PVCC and UVa Tuition Increasing

State budget shortfalls will likely force UVa and PVCC to increase their tuition rates, Eric Swensen reports in today’s Progress. It’s anticipated that they’ll have to raise their rates by 5%-9%. PVCC is pleased that their funding wasn’t cut by as much as it might have been — they’re likely to only have to raise the cost of a full-time education there by $50-$100 per semester to offset their roughly half-million dollar loss. UVa is having their funding cut by 15%-20%, for a total loss of $59M over the next two years. For all the gory details, just read the Progress article.

Judge Invalidates Legislative Districts

A state judge has struck down the Republicans’ 2001 state redistricting plan, declaring it to be unconstitutional. Judge Pattisall cited the southeast corner of the state in particular as being divided up on racial boundaries to provide the most voting strength to the smallest number of districts. The new districts, which then-Sen. Emily Couric (D) and Rep. Mitch Van Yahres weren’t shy about insulting, divided up Central Virginia in a highly-unusual fashion that left many wondering who their representative was. After Sen. Couric’s death, there was a special election in the 25th District, which Creigh Deeds (D) won by a landslide. This ruling raises the obvious question of whether that special election was even legal, and what geographic area that Sen. Deeds represents. The Washington Post has the story.

Community Meeting on Race Attacks

Sunday night, a 25 people met at Mt. Zion Baptist Church to deal with the racial issues prompted by the recent attacks on UVa students. At the beginning of the meeting, the group voted to expel two members of white supremacy EURO, delcaring them to be a “highly racist organization that has no business in this meeting.” They also voted to refer to the victims as “survivors,” and decided to instruct city spokesman Maurice Jones to write an open letter to the “survivors” to express concern. Jake Mooney has the story in today’s Progress.

Music Resource Center Homeless

Charlottesville’s Music Resource Center is soon to be homeless. The local non-profit has worked with about 500 kids each year to teach them music production, but their location in Trax has proved to be a problem: UVa is demolishing it this summer. In today’s Progress, Jake Mooney reports that UVa is working with the organization to help find them a new location.

CHS Panel Lobbies for Accused Students

A student committee is attempting to convince the school board to permit the accused attackers, who were recently expelled from CHS, to reaccept them to CHS. They believe that the students would be better off at CHS than at the alternative education program, where they have been transferred to. WINA has the story.

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