Week in review

Cutting costs

The Defense Department formally disbanded U.S. Joint Forces Command, which eliminated 1,900 Virginia jobs, primarily government contractors. (see "Dealing Damage" 8/2 http://www.worldmag.com/virginia/18460) The agency was responsible for training troops from all services to work together for specific missions and had a $1 billion budget. Many of its duties have been reassigned to other commands, while other functions will report directly to the joint chiefs of staff. The cuts will save the government an estimated $450 million a year. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, told the command's workers at a disestablishment ceremony he believes the national debt is the country's greatest national security threat.

Tack tosser

Police in Virginia Beach say they've charged a 49-year-old man with tossing tacks on bike paths, causing at least 100 flat tires and injuring at least two bicyclists. Police identified the suspect as Warren Dean Davis Jr. He's been charged with 33 counts of misdemeanor destruction of property. The Virginian-Pilot reported Friday that the tire-flattening incidents occurred over two weekends in June in the Pungo section of Virginia Beach. Police offered no explanation for the alleged acts. Davis is free on a $3,500 surety bond. He declined to comment when the Pilot called him.

The price of beauty

Perhaps Angela Renee Pruitt didn't want to pay the price of beauty. Pruitt, 41, took more than $3,000 of merchandise, mostly cosmetics, into a Wal-Mart bathroom, according to police. Employees heard the sound of ripping paper and opening boxes in one of the stalls, and a police sergeant confronted her when she emerged from the Stafford County store. She claimed to be ill, but after she checked out fine at Mary Washington Hospital, she was taken to the Rappahannock Regional Jail and charged with felony shoplifting.

Governor Cuccinelli?

A poll by Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling shows that in a potential 2013 gubernatorial primary match between Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, Cuccinelli comes out on top-- by far. The survey of 400 Republican primary voters shows Cuccinelli topping Bolling 45 percent to 21 percent and reveals that Cuccinelli has higher visibility among GOP voters. Cuccinelli called the results "encouraging" but said he plans to run for re-election as attorney general in 2013. Bolling's campaign hinted at a double ticket, with Cuccinelli as Lieutenant Governor, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.

Same name

A convicted murderer who, along with an accomplice, terrorized Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C., area several years ago will still be known as Lee Boyd Malvo.

Thirtieth Circuit Court Judge Tammy McElyea on Friday rejected a petition in Wise County Circuit Court for Malvo to change his name because he believed it would make it safer if other inmates knew him by a name that wasn't connected to infamous shootings. He has been convicted of three counts of capital murder, six counts of first degree murder, one count of attempted capital murder and three counts of use of a firearm. He is serving life without parole.

Child porn ring busted

Matthew Wheeler, a coach at Parry McCluer High School, is among those arrested in the largest child pornography ring prosecution in history. ("Dreams shattered," 7/25 http://www.worldmag.com/virginia/18400) Fifty-two people charged with creating and posting child pornography to an online discussion board have been arrested, while 20 remain at large in the United States and across the world. An ex-Kingsport police officer, Richard Chandler, has also been charged in the case. A 20-months law enforcement effort called Operation Delego targeted more than 600 Dreamboard members. The members-only Internet club was allegedly created to promote pedophilia. Court documents show numerous participants sexually abused children, produced images and video of the abuse and shared it with other club members.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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