City Council is considering quadrupling fines for noise violations, Graham Moomaw writes for the Daily Progress, in an effort to deal with noisy parties around UVA. Currently the top fine is $250, which apparently is treated as the cost of throwing a big party by some students. The proposal is to move the offense from a Class 4 misdemeanor to a Class 2 misdemeanor, which would allow a fine of up to $1,000 and, theoretically, six months in jail. (Six months in jail is inherent with a Class 2 misdemeanor—increasing the fine means raising the possibility of jail time.) For somebody convicted twice in a one-year period, that’s a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is a fine of up to $2,500 or a year in jail. A city representative says that they don’t intend to pursue jail time except for people who demonstrate no interest in complying with the law. Council will take up the issue on Monday night.
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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