GLOUCESTER LEVIES 4% FOOD SALES TAX
GLOUCESTER – Gloucester County’s 4 percent sales tax on meals and beverages went into effect at midnight.
The tax, which is expected to bring in about $800,000 a year, was enacted after 62 percent of county voters endorsed it Nov. 5. The tax is levied in addition to the 4.5 percent state sales tax.
Items subject to the tax are foods and drinks that are prepared as meals, such as those sold in restaurants, county officials have explained. Not subject are foodstuffs bought separately, such as from a grocer.
(Officials have acknowledged that vendors such as convenience stores and food specialty shops, which sell both kinds of foods, may initially have trouble distinguishing between items that are taxable and those that are not.
The Board of Supervisors, which enacted the tax last month, included a 5 percent collection fee allowance for affected merchants.)
CRIME LINE CALL LEADS TO ARREST
NEWPORT NEWS – A call to Crime Line Friday resulted in the arrest of a Newport News man for robbery.
Anthony Wyatt, also known as Anthony Schrewsbury, or “Anke,” was arrested at 10 a.m. at Patrick Henry Trailer Park, according to Officer Pete Edgette, Newport News police spokesman.
He was charged with robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, Edgette said.
The charges stem from an incident Jan. 23 during which Wyatt allegedly robbed an acquaintance to whom he had given a ride, Edgette said. The offense occurred on Eastwood Drive.
WOMAN IS CHARGED WITH MOTEL ROBBERY
NEWPORT NEWS – A Hampton woman was arrested Friday for the robbery of the Super 8 Motel on Jefferson Avenue Monday night.
Zina E. Davis, 31, of the first block of Pennwood Drive, was charged with robbery, according to Officer Pete Edgette, Newport News police spokesman.
The robbery occurred at 7:30 p.m. when a woman approached the clerk at the Front desk and demanded money, Edgette said.
The clerk did as she was told and the woman ran from the building with an undisclosed amount of money, he said.
NN SUPER FRESH ROBBED THURSDAY
NEWPORT NEWS – A man who said he had a gun robbed a checkout clerk at the Super Fresh food market at Newport Square Shopping Center Thursday night.
At about 10 p.m., the robber put a can of beer on the checkout counter as though he was going to buy it, according to Officer Pete Edgette, Newport News police spokesman. When the clerk rang the sale up, the man told her he had a gun and forced her to move away from the register, he said. He then grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash from the register and ran from the store, Edgette said.
The man is believed to have run behind the store toward the Harpersville Road area and Interstate 64, Edgette said.
No one was hurt in the incident.
Police are looking for a black man described as being between 30 and 40, 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches tall and 200 to 225 pounds. Witnesses said he had a deep voice, short hair and was clean shaven. He was wearing a red or burgundy beret-type hat, blue jeans and a gray waist-length jacket. He is known to frequent the shopping center, Edgette said.
Anyone with information can call police at 926-8706.
AUTO SHOP THEFTS LEAD TO ARREST
NEWPORT NEWS – A Newport News man was arrested Friday in connection with the burglaries of two auto service stores.
Willie Thomas White Jr., 37, of the 1200 block of 29th Street, was charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of grand larceny, according to Officer Pete Edgette, Newport News police spokesman.
White is charged with taking 24 cases of motor oil from Mason Brothers Mobil Service Station in the 900 block of 39th Street sometime between Jan. 25 and Jan. 26, Edgette said.
White allegedly also took several pieces of repair equipment from Turner’s Auto Clinic in the 800 block of 39th Street during the same time period, Edgette said.
White was released from jail after posting bond, a jail official said.
WOMAN, 76, RAPED AFTER BREAK-IN
HAMPTON – A 76-year-old Hampton woman was raped Tuesday night by a man who forced his way through a window in the back of her house as she slept.
The man attacked the woman shortly before midnight Tuesday in her Tidemill Lane house near LaSalle Avenue, according to Cpl. Jeff Walden of Hampton police.
After the assault, the man left through the front door, he said.
The victim called police and was taken to Sentara Hampton General Hospital, where she was treated and released, Walden said.
Police are searching for a black man described as being in his mid-20s to early 30s and 5 feet 7 inches to 6 feet tall. He was wearing a skull cap and had a mustache, Walden said.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 727-6111 or Crime Line at 722-9800.
FUGITIVE IS WANTED FOR MULTIPLE CRIMES
NEWPORT NEWS – Police are asking for help in locating a fugitive wanted on felony charges.
Julius Bannerman is wanted in connected with two robberies and use of a firearm during a felony for offenses Monday. He is black, 19, 6 feet 2 inches tall and 150 pounds. He is known to frequent the Adams Drive area and the Aqueduct apartment complex in Newport News.
If you have information concerning the whereabouts of these fugitives, call Crime Line at 245-0755. If your information leads to an arrest, it could earn you a cash reward of up to $1,000. All calls are confidential.
