Month: February 2009

Halsey Minor, the former local boy who made a fortune in California during the dot-com boom, has made quite a name for himself during the past year for his involvement in numerous squabbles and lawsuits. So it comes as little surprise that Minor has (you guessed it!) filed suit against Lee Danielson, his former agent on the 100-room boutique hotel project that’s come to a standstill on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall.

In a suit filed in Charlottesville Circuit Court this month, Minor accuses Danielson and the project’s lender, Specialty Finance Group LLC, of eight counts of various forms of fraud and breach of contract.

Lee Danielson (left) and Halsey Minor during happier times.

Specifically, Minor alleges that Danielson colluded with the lender “and actively concealed the fact that the construction budget was not realistic until after the construction loan closed and Halsey Minor was personally on the hook for the cost to complete the project.”

He’s seeking $100,000 in compensatory damages, $350,000 in punitive damages, and whatever else he could get out of a trial. But most significantly, Minor wants out of his obligations to the hotel project, asking that he be released from the development agreement, the construction loan agreement and a restaurant lease that he had set up with Danielson for a high-end food joint to be called “minor’s.”

“It’s just more Halsey smoke screen,” says Danielson, who hasn’t yet been officially served but is familiar with the suit. He points to numerous other lawsuits that Minor is involved with. “This lawsuit is fantasy land.”

Click here for an expanded version of this story.

Justin Heilbrun-Toft was all smiles yesterday morning. He graduated from the Charlottesville/Albemarle Drug Court Program as its 200th graduate.

“This is a happy day and a milestone for the program,” said Judge Edward Hogshire, who presided the ceremony.

Heilbrun-Toft entered the program on August 1, 2007. “I stole money and a car to get drugs,” he says. Since being caught, Heilbrun-Toft was submitted to daily drug tests, made weekly court appearances, attended intensive substance abuse rehabilitation and got a full-time job. In fact, he worked full-time as a restaurant manager and was a full-time student at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC).

“I was just accepted to [Virginia Commonwealth University] and I am actually going there right now,” he says with a proud smile. “I had the opportunity to start my life again.”

There were bumps on the road, said his caseworker during the graduation ceremony, but Heilbrun-Toft had a special gift: He took full responsibility of his actions and veered toward a clean and successful life.

“I want to thank my mom,” said Heilbrun-Toft standing in front of the audience, without her support, he added, he would still be involved with drugs.

More about the program after the break.

Jeff Gould administers the local drug court program.

The drug court program is an alternative to incarceration. It provides drug treatment and close supervision to non-violent drug offenders both in the city and the county.
The program enrolls about 45 to 50 people.

The state spends on average $22,000 on a year of incarceration versus a quarter of that in drug court.

But the program’s funding is once again in peril. During the current session of the General Assembly in Richmond, the House of Delegate submitted a budget without any funds for drug court programs. The Senate’s budget, however, was submitted with the funding intact. A final budget has yet to be released.

It’s been a slow brick day, readers. We here at Brick Watch guess it’s because the day was so gloomy and psuedo-rainy and therefore, not optimal weather for rejoicing in the laying of the brick. Case in point:

Whatcha doin’, boys? Those bricks are made for replacin’!

One thing BW did happen to notice this afternoon, however, was the balloon—which we think looks an awful lot like Mars—at the 200 west block, meant to direct mallgoers to the New Orleans-themed block party, which begins tomorrow. We wondered, what does Mars have anything to do with New Orleans? Naturally, we Googled "mars, new orleans," which brought up all kinds of disconcerting stories about a shooting at a recent Mardi Gras party in the Big Easy.

The balloon in question. Are we the only ones who immediately think "Mars" when we see that?

We then called the Downtown Business Association to see if there was any connection between the block’s theme and the balloon.

…Apparently not. Turns out, The AV Company, who sells the balloons to the city (at a very discounted price, the DBA says), gave each block about 20 choices and either the block captain or another retailer on the block picked the balloon for their event.

So, in the end, the Mars balloon has nothing to do with New Orleans, unless of course you consider the possibility that it’s meant to convey that the 200 west block party will be out of this world. …Nah. That can’t be it.

In closing, Brick Watch wants to apologize for the lack of video we promised yesterday. As demonstrated in the first photo, there wasn’t hardly anything to capture on film, and so we vow to make it up to you next week. We know how you love a good brick video, brickfans. Until then…TGIF!

We here at Brick Watch don’t like to resort to threats, but it seems to be all you people respond to. Curious, no?

The results are in, and the winner of our Brickenger Hunt (BW isn’t sure that works, but whatevs) is…Feedback! And at a close—and very classy—second, is peedon. We’re going to focus on congratulating peedon, as Feedback gets his own forum for self-congratulation here. And now for the answers, as promised.

1. "…In fact, you might say this brick is holdin’ down much of the construction on our block." The answer, friends, is this, a brick on top of a sand pile located at the 300 east block (in front of the C-VILLE office):

This was probably the most difficult clue in the whole hunt, but Brick Watch is nothing if not clever.

2. " These used to put up with all our crap, but are apparently spending the rebricking at one of Charlottesville’s finest hotels." Only Feedback got this one right: The answer is the trash cans lined up by the Omni. 

3. "These have kindly stepped in for #2." Knowing the answer to #2 now, can you guess what the answer to #3 is? 

Why, the answer is temporary trashcans, of course!

4. "This guy’s been standing here for years, you really think a little rebricking is gonna make him budge?" Both Jenn and peedon got this one right—the answer is the metal silhouette in front of Mudhouse. 

5. "These really help to shed light on the rebricking, at least until construction is done." The answers we got to this clue were priceless. Technically, Jenn got it right (the temporary lighting construction crews use), but we award peedon the win for this one, as the answer given was: "the Brickwatch bloggers?" Why, we are fuh-lat-terd. We live to serve.

6. "This brick edifice has been medicating people for years, only now you don’t need a prescription." No one got this. Answer: Miller’s, which was once a drugstore, always a brick structure.

7. "This is the part of the Mall Coran Capshaw rebricked (he didn’t do it himself, of course, but the money sure helped)." Answer: The Pavilion. No one got this either. 

8. "Cut from bricks of a different ilk, this wall is rarely speechless." Answer: The Free Speech Wall. Jenn and Feedback dominated this question (though, Jenn did refer to it as "the chalk wall).

9. "An ironically located civic/religious/secret society." Answer: Freemasons symbol, located at the 400 block. 

10. "A brick structure that caused some controversy when it was installed. It allows much of suburban Charlottesville to enjoy the mall." Answer: Parking garage. Peedon got this one too, and Feedback bravely ventured a guess.

Because it’s awfully late in the afternoon (it’s been a hard day for Brick Watch), BW thinks it a waste to update you on what’s happening right. now. since crews will be packing up for the day pretty soon. And so, we shall wait until tomorrow for fresh updates, accompanied by a video.

The Obama administration announced yesterday that UVA environmental law Professor Jon Cannon was selected to take a post at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Cannon’s position as deputy administrator of the EPA is contingent upon U.S. Senate approval. Cannon, who was appointed to the Albemarle County Planning Commission by Supervisor David Slutzky, has worked on the Obama transition team since November. Cannon previously worked as general counsel to the EPA during the Clinton administration.

"I’m honored that President Obama intends to nominate me to this position and look forward to the Senate confirmation process," Cannon said in a press release.

 

Environmental Law professor Jon Cannon will take a leave from the law school if his position is approved by the Senate.

(Photo courtesy of UVA Media Relations)

The Charlottesville Police Department issued a press release today regarding three recent, related robberies.

According to the press release, the first incident occurred December 29, 2008 at the Days Inn on Emmet Street. Two men entered a guest room claiming they were there to check the heating system. One of the men pretended to check on the vent while the other robbed the guest of credit cards and cash.

The second incident occurred January 6 of this year at the Econo Lodge on Emmet Street, and involved a similar situation. During this incident, however, before the men left, they struck the victim over the head and stole his wallet. 

Yesterday, a man approached a city resident as she was walking to her car, parked in a lot near Downtown, and began to engage her in conversation. While they were talking, the man grabbing the victim’s purse and knocked her to the ground.

In each case, the credit cards were used at area businesses after the robberies and surveillance video was obtained from each location, confirming all three incidents involved the same suspects, according to police.

One of the suspects, identified from surveillance video at Kroger.

The two other suspects in the recent robberies.

Police are asking for assistance in identifying three suspects: "A heavy set white female, a medium build black male wearing black framed glasses and a second black male who in one video is wearing a stocking hat with a Washington redskins logo," reads the release. Watch this surveillance video, recovered from Kroger after the robberies.

If you have information about this case or can identify any of the suspects, please contact Detective Jim Mooney at 970-3374 or Crimestoppers at 977-4000.