In an effort to keep the county safe from terrorists, the entrance to the county office building has been strewn with boulders. Twelve of them have been arranged in a circle, at a cost of $4,000, to protect the building in the case of the national threat level being raised to code orange. The boulders replace police cars that had previously been arranged in the same place as circumstances necessitated, also to protect the county office building from boulder-averse terrorists seeking to strike fear into the heart of Charlottesvillians. Julie Stavitski 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
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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WHAAAAAAT THE F*CK?
I thought I moved away from DC to get away from stupid stuff like this. It might be possible that boulders are cheaper than parking police cars in front of the building, but does anyone think any of this is necessary? The funny thing is that the boulders will still be there if the threat level ever goes back to fuchsia, or whatever color represents a sane reaction to bomb toting nut-cases.
“The vulnerability of the entrance was an issue we needed to deal with,” Catlin said
Why?