Tuesday, March 27
Taking back Washington
A staffer for freshman Virginia senator, fightin’ Jim Webb, was arrested yesterday for attempting to carry a loaded pistol and two loaded magazines into a congressional office building, The Washington Post reports. The aide, Phillip Thompson, is a lawyer, a former Marine and a longtime friend of Webb. Thompson said Webb gave him the gun when he took him to the airport earlier on Monday; Webb later would not comment on whether the gun belonged to him and said he had no knowledge of the incident. It wasn’t a total misfire, though—the famously gun-loving Webb took the opportunity to speak publicly about his support for the Second Amendment.
Wednesday, March 28
Grisham snags Brit award
 John Grisham took home a Galaxy British Book Awards Lifetime Achievement honor. Glad to hear they adore him across the pond, too. |
John Grisham, known around the world as the best-selling-est author of the 1990s, and known more fondly in Charlottesville as that well-dressed philanthropist occasionally seen on the Downtown Mall, has pulled in his first major literary award, Britain’s METRO reports. Galaxy British Book Awards gave Grisham a lifetime achievement award. He’s one of only two authors to sell over two million copies on a first printing (The Pelican Brief sold 11 million).
Thursday, March 29
Putting us on the map for electronics
 If he can’t do it, no one can! Local electronics giant Bill Crutchfield was inducted into the Consumer Electronics Association’s Hall of Fame among corporate giants from Microsoft and Bose. |
Local electronics titan Bill Crutchfield this week garnered accolades from the Consumer Electronics Association at their conference in Washington, D.C. He is among 11 people to be inducted into the CEA Hall of Fame this year, including folks like Paul Allen, who founded Microsoft with Bill Gates, the German team who developed the MP3, Richard Schulze, founder and chairman of Best Buy and Amar Bose, founder and chairman of Bose Corp. Charlottesville suddenly seems like the ideal place to buy a home theater system.
Friday, March 30
Bon Voyage, CHS Orchestra!
The Charlottesville High School Orchestra departs tomorrow morning for London, England, where they’ll play in the Heritage Festival at the Royal Academy of Music. Totaling 117, the group of violinists, violists, cellists and bassists raised $320,000 for the trip through car washes, performances, poinsetta sales and good old-fashioned grant writing. The group got an accolade from Governor Tim Kaine, as they’ll be representing Virginia in the music festival. The group held a Bon Voyage concert at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing Arts Center tonight.
Geography buzz
Local students competed in the state-level geographic bee at Old Dominion University in Norfolk today for a chance to travel to Washington, D.C. for the National Geographic bee finals, hosted by "Jeopardy!" star Alex Trebek. Charlottesville had seven students in fourth through eighth grades from public and private schools who made the state cut. National winners can get up to $25,000 in college scholarships. From those of us who have trouble finding Pennsylvania on a map, congratulations!
Saturday, March 31
Local woman fights MS
Robin Maxwell, 38, was diagnosed in January with Multiple Sclerosis. Since then, the former triathlete has poured herself into raising money for her cause. Today, she came in fifth place in a sixdegrees.org contest, sponsored by Kevin Bacon and the Network for Good. The contest lets people “become a celebrity” for their cause, and awards an additional $10,000 to the most successful fundraisers nationwide. Maxwell raised $17,530 for MS. She has also started her own clothing line, Perfect Health, and led the top money team at this weekend’s MS walk.
Sunday, April 1
A tale of two fires
The Daily Progress reports two unrelated fires: one at Jefferson Heights senior housing complex and another at Wintergreen Resort. A blaze broke out in the attic of Jefferson Heights, a retirement community on Pantops. Several residents had to be carried out because they are wheelchair-bound. Emergency officials are trying to find temporary housing for some of the residents. The Wintergreen fire damaged a cafeteria and meeting space in one building, possibly due to a faulty air handler. No one was hurt in either blaze.
Monday, April 2
Big legal news
 So much for retirement: local attorney Debbie Wyatt’s case on behalf of a fired UVA employee made the pages of the Chronicle of Higher Education today. Apparently a wealthy university potentially cramping free speech is the kind of thing people like to read about. |
Need more proof that the Dena Bowers case has implications for all of higher ed? The Chronicle of Higher Education covers the latest legal developments today, in a piece written by former C-VILLE staffer Paul Fain. Bowers, a former HR recruiter at UVA, claims she was wrongfully fired for sending an e-mail that was critical of the University’s chartered restructuring. Though the “UVA Free-Speech case” had its First Amendment claims dismissed, Bowers’ attorney has said they will appeal.
