Author Archive for Waldo Jaquith

Page 306 of 549

No Competition for County School Board

Published by Waldo Jaquith on September 26, 2005 in Education and Politics. 5 Comments

There are three candidates running for three seats on the Albemarle County School Board. The county moved to an elected school board in 1993, and this is a first. Diantha McKeel and Pamela Moynihan are running for reelection, while Jon Stokes is running for an open seat. James Fernald has the story in today’s Daily Progress.

With Charlottesville facing the question of whether to move to an elected school board come November, it seems reasonable to ask whether this bodes well for the concept of an elected, rather than an appointed, school board. Is it possible that Albemarle is totally blissed out on the school system? There’s no change needed that warrants a changing of the guard, or even a little accountability? Or are the obstacles to running for office greater than whatever problems exist, and simply don’t merit the investment of time and money for anybody in these three districts? I’m seriously not sure if this means that the system works, or that it’s totally broken.

Cari and Duane Continuing to Contribute

Published by Waldo Jaquith on September 26, 2005 in Site News. Closed

As I mentioned recently, I was so pleased with our recent guest bloggers that I wanted to keep it up. So I’ve invited Cari and Duane to keep contributing to cvillenews.com. In particular, I’ve asked Cari to make a point of writing about UVa, since she’s a senior, and I’m lousy about figuring out what’s going on there. Both of ’em are going to need some time to get their sea legs, so y’all be nice.

I want very much for the site to represent much more than just my take on things (hence the comments). Bringing in additional contributors is one part of expanding the influences. Another part will be more frequently referring to local blogs as a source of both fact and opinion, to encourage more people to read local blogs and more people to start blogging. We’ve got sixty-something local blogs now. I’d like that to top 100 by the end of the year.

Low Wages, High Expenses

Published by Waldo Jaquith on September 22, 2005 in General News. 4 Comments

Good news! C’ville exceeds the national average cost of living while keeping wages are unusually low!

Oh. I’m sorry, that’s actually bad news. It sounded really good at first.

Our overheated housing market and the mounting costs of sprawl aren’t helping any. The collapse of Central Virginia manufacturing industry since NAFTA has particularly hurt. While the problems may be clear, the solutions are murky.

“Charlotte$$ville…the best city in America you can’t afford.“

Slogan Named #2

Published by Waldo Jaquith on September 21, 2005 in General News. 11 Comments

Not ten minutes ago I was thinking that Charlottesville should really have a slogan, inspired by Richmond’s Haduken.com, and wondering what sort of suggestions people would have here. And then I saw that Charlottesville does have a slogan (“So Very Virginia!”), which has been named the #2 best in the nation by a new survey. Las Vegas’ (“What Happens Here, Stays Here”) was named #1, with C’ville followed by Atlantic City’s “Always Turned On,” and Cleveland’s “Cleveland Rocks!”

Clearly, the experts disagree with me, but I read “So Very Virginia!” as “If You’ve Seen Any Other Part of Virginia, This Is Basically More of the Same!”

Amazing Adventures of a Nobody

Published by Waldo Jaquith on September 21, 2005 in General News. 2 Comments

Leon Logothetis is traveling from New York to Los Angeles on $5 a day. By virtue of bringing a camera crew with him, he’s not a gutterpunk but, rather, the subject of “Amazing Adventures of a Nobody.” He’s relying on the kindness of strangers to eat, find a place to stay each night, and travel west. Naturally, he’s blogging, including yesterday’s account of his stay at a UVa frat house. He got a ride here from Richmond yesterday, thanks to a crazy woman, having left New York a few days ago. After appearing on a couple of 11 o’clock news broadcasts last night, he won a train ticket to Charleston, WV by virtue virtue of winning a sprint across campus in his boxers. He leaves town this afternoon.

Liesel Nowak has the skinny in today’s Daily Progress.

Sideblog