 arrest, Fobbs has continued campaigning and highlighting a registrar’s record that shows he has been registered to vote in Petersburg for the past 20 years.

When citizens are denied public benefits like food stamps or unemployment insurance, they rarely seek legal council, said Geraldine M. Doetzer, the only public-benefits attorney at the Legal Aid Justice Center in Petersburg. “If they apply and are turned down, they feel that it is something they didn’t deserve, so they don’t pursue a legal avenue even though they have a right to those benefits,“ she said. “An attorney could be crucial for them to get the benefits.“

Equal Justice America , visit
http://www.equaljusticeamerica.org
To learn about the Legal Aid Justice Center and its services, visit http://www.justice4all.org.
For the Petersburg office, call (804) 862-2205.
For the Richmond office, call (804) 643-1086.

After getting their cleaning products approved by the county health department, Amelia County school employees and contractors began disinfecting buses and schools.

In an unpopular vote, the Petersburg City Council last night unanimously approved a rezoning change to allow redevelopment of a downtown warehouse into luxury apartments. The action was taken after a two-hour public hearing in which more than two dozen residents spoke against, and five in favor of, changing the industrial designation of the 225 Hinton St. property to a multiple-dwelling district.

A Petersburg father has been charged with severely injuring his 4-month-old daughter, who was scalded over the weekend during a bath. Jeffery Morris, 25, was charged with unlawful felony injury; failure to secure medical attention for his baby; and felony child neglect. The infant suffered the burns Saturday at her home in the first block of East Fillmore Street, said Esther Hyatt, a Petersburg police spokeswoman.

A Richmond-based developer launched a Web site this week promoting a Petersburg housing project that is facing opposition from residents and is scheduled to go before City Council tomorrow. Last week, some Petersburg residents launched their own site against the Hinton Street Lofts project, where they list letters and e-mails that residents have sent to city officials and a link to a petition opposing a rezoning change the developer needs to move forward with the project.

A new city resident is challenging incumbent Anthony N. “Nino” Sylvester in the race for commonwealth’s attorney. Sylvester, 44, was first elected in 2000 and ran unopposed for re-election in 2001 and 2005. Challenger Richard K. “Rick” Newman, 53, an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Petersburg, is promoting a new focus on gang activity.

Valentine Richmond History Center offers walking tours of Hollywood Cemetery on Mondays through Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. through Oct. 31. The cost is $10; $5 for members. For reservations, call (804) 649-0711.
Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg offers a walking tour that highlights some of the monuments and burial sites near Blandford Church as part of the church tour. Hourlong Halloween tours will be offered on Oct. 31 starting at 6 p.m. The cost is $7. For reservations, call (804) 733-2396.

A candidate for Petersburg sheriff was arrested yesterday on a misdemeanor charge of committing voter fraud in last November’s election. Troy Bernard Fobbs Sr., 56, surrendered to Virginia State Police investigators following a monthlong investigation, said Sgt. Tom Molnar, a state police spokesman. A warrant charging him with one count of illegal voting and registration alleges that Fobbs cast his ballot last November knowing he was not qualified to vote in Petersburg.