Author Archive for Waldo Jaquith

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Local Man Killed in Fallujah

Twenty-year-old Bradley Thomas Arms, a 2002 graduate of Covenant, was killed during the invasion of Fallujah, Iraq on Friday. Arms was a University of Georgia student and a Marine. He shipped out to Iraq in August, and was a part of the first group of forces to enter the city of Fallujah. Julie Stavitski has the story in the Progress.

On-Street Parking Victory for Citizens

Attorney and downtown resident Jock Yellott chalked up a victory for the parking public this week, with City Council’s passage of an amendment to the parking ordinance which will involve the public in changes made to on-street parking. A year ago, the sheriff’s office took over some parking in Court Square, in a manner that appeared illegal, so Yellott gathered the legal ammunition to convince Council to require much more obvious public notice and citizen involvement before any removal of or modification of any on-street parking in the city. John Yellig has the story in today’s Progress.

Wireless Hotspot Open Now at Jeff. Mad. Library

silkyzephyr writes: I write from the Jefferson Madison Regional Library (Main Branch on Market Street) using WiFi to connect to CvilleNews. As of this week, the basement reading room just became a wireless hotspot. Waldo had championed wireless access when he was on the JMRL Board and I am glad to report they finally got around to it. Unlike U. Va., or commercial hotspots like the Mudhouse on the Downtown Mall, you need no password or ISP account. In fact you don’t even need a library card. All you need is 802.11b or 802.11g wireless and a willingness to sit in an open library room where anybody can see what you’re browsing. BYOC (bring your own computer). Jeff. Mad. does not have laptops available to lend. U.Va. libraries do, but the students have dibs and they are usually all lent out. Connection on my Apple laptop was instantaneous, trouble free, and the connection is super-fast. Makes me want to hug a librarian (though that is discouraged.)

Woo-hoo! Gotta love the library. No, seriously. I insist that you love JMRL.

Helping Obesity Through Walking to School

The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star has a nice overview of the Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation‘s Safe Routes to School program and their Walking Wednesday program. They’ve established standard, safe routes for students to walk to Greenbrier Elementary, Buford Middle School, and Greenbrier has all of their students walk to school on Wednesday. With childhood obesity on the rise and traffic (and related environmental problems) only getting worse, ACCT’s program is helping with a host of problems.

Council to Support Repeal of Civil Union Ban

At tonight’s City Council meeting, council will take up the matter of whether to issue a resolution asking the General Assembly to repeal HB 751, Del. Bob Marshall‘s (R-Manassas) bill that was signed into law earlier this year that prohibits any “arrangement between persons of the same sex purporting to bestow the privileges or obligations of marriage.” The law has resulted in much protest, notably because the law seems to ban any contract between two people of the same sex that provides a benefit of marriage (tenancy by the entirety, living wills, joint adoption, etc.) Del. Marshall, when asked by Del. Brian Moran (D-Alexandria) to explain precisely what contracts that he intended to outlaw, said only “I am not accountable for the gentleman’s lack of enlightenment or understanding.” It’s a safe assumption that this resolution will pass. Neither Rob Schilling nor Charlottesville Republican Committee Bob Hodous would talk to the Progress about the resolution. John Yellig has the story in today’s Progress. 11/16 Update: They did it.

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