Month: June 2012

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McDonnell reappoints Dragas to UVA Board of Visitors

Governor Bob McDonnell reappointed Rector Helen Dragas to the UVA Board of Visitors in a surprise announcement, June 29, 2012. Cole Geddy/UVa Public Affairs

Governor Bob McDonnell announced six new appointments to the UVA Board of Visitors and ended the suspense surrounding the fate of Rector Helen Dragas, who will remain on the Board for another four years. 

“During her four-year term on the board she has been a strong and dedicated board member, committed to advancing the mission of the university," McDonnell said.

The timing and nature of the new appointments came as a surprise, which McDonnell acknowledged in his statement.

“While normally I would not make a statement concerning board and commission appointments, the events of the last three weeks at the University of Virginia have been anything but ordinary. They compel me to offer a fuller explanation of the reasoning behind my selection of the excellent people I am appointing today to the UVA board," the governor said.

Dragas led the highly-publicized ouster of UVA President Teresa Sullivan, before presiding over her surprise reinstatement at a Board of Visitors meeting on Monday, which turned into a singular show of unity. With Sullivan back in command of the University, there was widespread speculation about Dragas’ future on the Board. In reappointing Dragas, McDonnell defended her role in the proceedings while acknowledging that the Board had handled Sullivan’s removal poorly.

“Just as I was disappointed to see the lack of transparency and communication surrounding the request for the resignation of the first female president of UVa, I am also concerned that the first female rector seemed to become the sole target of recent criticism," McDonnell said. "While there is no doubt that the board made several mistakes in its actions, which it has publicly admitted, this is not a time for recrimination. It’s a time for reconciliation."

Dragas quickly released a statement thanking the governor for his support and pledging her willingness to work with Sullivan.

“Each of us on the Board looks forward to working in a constructive and inclusive way with President Sullivan, along with students, faculty, alumni, and staff on tackling the broad challenges that face the University," Dragas said. "Together, I’m confident that we can preserve and enhance UVA’s greatness for present and future generations.”

McDonnell cited a quote from UVA Faculty Senate chair George Cohen, who told the Richmond-Times Dispatch that his group was willing to work with Dragas, as proof that the she could successfully coexist with Sullivan at the top of the UVA chain of command.

"The university’s tradition is the embrace of inquiry, critical thinking and change, which the rector and many others bring to the table. Ms. Dragas’s serious critique of the challenges facing the university is a voice that must be heard, and can help, in ensuring UVA remains one of the world’s foremost institutions of higher learning," McDonnell said.

In addition to reappointing Dragas, McDonnell named Fran Atkinson, Victoria Harker, Bobbie Kilberg, Dr. Edward Miller, and Dr. Linwood rose to the Board and named William Goodridge and former UVA COO Leonard Sandridge as senior advisors, newly created positions.

Bios of the new appointments are below. More on this story as it comes in.

University of Virginia Board of Visitors Appointments

Frank B. Atkinson of Hanover is the Chairman of McGuire Woods Consulting and previously served in state government as counselor and director of policy for Governor George Allen. He has served on a number of boards and commissions and assisted the Governor’s Higher Ed Commission on behalf of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council. He graduated from the University of Virginia law school in 1982. Frank brings an in-depth knowledge of the workings of higher education and has worked on many of the higher education reforms in Virginia over the past three decades, including the design and implementation of the Grow By Degrees initiative which helped propel the Top Jobs Higher Education Act of 2011. 

Helen E. Dragas of Virginia Beach is the president and chief executive officer of The Dragas Companies, a leading diversified real estate company in the Tidewater region of Virginia, and has served as the rector of the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia since July 2011. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in foreign affairs, a bachelor’s degree in economics, and an master’s in business administration from The Darden School. Dragas has received several awards and honors, including First Citizen of Virginia Beach in 2009, the 2011 Humanitarian Award from the Center for Inclusive Communities of Virginia, and the Lee Evans Award for Building Management Excellence by the National Association of Homebuilders and Builder Magazine in 1999 and 2009.

Victoria Harker of McLean was recently announced as the new CFO for Gannett Company, Inc., a Fortune 500 global print and broadcast media company. She formerly served at AES Corp., a global power company, where she was chief financial officer and president of global business services. Prior to AES, Harker was acting CFO and treasurer at MCI. In addition to her new position at Gannett, Harker also served on the corporate board of directors for Darden Restaurants (DRI) and Xylem (formerly ITT). Harker received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia in 1986 and holds a master’s in business administration degree from American University. As chair of the UVA Alumni Association, Victoria will bring an important and critical perspective to the board, and her senior level background in finance will also be an asset.

Bobbie Kilberg of McLean is president and CEO of the Northern Virginia Technology Council. She was a White House Fellow, an attorney with the law firm of Arnold and Porter, vice president for academic affairs at Mount Vernon College, director of the Aspen Institute’s Project on the Future of Private Philanthropy, and a senior member of the White House staff under three administrations. Bobbie served on the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors and recently completed 11 years of service on the George Washington University Board of Trustees. She is a graduate of Yale Law School, Columbia University and Vassar College. Among her children and their spouses, there are four degrees from the University of Virginia, and a son is presently a student at the school of law.

Dr. Edward Miller of Baltimore, Maryland was named chief executive officer of Johns Hopkins Medicine, the 13th dean of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and vice president for medicine of The Johns Hopkins University in January 1997. Under his leadership, both The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine continue to be ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, and the school continues to rank at the top in NIH research funding. Miller was asked to serve in an ex-officio capacity last year by the governor due to his knowledge and background in healthcare administration. The General Assembly in the 2012 session added a seat to the board for a member with an extensive academic medical background.

Dr. Linwood Rose of Harrisonburg served for 14 years as the president of James Madison University. He is retiring on June 30. Under Rose’s tenure as president, James Madison experienced immense growth in size and quality, with enrollment growing by 37 percent. As president, he served on the Governor’s Higher Education Advisory Committee and the Governor’s Higher Education Commission. He recently served as chairman of the Council of Presidents for Virginia. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Virginia Tech, his master’s degree in educational administration and supervision from the University of Tennessee, and his doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Virginia.

Senior Advisors to the Board

Mr. William H. Goodwin, Jr. of Richmond is a former member of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors. Goodwin is currently chairman of the board of CCA Industries Inc, a holding company whose assets include several hospitality businesses including The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Kiawah Island Golf Resort in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, and The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee—all of which are five-star properties—Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head, South Carolina and Keswick Hall in Keswick, Virginia. In addition, CCA owns and operates several other businesses, real estate holdings and investments. Goodwin holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech and a master’s degree in business from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

Mr. Leonard W. Sandridge, Jr. of Charlottesville retired from the University of Virginia in June 2011, after serving for 44 years. He previously served executive vice president and chief operating officer for UVA president John Casteen. He began his service to the university on the staff of the internal auditor. He served as an assistant to university comptroller, treasurer and director of budget. In 1986, Sandridge was appointed to the post of executive assistant to the president, a position he held simultaneously with director of budget. In 1989, he was named vice president for business and finance, and then was named senior vice president and chief financial officer. In 1993, Sandridge’s position was expanded to executive vice president and chief financial officer, where he served until his promotion to executive vice president and chief operating officer.

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REW House & Home: Passive Solar

Passive solar design of houses attempts to capture sunlight in winter and reject it in summer. The idea is to use solar energy to reduce heating and lighting costs, and to use natural ventilation for cooling.

 
“In Virginia, the climate imposes roughly equal loads for both heating and cooling,” says Charlottesville architect Andrew Thomas, “with a slightly greater need for heating. In both conditions, the structure must be well-insulated and sealed, with control of moisture.” 
 
Thomas built a group of six houses on Druid Avenue in 2007, a “pocket neighborhood” with attention to passive solar collection, interior air quality, and rainwater management. Sited on the brow of a hill, the houses also offer sweeping views to the south.
 
In the realm of technology, passive solar is as old as the art of building, and as up-to-date as computer modeling. It avoids mechanical and electrical devices. It relies instead on orientation, choice of materials, and a certain amount of adjusting by hand. What are some typical examples of passive solar design? Can you apply them to your home?
 
The first principle is to know the local climate, including the latitude, which determines sun angle. What is the average temperature range, and what are the extremes? How many days of sunshine does your site receive in a year? How many inches of rainfall? What direction is the prevailing wind? Standard design books contain reference charts and climate maps, and the United States government provides weather and climate data online. You can also learn a good deal by asking long-time residents, and by observing local building customs. Here, for example, the wind blows mainly from the west. Generous porches and roof overhangs hint at strong sun and storms.
 
Since we are in the northern hemisphere, we orient glass area and whole buildings toward the south to collect sunlight. In choosing a site, be sure it is not shaded by adjacent properties, and that it allows for living areas to be located on the south side. East and west exposures receive morning and evening sun respectively, but they are less significant. Deciduous trees are ideal for passive solar, since they shade the summer sun and allow the winter sun to pass through bare branches.
 
Once sunlight enters the structure, it must be absorbed to generate heat. Walls and floors are designed to have “thermal mass,” such as concrete or stone, which stores then radiates the heat. In desert climates with wide temperature swings from day to night, the thermal mass of adobe, for example, takes in heat during the day and releases it during the night. In Virginia, a well-insulated “envelope” or exterior is combined with carefully positioned glass. Shading devices can include roof overhangs, louvers above windows, and old-fashioned wood shutters and fabric awnings. The point is to shade the sun outside, not with blinds in the living space.
 
Insulation and sealing, which reduces air leaks, go a long way to reducing the need for heating and cooling. A “superinsulated” house uses so little energy that most of it can be supplied by the sun, appliances, a stove and the inhabitants. The German Passive House Institute was founded in 1990 in Darmstadt to promote this type of design.
 
Barbara Gehrung is a Charlottesville architect trained in solar and sustainable design. A native of Stuttgart, she grew up in a family that saved resources and helped found the German Green Party. As a child, she remembers the Chernobyl disaster of 1986, which spurred the drive for renewable energy. She was on German and American teams in the Solar Decathlon in 2005 and 2007. In 2010, she was certified as a passive house consultant. 
 
“The standards grew from superinsulated houses in Canada in the 1970s,” she says. “First, invest construction money in the building envelope, of which windows are the most expensive part. Smaller house size and a low ratio of surface to volume help energy performance too.”
 
Passive solar also has roots in Scandinavia. In a recent project at Lake Monticello, John and Patricia Platt added a sun room to a Trelleborg house. Trelleborg is a Danish company founded 40 years ago to produce superinsulated wood frame houses. Built in 1985, the Platt house was imported from Denmark. The original house, with a tile roof and dormers, looks like a cottage and uses very little energy. Designed by the author, the new sun room is a double-height space with large south windows, which overlook the lake. The builder was Dennis Kidd, of DAK Construction in Palmyra.
 
Retrofit in the form of an addition is the most practical way to add passive solar. Contrary to what you might think, skylights are not recommended. They lead to overheating, and the brightness is difficult to control. A high, north-facing window is better for daylight and whole-house ventilation. 
 
Robert Boucheron is an architect in Charlottesville. He is drawing a passive solar house for a lot in the city.
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News & Views 6.28.2012

Bonnie Coffey Gets Associate Broker License

Montague, Miller & Company Realtors® is pleased to announce that Bonnie Coffey has completed all educational requirements and has received her Associate Broker license. The course work and exams denote a high level of knowledge and expertise.  This achievement is considered to be a reflection of a Realtor’s commitment to enhance their knowledge in this ever-changing industry and it is a testimony to the agent’s dedication to help consumers achieve their real estate goals. Bonnie is associated with Montague, Miller & Company’s Madison Office.
 
Bonnie became a REALTOR in 2005.  As a REALTOR, she has achieved many designations including Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and a Graduate of the REALTOR Institute of Virginia (GRI). Bonnie has been a Top Producer for six consecutive years. 
 
Bonnie’s main concern has always been helping her clients attain their dream of home ownership, or if selling, moving into their next home. She prides herself in professionally representing her home county of Madison. Bonnie, a native of Madison County, is married to her husband of 31 years Douglas Coffey, a building contractor.
 
CACF Announces New Director 
The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Jon O. Nafziger as Director of Donor Relations and Programs. He is responsible for overseeing donor relationships and supporting CACF donors with their philanthropic efforts, including donor advised, committee advised, and designated funds and assisting with agency endowment relationships. Jon coordinates regional relationships such as the Nelson County Community Fund and the Louisa County Community Fund and assists with CACF grant programs, including the Youth Service Award.
 
Mr. Nafziger holds an M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Virginia and a B.A. in Religion from Goshen College in Indiana.  Prior to joining the Foundation, Jon served as Vice President for Community Initiatives for the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area.
 
Jon joins the program team with Brennan D. Gould, Director of Grants and Strategic Initiatives, and Holly Robbins, Donor Relations and Grants Associate.  Peggy W. Williams is now the Director of Communications and Events and Special Assistant to the President, John R. Redick.
 
Streamwatch Receives $69,000 In Local Grants
The environmental monitoring organization StreamWatch has recently received two grants awarded through the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation:
  • $40,000 from the Community Endowment Fund for a collaborative project with Rivanna Conservation Society and Rivanna River Basin Commission to enhance local long-term monitoring through the establishment of a bacteria monitoring program.
  • $10,000 from the Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band for enhancing StreamWatch’s Long-Term Monitoring Program
  • These generous grants, along with $7,000 from J&E Berkley Foundation and $12,000 from an anonymous local grantor, will enable StreamWatch to complete its upcoming project to secure long-term monitoring in the Rivanna watershed by:
  • Establishing a bacteria-monitoring program in the Rivanna Watershed
  • Adding long-term monitoring sites
  • Engaging more volunteers with new training resources
  • Continuing to encourage and enable community partners to use StreamWatch data in management decisions
The StreamWatch Board of Directors and staff are grateful for this local support, which helps StreamWatch to continue providing long-term stream quality data into the future.
 
For more information about StreamWatch, visit http://streamwatch.org/
 
UVa Community Credit Union’s Mega Mile Auto Event Supports Local Non-Profits
Last April, The University of Virginia Community Credit Union teamed up with four local auto dealers for its semi-annual auto sales event at the John Paul Jones Arena.  With 1000 cars available for sale, this year’s event was even larger than last year’s. A portion of the proceeds from The Mega Mile Auto Event were earmarked to support the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank & United Way -Thomas Jefferson Area.
 
“Through the generosity of UVA Community Credit Union and four local car dealers, this donation, from the proceeds of the Mega Mile Auto Event, will enable us to provide more resources in our impact areas: School Readiness, Self-Sufficiency and Community Health,” says Cathy Train, President of the United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area.  “Our goal is for our children to arrive at school ready to learn, individuals and families to gain the tools needed for self-sufficiency, and accessible health and wellness for all members of our community.”
 
“This donation will provide 6,000 meals for hungry families,” said Larry Zippin, President of Blue Ridge Area Food Bank as he accepted the donation. 
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Living

REW Feature: July 4th Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello

The University of Virginia is a magnet for men and women from all parts of the globe to come to Charlottesville and often to remain here. Others come for a variety of reasons: an Internet meeting leading to marriage, a new job or fleeing a homeland that is becoming dangerous. This Independence Day will mark the 50th Fourth of July Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello—a powerful experience celebrating the ideas and ideals of the Declaration of Independence and what Thomas Jefferson termed “the great birthday of our Republic.” 

This inspiring event reminds us that we are indeed a nation of immigrants. Since 1963, more than 3,000 people from many nations have become naturalized at this memorable annual ceremony. Last year, for instance, more than 75 men and women from over 40 different nations took their Oath of Citizenship. Standing on the steps of Monticello as new Americans, their faces wearing wide smiles—and in some cases emotional tears—they created a remarkable living snapshot of our “melting pot” nation.

The ceremony is actually a court proceeding and this year’s presiding judge will be the Honorable Glen E. Conrad, Chief Judge for the United States District Court of the Western District of Virginia. The featured speaker will be gold-medal-winner Nadia Comaneci. The first Olympic gymnast to score a perfect 10, Romanian-born Comaneci became a naturalized citizen 2001. If you have never attended this memorable American moment, it is worth your while to see this testament to how culturally diverse central Virginia has become over the years. 
 
If You Go
Monticello’s grounds open at 7:00 a.m. for the 9:00 a.m. ceremony. (While the ceremony and bus are free, those wishing to take an inside tour of Monticello following the ceremony must purchase a ticket.) The staff suggests allowing an hour to park at the Visitor Center and take a shuttle bus up to the ceremony. Once you reach Monticello’s West Lawn, you will receive a program, a fan and a small American flag. Bottled water is also available and free courtesy of the Coca-Cola Company.
 
There are plenty of chairs. The Charlottesville Municipal Band, playing for our community since 1922, will perform rousing music, so be prepared for a swell of patriotism. 
 
An Interaction of Cultures
“We who live in and around Charlottesville are privileged to witness an interaction of cultures,” declares John Ince, a country property specialist for Nest Realty Group. “We see it on an international level and a local level as academics and blue collars, good ol’ boys and preppies, goths and jocks all mingle on the stage that Thomas Jefferson set so long ago. On the whole, I think we do it very well.”
 
And there is definitely a mix of people. According to the most recent U.S. Census, almost 12 percent of Charlottesville’s population—nearly one in eight—is foreign born. And this figure doesn’t even include persons born in Puerto Rico, a U.S. possession such a Guam, or persons born in another country who have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen.
 
This diversity is reflected at the University of Virginia, in city and county school classrooms, in audiences at Fridays After Five and local theaters, in many of the small businesses in our community—well, in every facet of life. One very visible example is Charlottesville’s mayor.
“It says a great deal about our community that they accept diversity,” says Satyendra S. Huja, referring to his selection as mayor early this year. A Sikh, he came from India as a 19-year-old student in 1960 to attend Cornell University where he studied architecture, psychology and city planning. He subsequently served as the City of Charlottesville Director of Planning and Community Development for 25 years and then became Director of Strategic Planning for the City of Charlottesville from 1998 to 2004.
 
Huja was naturalized 25 years ago at Monticello’s 1987 Fourth of July ceremony.  “It was wonderful,” he says of that day.  “I go back every year.”  He sees our region as enjoying an appealing environment with a mix of “physical, natural and cultural facilities that most communities don’t have,” and adds, “I think it enriches the lives of all the people when you see other cultures and ideas.”
 
Another example of our international diversity was clear at the recent graduation ceremonies from Charlottesville High School where the class treasurer was first-generation American and the salutatorian was Romanian-born. First names of the graduates included such diverse monikers as Aung, Heather, Xae-Vaun, Rakiya, Paolo, Priscilla, Isaquiel, Bridget, Byadunia, Leah, Tek, Zunaira, Emily, Ingenieur, Onaing, Emma, Saskia, Wazhma, Fakhria, Butoyi, Abigail, Quanisha, Bakar, Vishnu, Jane, Tatiana, Gawa, John, Gonpo, Amanda, DaQuan, Jacob, Watta, Rebecca and Fazel. 
 
Celebrating Diversity
Charlottesville doesn’t just have diversity, it showcases it.  One example is the Festival of Cultures held the second Saturday of May in Lee Park.  Its mission: to celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity, to build a bridge of communication between new Americans and long-time residents and invite attendees to  “travel the world in Lee Park.” 
 
“It’s a celebration of cultures, not necessarily nations,” explains festival coordinator Debra Tuler. Sponsored by the Charlottesville City Schools Adult Learning Center, this past May’s event featured dances and music ranging from Appalachian banjo tunes and cloggers to klezmer music to representative dances from Nepal, India and Mexico. 
 
Cultural exhibits included tables with arts, information and maps from such diverse countries as Bhutan, Congo, Honduras, Indonesia, Japan, Russia and Ukraine and also an exhibit about our own Buffalo Soldiers. Ethnic food was available from vendors such as Monsoon Siam, the Balkan Bistro and Meryem’s Bakery which served Turkish baklava.
 
While many American cities have a foreign “sister” city, Charlottesville has not one, but four. We have ties to Besançon (France), Pleven (Bulgaria), Poggio a Caiano (Italy) and Winneba (Ghana). 
 
“I love that we have real relationships with our sister cities,” says Charlottesville Vice Mayor Kristin Szakos enthusiastically. “Cultural and educational exchanges with Besançon and Winneba in the past year have been exciting windows into the lives of people in other parts of the world.” The sister-city program is aimed at both adults and young people, she explains. “We’re looking forward to sending our high school students to study abroad and to hosting students from our sister cities here.  In our increasingly small, globalized world, we are offering them a critical leg up in preparing for careers in almost any field.”  
 
The Big Draw
What draws people from other countries to the Charlottesville area? Olga Morse, an associate broker at Sloan Milby Real Estate Partners, was born in Puerto Rico. This made her an American citizen, but she still faced difficulties when she first came to U.S. in the mid-70s. “The first experience I had when I first came to this country, I felt like an outsider,” she recalls.  “I was trying to learn the language, but it was very difficult.”
 
Then in 1987, she came to Charlottesville, although she was apprehensive about moving to a small inland city. “To my surprise,” she says, “it was very special from the first day I came here.  It was friendly hearing people talking other languages. People were welcoming and I didn’t feel too unique.”
 
Morse definitely has a niche in her real estate business where she specializes in residential properties. “Because of its diversity, Charlottesville is a welcoming city,” she says, “and because of language I can facilitate services, especially for first-time [Spanish-speaking] home buyers.” She points out that even Spanish-speakers who are fluent in English, may be unfamiliar with the special language of real estate and they have confidence that they understand transactions in their native language.
 
Morse is also the publisher of “FORWARD-ADELANTE” a bilingual magazine with its main circulation in the greater Charlottesville area. FORWARD-ADELANTE aims to connect the English-speaking business owner with the Spanish-speaking market place and vice-versa.
AnnaMaria Bakalian, an instructor of Italian at Speak! Language Center in Charlottesville, met her New Yorker husband in Milano while he was working for an American company there.  In 1993, they returned to the U.S. but her husband’s company was bought out.  “Then 9/11 made it really hard to find another job,” she explains, “so we did some research for a place to live.” They found Fortune magazine’s article on Best Places to Live. “Charlottesville was on the top list,” she says, so they came for a visit and liked our small city.
What did they like? “The strategic location,” she states. “Not too south with storms and heavy rains. Not too north with cold and snowy winters. Close enough to an international airport and the capital. And abundances of lakes, walking trails and outdoor activities.” 
 
In addition, she says, “I see Charlottesville as very cosmopolitan. I believe the university is the pulling force of it. There are students and professors from around the world.” Although Balkalian is not now a citizen, she says, “Someday I will!” Perhaps at Monticello on a future Fourth of July?
 
Another person who felt “at home” in Charlottesville from the start is restaurateur Brice Cunningham, a U.S. citizen since 2007. Born in Paris, Cunningham lived in Tahiti for six years and along the way he learned the art of professional French cooking.
 
“There is a huge heritage of life with Thomas Jefferson and all,” he says. When he first came to the U.S., he worked at a restaurant in Washington, D.C. where he became friends with a co-worker from Charlottesville. In 2001, the two created Fleurie and later opened Petit Pois. In 2011, Cunningham’s father came from France and together they launched Tempo Restaurant on Fourth Street just off the Downtown Mall.   
 
Cunningham sees Charlottesville as “a niche city” that has more than many American cities can offer. “I can surely say I think the quality of the food is better here than in New York City,” he says. “There is a style of life here that is close to European living and it makes coming to America easier. This is a very nice place to live.” 
 
Indeed, restaurants reflect the personality of a city and Charlottesville boasts a remarkable roster for a city of its size. Often menus reflect the birthplace of foreign-born owners of eateries and our local list includes (alphabetically) Afghani, African, Balkan, Chinese, Dominican, French, German, Greek, Honduran, Indian, Jamaican, Japanese, Mediterranean, Mexican, Moroccan, Salvadoran, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese and probably a couple others.
 
Many neighborhoods, from rental apartments to condos to single-family dwellings are home to residents from a variety of countries. Neighbors have a way of getting together for block parties or potlucks in a social hall, tasting each other’s foods, watching their children playing together and learning about each others’ cultures. All of this makes the area around Charlottesville a desirable place to settle.  
 
Marilyn Pribus and her husband live in Albemarle County near Monticello. One of their daughters-in-law is a recently naturalized American citizen from Kazakhstan and Marilyn’s paternal grandparents were naturalized citizens from the Netherlands.
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Living

REW Home Finance

Choosing a financial intuition is an important decision for a young person opening their first account or for established adults moving to a new area.  The choice between a credit union, local bank or national bank can be the first decision in narrowing the field of possibilities. There are differences between these institutions that should be considered before opening a new account.

Credit unions are different from banks in a few ways.  First, a credit union is owned by its members and that ownership is based on deposits made by those members.  Second, credit unions are not-for-profit cooperatives that are created for the benefit of their membership. Banks, on the other hand, are owned by their investors or shareholders, who may or may not conduct personal business with the bank.  Banks are “for profit” entities that are created for the benefit of their investors or shareholders.  The higher profits that a credit union could make if they were a bank are instead allocated to either paying higher interest rates on deposits, charging lower rates on loans, lower fees or a little of all of these.

Credit unions have membership requirements, which may include working for a particular employer or living in a certain geographical area.  Banks, however, are able to provide their services to more individuals, which in turn has allowed them to become much larger in size.  Banks can vary in size and locations, from Wells Fargo with their coast-to-coast reach to Union Bank, which is largely located in Virginia.
Banks tend to provide more options than most credit unions in terms of the financial products and services that they offer.  National banks offer more locations, so if one travels a lot or plans to move, there are fewer headaches in setting up new accounts, changing bill pays and waiting on new checks.  Banks also tend to lead in the online service department, which has helped them attract customers as more and more banking has moved online.
All banks are not created equal and there are some differences between national banks and local banks.  National banks are catering to the national populace and fees that might be acceptable in one location may seem steep in another.  National banks also tend to be highly stringent to policies and less likely to bend to meet customers’ needs.  Local banks, however, understand the environment of the community they serve and can tailor their policies to more closely meet the needs of its customers.  In addition, community banks also tend to make decisions at the local level for approving loans or credit applications than a national bank, which may send the application to a regional hub for processing.
The recession and credit crisis are still fresh in our minds and for some there still may be a lingering feeling of uncertainty when depositing money into any financial institution.  For instance, some people may wonder what happens if the credit union or bank goes bankrupt?  The Federal government guarantees up to $250,000 of coverage on deposits.  Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) covers the banks’ deposits, while the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) covers credit unions’ deposits.
When thinking about which type of financial institution to use, there are many issues to consider, such as convenience of locations and ATMs, value of financial products, list of services and fee structure.  Figure out how much weight you wish to give each characteristic as it relates to your needs.  Like many things in life, you may not want to put all your eggs in one basket, but rather choose more than one financial institution to give you the best of both worlds.

 

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Arts

Arts Extra: Heritage Theatre Fest’s 1776 makes the history current

Heritage Theatre Festival’s 1776 is like a long version “School House Rock” episode on the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But be warned, you may learn more history than just the late 18th Century in this well produced, solidly directed, and keenly performed production. The timeless theme of a dysfunctional Congress is broadened by social concerns of the era of the show’s origin and the coordination of HTF’s production with the 250th anniversary of the city of Charlottesville.

 

 

John Adams (Roger DeWitt, left) and Ben Franklin (Evan Bridenstine, right) discuss how to convince a reluctant Congress to vote for independence in Heritage Theatre Festival’s production of 1776. (photo by Mike Bailey)

 

The show begins on a warm day in May of 1776 as the Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia. A frustrated John Adams (Roger E. Dewitt) who is itching to start a revolution against a tyrannical King George III, grouses about the delegations’ lack of cooperation. These guys can’t even resolve whether or not the windows should be open or shut. (Good thing our current representatives function better, right?) It is during the opening number, “Sit Down, John” that creator’s Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards hint that this play is far from a reverent homage to our founding fathers. In fact the beauty of 1776 is that it gives the modern audience a glimpse of the egos, agendas, bargains and bribing indicative of governing bodies. The negotiation process is so well orchestrated in the script that even though the audience is certain of the ending, one is emotionally engaged in the twists and turns of the action.

In its day, 1776 was also a platform for instigating conversations about issues that were relevant in 1969, such as the peace movement, the sexual revolution, and  the civil rights struggle. Today’s contemporary elements emerge via debates about war vs. peace, a silly amount of bedroom jokes and a poignant song, gorgeously rendered by actor Jonathan Elliott Coarsay as Edward Rutledge of South Carolina, about the evils of the slave trade.

Though Virginia pride may have been a slight influence in securing the affections of the audience, Matt Joslyn’s good ol’ boy, Richard Henry Lee, and Joshua Miller’s Thomas Jefferson were definitely crowd favorites. Under the skilled guidance of director Robert Chapel both men are depicted as viral and talented, symbols of Virginia’s important role in the Independence movement. Hoots and hollers from the audience punctuated Joslyn’s vigorous rendition of “The Lees of Old Virginia” (performed in flawless Virginia accent) while Joshua Miller’s tall, calm, collected Jefferson was a pleasing contrast to DeWitt’s appropriately agitating Adams.

The production is lovely with Tom Bloom’s clean, classic set, Dorothy Smith’s distinguished costumes, gorgeous lighting by R. Lee Kennedy (no relation to the Virginia Lees) combined with Chapel’s capable direction and spot-on musical Direction by Greg Harris. The one flaw of the show and this production is a poorly choreographed dance number during what seems to be a pointless song, “He Plays the Violin.” The song neither adds to the action nor establishes anything important about any of the characters DeWitt and Evan Bridenstine (Benjamin Franklin) take turns dancing couples style (quite out of fashion during the late 1700’s) with beautiful actress, Marija Reiff (Martha Jefferson) who lacks grace and was flat on the final note of the song. Despite this annoyance, the rest of the show is wonderful. Particularly moving is the sweet chemistry and strong song deliveries between Amaree Cluff (Abigail Adams) and DeWitt.

1776 is an entertaining way for all generations to celebrate our local, national heritage and brush up on American History. And who knows, maybe even inspire a conversation or two about our political system and how we as “The People” might like it to work.

C-VILLE Arts Beat: Top Picks for June 28-July 2

Friday 6/29 
Single man 
Pop-rock singer Eric Hutchinson’s Mraz-like smooth voice brought him early success and a lot of swooning fans. He self-released his first album, That Could’ve Gone Better, and hit it big via iTunes, making the single “Rock and Roll” a fan favorite. And then there are those lemmings who discovered him on The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 soundtrack. His new album, Moving Up, Living Down, looks to be another hit with “Watching You Watch Him” downloading up the charts. Whether singing about the big man on campus or losing a lover, Hutchinson brings skilled songwriting and heart to his songs. $15, 9pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 245-4980.

 
Rock and roll heartthrob, Eric Hutchinson, brings his infectious, rhythmic tunes to the Jefferson on Friday. (Photo by Jeff lipsky)

Friday 6/29 
Taking flight 
With a name that begs questions, Futurebirds emerge from Athens, Georgia. The band caught industry attention at SXSW and Bonnaroo this year for its psychedelic twist on country, and “cavernous harmonies” crafted by four vocalists laden with high-energy, reverb-infused instrumentals. The latest EP, Via Flamina, highlights the soaring twang that makes the band an aural experience worth having. Sarah White and White Violet open. $10, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. 977-5590. 

Thursday-Monday 6/28-7/2 
Staging a revolution 
Now that summer has thrown open its emerald doors, what could be a more classic portent of its presence than elongated days, hordes of mosquitoes, and summer theater festivals? This year, UVA’s Heritage Theatre Festival carries on despite the construction to the Caplin Theatre, and offers a single musical, the classic 1776. In keeping with the city’s yearlong Celebrate!250 festivities, the musical, inspired by letters and memoirs of the Founding Fathers themselves, chronicles the perilous first steps away from foreign rule, taken by Philadelphia’s Second Continental Congress. $15-40, 7:30pm and 2pm on June 30. Culbreth Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. 924-3376. 

Categories
News

The Pols: Politics' top players

The Pols
The political game always heats up in a presidential election year, but it’s fixin’ to boil over this time around. Virginia is being touted as an important battleground state in the Obama/Romney duel, but we’ve also got a crucial U.S. Senate race underway. The Commonwealth’s seats of political power may be in Richmond, Norfolk, and NoVa, but some of its deepest pockets—on both sides of the aisle—reside in this part of the state and these days you can’t even get in the election game at any level without a fistful of dollars. Local political leaders double as important fundraisers for statewide and national candidates, and don’t think they won’t be joining the fray with the stakes as high as they are right now.

 

David Toscano (Photo by John Robinson)

1. David Toscano
State Representative, 57th District; Virginia House of Delegates Minority Leader
 Up until last year, David Toscano was an extremely popular local politician with a successful law practice, and a major force in Charlottesville’s Democratic power structure. But when he accepted the position of House Minority Leader in the fall of 2011, he took on the role of ideological leader for the state’s blue power movement on the eve of a crucial election year. Historically, Toscano has brought a litigator’s mind to the Assembly floor and pushed hard for stuff that his constituents wanted. With a statewide audience, he’s had to become a more outspoken foil to Governor Bob McDonnell’s political steamroller on social issues like reproductive rights and health care. It’s also worth mentioning that Llezelle Dugger, a political protégé who got her start in his law office, became the Charlottesville Clerk of Court. Might not sound like a big deal, but politics is all about growing an organization and that’s just what Toscano has done for the past 22 years.

2. Richard Baxter Gilliam
GOP donor
As we mentioned before, candidates need money to win elections, and when GOP candidates need money in our part of the world, they knock on Richard Baxter Gilliam’s door. Between 2010 and 2012, the Keswick resident gave a whopping $437,500 to state Republicans, including $10,000 to Ken Boyd for his reelection run last year and $125,000 to Governor McDonnell’s Opportunity Virginia PAC. In 2010, he gave at least $250,000 to Republican strategist Karl Rove’s American Crossroads, a nonprofit organization “dedicated to renewing America’s commitment to individual liberty.”

Gilliam lives in a lavish residence, enjoys buying properties with links to Civil War history, and owes his considerable wealth to King Coal. He founded Cumberland Resources Corp., one of the largest privately held coal producers in the United States, in Abingdon, and later sold his company to Massey Energy for $960 million.

3. Ken Boyd
Albemarle County Supervisor (Rivanna District)
 Ken Boyd is the unapologetic voice for business and development in Albemarle County. And while the battle over the 29 Bypass isn’t over yet, his ability to wrangle with the McDonnell administration to revive the deal and the subsequent scramble to line up the swing vote he needed to get it passed are a testament to his powers of persuasion.

Boyd, who started his career in politics as a concerned parent in 1999, understands how to apply Tip O’Neill’s famous “politics is local” mantra to a tee, and the Rivanna District he represents will be a major destination for campaign fundraisers this year. Boyd withstood a fierce and expensive re-election campaign against challenger Cynthia Neff last year, so he’ll be around for a while longer to see his development plan for the 29N corridor take shape. The only thing in his way? Chris Dumler beat Lindsay Dorrier and Boyd doesn’t have the votes to push an agenda.

4. Sonjia Smith
Democratic donor
 Sonjia Smith has been a major donor to local and Congressional candidates in Virginia, and unlike Richard Baxter Gilliam, Smith bleeds blue. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, she’s steered $69,200 of her and her hedge fund manager husband’s money directly to Virginia Democrats in the past two years. Those who have benefitted from her largesse include Tom Perriello, Eric Cantor’s 2010 challenger Rick Waugh, David Toscano, and Ken Boyd-challenger Cynthia Neff.

Smith’s local influence doesn’t stop at political donations, either. As a past or current member of the boards of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, the Legal Aid Justice Center, and UVA’s College of Arts and Sciences, she’s put her stamp on Charlottesville’s nonprofit scene. Favored causes include women’s rights and teen education, and she’s poured a lot of time and funding into Planned Parenthood and the Child Health Advocacy Program.

A Wahoo through and through, Smith received both her bachelor’s and law degrees from UVA (she practiced law for six years before retiring when her first son was born). Her husband, Michael D. Bills, is the founder and president of Bluestem Asset Management, LLC. and the chairman of the board and director of local news nonprofit Charlottesville Tomorrow.

Chris Dumler (Photo by John Robinson)

5. Chris Dumler
Albemarle County Supervisor
 Democrat Chris Dumler became the youngest Albemarle County Supervisor ever elected when he took 54 percent of the vote in the Scottsville District last year. Now 27, the Atlanta native is quietly making a name for himself in local politics.

Dumler graduated from Georgia Tech in 2006 with a chemical and biomolecular engineering degree, and received his JD from UVA’s School of Law in 2009. He’s also an Army JAG officer and part-owner of a new Scottsville brewery.

He got his start in politics running campaigns for local Democrats, and ultimately decided to run for office himself when his predecessor, longtime Supe Lindsay Dorrier, announced he wouldn’t run again in 2011. Dumler won his seat the old-fashioned way, knocking on nearly every door in his district, and he’s since gone from tireless candidate to shrewd politician. He’s put an emphasis on land preservation and appears ready to breathe life into the fight against the all-but-inevitable Western Bypass.

That puts him squarely at odds with No. 3 above—and we’re looking forward to seeing how the battle plays out.

IF I HAD THE POWER…

Sarad Davenport (Photo by John Robinson)

Sarad Davenport
Director of City of Promise, age 32
“If I had the power, I would make service the standard by which people’s lives were judged. I would make self-sacrificial love an expected norm in all interpersonal relations. Hatred would be frowned upon and mutual respect would be commonplace. We as a human community would operate in the renowned ideal that ‘All men [people] are created equal.’

It is this framework that, I believe, would allow us to see the inherent value in all humanity. It would be visible in the workplace, the marketplace, and the classroom, and in our daily interactions with those who are different. Our approach would be to seek to understand rather than to fundamentally change—to authentically listen, and then to speak.

I have to admit that this assignment left me quite perplexed for some time. My faith tradition reminds me that I have the power to move mountains, but what I speak of can be done only through a power much greater. Though I acknowledge this is somewhat of a Utopian ideal that may be considered unrealistic to many, it does not prevent me from operating in it and living it—however flawed the attempt —on a daily basis.

In essence, my attitude towards political power boils down to the Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity: ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ This maxim could be applied to education reform, human rights, and geopolitics. If I had the power to change the paradigm, which I do, self-sacrificial service and love would be model human attributes and the recognition of our equality would be evidenced in how we speak to and treat one another.”

Categories
Arts

“Hollywood Wives,” “Anger Management,” “Weeds”

 “Hollywood Exes”
Wednesday 9pm, VH1
VH1 has found its latest niche in super-trashy versions of Bravo’s “Real Housewives” franchises. There’s “Basketball Wives” and its Los Angeles-based spin-off; “Mob Wives” and its Chicago spin-off (and another spin-off in the wings for fan favorite Big Ang); and now this series that follows the lives of a bunch of ex-wives of legitimately famous people. They would be Mayte Garcia, ex-wife of Prince (and former paramour of Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee); Andrea Kelly, ex-wife of R. Kelly; Sheree Fletcher, ex-wife of Will Smith; Nicole Murphy, ex-wife of Eddie Murphy; and Jessica Canseco, ex-wife of Jose Canseco. Most of the aforementioned men are delightfully scandalicious, so here’s hoping some of these ladies unpack the skeletons you just know are in their closets.

“Anger Management”
Thursday 9pm and 9:30pm, FX
Generally appalling human being Charlie Sheen continues his 987th professional comeback with this new sitcom in which he plays—wait for it—a guy named Charlie. Specifically a guy named Charlie who used to be a professional baseball player whose once-promising career was derailed by his temper (shades of Major League, anyone?). Now, he’s an unconventional therapist specializing in anger-management issues, and the show follows his sessions with assorted patients. The setup sounds perfectly serviceable, but I find it hard to divorce my feelings about Sheen and his reprehensible tiger-warlock-whatever behavior. How is it right that this guy, who should practically list relationship demolition expert on his resume, continues to get regular gigs while more talented actors who don’t have an ounce of Sheen’s personal baggage feast on acting scraps? Speaking of actors making due, poor Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions) and Shawnee Smith (the Saw franchise) are involved here.

“Weeds”
Sunday 10pm, Showtime
After eight seasons it’s time to say goodbye to Nancy Botwin and her drug-dealing family, and in truth it’s probably about two seasons too late. Season 7 ended on a massive cliffhanger, with the lead character (played by always-terrific Mary-Louise Parker) raising a toast to her newly reunited family, only for a sniper to interrupt with his bullet. Who got shot is being kept under wraps, but the five lead characters all seem to be coming back, so that should tell you something. My hope is that before it goes up in smoke (awful; fire me), the show finally admits what it’s been teasing us with its entire run: Nancy Botwin has a death wish, and she will not stop screwing up other people’s lives until someone finally puts her out of her misery.

Categories
Arts

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World; R, 94 minutes; Regal Downtown Mall 6

Keira Knightley and Steve Carell have no future in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. (Focus Features)

What do we know from movies about the apocalypse? Obviously not very much, or else they wouldn’t keep repeating it. This might suggest some existential panic, but a case could be made that variation on the theme is inherently hopeful. Human extinction might well be both inevitable and deserved, for instance, but why shouldn’t the prospect also be funny and romantic? Seeking a Friend for the End of the World says that maybe it should.

This is a movie about what happens when, with armageddon at hand and nothing better left to do, two lost souls take a road trip, toward each other. Dodge is a forlorn, tastefully sweatered, spousally abandoned American insurance salesman of middle age, played by Steve Carell. His young English neighbor Penny, played by Keira Knightley, is a quasi-exotic free spirit, and as much a readymade fetish object as the collected vinyl records she conspicuously cherishes. With only dire straits in common, Penny and Dodge may, yet, teach each other bittersweet things about how to live on severe deadline.

It begins promisingly, with the end duly announced. Life-obliterating asteroid en route, last ditch aversion effort failed (there was a space shuttle called “Deliverance,” but it didn’t make it), little left to do but wait. And like the song says, the waiting is the hardest part. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is the sort of movie for which the awareness of a song having said something becomes more important than the effort to say something else. Maybe that’s typical for Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist screenwriter Lorene Scafaria, here making her directorial debut and again imposing music appreciation as both a characterization crutch and a lure for audiences amenable to sentimental movies putting on snappy indie airs.

Standing pigeon-toed in her Converse, chin-length hair gently crimped, eyes warm and wet with tears half the time, Knightley looks lovely and precious. She’s throwing her heart into this, but her bag-of-tricks acting needs more rigorous direction. Carell meanwhile carries his straitlaced, suburban chic with dapper aplomb, but his reliance on wistful, hangdog humor smacks of calculation. It’s intentionally funny when another character takes Dodge for an assassin, on account of the latter’s “vague way” and “detached look,” but the laugh feels more like a shiver; Carell’s deadpan appeals for empathy sometimes seem almost sociopathic.

Other actors come and go, in the way people do from our lives: peculiarly, sometimes vividly, often too quickly. It’s still the Dodge and Penny show. Like all romantic movie leads, they’re audience projection receptors, soaking up our pangs of regret about missed chances and our yearnings for some fuck-it-all escape.

Scafaria compensates for clunky plot advancement with scenery variation. As glib, remorseless chuckles give way to genuine heartstring tugs, the movie drags. Hey, maybe that’s a genre coup: Does it count as apocalypse aversion when the end is not nigh enough?