Month: July 2009

New week, new pedestrian safety upgrades. That’s what the City of Charlottesville unveiled at a press conference on Thursday—a new improvements recommended by the Citizen Pedestrian Safety Committee.

Pedestrian improvements centered on Market, Water and Main streets as well as University Avenue include traffic signals, sidewalk ramps, crosswalk stripping, LED crosswalks and audible signals at intersections ("WAIT WAIT").

The estimated cost was $700,000, but city staff  reports that the project is under budget. 

Happy July, my friends. For your third-quarter reading pleasure, a few little ditties on green:

From the Times, a sobering look at how the Supreme Court handled environmental cases on its docket over the past year. How I wish we could make some sort of difference to these decisions, as we can at least try to do with legislation in Congress.

…speaking of which, see this Grist list of U.S. Senators’ likely votes on the climate change bill. Grist says both Virginia Senators’ inclinations are “unknown or undecided." That means now’s the time for you to weigh in. Anyone contacted Warner or Webb? Anyone have a sense of how they might vote?

Also, check out this analysis of how the bill got through the House, and from the blog of Island Press, a strong take on what’s good and bad about the legislation. There’s also a link in that post to a pretty fascinating video of mountaintop-removal opponents and supporters facing off in West Virginia. This is no academic debate; it’s real and raw.

They may not exactly be impoverished Appalachians, but recession-battered Brits are less willing to spend a premium on organic and "ethical" products, according to the Guardian. Anyone around here been cutting back on fancy feel-good shopping?

Or found a better way to repurpose pallets than this?

Finally, to end on a happy note: Here’s a really nice account by ABODE kitchen columnist Lisa Reeder, on her own blog, of tagging along with Daniel Perry (of Jam According to Daniel, which you may recognize from the City Market) as he picks and processes this year’s local strawberries. As always, Lisa’s writing brings the sensual and social pleasures of local food home to her readers, complete with the scents of lemon and berries.

As always, greenies, post your links if you like!

City Council is expected to remove a ban on way-finding signs for businesses on the side streets of the Downtown Mall at tonight’s meeting, according to local news sources.

The signs were first removed during the Mall’s rebricking. Council explained the signs were problematic for the visually impaired, hence their removal.

Local business owners, however, complained that explanation did not come until after the signs were removed without notice.

After Council meets this evening, Charlottesville officials plan to work with local side-street business owners to develop a permanent solution by July 14th.

The final approved signs should be in place by the end of July.
 

Under a cloudless sky Congressman Tom Perriello presided over the 47^th Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony today at Monticello. Sixty-six people from 35 countries took the Oath of Citizenship, becoming Americans in front of roughly 1,800 family members, friends, and well wishers.

Perriello, who was born here in Albemarle County, told the crowd that it was “an ineffable thrill” to be present at the ceremony, a ceremony celebrating “earned citizenship” as opposed to citizenship granted by birth. “You’re joining this country of ours at a moment of great difficulty,” Perriello told the applicants, calling the United States “an imperfect but ever perfecting idea of liberty.” It is precisely these new Americans, he said, none of whom have taken “the path of least resistance” to get here, who are needed to help our country on its journey towards that perfection.

It is the actual speaking of the Oath of Citizenship which transforms one into an American Citizen, and after that magic was performed, several of the newly anointed Americans stepped up to the microphone to say a few words. Five-year-old Eleanor Hilgart, already a citizen by virtue of her adoption from China, but receiving today her certificate of citizenship, was the last to speak, helped to the platform by her father. Standing in the bright sun, she hesitated for a moment before perfectly summing up the day. “I love this country,” she said. “It’s a perfect place to be.”

To borrow from "The Simpsons," the Fourth of July is the day during which we "celebrate our country’s independence by blowing up a small part of it." Below, a few tips on how to make your Independence Day pop:

1. Honor your founding fathers:

2. Keep a safe distance from fireworks:

3. Get your permits, or the sheriff will find you:

Thursday afternoon Independent candidate for Charlottesville City Council Bob Fenwick spoke about how he plans to stimulate job and economic growth in Charlottesville.

Using his experience in real estate and construction, Fenwick said he will create jobs in the private sector by encouraging first-time home buyers to buy now while the prices are low.

“If you are thinking of buying but want to wait for a better deal you might lose out,” he said. “It’s a bird in the hand, two in the bush.”

In turn, he said this buying stimulus will create jobs for roofers, plumbers, painters and landscapers among others.

Fenwick will use his website www.DemandJobs.net to notify people of possible jobs, citing his extensive contact base in the field as a way of hearing about these opportunities for people.

Fenwick said City Council should be doing a better job of marketing job opportunities created in both the private and public sector, adding that if he were on Council, he would use Council’s large speaking platform to accomplish that as quickly as he could.

“The recession is a huge problem and just because you can’t solve a huge problem all at once, doesn’t mean you can’t take small bites here and there,” he said. “You have to fight your way through these things.”