Charlottesville leaders speak up on Martese Johnson arrest

Several local leaders have added their voices to the unfolding controversy over the arrest of third-year UVA student Martese Johnson by ABC officers early Wednesday morning. Johnson, who was photographed bleeding from the head as officers cuffed him on the ground outside a Corner bar, was charged with obstruction of justice and public intoxication or swearing […]

Prosecutor asks for criminal investigation of ABC officers in Martese Johnson arrest

Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman has requested the Virginia State Police to launch a criminal investigation into ABC agents’ arrest of UVA student Martese Johnson early March 18. Governor Terry McAuliffe had already asked state police to investigate the arrest of the 20-year-old student who, in a photo that went viral, was photographed handcuffed on the […]

ABC, UVA in national spotlight again after Martese Johnson arrest

The image of bloodied third-year University of Virginia student Martese Johnson on the ground being arrested by a uniformed ABC agent has put UVA—and the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control—in the national spotlight again, with Governor Terry McAuliffe calling for an independent investigation on the arrest and the use of force. Reaction to the early March […]

Family feud: The growing rift in Virginia’s GOP

You would think, following their spectacular showing in the 2014 midterm elections, that Virginia’s Republicans would be in a joyful, backslapping mood, and ready to present a unified front going into the November elections, when all 100 House of Delegates and 40 Virginia Senate seats will be up for grabs. And indeed, the recent conclusion […]

City police: Spycams in the workplace ‘rare’

Who is the city spying on? Charlottesville’s use of hidden cameras to monitor city employees became news in the recent case of Charlottesville Fire Department mechanic J.R. Harris, who was fired after city police put a camera in his office to find the perp who hid a bottle alleged to be alcohol in his desk. […]

2.5 cents: Supes vote to advertise bumped-up property tax rate

For the second year in a row, Albemarle County’s property tax rate could go up. When County Executive Tom Foley presented his $371-million budget to the Board of Supervisors, he based it on increasing the property tax rate by one penny to 80.9 cents per $100 of assessed value. The board went 1.5 cents better, […]

City refuses to pay attorney fees in spycam case

A personnel appeals board gave Charlottesville Fire Department mechanic J.R. Harris the job back from which he was fired last October, along with back pay and benefits. The city declined, however, to cover the $16,000 he spent on attorney fees to get reinstated. Human Resources Director Galloway Beck said that’s because there’s no legal authority […]