The Charlottesville Police want to install 30 cameras to monitor your every movement while downtown, Seth Rosen writes in today’s Progress. The two city councilors contacted for the story both expressed unease at the proposal, with Kendra Hamilton citing George Orwell’s “1984.” The cost of the cameras alone is estimated at $300,000. It’s my understanding that the crime downtown is quite low, in proportion to the population, a result of there being so many eyes on would-be criminals most of the time. Wouldn’t it make more sense to propose an CCTV installation in the areas with the most crime?
cvillenews.com
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Democrat Peter Kleeman launched his independent bid for election to Charlottesville’s City Council on Monday, Sean Tubbs reports for Charlottesville Tomorrow. In a ten-minute presentation in front of City Hall, Kleeman explained why he’s running and what he’d like to accomplish. He listed his top issues as public involvement, transportation challenges, growth & environment, and issues related to neighborhoods. With degrees from MIT and Harvard, Kleeman’s background as a transportation planner and his years as a fixture at City Council meetings will make him a formidable candidate.
Charlottesville Tomorrow provides video of his announcement:
Peter Kleeman is well-known and well-liked among progressive Democrats in Charlottesville. His candidacy will present a real conundrum for many Democrats, split between supporting the Democratic ticket and supporting an old friend running as an independent. At times like this, I’m glad I live in the county — there’s just no way that I could fail to support Peter, but now I get to rely on the “I can’t vote” excuse.
In a press release, UVa has announced they’re providing at least one benefit to same-sex couples:
Effective immediately, current full-time students, as well as faculty and staff members who are eligible for University benefits, will be able to sponsor one adult (18 years or older) who resides in the same household for a University Recreation membership. All other existing policies related to membership, including family membership, remain unchanged.
The Plus One program is being implemented as a result of a recent opinion — issued June 7, 2007 — by Virginia Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell. The opinion, which was requested by the University, states “the University of Virginia is authorized to provide a recreational gym membership to an adult who is not a spouse and who lives in the household of an employee or student.”
It looks like both the university and McDonnell are treating this gingerly.
Remember the sinkhole that opened up on 29 near Hollymead last year? Remember that it had opened up the year before that? Last time around they repaired it in something like three days, and I’d suggested a week might be better if they could fix it for good. NBC-29 reports that that the same sinkhole has opened again. One lane of southbound traffic is shut down.
Blogger and C’ville election official Rick Sincere provides the listing of all official candidates for city offices on his blog. The latest additions include, for school board, Colette Blount, Kathleen Galvin and Lynette Meynig and, for the first-ever election for the city’s two Soil and Water Conservation District Director, the addition of Republican John Pfaltz to incumbent Democrats John Conover and Richard Collins. For a while it looked like there may be not be enough candidates for the open school board seats but, as it turns out, there should be some decent competition. The Republicans couldn’t muster a single candidate for the three City Council seats, demonstrating that even they now agree that Rob Schilling’s 2002 election was a fluke.
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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