by Laurence Hammack | May 21, 2006 | Investigative reporting
On an April afternoon in 1978, the forces of nature overcame the folly of man when the Roanoke River, enraged by torrential rains, flooded an apartment complex built on its banks. More than 200 residents of Willow River apartments were forced to flee, prompting a...
by Laurence Hammack | Dec 17, 2005 | Investigative reporting
Behind a table bearing shotguns and revolvers, and next to a hand-written sign that read “Private Sale; No Paperwork!,” Mike Smith sat waiting for business. Smith’s gun sale was private in one sense. But it was held in a very public place — the...
by Laurence Hammack | Dec 11, 2005 | Politics/government
MARTINSVILLE — For nearly five years, the building for sale in Martinsville’s Clearview Business Park stood as barren as the surrounding economic landscape. A different company toured the empty building about every six weeks, tantalizing officials with the...
by Laurence Hammack | Aug 21, 2005 | Religion
Eleven years ago, a parishioner accused a Catholic priest of sexually abusing her in the confessional of their Covington church. The woman who made the allegation against the Rev. Edward C. Moran said the church promised her that he would never lead another...
by Laurence Hammack | Jul 16, 2005 | Religion
MIDDLEBROOK — A layer of soot still coats the sanctuary. The white ceiling is stained dark gray by smoke. Anti-gay graffiti remains spray-painted on the brick walls of St. John’s Reformed United Church of Christ. One week ago, this Augusta County church...