Welcome home
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville celebrated the area’s newest homeowner, Binta Rose, with a dedication ceremony on October 12. The four-bedroom house was built by Habitat in 2016, repurchased at market value, and renovated for the Rose family.
Rose, who works at the University of Virginia Student Health and Wellness Center, is a longtime Charlottesville resident. After the death of her son Rahmean Rose-Thurston in a motorcycle accident in 2020, Rose lost her rented home and moved in with family. Her sister, also a Habitat homeowner, encouraged her to apply to the program.
Moving forward with the purchase of the home was a difficult decision for Rose and her family, with the site of her son’s fatal accident close by. “Even when I didn’t think it was time for me to take [the house in the] Burnet [neighborhood], I think God said, ‘No Binta, it’s time for you now,’” she told Habitat ahead of the dedication. “God gave me the strength to pick me up. I feel like I could write a book about how I overcame so many obstacles in my life that tried to stop me or knock me down and I got back up.”
Get out the vote
The U.S. Department of Justice sued the state of Virginia on October 11 for violating the National Voter Registration Act. The suit is a response to an August 7 executive order by Gov. Glenn Youngkin that calls for daily updates to voter registration lists through comparison with Department of Motor Vehicles data identifying non-citizens. The DOJ suit alleges Youngkin’s EO violates the “quiet period” provision of the act, which prohibits systematic purging of voter rolls within 90 days of federal elections. Youngkin responded to the suit, calling it an attempt by the Biden-Harris administration to undermine election integrity.
Care package
Region Ten has received a one-time $3 million grant from the Youngkin administration, according to an October 14 press release. The funding is part of a larger Right Help, Right Now initiative investing in emergency room alternatives. The nonprofit plans to use the funds to expand services at its Crisis Receiving Center at the Region Ten Old Lynchburg Road campus.
’Tis the season
With Halloween around the corner, it’s not only spooky season, but flu season, too! The Blue Ridge Health District is offering free vaccinations on October 16 from 5 to 7pm at Charlottesville High School. Vaccines are available on a first-come, first-served basis for those ages 3 years old and up. More information about upcoming vaccination clinics can be found at vdh.virginia.gov/blue-ridge.