Belle writes: Last Saturday, Leonard Sandridge visited a graveyard in Ivy, following emerging clues that a body thought possibly to be in a grave found on the property on which the University hopes to soon build a parking garage (and, later, perhaps some student housing) might have been exhumed and moved off the property in the 1950s. UVa News Services has the story (and some nice photos).
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
3 Responses to “Sandridge Visits Ivy Graveyard”
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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
four six 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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I read about the Norris story in the DP, I think it was. In many ways, her emergence seems to be a boost for the University’s position. From what I read, she claims not to want to stand in the way in the parking garage, and she expressed some irritation with the Lewis Mountain people for, as she put it (roughly), using her family’s history as an excuse to stop the garage.
UVA couldn’t be happier than if they had created her themselves!
Cecil writes;“UVA couldn’t be happier than if they had created her themselves!”
So true!
I don’t think, however, that the Lewis Mtn. folks have “used” her family history on the property as much as they (and their lawyer, in particular) have called into question UVa’s legal right to dig for corpses on property which they may or may not own. I think that’s a legitimate line of inquiry.
The Norris story is for sure, a boost for UVa, but I think it is a small one and one limited to public relations. I can’t see a legal implication to anything she says or thinks.
And, anyway, the University is going to build this parking garage no matter what. The possible grave finding of the archaeologist changed nothing in their plans (besides being a minor delay for the construction start date), nor would the discovery of a body on the property change the University’s plans; they’d just exhume, reinter, and put up a plaque. UVa would be, of course, happy to do up some cheap commemoration (like the small Victorian garden Norris proposes), and Norris would likewise be happy to see the family ancestry, and its historic connection to UVa, be publicized in such a way. There are coinciding interests here.
But her feelings have little importance outside the PR scene. Either there is a body (or bodies) there or not. Either UVa owns the gravesite property or not. Either UVA broke the Three Party Agreement or not. These things are legal matters in which she has scarce import.
I like the UVa News Service story for the image of Sandridge trapsing through the periwinkle looking for an old grave marker that would help the University’s free claim to build on the Ivy property without further delay. (I gather he found the right name on the right headstone, but not the corresponding church record of burial.) Finally, I suppose the inclusion of his weekend efforts in the UVa press release is meant to signal just how seriously Madison Hall is taking the possible delay to their garage project?
No matter how they do, the new garage won’t be as ugly as the Cavalier hotel next to it on the corner of Emmet and U. Those white railings on each floor make it my pick for the Ugliest Design in Sight of Campus.
PD