CPD car chase in Waynesboro
An off-duty Charlottesville cop in a squad car spotted an unidentified traffic violation on I-64 the evening of August 13, and pursued the alleged offender to Waynesboro, according to the Newsplex. No arrest was made and no injuries reported.
Sweltering in Crescent Halls
Nearly two dozen residents showed up at the City Council meeting August 15 to let councilors know the air conditioning that’s been broken for weeks has created an intolerable situation, particularly for the elderly. Mayor Mike Signer noted that the public housing facility is run by Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, not the city, while Vice-Mayor Wes Bellamy vowed to take action.
Ex-Hoo charged with fraud
Former UVA and Philadelphia Eagles football player Merrill Robertson Jr., 36, was arrested for allegedly bilking senior citizens, former football coaches and alums of schools he attended out of $10 million with a Ponzi-like scheme promising 10 to 20 percent annual returns through his Cavalier Union Investments LLC in Midlothian, the Times Dispatch reports.
Blue Ribbon resignation
Gordon Fields, a Human Rights Commission representative on Mike Signer’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Race, Memorials and Public Spaces, formally resigned as of August 13. His reasons for resignation are unclear.
UVA Olympians win medals
Leah Smith will return to Charlottesville with a gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay and a bronze in the 400m freestyle. And UVA alum Inge Janssen earned a silver medal in the women’s quadruple sculls rowing for the Netherlands.
Second coming
Northrop Grumman is now encircled with phase 2 of The Shops at Stonefield, which is getting ready to open in front of Costco. Along with “an exciting new mix of partners,” according to EDENS senior VP Brad Dumont, new retailers are opening on Bond Street and townhouses are in the works.
- 36,000 square feet of retail
in phase 2 - Q’doba, Jared Jewelers, Mission BBQ, European Wax, Hair Cuttery, Uncle Maddio’s Pizza, Xfinity and BJ’s Brewhouse are the new tenants
- Burger Bach opened in the former Pasture space, and Kendra Scott and Mezeh are recent Bond Street arrivals
- Grit Coffee Bar & Cafe and Muse Paint Bar are opening in phase 1 this fall
- First round of the Townhomes at Stonefield—104 units—will be completed over the next 12 months
By the numbers
In its 25-year existence, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville hit a milestone this month by completing and dedicating 12 homes at once in a new downtown community called Burnet Commons III: The Park, which used to be a city dump and is now a mixed-income neighborhood built around a central park.
2,333
Volunteers in 2015
41,521
Hours volunteered in 2015
$1,026,783
Labor savings in 2015
$1.17 million
Donations and monetary gifts in 2015
180
Homes built since 1991
2,000
People housed since 1991
Quote of the week
“It seems to me that in order for a Gold Star family to be honored and recognized by the current City Council, they must speak at the Democratic National Convention. This is not appropriate, nor is it acceptable. It reeks of choosing to honor specific families or individuals because they fit your narrative.”—Stefanie Marshall addresses City Council after it honors Khizr and Ghazala Khan August 15.