Va. Gov. Tim Kaine, who’s also DNC chairman, rejects Virginia GOP request for travel records

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia’s governor, who doubles as the national Democratic party chief, is refusing to turn over his travel records to Republicans in his state.

Altria announces departure of UST executive, following integration of smokeless business

RICHMOND, Va. — Altria Group Inc. said on Friday that Murray S. Kessler, chief executive of the smokeless tobacco company UST Inc., will leave the company at the end of June after overseeing key elements of UST’s integration into Altria.

Virginia budget cuts could close nation’s last pole-driven ferry after more than 130 years

SCOTTSVILLE, Va. — For more than 130 years, ferrymen have jammed poles into the James River’s gravelly shallows to push the Hatton Ferry slowly across to other side.

Sharply divided federal appeals court revives Va.’s 2003 ban on a type of late-term abortion

RICHMOND, Va. — A sharply divided federal appeals court upheld Virginia’s ban on a type of late-term abortion Wednesday, ruling that the statute does not unduly burden a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy by more conventional means.

CarMax focused on cost-cutting, execution to weather weak automotive market

RICHMOND, Va. — CarMax Chief Executive Tom Folliard says the auto retailer is focused on eliminating waste and improving execution to weather the weak automotive market and better position it for future growth.

Liberty U to recognize student Democrats, Republicans as unofficial, unfunded clubs

RICHMOND, Va. — The student Democratic club at conservative Liberty University can continue as a campus group — unofficially.

Driver of DC Metro train that hit stopped train remembered as employee who was proud of job

SPRINGFIELD, Va. — The Metro train operator who was driving the cars that barreled into a stopped train is being remembered as an employee who was proud of her job.

The Fighting Asparagus? Ideas for William & Mary’s new mascot range from horse to veggie

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — The College of William & Mary in Virginia is looking for a mascot and ideas have ranged from a feathered horse to an asparagus stalk.

250 mostly elderly residents evacuate DC suburban apartments after underground explosion

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — An underground transformer has exploded and about 250 mostly elderly residents are evacuating their apartments in suburban Washington, D.C.

On Father’s Day weekend, Obama and daughters snack on frozen custard

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The first family was in the mood for something sweet — something like vanilla custard, fudge and sprinkles.

Texas billionaire R. Allen Stanford set to appear in federal court in Va. after surrendering

RICHMOND, Va. — Texas billionaire R. Allen Stanford is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Virginia at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time Friday for an initial hearing after surrendering to FBI agents on fraud charges the day before.

CarMax 1Q profit slips 2.7 pct on sales decline, charges related to loans, still beats view

RICHMOND, Va. — Auto retailer CarMax Inc. said Friday its fiscal first-quarter profit fell 2.7 percent on a double-digit sales drop and increased costs at its auto financing arm, but the results still beat Wall Street expectations.

CarMax 1st-quarter profit drops 2.7 percent on sales decline, charges related to loans

RICHMOND, Va. — Auto retailer CarMax says its fiscal first-quarter profit fell 2.7 percent on a double-digit sales drop. Its results still beat Wall Street expectations.

Witness at ex-Rep. Jefferson’s trial: ‘consulting fees’ disguised bribe payments

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A Kentucky businessman testified Wednesday he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in “consulting fees” to the wife of a former Louisiana congressman that were nothing but thinly veiled bribes.

Witness at ex-La. Rep. Jefferson’s trial: ‘consutling fees’ disguised bribe payments

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A witness in the bribery trial of a former Louisiana congressman says he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to the congressman’s wife in bribes described as “consulting fees.”

CarMax set to release 1st-quarter results Friday amid tough auto, credit markets

RICHMOND, Va. — Car dealership chain CarMax Inc. reports earnings for its fiscal first quarter on Friday. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.

Opening statements due in bribery, freezer cash trial of former Rep. William Jefferson

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The infamous $90,000 in cash found in the freezer of a former Louisiana congressman accused of taking bribes is evidence of nothing more than a failed FBI sting, a defense lawyer told jurors Tuesday.

Co-worker suspected in shooting deaths of 2 people at Virginia bus terminal surrenders

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — A co-worker suspected in the Monday morning shootings of a bus driver and another man in the employee lot of a northern Virginia bus station surrendered later in the day, authorities said.

Suspect arrested in shooting deaths of 2 at northern Virginia bus station’s parking lot

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Authorities in northern Virginia say a suspect in the shootings of a bus driver and another man in the employee lot of a bus station has surrendered.

Deeds gets big-name boost in fundraising, organization from Obama in Monday e-mail

RICHMOND, Va. — President Barack Obama plugged his party’s candidate for Virginia governor into his fundraising and organizational pipeline by e-mailing hundreds of thousands of Democrats on Monday.

Police look for suspect in shooting deaths of 2, including driver, at northern Va. bus station

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — A bus driver and another man were shot and killed Monday in the employee lot of a northern Virginia bus station about a mile from a busy shopping mall.

New water park attractions around the country

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Theme parks and water parks have opened a variety of new water rides and other aquatic attractions to keep visitors cool this summer. Here are some highlights compiled by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

Police search for suspect in 2 fatal shootings at commuter bus terminal in northern Va.

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Police in northern Virginia were searching for a man suspected of shooting and killing two men Monday at a commuter bus terminal near a popular shopping center.

University of Virginia president John Casteen tells board he’s retiring after 19 years

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — University of Virginia president John Casteen is retiring.

Indictment: DOD official charged with disclosing defense secrets to China

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A Pentagon official initially accused of unknowingly supplying secrets to China had actually been aware for some time that he was dealing with an agent for Beijing, according to a new indictment issued Thursday.

Obama’s former pastor Jeremiah Wright says ‘Jews’ keeping him from speaking to president

HAMPTON, Va. — President Barack Obama’s controversial former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, is blaming “them Jews” for keeping him from speaking to the president.

Virginia memorial to honor 40 soldiers killed in WWII crash in Australia long kept secret

FORT MYER, Va. — A beach vacation in the midst of World War II turned tragic for 40 U.S. soldiers, and the circumstances of their deaths in a plane crash in Australia was long kept a military secret.

Prosecutors: witness won’t testify in trial of ex-congressman Jefferson accused of bribery

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The woman who triggered an investigation of former congressman William Jefferson and eventually gave him a suitcase stuffed with $100,000 in cash won’t be called as a prosecution witness at Jefferson’s trial on bribery and other charges.

Va. state senator, a bit rough around the edges, beats party star in Dem primary for governor

RICHMOND, Va. — For four years, Democratic state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds has coped with losing the closest statewide race in modern Virginia history to Republican Bob McDonnell.

Prisoners, guards: Virginia women’s prison segregated masculine-looking inmates to curb sex

TROY, Va. — For more than a year, Virginia’s largest women’s prison rounded up inmates who had loose-fitting clothes, short hair or otherwise masculine looks, sending them to a unit officers derisively dubbed the “butch wing,” prisoners and guards say.