Virginia's so-called Champagne

Americans just don’t understand sparkling wine. First there’s the annoying habit of always calling it “Champagne,” and second the unforgivable sin of only drinking it on special occasions. Sparkling wine should be drunk anytime or all the time. It’s perfect with food, it’s beautiful in the glass, and it automatically raises your status by, like, […]

Loving cup

Considering how much coffee they were ingesting that noon, the five panelists were surprisingly sedate. Indeed, watching them smell each of 10 cups, swirl, sip and then press their pencils into the grading sheet, an image of study hall came to mind. Not exactly the caffeinated showdown we had envisioned when we set up the […]

Council conflicted on housing spending

At its retreat last month, City Council identified affordable housing as the priority that needed the most attention. The city has $1.4 million set aside for this year, and has committed to spending at least $1 million for the next four years on the issues. Yet at a work session last week, some councilors questioned […]

City agrees to sell Ridge lots

After postponing discussion last month to give residents another chance to weigh in, City Council agreed at its October 6 meeting to sell two lots on the corner of Ridge Street and Cherry Avenue to Southern Development if the developer meets certain requirements. At the September 15 public hearing, no Fifeville residents spoke, but a […]

Nonprofits profit from design marathon

Outside the financial limelight, nonprofits, ever vulnerable to the ebb and flow of donor funding, are battening down the hatches for an economic squeeze. As a result, they have less money to spend on fundraising. “Because of budget cuts…nonprofits have to focus their money on serving the community,” says Serena Gruia of Alloy Workshop design […]

Gleason finally breaks ground

  After at least a year’s worth of delays, ground has finally been broken on the new condo project at the old Gleason building. Since units have been on sale since at least 2006, what took so long? “It’s had nothing to do with interest,” says J.P. Williamson of developer Octagon Partners. “It’s a difficult […]

Anti-coal group trains local activists

Earlier this year, the state approved a new $1.8 billion, 585-megawatt coal-fired power plant in southwestern Wise County, and Dominion Power began construction this summer—yet a coalition of environmentalist groups continues to fight it. Wise Energy for Virginia hopes both to halt the current plant and prevent future ones from being approved. Consequently, the coalition […]

State releases new figures on graduation rates

For the first time, the state of Virginia has released standardized numbers about how many students are graduating from high school. The new on-time graduation rate shows how many students who entered the ninth grade actually graduated in four years, accounting for transfers. Best of all, the formula is now the same across the country, […]

Your tax dollars, at work

Job title: Director of community attention, guiding children and families in need Has worked for the city for: 13 years Resides in: Charlottesville Best of times: Seeing alumni of his program. “It’s great when kids come back years later, and can clearly tell you what a difference the program has made in their life.” Worst […]