RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – A Richmond fire captain made nearly $172,000 in overtime pay in the last fiscal year and has a $133,000 salary for 2023 – more than double Mayor Levar Stoney’s salary. He wasn’t the only Richmond city employee whose salary and overtime pay left them earning more than the mayor’s $125,000 base salary, according to records made public after the city settled a lawsuit seeking wage and overtime pay figures. A review of the records by 8News found that six other fire captains made more than $200,000 with overtime pay in the 2023 fiscal year – from July 2022 to June 2023 – and ..read more

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia State Police is investigating a crash involving a Rockingham County Public Schools bus and a passenger vehicle. At 7:49 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 8, state troopers responded to the incident at the intersection of Cross Keys Road and Shen Lake Drive for a report of a crash involving a school bus. Five children are said to have suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash and were transported to nearby Sentara RMH Medical Center for treatment. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 8News Breaking News Alerts SIGN UP NOW ..read more

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia Commonwealth University officials have notified the public of a water main break at the intersection of 7th Street and Hospital Street near the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. 8News reached out to the Richmond Department of Utilities, who said crews are assessing the cause of the break and making needed repairs. An estimated timeframe for repairs is not available at this time. Runaway chickens fly the coop, wander through Richmond International Airport parking garage Access to the I Deck on the Hospital Street side is blocked for 16 hours. Driv ..read more

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Two women are facing multiple charges including felony murder in connection to the death of a 9-month-old infant in Spotsylvania. Around 12:45 p.m. on Friday, the county's 911 Center received a call reporting a 9-month-old female was not breathing in a home on the 6500 block of Venison Drive. According to the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office, first responders arrived within minutes and performed life-saving measures. The infant was transported to a local hospital and then flown to the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU. The infant died on Sunday, Dec ..read more

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $2 million in funding to go towards planning for new rail routes across Virginia. According to an announcement from Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, the funding will go towards studying improvements to passenger rail in Virginia. This could include: Extending Amtrak services to new cities Increasing frequency of trains Creating faster routes The $2 million in funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Corridor Identification and Development Program and has been divided between the following projects ..read more

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Have you seen these chickens? A pair of runaway hens were spotted inside a parking garage at Richmond International Airport on Thursday, Dec. 7. Presumably, they were trying to leave the country. A photo sent in by an 8News employee's mom shows one of the chickens attempting to allegedly commandeer a vehicle as part of the escape. We can't confirm the chicken's intentions, but one can only assume that it was up to no good. Photo by Angie Thrasher/8News mom "It’s true. Two chickens were spotted in the South Garage," said a spokesperson for the airport early Friday ..read more

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The latest expansion of Dominion Energy Virginia's largest battery storage facility is now operating in Chesterfield County. The Dry Battery Energy Storage System will generate approximately $1.2 million in annual tax revenue for the County, according to Dominion Energy. The facility is said to store up to 20 megawatts of electricity with the ability to power 5,000 homes for up to four hours. Courtesy: Dominion Energy Virginia Energy officials say the batteries will play a critical role as the company continues to build the largest offshore wind project in the ..read more

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia's fall fire season has officially ended after a record-breaking number of wildfires burned through the state, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF). The department responded to 156 wildfires that burned nearly 25,000 acres and damaged 13 structures this fire season, which ran from Oct. 15 to Nov. 30. During last year's season, 89 wildfires burned 2,654 acres. While fire season has ended, DOF officials warn that current drought conditions still pose a threat to causing fires and advise those living in such conditions to postpone outdoor burning u ..read more

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Richmond Police Department charged a student after they allegedly brandished a knife during a fight with other students at Huguenot High School. Around 1:15 p.m., a school resource officer from the Richmond Police Department stationed at Huguenot High School responded to a fight that had broken out among students at the school. "During the altercation, a student brandished a knife," a police spokesperson said. "The officer and RPS security staff recovered the weapon and the altercation ended without injuries to students." According to police, the student has been cha ..read more

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A vehicle crashed into a utility pole on Three Chopt Road resulting in road closures and power outages. Shortly after 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 8, officers with Henrico Police were called to the corner of Three Chopt Road and Foster Road for a reported crash involving a vehicle that had hit a utility pole in the area. Three Chopt Road has been closed between Skipwith Road and Landis Drive as crews work to safely replace the utility equipment. This closure is expected to take six to eight hours to complete. According to police, approximately 1100 homes are without ..read more