UVA researcher wins whistleblower case, could get $1.7 million

A jury in a whistleblower case in federal court in Charlottesville last week awarded a former UVA researcher $660,000, determining he was wrongfully fired after drawing attention to alleged misuse of grant funds from the National Institutes of Health—and the plaintiff’s attorney says his client could end up with a much bigger payout. As initially […]

What’s coming up in Charlottesville the week of 10/15

Each week, the news team takes a look at upcoming meetings and events in Charlottesville and Albemarle we think you should know about. Consider it a look into our datebook, and be sure to share newsworthy happenings, too. The Charlottesville City Council holds its regular third-Monday meeting today at 6pm. The consent agenda includes appropriations […]

The Miller Center asks the question: Do debates matter?

Whether they watched them unfold or not, many Americans point to big moments in the history of presidential debates in this country: Nixon’s no-makeup mistake; Lloyd Bentsen’s “you’re no Jack Kennedy” quip. But do those moments—or even the debates as a whole—really matter? It’s a question reporters and pundits revisit every election cycle. Because despite […]

Struggling ‘Hoos, upstart Terps set to renew testy rivalry

In November 2002, during the week leading up to his team’s game with UVA, then-Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen famously said: “We expect to beat teams like Duke and Virginia.” Smart. That Saturday, UVA crushed Maryland, 48-13. Friedgen was fired in 2010, having lost more games than he won against the orange and blue. At halftime […]

Young architects take on income gap with Green Dot job hub project

An architect’s challenge usually hinges on the limits of space and scale, but a team of young Virginia professionals has spent the last nine months tackling a very different task: closing Charlottesville’s income gap. The Emerging Leaders in Architecture program, run by the Virginia chapter of the American Institute of Architects, gives young people in […]

Center for Watershed Protection works to care for waterways

Dave Hirschman and Laurel Woodworth are serious about their work with the Center for Watershed Protection, a national nonprofit with a mission to clean up and care for waterways in Virginia and beyond. But they try to bring a little levity to the job when they can. Hirschman, the director of CWP’s Charlottesville office, and […]

Is another fight over agricultural land use brewing in Keswick?

The Albemarle County Planning Commission voted 5-1 last night to approve an annual cider festival and new regulations at Castle Hill Cider, a 600-acre property in Keswick—a place where businesses and residents have clashed over agricultural land use in the past. Like other “farm wineries,” Castle Hill can host an unlimited number of events throughout the […]

At local career conference, job struggle still evident

“I’ve never had a hard time looking for a job,” Susan Anthony said. “At first I think I didn’t realize what was hitting me, but it’s frightening.” Anthony, who attended a recruiting event at the John Paul Jones Arena last Wednesday, lost her job more than a year ago. She worked as an administrative assistant […]

Former UVA researcher’s suit claims retaliation over fraud accusations

A researcher fired from UVA’s psychiatry department is suing for reinstatement under a whistleblower protection known as the False Claims Act, saying he was forced out after drawing attention to fraud related to misappropriation of federal grant funds. UVA has declined to comment on the suit, and an attorney for the plaintiff, Dr. Weihua Huang, has […]