C-VILLE wins journo awards
The Virginia Press Association held its annual conference and contest to celebrate the best work of newspapers across Virginia, from tiny weeklies to metropolitan papers. C-VILLE Weekly took home five awards at this year’s April 6 event in Norfolk. And we congratulate our award-winning colleagues at The Daily Progress, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and The Cavalier Daily
Staff reporter Samantha Baars won first place for her story, “Leaky-gate: RWSA employee resigns in protest,” about the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority imposing mandatory water restrictions and blaming drought for a drop in reservoir capacity, when an employee alleged it was caused by two leaky gates. The judge cites Baars’ “continued in-depth coverage of an issue as it unfolds and progresses, each time telling the story from multiple points of view.”
C-VILLE editor Laura Longhine also nabbed first place, for a story from the You issue on Charlottesville’s lack of female monuments.
Arts reporter Erin O’Hare scored third place for her story about the Monacan Indian nation finally getting federal recognition after inhabiting Virginia land for 10,000 years.
Kyle Petrozza got first place for his cover photo of UVA prof/rapmeister A.D. Carson. Says the judge: “So simple. So expressive. Your subject is readily identifiable, but in motion emphasized by his shadow. Shallow depth of field gives viewers rich sweater texture in front and lovely soft shadows in back. Very smart.”
And photographer Eze Amos captured activist Rosia Parker following the guilty verdict and recommended life-plus-419-year-sentence for neo-Nazi James Fields, who drove his car into a crowd August 12, 2017, killing Heather Heyer and injuring dozens. Says the judge of Amos’ third-place photo: “I love how this captures the woman’s face and emotion, with the fists in the background supporting her intensity.”
You’re in the news again
A new survey by the Pew Research Center shows that the top three topics Americans depend on local news for are weather, crime,
and prices. It also says that most people aren’t shelling out cash to support their consumption of weather, crime, and price news.
A whopping 71 percent of Americans mistakenly believe that their local news outlets are doing “very or somewhat well financially.” Says Pew, “There’s really a disconnect there between the public’s knowledge and understanding about the industry and how it’s functioning.”
Even worse for news providers: 84 percent of those surveyed have not paid for local news of any kind.
Approximately 70 percent of people who live in areas with similar demographics to Charlottesville believe local journalists are in touch with the community, and 24 percent of them said they had spoken with a local reporter.
Not worth paying for? Here are a few other ways the numbers add up for news users in places like Charlottesville:
- 74 percent say journalists report the news accurately
- 66 percent say journalists do a thorough job
- 66 percent say journalists are transparent
- 63 percent say journalists deal fairly with all sides
- 59 percent say journalists include people like you in their stories
- 14 percent pay for local news
Quote of the week
“If you use adversity right, it will buy you a ticket to someplace you couldn’t have gone any other way.” —UVA Coach Tony Bennett and Kyle Guy quote a TED Talk that became the national champion team’s mantra
In brief
New city manager
City Council publicly interviewed Tarron Richardson and two other finalists for the city manager job in March. Eze Amos
The months-long search for a Maurice Jones replacement is over. Tarron Richardson, who’s held the title of city manager of DeSoto, Texas, since 2011, will take on that job in Charlottesville. His previous experience
includes several senior administrative roles in Richmond, where he got a Ph.D. in public policy and administration from VCU.
Suspensions halted
The General Assembly passed Governor Ralph Northam’s amendment April 3 that will temporarily stop the suspension of driver’s licenses for unpaid fines and reinstate licenses for an estimated 627,000 Virginians. Meanwhile, Legal Aid Justice Center will continue with its lawsuit and push the legislature to repeal the policy for good.
Rugby barricades
You know that scary intersection on Rugby Avenue to get to the U.S. 250 Bypass or to the YMCA? One lane was closed a year ago to build a pedestrian bridge, but even though construction is complete, interim City Manager Mike Murphy says those Jersey barriers aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. A multi-use trail is in the works. For now, people getting on the bypass will continue to cross their fingers that drivers leaving the Y won’t hit them head-on.
Gaga’s class in session
Charlottesville High School was selected as one of only eight schools across the nation to pilot a new Lady Gaga-approved mental health program called Teen Mental Health First Aid. The program, backed by the superstar’s Born This Way Foundation, will include a five-step action plan for students to recognize when a friend may be facing a mental health crisis, and how to respond.
Not an attorney
A judge has barred black civil rights activist James Hart Stern, who took over the neo-Nazi group National Socialist Movement last month, from participating in Sines v. Kessler, which alleges NSM and 24 other defendants conspired to commit violence on August 12, 2017. Federal Judge Joel Hoppe said Stern, who filed a motion to admit liability, can’t represent NSM in the suit–not because he’s a black man purpoting to speak for white supremacists, but because he isn’t a real lawyer.
Roger Dean Huffstetler publicity photo
RD runs again
Roger Dean Huffstetler, who was unsuccessful in securing the 5th District Democratic nomination in 2018, wants another go. He’ll challenge incumbent Congressman Denver Riggleman in 2020. His campaign says it raised $100,000 in its first week.
Jim Justice stiffs Albemarle
The West Virginia guv’s family company owes $311,000 in county property taxes, according to Charlottesville Tomorrow. Justice, who owns the deluxe Greenbrier Resort, bought the 4,500 acres from MeadWestVaco for nearly $24 million in 2010. The county plans to sell the 55 parcels in November, and Justice has up until the last minute to pay his taxes.
