Leslie Pryor appointed as Rio District School Board Representative

The Albemarle County School Board unanimously appointed Leslie Pryor as the Rio Magisterial District representative on January 23, after a public hearing on the candidates. Pryor was one of seven people vying for the seat, which was left vacant following the death of board member Chuck Pace in December 2024. In a release announcing her […]

County school board interviews candidates for Rio District seat

At a special session on January 16, the Albemarle County School Board interviewed seven candidates to fill its Rio District seat, which is vacant following the death of Chuck Pace. The board must appoint a new representative by February 3. Among the applicants is Jim Dillenbeck, who ran for the seat against Pace in November. […]

County school board member Chuck Pace dies weeks after election

Just six weeks after winning election to the Albemarle County School Board, lifelong local educator Charles “Chuck” Pace died at the University of Virginia Medical Center on December 18 at the age of 64 following complications from kidney disease. A graduate of Charlottesville High School, Pace returned to the area to teach science at Albemarle […]

A seat on the Albemarle County School Board is up for grabs in upcoming special election

It’s election season, but the presidential and congressional races aren’t the only contests on the ballot November 5. Albemarle County is holding a special election for now-Delegate Katrina Callsen’s remaining year as the Rio District’s school board representative. The district, which spans from just north of the city into Earlysville, includes Agnor, Broadus Wood, and […]

In brief: Pipeline protests, tiger trouble, and more

Pipeline pushback In June, environmental activists celebrated as Dominion Energy canceled the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would have carried natural gas from West Virginia to North Carolina, passing through central Virginia. A little further west, however, the fight continues, as construction on the Mountain Valley Pipeline inches along. Last week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission […]

Tough call: Albemarle allows in-person learning for select students, while Charlottesville opts for all-virtual reopening

After weeks of discussion and debate, the verdict is in: Charlottesville City Schools will reopen virtually for all students, while Albemarle County will allow a limited selection of students to participate in in-person learning. Both districts finalized their decisions at school board meetings on Thursday. During the division’s virtual meeting, ACPS staff detailed the division’s […]

Cops out: City schools remove SROs, while county holds off

In light of the ongoing protests against police brutality and systemic racism, school districts across the country have cut ties with police—including here in Charlottesville. On June 11, Charlottesville City Schools announced it was discontinuing its memorandum of understanding with the Charlottesville Police Department, ending its current school resource officer program. Instead, the district says […]

Side effects: Cell tower emissions at Western still issue for some

By Caroline Eastham Aesthetics seemed to have gotten more discussion than health risks when Albemarle County approved a cell tower at Western Albemarle High last fall. The tower will provide sorely needed cell service to Crozet and internet access to over 400 homes and businesses, yet some say the health risks outweigh the connectivity benefit. […]