28-year-old Jack Meyerhoff lived in Charlottesville for a time, attending PVCC, when he was arrested for committing acts of ecoterrorism in Oregon with others from the Earth Liberation Front. In this week’s Hook, Lisa Provence looks into Meyerhoff, discovering that he moved here to be with his girlfriend, Lacey Phillabaum, who briefly wrote for C-Ville Weekly and freelanced for The Hook. Meyerhoff has pleaded guilty to 54 counts of arson and conspiracy, which may earn him almost sixteen years in prison.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Monthly Archive for July, 2006
Climatologists agree that fossil fuel emissions are worsening global climate change. Except for UVa Professor Environmental Science Patrick J. Michaels, who I can only assume is a never-ending source of embarrassment to the university. Today comes the news that Michaels is on the payroll of power companies, having accepted $100,000 from one power company and planning to accept another $50,000 from another. Burning coal significantly harms our environment, and power companies are desperate to cover up that message, hence the sponsorship of Prof. Michaels. He says that he sees no conflict of interest in accepting the money. To the extent to which he claims to be a scientist, there’s a clear conflict. But if he would confess that he’s simply a lobbyist, it’d be business as usual.
C’ville blogger Jennifer has done something unusual for a local blogger — an interview. With a little guidance from the Daily Progress‘s Bob Gibson, she talked with Parks & Recreation director Michael Svetz about the recent cut in pool hours. It turns out that there’s a lot more going on than the change in hours, including systemic classism in the pools system and inefficiencies in the existing pools. Patrons of city pools will want to read this.
It’s really great to see local bloggers doing research into local matters.
Embattled UVa Dean of African-American Affairs Rick Turner has announced that he’ll be retiring at the end of the month, the AP reports. He was suspended two weeks ago after pleading guilty to lying to federal investigators in a drug investigation, though the details of that matter are a mystery. Presumably they’re not pretty, given Turner’s decision; on the other hand, he’s 65, and perhaps he figured it was simply time to go.
A lot of the fire was taken out of his role at UVa when the school named a Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity last September. Prior to that Turner was known for his work at UVa and within the community, as the head of the local NAACP chapter, often issuing fiery charges of racism at anybody unlucky enough to find themselves on the wrong end of his standards.
In a ginormous bust, state and local officials seized 4,400 marijuana plants from a garden behind a guy’s house just outside of Scottsville, Rob Seal reports in today’s Progress. Gary Peck, 51, had a patch of bamboo with a 10′ by 10′ area carved out in the middle to grow the plants. I figure that’s 3.2 square inches per plant, or 1.8″ by 1.8″ — I wish I could grow things in my garden at that density. Peck has been charged with manufacturing with intent to distribute. Police are carefully drying it to…uh…preserve it.
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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