Tuesday, September 26
Vine diplomacy
The U.S. State Department reports today through its Bureau of International Information Programs that apprentices from South Africa are currently doing eight-week internships at wineries in California and Virginia—including Kluge Estate Winery and Jefferson Vineyards. The program means to equip the apprentices with skills that will boost their own prospects as well as those of South Africa’s wine and tourism industries. Says the State, Albemarle apprentices are learning in particular to deal with “adversity”—meaning, apparently, our local climate.
Wednesday,
September 27
That’s all, folks
Better luck next year, tobacco auctioneers and flatpick guitarists. Today’s press release from the Virginia Folklife Program announces eight Folklife Apprenticeship awards that the organization hopes will support a few antiquated art forms “in ways that are conscious of history and faithful to tradition.” For nine months, apprentices will work one-on-one with “master artists” of fiber arts and the mandolin, among others, to refine their skills in a traditional context. Albemarle County sends two of its own—Willy Lehman and Daniel Malcolm—to study hewn log house construction and pioneer crafts. Lea Strickland, profiled during
C-VILLE’s trek on Virginia’s “Crooked Road” Heritage Music Trail, received a bluegrass singing apprenticeship.
Thursday,
September 28
Jobless rate holds steady
A report from the Virginia Employment Commission says that the jobless rate for Virginia dipped slightly last month, according to today’s Richmond-Times Dispatch. But the unemployment rates have held steady for the Charlottesville area. Statewide unemployment was down 0.1 percent in September, to 3.2 percent jobless. Charlottesville’s rate of 2.8 percent unemployment is still better than the statewide average. Virginia is tied with North Dakota and Utah for the second lowest jobless rate. So who has the highest? Hawaii, with jobs like “Well-paid Amateur Surfer” keeping only 2.8 percent of the state’s population unemployed.
Friday, September 29
The road less traveled
For now at least, State lawmakers have agreed to disagree and ended early a special session devoted to solving a stalemate on transportation funding, The Washington Post reports today. Disagreements on how to pay for road and mass transit improvements, largely in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, was the reason the State budget was passed three months late, and the General Assembly seems no closer to reaching concord. On Thursday, the Senate rejected a $2.4 billion House plan that would have siphoned money from current State expenditures and borrowed the rest. Many senators, as well as Governor Tim Kaine, advocate a variety of tax increases to pay for transportation funding. The Post calls the collapse of the special session a “major setback” for first-year governor Kaine, a Democrat who labels transportation “Virginia’s most urgent need.”
Saturday,
September 30
Who needs offense?
Commonwealth college football fortunes shift today, as Virginia picks up its first conference win against lowly Duke while Virginia Tech takes a turn in the loser’s column after falling at home to Georgia Tech. The Hokies are dominated 38-27 by a Yellow Jacket squad that played classic Beamer-ball, winning the game largely on special teams and defense. Virginia does much of the same, shutting out 37-0 winless Duke—with three interceptions, a fumble recovery, and a blocked punt. Wahoos have a field day on www.thesabre.com, where optimism is in full bloom after weeks of weariness, and there is plenty of trash talking about Virginia Tech.
The Barber brothers Tiki and Ronde, UVA-turned-NFL star football players, were back at their alma mater this weekend, helping "kickoff" the public phase of the University’s $3 billion capital campaign.
Sunday, October 1
It’s a kickoff—get it?
Extremely photogenic twins Tiki and Ronde Barber, who got matching diplomas from UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce in 1997 and went on to matching NFL careers, are lending their mugs and opening their wallets to the University’s $3 billion capital campaign kickoff. UVA’s online news site reports today that the Barbers not only emceed Saturday night’s launch dinner in the JPJ Arena, they threw down $1 million of their own money. They are making a special effort to encourage other young alumni to donate—even those who are not running backs with the New York Giants.
Monday, October 2
Police search for missing
UVA student
TV news sources in several states cover a manhunt today, though they leave some key facts ambiguous. William Ashby is suspected in the disappearance of a female UVA student from South Carolina. Police think Ashby stole the student’s car, a beige 1996 Toyota Corolla, and was traveling in it at press time. Charlottesville police confirmed a missing persons report filed for the student over the weekend. The FBI and Georgia police are looking for the missing student and Ashby, who is wanted in Georgia for allegedly shooting a convenience store clerk, taking her car and dumping the vehicle in Afton, Virginia. NBC 29 also reports that a dead body had been found with the abandoned vehicle but did not specify if it was the body of the missing student.