Week in review

Taking a gamble

Hotel owners along Virginia Beach's Oceanfront want the city to put a measure allowing video poker in its annual legislative agenda. The Beach's hotel-motel association president Verne Burlage says resorts in Ocean City, Md., saw an increase in tour bus traffic after that state recently approved slot machines. Hampton Inn co-owner Cary Karageorge wants to create a video poker game room at his hotel. He says the resort only does business 60 days a year during high season, but that gambling could entice people to visit during the off-season. Virginia legislators have been resistant to expanding gambling beyond horse races and the lottery.

Church arsonist sentenced

A 51-year-old Virginia woman who torched a church in retaliation after a firefighter spurned her interest has been sentenced to a 3 1/2-year prison term and ordered to pay $32,316 in restitution. Commonwealth's Attorney Tom Garrett said Felica Armstrong admitted setting fire to St. John Baptist Church in Mineral last January. He said she set the fire after a firefighter who attended services at the church did not return her romantic interests. The fire caused $22,000 in damage to the house of worship. No one was injured. The Mineral woman was sentenced in Louisa Circuit Court.

Wages without work

Want to get paid without working? Try the government. Norfolk's prosecutor says there's not enough evidence to file criminal charges against a Community Services Board employee who collected over $300,000 in pay and benefits for 12 years and didn't show up for work since being suspended in 1998. Media outlets report that Commonwealth's Attorney Greg Underwood announced the decision in a letter delivered Wednesday evening to acting Police Chief Sharon Chamberlin. While no criminal charges will be filed, Underwood says the police investigation raises questions about the board's prior management operations.

Bamboo pierces neck

A Lynchburg boy is recovering after he fell on a bamboo stick and it pierced his neck. Dez Heal was playing as a ninja with some friends recently when the accident occurred. The 13-year-old's father, David Heal, tells WSET-TV that the stick entered the right side of Dez's neck, then came out about 3 inches back, just behind his ear. Dez's friend, Nicholas Blencowe, says the stick apparently went forward when the boy jumped and went through his neck when he hit the ground. Dez says he's not playing as rough now.

Wine welcome

Governor Bob McDonnell welcomed 330 national wine bloggers Wednesday to the annual North American Wine Bloggers Conference taking place this weekend in Charlottesville. The three-day symposium brings top wine bloggers from across the country to taste local wines, visit wineries and discuss the intersection of wine and new media. Virginia's theme for the conference is "A Commonwealth of Wine," highlighting the fact that Virginia has almost 200 wineries. Alisa Bailey, president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, noted the conference is an opportunity to promote state tourism through social media.

SEALs race raised record

Organizers of a race to memorialize Navy SEALs say a record number of participants turned out for this year's event. Many active-duty and retired sailors who attended the annual East Coast SEAL reunion at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story were among the record 960 people who participated in the Allen Stone Braveheart Memorial Run. Fewer than 200 people participated in the inaugural race 12 years ago. Organizers told The Virginian-Pilot that national attention after a Virginia Beach-based team killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May seemed to boost interest in Saturday's event. The race is named after Stone, a SEAL who died in 1999 in a training accident. This year's event raised $45,000 for the Navy SEALs Foundation and the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad.

Food for fines

Library patrons have another option to pay overdue book fines at Tabb or Yorktown libraries, according to a county press release. Patrons with overdue materials may bring non-perishable food items to the library to pay their fines from August 1-14. One food item will pay one fine, regardless of the amount of the fine. Patrons may bring as many food items as they have overdue books, DVDs, cassettes or CDs. The Food for Fines program does not apply to charges for lost or damaged items. Donated items will benefit local food closets.

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