Month: March 2006

Tuesday, March 7

“I knew Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan was a friend of mine, and you, Senator, are no Ronald Reagan”

Converted Democrat James Webb, who wants to give George Allen a bus ticket home from the U.S. Senate, has even broader goals, according to an Associated Press report today, saying he wants to defeat an “extreme” Republican Party that has veered far from Ronald Reagan’s ideal. Webb, running for office for the first time, was the Secretary of the Navy under the 40th president. Webb will compete against Harris Miller for the Democratic nod in the June 13 primary. Though Webb endorsed Allen, a former Virginia governor, in the 2000 race, he now says Allen “essentially become part of the machine,” the AP reports.

 

Wednesday, March 8

Gillen ready for a Stag party?

Former UVA head basketball coach Pete Gillen would consider a post at his alma mater, Fairfield University, now that the Stags’ head coach has been 86-ed, according to a report today in the Connecticut Post Online. Gillen, 58, earned a $2 million buy-out from UVA one year ago after seven years at the helm and a losing record. The ever-affable Gillen has spent the months since then as a hoops analyst on CSTV. Now that the position is open again at the college where he played four basketball seasons in the ’60s, Gillen, who still lives in Charlottesville, is flirting with the possibility of returning north. “Whether I’ll pursue it or not, I really don’t know what is going to happen,” he told the Connecticut Post. “I’d like to coach again, but I’m not sure if I am ready again or not.” The Stags’ record would be familiar to Gillen; they finished the season 9-19.

 

Thursday, March 9

Auf Wiedersehen, “good German”

The 9-year-old online literary journal Archipelago, the labor of love of Char-lottesville editor Katherine McNamara, returns to its broadband space today at www.archipelago. org, with a new issue after a one-year hiatus. Featuring characteristically haunting pho-tography as well as writing on everything from the War on Terror to Hurricane Katrina and gun culture, Archipelago un-derwent an identity search since its last installment, McNamara writes in her “End-notes.” Provoked by the Bush Doctrine of preventive war, McNamara responded, “I will not be a good German,” purposely invoking the specter of a compliant Nazi-era citizen. Archipelago, she decided, “would become…a point of opposition, however small this literary journal was.”

 

Friday, March 10

What would TJ pay at the pump?

Mid-Atlantic AAA reports today that gas prices have jumped an average of 10 cents per gallon in the past 10 days. Ever a leader, Charlottesville heads the pack with the state’s highest self-serve average, $2.28 per gallon. Looking for a bargain? Fill ’er up in Roanoke and save 7 cents per gallon.

 

Saturday, March 11

Gentlemen, start your four-tops!

With temperatures hovering near 80 degrees, the scene was set today for TV crews to hit the Downtown Mall for that perennial story, “the weather is so nice, look how many people are out.” WCAV, the local CBS affiliate, discovered the little-known drag strip mentality that apparently overtakes restaurateurs like spring fever when it comes to their outdoor seating. “It’s always kind of a race to see who’s gonna open their patio first on the Downtown Mall, and this year we got it out nice and early, so I’m really happy with the weather,” Giles Flowers, the manager at Rapture, told the TV crew.

 

Sunday, March 12

Ethicist says, “Give it a shot”

While the front cover of today’s New York Times Magazine was bursting with the eerily overdentifriced image of former Virginia governor Mark Warner, the so-called anti-Hillary, meaning a middle-of-the-road Democrat free from the disadvantages of being an ambitious woman, a regular columnist was handling the more immediate concerns of one Albemarle resident. County dweller Henry Davis McHenry Jr. wanted Randy Cohen, a.k.a. “The Ethicist,” to help him figure out if it’s O.K. for him to pursue a second career in nursing, given the competition for spots in R.N. programs. Cohen’s response? “Your sensitivity to the economic needs of others is estimable, but it need not preclude your career change. Nursing-school spots should go to those who can most ably serve patients someday, a determination best made by experienced admissions officers.”

 

Monday, March 13

Daily Progress thinks global…and rejects the idea

Though neither the City nor County public schools offer the International Baccalaure-ate course of study, The Daily Progress takes a stand on the “issue” in its editorial pages today, ultimately suggesting the curriculum, regarded in some quarters as a more rigorous alternative to Advanced Placement courses, is not in the national interest: “By definition, if education takes a global perspective, it cannot simultaneously take a national perspective—much less a nationalistic one.”

 

 

Development News

Flip-flopper

CRAIG PLANS TO FLIP BISCUIT RUN

Developer will take land through approval process, then sell

 

Word on the street is that developer Hunter Craig plans to sell the 920-acre Biscuit Run property after he wins the necessary zoning permits from Albemarle County.

   “It’s true,” says Steven Blaine, the veteran real estate attorney representing Craig, who is developing the project under the name Forest Lodge, LLC. “They’re going to create the community and the vision, establish the constraints and standards, but they’re not builders.”

   Because it can take years to shepherd a project through the planning process, it’s not unusual for developers to secure all the required building permits, then sell the property for a sweet profit. Blaine says it is likely that multiple builders will work on Biscuit Run.

   Before the bulldozers can rumble in, though, Blaine needs to get Biscuit Run’s public relations machine up and running.

   The selling of Biscuit Run to a public concerned about growth began on Tuesday, March 8, when the County Planning Commission took the unusual step of holding an information meeting on the development that could bring nearly 5,000 homes to the countryside between Old Lynchburg Road and Route 20S.

   Blaine came armed with promotional materials highlighting all the right buzzwords: “pe-destrian orientation,” “neigh-borhood friendly,” “stewardship of the land.” About 200 people showed up to hear the presentation and make comments that generally reflected both worry and resignation that the project is inevitable. The most pressing concerns are how Biscuit Run will affect the water supply and traffic—particularly on the narrow, winding Old Lynchburg Road that will link the neighborhood to UVA.

   “People think they’re go-ing to see 5,000 new homes come up overnight. That’s not going to happen. If we do 200 homes a year, we’ll be knocking the socks off the competition,” Blaine says. “We have to do a better job of educating people.”

   His next chance will come at a work session on March 17.—John Borgmeyer

 

 

Building boom

COUNTY LOOKS TO SPEED NEW CONSTRUCTION

Task force seeks to streamline project approvals

 

It seems nobody is happy with Albemarle County’s growth management. Devel-opers complain the County’s approval process takes too long, leaving projects in limbo for years. Meanwhile, County planners have been getting an earful from angry citizens lately—developments such as Old Trail in Crozet, North Pointe on Route 29N, Rivanna Village near Glen-more and Biscuit Run on Old Lynchburg Road have prompted outcry about the County’s planning process.

   “I was concerned that the community isn’t getting what they’d hoped for,” says County Supervisor Ken Boyd, who has proposed a review committee to consider how to speed up the approval process.

   Boyd says the central problem is that it sometimes takes three or four years to approve big projects, and delays can add to the cost that is passed on to buyers. Moreover, the delays can make it difficult for citizens to keep informed about projects in their neighborhoods, says Boyd.

   “My intent is not to change the policy, but re-view the process” of ap-proving projects, Boyd says.

   Albemarle County is currently considering applications to a development review task force, which would include two developers and three private citizens as well as County officials and a business expert from UVA. Boyd expects the task force to begin meeting in April, and the group will have a six-month deadline to make recommendations to the Board.—John Borgmeyer

 

Down by the river

IF YOU BUILD IT GREEN, WHO WILL COME?

RiverBluff development aims to attract crunchy crowd

  In Charlottesville, tree-hugging consumers have plenty of choices: organic veggies at City Market, nontoxic soaps from Integral Yoga and recycled construction materials at the Habitat Store. When it’s time for these good citizens to make the biggest purchase of all—a house—they have a growing number of earth-friendly options.

   With the RiverBluff community in the Woolen Mills neighborhood, PS2 Prop-erties will add 22 lots to the green housing market in the next two to three years. The development is billed as a community-minded village that encourages residents to care for the natural surroundings. Nine lots have already sold.

   “We’re looking at creating a real, meaningful link between homeowners and nature,” says architect Richard Price of PS2. Residents can participate in riparian-area restoration and native plant landscaping; houses are designed for energy efficiency. A large common area will offset the closely spaced houses.

   Ecotopia ain’t cheap: These lots, the smallest of which measure less than half an acre, start at $110,000. Residents can choose from three house models, starting in the $400s, or they can hire their own architect.

   “We’ve done a little bit of advertising in the real estate press, but not much,” says Price. To get the word out, PS2 will throw an opening celebration timed to coincide with (what else?) Earth Day on April 22.—Erika Howsare

 

Heart of stone

ROCK HOUSE MAKES STATE LANDMARKS REGISTER

From rubble to rehab in less than two years

  The C.B. Holt Rock House, an 80-year- old Preston Avenue property owned by the Legal Aid Justice Center that only two years ago was facing possible demolition, was approved by the State Depart-ment of Historic Resources Board for listing on the Virginia Landmarks Register last week.

   The Arts and Crafts bungalow, a rare example in this area, was hand-built by Charles Holt, an African-American furniture repairman. It has been the subject of intense research and a $230,000 fundraising drive to restore it since researchers first uncovered its significance in 2004. In short, Holt constructed his home against the considerable odds of the Jim Crow era.

   Legal Aid Executive Director Alex Gulotta says the State awarded the designation both for “its historic value from an architectural point of view and its social history.”   With $130,000 left to raise by December, Gulotta says, the State nod could mean Legal Aid will get “some of the momentum we need” to reach that goal before deadline. The National Park Service will consider the Rock House for a place on the National Register by the end of April.

   On Tuesday, April 18, Legal Aid will dedicate the house formally and NAACP Chairman and UVA history professor Julian Bond will be the guest speaker.—Cathy Harding

 

UVA News

Well endowed

UVA GAMBLES, AND WINS, ON HEDGE FUNDS

That’s millions with a “B”

  UVA officials checked their year-end bank statement recently and found that 2005 was a very good year: With just under $2.89 billion in the school’s “endowment” accounts, UVA was about $376 million richer than the year before. That’s a sweet 14.8 percent return on UVA’s investments last year.

   They did it largely through the use of “hedge funds,” those popular but secretive investment pools available only to rich individuals and “institutional” investors (like universities). The endowment ended the year with 49.8 percent of its money (or $1.44 billion) in hedge funds, according to documents posted on the website of the UVA Investment Management Company (UVIMCO).

   The latest survey of endowments conducted by the Chronicle of Higher Education showed that UVA ended its fiscal year 2004 with the largest hedge fund allocation—56 percent at the time—of any university in the nation. (Neither UVIMCO CEO Christopher J. Brightman nor head UVA flak Carol Wood would return calls for this story; Wood e-mailed that UVA has a policy “not to go into any detail on our investment strategies.”)

   Hedge funds may specialize in trading currencies, or making bets on bankrupt companies, but they are perhaps best known for the practice of “going short”—that is, borrowing shares of a company whose stock price they think is going down, then replacing their borrowed shares with shares purchased at a then-lower price, and pocketing the difference. Critics maintain that a lack of reporting requirements leave investors in the dark about investment practices, and are pushing for greater oversight of hedge funds from the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.

   Parking half (or more) of the endowment in hedge funds may sound risky to those who remember Long-Term Capital Management, the Connecticut-based fund that, acting on the advice of some Nobel Prize-winning economists, lost $4.6 billion when their exotic bets went awry during a bad few months of 1998. In 2002, the Art Institute of Chicago took one fund manager to court after one of its funds lost 90 percent of its value.

   But Alice Handy, former president of UVIMCO and UVA treasurer who now runs a South Street–based consulting business serving endowments, says hedge funds can be “less risky” than plain stocks and bonds. “If you can find the best managers, and the best manager is a hedge fund, that is better” than just buying plain stocks, she says.

   On average, higher education endowments had a 9.6 percent return in fiscal year 2005.—Bill Chapman

 

Revving the engine

UVA KEEPS THE CITY WORKING

Charlottesville is state’s fastest-growing job market

  Charlottesville’s job market grew by 3.7 percent last year, edging out Northern Virginia as the state’s fastest-growing area, according to stats from the Virginia Employment Commission.

   William Mezger, Chief Eco-nomist for the VEC, says UVA can claim credit. “I always say that the University and the hospital are the main things increasing employment,” he says.

   For 2004-05, total jobs at UVA grew by 2.7 percent. UVA now employs 12,990 peo-ple, according to the school’s Office of Institutional Assess-ment and Studies. The hospital is growing even faster. Employment jumped 12 percent in that period and now accounts for 5,925, or 46 percent, of UVA’s jobs.

   Moreover, all that traffic also supports the local service industry. The student population is a “baseline index” for how the economy will grow, says local Chamber of Commerce Pres-ident Timothy Hulbert, since “there’s increasing demand on the economy here to provide the whole range of things, from housing and automobiles to pizza and lawnmowers.” There are currently about 19,200 UVA students, with plans to increase enrollment to 19,655 in 2007.

   UVA’s special events help, too. When the Rolling Stones hit town last fall, the Chamber of Commerce estimated a $3 million impact on the local economy from fans’ related expenditures.

   Mezger also notes the types of non-University businesses bolstered by UVA, like consulting firms and private medi- cal practices. Manufacturers of orange polo shirts must be doing quite well, too.—Meg McEvoy

 

Keep it coming, Casteen

NEW UVA RAISES NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Living Wage campaign vows to continue action

 Last week the newly energized Living Wage campaign at UVA made some gains when UVA President John Casteen an-nounced a wage increase.

   UVA’s lowest pay bracket will climb to $9.37 per hour from $8.88. The federal minimum wage is $5.15, while Virginia’s minimum wage for State employees is $6.83.

   “It’s an important first step, but it’s not enough,” says Benjamin Van Dyne, a junior at UVA and a student organizer of the Living Wage Campaign. “The UVA administration should know that we’re not going to be satisfied with half-measures.”

   In a statement, Casteen said that fringe benefits, including health insurance and retirement, add $3.29 per hour to the wage. Casteen contends that benefits bring the total wages to $12.82, more than the $11.80 that has been pegged as a “living wage” based on federal statistics.

   “That’s misleading,” says Van Dyne. “You can’t buy groceries with benefits.”

   Casteen also responded to Living Wage activists’ claims that UVA should do more to demand their contractors also pay a living wage. “The University, as a State agency, does not have the legal authority to impose its will on private vendors and contractors,” Casteen said in his statement.

   In a press release, the Living Wage-ers point out that both Charlottesville and Alexandria have mandated living wages for their contractors.

   Van Dyne says the campaign will continue. “We’re heartened,” he says. “So far, we’ve been doing very well by trying to be persuasive with moral arguments and economic facts.”—John Borgmeyer

 

Don’t leave us, Sean!

SINGLETARY NAMED TO ALL-ACC TEAM

Sophomore point guard will play a huge role next year

  Though the UVA men’s basketball team is now relegated to the NIT, there is arguably no better point guard in the ACC than UVA’s Sean Singletary. The Philly native was named to the first team All-ACC last week, having led the Cavs to a seventh-place finish in the 12-team conference after most preseason polls picked UVA to finish last. As a sophomore, Singletary’s 17.8 points per game was the fifth highest in the ACC while his 4.3 assists per game was fourth highest.

   Expectations for Singletary and the team will be even higher next year, as the team moves into the new $130 million John Paul Jones Arena, scheduled to open this summer. For ’06-’07, UVA will keep all its starters and add several big freshman forwards, taking scoring pressure off Singletary, who this year absorbed most opponents’ defensive pressure.

   If he sticks around, that is.

   It seems UVA fans can rest easy. While NBAdraft.net lists Singletary as the seventh-best point guard in the class of ’08, it doesn’t predict him being drafted next year, nor does ESPN.com list him as a Top 100 draft prospect.—Will Goldsmith

 

Courts&Crime News

Try, try again

MISTRIAL DECLARED IN 2004 MURDER

Conflicting testimonies split jurors 5-7

  Late Monday, March 6, 12 jurors in the trial of Billy Marshall emerged from 12 hours of deliberation in Charlottesville Circuit Court to declare they were unable to agree on a verdict. Five wanted to convict, seven wanted to acquit, attributing their differences to conflicting testimony. Judge Edward Hogshire declared a mistrial, meaning the case will be retried at a later, as-yet-undecided date.

   Marshall is accused of strangling 18-year- old Azlee Hickman, who was found dead in the early morning of March 13, 2004, in the Carlton Avenue trailer she shared with her 38-year-old boyfriend, Ronnie Powell.

   Charlottesville Common-wealth’s Attorney Dave Chap-man argued that Marshall had strangled Hickman after she threatened to call police on him for a probation violation.

   Defense lawyer Charles Weber countered—apparently to some success—that statements made to police by Marshall, Powell and Powell’s daughter, were too inconsistent to determine whodunit. Inconsistencies in Ronnie Powell’s testimony fueled that assertion. Weber also insinuated that Powell was perhaps the guilty party, since he had wanted to break up with Hickman.

   According to jury foreman David Ran-dle, every juror agreed “that someone went back there and strangled [Hick-man].” The disagreements, however, arose over who and what to believe.

   “Everybody had concerns about the truthfulness of all three,” says Randle. “Trying to reconstruct what happened [was impossible] given we think everyone wasn’t always as accurate or truthful as they could or should have been.”—Nell Boeschenstein

 

Every move we make

CAMERAS, CAMERAS, EVERYWHERE?

Settling that debate, for once and for all, of whether we’re being watched as we walk down the Mall

  Given the climate fostered by the Bush Administration, nu-merous inquiries have arrived in C-VILLE’s in-boxes as to where the spy cameras are in Charlottesville and who’s behind them. Are they on the Mall? At stoplights? In my bedroom?

   C-VILLE can’t speak definitively as to the presence of cameras in bedrooms. How-ever, according to City spokesperson Ric Barrick, the only cameras the City has right now are at a few select intersections: Emmet/Wise; Emmet/Angus; Preston/10th; Belmont Bridge; Ridge/West Main; West Main/JPA.

   But even these cameras aren’t operational. Moreover, says Bar-rick, when they do get turned on they’ll be used for monitoring traffic patterns, particularly during storms, not individuals. He also assured C-VILLE that there are no red-light cameras in the city. It’s a good thing, too, since the cameras are illegal thanks to a vote last week in the Virginia House of Delegates.

   While there are no City-operated cameras on the Downtown Mall, there has been talk of getting a camera outside the police station on Market Street, but no movement has been made on that front lately.—Nell Boeschenstein

 

Kids these days

16-YEAR-OLD PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY IN BOMBING CASE

Three other teens accused of plotting to blow up high schools still await adjudication

  At his adjudication hearing in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on March 8, a 16-year-old Albemarle County student accused of conspiring—with three other teens—to commit murder and use explosives on a schoolhouse pleaded guilty to both charges. The four were arrested in February and are suspected of planning to blow up either or both Albemarle and Western Albemarle high schools by year’s end. A third charge against the 16-year-old—entreating others to commit a felony—was dropped. His sentencing is set for April 5.

   As for the other three—a 15-year-old and two 13-year-olds—Judge Susan Whitlock deemed there was not enough time on March 8 to try them. Their next court date is set for March 17. Albemarle Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Camblos, whose office is prosecuting the case, says he is pleased with the guilty plea and hopes to convict the other three teens “with the evidence we have.” He de- clined to comment as to whether the 16-year-old would testify against the others.

   The courtroom on March 8 was packed with friends and family. Before proceedings be-gan, however, the prosecution moved to try all the cases together. This, according to Camblos, was to save time given there are “more than a dozen” witnesses, and re-sources. The defense attorneys for the 13-year-olds then moved to close the case to the public out of privacy concerns. Judge Whitlock agreed.

   According to Legal Aid at-torney and juvenile justice advocate Andrew Block, there is an ongoing legal debate over the pros and cons of closed trials for juveniles. On the one hand, their privacy is important, especially when trying not to permanently scar the kids. On the other hand, open trials are often a way to provide accountability and ensure the government is doing its job.

   In July, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges issued a resolution that they supported juvenile and family courts being open to the public except when the judge “determines that the hearing should be closed in order to serve the best interests of the child and/or family members.”—Nell Boeschenstein

 

 

Sexual assault alert

WOMAN REPORTS BEING RAPED NEAR DICE STREET

Victim was returning home from late night at work

  A woman who lives at the Salvation Army reported to City police on Wednesday, March 8, that she was raped while walking home from work around 3am that morning. The woman reported that the man called her name, although she did not recognize him, and came from behind, pulling her into the woods near Dice Street. He then hit her and pushed her to the ground, telling her he had a gun. After the assault, the victim returned to the Salvation Army and staff took her to UVA Hospital. The results of a DNA test had not returned by press time and no suspect had been arrested. The victim described her attacker as being a black male, about 6’2" and 250 pounds.—Nell Boeschenstein

 

 

Now, a very special C-VILLE P.S.A.

OLD CAR DECALS COULD GET YOU TICKETED

Charlottesville cops don’t want to be seeing no decals

  Ooops, the City forgot to tell us, but car decals have been obsolete since the end January! Not only obsolete, but illegal, too.

   For two and a half months, innocent citizens have been vulnerable to getting stopped and ticketed by City police for still having decals stuck on their windshields. The $15 fee is now just part of a general vehicle registration fee, so the only stickers that belong on your windshields are inspections stickers. And they best be up to date.

   While City police are holding off on ticketing naughty decal flaunters for another couple months in deference to spreading the word, should you get pulled over in April for an old decal, don’t say we never told you so.—Nell Boeschenstein

 

 

Government News

No dirty laundry

VAN YAHRES CLEARED IN FUNDRAISING PROBE

Republican complaints have “no merit,” says prosecutor

  A special prosecutor cleared former Charlottesville Delegate Mitch Van Yahres of any wrongdoing in a probe requested by local Republicans.

   In a press conference on Thursday, March 8, Van Yahres read a letter written by William Neely, the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Spotsylvania County that said the criminal complaint had “no merit.”

   The investigation concerned a February 8, 2005, fundraiser at Starr Hill Restaurant. City Republican Chair Bob Hodous complained that the fundraiser violated State election laws prohibiting delegates from fundraising while the General Assembly is in session.

   While Van Yahres protested that the charges were purely political, local GOP Delegates Steven Landes and Rob Bell endorsed the investigation. City Common-wealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman recused himself because he is a Democrat who has contributed to Van Yahres.

   In a March 2 letter to Chapman, Neely found that Van Yahres was an ex officio member of the PAC, meaning he did not participate except to give advice. Van Yahres never received any funds from the PAC, and he received confirmation from the State Board of Elections that the February 8 fundraiser was legal before the event took place.

   “I’m sorry they had to drag me through the mud to make a political point,” Van Yahres said. The investigation was a waste of money, he said, and what bothered him the most is that “I’ve been friends with Bob, Rob and Steve. They could have cleared this up in five minutes if they just talked to me first.”

   Hodous, who says he leaving the chairmanship after this spring’s City Council elections, had no comment.

   “We’re still friends,” Van Yahres says of his Republican antagonizers. “I’ll still have a beer with them. They should send me a six-pack of Starr Hill.”—John Borgmeyer

 

Assembly Watch

LEGISLATORS BRACE FOR OVERTIME

Some delegates pledge loyalty to right-wing loon

 

We’ve had a good, wonky run here at Assembly Watch. But with the 2006 General Assembly session set to end on Saturday, March 11, we thought this column would be full of tearful goodbyes to our favorite subcommittees.

   But wait! Those wacky public servants love crafting public policy so much that they just can’t stop!

   An argument over whether to raise taxes to pay for transportation improvements has pushed the General Assembly into overtime. Governor Tim Kaine wants to raise $1 billion in new taxes to pay for road construction and maintenance.

   Much of the resistance to Democrat Kaine’s proposal comes from a group of right-wing delegates—the same folks who fought Mark Warner’s tax increases and nearly prompted a government shutdown in 2004.

   Eight State senators and 28 delegates (including Albemarle’s own Rob Bell) have signed a “taxpayer protection pledge” vowing to oppose “any and all” efforts to raise taxes. The pledge is crafted by Americans for Tax Reform, a group led by true believer Grover Norquist—a self-described right-wing radical whose goal is to cut government in half in 25 years, “to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub,” as he’s famous for saying.

   It’s all part of the right-wing vision for an America run by Big Business (taxophobic cigarette and alcohol companies are Norquists’ biggest funders), unburdened by annoying ideas like the “public good” that could drag down their profit margins. Kaine is hoping to follow in Warner’s footsteps by bringing Democrats and moderate Republicans together to marginalize Norquists’ disciples.—John Borgmeyer

 

 

Gluttons for punishment

MEET THE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES

Getting ready for the City’s first School Board race

 

Geeked up about the first City School Board election? Then take a peek at the slate for the May 2 ballot. The following six folks met the requirements for candidacy by last week’s deadline. We spoke briefly to each candidate to compose the following profiles.—Will Goldsmith

 

sCandidate: Vance High

Age: 48

Occupation: Semi-retired (small business owner)

Qualifying experience: Worked 10 years in schools from middle school to college level

Reason running: Believes in participating in democracy; inspired by death of a former student in Iraq

Children attend(ed) City schools: No

 

Candidate: Charles (Charlie) Kollmansperger

Age: 38

Occupation: Owns technology solutions business for patient-care management

Qualifying experience: Five years as City teacher

Reason running: Frustrated by the Scottie Griffin situation; wants to see a better school system

Children attend(ed) City schools: No

 

Candidate: Sue Lewis

Age: 69

Occupation: Retired financial advisor

Qualifying experience: Served on policy-making boards, including City Planning Commission and Housing Authority

Reason running: Believes City schools should be excellent

Children attend(ed) City schools: Yes

 

Candidate: Edmund (Ned) Michie

Age: 46

Occupation: Attorney

Qualifying experience: Current School Board member

Reason running: Wants to finish his term and oversee start of new superintendent’s tenure

Children attend(ed) City schools: Yes

 

Candidate: Leah Puryear

Age: 52

Occupation: UVA Upward Bound director

Qualifying experience: 26 years of experience at Upward Bound

Reason running: Believes in the Charlottesville City schools

Children attend(ed) City schools: Yes

 

Candidate: Juan Diego Wade

Age: 40

Occupation: Albemarle County transportation planner

Qualifications: Mentored and tutored youth for past 20 years

Reason running: Considers it the right time to effect change, given new superintendent

Children attend(ed) City schools: No (child only 3)

 

Say what?

LANGUAGES ABOUND IN LOCAL SCHOOLS

Forty-eight percent of city’s foreign students are political refugees

  No Child Left Behind mandates that all “subgroups” make adequate yearly progress in improvement on certain tests—even if that subgroup is a potpourari called “Limited English Proficient” or LEP. For local schools, that group is an ever-fluctuating student population, largely children of migrant workers and refugees placed in Albemarle County by the International Rescue Committee.

   “Research suggests that learning an academic language requires five to seven years, but No Child Left Behind demands we do it much faster,” says Courtney Stewart, instructional coordinator for English for Speakers of Other Languages (EOSL) in Albemarle County Schools. Despite such pressures, she is positive about the County’s efforts to teach LEP students.

   Strategies to teach these children vary from school to school. Generally they involve inclusion—when LEP students remain in classes with other students—with variable degrees of “pull-out,” when specific LEP instructors trained take these students out of the general classroom. According to non-English language coordinators in both school systems, more work needs to be done to train general instructors to teach those with limited English proficiency.—Will Goldsmith

Tuesday, February 28

Happiest wives get love and money

New York Times’ columnist John Tierney writes today about the latest research from UVA sociologists Bradford Wilcox and Steven Nock. Surveying more than 5,000 married couples, the professors found that “having an affectionate and understanding husband was by far the most important predictor of a woman’s satisfaction with her marriage.” In addition, the happiest wives surveyed were those whose husbands earned most of the family income. Tierney shies away from the conclusion that would warm many a neo-con heart, namely that women simply want to scrub more toilets and men simply don’t have the cooking gene. Instead, paraphrasing the authors, he suggests that when it comes to helping around the house, women will be satisfied by an equitable, if not equal, arrangement, provided their men give them good loving.

 

Wednesday, March 1

“Idol” star, a former Fluco, too hot to handle

Onetime Fluvanna resident Chris Daughtry advanced to another round on Fox TV’s “American Idol.” Covering the Fuel hit “Hemorrhage,” Daughtry, a bona fide hottie if the “Idol” message board is any indication, got a lot of love from the judges. And the fans, too. A typical post-show posting? “After his song tonight, I couldn’t help but notice his TONGUE and that LIP LICKING, yummy! He did it about 6 times to my count!”

 

Thursday, March 2

Push to limit gangs still on

Though Sen. Creigh Deeds’ anti-gang bill has failed—a measure that would have let judges impose a life sentence for a third gang-related crime over a 10-year period—other gang legislation continues to progress through the General Assembly, The Washington Post reports today. Much of the proposed legislation, such as bills related to brandishing machetes, targets issues that have plagued Northern Virginia. Several assaults in the past couple of years up there resulted in alleged gang members slicing their rivals’ fingers. But other bills broaden law-enforcement powers generally. The Post reports that a poll it conducted last fall showed that 90 percent of Virginia’s registered voters ranked reducing gang violence, along with taxes and transportation, as top issues they would consider in a gubernatorial campaign.

 

Friday, March 3

Rita Dove’s trophy case begs for mercy

Rack up another accolade for Virginia’s poet laureate, perennial prize-winner Rita Dove. This time the Pulitzer Prize-winner and onetime U.S. Poet Laureate, who happens to be on UVA’s English faculty, celebrates her receipt of the Common Wealth Award, her people announced today. She’ll share a $250,000 prize with other Common Wealth winners including astronaut/Senator John Glenn and director Mike Nichols.

 

Saturday, March 4

Because writing about his hangover is just more interesting

Charlottesvillian Cale Jaffe knows that bad boy skier Bode Miller messed up at the Winter Olympics last month. But in today’s edition of The Washington Post, Jaffe takes exception to writer Sally Jenkins’ coverage of Miller’s performance in Turin. “Admittedly, the Olympics were a train wreck for Miller. But over the past few years, he made American skiing history,” Jaffe writes. Listing Miller’s achievements, including four World Cup titles, which Jaffe says “is more impressive than Olympic gold,” Jaffe asks, “If [Jenkins] is going to make a living writing about someone else’s misery, then why not also mention his triumphs?”

 

Sunday, March 5

Renominated for Council, Schilling gets his 6 cents in

One day after City Democrats nominated Dave Norris and Julian Taliaferro as candidates for May’s City Council election, Republicans today gathered in Char-lottesville General District Court to nominate Rob Schilling for a second four-year term. Praised for his “common sense leadership” by party regulars, Schilling was credited by Charles “Buddy” Weber with cutting the tax bill. “It is quite likely that without Rob Schilling on Council our tax rate would still be $1.11 instead of $1.05,” Weber said. In accepting his party’s nomination, Schilling said the reduction in the property tax rate “was no coincidence to my four years on Council.” “I understand the high cost of city living is directly related to the high cost of City government,” he said. The nominating convention was podcasted on Brian Wheeler’s development-oriented website, cvilletomorrow.org.

 

Monday, March 6

Isaac Mizrahi to join team of school advisers?

In today’s Daily Progress, City Councilor Kendra Hamilton is quoted as advancing school uniforms as one measure to improve social behavior and grades among Charlottesville’s middle schoolers. Acknowledging that the public wants to see progress in test scores and con- duct, Hamilton reportedly said, “What-ever happens it’s going to have to be something drastic,” though, gratefully, she stopped short of promoting argyle. Additionally, Hamilton suggested single-sex education for kids in grades five through eight.

 

Try me

2004 CITY MURDER GOES TO TRIAL   
Billy Marshall accused of strangling teenage mother

After almost four days of testimony and arguments, and nearly 10 hours of deliberation, jurors in the murder trial of Billy Marshall were at an impasse by noon on Monday, March 6.

   Marshall is accused of the first Charlottesville murder of 2004. Azlee Hickman, 18, was found dead from asphyxiation in the early morning of March 13, 2004, just feet from her sleeping infant daughter. According to testimony, Hickman was in the process of moving out of the Carlton Avenue trailer she shared with her 36-year-old boyfriend and father of her baby, Ronnie Powell. Marshall and Powell had been out that night cruising the streets and drinking alcohol, a violation of Marshall’s probation.

   In court, Charlottesville Common-wealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman argued that Hickman, angry that Powell would not come home and take care of the baby, threatened to tell on Marshall. Chapman said Powell and Marshall then returned to the trailer where Marshall got into a fight with Hickman in which he grabbed her by the throat and held her up against the wall, ostensibly strangling her. According to the prosecution, Powell, Marshall, and Powell’s older daughter, Heather, who was also at the scene, then left to establish alibis, returning later that night to call police.

   Defending Marshall, attorney Charles Weber attempted to pin blame on Powell, saying that Powell wanted out of the relationship and that the two had had a screaming, yelling, throwing-things-all-over- the-trailer argument earlier that night.

   The prosecution showed photos of the trailer, where Chapman posited there was no evidence of such a fight. The prosecution asserted that DNA samples taken from Hickman’s fingernails conclusively excluded Ronnie and Heather Powell, but not Mar- shall, although the DNA could have been from the night of the murder or from weeks before.

   If convicted of second-degree murder, Marshall faces up to 40 years in prison.—Nell Boeschenstein

 

A few good men

THINK YOU CAN BE A COUNTY COP?
Candidates must be able to read, write and climb a 6‘ fence

At the end of February the Albemarle County Police Department held a hiring bonanza at its Fifth Street Extended headquarters to recruit and hire new officers for six open positions to fill out its force of 115.

   Eighty-six applicants started the day with a 75-minute written test—65 multiple-choice questions and 10 short answers—that, according to Lt. John Teixeira is “easier than the SAT.” Applicants who passed continued to physical testing which included jumping out of a police car, climbing a 6′ barrier, running a quarter-mile, jumping a 5′ ditch, dragging a 150-pound dummy 50 feet, and dry firing five rounds each with the left and right hands.

   Twenty-six candidates who passed the written and physical exams are now undergoing background checks. If they pass, it’s on to polygraphs and medical and psychological eval-uations. The process should be done by the time Albemarle County’s police academy begins on May 9. The salary range for officers is $31,925-$51,081.—Nell Boeschenstein

   

Thin ice update

WHISPER RIDGE FACES POSSIBLE LICENSE REVOCATION
State regulatory authorities read local juvenile psychiatric facility the riot act

On February 27, the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services sent a letter to Whisper Ridge, a 58-bed residential facility for emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children located on Arlington Road, saying the department is taking steps to revoke Whisper Ridge’s license.

   According to the letter, in the course of unannounced investigations at the start of the year, State licensing representatives found evidence of neglect, including resident-on-resident assault, two occasions of residents assaulting staff, incidents of residents overdosing on medications that had supposedly been “checked,” several suicide attempts, and allegations of staff sexually abusing residents. One resident-on-resident assault allegedly ended with the victim climbing up onto the roof of the facility to attempt an escape. The report blames the incidents largely on inadequate staffing and supervision of the residents.

   In response, Whisper Ridge’s CEO, Taylor Davis, issued a statement saying, “We believe that we can address the current issues facing our facility in a manner that will satisfy the Department. We have no reason to believe that the facility will lose its license once the issues raised have been addressed by Whisper Ridge.”—Nell Boeschenstein

 

Thank heavens, it’s spring break

UVA “INCIDENTS” ON THE RISE
Recent frat brawl will probably prompt a forum

A fight last week at UVA’s Delta Upsilon fraternity has raised concern about the increasing number of “incidents” involving UVA students.

   The fight happened during a party Thursday night, March 2, at the Delta Upsilon house at 180 Rugby Rd. According to reports, a group showed up to the party but was denied admission. Later, about 15 people broke through a window and entered the fraternity. A brawl ensued, during which one of the intruders produced a weapon that later turned out to be a BB gun. Only minor injuries were reported. Police had not made any arrests at press time, and UVA officials and members of Delta Upsilon could not be reached by press time.

   “We have seen an increase in incidents involving UVA students, compared to what we have had in the past,” says City Spokesman Ric Barrick. He said a UVA forum on the subject is likely.—John Borgmeyer

 

And the saga continues

MR. BETTY SCRIPPS FILES COUNTER SUIT
Harvey seeks $350,000 in punitive damages from ex-employee

Former Albemarle County businessman Jeremy Harvey has filed a countersuit against former employee Stan Manoogian. As reported in C-VILLE, Harvey, who recently remarried his ex-wife, heiress Betty Scripps, owns an investment bank, Quadrant Capital Group, that has offices in Charlottesville and Florida; for nine months in 2005, Manoogian was Quadrant’s managing director.

   After discovering that Quadrant’s relationship with its payroll company had soured, Manoogian left Quadrant; he filed a lawsuit for $2.2 million alleging fraud, slander and breach of contract against Harvey in Albemarle County Circuit Court. Harvey’s countersuit, also filed in Albemarle Circuit Court, seeks $350,000 in punitive damages, and alleges breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, interference with business contracts and expectancy, violation of the Virginia Trade Uniform Secrets Act, conspiracy and fraud. In addition to punitive damages, the suit says compensatory damages will be sought as well, with the amount to be determined at trial.

   Harvey’s suit claims that Manoogian neglected to repay a loan from Harvey and that he did not fulfill requirements of his employment contract, such as setting financial goals for the company and filing weekly progress reports. It also alleges that Manoogian spearheaded an effort by Quadrant employees to buy Harvey out or leave the company en masse, crippling Quadrant’s ability to do business. Manoo-gian says the allegations are without merit and that he has the documentation to prove it.

   Harvey’s attorney, Dan Meador, speaking for himself and Harvey, had “no comment” on the suit.—Nell Boeschenstein Traffic tie-ups

 

ALBEMARLE PLACE SET TO START BUILDING
Developer offers up to $7 million in road improvements

As an upscale town center project, Albemarle Place would bring 600,000 square feet of retail, 800 residential units, a movie theater and a hotel to one of the busiest intersections in the area, Route 29N and Hydraulic Road. After five years of planning and a rezoning approval in 2004, the last hurdles to be crossed are the County’s Architectural Review Board process and road improvements.

   With a total of 35 buildings on the site, the ARB has agreed that 22 buildings will be vetted. “We’re the guinea pigs. We’re building a little city,” says developer Frank Cox. “It’s a lot of work for us and for the ARB. It puts a major pinch on our ability to complete leases for major retailers.” But Cox also sees the market improving each month as residents with more buying power move to the area.

   The biggest issue is how such a huge development will affect traffic at what is already a notoriously congested intersection.

   In the short term, drivers can expect additional lanes on each side of Route 29N. Offered as off-site proffers for the public right-of-way, these $5 million to $7 million upgrades are considered interim transportation improvements to keep traffic moving for the next five years. Cox is also counting on the new Hillsdale connector road, the Meadowcreek Park- way and a 29N bypass to solve the corridor’s problems (although a bypass is politically unlikely).

   Cox says the project should start this spring or summer with $40 million of site improvements for roads, sewage and drainage.—Jay Neelley

 

Condo craze

MORE APARTMENTS GOING CONDO
Will 600 new units meet the demand for affordable housing?

Some real estate experts estimate that in the past 18 months, as many as 600 new condominiums have hit the local housing market. Many of these new units were converted from apartments to condos, including big apartment complexes like Hessian Hills near Barracks Road and Walker Square near W. Main Street.

   “Conversions are what is really hot in our market right now,” says Ty Smith, vice president of SunTrust Bank. Smith loans money to condominium buyers, whom he says range from first-time homebuyers to retirees and, of course, investors and speculators.

   When a property owner converts apartments into condos, Smith says that federal regulators usually stipulate that no more than half can be sold to investors—at least half must be sold for owner occupation. “The resale value of the property and the security depends on the people living around you,” says Smith. “If a majority of the units are owned by people living in them, the upkeep is more likely to help the property retain its value.”

   Typically, people renting an apartment have the first option to buy when the unit converts to a condominium. Converted apartments are usually the cheapest style of condo, says Smith, who reports sale prices starting at about $145,000. New condos, in contrast, usually target the upscale buyer.

   “I’ve done mortgages for condos in excess of $700,000—and that’s not the penthouse,” says Smith.

   This is all good news for City officials and business leaders eager for new real estate development in Charlottesville. They are hoping to brand condo life in Charlottesville as the choice for hip young families, as well as for retirees and empty nesters who are tired of mowing their suburban lawns.

   The conversion trend “probably hasn’t been much fun” for renters who are getting kicked out of apartments set for conversion, says real estate agent David Sloan. He expects the trend to continue, however. “You’re going to see more condo projects along W. Main Street,” he says. “The demand for housing there is going to get stronger. The attitude now is, ‘if you build it, they will come.’”—John Borgmeyer

 

Cool at school

JEFFERSON SCHOOL EARNS HISTORIC DESIGNATION
Listing on National Register could mean tax credits for renovation

Late last month, the National Park Service added Jefferson School and Carver Recreation Center to the National Register of Historic Places. The reason for the honor: the school’s pivotal role in Virginia’s desegregation effort of the 1950s and ’60s.

   The designation onto the National Register is not merely an honor; it also carries certain tangible benefits. The most essential is its eligibility for State and federal rehabilitation tax credits, which can be used for various restoration projects.

   In 2002, a group of citizens and Jefferson graduates rallied to save the Fourth Street school from a City plan to sell the land to developers. Since then, various groups have kicked around ways to redevelop the building in a way that both preserves the site as a cultural landmark and doesn’t require perpetual funding from the City.

   The tax credits could account for as much as 45 percent of renovation costs, which makes the historic designation extremely valuable, considering that cost estimates for Jefferson School range from $8 million to $30 million.

   The symbolism of the National Register is important, too, says City Councilor Kevin Lynch. The designation, he says, “clearly stakes out that this is a building that the City values as an ongoing asset, and that it’s dedicated to its preservation.”—David Goodman

 

Neighborhood update

THERE’S ALWAYS A PARTY IN VENABLE
City neighborhood is where town meets gown

As the City reviews its Comprehensive Plan, planners invited residents to discuss their concerns. There’s no shortage of conflict in the Venable neighborhood, where Animal House college crash pads sit next to fraternities, sororities, businesses, churches, Venable Elementary as well as owner-occupied homes for both affluent and low-income residents.

   While Venable runs the gamut in terms of property types and values, many of its residents share similar concerns. According to the 2006 Draft Venable Neighborhood Plan, residents cited the need for a Rugby Road bike lane, connecting sidewalks, a crackdown on illegal parking, new water lines and more affordable housing.

   Residents question whether the City can pony up the dough. Speaking on the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Venable Neighborhood Association President Bobbie Bruner says, “Most of us feel like it’s full of red tape and that the dollar amount is trivial.” For example, she says that each neighborhood gets up to $30,000 a year, whereas sidewalks cost $100 per foot, meaning a year’s allotment would cover a sidewalk spanning just two houses.

   When asked about the newly established historic district and the continuing tug-of-war between preservationists and developers in Venable, Bruner says residents feel it is a mixed bag. “When a developer builds a multimillion dollar property, he does take care of it and he can provide a parking place for every bedroom,” she says. “I think all of us mourn the loss of Arts & Crafts properties, but so many of them have become run down.”—Esther Brown Moneybags!

 

UVA FUNDRAISES WITH THE BEST OF ’EM
Study ranks UVA 24th in 2005 collegiate fundraising efforts

A study released in mid-February by the Council for Aid to Education named UVA as the 24th most fundraising-happy college or university in the nation, having raised more than $174 million in 2005. That’s about $5 million less than No. 23, rival UNC-Chapel Hill, and $9 million more than No. 26, Princeton. In the 2004 version of the same study, UVA also ranked 24th, but raised $8 million less, about $166 million.

   According to University spokesperson Carol Wood, UVA’s 2005 numbers include the eye-popping total of $67,355,260 raised in December alone, the second-highest monthly total in the school’s history. (The record holder is the $99 million December of 2001.) UVA is currently in the throes of a massive capital campaign that aims to raise $3 billion by 2011.

   Below is a partial list of the Top 25 earners and their 2005 platinum piggy banks. —Nell Boeschenstein

1. Stanford University: $603,585,914

2. University of Wisconsin-Madison:

   $595,215,891

3.   Harvard University: $589,861,000

4.   University of Pennsylvania:  $394,249,685

5. Cornell University: $353,931,403

6. Columbia University: $341,140,986

7. University of Southern California: $331,754,481

8. Johns Hopkins University:  $323,100,408

9. Indiana University: $301,060,946

10. University of California, San Francisco:    $292,932,382

24. University of Virginia: $174,370,854

 

 

Hometown heroes return

DMB TO PLAY FIRST LOCAL GIG IN FIVE YEARS
Trippin’ billies to fill John Paul Jones arena

Last week Dave Matthews Band announced they would make Charlottesville the last stop on their 2006 summer tour with two performances at UVA’s new $130 million John Paul Jones Arena, set to open in July. DMB will cap their summer run of 51 U.S. shows in 38 cities with the JPJ gig on September 22 and 23.

   General tickets for the tour go on sale April 8.

   This will be the first time Dave and the boys have played their hometown since their 2001 gig at UVA’s Scott Stadium. When reached for comment, spokesman Patrick Jordan denied that the JPJ double-gig was a ploy to secure lifetime courtside seats for the five band members, instead saying, “The band is really excited about the new arena being one of the biggest and nicest facilities in the state.” DMB, the reigning kings of the jam-band scene, were a top draw last year; the band sold more U.S. concert tickets than any other touring act except Messiah stand-ins U2.

   It’s been a regular DMB lovefest lately: Bama Works, the band’s charity arm, recently donated $550,000 to the City Center for Contemporary Arts, the modern-looking arts complex on Water Street.

   In other news, Jordan confirms that the band is at work writing its next record with Stand Up producer Mark Batson.—John Borgmeyer, with additional reporting by Cathy Harding

 

Almost like Washington

DOES UVA CARE WHAT THE FACULTY THINKS?
Faculty Senate wrestles with questions of relevance

Conflicting opinions over UVA’s “floating campus” Semester at Sea program have raised questions about the Faculty Senate’s ability to represent faculty concerns about the program’s validity and other issues. Under fire from disgruntled arts and sciences faculty, the administration responded that it had informed the Faculty Senate that the program was under consideration.

   The Faculty Senate, with about 80 members, is supposed to be the faculty voice “with respect to all academic functions” and “matters affecting the welfare of the university,” according to official documents. The question, though, is whether anyone in UVA’s administration is listening.

   Some faculty think the Senate isn’t doing enough to stand up for their concerns. Anthropology professor and Faculty Senator Fred Damon said via e-mail that decision-making at UVA is in “crisis” marked by “a pattern of lack of communication about decisions that are experienced as major aspects of the schedules and practices we lead.”

   The Faculty Senate, it seems, wields little actual power beyond the announcement of collective opinion. In addition to normal faculty concerns such as salaries, the Faculty Senate has issued public reports against intolerance, and have opined on the academic calendar and the “charter” decision. They also regularly have the ear of the Board of Visitors on things like UVA’s honor system.

   Departments can hold elections or use a nominating committee to choose senators, who serve four-year terms. Meetings of the full Senate are open to the public.

   Faculty Senate Chair Hous-ton Wood says there’s room for improvement. He says new focus groups established at the Senate’s retreat will help senators “take better control and report back to their constituents. We don’t want this to happen again where the faculty are left out and unhappy.”

   UVA Vice President and Provost Gene Block met with the Faculty Senate March 2 and acknowledged that the decision to contract for Semester at Sea should have involved more communication with the faculty.—Meg McEvoy

 

No pressure—just win

LAST FALL IN U-HALL
While fans ponder Cavs’ fate in new facility, former superstar slips

UVA poured on the pomp and circumstance for the last men’s basketball game in University Hall on Sunday, March 5, although the “Last Ball in U-Hall” was mostly about hyping up the July opening of the $130 million, 15,000-seat John Paul Jones arena.

   “There are a lot of memories, but really no sadness,” said former coach Terry Holland in a pregame press conference alongside former UVA stars Wally Walker and Ralph Sampson, who were also right on message. “It’s time for a new facility,” Sampson said.

   Sure, but can UVA graduate from the 8,400-seat U-Hall (the smallest gym in the ACC) and fill the much bigger JPJ?

   Holland said “the building itself” would bring in the fans and restore the glory of Sampson’s era in the early ’80s, when UVA was a national hoops powerhouse.

   Under pressure to build a winning team and fill the new seats, new head coach Dave Leitao is off to a decent start. Though UVA lost its momentous game to Maryland 71-70 on Sunday, the Cavs finished the season with 14-13 overall. Junior guard J.R. Reynolds led the team on Sunday with 30 points, but the night belonged to senior Billy Campbell, a walk-on who hit two clutch three-pointers in a rare start.

   After the game, Sampson took the last shot at Univer-sity Hall—a precarious dunk that sent the 7’4" star falling on his butt. Former players and coaches passed the ball around the court to Leitao, who will use it in a ceremony christening JPJ.—John Borgmeyer Assembly Watch

 

TEENS O.K. TO GAB WHILE DRIVING
House kills bill designed to prevent cell phone accidents

According to the Insurance Information Institute, 56 percent of teenagers use their cell phone while driving, and “driver distraction” accounts for 15 percent of all teen driver crashes in Virginia. Twelve states have laws banning teens from talking on their cell phones while driving. Sen. Jay O’Brien’s attempt to add the Common-wealth to that list failed last week, when a House subcommittee killed his S.B. 137 that would have banned cell phone chatter for any driver under 18. According to a report by the Associated Press, the committee’s chair told O’Brien there were too many bills on the docket to consider S.B. 137.

Kids must actually learn about sex in sex ed

Del. Scott Lingamfelter’s H.B. 164 would have required any sexual education course in Virginia to emphasize the “unlawfulness of sex between unmarried persons” and that abstinence is the “accepted norm.” The bill may explain why Lingamfelter didn’t get laid in college, but senators voted it down, deciding that students might actually need some facts about human sexuality in addition to lectures on morality. City Delegate David Toscano voted against the bill, while County Delegate Rob Bell voted for it.

New law puts dangerous dogs on trial

Last month, some citizens asked City Council to pass a new ordinance regarding dangerous dogs, but Council decided to wait until the General Assembly weighed in on the question.

   New legislation that is likely to become law provides that any dog that attacks a person will face a court hearing to determine if the animal is “dangerous.” A dangerous dog must be kept in an enclosure or on a leash, and its owner will be held responsible—even punished with jail time—if the dog attacks again. There are exceptions, however, for a dog that fights in response to an attack, or if the dog attacks while defending itself or its owner. “If your dog is declared dangerous, you have a loaded weapon,” says Del. Rob Bell, who worked closely on the legislation.

 

School’s in, sucka

CITY SCHOOLS TO CUT MORE THAN 20 JOBS
Many to go are classroom teachers

The City School Board finally passed a budget for the 2006-07 fiscal year.

   In order to help finance larger-than-usual teacher raises averaging 7.5 percent, and in response to decreased enrollment during this school year, more than 20 existing positions—a majority of which are classroom teachers—are on the chopping block.

   The school system will begin notifying faculty and staff who won’t make the cut by March 15, but Board Chair Julie Gronlund doesn’t think anyone will be fired. “We’ll be able to do it through attrition,” she says. Human Resources Director Michael Heard noted that in his three years, “we typically hire 60 or more people a year, and if you take total personnel, it’s over 100. The issue becomes, what do you do when you don’t have all the resignations that you know you’re going to get eventually?”

   Meanwhile, candidates are beginning to emerge for the City’s first School Board elections, with both Vance High and Ned Michie declaring their candidacies last week. We can only hope the quotable Kenneth Jackson throws his hat in the ring—he offered the best dis of the current Board at Thursday’s meeting, saying, “You have all these facts and figures and can’t figure out a budget.”—Will Goldsmith

 

Keep the old plan, Stan

CROZET PETITIONS FOR AMENDED GROWTH PLANS
Supe chair says petitioners misunderstand the Master Plan

Some Crozet residents feel betrayed by a recent Albe-marle County planning re-port that puts the long range build-out total for new residents at 24,000. They prefer the original figure of 12,000 set by the Crozet Master Plan, and they rounded up 1,300 signatures on a petition as a mandate to hold the supervisors accountable.

   Hugh Meager, a member of the Crozet Community Association, presented the petition when the Board of Supervisors met on Wednesday, March 1. “A deal is a deal,” said Meager. “It is time for the Board to take action and stand up for the citizens they represent.” As a designated growth area, Crozet is the site for Old Trail Village, a mixed-use development with 2,000 homes and 250,000 square feet of commercial space. But several residents spoke out for preserving the rural quality of life in the area.

   Karen Arch asked the Board, “Are you working for the people who elected you, or the people in New Jersey who want to move here?” David Wayland wanted to know who was more important, the developers or the people and said, “An 18 percent growth rate is insane. When will you draw the line?”

   The issue is more complicated than it seems, says Supe Chair Dennis Rooker. The Master Plan does not set population limits, and it does not establish the density of residential developments in Crozet—instead, it recommends ranges of density for land targeted for residential development. “Rarely does anybody build out to maximum density,” says Rooker, noting that Forest Lakes in Northern Albemarle, for example, was only built to 60 percent of allowable density there.

   That seems unlikely to mollify agitated Crozetians, however. “It’s good that people are interested and engaged,” says Rooker.—Jay Neelley, with additional reporting by John Borgmeyer

 

Money talks

CITY BUDGET UP 8 PERCENT
Don’t miss your chance to spout off on spending

On Thursday, March 2, City Manager Gary O’Connell announced his proposed City budget of $121,195,206—an increase of 8.5 percent over last year’s budget.

   If you’re curious about specifics, you can check out the complete budget at www.charlottesville.com. On Saturday, March 18, the City will hold a budget forum at Buford Middle School from 10am to noon. Residents will be able to meet with individual City Councilors, who will present their own version of the budget on April 3.—John Borgmeyer

 

Press releases we love

HOORAY FOR PEANUTS!
Deconstructing the poetry of public relations

Big, fat tobacco has hogged the Dixie spotlight for too long: This week the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services sent out a press release announcing that Governor Tim Kaine has named March “Virginia Peanut Month.”

   “Whether you prefer your peanuts in the shell or out,” states the press release, “salted or unsalted, honey-kissed, butter-toasted, chocolate-covered, Cajun style, barbecue-flavored, in brittle or squares, raw, boiled or roasted, you can’t choose a better peanut than Virginia-grown.”

   Circus Peanuts—those otherworldly marshmallow candies that look like peanuts and taste like ass—are conspicuously absent.—Nell Boeschenstein