By Caroline Challe For Carolyn Johnson, a Charlottesville homeowner and care worker, the financial strain of the pandemic has been exacerbated by her high energy bill—almost $300 last month. “Water bill and electric–them the highest thing I got. It’s really hard. I am struggling trying to get it done,” Johnson says. Though her household’s […]
By Caroline Challe For Carolyn Johnson, a Charlottesville homeowner and care worker, the financial strain of the pandemic has been exacerbated by her high energy bill—almost $300 last month. “Water bill and electric–them the highest thing I got. It’s really hard. I am struggling trying to get it done,” Johnson says. Though her household’s […]
A dedicated few have long tried to slay the gerrymander beast that allows politicians to pick their voters. For nearly 20 years, state Senator Creigh Deeds proposed redistricting reform bills that typically died in subcommittee. In 2013, attorney Leigh Middleditch founded advocacy nonprofit OneVirginia2021 to reform redistricting, an initiative that was seen as a long shot […]
Budget business New City Manager Chip Boyles has released a proposed budget for the 2022 fiscal year. Even after coronavirus revenue losses, the $190.6 million plan is just a hair smaller—around $500,000 less—than the current operating budget. The new budget does not raise taxes, and includes budget increases for multiple departments and commissions. The Charlottesville […]
More than 1,300 UVA students have contracted coronavirus this semester. Though cases have declined since last month’s controversial fraternity and sorority rush events, over 300 students currently have the virus. Per the university’s coronavirus guidelines, students who live in school-run housing facilities and test positive for the virus are moved to on-campus isolation dorms for […]
As I made my way down Jefferson Park Avenue, I felt a sense of familiarity. Just two years ago, I took the bus this way almost every day, praying I would make it to my classes at the University of Virginia on time. But that familiarity faded to sadness once I arrived at my destination: […]
Nationwide, Black and white people use marijuana at similar rates. In Virginia, Black people make up about 20 percent of the population—but 52 percent of citations for marijuana possession in the last year were given to Black people, says Chelsea Higgs Wise, executive director of Marijuana Justice, a Richmond-based group fighting for the enactment of […]
What would you do with $300 million in drug money? That’s the question now facing the Virginia General Assembly. Both the Virginia House and Senate have passed bills promising to legalize marijuana for adult use by 2024. In the coming days, legislators from the two chambers will meet to reconcile the two bills before sending […]
By Amelia Delphos Last Monday, the University of Virginia reached a record-breaking 118 positive student COVID-19 cases in a single day. The next day, 229 students tested positive for coronavirus, making up 10 percent of Virginia’s total new positives that day. Cases continued to climb until the student positivity rate reached 4.2 percent on Friday. […]
By Sean Tubbs The fate of a proposed 300-space city-owned parking garage at Seventh and Market streets—in the space currently occupied by Lucky 7 and Guadalajara—hangs in the balance. Charlottesville City Council has to decide whether or not to include $8 million in next year’s capital budget plan for the project. The proposed garage has […]
Sign of the times After months of debate over Charlottesville’s honorary street name policies, City Council unanimously approved two requests last week recommended by the Historic Resources Committee: Black History Pathway and Byers-Snookie Way. Black History Pathway, located on Fourth Street NW between West Main Street and Preston Avenue, pays homage to the city’s rich […]