Elementary school security video, Drone sightings, No tax on tips proposal: Sunrise Brief

TOP STORIES: Trantwood Elementary School security video, Drone sighting reports, No tax on tips proposal

1. Video obtained by News 3 shows the moment two men trespassed on the roof at Trantwood Elementary School and attempted to break in about 20 minutes before students arrived at school, according to court documents. Court records say on Dec. 5, 19-year-old Alexander Mausser of Virginia Beach and another unknown individual were seen on security cameras trying to get into the school via the roof.

   The two individuals first arrived at Trantwood and could be seen walking onto school grounds through an opening in the fence, according to security footage obtained by News 3 Investigative Producer Brianna Lanham through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

   According to the complaint, the arresting officer pursued Mausser to his home following the incident, where he was found "pretending to be asleep." The officer reported Mausser then pushed him and kicked him in the groin.

   Mausser was ultimately arrested and charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor related to the incident.

   Video shows suspects breaking into Trantwood Elementary through rooftop

2. The Virginia Fusion Center has received more than 100 tips related to possible drones in the skies across the state, according to Virginia State Police. The Fusion Center is an effort where state and federal agencies work together to identify data and respond to potential threats.

   Public concern began to arise in mid-November when drones were spotted over New Jersey. Since then, there have been reported drone sightings along the East Coast, including in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

   Sen. Mark Warner (D-Virginia), who's chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters Monday in Norfolk he was pushing for more information.

   "Part of my job as a senator is to make sure the members that aren't on the Intelligence Committee that I can give them assurance. I can't give people assurance at this point," he said.

   It's a sentiment shared by Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Virginia), who has said the information provided by the federal government has been "insufficient."

   More than 100 tips about possible drones received: Va. State Police

3. A new proposal could give Virginia tip earners tax relief. Yesterday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin unveiled a budget proposal to exempt service tips from Virginia’s state income tax. The goal is to lower the cost of living for working families across the Commonwealth.

   “We have delivered over $5 billion in tax relief to date, and we remain committed to lowering the cost of living for hardworking Virginians. It’s their money, not the government’s,” Youngkin said.

   News 3 talked with Eric Terry, the president of the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association about the governor’s proposal. He supports it and believes it could help with employment, noting that workforce has been a challenge for the restaurant industry post-pandemic.

   But on the flip side, some might say giving service industry workers a break is unfair when people in other industries don’t get a break.

   No tax on tips? New proposal could give Virginia tip earners tax relief

This morning's weather: Foggy morning; cloudy day

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says today, we're warming to the 60s. We'll have a cold weekend ahead.

Watch out for areas of patchy fog this morning. We will see a mix of clouds today, mostly cloudy to partly cloudy, with a stray shower possible. Highs will warm to the upper 60s, about 15 degrees above normal for this time of year.

For the latest weather updates, watch Myles live on News 3 This Morning here.

This morning's traffic:

So far this morning, there haven’t been any major traffic incidents in our area.

Interactive Traffic Map

For the latest traffic updates, watch Conor live on News 3 This Morning here.

We Follow Through: Police concerned about youth violence in Virginia Beach

• Virginia Beach has had an "alarming" number of homicides involving teens and children in 2024, police say. Earlier this month, police say a 17-year-old was shot and killed near the intersection of Schoolhouse Road and Kempsville Road. A teen is facing charges, including first-degree murder, in connection to the shooting.

  Following the shooting, VBPD said so far this year, half of the homicides that happened in the city involved a juvenile.

  Since then, News 3 sat down with Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate to discuss youth violence. He told us: "Community beefs used to be handled with fist fights and maybe some strong words. Now unfortunately, it results in gun fire and shootings."

  Chief Neudigate highlighted a summertime program created to combat youth violence called Parks After Dark. The city started the program last year to offer fun things to do like games, food and sports activities, in a safe environment.

Watch the full story on News 3 This Morning here.

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