Tornado in Free Union, Charlottesville Area

Published by Waldo Jaquith on June 4, 2002 in Weather. 25 Comments

A tornado is currently making its way through Free Union at 25 mph, moving towards Charlottesville. I just spoke with my mother, who lives in Free Union, and she reports a low thunder-like rumble that is, unlike thunder, constant. It’s grown louder in the past few minutes, and the National Weather Service reports that the tornado is now directly in Free Union. The last tornado that we had in the area was May 13, 2002, when one ran through town from Farmington to Albemarle High School, along Route 29. Those of you that are in the tornado’s path should seek shelter immediately. Get into your basement and cover yourself with a blanket, beneath a structural support like a door frame. Can anybody offer updates as to what’s going on out there?

6:50pm: Hail the size of golf balls is raining down on Free Union right now.

7:01pm: The storm is now 5 miles northwest of Charlottesville, moving southeast at 20mph. It’s currently forecast to hit the southwestern portion of town (JPA, 5th St., UVa, Fontaine, etc.), according to the Weather Channel. I keep flipping over to WVIR, but they don’t appear to have anything but national news and, now, Wheel of Fortune.

7:10pm: Pea-to-marble-sized hail is falling in downtown, and the rain is coming down like you wouldn’t believe. Lots of thunder and lightning, but nothing tornadic-looking. (To be fair, I can’t see to the south at all.)

7:20pm: The storm has been downgraded to a severe thunderstorm. Presumably, it didn’t hit Charlottesville as a tornado.

7:35pm: A second cell is 6 miles west of Charlottesville, this one a severe thunderstorm and not a tornado. The NWS warns of softball — yes, softball — sized hail. It is moving southeast, and is forecast to impact central and southern Albemarle in the next 25 minutes. From there, south to Fluvanna.

7:40pm: Yay, it’s Robert Van Winkle on WVIR. Where you been, Robert?

11:20pm: Eric Pritchett said, on WVIR this evening, that it’s not yet known if a tornado ever touched down. Despite the NWS’ terminology (“a tornado is currently over Free Union,” etc.), apparently there’s no direct evidence of a tornado. By way of reminder, that’s the same thing that was said after the May 2000 until somebody noticed that all of the severe damage was in a 100-yard-wide swath running through town.

World Cup Anyone?

Published by Waldo Jaquith on June 4, 2002 in Ask cvillenews.com. 8 Comments

writes: Is there any location in town that is showing the World Cup matches? US/Costa Rica/Portugal/Mexico? Cville is such a big soccer town, I would expect that some bar/restaurant is showing the matches, especially with our large Hispanic population. Anyone?

Millmont Center Reopens

Published by Waldo Jaquith on May 31, 2002 in Business. 7 Comments

After being cited with 91 human rights and licensing violations in April, the Millmont Center mental health facility had a grand re-opening yesterday with their new name, The Brown Schools of Virginia. The school is proud that they haven’t been cited with a single human rights violation in three months. Said the company’s CEO, “a name change is a good way to visibly signal a fresh start.” Claudia Pinto has the story in today’s Progress.

Final Superintendent Candidate Drops Out

Published by Waldo Jaquith on May 29, 2002 in Education. 8 Comments

The Charlottesville School Board has to start from scratch in finding a new superintendent. Last night, candidate James Pughsley accepted the same job in Charlotte, NC, leaving Albemarle’s own Jean Murray as the last (wo)man standing. But Murray, as some cvillenewsers predicted that she might, has withdrawn her application. That leaves the board with none of the three candidates remaining. School Board Chairman Richard Merriweather says that he expects to get a new superintendent by the new school year. WINA has the story.

Paramount Renovations Begin

Published by Waldo Jaquith on May 29, 2002 in Entertainment. Closed

After years of planning, development work, donations and discussion, renovations have begun on the Paramount Theater. The building next door (formerly Strawberry) is being torn down to expand the Paramount. Plans for the main body of the building are still in development, but will be started on before long. The entire project should be completed in the fall of 2003. Jake Mooney has the story in today’s Progress.

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