City Council voted unanimously on Monday night to approve a new Comprehensive Plan. The plan, which has been in the works since 2017, will guide Charlottesville’s growth and development in the years to come. The most controversial element of the plan is the Future Land Use Map, which shows the neighborhoods in the city that […]
For the last two years, Democrats have controlled Virginia’s state Senate and House of Delegates, and a Democrat has served as governor. The party has used those majorities to reshape the state’s laws. The Dems abolished the death penalty and legalized marijuana. They made it easier to vote in a variety of ways, including repealing […]
Three candidates—Democrats Brian Pinkston and Juandiego Wade, and independent Yas Washington—are running for two open seats on Charlottesville’s City Council. Current mayor Nikuyah Walker initially announced a run for reelection, but dropped out in September. Wade is a transportation planner and career counselor by trade who has served on the Charlottesville City School Board for […]
A few leafy green hemp plants sit on the second-floor windowsills in the Charlottesville Cannabis Club’s lounge. A puffy, white sectional couch fills the center of the room. The high-ceilinged space is a little brighter than the tapestry-draped basement you might expect at a members-only marijuana club, though there’s plenty of evidence that stoners dwell […]
Two distinct factions have emerged in the heated discussion around Charlottesville’s zoning laws. Some city residents say the latest proposed land use map goes too far, and that the construction of apartment buildings and shops would have deleterious effects on what are currently single-family neighborhoods. Others say the map doesn’t do enough to open up […]
Some of our states are up to no good. Texas just passed a comprehensive and dangerous abortion ban. Florida has banned mask mandates in schools, even as the delta variant sweeps across the nation. At press time, California voters are standing in line for a bizarre recall election that could see a candidate currently polling […]
Charlottesville Police Chief RaShall Brackney is on the outs—City Manager Chip Boyles terminated her contract last Wednesday evening. Brackney, the first Black woman to hold the job, had been at the head of the department since June 2018. A recent survey of police officers indicated that the rank-and-file had lost trust in Brackney, but other […]
Last week, city and county public schools welcomed students back for five-days-a-week, in-person instruction for the first time since March 2020. Both districts have already reported COVID-19 cases among students, but say they still feel confident in their health and safety precautions. After the first day of classes, two city schools students reported symptoms, and […]
Charlottesville SWAT team officers filmed their kids setting off explosives. They fired semi-automatic, department-owned weapons at unauthorized events. One officer consoled a colleague who was frustrated with police department leadership by suggesting “we kill them all and let God sort it out.” When videos documenting these behaviors made it to the chief, one officer was […]
Walk into Soul Food Joint and the first thing that hits you is the smell—tangy, greasy goodness fills the air. The menu features all the classic soul food favorites, from fried chicken to pulled pork to mac and cheese. And if the food didn’t tip you off, the decor screams “I’ve got soul:” A photo […]