In brief: Barefoot is history, first-gen funds, Daily Progress staff unionizes, and more

Barefoot is history The executive director of the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society has resigned less than two years into his tenure. Coy Barefoot, a well-known local author and media personality, was hired in March 2018 after his predecessor Steven Meeks resigned amid questions of mismanagement. Barefoot told at least one person, who later described the […]

Flipping the script: Behind bars, finding freedom in feminism

By Sydney Halleman Richie Edmond-Vargas sits on a shaded bench on the University of Virginia law school terrace. He’s digging into a vegetarian burrito bowl, enjoying a brief break from traveling. He pauses to point to some of the tattoos on his forearms—the Green Bay Packers logo, piano keys. “Eventually, I want to get bell […]

Repair despair: Ivy’s Toddsbury closes after 25 years

Two days before the October 11 closing of Toddsbury of Ivy, a beloved convenience store in the heart of the small western Albemarle community, its parking lot was paved. That’s something the store’s owner says he’s been asking the landlord to do for over a year, and maintenance was a factor in Bruce Kirtley’s decision […]

Yay or neigh?: Mural stirs controversy

The developers of Six Hundred West Main, a luxury apartment building that opened in September, promised the city a “gift” in the form of a public mural from internationally acclaimed artist Faith XLVII. But some residents may want to give it back. The mural, which was unveiled during the week of September 23, features a […]

Future code: How will a tech boom change the city?

By Sydney Halleman It’s 10am on the Downtown Mall, and already the sounds of demolition flood the area. Pedestrians stream past Mudhouse Coffee and The Whiskey Jar, and a few glance at the tall fence erected recently across the walkway, and the signs that read, “Do not trespass. Construction site.” Machinery looms over the area […]

Capital secrets: News outlets sue VADOC to view executions from start to finish

By Spencer Philps Four news organizations, including BH Media Group, which publishes The Daily Progress, are suing the Virginia Department of Corrections over procedures they believe violate the public’s First Amendment right to witness state executions in their entirety. Members of the public, including the press, are allowed to witness executions. But the plaintiffs argue […]

Renters beware: Local property owners caught in the middle of Craigslist scams

Prospective renters using Craigslist to find temporary housing in Charlottesville have recently been the victims of scammers, paying thousands of dollars in rent up front before showing up on the doorstep of bewildered homeowners who already rented out their space. Janice Kavanagh is a Charlottesville real estate agent who rents out the front half of […]