Tuesday, December 28
Presumed romantic entanglement ends in death
Schuyler resident Dwayne Scott Wyland was arrested in the early-morning hours in connection with the shooting death of Timothy Wayne Wilkerson, also of Schuyler, according to a report in The Daily Progress. Wyland, who is 40, is being held in the regional jail on two charges, including first-degree murder. According to an unidentified neighbor quoted by the DP, Wilkerson, 23, was the boyfriend of a woman in whose house the shooting occurred. The same source named Wyland as the woman’s ex-boyfriend.
Wednesday, December 29
Area joblessness down
Bad news for local employers: The Virginia Employment Commission today reports that the unemployment rate for November was a miniscule 2 percent for Charlottesville. The Commonwealth overall registered only 3.1 percent unemployment, but results for individual localities varied widely. Danville, for instance, came in at 7.6 percent, and Martinsville showed an unemployment rate of 13.9 percent last month. Both Southside cities belong, like Charlottesville, to the 5th Congressional District, where job creation was a major election-year campaign issue.
Debbie Ryan hits 600 mark
With tonight’s lopsided win over JMU at U-Hall, UVA women’s basketball coach Debbie Ryan earned her 600th lifetime win. Her career stats stand at 600-243. Now in her 28th year at UVA, Ryan has been a steady force of excellence in the topsy-turvy athletics program, taking the Lady Cavs to the NCAA Tournament 20 times, including three appearances in the Final Four.
Thursday, December 30
Trey status sort of confirmed
While a story in Billboard today continues to describe as “unconfirmed” the news that Coran Capshaw’s Red Light Management has signed former Phish frontman Trey Anastasio to its roster of stars that also includes Dave Matthews Band, Red Light’s website, in the meantime, now features the guitarist among its artists and includes info about his next gig. He’ll play the 15th annual Tibetan New Year fundraiser in New York City on February 9.
Payback time for GOP
The Washington Post today reports that a moderate Republican who helped Democratic Governor Mark Warner break the budget impasse during the last Assembly session has been dumped from the important House Appropriations Committee by Speaker William J. Howell, a hard-line Republican from Stattford. Lynchburg Delegate L. Preston Bryant, who was ousted from the committee, told the Post, “I will continue to work hard for the great people in Lynchburg and Amherst County.”
Friday, December 31
Thousands party Downtown
With thousands of revelers crowding the Downtown Mall and area music venues and restaurants thanks to unseasonably warm temperatures, Charlottesville bid farewell to 2004. Extra City police patrolled the Mall where the ubiquitous presence of glow sticks in the hands and mouths of partygoers lent temporary confusion on the question of exactly which year we were ringing out. In related news, First Night Virginia, the alcohol-free entertainment smorgasbord, baptized both the Paramount and Live Arts with New Year’s Eve events.
Saturday, January 1, 2005
Some parking rates go up
Water Street Parking Garage becomes a relative bargain today as the Charlottesville Parking Center Inc. enacts rate increases at the Market Street Parking Garage and the Water Street Parking Lot. As of today, hourly rates at those places go to $1.50 from $1. Day and monthly rates increase, too. Rates at the Water Street garage, which is also managed by the CPC, remain unchanged. Meanwhile, daylong parking on surrounding Downtown streets, including Garrett, Altamont, parts of Maple and High, and Monticello Avenue, remains free.
Sunday, January 2
Déjà vu as Cavs fall to Wake
For the 10th consecutive time, UVA men’s basketball team, ranked No. 25, lost in its ACC opener, this time succumbing to No. 5 Wake Forest’s Demon Deacons 89-70 at U-Hall. Naturally, some complained about lopsided officiating, including head coach Pete Gillen who drew a technical foul late in the first half, but Wake outrebounded UVA 45-28 and shot nearly 51 percent overall.
Monday, January 3
Dog-fighting ring busted
Davey Mundie, 27, was scheduled to be arraigned this morning in Albemarle General District Court on charges stemming from what officers believe is a dog-fighting ring. County police responded on Saturday night to a complaint that organized dog fighting, involving as many as 13 dogs, was taking place behind a residence near Garth Road. Police found a makeshift “arena” there and rescued five pit bulls, according to reports in The Daily Progress and WINA. Mundy, who police believe owns the dogs, was the only person arrested on Saturday night.
Written by Cathy Harding from news sources and staff reports.
Dropping the wrecking ball
Demolition for “boutique hotel” likely to begin later this month
Construction crews just packed up at The Paramount Theater, and work is underway on the old SNL building, not to mention the amphitheater revitalization project that dominates the east end of the Downtown Mall. As if that weren’t enough, soon even more heavy equipment will be rolling into Downtown Charlottesville.
Wrecking balls will tear into 200 E. Main St. sometime in late January, says California developer Lee Danielson. Once the rubble of the former bank and onetime Boxer Learning site is cleared away, construction will start on a new nine-storey hotel that Danielson expects to complete in the spring of 2006.
“We’re ready to go, the City’s ready to go,” says Danielson. “Everything’s going fine.”
Well, almost. Danielson’s construction consultant, Cliff Harrison, is still examining the site. Harrison says he’s working with utility companies like Sprint and Dominion Power to figure out the best ways to configure the hotel’s electrical, phone and cable systems.
“The footprint of the building is so small, and the space is so valuable, that there’s lots of demands on the space,” says Harrison. “One of those demands is getting utilities into the building. We’ve had several different options we’re exploring.” The site, or footprint in construction speak, measures 10,000 square feet.
Once Harrison figures it out, the City will likely approve a demolition permit that’s pending in the Neighborhood Development Services department. Harrison confirms that demolition will likely commence by the end of the month, at which time Danielson’s limited liability company, Brahm II, which owns the building, will submit final site plans and begin construction. A Chesapeake company, Armada Hoffler, will do the work.
The City’s Board of Architectural Review approved the hotel last February. The BAR responded with universal enthusiasm to preliminary designs—a turnabout from the late ’90s, when repeated clashes with the BAR over designs for the Charlottesville Ice Park and Regal Cinema in part prompted Danielson to vow he would never build in Charlottesville again.
Downtown business owners who remember those days credit Danielson and his former partner Colin Rolph (with whom he’s embroiled in continued lawsuits) with revitalizing the Mall’s west end. Danielson and Rolph’s company, D&R Development, split up when Rolph sued Danielson in October 2001. After a court-appointed receiver liquidated D&R’s holdings, worth more than $10 million, Danielson repurchased 200 E. Main St. in 2002 for $3.3 million.
Danielson first announced plans for the project one year ago. Preliminary site plans in City Hall show that the 90,300 square-foot hotel, designed by the San Francisco architecture firm Hornberger and Worstell, will preserve the black granite façade that faces the Mall at 200 E. Main. On that side of the building, Danielson plans a restaurant with an outdoor café facing Second Street SE. The restaurant will only be two storeys tall with a terrace on the roof for parties. The hotel’s remaining seven storeys will be set back away from E. Main St., so as not to crowd the Mall and cast perpetual shadows on the pedestrian thoroughfare. The front of the hotel will face Water Street with a porte-cochere.
The City is planning to renovate Second Street SE, adding Mall-style bricks and terracing the street between Main and Water streets. City planner Mary Joy Scala says the City currently plans to do the work on Second simultaneously with the hotel construction. But if there are delays on the hotel, Scala says, the City “would probably go ahead and do Second Street sooner rather than later, and not put it off while the property is developed.”
So it seems that Danielson’s relationship with the City is much more cordial than it was during D&R’s heyday. But that doesn’t mean construction of what Danielson calls a “boutique” hotel will be silky smooth.
“Hotels are more difficult than regular projects,” he says. “There’s lots and lots of different parts of the puzzle. It’s just a different animal.”—John Borgmeyer
On the road again
New study tests the driving IQs of elderly and impaired drivers
Seatbelt, check. Rearview mirror, check. Seat adjustment, road, check, check. Turn key. Gas, gas, gas! The three television screens of the driving simulator in front of me do their best to mimic that quintessential American experience, driving, and, as I accelerate, a digitized distillation of the quintessential American landscape pops up around me: prairie, mountains, barns and the occasional abandoned warehouse district.
Most people think they’re good drivers even when they’re not. I don’t. I’ve knocked a brick wall out of a house and been clocked going 110 miles near Greenfield, Massachusetts: I know I suck. This is why I had my driving skills tested, for once and for all, at UVA’s Behavioral Medicine Center. The Center, headed by Dr. Daniel J. Cox, recently developed a test, with elderly drivers in mind, to determine whether they should still be out on the streets merging and making left turns.
The two-hour test consists of a variety of exercises designed to test visual and physical acuity, functional field of view, driving knowledge and mental state. In other words, the question I was answering was, essentially, “When it comes to driving, do I have the mental capacities of an Alzheimer’s sufferer and the physical dexterity of a Parkinson’s patient?” I’m only 25 so I hope not.
Since starting the study in September, Cox estimates he has tested 20 subjects. To 20 percent he recommended they stop driving immediately. Another 10 percent got a clean bill of driving health. To 70 percent he recommended compensatory measures, such as driving only in the daytime, in order to continue driving safely.
The bespectacled, 54-year-old Cox has been conducting driving research at UVA since 1976. Ironically, his eyesight is so bad that he, himself, doesn’t drive. This makes him empathetic when it’s time to tell his subjects to hang up the keys to the T-bird.
I rocked the question and answer portion of the test. I knew what day it was, what year it was and what floor I was on. Since I lost my glasses last March and haven’t yet found the time or resources to replace them, the visual portion of the exam presented more of a challenge. Does that say “3, 9, 6, 5, 3, 2” or “3, 5, 6, 5, 3, 2?”
Next up were a series of tests on the computer that evaluated my reaction time and field of view. For example, a circle would flash on the screen and I had to hit the screen when I saw the circle (BAM!), or a car or truck would flash on the screen and I would say which one I had seen.
Finally came the driving simulator, featuring graphic sophistication on a par with Super Mario Brothers. A computerized landscape does not move like a real one and the “engine” makes such a racket it’s impossible to gauge how fast you’re going based on that sweet hum coming from under your “hood.” The sum total of my damage done? Three fender benders, two near misses.
When we got together to assess my performance a few days later, Cox had to tell me that I “slammed on the breaks more often than the average person.” But, he added, “Your results were pretty unimpressive in that you are within normal levels with everything.” Phew.
He then compared my performance to that of an 85-year-old man who had failed nearly every part of the test but was still out on the road anyway. That’s an A for me, and an F for The Old Man, which, if you think about it, puts everything into perspective.
Compared to some folks tooling down the road, I’m a perfect driver. Expand the logic and this means that compared to some folks out there, my Mom is probably a great driver, too. And this, dear drivers, is when the fear sets in. -Nell Boeschenstein
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How To: Dispose of your Christmas tree Christmas came and went, and now your festive fir is shedding browned needles all over the carpet. Thankfully, your local governments make it easy to take care of your tannenbaums in an easy, eco-friendly way. City residents needn’t go farther than the curb to dispose of their Christmas trees. The Department of Public Works does a free tree pick up throughout the week starting January 3. Before discarding it on the street next to your trashcan, make sure your pine is free of decorations, wires, nails or stands. If the collectors feel that your tree poses a threat, they will leave it. Albemarle County residents can drop their trees at one of seven recycling locations from 7am to dark from now until January 23. The sites are: Rivanna Solid Waste Authority Recycling Center on McIntire Road, Crozet Park on Park Drive, Greenwood Community Center, Chris Greene Lake Park in Earlysville, Darden Towe Memorial Park on Elks Drive, Scottsville Community Center, and Walnut Creek Park off Old Lynchburg Road. Remember to remove all your shiny baubles, lights and tinsel. All the trees will be chipped into mulch, which folks can then stop by and shovel up for free on February 1 at Darden Towe Park. |
Auld lang signs
Astrologer Gare Galbraith charts Charlottesville in 2005
Charlottesville was born on December 23, 1762, which means that our old girl is a Capricorn: a business-oriented daddy’s girl who loves old people and whose trademark phrase is “I use.” At least that’s how local psychic and astrologer Gare Galbraith sums up this burg, and it sure sounds familiar. Galbraith’s a Pisces, which means he likes to talk to people. As for me, I’m a Sagittarius, which, Galbraith says, means I have Bugs Bunny teeth and sensitive thighs.
Galbraith, 47, first became interested in astrology in the late 1970s after reading about his sun and moon signs and thinking, “How in the hell do they know that about me?!” He then read all he could about the stuff and, in the early 1990s, he officially made astrological chart-making and psychic visualization his life’s work.
In honor of the upcoming double shot
of excitement with the New Year and Charlottesville’s 242nd birthday, C-VILLE sat down with Galbraith at the end of 2004 to get an astrological reading on what 2005 holds in store for our home sweet home.—Nell Boeschenstein
In the words of Gare Galbraith
On Charlottesville’s birthday this year, December 23, Jupiter in Libra will directly oppose Saturn in Aries in its birth chart. This indicates, to me, that in order to be fortunate (Jupiter is the planet of greater fortune, while Saturn is the planet of hard lessons and discipline), Charlottesville must take in to greater consideration the issues of fairness and beauty (Libra territory) before it charges ahead unaware (Aries action) of the consequences to all involved and affected. This aspect is assuaged, in part, by both of these planets having a fortunate aspect to Charlottesville’s birth Mars, the planet of dynamic energy. An all-encompassing middle road, so to speak, must be taken in order for Charlottesville to continue enviable financial progress. This can be achieved with enormous cooperation.
The chart of the planets on the birthday of a town, person or entity, can be very indicative of the coming year. I estimated Charlottesville’s birth time at 8am, thinking that people in that time got up early and got busy. Yuck. But, even if the birth time was before noon, this year’s birthday has the birthday Moon (inner desires, daily needs) in Taurus opposing the birthday Mars (anger points, aggression) in Scorpio.
In 2005, Charlottesville will realize that it can’t have it all. It must give up desiring something to keep what it has, or give up something it possesses to get what it wants. The best way to talk to Charlottesville concerning this aspect, is what my grandmother used to say to me: “You might just be gittin’ too big for your britches.”
Also, with Taurus being Earth and Scorpio being water, a greater awareness and balance must be achieved in managing these resources. It’s like the town has been a beautifully bred racehorse that has always had speed as an asset, but now will find it mucho beneficial to learn finesse, strategy and timing to outlast the others. Which I believe it can and will.
This is not an attempt to pull Charlottesville down in any way, but, as a good friend would do, to gently pull it aside and say: “It’s good to have lofty aspirations, but please remember ALL consequences and ramifications before you dash into attractive options.” The ultimate usefulness of projects must be ascertained, not just their immediate cash returns. Look how long it took the Downtown Mall to be truly attractive and viable.
Charlottesville’s soundtrack this year will be the songs from Disney’s Pinocchio. As long as we heed our Jiminy Cricket there will be less remorse and recrimination in the future and no need to fear Donkey Island.
This I get from the intuitive gut: There will be some uncovering of an answer to a longtime mystery in late May or early June. It will be, for some people, like finally having the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle.
As Told To
Conversations with Old-School Business Owners
I began working here in July, 1956. John Marshall and his partner started the business in January of 1952, and they sold it to me in 1988. I’ve been here for 48 years. Won’t ever stop working as long as my health permits.
Employees? My son works with me; he goes out on calls the same as I do. There’s a man who works on the machines in the shop, and my wife works here part-time.
The University of Virginia still has typewriters. It’s hard to know exactly how many of them I service. Not as many as I used to, but there are still plenty of them
to do.
We also service computer printers, fax machines, copying machines—for both individuals and businesses. And we sell all kinds of office supplies, including ribbons for manual typewriters. Surprised? I service manuals from the ’20s and ’30s, and we even have ribbons for them. Those old red and black ribbons.
We cover Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Culpeper, Madison, Louisa, Greene, Orange, Nelson County, even some in Buckingham. Waynesboro and Staunton too—we service Braille typewriters in Staunton.
The best thing about what I do—what I like most to do—is to meet people. I enjoy meeting all kinds of different people.
I’d say we service more businesses than we do individuals, but we do service a lot of individuals. I go to other people’s houses not just yours! Not a whole lot of them, but if someone wants something, I’ll get it for them.
Did you know that many people still love manual typewriters? Young people buy them; I have no idea what they do with them, but they still buy old typewriters from the ’20s and ’30s
I think that a lot of people stick with their typewriters because they feel comfortable with them. Some people just aren’t interested in computers. I’m like that. I don’t even have a computer in the shop, and I still make notes on pieces of paper!
Yes, there are writers who still use typewriters. I used to service the late Peter Taylor’s typewriter, and I still do his wife’s, I think her name is Eleanor.
And that writer who has a cat, Rita Mae Brown. She has an IBM Selectric like yours. I service that.
You will be interested to know that people ship old manual typewriters to me all the way from Washington, D.C., and even Texas. Just for me to service them. And they order manual typewriter ribbons for their manuals from me too.
Let me tell you this. I love what I do. I love meeting people.
I always say you don’t get rich from doing this, but you live all right.