Last night’s hearing regarding the expansion of the east end of the Downtown Mall didn’t go particularly well. Resident after resident stood up and voiced concern over a variety of aspects of the plan, with few speaking in favor of it, some of whom were obviously angry with how the city has handled the proposal. With $6M in federal grant money as funding, the rather-ambitious plans struck many attendees as preposterously grand for a bus transfer station. The steering committee will vote on the plans this afternoon, and it is likely that they will approve it. Jake Mooney has the story in today’s Progress.
cvillenews.com
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
dsewell writes: Today’s (5/9) Daily Progress has a story about the arrest of three UVa students, Pi Kappa Alpha members, on felony charges of manufacturing bombs. They had planted two chemical bombs in mailboxes on Bruce Ave. and Rugby Place. The explosions caused damage but no injuries. Ah yes, just good ol’ frat boy fun. (Why is it I can’t think ‘fraternity’ without hearing Kurtz from The Heart of Darkness saying ‘Exterminate all the brutes’?)
As they’d threatened, Friends of Barboursville have filed a suit against the Orange County Board of Supervisors, WINA is reporting. The group opposes the supervisors’ approval for General Shale Brick to strip mine 89 acres in the Madison-Barbour Historic District.
Over 1,200 voters — or 31% — voted for only one person during Tuesday’s two-seat City Council election. That is three times more than the number of single-shots cast in the last election. This was the method of voting that supporters of Republican Rob Schilling were encouraged to use to avoid lending support to Democrats, though the figures aren’t available to determine how many of those single votes were for Schilling. Republican Jon Bright got 33 write-ins, and I got 20. There were also write-ins for Joan Fenton, David Simmons, Bern Ewert, John Casteen, Jerry Garcia and Spider-Man, among others. Jake Mooney has the story in today’s Progress.
In the wake of Republican Rob Schilling’s narrow victory over Democrat Alexandria Searls for City Council on Tuesday, the Democratic Party is trying to figure out what went wrong. Party co-chair Lloyd Snook says that the party has “gotten lazy.” Mayor Blake Caravati feels that they “didn’t get energized as a party.” But Councilor Maurice Cox believes that the party is at fault for failing to run an issues-oriented campaign, and suggested that Democrats for Change should have “a chance at the leadership. We talk a very good talk about getting the young generation, and we saw that kind of enthusiasm during our nominating convention, but if you look, they’re not leading the party…there is a younger group that are hard workers, that have brought new energy and ideas.” Says Snook of stepping down from his position, “If somebody else wants to take the headaches, I�m not likely to arm wrestle them for it.” Jake Mooney has the story in today’s Progress.
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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