douglas muir – C-VILLE Weekly

In brief: Fear and legal gun-toting, Bella’s fallout and more

An apology—and a boycott

Doug Muir, the UVA lecturer who compared Black Lives Matter to the KKK in a Facebook post, apologized, saying he was unaware of the Klan’s violent history. His one-week leave from the engineering school ended October 17. Meanwhile, local groups, including the NAACP, staged a protest October 14 at Bella’s, the restaurant he owns, to say that his brief leave of absence wasn’t enough for reconciliation. Among protesters was Vice Mayor Wes Bellamy, who is known for his engagement in the local African-American community.

Armed protesters freak out volunteers

Two heat-packing Trump supporters stood outside Democratic 5th District candidate Jane Dittmar’s office October 13 for nearly 12 hours. Her opponent, Tom Garrett, responded with a tweet: “I’m confused. Are you pro 2nd amdt or pro call 911 when someone is legally carrying and abiding by open carry laws in VA?”

Dittmar denies DUI

Blog reports appearing October 17 accused Dittmar of being charged with driving under the influence with children in the car after a 1999 crash. “My DMV record has never had a DUI violation and I have never been convicted of a DUI violation,” says Dittmar in a statement, which denounced Garrett for attempting to retry a case settled 17 years ago.

New look in robbery attire

A motorcycle helmet-clad man wearing a neon reflective vest and a bandanna over his face—but without a weapon—held up Advance America’s Pantops payday loan office October 12 and escaped on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Bummer for state employees

A $1.5 billion shortfall means raises will be nixed for state employees, including already shorted state police, who are leaving in droves for higher-paying jobs. And the Library of Virginia takes the bulk of the state’s layoff of 26 employees.

But a bonus for county employees?

Preliminary figures released in an unaudited financial report in Albemarle County show that there could be an $8.6 million budget surplus at the end of the fiscal year, partially due to increased collections in sales, food and lodging taxes. Betty Burrell, the county’s finance director, tells Charlottesville Tomorrow the money will be used for “one-time expenditures.”

A presidential candidate’s visit

The Libertarian Party’s Gary Johnson appeared on “American Forum,” filmed by UVA’s Miller Center October 17. He said he seeks equal representation for the younger generation, which is “really getting screwed in what’s happening” with health care, Medicaid and Medicare. “We’re sending you to war,” he added.

Get thee to a polling place

All people are not created equal in their ability to get to the polls on election day, and that’s why Car2Vote is offering to transport them. “We’ve seen how grateful some of our marginalized citizens are to get help to get to the polls,” says founder Gail Wiley, who has been delivering voters since 2010. The nonpartisan service has around 35 volunteers, and the League of Women Voters, city and county registrars and local Dems are referring people who need a ride to Car2Vote.

Call 260-1547 (Spanish language line is 260-1548) for free rides for:

Voter IDs
Early voting, if qualified
Absentee ballot application
Election day voting

Republicans have their own volunteers who offer rides: Call 973-5499.

Quote of the week

“We’re not a threat to anybody. The only threat is ignorance, and ignorance breeds fear.”—Trump supporter and armed protester Daniel Parks tells the Newsplex outside the Jane Dittmar campaign headquarters in Fluvanna.

In brief: Angry administrator, unwise Facebooking and more

Rolling Stone cries foul

Days before UVA former associate dean Nicole Eramo’s 12-day defamation trial is set to begin October 17, the magazine accused her of improperly releasing video depositions to ABC’s “20/20” to air October 14, and sought relief in an emergency motion. The judge ruled October 11 that Eramo can’t use leaked videos in court, according to the Daily Progress.

Poorly spelled, as well

Bella owner and UVA lecturer Douglas Muir burned up Facebook with his post last week: “Black lives matter is the biggest rasist (sic) organisation (sic) since the clan (sic). Are you kidding me. Disgusting!!!” UVA’s School of Engineering and Darden scurried to distance themselves from Muir, now on leave from the university, and some locals have called for a boycott of the restaurant.

Festy ends with a bang—literally

As if two days of rain weren’t bad enough, when the sky finally cleared Sunday, a food vendor’s propane tank exploded, sending one person to the emergency room and evacuating the Arrington site for several hours.

Epic fail

Gordon Goines’ call to Waynesboro police about a theft in 2014 resulted in him handcuffed and involuntarily committed to a mental health facility for five days. Goines, who has cerebellar ataxia, which makes it difficult to walk and speak, sued and the case settlement was announced October 6, according to the News Virginian.

m-obama-whitehouse-photoAmanda Lucidon — White House photo by Amanda Lucidon

Landscaping for Michelle Obama

The first lady called upon UVA landscape architects to spiff up the White House kitchen garden area, and a team led by Elizabeth Meyer added tables, benches and paths to accommodate hanging out in the garden as the Obamas prepare to exit.

Living the high life

There’s a beacon of hope for grocery fanatics hoping to move closer to Wegmans, and you may have seen it perched atop several layers of massive rounded retaining walls while heading out of town. A new upscale apartment complex by Castle Development Partners, called Beacon on 5th, will begin leasing in January with move-in this spring.

Rents start at $1,200
207 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments
34 two-, three- and four-bedroom townhouses
Located two minutes from 5th Street Station (aka Wegmans)

By the numbers

Voter swell

27,616

Active registered voters in Charlottesville as of October 3

Almost 1,900

Voters registered since September 1

60%

increase since January 1

October 17

Deadline to register for November 8 election

27,319

Voters on Election Day 2012

27,570

Registered voters in 2008

Source: Charlottesville Registrar Rosanna Bencoach

Quote of the week

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”
—State Senator Tom Garrett quotes Hitler propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels in his October 10 debate against 5th District opponent Jane Dittmar about whether he was influenced by donations from uranium mining interests.