A Vinegar Hill memorial you can actually see

A forthcoming addition to the Downtown Mall will commemorate Vinegar Hill, the historically African-American neighborhood that saw displacement of 158 families when city residents voted to develop the land in the 1960s. Officially called Vinegar Hill Park, this chunk of real estate between the Omni hotel and Main Street Arena will house $15,000 worth of interpretive […]

ABC and one agent nixed from Martese Johnson’s suit

A federal judge ruled that a former UVA student was not falsely arrested during a controversial incident occurring on St. Patrick’s Day last year, and dropped the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control and one of its agents from his $3 million lawsuit December 13. Videos of Martese Johnson’s bloody arrest went viral after he was denied […]

Hike vs. bike: Council will likely let them ride

Senior citizens who enjoy quiet but challenging hikes are only accommodated in one place in Charlottesville and all of Albemarle County, according to former mayor Kay Slaughter. And that’s Ragged Mountain Natural Area, where three out of five city councilors say mountain biking and trail running should be allowed—which would make the vicinity a little […]

Burn notice: Flag burning still inflames some

President-elect Donald Trump, known for his uncanny ability to raise eyebrows with 140 characters or less, sent out this particularly scrutinized tweet November 29: “Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag—if they do, there must be consequences—perhaps loss of citizenship or a year in jail!” While one Virginia man voices the same grievance, […]

Standing their ground: Local arrested in North Dakota prayer circle

We’ve all heard tales of the first Thanksgiving in 1621, a three-day feast among Native Americans and pilgrims, celebrating the latter’s first harvest in the New World. This year, some locals spent the holiday at Standing Rock Reservation, supporting the indigenous people in North and South Dakota who have come together to protest a pipeline […]

Smoke in the air

The faint smell of smoke surrounding the city Tuesday morning is coming from two large wildfires in Nelson and Amherst counties, according to Charlottesville Fire Department Chief Andrew Baxter. The situation in Nelson County, referred to as Eades Hollow Fire, is currently consuming between 300 and 500 acres of private land just north of Lovingston, […]

Shop talk: What kind of effect will Wegmans have?

Wrapped in a blue fleece blanket covered in pineapples, a sleepy Dori Mock has held her place as first in line at the supermarket’s November 6 grand opening since 4am. “I’m buying into the hype,” she says, though she’s never been to a Wegmans and doesn’t quite know what to expect. A crew of six […]

Bad habits: Local smoking trends higher than national benchmark

“Take it one day at a time,” former smoker David Allard says about the best way to approach kicking a bad habit. “You just have to keep trying.” Picking up his first cigarette at 15 years old, Allard, now 52, says he’s learned that quitting smoking is a different journey for everyone who’s ever tried […]

Space invaders: City promises more parking downtown

Charlottesville officials held a press conference November 15 to announce their latest step in solving the city’s parking crisis. “We hear you and we want to help,” Mayor Mike Signer said before announcing the city’s acquisition of a $2.85 million half-acre parcel currently housing Guadalajara and Lucky 7 and located on the northeast end of […]

Will George Huguely’s trial be further delayed?

Attorneys for former UVA student George Huguely and Sharon Love, the mother of the woman he was charged with killing in 2010, met November 2 in Charlottesville Circuit Court for a motions hearing in which Love’s attorney asked the court to continue her March 2017 civil trial against Huguely to a later date—though the same […]