Our network

R-MC's Brock Commons Nearing Completion

R-MC's Brock Commons Nearing Completion

Construction on Brock Commons, a new student center at Randolph-Macon College, is progressing rapidly.

Scheduled for completion within the next month, Brock Commons will include a movie theater, bookstore, dining services and café, balcony, portico with tables, student mailroom, and multi-purpose rooms. Web viewers can watch the construction via the Randolph-Macon College live web cam.

Brock Commons, an ideal venue for student engagement and interaction, will also serve as a hub for organizations and campus events and activities. Students can grab a cup of coffee, meet friends for a movie, buy books and other R-MC memorabilia, or work together on projects—all in the same place.

Read more about Brock Commons.

Community Sponsors

Professional Independent Agents
Make Your Dream Yard A Reality Today!

MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: Namebrand vs generic - green beans

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- NBC12 is on your side, helping you score the best deals on groceries. Last week, it was peaches. This week - green beans.

I bought six different brands of green beans. Del Monte and Green Giant are name brand. The generics come from Kroger, Martins, Food Lion and Walmart.

According to the labels, each of these cans is identical in serving size and servings per can. Same ingredients too - green beans, water and salt. Martin's and Food Lion were the cheapest - both cost $0.67. Del Monte is almost 50 % more expensive at $0.98.

I carefully pour the liquid out of each can. Every brand fills a cup with the canning liquid. These may look the same, but they're not. The difference is the weight of the fluid.

PHOTOS: Richmond by air

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- NBC12 reporter Laura Geller and photojournalist Nathan McCann take flight for a story for 12News at 5:30.

Click here to see the photos on a mobile device

They captured some beautiful aerial shots of Central Virginia along their way.

Copyright 2013 WWBT NBC12.  All rights reserved.

ON YOUR SIDE: Avoid text message scams

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- Many of us text more than talk on our cell phone - and scammers are texting too. A weird text is showing up on some mobile phones in our area.

I got two phishing-type messages on my personal cell and decided to do a scam check with the Better Business Bureau.

Regardless of how tempted you are to text back or call the number in the message, the BBB says don't take the risk.

The weird texts come from random numbers @vtext.com. One came from NewgenerationsFCU and another showed up on my phone from VACAP-FCU... each with a number to call.

One number rings busy, the other has a detailed message instructing the caller.

"Thanks for calling the health enrollment group customer service department. Hold for the next available agent."

We held on until someone picked up. He explained the text may have been triggered by an online search and that people are always misdialing and getting the wrong number.

Community Sponsors

You can feel confident and safe training with us!
Make Your Dream Yard A Reality Today!
Because you have better things to do than clean.

MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: 5 energy saving tips

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- Summer heat could hit any day, so now's the time to figure out how you can cut costs on your power bill.

Here is a list of the top five things in your house that are sucking dollars out of your wallet.

1.  Almost half your power bill is heating and cooling costs. Dirt on the outside of the unit is costing you money.

"The better the coils can transfer air across then the more efficient it's going to operate," said Mike Wade, CEO of See Logix.

Dirt strains the fan too, so keep the unit clean.

Changing your filter helps clean air move more freely throughout the system, but dirt can get by the filter, building up on the cooling coil. Gently scrape away the gunk to help your system run better.

Also, consider a programmable thermostat - it will allow you to manage the run time.

12 INVESTIGATES: License plates rejected by the DMV

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- Welcome to Virginia. The vanity plate capital of the US. One in every six Virginian's has vanity tags on their cars. That's more than a million Virginian's who pay an extra $10 a year to speak their minds on their bumpers.

But- not every message is welcome. Army veteran Sean Bujno had a license plate on his car for years before the Department of Motor Vehicles asked for it back.

It reads: "ICU HAJI".

The dictionary defines 'Haji' as one who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca, but it's also a derogatory word for Arabs.

"Some people say this is just a license plate, but it actually is about the first amendment. This is about a fundamental right," said Andrew Meyer. He's a Richmond-based attorney, one of two men representing Bujno.

Rachel: "Did he mean it as a racial slur as some people are saying?"

Chesterfield doctor helping to raise funds for officer shot in Boston

CHESTERFIELD, VA (WWBT)- The Virginia Military Institute grad who was injured in the shootout with the Boston bombing suspects is making progress in his recovery.

Officer Richard "Dic" Donohue wrote a statement on the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority blog.  A picture of him and his wife at the hospital was also released.

Now his VMI classmates are busy raising money to help him and his family.  One of the organizers is a local doctor.

There's still a bullet in his leg, but according to the police blog Officer Donohue says he's not in pain.  He writes, "I cannot begin to properly thank everyone involved in my recovery."

"It turns out he had pretty much lost all the blood in his body," says Dr. Salmaan Khawaja.  He is a neuropsychologist with Bon Secours in Chesterfield and he knows Officer Donohue.  They are in the same graduating class at the VMI.