The Water Street parking garage expansion is now open, and just in time for holiday shopping. The add-on to the existing garage creates another 300-odd much-needed parking spaces. The city’s parking study concludes that we have a 4,416 space deficit, but, hey, we’ve got to start somewhere. NBC 29 had the story on their 11pm broadcast.
cvillenews.com
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
The public housing authority has decided not to cut down four sycamores at Westhaven, today’s Progress reports. Residents of the public housing project were fighting to keep the trees for asthetic reasons, but the city believed that their cracking of the sidewalk presented a hazard. As housing authority board member and Westhaven resident Joy Johnson points out, this has been a good lesson for Westhaven residents. “I think it shows them that if there’s something that they really believe in and they stand up for it, then they can make a difference.”
For the first time in something like 40 days, it’s raining. Though the 1/3″ of an inch that’s fallen thus far isn’t sufficient to affect the forest fires in the western part of the county, raise our shockingly-low reservoirs, or even do much more than dampen the dry soil, it’s certainly a start. The drizzle made for a rather depressing shopping day, and business on this biggest of shopping weekends was slow on the Downtown Mall as a result. The rain is forecast to last through tomorrow, and perhaps pick up again on Wednesday or Thursday.
Two CHS students called in a bomb threat to their school last week. At 2:20 in the afternoon, two students — a male and a female, both 14 — called from a cell phone, resulting in a search of the school that, of course, revealed no bomb. In addition to school punishment, charges have been filed. WINA has the story.
City Council has refused to endorse any changes to the Council election dates. They are currently held in May on even-numbered years, but many people believe that November would be a more logical time to hold the elections to ensure greater turn-out, consolidating efforts, lowering costs, and more. Richmond and Virginia Beach are making the change to November to match the schedule that is used by most of the state. Some Democrats believe that holding a special election results a better-informed electorate; Republicans point out that holding a special election helps Democrats maintain their long-standing hold on all five Council seats. WINA has the story.
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
four six 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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