Ready to regulate: Albemarle eyes homestays

In Albemarle County, about a third of the homestays are flying under the radar. At a May 3 Board of Supervisors work session on the topic, county staff said something must be done to regulate them. The county has received 60 applications since 2004, and of those, 27 have been approved, according to Rebecca Ragsdale, […]

Soering supporter: Sheriff Chip Harding says evidence points to his innocence

Former UVA student Jens Soering has insisted for decades he’s innocent of the notorious double homicide for which he’s been imprisoned for 31 years. He was an international sensation even before then-Governor Tim Kaine agreed to ship Soering back to his native Germany, a decision rescinded by his successor Bob McDonnell immediately upon taking office […]

Bumper Buddha’s big move

Drive past St. Thomas Aquinas Church on Alderman Road and you’ll notice something different—a Charlottesville icon has disappeared. The UVA student-dubbed “Bumper Buddha,” a statue of the church’s namesake welded out of chrome car bumpers, was moved to IX Art Park on May 2. “Without question, the sculpture became a landmark not only for our […]

Kessler makes back-to-back court appearances

Blogger and antifa resister Jason Kessler’s weekend was bookended by dates in the Charlottesville General District Court, one in which he claims he’s the victim, another in which he was sentenced for assault. On Friday, May 5, a special prosecutor was named and a court date set to hear Kessler’s charge against Sara Tansey for […]

The digital divide: Broadband-less lives hold rural residents back

Albemarle County is dedicated to protecting its rural areas. But one aspect of life in the country is keeping an estimated one-third of its citizens from fully living in the 21st century, and that’s the digital divide—the lack of access to affordable high-speed internet, which, in this day and age, seems to be a basic […]

Carbon copies: Nearly $30 million water filtration system in the works

Summer of 2012, Charlottesville was rocked by two events that were ultimately reversed because of intense public opposition: the firing of UVA President Teresa Sullivan and a plan to add chloramines to the water supply. On the latter, in a rare show of unanimity, City Council and the Albemarle Board of Supervisors, along with the […]

General Lee wins first court skirmish

At the end of a six-hour hearing May 2, a judge enjoined the City of Charlottesville from removing its statue of General Robert E. Lee for the next six months. More than 150 years after Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, the battle over Confederate monuments continues. Protesters in favor of ousting the statue chanted outside Charlottesville […]

In brief: Hot fun at Foxfield, close shaves and more

Keeping score at Foxfield The 40th annual running of the horses and the donning of sundresses and hats by UVA students for heavy day-drinking took place April 29 and drew more than 12,000 race fans. With the temperature soaring to 90 degrees, it’s no surprise there were more medical emergencies than usual. Thirty-eight people sought […]

Sunny skies ahead: Solar investments are paying off

Burnett Commons homeowner Jarrod Markley’s March electricity bill —which tallies energy used in a four-person household and to charge his electric car—was only $10. He has the sun to thank for that low cost. The $18,000 grid of solar panels installed on his roof last winter supplies 94 percent of his annual electricity use, he […]