Author: Timothy Watson

Rappahannock Regional Jail guard charged with carnal knowledge of inmate, forcible sodomy.

The Free Lance–Star: Jail guard charged with sex offense involving inmate:

Richard Zacofsky, 39, of Stafford is charged with one count of carnal knowledge of an inmate and one count of sodomy by force, threat or intimidation.

The female victim complained to jail staff, prompting the jail to launch an investigation and notify the Sheriff’s Office, according to the release.

03/05/2008 Donna Blanton retrial news #3

The Free Lance–Star: Blanton’s daughters testify in mom’s trial:

Donna Blanton’s two teenage daughters testified this afternoon that their mom asked them to hide credit card statements.

[…]

Danielle Blanton said she once asked her mom why she had to hide the mail and said Donna Blanton replied: “We would be homeless and penniless if anyone found out.”

We have candidates for Bowling Green and Port Royal.

The Free Lance–Star: AREA CANDIDATES:

BOWLING GREEN

Mayor: David Storke

Town Council (7 seats): Eric V. Hinson, Robert J. Ketterman Sr., Mark S. Mallin, Glenn McDearmon, Randal Robillard, Jason E. Satterwhite, Daniel C. Webb, Otis Lee Wright

[…]

PORT ROYAL Town Council (7 seats): Mark E. Hampton, Bill E. Henderson, Nancy L. Long, Della F. Mills, William A. Wick Jr., Rosie E. Upshaw.

Uh…someone “splain this to me”.

Richmond Times-Dispatch: Gun used in woman’s death registered to estranged husband:

The gun that was “used and found” at the scene of a Forest woman’s slaying was registered to her estranged husband, according to a search warrant filed by the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office.

[…]

“The firearm used and found at the scene was registered to Wesley Earnest,” the warrant said. “There is knowledge that there are items related to the weapon found at the death scene along with the motive for Jocelyn Earnest’s death that are located at this residence.”

Uh…the last time I check (and the NRA concurs) Virginia doesn’t require the registration of any type of firearms (except for machine guns [a gun that shoots automatically], “sawed-off” shotgun [a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches], or “sawed-off” rifles [a rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches].

Now, they could be referring to Form 4473 from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) which is kept permanently by any firearms dealer with a Federal Firearms License (FFL) when they sell a firearm.

However, there is a big difference between a gun being registered with someone, and a 4473 saying that weapon was sold to the person. If a private person purchased a firearm from a FFL and completed the required paperwork (including the 4473), and then proceeded to sell the weapon to someone else, the private citizen would not have to complete any paperwork and the gun could soon become “untraceable”.

I would except someone at RT-D to get the facts wrong, but for a trained police officer to be that incorrect is down right scary. And the Circuit Court actually issued a search warrant with a mistake that big? I’m sure the suspect’s lawyer is going to have a field day with this.

Spotsyltucky County creates broadband authority, Caroline still in stone age.

The Free Lance–Star: County creates broadband authority:

Spotsylvania may follow King George into the age of wireless broadband Internet. The Board of Supervisors recently approved a measure that lays the groundwork for a wireless broadband service authority.

With permission to form and hold a public hearing, the authority can now take steps toward creating public-private partnerships that would build a wireless broadband network in the county. Although it has not yet been funded, county supervisors have approved $10,000 for a consultant to help the wireless broadband authority navigate the State Corporation Commission’s requirements for approval.

[…]

Because of low population density, patches of western and southern Spotsylvania are not served by cable companies, and are not eligible for DSL service from phone companies. The wireless system would offer an alternative to dial-up for those residents.

Hey, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

[…]

He [Spotsylvania County Director of Information Services Brian Scott] believes that county residents will benefit from the increased availability of the Internet, as well as increased competition between providers. County services like the Sheriff’s Department and Fire Department could also benefit from countywide Internet coverage.

Oh quiet you, everyone knows that isn’t important. We have a YMCA and a visitors center to worry about.

Oh! Don’t forget about the cannery!

It took King George more than a year to get through the planning stage, and it will take time for any system to get up and running in Spotsylvania, but Scott hopes to use the template created by King George to expedite the process of partnering with a provider.

Meanwhile, Caroline County twiddles its thumbs…