This week’s cover story should put you in the fast lane if you’re trying to get your "local" credentials. We tabulated 25 must-have experiences, but no doubt the list doesn’t end there. With that in mind, we want to hear from you. Click here to read the cover story and here to leave your own nominations. We promise to return to this subject. Updating, revising, and marking a topic for further study is about as Charlottesville as you can get.
Month: June 2009
“We are waiting to hear what Judge Swett decides and it’s been a month already and we think that’s a good sign, because he is giving it a lot of consideration,” says John Cruickshank, president of the local chapter of the Sierra Club and member of the Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park. On May 19, Cruickshank and other coalition members appeared in front of Judge Jay Swett as part of the latest lawsuit filed against the city and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to stop the construction of the Meadowcreek Parkway (MCP).
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McIntire Park “is the only affected historic resource, so we are currently working through mitigating the effects of the roadway projects on McIntire Park,” said Jeanette Janiczek, Charlottesville VDOT Program Manager in a report to City Council. |
And the issue is a hot one. Just last week, equipment being used for the construction of the county’s portion of the Meadowcreek Parkway was set on fire on Melbourne Road near the Charlottesville High School football field. At a press briefing, County spokesperson Lee Catlin said that it was still too early to know whether this act of vandalism was meant to protest the construction of the parkway, and an investigation is underway. “The Coalition to Preserve McIntire Park condemns that action,” says Cruickshank. “We are trying to save McIntire Park through the courts, and through the political arena.”
Back in court, the group contended that the city has illegally granted VDOT a parcel of land for the MCP with a 3-2 vote. Cruickshank stresses that according to Article 7, Section 9 of the Virginia Constitution, local governments need a supermajority vote—or three-quarters—to transfer land to the state transportation agency. While they wait, the group is bracing for more actions.
“We are meeting with another attorney who is an expert on federal issues,” he says. “We are anticipating that we are going to have to go to federal court to protect McIntire Park.” All federally funded projects must go through extensive environmental reviews according to Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
“We feel that they are segmenting this project in order to evade those environmental laws,” says Cruickshank. The coalition considers MCP as one project, while VDOT stresses that they are three different sections with three different funding sources.
At the City Council meeting last week, Charlottesville VDOT Program Manager Jeanette Janiczek reported on the status of all MCP projects—McIntire Road Extended and the Route 250 Interchange.
While the county’s portion of the MCP began construction in February, the city’s McIntire Road Extended, administered by VDOT, will need to clear the legal issues and other hurdles before advertising for bids.
“We are currently working through the Section 106 process and that’s kind of running the schedule at this point,” said Janiczek. “There is agreement that McIntire Park is the only affected historic resource, so we are currently working through mitigating the effects of the roadway projects on McIntire Park.” In addition, the council will have to decide whether to grant an easement to the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA), current owner of a utility line in the path of construction.
According to Janiczek, the current advertising date for this project is September 2009, but it could easily change. Construction will take up to a year.
The Route 250 Bypass Interchange, which the city is administering for itself, is currently in the early engineering stages, with construction estimated to begin in summer 2010.
The Meadowcreek Parkway, the county portion of the project, is estimated at close to $32 million, $23.5 million in Secondary funds and $8.3 million in Revenue Sharing. McIntire Road Extended is priced at $9.7 million in Urban funds. Route 250 Bypass Interchange will cost $31.5 million: $29.5 million in earmarked SAFETEA-LU, Safe Accountable Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act, and $2 million in Revenue Sharing.
City Council can choose to eliminate one or both city projects. But Cruickshank says he predicts that the Council is going “to vote the way they have in the past,” he says.
Categories
Gallery Listings
Galleries
Art Upstairs Gallery 112 W. Main St., Suite 3 (in York Place). Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday, noon-5pm; Friday, 1-9pm; Sunday, 1-4pm. 923-3900. www.artupstairsgallery.com. Through June 28: “Bricks: Images of C-ville,” by Bill Finn.
BozArt 211 W. Main St., Wednesday-Thursday, 3-9pm; Friday-Saturday, noon-9pm; Sunday, 1-4pm. 296-3919. www.bozartgallery.com. Through June 30: Recent works by Barbara Wachter.
The Bridge/Progressive Arts Initiative 209 Monticello Rd. Wednesday-Saturday, noon-3pm, or by appointment. 984-5669. www.thebridgepai.com. Through June 27: “El Barrio (The Neighborhood): The iConnect Southwood Youth Photography Project,” a collection of photography by students of the iConnect Photography Workshop depicting images of where they live.
The Gallery at Fifth and Water 107 Fifth St. SE. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. 979-9825. Through June 30: “Looking Back: Retrospectives of Dance and Illusion,” a collection of works by Bonny Bronson.
Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection 400 Worrell Dr. Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm; Sunday, 1-5pm. 244-0234. Through August 9: “All Time Favorites,” a sampling of “best loved” works from the Kluge-Ruhe collection; “Timeless: Bark Paintings from Arnhem Land,” works on eucalyptus bark from the major art-producing communities throughout northern Australia.
La Galeria 218 W. Main St. Call for hours. 293-7003. Through June 30: “American Travels,” a collection of landscape photos throughout the United States by Mary Porter.
McGuffey Art Center 201 Second St. NW. Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-6pm; Sunday, 1-5pm. 295-7973. www.mcguffeyartcenter.com. Through June 28: Multiple exhibits, including “Waiting” by Sylvia Plachy; “Bishop Glacier,” by Tipper Gore; “Vanishing Gems,” by Joel Sartore; and “American Youth” by Redux Pictures.
Michie Building at Seventh Street On Seventh St. side of Old Michie Building. For details, call 977-3687 or visit look3.org. Through June 28: “Natures Mortes,” by Gilles Peress.
PVCC 501 College Dr. Monday-Thursday, 9am-10pm; Friday, 9am-5pm; Saturday, 1-5pm. 961-5202. Through August 27: The annual student art exhibition.
Ruffin Gallery 179 Culbreth Rd. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm; call for special hours. 924-6123. Through July 24: “HAGAN! 1936-2008. The Intervening Years: Sculpture, Drawings, New Media, Boats,” works by UVA professor James Hagan.
Second Street Gallery 115 Second St. SE. Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-6pm. 977-7284. www.secondstreetgallery.org. Through July 18: “Luxury,” a collection of photography capturing occasions of flamboyant leisure by Martin Parr.
Try & Make 608 Preston Ave. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday, noon-6pm; Friday, 1-8pm; Sunday, 1-5pm. tryandmake.org. Offers a variety of readings, events and exhibits.
Other exhibits
Restaurants, retailers and public spaces that host regular art events
Angelo 220 E. Main St., on the Downtown Mall. Monday-Friday, 11am-6pm; Saturday, 11am-5pm. 971-9256. Through June 30: “Florida Hybrids,” photographs by Susan Crowder.
Blue Ridge Beads and Glass 1724 Allied St. Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30am-5:30pm. 293-2876. www.blueridgebeads-glass.com. Glass pieces, paintings and instruments by Jerry O’Dell.
The Box 109 Second St. SE. Call for hours. 970-2699. Through June 30: Photography by Jason Lappa.
C&O Gallery 511 E. Water St. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. 971-7044. Through July 31: “Bolungarvík: An Icelandic Village’s Story through Sustainable Fishing,” photographs by Jon Golden.
C’ville Coffee 1301 Harris St. Monday-Thursday, 7:30am-9pm; Friday, 7:30am-5pm; Saturday, 8:30am-5pm; Sunday, 9:30am-8pm. 817-2633. Through June 30: “The Rivanna River and Its Watershed: Landscape Photographs by Ben Greenberg.”
Café Cubano 112 W. Main St. Call for hours. 971-8743. Through June 30: “Disposable Rivanna,” photographs by Billy Hunt.
Fellini’s #9 200 W. Market St. Call for hours. 979-4279. Through June 30: Recent photographs by Jeff James.
The Garage N. First St., across from Lee Park. Hours by appointment. thegarage-cville.com. Through June 30: Works by Jesse Wells and Kristin Smith.
Horse & Hound 625 W. Main St. Call for hours. 293-3365. Ongoing: “Virginia Hunt Country,” photographs on canvas by James Rowinski.
Hot Cakes Barracks Road Shopping Center 1137 Emmet St N # A. Monday-Saturday, 9am-8pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm. 295-6037. Through July 15: “Up, Over and Around the Bend, Local Landscape Paintings,” works by Meg West.
Jefferson Library 1329 Kenwood Farm Ln. Call for hours. 964-7540. Through November 12: “Lucy Meriwether Lewis Marks: A Biographical and Botanical Art Exhibit.”
King Family Vineyards 6550 Rosebud Farm, Crozet, 22932. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11am-5pm. 823-7800. Through July 31: “Dreams and Memories,” oil paintings by Lindsay Michie Eades.
Milano 100 W. South St. Call for hours. 220-4302. Through July 28: Watercolors by Kari Caplin.
Mudhouse 213 W. Main St. Monday-Thursday, 6:30am-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 6:30am-11pm; Sunday, 7am-7pm. 984-6833. Through July 6: “Arabian Streets: Photographs of the Middle East,” by Jay Kuhlmann.
Newcomb Hall Art Gallery On the UVA Grounds. Call for hours. 249-2354. Through September 3: “Water & Health/Photovoice,” a cooperative photography project between the University of Virginia and the University of Venda in Limpopo, South Africa.
Paintings & Prose 406 E. Main St. Call for hours. 220-3490. Through September 4: “Assemblages,” curated by Dorothy Palanza.
The Paramount Theater 215 E. Main St. Open during events. 979-1333. Through June 30: “Substance,” paintings by Micah Cash.
Quick Gym 216 E. Water St. Call for hours. 220-3143. Through June 30: “Symbolic Series,” pen and ink works by Nola Tamblyn.
Small Special Collections Library On the UVA Grounds. Monday-Thursday, 9am-9pm; Friday-Saturday, 9am-5pm. 924-3021. Through August 1: “From Out That Shadow: The Life and Legacy of Edgar Allan Poe.”
South Street Brewery 106 W. South St. Daily 4:30pm-close. 960-9352. Through June 30: A collection of oil paintings by Katherine Marshall.
Speak! Language Center Rear entrance to The Glass Building, 313 Second St. SE. 245-8255. Through July 1: “Hadrian’s Coffee: Ancient Images of Contemporary Italy,” photographs by Richard Robinson.
Spring Street Boutique 107 W. Main St., on the Downtown Mall. Call for hours. 975-1200. Through June 30: Photographs from Virginia Fashion Week by Jack Looney and Liza Bishop.
Virginia Artists in Action 112 W. Main St. Wednesday, 3-6pm; Thursday-Saturday, 11am-6pm. 295-4080. Through June 30: “A New Breed of Photography,” a collection of images from multiple local artists.
Westminster Canterbury Gallery Walk 250 Pantops Mt. Rd. Call for hours. 972-2458. Through June 30: Photographs by naturalist Lois Gebhardt.
I’ve written before about the question of when to buy a new car as opposed to making your old one last. Two related points came to my attention this morning. One is right here in the C-VILLE Weekly (print version only), in the current cartoon by wicked-funny Slowpoke artist Jen Sorensen. This week Jen takes on the question of what automakers should do with all those new cars they aren’t selling right now. Pick up the paper if you want to find out her ideas; I’ll just say that she definitely gets to the question of waste that’s implied by all that unneeded inventory.
The other was in this Grist report on a bill that just passed the U.S. Senate and is likely to be signed by President Obama. It’s called "cash for clunkers" and would give folks vouchers for trading in their inefficient cars for newer ones that get…well, only a tiny bit better mileage. Example: You drive a 1985 Dodge pickup that’s pulling 12 miles to the gallon. Trade it in for a 2009 Range Rover that boasts an impressive 14 miles to the gallon, and the government will give you $3,500! Choose something that gets 17 mpg, and your voucher expands to $4,500.
This is some whack legislation. Clearly it’s meant as a straight-up boost to the auto industry, but is being dressed up as a quasi-environmental measure. If and when Obama signs up, he’ll slip a little in my estimation. Yeah, Detroit is very important to our economy, but it’s also an industry that has egregiously dragged its feet on addressing the pollution its products cause. And subsidizing drivers who opt for vehicles like this—while in effect patting them on the back for their eco-friendliness—really, shall we say, grinds my gears.
You feel me, folks?
Categories
VOP interns canvass local neighborhoods
“Hello, I’m from the Virginia Organizing Project, which is a non-partisan group, and I was wondering if I could ask you about what issues are important to you,” says Caty Kirk Robins.
Robins is one of seven college-age VOP interns, part of a VOP canvassing summer internship, who recite these words about 50-60 times a day as they go door-to-door across the city and county talking to residents.
“The idea of this organization is to include people who would otherwise not be,” says VOP spokesperson Julie Blust. VOP is a grassroots community organization meant to gather information directly from residents. The organization targets individuals who are not living in densely populated, politically active areas and may not know how to get involved.
“The eventual goal of all of this is to find people who want to help VOP and get them connected to campaigns,” says intern Patrick Costello. Those people then meet with Charlottesville Organizer Harold Folley in a one-on-one setting. “We talk to them about what they can give to VOP and what VOP can give to them,” he says.
Using this canvassing tactic, the VOP has had success with voter registration last year, helping to register 78,000 Commonwealth voters, says Blust. Tom Perriello’s spokesperson Jessica Barba says, on an average day, the office fields 25-50 calls from voters about legislation, noting that health care and climate change are the “current hot topics.”
Though not all these calls can be attributed to the VOP, last year VOP representatives knocked on 140,000 doors and helped to make healthcare the number one issue in the Commonwealth.
Another VOP goal is legislation. The organization was able to achieve that goal with its living wage project two years ago, raising the living wage from $10.95 per hour to $11.44, says Folley.
These seven interns began their work as a group May 18 and will continue their work for the rest of the summer every Monday through Friday, rain or shine, until close to 9pm.
Gathering this information, however, depends on whether residents are willing to answer their doors.
“You don’t see many people canvassing who aren’t selling something these days,” says Robins. “The most frustrating thing about it is when you see someone you can help, like someone with a health condition, and they refuse.”
After many “not-homes,” refusals, and even many large guard dogs that the interns come into contact with, however, one answered door and a chance to make an impact can make up for the setbacks, says intern Kristin Smith. “Moments like that can be really powerful,” she says, noting that those interactions remind you what the VOP door-to-door campaigns are all about.
“It reminds us we work for the people, not politicians,” says Costello.
C-VILLE welcomes news tips from readers. Send them to news@c-ville.com.
It can’t be easy to be a woman named Williams in the country music world, but Lucinda Williams manages just fine, Hank you very much. The Gravel Road Gal is that unique combination of scholar and spitfire who keeps country ballads relevant—as classic as Hank Senior, as spirited as Hank Junior, and as unpredictable as Hank III. Not to mention a wit, lyrical consideration and sex appeal that could give any Williams man a case of the lovesick blues.
If you’ve never had the pleasure, the Charlottesville Pavilion will give you a chance to get right with the goddess on September 26, when Lucinda Williams comes to town. Tickets go on-sale Friday, June 26. (Details here.) Leave your setlist requests and catch a few covers after the photo.
We’re still spinning Lucinda Williams’ Car Wheels; thankfully, so is she.
As proof that, sometimes, it takes a woman to do a man’s work properly, I dug up a link to a few excellent covers performed by Lady Luc, from Tom Waits’ "Hang Down Your Head" to AC/DC’s "It’s a Long Way to the Top" to a few Hank Williams tracks. Enjoy.
The city’s Community Chalkboard and Podium: Charlottesville’s Monument to the First Amendment, has won the Rudy Bruner Award for Excellence’s $10,000 Silver Medal Award.
The award celebrates urban places that distinguish themselves for their design and for the social contributions to the community they serve.
“We are both very excited and very grateful for the award,” says Josh Wheeler, with The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression. “We plan to use the funds for educational outreach programs,” benefiting local students and artists.
The $50,000 Gold Medal went to Inner-City, Los Angeles, an art facility that provides art instruction for at-risk children.
Other silver medalists include Hunts Point Riverside Park, Bronx, NY; Millennium Park, Chicago and St. Joseph Rebuild Center, New Orleans.
Tim Freilich, legal director for Legal Aid’s Immigrant Advocacy Program, won the first David Carliner Public Interest Award and a $10,000 cash prize from the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy.
According to a press release, Freilich was selected for his commitment and work with the immigrant community in Charlottesville and Albemarle.
Freilich is a graduate of UVA Law School.
The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy awarded Legal Aid’s Tim Freilich with the David Carliner Public Interest Award for his committment and work with Virginia immigrants.
For those of you who aren’t busy walking your enormous dog or "discovering" nature, here are a few suggestions on how to spend the weekend.
1. Post all of your secrets on Twitter. It’s like a lockbox, you #@$%#$@&!:
2. Visit the country. With Zach Galifianakis. And Will Oldham. And Kanye West:
3. Listen to your elders. Yes, even the long-winded ones:
Paul Best, a detective with the Charlottesville Police Department assigned to the Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement Task Force, announced this morning his candidacy for City Sheriff. Best is running as an Independent.
“I believe that the Sheriff’s duty, as well as any law enforcement officer’s duty, is to the citizens and not to a particular party,” he said. “I look to work for the people of Charlottesville and to avoid the divisive party politics.”
If elected, Best says he will make the office an accredited agency through the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission, and will initiate a series of programs that will “build stronger ties with the community through professionalism and agency transparency,” he said.
Some of the programs Best says he will initiate include: the Gang Reduction and Intervention Program (GRIP), the Reverse Deputy/Volunteer Program (the program will “increase the speed of paper service,” and “will provide cost cutting security for special events.”)
In November, Best will face Democratic nominee James Brown.
Paul Best stands in front of the Paramount Theater on the Downtown Mall where he announced his candidacy for City Sheriff. Best is running as an Independent.