Going it alone: Charlottesville Tomorrow dumps Progress, broadens mission

When Charlottesville Tomorrow began in 2005, it was one of the first nonprofit, local news orgs in the country. Its mission was so narrow—land use, community design, transportation—that another local weekly called it a “growth watchdog.” The online publication broadened its name recognition and reach when it began sharing content with the Daily Progress in […]

Plea denied: James Fields gets life behind bars for car attack

James Alex Fields Jr. sat before the judge, his thick, black hair grown just long enough to touch the collar of his black-and-white striped jumpsuit. The 22-year-old wore glasses, and spent most of Friday morning and early afternoon staring at the wall in front of him as the victims who were harmed when he plowed […]

Where’s McFadden? Emotional plea from family of missing teen

The family of Dashad, aka Sage, Smith made a moving, at times tearful request for help in finding the man last seen with the teen missing since 2012, while urging the community to not get hung up on pronouns or the name by which Smith is identified.  At a June 27 press conference, Charlottesville police […]

In brief: Money flows, DP/CTom breakup, Tracci runs, and more

Funding cut loose Long-on-the-books redevelopment plans for Friendship Court, Southwood Mobile Home Park, and Crozet’s town center got millions in funding last week. Southwood and Crozet Plaza each got a $3.2-million go-ahead from Albemarle’s Board of Supervisors  June 19, contingent upon rezoning approval in August. And Friendship Court can start phase one of its redevelopment […]

No free lunch: Paid parking comes to Belmont

When the ParkMobile signs went up June 15, the paid parking designation caught Belmonters by surprise. Parking can be a challenge in the neighborhood, and customers at two new restaurants, Belle Coffee & Wine and No Limits Smokehouse, had been using the adjacent lots for free. Now, they’ll have to pay. Belle Coffee & Wine […]

Threat of ICE raids creates fear in local immigrant communities

Although President Trump walked back his order to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to conduct mass roundups of migrant families in major U.S. cities over the weekend, the delay did nothing to forestall the anxiety already created in the local immigrant community.  The raids were postponed to allow talks between the White House and […]

Gaston’s history: Idealism spurred civil rights activist

When Paul Gaston came to the University of Virginia in 1957, it was overwhelmingly white and male, and segregation was the order of the day. And that’s why the young history professor and early civil rights activist chose it for his life’s work. He brought Martin Luther King Jr. to Old Cabell Hall in 1963, […]