Latest Virginia news, sports, business and entertainment

SENATE-GOP DEBATE

Last of 3 GOP debates held in Falls Church

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) The four Republicans vying for Virginia's open U.S. Senate seat pledged in their final debate to take an ax to federal environmental regulators, health programs, the Department of Education and the IRS.

In the last of three debates, former Sen. George Allen, tea party leader Jamie Radtke, Chesapeake minister E.W. Jackson and Del. Bob Marshall did little to distinguish one from the other.

They all drew cheers from a Republican crowd by slamming federal spending and opposing last year's debt ceiling increase.

But with many of the questions hand-picked from the state GOP Facebook page, all four remained on script.

PAIN DOCTOR

Va pain doctor faces illegal drug charges

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) Federal authorities have charged a New River Valley pain-management doctor with illegal distribution of prescription pain medications.

Linda Sue Cheek, of Dublin, has been charged in a 173-count indictment made public on Friday.

The indictment alleges that the 63-year-old Cheek distributed oxycodone, methadone, morphine and hydrocodone without holding a valid Drug Enforcement Administration certificate. She also is accused of using another doctor's DEA registration number.

The Virginia Board of Medicine suspended Cheek's medical license last year after she was convicted of Medicare and Medicaid fraud.

Federal authorities in southwest Virginia have been cracking down on doctors they say illegally prescribe pain medications that can be highly addictive when abused.

GREENBRIER-WINTERGREEN

Greenbrier Resort owners to acquire Wintergreen

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) The owners of the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia say they plan to acquire Wintergreen Resort in Nelson County.

The Daily Progress says the announcement of the merger was sent Friday to Wintergreen members.

The Wintergreen Partners Inc. board of directors approved the agreement, which will be presented to Wintergreen's Class A Equity members on June 24 for approval, with an expected closing before June 30.

James Justice II, president and chief executive of James C. Justice Companies, Inc. and The Greenbrier Resort, and L. Allen Bennett Jr., chairman of Wintergreen Partners, Inc., made the announcement.

ABORTION CLINIC REGULATIONS

Protesters join group opposing clinic regulations

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Several of the protesters who were arrested at the Capitol in March have joined forces with an organization opposing Virginia's new abortion clinic regulations.

Shelley Abrams, executive director of the Capital Women's Health abortion clinic, said Friday that the regulations are intended to shame and punish women, not protect them.

The General Assembly passed legislation in 2011 requiring most abortion clinics to meet the same strict building standards as new hospitals. Emergency regulations approved by the board last September have been in effect since Jan. 1, and the board is scheduled to vote on permanent regulations June 15.

Critics have said the regulations will force most clinics to close. The abortion-rights protesters are teaming with a group called "Oppose TRAP." TRAP is an acronym for Targeted Regulations on Abortion Providers.

VIRGINIA LACROSSE SLAYING

Former U.Va. player wants conviction set aside

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) Attorneys for a former University of Virginia lacrosse player convicted of second-degree murder in his ex-girlfriend's slaying are asking a court in Charlottesville to set aside his conviction.

The clerk's office in Charlottesville Circuit Court said the motion was filed Friday by attorneys representing George Huguely V of Chevy Chase, Md. Jurors in February found Huguely guilty in Yeardley Love's beating death and grand larceny. The suburban Baltimore woman was a member of U.Va.'s women's lacrosse team.

WVIR-TV (http://www.nbc29.com/) in Charlottesville reported that Huguely's attorneys identified at least eight pre-trial and trial errors in the motion to have the jury's verdict set aside for a new trial.

They included the court's haste in pushing the trial to an end and improper jury instructions.

Huguely is scheduled for sentencing in August.

POLICE-OBAMA COMMENTS

Police investigate 2 Va officers' Obama remarks

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Richmond police are investigating allegations that two officers made "inappropriate comments" during President Obama's recent visit.

The department said Friday in a release that the officers weren't assigned to the president's detail on May 5, when he appeared at Virginia Commonwealth University in the second of two rallies to officially mark his re-election bid. The first rally was at Ohio State University in Columbus.

Department spokesman Gene Lepley declined to say whether the officers used social media to make the comments, and declined to characterize the nature of the comments.

The officers, who weren't identified, could face administrative action. Lepley declined to discuss their employment status.

Richmond police discussed the issue with the Secret Service, "which considers the matter resolved," according to the release.