Buy in
Two first-time homebuyers in Crozet celebrated with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville on March 16.
Katrena Cooper and Tanjah Wheeler are still closing on their homes, but they enjoyed meeting their new neighbors and soaking in the sunny weather during the afternoon celebration.
“It means a lot to me to be closer to one of my dreams of being a homeowner,” said Wheeler. “I’m looking forward to meeting new people, good people. And I’m also looking forward to just letting my son come outside and play.”
Achieving homeownership has been a long process for Cooper and Wheeler, who thanked their support systems, families, and Habitat for helping them through the process.
“I would like to give a special shoutout to my kids for sticking by me,” said Cooper. “I just want to thank God. I can’t wait to get in and get settled, and get to know my new neighbors.”
Rising home prices in Crozet have made affordable housing more and more scarce in that part of Albemarle County.
“Crozet has changed a lot … as it’s changed it has become less accessible to people, to working-class folks in the community, and so we’re really grateful to be part of the solution to making sure that Crozet continues to be a place where people from all walks of life can move,” said Habitat President and CEO Dan Rosensweig. “We need to keep pushing, and we need to make sure that when there are new homes built in Crozet there are also opportunities for Habitat families and other folks of more limited means.”
Longshot
March Madness is officially here, with three Virginia teams headed to the big dance.
On Friday, March 22, 12-seed James Madison and 16-seed Longwood will vye for upset victories over Wisconsin and Houston, respectively. While the Bleacher Report predicts the Dukes will beat the Badgers, few are optimistic that the Lancers will pull off a win against the No. 1-seed Cougars.
Though considered a contender for the NCAA tournament by many, Virginia Commonwealth University missed out on Selection Sunday after losing to Duquesne in the March 17 Atlantic 10 tournament.
The University of Virginia has to play its way into March Madness in a First Four matchup against Colorado State after a devastating March 15 overtime loss to surprise ACC tournament-winner North Carolina State.
At press time, the Hoos hadn’t hit the court for their 9:10pm tipoff on March 19, but several sports analysts predict UVA will drop the ball.
Ed. note: UVA lost to Colorado State in their March 19 game.
In with the new
A longstanding Corner business is changing faces: Ellie’s Country Club opens this week, on Thursday, March 21, at the former location of The Biltmore. UVA graduate and Virginian Restaurant Company manager Ashley Major purchased The Biltmore earlier this year, and told The Daily Progress she plans to revive the Corner mainstay’s live music. The Biltmore, which closed in December, was a popular student spot for more than 30 years.
Ceasefire vote
Charlottesville City Council voted down a resolution on March 18 that would have required council to formally call for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The resolution, drafted by the Charlottesville Jewish Organizing Collective with support from other faith-based and community organizations, was supported by a petition with more than 1,300 signatures. Most of the public commenters at the City Council meeting were in favor of council formally calling for a ceasefire, but council members were split 2-3 in their vote, with Natalie Oschrin and Michael Payne voting yes.
20 years later
A jury found 39-year-old Albemarle County resident Kevin Moore guilty of murdering Jesse Hicks, a crime that had gone unsolved for 20 years. Hicks, a trucker, went missing in 2004, and his remains were found a decade later on property owned by Moore’s family. According to The Daily Progress, jurors took just two hours to convict Moore and recommend a sentence of 28 years. Moore’s father, Glenn Spradlin, was painted by both the prosecution and defense as the instigator of the murder. While Spradlin was also arrested and charged, he died of cancer a year before the trial.
Ed. note: An earlier version of this story misrepresented the amount of City Council meeting attendees in favor of a proposed resolution calling for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Palestine. C-VILLE regrets the error.