Month: February 2012

2012-2013 budget presented to Albemarle Board of Supervisors

 Albemarle County Executive Tom Foley presented the 2012-2013 proposed budget to the Board of Supervisors on Friday.

The recommended budget totals $311,677,759, a 2.4 percent increase from the 2011-2012 adopted budget. It is balanced on an equalized tax rate of 76.4 cents, which will result in no tax increase for many homeowners for the fourth year in a row. 

Albemarle Couny’s School Division would receive $99.5 million, an increase of $2.2 million from last year’s budget. 

The proposed budget also includes additional support for public safety needs, such as increased training for police officers and recruitment initiatives for fire and rescue workers.

A one percent pay raise for employees is also included in the proposed budget.

A public hearing has been set for February 29 at 6:00 p.m. at the Albemarle County Office Building on McIntire Road.

Click here for more information on the budget.

Categories
News

Campaign volunteers on Grounds contend with harsh reality facing UVA grads

 On the night after President Obama delivered his State of the Union address, his regional field director and youth vote director for Charlottesville stood at the front of a 150-seat lecture hall at the University of Virginia, sharing re-election plans with 20 members of the University Democrats.

Volunteer coordinators for Barack Obama’s re-election campaign began their work on UVA’s campus this month. In 2008 a record 4,000 UVA students registered to vote, thanks in large part to enthusiasm for Obama. (James Berglie-Zuma Press)

Before the talk ended, Alexa Kissinger and Rachael Klarman beamed onto the projection screen a memorable 2008 Obama stump speech, delivered in a downpour at Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg.

“Sometimes, the skies grow cloudy, and it’s dark,” Obama preached. “And you think the rains will never pass. But here’s what I understand: As long as all of us are together, there’s nothing we can’t do.”

Nearly four years later, the dark clouds and rains have yet to pass for young people, and that could have profound implications for Obama’s re-election bid. Polls now show waning support for Obama in a voting bloc that played a large role in powering him to the Oval Office. In 2008, two-thirds of the under-30 crowd voted for Obama, the largest margin of victory within any age group since the Pew Research Center started tracking such statistics in 1972. However, a recent Harvard University study found that the President’s approval rating among Millennials has dropped 12 percentage points in the last two years, prompting the question: Will young voters blame Obama for their predicament? And if they do, can he still win Virginia and extend his White House stay?

An early look at Charlottesville revealed that the Obama brand, while bruised, is alive, well, and poised to plug back in to a network that registered more than 28,000 new city voters—a record—in 2008.

The new ground troops
The local leaders of Obama’s re-election bid are young, ambitious, and committed, much like in 2008, when UVA registered a school record 4,000 students to vote. Kissinger, Charlottesville’s field director, took eight classes last semester to graduate early from Arizona State University, solely so she could work on the campaign. She also deferred enrollment to Harvard Law until 2013 and has opted to live in Charlottesville with a host family until November.

“If I were sitting in a classroom or out in an office somewhere, I’d be thinking, ‘Man, I’m not out there,’” she said.

James Schwab, UVA junior and president of the University Democrats, caught the political bug working 70-hour weeks as a summer volunteer for Tom Perriello’s re-election campaign in 2010. He and other college students will play a pivotal role in re-energizing 2008 Obama supporters, Schwab said.

“When college kids get excited, that excitement expands out into the community,” he said. “They’re willing to knock on doors and talk to people. Voting number is a small part of what college students can do for the election process.”

Kissinger, Schwab’s University Democrats and Hoos for Obama have already hit the streets, hosting voter registration drives at Alderman Library and Bodo’s Bagels, walking door to door around town, and manning phone banks at C’ville Coffee and New Cabell Hall.

“The great thing about the Obama campaign is its sense of team,” Kissinger said. “Giving responsibility to these teams allows them to bond, and it gets the volunteers on them more excited.”

The Millennial challenge
While teamwork might spur excitement, the crucial element for Team Obama among Millennials will be crafting a message that convinces them he and his government have made their lives better—no small task given the data.

In 2011, the jobless rate among 18- to 24-year-olds reached 16.3 percent, according to a study from the Pew Research Center. Also, one in four 18- to 34-year-olds moved back home with their parents, and nearly half said they took a job they didn’t want just to pay the bills. To boot, 30 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds have more than $10,000 in personal debt—excluding mortgages, according to a poll conducted by the non-partisan group Demos.
If you’re 24, burdened with college loans and underemployed at Starbucks, will you happily vote Barack in 2012?

Emily Blakemore, a 2010 UVA graduate and leader of Hoos for Obama in 2008, was so affected by her time working to elect Obama that she is pursuing a Masters in Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Though she intends to support him in November, Blakemore has been dissatisfied with Obama’s communication skills.

“I’m an avid reader of politics, but I feel like if you talk to the average voter, they’re not hearing all the good things,” she said. “And I was happy we got the health care deal, but I hated the process with which we did it. At some point, he had to let go of that rhetoric of ‘We’re not a black America or a white America, we’re the United States of America,’ but I don’t know. It makes me kick myself.”

Also, she is not sure what to tell many of her friends—recent college graduates—who are struggling to find jobs.

“That’s where my own knowledge fails me,” Blakemore said. “I think they have a right to feel disappointed.”

Blakemore’s biggest fear for her peers is that their financial woes will lead to civic apathy.
“I don’t see Romney making it any better,” she said. “My fear is losing people from the political process altogether.”

Kissinger is stationed in town to prevent that from happening. She plans to correct the misperceptions of Obama’s economic decisions. Recent upticks in employment figures show that his policies are starting to work, she said.

“I think we could do a better job of messaging those successes and showing that Democratic policies have helped,” Kissinger said. “But it’s complicated messaging that, right? I don’t have a good sound bite for that. All I know is my friends are able to get jobs now that seniors when I was a freshman were not able to get.”

Occupy Charlottesville plans Verizon protest

 Occupy Charlottesville is planning to protest Verizon’s involvement in state politics as part of the national Occupy movement’s "Shut Down Corporations Day" on February 29.

"This event is all about blowing the whistle on these giant corporations who funnel millions into our politics process," local organizer Erin Rose said in a press release. "Verizon is one of those and as a result has not only paid no federal taxes for the past three years, they actually got a billion dollars in rebates on top of it."

According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Verizon was the fifth largest campaign contributor in the last election cycle. 

The group will meet Wednesday at the corner of Riverbend Road 4:00 p.m. Local author and activist David Swanson will speak.

Green Scene Blog: Path of least resistance

Hey folks. Below is a lovely post from Mark Jones, owner of Sharondale Farm, a founding member of Firsthand Farmers Cooperative. Mark teaches workshops on mushroom growing and permaculture.

On our farm in Cismont, we design much of our work by observing and mimicking nature. Winter is a great time to reexamine how we use energy and to create work that uses our finite resources more efficiently. By modeling our energy and resource use on natural systems, we can shift our ecological role from consumer towards producer.

We design the farm and our home to yield benefits on many levels. Our goal is to use energy more efficiently and more optimally for our lifestyle which requires time for play and family. For example, to minimize fossil fuel use, we heat the house with wood. Chopping wood is hard work, with visible and useful results. The physical rhythm opens a space for meditation and communication. It also warms us at least twice.

Splitting firewood is not just brute strength, but finesse in the placement of the force applied. Understanding the flow patterns of the wood structure informs each strike to find a path of least resistance. Other energy patterns here on the farm reflect this flow. Animal trails cut across the hills rather than straight up and down; weeds occupy bare soil more rapidly than mulched areas; fungus grows faster along the grain of wood than across it.

The point is, nature organizes along a path of least resistance. Or put another way, nature organizes to optimize the use of energy in the system. In permaculture, these observations inform the design of the farm and farm work. For example, my favorite berries—currants, gooseberries, strawberries and blueberries—are planted along the main garden paths, so when they are in season the furthest many of them travel is the length of an arm. We coppice the willows at waist height rather than at ground level for easy pruning.

Our perennial polycultures of useful plants are maturing and need less maintenance. Waste from mushroom production is used in the garden, and we have a crop of feral mushrooms in the mulched beds most of the year. Trips into town are planned so time and energy are kept to a minimum. The food we eat is mostly local, from our farm and from farmers we know.

By observing and understanding our ecological niche, we can mimic natural systems. And, by applying our intelligence and imagination to the resources we have available, we can work smarter rather than harder and consume less external energy.
 

City of Charlottesville accepting applications for boards, commissions

 The City of Charlottesville is accepting applications for many of its boards and commissions.

There are youth positions available on the Citizen’s Advisory panel. Applications are also being accepted for the Piedmont Virginia Community College board, Rivanna Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Social Services Advisory Board, and Tree Commission.

The Housing Advisory Committee has positions for a Developer, Banker and Neighborhood Association representatives.

The Dialogue on Race is also hoping to fill recently vacated positions.

The deadline to apply for many of the positions is March 15.

Applications for the Human Rights Task Force are due by March 1.

Click here for a complete list of openings and how to apply.

C-VILLE Arts Beat: Top Picks for Feb 21-28

Songwriter sustenance

Saturday 2/25

Six-time Grammy nominee John McCutcheon feeds your folkie soul at PVCC. A brilliant multi-instrumentalist, stalwart activist and engaging storyteller, McCutcheon’s committed to the Appalachian folk music tradition. $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, at 7:30pm. In PVCC’s Main Stage Theater.

The promise of tomorrow

Saturday 2/25

Live Arts offers some insights into the Civil Rights movement via documentary. Watch speeches and interviews from firsthand sources in the long struggle for universal human equality in From Bondage to Promise. Director, Leslie Baskfield, draws from the wisdom of slaves, activists and Civil Rights leaders to showcase the lives of ancestors and contemporaries, recontextualizing their trials and celebrating the promise of a better future. $10, at 8pm, Live Arts.

Recipe for jam

Sunday 2/26

Get into some down-home singing and dancing at The Jefferson, when the unique and accessible bluegrass flavor of Yonder Mountain String Band returns to Charlottesville. The Telluride-based outfit gets bodies moving with smart jams and playful harmonies, groovy lighting and smokin’ covers. $22.50 in advance, $25 at the door. 7:30pm.

The envelope please…

Sunday 2/26

Don your haute couture and rented bling for the live, high definition broadcast of the Academy Awards at The Paramount. Oscar Night America pulls out all the stops with a selection of libations from over 20 local vineyards and restaurants, and the opportunity to take home a piece of the Tinseltown action at the Hollywood-themed silent auction to benefit the 25th anniversary of the Virginia Film Festival. Ticket price is $45, and the red carpet rolls out at 7pm.

Huguely Trial Blog, Day Eleven: Because I Do Not Hope to Turn Again

Image by Nick Strocchia.

At 6:30pm, after nine hours of deliberation, there was a verdict. Reporters ran outside and held up two fingers in a V.

“Verdict! We’ve got a verdict!”

The defendant’s family filed in, foreheads daubed with ash, one young woman giving George a tiny wave. Judge Hogshire instructed the room that there would be no outbursts, and with barely a pause, announced that George Huguely had been found guilty of second degree murder and grand larceny.

It was over in about 20 seconds. Huguely’s young cousins and sister cried silently, but Huguely himself sat still. The court moved quickly to the sentencing phase. The prosecution called Sharon and Lexie Love, the victim’s mother and sister, back to the stand, and each one described how Yeardley Love’s death had changed their lives. Huguely hung his head, eyes seemingly closed.

“Sometimes you think you can bear it … some days it’s just unbearable. … Christmas is a nightmare. … Every year that goes by I’m afraid that I’m forgetting little pieces about her, which worries me. … There’s a huge hole that will always be there and nothing can fill it. … The absolute worst thing in the world that could happen, happened.”

The defense called no witnesses. Dave Chapman gave his closing statement. In 2008, Huguely was convicted for public drunkenness and resisting arrest, and afterwards, Chapman said, did nothing to change his behavior. In February of 2010, Love and Huguely fought and he tried to choke her, and again, nothing changed. Two months later, someone’s little girl never woke up again.

Rhonda Quagliana stood and said that no person is the sum of their worst decisions. People deserve redemption. Nothing you decide, she reminded the jury, will bring Love back, but that does not diminish the impact it will have on George. She sat down, and the jury left. Huguely never looked up, not once. By the end he was crying. His mom sat in the front row next to his sister. There was no sign of his father.

The jury retired at 7:55pm to decide on a sentence. Some time around 9pm it began to rain, on the podium set up on the steps of the courthouse, and on the phalanx of cameras facing it. Pizza arrived for the jury, and then the delivery guy came back and began hawking pizzas to the reporters huddled on the porch reading a statement from the Love family into their phones.

At 9:55 the bell rang. Huguely stood up when the jury walked in and fidgeted with his jacket button. There was no preamble. For the charge of second degree murder the defendant is sentenced to 25 years in prison. For the charge of grand larceny the defendant is sentenced to one year in prison. There is no parole. Huguley’s head stayed down.

Was he doing the math? I’m 24. Twenty-four plus 25 equals 49. If the charges are consecutive, that makes 50. I will be 50 years old when I get out of prison. Fifty isn’t that old. Fifty isn’t dead.

But when you’re 24, 50 might as well be dead. Fifty is a number that belongs to someone else.

The jury left and Huguely remained sitting with his head down. He looked like he was slowly collapsing into himself. He looked over at his family. His father wasn’t there. He looked down, then back at his family. A sheriff’s deputy touched his shoulder and he stood up, turned to his left, was led towards the far door. And when the door closed behind him there was a loud BANG that hung for a second or two in the large, brightly lit courtroom and then faded away.

Look for a final commentary on the entire Huguely Trial in Tuesday’s edition of C-VILLE.

Read the Huguely Trial Blog from the beginning here.
 

Read J. Tobias Beard’s recap of the legal arguments here.

Media General, Inc. announces the potential sale of its newspapers

Media General, Inc.—owner of numerous television stations and newspapers, including The Daily Progress and the Richmond Times-Dispatch—announced yesterday that it was "exploring the sale of its newspaper operations."

“Media General, Inc. (NYSE: MEG) today announced that it is exploring the potential sale of newspaper operations. Media General said it has received inquiries from several third parties regarding the potential purchase of certain of its print assets. The company wishes to ensure that any divestiture it may make maximizes shareholder value,” the company’s press release said.

Media General, Inc. reported a loss of $3.3 million on $168 million of total revenue in the fourth quarter of 2011, down about 12 percent from the fourth quarter of 2010. The decline resulted in major cuts at one of its papers, The Tampa Tribune, which cut 165 positions in December.

The release indicated that the company was looking at the sale of its print assets as a way to offset its debt:

“Media General has indicated in recent months that it will consider asset sales at valuations that reflect the strength of its properties as a means of reducing total debt outstanding over time,” said the release.

The company announced that there was no set timetable for the potential sale of its print assets and said the “investment banking advisory firm Peter J. Solomon Company is assisting Media General with the strategic evaluation process.”

Media General, Inc. operates 18 network-affiliated television stations and 21 daily newspapers in five market segments, including eight Southern states.

UVA President Teresa Sullivan speaks about the George Huguely verdict

UVA President Teresa Sullivan broke her administration’s silence after George Huguely IV was found guilt of second degree murder and grand larceny and sentenced to 26 years in prison.

Huguely, a 24-year-old former UVA lacrosse player, was charged with first degree murder, felony murder, robbery, burglary, statutory burglary and grand larceny, in the May 3, 2010 death of fellow UVA student and lacrosse player, Yeardley Love. Love was 22 years old when she died. The charges carried the possibility of a life sentence without parole.

Sullivan’s statement:

"Prior to the trial of George Huguely, I said the University would withhold any comments until the trial had concluded. The jury now has rendered its verdict and a young man – a former member of our community – has been found guilty for the death of fellow student Yeardley Love.

 

As Professor Anne Coughlin reminded us on Feb. 2, the conclusion of a trial like this may bring a momentary sense of justice or retribution, but our judicial system can never restore to a family what it has lost. Yeardley’s family, teammates, sorority sisters and friends – indeed all of us at the University – continue to feel the loss of this promising young woman. It remains now to each of us to commit to caring for one another and, when we see someone in trouble, to having the courage to intercede and offer assistance.

 

Our sympathy and compassion go to the Love family, as well as to the Huguely family, as they face the future and their personal grief."

Categories
Uncategorized

News & Views 2.23.2012

Real Estate Related News

Sasha Farmer Named Sales Associate of the Year
Montague, Miller & Co is proud to acknowledge that Sasha Farmer has been named 2012 Sales Associate of the Year for her outstanding achievement, leadership and commitment to our profession, the association, and our community. The award is awarded to a top sales producer who is active in CAAR and the Charlottesville community, and continues to improve by engaging in continuing education courses and the achievement of professional designations.

Also recently voted Best REALTOR® in Charlottesville in the C-Ville Weekly Best of C-Ville Polls, Sasha specializes in representing home buyers, home sellers, corporate transferees, and University of Virginia faculty, students, and staff.
 
Early in her career, Sasha was chosen as the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTOR’s Rookie of the Year in her first year in the industry. Additionally, Sasha is a Certified Residential Specialist – an achievement that only four percent of all REALTORS ® worldwide have attained. She is currently in the top one percent of all agents in Charlottesville and Central Virginia.
 
Sasha prides herself on a strong commitment to the community, and spends numerous hours volunteering for organizations such as Computers4Kids, Charlottesville/Albemarle SPCA, the Junior League of Charlottesville, the City of Charlottesville Housing Advisory Council, the United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Charlottesville program. She is also the past Chair of the Technology committee at the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors, is on the Virginia Association of Realtors’ technology committee, and is the Chair of Marketing for the Virginia Chapter of Certified Residential specialists.
 
Sasha’s clients have always found her prompt, friendly service a joy, and her knowledge and analytical skills invaluable. As her recommendations will attest, Sasha works tirelessly for her clients. Her passion for Charlottesville, in addition to her technical abilities, patience, thoroughness, and dedication to her clients is sure to keep them coming back.
 
For more information on Sasha, call (434) 260-1435 or email her at sasha@sashafarmer.com, www.CHARLOTTESVILLE365.com.
 
What’s Happening Around Town?
 
Piedmont Council for the Arts Announces Re-Organization 
Dr. George A. Beller, President of the Board of Directors, Piedmont Council for the Arts (PCA), recently announced a re-organization of PCA leadership. The re-organization, effective April 1, will support a new PCA venture into community cultural planning.  
 
Executive Director, Maggie Guggenheimer, will assume the role of Consultant for Research and Planning. In that role, she will coordinate the delivery of the recent Arts & Economic Prosperity study data and various aspects of Community Cultural Planning.
  
 Associate Director, Sarah Lawson, will become Interim Executive Director and lead the day-to-day operation of PCA’s programs and services. Additionally, a part-time Communications Director will be hired.  
 
“The Board is delighted to enhance the leadership capacity of PCA as it embarks on a vital new initiative,” said Dr. Beller.
 
Fluvanna Meals on Wheels Fundraisers
Meals on Wheels Fluvanna is hosting two interactive fundraising events. The first is an Antique Appraisal Show on March 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Lake Monticello Fire & Rescue Department. Come get that family heirloom, antique item or mystery item appraised for only $7.00 per item!
 
The second is the 4th Annual 5k/2 Mile Walk on Saturday, April 21 at 8:30 a.m. Come out for to end senior hunger.  The racecourse will begin and end at the Turkeysag Trail Gate in the Food Lion Shopping Center outside of Lake Monticello.  Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. and there will be prizes for the top overall finishers and per age group.  There will also be raffle drawings at the end of the race for all participants.  The first 100 registered will receive a gift bag so register early.  Early registration fee is $20.00 per adult and $15.00 for youth under age 12.  All proceeds will benefit Fluvanna Meals on Wheels.   Information for both of these events can be found at www.mealsonwheelsfluvanna.org.
 
New Mulberry Row Exhibit at Monticello
Landscape of Slavery: Mulberry Row at Monticello, Monticello’s newest outdoor exhibition, will bring to life the stories of the scores of people—enslaved and free—who lived and worked on Jefferson’s 5,000 acre plantation.
 
Once considered Monticello’s Main Street, Mulberry Row, was a constantly changing hub of activity, lined with more than 20 dwellings, workshops, and sheds. Today, little physical evidence can be seen of the buildings, which made up Mulberry Row. This new outdoor exhibition features mini-exhibits at key sites, an app for smart phones, a website, and computer animations will illuminate Mulberry Row and provide visitors with a clearer picture of the landscape of slavery. The second phase, taking place over the next few years, includes the recreation of several buildings, including a dwelling for enslaved people, the reinstatement of Jefferson’s original roads, and restoration of the two remaining original buildings.
 
New Presidents Passport
Thomas Jefferson gave us Monticello, James Madison left us Montpelier and James Monroe his “cabin castle” at Ash Lawn-Highland. Take a look into the lives of these presidents and the lifestyles of their caretakers by visiting their homes in the Charlottesville area with the new Presidents Passport. When you activate a Presidents Passport you can receive over 50 exclusive offers, travel packages and travel tips that help you create an even more memorable Charlottesville experience.  With Presidents’ Day right around the corner, this new passport makes Virginia the best choice for a long weekend getaway.
 
Sign up for a President’s Passport online and access savings and offers that suit your interests. Travel partners in the greater Charlottesville region have been carefully selected to provide you with the most creative and inspirational destinations. The Presidents Passport includes promotional offers such as hotels and B&B’s, unique restaurants, historic sites and museums, Monticello Wine Trail, and shopping. Visit www.monticello.org/passport to sign up and get more information about special savings and insider travel tips for your Charlottesville vacation.
 
African-American Inventors
In recognition of Black History Month a new display located at the Waynesboro Heritage Museum, sponsored by the Waynesboro Area Learning Tree, explores the many fascinating inventions of African Americans. Make a trip down to the museum at 420 West Main Street to learn about some of these important contributions that have enriched our lives and contributed to advancements in fields as diverse as medicine and technology. Did you know that the automatic gearshift, a seed planter and corn harvester to improve farming, as well as a technique for long-term preservation of blood plasma and the removal of cataracts were all innovations from the imagination of African-American inventors?  You are reminded of African-American innovations every time you mail a letter, eat a potato chip, or tee off on a golf course. These inventions impact all aspects of your life. The Waynesboro Heritage Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.