WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17th, 2010 P.M. UPDATE
Reported by Chuck Vipperman  & Jack Garrett

UPDATE: WHITE NOT GUILTY ON ALL CHARGES

(DANVILLE) -- JURY DELIBERATIONS IN A DANVILLE MURDER TRIAL CONTINUED FOR THREE-AND-A-HALF HOURS BEFORE THE PANEL RETURNED ITS VERDICT: NOT-GUILTY ON ALL CHARGES. JURORS ENTERED CHAMBERS AT 11:30 WEDNESDAY MORNING AND EMERGED WITH A VERDICT JUST AFTER THREE PM. THE PANEL HEARD CLOSING ARGUMENTS AFTER THE DEFENSE RESTED AND WAS THEN ASKED TO DECIDE WHETHER 28-YEAR-OLD STUART WHITE MURDERED HIS NEIGHBOR OR WAS ACTING IN SELF-DEFENSE. WHITE SHOT AND KILLED 42-YEAR-OLD ALEX TOTHEROW LAST SEPTEMBER. HE TOLD DETECTIVES THAT HE HEARD BREAKING GLASS AND SAW AN INTRUDER COMING THROUGH HIS BATHROOM WINDOW. WHITE GRABBED A GUN AND CHASED THE MAN OUT OF HIS APARTMENT AND FIRED AS TOTHEROW FLED DOWN THE STEPS. HE DIED OF A SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE BACK. WHITE HAS SAID THAT HE DIDN’T KNOWN HE HAD SHOT HIS NEIGHBOR UNTIL TOTHEROW SPOKE AND SAID HE FEARED THE INTRUDER WOUND HARM HIM, HIS GIRLFRIEND OR THEIR BABY. HE WAS FOUND NOT-GUILTY OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER AND FIREARMS CHARGES AND IS NOW A FREE MAN.

Danville police escort jurors to the the scene of a September shooting death.
(Leonard Harville photo)

(DANVILLE) -- ERIC DEATON SAYS THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT DANVILLE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER IS NOT TURNING ANYONE AWAY BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE INSURANCE. THAT IS ONE OF SEVERAL RUMORS THE HOSPITAL’S NEW CEO IS ADDRESSING IN HIS FIRST MONTH ON THE JOB. DEATON SAYS THERE IS ALSO NO TRUTH TO REPORTS THAT D-R-M-C'S EMERGENCY ROOM  DOCTORS ARE NOT PART OF THE ANTHEM-BLUE CROSS NETWORK. HE SAYS THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED AND A CONTRACT IS NOW IN PLACE WITH ANTHEM-BLUE CROSS. AND DEATON SAYS HE DOES NOT THINK ANYONE WAS BILLED AT A HIGHER AMOUNT "BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT IN NETWORK." DEATON SAYS MOST OF THE COMMENTS HE HAS RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY INVOLVE WAIT TIMES IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM. HE SAYS THE HOSPITAL IS WORKING TO REDUCE THOSE DELAYS. DEATON, WHO HAS BEEN ON THE JOB FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS, HAS ALREADY MET WITH DANVILLE WITH COUNCIL AND HAS PROMISED TO PROVIDE QUARTERLY UPDATES TO CITY LEADERS.   

(SOUTHSIDE) -- THE JANUARY REPORT FROM THE VIRGINIA EMPLOYMENT COMMISSION SHOWS HIGHER JOBLESS RATES ON THE SOUTHSIDE. DANVILLE’S 14.9 PERCENT JOBLESS RATE WAS UP A FULL PERCENTAGE POINT FROM THE SAME MONTH A YEAR AGO AND WAS THE FOURTH-HIGHEST IN VIRGINIA. MARTINSVILLE’S 21.6 PERCENT LEVEL WAS THE STATE’S HIGHEST. HENRY COUNTY RANKED THIRD FROM THE TOP T 15.5 PERCENT. THE JANUARY RATE IN HALIFAX COUNTY WAS JUST UNDER 13 PERCENT. IN PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, THE JOBLESS RATE WAS AN EVEN 11 PERCENT. THE REPORT NOTED NEARLY 14,000 PEOPLE WERE WITHOUT JOBS IN SOUTHSIDE DURING THE REFERENCE WEEK IN JANUARY.

(DANVILLE) -- A FOUNDATION FORMED LAST YEAR BY THE DANVILLE PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS GETTING A BOOST, THANKS TO A FOUNDATION FORMED FOUR YEARS THROUGH THE SALE OF DANVILLE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER. CHAMBER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LAURIE MORAN SAYS THE DANVILLE REGIONAL FOUNDATION IS SENDING $125,000 TO THE CHAMBER FOUNDATION. THE GRANT WILL PAY FOR INNOVATIVE PROJECTS TO BOOST SOUTHSIDE’S EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. MORAN SAYS THE FOUNDATION IS AN EXTENSION OF THE EDUCATION GOLF TOURNAMENT THE CHAMBER HAS SPONSORED FOR THE PAST 19 YEARS. DURING THAT PERIOD, THE CHAMBER HAS RAISED $250,000 FOR INNOVATIVE CLASSROOM PROJECTS.

Flowers adorn former Danville City Manager Lyle Lacy's seat at last night's City Council meeting.
(Bruce Hedrick photo)

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- AS WE INCH CLOSER TO A HEALTH CARE VOTE IN WASHINGTON, FIFTH DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN TOM PERRIELLO IS SIGNALING THAT THE FINAL LANGUAGE MAY STRIKE ONE KEY PROVISION HE’S BEEN FIGHTING.  THE CHARLOTTESVILLE DEMOCRAT SAYS HE’S NOW CONFIDENT THE SENATE VERSION WOULD NOT PAY FOR ABORTIONS.   THE CATHOLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION YESTERDAY CAME OUT IN SUPPORT OF THE SENATE BILL.  BUT PERRIELLO SAYS HE’S STILL UNDECIDED ON THE LARGER BILL.  HE WANTS ANY HEALTH CARE REFORM TO LOWER PREMIUMS FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS, WHILE NOT INCREASING THE FEDERAL DEFICIT.  PERRIELLO IS ALSO WAITING FOR A COST ESTIMATE FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE.

(DANVILLE) -- INTERIM CITY MANAGER JOE KING SAYS THE DANVILLE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT IS WILLING TO WORK WITH CUSTOMERS WHO ARE HAVING TROUBLE PAYING THEIR UTILITY BILLS.  THIS, AFTER MANY FOLKS COMPLAINED ABOUT SOME SKY-HIGH WINTERTIME BILLS.   KING SAYS RATES ARE NOT THE PROBLEM.  HE NOTES THAT DANVILLE'S NATURAL GAS RATES ARE THE LOWEST IN THE REGION---AND THE CITY’S ELECTRIC RATES ARE ALSO COMPETITIVE.  HE SAYS MOST OF THE HIGHER BILLS WERE BECAUSE OF POOR HOUSING STOCK, WHICH IS HARD TO HEAT IN THE WINTER.  KING SAYS THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT IS WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS WHO ARE HAVING TROUBLE PAYING THE HIGHER BILLS.

(RICHMOND) --A PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY KILLER’S LATEST FEDERAL APPEAL WILL BE HEARD NEXT WEEK IN RICHMOND.   TERESA LEWIS HIRED TWO MEN TO KILL HER HUSBAND AND STEP-SON EIGHT YEARS AGO.  LEWIS’ STATE APPEALS WERE SPENT IN 2007 WHEN THE STATE SUPREME COURT REFUSED TO CONSIDER HER APPEAL. LAST YEAR, A JUDGE IN U-S WESTERN DISTRICT COURT IN ROANOKE REFUSED TO GRANT HER A NEW TRIAL.  THE FOURTH U-S CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS WILL TAKE UP THE CASE ONE WEEK FROM TODAY.  LEWIS IS THE ONLY WOMAN ON VIRGINIA’S DEATH ROW; AND THE FIRST SINCE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT WAS RE-INSTATED IN 1976.  SHE WAS SET FOR EXECUTION IN NOVEMBER-2007, BUT WAS GRANTED A STAY WHILE SHE APPEALED.

(DAVIE COUNTY, N.C.) --HALIFAX COUNTY’S CHIEF FORESTER DIED IN A FREAK TRAFFIC ACCIDENT FRIDAY NIGHT ON I-40 IN NORTH CAROLINA.  TROOPERS SAY A THREE-FOOT WIDE METAL DISK BOUNCED OFF THE INTERSTATE AND THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OF ALEX WILLIAMSON’S S-U-V.  IT HAPPENED WHILE HE WAS TRAVELING 70 MILES PER HOUR IN DAVIE COUNTY.  THE 59-YEAR OLD WILLIAMSON WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD.   A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED FIVE MILES UP THE ROAD.  SOME OF THE OTHER PASSENGERS WERE HURT BY THE DISK, WHICH ENDED UP IN THE BACK SEAT.  INVESTIGATORS THINK THE DISK HAD FALLEN OFF OF ANOTHER CAR.   WILLIAMSON SPENT 35 YEARS WITH THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia regulators are being urged to carefully examine a proposed rate increase for Appalachian Power. The State Corporation Commission held a public hearing Tuesday to discuss the company's request for a 12.5 percent base rate increase. Lawmakers and customers told the commission about the hardships being faced by Appalachian Power customers in parts of Virginia hurt by high unemployment and higher-than-expected winter heating costs. Last month, lawmakers passed a bill suspending the interim rate increase following complaints from customers. Appalachian Power's interim rate increase went into effect in December. The commission will hold an evidentiary hearing in the case later this month and is expected to rule on the increase by July 15th.

(RICHMOND) -- SOUTHSIDE LAWMAKERS BANDED TOGETHER TO KEEP ONE UNPOPULAR LINE ITEM OUT OF THE BUDGET THAT PASSED IN RICHMOND SUNDAY. A HOUSE PROPOSAL TO BORROW $100 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE TOBACCO COMMISSION TO BALANCE THE BOOKS WAS STRICKEN FROM THE BUDGET. BUT DANVILLE DELEGATE DANNY MARSHALL (left) SAYS THERE WAS LITTLE THEY COULD DO TO AVOID CUTS FROM LOCAL SCHOOL FUNDING. MARSHALL SAYS "THEY ARE NOT WHERE THEY WERE LAST YEAR, BUT THEY ARE STILL BETTER OFF THAN WHAT (FORMER GOVERNOR) KAINE'S BUDGET PROPOSED." PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY DELEGATE DON MERRICKS (right) SAYS -- ALL THINGS CONSIDERED -- SOUTHSIDE FARED PRETTY WELL. HE SAYS FUNDING WAS MAINTAINED FOR DANVILLE'S INSTITUTE, THE HIGHER ED CENTER AND THE NEW COLLEGE INSTITUTE IN MARTINSVILLE. THE BUDGET PROVIDES NO PAY RAISES FOR STATE WORKERS FOR THE FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW.  IT ALSO RESTORES MUCH OF THE FUNDING THAT FORMER GOVERNOR TIM KAINE WANTED TO TRIM FROM SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENTS.  

(PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY) -- A PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY MAN FACES THREE COUNTS OF FELONY HIT-AND-RUN, MALICIOUS WOUNDING AND WEAPONS CHARGES AFTER A ROAD RAGE INCIDENT SUNDAY AFTERNOON ON SPRING GARDEN ROAD. DEPUTIES SAY 42-YEAR OLD EDDIE LEE DIXON OF CHATHAM PASSED A CADILLAC DRIVEN BY 69-YEAR OLD MELVIN EMERSON OF JAVA. EMERSON ALLEGEDLY REAR-ENDED DIXON’S BMW THREE TIMES.  POLICE SAY LATER STRUCK THE CAR A FOURTH TIME AFTER DIXON HAD PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY OF A HOUSE ON BROWNSVILLE HEIGHTS LANE. THE BMW HIT THE FRONT PORCH OF THE HOME.  DIXON SAYS EMERSON THEN GOT OUT OF HIS CAR AND FIRED A SHOT INTO THE AIR BEFORE DRIVING AWAY. EMERSON’S WRECKED CADILLAC WAS FOUND LATER AFTER THE CAR STRUCK A TREE ON ROUTE 640.   DEPUTIES FOUND A LOADED .38 CALIBER REVOLVER INSIDE. DEPUTIES SAY EMERSON WAS FOUND HIDING BEHIND HIS HOME A SHORT TIME LATER. DIXON AND HIS SIX-YEAR SON WERE TREATED AND RELEASED AT DANVILLE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER.

(DANVILLE) --  DANVILLE CITY COUNCIL IS READY TO SPEND 700-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BUY LAND FOR A NEW DOWNTOWN FIRE STATION.  THIS WOULD REPLACE THE BRIDGE STREET STATION, WHICH IS 84 YEARS OLD, AND NO LONGER TO HANDLE LARGE-SIZED FIRE TRUCKS.   THE CITY IS NOT RELEASING THE LOCATION OF THE NEW STATION UNTIL THE LAND IS PURCHASED, BUT THEY SAY IT WILL ALLOW THEM TO BUILD AN 18-THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT STATION WITH FOUR BAYS.  IT’LL ALSO ALLOW THEM TO MOVE THE CITY’S 9-1-1 CENTER AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT UNDER THE SAME ROOF.     COUNCIL APPROVED THE PURCHASE LAST NIGHT.

(DANVILLE) -- A NEW RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY COULD ALLOW A HI-TECH DANVILLE COMPANY TO HIRE FOUR MORE WORKERS.  NEXTGEN OPENED IN THE CYBERPARK IN LATE 2008.  THEY’VE RECEIVED A HALF (M) MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO DEVELOP UNMANNED AIRCRAFT THAT COULD STAY IN THE AIR FOR UP TO TWO WEEKS WITHOUT LANDING.   NOW, THEY’RE ASKING THE TOBACCO COMMISSION FOR A MATCHING GRANT OF 553-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FUND THE RESEARCH.   CITY COUNCIL ENDORSED THEIR REQUEST AT LAST NIGHT'S MEETING.                

 (DANVILLE) --  THE 2010 CENSUS FORMS WILL ARRIVE IN MAILBOXES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THIS WEEK.  TAMMIE MCGEE IS A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE U-S CENSUS BUREAU.  SHE SAYS IT’S VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT EVERY HOUSEHOLD FILLS OUT IT’S FORM AND SENDS IT IN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.   ACCORDING TO MCGEE, EVERY ONE PERCENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FORMS RETURNED IN THE MAIL, SAVES TAXPAYERS ABOUT 85 MILLION DOLLARS IN THE COST OF SENDING CENSUS TAKERS DOOR-TO DOOR TO COLLECT THE INFORMATION. CENSUS INFORMATION IS USED TO DETERMINE HOW MANY SEATS AN AREA GETS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, HOW VOTING DISTRICTS ARE REDRAWN, AND MOST ESPECIALLY HOW BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED.  MCGEE SAYS THE FORMS ASK FOR VERY LITTLE PERSONAL INFORMATION.  AND SHE SAYS WHAT INFORMATION IS GATHERED IS TALLIED BUT NOT SHARED WITH ANY OTHER AGENCIES.  ANYONE WHO NEEDS HELP FILLING OUT THE QUESTIONNAIRE CAN CALL THEIR TOLL FREE HOT LINE AT 1-866 872-6868 OR GO ONLINE AT 2010CENSUS.GOV.

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