Clear Channel has announced that they are seeking buyers for all of their TV stations and 448 of their 1,200+ radio stations, including all of their C’ville stations, the Virginian-Pilot reports. Honestly, I can’t even keep track of all of their local stations anymore. I know it includes 107.5 FM and 1260 AM, but I know there are at least a few others. Shareholders may reject an all-in-one buyout, so it could happen that these local stations will come to be subject to a little competition. Realistically, though, I suspect they’ll all be bought by one big conglomerate, somebody on the scale of Saga Communications, who owns WINA, Z95, 3WV and 106.1 FM.
cvillenews.com
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Albemarle Circuit Judge Paul Peatross will be retiring come January 31, Bob Gibson reports in today’s Daily Progress.
But the real story here is his replacement. Much as word of Del. Mitch Van Yahres’ retirement set aspiring politicians’ eyes agleam last year, Peatross’ retirement is have the the same response among well-known lawyers. Gibson writes that Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Camblos, C’ville General District Judge Robert Downer, Daniel Meador, deputy prosecutor Richard Moore, and assistant prosecutor John Zug are all likely to angle for the position.
Judgeships are not elected, but are appointed by the General Assembly. Having sat through some judgeship appointment votes at the Republican-led GA, they basically all sail through, voting for whomever the Courts of Justice committee has supported who, in turn, often supports whomever the local bar association supports. Interestingly for us, both Del. Rob Bell and Del. David Toscano sit on Courts of Justice. Del. Toscano has called for an open and fair process this time but, frankly, that’s just not going to happen under the current leadership in the General Assembly, who’s actually taken to killing bills under secret votes by a half dozen people in the dark of night.
I don’t know about y’all, but I find the prospect of Judge Camblos terrifying. Jim Camblos is not a man known for his good judgment and definitely not known for being on an even keel or, for that matter, simply being nice.
If you support an open, fair selection process and you’re represented by a Republican (Del. Bill Janis, Del. Rob Bell, or Del. Watkins Abbitt), contact your representative and let him know. If there’s anybody you’d like to see as judge — or anybody you really don’t want to see as judge — contact your representative (of whatever political stripe) and let him know, particularly if you’re represented by Del. Bell or Del. Toscano.
MAACA has put on their annual three-day poverty diet over the past three days, in which participants voluntarily spend just $2.83 on food. The idea is to give participants an understanding of what it’s like to live on the budget allotted to food stamp recipients.
This time around, local blogger and CHS student Michael Strickland participated. He kept an audio diary over the course of the three days, talking about what he was eating, how he felt, and how he did with his budget. And it’s available via the Charlottesville Podcasting Network, natch. It’s interesting and enjoyable — I’d love to see more people working with CPN’s Sean Tubbs to create this sort of original audio webcast.
I got a good bit of e-mail when it was announced that “Larry the Cable Guy” would be performing at the John Paul Jones Arena. Some folks were upset that the stand-up comedian’s anti-intellectual, anti-gay, anti-Muslim, racist schtick was being given an audience by UVa. On the one hand, yeah, fair enough. But on the other hand, I think Charlottesville may devolve into liberal self-parody by getting all upset about the guy. (Speaking of liberal self-parody, everything I know about him comes from a feature article The New Yorker had about him a few months ago.)
Well, C-Ville Weekly apparently agrees that this ain’t right — J. Tobias Beard has a critical look at Larry the Cable Guy in the latest issue, and clearly doesn’t like what he sees.
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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