County survey released

On October 12, Albemarle County’s Development Review Task Force released the results of a voluntary survey that it hoped would generate “ideas and perspectives” rather than “specific conclusions” about the development review process. More than 400 county residents—citizens, developers and Community Development staff—submitted anonymous surveys, which were summarized to yield general themes.    Both developers and […]

Real estate market slows to “reasonable”

After you’ve been to Disney World, the Tilt-a-Whirl at the county fair seems a little disappointing. Similarly, after the wild ride that was local real estate in 2005, this year’s tamer market would seem to signal that housing prices and sales are seriously slowing. But in its third-quarter market report, the Charlottesville Area Association of […]

Armed robbery string confirmed by cops

Police have confirmed two armed robberies from the first week of October are related. The perpetrators attempted to abduct a 19-year-old male from Route 29 and assaulted a UVA student on the Corner—guns were used in both incidents.    On October 3, a teen was in his car at the 7-Eleven on the corner of Route […]

Collins trespassing case dismissed

At least Rich Collins is not a trespasser: Albemarle Circuit Court Judge Paul M. Peatross has found Rich Collins not guilty of trespassing when, in May of last year, he handed out flyers for his General Assembly campaign outside of Whole Foods
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DIY Lawsuit from former Regional Jail inmate

A man who helped jailers quell an August 2004 escape attempt at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail says staff didn’t do enough to protect him from other inmates. Now he’s braving the civil legal system and has filed suit in U.S. District Court against the jail, facility Superintendent Colonel Ronald Matthews and other staff for $1.5 […]

Citizens play with Police guns

The Charlottesville Police Department’s Citizens’ Police Academy doesn’t exactly train people for duty—but it does allow them, for one night, to get their hands on some real, police-issue weapons. On Wednesday, October 11, about a dozen participants got to show those paper silhouette targets who was boss at the indoor firing range at Rivanna Rifle […]

Sign o’ the times

Dear Ace: I’ve always set my watch by the SunTrust Bank sign on Rt. 29, but it’s been dark for almost a month now. What gives? —Oudda Thyme Dear Oudda: Ah, SunTrust—official bank of NASCAR, guardian of Coca-Cola’s original formula… What don’t they do? As of right now—for local residents, at least—the answer would be […]

As you lick it

Oh Lordy, we love to eat around here! No wilting Kate Bosworth-Keira Knightley-Carson Daly types on this staff. Three squares, Guv’ner, that’s what we’ll be having.

Gay marriage ban debated

Common ground was a scarce commodity during an October 5 debate concerning the proposed amendment to the State constitution banning gay marriage and civil unions. House Delegate Bob Marshall, one of the amendment’s co-sponsors, took on Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom To Marry. The two stopped just short of direct name-calling (but just barely) while disputing each other’s position in a Lincoln-Douglas style debate at the UVA Law School.

Setback for Scottsville streetscape

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors dealt a devastating blow to Scottsville town leaders at their October 4 meeting, denying $500,000 in requested funding for a street beautification project—a move Scottsville officials say effectively kills their Main Street development plan.    The town council for Scottsville—the small tourist destination nestled in the southern part of Albemarle […]