Metro Briefs

VIRGINIA

NEWPORT NEWS

Democratic primary for Senate canceled

Only one Democrat filed to seek the Democratic nomination for the 1st District state Senate seat, prompting the party to cancel tomorrow”s scheduled firehouse primary.

John Miller, a former television news anchor who works at Christopher Newport University, will oppose Republican Tricia Stall in the November general election. Miss Stall defeated state Sen. Marty E. Williams of Newport News in last month”s Republican primary.

Two Democrats who had announced plans to run for the seat withdrew, leaving Mr. Miller as the only candidate. Party officials had said the nominating contest would be called off if no other candidates had emerged by yesterday.

This will be Mr. Miller“s second state legislative race. He unsuccessfully challenged Delegate G. Glenn Oder in 2001.

All 140 seats in the General Assembly are up for election in November. This is the final Senate election before the Republican-controlled legislature redraws the state”s political boundaries in 2011.

ORANGE

Woman, 62, dies trying to stop fight

A 62-year-old woman died after apparently trying to break up a fight in her neighborhood on the Fourth of July, police said.

Police Chief Jim Fenwick said Marilyn Baker died at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond yesterday morning. She was flown there Wednesday night.

Preliminary police reports say two men were fighting near Miss Baker“s home. When police arrived a few minutes before 10 p.m., they found Miss Baker on the ground with a head injury. Chief Fenwick said the initial investigation indicates that she was struck while trying to break up the fight.

The two men reported to be fighting are in custody but have not been charged, Chief Fenwick said. Their names were not released.

MARYLAND

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