Virginia

Community comes together to remember the missing Virigina mother whose husband is accused of killing her | CNN

Published

2 years ago

August 26, 2024

Community comes together to remember the missing Virigina mother whose husband is accused of killing her | CNN

CNN
—

The Northern Virginia community that rallied to raise awareness and demand answers when a 28-year-old woman was reported missing earlier this month is now coming together to remember the young mother, while her husband faces charges in connection with her disappearance.

Narash Bhatt is expected in court Monday for a bond hearing as he faces accusations that he killed his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, inside of their home and dragged her body outside in late July. Bhatt is facing a felony charge of concealment of a body, according to Manassas Park Police.

A preliminary criminal complaint obtained by CNN affiliate WJLA states, “on or about July 30, 2024, the accused, Naresh Bhatt, murdered his wife, Mamta Bhatt.”

Police escorted Bhatt from the couple’s home in handcuffs Thursday morning, according to video from WJLA, a day after police said a search warrant was served at the residence.

A makeshift memorial filled with pictures, flowers and candles has continued to grow in front of the house since that day, WJLA reported.

Hundreds of friends, fellow nurses and community members gathered at Signal Hill Park Saturday to honor Kafle Bhatt, CNN affiliate WTOP reported. The park’s pavilion was soon filled with droves of people who came out to show their support, so organizers had to shift participants to a hill in the park.

“Mamta has a big, emotional family. We care about her. She is loved. And, also, we have a big responsibility to take care of Mini Mamta,” event co-organizer and former co-worker Sunita Basnet Thapa told WTOP.

Video shows authorities carrying an infant out of Bhatt’s home after they took him away.

Virginia State Sen. Danica Roem joined the community Saturday to show support and acknowledged the women who “knew something was wrong immediately and really, really raised their voices consistently and persistently.”

After Kafle Bhatt was initially reported missing, friends and community members took to social media to raise awareness about her disappearance and share updates in the investigation. The Nepali American Community Center in Manassas said it established a line of communication with police to stay on top of updates in the case.

Friends of Kafle Bhatt also helped launch a GoFundMe to support search efforts.

Kafle Bhatt was seen on July 27 at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas, where she worked as a registered nurse in the medical surgical unit. The next day, she spoke with a friend and July 31 was the last day her husband claimed to have seen her, according to police.

The health system said it is cooperating with investigators.

“UVA Health is heartbroken to learn the devastating news that Mamta Kafle Bhatt is presumed deceased,” UVA Health Prince William Medical Center spokesperson Eric Swensen said in a statement to CNN on Friday. “First and foremost, we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Mamta’s loved ones, friends and colleagues, and we grieve together with our community and all who knew Mamta.”

Kafle Bhatt’s colleagues requested a welfare check when she didn’t report for work, CNN affiliate WUSA reported. Bhatt initially declined to declare his wife missing when police conducted the welfare check on August 2, but did report her missing three days later, authorities said in a news release.

Bhatt, a former US Army Reserve automated logistics specialist, is now being held without bail, according to WJLA.

Some members of the community said they weren’t surprised to see Bhatt charged in connection with his wife’s disappearance.

A neighbor, Ivy Freedman, told CNN affiliate WUSA9, “The mother wouldn’t leave her baby. Definitely wouldn’t miss her first birthday.”

Community members are making sure Kafle Bhatt’s young daughter isn’t being forgotten in the tragedy.

“The baby is innocent in any circumstances,” a community member, Adrian Pokharel, told WUSA9. “We got to protect her. That’s our baby. That’s our community baby. That’s the way I look at it.”

A GoFundMe launched to support a trust account for the child – whose care is being overseen by the Department of Social Services – has reached nearly $200,000 in donations.

Members of Kafle Bhatt’s family, who live in Nepal, have obtained visas and are in the process of the traveling to the United States to try to get emergency custody of the baby, Bandita Sharma Dhal, an immigration attorney working with the family, told CNN Friday.

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Virginia

Did you know West Virginia has an official state gun?

Published

3 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Press Room

Did you know West Virginia has an official state gun?

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — West Virginia has plenty of state symbols, be it the black bear as the state animal, the cardinal as the state bird or the rhododendron as the state flower, but did you know that the Mountain State also has its own official gun?

The Hall Flintlock Model 1819 was first manufactured in Harpers Ferry by John H. Hall in 1811 and was adopted by the United States Army in 1819, making it the first breech-loading rifle ever adopted by a country’s military.

Model 1819 Hall Breechloading Rifle presented by Congress to Gustavous A. Bird for his participation in the Battle of Plattsburgh 9/11/1814 by John C. Bird via the Smithsonian Institution
Model 1819 Hall Breechloading Rifle presented by Congress to Gustavous A. Bird for his participation in the Battle of Plattsburgh 9/11/1814 by John C. Bird via the Smithsonian Institution
Model 1819 Hall Breechloading Rifle presented by Congress to Gustavous A. Bird for his participation in the Battle of Plattsburgh 9/11/1814 by John C. Bird via the Smithsonian Institution

All of this information is listed in Senate Concurrent Resolution 7, which was introduced and passed during the 2013 West Virginia Legislative session, and officially recognizes the Model 1819 as the official firearm of the State of West Virginia.

On top of being created in West Virginia, the resolution also points out that the rifle saw use during the Civil War, an event that directly led to West Virginia’s statehood.

While having an officially recognized state firearm may seem far-fetched, West Virginia is not the only state that has one. As a matter of fact, a fifth of the states in the country have officially designated a state firearm, including West Virginia’s neighbors in Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

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Virginia

Virginia Tech HC James Franklin Gives High Praise For Clemson’s Dabo Swinney

Published

15 hours ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

Virginia Tech HC James Franklin Gives High Praise For Clemson’s Dabo Swinney

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In this world of college football, with the transfer portal and recruiting battles, bad blood is present more than ever before between head coaches.

That’s not the case between the Virginia Tech head coach and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, however. In fact, Franklin revealed at ACC Kickoff on Thursday that the two are actually close friends, dating back to their time at the Nike trip that various coaches take over the summer.

“Dabo’s my guy,” Franklin said on Thursday. “We go way back. We’ve been on the Nike trip for a long time. His wife and my wife are friends.”

The long-time Penn State head coach is making the move to the ACC after being fired from the Nittany Lions in October. 12 seasons of being with the program had Franklin hold a 44-21 record against top 10 opponents, an impressive record for a new conference foe of Swinney’s.

But when that trip comes around, there’s a camaraderie between Swinney and Franklin and both of their wives. In fact, the two hang out with each other instead of the other coaches at times. It simply comes to an “edgy” time in college athletics that raises tempers.

“I’m going to be honest, I wouldn’t say we’re necessarily like the type of people that love a lot of other coaches and a lot of other programs,” Franklin said. “It’s hard when you just compete year-round.”

On Swinney’s end, there are a few who could immediately come to mind among Clemson fans. Perhaps the most recent would be Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, who played the most significant role in the tampering of former linebacker Luke Ferrelli.

It’s a select list of coaches who make the good side of the Tigers’ head coach, and Franklin is certainly on that list. On the other hand, Hokies’ head coach has Swinney on his own shortlist.

“Obviously, tremendous respect for what he has built at Clemson and what he’s done at Clemson, and what he’s done for the ACC,” he said.

The two will see that close relationship face off at Memorial Stadium this upcoming season. Clemson will host the Hokies on Oct. 24 in what could be a potential title-eliminator for the ACC Championship.

Of course, the last game that we’ve seen the Tigers play in was against Franklin’s former team in Penn State at the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. That game ended in a 22-10 contest that saw a foundation of Franklin players end Clemson’s season in disappointment.

Swinney will see many of those players once again in October, including starting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, in that contest. The anticipated Hokie starter recorded 260 yards and two passing touchdowns on the Tigers in the Bronx that day.

Although friends become foes, another ACC coach has given Swinney his flowers for what he’s been able to do for the conference. In the upcoming moments, Franklin will look to prepare his team to prove itself on one of the biggest stages in the ACC, while Swinney looks to put his team back at the top of a conference he’s dominated for over 15 years.

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Virginia

Drought emergency declared for parts of Virginia; governor warns of water restrictions

Published

1 day ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

Drought emergency declared for parts of Virginia; governor warns of water restrictions

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (WSET) — Extreme drought conditions in parts of Virginia have prompted an emergency drought warning for a wide swath of the region, including Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Pittsylvania and Roanoke counties, along with the cities of Danville, Roanoke, Salem and Martinsville.

The governor has warned that if conditions worsen, she will activate mandatory nonessential water-use restrictions.

In Martinsville, city leaders have issued a voluntary water conservation notice and are urging residents and businesses to cut back where they can. The request comes as local businesses that rely heavily on water say the drought is already affecting day-to-day operations.

SEE ALSO: Botetourt County residents adjust daily routines as voluntary water restriction continues

John Hughes, owner of John’s Car Wash, said the dry conditions have hit his business hard in recent weeks. “For the last 3 weeks, it’s been hitting pretty hard. We done three yesterday and haven’t done anything today with the drought and hot weather. Yeah, I’m really concerned about it,” Hughes said.

Restaurants are also feeling the strain. David Kitzmiller, an owner of Be Wiched, said water is essential for routine tasks such as washing dishes and preparing some menu items.

“We use a lot of water for washing dishes and some of our recipes if they limit us in anyway defiently can’t produce and its a scary aspect,” Kitzmiller said.

Kitzmiller added that cutting back is not always realistic for businesses that must meet sanitation needs. “Not really feasible for a business that depends solely relies on water to wash their dishes, so that can’t definitely be an impact there,” he said.

City leaders emphasized that the conservation request is voluntary for now, but they are encouraging everyone to do their part by taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet when it is not in use, washing only full loads of laundry, and limiting outdoor watering whenever possible.

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