Since the beginning of the pandemic, people incarcerated at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail have called attention to poor COVID containment procedures and unhygienic living conditions at the nearly 50-year-old facility—conditions that reportedly have been significantly worsened by employee negligence and misconduct. Today, staff continue to mistreat the jail’s population, claims Cletorious Rose. “The officers antagonize […]
For Leah Puryear, the past month has been a whirlwind. After former Charlottesville city councilor Sena Magill abruptly resigned on January 3, citing family needs, Puryear—along with 19 other candidates—applied for the job. On February 21, council unanimously selected Puryear, a former Charlottesville School Board member, to fill the vacant seat. Since then, she has […]
On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria, followed by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake the same day—and more than 10,000 aftershocks in the weeks that followed. The devastating quakes killed more than 50,000 people, and left millions homeless. After helping the University of Virginia’s Turkish Student Association fundraise several […]
Since hiring law firm McGuireWoods to investigate allegations of severe internal dysfunction and animal mistreatment made by more than 100 current and former staff and volunteers in January, the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA has fired two volunteers who voiced concerns about the shelter’s practices and leadership. When experienced dog walker Louise Finger showed up at the […]
Less than 24 hours before Albemarle police shot and killed Billy Sites on February 28 near the Red Roof Inn, Michael Kochis, Charlottesville’s new police chief, held a community forum at Old Trinity Church in response to recent area homicides. Five days later, Justice Kilel was shopping at Sunshine Supermarket on Cherry Avenue when two […]
Hair salons and barbershops have long played a critical role in the Black community, serving as safe spaces for Black people to be vulnerable and open up about their personal struggles. However, Black people are far less likely than white people to seek out mental health services, largely due to inequitable health care access, a […]
Nearly two years ago, Virginia became the first Southern state to abolish the death penalty. Before then, the commonwealth had executed over 1,300 people—more than any other state. As the head chaplain on Virginia’s death row, Reverend Russ Ford ministered to men sentenced to capital punishment throughout the 1980s and ’90s, and walked 28 of […]
Since the fall, Charlottesville and Albemarle County have seen a significant spike in shootings—several involving juveniles. On January 23, a male juvenile was injured in a shooting in the area of Sixth and Garrett streets. Three months earlier, Charlottesville police arrested three teenage boys, ages 14 to 17, in connection with an October 15 Omni […]
The executive director and CEO of the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA is under fire after more than 100 current and former staff and volunteers made allegations of severe internal dysfunction and animal mistreatment at the shelter. The organization’s board of directors, however, is standing behind Angie Gunter, who has led the CASPCA since 2017, and also serves […]
For years, the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail has been plagued by a host of health and sanitary issues, including black mold, faulty wiring, leaky ceilings, poor plumbing, freezing temperatures, and bug infestations. Jail leadership has begun taking steps to renovate the 48-year-old facility, which serves the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle and Nelson counties. But the […]