In Saturday’s Daily Progress, Jessica Kitchin and Rob Seal wrote that Qroe will continue with their plans to develop Bundoran Farm, despite the death of two top company officials in a plane crash on the property last month. Company CEO Robert Baldwin died in the accident, but his son, who has taken over the business, says that there should be no delay in moving forward with the project.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Monthly Archive for July, 2006
Page 5 of 6
I’m told that downtown entertainer and Mudhouse chess maven Carl Carter passed away a couple of months ago. It was cancer that did it. He was in Tennessee at the time. Nobody who saw Carl could forget him, performing on the Downtown Mall in a clown costume, wearing a pig nose, fairy wings, waving a rubber chicken and playing violin or a child’s keyboard. He was almost always in character, but would drop it long enough for a chess game or a good conversation. Claudia Pinto interviewed him for the Progress a few years ago, but that article is no longer in their archives. Like Dancing Man or Singing Lady, Carl will long be remembered.
Animal shelter pressure group The No Kill Advocacy Center writes in their latest newsletter that in 2005 the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA saved 87% of their dogs and 67% of their cats, but that things have improved since new director Susanne Kogut came on board:
So far this year, 95% of the dogs are leaving the shelter alive. If that holds, Charlottesville, VA will become the safest community in the U.S. for dogs. As for cats, saving 7 out of 10 makes them the envy of most communities in the nation. But, once again, Kogut wants more.
Impressive! Thanks to Dave for the tip.
This past semester’s Community Food Systems class in UVa’s Department of Urban and Environmental Planning conducted an extensive study of the food system in Central Virginia in order to assess how able we are to provide ourselves with food. The resulting paper (684k PDF) is just wonderful. They looked at farms, distributors, grocery stores, restaurants and food banks to determine where our food comes from, how much it costs, and to whom it’s accessible. The document concludes by identifying seventeen barriers to food production, processing, distribution, consumption and waste, with each accompanied by recommendations for how those barriers can be overcome. Along the way there are some fascinating maps and research results that provide a revealing look at Charlottesville’s demographics.
I’m having a hard time describing this without making it sound dry. In fact, this is forty seven page document is very much worth your time. I believe it’s the most interesting thing I’ve read about Charlottesville in quite some time—I’ll be chewing over these results for months.
07/06 Update: Dang, I knew this seemed familiar — Sean Tubbs interviewed the class members back in May, in a twenty-five minute story.
The Board of Supervisors is facing a tough situation: a proposed new development in an area without enough groundwater to support the new population, but they don’t have the power to prevent it. Jessica Kitchin writes in today’s Daily Progress that the Glen Oaks subdivision, south of 250 in eastern Albemarle, intends to create thirty new lots despite members of the nearby Running Deer subdivision often lacking enough water for their own needs. Although the 2004 groundwater ordinance requires developers to assess whether there’s enough water available, it prevents the county from rejecting a development on that basis.
The developer figures that if he were allowed to spread the houses out more, there might be more water available. But the problem posed by this is larger than the immediate concern. Why in the world must we permit new developments to be built when we lack the resources to support them? Must property rights amount to a metaphorical murder-suicide pact?
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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