Tuesday, December 19
Full-circle floors
The December issue of the green-building magazine eco-structure contains a love letter to Ruckersville-based Mountain Lumber, which reclaims and recycles wood to be used as flooring. In owner Willie Drake’s 32 years in the business, he’s nabbed wood from such sources as Guinness stout-brewing vats, Ming dynasty-era structures from China, and factories across the United States Mountain Lumber rubs shoulders in the magazine with futuristic-looking solar panels and other high-tech sustainable inventions. Apparently, “green” can also mean “old.”
Wednesday, December 20
Share the Light
 Light House Studio founder Shannon Worrell scored some dough through the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. The $25,000 will go to expanding film projects into more city neighborhoods. |
Light House Studio, providing local kids with a filmmaking outlet, will now be able to expand its city outreach programs, thanks to a $25,000 Prana Fund gift from the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. Since 1999, Light House Studio has helped youths create over 125 films. “Give kids a video camera and suddenly they are armed with a tool for inquiry, communication and productive self-expression,” said founder Shannon Worrell in a press release from CACF. The money will be used to expand Light House’s new program in Westhaven into Friendship Court.
Thursday, December 21
Virginia errors get big press
 Charlottesville Police Captain J.E. "Chip" Harding was onto something when he said 20 percent of felons could be missing from the DNA databank. And now it’s on the front page of The Washington Post! |
The front page of The Washington Post today reported the discovery of gaps in the Virginia felon DNA database, discovered by Charlottesville Police Captain J.E. “Chip” Harding. The longtime Charlottesville police officer found that 20 percent of local felons who should have been in the databank were missing. Now, the State has launched a massive effort to obtain the data—so far, about 12,000 cases have been examined. Virginia has the largest offender database in the country.
Block to relocate
University of Virginia Provost Gene Block announced this week he will become the new chancellor of UCLA, the Los Angeles Times reports. A biology professor at UVA since 1978, he has served in UVA’s No. 2 post since 2001. His UCLA starting salary will be $416,000 per annum, $100,000 more than UCLA’s interim chancellor or former Chancellor Albert Carnesale. His start date is set for August. At UVA he was earning $31,000 in 2004.
Friday, December 22
Look, but don’t taste
Here in Virginia wine country, we couldn’t help but notice that the Commonwealth was totally snubbed by Wine Spectator’s “Top 100 Wines of the World” issue this month. It’s true—nary one Old Dominion vintage carried honors from the revered oenological publication. Wines from Italy to California won praise, but apparently, Virginia’s grapes don’t live up to its scenery.
But our inns are still worth it
Our region gathered more accolades for its chi-chi lodgings. New York Post hotel critic Lydia Gordon spent Valentine’s Day at Clifton Inn, an 18th-century estate hotel in Charlottesville. Gordon says she brought a date who was “a dud,”—too much information perhaps—but, Clifton tops her list of places to stay in the United States for 2006. Fabulous! (We’re willing to bet there are plenty of fish in the sea who’d hook up with a hotel critic.)
