Balancing act

After nearly a year on the job, Congressman Tom Perriello, who is a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, reflects on his work in Washington, the health care bill, almost being burned in effigy, and Nancy Pelosi’s locker room. How have you approached the job so far in terms […]

Phone-y business

Dear Ace: Is it true that the federal government is using Social Security to fund free cellular phone service for welfare recipients?—Not-Expecting-Ever-to-Retire-in-Charlottesville Factcheck.org addresses your question in a recent post titled “The Obama Phone?” that debunks allegations made in one of those pernicious chain e-mails—you know, the kind with big blocky text in primary colors, […]

Twenty years of local news and arts in the spotlight

It’s that time of the year again for two great traditions that go great together. We speak, ’natch, of the time-honored practice of lying about the status of your term paper. With finals looming, one corner of Charlottesville is teeming with procrastinators—the kind of people to whom we paid tribute 19 years ago for their […]

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to give out highest load of supply

He is the CEO of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network, whose Charlottesville branch is located at 1207 Harris St. Tanya Sperl, who is now a volunteer at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network, was once a client. “Coming to the food bank is more than just getting food. It’s getting hope, relieving […]

Future of city budget looking bleek

Less than a week after the City of Charlottesville reported a surplus of $1.7 million, Director of Budget and Performance Management Leslie Beauregard presented the forecast for the next fiscal year. Things are not looking too bright. According to staff reports, revenues in 2009 were over budget by $254,506, while expenditures were down more than […]

Extended-stay hotel proposed for West Main

The latest proposal from local architect Bill Atwood is an extended-stay hotel on West Main Street. On November 17, Atwood presented the project to the city’s Board of Architectural Review (BAR) for an initial discussion. The proposed nine-story, 120-room extended-stay hotel will serve family members of patients who are in treatment at the UVA Hospital. […]

Planning Commission endorses wind turbines despite viewshed impacts

For some people, the sight of a small wind turbine merrily turning in the breeze behind a house or business is a beautiful thing. After all, a turbine represents that much less energy that must be produced by, say, burning coal. Yet others may find the structures unsightly, especially in contrast to a bucolic Albemarle […]

Casteen stressed entrepreneurial spirit

The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce awarded UVA President John Casteen the 2009 Paul G. McIntire Citizenship Award on Wednesday, November 17 at its annual dinner. Casteen, who will retire from his role at the University after 20 years next August, began what may be called his farewell tour. Casteen’s speech centered on the need […]