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Council aide no longer working for Bruce Tyler

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - The council aide in the middle of a lawsuit against the city over an alleged groping incident is no longer working for councilman Bruce Tyler.

Tyler says Jennifer Walle has taken a leave of absence while her civil and criminal cases are handled in the courts.

Walle says in April she was touched in a sexual manner by David Hathcock, the aide to council president Kathy Graziano.

Hathcock is scheduled to appear in court on the charges against him next month.

Copyright 2011 WWBT NBC12. All rights reserved.

Shaka & Rodriguez going to the White House

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - If VCU basketball player Joey Rodriguez was nervous sitting next to comedian George Lopez, wait until he's sitting next to the president of the United States.

The Rams' star point guard, as well as team coach Shaka Smart, are headed to meet President Obama in the upcoming weeks.

Rodriguez is a guest for the "Cinco de Mayo" dinner, while Smart is a guest on April 30 for the White House Correspondent's Dinner, which honors headliners in the news from all around the country.

Copyright 2011 WWBT NBC12. All rights reserved.

Sycamore Rouge and Richmond Shakespeare partner with VMFA to perform “Art"

Sycamore Rouge and Richmond Shakespeare partner with VMFA to perform “Art"

Richmond Shakespeare and Sycamore Rouge come together this month to co-produce “Art,” by Yasmine Reza, and the play will open in the most apt location in Richmond – the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.   On April 22, “Art” opens at VMFA and will run for four shows through the weekend.  On April 29, “Art” will continue at Sycamore Rouge in Petersburg and run through May 14.   

Winner of the 1998 Tony Award for Best Play, “Art” premiered in Paris in 1995 and has since been produced worldwide and translated into 30 languages.  The play looks at the calamitous effect of an expensive piece of abstract art on three friends.  White lines on a white canvas spark debate about the value of the painting and lead to high emotions and escalating conflict.

This co-production will mark the 10-year anniversary since “Art” was last presented in Richmond by TheatreVirginia in the same space within VMFA, the Leslie Cheek Theater.

“Art” will

Best Small American City of the Future!

The city of Richmond has been named the Best Small American City of the Future by Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine. Richmond was also ranked as the third Top Small Cities FDI Strategy, and fifth overall for Small Cities Business Friendliness.

According to the judging panel, the city of Richmond and Huntsville (Alabama) had the best FDI strategy amongst the small cities. The rankings are based on each city’s population range, with that of small cities being from 100,000 to 250,000 residents.

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Rally for Ram & Spiders

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) – The road to the NCAA tournament started with two teams, the VCU Rams and the Richmond Spiders, and ended with one city united! 

"These teams put Richmond on the map like never before," said Mayor Dwight Jones. 

In a "Hoopstown Celebration" with a crowd of a couple hundred Major Dwight Jones presented both coaches: Chris Mooney and Shaka Smart with the first-ever Pride of Richmond award. 

"We want to say thank you for an amazing run, for a dream season you took us to the very top," Jones said. 

Lauren Sachs and her nephew were some of the first to arrive for the history-making celebration. 

"I think to show the Rams we still support them; whether they made it further or not, we're here for them and we're proud of them," she said. 

Although drowned in a sea of black and gold...these die-hard Spiders fans are beaming. 

Four arrested at burial ground protest in Richmond

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Four people were arrested this morning at a peaceful protest at an old African American burial ground in Richmond at 1500 East Broad Street.

The four arrested include: Rolanda McMillan, Donnell Brantley, Phillip Wilayto and Autumn Barrett.

That burial ground is currently being used as a parking lot for VCU. But, changes are coming.

"The parking lot should have been closed already and it needs to be closed today," said one protester.

That was the loudest this small group of protestors got this morning, when several VCU Police Officers arrived to a blockade set up at this parking lot.

Protestors were blocking a parking lot that has been determined to be an old African American burial ground.

"We are pleased with the progress that is made. However, cars are still on the African American ground," says protestor Phil Wilayto.

House fire may have been started by homeless people

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - A house fire erupted in Richmond overnight, leaving investigators to try to pinpoint what started the fire. They believe it may be linked to homeless people who used the abandoned home.

The fire started around 10 p.m. at a house in the 1400 block of North 19th Street in Church Hill.

The house is burned and has a black, charred look from the flames.

The house is very close to the houses on both sides of it — those homes were also damaged, the siding melted.

It took fire crews 30 minutes to get control of the fire and put out the flames. No one was hurt.

The fire marshal is investigating the case.

Copyright 2011 WWBT NBC12. All rights reserved.