Confidential payout

More than seven years after eight African Americans filed a lawsuit accusing an Albemarle police officer of racial profiling, the county has settled the complaint.   “Not with a bang, but with a whimper,” says plaintiffs’ attorney Jeff Fogel, who had prepared to go to trial several times over the course of the case. “It […]

Party of one

In an odd way, the handsome 36-year-old at Vinny’s Italian Grill is a bit of a hero. Philip Andrew Hamilton, a divorced legal process server who’s reasonably new to Charlottesville, got crushed by Sally Hudson two years ago in a delegate race. Now, in the local state Senate “race,” the Republican is challenging central Virginia’s […]

Looking forward

Results of the June 2023 primary elections have been finalized. And while the winners are preparing for the November 7 general election, the defeated candidates are thinking about next steps.  The most competitive primary race was between state Sen. Creigh Deeds and House of Delegates Rep. Sally Hudson for the newly redrawn Senate District 11. […]

Dems’ dilemma

When Virginia ended gerrymandering, one of the benefits touted was more competitive elections without the lopsided districts drawn to favor an incumbent. Perhaps not so widely anticipated is that the race for the new 11th District in the state Senate June 20 primary would pit two well-regarded incumbent Democrats vying to represent Charlottesville and Albemarle. […]

Candidates convene

Candidates for the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates convened for a forum on May 31, three weeks ahead of the primary elections.  Hosted by the Charlottesville Public Housing Association of Residents, the People’s Coalition, and the Legal Aid Justice Center, the event gave candidates for state Senate District 11 and House District 54 an […]

Presidential posturing

Since his successful gubernatorial campaign, political commentators have speculated about Gov. Glenn Youngkin running for president. While Youngkin has repeatedly said he will not campaign for the 2024 Republican nomination, a recent ad by the Spirit of Virginia PAC and reported meetings with potential donors has raised questions about whether the governor is truly out […]

PCOB plans

As the Executive Director of the Police Civilian Oversight Board, Inez M. Gonzalez is working to improve policing and police-civilian relations in Charlottesville.  Since its conception following the deadly 2017 Unite the Right Rally, the PCOB—formerly known as the Police Civilian Review Board—has been a source of contention. While many believe in the board’s goal […]

Pipeline politics

The United States Forest Service has approved passage of the Mountain Valley Pipeline through Jefferson National Forest.  First proposed in 2014, the 304-mile pipeline spans from West Virginia into Virginia, with a possible 75-mile Southgate Extension into North Carolina. While proponents of the MVP argue that the natural gas pipeline is a “critical infrastructure project,” […]

Good won’t go green

Rep. Bob Good has introduced legislation aimed at blocking U.S. contributions to the United Nations Green Climate Fund.  The bill—No Taxpayer Funding for Green Climate Fund Act—would halt $1 billion promised to the fund by the Biden administration, and stop any future U.S. endowments. “Domestic energy production has helped make America great, but President Biden […]

Homing in

The May 1 Charlottesville City Council meeting included a report on area homelessness, funding for affordable housing, and major budgetary allocations. The session began with a presentation titled Focus on Homelessness: The State of the Unhoused and Unhoused Services, by Misty Graves, director of human services, and leaders from The Haven, People and Congregations Engaged […]