*Authorities seek inmate mistakenly released from jail

WINCHESTER -- Authorities asked for help in finding an inmate mistakenly released from the regional jail Tuesday.

*Suspect sought in fatal shooting of pet dog

WINCHESTER -- Authorities are looking for a suspect who shot and killed a resident's pet dog in Frederick County Tuesday night.

*Snow moves into Northern Shenandoah Valley

Most Northern Shenandoah Valley school districts plan to close because of the snow that began falling across the region Wednesday morning.

*Toms Brook man charged in hit-and-run involving officer

STRASBURG -- Authorities say a Toms Brook man drove drunk and struck a Strasburg police officer standing on the side of the road in town early Sunday morning.

*SAAA staff take pay cuts to stave off financial crisis

FRONT ROYAL -- The Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging's struggle to survive deepened Tuesday with the disclosure of sharp pay cuts being taken by agency managers and rank-and-file staff.

*More than 2 million can use Virginia Free File

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Gov. Bob McDonnell says more than 2 million low- to moderate-income Virginia taxpayers can use the state's free online program to prepare and file their state and federal returns electronically.

* Winchester police arrest man on weapons charges

City police responding to a domestic disturbance arrested a man late Monday on weapons charges.

*Ashby Lee students counseled in wake of classmate's death

QUICKSBURG -- Counselors and psychologists have been brought in to Ashby Lee Elementary School to help students come to terms with the weekend death of a classmate, Superintendent Keith Rowland said.

*Man treated for smoke inhalation after fire

FRONT ROYAL -- A neighbor rescued two apartment dwellers, Katherine and Jeffrey Laudermilk, from a fire at their residence at 24 E. Prospect St. Sunday night.

*Bond denied for man charged in weekend standoff

WINCHESTER -- Darren Scott Heflin, 41, of 357 Shenandoah Ave., appeared in Winchester Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Monday via video from the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center.

*W.Va. man sentenced in sex solicitation case

WINCHESTER -- A West Virginia man received prison time Monday for proposing sex with a person he thought was an under age girl he met online a year ago.

*Man charged after standoff with Winchester police

WINCHESTER -- A city man is in custody after causing a more than three-hour standoff between himself and police early Saturday morning, according to Sgt. Frank Myrtle of the Winchester Police Department.

*Fire destroys Fort Valley home

FORT VALLEY -- An overnight fire destroyed a family's home and sent one person to the hospital with smoke inhalation.

*Ogden Newspapers to purchase Northern Virginia Daily

STRASBURG -- A Wheeling, W.Va.-based newspaper company has an agreement to purchase The Northern Virginia Daily, staff members were told Friday morning.

*Whittlesey extradition delayed again

WINCHESTER -- Canadian immigration authorities on Thursday gave bank heist suspect James Louis Whittlesey one more chance to obtain a lawyer before he faces possible extradition to the United States.

*Vogel ultrasound bill passes Senate

A bill that would require women to undergo an ultrasound as part of informed consent before they can receive an abortion passed the state Senate on Wednesday.

*Woman charged with stabbing dog after being bitten

WINCHESTER -- Authorities say a Frederick County woman stabbed a dog with a knife after it bit her twice Sunday.

*Driver charged in crash that put Strasburg lights out

STRASBURG -- A tractor-trailer driver whose rig snagged a utility wire, dragging poles and electric lines down and sparking a fire at a house on the corner of South Funk and East King streets this morning, has been charged.

*Pedestrian killed when struck by pickup on Va. 7

WINCHESTER -- A Winchester woman died early Monday morning after a pickup struck her as she walked on Va. 7, according to state police.

*Large safe stolen from Frederick County home

CLEAR BROOK -- Authorities are looking for a suspect or suspects who broke into a Frederick County home Thursday morning and stole a large safe.

*Fire destroys log home on Swover Creek Road

EDINBURG -- A home on Swover Creek Road west of town was destroyed by fire shortly before midnight Tuesday.

* Phone glitch disrupts Va. jobless calls

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- The Virginia Employment Commission says some unemployment benefit checks could be a day late because an 800 number used by recipients to certify their claims was down for an extended period.

*Former fugitive in sex crime case set for trial April 27

WINCHESTER -- A man authorities say fled the country to avoid trial on a sex crime charge pleaded guilty Tuesday for failing to appear in court 10 years ago.

*Bond deal struck for suspect in New Year's Day homicide

WINCHESTER -- A city man charged with murder and held without bond directly following the incident was granted $100,000 secured bond Monday as part of an agreement.

*Weapons confiscated from student on SU campus

WINCHESTER -- A Shenandoah University student was found with weapons on campus Saturday, but an SU spokeswoman said the matter will be dealt with through university policy.

*Winchester unveils plans for new baseball stadium

WINCHESTER -- City officials on Monday unveiled a proposal for a new baseball stadium but said they won't build it without a minor league team on deck.

*Former 'detox' center may become spa retreat

WINCHESTER -- A developer wants to turn the former "detox" building downtown into a spa retreat.

*Health district honored for hitting preparedness benchmarks

WINCHESTER -- A nationwide group has honored the Lord Fairfax Health District for its ability to respond to public emergencies.

*Suspect sought in Star Tannery robbery

STAR TANNERY -- Authorities are looking for a person suspected of robbing several people at gunpoint outside a Frederick County restaurant late Tuesday night.

*Planners endorse nightclub status for hookah bar

WINCHESTER -- A hookah bar may run as a nightclub but shouldn't sell alcohol on site, the planning commission recommended Tuesday.

*Shenandoah, Clarke to receive farmland preservation funds

Clarke and Shenandoah counties can continue to save working farmland with more than $200,000 in state grants.

*Davis named dean of SU business school

WINCHESTER -- Shenandoah University has tapped one of its own to lead the Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business. Miles K. Davis becomes dean of the school effective July 1.

*Water line break disrupts service in Front Royal

FRONT ROYAL -- Water service will be disrupted for customers on Virginia Avenue Thursday from 5:45 p.m. until 10 p.m., according to a news release from the Department of Environmental Services.

*Woman pleads guilty in murder-for-hire plot against Strasburg woman

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (AP) -- A West Virginia woman has pleaded guilty to trying to arrange the murder of a Virginia resident.

*Boy injured when pickup crashes into tree

FRONT ROYAL -- A boy sustained severe injuries Wednesday morning after his Ford pickup went off the road and struck a tree.

*Allamong marijuana case goes to grand jury

WOODSTOCK -- Attorney James H. Allamong Jr. waived his right to a preliminary hearing on drug charges Tuesday in Shenandoah County General District Court.

*Allbritton files complaint against Shentel with FCC

EDINBURG -- Shentel's decision to drop WJLA from its Shenandoah County cable lineup has resulted in a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.

*W.Va. man to serve eight years for bank robberies

WINCHESTER -- A West Virginia man charged with robbing two banks in the city in November of 2010 will spend eight years in jail in addition to time in other jurisdictions.

*Kaine campaigns in Winchester

WINCHESTER -- U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine talked to area business leaders on Friday about issues he would address if elected in November.

*Judge orders robbery suspect held without bond

WINCHESTER -- A Stephens City man who authorities say has confessed to robbing two convenience stores on Monday was ordered held without bond Thursday.