How safe is your favorite shopping mall in RVA?

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Ever wonder how safe the malls are where you shop? Those from out of town who may make the drive to Richmond to shop the larger retail areas are not necessarily tuned into RVA crime statistics so here’s a list of the most popular malls in the capital city, and where they rank on the crime meter beginning with Stony Point Fashion Park, ranked the safest:

Tastee Freez in Churchville robbed by armed gunman

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Augusta County law enforcement reported a man armed with a gun and knife robbed the Churchville Tastee Freez late Friday night, according to reporter Brad Zinn at the Staunton News Leader (see Tastee Freez robbed in Churchville). The ice cream eatery, located in Augusta County west of Staunton at the intersection of Rt. 250 and Rt. 42, is popular with locals as well as tourists who travel that route to campgrounds and hiking trails in the nearby mountains.

No further details were available early Saturday morning.

Staunton: Body found in Gypsy Hill Park – UPDATED: 16-year-old charged with murder

By Lynn R. Mitchell

UPDATED 5/9/14 at 11:00 am: 16-year-old charged with murder, according to the Staunton News Leader.

Gruesome news caught everyone’s attention Thursday morning when a Staunton Recreation and Parks employee who was mowing in Gypsy Hill Park found a body near the 18th hole of the golf course, according to the Staunton News Leader and other sources. The call to police was received around 8:00 a.m.