*Brother of slain Berryville councilwoman faces new charge

BERRYVILLE -- The brother of slain Town Council member Gail Smith has been indicted in Prince Edward County on a charge of trying to hire a hit-man to kill her, according to a news release from Police Chief W. Neal White.

*Two hurt in three-vehicle crash on John Marshall Highway

STRASBURG -- Two people were taken to hospitals -- one by helicopter -- following a three-vehicle crash on Va. 55 (John Marshall Highway) just north of Va. 633 (Red Bud Road) Thursday afternoon.

*W.Va. man charged with trying to sell alligator through Craigslist

WINCHESTER -- Authorities accuse a West Virginia man of trying to sell an alligator he advertised on Craigslist to a law enforcement officer.

*Frederick crash victim was Manassas man

WINCHESTER -- Authorities have identified the victim in a fatal single-vehicle crash that occurred Monday night in Frederick County.

*Motorist dies in single-vehicle crash on U.S. 50

WINCHESTER -- A single-vehicle crash in Frederick County late Monday night left a driver dead.

*Two injured in I-81 crash near New Market

NEW MARKET -- Two passengers in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 this morning were airlifted to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, according to the Virginia State Police.

*Woman charged with second-degree murder in two drug deaths

WINCHESTER -- A Frederick County woman who has been charged with murder supplied lethal doses of drugs to her husband and another man in October, authorities say.

*Oranda sinkhole repairs slated to begin Monday

STRASBURG -- Traffic will again be impacted beginning Monday as a crew works to repair a recurring sinkhole on Oranda Road.

*Victim in fatal crash identified as 12-year-old boy

WINCHESTER -- Police identified a 12-year-old boy who died in a single-vehicle crash Wednesday night in Frederick County.

*Alger withdraws from race for commonwealth's attorney

WOODSTOCK -- Three people remain in the race for Shenandoah County commonwealth's attorney after one candidate has decided to drop out.

*Woodstock reschedules fireworks for Saturday

WOODSTOCK -- Independence Day fireworks canceled because of bad weather have been rescheduled for Saturday at the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds.

*Lightning strike torches shed in Clarke County

BERRYVILLE-- A lightning strike caused a shed to catch fire in Clarke County on Sunday night.

*Woman, child hurt in Va. 37 crash

WINCHESTER -- A motor-vehicle crash on Va. 37 sent a woman and an infant to the hospital Friday morning.

*Race for prosecutor leaves office short on staff

WOODSTOCK -- Shenandoah County Commonwealth's Attorney Albert T. Mitchell is a walking "Help Wanted" ad. Assistant Commonwealth's Attorneys Ken Alger and Dragana McCleary are taking unpaid leaves of absences so they do not create any unnecessary distractions within the prosecutor's office as the race to find Mitchell's successor heats up.

*Two injured in Frederick County crash

STEPHENS CITY -- A two-vehicle crash in southeast Frederick County sent both drivers to hospitals Thursday morning.

*Motorcyclist injured in collision with deer

FRONT ROYAL -- A man was injured Wednesday when his motorcycle struck a deer on Mountain Road in Warren County.

*Thomson pleads guilty to drug, tampering charges

HARRISONBURG -- Former Winchester commonwealth's attorney Paul Thomson pleaded guilty to five drug and witness and evidence tampering charges Monday morning in U.S. District Court.

*Family of four killed in crash at exit from Interstate 81

STEPHENSON-- A family of four died in a fiery Sunday morning crash on U.S. 11, according to Virginia State Police.

*Judge rules Thomson trial will open as scheduled Monday

HARRISONBURG -- A U.S. District Court judge has ruled that prominent Winchester defense attorney Paul Hampton Thomson's criminal trial is to begin as scheduled on Monday.

*Postal worker charged with embezzling

HARRISONBURG -- Authorities say a former U.S. Postal Service carrier took thousands of dollars from mail intended for recipients along his routes in Winchester.

*Proposed settlement reached in federal suit against George's

HARRISONBURG -- George's Chicken Inc. and the U.S. Justice Department have reached a proposed settlement in the antitrust lawsuit brought against the chicken processor.

*VDOT studies options for Oranda Road sinkhole repair

STRASBURG -- The Virginia Department of Transportation is reviewing its options for fixing the latest Oranda Road sinkhole, but officials say the repairs probably can be made off the roadway, said Stacy Sager, the Edinburg residency maintenance project manager.

*Victim identified in fatal mishap at Deer Rapids

WOODSTOCK -- The Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office has confirmed the identity of the 8-year-old Winchester boy killed in a camping incident Sunday morning as Matthew Alexander Crim.

*Fort Valley man dies in crash near Buckton

FRONT ROYAL -- A Fort Valley man was killed Tuesday in a single-vehicle crash on Va. 55 at Buckton.

*Simonpietri to serve 90 days in federal firearms case

HARRISONBURG -- Front Royal pawn shop owner Don Francis Simonpietri was sentenced to serve 90 days in prison on two convictions of illegal sales of firearms Tuesday in U.S. District Court.

*Fire damages home in Front Royal

FRONT ROYAL -- Three people, including a 5-year-old boy, were displaced from their house after a fire started shortly before 1 p.m. Monday.

*Winchester man injured in Clarke crash

BERRYVILLE -- A single-vehicle crash in Clarke County late Thursday morning sent a Winchester man to a Fairfax hospital.

*Man wanted in Winchester arrested in Washington state

WINCHESTER -- Authorities in Washington state on Wednesday caught a convicted sex offender wanted by law enforcement in Winchester.

*Judge orders boy detained in attack on father

WINCHESTER -- A Frederick County man remains hospitalized in serious condition Tuesday after suffering injuries in an altercation with his teen son, according to authorities.

*Two die in Frederick County crash

WINCHESTER -- Two people were killed in a two-vehicle crash Friday night on U.S. 522 (North Frederick Pike), according to the state police.

*Winchester man to serve 10 years in malicious wounding case

WINCHESTER -- A man a judge called "dangerous" and "a sadist" must serve 10 years in prison for wounding and holding his girlfriend captive for three days.

*Shenandoah County moves high school graduations indoors

WOODSTOCK - Principals of all three public high schools in Shenandoah County have decided to move tonight's graduation ceremonies indoors.

*Body found in car identified as Maryland man

WINCHESTER -- The Frederick County Sheriff's Office has identified the man whose body was found this week in a vehicle parked in the Stonewall Plaza Shopping Center.

*Gore woman wins $1 million Virginia Lottery prize

WINCHESTER -- A Gore woman has won $1 million in the Virginia Lottery's $70 Million Payout Spectacular game.

*Former First Bank president joins Union First operation

Former First Bank President and CEO Harry S. Smith has joined Richmond-based Union First Market Bank as its Winchester market executive.

*Body found in grocery store parking lot

WINCHESTER -- A badly decomposed body, believed to be that of a man, was found in a Frederick County grocery store parking lot Monday afternoon.

*Prosecutor: Revenge was motive in fatal stabbing

WINCHESTER -- Revenge spurred Fallon Nicole Racey and her boyfriend to stab and kill Todd Swartz near Middletown in 2009, a prosecutor claimed at the first day of the woman's murder trial Monday.

*Stephens City man gets prison term in attack

WINCHESTER -- A Stephens City man must serve prison time for his role in an attack last year on two men near Shenandoah University which left one with serious injuries.

*Suspect sought in iPod theft at Winchester Target store

WINCHESTER -- Authorities say the theft of several iPods from Target on Tuesday in the city appears similar to other incidents in Northern Virginia.

*Mitchell to retire as Shenandoah County's chief prosecutor

WOODSTOCK -- Shenandoah County Commonwealth's Attorney Albert T. Mitchell will be retiring at the end of the year.