Man Convicted Of Molestation & Rape + Ward Plaza Shopping Center

Welcome back, Winchester! I'm here in your inbox per usual to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 89 Low: 62.
• Saturday: A t-storm in the afternoon. High: 83 Low: 53.

From our sponsor:

Today’s Winchester Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Winchester Patch newsletter possible.

Here are the top three stories today in Winchester:

1. Carlos Fancisco Valencia, 65, of Winchester has been convicted of molesting and raping a young girl under the age of 13 from Central America about a decade ago. Valencia and his wife Ana Pineda, 67, took in the young girls after their father died. Valencia was sentenced to 40 years in prison, but all but four years of that time is suspended. Once released, he will have five years of supervised probation and then ten years of unsupervised probation. Pineda's three-day jury trial, she has been charged with child cruelty, is scheduled on Jun. 27 in Winchester Circuit Court. (Subscription: Winchester Star)
2. On Jun. 1, Winchester Acquisition Partners LLC purchased the Ward Plaza shopping center with the help of the Winchester Economic Development Authority (Winchester EDA), which is lending $4 million for this purchase. City Manager Dan Hoffman said, "The City has been encouraging the redevelopment of Ward Plaza for a long time, and being able to partner with a developer to bring more housing and retail opportunities to the area will be a massive benefit for all of our residents." (Winchester VA)
3. Dog surrenders have increased dramatically at shelters across the nation! The Winchester Area SPCA has not escaped this crisis and the shelter is over capacity. Consider adopting a dog for only $30, today only, Jun. 2! (Winchester Area SPCA via Facebook)

Business owners and marketers in Winchester: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

Today and tomorrow in Winchester:

Friday, June 2

• First Friday in Old Town Winchester At Winchester Book Gallery (5:00 PM)
• Hard Swimmin' Fish and Bobby Thompson Trio At Bright Box Theater (7:00 PM)

Saturday, June 3

• Jimmy Lee Live At West Oaks Farm Market (1:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Winchester Police Department reminds the community to "Click it or Ticket!" According to WPD, "seat belts reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about half." (Winchester PD via Twitter)
• The Frederick County Government is looking to hire a Correctional Nurse, Landfill Technician, Mental Health Consultant, Senior Secretary - Fire and Rescue, and other career and part-time positions! Click here to learn more and apply. (Frederick County via Twitter)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday. I'll be back in your inbox soon with another update!

— Rose Mendez

About me: Rose Mendez is a freelance writer. She is studying English Literature at Hunter College. She loves reading, walking around the city, and coffee!