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Food allergies becoming epidemic among kids

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- If you're an adult, you probably remember mom baking cookies or cupcakes to bring to school for your birthday, or other special occasions, but no more.

Food allergies have become an epidemic among school-age children. It's a problem that's turned life upside-down, because for some kids, just sitting near a classmate eating a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, could be fatal.

Derek Booth's party to celebrate his 6th birthday was held at Jumpology. Indoor trampolines are a big attraction when you're in the first grade and his mom invited everyone in his class, but some parents wouldn't allow their kids go.

It wasn't a fear of jumping. It was the cupcakes, the ice cream, the candy, and the soft drinks. The explosion of pediatric food allergies have parents on edge, and when declining the invitation, one mother didn't mince words.

Richmond School Board changes course, votes to close 3 schools

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- Richmond School Board members reversed course Monday, deciding once again to close City schools.

In the stunning decision, board members voted not only to close the two schools they recently chose to keep open, but to add a third one to the chopping block.

Parents and others at the meeting yelled at board members in the hallway, as they left the session.

Now, Clark Springs and A.V. Norrell Elementary schools, along with the Adult Career Development Center, are slated to be shut down.

"Why you are putting them on the list? Doesn't make any sense," one man asked exiting board members in the Richmond City Hall lobby.

The Richmond School Board previously voted to close two under-enrolled schools, which will amount to $1 million saved in facility expenses. However, after intense backlash, the board changed its mind and voted to keep the schools open.

Trial for alleged MS-13 gang leader begins

José Bran

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- A contentious trial, which could put an alleged local gang leader behind bars for life, started at federal court in Richmond Monday. Prosecutors have charged Jose Bran with five felonies relating to gang participation.

The government maintains with this trial they're getting at the heart of the local MS-13 set through the man they say is its leader.

According to a prosecution gang expert, the group of MS-13 operating in the metro area is known as one of the most violent cliques. Sgt. Claudio Saa explained to advance to be the leader of the "sailor set" you must commit acts of brutality and once there, you order them.

That's what the feds say José Bran did.

The five felony charges he's facing deal with just two crimes. The first is the murder of Osbin Hernandez-Gonzales at Pony Pasture in the summer of 2011. Prosecutors say Bran ordered the shooting death as gang initiation for two people.

MS-13 in the Richmond Metro Area

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- NBC12 investigated where MS-13 is in the Richmond Metro Area, asking each locality to tell us what kinds of crimes they've seen by the gang in the last five years.

In Chesterfield this year, two men claiming to be MS-13 members were suspects in a Meadowdale burglary. In 2012, three MS-13 members who lived in Chesterfield were charged with the murder of Osbin Hernandez near Pony Pasture. They were later convicted of the crime in Richmond.

That same year, two MS-13 members from Chesterfield were charged with rape and conviction. Officials say the two teen gang members raped a 15-year-old Chesterfield girl, threatening her with a machete. They threatened that they would not take her home unless there was an "exchange".

In 2011, Chesterfield reported MS-13 related graffiti painted at the Chesterfield Village Apartments.

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12 INVESTIGATES: $5M settlement in RSHT class action lawsuit

HENRICO, VA (WWBT)- A proposed $5 million settlement is in the works for a class action lawsuit against a "for-profit" college in Henrico County.

The court is looking for people who went to the Richmond School of Health and Technology between 2004 and February of this year. You may be able to join the multi-million dollar lawsuit started by several former students.

The students went to the school to become surgical technicians, medical assistants, and billing encoders. These students say they left RSHT without any preparation for certification or licensing tests.

"If you go to the store and you buy something that's not good, what do you do? You take it back and get a refund. I can't take my degree back and get a refund," said La-Deva Dabney.

Dabney signed on to the suit last summer after our stories first aired. She and seven other plaintiffs, like Amanda Smith, make similar claims.

Richmond triple shooting update: 1 victim has died

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- The Richmond Police Department confirms one of the men injured in a triple shooting, has died.

Officers were called to the 400 block of East Broad Street shortly after 3:00 a.m. Saturday. When police arrived on the scene, they discovered three adult males had been shot.  All three were transported to VCU Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

In a release sent to media Sunday night, police confirmed 29-year-old Dominique Richardson died from his injuries late Saturday.

Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 780-1000. Citizens can also text Crime Stoppers anonymously by texting 274637, using the key word "ITip" followed by your tip.

Copyright 2013 WWBT NBC12.  All rights reserved.

On Your Side Alert: Mail Fraud Investigation

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- You've probably received some junk mail this week. Most of us just throw it out, but crooks are hoping to score big from consumers who open the mail. One viewer got fed up when she kept receiving what she believed to be fraudulent offers.

Letter, after letter, after letter, all to one person, all scams according to United States Postal Inspector, Michael Romano. "The whole purpose of it is to really attract an individual who may have fallen on hard times and is out of work," he explains.

A viewer mailed NBC 12 an entire stack of offers they received in the mail. She wanted the junk mail to stop and wondered how her name ended up on the mailing list. Inspector Romano had an answer. "Many of these scams originate from the consumer actually reaching out to an offer that they think is legitimate, when in fact it is not," Romano says.