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    <title>News for Richmond Times-Dispatch</title>
    <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/</link>
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        <title>News for Richmond Times-Dispatch</title>
        <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/</link>
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    <description></description>
    <dc:language>en</dc:language>
    <dc:creator>Richmond Times-Dispatch</dc:creator>
    <dc:rights>Copyright 2009</dc:rights>
    <dc:date>2009-07-04T13:56:56-05:00</dc:date>

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          <title>Richmond&#45;area Street Beat</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/traffic/article/STRT05_20090704-135801/278032/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Teaser headline for section front: Annoyance with Midlothian Turnpike roundabout   . . .  Q:Regarding the infamous and much-hated roundabout on Winterfield Road at Midlothian Turnpike&#8212;what&#8217;s going on? It appears that developer ran out of money and has left us daily Winterfield Road drivers stuck driving around the overgrown, unsightly and annoying circle. I&#8217;m still trying to figure out why the roundabout had to be the first thing constructed on this project, considering all the opposition to it. My question: Is there any way that the roundabout could be dismantled and the road put back to the wonderfully straight route it was before? Heh, I bet I could easily gather a bunch of very enthusiastic people and with our sledgehammers, knock that circle down in no time at all. It would be as dramatic and meaningful as when the Berlin Wall was brought down! Any chance of this happening?&#8212;Gail C.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:56:56 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>News Near You for July 5</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/RBRF05_20090704-134802/278031/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Richmond The city is considering a proposal to allow a freestanding sign at a dental office building at 6901 Patterson Avenue. The Planning Commission will consider the request at its 1:30 p.m. meeting tomorrow. Prince George The Appomattox Regional Library is offering an interactive theatre performance of the swashbuckling tale &#8220;Treasure Island&#8221; on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Burrowsville Library, 18701 James River Drive in Disputanta. The program is presented as part of the &#8220;Be Creative @ the Library&#8221; and &#8220;Express Yourself @ the Library&#8221; summer reading programs for young people from birth through high school. For information about Summer Reading Program events at the Appomattox Regional Library, visit http://www.arls.org or call (804) 458-6329, ext. 1013.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:47:26 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Fireworks explosion kills 1, injures 4 on N.C. Outer Banks</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/NCGAT04_20090704-131401/278030/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
OCRACOKE, N.C.&#8212;Authorities say a fireworks explosion on a North Carolina island only reachable by ferry has killed one worker and critically injured four others. Hyde County spokeswoman Jamie Tunnell says everyone hurt Saturday worked for a company setting up the annual Independence Day fireworks display on the Ocracoke Island docks.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:14:02 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>All lanes of Va bridge&#45;tunnel open</title>
          <link>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VA_BRIDGE_TUNNEL_CLOSURE_VAOL&#45;?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=BUSINESS&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT</link>
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All lanes of Va bridge-tunnel open 
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          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:07:08 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>2 US troops die in attack on base in Afghanistan</title>
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KABUL (AP)&#8212;Taliban militants fired rockets and mortars at a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing two American troops and wounding several more in a two-hour battle, officials said           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:44:43 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Job lost in Wal&#45;Mart, battlefield dispute</title>
          <link>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VA_WAL_MART_BATTLEFIELD_VAOL&#45;?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=BUSINESS&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT</link>
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Job lost in Wal-Mart, battlefield dispute 
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          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:31:13 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Sotomayor group sued over job tests</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/SOTO04_20090703-213404/277919/</link>
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WASHINGTON&#8212;Newly available documents show that a civil rights group advised by Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor brought several discrimination lawsuits in the 1980s that sought to scrap the results of job tests because too few Hispanics scored well. The documents were put on the Senate Judiciary Committee Web site yesterday. The Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund represented Hispanic sanitation workers in New York City who argued the tests unfairly disadvantaged minorities.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:58 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>More work needed at Hampton Roads Bridge&#45;Tunnel</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/TRAF041_20090703-233402/278014/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
More work is needed to repair a pump that closed the westbound tube of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, but authorities believe all lanes will be open today and tonight. &#8220;The last thing we want to do is close a lane on the tunnel on the Fourth of July evening,&#8220; said Lauren Hansen, a Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman. Both lanes were open much of yesterday and traffic generally moved steadily compared with the massive jams that snarled the area Thursday. There were some backups of up to 6 miles near the bridge-tunnel.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:54 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Black Dog has passed, but his memories live on</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/DOGG04_20090703-221802/277955/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Black Dog has died. The scruffy black canine with dreadlocks on his chest roamed tony West End neighborhoods for many years. He had nearly 700 friends on Facebook, but untold more followed his travels. Black Dog was found dead Thursday morning near the intersection of Cary Street and Maxwell Road, apparently struck by a vehicle.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:53 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>FACES OF FREEDOM</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/freedom/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
What does freedom mean to you? We asked hundreds of Virginians to share their thoughts for this holiday weekend. They value everything from freedom of speech to voting rights to freedom of religion. Listen to their stories.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:49 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Fines for no health coverage proposed</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/HEAL04_20090703-222604/277971/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WASHINGTON - In a revamped health-care system envisioned by senators, people would be required to carry health insurance just like motorists must get auto coverage now. The government would provide subsidies for the poor and many middle-class families, but those who still refuse to sign up would face fines of more than $1,000.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:45 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Analyst says Palin could be done with politics</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/state_regional_govtpolitics/article/PALI04S1_20090703-233202/278012/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin&#8217;s decision to step down during her first term could signal that she&#8217;s done with elective office, a Virginia political analyst says. &#8220;You shouldn&#8217;t dismiss that possibility if she&#8217;s fed up, and that came across at the press conference,&#8220; the University of Virginia&#8217;s Larry Sabato said last night. If she does plan future campaigns, Sabato thinks Palin has made a major error. &#8220;This will prove very useful to her opponent&#8212;she&#8217;s up and quit the only statewide office she&#8217;s ever held, in midterm. That&#8217;s not much of a qualification if you&#8217;re running for president,&#8220; Sabato said.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:42 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/state_regional_govtpolitics/article/PALI04S1_20090703-233202/278012/#When:04:01:42Z</guid>
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          <title>N. Korean launches more missiles</title>
          <link>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_NKOREA_MISSILE?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;03&#45;23&#45;28&#45;03</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
SEOUL, South Korea&#8212;A news report says North Korea has fired two mid-range missiles off it eastern coast. Yonhap news agency&#8217;s report says the launches today appeared to be of Scud missiles. The agency quotes a South Korean government official it did not identify. The official says the missiles fired were estimated to have a range of about 300 miles.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:38 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Where to find fireworks on the fourth</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/FIRW04_20090703-222202/277959/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
All are today unless otherwise noted.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:26 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Sedative found in home of Jackson</title>
          <link>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MICHAEL_JACKSON?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=US&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;03&#45;22&#45;35&#45;48</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
LOS ANGELES&#8212;The powerful sedative Diprivan was found in Michael Jackson&#8217;s home, a law-enforcement official said yesterday as the city planned for the singer&#8217;s memorial service. Diprivan is an anesthetic widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness. Also known as Propofol, it&#8217;s given intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:19 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>What does freedom mean to you?</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/VIGS04_20090703-194002/277859/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
We asked hundreds of Virginians to share their thoughts on this holiday. Here&#8217;s a sampling of their responses: For Michelle Lingus, freedom is a bright yellow hot-dog cart. Laid off from her job as a certified public accountant and with little savings left after caring for her sick father, Lingus re-evaluated her future.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:01 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Fourth celebration in Goochland features Jefferson portrayal</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/GOOC04_20090703-234201/278016/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Visitors can take a step back in time in a special July Fourth commemoration at 5 p.m. today at the Goochland County Courthouse. Rob Coles, a descendant of Thomas Jefferson, will portray his ancestor at the event sponsored by the Goochland Bar Association and the Goochland Historical Society. Before Coles&#8217; appearance, F. Ward Harkrader Jr., a retired circuit court judge, and John Williamson, a local attorney, will don colonial attire to read the Declaration of Independence from the courthouse steps.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Cross&#45;examination ruling unsettled in Virginia</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/CORT04_20090703-234201/278015/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Virginia courts are feeling the impact of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that prosecutors must make forensic examiners available for defense cross-examination about lab reports on drugs, ballistics and other trial evidence. Defense attorneys began citing the ruling soon after it was issued June 25, even though the attorney general&#8217;s office contends that state courts are still bound by a somewhat different Virginia Supreme Court decision.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Palin gives no hint of plans after she quits</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/PALI04_20090703-222604/277973/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announced yesterday that she will quit her job at the end of the month, unleashing speculation about her plans, motivation and the wisdom of the decision. Speaking from the backyard of her lakefront home in Wasilla, Alaska, Palin suggested she would remain active in national politics. &#8220;We know we can effect positive change outside of government,&#8220; she said, flanked by her husband, Todd, and members of their family.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Mechanicsville man dies from crash injuries</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/ACKS04_20090703-222402/277962/</link>
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A Mechanicsville man injured in a crash last month has died from his injuries at VCU Medical Center. Virginia State Police said Ronald A. Hairfield Jr., 37, was injured in the 7:50 p.m. wreck June 13 on Cold Harbor Road, just north of Boatswain Road, in Hanover County. Police said he was driving north, passed another vehicle, and went off the right side of the road as he re-entered the northbound lane. The vehicle rolled onto its passenger side and caught fire. Hairfield was wearing a seat belt. He died Wednesday.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>More work needed at Hampton Roads Bridge&#45;Tunnel</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/TRAF04_20090703-222202/277961/</link>
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More work is needed to repair a pump that closed the westbound tube of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, but authorities believe all lanes will be open today and tonight. &#8220;The last thing we want to do is close a lane on the tunnel on the Fourth of July evening,&#8220; said Lauren Hansen, a Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman. Both lanes were open much of yesterday and traffic moved steadily.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>News Near You for July 4</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/RBRF04_20090703-222202/277960/</link>
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Petersburg An artillery shell found on the perimeter of a landfill yesterday turned out to be a non-explosive training round that did not need to be detonated. The shell was found behind Top Side Tent Rental at 1605 E. Washington St. by a surveyor and reported to the Petersburg Fire Department about 12:30 p.m., said fire Capt. Jeff Ivey. The Virginia State Police bomb squad was called, but it was determined the shell was non-explosive and was taken away, Ivey said.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>UR professor helps train mental&#45;health workers in Iraq</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/E-KRIS04_20090703-222202/277958/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Victims of traumatic events sometimes get so hung up thinking about what happened to them that they can&#8217;t let go of their torment. Rigid, &#8220;black-and-white kinds of thoughts&#8221; play over and over in their minds and keep them from moving forward in life, says University of Richmond researcher Kristen P. Lindgren. &#8220;Those kinds of thoughts can keep people stuck in their lives,&#8220; she said.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/E-KRIS04_20090703-222202/277958/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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          <title>Ways to help veterans</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/E-VETS04G_20090703-221802/277957/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
VetsGive250.org: The organization and Web site of the same name were created by Joe Codiroli, who retired from the Air Force in 2004. &nbsp; Wounded Warrior Project: Based in Jacksonville, Fla., the Web site address is http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org. &nbsp; Freedom Alliance: Based in Loudoun County, the Web site address is http://www.freedomalliance.org.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Federal check stimulates idea to help veterans</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/E-VETS04_20090703-221802/277956/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Joe Codiroli got a check in the mail that he never expected&#8212;and that stimulated an idea for helping wounded military veterans and the families of those who had been killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. Codiroli, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel in Chesterfield County, was surprised to receive a letter more than a month ago from the federal government informing him that he would receive a $250 payment through the stimulus package adopted by Congress in February. The one-time payment goes to veterans who receive disability or other benefits.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Fireflies, &#8220;nature&#8217;s fireworks,&#8220; basking in the glow of a good year</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/E-FIRE04_20090703-221605/277943/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A wealth of fireflies is turning every night in the Richmond area into the Fourth of July. &#8220;They are nature&#8217;s fireworks,&#8220; said Chris Hobson, a state-employed biologist. That delights Chris and Leslie Hobson&#8217;s three young children, who dash about the yard of their New Kent County home in pursuit of the slow-flying beetles. &#8220;I just grab &#8216;em, one hand,&#8220; said Ellie Hobson, 5.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Barber&#8217;s joy: Helping those who can&#8217;t leave home for a trim</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/HAIR04_20090703-220602/277932/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
SPOTSYLVANIA&#8212;For Johnnie Wood, there&#8217;s no greater joy than helping people on fixed incomes who have trouble getting out of their homes. The Spotsylvania County man is willing to drive within a 25-mile radius of Fredericksburg to cut the hair of men and women who are elderly or disabled. He&#8217;s not interested in making a lot of money&#8212;he charges $10 a cut&#8212;or working full time. He&#8217;s after a different payment.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Lowballed appraisals causing frustration</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/B-HARN04_20090703-220602/277931/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WASHINGTON It&#8217;s by far the hottest controversy in real estate this summer, and it could directly affect the value of your house&#8212;probably negatively&#8212;by tens of thousands of dollars. The issue concerns lowballed valuations and the new rules guiding appraisers in pricedepressed and in rebounding markets. Consider these snapshots of what&#8217;s going on:           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
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          <title>Report: Langley to lose military slots under plan</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/CUTS04_20090703-215202/277922/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A reshuffling of people and resources proposed for the Air Force would result in a net loss of nearly 400 military personnel and 18 F-15 fighters at Langley Air Force Base. However, the base is projected to gain 125 civilian positions. The data was contained in the Fiscal Year 2010 Force Structure Announcement, which addresses structure, realignment and management decisions that are supported in President Barack Obama&#8217;s defense budget.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/CUTS04_20090703-215202/277922/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Biden draws anger during trip to Iraq</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/IRAQ04_20090703-210803/277905/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
BAGHDAD&#8212;Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.&#8216;s surprise two-day visit this weekend to Iraq was meant to &#8220;re-establish contact&#8221; with leaders here, but some Iraqis bristled at the messenger more than the message. Biden is well known in Iraq for his earlier support of a plan to give three-way autonomy to each major ethnic group here&#8212;Sunni Arab, Shiite Arab and Kurd&#8212;under a central government.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/IRAQ04_20090703-210803/277905/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Malt&#45;O&#45;Meal recalls oatmeal made with dry milk</title>
          <link>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MILK_PROCESSOR_RECALL?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=US&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;03&#45;20&#45;38&#45;28</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)&#8212;Malt-O-Meal Co. is voluntarily recalling oatmeal that contains instant nonfat dry milk that may be contaminated with salmonella.

           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:06:35 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MILK_PROCESSOR_RECALL?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=US&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;03&#45;20&#45;38&#45;28#When:02:06:35Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>One westbound Hampton Roads Bridge&#45;Tunnel lane will close again tonight</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/one_westbound_hampton_roads_bridge-tunnel_lane_will_close_again_tonight/277852/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
One of two westbound lanes of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel will close again at 7 p.m. and not reopen until 9 a.m. tomorrow, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:22:57 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/one_westbound_hampton_roads_bridge-tunnel_lane_will_close_again_tonight/277852/#When:20:22:57Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Palin resigns as governor; leaves plans secret</title>
          <link>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PALIN_RESIGNING?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=US&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin abruptly announced Friday she is resigning from office at the end of the month, a shocking move that rattled the Republican party but left open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:46:42 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_PALIN_RESIGNING?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=US&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=#When:19:46:42Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Suspected artillery shell in Petersburg was non&#45;explosive</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/ARTIGAT03_20090703-145201/277848/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
An artillery shell found in Petersburg on the perimeter of a landfill earlier this afternoon turned out to be a non-explosive training round that did not need to be detonated.
           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:52:24 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/ARTIGAT03_20090703-145201/277848/#When:18:52:24Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Ticket plans announced for Jackson memorial in LA</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/ticket_plans_announced_for_jackson_memorial_in_la/277844/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Staples Center executive Tim Leiweke says 17,500 tickets free tickets will be provided for Michael Jackson&#8217;s memorial Tuesday. There also will be a free worldwide video feed.
           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:59:36 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/ticket_plans_announced_for_jackson_memorial_in_la/277844/#When:17:59:36Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Powerful sedative found in Michael Jackson&#8217;s home</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/powerful_sedative_found_in_michael_jacksons_home/277843/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The powerful sedative Diprivan was found in Michael Jackson&#8217;s home, a law enforcement official said Friday.
           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:46:05 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/powerful_sedative_found_in_michael_jacksons_home/277843/#When:17:46:05Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Oregon woman on bike dies after being struck by dump truck at Va. Tech</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/oregon_woman_on_bike_dies_after_being_struck_by_dump_truck_at_va._tech/277841/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
An Oregon woman has died after a dump truck struck her bicycle on the Virginia Tech campus, an official said.

           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:27:33 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/oregon_woman_on_bike_dies_after_being_struck_by_dump_truck_at_va._tech/277841/#When:16:27:33Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Pope places John Henry Newman on path to possible sainthood</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/world/article/pope_places_john_henry_newman_on_path_to_possible_sainthood/277840/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Pope Benedict XVI placed Cardinal John Henry Newman, an influential 19th-century Anglican convert, on the path to possible sainthood Friday by approving a miracle attributed to his intercession.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:18:06 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/world/article/pope_places_john_henry_newman_on_path_to_possible_sainthood/277840/#When:15:18:06Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>S.C. governor leaves mansion, plans Fla. trip with family</title>
          <link>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SC_GOVERNOR?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;03&#45;05&#45;45&#45;41</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
 South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has left his official residence in the state capital and appears to be heading to spend the weekend with his wife and children.

 
           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:27:56 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SC_GOVERNOR?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=HOME&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;03&#45;05&#45;45&#45;41#When:13:27:56Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Russia to allow U.S. arms shipments across its territory to Afghanistan</title>
          <link>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_RUSSIA_US?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;03&#45;09&#45;11&#45;06</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Russia will allow the U.S. to ship weapons across its territory to Afghanistan, a top Kremlin aide said Friday in a gesture aimed at bolstering U.S. military operations and improving strained ties between Washington and Moscow.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:18:30 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_RUSSIA_US?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;03&#45;09&#45;11&#45;06#When:13:18:30Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Prosecutors say Demjanjuk fit to stand trial</title>
          <link>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_GERMANY_DEMJANJUK?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;03&#45;08&#45;33&#45;32</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Doctors have determined that John Demjanjuk is fit to stand trial on charges that he was an accessory to murder at a Nazi death camp.
           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:15:43 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_GERMANY_DEMJANJUK?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;03&#45;08&#45;33&#45;32#When:13:15:43Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Marines push deeper into southern Afghan towns</title>
          <link>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Forces moved into villages in Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan on Friday, meeting little resistance as they tried to win over local chiefs on the second day of the biggest military operation here since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:56 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=#When:04:01:56Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Biden visits Iraq after U.S. troops pull back</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/national_govtpolitics/article/IRAQ03_20090702-203201/277715/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
BAGHDAD&#8212;U.S. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. arrived in Iraq yesterday to visit American soldiers, just two days after all U.S. combat troops withdrew from Baghdad and all of Iraq&#8217;s cities and towns. Biden will meet with Iraqi leaders, including President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. A White House statement said Biden will reiterate the U.S. commitment to carry out President Barack Obama&#8217;s plan to withdraw combat forces. He also will press Iraqi leaders to make more progress toward political reconciliation.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:52 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/national_govtpolitics/article/IRAQ03_20090702-203201/277715/#When:04:01:52Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Vick amends bankruptcy plan, awaits judge&#8217;s ruling</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/VICK03_20090702-223204/277823/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick has submitted a revised bankruptcy plan that funnels more of his future earnings to creditors, though a judge did not immediately rule on the proposal. Vick filed the new Chapter 11 plan yesterday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Newport News. A judge rejected Vick&#8217;s original plan in April. The new plan also ensures creditors will get some money even if Vick can&#8217;t resume his NFL career.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:51 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/VICK03_20090702-223204/277823/#When:04:01:51Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Documents on nominee Sotomayor at issue</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/SOTO03_20090702-210404/277720/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WASHINGTON&#8212;The White House hit back yesterday at a key Republican senator who has accused Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor&#8217;s allies of withholding documents from her past. White House Counsel Greg Craig told Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, that board meeting minutes and other papers detailing the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund&#8217;s activities while Sotomayor was an outside adviser aren&#8217;t relevant. Republicans have raised concerns about the judge&#8217;s involvement in the group, arguing it has taken extreme positions.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:49 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/SOTO03_20090702-210404/277720/#When:04:01:49Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Westbound side of Hampton Roads tunnel reopens</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/TUNN03_20090702-223003/277818/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Standing water inside the westbound side of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel prompted the Virginia Department of Transportation to partially close the tunnel for most of the day yesterday, sending drivers scrambling and clogging alternate routes. And closer to Richmond, a multivehicle wreck temporarily shut down all southbound lanes of Interstate 95 near state Route 288 in Chesterfield County.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:42 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/TUNN03_20090702-223003/277818/#When:04:01:42Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Petersburg digs for its past, excavates Golden Ball Tavern</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/E-PETE03_20090702-223003/277814/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
PETERSBURG&#8212;At the place where Petersburg&#8217;s first local election was held in the late 1700s, a pile of excavated soil sits these days. Archaeologists hope to find more evidence of the city&#8217;s past in an excavation at the former Golden Ball Tavern, at Old and Market streets in Old Towne. &#8220;We are investigating this tavern to see the history of Petersburg,&#8220; said Chris Stevenson, a Virginia Department of Historic Resources archaeologist who is leading the three-year study. &#8220;This was one of the most historic buildings that is not here anymore.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:39 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/E-PETE03_20090702-223003/277814/#When:04:01:39Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Diradour still swinging for baseball at The Diamond</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/BASE03_20090702-223204/277819/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A man approached Charlie Diradour and shook his hand outside The Diamond yesterday. &#8220;Keep up the good work, Charlie,&#8220; he said. Replied Diradour: &#8220;Thank you very much for coming out.&#8220; Diradour, who arranged the appearance to announce the launching of his revamped Web site, looked as if a politician were the centerpiece. Diradour is not a politician&#8212;at least not yet.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:33 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/BASE03_20090702-223204/277819/#When:04:01:33Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>FACES OF FREEDOM: Richard Lee</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/FOUR03_20090702-222604/277806/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
During the past two weeks, Times-Dispatch newsroom staff members asked people in the Richmond region, &#8220;What does freedom mean to you?&#8220; We&#8217;ll run their photos and answers in tomorrow&#8217;s Times-Dispatch as part of our special Fourth of July weekend coverage. For Richard Lee, 61, an orthodontist in Midlothian, freedom of religion is most important.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:15 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/FOUR03_20090702-222604/277806/#When:04:01:15Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Immigrant families celebrate newfound liberty</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/IMMI03_20090702-222604/277807/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Three families reflect on their new freedoms. Abdul Karim Dumbuya, who has been reunited with wife and son after the strife of Sierra Leone, considers himself &#8220;blesed and lucky.&#8220;           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:06 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/IMMI03_20090702-222604/277807/#When:04:01:06Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>News Near You for July 3</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/RBRF03_20090702-223204/277822/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Henrico Fairfield District Supervisor Frank J. Thornton has been appointed to the charter and bylaws committee of the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission. His one-year term on the committee began Wednesday. The commission is a multijurisdictional planning agency that works to develop cooperative policies on such regional issues as transportation, water resources and solid-waste planning. The commission serves the city of Richmond, town of Ashland and counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent and Powhatan. Thornton is serving a four-year term on the commission.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/RBRF03_20090702-223204/277822/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Lynchburg native says big gains being made in malaria fight</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/LYNC03_20090702-223204/277821/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
In Lynchburg, a mosquito is a nuisance, said city native Col. Donald &#8220;Gray&#8221; Heppner Jr. &#8220;In Kenya, it&#8217;s a potential death sentence,&#8220; he said. One of the world&#8217;s most devastating diseases could be on the verge of eradication&#8212;and Heppner is on the front lines. Last week, Heppner was awarded the 2009 World Service Medal from Kiwanis International for his chief role in developing a promising vaccine against malaria.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/LYNC03_20090702-223204/277821/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Bedford camp for disabled shuts early</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/CAMP03_20090702-223204/277820/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A Bedford County summer-camp program for the disabled was shut down seven weeks early because of a medical incident that resulted in the firing of the camp director and an unidentified medical staffer. Camp Virginia Jaycee board Chairman Tom King of Centreville said Wednesday that an adult female camper was treated and released from a hospital and is residing at a group home. He declined to elaborate on the incident but said it did not involve the H1N1, or swine-flu, virus.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/CAMP03_20090702-223204/277820/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Henrico set to connect Broad Street to Shady Grove/Pouncey Tract intersection</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/GAYT03_20090702-223003/277816/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Henrico County has a route set and plans in hand for more than 80 percent of a new 1&#189;-mile connection between West Broad Street and the intersection of Shady Grove and Pouncey Tract roads. The project is meant to ease traffic at one of the busiest intersections in the metro area, and comes before the Board of Supervisors this month for consideration, capital projects coordinator Robert C. Tieman said.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/GAYT03_20090702-223003/277816/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Fireworks on the Fourth</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/FIRW03_20090702-223003/277815/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
&#8220;Celebrate Freedom&#8221;: Heritage of America Band in concert of popular and patriotic favorites, children&#8217;s activities and fireworks, 6:30 p.m. TODAY at Genworth Financial headquarters, 6620 W. Broad St. Free. (804) 281-6699. &nbsp; &#8220;Racing to the Stars &amp; Stripes&#8221; at Colonial Downs : Horse racing, patriotic concert and fireworks tripleheader starting at 6 p.m. TODAY and TOMORROW. General admission: $2; kids 12 and younger free. (804) 966-7223.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/FIRW03_20090702-223003/277815/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Blue Ridge Parkway ranger says man&#8217;s snakebite report false</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/BITE03_20090702-223003/277813/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A man airlifted from the Blue Ridge Parkway this week falsely reported being bitten by a snake, authorities determined today. &#8220;Based on information developed in our investigation, on the scene and speaking to folks, things are not pointing toward snake envenomization,&#8220; said Ridge District Ranger Kurt Speers. Rescuers found a 48-year-old man lying semiconscious in the Dripping Rock area near mile marker 9 on the parkway Tuesday afternoon. A passer-by told authorities the man had been bitten five times by a timber rattler, information later passed on to another man who photographed the victim being airlifted to the University of Virginia.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/BITE03_20090702-223003/277813/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Post scraps paid access at &#8216;salons&#8217;</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/POST03_20090702-221002/277774/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
NEW YORK&#8212;The Washington Post asked lobbyists and business leaders to pay $25,000 to attend a dinner discussion with government officials and journalists at the home of its publisher, and then canceled the event after the invitations became public. The newspaper&#8217;s executive editor, Marcus Brauchli, said yesterday that no one in the newsroom had vetted the invitation and its journalists would not participate.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/POST03_20090702-221002/277774/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Jackson death spurs questions</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/MJAC03_20090702-221002/277773/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The investigation of Michael Jackson&#8217;s death is widening amid questions about the drugs he took, the doctors who provided them, and the actions of police. Why didn&#8217;t police seal the mansion where he had been living? Why didn&#8217;t they get search warrants immediately? Why did they tow away a doctor&#8217;s car after the death but not declare the home a crime scene?           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local_other/article/MJAC03_20090702-221002/277773/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Oldest Profession: Don&#8217;t Stop</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-PROS03_20090702-182004/277677/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
As its reputation suggests, the world&#8217;s oldest profession figures to be with us for a while. Reports that arrests for prostitution in Central Virginia have not wiped out the practice do not surprise. The relatively steady incidence of arrests does not argue for relaxation of the law or its enforcement, either. Activity along certain notorious corridors would be far greater if police did not routinely patrol the areas and launch undercover operations. Enforcement makes a difference. Prostitution belongs to the category of vice that moves around. Some years ago, blocks on West Grace resembled New York&#8217;s infamous Minnesota Strip. They are quieter now. That the trade has moved elsewhere does not mean the sweeps should not have occurred. Residents and businesses are happy they did. (The Minnesota Strip has been cleaned up, too.)           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-PROS03_20090702-182004/277677/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Sacred, Profane: Icons</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-ICON03_20090702-182004/277676/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Obituaries identified Michael Jackson as an icon. Stories called a certain poster of Farrah Fawcett iconic. What is an icon, pray tell? In the popular sense, icon refers to just about everything a baby boomer liked during youth and arrested adolescence. The New York Times seemingly cites icons several hundred times a day. We have had iconic burgers, iconic commercials, iconic sodas, iconic movies, iconic cartoons, iconic television series, iconic songs, iconic jingles, and on and on.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-ICON03_20090702-182004/277676/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Richmond Baseball: Scorecard</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-BALL03_20090702-182004/277672/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
You can&#8217;t tell the players without a scorecard? Heck, in Richmond you can&#8217;t tell the stadium proposals without one. An RT-D First appearing in yesterday&#8217;s editions reported that a property-owner is &#8220;pitching&#8221; Manchester as a site for a new ballpark. The area has visual appeal. Fans would be able to look across the James and see Richmond&#8217;s skyline, which is seen to its best advantage from the south.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-BALL03_20090702-182004/277672/#When:04:01:00Z</guid>
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          <title>Obama: Affirmative action still allowed</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/OBAM03_20090702-210404/277719/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WASHINGTON&#8212;President Barack Obama said yesterday that the Supreme Court is &#8220;moving the ball&#8221; to limit affirmative action, but he stressed that its ruling in favor of white firefighters still allows employers and educators to take race into account in hiring, promotions and admissions. The president avoided criticizing this week&#8217;s 5-4 ruling even though it reversed a decision his own high-court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, had endorsed as an appeals court judge.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:59 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/OBAM03_20090702-210404/277719/#When:04:00:59Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Woman stuck in trash bin gets ride to landfill</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/TRAPGAT02_20090702-212601/277726/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WINCHESTER&#8212;Workers at the Frederick County Landfill were surprised by what they found in a large trash bin trucked in from a Goodwill Industries store: a woman who had apparently gotten trapped. &#8220;They opened the door and she got out,&#8220; said landfill manager Ron Kimble. Maj. Robert Eckman of the Frederick County Sheriff&#8217;s Office said the 48-year-old Boyce woman crawled into the bin at the Winchester store sometime Wednesday night, couldn&#8217;t get out, and fell asleep.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:26:01 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/TRAPGAT02_20090702-212601/277726/#When:01:26:01Z</guid>
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          <title>Funeral home denies mishandling bodies</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/BODYGAT02_20090702-212001/277724/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
FALLS CHURCH&#8212;A funeral home that has been accused of mishandling bodies awaiting burial at Arlington National Cemetery says an internal review found no evidence of wrongdoing. Attorneys for National Funeral Home in Falls Church wrote to a Virginia regulatory board that the company has not violated any laws or industry standards. The home serves as a regional embalming and storage facility for Houston-based Service Corporation International.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:20:01 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/BODYGAT02_20090702-212001/277724/#When:01:20:01Z</guid>
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          <title>Metro red line trains to resume normal speeds</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/METGAT02_20090702-210802/277721/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WASHINGTON&#8212;Metro officials say red line trains in greater Washington, D.C., will return to regular speeds this holiday weekend for the first time since a deadly crash. Nine people were killed and more than 70 injured June 22 when one train slammed into another train stopped on tracks. Metro officials say red line trains will resume normal speeds starting at 7 a.m. Friday, except when passing between Takoma and Fort Totten stations near the crash site.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:08:02 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/METGAT02_20090702-210802/277721/#When:01:08:02Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Washington Post says publishers&#8217; conference won&#8217;t be held</title>
          <link>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_POST_CONFERENCES?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=US&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;02&#45;17&#45;30&#45;11</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Post says publishers&#8217; conference won&#8217;t be held 
           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:04:11 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_POST_CONFERENCES?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=US&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;02&#45;17&#45;30&#45;11#When:23:04:11Z</guid>
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          <title>Charlottesville man left for hike, never returned</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/MISSGAT02_20090702-184402/277692/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WINTERGREEN&#8212;Authorities are searching for a Charlottesville man who was reported missing after leaving his Wintergreen resort home on a hike. Officials say 45-year-old Michael Comer arrived at his home around noon yesterday and went on a hike. His wife reported him missing when he didn&#8217;t return by 7:30 p.m. Wintergreen resort community spokeswoman Dana Quillen says two teams searched for Comer overnight but they were contending with steep terrain and wet ground. She says the Virginia Department of Emergency Management was sending search-and-rescue teams this afternoon to continue the search.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:44:02 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/MISSGAT02_20090702-184402/277692/#When:22:44:02Z</guid>
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          <title>Vick files revised bankruptcy plan in Newport News court</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/VICKGAT03_20090702-183002/277691/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Suspended NFL star Michael Vick has submitted a revised bankruptcy plan that funnels more of his future earnings to creditors, though a judge did not immediately rule on the proposal. Vick filed the new Chapter 11 plan today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Newport News. A judge rejected Vick&#8217;s original plan in April. The revised plan also ensures creditors will get some money even if Vick can&#8217;t resume his NFL career.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:30:45 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/VICKGAT03_20090702-183002/277691/#When:22:30:45Z</guid>
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          <title>Capitals owner touts business support for Deeds</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/DEEDGATER03_20090702-172002/277669/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A group of business leaders&#8212;led by Ted Leonsis, majority owner of the Washington Capitals&#8212;announced their support today for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Creigh Deeds as the best to foster an environment for job growth. During a conference call about the new panel, Deeds told reporters that he supports the state&#8217;s right to work law. Deeds wouldn&#8217;t state a position on the so-called card check legislation, which would make it easier to unionize the workplace, saying it&#8217;s a federal issue.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:20:26 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/DEEDGATER03_20090702-172002/277669/#When:21:20:26Z</guid>
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          <title>Hanover authorities seeking suspect</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/BUBBGAT02_20090702-164802/277666/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Hanover County authorities are asking the public to help them locate a man wanted in a series of crimes. Authorities have obtained warrants against Jacob Lee Wright, also known as Bubba, charging him with burglary, four counts of grand larceny and a third-offense larceny charge. Wright is described as a 24-year-old white man about 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 165 pounds with brown eyes and short brown hair.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:47:59 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/BUBBGAT02_20090702-164802/277666/#When:20:47:59Z</guid>
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          <title>Roanoke officers can&#8217;t use firing range</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/SNIPGAT02_20090702-164601/277665/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
ROANOKE&#8212;Roanoke County has terminated Roanoke law enforcement officers&#8217; use of a county-owned firing range and driver training facility, citing a disregard for safety. The decision stems from a sniper training session in October in which an instructor positioned officers within 5 feet of a target while other officers fired live rounds from 50 yards away. Six police agencies participated in the exercise, which the instructor defended as standard practice.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:46:12 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/SNIPGAT02_20090702-164601/277665/#When:20:46:12Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>UPDATE: All lanes open on southbound I&#45;95</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/WREKGAT02_20090702-154001/277663/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
All southbound lanes are now open on Interstate 95 at state Route 288 (Exit 62), the Virginia Department of Transportation reports.            ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:40:15 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/WREKGAT02_20090702-154001/277663/#When:19:40:15Z</guid>
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          <title>Longwood announces Richmond&#45;area students who made dean&#8217;s list</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-LONG02_20090702-125001/277657/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Longwood University selected 536 students to the dean&#8217;s list for outstanding academic achievement during the spring semester. Among those from the Richmond area who earned an academic average of 3.5 to 3.99 were: * Sarah A Johnson of Bon Air (23235) * Amanda Gail Barker of Chesterfield (23832) * Rebecca Christine Borum of Chesterfield (23832)           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:48:11 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-LONG02_20090702-125001/277657/#When:16:48:11Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Obama on Putin, lost jobs, affirmative action, Michael Jackson and White House chef</title>
          <link>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_AP_INTERVIEW?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=US&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;02&#45;12&#45;34&#45;16</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
With joblessness rising, President Barack Obama said in an interview with The Associated Press that he was &#8220;deeply concerned&#8221; about unemployment and conceded that too many families are worried about &#8220;whether they will be next&#8221; to suffer economically           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:39:08 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_AP_INTERVIEW?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=US&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;02&#45;12&#45;34&#45;16#When:16:39:08Z</guid>
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          <title>Two top posts at Va. Girls State go to Richmond&#45;area students</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-GIRL02_20090702-123801/277655/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Two Richmond-area high school students were recently elected to the two of the three top offices at Virginia Girls State. Kayla Upadhyaya of Midlothian, a rising senior at the Appomattox Regional Governor&#8217;s School for the Arts and Technology, was elected lieutenant governor, and Bolanle Muritala of Henrico County, a rising senior at J.R. Tucker High School, was elected attorney general of the weeklong citizenship seminar sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary. They were elected June 24, then inaugurated two days later.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:36:41 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-GIRL02_20090702-123801/277655/#When:16:36:41Z</guid>
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          <title>Two Richmond&#45;area students named to Carson&#45;Newman dean&#8217;s list</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-CARS02_20090702-123201/277654/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Melissa A. Ford of Glen Allen and John C. Lawrence of Richmond were named to the dean&#8217;s list at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., for the spring semester. To be named to the dean&#8217;s list, a student must complete at least 12 credit hours of work and maintain a grade-point average of at least 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:30:41 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-CARS02_20090702-123201/277654/#When:16:30:41Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Boston University graduates students from Richmond area</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-BOST02_20090702-122801/277653/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Several students from the Richmond area were among the 5,863 students Boston University awarded academic degrees to in May. They are: Allison S. Hartnett of Midlothian, bachelor of arts degree in history and religion, summa cum laude. Carey C. Archer of Richmond, bachelor of arts in marine science. Sarah E. Arenstein of Richmond, bachelor of science in communication.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:27:41 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-BOST02_20090702-122801/277653/#When:16:27:41Z</guid>
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          <title>Glen Allen student recognized for work as Hokie Ambassador</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-AMBA02_20090702-122201/277652/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Molly M. Binion of Glen Allen, a junior majoring in communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, was one of 127 Hokie Ambassadors who volunteered for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at Virginia Tech during the 2008-09 academic year. Hokie Ambassadors are student tour guides who show prospective students and their families around the Virginia Tech campus. In accordance with the university&#8217;s motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), these tour guides logged nearly 3,000 hours of service to the university this year.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:20:10 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-AMBA02_20090702-122201/277652/#When:16:20:10Z</guid>
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          <title>116th Brigade Combat Team changes command</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/military/article/C-COMM02_20090702-121601/277651/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
During a traditional change of command ceremony, soldiers of the Staunton-based 116th Brigade Combat Team, 29th Infantry Division said goodbye June 21 to the man who led them through an eight-month tour in Iraq. Brigade Commander Col. William R. Phillips II relinquished his command to Col. Blake C. Ortner during the ceremony at Fort Pickett. Phillips is from Staunton, and Ortner lives in Stafford.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:14:10 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/military/article/C-COMM02_20090702-121601/277651/#When:16:14:10Z</guid>
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          <title>Soldier completes Warrior Transition Course</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/military/article/C-OREN02_20090702-120802/277650/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Army Pfc. Oren I. Wilson has completed the Warrior Transition Course at Fort Sill, Lawton, Okla. The course teaches basic skills necessary for integration into the Army for all prior-service service members to fully prepare them for Advanced Individual Training or on to their first assignment. Soldiers undergo much of the same training developed in basic combat training, except it is developed in a program of instruction that lasts five weeks instead of nine.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:07:40 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/military/article/C-OREN02_20090702-120802/277650/#When:16:07:40Z</guid>
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          <title>Downed power lines halt James River water traffic  in Hampton Roads</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/downed_power_lines_close_james_river_in_hampton_roads/277648/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The Coast Guard has halted all water traffic within a half-mile of the James River Bridge while utility crews remove downed power lines from the water.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:49:34 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/downed_power_lines_close_james_river_in_hampton_roads/277648/#When:15:49:34Z</guid>
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          <title>Newport News man accused of pulling girlfriend&#8217;s breathing tube from her throat</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/newport_news_man_accused_of_pulling_girlfriends_breathing_tube_from_her_thr/277647/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A Newport News man has been charged with attempted manslaughter after police said he pulled his girlfriend&#8217;s breathing tube out of her throat during an argument.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:46:29 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/newport_news_man_accused_of_pulling_girlfriends_breathing_tube_from_her_thr/277647/#When:15:46:29Z</guid>
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          <title>Defect cited in Southest Virginia pedestrian bridge collapse</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/defect_cited_in_western_va._pedestrian_bridge_collapse/277646/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A metal defect in an anchor bolt and a higher-than-typical load contributed to a Southwest Virginia pedestrian bridge collapse that injured nine people, the state Transportation Department says.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:32:49 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/defect_cited_in_western_va._pedestrian_bridge_collapse/277646/#When:15:32:49Z</guid>
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          <title>UPDATE: Both lanes open at I&#45;64 West Hampton Roads Bridge&#45;Tunnel; still congested</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/westbound_hampton_roads_bridge-tunnel_closed_for_repairs_congestion_severe/277643/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
 Both lanes of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel&#8217;s westbound tube are now open but area highways remain clogged with traffic.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:22:41 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/westbound_hampton_roads_bridge-tunnel_closed_for_repairs_congestion_severe/277643/#When:15:22:41Z</guid>
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          <title>Military training news</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/military/article/C-MILI02_20090702-105601/277640/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Army Pvt. Rico J. Cox has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. Cox is the son of Jeanette and Rickie Cox of Richmond. He is a 2003 graduate of Meadowbrook High School. Army Reserve Pfc. Erick S. Gwaltney has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. He earned distinction as an honor graduate.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:55:34 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/military/article/C-MILI02_20090702-105601/277640/#When:14:55:34Z</guid>
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          <title>Tomorrow&#8217;s Promise scholarships awarded to five RRHA residents</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-RRHA02_20090702-104601/277639/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Five students who live in Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority properties have been awarded Tomorrow&#8217;s Promise college scholarships. In addition to the scholarship awards, the students will receive coaching and mentoring throughout college from RRHA staff. The honorees are: Francyne Hamilton of George Wythe High School           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:44:03 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-RRHA02_20090702-104601/277639/#When:14:44:03Z</guid>
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          <title>Virginia Credit Union awards scholarships to 25 students</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-VACU_20090702-103802/277638/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The Virginia Credit Union has awarded $62,500 in college scholarships to 25 student members through its 2009 Dorothy J. Hall Scholarship Program. Students selected for the $2,500 scholarships were recognized for scholastic achievement, community service, extracurricular activities, an essay and work to defray the cost of education. The winners include 13 high school graduates from the Class of 2009 and 12 college students. All of the recipients are Virginians. The high school winners are:           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:36:03 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/education/article/C-VACU_20090702-103802/277638/#When:14:36:03Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>French investigator says Air France Flight 447 fell intact into sea</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/world/article/french_investigator_says_air_france_flight_447_fell_intact_into_sea/277637/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A French investigator says Air France Flight 447 did not break up in flight but plunged vertically into the Atlantic Ocean.
           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:43:06 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/world/article/french_investigator_says_air_france_flight_447_fell_intact_into_sea/277637/#When:13:43:06Z</guid>
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          <title>United computer problems cleared up at O&#8217;Hare</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/computer_problems_delay_united_flights_at_ohare/277636/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
United Airlines&#8217; computers are back up and running at O&#8217;Hare International Airport, slowly easing long lines of passengers headed out for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:26:27 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/computer_problems_delay_united_flights_at_ohare/277636/#When:13:26:27Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Five killed in suicide attack on Pakistani government bus</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/world/article/five_killed_in_suicide_attack_on_pakistani_government_bus/277630/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
A senior police official says at least five people have been killed in a suicide attack on a government bus near the Pakistani capital.
           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:19:34 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/world/article/five_killed_in_suicide_attack_on_pakistani_government_bus/277630/#When:11:19:34Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>American soldier captured in eastern Afghanistan</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/world/article/american_soldier_captured_in_eastern_afghanistan/277628/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Insurgents have captured an American soldier in eastern Afghanistan, the US military said Thursday           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:06:35 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/world/article/american_soldier_captured_in_eastern_afghanistan/277628/#When:11:06:35Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>No rain in forecast until Sunday night</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/WEATGAT02_20090702-065001/277626/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
The National Weather Service is calling for a dry Fourth of July weekend in the Richmond area, with no rain in the forecast until Sunday night. The forecast is for sunny days between now and Sunday with high temperatures of 87 degrees today, 86 tomorrow, 89 on Saturday and 88 on Sunday. Sunday night should bring a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:50:01 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/WEATGAT02_20090702-065001/277626/#When:10:50:01Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Marines suffer first casualties in Afghan campaign</title>
          <link>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;02&#45;05&#45;28&#45;04</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Thousands of U.S. Marines poured from helicopters and armored vehicles into Taliban-controlled villages in southern Afghanistan on Thursday in the first major operation under President Barack Obama&#8217;s strategy to stabilize the country.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:36:51 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;02&#45;05&#45;28&#45;04#When:10:36:51Z</guid>
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          <title>North Korea test&#45;fires 2 short&#45;range missiles</title>
          <link>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_NKOREA_MISSILE?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;02&#45;06&#45;02&#45;33</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
North Korea test-fired two short-range missiles Thursday, South Korea&#8217;s Defense Ministry said, a move that aggravates the already high tensions following Pyongyang&#8217;s recent nuclear test and U.N. sanctions imposed as punishment.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:10:35 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_NKOREA_MISSILE?SITE=VARIT&amp;SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&amp;TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&amp;CTIME=2009&#45;07&#45;02&#45;06&#45;02&#45;33#When:10:10:35Z</guid>
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          <title>15 injured in Staten Island Ferry hard docking</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/FERRGAT02_20090702-055801/277623/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
NEW YORK&#8212;A ferry boat with about 800 passengers aboard lost power while docking during last night&#8217;s rush hour and slammed into a pier, injuring 15 people. Ferry officials said the boat&#8217;s hard docking happened as it entered slip No. 5 at the St. George ferry terminal in Staten Island, where a 2003 ferry crash killed 11 people. The injuries in yesterday&#8217;s accident were minor.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:58:01 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/FERRGAT02_20090702-055801/277623/#When:09:58:01Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>New York City breaks air guitar ensemble record</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/GUITGAT02_20090702-055001/277621/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
NEW YORK&#8212;The cast and crew of the Broadway musical &#8220;Rock of Ages&#8221; and hundreds of inspired New Yorkers have broken the world record for the largest air guitar ensemble. A representative from Guinness World Records counted 810 air guitarists after yesterday&#8217;s matinee performance at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. That beats the previous world record of 440 people.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:50:01 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/GUITGAT02_20090702-055001/277621/#When:09:50:01Z</guid>
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          <title>66 to take citizenship oath at Monticello</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/NATGAT02_20090702-054802/277622/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
CHARLOTTESVILLE&#8212;Sixty-six people from 35 countries will be sworn in as U.S citizens at Monticello on the Fourth of July. U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th, will be the guest speaker at the annual Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony at the home of Thomas Jefferson. Since 1963, more than 3,000 people have taken the citizenship oath at Monticello. The event on the estate&#8217;s west lawn is free and open to the public.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:48:02 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/NATGAT02_20090702-054802/277622/#When:09:48:02Z</guid>
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          <title>Wintergreen donates 1,400 acres for preservation</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/WINTGAT02_20090702-054401/277620/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
WINTERGREEN&#8212;Wintergreen Resort has donated more than 1,400 acres around Crawford Knob for preservation in exchange for $3 million in state tax credits. Officials say Crawford Knob, which sits at 3,000 feet above sea level in Nelson County, will be preserved through a state conservation easement. The tract joins an additional 4,500 acres of undeveloped land already being held by the nonprofit Wintergreen Nature Foundation.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:44:01 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/WINTGAT02_20090702-054401/277620/#When:09:44:01Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Ballpark on south bank of James pitched</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/BALL021_20090701-232601/277605/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Reynolds Packaging Group, the owner of almost 18 prime acres on the south bank of the James River, is pitching Manchester as the place to play ball in Richmond.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:04:43 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/BALL021_20090701-232601/277605/#When:04:04:43Z</guid>
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         <item>
          <title>Sketches released of suspects in rape near VCU</title>
          <link>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/crime/article/RAPE02_20090701-231802/277601/</link>
          <description><![CDATA[
Richmond police last night released composite sketches of two possible suspects in the assault and rape of a woman last month in a parking deck in the Virginia Commonwealth University area. The woman was attacked about 1:45 a.m. on June 21 in the 1300 block of West Broad Street between North Lombardy and North Harrison streets, police said.           ]]></description>
          <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:01:49 EDT</pubDate>
<guid>http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/crime/article/RAPE02_20090701-231802/277601/#When:04:01:49Z</guid>
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