Author Archive for Waldo Jaquith

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City Improves Video Offerings

Published by Waldo Jaquith on January 11, 2008 in General News. 3 Comments

One year after the city started providing video of Council, Planning Commission, and BAR meetings, they’ve expanded their offerings. They used to offer only Windows Media Player embedded video, which is the very worst way to do it. (But far, far better than nothing.) Now two more formats are offered: MP4 (Quicktime) video and MP3s of the audio. The MP4s can be put straight on an iPod, loaded into iMovie for editing, uploaded to YouTube and otherwise remixed and repurposed, and the MP3s are as portable and flexible as audio can be. This is the raw material that will help citizen media continue to evolve and improve in Charlottesville.

I’ve been puzzled at the accolades that the city has received for their technological offerings, because they so often choose the lesser of available solutions. But this? This is great.

CHS Principal Moving to Central Office

Published by Waldo Jaquith on January 10, 2008 in Education. 45 Comments

Charlottesville High School principal Kenneth Leatherwood is leaving for a job with the school’s central office, the Daily Progress reports today. He’s been CHS principal since 2003, and served as vice principal for the decade before that. Now he’ll be in charge of the HR department. Folks who think that the school system is a little too top-heavy will surely see this as further evidence that Superintendent Rosa Atkins’ priorities are off. On the other hand, maybe the guy was just ready to move on, but Atkins convinced him to stay within the school system in a different capacity. Thanks to Jennifer for the tip.

Restaurants Split on Smoking

Published by Waldo Jaquith on January 9, 2008 in General News. 24 Comments

In the Daily Progress, Tasha Kates surveys which area restaurants allow smoking, and fine things are pretty well split. Those restaurants that have banned smoking say that it doesn’t seem to present a problem, and those who continue to allow it don’t seem interested in doing otherwise. The article was prompted by various smoking bans proposed by the General Assembly, whose sixty day session began today.

Razor-Wire Woman Settles Lawsuit

Published by Waldo Jaquith on January 9, 2008 in Law and Justice. 13 Comments

The woman who built a razor wire fence to stop Rivanna Trail hikers from crossing her property has settled her lawsuit with the Rivanna Trails Foundation and the city, the Daily Progress reports. Shirley Presley was angry with the RTF after they published a map showing that the city-encircling trail ran through her property. She put up razor wire to stop trespassers, a violation of city law, which led to her lawsuit to get the RTF and the city to make people stop. The terms of the settlement were not released.

Planning Commission: No More Paving

Published by Waldo Jaquith on January 9, 2008 in Development and Transportation. 10 Comments
A Road Less Traveled

A southern Albemarle road. By David Gellner. (CC)

The Albemarle Planning Commission has recommended that the county stop paving rural roads, Jeremy Borden writes in today’s Progress. The planning commission is trying to support the county policy of building in the urban ring, and just can’t see spending the money on paving back roads. The Board of Supervisors will be discussing their priorities over the next month, and one of the things they’ll have to consider is whether they want to move towards paving the county’s two hundred miles of dirt and gravel roads.

Borden interviews Allison Mitchell, who lives on Gilbert Station Road (just off 20N, in Stony Point), who complains that her road should be paved, and it’s just not safe. Thing is, Mitchell isn’t from Stony Point. So she moved to Gilbert Station knowing full well that it’s not paved, and she ought to know by now that most people who live on Gilbert Station don’t want it paved. I live on an unpaved road near Gilbert Station, and I’d actively oppose any efforts to pave my street. People move out to the country and then complain that they have no urban amenities. Suck it up or go away.

01/10 Update: Lonnie provided some enormously useful information on this topic on his blog last month.

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