Month: June 2006

Apparently the Bush Administration’s much- touted law-and-order focus doesn’t extend to actually paying for anything. Like, for example, juvenile justice and delinquency prevention programs. In his latest budget request for Fiscal Year 2007, Bush proposed to cut such federal programs 43 percent, to $176 million from $308.7 million.
According to Rory Carpenter, the juvenile justice coordinator for the Charlottesville/Albemarle Commission on Children and Families, similar cuts were threatened last year as well, but were shot down by Congress. He expects a similar outcome this year—with some funding getting cut, but not nearly as much as Bush has requested.
Should the cuts occur, Carpenter says that they could potentially affect funding in Charlottesville and Albemarle. Each year the CCF receives about $20,000 from the Juvenile Accountability Block Grant to fund programs on gang prevention and restorative justice. Bush’s budget proposes eliminating this grant entirely. In addition, throughout the years, Carpenter estimates that the CCF has received about $500,000 from the Title V Local Delinquency Prevention Grant program. Bush’s budget proposes cutting this funding to $32 million, down from $64.4 million in Fiscal Year 2006.
All in all, however, Carpenter is optimistic about the programs’ chances of survival.
“There’s a good chance that, through the lobbying process, we can get some of these dollars put back in,” he says.—Nell Boeschenstein

The defense for Ingo shooter Robert Lee Cooke made last-ditch attempts to lighten Cooke’s sentence at a hearing last week. Robert Lee Cooke was found guilty in April of shooting Ingo, a K-9 officer, while fleeing a burglary scene on October 24, 2004. He was paralyzed from the waist down when he was shot by Ingo’s handler, Albemarle County Police officer Andy Gluba. Ingo had to be euthanized due to his injuries.
The County estimated that the highly-trained Ingo was worth $5,000. But Cooke’s attorneys, Dana Slater and Janice Redinger, argued that since the outpouring of public support for Ingo had netted the police department $30,000, restitution had already been made. Albemarle Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Camblos called their argument “absurd.”
The defense also argued that Cooke’s concurrent sentences—five years for possession of a firearm and seven for shooting the dog—were too long, given Cooke’s paralysis. Camblos maintained that the jury had seen Cooke in his wheelchair and was well aware of his injuries.
Over a dozen relatives and friends turned out to show their support for Cooke. His wife gave an emotional statement, saying she wanted Cooke home to be with their 6-year-old daughter and second child, who is due in November.
In his statement, Cooke said, “When I think about the past, I realize I am lucky to be alive.” He apologized to the Albemarle Police Department, but said “I do feel I’ve been punished already… I’ve lost half my body.” Judge James Luke overruled all of defense’s arguments, but did suspend Cooke’s sentence by two years. He will serve 10 years in prison, and is eligible for parole after eight and a half.—Meg McEvoy

On Tuesday, June 13, UVA Associate VP for Business Operations Richard Kovatch stood in front of a somnolent crowd at Newcomb Hall and did his best to make the impending debut of the John Paul Jones Arena a truly seismic event. The numbers were indeed impressive: 366,000 square feet, 15,000-plus seats, 20 luxury suites, 175 TV monitors, 350 restrooms—and all for the low, low price of just $129 million. But wait, there’s more! How about those retractable lower seats, or the massive elephant doors? (“For both trucks and actual elephants,” Kovatch tried to joke.) And don’t forget the “special academic and dining section” for athletes (what, they’re not pampered enough already?), along with an attendant sports museum and hall of fame. And if the whole thing is starting to sound just a little too, you know, huge, not to worry. The John also comes equipped with a vast rolling curtain to create a “more intimate” venue (“for the women’s games,” Kovatch added helpfully).
Now all they have to do is fill it, which is where the entertainment comes in. As Kovatch read through the upcoming schedule of events, you could almost hear the head-scratching commence. O.K., DMB (or “David” Matthews, as Kovatch called him) is a sure sell-out, but Cirque du Soleil, pro wrestling and Larry the Cable Guy? All class acts, sure, but is this really why they built one of the largest arenas in the ACC? Kovatch characterized ticket sales rather unspecifically as “extremely strong.” As he moved onto parking logistics, people began to drift from the room, and one person perusing the promotional literature was heard to say, “What, exactly, is ‘cirky do soleel?’”—Dan Catalano

The next chapter in a local development saga unfolded last week, when the Little High Area Neighborhood Association (LHANA) sued Region Ten, a mental health support agency, to obtain documents. LHANA was specifically looking for correspondence between Region Ten and City officials, documents which LHANA hopes will support its position that a housing community for the mentally disabled requires public debate and a Planning Commission review.
LHANA has been clamoring about the project, called “The Mews,” since the apartment complex on the 1100 block of Little High Street was sold to Region Ten in August, 2005. LHANA objects to the planning of the project and says Region Ten hasn’t been forthcoming about the details of the project, expected to house about 40 Region Ten clients.
The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows the public access to any documents that are held by public bodies. LHANA requested all documents related to “The Mews” on May 10, and again on May 22. Under FOIA, Region Ten had five business days to fulfill the request. But when LHANA President Mark Haskins received no response, he called, finally getting an assistant, who “told us if we heard anything it would be from their attorney,” he says.
Caruso Brown, interim executive director for Region Ten (and the agency’s third since the controversy began), says his agency was late because they are inexperienced in dealing with FOIA requests. He says his assistant referred Haskins to their attorney because she didn’t feel comfortable speaking on behalf of the organization. “There was no malice and no intent to not respond timely,” Brown says.
Last Friday, a judge found Region Ten to be in violation of FOIA, but they were found to have no willful intent and were not fined. Region Ten has since provided LHANA with heaps of documents. If LHANA is satisfied, no further hearings will be necessary. Otherwise it’s back to court June 30.—Meg McEvoy

On June 13, Virginia Democrats elected James Webb—Ronald Reagan’s former Navy Secretary—to challenge Republican incumbent George Allen for his Senate seat in November.
A mere 3.3 percent of Virginia’s 4.5 million voters turned out for the contest between Webb and former telecommunications lobbyist Harris Miller. As election day approached, politicos predicted a low turnout, and wondered whether Webb—seen as the best bet to beat Allen—could overcome his Republican ties. He did. Webb won 83,146 of about 155,000 votes cast, giving him 53.5 percent of the votes to Miller’s 46.5 percent.
Commentators (like our favorite political blogger, Not Larry Sabato) chalked up Webb’s victory to his solid hold on Northern Virginia. Locally, voter turnout was relatively high—about 6.8 percent—and some observers were surprised that Webb swept every Charlottesville precinct and all but three precincts in Albemarle.
In a post titled “I’m sorry, Charlottesville,” Not Larry Sabato said he mistakenly assumed local voters were too “wacky” to vote for Webb. “The last time I visited a group of Charlottesville Democrats, most of them were still bragging about supporting Jerry Brown over Bill Clinton in 1992,” wrote NLS. “It seems to me the young people in Charlottesville have changed that community recently, and I congratulate them for it.”—John Borgmeyer

The Cavalier Daily has been the champion of student journalism, self-governance and free speech at UVA since, like, a long time ago. And yet, with all of that under their grosgrain belts, they still find time to dabble in a little constitutional law. Amazing!
By now you’ve probably heard that The Cavalier Daily is teaming up with Virginia Tech’s Collegiate Times to file a joint lawsuit against Virginia’s Alcoholic Beverage Control. They say a law restricting alcohol advertising in college papers is unconstitutional and is costing them ad revenue.
Ellen Biltz, editor of the Collegiate Times, has emphasized that the lawsuit isn’t about advertising losses, it’s about free speech.
The Cavalier Daily says a lack of alcohol branding and heavily restricted descriptive language is hurting their ability to compete in the market. The suit states, “The same businesses that are completely prohibited from placing advertisements for alcoholic beverages in The Cavalier Daily are able to advertise in competing non-student newspapers such as the C-VILLE Weekly.” (Who, us?)
It’s true, we can print brand advertising—and we get to use a few more, um, descriptive phrases like “Polynesian drinks” and “spirits.” But our alcohol ads are no free-for-all, either.
So until the newspapers sort it out for the good of all mankind (or at least senior frat dwellers), here’s a handy guide to brand-name drink specials on the Corner.
Baja Bean Co.’s got Happy Hour every day from 3pm to 9pm, with Gold (that’s Cuervo Gold) Margaritas and Pabst Blue Ribbon for $2.
The guys at O’Neill’s were super-skittish about telling us their drink specials, due to ABC superstitions, but we do have it on good authority that there’s $1 Rolling Rock on Wednesdays.
Coupe DeVille’s has Budweiser for $1.50 Mondays-Wednesdays, and $3.75 pitchers (usually PBR or Keystone Light) on Thursdays.
Buddhist Biker Bar‘s got $1 PBR on Mondays to go with their tasty $5 burger special. Thursdays they’ve got Sol for $2.
The old chaps at The Virginian offer $5 Bud Light and PBR pitchers, and $4 top shelf bourbon (like Maker’s Mark and Wild Turkey) every day from 5pm to 7pm. They’ve also got $3 Jack-and-Cokes on Mondays, $5 Jager(meister) bombs on Wednesdays, $4 Red Bull-and-vodkas on Fridays and $2 Blue Moon on Saturdays. Whew!
There, that should be enough to tide you over until freedom is restored.—Meg McEvoy, with reporting by Mary Ashton Burgh