This is in the satire category because it’s almost unreal. Orange County supervisors have just spent $15,000 to get themselves outfitted with laptops. They come with, according to the Progress, “dial-up modems and a CD-ROM.” They hope that the laptops will streamline things. Currently they have to be physically given packets of paper prior to each meeting. Now, in a huge leap for efficiency, they’ll be physically given floppy disks. Says the board chairman Roderic Slayton, “Initially there’s some expense, but I think that in the long haul it’s going to save the county money.” The article goes on to say that Supervisor Sonny Dodson has been using his new $1,800 laptop to play solitaire, while Supervisor Grover Wilson became quite frustated with his. Albemarle County spokeswoman Lee Catlin, quick to play catch-up, says that Albemarle is looking to move to an electronic medium, too. One hopes they’ll avoid the teletype.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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What? When did Orange county get electricity?
All the Albemarle elected politicians already are on-line at their own expense. That’s good and it should stay that way. They also pay their own phone bills and they do plenty of BOS yaking on the phone.
You say that Lee Catlin says that Albemarle is looking to move to an electronic medium, too. What baloney! I’ve been exchanging e-mail with the Sups for years. She knows this is nothing new. “Moving to an electronic medium” is just a euphemism for spending tax dollars to make the bosses happy. So now they’ll get laptops courtesy of the taxpayers! l wonder if their meetings will ever be live on line? If that happens then maybe the sups will also be on line during the meetings. That would be just great for the folks who really influence them. Then they can just e-mail them during the meetings and tell them how to vote!
Kevin Cox