For nearly a century, Charlottesville’s downtown statues of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson have stood as brutal emblems of white supremacy. Local Black activists have fought long and hard for the bronze eyesores to be taken down for good, but the city has faced a string of roadblocks over the past four […]
For nearly a century, Charlottesville’s downtown statues of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson have stood as brutal emblems of white supremacy. Local Black activists have fought long and hard for the bronze eyesores to be taken down for good, but the city has faced a string of roadblocks over the past four […]
Slow train comin’ Last month, Governor Ralph Northam signed agreements with CSX railroad and other entities to complete a $3.7 billion investment in passenger rail in Virginia. The agreement will eventually add more train service to and from Charlottesville, but it will be at least a couple of years before passenger rail becomes available. The […]
Mayor’s poem sparks conversation Last Wednesday morning, Mayor Nikuyah Walker posted a poem on her Facebook and Twitter pages. “Charlottesville: The beautiful-ugly it is. It rapes you, comforts you in its cum stained sheets and tells you to keep its secrets,” the mayor wrote. The poem grabbed the attention of people in and outside […]
Big bucks from Biden Earlier this month, a slim Democratic majority in Congress passed theAmerican Rescue Plan, a massive stimulus package designed to restart the economy. One important component of the plan is direct cash assistance for local governments, many of which have been severely affected by the economic downturn during the pandemic. Local governments […]
City Councilor Heather Hill and Mayor Nikuyah Walker’s terms expire at the end of the year, and four candidates have thus far declared their intention to win those seats. Earlier this month, social entrepreneur Carl Brown announced his bid for City Council, joining Charlottesville School Board member Jaundiego Wade, UVA project manager Brian Pinkston, and […]
Welcome to Governor’s school Governor Ralph Northam came to town last week, stopping by Venable Elementary on Thursday to check in on city schools’ gradual reopening of classrooms. In February, Northam directed all schools in Virginia to make some in-person learning available to students by mid-March, after the CDC released information about managing virus transmission […]
Budget business New City Manager Chip Boyles has released a proposed budget for the 2022 fiscal year. Even after coronavirus revenue losses, the $190.6 million plan is just a hair smaller—around $500,000 less—than the current operating budget. The new budget does not raise taxes, and includes budget increases for multiple departments and commissions. The Charlottesville […]
By Sean Tubbs The fate of a proposed 300-space city-owned parking garage at Seventh and Market streets—in the space currently occupied by Lucky 7 and Guadalajara—hangs in the balance. Charlottesville City Council has to decide whether or not to include $8 million in next year’s capital budget plan for the project. The proposed garage has […]
Sign of the times After months of debate over Charlottesville’s honorary street name policies, City Council unanimously approved two requests last week recommended by the Historic Resources Committee: Black History Pathway and Byers-Snookie Way. Black History Pathway, located on Fourth Street NW between West Main Street and Preston Avenue, pays homage to the city’s rich […]
In the best of times, it’s difficult to balance the big-ticket projects in Charlottesville’s Capital Improvement Plan, the city’s five-year budget schedule for large infrastructure projects. That’s only become more challenging during the pandemic, when municipal coffers have taken a hit. Last week the Planning Commission debated the merits of a variety of upcoming projects, […]