Council has passed the annual budget, totaling $100.4M this year, up from last year’s $93.6M budget. That’s somewhat higher than the proposed $100.3M budget. The four democrats on Council voted in favor, and Council’s lone Republican Rob Schilling voted against it. Council blamed the state budget crisis for the higher budget, citing ever-shrinking state funding of mandates. Last year’s budget approval turned into a battle royale between Schilling and the Democrats, while this year’s wasn’t quite so bad. Reed Williams has the story in today’s Progress.
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
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Free Union’s Georgetown Farm, in operation since 1978, is shutting down. The beef and bison farm is owned by billionaire Edgar Bronfman Sr., and just recently expanded to create the Georgetown Farm Market in Albemarle Square and the Buffalo Hill shop up in Madison. All that’s official for the time being is that the two retail locations are closing down, but the word on the street (and in the paper) is that Bronfman’s financial advisors have recommended axing the whole thing. 25 people will lose their jobs. John Yellig has the story in today’s Progress.
A U.S. magistrate has recommended the dismissal of the lawsuit filed against the city by Henry Weinschenk, owner of Express Car Wash. The business was prohibited from using water during the 2002 drought, and filed suit against the city last June, claiming that the prohibiting on washing cars amounted to a violation of the Fifth Amendment (“private property [shall not] be taken for public use, without just compensation”). Weinschenk intends to appeal. John Yellig has the story in today’s Progress.
As a result of the recent efforts to rename the Charlottesville Performing Arts Center after Martin Luther King Jr., the Charlottesville School Board has approved doing so in a unanimous vote, WINA reports. That vote is just a recommendation, though — the matter will be taken up by City Council on Monday night. 04/06 Update: The Progress reports that Council approved the name change — CPAC is now “Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center of Charlottesville.”
It seems that all is not well at The Prism Coffeehouse. Courteney Stewart’s cover story in this week’s Hook reports on a schism that has developed in the board over the board elections, which has been exacerbated by the frustrations of Fred Boyce, who has long run the Charlottesville musical institution. There is even concern that The Prism may become homeless, should they fall out of the good graces of the church next door, who provides the use of the building. Is this just a bump in a long road, or worse?
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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