Monthly Archive for November, 2010

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City Schools Moving to Healthful, Local Foods

There’s a movement afoot to improve Charlottesville school food, Rachana Dixit writes in today’s Daily Progress, and it’s picking up steam. The city has long employed a dietician in the form of Alicia Cost to feed its 4,000 students, and recently hired allowed Rachel Williamson to manage a food garden at Buford. The national movement in support of local food and the strengthening local food network are making it possible to feed kids more healthful foods than the standard fast-food fare (Domino’s pizza was a major daily offering when I went to WAHS in the early nineties), with the caveat that it’s got to be a) cheap and b) something that the kids are willing to eat. Martha Stafford, owner of the Charlottesville Cooking School, has been hired to come up with some new recipes within those parameters, and has recently been having luck with a black bean and rice taco.

It’s embarrassing how excited I am by this.

11/18 Update: Guinevere Higgins points out that Buford doesn’t employ Williamson—an independent organization does.

Congressional Redistricting Coming

Redistricting may serve to isolate Charlottesville politically. I’d put money on it.  #

County Giving Bonuses to Employees

Albemarle is joining the city in giving bonuses to their employees, as a nod towards salary freezes.  #

WTJU DJ Emmett Boaz Has Died

Emmett Boaz has died. He had a heart attack during his weekly WTJU show.  #

City Post $3.6M Budget Surplus

The city has posted a $3.6M budget surplus, Rachana Dixit reports for the Daily Progress, a result of spending $4.8M less than planned and taking in $1.2M less than planned. (That’s out of a $126M budget, or a 2.8% overrun.) The city plans to use $2M of that towards capital improvements, with the balance going to a bunch of programs, including $750 bonuses to employees who have been at their jobs for at least a year. (Virginia is doing the same thing—state employees all get a bonus of 3% of their salary this month.) Council will vote on that on Monday. This is the fourth consecutive year of budget surpluses.

The city’s budget is available online, for those who care for the details.