Tuesday, May 1
The ranks of the ultra-rich
Sure, there’s a lot of money in town, and Charlottesville-based Silvercrest, started five years ago by G. Moffett Cochran, is one of the companies that’s drawing it in. Called “one of the most highly regarded wealth management firms focused on ultra-high net worth clients,” Silvercrest manages more than $8 billion in assets for clients whose net worth averages $30 million. And this week, they got a new friend—not Bill Gates, not Steve Jobs, but the other Microsoft guy, Paul Allen, who has invested an undisclosed minority share in Silvercrest. Allen, with a net worth of $16 billion, is currently ranked fifth on the Forbes list of the 400 Richest Americans.
Wednesday, May 2
Anyone else think that was stupid?
 John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute, wags his finger at the ridiculousness that followed an incident with a couple of dumb UVA students and a broken BB gun. |
Leave it to civil liberties advocate and constitutional lawyer John W. Whitehead (also the dad of C-VILLE senior contributor Jayson Whitehead) to say what we’ve been thinking about the recent UVA BB gun incident. Dozens of police officers with drawn weapons turned up on Grounds after reports of a gunman on April 23. The threat turned out to be Japanese-language students filming a class project featuring a broken BB gun. Four students were arrested and were charged with brandishing a firearm, and their bond was set at a very dear $10,000 each. Whitehead writes: “We find ourselves in the absurd position of innocent people’s lives being destroyed simply for lack of a more sensible approach.”
Thursday, May 3
The Queen is back
 Charmed, we’re sure. Her Majesty the Queen of England stopped off in Richmond on Thursday, addressing the General Assembly before moving on to the real action at the 133rd Kentucky Derby. |
Her Majesty, the Queen of England, passed through Richmond today for the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement. The office of the Governor sent out several preparatory releases, informing us Colonials how to properly address the Queen and her husband, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh (who goes by “His Royal Highness.”) Speaking to the General Assembly, the Queen expressed approval at how far Virginia has advanced beyond segregation since her visit here in 1957. All we can say is, it would have sounded better coming from Helen Mirren.
Friday, May 4
A healthy lifestyle resort?
Just what we needed—another hotel! But this one is different. The Lexington Collection, a hotel group, announces the construction of a “healthy lifestyle resort” to be located on 10 acres near Laurel Ridge Golf Course in Fluvanna. The 64-suite resort will include a full-service spa, four-star restaurant, fitness center, tennis courts and “two unique schools—one in the visual arts and the other in the healthy lifestyle nutrition teachings.” Actually, what this means is hotel guests can take art classes or nutrition classes at the hotel—just what every busy traveler wants. The company estimates a late 2008 opening, with 24 more suites to be added later.
Saturday, May 5
Cinco de Stewart
 Has he told you lately that he loves you? A mostly middle-aged crowd packed the JPJ Arena for a two-hour performance by 62-year-old pop legend Rod Stewart. |
Perhaps in honor of Cinco de Mayo, Rod Stewart, the aging-but-still-strangely-desirable pop star shook his money maker at the JPJ Arena—and we do mean money maker. Though local music fans had clamored to have Stewart perform at the Paramount, his artists’ fees are far too expensive for the Downtown venue. It’s been rumored it costs around $750,000 to get Stewart to come sing “Maggie May” and other favorites.
Sunday, May 6
A Tinsley tennis champ
Twenty-two-year-old Romanian Edina Gallovits won the 2007 Boyd Tinsley $50,000 U.S. Tennis Association Championship today at Boar’s Head Sports Club, defeating the unseeded Angelika Bachmann. After her 6-3, 6-3 win in straight sets, Gallovits will likely find herself ranked in the top 100 of women’s tennis. The tournament, sponsored by Dave Matthews Band violinist Boyd Tinsley, brings professional female tennis players who hope to qualify for events like the U.S. Open, Wimbledon and the French Open.
Monday, May 7
Death over the weekend
A 21-year-old male died over the weekend after he fell three stories from a building on Carrollton Terrace, The Daily Progress reports. City police had not released the man’s name as of press time since the family had not been notified. The incident occurred around 1:30am Sunday morning in the heavily student-populated residential district off Jefferson Park Avenue. No information was available as of press time about whether the deceased was a student or if alcohol was a factor in the incident, but police do not suspect foul play.
