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...unless you have an iron gut and an ability to tune out the word "loogie" in a news report. But, yes, it's true that a Fredericksburg-area teen has been charged for the #1 fear of fast-food customers: spitting in a the drink of a citizen who had made a complaint. According to the Fredericksburg Free Lance Star, 18-year-old Taco Bell employee Shaleesheya G. read full story

The Albemarle school day is over, and despite massive absenteeism prompted by fears that unindicted co-conspirators of the four convicted teenagers would use April 20– the 7th anniversary of Columbine, Hitler's birthday and the 17th birthday of the convicted Western Albemarle student– to wreak havoc, no bombs were reported going off, no guns were snuck in through metal-detectorless doors, and no student casualties were reported, although officials are braced for a rash of sunburn cases caused by today's 85-degree temperatures that were ideal for hooking school. read full story

On April 29, U.S. Senator John Warner and Congressman Eric Cantor will preside over the unveiling of the restored brick exterior of Montpelier, the historic home of the father of the Constitution, James Madison. read full story

The only place in America that looks directly down at Monticello will soon open to the public, according to officials with the historic house. Starting May 1, for the first time in history, adults ($12) and children ($6) can ride a shuttle bus up to what has long been known as Brown's Mountain. The 90-minute tours will happen twice a day, at 1pm and 3pm. read full story

Whoda thunk that a road widely seen as useless and expensive would roar back to solve the area's water woes? Although it may never get built as a road, the Route 29 Western Bypass may play a role. Officials with the local water authority unveiled the specifics of their 50-year, $130.5 million water plan last night. read full story

John Grisham has confirmed his attendance. So have George Garrett, Boyd Tinsley, and Dahlia Lithwick. Even Oscar winner Morgan Freeman, in town to shoot the sequel to Bruce Almighty, is a possbility. read full story

The Albemarle County Architectural Review Board yesterday approved "Block C" of the Albemarle Place development, a self-proclaimed "town center" to be built at the intersection of Route 29 and Hydraulic Road. read full story

City Council will vote tonight on another law on pods. Nearly three months after a new ordinance mandated permits and limited POD* use to 30 days, City officials have discovered that they need to amend the ordinance because it required anyone using one of those portable outdoor storage containers to pay a whopping $250. When the ordinance was passed January 17, City staff "did not remember" that the cost for a temporary permit was $250. read full story

On March 22, 1986, UVA physiology graduate student Patrick Collins withdrew $40 from a downtown Charlottesville ATM, and that was his last contact with the living world. read full story

Pressured by recent drought worries, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority has finally chosen a new 50-year water supply planââ?¬â??the South Fork pipeline. The plan calls for the expansion of Ragged Mountain Reservoir and a new pipeline to the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir. read full story

Getting into UVA has never been easier– at least for students of Virginia community colleges. Today, UVA announced a new initiative that guarantees transfer admission to Virginia Community College students with a 3.4 GPA. Though there are a few other requirements (students must have no grades lower than C and must have at least a B in introductory English), the program could revolutionize Virginia's system of higher education, says Waldo Jaquith, one-time City Council candidate and former Piedmont Virginia Community College student. read full story

Four more UVa athletes were arrested by Charlottesville police on Monday in connection with a break-in and brawl at the Delta Upsilon fraternity house last month. About two weeks ago, UVA first-years Michael Brown, a varsity football player, and Michael Giallombardo, a varsity soccer player, were arrested in connection with the incident. On April 1, Brown was spotted practicing with the football team again, after h read full story

The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression has announced its 2006 ââ?¬Ë?Muzzleââ?¬â?¢ awards, given each year to those whoââ?¬â?¢ve trampled on our First Amendment right to free speech and freedom of the press. This year, honorees include President Bush for his wiretapping adventures, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg for censoring artistic expression to eliminate graffiti in the subways, and hecklers of an Ann Coulter speech at the University of Connecticut. read full story

A new compilation of the music of Bryan Harvey, senselessly murdered along with the rest of his family January 1, has been released, according to a story in this morning's Richmond Times-Dispatch. read full story

A proposed Route 29 Bypass alternative was dealt a fatal blow Wednesday, according to Charlottesville Tomorrow, a growth info service, that believes that the unanimous vote by County Supervisors to exclude the "Ruckersville Parkway" from the Places29 study constitutes a death blow. The Parkway– a thinner, longer, and somewhat more meandering alternative to the mountain-smashing and long-controv read full story

Various media outlets including NBC29 are reporting that like their two older alleged conspirators, the two 13-year-old Albemarle County boys detained in the alleged plot to bomb two high schools have been convicted.# read full story

Sentencing for at least one of the so-called teen bombers will be open, according to an official in the Commonwealth's Attorney's office who says the hearing will occur at 10:30am April 19. The hearing was to occur today, but the case was continued. read full story

Now you can download the entire Dave Matthews Band song catalog online through iTunes Music Store, the band announced. For the first time ever, fans can download every album for $9.99 and individual songs for 99 cents each. read full story

The budgets of the two major localities that want it (Charlottesville and Albemarle) are each now planning to spend $250,000 to $300,000 toward a proposed alignment study of the "Eastern Connector," a mega-million road that might slice through Pen Park to link Routes 29 and 250. read full story