CHESAPEAKE On the verge of a three-week trial, the founder of Financing Alternatives Inc. accepted responsibility this morning in Circuit Court for bilking hundreds of customers nationwide in a computer-purchase scheme. In a surprise motion, George Christian agreed to end the civil trial and negotiate with the state to repay consumers and legal fees.

NORFOLK More than two weeks after it was scheduled to start, the trial of Financing Alternatives Inc. and its founder is set to begin this morning in Chesapeake Circuit Court.

CHESAPEAKE The words hit Charlie Ricks harder than any linebacker or defensive back ever had. Oscar Smith football coach Richard Morgan delivered the blow, "You're not allowed to play."

CHESAPEAKE Three Chesapeake schools are undergoing air-quality testing after the Environmental Protection Agency issued guidelines for how schools built between 1950 and 1978 should handle potentially cancer-causing chemicals probably used in their construction.

CHESAPEAKE Last week, the School Board was tossing around some thoughts about the best way to expand Indian River High School. How big to build it? Should it accommodate 1,750 students, which might create a better learning environment? Or should the school be bigger - 2,100 students, which could save money down the line?

CHESAPEAKE The parent of Monarch Bank said it hopes to raise as much as $17.3 million from a stock offering and may use part of the proceeds to repay capital taken last year from the Treasury Department.

CHESAPEAKE

The Virginia Department of Transportation will conduct another test lift of the High Rise Bridge tonight.

A test this morning allowed crews to inspect the electrical systems and make additional repairs after outages caused by last week’s nor’easter, a VDOT news release says.

CHESAPEAKE About 3,000 South Norfolk homes have been without phone service for almost a week, after the nor'easter flooded one of Verizon's cable vaults.

CHESAPEAKE The Virginia Department of Transportation plans to test the High-Rise Bridge at 10 a.m. today so crews can inspect electrical repairs done after a power outage caused by last week's nor'easter. The test is scheduled to avoid delays during morning and afternoon rush hours, according to the release.    

CHESAPEAKE

A city building inspector was shot and injured this morning after parking a city vehicle in front of a home in the 2900 block of Scotia Drive, according to a police news release.