City Councilor Kevin Lynch has announced that he is seeking reelection, WINA reports. Lynch was elected four years ago by the Democrats for Change group, having been a well-known neighborhood activist for some years prior to that. He wants to continue his work supporting community policing, public transit, and education. He is the only one of the three incumbent Democrats up for reelection that has yet announced his intentions, although Mayor Maurice Cox intends to make his announcement Thursday morning at 11am. Just seventeen days remain until the Democratic nomination convention, and only three people have yet declared their candidacy for the three seats, with chiropractor David Brown having announced on Monday, and UVa doctoral candidate and Rose Hill Neighborhood Association president Kendra Hamilton having announced today. 01/22 Update: See Liz Nelson’s story in the Progress for the detailed story.
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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Lynch has lost a lot of votes over the MCP issue. I understand from his posts here that he has a “better” vision for traffic, but what that translates to in the practical world is that both sides will continue stonewalling and nothing will get done. I’ve been surprised by how many more people have made this issue a deciding factor in their voting. Even from people who otherwise think he’s great.
Heck, one of my friends who hasn’t ever voted in a city election before is dusting off the ol’ voter registration because of it.
Which is actually kinda cool.
Good to hear about your friend. I would vote but I live in the make believe city of Albermaville.
"Lynch has lost a lot of votes over the MCP issue."
Do you mean he has lost votes because he opposes the road, or because he has shown he is willing to support the road? Or is it that he has placed some strict conditions on supporting it?
As far as I’ve been able to tell, the MCP really only benefits people who live (or would live) north of town and want to drive downtown. Most of those people cannot vote in the city election.
I for one think his strategy is spot-on. However I confess I rarely ever have any reason to drive on 29.
-M
I have to disagree. Although you have a point that nothing is getting done, Mr. Lynch is not the only culprit. In fact, I give him points for both standing firm on what he believes, for taking the time to post on a non-mainstream medium such as cvillenews.com (at length) and even to respond to us quirk-heads here.
I feel strongly his stance *not* to simply ratify any offered solutions just because there’s a problem and everyone else does it that way: just build more roads, anyhow, anytime, anywhere.
What is apparent, however, is Mr. Lynch’s most typical pro-business bias. What I mean, is I would like to see him try to be as original on his handling of business interests as he seems a propos a less powerful constituency: regular folk. You see, business is just dying to do business, even here, in tiny Charlottesville / Albemarle. I say politicos should NOT just give it away. Demand business (especially large ones) make substantial contributions to the well-being of the city and county before accepting any and all of their requests. For instance, I am appalled the best or at least a totally doable solution for 29N was jettisoned simply because business felt they require omni-present visibility, even from pass-through traffic and daily commuters.
I can’t speak to the feelings of others, but my feelings on the issue land with your latter option. It’s because he placed strict conditions on the MCP that effectively mean "No." Good on ‘im for vision and all that, but if his vision means nothing will get built, then I’m gonna oppose it.
The MCP isn’t the perfect solution to all our traffic woes, but it’d be a good start.
In the Hook’s latest paper –
" Bad news for downtown workers currently doing the "two hour shuffle." Parking spaces are going to become harder to find as parking requirements for new developments vary according to location and use. It’s all a part of the take-public-transportation push."
Basically, what I get is that they are going to make it HARDER for people to travel downtown I.E. no MCP and when you get downtown you are not going to have parking space to boot.
It seems the solution is not to address the needs of the workers in CVille but to force them to move closer. It seems kind of odd.
It seems the solution is not to address the needs of the workers in CVille but to force them to move closer.
Arguably, one solution is to move their offices away from Downtown. NGIC may be only the first.
and people think I am crazy when I agree that growth is going outward on 29N because of this. I have always pointed to that fact. I feel today people who work in CVille don’t exactly live Cville. It isn’t the fault of the city, it is more personal decision. I think people are just surpise to hear that.
Lynch said he is proud of action taken on the education, transportation and community policing fronts, but wants to do more for the environment
I say start with repealing the trash disposal charge doubling. Get rid of any charges altogether. I predicted the trash situation would get worse. Well it has. Anyone on the south side of Charlottesville, on Route 20-S, Route 29-S, Route 6 to Scottsville and all tributaries can see what I mean. Hell, even Algerian roadsides have less trash than what our redneck corner of the Appalachians have!!!
Um, you practically just described my drive home, and frankly, I haven’t noticed any more garbage than usual.
I suspect that people will just illegally dump at work or in other commercial dumpsters than go all the way out of the city.
well, I’m sorry to disillusion you. it’s not because YOU haven’t noticed…
the fact is there’s propbably around 1/2 soil, 1/2 trash along most of route-6. hey, someone’s TV box they got from Grandma at Christmas is there too. along with their McDonald’s BigMac carton and KFC junk. i didn’t notice a MickeyD or a Colonel Fried Fat nearby, did you? okay, there’s the hamburger joint in Lovingston, but no KFC. and what about the subway wrappers, the Best Buy bags and Crutchfield catalog?
lastly, the fact you are not outraged just proves my point: you’ve long since turned a blind eye to what I would like to see made a felony crime if caught.
The "not enough parking downtown" complaint is simply not true….Every single time I drive and park downtown I find a space, as do everyone I know and meet up with downtown. Sure you may not be able to park in front of the store/restuarant you’re going to, but at least you don’t have to walk through a sea of cars and asphalt to get there….. there’s a reason so many new businesses have opened in the downtown area, and that’s because people like to be downtown….
Will someone other than the MallMayor please tell this Lynch creature that the city can no longer afford his myopic perception of what the city should be like? Please – even the MallMayor can find no wordage appropriate to dissuade Lynch from the city council. But the MallMayor will try:
Please go away Kevin. We don’t want you anymore. Ride away on your little yellow bicycle.
*waits for the person to remind MallMayor that the yellow bikes were NOT a city project*
IamDaMan writes:*waits for the person to remind MallMayor that the yellow bikes were NOT a city project*
I believe the City kicked in 500 bucks (but I could be wrong . . . Calling Kevin Cox . . . or K. Lynch . . . ). IMHO it was an inevitable disaster, this project.
Don’t ask Kevin Cox if the city put money into the "steal this bike" program. Lately he hasn’t been anyway near city hall. He told me he’s disgusted and has ended his "gadfly" activities.