Author: c-ville-weekly-readers

Entitlement issues

I want to object to the title of the March 11 cover story, “Charlottesville’s new homeless.” The problem of low-income people and high rents is not unique to the City. It is a problem shared by our entire area and it cannot be solved by the City alone.

The article states that there are 613 housing units in the city where poor people can use Section 8 vouchers, but only 458 in Albemarle County, which has twice the population of Charlottesville. The City has more than 1,000 people on the waiting list for Section 8 rental assistance, while the County has only 475…because (and you have to look in a sidebar for this) the County has closed its waiting list, indicating that it has no intention of even trying to meet the need in the foreseeable future.

The County is, by every statistical measure, wealthier than the City and imposes a lower tax burden on its residents. Thus, the County can far better afford to do something about this problem than the City. Yet your article, by continuing to refer to our community as “Charlottesville,” seems to imply that homelessness is the responsibility of the City only. The City is already shouldering most of the burden for the entire area. I wonder how many of the 1,000 people on Charlottesville’s waiting list came from the surrounding counties?

It really hurts to see, everywhere I go, the C-VILLE cover referring to “this so-called world-class city.” I’m proud of the effort my city makes for low-income folks. Charlottesville is a world-class city. Albemarle County, on the other hand, deserves the Marie Antoinette award for its efforts on behalf of the poor.

Elizabeth Kutchai

Charlottesville

 

High costs

Thank you for tackling an issue that I have wondered about for many years. I’ve been coming to Charlottesville since I was 6, and have lived here since 2000. Over the past 17 years, I have seen the city change dramatically, and the high cost of living and increase in homeless people has always had me feeling a bit confused about what was happening in this town.

When I was laid off from my first job in Charlottesville, I was faced with finding a job, and not finding many decently salaried positions, I wondered how people making less than $10 an hour were expected to make it in this town. I was fortunate enough to find a good job, but so many have not. Hopefully your article will turn on the lights for many in this town. Just because we have wealthy people living in this town should not dictate the standards of living for everyone else. How many people make a millionaire’s salary in this town, or in this state (and increasingly, this country)?

Eleanor Takseraas

Charlottesville

 

Smells like team spirit

“Winning isn’t everything….” That’s a truism I’ll use as a counterpoint to Mark Saunders’ suggestion that UVA women’s basketball coach Debbie Ryan should move on [RePlay, February 25].

His focus is on the win-loss criterion. Mine isn’t. Winning is exhilarating. My wife an I were in New Orleans when the Lady Cavs lost in overtime to Pat Summitt’s University of Tennessee. Heady days with Dawn Staley, the Burges and Tammie Reiss. (Unfortunately, as with football and men’s basketball, seasons of natural prominence set up expectations of the “next level” that have plagued these UVA programs).

Of course, 10 years later, the league has caught up with UVA. Wins here have decreased, but the esprit de corps and sense of fun on Debbie’s teams haven’t. For me, that has been an important part of my appreciation of UVA women’s basketball. I have no doubt this is a reflection of the coach’s personality and the assistants and players she attracts.

There’s no doubt that when you see Tennessee and Connecticut play it’s basketball at a higher level. Those teams play so tight and tough, one can’t help wondering about coaching disparities. But, when I ask myself if I would trade for the frightening Pat Summitt and her fearsome style, it’s no contest.

When put to the test (the above or Saunders’ complaint), winning is not No. 1. Loyalty and other values mean much more to me.

 

Jim Barns

Charlottesville

 

Family planning

I want to thank you for your coverage of The Parent Center, Inc.’s recent developments and Family & School Connections initiative (“Raising awareness,” Kids, March 4). We have been pleased by the many opportunities to work collaboratively with schools, community and parent groups to strengthen the critical relationships between home and school.

I would like to note some minor corrections to the article and clarify a few points:

*This year, TPC has an ongoing relationship with Charlottesville’s Burnley-Moran Elementary School.

*We have deeply appreciated receiving early financial support from Charlottesville-Albemarle Community Foundation.

*We have been working with United Way’s Information and Referral to address parent and family needs for easily accessible and user-friendly information and resources. This working relationship has specifically addressed the development and feasibility of “Parent Wizards,” community-based computer kiosks.

*In April we look forward to partnering with Stone-Robinson PTO to provide parent and teacher workshops for the community.

In closing, I want to thank your newspaper for your ongoing coverage and support of the many diverse children, family and school initiatives in our area.

 

Miriam Rushfinn

Director, The Parent Center, Inc.

North Garden

 

Correction

Due to an unfortunate incident involving her broadcast-sensitive dental fillings, Kathryn E. Goodson misidentified the public radio station whose “Radio IQ” programming she mightily admired in last week’s InReview/Media. It is WVTF, not WVPT as reported. Additionally, Goodson stated that until WVTF began broadcasting it, “This American Life” could not be heard in Charlottesville. In fact, it is broadcast for two hours per week on NPR-affiliate WMRA. In light of these errors, we have endeavored to replace Goodson’s aluminum crown with real gold and expect no similar miscommunications to occur.