The county has a $3.3M budget shortfall, Jeremy Borden reported for the Progress yesterday, leaving the county trying to figure out what to cut. What with the soaring property tax rates, I’m not sure many people will be able to muster much sympathy. Staff had counted on a cooling housing market, but it happened faster and cooled more than they’d planned on. The county figures they can make up their $1.4M by not filling positions as they become open, but the school has to figure out how they’ll make up their $1.9M.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Monthly Archive for September, 2007
Page 2 of 3
Corey Harris has won a MacArthur Foundation fellowship — a “genius grant”! The 38-year-old blues musician is a genuine success story in the realm of Charlottesville music, and he’s been making waves in the world of blues for well over a decade now. He’ll receive $100,000 annually for the next five years, with which he can do absolutely anything he wants. I’m thrilled for him.
8:30am Update: Jane Dunlap Norris has the story for the Progress.
There were a lot of similarities between Albemarle County’s citizen survey last year and Charlottesville Tomorrow’s survey last month, but there were some differences, too. There was a lot of overlap in the questions about growth and rural protection, and that’s where some results deviated. In response to that, UVa’s Center for Survey Research, who ran the county’s survey, put together an explanation of why the results differed (PDF), which the county made public in an e-mail announcement today. It’s actually a pretty interesting read, with the differences in the questions and the survey methodologies appearing to explain the contrasts.
In this week’s Hook, Lisa Provence has a lengthy profile of Jim Camblos and the criticism that has been heaped upon him in the past few years. Provence talked to me for the piece, since I’ve never been shy about criticizing the Albemarle County commonwealth’s attorney, and some of my quotes are sprinkled throughout the article to create a sort of back and forth between me and Camblos.
When asked about his most serious screwup — Cambos’ refusal to so much as issue a traffic ticket to woman who killed a woman and her grandchildren while driving on on 29 — he doesn’t even attempt to defend himself, simply refusing to discuss it. On other matters, Camblos complains that his critics are “people who don’t know all the facts,” which either means a) that all local media outlets have conspired against Camblos to refuse to provide the public with “all the facts” or b) that Camblos is refusing to provide the facts. What with his refusal to, y’know, provide the facts when asked for them by Provence, this isn’t a real tough nut to crack.
Bizarrely, Camblos claims that anybody who criticizes him either doesn’t live in Albemarle or is part of “certain segment of the media.” I can’t claim to be particularly surprised: this is the same man who once brought charges against a child in part because he was born on Hitler’s birthday. Reality’s not his strong suit.
Defending him, his coworkers point out that Camblos loves puppies, rainbows, and long walks on the beach. Camblos insists that he’s all about “respect, compassion, and dignity,” which contrasts sharply with the mug he’s photographed drinking out of, emblazoned with these words: “Reduce defense spending–plead guilty.”
After seeing yet another story about how Crozet residents don’t want to be the county’s growth dumping ground, I have to ask: Why doesn’t Crozet take their destiny into their own hands and incorporate as a town? It would require an act of the General Assembly, but I suspect that Sen. Emmett Hanger or Del. Steve Landes would be willing to introduce that bill. It would be interesting to hear what the two candidates for the White Hall district — incumbent Republican David Wyant and Democratic challenger Ann Huckle Mallek — each think about Crozet taking their destiny into their own hands.
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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