After months of study and debate, Charlottesville City Council established a human rights commission this week, Aaron Richardson reports in the Progress. Armed with an anti-discrimination ordinance, the commission will receive complaints of institutional discrimination, such as by employers or landlords, and either refer those complainants to relevant organizations (e.g., the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) or investigate the claims for possible prosecution by the city attorney. For employment claims, they can only consider claims from people who have been fired from their job at an company that employs 6–14 people. There are four similar commissions in the state, all in northern Virginia. Council’s vote was 3–1, with Mayor Satyendra Huja abstaining (he didn’t support the entire ordinance) and Kathy Galvin opposing it (she believes it’s unnecessary and a waste of money.)
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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The top story on cvillenews is an update of the road the county government supports. The second story is the council that the city government created. Both have the potential to be a massive boondoggle, each in its own special way.
Councils creating endlessly recursive councils. Its councils all the way down.