Muddled monikers

By Sofia Heartney Ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony at Buford Middle School, marking the start of a multi-million-dollar renovation, Charlottesville City Schools Superintendent Royal A. Gurley Jr. recommended changing Buford’s name to Charlottesville Middle School. According to a press release, school board members discussed a name change during a recent meeting. After gathering community feedback, […]

In brief

Celebrating Juneteenth The Charlottesville community is again coming together to celebrate Juneteenth, which commemorates the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation on June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger read the declaration to enslaved people in Texas, announcing their freedom and ending the practice of slavery in the southern United States. While Juneteenth has been celebrated […]

In brief

Truth be told Candidate Kellen Squire has responded to allegations by his primary opponent Amy Laufer that he is anti-choice. The two are facing off on June 20 for the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 55th House of Delegates seat. Over Memorial Day weekend, Laufer released mailers that said, “Squire’s own words show you can’t trust […]

Candidates convene

Candidates for the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates convened for a forum on May 31, three weeks ahead of the primary elections.  Hosted by the Charlottesville Public Housing Association of Residents, the People’s Coalition, and the Legal Aid Justice Center, the event gave candidates for state Senate District 11 and House District 54 an […]

Presidential posturing

Since his successful gubernatorial campaign, political commentators have speculated about Gov. Glenn Youngkin running for president. While Youngkin has repeatedly said he will not campaign for the 2024 Republican nomination, a recent ad by the Spirit of Virginia PAC and reported meetings with potential donors has raised questions about whether the governor is truly out […]

Buying out?

At the recent Rivanna River Fest held on privately owned open space that meanders with the waterway, several organizations staffed booths to promote their activities to passersby.   However, two affiliated groups seeking to prevent the development of a 245-unit apartment complex on that property had their own table set up just outside the boundary […]

In brief

City Council forum Five Democratic candidates for Charlottesville City Council convened for two forums ahead of the upcoming primary election. While the general election for City Council is not until November, the winners of the June 20 primary are all but guaranteed seats due to the lack of Republican challengers. The Democratic candidates vying for […]

Power shift

In the fall of 2010, Alexis Zeigler and Debbie Piesen set out to see if they could live independent of fossil fuels. On land just north of Louisa, they started building Living Energy Farm, their vision of a self-sufficient, off-grid community with zero carbon footprint. Last March, the off-grid systems and technology they developed won […]

Change of pace

Come May, there is an annual exodus from Charlottesville of the 23,721 undergrad and grad students who are enrolled at UVA. Some stragglers remain, but summer in the city, especially on the Corner, is quiet in comparison to the fall, winter, and early spring. The emptiness of University Avenue highlights the complex relationship between the […]

Generational investment?

Should Albemarle County supervisors pay a single landowner $58 million for 462 acres of land to help preserve the future of the area’s growing intelligence community? That’s the question for a June 21 public hearing.   “We know this project is a generational investment in our community’s vibrancy,” says J.T. Newberry, Albemarle’s interim director of […]