Rape reporting: Pulitzer Prize winner talks sexual-assault coverage post Rolling Stone

The participants at an upcoming April 28 panel likely would not cite Jackie’s unsubstantiated story of gang rape to Rolling Stone reporter Sabrina Rubin Erdely as the biggest issue facing journalists covering sexual assault. For ProPublica’s T. Christian Miller, it’s police not believing victims. His story, “An Unbelievable Case of Rape,” done in conjunction with […]

Dollar disadvantage: Gene Washington’s attorney says money matters

The man charged with brutally beating to death special education teacher Robin Aldridge and her daughter, Mani, and then setting their Rugby Avenue home on fire in December 2014, appeared before a judge for a motions hearing April 21. One of his three attorneys argued that he’s at a disadvantage because, in her words, he’s […]

Learn How2Recycle the tough stuff

  If you’ve ever wanted to recycle the plastic bag inside of your box of Cheerios but didn’t quite know how, a Charlottesville-based initiative called How2Recycle could be your saving grace. In the spirit of Earth Day, here’s a bit more about the project created by a three-person team working to make a big impact […]

Bank of America to close downtown branch

Bank of America is closing its location on the Downtown Mall February 17, branch customers learned by letter April 20. “What, we’re closing?” a teller there asked this morning when she heard a colleague inform a customer on the phone. Built in 1916, the structure was originally Peoples National Bank and has housed Virginia National Bank, Sovran […]

Colleges are free speech offenders in this year’s Muzzles

“The answer to speech you don’t like is more speech, not censorship.” That was Josh Wheeler’s message to an April 20 gathering for the 10th anniversary of the Free Speech Wall on the Downtown Mall. And it’s a message directed to colleges and universities, 50 of which were the recipients of the 25th annual Jefferson […]

Cheer leader: 48-year-old tries out to be a Saintsation

One local woman proved that age is only a number when she auditioned for the New Orleans Saints’ official cheerleading team, the Saintsations, April 17. A personal trainer at ACAC and a New Orleans native, 48-year-old Gina Ostarly spent last Sunday performing a choreographed dance routine on the Saints’ practice field at its team headquarters […]

Historic hire: Al Thomas is Charlottesville’s first black police chief

City Manager Maurice Jones announced Lexington Police Chief Al Thomas as his pick to head the Charlottesville Police Department, and City Council approved Thomas, who is the city’s first black police chief, April 18. Thomas was one of 63 applicants, says Jones, in a search that was “deep” and involved three rounds of interviews. And […]

Brewery buyout: Big beer company acquires Devils Backbone

Local craft brewery Devils Backbone announced on social media it was being sold to Anheuser-Busch InBev at 10:35am on April 12. By noon, the court of public opinion had tried and convicted the Nelson County company of selling out. Brewery ownership was a bunch of “cowards.” They were “greedy,” looking to “cash in,” sold to […]

In brief: Eramo v. Jackie, Wegmans and more

Eramo v. Jackie Former UVA dean Nicole Eramo fought for months to get discredited “A Rape on Campus” source Jackie deposed for her defamation suit against Rolling Stone. That finally happened April 7, and now Eramo wants the court to throw out “personal attacks” Jackie allegedly made during the deposition, according to April 12 court […]

Welfare check: Burruss lawsuit against Albemarle police moves forward

Does an employer’s request for a welfare check on a man who has a gun but has made no threats to harm himself or others warrant holding him for two hours? That’s what a judge will determine in Benjamin Burruss’ lawsuit against five Albemarle police officers and the county for unlawful seizure, false imprisonment and […]