Two businessmen have been indicted by a Charlottesville jury for conspiring to get workers to remove asbestos from Staunton buildings and illegally dispose of it. Turns out that these Einsteins — Dr. David Stephen Klein and Josef Gene Weiss — recruited homeless men from Staunton to remove asbestos by slicing it out of the walls with razor blades, lacking any safety equipment. They were directed to then dump the dangerous substance in various dumpsters, including one at Buffalo Gap High School. The two men are facing millions of dollars in fines. Adrienne Schwisow has the story in today’s Progress.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
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 #
-
Archive for Sideblog »
DOCTOR David Stephen Klein?
This dangerous scam has been going on around the country for the past ten years, or so. Companies will be set up to underbid legitimate, environmental contractors who have well-trained employees, proper safety equipment and prudent procedures for removal and disposal of hazardous materials. Doing these jobs right is expensive, so if somebody decides to take short-cuts, it’s easy for them to offer cheap prices.
They’ll prey upon vulnerable groups (homeless, mentally-disturbed, alcoholics, drug addicts…) to do their dirty work.
These crooks should get the book thrown at them. Might it also be worth saying that if a contractor (not just an environmental contractor, but a roof, a road paver, whatever…) offers to complete a job for less than everybody else, the customer might think about asking why?
DOCTOR David Stephen Klein?
Actually, I only made a point of saying that he’s a doctor and putting his middle name there so that nobody would mistake this guy for David Klein, the local musician and not-scam-artist. :)