Kline’s Espresso Bar in downtown Waynesboro officially opened Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony sponsored by the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce The new business is located behind Kline’s Dairy Bar Kline’s office manager Kelley Brydge said the new business opened in late March Construction on the espresso bar started last summer Patrons can take advantage of a drive-thru or a walkup window to order drinks Kline’s owner Kim Arehart said she is “excited” to bring the new business to Waynesboro “We are getting positive feedback from the community," she told The News Virginian “This is a good addition to downtown and complements the ice cream business.” Arehart located her ice cream business in Waynesboro nearly two decades ago after previously opening one in Staunton “It was my decision to come to Waynesboro,’’ she said Waynesboro city offiicials and owner Kim Arehart cut the ribbon Wednesday celebrating the opening of the new Kline’s Espresso Bar in downtown Waynesboro Participants included Kline’s owner Kim Arehart second from left; Waynesboro Vice Mayor Lorie Akanbi second from right; and Waynesboro Director of Economic Development and Tourism Greg Hitchin She described the response to Kline’s Dairy Bar as “fantastic.” rstuart@newsvirginian.com Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account (WHP) — The theft of a Jeep from a Waynesboro Rutter's ended in a bizarre sight Thursday night that left the vehicle totaled According to someone close to the Jeep owner the vehicle was stolen from the convenience store's around 8 p.m CBS 21 reached out to Waynesboro Police to confirm the theft and was told that officers are investigating the incident and that the vehicle was found in Washington County "The Jeep was found burnt to a crisp on Pen Mar Road this evening," the mother of the Jeep owner's child told CBS 21 The Washington County Sheriff's Office confirmed a reported crash in the same area that night but more details such as charges and if the driver was injured have not been released at this time A GoFundMe has been started for the theft victim to replace the vehicle. You can find the link to donate below or click here. Stay with CBS 21 News for more details as they come in WAYNESBORO- An incident between neighbors has seen one man charged with multiple felonies and more in Franklin County Ashley Van Gladfelter has been charged with felony aggravated assault with extreme indifference He has since failed to post bail of $25,000 and remains incarcerated at Franklin County Jail Waynesboro PD were dispatched to an active fight between two men in the 400 block of N Church Street around 11:48am on Thursday Officers say that were aware that one of the people involved had a baseball bat at the time of the 911 call being placed they say they spoke with both people involved in a verbal fight with both of them showing physical injuries Officers say that Gladfelter was actively bleeding from right above one of his eyes and on the bridge of his nose Gladfelter told police that he had sold a bicycle to his neighbor with that neighbor giving him half of the money at the time of sale Galdfelter allegedly called the victim to get the other half of the money After beginning as a verbal altercation with Gladfelter allegedly walking next door to confront him WPD say that Gladfelter admitted to them that he disengaged told them that he did this to “‘even the playing field’ because his neighbor is a lot bigger than him” Gladfelter admitted to WPD that he hit him over the head one time with the baseball bat Waynesboro PD say that the victim pulled Gladfelter to the ground and continued the incident with Waynesboro PD saying that the victim knew that Gladfelter had hit him with the baseball bat but was unable to remember how many times he was hit A witness that observed the whole incident told WPD afterward that “he observed Gladfelter push his way into the victim’s residence and began striking the victim multiple times with the baseball bat in the head and face area The witness stated that he lost count how many times Gladfelter struck the victim with the baseball bat” The Tri-State Alert is a News Talk 103.7 FM publication.  Any views or opinions expressed in this publication are of the host author or group and not the publication, owner(s) AI technology assists in content creation on this site; verify independently for accuracy Privacy Policy A new shoe store specializing in boots for work as well as Western wear vests and exotic boots crafted from the skin of ostriches lizards and alligators line the shelves at the Boot Barn which has taken the space of what was once a Books-A-Million Boot Barn sells popular brands such as Ariat Customers who are unable to find what they are looking for in the Waynesboro store can use a kiosk and order products online Store manager Dana Rhoades told the News Virginian the client base for the Waynesboro Boot Barn is “ranchers farmers" and those in need of everyday work clothes She said the store's first day attracted several customers “who are doing rodeo or going to the rodeo.” A noon Friday ribbon-cutting was attended by members of Waynesboro city government and City Council as well as Del Members of Waynesboro City Council and city government take part in a ribbon-cutting for Waynesboro’s new Boot Barn store On the far left is Councilman Jim Wood with Mayor Kenny Lee standing next to him On the far right is Waynesboro Director of Economic Development and Tourism Greg Hitchin Rhoades said Boot Barn is glad to call Waynesboro home The only other Boot Barn in the area is in Harrisonburg “The company is happy to be a part of the community California-based Boot Barn opened its first store in 1978 in Huntington Beach and has since grown to include hundreds of locations Exotic boots crafted from the skin of pythons ostriches and other animals line the shelves at Boot Barn in Waynesboro 2025; more at vaprojectpipeline.virginia.gov STAUNTON – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in partnership with the City of Waynesboro is seeking feedback to support a transportation study assessing potential solutions on Route 340 (P Buckley Moss Drive/Rosser Avenue) between Grandview Drive and Northgate Avenue This study will focus on developing recommendations to address safety This corridor includes several crash hot spots the most notable of which is the intersection of Rosser Avenue/Lew Dewitt Boulevard/Windigrove Drive The corridor also has barriers to use for people biking and walking to destinations such as nearby activity centers and the transit connections used for travel throughout the city and beyond VDOT invites residents and travelers to learn more and take an online survey which is available May 5-19 Community input received through this survey will help the study team identify existing issues along the study corridor and develop recommendations for potential improvements that will be evaluated and presented during the next phase of the study which will include another opportunity for public comment The survey, which has a translation tool for other languages, is available at https://publicinput.com/st-25-02. Comments can also be sent to brad.reed@vdot.virginia.gov or to Brad Reed Virginia Department of Transportation Staunton District as well as regional and local funding sources The VDOT Staunton District is on Facebook and X (Twitter). Follow VDOT statewide accounts on Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube The VDOT Web page is located at https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/ The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick Please note that this file is not ADA compliant This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page WAYNESBORO — Witness after witness that testified during the sentencing hearing for Jerry W a Waynesboro man convicted in March of possessing child pornography came to similar conclusions on April 30 as they spoke in Waynesboro Circuit Court "He wasn't attracted to children," said his therapist "Adult pornography was the big struggle," his friend "It's always been adult (porn)," added his wife has had issues with adult pornography since he was about 11 years old and said it's been a persistent problem throughout his 28-year marriage "I have struggled with porn for most of my life," he said in court Hubbard began attending a regular men's fellowship and told them of his problems with adult pornography cut off by his wife from viewing adult pornography said he was on his cell phone looking for some type of online sexual gratification when he clicked a link Hubbard said he received a WhatsApp message that showed a video of a young boy masturbating before he closed the link Hubbard soon got a message from the original sender that instructed him to send something back in return WhatsApp notified the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force about the video around that same time Hubbard was hired at Kate Collins Middle School in Waynesboro for a custodial job More: New Staunton restaurant on West End offers taste of Thailand, Singapore and Korea On March 6, Hubbard pleaded guilty to a felony charge of possessing child pornography A second charge of distributing child porn was not prosecuted Waynesboro Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Will Flory noted that defendants in the area who are convicted of child porn charges almost always serve some prison time citing a report on Hubbard by a local sex offender treatment provider the prosecutor said his chances of reoffending were no more likely "than an average member of society." Flory requested that all of Hubbard's time behind bars be suspended he said if the court decided there must be some type of jail sanction he asked that it only be a few months behind bars "The commonwealth has struggled with this decision," Flory said In requesting a suspended sentence for his client attorney Scott Alleman reminded the court that no sexual abuse images of children were found by Waynesboro police on any of Hubbard's electronic devices who once worked in the juvenile corrections field for several years said he did not want to end up behind bars again and said the five days he already spent in jail following his arrest were "pure hell." "I plead for grace and mercy," Hubbard said Circuit Judge Paul Dryer sentenced Hubbard to five years in prison and suspended the entire sentence He also fined Hubbard $1,500 and placed him on three years of supervised probation More: Virginia Street Arts Festival returns to Waynesboro with a weekend of public art and community engagement courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter) WAYNESBORO, VA (Rocktown Now) — Fans of the discount retail chain Big Lots will be happy to know that 132 stores will reopen next month under new ownership.adButlerLazyLoad("3274837229394589415",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); Store officials made that announcement in a press release earlier this week Variety Wholesalers acquired 219 Big Lots locations out of bankruptcy after the latter filed for Chapter 11 last September The acquisition deal was finalized in January The reopening will take place in two phases with stores relaunching on May 1st and 15th Among the stores that will reopen include the Waynesboro and Winchester locations.adButlerLazyLoad("448993328517851656",100,["688446","688446","688446"],"177034"); The Augusta County school board has chosen Dr VDOT is seeking feedback on a transportation study assessing potential solutions on Route 42 (Virginia Avenue) between Gay Street and the Harrisonburg city limit The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office responded to multiple calls Monday morning about a Staunton individual which led to him being unresponsive in-custody the RHSPCA Pets of the Week sponsored by Bob Wade Subaru Sunshine returns today along with some clouds Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again CHAMBERSBURG- An arrest at a Chambersburg Sheetz has led to new charges for a Waynesboro woman already accused of distributing drugs Jessica Elizabeth Cramer is behind bars on $150,000 bail after being charged with three felony counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance three misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia Additionally, Cramer has a pending case in Franklin County’s Court of Common Pleas for distribution of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communications facility She was charged in April for that alleged sale that happened in January of 2025 Pennsylvania State Police and Chambersburg PD assisted each other in arresting Jessica Cramer at the Wayne Avenue Sheetz just outside of the Borough on April 2nd around 8:39pm. PSP say that she was arrested for that aforementioned warrant of PWI and more PSP say a search found her in possession of Adderall pills of which “Cramer stated she did not have a prescription,” as well as a large sum of cash When the vehicle Cramer was operating was searched PSP say they found a metal lunchbox that they previously knew she held drugs in That lunchbox was seized and a warrant was applied for and subsequently granted 14 pink pills stamped “K-56” (identified as Oxycodone) A presumptive test was completed on the scale with it showing a positive presence for cocaine the former Waynesboro-area baseball coach who had used his position of trust to engage in predatory behavior and a series of assaults against juvenile girls is set to be sentenced in Franklin County court Tuesday following an extensive investigation that led police into discovering Biser had recorded numerous victims in his home’s bathroom before attempting to destroy the evidence “the brave survivors of this heinous conduct refused to let the defendant avoid accountability and I commend the jurors for reaching a just verdict.” saying that “the survivors trusted the defendant as a role model and mentor My office will continue to uphold its commitment to protect children and vulnerable people from predators.” Biser will be sentenced by visiting judge Kevin A normally the Senior Judge of Cumberland County Judge Hess also presided over Biser’s case again likely due to the prosecutorial conflict in the Franklin County case Victim statements begin at 10am on Tuesday with the proceedings likely to last for multiple hours due to the severity of the crimes as well as the number of victims The streets of downtown Waynesboro are set to come alive with color and creativity as the Virginia Street Arts Festival returns for a weekend of public art this event will help solidify Waynesboro’s growing reputation as a hub for the arts This year’s festival will feature three distinguished muralists transforming blank walls into works of art Jesse Jentzen will be painting "Blossoming Within" at adorn. Humble will be transforming the Stoneburner building with "The Lure," and Andrew Davis will paint "Native Osprey Hunting" at Shenandoah Valley Art Center Attendees will have the opportunity to witness these artists in action bringing their visions to life in real-time More: Sheriff's Office: Staunton man charged after student comes forward The Arch Avenue public parking lot will host mobile museum exhibits during the festival the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Artmobile and the Library of Virginia’s Library on the Go will be open to the public from 10 a.m the VMFA’s Artmobile will be available for visitors from noon to 4 p.m Festival-goers will also be able to engage in various hands-on art activities at all mural locations and throughout downtown There will be DIY t-shirt decorating at the "Blossoming Within" mural location This pay-what-you-will activity is sponsored by Initial Inspiration Waynesboro Parks and Recreation will be hosting a community art project at "The Lure" mural site and an art carnival will take place at Shenandoah Valley Art Center Additional activities will be at multiple locations downtown including the Russell Museum the Waynesboro Farmers Market and Main Street United Methodist Church The Waynesboro Public Library will be offering free guided tours of the city’s downtown street art May 17 at 10 a.m Each tour lasts approximately 90 minutes and covers a two-mile route providing insights into the some of the city’s existing artworks and their creators Participants will receive complimentary Waynesboro swag The Bowman House Bed & Breakfast will also be offering free tours of their artwork by Trudee Smith May 17 at 11:30 a.m More: Augusta County sisters hope to launch educational programs on farm: THE AGENDA You can take a self-guided tour and collect stickers on the Visit Waynesboro app anytime Pick up the starter sticker at the information booth at 503 W The 2025 Virginia Street Arts Festival is a free family-friendly event that celebrates the intersection of art and community For more information and artist renderings, visit VisitWaynesboro.com Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWAYNESBORO (WHSV) - Dustin Dove was found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder in the 2024 killing of Seth Wallace after a two-day trial in Waynesboro Circuit Court that reached its conclusion Wednesday Dove is scheduled to be sentenced for his convictions Aug He could potentially serve a life sentence for his convictions the Waynesboro Police Department responded to a shots-fired call on D Street in Waynesboro callers told dispatch there were 10+ shots fired around 4 a.m they found a male victim lying in the street Officers said his injuries were “too complicated” for them to take care of and paramedics took the victim to Augusta Health The victim was later identified as Seth Wallace Wallace was taken to Augusta Health for an emergency blood transfusion and transferred to the UVA Health Trauma Center for expert care Wallace died from his injuries two weeks after the shooting Dove was charged with aggravated malicious wounding and using a firearm in the commission of a felony told Dove at a court hearing that he intended to charge him with murder He followed through with his promise and charged Dove with second-degree murder and ultimately amended the charge to first-degree murder counsel on both sides made opening statements to preview the evidence they would present in the case and start the arguments over the facts of the case defendants have a presumption of innocence and the commonwealth has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt the commonwealth gets to start with opening arguments first assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Waynesboro His argument began with body-worn camera footage from Cpl Brandon Moyer at the crime scene when WPD first arrived asked Wallace several identifying questions Wallace struggled to answer while he was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds until he clarified that the shooter was Dustin Dove Garza told the jury about the travel itinerary of Dove and Kaylee Turner the long-time girlfriend of Dove and another suspect in this case The pair told him about the murder and left to dispose of the evidence Turner returned to Dove’s home in McGaheysville and Dove went elsewhere until he was ultimately arrested later that day evidence of the crime was dumped off at a remote location in Page County WPD recovered the evidence later that day when Turner escorted police to the location The alleged murder weapon was recovered at this scene — an AR-15 style rifle that had Wallace’s blood on the barrel The weapon was split in two when police found it in separate trash bags at the drop-off location Garza then told the jury about the scene of the crime where 15 shell casings were found at the scene Eight of those casings were connected to bullets that penetrated Wallace’s skin Garza said these bullets were not fatal but left major organ damage and caused the wounds to become infected which ultimately killed Wallace while he was in the hospital WPD seized Dove’s phone during the investigation Investigators found multiple threatening messages to Wallace and Google Maps searches to Wallace’s address right before he was shot “Seth is a dead man,” was one of the messages placed front and center for the jury to hear and read Garza wrapped up his statement by showing messages sent by Dove to some of his friends The defense started its arguments by explaining to the jury that “there is no question” who shot Wallace said Dove was the one who shot Wallace and that he intended to shoot Wallace Cormier explained the difference between the intention to kill and the intention to injure He told the jury that Dove had no intention of killing his former best friend; rather he was responding to threats Cormier said Wallace made towards Dove’s family Cormier also explained the complicated relationship between Dove and Wallace He said the two met at a bar in Harrisonburg in 2022 and instantly hit it off The two became “inseparable” and hung out with each other all the time Dove got into legal trouble in January 2024 which is when Cormier said trouble started to brew between the two Dove was in jail and convicted of drug charges that same month “Wallace was inappropriate with Turner,” alluding to a love triangle between the three parties in this case After Turner told Dove about Wallace’s flirting the pair decided to “cut Seth out of their lives.” The two did not respond to any correspondence from Wallace for months This meant he violated his parole and bond stipulations and was destined to be jailed again Cormier said Wallace began to “manipulate” Turner by telling her that her boyfriend was cheating on her the two began a long text chain saying “nasty Cormier also discussed the broken relationship between Dove and Turner because of Wallace’s words The two would argue and fight with each other while Wallace continued to text them both Cormier said Wallace antagonized Dove until he ultimately made a joke about Dove’s mother’s cancer diagnosis This was the line crossed that made Dove angry and commit the crimes he did Cormier told the jury they needed to understand the difference between first-degree murder and second-degree murder first-degree and second-degree murder are nearly identical the commonwealth would need to prove intent to convict someone of first-degree murder Cormier then said Dove did not intend to kill Wallace If the jury were convinced that was the case second-degree murder would fit the description Cormier reiterated the idea of shooting to injure Dove used to be in the armed forces until he was discharged and Cormier boasted about his marksmanship during his time served Dove was one of the highest scorers on the marksman tests and could “easily hit a target accurately over 300 meters,” he said adding that if Dove intended on killing Wallace he could have “easily put a bullet in his chest or head.” Cormier concluded by telling the jury Dove had completed what he intended to do: shoot his former best friend The first of many witnesses for the commonwealth was Cpl one of the first responding officers and a lead on the case Moyer’s testimony did not differ much from the opening statements it clarified different claims Garza made during his arguments with submitted evidence The shell casings found at the scene in Waynesboro matched the caliber of ammunition found with the rifle in Page County Moyer explained how they were easily able to find the drop-off location because Turner accompanied them to the place Moyer described the place as a remote gravel road near a church After some clarifying questions were asked like which articles of clothing were cut to administer life-saving measures Several other police officers took the stand and explained their role in the investigations including a Rockingham County investigator who aided in the search efforts Dozier is a digital forensics expert at WPD and handled much of Dove and Wallace’s phone records He confirmed the commonwealth’s argument about the two arguing over text messages hours before Wallace was shot Many of the messages included threats from both parties to one another: These are some of the dozens of messages read in court aloud by Dozier for the jury Dozier also received videos recorded on Dove’s phone of the alleged murder weapon One of the videos included Dove wearing a mask — which was identical to one recovered at the Page County drop-off location — while holding the assault rifle he’s accused of using to shoot Wallace Ayers was one of the first people Dove communicated with about the shooting he told the jury that the visit was his first time seeing his daughter in years and the first time he had met Dove since the couple started dating and he told the jury he did not call law enforcement after Dove told him that he had murdered someone Any time legal counsel calls on a witness to take the stand the opposite party is allowed to “redirect” and ask questions related to the evidence and their credibility as a witness Cormier did so with Ayers when it came time for cross-examination repeatedly asking him questions about the validity of the statement he gave “A random stranger told you he murdered someone?” Cormier asked and Cormier continued to allude to him lying He mentioned Ayers’ previous criminal convictions of conspiracy to drug trafficking and using a firearm He was one of the first to respond to the scene and interviewed Dove while he was at Middle River Regional Jail Nystrom said Dove’s story changed several times when Nystrom confronted him with his Facebook profile picture he told Nystrom that he had sold the rifle to a friend Dove told Nystrom that he should be the one charged with any crimes related to the crime Nystrom also handled the jail calls made by Dove One of the phone calls played in court was a recording of a rap song Dove was singing to a friend which had lines related to the alleged killing of Wallace now he’s dead meat,” Dove sang over the phone The defense was given a chance to cross-examine Nystrom after the Commonwealth’s questions Cormier asked about other phone calls made by Dove The phone call Cormier was referencing was right before Wallace had died Dove’s mother told him that Wallace was experiencing organ failure and Dove offered to be a donor if he matched Day 2 of Dustin Dove’s trial began on Wednesday morning with testimony from the UVA Trauma Center doctor who operated on Seth Wallace When Wallace arrived to the UVA Trauma Center Most of the injuries were clustered around the lower half of his body These injuries eventually developed infections Wallace died from gunshot wound complications on June 12 right arm and right testicle amputated to prevent the spread of an infection his body was sent to the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy Brittney Imblum was the medical examiner who performed Wallace’s autopsy The commonwealth called her up to the stand to testify about the condition of Wallace’s body after he died Imblum explained the multitude of injuries to Wallace’s body She said Wallace had eight distinct gunshot entrance wounds and multiple surgical marks across his body Imblum found three bullets lodged in separate parts of Wallace’s body from near his shoulders to his lower back area She also determined there was severe organ damage in the liver like the exact location of bullet holes and wound pathways Several forensic scientists came to the witness stand to explain their findings regarding DNA and firearms evidence The two DNA experts confirmed the DNA found on the barrel of the gun was extremely likely* to be Wallace’s *A forensic scientist cannot specifically confirm if any piece of DNA matches someone they provide a figure on the chances it could be someone else’s DNA pulled from a sample and use a figure to represent the rarity of the DNA sample Cindy Lee told the jury that it was a 1 in greater than 8.1 billion chance for the DNA to be contributed by someone else this means it is a very high probability that the DNA was contributed by Wallace which is used as circumstantial evidence by the commonwealth Lee explained all of this to the jury during her testimony Other forensic scientists confirmed DNA found on a T-shirt covering the murder weapon matched Dove’s DNA sample A firearms expert testified about the shell casings and rounds found around the crime scene the ballistics experts determined the rifle found in Page County matched the firing pattern and markings left on the shell casings at the Waynesboro crime scene The defense only had one witness to call to the stand: Dustin Dove Dove took to the stand to testify and recall his experiences leading up to the shooting his brother and his girlfriend in McGayheysville Though he called his caretakers “mom” and “dad,” they were not his biological parents His biological mother gave him up when he was younger The people he referred to as “mom” and “dad” were his aunt and uncle His uncle was estranged from the family at the time of the shooting Army veteran who was honorably discharged with misconduct violations He served two and a half years in the military with several specialized trainings He scored the highest in his company on several shooting challenges and earned the expert marksman badge during his tenure Cormier then discussed the reason why Dove was discharged He told the jury that one day he was asked to find his friend because he was missing from important meetings Dove walked to the room where his friend was staying to find his friend dead after he had hanged himself Dove told the jury that all of his issues started that day Dove said he fell into “bad habits” and addiction after seeing his friend die which he said changed the course of his life his superiors found out about his drug use and addiction and were forced to kick him out of the Army Dove said his superiors worked with him to give him an honorable discharge because of his experience finding his friend dead Dove told the crowd he used a plethora of drugs but cocaine stuck around for years to come he still lived in Tennessee with some of his military friends He said one day his roommates were in a “really heated” argument which ended with one person shooting the other 16 times Dove said he relapsed and moved back home with his mom He took a trip to Ruby’s Arcade in Harrisonburg October 2022 it was stated that Wallace and Dove immediately hit it off and were inseparable Dove told the jury he used to only sell drugs to Wallace until one day Wallace asked him to “come chill.” After they hung out Dove said they were best friends until Wallace was jailed Dove said Wallace would call him more than 100 times a day while he was in jail Dove told the jury that Wallace was reaching out to his girlfriend trying to “manipulate her.” He said Wallace told her about Dove’s previous infidelity and how he’s still doing it He said Wallace eventually was “hitting on her” and was trying to have sex with her he and Turner agreed to cut Wallace out of their lives Dove told the jury that it was the best decision for the both of them to avoid Wallace because he was antagonizing them Dove failed a drug test and was destined to return to jail Wallace got through to Turner and started manipulating her Dove and Turner began to argue after these messages The two men began to text each other violent threats These threats ranged from simple verbal threats to complex death threats ignoring Wallace for a while but still fighting with one another The two eventually got home to Rockingham County and the decision was made they were going to drive to Wallace’s house The language used by the defense attorney and Dove specifically stated Dove wanted to shoot Wallace the couple drove to Wallace’s house on D Street in Waynesboro Dove exited the vehicle and hid around the house He told the jury he wasn’t going to shoot Wallace; instead and he decided to shoot his gun at the ground He said Wallace apologized to him after he was shot He also said Wallace said it coherently and there wasn’t any blood visible when he left the scene contradicting the body worn camera footage jurors saw earlier Dove then recounted his travel after the shooting leading up to when he was ultimately arrested Dove wrote a rap song and sang it over a jail phone line He said the rap lyrics detailed the Wallace shooting and the trauma he experienced with two of his friends dying in front of him He ended his testimony by reiterating to the jury that his intention was to only shoot Wallace When the commonwealth was allowed to cross-examine Dove prosecutor Eduardo Garza began by asking about the text messages Dove had sent to multiple friends and why Dove would tell multiple people about the shooting He then read the messages sent to one of his friends detailing the encounter “I hope he doesn’t pull through,” Garza read to the jury he was only asking yes or no questions to Dove but Garza cut him off and asked for a yes or a no Garza questioned Dove’s marksmanship skills Dove told the jury he did not know how many times he had shot Dove Garza asked how an experienced marksman didn’t know how many shots he fired into Wallace Garza referred to the rap song Dove sang over the jail phone line “I don’t duck murders,” was the first line he sang over the telephone Garza did not ask for an explanation; rather he asked Dove how rapping about killing Wallace showed any remorse about the situation Wallace isn’t here to contradict your statements Garza wrapped up his cross-examination by telling the jury that it was weird that Dove would shoot 16 times but only intend to injure Wallace but the two sides reaffirmed their arguments Murder was not in question; the defense argued there was no intent to kill the prosecutors argued the text messages and threats constituted an intent The jury took three hours to deliberate and convicted Dove of first-degree murder Dove is scheduled to be sentenced for his convictions on Aug WAYNESBORO — A jury on Thursday found 24-year-old Jacob Sipe guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of a Waynesboro man last summer The jury deliberated for just under four hours before convicting Sipe in Waynesboro Circuit Court He was also found guilty on charges of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and contributing to the delinquency of a minor the morning of July 23 on the front porch of Hill’s home at 417 James Ave Both men had been drinking liquor and using cocaine for several hours prior to the shooting Hill’s 2-year-old son was in the home when the killing took place claimed self-defense when he spoke to police at the scene The Waynesboro man claimed he was sleeping on the porch when Hill attacked him unprovoked “I didn’t know what else to do,” he told a police officer special prosecutor Tim Martin reminded the jury that Sipe fired six rounds at Hill “He didn’t have to shoot Trevor,” Martin said Martin told the jury Hill was executed in front of his 2-year-old child and said Sipe’s response to the incident was disproportionate Sipe told police where to find the handgun used in the killing a 9mm Beretta semiautomatic that was found on the porch But he also gave inconsistent statements to police about what happened and claimed not to remember the entire ordeal The prosecutor said Sipe’s statements to police were self-serving and designed to keep him out of trouble “Those are statements of a killer and they are not to be believed,” Martin told the jury Defense attorney Benjamin Beliles argued the police work of the Waynesboro Police Department was shoddy and said more investigative work should have been done He also said his client was the victim of a brutal assault that broke his nose in three places Beliles said Sipe stayed at the scene because he was innocent and didn’t flee “as many guilty people do.” He also said Sipe cooperated with police as best he could considering the circumstances “He took responsibility for about everything that morning,” Beliles said The attorney said Sipe never had any intention of killing Hill Martin noted that Sipe told police Hill fell on the third shot and keep in mind some of these are in the back,” the prosecutor said Evidence during the three-day trial showed the two men had been friends for several years Sipe went over to Hill’s home at about 1 a.m The shooting took place several hours later at approximately 9 a.m A neighbor who heard the gunshots said she saw Sipe standing over Hill’s motionless body and berating him with profanities while still pointing the gun at him she said Sipe began tossing furniture on the porch Sipe then went inside Hill’s home to clean his nose and look for a phone charger so he could power his phone and call 911 He was found in his car still charging his phone on Thursday and deliberated until 3:15 p.m Judge Paul Dryer told those in the crowded courtroom to keep their emotions in check Sipe was asked by the judge if he’d like to make a statement Sipe faces up to 54 years in prison on the four convictions Second-degree murder carries anywhere from five to 40 years behind bars “We’re pleased with the outcome of this matter,” Martin said afterward “The Waynesboro Police Department worked really hard to put together an excellent case.” obviously.” He said an appeal will be filed Sipe opted to be sentenced by the judge if convicted Sipe remains at Middle River Regional Jail in Verona More: Vaccine religious exemptions increase at some schools in Staunton, Augusta County More: Virginia Department of Health data: Religious exemptions at local public elementary schools (WHP) — A Waynesboro man is facing attempted homicide charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor and pointed a gun at his neighbor’s 9-year-old son was taken into custody following the shooting Sunday evening in the 7700 block of Mentzer Gap Road in Quincy Township according to charging documents from Pennsylvania State Police Troopers responded to the scene around 6 p.m and spoke with a man who’d been shot at least twice in his legs The victim said he’d been riding his lawn mower with his son right before the shooting shot him right after his son hopped off the mower to pick something up from the grass who said the neighbor was yelling and swearing at him and his father The child said he saw the neighbor point the handgun at them Troopers said that when they went to take Kugler into custody Investigators recovered a black Ruger 9 mm from the counter Kugler allegedly admitted to firing the gun five times at the neighbors though he said he shot above the victim’s head and denied injuring anybody When asked how he thought the victim was injured troopers charged Kugler with two counts of attempted homicide two counts of attempting to cause significant bodily injury with extreme indifference and two counts of recklessly endangering another person Kugler was denied bail after he “stated he shot at the victims including a 9 year old autistic boy and that boy’s father” He has a preliminary hearing set for April 22 at 8:30 a.m QUINCY TOWNSHIP- One man is on the mend today after PSP say he shot him and shot at his autistic son on Sunday night. Jack Edward Kugler remains behind bars in Franklin County Jail on bail denied by MDJ Annie Gomez Shockey Court filings show that the “def (defendant) stated he shot at the victims including a 9 year old autistic boy and that boy’s father.” Kugler has since been charged with two of attempted criminal homicide two felony counts of attempts to cause SBI (significant bodily injury) with extreme indifference and two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment Pennsylvania State Police Troopers were notified of a shooting in the 7700 block of Mentzer Gap Road they say that the victim was found to have had “at least two gunshot wounds to his legs” That victim was coherent enough to tell PSP that he had been shot by his neighbor PSP say that the victim told them he was mowing his grass and that his juvenile son was also on the mower with him After that juvenile victim hopped off the mower to pick something out of the grass that is when the adult victim said he was shot He believed that there were four total shots in the incident the victim was flown to York Hospital for treatment who was an autistic 9 year old according to court dockets told PSP that he saw Kugler with a handgun pointed at them PSP say that this juvenile victim heard shots and looked at the neighbor seeing he was still pointing the gun at them Troopers specify that “he witnessed his father get shot” Kugler exited his residence and was taken into custody he reportedly told police that the gun was on the kitchen counter was found in the home and spent shell casings were found in the yard with him allegedly admitting that he fired his handgun about 5 times at the neighbors but denied injuring him claiming that he instead shot about the victim’s head PSP say Kugler said “he did not know He related that he did not see anyone else have a gun besides him.” WAYNESBORO — A McGaheysville man accused in a Waynesboro killing went on trial Tuesday on charges of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony is accused of shooting 22-year-old Seth Wallace of Waynesboro multiple times last year during the early-morning hours of May 25 The shooting took place shortly after 4 a.m in the 1300 block of D Street in Waynesboro near Wallace's residence He died a little more than two weeks later on June 12 at UVA Health in Charlottesville Waynesboro Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Eduardo E Garza told the jury that a medical examiner is expected to testify Wallace was shot at least eight times Defense attorney Dana Cormier said his client didn't intend to kill Wallace "All the shots were below the waist," he said in his opening statement Brandon Moyer of the Waynesboro Police Department testified when he arrived at the scene of the shooting that Wallace was barely conscious based on body camera footage played in court A paramedic testified Wallace had a massive wound to his right groin and that his femur bone was fragmented outward Evidence showed he was shot with 7.62x39mm rounds that were reportedly fired from a rifle Sixteen shell casings were found at the scene authorities arrested him that same afternoon in Rockingham County two trash bags hidden under a rock were discovered Inside the bags police found parts of a disassembled rifle In texts sent by Dove prior to the shooting he accused Wallace of damaging his relationship with Kaylee Turner a Timberville woman charged with being an accessory to first-degree murder and being an accessory to the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony Another text revealed he was getting ammunition His phone also showed he had a Google map of Wallace's D Street address he told an acquaintance in a text that he hoped Wallace "ain't pull through," evidence showed he and Turner drove about 90 minutes away into West Virginia said they briefly made small talk at his home before Dove made a confession "I should have called the law but I didn't," he said police informed Dove that his cell phone "pinged" a phone tower near the scene at about the same time Wallace was shot Dove said he might have left the device in his girlfriend's car James Nystrom said Dove told him if they had to charge somebody in the shooting Dove's trial will resume Wednesday at 9 a.m with Garza still presenting the state's case The jury is expected to get the case Thursday after the defense presents its case has opted to have Judge Paul Dryer sentence him on a later date More: 'We want our city to not crumble': Staunton Council discusses real estate tax rate hike: The Agenda More: Concerns over tariffs led an Augusta County woman to create a food map of the Shenandoah Valley WAYNESBORO — Raymond Giles worked for years in management at a fast food company when he heard Waynesboro was opening a new restaurant on Rosser Avenue along with some of the other 200 employees that the Waynesboro restaurant has hired were training as they prepared for next week "I didn't think they would bring this much enthusiasm to the job and this much excitement," Giles said I don't know if it's just the Texas Roadhouse brand or the way they run the organization casual dining restaurant that serves steaks Most selections include two made-from-scratch side items and unlimited fresh-baked bread and peanuts Staunton School Board, search firm meet to discuss timeline on hiring superintendent the restaurant will serve dinner-only Monday through Thursday from 3-10 p.m. and be open for lunch and dinner Friday and Saturday 11 a.m The restaurant is located at 1880 Rosser Ave "We are ultimately bringing legendary food Texas Roadhouse is really just a people company that happens to serve steaks Part of the community atmosphere will include memorabilia from local sports teams "We want people to come in here and feel like it's their restaurant," Smith said this is where they come to celebrate and we're all a big family She said for those who have never been to a Texas Roadhouse it will feel like going to a family cookout when they walk in the door "It's going to feel like everybody knows everybody "Lots of 'We'll see you tomorrow' because we want you to come back It's kind of like we're throwing a party every day." West Augusta man pleads guilty to being an accessory after the fact in shooting There will be a ribbon cutting on Friday at 4 p.m The restaurant is also doing an invitation-only pre-opening event Friday and Saturday to raise money for theBoys & Girls Club of Waynesboro “We are passionate about supporting organizations that educate and facilitate positive influences for children,” says Managing Partner Mahasinah Dent Staunton and Augusta County provides life-changing programs fun enriching experiences and supportive relationships with peers and caring adults We’re so proud to celebrate our opening by supporting this incredible organization.”  Joe Poff is the local store marketer for Waynesboro but has loved relocating to the East Coast "It does feel like a big family," Poff said "I was welcomed in as a new employee right away It made me feel like I fit in with everybody I do love that we are so involved with the community getting to know everybody in the community More: Billy Opal relocates in downtown Staunton, planning grand opening celebration: BUSINESS BEAT This is orientation week as employees learn all the dos and don'ts for Texas Roadhouse One thing they are learning that most restaurants don't teach is line dancing The employees are learning two to three different dances this week The music will get high from that toe-tapping level and we'll line up throughout the restaurant Sometimes the guest will stand up and watch." When the restaurant opens to the pubic at 3 p.m Monday Smith expects there will be a line of people ready to try Texas Roadhouse "Sometimes there is a campout," Smith said "We love to celebrate that first guest that comes in the door More: Staunton City Council will hear update on Wharf area, Byers Street at Thursday meeting: THE AGENDA — Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com (WHSV) - Jacob Sipe was found guilty by a jury Thursday on all counts including the second-degree murder of Trevor Hill after a three-day trial in Waynesboro Circuit Court The jury deliberated for three and a half hours Thursday handing down the verdict just after 3:30 p.m Sipe’s defense attorney said they plan to appeal the verdict and said “this is not over.” Sipe’s attorneys argued he had acted in self defense when shooting Hill in Waynesboro on July 23 Sipe will be sentenced for these convictions on June 27 On July 23, 2024, the Waynesboro Police Department responded to a shots-fired call on James Avenue in Waynesboro was lying on the porch with multiple gunshot wounds while a 2-year-old baby and Jacob Sipe were across the street Sipe was later arrested and charged by the Waynesboro Police Department and the Waynesboro Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office the Waynesboro Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office had to relinquish the case to the Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office WHSV later learned that a personal relationship between defense counsel and prosecutors led to a conflict of interest Tim Martin and his team stepped up and took over the government’s role in the case Sipe’s charges have been amended before, but jurors on Tuesday were informed that Sipe would be facing second-degree murder charges. The last update WHSV got on the case was that the Commonwealth had been pursuing first-degree murder charges. Thursday’s proceedings started with each side presenting their closing arguments to the jury Since the burden of proving guilt is on the Commonwealth they have the first and last word in their closing statements started his argument by explaining the definition of second-degree murder to the jury Martin told the jury they had an easy job in the case against Jacob Sipe He said that in his experience as a prosecutor a jury often has to infer who killed someone he said: Jacob Sipe had killed Trevor Hill Martin just had to convince the jury if there was intent to kill or not Martin gave the jury multiple reasons why he believed Sipe had the intention to kill Hill His first point of argument was the 911 call made by Skyler Tyler she told the emergency communications officer that Sipe had stood over Hill’s motionless body after he shot him She then said he started to shout different expletives at Hill like “You’re a piece of s---” and “Motherf---er.” During her phone call she also saw Sipe throwing furniture around on Hill’s porch including the chair Hill would regularly sit on Martin then argued about the importance of how many shots were fired in this case Sipe told an officer that Hill fell after the third shot.” Sipe fired six times towards Hill Martin picked apart the defense’s argument Marshall confirmed where Sipe could be standing in relation to the shell casings found at the scene Martin said this piece of evidence was crucial because it proved Hill had no escape from Sipe during the shooting Martin went on to explain how if someone performs a crime and understands the probable results Martin argued that Sipe understood a bullet to the heart would more than likely kill Hill but pulled the trigger anyway Martin then reinforced the need for self-defense in American society referencing Sipe’s decision to shoot Hill on his porch He then explained to the jury that everyone gets an equal opportunity to live and survive in the U.S. were tearful and expressed emotions of sadness started his closing statements by telling the jury about the invalidity he found in the Commonwealth’s argument He told the jury the Commonwealth had the burden to prove guilt because the U.S has the “innocent until guilty” belief ingrained in law Presumption of innocence was a common theme in his closing statement Beliles said the Commonwealth was unable to provide the full picture Beliles went on to speak about the importance of science and ballistics to understand the full picture who praised the Waynesboro Police Department (WPD) for their investigation He called WPD detectives’ work on the case “shotty” and “unreliable.” Ultimately he argued the case was not investigated properly and there were “major errors” and inconsistencies in the story Martin previously told the jury that it was as simple as “Jacob Sipe shot and killed Trevor Hill maliciously.” Beliles argued the opposite and said there was nothing simple about the case He pointed out the Commonwealth’s lack of acknowledging the injuries Sipe sustained and the impacts of those injuries Commonly throughout his nearly two-hour argument Beliles told the jury the Commonwealth has no idea what happened before Hill was shot The only evidence and information about everything before the shooting came from Sipe’s statements to police admit his client was the man who shot Hill he just argued the reason was self-defense Beliles then compared Sipe’s actions to those commonplace with “guilty people.” After the shooting he told police he went inside to clean his nose and then went to his car to charge his phone so he could call the police Beliles boasted how Sipe cooperated with police even while under the influence of cocaine and alcohol Beliles did not try to pin Sipe’s actions on drug or alcohol use Instead he used the scientific data as an insight into the actions Sipe had in reaction to Hill allegedly attacking him He said Sipe told officers that he had no other choice but to shoot Hill Sipe’s defense team described the entire incident as “dynamic and chaotic.” Since the events happened so fast and were traumatic Beliles quickly told the jury Sipe’s conflicting statements were the product of adrenaline intoxication and sheer misunderstanding of everything that happened between Sipe and Hill Beliles berated the Commonwealth’s arguments and emphasized to the jury that the Defense needed to put on evidence because the Commonwealth did not paint a full picture the Commonwealth only needs to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime The judge said the evidence present was sufficient for the jury to reflect on when a motion to strike was made.) about some of the instructions given to the jury Beliles continued to scold the Commonwealth for their lack of evidence provided explain the importance of self-defense as it related to this case and commanded the jury to acquit Sipe because “there was no evidence of murder in this case.” allowing Martin to offer his final words and rebuttal to the jury Martin’s rebuttal was much shorter than Beliles argument and mostly consisted of examining contradictions in Beliles argument Martin even told the jury that parts of Beliles argument was “completely false.” the judge gave his final orders to the jury and sent them off to the jury room to deliberate The 12 men and women who were selected to reside over the case and decide the fate of Jacob Sipe took nearly four hours to deliberate but returned with four guilty verdicts including one for the second-degree murder charge Sipe did not offer any statement to the court The only words he had said throughout the whole trial came after the judge asked him if he wanted to speak Once the jury delivered the verdict on Thursday most everyone in the courtroom was emotional in some way Hill’s loved ones were hugging one another but with smiles on their faces One of Hill’s family members told WHSV they “finally got closure.” Most of his loved ones held on to each other close with their heads down as the jury confirmed their decision to convict Sipe for the murder of Trevor Hill The defense elected to be sentenced by the judge Sipe is looking at a potential sentence of 3-54 years in prison for this crime depending on whether he gets the maximum sentences for his crimes and whether they are concurrent — served at the same time — or consecutive Martin told WHSV that he was pleased about the outcome of the case He said violent crime trials are immensely draining because they’re emotional especially if the victim in the case had died The defense offered a very limited comment to WHSV but they said “this is not over,” and that they will pursue appeals and any other avenues they can in this case “homicidal” for a medical examiner does not always mean murder Homicidal just means someone’s death was caused by another human being which is what Jacob Sipe’s defense is arguing There is a distinction between cause of death and manner of death is a more specific definition of what actually killed someone Imbrum said Trevor Hill’s cause of death came from multiple gunshot wounds Hill had five separate gunshot wounds scattered across his body Imblum explained the damage caused by each wound The torso bullet caused significant damage to multiple important organs described as “lethal” during his opening statements There were also several abrasions and lacerations found on the victim’s head but Imblum said she couldn’t fully examine the area unless they shaved his head specifically the wounds in the lower region of the body could be shot from someone standing over the body Imblum confirmed Martin’s suspicions but said she couldn’t tell for certain if that’s what happened in this case The defense began by asking a multitude of reasons the gun shot wounds could appear the way they did Imblum did not deny a single question the defense asked and Ben Beliles one of the attorneys representing Jacob Sipe The Commonwealth rested its case after Imblum’s testimony The two sides argued about the definition of malice Beliles described Sipe’s demeanor when law enforcement arrived and how he was cooperative and calm while the investigation was happening the Waynesboro Police Department employees said Sipe caused no issues to any of the investigators on scene Martin responded to the defense’s argument by providing examples of Sipe being agitated or angry He referenced the 911 call made by Skyler Tyler and how she told an emergency communications officer that Sipe was shouting expletives and throwing furniture around after he shot Hill He also mentioned to the judge that using a deadly weapon The judge denied the defense’s motion to strike charges to testify as an expert in firearms and ballistics Marshall works with Eagle Security Group as a consultant He testifies in courts as an expert for a fee Marshall said he prepared for the Sipe case by creating an experiment to test how a Beretta APX A1 the gun legally owned and used by Sipe to shoot Hill His results depicted inconsistencies with how the crime scene was found which was the pinnacle of Beliles’ argument The shell casings in his study were all ejected to the right of the pistol at varying distances The results at the crime scene were inconsistent with those findings The Commonwealth argued Sipe was standing on the sidewalk when he shot Hill the casings should have launched into the grass The casings at the scene were mostly found around Hill’s body Marshall went on to tell the jury that WPD did not “perform the best actions” when securing and analyzing a crime scene involving a firearm He mentioned the need for measurements and ballistic rods a device to help accurately determine the direction a projectile is flying He then told the jury there were potential defects on the shell casings which could indicate them being stepped on or kicked Martin went on to confirm the witness’s expertise He told the jury Sipe is not a qualified expert in firearms and might not know the proper way to hold and shoot a gun he used two hands and shot at the same angle to limit variation Martin said no one knows how Sipe held the gun while he shot Hill and maybe the casings could have ejected differently than anticipated The defense called Detective Blake Marian to the stand to help examine body camera footage of Sipe right before he left for the hospital bloodied and injured” when he spoke with him for the first time Sipe told Marian he had drunk alcohol and used cocaine a few hours before the shooting Marian was one of the first investigators to get a statement from Sipe right after the shooting Sipe told Marian that Hill attacked him out of nowhere Sipe said he wanted to go over to Hill’s house to hang out and said that while he was allegedly attacked by Hill Sipe talked about getting his face “smashed on the concrete” and into a white Mazda pickup truck as well When it was Martin’s turn to question Marian he immediately asked the detective about the validity of specific claims in Sipe’s statement He presented Marian with a picture of the Mazda and the concrete surrounding the Mazda and asked if there were any signs that he had been slammed against the concrete and/or the truck Marian explained the lack of dents or pools of blood and said it didn’t match up to his statement he detailed the distance between the Mazda and Sipe’s personal car He asked Marian for his thoughts on the idea that if Sipe wanted to escape he’d be able to jump in his car and leave but instead chose to follow Hill back to the house Martin then shifted gears toward the porch and asked about the alleged positioning of Sipe and Hill He asked Marian what kind of escape routes Hill could have if Sipe blocked the stairway leading out of the house Martin honed in on Sipe’s statement to Marian and asked about the sudden drop of knowledge in Sipe’s statement when asked about the shooting itself He claimed Sipe had “a detailed description of the wrongdoings Trevor did to him,” but “suddenly forgot” when it involved Sipe shooting Hill Anything after Sipe pulled the trigger was “a blur,” Martin argued The defense’s last witness of the day was Jacob Sipe’s father Jeremy was with Jacob the evening before the shooting occurred Jeremy testified that the two had dinner together and everything was a “normal day” for the two of them Jeremy told the jury he went to bed a little bit earlier than usual on July 22 but his son was “in a good mood” and still at home when he went to bed Jeremy said he received a phone call from Marian around 10:30 a.m The detective gave him a brief description of what was going on and Jeremy had the opportunity to speak with his son He described Jacob as “pretty upset and disturbed.” Jacob then proceeded to tell his father his perspective of what happened Jeremy and his family are the owners of Regal Jewelers in Waynesboro He said most people who work in the store carry firearms because “shady people” have come to their shop and said it’s best to protect themselves while at work He told the defense and the jury that’s why he thinks his son bought the gun Martin examined the conversations between Jeremy and his son more closely when it was his time to cross-examine He talked about Jacob’s aspirations to join the U.S Coast Guard and how the charge against him could ruin any shot of serving his country “Did you f*** up pretty good?” Jeremy Sipe had asked his son over the phone Martin continued to pick apart the conversation between Jacob and his father “Did you think he would carry [the gun] around while drunk and high?” “I can’t think of any reason,” Jeremy responded and after a short rebuttal presentation by Martin Jury trials in the state of Virginia start with jury selection a meticulous process where both sides of the courtroom and the judge find 14 jurors who are the best fit for the case at hand The process for Jacob Sipe’s trial was relatively smooth and neither side objected to the composition of the jury after the selection family members and friends of the victim pointed out to WHSV that the composition of the jury did not reflect the people involved in the case The group of selected jurors was a near-even split of men and women but no one serving on this jury was African American Both sides of the courtroom presented their opening statements to the jury the Commonwealth (otherwise known as the Government) started the proceedings and showed the jury their argument Tim Martin showed the jury several different video and audio clips from the day of the shooting The first clip he presented was the original 911 call made by Hill’s neighbor “I think my neighbor got shot,” Tyler told the emergency communications officer Though it is commonplace for the defense to take one side of the room and the prosecutors to take the other the families of both parties gathered behind each respective side in the audience as well with Sipe’s loved ones behind the defendant and Hill’s loved ones behind the Commonwealth making a clear divide of energy in the room Each side of the courtroom responded to emotional statements in their own way Sipe’s loved ones were visibly upset when the prosecution berated Sipe pointing out clear confessions he made to police while the investigation was happening Hill’s loved ones were visibly upset when they heard police describe the condition they found Hill in at the scene there’s blood all over his hands,” another quote from the primary 911 call said Tyler’s call was limited in details because she was across the street she mentioned Sipe shouting several expletives that she could hear from her street “You’re a piece of s***,” Tyler recalled Sipe shouting to Hill while standing over him as he was lying face down on the porch Martin recounted several statements made by Sipe when police arrived on the scene Many of them left visible emotional impacts on some of the jurors and the crowd members when they heard it “I pulled the trigger until it wouldn’t pull,” and “He [Hill] went down after the third bullet but I kept shooting,” were some of the statements uttered by Sipe when police arrived that Martin repeated in the courtroom Martin’s opening statement included police body camera footage as well The footage he pulled and presented was from one of the first officers who answered the call “Is he breathing?” a WPD officer asked when Hill was found on the porch Police officers did not attempt to revive Hill when they found him Officers considered him “Dead on Arrival” and proceeded with their investigation Hill was found with multiple gunshot wounds which Martin described as a “lethal” wound When police were examining Hill’s body and surveying the scene they found a distraught 2-year-old right inside the door Martin said the child could see Hill’s presumed dead body later identified as Hill’s young son Jayseon Martin ended his opening remarks with the same sentiment he started with “It’s a simple matter,” and told the jury he will convince them beyond a reasonable doubt that Sipe murdered Hill at his home The defense started by addressing the elephant in the room and told the jurors the case was not about who killed Trevor Hill. Ben Beliles explained to the jury that this case was about intent to kill versus self-defense It’s a tragedy for Jacob,” Beliles said to the jury Beliles further explained the relationship between Hill and Sipe calling them friends and acquaintances for more than a decade He said Sipe’s tragedy was losing a long-time friend Beliles presented a picture of Sipe to the jury The picture showed Sipe’s condition throughout the interviews with police and how Tyler described Sipe during her 911 call His nose was visibly damaged and blood was “pouring” out of it for nearly an hour He continued to describe Sipe’s behavior and cooperation with law enforcement as the morning unfolded He said Sipe was “dazed and confused” but cooperated with police in every way he could Sipe answered every question police asked him even though police found him halfway in his car Beliles then told the jury a detail left out by Martin: Hill was Sipe’s cocaine dealer He said Sipe came over for the night to get high with Hill “[Sipe] was absolutely heartbroken,” Beliles said to the jury Beliles described the altercation from the defense’s point of view to the jury and told them about a statement Sipe said to police “[Sipe] doesn’t know why Trevor attacked him,” Beliles said He said Hill was aware of Sipe carrying a gun but continued to fight him Beliles then explained to the jury how there are flaws in WPD’s investigation He claimed bullet casings were stepped on and moved around and rescue squad employees were nearby but never called He ultimately told the jury that WPD pinned the blame on Sipe instead of investigating Day 1’s witness list was shorter because half the day was dedicated to jury selection the Commonwealth presents its arguments first because the burden is on them to prove guilt “Innocent until proven guilty” is the building block of the U.S legal system and is backed by the Fifth and Sixth Amendments of the Constitution which guarantee due process and the right to a fair trial Much of the Commonwealth’s questions to Tyler invoked answers Martin had already told the jury during his opening statement struggling to answer some questions when asked A new detail Tyler shared with the jury was Sipe’s demeanor while standing over Hill She said Sipe threatened Hill and pointed the gun at him while Hill was on the ground she explained to the jury what Sipe was doing after standing over Hill’s presumed corpse Sipe was “throwing around” furniture on Hill’s porch Police later confirmed multiple pieces of furniture were knocked over when they arrived and the defense was allowed to cross-examine and ask Tyler their own questions Beliles began by asking Tyler what details she did not know about the situation He asked her about any knowledge of conflict before she heard gunshots She told Beliles and the jury she had not heard anything nor knew anything about a potential fight between Sipe and Hill The only events she could recall were after Hill was shot by Sipe While she was answering a separate question Beliles rustled through some papers preparing to ask about comments made by the witness He presented screenshots of a WPD Facebook post where Tyler made some vulgar comments about the situation: “I hope he rots in hell.” Beliles continuously asked Tyler about the lack of knowledge she had about the two before the shooting Tyler stood firm in the words she told Beliles and the jury and said many of the things she witnessed did not seem like self defense and explained an issue she had with the defense’s argument “I don’t think [a prior fight between Sipe and Hill] warrants shooting someone in front of their kid,” Tyler said A friend/acquaintance of Hill was called to the stand next was at Hill’s house three hours before the shooting Caul said he would frequently visit Hill’s house because Hill was very accepting of him despite Caul describing himself as “having special needs.” but Martin asked him to describe Sipe’s demeanor at 6 a.m Caul said Sipe was angry at Hill and told the jury about Sipe’s cocaine usage hours before the shooting Caul then explained what Sipe meant when Sipe told Hill and Caul about the “shooters” he had Sipe called himself “untouchable,” Caul added Caul told the jury Sipe continued to make him uncomfortable by asking personal questions and becoming aggressive Caul said Hill jumped in to defuse the situation Beliles asked Caul if he had called 911 or noticed any physical conflict between Hill and Sipe before he left “Do you wish you had called 911?” Martin asked in rebuttal Many of the other witnesses called to the stand clarified details to the jury or provided explanations to things found at the scene Multiple WPD officers and investigators took the stand to testify about their experiences and what they saw while responding More than 100 photos were submitted as evidence for the jurors to reflect on during deliberation WAYNESBORO — A three-day jury trial for a Waynesboro man charged with murder is scheduled to begin Tuesday pleaded not guilty on March 14 during his arraignment to charges of second-degree murder use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor Sipe is accused of killing 33-year-old Trevor Hill of Waynesboro on the front porch of his James Avenue home the morning of July 23 Hill's 2-year-old son was in the residence at the time of the killing The two men spent several hours together before the shooting with Sipe arriving at Hill's home at 1 a.m Sipe admitted to drinking liquor and using cocaine while at Hill's before falling asleep He claimed he awoke to Hill screaming at him and said Hill began punching him "I was fearful," Sipe said in a comment that was picked up by a Waynesboro police officer's body camera told a police officer he thought he "had no choice." When asked how many times he pulled the trigger he estimated seven times and said Hill fell after the third shot Hill was shot multiple times with a Beretta APX handgun Sipe's nose was fractured during the incident It was also revealed at an October bond hearing that Sipe became a father five days before the killing after his son was born prematurely and had to be hospitalized More: Middle school football to launch in the fall after Augusta County School Board approves program Augusta County Commonwealth's Attorney Tim Martin is handling the case as a special prosecutor along with Augusta County Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Alexandra Meador after Waynesboro Commonwealth's Attorney David Ledbetter and his staff stepped aside in August because of an undisclosed conflict of interest Martin noted multiple shots were fired at Hill and said most of them came from a distance The prosecutor said a trail of shell casings led to Hill's body on the porch with the last shot reportedly coming from relatively close range "He emptied his gun into his friend while high on cocaine and alcohol," Martin said at the hearing The murder trial will be held in Waynesboro Circuit Court with jury selection beginning Tuesday morning The trial is scheduled to conclude Thursday Correction: Sipe is charged with second-degree murder More: Nourishing Strides 5K, Project Grows youth program and SAW Housing Lunch & Learn: The Digest WAYNESBORO — A woman accused of crashing her SUV into a car killing one and injuring three others last week in Waynesboro The suspect had also recently used fentanyl and methamphetamine according to Waynesboro Commonwealth's Attorney David Ledbetter The prosecutor made the statements Tuesday in Waynesboro General District Court Estes is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Brittany J who was behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Tahoe was driving with her wife the morning of Feb 25 when she crossed a double-yellow line on Hopeman Parkway near Evershire Street to pass a motorist she slammed into Comer's oncoming Honda CR-V near Kate Collins Middle School "at a very violent speed." The crash took place near a 25 mph school zone that Estes was about to enter A black box in Estes' SUV showed her impact speed was 72 mph with one suffering a broken femur and the other a head injury Ledbetter said both children have been released from the hospital More: Staunton residents voice concerns over Rep. Ben Cline and Donald Trump Estes told authorities she used fentanyl and meth within 24 hours of the deadly crash Two vials of blood were drawn from Estes and forensic results are pending Billias that he's contemplating upping the current charge to aggravated involuntary manslaughter He also indicated Estes will be facing additional charges "There are certainly more charges coming," Ledbetter said he cited Estes' "extreme recklessness," stating she was a danger to herself and the community Eric Anderson of the Staunton Public Defender's Office argued for bond noting that Estes works at a local chain restaurant and lives with relatives Estes remains at Middle River Regional Jail in Verona More: Queen City Music Studios opens storefront music shop in downtown Staunton More: Staunton investigation concerning dead baby now considered an inactive case Updated: The article was updated to show the crash occurred near a school zone (WHP) — As Saturday night's storm made its way through many parts of Hagerstown PA are also feeling the weather's impact Multiple photos received by CBS 21 show multiple parts of Waynesboro impacted by the high winds Other parts of the county are also left to pick up the pieces including the Mercersburg and Greencastle areas: One frightening incident happened to a driver at a Greencastle Walmart's distribution center the driver had been hooking up the trailer when it began to flip from the high winds the driver was able to take off running just in time Others captured the aftermath of the storm in Quincy Township The Franklin County Department of Emergency Services posted that members of its staff and the county's Tax Assessment department will be surveying southern parts of the county for damage If you have any damage caused by the storm on your property emergency services asks that you contact your local municiaplity WAYNESBORO — A man charged with second-degree murder in a Waynesboro shooting last summer pleaded not guilty Thursday during his arraignment in circuit court also pleaded not guilty to charges of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony During Thursday's hearing in Waynesboro Circuit Court the judge also ruled against a defense motion to suppress statements Sipe made to police who was shot multiple times on the front porch of his James Avenue home the morning of July 23 Hill's 2-year-old son was in the home at the time Staunton educator recognized as Virginia's Region 5 teacher of the year Sipe's nose was broken during the incident Sipe said he arrived at Hill's home at 1 a.m who also admitted to using cocaine while at Hill's Sipe claimed he awoke to Hill screaming at him told the officer he thought he "had no choice." When asked how many times he pulled the trigger Sipe estimated seven times and said Hill fell after the third shot More: 'They're awesome': Texas Roadhouse prepares to open. Get a look inside Waynesboro's newest restaurant His defense team of Michael La Fratta and Benjamin Beliles filed a motion to suppress statements he made arguing it wasn't clear he'd been Mirandized Based on information that was revealed during Thursday's arraignment It was also noted the shooting victim was under investigation at the time of his death for an alleged sexual assault along with Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Alexandra Meador Sipe has a three-day jury trial scheduled to begin March 25 More: Waynesboro drug dealer who stashed $77,000 in vent sentenced for dealing fentanyl WAYNESBORO — A suspect is facing 17 charges following a shooting incident over the weekend and a subsequent police chase police responded to a report of gunshots in the 1200 block of Stayman Avenue "which was believed to be related to a harassment incident between known parties," a release said Police found four adult victims in a vehicle headed northbound on South Delphine Avenue The occupants reported being followed and possibly shot at by an individual who was pursuing them in his vehicle When police attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Williams he reportedly sped away on East Main Street at a high-rate of speed Police said Williams crashed into two signs before continuing onto Interstate 64 eastbound The pursuit spilled over into Nelson and Albemarle counties and police deployed stop sticks that damaged one of the vehicle's tires where Williams exited I-64 and crashed into a ditch He allegedly fled on foot but was quickly apprehended Williams is facing four charges of discharging a firearm from a vehicle to create risk of injury or death four charges of maliciously shooting at an occupied vehicle and four charges of attempted malicious wounding He's also facing single felony charges of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm as well as eluding along with misdemeanor charges of assault and battery of a household member Williams is being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail More: City of Staunton seeks housing input, WARM's shelter report, Staunton cultural nonprofit grants: The Digest More: Augusta County man jailed on charge of attempted first-degree murder WAYNESBORO — A jury on Wednesday found Dustin A guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of a Waynesboro man last year now faces the possibility of life in prison for the slaying of 22-year-old Seth Wallace Wallace was shot during the early-morning hours of May 25 in the 1300 block of D Street in Waynesboro after Dove ambushed him Evidence showed that Dove fired 16 rounds at Wallace with a semi-automatic rifle loaded with 7.62x39mm rounds A paramedic who took Wallace to the hospital said earlier in the trial on Tuesday that he had a massive wound to his right groin and said his femur bone was fragmented outward Wallace survived for more than two weeks before succumbing to his injuries on June 12 at UVA Health in Charlottesville and one of his testicles had to be removed before dying Brittney Imblum of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Manassas said Wallace had numerous wounds and organ damage to his liver Imblum said Wallace had gunshot wounds to his back “At least eight gunshot wounds based on the autopsy,” she said More: Stuarts Draft man who sexually abused teen sentenced to 29-year prison term A forensic scientist testified the barrel of Dove’s rifle also had traces of Wallace’s blood said he joined the military in 2019 after graduating from East Rockingham High School But after finding an Army friend who hanged himself and was living in Tennessee when he witnessed another acquaintance get shot and killed he moved back to Rockingham County and said he began using narcotics again Dove said he met Wallace by chance at an arcade in 2022 But after Dove was briefly jailed on drug distribution charges stemming out of Rockingham County he claims Wallace began making disparaging remarks about him to Kaylee Turner is charged with being an accessory to first-degree murder and being an accessory to the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with Wallace’s killing Dove said he eventually stopped talking to Wallace for months Dove said he responded by snorting cocaine that same day and arguing with Turner prompting a text exchange between the two men Dove said both he and Wallace sent threatening texts that day before he went to Richmond with Turner and another friend They returned to Rockingham County shortly after midnight on May 25 He said that’s when he noticed earlier texts from Wallace that made fun of a sick relative and one telling Dove to protect his family said he continued to drink whiskey and snort cocaine on the way to Waynesboro He said Turner texted with Wallace during the drive Dove testified his plan was to shoot Wallace in his legs and said he'd recently had a rod placed in one following a vehicle accident When he arrived on D Street shortly after 4 a.m. Dove said he got out of Turner's car and began watching Wallace who was on his front porch looking at his cell phone But he told the jury he must have made a noise Dove said he immediately opened fire from close range "I was just spraying at his feet," he said Wallace tried running but fell to the ground who claimed he didn't fire any more rounds after he went down Dove admitted to feeling "good" after the shooting "I felt I protected my family," he said to the jury Evidence showed numerous shell casings were found within feet of Wallace who was barely conscious when he told police Dove had shot him authorities arrested him that day in Rockingham County wrote a rap song that referenced the killing Waynesboro Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Eduardo Garza reminded the jury that nine shell casings were found next to Wallace and some of the bullets were discovered underneath his body "He shot right on top of him," the prosecutor said In noting the gunshots were fired below Wallace's waist Defense attorney Dana Cormier said Dove didn't intend to kill Wallace and told the jury he'd taunted his client prior to the shooting Cormier argued Dove was only guilty of second-degree murder "and he will pay for that." The jury deliberated for just under three hours before convicting Dove of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a murder He now faces the possibility of life in prison with no less than 23 years behind bars Dove opted to have Judge Paul Dryer sentence him if found guilty More: Man accused of Staunton killing found not guilty of second-degree murder More: Grepps, Dimitt to square off in Board of Supervisors primary; Butch Wells to run for school board seat WAYNESBORO — The Virginia Economic Development Partnership announced Wednesday in a press release that McClung Companies will invest $4.6 million to upgrade printing equipment and management systems in the City of Waynesboro The company will retrain 37 employees in how to use the upgraded equipment and systems “McClung Companies has continually invested to bring the very best products service and support to our client base,” said McClung Companies President Adam Monk “These investments will expand our capacity and develop workflows that will allow our success in supporting our internal and external customers for many years to come.”   World War II veteran Charles McClung and his wife Lucille founded McClung Companies in 1946 What started as a one-room operation continued to grow and the business moved to its current location on Commerce Avenue in the 1950s “McClung has been a staple in the Waynesboro community for decades,” said City of Waynesboro Director of Economic Development and Tourism Greg Hitchin “Their dedication to having well-trained employees and making investments in new technology will serve them well and position them for continued success.”   Staunton makes list of Virginia's most eccentric towns. Here's why “McClung Companies’ growth and commitment to Waynesboro and the Shenandoah Valley region is the ultimate compliment for our business community,” said Shenandoah Valley Partnership Executive Director Jay Langston “It has been a pleasure to work with Adam Monk and his staff on this expansion and gratifying to participate in their growth in a highly competitive sector.”   McClung Companies plans to upgrade its printing press and finishing equipment to increase efficiency and production out of its facility Along with the new printing and finishing equipment the company is upgrading its management information systems to streamline pricing The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Waynesboro to secure the project for Virginia VEDP will support McClung Companies’ employee retraining through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program which provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs or upskilling their existing workforce to support employee recruitment and training activities As a business incentive supporting economic development VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies demonstrating Virginia’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities for citizens Waynesboro murder trial: Victim multiple times, including the face and chest More: Former contractor ordered to pay $215,000 in restitution to Augusta County victims (WHSV) - A Waynesboro woman was charged with involuntary manslaughter after another woman died and multiple people were injured in a multi-vehicle collision in Waynesboro on Tuesday morning The crash occurred at approximately 7:41 a.m at the intersection of Hopeman Parkway and Evershire Street and involved two vehicles according to a release from Waynesboro Police Department The drivers were Brianca Elaine Estes and Brittany Jean Comer Comer died as a result of the crash and was identified as the deceased driver at the scene Estes was transported to Augusta Health with non-life-threatening injuries She also had a passenger in the vehicle — whose name was not released — who was taken to UVA Hospital and is in stable condition There were also two young children involved in the crash who sustained serious injuries and were taken to UVA Hospital for “urgent medical treatment,” the release said WPD officers arrested Estes after a preliminary investigation on charges of involuntary manslaughter and additional charges are pending further investigation Estes is being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail WPD asks for any witnesses of the crash to contact Sgt Holmes at 540-836-0876 and said this is an ongoing investigation WHSV will provide updates on air and online as more details are available Visitors to the Healthy Kids Day at the Waynesboro Area YMCA will find something a little squirrely to go with the usual family-friendly activities The annual day dedicated to kicking off “a safe healthy and fun summer season” will be held from 10 a.m The book "Sylvester’s Adventures at the YMCA” by local author Nancy Funk will be given away thanks to sponsorship from the Waynesboro Owls Club See photos from the meet: Waynesboro hosts James Buchanan in track and field Five rooms at the Y recently were renovated and Kim Eaton remembers hearing sounds from the ceiling while hanging a wallpaper mural of a forest in the Child Watch space It wasn’t the first time a squirrel has gotten into the Y and at one point to put a squirrel named Sylvester at the center of No The story follows Sylvester as he wakes up then goes in search of donuts His time in the Y is more adventure-filled than the real-life squirrel “Sylvester’s Adventures at the YMCA” also will be given to children at the Y’s new summer camp for preschoolers That’s one of the many programs about which information will be available at the local Healthy Kids Day Here’s what the Waynesboro Y’s website says about Healthy Kids Day: “Are the kids in your life already dreaming of summer Let’s awaken their imagination so they can explore new activities and healthy habits.” There will be information about Y programs Members of Leadership Franklin County are helping with Healthy Kids Day and a variety of community organizations will be on hand with information and free activities participants will range from Antietam Humane Society Inc. Buttonwood Nature Center and Cumberland Valley School of Music to Waynesboro police and fire departments and WellSpan Health There will be open swims in both the large and small pools from noon to 1 p.m Adults must accompany children younger than 12 and be in the pool with non-swimmers Looking west on Broad Street toward the intersection with Poplar Avenue The purpose of this project is to improve the operational safety of the Broad Street corridor by replacing center two-way left-turn lanes with designated turn bays and raised medians This will serve to restrict the number of full access points onto Broad Street and reduce accidents Streetscape improvements such as trees and other landscaping elements will also be incorporated into the project Other multimodal improvements include installing missing sections of sidewalk and ADA-compliant facilities such as curb ramps mid-block crossings and minor traffic signal adjustments as needed between the West Main Street/Rosser Avenue intersection and the East Main Street intersection within the City of Waynesboro In 2023 Broad Street had an average traffic count of 11,600 vehicles per day By the design year of 2048 the estimated daily traffic volume is 14,800 vehicles per day This project was selected for funding under the SMART SCALE process for prioritizing transportation projects. Get more information on the prioritization process as outlined by the Virginia General Assembly This project will improve safety and traffic operations add sidewalk and pedestrian accommodations and develop streetscape features to improve the aesthetics of the corridor The displays below are early design plans prepared for the Citizen Information Meeting on Aug (Note: These are large files that will take a moment to open.) Lat/long: ' + markerLat.trim().substring(0,9) + ' drivers should expect minimal traffic impacts with no roadway detours or major shifts in vehicular movements Center turn-lane closures will be marked with traffic barrels Lane closures and minor lane shifts will be temporary and will occur during non-peak hours Pedestrian traffic on existing sidewalks and crossings will be maintained for accessibility Entrances to existing businesses will be kept open during construction The city and VDOT will work with property owners to ensure that business operations will not be impacted by this project Estimated start date: Spring 2027 (advertise for construction) Estimated completion date: To be determined Estimated cost of the project: $7.2 million This project was selected for funding under the SMART SCALE process for prioritizing transportation projects 4-6 p.m.Waynesboro City Council ChambersCharles T Public meeting information Links to project displays are available above The Virginia Board of Elections (VBOE) voted unanimously to have a court remove the Waynesboro Board of Elections chairman from his post after he attempted to refuse certification ahead of the 2024 general election.  In a 5-0 vote Jan. 15, the VBOE agreed to petition the Waynesboro Circuit Court to have Curtis Lilly removed from his position after he filed a lawsuit to refuse election certification after casting doubt on the security of voting machines. Lilly, along with Waynesboro Board of Elections Vice Chair Scott Mares, filed a lawsuit Oct 4 that said they would refuse to certify the upcoming general election unless the state’s policy prohibiting them from hand-counting ballots was changed The pair argued the way votes are tabulated through voting machines in Virginia violates the state’s constitution and “to certify the election under the current legal and administrative regime would be a violation of their oaths of office shall refuse to certify the 2024 election.” In response, five voters filed a counter lawsuit to ensure the pair would certify the election results, which a Virginia circuit court judge ordered them to do Nov “My vote is my voice. I shouldn’t have to rely on the whims of election officials to ensure that my vote is counted,” Ann Criser-Shedd, one of the five plaintiffs, said according to the Augusta Free Press “They are causing voters to mistrust the system and that could have a lasting impact Our officials need to follow the law like every other election board.” Waynesboro registrar and director of elections said the duo’s initial lawsuit to refuse to certify the election blindsided her and was a “complete misuse of power.” I began to receive hate emails about the lawsuit,’’ she told The Daily Progress It took time to reassure the voters that their vote was safe Learn more about the case here.  President Donald Trump said during public remarks Friday that he would withhold aid for the Los Angeles wildfires unless California adopted a voter ID requirement We depend on your support to keep bringing you the latest information and insight on the fight for democracy – always free and available for all we can’t fight for the future of our democracy unless we know what’s happening What happens if Trump defies court orders? Here's what we know Interstate 64 westbound off-ramp at exit 94 This project adds a 550-foot right-turn lane with a 400-foot taper along the exit ramp (off-ramp) from westbound Interstate 64 to Route 340 (Rosser Avenue) in the city of Waynesboro 24-foot-wide ramp will be widened to include an additional 12-foot lane and an eight-foot-wide right shoulder This will create dual right-turn lanes for motorists turning north on Route 340 The traffic signal at the intersection of Route 340 and the I-64 westbound ramp will be modified to accommodate the ramp improvements this exit ramp had an average traffic count of 6,300 vehicles per day the estimated traffic volume is 7,172 vehicles per day The city of Waynesboro applied for and received SMART SCALE funding for this project in 2023. Click here for more information on the SMART SCALE prioritization process as outlined by the Virginia General Assembly Providing a second right-turn lane for I-64 westbound drivers turning north on Route 340 will enhance safety and reduce congestion motorists can expect shoulder closures and intermittent lane closures during allowable lane-closure hours Estimated start date: Summer 2026 (advertise for construction) Estimated completion date: Completion date identified upon contract award Estimated cost of the project: $2.5 million This project received funding from Virginia’s SMART SCALE program for prioritizing transportation improvements Advertisement for Willingness to Hold Public Hearing Dottie Davis was never a member of the YMCA had health issues throughout her life and was away from the area for many years Her sisters, Jan Patterson and Pat Gordon, have no idea why Davis, who died in 2023 at the age of 79, bequeathed more than $100,000 to the Waynesboro Area YMCA Check out the new look: Waynesboro Area YMCA rooms renovated with bequest from Dottie Davis Some of the money has been spent this year to revamp five rooms totaling more than 6,000 square feet and Kim Eaton “We hadn’t planned to do any of this,” said Eaton who met with Patterson and learned the sisters wanted Davis’ donation to focus on kids “The donation came in just when we needed it I talked with Jan about what her sister would like,” Eaton said The makeovers started in January and are complemented with furniture, learning materials and other supplies the Y got for free from First Start Partnerships for Children and Families of Franklin County which had surplus following a consolidation The project includes moving the Child Watch room to a larger space and creating a Community Room in its previous location; renovating the two teen rooms dubbed The Hub; and preparing a room to be used this year for kids in the new preschool summer camp The work can be checked out during Healthy Kids Day April 26 and is designed “to encourage a safe healthy and fun summer season.” The day is packed with free activities community displays and information about Y programs and summer camp walls and floorsThe new Community Room is just off the lobby of the Y and is a popular place for kids to hang out after school and can be rented for birthday parties and other events “Everyone really enjoys this space,” Eaton said Eaton pointed out felt on the walls where art projects posters and other papers can be displayed using pins which Samaritan Electric installed as a donation Child Watch is a free service for Y members with care for children up to 10 when their parents are exercising “You can see why we needed a bigger room,” Eaton said there were 13 kids playing in the bright room with a wallpaper forest mural covering one wall The new Child Watch space has seen many uses climbing wall room and turf tunnel for batting practice “This is the latest and the greatest,” Eaton said blocks and toys and games from First Start Partnerships The ceiling was lowered from 20 to 10 feet and new heat ducts and lights installed An incident with a squirrel in the ceiling during the renovation inspired Nancy Funk to write “Sylvester’s Adventures at the YMCA.” No it is underwritten by the Owls Club and will be given away on Healthy Kids Day and to preschoolers at summer camp What else is new?The nearby renovated teen center has been renamed The Hub A barn door can be closed to form the Meeting Hub and the Teen Hub Another large room has been painted for summer camp preschoolers but the ceiling hasn’t been lowered and its future use is undecided “Seeing what’s been done is wonderful,” said Patterson She noted her sister’s bequest also will fund an electronic sign in front of the Y which will be something she’ll see every day A graduate of Waynesboro Area Senior High School she moved out of the area and lived in states including Maryland In the community: Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials honors Waynesboro’s Eric Holtzman Patterson said Davis was very artsy and was especially known for her pottery houses The donation to the Waynesboro Y surprised her surviving sisters but Patterson said she is “very pleased” to see how the money WAYNEBSORO — The jury is set to hear closing arguments Thursday morning and will then begin deliberations in the trial of Jacob P a 24-year-old Waynesboro man charged with murder last summer was shot and killed the morning of July 23 on the front porch of his home at 417 James Avenue in Waynesboro claimed self-defense and told police Hill attacked him while he was sleeping The two spent the night drinking alcohol and using cocaine on Hill's front porch before gunshots rang out at about 9 a.m and Sipe's nose was fractured during the incident “I didn’t know what else to do,” Sipe told an officer at the scene The two men had been friends for about nine years Hill's 2-year-old son was inside the residence at the time of the killing Evidence showed six shell casings were found at the scene A medical examiner said Wednesday in Waynesboro Circuit Court that Hill had gunshot wounds to numerous parts of his body Evidence presented Wednesday also showed that both Sipe and Hill had cocaine and alcohol in their system testified he let his dog out at about 3:15 a.m A few hours later he left for a dental appointment at 8 a.m. and said they were both still on the porch conversing in what he described as a normal tone "I was shocked when I got home and found out what happened," Baker said who was bleeding profusely from the nose at the scene told police he had his gun on him while being attacked but also said it was on the porch where he said he grabbed it and holstered it in an attempt to deescalate the situation The holster was found in Sipe's car and the handgun Sipe also said he was beaten against a pickup parked in the driveway and that his head was slammed into the vehicle Evidence showed there were two small droplets of blood on the pickup but no marks on the vehicle Sipe told police he hit the concrete "and I really don't remember much after that." Marion of the Waynesboro Police Department testified he wasn't aware of Sipe having any head injuries testified he felt police probably disturbed some of the shell casings when responding to the scene and noted investigators didn't employ some investigative tools such as bullet trajectory rods Defense attorney Benjamin Belilies argued Tuesday there were flaws in the police investigation there was a rush to judgement about what happened," he said who said he'd been paid $4,000 so far in the case said he believed the gunshots were fired from near the front porch or on the stairs special prosecutor Timothy Martin asked Det Marion if Hill was trapped on the porch by the shooter with no escape Alyssa Zullig noted when she was questioning Sipe at the scene that blood had coagulated around his nose "When he was talking he was spraying," Zullig testified When asked if Sipe expressed remorse for shooting Hill he went inside the home and tried to clean himself He also looked for a phone charger to power his phone in an attempt to call 911 Police found Sipe in his car at the scene still charging his phone testified Tuesday she heard several gunshots on the day of the shooting She said she looked out of her window and saw Sipe standing over Hill's body with a gun and berating him with profanities the defendant's father and a local jeweler testified his son was in a good mood the night before the shooting But the following day he spoke to Jacob after his arrest and said his son seemed "upset and disturbed." Asked about his son's cocaine use during his testimony Closing arguments are expected to begin at 9 a.m Sipe is facing charges of second-degree murder use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and maliciously shooting into an occupied dwelling He's also facing a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor he opted to be sentenced by Judge Paul Dryer and not the jury Sipe is also being represented by Michael La Fratta who normally prosecutes cases in Augusta County is handling the case with Augusta County Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Alexandra Meador and Augusta County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Caleb Kramer Martin's office was asked to step in after Waynesboro Commonwealth's Attorney David Ledbetter cited an undisclosed conflict of interest last summer More: Elderly Fishersville man sentenced to 13 years in prison for dealing meth