School’s out for the summer, but Charlottesville’s investment in education continues. In a June 5 statement, the University of Virginia announced a $43.4 million gift to its School of Education and Human Development to support the creation of a local early childhood learning center. The donation is the largest in the education school’s history. Official […]
We’re so back. Tourism spending in Charlottesville and Albemarle surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2024, as visitors poured $989.8 million into the regional economy. With Monticello and other historic sites celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary, and the Downtown Mall marking its 50th year, the area’s aiming to boost that haul past $1 billion in 2026. […]
If you attended the June 1 Charlottesville City Council meeting, you may have been surprised when Councilor Michael Payne said, “there are a number of boards and commissions with vacancies,” and even more boards with terms expiring soon. City website data shows that Council appoints roughly 160 positions (excluding ex officio and city departmental appointments) […]
“Access to primary care in rural districts is a challenge across our nation, not just in the Commonwealth,” says 5th District Congressman John McGuire. “Half of America’s rural hospitals are operating in the red or at a loss.” He blames a “deeply broken” health care system, and says that only 7 percent of Medicaid spending […]
Transgender Americans have seen big changes to their health care in the last 18 months. While medical and surgical interventions for young trans patients under age 19 are now banned by the federal government, leading to policy shifts at health systems across the Commonwealth, more subtle changes to adult transgender care are surfacing, too, including […]
A major objective in Albemarle County’s Comprehensive Plan is to “increase the use of infill, higher-density development, adaptive reuse, and redevelopment in the Development Areas.” That is a guideline, not a commandment, allowing elected and appointed officials to make decisions on a case-by-case basis. On May 26, the Planning Commission voted 5-1 to recommend denial […]
Immigration has long been an expensive and confusing process in the United States, something made more stressful by the ongoing crackdown on pathways and people. At a difficult moment in immigration history, Charlottesville-based organizations have found routes to protect some of our community’s most vulnerable neighbors. Since launching as an independent nonprofit in January, Camino, […]
As students celebrate the start of summer break, Albemarle County Public Schools is already looking ahead to next year with updates to programming for its youngest learners. At the preschool level, early childhood special education programs currently housed at Stony Point Elementary will be moved to Baker-Butler Elementary. The change, per a May 26 release, […]
For the second time in a few weeks, Woodard Properties has filed a development plan with the City of Charlottesville for a building in what the new zoning code refers to as a Core Neighborhood Overlay District. According to the Development Code, the district is intended “to implement the Comprehensive Plan goals of encouraging construction […]
“I agree that every Virginian should have access to healthy and nutritious foods regardless of their income,” says Congressman John McGuire. “Food is medicine, and like I always say, you can’t exercise your way out of bad nutrition.” McGuire says the tax cuts in HR1, the Republican budget bill he voted for in May 2025, […]