Turf questions linger after supes' approval

Though the county Board of Supervisors voted to allocate $225,000 to replace natural grass on high school football fields with synthetic turf, questions remain about the safety of the turf. Supervisors David Slutzky and Ann Mallek opposed the measure, citing health and safety concerns. Slutzky, who with Mallek was appointed to try to answer questions […]

City requests board restructuring

Despite recent controversy, City Council has recommended to reappoint Mike Gaffney to a fourth two-year term as joint chair of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) and the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority (RSWA). The appointment needs the consent of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, which is likely. “We had some very good candidates […]

City misstep?

Hey man, what’s up with that whole Downtown Mall rebricking deal? The Mall seems pretty sweet to me as it is. Apparently, you haven’t been strolling down the Mall with a high-heeled woman on your arm. The materials used when the Mall was built in the 1970s were pretty darn good—except for the mortar in […]

Old yellers

Dear Ace: I’m confused. UVA’s mascot is the cavalier, but the students are all called “hoos,” which, to me, seems to have more to do with a big-eyed nocturnal animal than some dude on a horse. What’s up with that?—Lee Harvey Owlswald   Lee: It’s quite natural to be confused. Ace has always said, confusion […]

Oh, you'd better watch out…

Next March will see the release of Watchmen, a movie that comic fans have been both anticipating and dreading for 20 years. Anticipating because Watchmen is arguably the most important comic work of the modern age: a turning point for the industry that proved that comics could be literate, thoughtful, and certainly not just for […]

Wrong time to cut capital spending?

There’s at least one good thing about the current recession from local government’s point-of-view: cheaper contracts. With contractors growing hungry for work, more of them are competing for bids. Moreover, they tend to trim expenses to make their proposals more attractive. Bids for the Downtown Mall rebricking project, for instance, came in at least 10 […]