Author Archive for Waldo Jaquith

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DMHMRSAS Investigating Whisper Ridge

Published by Waldo Jaquith on September 14, 2006 in Business and Law and Justice. 1 Comment

The running joke that is Psychiatric Solutions’ Whisper Ridge continues, Rob Seal reports in today’s Progress. This time it’s The Virginia Department of Mental Health doing the investigating, with the matters including a suicide attempt and two occasions in which police had to be called to deal with unruly patients. Mind you, they have something like six patients in there now — if they can’t handle a half dozen kids, I’m not sure how they ever hope to function at their full capacity of many dozens. But I get the sense this joint isn’t run by people who think that far ahead.

I must point out, because it’s so bizarre, that the full name of this state government organization is The Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, or “DMHMRSAS.” They actually call it that. I want to know if they spell it out, or if there’s some way that they pronounce it: “dumhumrasass” or something.

David Breeden Dies

Published by Waldo Jaquith on September 13, 2006 in General News. 6 Comments

David Breeden, of Biscuit Run fame, died of heart failure yesterday. You either knew David for his soapstone sculptures — seven are scattered around public places in town — for his family by way of one of his seven gregarious children, or for his 30-year-running Wednesday night potluck dinner. The Breeden family recently sold the bulk of their property to a developer for $46.2M, which will become “Fox Ridge,” south of town.

The funeral will be at the Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church on Rugby at noon next Wednesday. And, yes, the potluck will be held that night.

Why’s Gas So Expensive Here?

Published by Waldo Jaquith on September 12, 2006 in Ask cvillenews.com and Business. 19 Comments

I’ve heard tell about gas prices dropping, but it’s been so little that I haven’t noticed. As it turns out, that’s just Charlottesville. I see on NBC 29’s Gas Price Watch page that fuel is $2.30/gallon in Waynesboro, $2.34/gallon down the street from me in Barboursville, and $2.43/gallon in Ruckersville. Here in C’ville it’s between $2.65 and $2.69 a gallon, which is a bit higher than the national average of $2.61 and significantly higher than the $2.30/gallon average in metropolitan areas across the nation. Our prices are, in fact, the highest in the state.

What’s going on? Did I miss a memo?

09/13 Update: Bryan McKenzie has a lengthy article on this very topic in today’s Daily Progress.

Restauranteurs Headed to Waynesboro?

Published by Waldo Jaquith on September 9, 2006 in Business. 9 Comments

In today’s Staunton News Leader, Alice Mannette reports on the boom in restaurant spending in Waynesboro and its correlation with Charlottesville restauranteurs considering moving over the mountain. Waynesboro doesn’t have particularly rich dining options (though I understand The Purple Foot is always good), so it’s an easier market to tap into than C’ville’s apparently restaurant-based economy.

I’ve long wanted to cultivate a healthy Springfield/Shelbyville type of rivalry between C’ville and W’boro. Maybe we can start it over food.

New Yorker on Zero Tolerance

Published by Waldo Jaquith on September 8, 2006 in Education and Law and Justice. 1 Comment

The September 4 issue of The New Yorker features a brief “Talk of the Town” piece by well-known author Malcolm Gladwell (known for “Blink” and “The Tipping Point”) entitled “No Mercy.” Gladwell argues against zero-tolerance (“ZT,” as it’s known) school rules, specifically citing a case of attempted murder, explaining that ZT does nothing to deter bad behavior. He believes that schools have an obligation to look at each student individually and make the decision that best serves that child’s interests, rather than treating each matter as a worst-case scenario.

I mention this because, of course, of the recent and ongoing smoke bomb case.

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