Author: Caite Hamilton

Caite has been at C-VILLE since 2007, when she started as a part-time proofreader. Over the last 16 years, she's held the positions of Online Editor and Special Sections Editor. Currently the Magazine Editor of C-VILLE, Caite oversees content in special issues and special publications (ABODE, Knife & Fork, C-VILLE Weddings, and Best of C-VILLE).

CAAR releases mid-year market report

The Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors (CAAR) released its mid-year market report today and, well, it’s still not looking good. CAAR CEO Dave Phillips calls the market "sluggish."

According to the report, sales from January to June 2008 were down 27.5 percent from the first half of 2007, which is the same percentage behind 2007 as this year’s first quarter report showed. Altogether, Phillips says, "This is the lowest number of sales reported in the MLS for the first quarter since 2001"—though to be fair, 2001 was considered a banner year at the time.

Phillips points out, as he has for a while now, that this is a great market for first-time buyers. Currently, there are 744 homes for sale under $200,000 (a return of affordable housing?), with the average DOM (days on market) at 134. Phillips says this is still a buyer’s market, "so sellers will need to price their properties aggressively to beat the average DOM."

Looking specifically at Charlottesville, the price per square foot is holding steady, though condo/townhome sales continue to fall and average days on market has jumped to 120 from 69 during the first half of last year. As for Albemarle, median home prices went up to $320,200 from $309,000 even though price per square foot fell. Average DOM jumped to 115 from 91.


First time buying a home? Don’t worry, says CAAR CEO Dave Phillips. The market’s in your favor.

I-64 shooter gets…detention?

The 16-year-old involved in the March shootings on I-64 will not spend the next five years in jail, as originally planned, NBC29 reported today. Instead, he’ll be held in detention.

At Blue Ridge Detention Center, the teen will be able to focus on character development and transitioning back into society, which the judge felt would be more beneficial for him. During the six-month program, the minor will participate in check-ups every 30 days to keep everyone involved updated on his progress, as well as meet face-to-face with victims of the shootings.

The case is now closed, NBC reports, but the juvenile must still pay upwards of $12,000 in restitution fees. His companion in the shootings, 19-year-old Slade Allen Woodson, has, in total, 21 charges against him and is currently awaiting his plea hearing, which is set for July 14.

Categories
News

Scottsville streetscape off schedule, over budget

The name of the game is “Second Chances.” The contestant? Nearby Scottsville, one of a slew of cities across Virginia trying to revamp its downtown area in the hope of attracting more tourists. Broken into two phases, the streetscape project is nearing the end of Phase I, which includes Valley Street and a small portion of Main Street. Still, though, Phase I is nearly a year off schedule and $200,000 over budget.

Why? Scottsville Mayor Steve Phipps says that, essentially, there weren’t enough cooks in the kitchen. “The utility company had other jobs going on, and so did the contractors. There were a couple months where nothing was going on downtown,” he says.

So far, the project’s price tag is about $921,000, says town administrator Clark Draper. The money, which came from federal grants as well as private donations, was spent burying power lines, installing storm drains and street lamps, and landscaping.

But the stalled construction left roads unpaved and uninviting. Some local businesses—like Minor’s Diner and the James River Store—closed after the streetscaping began.

A tale of time and money: A year off schedule, the Scottsville streetscape revisions are $200,000 over budget going into Phase II.

“It was rough, dirty, nasty,” says Mark Stevens, owner of Coleman’s Outdoors. “People aren’t going to come around if they don’t have a place to park.” Stevens considers himself one of the “lucky ones,” since he has a parking lot behind his business. But a lot weren’t so lucky. Hollis Lumpkin, whose mother, Virginia, owns Lumpkin’s Restaurant, says, “There were a lot of businesses that, after the dust settled…weren’t there.”

Phase II was recently approved, bringing in $800,000 in federal grants administered by the Virginia Department of Transportation and an extra $392,000 from Virgil Goode, who put an earmark in the Federal Highway Bill for the project.

“Federal grants provide 80 percent and then we have to match it with 20 percent,” Phipps says. “We’re one of the few towns that are working to complete the project. Many can’t raise the money privately; they can’t make the 20 percent match.” The East Main Street project is expected to cost $1.2 million, which is still not enough money to bury power lines.

“We’re not doing the extensive work on East Main Street, just visual enhancements,” Draper says.

This sounds promising to some, but most business owners still aren’t looking forward to the project’s second go-round. “[The new lamps] look nice,” Lumpkin says, “but they’re lighting vacant storefronts.”

C-VILLE welcomes news tips from readers. Send them to news@c-ville.com.

Webb to remain in U.S. Senate

Jim Webb will not be a candidate for vice president, he revealed in a press release today. "I entered elective politics because of my commitment to strengthen America’s national security posture," he says, "…and I am convinced that my efforts and talents toward those ends are best served in the Senate."

He will, however, continue to support Senator Barack Obama. Calling Obama a "man who speaks eloquently about our national goals," Webb says he’ll still campaign for the presidential candidate.

Senator Webb’s recent achievements most notably include the passing of a GI Bill to increase college aid to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the Senate. In the press release, Webb says that the Senate’s ability to address citizens’ concerns seems promising, and he’s committed to future successes.

Governor Tim Kaine released a statement shortly after Webb’s press release in support of the Senator’s decision. "It is good news for Virginia that he will continue to represent the Commonwealth," he says. "…His service to Virginia and to the country has been invaluable."


Senator Jim Webb says he’s sticking with the Senate to "promote economic fairness and to increase government accountability."

Go online for UVA arts

As part of its "Campaign for the Arts" promotion to improve the study of the arts, the University of Virginia launched a new website today.

The website, which the University created in collaboration with its various arts departments, the UVA Art Museum, the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, the School of Architecture and the Strategic Communications group in Public Affairs, plans to feature stories of UVA faculty and staff contributing to the campaign in myriad ways. Currently, the site has profiles of Jonathan Green, a 2007 drama department graduate, art history graduate student Christopher Oliver, music Ph.D. recipient Mary Simonson and the director of the dance program, Rose Beauchamp.

The "Campaign for the Arts" goals are also featured on the website, among them a new building for the UVA Art Museum, completion of the Culbreth Theatre addition and more funding for faculty, fellowships and scholarships.

Also in the works is a new Drama Building that, actually, has been in the works since before the "Campaign" was launched. C-VILLE reported on the building’s delay back in 2006, after a donation from donor Carl Smith was put "on hold."

Get yer free tickets for Dubya at the Little Mountain

Monticello announced today that approximately 1,000 free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to its July 4 celebration and Naturalization Ceremony beginning Wednesday, July 2. As reported last week that President George W. Bush is slated to participate in the event, taking the place of its original speaker, filmmaker Ken Burns, and taking up space with hordes of security.

The free (a.k.a. first available, since all the tickets to the event are free) tickets will only be distributed to adults ages 18 years and older for the 10am event, but anyone can attend the ceremony, according to the press release. No one can get in without a ticket, which is available at the Monticello Visitor Center building. Of course, retrieving a ticket means giving up your right to bring an umbrella (there’s a 40 percent chance of rain on Friday, folks), bottled or canned beverages and signs of any kind to the event, among other things. (This last bit is especially ironic being that Mr. Jefferson, the house’s original occupant and the third president of this scrappy little nation, was a staunch defender of free speech. But we digress…)

Early bird ticketholders will be shuttled by bus from Piedmont Virginia Community College to Monticello beginning at 6:15am Friday, the morning of the ceremony.

Those interested can nab tickets as early as 7am on Wednesday morning from the Monticello Visiter Center building, located on Route 20 just south of I-64. But if you’re not willing to get up that early, wait a few minutes—soon they’ll be paying you to take them.

A thousand points of lite: Tickets to hear President Bush expound on the rights of citizenship at Monticello’s 46th annual Naturalization Ceremony event will be distributed starting at 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

No indictments in Dawson shooting

The investigation into a March 28 officer-related shooting—which is connected to the shootings on I-64—has been concluded, Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney Denise Lunsford announced today, and no charges will be filed.

At around 4:38am on March 28, the State Police Tactical team and the Albemarle County Tactical Unit executed a search warrant at 6740 Yonder Hill Rd. in Crozet, where Slade Allen Woodson—the 19-year-old charged with 17 felony counts in connection to the shootings on I-64—and his underage companion were believed to be staying.

After identifying themselves multiple times, the teams entered the home and found Edgar Dawson holding a revolver. Afraid he would shoot, Albemarle County Officer Michael Easton fired two shots. Dawson suffered chest and arm wounds and was taken to UVA Hospital. Though Dawson’s gun also discharged during the incident, Officer Easton was not injured.

Lunsford has decided, after reviewing the facts of the investigation, not to seek indictments against Dawson or Easton.


Commonwealth’s Attorney Denise Lunsford will not pursue charges in the Crozet shooting connected to the apprehension of alleged I-64 shooter Slade Allen Woodson, above.

Let it shine [April 17]

A gathering at UVA’s McIntire Amphitheater yesterday proved that, while there will always exist a rivalry between the University and Virginia Tech on the football field or basketball court, the two institutions are simpatico. The first anniversary of the shootings at Tech were commemorated by a memorial service that featured speeches by Student Council President Matt Schrimper and Patricia Lampkin, vice president for student affairs. “It was a tragedy not in some far-off spot of the world or unknown area of the country, but one that involved, for many of us, people we knew and a place that we knew,” said Lampkin, according to UVA Today. A capella groups the Academical Village People and the Virginia Belles performed, and student John McDowell sang an original song titled “Why Can’t I.” Finally, in honor of the victims, candles were lit and there was a moment of silence.

Categories
Living

Learn to love

When you pick out a car, you expect it to have certain features—doors, an engine, a gas tank—for it to run smoothly. The same is true, says local relationship coach Marya Choby, when you pick out a mate.


Among the pearls of dating wisdom Marya Choby shared with SUGAR: “Date for fun and practice.”

Every relationship, she says, must meet each partner’s emotional and functional needs. That builds a solid foundation, so if the wants aren’t met (no sunroof or CD changer), the relationship will still manage (and the car will still operate). “[The wants] can add another level of fun or enjoyment to the relationship,” Choby says.

This is just part of what Choby tells participants (whom she says range in age from 35-70 years old!) during her “Get Ready for Love” workshops. During each session, which she holds a few times a year for five weeks each, Choby delivers a few key messages: Align your values with your search, know what you want from your life, and know what you want from your relationship. Her workshops help singles get clear about each of these things. “When you know what you want,” Choby says, “it helps you to balance your heart and your head.”
More information about Choby’s workshops can be found on her website (maryachoby.com), where you can sign up for the free “Conscious Dating package” and hear audio programs. She blogs at cvillesingles.blogspot.com.

Categories
Living

Zap me!

Unwanted body hair got you down? A laser might hold the answer. Using pulses of high-energy light to make hair follicles inactive, laser hair removal is touted as a permanent fix for your smooth-leg dilemma. However, says Charlottesville Skin & Laser Center’s Laser Technician Stephanie Snell, results really depend on the person. “Things like hormones and life changes can affect how long it lasts,” Snell says.


Is laser hair removal successful? It depends.

You should expect to have four to six treatments, all at least six weeks apart depending on the area you’re treating. How much will it set you back? In Charlottesville, laser hair removal can cost anywhere from $75 for the face to $700 for a man’s back.

People who’ve had laser treatments say there’s some pain involved (like a rubber band snapping the skin, according to writer Julyne Derrick, who offers a lengthy account of her bikini and leg lasering at beauty.about.com), and you should be realistic about what “permanent” means: Nothing’s guaranteed. Derrick, for one, experienced a regrowth of leg hair in the spring following her treatments. “I’m pretty happy with the bikini treatment, but I’m not sure if I’d recommend a full laser leg treatment,” she writes.

If it still sounds like a gamble, Snell offered this tip: “The thicker and coarser the hair, the more successful you’ll be.”