Charlottesville Podcasting Network has a new series — they’re running WNRN‘s “Wake Up Call,” the Sunday morning talk show hosted by Rick Moore. Episodes will be podcast weekly, on an evaluation basis. This week’s show is described as such:
Rick gives a passionate salute to Memorial Day and then talks politics with Steve Bragaw of Sweet Briar College. Rick and Steve talk about the filibuster controversey, George Allen’s political future, and the race for governor in Virginia.
It seems that just about everything of any merit in this country ties back, in some way, to Charlottesville. To that end, consider Walter Pincus’ story in today’s Washington Post, “Analysts Behind Iraq Intelligence Were Rewarded“:
Two Army analysts whose work has been cited as part of a key intelligence failure on Iraq — the claim that aluminum tubes sought by the Baghdad government were most likely meant for a nuclear weapons program rather than for rockets — have received job performance awards in each of the past three years, officials said.
The civilian analysts, former military men considered experts on foreign and U.S. weaponry, work at the Army’s National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC), one of three U.S. agencies singled out for particular criticism by President Bush’s commission that investigated U.S. intelligence.
To many folks — myself included — the role that Charlottesville’s NGIC plays in the intelligence world is a mystery. I certainly wouldn’t have guessed that they did anything this high-level.
Only once in my memory has NGIC been in the news, and that was just a few days ago, when they headed up the “Silent Horizon” internet war games.
According to an e-mail sent out by Charlottesville Republican chair Bob Hodous (and a conversation with the candidate), Tom McCrystal has pre-filed for the Republican nomination for the House of Delegates. As the only guy to do so, that makes him their man. He’s the vice president of Creative Perspectives, a media shop located downtown. McCrystal will be going up against the winner of the Democratic primary, to be held on June 14, which is a three-way race between Rich Collins, Kim Tingley, and David Toscano.
Disclosure: I’ve volunteered my time for Rich Collins and I’ll inevitably volunteer for whomever wins the nomination, but I might also write Tom a little check because then he can’t say that I never did nothin’ for him.
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette is wise to Scottie Griffin’s checkered past, nine days after they wrote that the Charlottesville Superintendent has applied for the same position in Pulaski, Arkansas. Like local media outlets, who often found Griffin scarce as hen’s teeth when interview came time around, the Arkansas paper wrote that Griffin “could not be reached for comment despite calls to her numbers in three area code zones.” They interviewed both City Councilor Blake Caravati and outgoing school board member Bill Igbani for the story.
A password required — grab one at BugMeNot.
Ted Bridis writes for the AP:
The CIA is conducting a secretive war game, dubbed “Silent Horizon,” this week to practice defending against an electronic assault on the same scale as the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks.
The three-day exercise, ending Thursday, was meant to test the ability of government and industry to respond to escalating Internet disruptions over many months, according to participants. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the CIA asked them not to disclose details of the sensitive exercise taking place in Charlottesville, Va., about two hours southwest of Washington.
This, presumably, is at the National Ground Intelligence Center. Totally cool. Thanks to James Weissman for the tip.
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 #
Archive for Sideblog »
Recent Comments