Monthly Archive for December, 2002

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Four charged with Burglary, Shooting and Rape

Anonymous writes: Four men, two of whom were regular mall kids for many years and former students of my high school (not CHS!), were arrested yesterday on varying charges ranging from burglary to rape. One was also charged with the Dec. 9 shooting of two men on Rt. 29. Judging by what I already knew about these kids, it’s only a matter of time before the major drug connection becomes apparent. I know there was a shockwave through all the people I know my age this morning when we read the Progress, and a lot of those people are regular readers here. Terrible news indeed. The Progress’s story is here, and WINA is carrying the story.

Art Vandals Lack Creativity

“Man in Motion,” the ArtInPlace sculpture on Emmett Street near the Barracks intersection, was vandalized recently with spray-painted smiley faces, but ArtInPlace and the artist’s only complaint is that the vandals weren’t sufficiently creative. “My biggest issue is, I didn’t think it was done very well,” said creator Edward Pelton. “When someone first said there was graffiti on it, I was hoping it would be something like you see on the coal tower.” Pelton went on to explain that he’s planning a mobile sculpture for the purpose of attracting graffiti, such that the art could be modified by anybody that saw fit to do so. Elizabeth Nelson has the story in today’s Progress.

Pres. Bush Visiting in January

dead_american writes: Found elsewhere: “Just came back from the anti-war, etc., coalition at the Little Flower Catholic Farm and the above subject was dicussed. Although this event will coincide with the Jan. 18 anti-war protest in DC, I think Bush’s Monticello appearance and the demostration which will follows for Virginians is more immediately related.” Personally, I wish he’d go to Waynesboro instead. He’s just gonna clog up traffic and walk around looking goofy. It might be enough to make TJ come back from the dead and thwack his butt, though.

The quoted text is from from an anti-war mailing list, in case it’s not obvious. :) Does anybody know anything more about the president’s planned visit?

Four More Brown Schools Violations

Adolescent mental health center The Brown Schools of Virginia, whose pattern of human rights violations has been something like a train wreck in slow motion, has been given with another four citations by state inspectors, bringing them up to 107 in the past 23 months. This time, two kids were beaten with belts (the incidents going unreported to authorities), employees were found sleeping on the job, and it was found that patients were being restrained improperly. Looking on the sunny side, a state authority says that things are better than earlier in the years, when “there was a complete breakdown in treatment.” The Brown Schools had a grand reopening in May, renaming themselves from the Millmont Center because, in the words of their CEO, “a name change is a good way to visibly signal a fresh start.” Claudia Pinto, who has been following the story, has this latest chapter in today’s Progress.

IFC Clears Blackface Party

UVa’s Inter-Fraternity Council has ruled that Zeta Phi members attending the Kappa Alpha Order Halloween party in blackface were engaging in expression protected under the First Amendment, and thus will not be charged with disorderly conduct. IFC did, however, condemn the behavior, saying that the partygoers had “an apparent historical blindness and lack of sensitivity,” recommending that the frats discipline and educate their members. The Post had the story yesterday.

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