Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War Vol. 1

Geoff Johns is an evil genius. Or possibly a wizard. Or maybe some kind of cyborg from an alternate dimension. He’s clearly not human, since he possesses the alchemical ability to take even the most exhausted, clichéd comic concepts and transform their leaden histories into storytelling gold. Over the past 10 years, he’s taken the […]

Area lacks in fingerprinting tech

When someone perched near I-64 and fired into several vehicles one night in late March, local police shot into action. Area schools were canceled as law enforcement frantically searched for evidence. By the next day, they had arrested two suspects, and charged both with 10 felonies apiece in Albemarle County. “That was a priority,” says […]

Missing girl turns up in Chicago

A missing Charlottesville 12-year-old was safely located in Chicago by federal and local authorities less than two weeks after she went missing. Lorena Sanchez-Toledo had been gone since April 15, after she came home from Buford Middle School. She was last seen near her home in the Meadows Neighborhood. Three days later, an abandoned red […]

Lawsuit of the week

Plaintiff: Gregory Scott Sampson Defendants: Kroger Limited PartnershipCourt: United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia—Charlottesville DivisionWhat’s at issue: Whether Kroger is responsible for a power jack that “behaved in a very erratic and unpredictable fashion” and crushed Sampson’s thumb. On September 6, 2005, the Frito-Lay route sales rep says he was asked […]

“You have the right to order an appetizer”

Officer Craig Sorotki advises the Prestiy family on their dining rights at Charlottesville’s Red Lobster. The tables were turned on May 2 as local cops passed out menus instead of citations, working as wait staff as part of a fundraiser. For once, cops were supposed to accept cash on the job—tips were donated to the […]

City looks long-term for affordable housing

Since 2006, the number of affordable housing units priced under $100,000 in Charlottesville dropped by over 300, from 479 to 144 in 2008. During that time, the city’s focus on affordable housing has shifted from providing housing to middle-class residents to addressing the lack of low-income housing and its homeless problem. From that focus, two […]

Your tax dollars, at work

Worked in the county for: Almost six years Resides in: Fluvanna Job title: Elections Manager. Works for the Voters Registration and Elections department. Schermerhorn does election-official recruiting and training, works on polling place issues. “Starting about August, it’s flat-out [busy], but it’s actually kind of busy constantly.” Best of times: “I like working with my […]

Fifeville’s future

Last week, about a dozen neighbors gathered in a room in the Tonsler Community Center to do some basic event planning for a community day with an official from the city Parks and Recreation Department. In terms of event planning, it was your standard stuff—figuring out whether or not to rent a dunking booth, how […]

The incredible rise in Fifeville assessments

Year City assessment increase Fifeville assessment increase New value for a property assessed in 2003 at $75,000 Tax owed 2004 10% 19% $89,250 $973 2005 10% 24% $110,670 $1,206 2006 18% 28% $141,658 $1,487 2007 15% 32% $186,988 $1,851 2008 4% 12% $209,427 $1,990 Source: City assessor More feature articles: Fifeville’s future Now at the […]