Monthly Archive for February, 2005

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Man Nabbed for Ring Theft

A young lover decides to propose marriage. Lacking money, he goes to Glassner Jewelers, asks to see a $1,500 pair of rings, and runs like hell. He presents the stolen rings to his sweetheart, who says, happily, “yes.” He tells her that he got them at Glassner. She goes there to get them resized. Jailarity ensues. Reed Williams has the story in today’s Progress.

Mayor Blames School Board Chair

Cecil writes: According to Cathy Harding’ s report in the most recent issue of C-Ville, Mayor Brown is blaming the head of the School Board for much of the sturm und drang related to recent decisions regarding the Charlottesville City Schools–more specifically, for the way recent decisions have been communicated to the public and the way public involvement has been managed. 02/16 Update: James Fernald at The Daily Progress weighs in with their version of the story today, which points out that Laura Purnell’s letters has gone entirely unaddressed. As City Councilor Blake Caravati points out, the letter was “breath-taking,” and, on the school system’s refusal to address it, he says that “you just can’t wish those things away.”

Preacher Drops Dead Mid-Sermon

“I can feel the Holy Ghost, hallelujah.” Those were the final words of evangelist Alfred Guy Jr., as he preached at a revival attended by 114 people at the Pentacostal Outreach Workship Center in Earlysville on Friday night. He then collapsed, dead of a heart attack. Rather than being upset, the congregation was uplifted. Said one member of the congregation, “I was raised in church, but I have never seen a service where the Lord has taken a pastor home. It was as though I was walking on the clouds.” Reed Williams has the story in today’s Progress.

Pizza Joints Refuse Westhaven Delivery

Both Domino’s and Papa John’s refused to deliver pizzas at an HIV testing event at Westhaven yesterday, leading to charges of socioeconomic and — enter Rick Turner — racial discrimination. Managers from both companies cited a history of crime committed against drivers in a dozen areas of town, including Westhaven, as simply making it too dangerous to deliver there. Domino’s goes so far as to compensate by offering a two-for-one for Hardy Drive residents if they pick up their pies. AIDS/HIV Services Group director Kathy Baker points out that “whether it’s intended or not, it results in socioeconomic and racial discrimination.” The always-helpful UVa Dean Rick Turner says “Charlottesville has a blatant history of racial discrimination against black citizens,” and that this “reeks of racial discrimination.” Claudia Pinto has the story in today’s Progress.

WINA Dumps Howard for O’Reilly

dsewell writes: WINA is announcing that starting Monday the 14th, Bill O’Reilly‘s “Radio Factor” show will replace Clark Howard‘s consumer affairs program. A phone call to the station confirmed that Howard’s show is being dropped entirely rather than moved to a different time slot.

I was going to bill this as the first post-Eure programming move on WINA, but in fact the sale of the station to Saga Communications has not (to my knowledge) been completed yet. So I have no idea whether it’s related to the sale.

Whatever the underlying reason, to my mind it’s an ominous move. Clark Howard is one of the few nationally syndicated AM talk radio hosts who is humane, reasonable, and capable of listening to callers rather than using them as rhetorical stepladders. I have no idea what his politics are, except that he is consistently on the side of honesty and fairness in business and the rights of the little guy in consumer transactions. Bill O’Reilly, on the other hand, is the apotheosis of what talk radio has become: a mean-spirited, pugnacious self-promoter.

Silver lining: WINA is removing the only reason not to listen to Diane Rehm and “Talk of the Nation” on Radio IQ during the 1-3pm time slot. That’s too bad. I quite like Clark Howard’s show.

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