One year after Fridays After 5 became a paid event, they’re reverting to being free of charge. This comes after the Charlottesville Downtown Foundation, the organization that runs Fridays After 5, lost two thirds of its sponsorship budget from Virginia State Lottery (had its budget cut), Adelphia Cable (declared bankruptcy, in serious legal trouble), SunCom (slackers?) and Technicolor (fired 750 people, moved to Guadalajara). It didn’t help any that it seemed to rain mightily last summer, but only on Fridays — a third of the year’s concerts were rained out. The organization intends to return to featuring local acts, the city has agreed to lower their usage fees, and things are a bit cloudy beyond that, because of the planned extension of the east end of the Downtown Mall. Lisa Provence has the story in this week’s Hook, and Liz Nelson has the story in yesterday’s Progress.
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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