RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -A nasty Saturday is on the way as far as the weather is concerned, but the main problem areas will be to the west of US-522 and especially to the west of US-29.

A WINTER STORM WARNING is in effect for the Valley and many areas west of US-29 and South of I-64.  The main concern that is developing for here is going to be freezing rain atop of some snow that will make for a very icy mess.

East of it, in a line that would be west of US-522 if you extended it all the way south to the state line, there is a Winter Weather Advisory.  This is where it will start as sleet and freezing rain and gradually change over to rain.

Tonight, the fair skies early on will allow for us to see temperatures dropping to the upper 20s but start to rise late tonight with the increase in clouds.

Tomorrow, we will start to off with a brief mix in the area but then change over quickly to rain. Watch the progression of the weather maps.

During the afternoon hours as we warm into the mid to upper 40s along and east of I-95 a band of moderate rain will cross over us.   The western part of the area will stay in the 30s.

Again, it is a good soaking rain for the area, but as you look at the ice map for the western part of the area, you can see that right up the spine of the Mountains there are going to be some issues.

Sunday will turn partly cloudy, and Monday will be sunny for us.

The next weather system is on the way to the area for Tuesday.  This will be a very powerful storm.  We are on the eastern side of it, so it’s the warm sector. 

Tuesday may start with a quick dose of winter weather to our west, but then it’s a bucket filler for us.  Along the Gulf Coast and up into North Carolina, severe storms look possible.

All said and done, these two systems could bring us a combined 3” of rain.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Richmond police do not have the evidence to bring forward criminal charges in the 2021 defacing of the Arthur Ashe mural in Battery Park, a department spokesperson said, although authorities can’t rule out charges in the future.

Videos posted online nearly a year after the defacement show two people with face masks on spray painting over the colorful mural of Ashe, a Black civil rights advocate and tennis icon from Richmond, and tagging it with symbols tied to the white supremacist group Patriot Front.

When the videos leaked, former Richmond police spokesperson Tracy Walker thanked 8News for forwarding a link to the videos in response to a Sept. 27, 2022, email seeking comment.   

“The vandalism was reported when it occurred, a detective was assigned and an investigation initiated,” Walker wrote. “This video changes the nature of our ongoing investigation and may prove helpful with apprehending those responsible for the crime.”

After consulting with the office of Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney Colette McEachin, detectives did not bring forward criminal charges in the case, Richmond police spokesperson James Mercante told 8News in a phone call.

Mercante said police don’t “close” investigations, saying that charges could be filed if more information is brought forward.

8News reached out to McEachin seeking an interview, but Richmond’s top prosecutor said she could not speak about her office’s potential guidance on the case without knowing the names of the detectives or prosecutor involved.

In an email, McEachin asked 8News if police knew “which of the 35 prosecutors had that conversation with which detective?” and later said she would “be happy to talk with you if either one [8News and Richmond police] had some more concrete information, like the identity of either the detective or the prosecutor who had this conversation.  Otherwise, I’d just be guessing, which I try to avoid doing.”

When 8News responded that the detective initially investigating the case was no longer with the department and that police did not share the detectives' names after 8News asked for them, McEachin again refused to discuss the case.

“The prosecutors in my office talk with patrol officers and detectives constantly about various investigations and whether or not there is probable cause to charge someone, so without any supporting paperwork or at least identifying information I [would] just be speculating as to who said what to whom at what time," she wrote in an email.

Prosecutors should pursue or file criminal charges “only if the prosecutor reasonably believes that the charges are supported by probable cause, that admissible evidence will be sufficient to support conviction beyond a reasonable doubt, and that the decision to charge is in the interests of justice,” according to the American Bar Association.

These details come as a federal judge allowed a civil lawsuit against Patriot Front members over the mural’s defacement to move forward.

Two Battery Park residents are suing Patriot Front and members of the white supremacist group over the vandalizing of the mural, claiming a conspiracy to violate their civil rights that led them and their families to avoid the nearby park.

The lawsuit alleges two Patriot Front members, Nathaniel Noyce and Thomas Dail, were the ones who vandalized the mural and attended a meeting in October 2021 to plan it.

The two videos uploaded on YouTube in 2022 by Unicorn Riot, an independent media collective, also claim that Noyce and Dail are the “culprits.”

According to reporting from the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the attorney for Noyce and Dail, Glen Allen, described the defacement in court as “an unfortunate, knuckleheaded, covering up of Arthur Ashe" during a March 27 hearing seeking to have the lawsuit thrown out.

The Times-Dispatch reported that it was not clear in court if Allen plans to dispute allegations that his clients were in the videos and that he said they are not white supremacists.

“They are an advocate for a white ethnostate,” Allen said, according to reporting from the Times-Dispatch. Allen did not respond to emails seeking an interview.

Noyce was arrested on April 19 and charged with felonies and misdemeanors tied to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, including assaulting a law enforcement officer, per the Department of Justice.

Defendants in the lawsuit also include Thomas Rousseau, the national director of Patriot Front, and Paul Gancarz, Patriot Front’s network director for the region covering Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) has announced multiple closures in the University of Richmond area.

According to DPW, beginning Wednesday, April 24, through Friday, May 10, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., the following roads will be closed due to the city milling and resurfacing the roads:

• Boatwright Drive from Three Chopt Road to the County Line
• Campus Drive from Boatwright Drive to Old Mill Road
• Bostwick Lane from East Towana Road to the dead-end
• Old Mill Road from East Towana Road to the dead-end
• Handy Lane from Three Chopt Road to the dead-end
• Gateway Road from Campus Drive to North Westhampton Way
• Old Mill Road Fork from Three Chopt Road to Old Mill Road
• West Towana Road from Old Mill Road to Roselawn Road
• Robin Road from Ridgeway Road to Iris Lane
• Iris Lane from Robin Road to Three Chopt Road
• Tapoan Road from Robin Road to Spicer Road
• Tapoan Place from Tapoan Road to the dead-end
• Stonehurst Green from Iris Lane to St. Andrews Lane
• Brandy Road from Three Chopt Road to the dead-end
• Everview Road from Three Chopt Road to the dead-end

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is embarking on his third international trade mission next week, visiting several European cities and meeting with foreign businessmen and elected officials.

According to a release from Youngkin's office, between Sunday, April 28 and Friday, May 3, he will be visiting the German cities of Munich, Frankfurt and Stuttgart, as well as Copenhagen in Denmark, Helsinki in Finland and Zurich in Switzerland.

During this trip, Youngkin will meet with several corporate executives and global industry leaders, as well as Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland.

"Germany, Denmark, Finland and Switzerland represent critical markets that will advance economic growth and prosperity in Virginia,” said Youngkin. “In strengthening these relationships, we are not only reaffirming our commitment to economic development in the Commonwealth but also strengthening the spirit of Virginia.”

According to Youngkin's office, 119 companies from Germany, 30 from Switzerland, 13 from Denmark and eight from Finland currently operate in Virginia.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) has announced that Commonwealth employees, as well as preschool and K-12 teachers of public and private schools will receive free admission to the Samurai Armor exhibition.

In addition, active-duty military personnel and their family members will also receive free entry to special exhibitions in VMFA's year-round Blue Star Museums program.

The Samurai Armor from the Collection of Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller exhibition is now open for viewing until Sunday, Aug. 4.

“The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts welcomes schoolteachers and our colleagues from the commonwealth to take advantage of free admission to see these spellbinding works of samurai artistry and experience this spectacular once-in-a-lifetime exhibition,” said Director and CEO Alex
Nyerges. “Visitors will be captivated by these extraordinary suits of Japanese armor and other implements, created during one of the most fascinating periods in world history.”

According to VMFA, visitors will encounter the culture and tradition of samurais, featuring over 700 years of Japanese history. The Samurai Armor exhibit highlights more than 140 representations of attire and items, which include suits of armor, weapons, helmets, masks and more.

Teachers and Commonwealth employees are encouraged to call 804-340-1405 or go to VMFA's Visitors Service Desk to make a reservation for the exhibit.

Employee IDs or badges will be required at the Visitor Services Desk when picking up tickets. Only one free ticket is available per badge.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- There are nearly 1,800 registered sex offenders who live, work or go to school in the City of Richmond -- but it still isn't the community with the most registered sex offenders per capita in Central Virginia, according to new data from Virginia State Police.

Following a recent report stating that the City of Richmond has the highest rate of registered sex offenders per capita among over 430 total major cities surveyed, 8News investigated more local cities and counties to learn how many registered sex offenders are in the Richmond region and some surrounding localities.

As the 8News team looked into this topic, multiple issues were discovered in how Virginia's sex offender registry returns information to users. Because of this, all of the data used below was directly acquired from Virginia State Police's Sex Offender Unit to ensure accuracy.

Data on registered sex offenders from state police

By using State Police data and the most recent U.S. Census data on estimated population, 8News calculated the total number of registered sex offenders per capita in several localities in Virginia.

The data provided by Virginia State Police represents where registered sex offenders live, work and go to school and because of this, individuals could be counted more than once.

According to that data, the City of Petersburg has the most registered sex offenders per capita. In Petersburg, one out of every 126 people who live, work or go to school in the city is reportedly a registered sex offender.

The City of Richmond is not far behind, with one out of 130 of Richmond's residents, workers or students registered as a sex offender.

Registered Sex Offenders Per Capita in Virginia Localities

More on per capita rates and how Virginia stacks up

While the City of Richmond has the highest total number of registered sex offenders within the localities investigated by 8News, Petersburg has the highest rate of registered sex offenders due to its substantially smaller total population.

Three Central Virginia cities -- Petersburg, Richmond and Hopewell -- have higher totals per capita than Norfolk and Newport News.

In addition, the locality 8News examined with both the lowest population and the lowest total number of registered sex offenders -- the city of Colonial Heights -- still has a significantly higher rate of sex offenders per capita than two larger metropolitan areas, Alexandria and Virginia Beach.

In looking into these Virginia localities, 8News also considered two nearby Maryland cities to see how Virginia compared.

According to data provided by Maryland's sex offender registry, and using the same 2022 population estimates, the city of Baltimore has just under 100 fewer registered sex offenders than Richmond does. However, with more than double Richmond's total population, its registered sex offenders per capita is 1 in 338.

The Maryland city of Annapolis has a similar population to Petersburg, but reportedly has about half as many registered sex offenders -- meaning its registered sex offenders per capita comes out at 1 in 402.

8News also reached out to Washington, D.C. to get its total number of registered sex offenders. According to a spokesperson, there are 1,228 registered sex offenders who live, work or go to school in the District.

With its large population of nearly 675,000, this means 1 in 546 of the District's per capita residents, workers and students are a registered sex offender -- a much larger margin than any of the cities mentioned above.

What 8News learned about Virginia's sex offender registry

While researching this topic, the 8News team uncovered multiple errors within the Virginia State Police's sex offender registry and how it displays data.

According to a spokesperson for State Police, the department transitioned to a new system on Nov. 1, 2023. This system had an issue with how it populated sex offender results -- reportedly automatically including incarcerated offenders within its totals.

At the time of 8News' initial inquiry, the database indicated that Richmond had over 7,000 registered sex offenders. However, the vast majority of them -- roughly 6,000 -- were incarcerated.

This issue of adding incarcerated offenders into totals affected more than just Richmond's results, according to the spokesperson.

"We were unaware of this issue until it was brought to light yesterday by [8News]," the spokesperson said in an April 11 email. "The logic would have affected other areas, specifically, anyone in the state that searched for a total number would have also included the incarcerated offenders if there was a prison in that area."

This issue was immediately corrected, according to the spokesperson, who said a checkbox can now be ticked to filter out incarcerated offenders.

Further issues were found as 8News' investigation continued.

Within Virginia's sex offender registry, there are "County" and "City" fields for each offender indicating related addresses, such as homes or workplaces. 8News found that, depending on which field a query was entered into, the total number of sex offenders returned to any user could vary significantly.

For example, an 8News producer entered "Chesterfield" into the "City" field and was told the area had 92 total registered sex offenders. The same search with "Chesterfield" in the "County" field returned 122.

In some instances, the "City" and "County" fields are completed, and in others, they are not. When searching the database, neither field on its own returned reliable results.

Some registered sex offenders will appear in multiple searches because Virginia State Police account for where individuals live, work and go to school. While this is by design, it does mean totals contain duplicated results.

However, 8News did identify some unintended duplications. Chesterfield and Henrico counties introduce an issue to the integrity of the data because some addresses in those counties show up through the U.S. Postal Service as being located in Richmond.

For instance, a registered sex offender could have a Richmond mailing address but live in Chesterfield or Henrico neighborhoods that border the city. This creates inaccurate results for those areas, and at the time of this report, there is no way to determine the number of people whose addresses are affected.

These concerns led 8News to have the state's Sex Offender Unit provide all data used in this investigation directly, rather than using numbers from the database itself.

On April 17, the spokesperson for Virginia State Police provided 8News with an email they received from the Sex Offender Unit. In this email, the Sex Offender Unit acknowledged the above issues.

"Lexis Nexis (VSP's vendor) is aware of both issues raised by Channel 8," the Unit said in the email. "They have developed a solution and are in the process of implementing those changes to the VSOMS [Virginia Sex Offender Management System] system."

The Unit said these changes could take time, as they need to be both put into place and tested.

PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- A man is in custody in Petersburg after being charged with domestic assault and possession of a concealed weapon.

According to the Petersburg Bureau of Police, officers responded to the 400 block of Roberts Avenue at around 10:44 a.m. on Sunday, April 21, for a report of threats being made.

The officers found Nigel Todd and took him into custody. According to police, during the encounter, the officers found that Todd was in possession of a concealed firearm.

Todd has been charged with domestic assault and possession of a concealed weapon. He is being held at Riverside Regional Jail.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A person was hospitalized Wednesday after being hit by a Chesterfield County school bus while crossing the street in their motorized wheelchair.

According to a spokesperson for the Chesterfield County Police Department, the crash occurred just after 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24, near the intersection of Beach Road and Iron Bridge Road.

The spokesperson said this unidentified person was crossing Iron Bridge Road in a motorized wheelchair when a county school bus hit them. They were reportedly not in a crosswalk at the time of the crash.

The person has been taken to the hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening. The spokesperson said that, from what they could tell, the wheelchair "looked mostly in-tact."

No other information is available at this time.

This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.

PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- A woman was taken into custody after police said she fired shots at an occupied vehicle in Petersburg Monday night.

According to the Petersburg Bureau of Police, officers responded to the 600 block of Cottonwood Drive at around 10:57 p.m. on Monday, April 22, for report of shots fired in the area.

After locating everyone involved in the incident, it was determined by officers that the shooting stemmed from a verbal altercation.

According to police, 33-year-old Deonna Rankins was arrested without incident. She has been charged with shooting into an occupied vehicle and shooting within city limits.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas released a hostage video on Wednesday showing a well-known Israeli-American man who grew up in Richmond and was among scores of people abducted by the militants in the attack that ignited the war in Gaza.

The video was the first sign of life of Hersh Goldberg-Polin since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, and its release ignited new protests in Jerusalem calling on the government to do more to secure the captives' release.

In the video, Goldberg-Polin accused Israel’s government of abandoning the people who are being held hostage by Hamas. He also claimed that some 70 captives have been killed in Israel’s bombing campaign. Goldberg-Polin was clearly speaking under duress, and the claim could not be independently verified. It was not clear when the video was made.

Witnesses said he lost it when attackers tossed grenades into a shelter where people had taken refuge. He had tied a tourniquet around it before being bundled into the truck by Hamas.

Goldberg-Polin is one of the most recognized captives. Posters with his image are pinned up across Israel. His mother, Rachel Goldberg, has met with world leaders and addressed the United Nations.

Though there was no date on the video, Goldberg-Polin appeared to reference the weeklong Jewish holiday of Passover, which began on Monday.

His parents said they were relieved to see him alive but were concerned about his health and well-being, as well as that of the other hostages.

“We are here today with a plea to all of the leaders of the parties who have been negotiating to date,” said his father, Jon Polin, naming Egypt, Israel, Qatar, the United States and Hamas.

“Be brave, lean in, seize this moment and get a deal done to reunite all of us with our loved ones and end the suffering in this region,” he said.

Hostages’ families have accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of not doing enough to secure the release of their relatives.

After the Hamas video was made public, hundreds of Israelis gathered outside Netanyahu’s official residence in central Jerusalem on Wednesday, calling on the government to strike a deal to bring home hostages. Many held posters of Goldberg-Polin, and some of the protesters set cardboard boxes on fire.

“We are afraid for his life, so we went to protest and call for the government to do whatever is possible to bring him and everybody else back, as soon as possible,” said one of the marchers, Nimrod Madrer. "Bring them back home,” the crowd chanted.

At the nearby Great Synagogue, a large crowd jeered the country’s ultranationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, chanting “shame” as he exited the building following a Passover gathering. One protester banged on Ben-Gvir’s car and was pushed away by police as it drove off.

Hamas and other militants abducted around 250 people in the Oct. 7 attack and killed around 1,200, mostly civilians. They are still believed to be holding around 100 hostages and the remains of some 30 others. Most of the rest were freed in November in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, said Goldberg-Polin's family had asked mediators to inquire about his fate for humanitarian reasons.

His family was “searching the world for any sign of him,” al-Hayya said in an interview with Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV broadcast on Wednesday. Hamas' armed wing ”sent a strong message by publishing this young man’s message directed at Netanyahu,” al-Hayya said.

The U.S., Qatar and Egypt have spent months trying to broker another cease-fire and hostage release, but the talks appear to have stalled. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages unless Israel ends the war, which has killed over 34,000 Palestinians, according to local officials.

Netanyahu has rejected those demands, and says Israel remains committed to destroying Hamas and bringing all the hostages home. He has come under mounting criticism in Israel, where some say it will be impossible to do both.

PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- A year is how long a Central Virginia mother has been waiting for answers in her son’s unsolved homicide case.

Wednesday, April 24 marked a year since 21-year-old Shaun Hankins was shot and killed in Petersburg.

Officers responded to the 20 block of Leavenworth Street just before 2 a.m. on Monday, April 24, 2023 for a report of a person shot. When they arrived on scene, they found Hankins who had been shot. He was pronounced dead from his injuries. 

A year later, a spokesperson for the Petersburg Bureau of Police told 8News there are no new updates to share regarding his case.

"It's just not fair,” Donna Guernsey, Shaun Hankin's mother said. “He didn't deserve this.” 

Guernsey said her son’s body was found behind Saint Paul’s Baptist Church in the city. 

"Somebody shot him in his head,” Guernsey said. “He was unarmed, and somebody shot him and left him [there].”  

A couple of months after his death, Guernsey told 8News that items from a memorial that were put behind the church to honor his life started disappearing.

Guernsey said since then they’ve been able to rebuild the memorial, and it’s now flourishing with flowers, crosses and his picture.  

"I had to put Apple air tags in the solar roses because they kept getting stolen. That problem has been solved and we've been to court over that thankfully,” Guernsey said. 

However, even though she got answers to that incident, Guernsey explained she’s not heard anything from authorities about who’s responsible for her son’s death.  

"I want justice for my son. I want answers,” Guernsey said. “And I want to prevent other people from going through this, because this isn't how life is supposed to be.”

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Petersburg Police at 804-732-4222. 

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- On Tuesday, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said it had not yet received any reports of an unpaid toll charge scam seen in multiple other states popping up on Virginian's phones.

By lunch on Wednesday -- less than half a day later -- that had changed.

As of midday on Wednesday, April 24, VDOT told 8News it had received over 160 reports of this smishing scam -- or fraudulent text message scam -- targeting Virginia residents.

"It's a big jump," said David Caudill, VDOT's division administrator for the tolling operations division. "And it seems like it just started last night."

8News has received dozens of Facebook comments and screenshots of texts from viewers in the region, saying they were sent a text informing them of a supposed balance they owe a Virginia toll agency.

In order to avoid the threat of a $50 fine, the scam text instructs its victim to click on the embedded link to make a $11.69 payment.

This link leads to a fraudulent website claiming to be associated with the toll service SunPass -- which is actually a North Carolina and Florida service rather than a Virginia one.

"That's where they [the scammers] do their dark work and start scamming people out of financial resources," Caudill said.

On that site, a victim will be asked to fill out various kinds of sensitive information, such as their credit card number. This information can then be used by the scammer to fraud the victim out of money.

According to the FBI, over 2,000 reports of this scam across several states had been received as of April 12. With Wednesday's sudden uptick, Virginia is now among those affected.

According to Caudill, VDOT has not seen any sort of trend in who is targeted -- which appears to be the point. By casting a "broad net," scammers hope to trick even just a few people into clicking the link and following their instructions.

Caudill said that, while Virginia's toll agencies do send out some customer service-oriented text alerts to customers, these texts never contain links. He said he wants Virginians to remember that, as this makes scam texts far easier to spot.

"The key is the link," Caudill said. "If you see a link, don't hit a link."

VDOT is somewhat limited in what it can do to combat this surge in smishing texts, according to Caudill.

"What we [can] try to do is create awareness," Caudill said. "We wanna protect the credibility of tolling -- and these kind of scammers, they undermine that. So we try to get in front of that, make people aware that there's risk out there."

If you are sent a text like those described above, do no click the link embedded in it. You are highly encouraged to file a complaint with the IC3. Be sure to include the phone number you received the text from and the website link in the text.

Additionally, Caudill said anyone with concerns about their balance or wanting to verify their account details can reach out to toll agencies through legitimate means.

For Virginia residents, should this scam impact you, several customer service lines within the state can assist you with confirming your balance. You can also visit the Toll Roads in Virginia website or the E-ZPass website to both check and pay your balances online.

Caudill also said that E-ZPass customers can reach out toll-free for assistance at 877-762-7824.

"Really, it's just gonna be a numbers game at this point," Caudill said of what comes next. "Just making sure that people are aware that this text is out there and that the intent of this text is to fraud people out of money."

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A 19-year-old man was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Hanover County in the early hours on Tuesday.

According to Virginia State Police, the crash occurred at 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23 on Interstate 295 South in Hanover County.

Police said 19-year-old Ethan A. Shelton, of the Glen Allen area of Henrico County was driving a 2016 Honda Accord south when the car ran off the road and hit an overpass head-on.

Shelton died at the scene and was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

The crash remains under investigation by police.

NEW KENT COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A severe fire in the yard of a New Kent County pallet company tore through rows of product on Wednesday.

According to New Kent Fire-Rescue, firefighters were called to the Allied Pallet Company, located at 7151 Poindexter Rd., at about 8:51 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24 for report of a possible structure fire.

When they arrived at the scene, crews found heavy smoke conditions and 25 rows of stacked pallets consumed by fire.

According to fire officials, firefighters at the scene were able to keep the flames from further spreading, and marked the fire under control within 20 minutes.

No other information, such as the cause of the fire, has been shared by fire officials as of the time of reporting.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Two high schools in Richmond Public Schools (RPS) were ranked the best in Virginia.

According to U.S News and World Report, Open High School and Richmond Community High School have been acknowledged as two of the best high schools in the Commonwealth.

The report shows that Open High School earned first place out of the rankings for Richmond-metro and third place out of the 329 high schools in Virginia that were ranked.

Richmond Community High School received second place in the Richmond-metro area and eighth place amongst all the Virginia high schools.

Data from the ranking includes information on almost 25,000 public high schools in 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, that's according to U.S. News and World Report.

There were near 17,660 schools that were ranked on six performance based factors regarding state assessments and how they prepare students for college, which were:

• Readiness for college
• Profiency in Reading and Math
• Performance in Reading and Math
• Student performance
• College curriculum
• Graduation rates

To check out national and state rankings, visit U.S. News and World Report's website.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Richmond Police Department is seeking a suspect wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service in connection to a homicide that occurred near the Whitcomb Court neighborhood.

According to the U.S. Marshals Service, 28-year-old Domishek Forbes is wanted for the connection to a homicide that took place on July 3, 2023, on the 190 block of Raven Street.

Forbes is described by police as a 5-foot 7-inch, 160 pound Black man with brown hair and black eyes.

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of $2,500 to anyone who provides information regarding the suspect in question. To contact the U.S. Marshall Service, call the tip line at 1-877-WANTED-2.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) – The Richmond area’s second Shake Shack is opening in the Midlothian area of Chesterfield County close to Chesterfield Towne Center.

Richmond BizSense broke the news of the new location in August 2023 after the New York-based burger chain filed permits with Chesterfield County.

Besides the location -- 1371 Huguenot Road – few details are being shared about the new location by the company.

A spokesperson for the company said the chain is “still solidifying our opening date and additional details.”

The new location, which is currently hiring, will join the one in the Willow Lawn area in Henrico County. The Willow Place Shake Shack has 3,200 square feet of indoor space, 1,200 square feet of exterior space and a drive-thru.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Multiple women who work as massage therapists at two Chesterfield businesses have been charged with keeping/residing in a bawdy place, among other charges after an undercover operation by police.

On Monday, April 22, officers with the Chesterfield County Police Department carried out an undercover operation at two massage businesses in Chesterfield County: Massage For You, at 1710 E. Hundred Road, and International Spa, at 247 E. Hundred Road.

Police said a massage therapist at each business solicited an undercover detective for illicit acts for an additional cost.

This comes roughly a month and a half after Chesterfield Police officers arrested three employees of other massage businesses in March.

Police arrested 44-year-old Huayan Zhang and 42-year-old Quiyan Zhang at Massage For You. In addition, at International Spa, police arrested 41-year-old Yujuan Zhang and 58-year-old Qiuhong Yan.

All four women have addresses in Flushing, New York, and Huayan Zhang and Quiyan Zhang, who are sisters, have a local address in the 13700 block of River Walk Place in the Chester area of Chesterfield County.

Huayan Zhang was charged with keeping/residing in a bawdy place and prostitution in violation of the Code of Virginia, as well as performing a massage without proper permitting in violation of the Code of the County of Chesterfield.

Quiyan Zhang was charged with keeping/residing in a bawdy place and permitting massages without proper permitting. Quiyan Zhang is the owner of the business.

Yujuan Zhang was charged with keeping/residing in a bawdy place and prostitution.

Qiuhong Yan was charged with performing a massage without proper permitting.

EMPORIA, Va. (WRIC) -- Almost four months after 20-year-old Jaric Dunn was shot twice in Emporia, the Emporia Police Department has arrested and charged a man with his attempted murder.

According to an April 24 press release, 21-year-old Zykeem Fields of Emporia has been charged with the attempted murder and malicious wounding of Dunn. He also faces a third charge, the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

On Dec. 23, 2023, just after 5 p.m., officers with the Emporia Police Department responded to the 400 block of Park Avenue for report of shots fired.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found Dunn, who had reportedly been shot twice. According to the release, he was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The investigation into the shooting began immediately, with officers identifying a vehicle they believed to be connected to the incident. As a result of this months-long investigation, on April 22, Fields was taken into custody.

Fields is being held at Southside Regional Jail without bond.

Anyone with any information relating to this shooting is asked to contact either the Emporia Police Department or Virginia State Police.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is giving back to the community in a blooming way.

This week the garden is breaking ground on a $31 million expansion project called "Thrive." This marks two decades since the garden's last major expansion.

Over half a million annual visitors can expect seven acres of new gardens, a new lake and four new climatic zones to be added to the conservatory -- a structure garden President and CEO Brian Trader said will nearly double in size.

"By doing this expansion and the thrive capital campaign, the conservatory becomes the heart of the garden," Trader said. "We've kind of outgrown that space. And so the opportunity to expand the conservatory will allow us to grow our botanical collections, but it will also allow us to have a permanent butterfly exhibit that will be open year round."

Trader said out of the $31 million dollars, $21 million came from individual donors, local foundations and corporate support.

3North is designing the Conservatory addition and they are also one of six landscape architects and designers on the project. Others include Charlottesville-based Waterstreet Studio, Phyto Studio out of Arlington, Chicago-based Austin Eischeid, New York designer Wambui Ippolito and Arizona-based Catalina LaFrance. The designers were selected for their diverse backgrounds and to provide a variety of garden experiences.

"If you come to the garden the next few days, you'll start to see some of the construction fencing going up. You maybe may even see some large equipment moving soil," Trader said. "Over the next two years you'll be seeing the conservatory grow literally in front of your eyes."

However, perhaps this is the most impressive part of the project is the expansion of the Garden's "Kroger Community Kitchen Garden," which is used to grow food for the food bank Feed More.

Since 2009, the Garden has donated more that 70,000 pounds of food to the food bank– which translates to around 55,000 healthy meals.

Trader said it's an excellent opportunity for our guests and for the community to see how food grows.

The project is expected to be complete in spring of 2026, and as of right now, the Garden does not expect to raise admission prices.

PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- An operator has been chosen for the casino Petersburg is hoping to build -- if legislation allowing the city to hold a referendum in November is signed into law.

Petersburg City Council member Howard Wayne Myers confirmed to 8News on Wednesday that the Cordish Companies has been selected to operate the proposed casino after a unanimous vote.

The Cordish Companies was set to operate the Petersburg casino that was proposed last year before the legislation was killed by the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.

This year, a new bill was recently approved by the General Assembly after changes were made by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A western Virginia restaurant chain that has existed for nearly 90 years has opened its first location in the Richmond region.

Texas Inn opened on Saturday, April 20 at the intersection of North Colonial Avenue and Patterson Avenue in Richmond's Museum District, in the former Izzy's Kitchen location across from Bandito's.

The restaurant's current hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. Following the restaurant's grand opening on May 15, its hours will be 7 a.m. to midnight Monday through Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.

The restaurant serves Southern diner-style food, including burgers, hot dogs, chili and grits, as well as several pies including apple, pecan and sweet potato.

The Richmond location joins three existing locations -- one in Harrisonburg and two in Lynchburg, including the original location which opened in 1935.

Dave Saunders, the chain's owner, told 8News that he had been looking for a suitable location in Richmond for five years. After looking at over two dozen locations, Saunders said he found the former Izzy's Kitchen location in January.

Saunders said they are hoping to eventually have the restaurant open 24 hours a day, like the other three locations, once its staffing levels are sufficient.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- With more than 500 days till Election Day 2025, the race for lieutenant governor is heating up.

Earlier this week, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) announced he was dropping his bid for governor and instead would seek the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. 

“The job of lieutenant governor is to be an advocate and I am going to remain a loud advocate for working families who are just looking for a fair shot,” Stoney told 8News. 

Just minutes later, State Senator Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach) announced he also wants the job. 

“We need a lieutenant governor that won't back down from a fight, that will never back down from a fight, that will stand true on his principles and values,” Rouse said. 

Rouse and Stoney join ophthalmologist Dr. Babur Lateef, who announced his candidacy in March, in the field. 

“I see the efforts that the government has to make on behalf of citizens as something that has to benefit all of us,” Lateef said.

Stoney, who has served as Richmond’s mayor since 2017, also previously served as Secretary of the Commonwealth under Governor Terry McAuliffe. 

“I’m gonna focus on ensuring that the working class gets a fair shot, that we focus on tax fairness and that our top earners pay their fair share in this state, and investing in our children,” Stoney said.

Rouse, who has been a member of the State Senate since 2023, previously played in the NFL and served on the Virginia Beach City Council. 

“We have to send a clear message again that we will not turn back the hands of time when it comes to protecting women's rights,” Rouse told 8News. 

Meanwhile, Lateef currently serves as Chairman of the Prince William County School Board.

“Our most valuable asset in the commonwealth are our children and if we succeed on their behalf, meaning providing them outstanding education and healthcare, they will succeed beyond our wildest imaginations,” Lateef explained. 

Now on the Republican side, current Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears hasn’t made any official announcements about her future, but it is widely believed she will forgo a second term as lieutenant governor and instead run for governor. No other Republicans have announced their intention to succeed Sears. 

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Do you know where you're voting this year? If you live in Richmond's East End or Southside, your polling place might be changing -- but one proposed change has spurred some controversy.

Richmond officials recently outlined potential moves for voting locations 603, 909 and 910 -- impacting the city's 6th and 9th districts. These changes aim to smooth out the polling process ahead of a particularly big-ticket November election.

However, some members of the community, like Narissa Rahaman from Equality Virginia, are concerned about one of the proposed changes.

"Concerns from the community are very real," Rahaman said. "It's palpable."

One of the proposed moves -- from Elizabeth D. Redd Elementary School to a Liberation Church satellite site -- is prompting discussion regarding accessibility to certain demographics.

"It's very clear that [Liberation Church] holds anti-LGBTQ views," said Rahaman.

Liberation Church's website used to express sentiments rejecting gay marriage. A statement that used to be on the "Who We Are" page suggest the congregation believes marriage is exclusively between a man and a woman.

The page also said that they believe there are only two genders -- male and female, which activists told 8News discounts transgender individuals. Both statements have since been removed from the website.

"There is potential for intimidation," Rahaman said about if the church satellite location became a polling place. "I don't think we're quite, you know, we're able to have the free and fair elections that we all deserve."

But Balmer clarified that the church's main location has been a voting location for years and they've never reported any issues. He said the premises serves strictly as a neutral, secular, non-partisan place to cast your vote.

"It is a polling location that is staffed by poll workers who have been trained to provide the best experience possible for a voter," Balmer said in an interview. "So that the church or whatever the facility may be isn't operating as a church."

In a statement, Liberation Church said that operations at the specified polling site are separate from the church's religious functions and that they serve all members of the community regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation.

Richmond Registrar Keith Balmer explained that the proposals were in response to public feedback. He found that certain spots had limited parking and were on the smaller side. He also noted that whenever possible, its preferable to host the polls at newer schools.

The proposed changes would move sites from older and smaller buildings like Richmond Fire station #15 and G.H. Reid Elementary School to larger facilities like Overby Sheppard Elementary and River City Middle School. 8News talked to Balmer about what stands out about the proposed new polling spots.

"It has all of the modern amenities to make voters and poll workers comfortable on election day, which is what I'm most focused on," Balmer said.

The community is encouraged to provide feedback whether in favor of or against these location changes. Public comments can be sent to cityclerksoffice@rva.gov. Representatives from the City of Richmond emphasized the desire to hear from the community.

"Richmond City Council encourages public transparency, engagement, and involvement and is committed to efficiently and accurately reflecting the voice of our community," said the city in a statement.

Further information about the proposed voting location changes can be found here.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will close the right shoulder and a travel lane of Interstate 64 close to Nine Mile Road at mile marker 193.9 for emergency pavement work.

According to VDOT, the closure will take plan on Thursday, April 25 starting at 7 a.m., and the closure will still in place until the work is completed.

VDOT said the work is expected to be finished by Friday evening, April 26.

It is recommended that drivers take alternative routes to avoid delays during their commute.

For more information on road conditions, call 511 or visit VDOT's website.

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Guests and staff at a hotel in the Chester area of Chesterfield County were forced to evacuate Wednesday evening after a driver crashed into the building, knocking out gas and water lines.

According to Chesterfield County Fire and EMS, crews responded to the Quality Inn located at 12711 Old Stage Road at around 7:33 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24 after it was reported that a driver hit the hotel.

The crash knocked out the main gas and water lines to the hotel, forcing the guests to evacuate. No injuries were reported in the incident, but the hotel will be closed for several days, impacting around 125 guests.

It is not known whether the driver has been charged with anything in connection to the crash.