Draego rebukes Fogel for not recusing himself

Joe Draego was in court today for a charge that he assaulted Showing Up for Racial Justice activist Sara Tansey when he retrieved a phone she allegedly snatched from white-protest organizer Jason Kessler back in February. The hearing in court was pretty routine, but afterward, Draego accused Tansey’s lawyer—commonwealth’s attorney candidate Jeff Fogel—of not acting “in […]

Style and turnout: Platania and Fogel present their cases

Come June 13, Charlottesville likely is going to have a new commonwealth’s attorney, given the unlikelihood a Republican candidate will emerge for the general election in November. That person will be either Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Platania, who seemingly has the backing of the city’s Democratic machine, or Jeff Fogel, who has captured the support […]

Emancipation and Justice: Lee and Jackson parks get new names

  Following the disruptions to City Council meetings that have occurred with regularity since the call to remove the statue of General Robert E. Lee was first made more than a year ago, councilors voted 5-0 to ditch the monikers honoring Confederate generals Lee and Stonewall Jackson and dub them, respectively, Emancipation and Justice parks. […]

Fitzhugh and Fogel make first court appearances

Activist Veronica Fitzhugh and commonwealth’s attorney candidate Jeff Fogel both appeared in court this morning for their respective assault charges, accompanied by dozens of supporters. The brief 10am hearing was over before some people could get through security and into the courtroom. Fogel represents Fitzhugh, who was charged May 31 with assault and disorderly conduct stemming […]

Statue standoff: Group suggests park names

While a court injunction currently prevents the statue of Robert E. Lee from being moved, the city is moving full speed ahead in an effort to change the names of local parks named for Confederate heroes. After fielding suggestions from almost all committee members, the Charlottesville Historic Resources Committee decided on four names each for both […]

Court conundrum: A failed referendum and a wish to avoid one

  The Board of Supervisors’ interest in relocating Albemarle County’s houses of justice from their current location on Court Square and into their own jurisdiction has been overshadowed with opposition, but county attorney Greg Kamptner thinks he may have found a way to circumvent the need for public approval. He told supervisors at their May […]

EPIC forum: When candidates and townspeople meet

New group Equity and Progress in Charlottesville hopes to piggyback on the progressivism sparked by Bernie Sanders’ campaign last year, while elbowing aside the ruling Democratic party’s stranglehold on local government. EPIC is holding forums to ferret out candidates in local races most closely aligned with its goals of adding affordable housing, and stanching gentrification […]

Ready to regulate: Albemarle eyes homestays

In Albemarle County, about a third of the homestays are flying under the radar. At a May 3 Board of Supervisors work session on the topic, county staff said something must be done to regulate them. The county has received 60 applications since 2004, and of those, 27 have been approved, according to Rebecca Ragsdale, […]

Kessler makes back-to-back court appearances

Blogger and antifa resister Jason Kessler’s weekend was bookended by dates in the Charlottesville General District Court, one in which he claims he’s the victim, another in which he was sentenced for assault. On Friday, May 5, a special prosecutor was named and a court date set to hear Kessler’s charge against Sara Tansey for […]