From the Va. State Police

The Virginia State Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Earl Thomas Brown, Jr., 32, of 1744 Wadsworth Street, Radford who is currently wanted for one count of rape and two counts of sexual battery. 

The charges are the result of an investigation by the State Police in which a 22 year old female reported being raped by the suspect on November 10, 2011, in Pulaski County.

First Sergeant Mike Honaker stated, “Sergeant Dirk Compton initiated an investigation into this matter on November 11th, after the victim reported the offense to the State Police.  We identified and located Brown soon after this and we served a search warrant on his residence on November 22nd.  As a result of our investigation and the findings from the search warrant we obtained warrants for Brown’s arrest later that same day.  By this time, Brown had disappeared, though our troopers have been searching the area for him since then.”

Anyone with information related to the whereabouts of Earl Thomas Brown, Jr. should contact the local State Police office at (540) 643-2560 or the Division IV Headquarters at 1-800-542-8716.    

Linebacker suffers Lisfranc sprain in foot

BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech starting linebacker Bruce Taylor suffered a Lisfranc sprain in his foot in Saturday's win over Boston College and the redshirt junior will miss the rest of the season. He will undergo surgery this week at Montgomery Regional Hospital in Blacksburg.
Here's the Monday injury report:

Pending Surgeries

E.L. Smiling (wrist)

Bruce Taylor (foot)


Out for the Season

Kwamaine Battle (knee)

Jeron Gouveia-Winslow (foot)

Antoine Hopkins (knee)

Dyrell Roberts (arm)

E.L. Smiling (wrist)

Bruce Taylor (foot)

State Senate candidate Adam Light Cordially invites you to a Reception with special guest Gov. Bob McDonnell Thursday, October 20th 7 pm-9 pm at Rockwood Bed and Breakfast, 5189 Rockwood Road, Dublin, VA 24084. $50.00 per person.

Pulaski County Public Schools’ On-Time Graduation Rate Rises to 88.2 Percent An improvement of 11 points since 2008  

Pulaski County Public Schools’ on-time high school graduation rate rose nearly 3 points this year to 88.2 percent, and exceeded the state average of 86.6 percent.

 

The 2011 on-time graduation rate expresses the percentage of students who were first-time ninth graders during the 2007-2008 school year and earned a Board of Education-approved diploma within four years. On-time graduation has increased by nearly 11 points since 2008, the first year VDOE reported graduation rates for the state, school divisions and high schools based on student-level data that fully account for student mobility, promotion and retention.

 

This is exciting news for Pulaski County and a testimony to the hard work of our teachers, counselors, principals, and support personnel across the district,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Becker said. “Furthermore, since dropout prevention takes a community effort, we would like to thank our parents, elected officials, and the many community organizations who assist us with our efforts.”

 

Governor McDonnell Announces more than 200 New Jobs in Montgomery County

~ Backcountry.com to invest millions in Virginia fulfillment center ~

Virginia successfully competed against Kentucky and Pennsylvania for project

 

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Backcountry.com, the largest online specialty retailer of premium outdoor gear, will invest more than $20 million to establish a fulfillment center in Montgomery County. The Utah-based company’s east-coast presence, which will be located in Falling Branch Corporate Park, will create more than 200 new jobs. Virginia successfully competed against Kentucky and Pennsylvania for the project.

 

Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McDonnell said, “Backcountry.com is a well-known outdoor retailer, and I am thrilled they have selected Virginia as home to their east-coast operations and are making a significant investment in our community. Montgomery County is a progressive, technology-driven community that provides numerous outdoor recreational opportunities to its residents due to the proximity to the Appalachian Trail and the Washington-Jefferson National Forest. Backcountry.com will be right at home here. I know they will find no shortage of customers in the region, and they’ll have no problem finding motivated, innovative and dynamic Virginia employees who identify with, and are passionate about, their mission and vision.”

 

“Montgomery County and Virginia gain a great corporate partner with this impressive project,” said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “The addition of more than 200 new employment opportunities is welcome news for the region, and I have every confidence that Backcountry.com will become part of the outdoor niche in the Commonwealth.”

 

Backcountry.com operates ten online specialty retail stores: Backcountry.com, SteepandCheap.com, Dogfunk.com, WhiskeyMilitia.com, CompetitiveCyclist.com, RealCyclist.com, Bonktown.com, HuckNroll.com, Chainlove.com, and DepartmentofGoods.com, which, combined, sell more than 1,000 brands. Backcountry.com is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Interactive Corporation (Nasdaq:  LINTA, LINTB).

 

“We started small in Utah, and Utah has been our operations base for 14 years. Amazing customer service and blisteringly fast fulfillment are two cornerstones of our business, and as we’ve grown, it has become very clear to us that to serve our customers nationwide, we need an East Coast fulfillment center,” said Jill Layfield, CEO of Backcountry.com. “When deciding on a location, Virginia just made sense. It’s not only a strategically viable location operationally, it’s a beautiful place where outdoor sports are part of the lifestyle, and that’s important to us.”

 

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Montgomery County, the Town of Christiansburg and the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McDonnell approved a $300,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Montgomery County with the project. Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide funding and services to support the company’s recruitment, training and retraining activities.

 

“The state of Virginia, Montgomery County and Christiansburg proved to us that this is where we should do business,” said Layfield. “Their support of and commitment to Backcountry.com has been remarkable, and that is only a sign of their larger commitment to the people of the area.”

           

“Montgomery County is pleased to welcome Backcountry.com,” said Montgomery County Board of Supervisors Chair Jim Politis. “This is a prime location for a distribution hub for the East Coast, and the company will be creating hundreds of jobs.  Backcountry.com also fits in very well with our region’s abundant outdoor recreation opportunities.”

PREP FOOTBALLAbingdon 13, John Battle 6, OT

Alleghany 35, James River-Buchanan 19

Amelia County 52, Randolph Henry 8

Appomattox 55, Nelson County 28

Atlee 50, Henrico 22

Bath County 45, Pocahontas County, W.Va. 33

Battlefield 30, Stonewall Jackson-Manassas 12

Bland County 14, Northwood 12

Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot 27, Trinity Episcopal 0

Briar Woods 38, Tuscarora 0

Broad Run 36, Herndon 7

Broadwater Academy 46, Kenston Forest 14

Brooke Point 68, Orange County 14

Brookville 48, E.C. Glass 13

Buckingham County 54, Nottoway 19

C.D. Hylton 34, Gar-Field 21

Carlisle 34, Brunswick Academy 6

Central Lunenburg 36, Cumberland 8

Central Wise 51, Lee High 50

Centreville 49, Hayfield 3

Chantilly 70, Edison 29

Christchurch 41, Trinity Christian, N.C. 12

Christiansburg 42, Franklin County 8

Clintwood 30, Union 26

Cosby 15, Monacan 0

Courtland 30, Chancellor 7

Covington 27, Summers County, W.Va. 22

Dan River 43, Chatham 20

Dinwiddie 49, Prince George 13

East Rockingham 45, Luray 13

Eastern View 34, Caroline 12

Episcopal 31, Collegiate-Richmond 21

Essex 30, Arcadia 0

Fauquier 42, Brentsville 7

Fluvanna 28, Charlottesville 21

Forest Park 24, Freedom (Woodbridge) 0

Fort Defiance 35, Spotswood 21

Frank Cox 17, Kellam 3

Fredericksburg Christian 41, Massanutten Military 0

Gate City 21, Bluefield, W.Va. 7

George Wythe-Wytheville 45, Marion 7

Glen Allen 21, Armstrong 6

Goochland 70, Bluestone 0

Grassfield 21, Hickory 0

Gretna 45, Brunswick 0

Grundy 21, Castlewood 20

GW-Danville 22, Southampton 0

Handley 14, Washington, W.Va. 7

Hanover 10, Highland Springs 7

Harrisonburg 33, R.E. Lee-Staunton 14

Heritage (Leesburg) 44, Loudoun Valley 42

Heritage-Lynchburg 10, Amherst County 6

Hermitage 36, Douglas Freeman 0

Hidden Valley 28, Bassett 21

Isle of Wight Academy 41, Fuqua School 6

J.I. Burton 47, Eastside 18

J.R. Tucker 28, TJ-Richmond 21

James Madison 13, Langley 7, OT

James Monroe 50, King George 14

John Marshall 36, Patrick Henry-Ashland 9

Kettle Run 26, Skyline 7

King William 35, Nandua 0

Lake Taylor 48, Booker T. Washington 21

Landstown 27, Bayside 21

Lebanon 16, Tazewell 7

Lloyd Bird 56, James River-Chesterfield 7

Loudoun County 31, Woodgrove 0

Louisa 21, South Lakes 19

Loyola, Md. 50, Fork Union Prep 40

Madison County 28, George Mason 21

Magna Vista 42, Halifax County 21

Martinsville 18, Carroll County 14

McLean 20, George Marshall 19

Midlothian 38, Huguenot 16

Mills Godwin 46, Deep Run 42

Monticello 50, Western Albemarle 36

Mount Vernon 42, Falls Church 0

Mountain View 24, Albemarle 0

Nansemond River 27, Deep Creek 3

North Cross 42, Hargrave Military 13

North Stafford 34, Colonial Forge 0

Northumberland 32, Charles City 20

Norview 23, Maury 0

Oakton 38, Lee-Springfield 23

Osbourn 56, Potomac 12

Oscar Smith 21, Lakeland 7

Park View-South Hill 23, Greensville County 0

Park View-Sterling 40, Dominion 7

Parry McCluer 41, Auburn 18

Petersburg 46, Colonial Heights 7

Phelps, Ky. 34, Twin Valley 19

Poquoson 34, Jamestown 0

Powhatan 49, Prince Edward County 6

Princeton, W.Va. 41, Graham 7

Radford 38, Patrick County 13

Randolph-Macon 28, Quantico 6

Rappahannock 30, King & Queen 24

Richlands 45, Honaker 19

Riverheads 28, Wilson Memorial 13

Roanoke Catholic 17, Fishburne Military 7

Rustburg 21, Liberty-Bedford 12

Rye Cove 36, Holston 14

Salem 21, William Fleming 0

South County 13, James Robinson 10, OT

Spotsylvania 39, Culpeper 13

St. Mary's Ryken, Md. 28, St. Stephens-St. Agnes 21

Stafford 28, Riverbend 14

Staunton River 27, Tunstall 17

Stone Bridge 43, TJ-Alexandria 21

Stonewall Jackson-Quicksburg 14, Buffalo Gap 6

Stuarts Draft 37, Page County 14

Sussex Central 44, Middlesex 6

Tallwood 21, Princess Anne 20, OT

Thomas Dale 27, Matoaca 26

Thomas Walker 54, Hurley 12

Twin Springs 55, Ervinton 14

Varina 48, Lee-Davis 12

Virginia High 21, Chilhowie 6

Warren County 29, James Wood 21

Washington & Lee 47, Windsor 34

Washington-Lee 43, Wakefield 29

Waynesboro 16, Turner Ashby 15

West Potomac 45, Annandale 10

West Springfield 48, W.T. Woodson 0

Westfield 48, Fairfax 0

William Byrd 42, Glenvar 21

William Campbell 14, Altavista 7

William Monroe 31, Strasburg 14

Woodberry Forest 34, Paul VI 14

Woodbridge 38, Osbourn Park 14

Woodstock Central 22, Manassas Park 21

Yorktown 40, J.E.B. Stuart 26

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — It wasn't supposed to be this tough for Virginia. And for a while, it wasn't.

The Cavaliers jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, showing flashes of dominance along the way. The running game was clicking with Perry Jones, and quarterback Michael Rocco was efficient in the throwing game.

Then the mistakes started — an interception, two fumbles and a head-scratching decision to skip a 37-yard field goal with six seconds left in the first half and try to run another play. That ended with Rocco being tackled inside the 10 and the Cavaliers heading to the locker room to a cascade of boos with a 14-6 lead.

The biggest mistake, however, came with 3:11 left in the game, when Jimmy Howell's punt was blocked by Idaho's Justin Hernandez. Daniel Micheletti scooped and scored from 4 yards out, and Brian Reader's two-point conversion pass to Marsel Posey tied it to force overtime.

In the extra period, Virginia completed a touchdown pass, which Idaho matched.

But the underdog Vandals decided against kicking the point-after and went for two. Reader's pass was knocked down in the end zone, and the Cavaliers stormed onto the field 21-20 winners.

"That was probably an ugly football game right there, but in the end, what matters is that we found a way to win it," Virginia coach Mike London said.

Idaho coach Robb Akey had no second thoughts about the gamble.

"We went for the win," he said. "That is what we came here to do."

Virginia (3-2) was heavily favored and needed a good win before heading into the meat of its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule after a bye next Saturday. What it got was a scare from an Idaho team that refused to give up despite being dominated in most of the statistical categories.

"We're a team that is trying to learn how to win games and trying to eliminate those momentum changers," London said. "Whether you're at home or on the road, things happen in the game. Other teams are allowed to play hard."

And that's exactly what the Vandals did.

"I'm very disappointed we did not get the job finished here tonight, but I'm proud as hell of this football team and the way that they fought," Akey said.

The Cavaliers started on a good note, with Jones scoring on a 10-yard run and a 6-yard reception from Rocco for the early lead.

But Jones and Clifton Richardson lost fumbles, and freshman quarterback David Watford's first series ended with a pass interception.

Idaho managed a couple of Trey Farquhar field goals to keep it close, and Virginia's decision not to kick the field goal late in the half nearly proved costly. London said Rocco made a bad decision on the play by scrambling rather than throwing the ball away when nobody was open.

"It was a mistake that cost us three points at the end of the half," he said. "It's a learning issue with him. We just have to make sure in those situations, when you're trying to get points in the time you have on the clock, that you are fully alert and aware of those."

Neither team could get anything going in the third quarter, and the fourth period started with the first of two missed field goal attempts by Virginia's Robert Randolph. Idaho responded with a quick march deep into Virginia territory, highlighted by a nifty reverse-field 20-yard run by Princeton McCarty and a 44-yard pass from Reader to Mike Scott to the Cavaliers 7.

Two plays later, Dom Joseph intercepted a Reader pass in the end zone.

Virginia's Chase Minnifield also intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter to set the Cavaliers up at the Idaho 46, but that opportunity ended with another Randolph miss from 36.

Then came the late-game drama, starting with the blocked punt for the tying touchdown.

"We've got to do a better job because that was a big-time play right there, a big momentum change," London said. "We've got to look at a lot of special teams issues to make sure we shore up what we're doing."

The Cavaliers appeared to shoot themselves in the foot again in overtime, when a facemask penalty on offense moved them back to the 27. But Watford, who split time with Rocco, hit fellow freshman Dominique Terrell in the right flat, and Terrell broke a tackle and outran the secondary to the end zone.

"I told the offensive line that I was going to lead them down there and that we were going to score," Watford said. "They had confidence and faith in me that I was going to get the ball in the end zone."

Armauni Johnson's diving catch of Reader's 23-yard pass put Idaho in position to tie it again, but Akey opted for the two-point try.

"That's the way Vandals do it," Reader said. "It's worked in the past for us, and we thought we could do it again."

Reader was flushed from the pocket, and his pass was swatted down in the end zone..

Hokies plummet in poll after poor showing 
HANK KURZ Jr.,AP Sports Writer

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Virginia Tech's offense sputtered all game, the defense got burned more than once and the special teams play was lousy in the Hokies' first real test of the season.

But as coach Frank Beamer was quick to note after his team opened ACC play with a 23-3 dud against No. 8 Clemson, they have been in this position before, and they have bounced back.

"This thing's far from over," Beamer said after his team lost for the first time in 13 Atlantic Coast Conference games, and for the first time in six games against the Tigers.

He recalled 2007, when Matt Ryan and Boston College pulled off a dramatic comeback in the final seconds at Lane Stadium, seemingly giving the Eagles the upper hand in the ACC.

"I felt awful that night," Beamer said of the 14-10 loss on a Thursday night. "It was a game we had wrapped up and all of a sudden they go right down the field, but you know what?

"We came back and beat them in the ACC championship game."

These Hokies, who dropped from No. 11 to No. 21 in the Top 25, have a long way to go before they can even think about making that kind of recovery after an abyssmal showing Saturday night.

The offense managed just 258 yards in going without a touchdown at home for the first time since 1995. Quarterback Logan Thomas was 15 for 27, but for just 125 yards, and one pass that had the potential to be a big gainer hit Jarrett Boykin in the hands and was intercepted.

In the fourth quarter, trailing 17-3 and forced to throw, Thomas was sacked three times.

"When you don't take advantage of some opportunities and you get behind the chains with these guys and let them turn those ends loose, that's not a good position for us to be in," Beamer said, also lamenting mental errors and a steady diet of third-and-long situations.

Tailback David Wilson ran for 123 yards, but also lost a fumble.

On defense, Virginia Tech was mostly solid, but Tajh Boyd caught Eddie Whitley out of position on a 32-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Allen, and also converted several third-and-long situations. Mike Bellamy clinched the game with a 31-yard touchdown run in the final quarter.

Perhaps the Hokies' biggest concern heading into Saturday's visit from Miami is in the punting game, where Scott Demler not only continued to struggle, but got even worse.

Beamer even let Demler try to use a rugby-style approach, but Demler dropped the ball while moving to his right preparing to kick, and then got off a kick that went just 11 yards.

He finished with a 29.4-yard average for eight punts and was booed repeatedly.

Beamer, who has kept competition for the punting duties open in recent weeks, and even used wide receiver Danny Coale a few times in games, seems set on letting Demler get it right.

"We still have work to do there, too," he said.

Pulaski County Public Schools will conduct a Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, September 28th at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the Pulaski County School Board offices.

 The purpose of the meeting is to provide the public an opportunity to offer suggestions on how the county and the school division can improve efficiency. DecideSmart, who is conducting a resource utilization study for Pulaski County and Pulaski County Public Schools, will be facilitating the event. 

~County and Town of Pulaski will receive grants to assist with rebuilding after April tornado~

 

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell announced today $1.4 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Urgent Needs funding for the county and town of Pulaski for rehabilitation of homes damaged during the April 8 tornado. A state of emergency was declared for Pulaski County on April 17.

 

            “Residents of Pulaski were struck by a destructive tornado that has posed many challenges to the community as they try to recover from the storm,” said Governor McDonnell. “This grant will help provide much needed assistance to the uninsured and under-insured homeowners who have been struggling to rebuild over the past months. When disaster strikes, as it did in April, we have to be ready to help.”

            Eligible projects under this program alleviate existing conditions which pose a serious and immediate threat to the health and welfare of the community. Proposals are received on a rolling basis between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2011.

 

            Since 1982, the federally-funded CDBG program has been administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), and Virginia receives up to $17 million annually for this grant program. Most CDBG funds are awarded through a competitive process, and most projects benefit low-and moderate-income persons, while other projects are targeted for the prevention or elimination of slums and blighting conditions.

 

            “With this funding, we anticipate that we will assist 60 persons that are now struggling to rebuild after the destruction left by the April tornado,” said DHCD Director Bill Shelton.

 

2011 CDBG Competitive Grant Awards: Locality

Project Name

CDBGAward

Town of Pulaski

Pulaski Tornado Recovery Project

$700,000

Pulaski County

Pulaski County Tornado Recovery Project

$700,000

 

           Governor McDonnell is also still encouraging private citizens and corporations to donate to assist those Virginians impacted by natural disasters in the Commonwealth this year. Citizens and businesses are encouraged to donate to the Virginia Disaster Relief Fund, which will be used as a fund of last resort to assist homeowners and businesses to rebuild when other funding sources do not meet their needs. To donate, visit www.disasterfund.virginia.gov/.