Catie Ratliff

Work is underway on the Charlottesville city budget, with Council and leadership looking at a potential $0.02 increase to the real estate tax. The rate hike to $1 per $100 of assessed value would generate just under $2.5 million in new revenue, according to the city’s budget office. While city councilors expressed reluctance to increase […]

Caravan of Hope, a month-long multi-state tour providing pro bono LGBTQ+ legal services to communities in the southern and midwestern United States, made its first stop of 2026 in Charlottesville on March 2.  The initiative, led by Philadelphia-based lawyer Angela Giampolo, is “focused on protecting identity, family security, and long-term stability.” From blue major metro […]

The numbers are in: Albemarle County’s proposed FY27 budget totals $724,021,078—roughly $86 million more than FY26. The budget, presented by County Executive Jeff Richardson on February 25, was balanced with no tax rate increases. In the general fund, the largest expenditure category is education, with $218.3 million slated for transfer to Albemarle County Public Schools. […]

If you’ve ever signed up for campaign alerts or donated to a candidate, you’ve probably received a text, email, or letter asking for donations. Sometimes, those asks continue post-election. So what happens to that leftover money after an election, or after candidates end their campaigns? The answer: It depends on the office, and where you […]

In an ever-changing national political climate, it can be easy to miss the latest local goings-on. So rather than a look at what’s happening nationally, this week’s C-VILLE dives into the “state of the union” in Albemarle County, from money matters to flight paths. Assessments Per the county’s 2026 reassessment, property values are up across […]

Lost in revision CORRECTION 2/18/26: Language in the HB1263 substitute excludes all higher education employees from collective bargaining units through its definition of “state agencies.” The following article has been edited for accuracy. C-VILLE regrets the error.  The House of Delegates Appropriations committee quietly removed higher education employees from HB1263, its collective bargaining legislation, on […]

Foul Former University of Virginia wide receiver Jahmal Edrine was indicted on rape and abduction charges February 2, and brought into custody February 5. According to Albemarle County Police, Edrine’s arrest comes after months of investigation into an August 24, 2025, incident. Edrine, who is not currently enrolled at UVA, appeared in Albemarle County Circuit […]

Multiple personnel searches are underway at the University of Virginia, thanks to a slew of academic and executive leadership vacancies across the institution. In addition to the standard scrutiny of potential candidates, UVA must navigate public and political distrust in the institution following the rushed appointment of President Scott Beardsley, the departure of multiple Board […]

It’s a big week for money in Charlottesville, with City Council appropriating more than $1 million, and the school district’s draft budget totaling almost $130 million. At its February 2 meeting, City Council focused on funds in the current budget rather than FY27, making two major appropriations to Piedmont Housing Alliance initiatives. The largest allocation, […]