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"Schools should be places of safety and sanctuary and learning. When that sanctuary is violated, the impact is felt in every American classroom and every American community."– President George W. Bush, April 16, 2007, following the deadliest single-gunman school shootings in U.S. history at Virginia Tech. read full story

Worst rumor: That something will happen at Albemarle High on the Mayan Doomsday December 21– one week after the horrific massacre of first graders in Newtown, Connecticut. Albemarle police investigate and say they have found no basis for the allegations. read full story

In 50 years, although print media may well be a thing of the past, one local paper will be around when the time capsule stored at the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society gets popped open in 2062. Three issues of the Hook– Year in Review: The Best and Worst of 2012, and the 2011 Year in Review– were sealed away on December 23, along with the Hook Book, a photo-rich romp through local history. read full story

A neighbor had heard gunshots before behind the Rio Mills Road house where two men were found dead December 26, but she didn't that day. "We heard nothing yesterday," says Charlotte Pusey. "We never heard one gunshot throughout the entire ordeal." Pusey was home the day after Christmas when she noticed blue lights around noon in front of 2525 Rio Mills Road, a house owned by James T. "Sonny" Marshall. read full story

By Lucy Sankey Russell read full story

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December 20 at 10am at the Albemarle Courthouse Property: 381 Minor Ridge Road Debtor: Bart C. Neumann Original amount owing: $192,000 Bidder brings: $11,000 or 10 percent sale price Info: ALG Trustee LLC 703-777-7101 read full story

When Mark Warner was governor, he once told the Hook the most annoying thing about Charlottesville was its belief that it is the center of the universe. Guess what? In 2012, Charlottesville was the center of the universe. During the contentious presidential campaign, President Barack Obama, Bruce Springsteen, and Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan all flocked here. So did the Dalai Lama. And when the Olympics were happening in London, UVA athletes brought home the gold. read full story

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Six attorneys sat before their Charlottesville Albemarle Bar Association peers to argue why they were the best person to take a soon-to-be vacated seat in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court when Judge Dwight Johnson retires January 31. The bar's judicial endorsements committee will rate the six candidates following the December 17 forum, and the person deemed most qualified gets the local nod and is almost always a shoo-in for confirmation by the General Assembly. All the legislators for in the 16th Judicial Circuit are notified of the bar's recommendation. read full story

With the 2013 Oscarcast moved up to February 24, movie fans are already in a lather over the possible nominees, especially since again this year there can be "up to" 10 finalists in the best picture category. read full story

    Our local housing market saw a bit of a rebound in 2012, as reported by both Nest Realty and CAAR (the Charlottesville-Albemarle Association of Realtors), and now that the year is drawing to a close, a number of us are wondering what might be in store for 2013. read full story

Used to be, having your head in the clouds wasn't such a good trait if you wanted to start a business. Not anymore. In fact, sitting around a conference room table in Lewis and Clark Square on a recent December afternoon, eating pie with folks from various local tech companies as part of a new tech meet-up group known as the Charlottesville Ninjas, it becomes clear that if your head isn't in "The Cloud," you're behind the times. read full story

In another time and another place, Starlet could have inspired a short story by Chekhov or O. Henry — a story about two women, one 22, the other 85, who are linked by one of those accidental plot twists explaining why they come together. Indeed, for almost an hour, the story is all the movie is about: That, and performances so effective they're enough all by themselves, even while we know next to nothing about the characters. read full story

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The year 2012 was another big one in the annals of Charlottesville music history. It would have been news enough to have "The Boss," Bruce Springsteen in town, but it's what he did with his time in town that created an everlasting glow. Appearing here just a few days before the election, in addition to his evening performance at John Paul Jones Arena, he gave a free afternoon acoustic show at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion. read full story

UVA President Teresa Sullivan was a shoo-in for the Hook's Person of the Year, but she certainly wasn't the only one who made waves in 2012. From a certain UVA rector to a determined sheriff to an outspoken professor, here are this year's runners-up. read full story

December 13 at 3:30pm at the Albemarle Courthouse Property: 1638 Harris Creek Road Debtors: Sandra K. Meadows, Mary Angela Stephens, Sonja M. Burt Original amount owing: $220,000 Bidder brings: 10 percent sale price Info: Wittstadt Title & Escrow 866-503-4930 read full story

Three weeks after a towing incident at the former Fry's Spring Exxon station on Fontaine Avenue escalated into a confrontation between a vehicle owner and an allegedly gun-wielding property owner, an arrest has been made. Related story Towing tales part deux: Wreckers, guns, and money read full story