WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2022 | NEWSLEADER.
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Staunton News Leader - 10/19/2022
THE BUZZ
Staunton residents Oliver Torrens, 6, dressed as Batman, and Jacob Miller, 5, dressed as Harry Potter, compare candy
during the Halloween downtown trick-or-treating event in Staunton, Va., on Oct. 28, 2017. GABE CAVALLARO/THE NEWS LEADER
Halloween happenings,
memory kits and more
It’s all in this week’s
business news
Laura Peters
Staunton News Leader | USA TODAY NETWORK
STAUNTON — Staunton fall happen-
ings, memory kits at the Augusta County
Library and a downtown Waynesboro
grant — here’s the buzz.
Halloween and fall
events for Staunton
The Staunton Downtown Develop-
ment Association has announced its fall
happenings for October. SDDA Executive
Director Greg Beam said he cannot con-
firm if downtown businesses will be
handing out candy as a collective closer
to Halloween, but there are several differ-
ent activities to be had this month.
Here’s a rundown of what to expect:
Virtual Halloween
Costume Contest
Submit photos online of yourself, your
family, kids or pets wearing costumes in
downtown Staunton during the Satur-
days leading up to Halloween — Oct. 22
and 29. Pictures submitted to the contest
need to be taken in downtown Staunton.
Deadline to submit photos online is Octo-
ber 31.
Prizes awarded in the following cate-
gories: self-made costume; purchased/
store bought; group/family; just the kids;
and pets. Winners announced Nov. 2.
October 19, 2022 10:22 am (GMT -4:00)
PART OF THE USA TOD
Page : A01
Eight peo
shot in si
Harrison
incident
Brad Zinn
Staunton News Leader
USA TODAY NETWORK
HARRISONBURG — P
sonburg arrested a suspe
ing that injured eight
Sunday morning, a press
Tyreaf I. Fleming, 20
burg, was arrested Sund
following a shooting in t
of Devon Lane.
Fleming is charged w
murder, aggravated mali
ing, possession of a firea
victed felon, and the us
during the commission o
ditional charges are exp
investigation continues
said.
The Harrisonburg P
ment is still trying to det
er suspects were involve
ing.
“I am grateful for t
sponse of all of our fir
and the hard work of o
identifying a suspect and
into custody,” Harrisonb
partment Chief Kelley
“Our work continues on t
investigate all aspects o
and determine if any oth
were involved. We will e
dates are provided to ou
as soon as additional i
available.”
See SHOOTING, Page 2A
Stuarts Dr
toddler wa
burned, b
and stabb
Brad Zinn
Staunton News Leader
USA TODAY NETWORK
STAUNTON — A man
abused a Stuarts Draft to
was sentenced to five y
Friday following a heari
County Circuit Court, nix
A Grow Waynesboro sign hangs in an empty storefront in downtown jury trial that was slated
Waynesboro. Waynesboro received part of a Community Business Launch grant day.
from the Commonwealth of Virginia. LAURA PETERS/THE NEWS LEADER The boy, who was 2 y
the abuse was inflicted,
100 injuries to his body, b
Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt and externally. He will
nent scarring.
Grow Waynesboro invites innovators
Participating downtown businesses In court Friday, Christ
from throughout the area, with
will be hiding/displaying pumpkins in rell, 34, pleaded guilty
winners receiving start-up
their store windows Oct. 15 through 31. In- charge of malicious wou
resources, which could include grant
dividuals and families will have the op- ond charge of child ab
awards, building lease assistance,
portunity to count the number of pump- prosecuted in exchange
marketing support, customized
kins they see and submit their guess on- plea. Cockrell was also p
training options, professional
line. Winners announced Nov. 2. years of supervised prob
mentorships and technical
assistance.
See HAPPENINGS, Page 2A See TODDLER, Page 2A
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 Staunton News Leader - 10/19/2022
2A | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2022
Happenings
Continued from Page 1A
The Legend of Staunton Hollow
Medieval Fantasies Company in col-
laboration with the Woodrow Wilson
Presidential Library and Museum will
be hosting an event Oct. 22 and 29. The
Gardens of the Woodrow Wilson Presi-
dential Library will be decorated as a
scene from Sleepy Hollow from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. each Saturday. There will be
themed characters, including the Head-
less Horseman.
Photo opportunities include: Sleepy
Hollow Gravestones, Flaming Pumpkin,
Spooky Tree and Headless Horseman
Games and Activities include: Flam-
ing Bridge, Cipher Decoding, Downtown
Ingredient Quest and Witch’s Cottage.
Guests who are able to decode the ci-
pher will receive a treat and those who
are able to locate all 13 ingredients will
receive a Legend of Staunton Hollow
button. Guests are welcome to wear cos-
tumes. All games and activities are free
to participate for guest and businesses.
Strolling Characters
& Musical Guests
Strolling characters and musical
guests will be scattered throughout
downtown Staunton Oct. 22 and 29
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For additional details and links for
the virtual costume contest and pump-
kin scavenger hunt visit stauntondown-
town.org/events or call 540-332-3867.
Memory kits
You can now check out memory kits
from the Augusta County Library. The
kits help activate memories, build con-
versations and support interactions
with people suffering memory loss, the
release said. The kits and the availabil-
ity to check them out is thanks to the
American Library Association’s Librar-
ies Transforming Communities grant.
“We are excited to be able to offer
Shooting
Continued from Page 1A
The shooting took place shortly be-
fore 2:20 a.m. on Sunday. Witnesses
said an individual or individuals fired
multiple times into a crowd at an out-
door gathering. Witness statements
and available security camera footage
helped police identify Fleming as a
suspect, the release said.
Five of those injured were treated at
Sentara RMH Medical Center in Harri-
sonburg, with three additional victims
taken to the University of Virginia
Medical Center in Charlottesville. Pa-
tients ranged in age from 18 to 27.
None of the injuries were life-
threatening.
Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and
breaking news reporter at The News
Leader. Have a news tip? Or something
that needs investigating? You can
email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at
bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also
followOctober
him on19, 2022 10:22 am (GMT -4:00)
Twitter.
| THE NEWS LEADER
these memory kits to our patrons expe-
riencing memory loss and their care-
givers,” Adult Services Manager Ra-
chael Phillips said. “We understand that
it is important to the continued health
and well-being of these individuals to
be able to participate in meaningful and
engaging activities, which we hope
these kits will provide.”
Memory kits are available at the
Fishersville Main Library, Churchville
Branch Library, Stuarts Draft Library
Station and Weyers Cave Library Sta-
tion. The kits can also be placed on hold
and delivered to any Augusta County Li-
brary location, the Staunton Public Li-
brary, and the Waynesboro Public Li-
brary for check-out.
Patrons are able to check out these
kits for a loan period of three weeks.
Waynesboro downtown grant
Waynesboro received part of a Com-
munity Business Launch grant from the
Commonwealth of Virginia.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin
announced $180,000 in Community
Business Launch (CBL) grants for the
Downtown Lynchburg Association, Nel-
son County and the Waynesboro Eco-
nomic Development Authority.
CBL provides funding to offer train-
ing to entrepreneurs and conduct busi-
ness plan competitions that align with
local and regional economic develop-
ment strategies, primarily in Virginia’s
downtown commercial districts, the re-
lease said.
“Virginia recognizes the importance
of small business in local economies,
and this program gives our communi-
ties across Virginia the flexibility re-
quired to address unique community-
identified needs to ensure success for
local entrepreneurs,” Youngkin said.
“Virginia is open for business, and it is
integral that we support the small busi-
nesses that are the heart of our com-
mercial districts and the bedrock of our
economy.”
Waynesboro received $45,000 for its
Grow Waynesboro: Main and Wayne
2023 program.
The grant is administered through
Toddler
Continued from Page 1A
Augusta County Deputy Common-
wealth’s Attorney Alexandra Meador
said there were some inconsistent wit-
ness statements that could have been
problematic had the case gone to trial,
and a deal was reached.
The child’s mother, 27-year-old
Megan K. Leo, was convicted in August
2021 of felony child abuse.
Evidence showed the toddler was
burned, bitten and stabbed.
Meador said the abuse took place in
April 2020 at a Stuarts Draft resi-
dence. She said the Augusta County
Sheriff ’s Office began an investigation
after Leo took the toddler to the emer-
gency room at the University of Vir-
ginia Medical Center in Charlottesville
with numerous injuries.
Meador said the boy had a stab
wound on his leg that required stitch-
es, a cut on his head, and bite marks on
his body. “They don’t know what he
Jackie Harmon holds her daughter, 10-month-old Vivienne Harmon, dressed as
Winnie the Pooh, during Trick or Treat Downtown Staunton on Oct. 25, 2014.
GRIFFIN MOORES/THE NEWS LEADER
the Virginia Department of Housing and
Community Development and looks to
fill vacant storefronts with expansions
and start-ups centered on the commu-
nity. Since 2015, $2,145,000 in CBL
funds have been awarded to 33 commu-
nities, serving more than 650 partici-
pating entrepreneurs across Virginia,
the release said. Overall, the grant pro-
gram has leveraged more than $3 mil-
lion in private investment, creating
more than 170 businesses and over 365
new full-time jobs, the release said.
“For Waynesboro, this award builds
on our successful Grow Waynesboro ini-
tiative, which has provided grants,
business plan instruction, funding, en-
couragement, and startup competitions
for the last decade,” Greg Hitchin, direc-
tor of Economic Development and Tour-
ism for the City of Waynesboro, said in a
release.
Waynesboro will use its portion of
was cut with,” she said Monday.
The toddler was repeatedly burned
on his legs, chest and back, and investi-
gators determined heated silverware
was used to inflict the wounds. The tod-
dler was also missing clumps of hair, the
prosecutor said last year following Leo’s
conviction, as well as suffering from in-
juries to his pancreas and liver that were
caused by blunt-force trauma.
Questioned by authorities, Leo
claimed she didn’t know how the child
was injured and blamed her young
daughter. She also suggested the tod-
dler fell from his crib, according to Mea-
dor.
Cockrell is not the toddler’s father,
and Meador said he maintained that he
wasn’t at the residence when the abuse
occurred. However, a witness placed
him at the home, the prosecutor said.
Leo also initially said Cockrell wasn’t
there but later changed her story. “She
admitted to lying,” Meador said.
Investigators found photographs of
the boy’s injuries on a phone. The boy,
who was about 2 1/2 years old when he
was abused, also spoke to an investiga-
Page : A02
the grant to partially fund it 2023 busi-
ness plan competition called Grow
Waynesboro. The program invites inno-
vators from throughout the area, with
winners receiving start-up resources,
which could include grant awards,
building lease assistance, marketing
support, customized training options,
professional mentorships and technical
assistance, the release said.
Details on the program will be an-
nounced soon. For more information go
to GrowWaynesboro.com and select
“Dream It.”
Laura Peters is the trending topics re-
porter at The News Leader. Have a news
tip on local trends or businesses? Or a
good feature? You can reach reporter
Laura Peters (she/her) at lpeters@new-
sleader.com. Follow her @peterslaura.
Subscribe to The News Leader at new-
sleader.com.
tor.
“Chris hurt. Chris mean. Chris bite,”
he said, according to Meador. However,
the prosecutor said there was no guar-
antee statements the boy made at the
time would be allowed in as evidence
had the case gone to trial.
Both Leo and Cockrell were reported-
ly drug users, and Meador said Leo was
regularly using cocaine and opiates
while the abuse was taking place.
In 2021, Meador said the child had re-
covered from his injuries.
Cockrell is being held at the Albemar-
le-Charlottesville Regional Jail.
Leo is currently in a drug treatment
program, Meador said. She is scheduled
to be sentenced Nov. 4 in Augusta Coun-
ty Circuit Court, records show.
Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and
breaking news reporter at The News
Leader. Have a news tip? Or something
that needs investigating? You can email
reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at
bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also
follow him on Twitter.
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