Virginia company pleads guilty to attempt to sell guns, equipment to people in Yemen, Libya

 A Virginia company run by a would-be arms merchant pleaded guilty Thursday to trying to sell guns, night vision goggles and other military equipment to people in Yemen, Libya and other foreign countries.

Ioannis "John" Papathanassiou, 51, of Vienna, Va., entered the guilty plea on behalf of his company, Taipan Enterprises Ltd., at a hearing Thursday in U.S. District Court, admitting that his company sought to broker arms deals without a license.

The company was ordered to pay a $15,000 fine, the amount recommended by prosecutors.

Papathanassiou's company was never actually able to sell any equipment, despite several years of effort.

According to court records, authorities became suspicious of Papathanassiou when he returned from a 2007 business trip to Brazil. Papathanassiou told customs agents that he had been meeting with Yemeni nationals to sell them farm equipment, but a search of his luggage found product brochures for military vehicles and handwritten notes referring to weapons.

In fact, Papathanassiou was trying to sell Swiss-made machine pistols and other military equipment to a contact in Yemen. Court records indicate that contact was Khalid Al-Rowaishan, who runs KNA General Trading Company in Sana'a, Yemen. An e-mail to company officials was not immediately returned Thursday.

After Thursday's hearing, Papathanassiou said his Yemeni contacts amounted to "one businessman who asked some questions about getting some military equipment."

Court records suggest that the Yemeni contact may have wanted to establish his own arms distributorship or do business with the Yemeni government. In one e-mail, Papathanassiou says his Yemeni client is looking for several thousand Glock pistols to outfit the Yemeni presidential guard.

Papathanassiou also tried to drum up business by seeking to sell night vision goggles to Libya, purportedly for use by that government's border patrols. He also sought to sell military equipment to a military contractor in Chile and armored vehicles to an unspecified end-user in Vietnam.

Papathanassiou spent much of his career working with military contractors and was aware that he had neglected to register his company as required with the U.S. State Department. He told the judge at Thursday's hearing that he was sorry for his actions.

Prosecutor James Gillis told the judge that the $15,000 fine "certainly in our view is an appropriate fine."

Defense lawyer John Hundley said the small fine is evidence that the company's misconduct was relatively minor.

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Notre Dame's Campbell fitting in nicely in West Virginia

I stand before you tonight, with many emotions, to deliver my final State of the Commonwealth address. While the quick passage of four years has its bittersweet aspects, the most significant feelings I have are gratitude for those who have supported me during my time in public life and pride in what we have accomplished during this Administration. Let me reflect on what we have done together before I conclude with the most important part of my comments, my expressions of thanks.

When I was inaugurated Governor in Williamsburg four years ago, I chose a simple motto for my Administration: "Virginia Leading the Way." Ever since moving to Richmond in 1984, I have believed in our city and our Commonwealth and wondered why we were not seen more clearly as national leaders in the same way we were in the early years of the American Republic.

The historian Susan Dunn wrestled with the same question in her 2007 book "Dominion of Memories," contrasting Virginia's intellectual, political, and economic leadership in the first 50 years of the nation's history to its decline in influence thereafter. Deep into the 20th Century, Virginia's insular and often backward-focused leadership -- evidenced by the ill-fated Massive Resistance to racial equality -- consigned Virginia to a position of far less significance than that reached by our founders. What better place than Williamsburg, where Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson were inaugurated, to declare that Virginia was once again ready to claim the mantle of national leadership?

As I leave office, I can say with confidence: Virginia has achieved that goal. No state in America has enjoyed the success we have seen in recent years. Some of the remarkable forward movement in Virginia has been obscured by the national recession that we saw starting in the Spring of 2007. But, Virginia is well positioned going forward because of our economic, educational, and political leadership.

The Virginia economy today is one of the nation's most vibrant. We are in the top ten states in median income and have one of the ten lowest unemployment rates in the country. Only one other state -- New Hampshire -- can claim that distinction. Contrast this to the Virginia of 50 years ago, when personal income was in the bottom third of the nation.

In the past four years, we have recruited five Fortune 500 companies to move their headquarters from other states to Virginia -- two of them this past year alone -- as well as announced more than $13 billion in new investment during the longest recession since the 1930's. These economic development opportunities have been achieved in all parts of the Commonwealth; Volkswagen, Hilton, SAIC and CSC in Northern Virginia; MeadWestvaco in Richmond; Ikea in Danville; SRI in Harrisonburg; Alpha Natural Resources in Bristol; Areva/Northrop Grumman in Newport News; Rolls Royce in Prince George; and Orbital on the Eastern Shore; among others.

During my brief time as Governor, we have achieved the unparalleled honor of being recognized eight times as the best state for business in America by business organizations like Forbes.com and CNBC. With international economic assets like the Port of Virginia and Dulles Airport, a newly retooled workforce development system, and the nation's largest percentage of technology workers, there is no reason why we cannot hold onto our position of economic dominance for many years to come.

Fifty years ago, the Virginia education system was no model, despite the fact that Jefferson was the first American to systematically place public education at the center of public policy. Our local schools fought to keep students separated by race -- with direct or tacit encouragement from the Governor's office -- and our higher education system offered only limited opportunities to minorities and women.

Because of great strides in recent decades, Education Week now ranks Virginia as one of the top five states in overall educational quality, most notably recognizing the Commonwealth in 2007 as "the place where a child born today is most likely to have a successful life." Our high schools rank third in the nation in students passing Advanced Placement examinations, and our Latino students lead the country in elementary school performance.


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Add Power to Hokie Running Back Ryan Williams' Forte

BLACKSBURG -- Virginia Tech TB Ryan Williams has become known for his shifty moves and breakaway speed this fall.

In Saturday's 38-10 Atlantic Coast Conference rout of N.C. State, Williams displayed the kind of power which will become a staple of highlight films for a long time.

On a second down run from the Wolfpack 19-yard line, Williams busted into the open off left tackle. Backup safety Earl Wolff grabbed Williams' jersey at the 12 and got a free ride -- all the way into the end zone for Williams' fourth touchdown of the day.

It was the longest play of a grinding afternoon for Williams, who finished with 120 yards on 32 carries.
"He was making me mad," Williams said of Wolff. "I wanted him off my jersey. I tried to smack his hand off because I'm not big on stiffarming people, but it looked cool on the big screen. I liked it."

So did his teammates, who have gotten used to seeing that kind of brilliance from a redshirt freshman who's rushed for 1,355 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.

"I didn't see the replay, but I had the back view," QB Tyrod Taylor said. "He's very powerful. I've seen him do that in the weight room. I know he's very strong."

Williams' four TDs were the most for a Tech freshman in a game since Tommy Edwards scored four in a 63-21 win at Pittsburgh in 1993.

Williams needs just one score in the last two games to break the ACC freshman record for most TDs in a season. He's currently tied with North Carolina's Leon Johnson, who originally set the mark in 1993.

Boykin's Best Sophomore WR Jarrett Boykin might be headed for the Hokies' high-water mark for a pass-catcher in six years. With his career-high 164 yards on six grabs, Boykin is up to 715 yards on the season, the most for a Tech player since Ernest Wilford recorded 886 yards as a senior in 2003.

"Jarrett made a couple of great adjustments on the ball and got those big claws up there and came down with it," coach Frank Beamer said. "He is very, very dependable. If you get that ball up there around him, we have a very good shot of coming down with it."

Among Boykin's grabs were 42, 38 and 36-yarders. His 38-yard catch late in the third quarter served as the Hokies' final TD.

On the season, Boykin has 36 receptions and is averaging nearly 20 yards per catch.

"Today, I was just focused on making plays," he said. "Whenever the ball was in the air, I just did my best to come down with it so he would have confidence in me. That is just kind of how the day went along."

Shorthanded Wolfpack N.C. State has regressed this season. After using a season-ending four-game winning streak last year to make the PapaJohn's Bowl, the Wolfpack fell to 4-7 Saturday and won't play in a bowl game.

One major reason is a ridiculous wave of injuries which has cost N.C. State 13 projected starters. It even hit its coaching staff for this game.

Offensive coordinator Dana Bible wasn't with the team after finding out Friday that his doctor recommended he not travel due to the need to undergo tests at a Raleigh hospital.

Coach Tom O'Brien had no other information on Bible's situation.

"You always have a backup that you think you have to do this, that or another thing," O'Brien said. "But 24 hours before a football game -- it's a tough situation."

Running backs coach Jason Swepson and O'Brien teamed to call plays. O'Brien said Swepson did a fine job, although the Wolfpack's 10 points was their fewest since a season-opening loss to South Carolina.

Extra Points

Redshirt freshman Michael Via made his third straight start at center, although Beau Warren (knee) was cleared to play ... DT Demetrius Taylor and TE Sam Wheeler picked up starts because it was Senior Day ... Tech unveiled the Wild Turkey for the first time since September as TE Greg Boone took four second half snaps. Boone tried a pass but it fell incomplete. The former high school QB can throw the ball 80 yards in the air.



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Southern Miss state of mind

 East Carolina's 2009 football schedule contains numerous oddities that were evident even before the season began.

Most notably, the middle of the campaign featured a three-game stretch in which the Pirates played no Saturday games, but instead Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday games.

ECU head coach Skip Holtz looked past that and immediately saw something perhaps even more daunting.

“People started looking at the Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday schedule, and they looked at being on the road at West Virginia and North Carolina and two of the first three are on the road against very quality, BCS-type opponents,” Holtz said. “The thing that always caught my eye is that Southern Miss is last.”

The Pirates (7-4, 6-1 Conference USA) finish their regular season when they host the Golden Eagles at 1:30 Saturday afternoon in a C-USA East Division clash.

The winner of the game will claim the East and play in the following weekend's C-USA championship game.

Given that Southern Miss has 26 wins in 34 previous games against ECU, Holtz said he would love to make the Pirates' end of the rivalry a little more legitimate.

In his four previous games against the Golden Eagles (7-4, 5-2 C-USA), Holtz is 1-3.

“I wonder if it's a rivalry for them,” Holtz said. “You've got to win every once in a while to make it a rivalry. I just don't know how they view it. I know how we view it, as a rivalry game, but it is extremely lopsided, especially being 2-15 at home and how spaced out our wins are.”

Holtz's lone win in the series came in overtime at Hattiesburg in 2006. The Pirates lost last season's meeting in Mississippi by a convincing 21-3 score.

Injuries

Senior linebacker Jeremy Chambliss is perhaps the biggest question for ECU after he injured his shoulder early in the Pirates' win over UAB last weekend.

Holtz said even if Chambliss, who is fourth on the team with 62 tackles despite having already missed a game this season with the flu, suits up against Southern Miss, he would likely be very limited.

The Pirates will also likely be without true freshman linebacker Marke Powell, who steadily carved a niche in the rotation before his foot injury last weekend left him doubtful for this Saturday. Reserve linebacker and special teams man Austin Haynes (knee) is also questionable.

The defensive line got a boost from the return of Josh Smith from his shoulder injury last week, and Holtz said he expects Smith to make a full return this week after not having any lingering pain.

The offense hopes to welcome back senior receiver Jamar Bryant (shoulder) and running back Jon Williams (knee) by Saturday.

Out for the season are defensive lineman A.J. Johnson (knee), tight end Rob Kass (knee), linebackers Dustin Lineback (knee) and Matt Thompson (elbow) and defensive back Dekota Marshall (leg).

Harris honored

East Carolina's Dwayne Harris, who set a school record with his third kickoff return for a touchdown in ECU's win over UAB, was named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week. It's the second time this season Harris has won the award.

Harris established a new East Carolina single-season and career record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns with his third of the 2009 campaign, a 99-yarder against UAB in the fourth quarter. In all, he racked up 146 kickoff return yards on three attempts.

The 99-yard return was the second-longest kickoff return in program history and was his third return for a score this season. Harris compiled 254 all-purpose yards and accounted for three touchdowns with two scoring receptions, including a 59-yarder that was ECU's longest pass play and longest touchdown (rushing or passing) of the season.

With his eight-catch, 108-yard performance against the Blazers, Harris moved into second place on ECU's career receptions list with 146.


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Educators close the books: retiring school employees look back on their careers

Before he retired last week, Tom Hall could look at his colleagues in the Roanoke County Public Schools and see very few people who, like him, had been around for decades.

Hall would know. For the past decade, he's been in charge of personnel for the school system.

"There's 1,200 teachers and in my 10 years, 11 years in my position, I've pretty much replaced all but 200," said Hall, a 37-year school system veteran. "A lot of them were my age and they're retiring."

For decades, the country's teaching ranks were filled with people born shortly after World War II, the so-called baby boomers. Now many of those people are retiring and being replaced by younger teachers and administrators.

A report released in April by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future found that more than half of the country's teachers could retire within the next 10 years, causing a "tsunami" of teacher turnover. In Virginia, the report says, 47 percent of teachers are over 50.

In Roanoke and Roanoke County, several hundred of those baby boomers retired June 30. Below are the stories of four longtime educators.

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Bob Shiller didn't kill the housing market

NEW YORK (Fortune) -- It's noon in New Haven, and Yale economist Robert Shiller and I are leaving his office to walk down the block for pizza. It was a damp morning, but now the sun is breaking through the clouds. "Do we need an umbrella?" he asks. I say I don't think so. But a few steps outside his office, he turns around to get one. "It's better to be safe," he says.

That's Bob Shiller for you. He's a worrier. Well, more than that. He's obsessed with taming risk. And that means all kinds of risk -- from the chance of stray showers to a danger that's on everyone's mind these days: falling home prices. Shiller's name will forever be linked with the worst housing bust since the Great Depression and the economic slump it caused. He first warned of a housing bubble back in 2003 when bankers were merrily minting mortgage-backed securities. And it is the widely cited gauge he helped create -- the S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index -- that has heralded, in grim monthly installments, the devastating collapse of the residential real estate market.

Two years into the housing bust, Shiller finally sees some faint rays of sunshine (that's just light, not green shoots yet). When the June Case-Shiller figures were released, he said they showed "striking improvement in the rate of decline." Asked to look ahead, he says, "My guess is that prices will continue to fall for a while, but at a slower pace, and then stabilize. We've become very speculative in our attitude toward real estate, so there could be another boom. But if so, it likely won't happen for another five to 10 years."


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Dodson reflects on her work in county schools:

Reflecting on her eight years as head of the Henry County Schools, Superintendent Sharon Dodson said a “culture of expectation” enabled the division to come a long way in spite of continued economic challenges.

“The legacy of my time here would be that together we created a culture of expectation,” Dodson said. “We expect students to learn, we expect teachers to teach, we expect administrators to be responsible and efficiently and fairly run the schools, and we expect the support staff to support the efforts of the teachers in the classroom.”
During her tenure, the schools were consolidated, numerous improvements were made to school buildings, and all 15 schools achieved full accreditation for the first time.
Then, during a school board meeting in October 2008, Dodson announced she would not seek to renew her current contract, which will expire Tuesday.
Dodson, 57, said she made the decision to step down because “I’m done. You just come to a point where you realize you’ve accomplished what brought you here.”
Also, she said, “since my own kids are through college and on their own now ... there’s no compelling reason to continue at this time. It’s just time.”
Dodson took the helm of Henry County Schools in the 2001-02 school year. Before that, she was superintendent of King William County public schools starting in 1996.
Dodson holds a doctorate in education administration and special education from Virginia Tech, as well as a certificate of advanced graduate studies in education administration and business. She also holds a master’s degree from Auburn University and a bachelor’s from the University of Kentucky, the state where she spent most of her childhood.
She has held many positions in education during her career, having worked as a teacher, school psychologist, director of student services, director of instruction and principal.
“I don’t look back much, not a whole lot,” Dodson said of her time as superintendent.
“I’m kind of the philosophy that ... sometimes circumstances require you to make a decision and make it right,” she said. That is “not to say there aren’t things we could’ve done better, but I think we just learn those lessons and apply what we’ve learned to decisions in the future.”
With the end of her contract just days away, Dodson said she is “not at liberty to discuss” what her next move will be.
“I’m excited about some of the opportunities that I’m looking at right now,” she said, adding she has “a number of options I’m not able to discuss in detail yet.”
Whether she remains in Henry County “depends on which way I decide to go,” she said.
Dodson’s husband, veterinarian Scott Noe, works in Bedford. The two have residences in both Bedford and Henry County, but Henry County is “our primary residence,” she said.
Regardless of her job plans, she said, “I’m going to immediately take some down time” and “take some time to sleep.”
Dodson said she will miss “the opportunity to interact with tomorrow’s future — the youngsters we have in our schools — and to see the hope for the future in what they’re learning. I really will miss that.”
However, she said, “I won’t miss the 24/7 nature of the position” and “some of the intractable problems presented every day.”
Dodson used the analogy of baking a cake to describe what challenges await her successor, Anthony DeWayne Jackson, who will start as Henry County superintendent in July.
“We’ve worked hard in Henry County the last eight years gathering up the ingredients. ... Everything’s assembled now,” she said. The challenge will be “baking the perfect cake.”

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