ColinC writes: Government officials broke ground yesterday on new renovations to the Court Square district of downtown Charlottesville. The area will take on a more historic look in order to attract tourists, with brick streets and sidewalks guiding visitors from the Downtown Mall to Court Square. Utility lines will be moved underground, and plaques will be set up at the sites of Charlottesville’s original buildings. The project is expected to cost around $3 million. WINA and the Daily Progress have the story. (From 91.9 WNRN.)
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
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Albemarle County police officer Karl Mansoor has settled his lawsuit against Albemarle County, which alleged that his freedom of speech was violated. Mansoor filed the suit in 2000, claiming that Police Chief John Miller, then-Captain Doug Rhoads and deputy County Attorney Mark Trank violated his right to free speech by demanding that Mansoor refrain from criticizing the county in order to retain his job as a police officer. Mansoor, who had sought $633,000 in damages, has settled for an undisclosed sum. Mansoor claims that the county contines to bar him from speaking freely, and has filed another lawsuit for $250,000. Claudia Pinto has the story in today’s Progress.
WVIR veteran Robert Van Winkle will be leaving WVIR (and the area) on the 15th, according to Bob Gibson in today’s Progress. Van Winkle’s long time position as weatherman has made him well-known, but his hundreds of appearances at public events made him the face of NBC 29 for much of the community. Charlottesville being a small market, it’s difficult for a station like WVIR to retain talent for long, so a recognizable face is a rarity. Van Winkle intends to move up to a bigger market, but declined to provide further details. WVIR has not yet publicly announced Van Winkle’s departure.
The NAACP is concerned about Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Camblos’ decision not to prosecute lying ex-deputy Stephen Shiflett, after Shiflett claimed that he’d been shot by a black man and Albemarle Sheriff Edgar Robb declaring the shooting a “hate crime.” When it became clear that Shiflett had invented the story, Robb apologized to the black community, but neither Robb nor Camblos (whose offices are just a few feet apart from each other, incidentally) pursued an investigation of what had really happened. The Charlottesville chapter of the NAACP has launched an inquiry as to why Shiflett was never charged, saying that they “are concerned about all issues that might be indicative of some impropriety or injustice.” Reed Williams has the story in today’s Progress.
Charlottesville’s hotshot investigative reporter Reed Williams has a lengthy story in today’s Progress about lying ex-deputy Stephen Shiflett, including interviews with candidates for Albemarle Sheriff, ex-sheriffs, and anonymous sources close to the case. Sheriff Edgar Robb acknowledges that his actions and those of also-Republican Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Camblos look suspicious, but insists that the two are not in cahoots. One of Robb’s opponents in the November election questions Robb’s judgement in hiring the “cop with an attitude”, which Robb has defended by saying that Shiflett was not only quite punctual, but had never actually been convicted of a crime. (It was a civil suit that Shiflett lost while a Louisa deputy, not a criminal case.) Concludes retired county detective and former deputy Donald Byers, “it’s kind of hard for me to understand that there’s not enough evidence for him to be charged.” Be sure to read the whole story for all of the details.
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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