Threat assessment: UVA prof says schools are safe

There are an average of 32,000 firearm deaths in the country every year—and there have been 224 school shootings since 2013. “Schools are one of the safest places for kids to be,” says Dewey Cornell, a professor at UVA’s Curry School of Education and director of the university’s Virginia Youth Violence Project. At his June […]

In brief: Snake doppelgangers, North Korea release and more

Don’t tread on these Venomous snakes and their harmless twins Along with mosquitoes and ticks, other bites to avoid this summer are from snakes. The good news is, only two of Virginia’s three venomous species—the timber rattlesnake and northern copperhead—are found in the Charlottesville area, while the eastern cottonmouth hangs in the southeastern part of […]

Draego rebukes Fogel for not recusing himself

Joe Draego was in court today for a charge that he assaulted Showing Up for Racial Justice activist Sara Tansey when he retrieved a phone she allegedly snatched from white-protest organizer Jason Kessler back in February. The hearing in court was pretty routine, but afterward, Draego accused Tansey’s lawyer—commonwealth’s attorney candidate Jeff Fogel—of not acting “in […]

Style and turnout: Platania and Fogel present their cases

Come June 13, Charlottesville likely is going to have a new commonwealth’s attorney, given the unlikelihood a Republican candidate will emerge for the general election in November. That person will be either Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Platania, who seemingly has the backing of the city’s Democratic machine, or Jeff Fogel, who has captured the support […]

Don’t eat the fish: Push to study toxins in local waters

Quillback carpsucker. Flathead catfish. Gizzard shad. American eel. Carp. If you catch one of these in the James River, you’re better off throwing it back in. Danny Hodge, a visiting fisherman recently stationed on the James, did just that when he says he reeled in a 20-pound catfish last month. “I wouldn’t eat none of […]

In brief: Dems down to wire, KKK coming to town, snakeheads and more

Two will move on One last look at the Democratic City Council candidates before the June 13 primary Heather Hill Age: 39 Occupation: Independent consultant; former engineer and brand manager; VP of Hill Family Operations Education: Bachelor’s in industrial and systems engineering from Virginia Tech, and an MBA from UVA’s Darden School of Business Political […]

Judge considers Bellamy’s attorney fees

One thing Judge Richard Moore and Vice-Mayor Wes Bellamy’s attorney agreed upon: “If it was possible under the law and there was one person who should pay on this meritless claim, it would be Jason Kessler,” said Pam Starsia, who represented Bellamy when Kessler petitioned to remove him from office for offensive tweets Bellamy made before taking […]

Still resisting, mayor makes climate calls

On the heels of President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement Accord, Mayor Mike Signer announced today that he has joined the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and identify their sources. This is an effort, he says, to continue resisting. “Resistance has come to mean many things to […]

Emancipation and Justice: Lee and Jackson parks get new names

  Following the disruptions to City Council meetings that have occurred with regularity since the call to remove the statue of General Robert E. Lee was first made more than a year ago, councilors voted 5-0 to ditch the monikers honoring Confederate generals Lee and Stonewall Jackson and dub them, respectively, Emancipation and Justice parks. […]