Podcasts about charlottesville community engagement

There is a theory that both the next podcast edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement as well as the next written version might be delayed out of some sort of concern about whether the internal numbering system is equipped to deal with the impending approach of the 1,000th edition. At least, that is one possible explanation of why it has taken so long to produce these older stories from the last week. There was a slight disruption in the routine which sometimes results in delays. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I look forward to sorting it all out.Audio versions of stories previously sent out in the newsletter: * Charlottesville City Council agrees to reallocate funding intended to run low-barrier shelter (read the story)* Charlottesville's finance director presents more details on city's $8.5 million surplus (read the story)* The 700 block of Charlottesville's West Main Street is now known as “Mel's Walk” (read the story)* Albemarle's Economic Development Authority agrees to spend $500K on Boulders Road Extension (read the story)* Supervisor Mike Pruitt shares information on CARTA with fellow elected officials (read the story)* The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission will try again for federal funding for design of Rivanna pedestrian bridge (read the story)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Today's shout-out: Cville Village seeks volunteers!Can you drive a neighbor to a doctor's appointment? Change an overhead lightbulb, plant a flower, walk a dog for someone who is sick, visit someone who is lonely? If so, Cville Village needs you!Cville Village is a local 501c3 nonprofit organization loosely affiliated with a national network of Villages whose goals are to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, and to build connections among them that diminish social isolation. Volunteers do small chores for, and have gatherings of, professors and schoolteachers, nurses and lawyers, aides and housekeepers. Time and chance come to all – a fall, an order not to drive, failing eyesight, a sudden stroke. They assist folks continue living at home, with a little help from their friends.Cville Village volunteers consult software that shows them who has requested a service and where they are located. Volunteers accept only the requests that fit their schedule and their skills.Volunteering for Cville Village can expand your circle of friends and shower you with thanks.To learn more, visit cvillevillage.org or attend one of their monthly Village “meet-ups” and see for yourself. To find out where and when the next meetup is, or to get more information and a volunteer application, email us at info@cvillevillage.org, or call them at (434) 218-3727.End notes for #998-AMy thoughts were well-intentioned. As I was producing stories last week, I did produce the audio but I did not post them to the Information Charlottesville website. Somehow I forgot that finished audio segments had been made and it felt like a slog to have to do the audio again.This is because the radio version did not air last week and so I didn't feel the same pressure to follow all of the steps. This week there will be a radio show and I have enough material that I am considering slowing down a little this week to focus on business and administration things.Also, it is going to be in the fifties later and I want to go for a walk and watch the ice and snow melt. So I am going to aim to have the next newsletter out tomorrow. That will be #999 and after that will be #1000. No comma. I think that's how I'll get through adding a fourth digit.Another reason things were difficult this week is that my copy of Adobe Audition reset and a lot of my bookmarks disappeared. Because I could not see the recent links to session files, I assumed I had not produced them.I'm writing this as I produce the podcast and also missing are my links to various sound files I use as punctuation in between stories. Youngers versions of me used to love playing around with audio production. I still do, but these days the need to produce takes the capacity away from being creative.Which is why this may be a week I listen to my brain and take a slight reset. All I know is that I'm very glad to have this edition done and to have a few hours off away from writing. There are many stories to tell, but there are also days I need to do a little more.Oh! Another reason this week is weird. For some reason, the gain on the headphones for my recording set-up is really low so I can't really hear myself while narrating. This is an annoyance but also causes issues. Perhaps I'll spend the rest of the day setting up a new place to work! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

There is an inkling of a legend that one day scientists will perfect a regular orbit for the audio edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Or at least, in the current day and age, this podcast edition happens as a secondary or perhaps tertiary by-product of the creation of many stories. The optimal time for this to come is Monday morning but the mini Ice Age has taken its toll on normal routines. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I do hope you'll take a listen whenever you can.In this edition:* City Council took a look at national financial picture at recent retreat (read the story)* Charlottesville City Council briefed on FY27 budget; assessments up an average of 3.72 percent in 2026 (read the story)* Charlottesville's FY25 surplus totals $8.5 million (read the story)* The Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Transit Authority meets for the first time in 2026 (read the story)* Albemarle County seeking changes to form-based code at Rio / 29 (read the story)* Council confirms willingness to let group build bridge to Vietnam memorial, accept the infrastructure (read the story)* City Manager Sanders goes through his work plan; Ashley Marshall leaving city government (read the story)First shout-out: Camp Albemarle!Today's subscriber-supported public service announcement goes out to Camp Albemarle, which has for over eighty years been a “wholesome rural, rustic and restful site for youth activities, church groups, civic events and occasional private programs.”Located on 14 acres on the banks of the Moorman's River near Free Union, Camp Albemarle continues as a legacy of being a Civilian Conservation Corps project that sought to promote the importance of rural activities. Rebuilt in the early 1980's, a legacy of 4-H programming thrives along with a wide range of additional activities. Educational initiatives from schools across the region spark environmental learning moments at every turn.Second shout-out: WTJU Folk Marathon running this weekWTJU's volunteer hosts are curating a Folk music mecca, running February 2 – 9, all to raise money for the non-commercial radio station as it continues to find its footing after federal funding cuts. Check out the schedule on the website here!Keep your dial set to 91.1 FM (or stream from their player) for a week of Folk sounds, including old-time, honky tonk, global music, roots, and mind-bending psych folk. There will be deep dives into the work of singular artists, including Brandi Carlile, John Prine, Jesse Welles, Martin Carthy, and many more. There will be tributes to some of the musicians we lost in 2025, including Raul Malo, Danny Thompson, Joe Ely, Michael Hurley, and Todd Snider.The Marathon will boast eight live concerts, open to the public, and broadcast on air, online, and on the WTJU YouTube channel. Stop by to see Mama Tried, Scuffletown, the Buzzard Hollow Boys, Red and the Romantics, Ramona and the Holy Smokes, and others! Every hour of the seven days and nights broadcasts directly from WTJU; even the overnight programming is populated with archived concerts from our very own stage! We have also invited some of our favorite local musicians in to present special programming, including Banjo Hall of Fame member Bill Evans, singer/songwriter extraordinaire Terri Allard, and band leader Waverly Minor. Where else but WTJU can you find such support from the community?End notes on #995-APeople who listen to the audio of this one may notice some interesting errors. More than usual, I'm popping my p's and otherwise hitting plosives. That's because something weird is happening with my recording set-up that I can't hear proper gain on my voice when I'm recording. If I can't hear them when I'm narrating a script, then they end up in the final mix because there's no choice.I'll figure it out, but I left it in for this one because this may have been one of the hardest audio editions to have done for a while. I barely took a breather in January and sometimes when I do too much work I don't process all of the stories properly.So yesterday I took off from writing new stories to get caught up with what I've already done. I usually do this work on Saturdays but I wanted to look at the General Assembly. This particular audio version also includes brand new interstitials. Those are the bits of sound in between the audio segments. One of the original ideas was that I would continue to make new ones but I've been using the same 20 stings over and over. So, today I made an effort to make new ones from existing weird things I've made over the years.Speaking of which, I've had an idea. In the coming weeks I'll be announcing a new way people can support my work, and that also involves changing the Patreon away from reporting and to something more artistic and creative. Probably not at all even close to the mainstream and it may not work, but I don't want to close the account.In any case, there may or may not be a regular newsletter today. I have to attend to the business of it all and this is a day where I may need to give myself over to that.Then again, maybe I won't. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

If there's anything I have learned in my thirty years of reporting, it is that there is always more to be learned. One reason to do journalism is to document potential solutions to problems over time. At least, there's the point of Charlottesville Community Engagement and this edition is a collection of audio stories from the past week. For those of you who do not want to listen, there are also links to this newsletter's archive at Information Charlottesville.In this edition:* Charlottesville Planning Commission briefed on tax abatement, student housing review (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors begin 2026 with a transportation update (read the story)* Albemarle assessments have increased by 6.17 percent in 2026 (read the story)* Spanberger signed ten first executive orders on first day in office (read the story)* Charlottesville City Council weighs in on student housing changesCharlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Plant Virginia NativesThe year is now 2026 and time is running out for me to plan for what my yard could look like if I were to get it ready for spring! The invasive plants won again and I've got maybe a month until they begin to come back to life. Is this the year I get ahead of the creeper and vine that thrive in the humidity and the hot sun? What else could I plant instead?One resource I could consult is Plant Virginia Natives to figure my way out of my predicament. Plant Virginia Natives is part of a partnership with ten regional campaigns for ten different ecosystems across Virginia, from the Northern Piedmont to the Eastern Shore. Take a look at the full map below for the campaign for native species where you are in the Commonwealth. For the Charlottesville area, download a free copy of the handbook: Piedmont Native Plants: A Guide for Landscapes and Gardens.A glimpse of the story spreadsheetSecond shout-out: Charlottesville Scholarship ProgramToday's second subscriber-supported shout-out goes to the Charlottesville Scholarship Program. Started in 2001 by an initial investment by Charlottesville City Council, the Charlottesville Scholarship Program has grown their endowment to over $1.3 million, and has awarded 201 scholarships totaling more than $1.1 million.The goal of the program has remained constant: to assist low- and moderate-income City residents and City employees who wish to improve their lives through post-secondary education. Many of these students are the first in their family to attend college.Income-eligible Charlottesville Public School System high school seniors, City residents who are Charlottesville Public School System graduates or GED recipients, and City municipal and City School System employees, no matter where they reside, are all eligible for CSP scholarships. In a typical year, CSP awards eleven new, renewable scholarships. Ten of these are designated for eligible high school seniors, and the 11th scholarship is designated for an eligible adult applicant.To learn more about the program, sign up for their newsletter, or make a donation, visit their website. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Today's edition is sponsored by the Ragged Mountain Running and Walking ShopWhen was the last time you played a musical instrument? When was the last time you recorded a song you wanted to write either for yourself or for others? In an attempt to change the tone of these introductory paragraphs of Charlottesville Community Engagement, I decide to look instead at this day in music.Two sources report that on January 22, 1959, Buddy Holly hit record on a machine and captured his final performances on a tape recorder, recordings that would later be posthumously produced professionally after his death in an aircraft crash on a snowy night. I'm Sean Tubbs, and more on that rabbit hole at the end of this edition.In this edition:* There is a vacancy on the Greene County Board of Supervisors as Francis McGuigan resigns* Albemarle and Charlottesville officials are preparing for a weekend storm expected this* The Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Transit Authority will meet today the first time in 2026* Albemarle County promotes Amy Smith to be the next Parks and Recreation DirectorCharlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Cville Village seeks volunteersCan you drive a neighbor to a doctor's appointment? Change an overhead lightbulb, plant a flower, walk a dog for someone who is sick, visit someone who is lonely? If so, Cville Village needs you!Cville Village is a local 501c3 nonprofit organization loosely affiliated with a national network of Villages whose goals are to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, and to build connections among them that diminish social isolation. Volunteers do small chores for, and have gatherings of, professors and schoolteachers, nurses and lawyers, aides and housekeepers. Time and chance come to all – a fall, an order not to drive, failing eyesight, a sudden stroke. They assist folks continue living at home, with a little help from their friends.Cville Village volunteers consult software that shows them who has requested a service and where they are located. Volunteers accept only the requests that fit their schedule and their skills.Volunteering for Cville Village can expand your circle of friends and shower you with thanks.To learn more, visit cvillevillage.org or attend one of their monthly Village “meet-ups” and see for yourself. To find out where and when the next meetup is, or to get more information and a volunteer application, email us at info@cvillevillage.org, or call them at (434) 218-3727.McGuigan resigns from the Greene County Board of SupervisorsThe Greene County Board of Supervisors will once again need to fill a vacancy now that one of its members has resigned while in office.Francis McGuigan turned in his resignation as the at-large Supervisor today, just over two years after being elected in November 2023.“We would like to thank Supervisor McGuigan for his commitment to the community,” said Board Chairman Steve Catalano in an information release.On January 13, McGuigan had voted for Catalano to be chair during the annual organization meeting. Midway Representative Matt Hartung was not present for the vote but joined the meeting later.The release states Supervisors will discuss how to move forward with a replacement at their next meeting on January 27.In the fall of October 2023, former Supervisor Abby Heflin resigned as the Stanardsville representative and the Board accepted applications for a replacement. The person appointed was Steve Catalano.For more on this story, take a look at this story on the Piedmont Journal-Recorder.Area preparing for heavy winter stormA large winter storm is heading for the east coast this weekend and that's expected to leave a heavy accumulation of snow and ice. Preparations are underway by first responders and the Virginia Department of Transportation.Albemarle's Deputy County Executive, Trevor Henry, briefed the Board of Supervisors Wednesday night about what was known at that time.“We have through our emergency manager a process by which we spin up our planning efforts,” Henry said. “And so I wanted to just assure the board but also use this as a reminder to the community that they should be paying attention to this weekend.”Henry said any snow and ice that falls may continue to be a problem as the forecast is for temperatures to remain below freezing through the end of next week. He added public safety will be ready.“Police and fire are really looking at a Saturday morning to at least initially through Monday night,” Henry said. “That may be a longer operational period where there's going to be additional resources.”Henry said the county is asking residents to be prepared to be without power for up to three days. To that effect, the county set out a message this afternoon with information including a checklist for an emergency kit created by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.Soon afterward, the City of Charlottesville announced it has activated the Snow Operations Team with a description of their duty.“The City is responsible for winter operations across approximately 165 centerline miles of roadway, 49 miles of sidewalks (including Safe Routes to School and City-owned properties), more than 45 municipal and school parking lots, City parks facilities, and the Downtown Pedestrian Mall,” reads the message.The city has over 165 people working on snow operations as well as a sizable inventory of equipment including “25 dedicated snowplow trucks equipped with salt spreaders and brine tanks.”Roads will be pretreated with brine and crews will begin clearing snow when necessary.“Snow response follows a priority plan,” reads the message from the city. “Crews will begin with primary routes, including major corridors and roads critical for emergency response and transit service.”Emergency snow routes will also be in effect as of 9 a.m. Saturday. Anyone who parks along these corridors must move their vehicle or it may be towed.Designated Emergency Snow Routes include:* Market Street (Old Preston Avenue to 9th Street NE)* High Street (Preston Avenue to 9th Street NE)* Water Street (Ridge Street to 10th Street NE)* 2nd Street West (Market Street to Water Street)* 4th Street East (Market Street to Water Street)* West Main Street (Ridge Street to JPA)* University Avenue (JPA to Rugby Road)There will be free parking in the two municipal parking garages Friday, January 23 at 6:00 PM through Tuesday, January 27 at 8:00 AM.For the city's full list, click here.Thanks for reading Charlottesville Community Engagement ! This post is public so feel free to share it.Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Transit Authority to meet todayIn late 2025, an entity known as the Regional Transit Partnership ended and transferred many of its duties to a recently created authority intended to promote greater cooperation and coordination between the area's multiple transit agencies.Today the Board of Directors of the Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Transit Authority will meet for the first time in 2026 at the Water Street Center. (CARTA website)The agenda for today's meeting looks much like an RTP agenda with opportunities for Jaunt, Charlottesville Area Transit, and University Transit Service representatives to tell what they're doing and how they fit into the bigger picture. So far, though, the only two voting members are Albemarle and Charlottesville.Scottsville Supervisor Michael Pruitt will be joined by newcomer Jack Jouett Supervisor Sally Duncan, and Charlottesville City Councilor Natalie Oschrin will be joined by newcomer Jen Fleisher. Fleisher has attended multiple meetings of the RTP as an alternative representing the Blue Ridge Health District.There are details on both Jaunt and the University Transit Service in the packet, but nothing from Charlottesville Area Transit.One of the main tasks for CARTA this year will be to conduct something called the “Regional Transit Service Prioritization and Implementation Feasibility Study” which builds off of the 2022 Regional Transit Vision Plan and the Regional Transit Governance Study from 2023.Not on the agenda is a discussion of how CARTA might be able to help increase funding for CAT's mission to hire a total of 108 drivers. That's the amount CAT Director Garland Williams says is needed to restore full service and make long-awaited route changes.Here's a story about that from December 2025 as well as a story from August in which a representative from IMPACT said the organization is watching. Patreon-fueled shout-out: Design DevelopArchitectural firm Design Develop is offering a new service aimed at the development community that the rest of us might want to know about , too — 3D point cloud scanning! This technique uses specialized equipment, such as 3D scanner systems, to gather a large amount of data points that represent the surface of the scanned object or scene. This really comes in handy when working with historic structures, as the firm knows from its experience in Baltimore and Charlottesville. Read their blog post for more information!The applications of 3D point cloud scanning are extensive and cover various fields, including architecture, construction, cultural heritage preservation, virtual reality, industrial design, manufacturing, and more. These applications require accurate 3D spatial information, and Design Develop's workflow provides precise and comprehensive results, all while being more cost-effective than traditional methods.Design Develop has expertise in this workflow for their own needs and now has a dedicated team offering this service in the Charlottesville and Albemarle Area. If you're involved in the real estate, design, or construction industry, contact them for more information or a free quote.Visit their website for an introductory video that captures the 3D point cloud scanning of the Downtown Transit Center and a booklet that will explain more!Albemarle promotes Smith to Parks and Recreation DirectorAfter a nationwide search, Albemarle County has named a veteran of the Parks and Recreation Department to lead the office after the retirement of former director Bob Crickenberger.“Our own Amy Smith, who has been the deputy director and, and has enjoyed a wonderful career serving Albemarle county, was our top candidate,” said County Executive Jeffrey Richardson.Smith will lead a department with a $5,584,028 budget for fiscal year 2026 and 27 full-time employees. Two objectives in the county's strategic plan address how parks can help reach Quality of Life Goals.These are:* 4.4 — Integrate parks planning with multi-modal transportation planning across the County* 4.5 — Enhance overall access to parks and recreational opportunities with an emphasis on urban neighborhoods.The FY26 budget also includes $1.5 million for work to pursue the latter objective through creation of a new urban pocket park on Hillsdale Drive as well as new amenities at Humphris Park.Soon after being announced, Smith explained her philosophy toward parks and recreation.“Our parks protect natural beauty, promote health and wellness, provide spaces for connection, and ensure that residents of all ages and abilities can enjoy the outdoors. I'm truly inspired by Albemarle's commitment to quality of life,” Smith said. “I plan to build upon the same foundation through increasing innovation, strategic management of resources, and furthering, uniting and empowering our dedicated Parks and Rec staff and our amazing community partners.”Smith began working for the county in 1993. Jack Jouett Supervisor Sally Duncan just joined the Board and said she was impressed by the time Smith has spent working for Albemarle.“I just think it's really great when we can retain people and have people, you know, build their careers here and have longevity,” Duncan said.Supervisor Ann Mallek is in her fifth term representing the White Hall District and said Smith has helped oversee and manage many of the parks that have come on line in the past two decades and will now work to bring many more that are planned into reality.“So many things on your plate with the blueways and Buck Island and the Brook Hill ramp and such a long, long list because there's so many places that you already manage,” Mallek said.The blueways are a series of amenities allowing people to use area rivers and streams for recreational purposes. As part of this effort, the county opened Brook Hill River Park on Rio Mills Road in the summer of 2019 and there are plans to develop a park at Buck Island 17 miles down the Rivanna River.Smith helped lead a parks and recreation needs assessment for Albemarle in 2018 and creation of a parks strategic plan. Much of that is now within the Parks and Recreation Chapter of AC44, the name the county called their Comprehensive Plan. This link will take you right there.There's also the recreation side of the department which provides many ways for people to interact with each other. Richardson said the intent is to overcome obstacles as they pop up.“When our middle school volleyball league registrations opened across Albemarle County, there was a rush of families signing up their students for this program,” Richardson said. “Henley was, was completely full within three minutes. Lakeside was full within 30 minutes.”Richardson said there were many calls from people who were disappointed they missed out but the department showed flexibility in the name of customer service.“So what the Parks and Rec department did was step back, reformatted the league and they expanded capacity, ultimately registering 400 participants across all the schools,” Richardson said. “And that eliminated the wait list.”For more on how to provide feedback on the new Hillsdale pocket park as well as Humprhis Park, visit engagealbemarle.org.Articles by other journalists you are encouraged to read next:* When Virginia GOP senator's solar farm stalled, the Youngkin admin got involved, Ben Paviour, Virginia Mercury, January 13, 2026* ICE detains 5-year-old Minnesota boy; school leader says agents used him as ‘bait', Elizabeth Shockman, MPR News, January 21, 2026* Va. lawmakers want voters to take a 180-degree turn on redistricting; some reform advocates are wary, David Poole, Virginia Mercury, January 22, 2026* Winter road salting is a growing source of pollution [and] Virginia officials want alternatives, Katherine Hafner, WHRO, January 22, 2026#989 is an echo from the pastA thing I keep to myself is a long history of relaxing through challenging myself to recording improvisational music. At one point I wanted to be in a band, but I've always been way too guarded to do such things. Or at least, not willing to put in the time.Yet I've recorded many hours of my attempts at songs over the years and I find the experience of expressing myself through musical creation helps me fill out a lot of the rough spots in my life. I made a decision a long time ago to keep all of that to myself, but I'm also aware of my mortality more than usual.So I had this idea to begin to put some of my sound recordings on Patreon as part of that system. After all, my hope is to soon have a mechanism people can use to make tax-deductible contributions for the reporting.This is still just an idea crafted at a time where I'm paying a lot of attention to where I was at this time in 2011. I was not quite four years into my time at Charlottesville Tomorrow and I was very uncertain about what I wanted to do. I am interested in what I was singing at that time for reasons I'll explore over on Patreon if I decide to go ahead with this side project.Oh yeah, also somehow this edition is a podcast, too. Not sure how that happened.And now, probably the weirdest video I've posted yet which is still germane somehow. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

The month of January 2026 is halfway through and the pace of the previous year appears to have continued with no days off in a period of transition and tumult. I'm Sean Tubbs, and Charlottesville Community Engagement is a newsletter with stories about a part of the world I've been covering for a long time with a focus on growth, development, housing, and whatever else comes together.In this edition:* Albemarle Planning Commission recommends approval of a rezoning near junction of I-64 and U.S. 29 (read this story over at C-Ville Weekly)* Sanders welcomes new staff to Charlottesville (read the story)* Council names two to Charlottesville Planning Commission (read the story)* Developer named for UVA student housing on Emmet / Ivy (read the story)* Charlottesville City Council gives direction on affordable housing spending (need to produce)* Alternatives coming for payment at Charlottesville's municipal garages (read the story)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Today's shout-out: Town Crier ProductionsWhen I was a kid decades ago, I dreamed of creating my own newspaper or having my own radio show. I lived on a cul-de-sac in a neighborhood in a community that was not the most exciting, but my imagination put me on the pathway to now when I've somehow managed to cobble together a newsletter with over 4,600 subscribers.This week I'm trying to clear out the backlog from 2025 which includes at least a couple of newsletters of regular content before there will be a series of editions that look back on the specifics of the year.My upbringing as a first generation American fueled me with a passion to understand a country so different from where my parents had grown up. For an entire career now I've been powered by a desire to know what's going on, and to share what I know with people who also are curious, thoughtful, and independent.What I am not is a business person, and the growth of Town Crier Productions has been slow and steady because my focus is on putting forward as much information as possible while pointing people to the places where they can contribute should they want to do so. Here are some current options:* Take out a paid subscription to Substack with the yearly option being the most beneficial* Consider a Patreon contribution to support more than just this newsletter* Send a check to Town Crier Productions, PO Box 1754, Charlottesville, VA 22902* Consider becoming an experimental sponsor of both this newsletter and Information Charlottesville.I'm still dreaming of what this could all be, knowing I've got a lot of growth to do in terms of being a business person. I believe there is value in what I do each and every day, and I am able to pay my bills because there are enough of you who agree.If you're not sure, please keep reading and listening to the content. Share with friends. Share links to social media. Leave a comment!The goal of this work is intended to advance conversation about complex topics in a country experiencing a lot of soul-searching as the 21st century steam-rolls on.Thoughts at the end of CCE-985AA behind the scenes fact! I work alone and so I have a lot of inside jokes to amuse myself. I name each of the podcast. This one is CCE-984A-stunted-moats for some reason. I'm an odd person.I also created a couple of new audio bumpers that separate the stories. These also amuse me. The ad-lib shout-outs also amuse me. Are these still worth doing? I think so. As I said in one of the pieces of continuity, the podcast marks the end of one week and the transition to another. This particular edition begins with a story that is actually a C-Ville Weekly story that I did not produce a CCE version and now will not. I produced that story for them about a month ago but it got lost somewhere along the way. I'm only putting in this section today because I need to put an image at the top. Now, on to CCE-986 which will not have a name because it is not audio. There are rules to this madness, after all. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Today's edition is sponsored by the Ragged Mountain Running and Walking ShopThere are very few editions of Charlottesville Community Engagement that are sent out on a Saturday but there's enough new information to tell you so here we are. Today is the first day of the administration of Governor Abigail Spanberger and there have already been some big changes. I'm Sean Tubbs and it's January 17, 2026.In this edition:* Abigail Spanberger is now Virginia's 75th Governor* There are several media reports that at least three members of the University of Virginia's Board of Visitors has resigned at Spanberger's request* The Virginia General Assembly has set the stage for a Constitutional amendment this spring for a Congressional redistricting with debate in both the House of Delegates and the Virginia SenateCharlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Corrections to start:* In the January 16, 2026 edition, I misidentified Charlottesville's delegation to the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. They are Jen Fleisher and Michael Payne.First-shout: Charlottesville Community Bikes seeing volunteers for the Charlottesville Ten MilerThe Charlottesville Ten Miler is fast-approaching so there's plenty of time to get training. Or so I keep telling myself. Or perhaps you'd like to help out on March 28 and witness thousands of people moving through the streets of our community as they raise money for local groups?Charlottesville Community Bikes is one of the beneficiaries of this year's Ten Miler and their level of support depends on how many people they can get to volunteer for any number of duties. If you'd like to learn more, visit the Ten Miler website and sign up if you'd like to get involved. Volunteers are encouraged to select “Anywhere You Need Me” for the greatest impact.Spanberger takes office as Virginia's 75th governorThe first woman to serve as the Governor of Virginia took the oath of office at the State Capitol this afternoon after winning the election last November.Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears with over 57 percent of the vote.“Neighbors, friends, and our fellow Virginians. It is my honor to be with all of you today,” said Governor Spanberger. “An inauguration ceremony like this one, with all its tradition and pageantry, represents something profound and in its origin, something uniquely American, the peaceful transfer of power.”Spanberger said the tradition began when George Washington, a Virginian, opted to step down after two terms as President. She thanked former Governor Glenn Youngkin for his service, as well as the time that former Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and former Attorney General Jason Miyares put in while in office.Spanberger also thanked generations that came before her that worked to ensure that women have the right not only to vote but also to hold office.“But who could only dream of a day like today?” Spanberger asked. “I stand before those who made it possible for a woman to also participate in that peaceful transfer of power and take that oath.”Spanberger noted that this is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, drawing attention to Thomas Jefferson's role as Virginia's second governor. The first was Patrick Henry, who was sworn in in 1776.“Governor Henry is best known for his call against tyranny at St. John's Church, just up the road, words that helped launch the American Revolution,” Spanberger said. “But in his final public speech delivered in Virginia Years later in 1799, he made an appeal to his fellow citizens, warning against the divisions that were threatening our young country. His appeal remains timeless. He said, united we stand, divided we fall, Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.”Spanberger noted that the steps of the Virginia capitol were used by suffragists to lobby for the right for women to vote, a request denied for many years until 1920 when the U.S. Constitution was amended. She also noted that Virginia did not ratify the 19th Amendment until 1952.The new governor also noted that Virginia decided to call itself a Commonwealth upon independence and not just a state.“What's the difference?,” Spanberger said. “We, kids, pay attention. Someone may ask you this eventually. There's no difference. There is no difference in how we operate or function as a state. The difference lies in the intentions of our forefathers and the choice to indicate that here our government should serve the common good. That the voices of everyday Virginians, not kings, not aristocrats, not oligarchs, should. That the voices of everyday Virginian should drive us forward and that our prosperity depends on that union.”Turning to policy and the future, Spanberger said she would help guide Virginia during a time when the federal government is seeking to end support for rural hospitals, support for health care, and other outcomes sought by the current administration.“I know that some who are here today or watching from home may disagree with the litany in of challenges and the hardships that I laid out,” Spanberger said. “Your perspective may differ from mine, but that does not preclude us from working together where we may find common cause.”Spanberger said she looks forward to working with the General Assembly over the next four years and thanked her Cabinet for being willing to serve.“As we mark 250 years since the dawn of American freedom, what will our children, our grandchildren and their descendants write about this time in our Commonwealth's history? This chapter, 50, 100, 250 years from now, will they say that we let divisions fester or challenges overwhelm us? Or will they say that we stood up for what is right, fixed what is broken, and served the common good?”You can watch the entire inauguration ceremony on VPM or read the remarks on the website of the 75th Governor.Thanks for reading Charlottesville Community Engagement ! This post is public so feel free to share it.Several members of the Board of Visitors have resigned at Spanberger's requestThe Cavalier Daily is reporting that four members of the University of Virginia's Board of Visitors have resigned following a request from Governor Abigail Spanberger before she was sworn in.Shortly after Spanberger was elected, she asked the Board of Visitors to suspend a search for a new president following the resignation of Jim Ryan in June 2025. Former Governor Glenn Youngkin told her to stop interfering and the Board hired Scott Beardsley on December 19. Beardsley resigned as Dean of the Darden School of Business to take the job.The Board was already down to 12 appointees, all named by Youngkin, following the failure of five new nominees to get confirmed by the General Assembly.Rector Rachel Sheridan, Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson, and member Paul Manning all resigned on Friday. The New York Times reports that Doug Wetmore resigned today and their earlier reporting Spanberger has also asked Stephen Long to resign.The Cavalier Daily obtained a copy of Sheridan's resignation letter to Youngkin that blamed “political warfare” for the Board's inability to stabilize a University community where several groups expressed concern that Beardsley was appointed without their input. On Thursday, the Faculty Senate adopted a resolution calling for Spanberger to act.“The Faculty Senate calls upon Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger to exercise her statutory authority, review the actions of current Board members,remove those whose conduct has fallen short of the responsibilities of Visitors, and appoint qualified individuals to fill all vacancies on the Board,” reads one part of the resolution.The resolution also asks the new Board of Visitors to review the search process to determine if there need to be changes.As of publication, the Board of Visitors website has not yet been updated to reflect any resignations. However, Deputy Spokeswoman Bethanie Glover confirmed the four resignations.“President Beardsley and University leaders thank them for their service to UVA,” reads a brief statement sent in response to a query.The University of Virginia's Board of Visitors is next scheduled to meet on March 5. This is a developing story.Soon after being sworn in, Spanberger signed ten executive orders. One of them seeks reform of the way that members of governing bodies of state institutions of higher learning are appointed. For more details, visit the Virginia Political Newsletter.Second shout-out: Alliance Française de CharlottesvilleThe Alliance Française de Charlottesville promotes the French language and francophone culture through educational and cultural programs. Visit the Alliance Française website to learn more about group classes, private lessons, cultural events, and social activities for both kids and adults.Special election on redistricting highly likely this spring on new Congressional maps in VirginiaThe Virginia General Assembly has set the stage for a special election this spring in which voters will be asked whether they would allow the state legislature to redraw the Commonwealth's Congressional districts in order to elect more Democrats.The move is a response to efforts by President Donald Trump to urge Republican-led legislatures across the nation to redraw boundaries for the House of Representatives to guarantee members of his party win.So far, both Texas and California have moved ahead with new maps.This week both the Virginia Senate and the House of Delegates kicked the 2026 legislative session off by passing a second reference of a Constitutional amendment to set up that ballot question. Under Virginia's Constitution, the legislature must agree to the amendment twice with a House of Delegates election in between before it goes to voters.Democrats took advantage of a special session from 2024 that had never ended to convene last October to hold the first reference in the House of Delegates and the Senate. Democrats then picked up an additional 13 seats in the House of Delegates.The House of Delegates passed the second reference on January 14 after about 20 minutes of debate. Delegate Rodney Willett (D-58) is the chief patron of House Joint Resolution 4 which will allow for a one-time redistricting outside of the decennial reapportionment process.“This keeps Virginia's options open,” Willett said. “This would enable us to preserve flexibility. If the people approve it and then we implement it, we could make redistricting decisions but there's no mandate here to do so.”Willett said the Virginia Redistricting Commission would do the work of redrawing Congressional lines in 2031 after the next Census.Delegate Terry Kilgore (R-45) said the General Assembly should not overturn the will of voters who approved a Constitutional amendment in 2020 to give the power to draw Congressional districts to the bipartisan Virginia Redistricting Committee.“We shouldn't care about what other states are doing,” Kilgore said. “We should care about what Virginia is doing, what message we're sending to our constituents.”Kilgore urged his colleagues to follow the lead of Indiana where a redistricting push failed in December. In both the Indiana House and the Senate, some Republicans joined with Democrats to vote against an effort to redraw lines. (learn more on Wikipedia)Delegate Wren Williams (R-47) rose to ask a question of Willett.“In 2020, nearly two-thirds of Virginia told us they wanted politics out of our map making,” Williams said. “Why would we reverse course now even under what is alleged to be a carve out for extraordinary emergencies?”Willett said this is a measure in response to a president who has demanded state institutions make changes for his benefit.“Our hand was forced here by the extraordinary actions coming from Washington by a president who contacted not one, not two, but multiple states and directed them to redistrict and change the election picture and essentially disenfranchise Virginia voters and other states that would vote Democratic,” Willett said. “We couldn't stand for that. When a bully punches you, sometimes you have to punch back.”Delegate Tom Garrett (R-56) argued that it would be Virginia Republicans who would be disenfranchised if lines are drawn to give Democrats an advantage. He ran through a list of states that are pursuing redistricting.“California, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Utah, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, Florida, Maryland, Alabama, Louisiana, New York, North Dakota have all either done this or are looking at doing it,” Garrett said. “You know what makes Virginia different? We are the only state on the list that I named that had a constitutional amendment that passed in 99 out of 100 House of Delegates districts five short years ago.”Delegate Mark Sickles (D-17) reminded his colleagues that the Virginia Redistricting Commission failed to complete their job in October 2021.“That commission did not work like we hoped it would,” Sickles said. “And having a bipartisan thing, a group of Democrats and Republicans and citizens come up with these districts, it did not work. The court drew these seats. So I don't know how much reverence we have for that. But this is an emergency. If this is not an emergency for American democracy, I don't know what is.”Delegate Mark Simon (D-13) noted that if Virginia voters don't want to change the districts, they can vote accordingly.“You know what happens after this resolution passes?” Simon asked. “There's a referendum. We get to go back to the voters again and they're the ones who get to decide what we do going forward.”The vote was 62 in favor, 33 against, one abstention, and four not voting.A look at what other states are up to:Before we go over to the Senate, let's go through some of what can be known about other states listed by Delegate Garrett.* In November, voters in California approved Proposition 50 with 64.42 percent of the vote that redrew lines to target several Republican incumbents. (learn more on Wikipedia)* In Missouri, the legislature approved a new map for Congressional boundaries last September intended to reduce Democratic representation but a citizens group called People not Politicians are trying to force a referendum. Take a look at this January 9, 2026 story in the Missouri Independent for more information.* The North Carolina legislature approved a map in October 2025 designed to make it more difficult for one Democratic incumbent to get re-elected. Learn more in this Associated Press article from then. The situation in Utah is different as there were already legal clouds over redistricting related to an attempt to create an independent commission in 2018. According to an article by Katie McKeller in the Utah News Dispatch, a judge ordered a new map that would likely lead to one Democratic seat. Republicans are challenging.* The Texas legislature adopted a map last August intended to give Republicans five additional seats and this was briefly thrown out by a federal court. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled voted 6-3 to allow the new map to proceed. (learn more on Wikipedia)* The Ohio Redistricting Commission adopted a new map last October that gives Republicans an advantage. They did so before the legislature was set to do it themselves, reports Jeremy Pelzer for cleveland.com.* Some Democrats in Washington want to redraw the maps, but Scott Greenstone of KUOW reports there are obstacles to getting that done in 2026.* The situation in Louisiana is more complicated and I refer you to Ballotpedia.* New York Governor Kathy Hochul is exploring the idea of redistricting, reports Kate Lisa for Spectrum News.* North Dakota only has one Congressional District making redistricting irrelevant. Learn more on Ballotpedia.Senate DebateThe Virginia Senate took about 40 minutes on January 16 to go through the debate with Senator Christopher Head (R-3) introducing several amendments to House Joint Resolution 4. He made many of the same arguments as his colleagues in the House, arguing that voters had agreed to place the power of redistricting to a commission after the General Assembly gave them that choice in 2020.“Some of you weren't here then, but if you voted for it then and you thought that was a good idea because it was your ethics and your beliefs and they were foundational and fundamental,” Head said. “But now, because you hate the man that's in the White House, and that's really the only thing that's behind this, is that you hate the man that's in the White House and you want to blunt his power, then we're going to politically gerrymander and take away the rights of the people to have representation that represents them.”Senator Scott Surovell (D-34) said that Head's amendments should have been made on first reference. He said he did not support the creation of the Virginia Redistricting Commission but he could understand how those who did might change their mind now.“They didn't imagine that we're going to have a hyper-partisan fascist ideologue telling state legislatures around the country to basically redesign their districts to maximize his own personal political power,” Surovell said. “And to the extent anybody even thought about that, I think most people thought that there were people of principle in the Republican party that would stand up to it because they cared about the rule of law or system of government preserving democracy.”Head did not receive enough votes for his amendments.Surovell said he wished he did not have to support this move but felt there was no other choice.“When other states manipulate their maps to gain unfair advantage, we don't just harm,” Surovell said. “They don't just harm their own voters. They also harm Virginia's ability to have its fair representation in Congress. We're simply seeking to level the playing field in Congress which has already been. Which is being tilted against us and our state.Senator Mark Peake (R-22) wanted to know what would happen if voters approve the redistricting.“Do we come back into special session after the citizens have voted to draw the new congressional districts?” Peake asked.Surovell said there are still remaining questions to be answered but the maps would be available for the public to review before the referendum.Peake said if this passes, Democrats will do what they can to hold on to power.“You're going to do away with bipartisan redistricting,” Peake said. “You're going to try and put us in a 10 to 1 Democrat to Republican congressional districts, and then you're going to again resume gerrymandering the entire Commonwealth.”Senator Ryan McDougle (R-26) urged Democrats in Virginia to follow what some of the Republicans did in the Indiana legislature when they stopped a gerrymander.“Republicans in Indiana stood up to political pressure and said we're not going to play these political games,” McDougle said.In the Indiana House, 57 Republicans voted for the redistricting and 12 voted against, joining 29 Democrats. In the Senate, 21 Republicans joined 10 Democrats against the redistricting, and 19 Republicans voted for it.Senator Bill Stanley (R-7) pointed out that President Trump is unpopular, citing Democrats picking up 13 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates this past November.“It seems to me what this kerfuffle is all about is because the current president has encouraged some states to change their congressional makeups and the lines,” Stanley said. “The last time I checked, when he was elected in 2016. In 2018, Madam President, the Democrats picked up, I think 41 seats in Congress.”That appears to be accurate per Wikipedia.Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-16) agreed that Trump is unpopular and said that is why is is seeking to redraw lines across the country.“As is so often true over the last 10 years of politics, every accusation is a confession,” VanValkenburg said. “The other side mistakes their inability to. To push back against the craziness of our current president for how we will act or are acting.”The vote in the senate was 21 to 18 with one abstention.What questions do you have?(image) The current Congressional lines in Virginia. Image by Wikipedia user Twotwofourtsix.Let's say a few things about #986I had not intended to do a second podcast today but I feel it is important for Virginians to hear the voices of people in our government. I also got caught up in the moment. I remember attending the inauguration of Governor Mark Warner as a reporter back when that happened.At the time I really thought I would have a career in public radio, but my desire for longer and longer stories met up against their need for shorter and shorter ones. When it was clear I was not going to get a job in the field, I tried to create my own. After fits and starts, here we are.I'm not going to any gala or celebration today. I'm going to keep working as that's what I want to do more. I've got to get the Week Ahead out tomorrow, write two stories for C-Ville Weekly and finish up a cover story article that I am procrastinating on. Never underestimate the power of procrastination, dear reader!But I need some music to get me through and the DJs from Buenos Aires strike again! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

What will the podcast edition be like in 2026? This particular edition features a set of stories of things that happened between December 15 and January 7, stories that have already gone out in Charlottesville Community Engagement but not yet in sonic form! This edition has already aired on WTJU at 6 a.m. on January 10. The idea was to send this out yesterday, but there are eddies in the space-time continuum.In this edition:* Charlottesville City Council says goodbye to Councilor Pinkston (read the story)* Council elects Wade as Mayor through 2027; Oschrin to be Vice Mayor (read the story)* Ned Gallaway to serve as Chair of Albemarle Board of Supervisors in 2026 (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors appoint Puckett as new fire chief* Regional tourism body endorses creation of new tourism region (read the story)* Louisa endorses support for new Virginia Piedmont tourism district (read the story)* Louisa Supervisors want General Assembly to pay for redistricting special election if held (read the story)* BAR denies approval required for current plans for Fifeville apartment complex (read the story)Sponsored message: Learn to Pitch with Denise Stewart Coaching on January 17Are you a professional who wants to sharpen your message, elevate your delivery, and haveyour audience walk away with a clear, powerful version of a pitch/speech/story?Executive Coach and public speaking expert Denise Stewart is holding a one-day, hands-on speaking intensive called Pitch! - Master the Speech that Matters! This full-day, in-person workshop will be held at Studio IX on January 17, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Designed for professionals who want their message to land with clarity, confidence, and presence, Pitch! focuses on refining short, high-stakes speeches through hands-on coaching, practice, and feedback. Ideal for anyone preparing for presentations, pitches, interviews, or leadership moments where their voice matters.Visit Denise Stewart's website to learn more and sign up! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

December 29 is upon us and this is perhaps the final sonic edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement for the year. This certainly is the antepenultimate day of 2025, a year in which there is still much to say in the coming week or so before 2026 begins to find its identity. In any case, today there are four editions of stories that have already gone out in newsletter form but are now assembled with soundbites, actualities, and the occasional double-breath.I'm Sean Tubbs, and I'm glad for those who take a listen.In this edition:* Charlottesville City Council briefed on potential new areas of spending on housing (read the story)* Charlottesville City Council agrees to sell cul-de-sac to Jefferson Scholars Foundation (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors get a briefed on the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, also known as the annual audit (read the story)* Charlottesville's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report to be published by December 31 (read the story)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Today's shout-out: Town Crier ProductionsWhen I was a kid decades ago, I dreamed of creating my own newspaper or having my own radio show. I lived on a cul-de-sac in a neighborhood in a community that was not the most exciting, but my imagination put me on the pathway to now when I've somehow managed to cobble together a newsletter with over 4,600 subscribers.This week I'm trying to clear out the backlog from 2025 which includes at least a couple of newsletters of regular content before there will be a series of editions that look back on the specifics of the year.My upbringing as a first generation American fueled me with a passion to understand a country so different from where my parents had grown up. For an entire career now I've been powered by a desire to know what's going on, and to share what I know with people who also are curious, thoughtful, and independent.What I am not is a business person, and the growth of Town Crier Productions has been slow and steady because my focus is on putting forward as much information as possible while pointing people to the places where they can contribute should they want to do so. Here are some current options:* Take out a paid subscription to Substack with the yearly option being the most beneficial* Consider a Patreon contribution to support more than just this newsletter* Send a check to Town Crier Productions, PO Box 1754, Charlottesville, VA 22902* Consider becoming an experimental sponsor of both this newsletter and Information Charlottesville.I'm still dreaming of what this could all be, knowing I've got a lot of growth to do in terms of being a business person. I believe there is value in what I do each and every day, and I am able to pay my bills because there are enough of you who agree.If you're not sure, please keep reading and listening to the content. Share with friends. Share links to social media. Leave a comment!The goal of this work is intended to advance conversation about complex topics in a country experiencing a lot of soul-searching as the 21st century steam-rolls on. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

December 22, 2025 has arrived and so has this sonic edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Many of the longer versions of stories are produced as if they are going to air on the radio, and for this edition two have already done so! The other two have not, but will be among the stories that may be chosen for the December 27 edition that will air on WTJU at 6 a.m. Between now and then the goal is to spend the holiday period combing through a backlog of potential topics. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I'm glad that this is what I do.In this edition:* Charlottesville Planning Commission seeks some changes to city's five year CIP (read the story)* Charlottesville ends use of Flock system (read the story)* Charlottesville transitions parking garages to AI-powered access management (read the story)* The Albemarle Planning Commission takes a look at a new tool to be used to measure how the county's growth area land is being used (read the story)Not quite in this edition but recently written all the same:* Board of Visitors names Darden Dean as next UVA president* Charlottesville City Council makes appointments (link to Substack)* Rezoning sought for between 22 and 110 more units in Hollymead in AlbemarleShout-out to Patreon-fueled shout-outs!Since the beginning of this newsletter, several organizations and one business have been supporters of Town Crier Productions with a $25 monthly contribution funded through Patreon or some other financial method! That system is slowly giving away to something different but I thought I would take this special Monday morning slot to thank the following for still sticking to it:* Alliance Francaise* Camp Albemarle* Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards* Charlottesville E-Bike Lending Library* Cville Jazz Society* Design Develop* Plant Virginia Natives* Re-Leaf* Rivanna Conservation Alliance* WTJUIf you have a moment, take a look at any of the ones that sound interesting to you. Learn something new!A new system of shout-outs will come into place in 2026 and if you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please drop me a line. I'm a one-person information outlet and for that number to go up, I have to continue to grow revenue. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Why not start a week off with a podcast edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement? There are likely many answers why not with a primary one being that it is atypical for such a program to be sent out through this feed on a Monday morning. Perhaps a better question is why produce audio versions of this newsletter at all? The answer to that is simply just to take a listen and hear for yourself.In this edition:* Charlottesville City Council is briefed on transportation happenings, including plans to hire at least ten bus drivers a year until there's a total of 108 (read the story)* The Virginia Department of Transportation says Charlottesville is making progress towards delivering transportation projects, but the city is still deficient (read the story)* A future UVA Engineering Building gets boost from use of strategic funds (read the story)* The UVA Buildings and Grounds gets updates on various projects and adds repairs to Steele Wing to the Major Capital Plan (read the story)* Charlottesville Planning Commission gets updates on UVA projects (read the story)Shout-out to Patreon-fueled shout-outs!Since the beginning of this newsletter, several organizations and one business have been supporters of Town Crier Productions with a $25 monthly contribution funded through Patreon or some other financial method! That system is slowly giving away to something different but I thought I would take this special Monday morning slot to thank the following for still sticking to it:* Alliance Francaise* Camp Albemarle* Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards* Charlottesville E-Bike Lending Library* Cville Jazz Society* Design Develop* Plant Virginia Natives* Re-Leaf* Rivanna Conservation Alliance* WTJUIf you have a moment, take a look at any of the ones that sound interesting to you. Learn something new! A new system of shout-outs will come into place in 2026 and if you're interested in sponsorship opportunities, please drop me a line. I'm a one-person information outlet and for that number to go up, I have to continue to grow revenue. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

This week, WTJU is holding their Classical Marathon which means that there will be no radio version of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Yet, the production of the newsletter often depends on harvesting audio recordings of meetings. I'm Sean Tubbs, publisher and president of Town Crier Productions, and I've been chopping up sound into stories for over thirty years now. This podcast version for December 10, 2025 includes three sonic articles from the past week so I can make room for the next set.There will be another regular newsletter later on this evening.Here are the highlights:* Former Congressman Tom Perriello enters the race for the Democratic nomination to represent Virginia's Fifth District in the U.S. House of Representatives (read the story)* Two special elections scheduled in Virginia on January 6 (read the story)* Virginia transportation panel briefed on $20 million for Boulders Road project (read the story)* Albemarle Schools seek funding for fourth high school while Supervisors want more data on need (read the story)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Today's only shout-out: Enjoy the WTJU Classical Marathon through the new app!WTJU is pleased to announce our brand new mobile app! You can download a version from either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Here are the links to both:* iPhone version* Android versionThe WTJU app is the place to tune in and listen live to WTJU, WXTJ, and Charlottesville Classical. Aside from the live stream, listen to archived shows, view recent songs, playlists, and program schedules, check out videos of live performances, stay up-to-date on WTJU's most recent news and articles, and more!Live chat with your favorite hosts, share stories with your friends, and tune into your community all in the palm of your hand. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

What does it mean that there is a Friday podcast edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement? In case anyone asks, an explanation: This newsletter began in July 2020 as a podcast as a next phase of work I began at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. In the spring of 2024, I began producing a radio program for WTJU and decided to separate that production into a separate process.Now it is December 5, 2025 and there is enough information to get out a podcast before the next radio show. See below for some introspection about why I hope to increase the amount of audio in the future.In this edition:* Virginia's elections are certified; Catalano holds on to Stanardsville seat on Greene Board (read the story)* Charlottesville PC takes first look at draft Capital Improvement Program (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors ask local legislators for help on transportation funding (read the story)* Charlottesville moves step closer to construction of Barracks-Emmet Streetscape (read the story)* Charlottesville City Council fixes an underpayment to the area 's tourism agency (read the story)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Today's shout-out: Town Crier Productions!This newsletter as well as Information Charlottesville are the two main platforms for Town Crier Productions. That's the name for the business entity I created in 2020 when I decided to launch a new chapter in journalism.I've been able to sustain this work and cover many stories over the past five years because of the many ways people can support the business. One way is to go for a paid subscription here on Substack which goes a long way to support all of the research and reporting.Other ways? Well, you can always consider taking out a sponsorship or advertisement or whatever it is called when you want to get a message out to draw attention to your business, organization, event, or anything that might fit in with this particular audience. Drop me a line if you want to see the fledgling media kit and help me experiment.But also, thanks to all of you who read this each time it is published. A publication like this may not be for everyone, but it has found an audience. We're all in this together, and I'm grateful for any support so I can keep paying attention and sharing what I find.So the real shout-out here - is to all of you! After all, isn't that what a Town Crier does?Thoughts about why this edition:Before I launched this newsletter in July 2020, I had created a website that I was going to call This is Charlottesville. If you look closely, that's the first domain I registered sometime after I left my last journalism job.This particular edition is going to be reposted to the Charlottesville Podcasting Network, a moribund website that a longtime steward fixed this week for me. I created the website in the spring of 2005 when I realized I could post longer versions of my freelance stories to a place on the Internet I could control.Twenty years ago was an epoch ago. Social media was in its infancy but in Charlottesville, we had cvillenews.com which was an early gathering point for those who were online early when you needed a computer to get to all of it.I had no idea how to make money off of the podcast site, and a first version of my business ended up being about taking whatever revenue I could with not a lot of thought about what it was I was doing. There were some really big failures and I was grateful when I had the opportunity to join Charlottesville Tomorrow.I spent eleven years there and took a break from journalism. But from the beginning of the interregnum, I wanted to have a place to experiment with getting information out to people. When the pandemic hit, I took a leap of faith to start what was intended to be a simple newscast. But that grew and grew until I'm at this point where I've got to fix a lot of things if I'm going to stay in the air.There are many flaws with aspects of my current way of producing things. There are so many dumb errors that go out to thousands of people because I don't have a second set of eyes.Until the spring of 2024, all of the newsletter were podcasts but I broke the production into separate processes when I began doing the radio version for WTJU.Doing so lost an editorial check. It's very hard to read copy from a script with errors in it. I'm prone to silly errors and I can be hasty trying to get information out to people.But when I read the copy, I have to fix it. One solution would be to at least produce the narration for every version before I hit send.Next week there is no radio show as WTJU holds their Classical Marathon from December 8 to December 14. That may mean I take a fresh approach to audio production.In any case, this is the introspection about audio. I hope you enjoy the day. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

This time the podcast is the same file as the radio show that airs on WTJU, complete with public service announcements and continuity befitting a program that goes out over broadcast signal at a specific time. For the sake of the holiday, I have made this the November 29, 2025 edition. This is the 333rd day of the year, a fact that may or may not have any significance but sounds like a good thing to say. I'm Sean Tubbs, the publisher of Town Crier Productions and the writer behind Information Charlottesville at infocville.com. Most Saturday mornings I present you with several recent stories in audio form, and this week is not one of the exceptions. Though, this edition begins a process of looking back at this year.In this edition:* Legislators have filed the first bills for General Assembly 2026 (learn more)* A new era for public transportation could be underway with the formation of the Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Transit Authority (learn more)* The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority finds out how much a pump station failure cost to repair (learn more)* Charlottesville rooting out invasive species on city parkland (learn more)Archive stories:* This being Thanksgiving week, there aren't as many fresh stories, so this is a good time to begin the process of looking back. One of the first important stories of 2026 will be when assessments begin to come out. Here's how that sounded in January 2025 when they went up 5.1 percent.* Meanwhile, property assessments in Charlottesville went up 7.74 percent for 2025. In January, Albemarle Supervisors filled a key vacancy. Here's that story.* Charlottesville had a surplus for FY2024 in excess of $22.4 million and some of that funding would eventually go to pay for things such as an office building intended to be converted to a low-barrier shelter for the homeless. Let's go back to January to hear more about that surplus.* There are a lot of quirks to the area and one of them is the 45 acres or so of land in Albemarle County in the Woolen Mills that can only be accessed via the City of Charlottesville. One more story from January.Meta-information for November 29, 2025I did not work on Thanksgiving and I so wanted that streak to continue into the following day. I had a better time than I thought I would, and made a choice to stay in one place rather than be itinerant. I drove back at sunrise and traveled on U.S. 250 approaching Charlottesville from the west. The roads were empty as the sunlight slowly drifted over the horizon. I thought about the many times I've driven that road and how many stories I have written about places that have been built over the last twenty years. When I first moved to this community, I worked on Ednam Drive near the Boar's Head. I would travel there from northern Albemarle by the airport. The house I lived in was torn down to make way for the North Pointe development. Nothing up there looks the same anymore. I wrote stories about the roundabout at U.S. 250 and Route 151. I was part of a collaboration with the Daily Progress where four of us were assigned a stretch of the roadway as it goes from Nelson to Zion Crossroads. All of these forgotten stories flashed through my mind including different places I've been to as a catering server or a friend. There was no traffic but me so I was able to drive slow and go at my own pace. The fight over the Restore-n-Station. The storage unit at the corner with Old Trail. The people who died at the Harris Teeter. The landscaper who had to fight the county to use property just outside the growth area as a business. The construction of another roundabout now underway. That place where my friends used to live off of Gillums Ridge Road. That woman's house in Ivy who hired me to do transcription for a documentary she was making. The fact that I've never been to Duner's and probably never will. The recovery hospital UVA built that I wrote about at a time when I had no idea what happened in places like that. Now I am older and have spent a lot of time with my parents in similar spots. And then an explosion of thoughts as I drove past the Boar's Head where I spent a year and a half in my first real production job. My entire life changed working at that spot. It was too dark to see the renovations at Birdwood. I thought about stopping at the Bellair Market but it may not have been open. I remembered being a volunteer for the Charlottesville Track Club picking up supplies left in Ednam Forest for an organized marathon training.But once I got east of the bypass, suddenly so much change. I remembered the medical building torn down to build another medical building. New buildings on one side of the road constructed close to traffic with a new sidewalk. And then the cinderblock stairwell towers that will make up the Blume, followed quickly by a great expansion of the University of Virginia. The Karsh Institute of Democracy is coming along and the new student housing buildings are coming out of the ground. The Virginia Guesthouse will open up for the first guests next year and UVA awaits funding for the arts center approved earlier this year. Thanksgiving was two days ago, but I want to thank you all again for reading this newsletter and especially thank those who are paying me to keep writing stories. I'm grateful to be able to do this work. I could reminisce all day but I have new stories to write. For this edition, I did begin the process of looking back at 2025. In December I will produce a series of editions from stories from this year. I do this as a way of seeing what loose ends I have to tie up and what I have to look forward to in the next year. Thanks for reading Charlottesville Community Engagement ! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Written editions of Charlottesville Community Engagement often begin with a historical anecdote to mark the day and tie stories to a greater sense of the world. But what about this newsletter's history?* The first November 22 edition came out in 2021 as you can see and hear here.* The November 22 version from 2023 was the only one made that week. Go look!* Last year? November 22 rounded out a full week of newsletters!This edition is a podcast version where 92.3 percent of the material has already gone out in print form but now the stories can be heard as if you were listening to public radio.What's in this edition?* Albemarle's Economic Development Authority gets an update on AstraZeneca's investment at Rivanna Futures (learn more)* Officials celebrate one transportation project while another gets underway* Jaunt CEO Mike Murphy briefs Charlottesville City Council (learn more)* With one quarter down, Charlottesville currently projected for $921K surplus for FY2026 (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors take a look at the five-year financial plan as budget planning accelerates for fiscal year 2027 (learn more)Sponsorship demonstration: Westwind FlowersFall is in full bloom at Westwind Flowers! With the crisp autumn air settling in, they're celebrating the season with fresh, local blooms perfect for every occasion.And as the holidays approach, let Westwind Flowers bring local beauty to your celebrations. Dress up your Thanksgiving table with seasonal blooms, gift your host or hostess with a gorgeous indoor plant, or join us for one of our Holiday Wreath Workshops on November 29th or December 6th. Create your own festive wreath, from the base to the finishing touch, with expert guidance and fresh, locally grown greenery.Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season and the special moments in your life. They believe the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table. Visit their website to learn more!Thoughts at the end of #960-AThis is the first podcast edition in two weeks. The reason there was none last week? Last Saturday I published a text edition instead based on differing accounts of the forced resignation of University of Virginia President Jim Ryan.For a while I was posting these on Mondays, but the gravity of my workflow means they come out best on Saturday mornings. I've been an audio producer for most of my journalism career dating back to 1995 and an internship at WVTF Public Radio. Recording audio is how I've always conducted interviews, though I've not done that for a while.I would like to do so, though. Since beginning this newsletter in the summer of 2020, I've mostly relied on harvesting government meetings and information releases. For me that is efficient approach because it can be much more time consuming to process those interviews and turn them into finished pieces. The nature of my business plan is to be as prolific as possible.I'm a journalist first. Being a business person ranks lower, though I've added a lot of over the past five and a half years. I'm excited to look ahead to 2026 and trying out some new things as I can. Maybe I'll finally finish that media kit! Let me know if you want to see a preview. For now it is time to finish this up and move on with the day. Below is an image from one of the stories this week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Time again for another sonic edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter and podcast that seeks to capture at least some of what happens in local and regional government. The timestamp for this one is the 312th day of the year 2025, otherwise known asNovember 8. I'm Sean Tubbs, glad to bring you another set of stories that went out this morning on WTJU. Why not send them out again to all of you?In this edition:* A round-up of elections at the state and local level* Charlottesville is planning to launch a public art program and City Council gets an update (4:30) (read the story)* Charlottesville is holding a Community Walk this Sunday through the Venable neighborhood (read the story)* A divided City Council appears willing to sell Clarke Court to the Jefferson Scholars Foundation (read the story)* Albemarle County prepares to celebrate Veterans Day with a ceremony* A very quick preview of the Week Ahead!This edition is an audio version which is on the same feed as the newsletter. The links above go to stories that have already gone out. The next new edition is tomorrow!Sponsorship demonstration: Westwind FlowersFall is in full bloom at Westwind Flowers! With the crisp autumn air settling in, they're celebrating the season with fresh, local blooms perfect for every occasion.And as the holidays approach, let Westwind Flowers bring local beauty to your celebrations. Dress up your Thanksgiving table with seasonal blooms, gift your host or hostess with a gorgeous indoor plant, or join us for one of our Holiday Wreath Workshops on November 29th or December 6th. Create your own festive wreath, from the base to the finishing touch, with expert guidance and fresh, locally grown greenery.Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season and the special moments in your life. They believe the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table. Visit their website to learn more!Sponsorship demonstration?Every edition of this newsletter allows me to continue to experiment with getting messages out to people who are paying for that for one reason or another. This all began in 2020 when I was considering a launch and created a Patreon account. Many of the shout-outs you see and hear are because I created a system where people or entities that paid a certain amount could get some sort of a benefit.Over the years, I've offered more opportunities for people to qualify for shout-outs but the vast majority of people who are eligible for that system don't take advantage of it. And as the audience grows, so does the value of reaching people.In addition to this newsletter, there's also Information Charlottesville, a companion website that provides a more robust archive than what my current service provides. Traffic there is light but the potential is there for that to serve as a community archive.I'm not ready to broadcast the media kit I've put together yet because it's not quite ready. I've still got a lot to learn and I'm looking for people and entities that would like to help support the business while assisting me with my experimenting.I am a one-person operation and I put the reporting first. But as I continue this experiment I find myself intrigued with a part of the business I've never really been part of except for my attempts to sell ads in the early 1990's for a college newspaper.Drop me a line if you'd like to learn more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one newsletter to produce an audio version, than this shall be what happens. As in, this a stand-alone audio edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter produced by Town Crier Productions with information about growth, development, government, and the occasional attempt at humor. I'm Sean Tubbs, encouraging readers to become listeners, listeners to become readers, and glad you're here either way.On this edition of the program:* The Virginia Senate follows the Virginia House of Delegates in advancing a Constitutional amendment to allow for a one-time redrawing of Congressional districts (House story) (Senate story below)* A preview of two readings coming up this month from the poet and author MaKshya Tolbert (story below)* Charlottesville design panel approves design for fence at Downtown Mall business, though Council must approve special exception (read the story)* Work continues to prepare candidate projects for VDOT's next Smart Scale Round (read the story)* Greene Supervisors briefed on innovation corridor planning (read the story)* Council signs off on revenue-sharing application for sidewalk in Meadows neighborhood (learn more)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Westwind FlowersFall is in full bloom at Westwind Flowers! With the crisp autumn air settling in, they're celebrating the season with fresh, local blooms perfect for every occasion.And as the holidays approach, let Westwind Flowers bring local beauty to your celebrations. Dress up your Thanksgiving table with seasonal blooms, gift your host or hostess with a gorgeous indoor plant, or join us for one of our Holiday Wreath Workshops on November 29th or December 6th. Create your own festive wreath, from the base to the finishing touch, with expert guidance and fresh, locally grown greenery.Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season and the special moments in your life. They believe the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table. Visit their website to learn more!Virginia Senate passes first reference of Constitutional amendment to allow mid-Census redistrictingThe Virginia General Assembly has taken the first step towards amending the state constitution in order to allow for a one-time redrawing of Congressional boundaries to counter similar moves being made elsewhere.Democrats hold the majority in both the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate, and Republicans in both chambers objected to the process, arguing there was not sufficient notice to voters and that at least a million people have already cast their ballots in early voting. A lawsuit has been filed and the first hearing is on November 5, a day after the election.Article XII of the Virginia Constitution describes how that document can be changed. Section 1 explains that both houses of the General Assembly must first adopt a resolution. Then an election has to take place in the House of Delegates. Then the General Assembly has to vote on the resolution a second time before it goes to the voters in a referendum.Amendments to the Virginia Constitution are fairly common with the last one approved by voters in 2024. Over 92 percent of the electorate approved a proposal to extend tax exemptions to spouses of soldiers killed in the line of duty.In 2020, two-thirds of the electorate voted to establish an eight member Virginia Redistricting Commission which would take over the process of establishing legislative districts from the General Assembly.In the final week of October 2025, Republicans argued in committee meetings and from the House and Senate floor that this amendment counters the will of the people. Democrats argued the step is necessary to counter a presidency that is acting beyond its power by asking other states to change their rules.This story covers the Virginia Senate debate on October 31.For more background, go back and read these two stories:* Virginia General Assembly has begun consideration of Congressional redistricting during special session, October 29, 2025* Constitutional amendment for Virginia redistricting passes House, awaits action in Senate, October 31, 2025The Senate took up House Joint Resolution 6007 the Friday morning of Halloween. The day before, the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee approved the amendment on an 8 to 6 vote.Before the full debate, there were three requests to amend the resolution including one from Senator Christoper Head that would have required the mid-Census boundary change to go through the Virginia Redistricting Commission. Those failed on partisan lines, and three Republican members were not present.A long debate over the resolution kicked off when Senator Aaron Rouse (D-22) made a motion for its adoption. He said the amendment would give Virginians a chance to weigh in with their vote on whether the lines should be redrawn.“We do see evidence that the system is being rigged by a wannabee dictator out of Washington,” Rouse said. “During this Republican shutdown we've seen this dictator be enabled by a coequal but separate branch of government. Virginians may have something to say about that.”Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-16) was one of the patrons for the Constitutional amendment that set up the Virginia Redistricting Commission. He said Republican claims that the amendment would eliminate the body are false.“That's not what this is and that's not what we're doing,” VanValkenburg said. “Today we are taking a truly proportional response to an extreme situation. The current outbreak of opportunistic mid-decade redistricting means that we are in a truly unprecedented, Constitutional norm breaking time.”Senator Glen Sturtevant (R-12) said the resolution is a betrayal of voters in part because over a million people had already voted.“That's not reform, that's reversal,” Sturtevant said. “It's not transparency, it's a power grab. It's been rushed. It's been secretive. And it is purposely timed to avoid accountability in this election.”Senator J.D. “Danny” Diggs (R-24) said the Constitution is intended to be updated every ten years to accommodate for population shifts.“This amendment is being proposed not to protect our citizens or to make our government better,” Diggs said. “This amendment is about increasing the political power of the Democrat party. It has an expiration date so that if the political winds change, the Republican party can't do the same thing in a few years.”Senator Luther Cifers (R-10), elected earlier this in a special election to replace John McGuire, took issue with Democrats advancing the process in late October, over a month after early voting had begun. Some voters might have changed vote if they had known the General Assembly would take this action.“It appears to be well-established that the intent of the intervening election in the Constitutional amendment process is so that voters can respond at the ballot box between the two passages of an amending resolution,” Cifers said.Senator Christie New Craig (R-19) said the resolution is intended to advance national interests rather than those of Virginia's.“The timing of H.J. 6007, positioned as an urgent matter, was not authored based on constituent demands,” New Craig said. “It was authored based on instructions from national leadership.”Senator Mark Peake (R-22) echoed comments made by Delegate Lee Ware (R-72) during debate in the House of Delegates.“Texas embarking on a mid-decade redistricting was probably not a good idea but because they have embarked on that endeavor doesn't mean we have to engage in the endeavor,” Peake said.One argument made by Republicans is that the resolution does not pass legal muster because it doesn't follow language in state code that requires court clerks to post a public notice of a pending Constitutional amendment 90 days before an election. Senator Head said that has not been followed.“There's no way we can do this,” Head said. “I mean you can do this today. You're going to do this today. We know that you're going to do this today. It's going to get the 21 votes. You're going to pass it because you're not paying attention to what people are screaming about out there or any of the arguments that are valid that any of us are going to have made.”Senator Mamie Locke (D-23) said Republicans making arguments about her party taking national direction were hypocritical and they would be doing something similar if they controlled the General Assembly.“Be assured if the proverbial shoe was on the other foot, a directive from D.C. to the Governor would have been adhered to, quick, fast, and in a hurry to undo the Constitutional amendment in Virginia mid-stream and not one of you would be talking about the sanctity of the bipartisan redistricting commission or the needs of the voters or respect for the will of the people,” Locke said.Locke said the federal government has been transformed by executive orders from the White House which have been followed by Virginia's executive branch.Senator Barbara Favola (D-40) called the resolution one of hope that would give Virginia voters another opportunity to weigh in on a presidency that is bending the rules of the U.S. Constitution.“That's what this is,” Favola said. “We're not redrawing anything today. We're not doing anything magical. We're saying to voters, if this goes through the process we've laid out, and we've explained that multiple times, should the Constitutional amendment go to the voters, they will have the final say. We are in no way undermining the principles that all of us have stood for.”Senator Scott Surovell (D-34) said the resolution is necessary to combat an unprecedented attempt to change Congressional boundaries to keep Republicans in power no matter what.“This is a coordinated national strategy to grab power,” Surovell said. “The fundamental power problem that we are giving ourselves the option to address is that Virginia cannot fight with one hand tied behind its back.”Surovell said a mid-census redistricting is not ideal but is necessary to have as an option as more Republican-controlled states adjust their boundaries.“What do you do when one side refuses to play by the rules?” Surovell asked. “Do you maintain principles and accept defeat? Or do you recognize that preserving democracy sometimes requires tools you find distasteful to prevent permanent entrenchment of minority rule? We owe it to our constituents to have this conversation. We owe it to democracy to consider all of the options.”Soon after, the resolution was adopted 21 to 16. The Senate adjourned about an hour later.Now what? There's an election on Tuesday. There's always something to pay attention to.MaKshya Tolbert reads two poems from Shade is a PlaceThere are more stories about the mechanics of government coming up later in this edition of the program. But first, let's take a quick break to hear a poem from MaKshya Tolbert. They're the 2025 Art in Library Spaces Artist-in-Residence at the University of Virginia as well as a former Chair of other.Tolbert has two events coming up as part of the launch of their National Poetry Series-winning debut poetry collection It's called SHADE IS A PLACE and it is on sale November 4 from Penguin BooksHere's Ways to Measure Trees, originally published in Poem-a-Day on February 11, 2025, by the Academy of American Poets.Tolbert will lead a public shade walk on the Downtown Mall at 4:45 p.m. with New City Arts on November 4 with a reception and artist talk at 6 p.m. followed by a book signing at the Welcome Gallery at 114 3rd St. NE. The shade walk begins at the Free Expression Monument. (learn more)On November 15, Tolbert will discuss SHADE IS A PLACE, in conversation with Lisa Russ Spaar, from 7:00pm-8:00pm, New Dominion Bookshop. (learn more). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Today's sponsor is Piedmont Master Gardeners: Now accepting applications for their 2026 training class. Apply by December 1, 2025No study of American history or macroeconomics would leave out the impact played by the Great Crash of the New York Stock Exchange of 1929 which culminated on Black Tuesday, 96 years ago today. Stock prices had continued to increase throughout the Roaring Twenties but would generally decline until 1932, marking the era of the Great Depression. This edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement does not have the time or resources to delve into the causes of a financial panic that transformed the United States. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I think people should look back on their own time.In this edition:* Earlier this year, President Trump asked officials in Texas to redraw the Congressional maps to give the Republican Party an advantage in the 2026 midterms* Other states with Democratic majorities such as California have countered with redistricting proposals of their own* This week, the Virginia General Assembly is meeting in a special session to take a first step to amend the state's constitution to allow for a mid-Census redistricting* The podcast version features an audio version of yesterday's story on 530 East Main Street (read the story)Charlottesville Community Engagement is the work of one person and that one person sometimes neglects the marketing. You can help fill the gap by sharing with friends!First-shout: The new WTJU mobile app is here!WTJU is pleased to announce our brand new mobile app! You can download a version from either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Here are the links to both:* iPhone version* Android versionThe WTJU app is the place to tune in and listen live to WTJU, WXTJ, and Charlottesville Classical. Aside from the live stream, listen to archived shows, view recent songs, playlists, and program schedules, check out videos of live performances, stay up-to-date on WTJU's most recent news and articles, and more!Live chat with your favorite hosts, share stories with your friends, and tune into your community all in the palm of your hand.Virginia General Assembly takes up redistricting amendment during special sessionThe second presidency of Donald Trump has introduced many novel approaches to governance in the United States, including pressure on legislators in Texas to break from precedent to redraw Congressional districts in advance of the 2026 mid-term elections.Traditionally redistricting happens every ten years as mandated in Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. States can determine the method of how they draw districts but for many years Southern states were required to submit boundaries for review to ensure compliance with civil rights legislation such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965.The Republican Party currently holds a narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives with 219 members to 213 Democrats with three vacancies. One of those vacancies has been filled in a special election in Arizona won on September 23 by Democrat Adelita Grijalva but Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has so far refused to swear her in until he calls the full House of Representatives back into session.According to the Texas Tribune, redistricting in Texas is expected to create five additional safe seats for Republicans. The state's delegation of 38 Representatives consists of 25 Republicans, 12 Democrats, and one vacancy. Governor Greg Abbott signed the new Congressional map on August 29 with no need for voters to approve the measure.In response, California Governor Gavin Newsome, a Democrat, suggested legislation called the “Election Rigging Response Act” in direct response to the new maps in Texas, and a voter initiative to redraw maps in the nation's largest state mentions efforts underway by Republicans to redistrict in Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nebraska, and South Carolina. Proposition 50 is on the ballot on November 4.Last week, the Virginia Political Newsletter reported that Democrats who control a narrow majority in the General Assembly are seeking to follow California's lead. On Monday, the House of Delegates agreed to take up House Joint Resolution 6007 which would amend the Virginia Constitution to allow the General Assembly to make a one-time adjustment.The General Assembly is able to meet because a special session from 2024 was never technically adjourned. To allow consideration of the Constitutional amendment, the joint resolution that sets the rules for the special session had to be changed and agreed to by both the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate.One adopted on February 22 of this year lists six items of acceptable business including memorials and resolutions commending people or businesses. A seventh was added to House Joint Resolution 6006 which was introduced by Delegate Charniele Herring (D-4) on October 24. This would allow a “joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia related to reapportionment or redistricting.”Both the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate convened on Monday, October 27.As the debate in the House of Delegates began, Delegate Bobby Orrock (R-66) made a parliamentary inquiry.“My first inquiry would be given that special sessions have by their very nature only occurred for specific reasons. Ergo, we have resolutions controlling what can be considered during them. And subsequently, to my knowledge and experience here, they've never extended for more than a one year period.”Orrock said the 2024 Special Session was continued to allow progress toward adopting a budget that year. He said that had taken place and the stated reason for the special session was moot.The amendment itself was not made available until Tuesday afternoon. More on that later.Delegate Jay Leftwich (R-90) read from §30-13 of the Virginia Code which lays out what steps the Clerk of the House of Delegates has to take when publishing proposed amendments to the Constitution.“It goes on to say, Mr. Speaker, the Clerk of the House of Delegates shall have published all proposed amendments to the constitution for the distribution from his office and to the clerk of the circuit court of each county and the city two copies of the proposed amendments, one of which shall be posted at the front door of the courthouse and the other shall be made available for public inspection,” Leftwich said.Delegate Herring countered that that section of code predates the Virginia Constitution of 1971 which does not have those requirements. Leftwich continued to press on this note but Speaker of the House Don Scott ruled that his questions were not germane to the procedural issue.Delegate Lee Ware (R-72) said the move across the United States to redraw districts mid-Census to gain partisan advantage was a bad idea no matter what party was proposing it.“Just because a bad idea was proposed and even taken up by a few of our sister states such as North Carolina or California, is not a reason for Virginia to follow suit,” Ware said. “ For nearly two and a half centuries, the states have redistricted following the decennial census, responding to the population shifts both in our country and in the states.”A motion to amend HJ6006 passed 50 to 42.The House of Delegates currently only has 99 members due to the resignation of Todd Gilbert. Gilbert had been named as the U.S. Attorney for Western Virginia but lasted for less than a month. Former Albemarle Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Tracci was appointed to the position on an interim basis.Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Second-shout out: Cville Village seeks volunteersCan you drive a neighbor to a doctor's appointment? Change an overhead lightbulb, plant a flower, walk a dog for someone who is sick, visit someone who is lonely? If so, Cville Village needs you!Cville Village is a local 501c3 nonprofit organization loosely affiliated with a national network of Villages whose goals are to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, and to build connections among them that diminish social isolation. Volunteers do small chores for, and have gatherings of, professors and schoolteachers, nurses and lawyers, aides and housekeepers. Time and chance come to all – a fall, an order not to drive, failing eyesight, a sudden stroke. They assist folks continue living at home, with a little help from their friends.Cville Village volunteers consult software that shows them who has requested a service and where they are located. Volunteers accept only the requests that fit their schedule and their skills.Volunteering for Cville Village can expand your circle of friends and shower you with thanks.To learn more, visit cvillevillage.org or attend one of their monthly Village “meet-ups” and see for yourself. To find out where and when the next meetup is, or to get more information and a volunteer application, email us at info@cvillevillage.org, or call them at (434) 218-3727.Virginia Senators pre-debate the amendment on TuesdayThe Virginia Senate took up the matter on Monday as well. Democrats have a 21 to 19 majority and were unable that day to suspend the rules to immediately consider an amendment to HJ6006. They had a second reading on Tuesday.The initial discussion of the Constitutional amendment took place during a portion of the meeting where Senators got to speak on matters of personal privilege. As with the House of Delegates, many inquiries from Republican legislators happened because the document itself was not yet available for review.Senator Bill Stanley (R–20) rose to remind his colleagues that the General Assembly passed a bipartisan Constitutional amendment to require that redistricting be conducted by a nonpartisan committee.“We listened to Virginians who were tired of the gerrymandering,” Stanley said. “In 2019, polls showed 70 percent of Virginians supported redistricting reform. Not 51 percent, not 55 percent, [but] 70 percent. The Mason Dixon poll showed 72% support. And crucially, over 60 percent of Republicans and Democrats alike supported this amendment. Equally when it came to a vote in the Commonwealth. This was not partisan.”Senator Mamie Locke (D-2) served on the bipartisan redistricting committee and reminded her colleagues that the process broke down in October 2021, as I reported at the time. The Virginia Supreme Court ended up appointing two special masters to draw the current boundaries.“There was constant gridlock and partisan roadblocks,” Locke said. “[Those] Were the reasons why the Supreme Court ended up drawing the lines because the commission ended up discussing things as tedious as which university could be trusted to provide unbiased data.”Locke said the proposal in Virginia would still have a bipartisan commission draw new maps after the 2030 Census and that voters in Virginia would still have to approve the amendment.Senator Scott Surovell (D-34) said the amendment is intended to step in when other branches of government are not exercising their Constitutional authority to provide checks and balances. He echoed Locke's comment that the redistricting commission would continue to exist.“There's no maps that have been drawn,” Surovell said. “There's no repeal of the constitutional amendment. The only thing that's on the table or will be on the table later this week is giving the General assembly the option to take further action in January to then give Virginia voters the option of protecting our country.”Senator Richard Stuart (R-25) said he thinks President Trump is doing a job of bringing manufacturing back to the country and dismissed Surovell's notion that democracy is at threat.“I'm not seeing any threat to democracy,” Stuart said. “I heard the word king, and I would remind the Senator that if he was a king, he would be beheaded for what he just said. But in this country, we enjoy free speech. We get to say what we want to say, and that is a valued right and privilege.”Senator Barbara Favola (D-40) said many of her constituents are concerned about cuts to federal programs due to the recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill including threats to Medicaid. She explained why she supports her Democratic colleagues in Congress in the current state of things.“We are in a shutdown situation because the Democrats are standing up and saying we must extend the tax credits that are available on the health marketplace so individuals can afford their insurance,” Favola said. “Health insurance. This is not going unnoticed by the Virginians we represent.”Senator Mark Peake (R-22) said Republicans were entitled to govern how they want because they are in control of the federal government.“The current president won an overwhelming majority in the Electoral College and he won the popular vote by over 4 million or 5 million votes,” Peake said. “That is called democracy. That is what we have. And the Republicans won the Senate and they won the House of Congress. We will have another election next year and it will be time for the citizens to vote. But we are going under a democracy right now, and that's where we stand.”The points of personal privilege continued. Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-72) said elections are a chance for citizens to weigh in on a presidency that started the process of mid-Census redistricting.“The key point is this,” VanValkenburg said. “The president's ideas are unpopular. He knows it. He's going to his ideological friends, he's asking them to carve up maps, and now the other side is upset because they're going to get called on it in elections.”The Senate adjourned soon afterward and will take up a third reading of HJ6006 today.Democrats file Constitutional Amendment for first referenceEarly discussions about a potential constitutional amendment in the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate this week did not include a lot of details about how a mid-Census Congressional redistricting would take place.House Joint Resolution 6007 was filed with the Virginia Legislative Information System on Tuesday, October 28. As of this publication it is in the House Privileges and Elections Committee because the Senate has not yet given itself permission to take up the matter.The amendment would amend Article II, Section 6, of the Virginia Constitution to insert language into the second paragraph.Here is the full text, with italicized words indicating new language.The Commonwealth shall be reapportioned into electoral districts in accordance with this section and Section 6-A in the year 2021 and every ten years thereafter, except that the General Assembly shall be authorized to modify one or more congressional districts at any point following the adoption of a decennial reapportionment law, but prior to the next decennial census, in the event that any State of the United States of America conducts a redistricting of such state's congressional districts at any point following that state's adoption of a decennial reapportionment law for any purpose other than (i) the completion of the state's decennial redistricting in response to a federal census and reapportionment mandated by the Constitution of the United States and established in federal law or (ii) as ordered by any state or federal court to remedy an unlawful or unconstitutional district map.Take a look at the whole text here. I'll continue to provide updates. Stories you might also read for October 29, 2025* Charlottesville Ale Trail brings people to craft beverage makers, Jackson Shock, October 27, 2025* U.Va. leaders defend Justice Department deal in letter to Charlottesville legislators, Cecilia Mould and Ford McCracken, Cavalier Daily, October 28, 2025* Council agrees to purchase $6.2 million office building for low-barrier shelter, Sean Tubbs, C-Ville Weekly, October 29, 2025* Republican legislators slam Virginia redistricting proposal, Colby Johnson, WDBJ-7, October 27, 2025* Democrat Abigail Spanberger backs Virginia legislature's redistricting push, Steve People and Olivia Diaz, Associated Press, October 27, 2025* Va. Democrats roll out redistricting amendment to counter GOP map changes in other states, Markus Schmidt, October 28, 2025* Virginia Republicans Sue to Block Democratic Redistricting Push, Jen Rice, Democracy Docket, October 28, 2025* Redistricting session to resume Wednesday, WWBT, October 29, 2025Back to local again shortly after #947This is a unique version based on me wanting to go through the General Assembly recordings myself. I have a lot of local stories to get back to in the near future and I'm working extra this week to make sure I get back to them.They include:* Coverage of the discussion of 204 7th Street at the October 21, 2025 Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review* Coverage of last night's Albemarle Planning Commission public hearing on Attain on Fifth Street* Coverage of two discussions at last night's Greene County Board of SupervisorsAs expected, I work longer hours when I'm out of town on family business because I don't have the usual places to go. This is okay. Summer is over and it's time to hunker down and get to work. Today's end video is The Streets: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

For this October 24, 2025 podcast edition, there are two anecdotes from sporting history worth noting. For one, Sheffield F.C. began operations on this day in 1857. Though they are in the eighth league from the top of English football, they're the oldest professional club still in operation. Flash forward to 1992 when the Toronto Blue Jays became the first Canadian team to win the world series? Will they do so again this time around? A reminder, Charlottesville Community Engagement is not a sportscast. I'm Sean Tubbs, still wanting to see relegation in baseball.In the latest sonic edition:* Charlottesville agrees to settle zoning lawsuit while others call for reform (read the story)* Civil rights pioneer Eugene Williams dies at the age of 97 (read the story)* Vacancy on Charlottesville Planning Commission after Stolzenberg resignation (read the story)* Charlottesville Police Civilian Review Board can once again meet quorum (read the story)* Sanders updates Council on work plan, potential of subsidizing rents at Kindlewood (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors adopt Comprehensive Plan update (read the story)Shout-out: JackFest takes place this Sunday!In today's first subscriber-supported shout-out: Looking for a free fall event for your family that will help raise money for cancer treatments for patients at UVA's Children's Hospital? Mark your calendar for October 26 and JackFest at Foxfield in Albemarle County.The free event is named for Jack Callahan, a boy who beat back metastatic cancer after a 13-month course of intensive treatments in 2019 and 2020. JackFest raises funds for Ronald McDonald House to support families who need assistance while other treatments are underway as well as. Events include:* Kids' running races and family relays including a Superhero Dash, Cross Country races for Elementary and Middle Schoolers and a Child-Parent Relay Race* Family activities such as an inflatable obstacle course, bounce house, and slides; a petting zoo, and a truck touch with emergency vehicles* Adult and kid food options - including food trucks - and local beer & wineThe running races require registration and a fee. People can sign up for races at the JackFest website.Second shout-out: Piedmont Master GardenersDo you enjoy sharing your passion for gardening with others?The Piedmont Master Gardeners are now accepting applications for the 2026 training class for Master Gardeners serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Applications are due by December 1, 2025.The in-person class will meet weekly from February through April. Learn more and find the application at the Piedmont Master Gardeners' website. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Many stories on Charlottesville Community Engagement are made because they are a result of listening to a public meeting and chopping what is said into a narrative intended to let people know what took place. This newsletter began as an attempt at a radio newscast on July 13, 2020 and has gone through many iterations. This is the second podcast this week and steps are being taken behind the scenes to integrate audio production into the overall process. I'm Sean Tubbs, and a thank you to the subscriber this week who contributed paid $50 a year because of the podcast!Here's what is in this edition:* Interim UVA President Mahoney declines to sign White House “Compact for Academic Excellence” (read the story)* Charlottesville seeks settlement lawsuit against city's zoning code (read the story)* Albemarle and Charlottesville economic development groups briefed on Innovation Corridor Roadmap (read the story)* Albemarle Executive Richardson sheds more details on AstraZeneca (learn more)* An update on transportation projects in Albemarle County including a ribbon-cutting for U.S. 29 pedestrian bridge set for November 13 (read the story)* Greene County awarded AA and Aa2 bond-ratings (read the story)* A very rudimentary look at next week's meetingsFirst shout-out: Piedmont Master GardenersDo you enjoy sharing your passion for gardening with others?The Piedmont Master Gardeners are now accepting applications for the 2026 training class for Master Gardeners serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Applications are due by December 1, 2025.The in-person class will meet weekly from February through April. Learn more and find the application at the Piedmont Master Gardeners' website.Second shout-out: JackFest coming up on October 26In today's second subscriber-supported shout-out: Looking for a free fall event for your family that will help raise money for cancer treatments for patients at UVA's Children's Hospital? Mark your calendar for October 26 and JackFest at Foxfield in Albemarle County.The free event is named for Jack Callahan, a boy who beat back metastatic cancer after a 13-month course of intensive treatments in 2019 and 2020. JackFest raises funds for Ronald McDonald House to support families who need assistance while other treatments are underway as well as. Events include:* Kids' running races and family relays including a Superhero Dash, Cross Country races and a Child-Parent Relay Race* Family activities such as an inflatable obstacle course, bounce house, and slides; a petting zoo, and a truck touch with emergency vehicles* Adult and kid food options - including food trucks - and local beer & wineThe running races require registration and a fee. People can sign up for races at the JackFest website. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Is there a method to the madness that is Charlottesville Community Engagement? Like a complex solar system with bodies dancing to a gravity not fully understood, there is sometimes a need to break programming and produce an audio version mid-week. This October 15, 2025 edition is required because at least one of the stories will be obsolete at the end of this day. So, here he goes:* Albemarle Supervisors set to adopt AC44 on Wednesday night after public hearing (read the story)* There's also an update on transportation projects in Albemarle County (read the story)* Charlottesville and Staunton area officials briefed on ten years of regional transportation planning (read the story)* Transit agency gearing up for update of Virginia's State Rail Plan (read the story)Sponsored message: Learn to Pitch with Denise Stewart Coaching on October 18Are you a professional who wants to sharpen your message, elevate your delivery, and have your audience walk away with a clear, powerful version of a pitch/speech/story? TedX coach Denise Stewart is holding a one-day, hands-on speaking intensive called Pitch! - Master the Speech that Matters! This will be at Studio IX on October 18.And readers of Charlottesville Community Engagement get a discounted price of $199 down from $250. There's also a Buy One Get One Free offer if you have someone you'd like attend with. Enter the promo code CCE when you sign up at EventBrite! (sign up) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

The calendar now reads 10-10, which is CB Code for Standing By. That's how Charlottesville Community Engagement remains most of the time, waiting to report whatever it is that a one-person information outlet can put together for a growing number of subscribers. The goal is to produce one audio version a week, and this is that. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I began my professional career in public radio thirty-years ago and somehow I'm still doing this thanks to over 800 paid subscribers. Join them so I can plan for the next thirty years!In this installment:* Albemarle's next Comprehensive Plan passes through Planning Commission (read the story)* AstraZeneca will invest $4.5 billion in next-generation pharmaceutical plant at Albemarle County's Rivanna Futures site (read the story)* Council holds first reading on use of $7.95 million in surplus funds (read the story)* Charlottesville City Council briefed on financial headwinds at annual retreat (read the story)* City Council agrees to two leases for agricultural use (read the story)* Deputy City Manager Freas addresses pedestrian fatality on Emmet Street (read the story)* City Manager Sanders hires an assistant (read the story) NEED TO PRODUCESponsored message: Learn to Pitch with Denise Stewart Coaching on October 18Are you a professional who wants to sharpen your message, elevate your delivery, and have your audience walk away with a clear, powerful version of a pitch/speech/story? TedX coach Denise Stewart is holding a one-day, hands-on speaking intensive called Pitch! - Master the Speech that Matters! This will be at Studio IX on October 18.And readers of Charlottesville Community Engagement get a discounted price of $199 down from $250. There's also a Buy One Get One Free offer if you have someone you'd like attend with. Enter the promo code CCE when you sign up at EventBrite! (sign up) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Today's edition is sponsored by the Ragged Mountain Running and Walking ShopSeptember 30 is the final day of the federal fiscal New Year and one version of today's Charlottesville Community Engagement could perhaps have been about how this region might be affected by a federal shutdown. Each edition of this newsletter could be a lot of different things, but what gets selected is usually a matter of what is available for me to write.I'm Sean Tubbs and for a story on the looming shutdown, I refer you to the Virginia Political Newsletter by my colleague Brandon Jarvis.In today's installment:* Albemarle Supervisors have endorsed their legislative priorities for the 2026 General Assembly while Charlottesville City Council is still working on theirs* Jaunt turns 50 this year and is seeking stories from riders* Albemarle Supervisors get a progress report on climate action initiatives including where $522K in spending will go this fiscal yearThanks for reading Charlottesville Community Engagement ! This post is public so feel free to share it.First shout-out: A Week Without DrivingHow different would your life be if you didn't have a car? From Monday, September 29 to Sunday October 5, Livable Cville invites you to join the local Week Without Driving experience. The goal is to learn more about barriers and challenges that nondrivers face in our community and to reflect on the challenges you would face as a full-time non-driver.There are many reasons why people do not drive, including people with disabilities, youth, seniors and those who can't afford vehicles or gas. A third of people living in the United States do not have a driver's license, but are forced to navigate a mobility system designed almost exclusively for drivers.Livable Cville expects the Week Without Driving experience will help participants better appreciate the challenges and barriers they face. For more information and to register your participation, please visit: https://livablecville.org/weekwithoutdrivingLocal elected officials preparing for 2026 General AssemblyThere are over a hundred days left until the 2026 session of the Virginia General Assembly and less than two months until legislators can begin to pre-file bills.Across Virginia, localities are determining what priorities they would like to see turned into legislation.At their meeting on September 15, Charlottesville City Council went through a long list of suggestions from the Planning Commission, the Human Rights Commission, and the Office of Sustainability.“Energy prices are going up,” said Kristel Riddervold, the city's sustainability director. “Legislative priorities related to expanding distributed energy, meaning solar, all over the place in different ways.”Riddervold said city priorities are for the Virginia General Assembly to maintain the 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act, full funding for the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank, and reform of rules for construction of data centers. You can see the full list here.The Human Rights Commission submitted a three page list including a request for legislation for expanded rights for those who rent, a request for localities to have right of first refusal to purchase supported housing units, and a $60 million state fund for housing assistance to support 5,000 families. Another legislative request is to require all Virginia localities to maintain a public homeless shelter. You can view this list here.Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston said many of those ideas seem very aspirational and may not take into account political realities.“The one that says here, ‘require that each county and city in Virginia maintain a public overnight homeless shelter or fund a private equivalent,'” Pinkston said. “I mean, that would be lovely because we're, we're doing this. I have a sense for neighboring counties and communities, the work that we're doing here. But does that have any hope of being passed?””City Councilor Michael Payne said many of the Human Rights Commission's requests are part of statewide efforts and many of the aspirations could get through depending on who holds the majority in 2026.“There definitely [are] some that potentially I think really could get passed this year, including like the 5,000 family funds or first right of refusal, but for example, the homeless shelter one you mentioned. I mean, I would feel. I think we could all feel confident saying there's no chance that passes this year.”The Planning Commission submitted a list of 15 potential pieces of legislation. The first addresses the section of state code that is at the heart of the lawsuit against the city's zoning code. Number six is a reintroduction of failed legislation that would allow localities to tax land and improvements at different rates. (view the list)Council will have a further discussion on October 6 before adopting their legislative agenda on October 20.The Albemarle Board of Supervisors is a little further ahead and had the third of three work sessions at their meeting on September 17. Albemarle has four legislative priorities, three of which would involve legislation and the fourth being a budget amendment.“First, we're seeking as a priority enabling localities to enforce the Virginia Landlord Tenant Act,” said County Attorney Andy Herrick. “We're also carrying over from past years expanding the authority to use photo speed monitoring devices.Currently those are limited to road construction work zones and school zones and Albemarle wants to be able to use them on rural roads. Albemarle also wants the General Assembly to try again on legislation to allow localities to hold a referendum on whether to levy a one cent sales tax to fund school construction.“This is an initiative that has been sought in prior years, that's passed the Assembly and been vetoed by the Governor in the past two years,” Herrick said.The budget amendment relates to another item Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed this year. The legislature's version of the budget had funding for a connector trail to connect Biscuit Run Park with the Monacon Indian Nation Tribute.Supervisors adopted their legislative priorities and the next step is to schedule a meeting with area legislators.To learn more about some of the statewide issues, read this story in the Virginia Mercury from Charlotte Rene Woods.Jaunt turns 50 this year and seeks travel storiesAs the Week Without Driving continues, one way people participating might get around is public transit. In addition to Charlottesville Area Transit, the region is served by Jaunt, a public service corporation that formed in 1975.To celebrate, Jaunt is asking people to submit their stories of using the service.“As we look back on 50 years of service, we know the most important part of Jaunt's story is the people we serve,” said Mike Murphy, Jaunt's Chief Executive Officer. “Our mission has always been rooted in community, care, and connection—and this anniversary is about celebrating the ways Jaunt has supported essential regional needs for mobility across generations.”Jaunt was created as Jefferson Area United Transportation but the acronym became the official name in 1983.Have a story from that time? Tell Jaunt at the website they've created.Second shout-out: Five Things ReLeaf has done recently!Time for a subscriber-supported shout-out, this time for ReLeaf Cville!* On April 21, ReLeaf Cville celebrated Arbor Day 2025 by talking with 40 fourth grade students at Greenbrier Elementary about the importance of urban tree canopy, and then planting a tree on the preschool playground* On April 25, the Van Yahres Tree Company donated time and energy to provide tree care to 45 trees ReLeaf planted in the Rose Hill Neighborhood, Fall 2023* On May 10 at RiverFest, Green Team members Moos and Antony joined Keith Pitchford, Board vice-chair, and Cathy Boyd, Executive Director, in providing information about ReLeaf Cville and playing Tree Bingo* In May, C-Ville Weekly profiled ReLeaf Cville's efforts to help homeowners turn their yards into leafy oases - and cool their neighborhoods.* The fourth annual Green Team session took place this week and was designed to equip rising 9th-12th graders in tree knowledge and tree care skills, this year's schedule includes sessions co-led by the Rivanna Conservation Alliance, Van Yahres Tree Company, Master Naturalists, Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, Community Climate Collaborative, and Steve Gaines, Charlottesville's Urban Forester.Albemarle Supervisors briefed on Climate Action programs, $522K in FY2026 spendingFor the past eight years, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors has been in support of efforts to monitor greenhouse gas emissions as part of an international bid to keep global temperatures from rising. For six years, though, a different set of elected officials opted out of the program.On September 17, 2025, the six elected officials got a briefing from staff on county and regional efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to a world of higher temperatures and more volatile storms. They were also briefed on how staff plans to use $300,000 the Board dedicated to the issue at the end of the FY2026 budget process as I reported at the time.Resources:* 44-page progress report from Albemarle staff* Slide presentation from the briefingBut first, some recent history.Recent historyIn June 1998, local leaders signed a document called the Sustainability Accords, a series of statements intended to solidify the work of several environmental groups working in the area. While climate action itself was not mentioned, the document called for the development of “attractive and economical transportation alternatives to single occupancy vehicle use” and called for the promotion of “conserv[e]ation and efficient use of energy resources.”In December 2007, Albemarle Supervisors voted to adopt a goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050. At the time, Supervisor Ken Boyd voted for the “Cool Counties” initiative though he expressed concern about the potential impacts. (read a story I wrote then)In the years that followed, a group called the Jefferson Area Tea Party raised concerns about both the resolution and the county's membership in the International Council for Sustainability. The ICLEI group provided resources to measure greenhouse gas reductions and Boyd sought to end participation“We are being infiltrated in local government by an agenda that is set by this international organization,” Boyd said in early May 2011 as I reported at the time. “I think it's now a cancer that is infiltrating our local government here.”By that time, two other Republicans had joined the Board of Supervisors giving Boyd votes he needed to change direction. Democrat Lindsay Dorrier Jr. was a swing vote.Lane Auditorium was packed on the night of June 8, 2011 with some in the crowd defending sustainability efforts and continued participation in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Members of the Tea Party claimed that civil liberties were being threatened.At the end of the meeting, Supervisors voted 4-2 to end participation in ICLEI as I reported at the time. Three months later, they ended participation in Cool Counties as reported in the Charlottesville Daily Progress.However, the Republican majority would come to an end in 2013 after Democratic candidates defeated Duane Snow in the Samuel Miller District and Rodney Thomas in the Rio District.Back on the jobIn September 2017, Supervisors voted to adopt a resolution to “support local actions to reduce climate pollution.”“In October 2019, the Board adopted greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreement,” said Jamie Powers, a county employee since 2023 who is now Albemarle's Climate Program Manager. “The next year, October 2020, the board adopted the Climate Action Plan and stood up the Climate Action Program to implement that plan and help get the community's emissions down in line with the board's targets.”The targets now call for a 45 percent in emissions reductions from 2008 levels by 2030 and to be carbon-free by 2050.Powers said emissions continue to climb across the world and the effects of climate change are here now as a present crisis rather than one for the future to deal with.“The impacts are generally going to be worse over time and increasingly unpredictable unless we can get global emissions under control,” Powers said. “And we do have a role to play locally.”Albemarle's reduction targets are in line with the Paris Agreement which set a framework to reduce emissions so that the increase in global warming could be kept below 2 degrees Celsius. The increase is now at 1.5 degrees.Powers said climate change itself is not the underlying problem.“It is a symptom of a set of problems,” Powers said. “This socioeconomic system that we have, it works exactly as designed and it brings us to a climate crisis and a biodiversity crisis and all these sorts of things. So if we are going to effectively address the climate crisis, we need to take a look at our systems and address things appropriately.”The models used by Albemarle and other local governments are complex and conform to the Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories. These are put together by ICLEI and emissions come from many source sectors.“The major sectors of emissions are transportation, stationary energy, and that includes solar,” said Greg Harper, Albemarle's chief of environmental services. “That would be kind of like reducing that stationary energy. Ag force and land use is a smaller contributor and then waste as well.”Albemarle resumed doing inventories in 2018 and Harper said emission levels dropped during COVID but increased for 2022. Data is about two years behind. Harper said reductions can be decreased many ways, such as if many groups can work together to reduce a metric known as “vehicle miles traveled.”“We don't want to stop activity in the county, obviously, but we want to shift people from driving a car by themselves to taking mass transportation, getting on their bicycle for smaller commutes,” Harper said.Powers said Albemarle has been active in many ways to encourage reductions such as supporting home energy improvements, providing “climate action activity kits” through a nonprofit, installing electric vehicle chargers, and creation of the Energy Resource Hub.Albemarle also provided several grants including $20,000 for the International Rescue Committee's New Roots farming program to allow them to electrify equipment and improve their agricultural practices.“If we break down some of the things that they were doing from their composting practice, we calculated that about 25 tons of carbon dioxide is sequestered by them using the composting practices,” Powers said. “About 5 tons of avoided emissions by removing synthetic fertilizers from their operations.”All told, Powers said about 38 tons of carbon dioxide emissions were prevented.Albemarle County is also collaborating with the City of Charlottesville and the University of Virginia on the Resilient Together initiative which seeks to create a resilience plan to adapt to a different weather pattern. That will come before the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors in early 2026.FY2026 fundingPowers also outlined a recommendation of how Albemarle might put that $300,000 to use, as well as another $222,000 in carry over funds for climate action.“The Board made it clear we wanted to emphasize projects that are going to get the most value in terms of emission reductions in FY26,” Powers said.The Residential Energy Improvements line item is intended to assist property owners with lower incomes and that $237,000 does not include another $150,000 the county received through the federal Community Development Block Grant program.“A lot of times, especially in low income households, energy is going out the window, literally,” Powers said. “And so how can we help those folks tighten up their envelopes so when they're turning the AC or the heat on, it's still staying in the home instead of heading out the window.”The Local Energy Alliance Partnership (LEAP) and the Albemarle Housing Improvement Program (AHIP) are partners on that project. Powers said the goal will be to reach up to 50 homes, decreasing emissions classified as “stationary” energy. He estimates the return on investment will be about $3,000 per ton of emissions prevented.Another $100,000 will be spent on energy efficiency in county-owned buildings.“Most likely implementation looks like LED installation, LED fixture installation, likely at two different buildings,” Powers said. “If we transition the equivalent of the space of Northside Library to those fixtures, we would reduce again in that stationary energy category, one of those four categories by 0.03 at $700 per ton and annually that'd be a 143 ton reduction.”Albemarle funded the Energy Resource Hub in FY2025 at the $100,000 level and an additional $63,000 for this year. This is a program that helps homeowners find rebates and other incentives.Partners have not yet been found for the Climate Action Collaboration initiative.For previous coverage on climate action issues, visit Information Charlottesville.Reading material for September 30, 2025* Whistleblowers accuse HUD of ‘systematically undermining' fair housing laws, Ryan Kushner, Multifamily Dive, September 25, 2025* HUD cuts multifamily mortgage insurance premiums, Julie Strupp, Multifamily Dive, September 26, 2025* Albemarle County to consider delay on data center ordinance, Jenette Hastings, WVIR 29NBC, September 28, 2025* Watershed mapping project shows rapid loss of forests, offers new view of Va.'s changing landscapes, Evan Visconti, September 29, 2025* Charlottesville's schools are old. Local officials are trying to change that, Brandon Kile, Cavalier Daily, September 29, 2025* Afton Scientific breaks ground on $200 million expansion in Albemarle, Kate Nuechterlein, September 29, 2025What's the ending, #929?Today I could not get moving. Something is off but my job is to bring people information. I picked up four new paid subscribers since posting the May 2025 transactions, and it is important to get out what I can.The story I wanted to tell today was an accounting of yesterday's traffic congestion caused by a truck hitting a bridge under construction that carries Old Ivy Road over the U.S. 250. I lack the resources to get such a story together but I have questions about whether such an incident is covered by emergency management officials in the area.There are so many stories I want to tell, and sometimes the best I can do is link to other people's coverage. Here's a story from VPM. Here's one from 29NBC News. Here's another from CBS19. How about Cville Right Now?There is a lot of rhetoric about climate action and moving people out of automobiles. Is any of it having any effect? Are fewer people driving alone? How many people are paying attention to this issue? What is the community supposed to do when a major highway is shuttered for hours? Are we all so endless trapped in a news cycle that solutions remain elusive, situations remain intractable?I don't have the answer but I know I want to be part of an information ecosystem that seeks to do better than what we have at the moment with a series of wicked problems that are difficult to solve in this era of fragmentation.So what's today's ending? A note that David Bowie's Diamond Dogs helped me think this morning and this 1973 special seems important. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

We have reached the end of another week here at Charlottesville Community Engagement and all that is left to do is put together an audio version using the stories already told. Listening might become habit-forming if you have an interest in discussions about the future, and if you want to spot the mistakes. Is this the one where I leave in the curse words? Tune in!If not, this edition also serves as a way to remind you of some of the stories this week.In this edition:* Albemarle Planning Commission takes a look at the county's draft Comprehensive Plan (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors discuss 2025 build-out analysis (read the story)* Albemarle PC recommends approval of new rule to allow taller buildings in industrial districts (read the story)* Manning Institute of Biotechnology director outlines hope for creating new medicine (read the story on C-Ville Weekly)* Charlottesville poised to appropriate fourth state grant for flood preparation (learn more)Sponsored message: Westwind FlowersAt Westwind Flowers the Dahlia fields are in full bloom with a stunning array of colors and varieties that only this season can offer.You're invited to experience it for yourself on September 27th and October 4th during their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm, located on the historic grounds of James Madison's Montpelier. It's a chance to stroll through the fields, cut your own flowers, and soak in the beauty of the season—a flower lover's dream come true!Can't make it to their Dahlia U-Pick event? They can bring the season to you! Order your locally grown, freshly harvested bouquets today, available for pickup at their Gordonsville floral studio or delivered straight to your home, your office, or someone special.Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season and the special moments in your life. They believe the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.To register for a Dahlia U-Pick, order seasonal flowers, or learn more, visit westwindflowers.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

“National Public Radio will serve the individual: it will promote personal growth; it will regard the individual differences among men with respect and joy rather than derision and hate.” Thus begins a document written by Bill Siemering in 1969 when the federal government was investing in public broadcasting. Charlottesville Community Engagement is a newsletter and podcast that is not public media but aspires to all of the principles in that document. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I'll be bringing up that paper again. Now it's time for these things from this week in 2025:* Charlottesville City Manager Sanders tells Council work continues to find site for a low-barrier homeless shelter (read the story)* UVA committee briefed on new public safety agreement with Albemarle and Charlottesville (read the story)* UVA's Board of Visitors signs off on lease and possible sale of Oak Lawn to Charlottesville City Schools, and Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders details some next steps (read the story)* C-Ville Sabroso to hold 13th event this Saturday at the Ting Pavilion (read the story)* Loop De Ville coming up on September 27 (read the story)* Riverbend to rework rezoning proposal for land near U.S. 29 / I-64 intersection (learn more)Sponsored message!At Westwind Flowers the Dahlia fields are in full bloom with a stunning array of colors and varieties that only this season can offer.You're invited to experience it for yourself on September 27th and October 4th during their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm, located on the historic grounds of James Madison's Montpelier. It's a chance to stroll through the fields, cut your own flowers, and soak in the beauty of the season—a flower lover's dream come true!Can't make it to their Dahlia U-Pick event? They can bring the season to you! Order your locally grown, freshly harvested bouquets today, available for pickup at their Gordonsville floral studio or delivered straight to your home, your office, or someone special.Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season and the special moments in your life. They believe the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.To register for a Dahlia U-Pick, order seasonal flowers, or learn more, visit westwindflowers.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Generally the audio version of Charlottesville Community Engagement comes out on a Friday or a Saturday, but due to a series of factors, this time around non-radio listeners can hear it on a Monday. We're in a time when so much is happening all at once, but this particular week there needed to be a break, an eddy in the space-time continuum. I'm Sean Tubbs, and here are the items you're going to hear today:In this edition:* UVA fundraising surpassed $885 million in FY2025 (read the story)* FEI property now known as Sycamore Hill (read the story)* The UVA Buildings and Grounds Committee has approved the schematic design for the future Center for the Arts (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors get update on Shenandoah National Park (read the story)* Greene Supervisors approve financing package for White Run Reservoir, other projects (read the story)* TJPDC legislative liaison briefs Greene Supervisors on upcoming General Assembly session (read the story)* Two Supervisor seats on the ballot in Greene this November, one of them contested (read the story)* Charlottesville hires Block by Block firm to perform services of “Clean Team” (read the story)* Democrat holds onto Virginia's 11th Congressional District (read the story)* Virginia Court of Appeals sends Albemarle's “missing middle” case back to Circuit Court (read the story)Sponsor: Westwind FlowersIt's that time of year we've all been waiting for… Dahlia season!Westwind Flowers in Orange, Virginia believes the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.Join them in September at their Gordonsville floral studio for their Dahlias & Desserts Workshop—sweet treats, stunning flowers, and serious fun.Then in October, grab your shears and sign up for their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm… a flower lover's dream come true!But why wait? Order your locally grown, freshly harvested Dahlia bouquets today, delivered straight to your home, your office, or to someone special.Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season, and the special moments in your life.Learn more at westwindflowers.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

There is a different gravity to holidays weeks as the routine is challenged in exchange for the illusion of a day off. Or at least, that's definitely the case with this edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement produced at the end of a truncated week in which a lot seems to have happened. I'm Sean Tubbs, and if you're a skeptic of the audio, I still recommend listening to the first story today.In this edition:* Charlottesville City Council ends consideration of anti-camping ordinance after pushback from homeless advocates (read the story)* Charlottesville City Attorney explains why Gentry Locke still represents city in case against zoning code (read the story)* An update on some residential projects under review in Charlottesville* Ridership on Charlottesville Area Transit up five percent in FY2025 (read the story)* Rivanna River pedestrian bridge once again misses out on federal funding (read the story)* 5K race planned Sunday to raise money for prostate cancer research (read the story)* Albemarle's deputy fire chief is now Charlottesville's emergency management coordinator (read the story)Sponsor: Westwind FlowersIt's that time of year we've all been waiting for… Dahlia season!Westwind Flowers in Orange, Virginia believes the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.Join them in September at their Gordonsville floral studio for their Dahlias & Desserts Workshop—sweet treats, stunning flowers, and serious fun.Then in October, grab your shears and sign up for their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm… a flower lover's dream come true!But why wait? Order your locally grown, freshly harvested Dahlia bouquets today, delivered straight to your home, your office, or to someone special.Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season, and the special moments in your life.Learn more at westwindflowers.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

There are perhaps more than two ways to experience Charlottesville Community Engagement, but the audio edition is one of the ones that I know about. I'm Sean Tubbs, a journalist who got his professional start as an intern at a public radio station in Roanoke thirty years ago. Before that I spent a couple of years at a student newspaper at Virginia Tech. Somehow all of that led to this time in 2025 when I'm able to produce radio and print stories for an audience that pays me to do the work. Thank you and here's what's coming up in this edition.* Case against Charlottesville's zoning to proceed to trial after Judge Worrell changes position on default (learn more)* A round up of other stories not quite yet ready for a full story (see below for the briefs)* Albemarle Supervisors are briefed on strategic plan report (learn more)* On September 5, groups will mark the 75th anniversary of federal ruling that allowed a Black man to attend UVA law (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors approve special use permit for private school on Dudley Mountain Road (learn more)Sponsor: Westwind FlowersIt's that time of year we've all been waiting for… Dahlia season!Westwind Flowers in Orange, Virginia believes the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.Join them in September at their Gordonsville floral studio for their Dahlias & Desserts Workshop—sweet treats, stunning flowers, and serious fun.Then in October, grab your shears and sign up for their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm… a flower lover's dream come true!But why wait? Order your locally grown, freshly harvested Dahlia bouquets today, delivered straight to your home, your office, or to someone special.Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season, and the special moments in your life.Learn more at westwindflowers.com.A note of difference with this edition: This particular podcast edition comes at a time when there have been a few developments here and there. Perhaps it would be useful to have a segment of quick stories. This functions as the script for those who likely won't take a listen and longer versions may be in the next regular edition.City Council to consider ban overnight camping ban in Charlottesville public's spacesThe Labor Day holiday means City Council will meet on Tuesday rather than Monday, and the final item on their regular agenda is an ordinance to ban camping and personal storage on city property.“The City Manager shall be guided by City of Charlottesville's interpretation of applicable federal and state law, the safety and dignity of those impacted, and the need to protect public and private property in the City of Charlottesville,” reads the final line of the draft rules.Charlottesville City Police Chief Michael Kochis has proposed the new rules which are being considered less than two months after the White House has issued an executive order that calls for imprisonment of people who cannot find a home.For more information on this story, check out my story on C-Ville Weekly's website but also be sure to read the source materials.Resources:* Staff report for the ordinance* Draft protocol for how the ordinance is to be implemented* The ordinance to prohibit “unpermitted camping on city property”* White House Executive Order titled Ending Crime and Disorder on America's StreetsWhite House withdraws $39 million from Norfolk project for off-shore wind logisticsSince taking office, President Donald Trump has used the power of the federal government to shift away from the use of alternatives to fossil fuel. For instance, on July 7, 2025, the administration issued an executive order titled “Ending Market Distorting Subsidies for Unreliable, Foreign-Controlled Energy Sources.”On Friday, August 29, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy followed through with the termination or withdrawal of $679 million in projects for offshore wind projects. Duffy called such projects a scam.In late October 2023, the Port of Virginia provided an update on its efforts to become the primary logistics center for the Mid-Atlantic to assist Dominion Energy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. This is taking place at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal.Duffy's announcement includes $39.265 million for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Logistics Port. This was to support the Dominion project which is to consist of the construction of 176 offshore wind turbines situated on a lease site 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. (view the project on Dominion's site)What does this mean to the overall project? Stay tuned.Virginia Senate committee denies confirmation of more UVA Board membersWhen the University of Virginia's Board of Visitors next meets on September 11, there may not be as many members around the table at the Rotunda.On August 28, the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee declined to confirm 14 appointees to governing bodies of Virginia's public universities including four to the UVA Board of Visitors. All eight Democrats voted to decline to advance the nominations while all six Republicans voted to do so.The action comes at a time when the Virginia Supreme Court is taking up a lawsuit over a similar denial on June 9 when the committee declined to confirm the appointment of former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. Current Attorney General Jason Miyares had advised fellow Republicans and University Rectors that the Senate committee action was not valid.The Senate Democrats on the panel sued and Fairfax County Circuit Court Jonathan D. Frieden agreed to a preliminary injunction barring Cuccinelli from serving as a member of the BOV. He did not attend a meeting in early August and his name is not listed on the BOV website.In late June, Youngkin appointed four more to the Board of Visitors and the newcomers did attend that August meeting. However, their names have also been removed from the BOV website.The Privileges and Elections Committee meeting on August 28 was swift but Republicans on the panel argued that a confirmation vote should wait until after the Virginia Supreme Court weighs in.“Traditionally, if we have something in front of the courts, we allow the court to rule and give them the opportunity to do their job,” said Senator Bill DeSteph (R-8). “And I think that before we vote on this, we should allow the Supreme Court the opportunity to rule on this.”DeSteph said a vote to deny the nominees could be construed as an attempt to influence the Virginia Supreme Court's decision.Senator Adam Ebbins (D-39) noted that none of the people up for appointment were part of the pending lawsuit.Senator Tara Durant (R-27) said she felt the nomination process was becoming politicized.“This is really kind of unprecedented,” Durant said. “We have a long list of people who have got quite a wealth of experience. And I think the broader question it begs is what will happen in the future to dissuade those who are willing to serve the Commonwealth in this capacity?”Committee Chair Aaron Rouse (D-22) responded briefly without much explanation.“We have a job to do as this committee, not only to protect our colleges, universities, but make sure that appointees or potential appointees are upholding the values and principles set forth by members of the Commonwealth, members of this body,” Rouse said.Stay tuned for more on this and other stories.And make sure to check out the Cavalier Daily's coverage as well.The end of 915-AI don't usually post end-notes for the podcast version but this is a hybrid. I wanted to get a newsletter out with the three stories that are reported in this edition, and I'll flesh each out in editions to come. Today could have been a day off, but I know when I chose this career decades ago that such things were not for me. I chose a profession where there's always the potential for something to happen. I call the business Town Crier Productions as a way of explaining the basic function of what I want my journalism to be.I want you to know things and the context in which decisions are made. I want you to consider possibilities you may not have done so before. I believe in this so strongly that I've dedicated my life in the pursuit of this craft. Sure, I make typos. Sure, I make the occasional error. Sure, I maybe don't know when to shut up in these blurbs sometimes.As soon as I hit send and as soon as Leeds v. Newcastle is over, I'm going to lace up my boots and walk somewhere. I don't know where yet but everywhere I walk I will see the examples of previous decisions I've covered in my 20 years here. Whenever I get to where I'm going, I'll keep working. It might be correspondence. It might be thanking subscribers. I may get the second version out of the Town Crier Productions media kit. I may begin writing the Week Ahead. I may write a note to the people doing the Virginia Local News Ecosystem Study to ask why the Cavalier Daily isn't included in their geographic scope. Or maybe I'll just keep trying to make up new sounds for future podcasts. Or maybe I'll just chat with friends?Who knows? All I know is I pledge to always be ready to get to work when I am able. Anyway, Everton looked good today until the end. Wolves were attacking at the end. Here's a review for the two people who read to this point. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Once more into the breach we go, though we're not headed for battle but for another bout of audio stories collected and packaged as the Charlottesville Community Engagement podcast. This is an element of Town Crier Productions, a one-person information outlet created in 2020 to provide me, Sean Tubbs, with a way to do what I love best: Write stories that may seem obscure until you realize I'm writing about growth, economic development, and living in a changing community.In this edition:* One person is dead and another injured following house explosion in Keswick (story)* Judge Worrell is set to make a decision related to the granting of default judgment in the legal case against the city's zoning code but it had not come in at press time (story #1) (story #2)* Albemarle Fire Chief Dan Eggleston will retire in October and a brief look back at his career as well as a listen back to a March story about why fire and police both asked for more money in the FY2026 budget (story)* Charlottesville City Council briefed on regional tourism efforts (story)* Albemarle County Supervisors adopt economic development strategic plan (story)Sponsor: Westwind FlowersIt's that time of year we've all been waiting for… Dahlia season!Westwind Flowers in Orange, Virginia believes the blooms in your vase should be just as fresh, and just as local, as the food on your table.Join them in September at their Gordonsville floral studio for their Dahlias & Desserts Workshop—sweet treats, stunning flowers, and serious fun.Then in October, grab your shears and sign up for their Dahlia U-Pick events at their farm… a flower lover's dream come true!But why wait? Order your locally grown, freshly harvested Dahlia bouquets today, delivered straight to your home, your office, or to someone special.Westwind Flowers offers sustainably grown, thoughtfully curated cut flowers, perfectly suited to the season, and the special moments in your life.Learn more at westwindflowers.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

A glimpse behind the scenes as this audio edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement begins. These introductory paragraphs are often nothing more than text that serves to begin a program that sounds a lot like public radio but isn't public radio. Instead, they are audio versions of some of the stories you might have read complete with the voices of the people quoted! If you've not heard one of these before, consider starting with this one. And, check to see if this written paragraph actually served as a script!* Judge Worrell wants Charlottesville to provide more info on transportation before issuing written opinion in default judgment that voided zoning code (learn more)* IMPACT takes transit frequency message to CARTA (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors approve plan to keep Free Bridge Lane car-free (learn more)* CRHA asks City Council for direct funding each year to support public housing maintenance, resident services (learn more)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

The time has come for another audio edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Or at least it is time for me to produce one. I'm Sean Tubbs, the publisher at Town Crier Productions, an extravagant name for a company that describes the kind of journalism I produce as often as I can. I got my start in public radio and use audio from meetings to fuel my reporting. In this edition:* UVA Board of Visitors appoints law professor as interim president (learn more)* Community walk planned for Greenbrier neighborhood this Sunday (learn more)* Albemarle County expanding school zone speed camera locations while Charlottesville to start (coming soon)* A handful of Fifeville residents want Charlottesville to crack down on illegal fireworks (coming soon)* Weldon Cooper Center releases new population projections (learn more)* Another motion is filed in the legal case against the city's zoning code in advance of an August 13 hearing (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisor Michael Pruitt outlines steps he will take if elected to Congress (learn more)* Albemarle and Charlottesville recognize Soul of Cville with proclamations (learn more)Commercial sponsor: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Program note: Every Saturday at 6 a.m., an audio version of this newsletter airs on WTJU. The copy for this newsletter is the for the one that aired today Good morning and welcome to another archive edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement for August 2, 2025. I'm Sean Tubbs, the publisher at Town Crier Productions. For the past five years, I've been writing stories about the community from a close-up perspective, documenting all manner of stories.Today's edition is going to feature several of those about economic development. Albemarle County is updating their strategic plan for attracting business to the community, and the Board of Supervisors may adopt the plan later this month.Here are the stories:* In January, the Albemarle Economic Development Authority got a briefing on the Broadway Blueprint (learn more)* In June, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors denied an application to fill in the flood plain for an industrial building in the Broadway Blueprint (learn more)* Later in June, the Board of Supervisors got an update on the economic development strategic plan (learn more)* On July 8, the Albemarle Planning Commission got a briefing on the implementation chapter of the Comprehensive Plan, but heard from members of the public concerned about the economic development strategic plan (learn more) Continuity copyAlbemarle County has dramatically increased efforts to boost business in the area over the past 15 years with the creation of an economic deve nlopment office and adoption of a strategic plan called Project Enable.Efforts to update the plan got underway this January with the opening of a survey to “better understand the perception of Albemarle County's past economic development efforts and to identify future opportunities that should be considered in the strategic planning process.”In recent years, Albemarle County has bet heavily on expanding the defense and intelligence and in May 2023 the Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of several hundred acres of land around the Rivanna Stations for $58 million. The goal is to build a campus for those industries and they're seeking to get it ready for development.There are other places where the county is seeking to focus development. Here's one story from February 2025.(Broadway Story)However, just because there's a strategic plan doesn't mean that Albemarle Supervisors won't make decisions. Here's a story from early June.(Flood Plain Denial)Later this month, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors will have a joint work session with the Economic Development Authority about that economic development strategic plan. The Board had a briefing in June.(EDSP Briefing)Ad-lib(Planning Commission AC44 implementation)The draft EDSP can be viewed here and feedback is being taken through August 8.The end of #901AI've spent a lot of time with my parents this week helping them be together for their 62nd anniversary. That's meant I've not been able to spend much reporting, but I'm a person with many deadlines. I'm very fortunate I'm able to work when I can and these times of eldercare have forced me to become more efficient.Today I'll be working on the next Week Ahead as well as the next Fifth District Community Engagement. This next week should see a return of “normal” newsletters, but at any point I may have to put all of this aside. In any case, thanks for your patience this week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

At long last, another sonic edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. It's summertime and the podcasting isn't as easy due to a combination of travel, heat, and other factors but this edition will tide you over until the next version which may be in two weeks. Or perhaps on time? I'm Sean Tubbs, and if you've never heard one of these before, take a listen!In this edition:* Charlottesville City Council refers Development Code back to Planning Commission (learn more)* Charlottesville files motion asking Judge Worrell to reconsider default judgment (learn more)* Charlottesville Planning Commission reviews design for apartment building on Seminole Trail (learn more)* City Council briefed on budget scenarios for expanded service (learn more)* Albemarle Planning Commission discuss Comprehensive Plan's implementation chapter (learn more)* The Albemarle Board of Supervisors followed suit eight days later and some members want AC44 to speak to social belonging (learn more)Commercial shout-out: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

What is the purpose of journalism? What is the purpose of the government? What makes up society? How did we get here? All the questions David Byrne asked in Once in a Lifetime? This is the audio edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a podcast that features audio versions of stories that have gone out in the written version. To add to the confusion, there's also Information Charlottesville which is intended to capture all of these stories in one place for future people to look back toward.Now, what's up this time?* Speakers seek answers on next steps for zoning in Charlottesville (learn more)* City Manager Sanders provides status report on various initiatives (learn more)* Charlottesville City Council gets update on ANCHOR program (learn more)* Applications being taken for Charlottesville Boards and Commissions (learn more)* Speakers tell Charlottesville City Council of what they say are threats to U.S. Constitution (must produce)* Albemarle Planning Commission recommends approval of more residential units at Brookhill (need to produce)Today's experimental sponsor is Westwind Flowers. You can hear a more detailed description in the audio above, just after the show's billboard. Why experimental? If you're interested, respond to this email and I can share some information. An explanation of #895-AThis is coming out much earlier than usual, just as the Week Ahead for the period beginning July 14 will also be out earlier. I'm taking a road trip which means making adjustments. However, as a one-person operation, that doesn't mean the work will stop. Hundreds of you are paying me to do this work, and so I do! I'm absolutely grateful. Sunday is also the fifth anniversary of the newsletter. I've not done anything too terribly special for it except decide to go on a road trip which will keep me away from the screen for most of the day. Instead I'll see a good chunk of the country as I help out a friend. In any case, do take a listen if you've not heard one of these before. I got my professional start in public radio and realized fairly on that no public radio station in their right mind would hire me because in the early 2000's I was quite critical of the shrinking amount of time available for local stories. So, stubborn old me created the Charlottesville Podcasting Network in 2005, a website I still maintain but won't send you a link because I've not figured out how to fix something. And then I created a podcast called the Charlottesville Quarantine Report in March 2020 out of a desperate need to return to journalism. The podcast gets about a tenth of the audience, but I believe it's the best version of the work I do. I love being able to mix in people's voices, and there's so much more to be done. However, I'm a one-person operation with many ideas to unfurl. Thanks to paid subscribers for helping to keep this thing sailing along and let's hope I find the map. Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

There are now 364 days to go until the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a historic document that remains relevant as we approach the semiquincentennial. Eight days have passed since the executive branch of the federal government demanded the resignation of University of Virginia President Jim Ryan. There's a lot happening, and Charlottesville Community Engagement is intended to document as much as possible. I'm Sean Tubbs.In this edition:* Five people were shot in the city's Fifeville neighborhood late Friday night including two children* A Charlottesville Circuit Court judge has thrown the city's zoning ordinance out after a legal deadline was not met (learn more) (learn even more)* President Jim Ryan has resigned from the University of Virginia and the path is known for his replacement (learn more) (learn even more)* Former Attorney Ken Cuccinelli continues to serve on the UVA Board of Visitors despite his confirmation being rejected by a Virginia Senate committee, prompting a legal case* Seventy-four new Americans were sworn in as citizens on the morning of July 4 at Monticello (not yet in print)* Hundreds of people were on hand for a protest at UVA just a few hours later to demand steps to prevent the public institution from more federal interference (not yet in print)* Greene Supervisors vote to move forward with smaller water supply (learn more)Thanks for reading Charlottesville Community Engagement ! This post is public so feel free to share it.A note before we beginThis edition should have gone out yesterday as soon as I finished the version for WTJU, but I chose to attend a social event instead. I'm glad I went but do wish I had stayed to complete the work.You will also note that this edition has written versions for three stories including the one about the shooting. I didn't have a lot of audio to work with this week, and I wanted to document in audio the zoning code and the Ryan resignation. The headlines are sparse because those are slugs. The protest story and the naturalization story will be posted to Information Charlottesville before going out in Monday's newsletter.No written shout-outs in this one because I want to get this posted, but I'm going to be experimenting as I go.Five people shot in Fifeville Friday nightAn Independence Day celebration in Fifeville turned tragic late Friday night when gunfire erupted, sending five people to the hospital including three children.A series of firework displays had begun after dark across the neighborhood causing many people to be outside to see and hear the explosions.According to an information release from Charlottesville Police Department, officers responded to multiple calls of a shooting on Orangedale around 11:23 p.m. The first officers arrived a couple of minutes later and found five people who had been shot.The victims were a 10-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy, a 17-year-old male, an 18-year-old female, and a 52-year-old male.“Due to heavy foot and vehicle traffic, emergency medical units were initially unable to access the scene,” reads the release. “Officers and medics worked together to transport the victims on foot and in patrol vehicles, applying pressure to their wounds until additional EMS personnel arrived.”Everyone shot was reported to be in stable condition as of the release sent out at 11:13 a.m. this morning. The Criminal Investigations Division and Forensics Unit are investigating and police want to see video footage.The Fifeville Neighborhood Association is holding a community gathering at 6 p.m. at Abundant Life at 782 Prospect Avenue.Copy for UVA RYAN:Facing pressure from the United States Department of Justice, University of Virginia President Jim Ryan resigned from his position on June 27.The Cavalier Daily reports that the Civil Rights Division under the control of President Donald Trump sent seven letters to UVA between April 11 and June 17 insisting that not enough had been done to demonstrate that programs to encourage and promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion had not been sufficiently dismantled.In a statement, Ryan said he did not want to put federal grant funding at risk to save his job, a job he planned to leave in 2026. So he resigned and Executive Vice President J.J. Davis will serve as acting president.Many groups have condemned the pressure from the federal government including the Faculty Senate. The Virginia Conference of the American Association of University Professors sent a letter on June 30.Later on in the program we'll have audio from a protest held at the University Avenue side of the Rotunda on July 4.The Board of Visitors had been scheduled to meet on July 1 for a personnel matter but canceled the virtual event before it began. The claim is that the meeting wasn't needed, but on that same day former Rector Robert Hardie was served with a lawsuit arguing that one of the members of the Board of Visitors continued to sit in the position unlawfully.On June 9, the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee failed to confirm Ken Cuccinelli for the seat. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares advised Hardie and others to ignore that out of a claim that the entire General Assembly had not taken a vote. Members of the committee have sued in Fairfax County Court and are seeking an injunction.More from that protest in a moment.DEVELOPMENT CODE copyNearly five years ago, the City of Charlottesville embarked on a process called Cville Plans Together which sought to update the city's housing policies, the Comprehensive Plan, and the zoning code. The general idea was to increase development rights across the entire city and to remove City Council from many of the decisions about density and height.City Council voted unanimously on December 18, 2023 to enact the code, and a group of property owners who disagreed with the blanket approach filed suit in Charlottesville Circuit Court asking for the new rules to be declared voided ab initio, a Latin term meaning “from the beginning.”The plaintiffs in White v. Charlottesville survived an attempt by the city to have Circuit Court Claude Worrell dismiss the case. In April of this year, Judge Worrell ruled that the case would proceed to trial and a date was set for June 2026.However, attorneys for the plaintiffs noticed that the outside counsel for the city, Gentry Locke, failed to respond to a directive to submit a particular document. On June 2, they filed for default judgement and the next day the city's attorneys filed for permission to file late.In a hearing in Charlottesville Circuit Court on June 30, Judge Worrell sided with the plaintiffs and expressed lament that the case would not go to trial.“There are things in this case I thought might be useful about what zoning is and what zoning isn't,” Worrell said. “It would have been interesting.”The next day, the city's Department of Neighborhood Development Services sent a note to the development community.“Pursuant to the order issued by the Honorable Judge Worrell of the Charlottesville Circuit Court on June 30, 2025, the City of Charlottesville is currently reviewing all zoning and development applications on file to assess appropriate next steps,” reads the email.The next day, Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders called the default judgement “terribly disappointing.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

The podcast edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement marks the end of the workweek for the devoted staff at Town Crier Productions and the beginning of the next one. The mission is to write as much as possible and to always strive to capture more. The podcast edition reaches about a tenth of the audience for the written version. From a production standpoint, they're the same thing - stories about the community that may help you understand some of the shifting dynamics. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I'm glad to be able to bring this information to you.On this edition:* Inaugural director of Manning Institute of Biotechnology shares vision with UVA Board (learn more)* UVA surpasses $6 billion in major fundraising campaign (learn more)* Charlottesville Planning Commission briefed on forthcoming updates to zoning code (learn more)* UVA provides update on construction projects to Charlottesville Planning Commission (learn more)* City parks and recreation put garden plot term limits on hold (learn more)* Albemarle County Supervisors get briefings on the cost of county services as well as economic development (stories come out on Monday)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Soul-searching SaturdayThere are no shout-outs in the print edition but I'll take this Saturday afternoon to write up the current state of that form of public announcements. I've strived to be transparent with how my company makes revenue.Prior to launching this newsletter on July 13, 2020, I launched a Patreon account for people who wanted to provide seed money for the overall venture. I did not know how I would distribute the work. At the time, my work consisted of a podcast called the Charlottesville Quarantine Report.That went out through Simplecast, and I still pay $15 a month to host the work until I can figure out a more permanent place for it to live. I think it is a valuable archive of a time in history. If you want to hear one, go back and listen to the June 8, 2020 edition which gave an update on what local government was doing.Producing that program made me want to move forward with this newsletter, which was a podcast for almost all of the first 700 editions. These were very short in nature at first but expanded over time as I got used to doing the work.If you look at the print version of the July 13, 2020 edition, there is no shout-out. There are also no pictures. No headlines. It's literally a radio script. If you take a listen, you'll hear a shout-out to Rapture. I put that in as a placeholder as I spent some time in public radio and wanted to do something. At the time, the place had reopened under COVID rules and it was where I spent time away from home.In the July 15, 2020 edition, I noted that Mead Oriental Rugs was supporting the show in both the print and the written versions. I'm friends with the owner. There was no money exchanged.In the fourth version, College Inn was a shout-out. One of the owners let me do this and I don't remember if we had any sort of an arrangement or not. They're now gone.This continued for those first few weeks with me adding in others here and there, even promoting the Charlottesville Podcasting Network. That's the site I created in 2005 as an experiment in audio distribution.By the 14th edition of the newsletter, I began to implement something from the Patreon world. For most of the time of the site, if you paid $25 a month through Patreon, you'd get a certain number of “shout-outs” in the newsletter. I began to track these, as there were many people willing to support the work.And so on. Now we're up to 879 editions of the regular newsletter, and over 315 editions of the Week Ahead newsletter. All produced by one person. However, the business has grown incrementally, and there is now much in the shout-out system that needs to be fixed.I'm hoping to do that over the course of the year. I'm no longer taking any new requests under the old system but I have two paid advertisers who are going to work with me as I begin to put the new system in place. This will be a mixture of message here in Substack, banner ads on Information Charlottesville, as well as mentions in the podcast.The shout-out will continue and the new policy will contain some way of getting public service announcements. There are thousands of you reading this newsletter and I suspect that number will grow as more people learn.Now I need to get going because the next set of stories beckon. Thank you for reading to this point if you did. If you didn't read to this point, please know I'm waving at you and saying hello anyway.Thanks for reading Charlottesville Community Engagement ! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

The end of the week at Town Crier Productions means it is time for another audio edition produced in the form of a podcast! Newer readers may not know that for many years, all of these versions went out in sonic form. Will that ever happen again? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Perhaps all effort in the future will go toward a version not unlike Bazooka Joe comics? In any case, I'm Sean Tubbs and it may be time to get on with the show.In this edition:* Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders addresses several issues including FEI, Sanctuary City list, arrest of man who painted crosswalk across Elliott Avenue (learn more)* Sanders reduces contingency spending request after appearing on Sanctuary City list (learn more)* All bids for Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail renovation exceed budget (learn more)* Albemarle County Supervisors deny a request to fill in the floodplain for an industrial building in the Woolen Mills* Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority adopts budget for FY2026, $550 million capital improvement program (learn more)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Plant Virginia NativesSpring is here and there's still time to plan for upgrades to your outdoors. You can take some time to get ready for spring! Check out Plant Virginia Natives!Plant Virginia Natives is part of a partnership with ten regional campaigns for ten different ecosystems across Virginia, from the Northern Piedmont to the Eastern Shore. Take a look at the full map below for the campaign for native species where you are in the Commonwealth. For the Charlottesville area, download a free copy of the handbook: Piedmont Native Plants: A Guide for Landscapes and Gardens.Plant Northern Piedmont Natives is for anyone who works with native plants, whether you are a property owner, private consultant, landscape designer, nursery operator, conservation group, or local government.Second shout out: Cville Village?Can you drive a neighbor to a doctor's appointment? Change an overhead lightbulb, plant a flower, walk a dog for someone who is sick, visit someone who is lonely? If so, Cville Village needs you!Cville Village is a local 501c3 nonprofit organization loosely affiliated with a national network of Villages whose goals are to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, and to build connections among them that diminish social isolation. Volunteers do small chores for, and have gatherings of, professors and schoolteachers, nurses and lawyers, aides and housekeepers. Time and chance come to all – a fall, an order not to drive, failing eyesight, a sudden stroke. They assist folks continue living at home, with a little help from their friends.Cville Village volunteers consult software that shows them who has requested a service and where they are located. Volunteers accept only the requests that fit their schedule and their skills.Volunteering for Cville Village can expand your circle of friends and shower you with thanks.To learn more, visit cvillevillage.org or attend one of their monthly Village “meet-ups” and see for yourself. To find out where and when the next meetup is, or to get more information and a volunteer application, email us at info@cvillevillage.org, or call them at (434) 218-3727. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Regularity is important in a publication, but there's a certain uncertainty that comes with material created by Town Crier Productions. The goal is for the podcast editions to come out on Fridays, but there are times when that will shift. The reasons for these occasional deviations are not to be written out, but if you listen to the recording perhaps I will explain more. I'm Sean Tubbs and this is my best attempt at suspense.In this edition:* The Free Enterprise Forum holds a campaign forum for the two candidates for the Jack Jouett District (learn more)* The Free Enterprise Forum also held one for the three people running for two Democratic slots for City Council on the ballot this fall (podcast-only preview!)* The governing body of the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority gets an update and adopts a budget for FY2026 (learn more)* There will be a public hearing before Charlottesville City Council on June 2 for utility rate increases (learn more)* Albemarle County on track to exceed revenue forecast for FY2025 (learn more)Join the dozens of people who have signed up this week! The next edition comes out tomorrow and will give a preview of upcoming government meetings!First shout out: Charlottesville E-bike Lending LibraryIt's the last day of Charlottesville Bike Month. The rolling topography of the Charlottesville area might keep some people away from choosing cycling as an option to get around. Perhaps an e-bike is in order?That's where Charlottesville's eBike Lending Library comes in! E-bikes are a great way to get around the community but there are many brands and styles to choose from. Because many e-bikes are sold online, it can be a challenge to try an e-bike before buying one.The Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library is a free, not-for-profit service working to expand access to e-bikes in the area. They have a small collection of e-bikes that they lend out to community members for up to a week, for free. You can experience your daily commute, go grocery shopping, or even bike your kids to school, and decide whether e-bikes are right for you. Check out this service at https://www.ebikelibrarycville.org!Program announcements for May 31, 2025As I said above, the podcast versions usually come out on Fridays but there are often times that does not happen. There's a radio version that airs on WTJU at 6 a.m. and it has to be 29 minutes long at least. I'm visiting family this week so things aren't quite as efficient. I was up until 10 p.m. last night writing and producing the City Council segment and uploading it to YouTube.The written version may go out on Information Charlottesville tomorrow but it will definitely be in the Monday edition of the newsletter. I'm deciding against posting new text content on Saturday because this is usually the day I try not to work if I can help it.But it's also the day I look at all of the jurisdictions in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District to get ready for the meeting previews I'll post on Fifth District Community Engagement throughout the week ahead. Later on today I'll scope out tomorrow's Week Ahead and possibly will try to start my second story for the next C-Ville Weekly.You may think this doesn't sound like a day off. But organization is the way I'm able to get all of this work done on a steady basis. And I listen to music throughout the day! Right now, I'm listening to the new Sparks album, MAD! There's a lot to dislike about these times, but access to music connects me to humanity. It makes me feel like I'm living to hear something new for the first time.I'm really procrastinating now as I wait for the last song on the album to stop. This feels like a very important album and I've just heard it for the first time.I have to record the continuity for the podcast. That's the opening, the shout-outs, and the end piece. I have a template I use each time and I have a whole series of sounds I use as interstitials to break up the segments. All of the segments are produced separately and in an ideal world I'd record the narration before I post them to Charlottesville Community Engagement.Okay the album ended, and I conclude this procrastinatory text by wanting to express my gratitude to my father, Joseph Tubbs, for providing me an example of how to be productive and how to use your passion to fuel your career. It's his birthday today and I'm about to go celebrate with him and my mother.I leave you with two videos.`Second shout-out: Charlottesville Community BikesIn today's second subscriber supported shout-out, Charlottesville Community Bikes strives to provide wheels to anyone who needs a ride. That includes:* There's a Kid's Bike program for people under the age of 12 (learn more)* Several social services organizations refer people to Charlottesville Community Bikes for access to reliable transportation (learn more)* Keep an eye on their calendar for the next mobile repair clinic (learn more)* There's also a workforce development program that “blends mentorship and comprehensive training in bicycle mechanics” (learn more)Visit the Charlottesville Community Bikes website today to learn more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Congratulations! You're about to listen to the latest edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement! All you have to do is hit the play button and you'll be able to hear several stories about what's happening in local and regional government. Many of the stories that go out in this newsletter are produced in a manner that allows people to listen, using the voices of people who are in the stories! This is not a new concept, but this is a necessary paragraph to get me to the point where I say I'm Sean Tubbs, and this is what I seem to do.Programming note: This should have gone out on Friday afternoon but there were complications and I decided to produce this on Sunday. The Week Ahead will likely come out on Monday and back to regular programming on Tuesday.In this edition:* Three candidates for two Democratic nominations for City Council address Greenbrier neighborhood (read the story)* Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders provides updates on how FY24 surplus might be spent ahead of June 2 vote (read the story)* Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review denies request to demolish 1301 Wertland Street (learn more)* Charlottesville's Board of Zoning Appeals upholds an administrative modification for a 24-unit development on Barracks Road (C-Ville Weekly version)First shout-out: Rivanna River Otter MonitoringHave you seen a river otter lately? The Rivanna Conservation Alliance wants to know! The group is conducting a study of the presence of Lontra canadensis. The creatures have been spotted throughout the Rivanna River watershed—in rivers, streams, and even backyard ponds!While they're best known for their playful antics, river otters are also important indicators of stream health. They depend on clean water, healthy riparian buffers, and abundant prey sources (including fish, amphibians, and benthic macroinvertebrates) for survival. As such, their presence or absence within our waterways can provide valuable insights into the overall health of our rivers and streams.To learn more, the Rivanna Conservation Alliance has launched the Rivanna River Otter Monitoring Project to gather valuable data on river otter populations while encouraging community members to get outside and explore our local waterways. This project aims not only to inspire public appreciation for river otters, but also foster a deeper community connection to our rivers and streams and the diverse wildlife populations they support.To learn more and consider a donation, please visit the Rivanna Conservation Alliance.Second-shout out: Cville VillageCan you drive a neighbor to a doctor's appointment? Change an overhead lightbulb, plant a flower, walk a dog for someone who is sick, visit someone who is lonely? If so, Cville Village needs you!Cville Village is a local 501c3 nonprofit organization loosely affiliated with a national network of Villages whose goals are to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, and to build connections among them that diminish social isolation. Volunteers do small chores for, and have gatherings of, professors and schoolteachers, nurses and lawyers, aides and housekeepers. Time and chance come to all – a fall, an order not to drive, failing eyesight, a sudden stroke. They assist folks continue living at home, with a little help from their friends.Cville Village volunteers consult software that shows them who has requested a service and where they are located. Volunteers accept only the requests that fit their schedule and their skills.Volunteering for Cville Village can expand your circle of friends and shower you with thanks.To learn more, visit cvillevillage.org or attend one of their monthly Village “meet-ups” and see for yourself. To find out where and when the next meetup is, or to get more information and a volunteer application, email us at info@cvillevillage.org, or call them at (434) 218-3727. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Brace yourselves now for another sonic edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement with audio versions of stories that have already gone out in this feed. These podcasts also appear in radio form on WTJU on Saturday morning at 6 a.m. but you can decide when you to listen the podcast. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I could decide to wait to produce it, but then everything would go stale.In this edition:* The executives in charge of Albemarle, Charlottesville, and the University of Virginia talk collaboration and innovation at the Tom Tom Festival (learn more)* City Council votes 3-1 to approve special use permit for commercial lodging at 401 Ridge Street (learn more)* Charlottesville City Council holds first reading on pass-through grant for police technology (learn more)* Charlottesville City Council also votes to approve a new lease for the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial Foundation for their memorial in McIntire Park (story not online yet)First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

If you have never heard the podcast edition of the newsletter before, how will you be able to tell if the words I am writing here are actually the words I'm saying to the hundreds of listeners? Don't you want to hear the way people in these stories sound? Wouldn't you like to see if the editors left in the many curse words that are uttered during production? Either way, there are both written and sonic versions of Charlottesville Community Engagement and one day there may be a version told entirely through pencil shavings.In this edition:* Charlottesville City Council grants appeal to allow Delta Zeta to demolish 144 Chancellor Street (learn more)* Virginia now requires localities in the same river basin to come up with a regional water supply plan to prepare for drought (learn more)* Council agrees to exercise eminent domain to purchase land for streetscape projects (learn more)* Residents call for Council to take action on speeding on Lankford and Deputy City Manager James Freas provides an update (learn more)* A look back at a presentation in January on the city's safe streets strategy (learn more)* Albemarle County's Board of Supervisors adopts a budget for FY2026 after another review of what is in it (podcast listeners get a first listen!)First-shout: Rivanna River Fest this SaturdayWe're up to that time of year when the Rivanna Conservation Alliance and their partners celebrate our community's main waterway - the Rivanna River!From 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. there will be all sorts of events at the Rivanna River Company on land now owned by the City of Charlottesville. There will be family-friendly activity tables, free tubing from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m (depending on water levels), and you can sign up for fly-fishing lessons with Orvis.* At 2:30 p.m. you can hear the “Story of Buck Island” from Philip Cobbs* At 3 p.m. the Rockfish Wild Sanctuary will present “Wild Neighbors”* At 3:30 p.m. Horace Scruggs will present the “African American History of the River”* At 4 p.m. there is a guided walk from Steve Gaines, the city's urban forester* At 5 p.m. there is performance from The Front Porch's Hometown Choir* There's a free concert from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. from Mighty JoshuaFor more information and details, visit the Rivanna Conservation Alliance website!Second shout out: When Driving Is Not An Option webinar on May 12A third of people living in the United States do not have a driver's license and must navigate a mobility system designed almost exclusively for drivers. Does it have to be that way?On Monday May 12th from 6:30 pm to -7:30 pm, Livable Cville will hold a conversation with Anna Zivarts, author of the excellent book When Driving Is Not An Option. Charlottesville City Councilor Natalie Oschrin will also make an appearance.When Driving is Not an Option shines a light on the reality for non-drivers and explains how improving our transportation system with nondrivers in mind will create a better quality of life for everyone. Zivarts is a low-vision mom, disability advocate, and non-driver. In this webinar, she'll explain how healthier, more climate-friendly communities can be the result of what happened when the needs of involuntary nondrivers are viewed as essential to how we design our transportation systems and our communities.Councilor Oschrin will share about how these ideas apply to the Charlottesville area. There will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end. You can sign up here for this free event. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Would anyone notice if the podcast version of Charlottesville Community Engagement were to be produced from Antarctica? What about Zaire? It is conceivable that this weekly audio edition of the newsletter could be put together just about anywhere as long as all of the equipment can be packed into a suitable bag. That's the case this time around. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I'm not sure where I am, either.In this edition:* Speakers at final budget public hearing ask Albemarle Supervisors to spend more on housing and climate action (learn more)* Republican Scott Smith launches campaign for Samuel Miller District seat on Albemarle Board (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors to hold public hearing on May 7 on Branchland precinct change (learn more)* Charlottesville City Schools selected to proceed with acquisition of Federal Executive Institute (learn more)* Charlottesville announces upcoming opportunity to provide feedback (learn more) Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Piedmont Master Gardeners Plant Sale coming up this SaturdayThe Piedmont Master Gardeners will hold their annual Spring Plant Sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at Albemarle Square Shopping Center in Charlottesville. The sale will offer thousands of annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, vegetables, fruit-bearing plants, herbs and houseplants, along with a wide assortment of gently used garden tools, yard ornaments, outdoor furniture and other “Green Elephants.”The sale's large selection of native plants will include curated combinations of native species that support pollinators and provide food and habitat for wildlife throughout the growing season. These collections will be available in two versions, one for sunny locations and another for shade. Shoppers will also be able to purchase bags of locally produced compost and pick up kits for sending soil samples to Virginia Cooperative Extension for testing.Trained Master Gardeners will be on hand to help shoppers with their plant selections and will staff a Help Desk for addressing plant questions. Display booths and information tables will provide research-based educational resources on a variety of topics, such as conservation landscaping, soil health, composting, pest management and controlling invasive plants.Second-shout out: When Driving Is Not An Option webinar on May 12A third of people living in the United States do not have a driver's license and must navigate a mobility system designed almost exclusively for drivers. Does it have to be that way?On Monday May 12th from 6:30 pm to -7:30 pm, Livable Cville will hold a conversation with Anna Zivarts, author of the book When Driving Is Not An Option. Charlottesville City Councilor Natalie Oschrin will also make an appearance.When Driving is Not an Option shines a light on the reality for non-drivers and explains how improving our transportation system with nondrivers in mind will create a better quality of life for everyone. Zivarts is a low-vision mom, disability advocate, and non-driver. In this webinar, she'llexplain how healthier, more climate-friendly communities can be the result of what happened when the needs of involuntary nondrivers are viewed as essential to how we design our transportation systems and our communities.Councilor Oschrin will share about how these ideas apply to the Charlottesville area. There will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end. You can sign up here for this free event. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Time again now to return to the imaginary airwaves with a podcast edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Should these sonic versions also contain a historic fact in order to signify something that is otherwise irrelevant to the information you are about to receive? Do you need to know that on this day eighty years ago, the founding negotiations began for the United Nations at a conference in San Francisco? That's one of many things to know about April 25. I'm Sean Tubbs, and there is no quiz at the end.In this edition:* Charlottesville City Council briefed on current state of affordable housing (learn more)* Bids have come in over budget for a project to improve a busy intersection in Charlottesville (learn more)* Charlottesville seeks applicants for Board and Commissions (learn more)* The University of Virginia announces the winners of its 2025 Sustainability Awards (learn more)* The Albemarle County Planning Commission votes 4 to 3 to recommend filling in the floodplain to allow for an industrial building in the Woolen Mills (story forthcoming on C-Ville Weekly)* We go back to the archives for a January briefing on the Broadway Blueprint (learn more)* Fire ants have been found in Albemarle County and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services want you to report any mounds you see (learn more)First shout out: When Driving Is Not An Option webinar on May 12A third of people living in the United States do not have a driver's license and must navigate a mobility system designed almost exclusively for drivers. Does it have to be that way?On Monday May 12th from 6:30 pm to -7:30 pm, Livable Cville will hold a conversation with Anna Zivarts, author of the book When Driving Is Not An Option. Charlottesville City Councilor Natalie Oschrin will also make an appearance.When Driving is Not an Option shines a light on the reality for non-drivers and explains how improving our transportation system with nondrivers in mind will create a better quality of life for everyone. Zivarts is a low-vision mom, disability advocate, and non-driver. In this webinar, she'll explain how healthier, more climate-friendly communities can be the result of what happened when the needs of involuntary nondrivers are viewed as essential to how we design our transportation systems and our communities.Councilor Oschrin will share about how these ideas apply to the Charlottesville area. There will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end. You can sign up here for this free event.Second shout-out: Second-shout out: Cville Village?Can you drive a neighbor to a doctor's appointment? Change an overhead lightbulb, plant a flower, walk a dog for someone who is sick, visit someone who is lonely? If so, Cville Village needs you!Cville Village is a local 501c3 nonprofit organization loosely affiliated with a national network of Villages whose goals are to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, and to build connections among them that diminish social isolation. Volunteers do small chores for, and have gatherings of, professors and schoolteachers, nurses and lawyers, aides and housekeepers. Time and chance come to all – a fall, an order not to drive, failing eyesight, a sudden stroke. They assist folks continue living at home, with a little help from their friends.Cville Village volunteers consult software that shows them who has requested a service and where they are located. Volunteers accept only the requests that fit their schedule and their skills.Volunteering for Cville Village will expand your circle of friends and shower you with thanks.To learn more, visit cvillevillage.org or attend one of their monthly Village “meet-ups” and see for yourself. To find out where and when the next meetup is, or to get more information and a volunteer application, email us at info@cvillevillage.org, or call us at (434) 218-3727. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

The regular cycle for Charlottesville Community Engagement begins and ends with a sonic version that collects stories from the past week and presents them in audible form. The information gathering for this newsletter mostly takes place by recording audio of government meetings in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District. As I write each story, I clip out the audio the way I might have done if I had continued to pursue a career in public radio. There is a satisfaction to be able to share this with anyone who might want to hear.In this edition of the program:* Local primary races set for City Council, Jack Jouett seat on Albemarle Board* Albemarle Architectural Review Board reviews draft actions for Comprehensive Plan* Albemarle Supervisors skeptical of proposal to use dedicated housing fund proceeds as debt service* Albemarle Supervisors vote to add another $1 million to affordable housing fund, $200,000 to emergency fund in FY2026 budget* Deputy City Manager Ratliff provides update on Charlottesville's strategic plan* Former City Council appeals to Council to move forward with improvements to support Dogwood MemorialCharlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Piedmont Master Gardeners seek items for Green Elephant SaleIf you are cleaning out your garage or basement this winter and have garden implements or yard ornaments you no longer need, the Piedmont Master Gardeners will take them off your handsThe Piedmont Master Gardeners are seeking donations of new and used garden tools, hoses, decorative items, outdoor furniture, and virtually anything else that can be used to maintain or enjoy a home landscape. From February 1 through April 30, these "Green Elephant" donations may be dropped off at 402 Albemarle Square between 10 a.m. and noon on Wednesdays or Saturdays. The Master Gardeners are not able to accept plastic pots or opened chemicals.The Green Elephants will be offered for sale to the public during PMG's Spring Plant Sale, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at Albemarle Square Shopping Center. Proceeds will support the many free and low-cost horticulture education programs the Piedmont Master Gardeners offer to the community.To arrange a pickup of large items or for more information, contact the Piedmont Master Gardeners at greenelephant@piedmontmastergardeners.org.The weekly look at the spreadsheetSecond-shout out: Charlottesville Area Tree StewardsThe next shout-out is one I'm very interested in. There is now a big school behind my house and I'd like to plant some trees to screen my property. I really have no idea how to do such a thing, but you can bet where I'll be the morning of April 12, 2025!That's when the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards will be holding their annual tree sale at the Virginia Department of Forestry at 900 Natural Resources Drive in Charlottesville. The group has their own tree nursery, entirely run by volunteers. They plant saplings obtained from multiple sources and nurture them until they are large enough to be planted out. They concentrate on native trees, some of which are hard to find from commercial sources.They don't have a list yet, but stay tuned to this space for details. But, this is a good day to get that on your calendar! Click here for more details! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

If you read yesterday's edition of the Charlottesville Community Engagement newsletter and really liked it, why not take a listen to today's? For some reason, Fridays are for audio production for both a podcast version and a version that will air on WTJU tomorrow at 6 a.m. I'm Sean Tubbs and what you're about to hear are several stories that all come from the April 2 meeting of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors. This is another experiment in providing you with the tools to better know your community.In today's installment:* There are three budget town halls left in Albemarle County before public hearings begin later this month (learn more)* A nonprofit that raises funds for the Shenandoah National Park is sharing information about how federal cuts are affecting operations (learn more)* There's a relatively new art gallery in Scottsville (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors recognize Dark Sky Week coming up April 21 through April 28 (learn more)* April is Financial Literacy Month (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors continue to discuss growth as part of the long and winding road that is the county's Comprehensive Plan review (learn more)* The show wraps up with an update from the Virginia Department of Transportation (this is not the story but it is close enough)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts.Advertising on Information Charlottesville could be a great way to keep my business going while also growing yours. I think there are new ways to do advertising, but I don't know what they are until I'm allowed to continue testing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

In the early days of Charlottesville Community Engagement, each edition was a newsletter as well as a podcast. In early 2024, this tradition was severed so I could make sure I could get a radio version on WTJU for Saturday morning 6 a.m. That's the case with this March 28, 2025 edition which is being produced in an odd week with slightly less productivity due to seasonal allergies. I'm Sean Tubbs and next week may see further experimentation.* Albemarle Supervisors briefed on climate funding, pay increases, and future direction for FY2027 (learn more)* EPA climate resilience grant for community nonprofits rescinded (learn more)* Supervisors also learn about the county's plans to add $4.2 million to a housing fund as well as a potential pause in federal housing vouchers (written story out tomorrow)* Charlottesville City Council holds first reading of allocations for affordable housing projects (learn more)* City Council enters into new agreement with CRHA for Sixth Street redevelopment (learn more)* Solar panels atop Ivy Landfill move closer to reality (Read this story on C-Ville Weekly)* Local projects left out of recent Continuing Resolution for federal budget (learn more)First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts.Advertising on Information Charlottesville could be a great way to keep my business going while also growing yours. I think there are new ways to do advertising, but I don't know what they are until I'm allowed to continue testing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Perhaps there is something irrational about one person attempting to write as many stories as possible about a meeting of a public institution's governing body. But that is the basic frame of this Pi Day edition of the Charlottesville Community Engagement podcast. I'm Sean Tubbs, and this week I've put a premium on going through several hours of the University of Virginia's Board of Visitors meeting to hear one specific incident. I didn't get there yet, but what follows is the perhaps most thorough town coverage of gown goings-on.In this edition:* UVA continues to meet fundraising goals (learn more)* Ellis continues to vote against any capital spending at UVA (learn more)* University of Virginia planning to phase out coal plant (learn more)* The chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee continues to express concern about scope of proposed Center for the Arts (learn more)* UVA projects increase in graduate student enrollment through 2031 while undergraduate population will remain flat (learn more)* UVA Finance Committee endorses transfer of Virginia Guesthouse, expansion of mail pharmacy (learn more)* UVA Finance Committee briefed on need for data center (learn more)* Funding to construct UVA Center for the Arts included in General Assembly's version of the budget (learn more)First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts.Advertising on Information Charlottesville could be a great way to keep my business going while also growing yours. I think there are new ways to do advertising, but I don't know what they are until I'm allowed to continue testing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

The river of time is not always predictable and neither is the frequency of podcast versions of Charlottesville Community Engagement. The last one was on a Friday. Before that they were on Saturdays. For a brief time, Mondays. This is Thursday, a day of lament for Arthur Dent, but one in which Sean Tubbs feels it is important to get this out while some of the information is still fresh. Who is that? Well, I suppose it's me.In this edition:* Local federal transportation funding may be under review but has not been paused (learn more)* New technology to improve safety to be piloted at four Albemarle County intersections (learn more)* Councilors push back on proposal to replace trash stickers with monthly trash fee charge more for trash collection (learn more)* Congressman McGuire explains support for Trump and Elon Musk in telephone town hall (learn more)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts.Advertising on Information Charlottesville could be a great way to keep my business going while also growing yours. I think there are new ways to do advertising, but I don't know what they are until I'm allowed to continue testing. The below is one of the banners! You could have one of these for a low, low price. What's the price? Listen to this segment of the podcast! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Why not end the month with an audio collection of recent stories that have so far appeared in written form in the digital pages of Charlottesville Community Engagement? At least, that's what you'll do if you decide to hit the play button! And when you do, you can find out for certain if the words uttered by the narrator match the one in this written introduction! I am Sean Tubbs, and I am that narrator, and no grant obligations were satisfied with today's production.In this edition:* A summary of a recent meeting of an emergency House of Delegates committee examining the effect of massive cuts to the federal government (story #1) (story #2)* Albemarle Executive Jeffrey Richardson proposes a four cent real estate tax increase for the county's FY26 budget (learn more)* Fluvanna Administrator Dahl recommends Fluvanna budget for FY26 based on real property tax rate decrease (learn more)* Solar panels in place at First United Methodist Church in Charlottesville (learn more)Once a week there is a podcast! What will tomorrow bring? Sign up to find out. First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts.Advertising on Information Charlottesville could be a great way for you to help keep my business going while also growing yours. I think there are new ways to do advertising, but I don't know what they are until I'm allowed to continue testing. Below is one such test, and I fully acknowledge it is ridiculous. Listen to the podcast to find out the deal! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

When written in numbers, today's full date has four twos, a zero, and a five. Put them all together in the right way and it's February 22, 2025, and I will not play a similar puzzle with the name of the show which begins with two C-words and an E. I'm Sean Tubbs, the producer of Charlottesville Community Engagement which is made up of the audio versions of stories about local and regional government in the Central Virginia listening area. Let's get to it.Today's audio versions of stories already published in written form:* A round-up of the landscape of local elections as the spring comes closer* Charlottesville School Superintendent Gurley presents budget request to City Council (learn more)* A look at the City of Charlottesville's finances before the next budget comes out (learn more)* Two members of City Council pay tribute to the late Charlottesville Mayor Satyendra Huja (learn more)* The Buildings and Grounds Committee of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors endorses the design for new student residences planned for the intersection of Ivy Road and Copeley Road (learn more)* The University of Virginia's Board of Visitors has the first of two emergency meetings to discuss the future of gender-affirming care at the UVA Health System (learn more)Every so often there's a podcast version which may also have something worth reading in the text. It's up to you to decide. First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!In today's first shout-out in the form of a house ad, I want to make sure everyone knows that every edition of the regular newsletter (not the podcast ones) ends with a section called Reading Material. Charlottesville Community Engagement is just one offering in a landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Show notes for 817A: Why this one and not another one?In this particular edition of the newsletter that carries the podcast, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how things get made. For the past year now, audio production has shifted as I began doing a radio version for WTJU. The show airs at 6 a.m. so the audience may be low, but I'm grateful to have a regular place in the airwaves.This week was another where I didn't have a lot of audio because most of the stories this week were ones that didn't originate from a meeting. Take a look at the table below the second shout-out to see what I've been up for the past two weeks. By the time I get to Saturday morning, I'm ready to get to the new set of stories.I spent Friday putting together the audio versions, a process that takes a lot longer than it used to because the audio can't be terrible. It could be terrible when this was just a podcast. On Friday morning I wasn't sure how I was going to pull off putting together a 29 minute piece, but somehow it happened.One of the ideas was to take two of the Election 2025 stories and put them together as the show's opener. I almost never read new copy for WTJU but this time it made sense to eat up time in the show by giving listeners a little more information.I also added about a minute to the piece on members of City Council paying tribute to the late Satyendra Huja by including a clip from his 2007 interview with Charlottesville Tomorrow. I was able to grab that from his cvillepedia entry and imagine my surprise when I heard my voice as the interviewer! I forgot I had done that.In any case, that's this set of stories. I'm going to leave the text for the script for the election round-up.Election round-up: Information on Jack Jouett District race in Albemarle and Charlottesville School BoardThere are 254 days until the general election on November 4. Virginians will go to the polls to elect a new Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. They'll also select a member of the House of Delegates as all 100 seats are up.There are also local elections across the area.For the first time in six years, there will be a contested race for the Democratic nomination for a seat on the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.In January, Supervisor Diantha McKeel announced she would not seek re-election to another term for the seat she has held since 2015. Two candidates have expressed interest in replacing her as the Democrat on the ballot for the Jack Jouett District.Sally Duncan of Earlysville, a history teacher, has filed paperwork with the Virginia Department of Elections to run as a Democrat for the seat.Earlier this month, historian David Shreve told members of the Albemarle Democratic Party that he would also be seeking the nomination.The two as well any other candidates who emerge will be on the ballot of the June 17, 2025 Democratic Primary unless the local party decides to pick another nomination process.Duncan received an undergraduate degree in American Studies from the University of Virginia in 2020 and earned a graduate degree in Religious Studies in 2023. She's currently a high school history teacher and has a total of five children.Duncan will formally announce her candidacy at the County Office Building on February 25 at 11 a.m.Shreve has served as a member of the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee as well as the Albemarle County Economic Development Authority. He has also served as co-chair of the Jack Jouett District Albemarle Democratic Party Committee. Shreve has also been involved with several non-profit groups including a board member at the group Advocates for a Sustainable Albemarle Population.In his professional capacity, Shreve has worked for the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia and spent one year working for the National Governors Association. He recently started a job as a senior economist for the Center for the Advancement of a Steady State Economy.This year in Albemarle, both Rio District Supervisor Ned Gallaway and Samuel Miller District Supervisor Jim Andrews are up for election. Neither has yet revealed their plans.There will also be a contested race for the Charlottesville City School Board. Last time around there were four seats open, and four candidates emerged. This time the seats held by Emily Dooley, Lisa Torres, and Dom Morse are all up for election.Both Dooley and Torres have stated they will seek reelection. So far, I've not heard from Morse but both Dashad Cooper and Zyahna Bryant have filed their paperwork to run for the seats.More in the future.Learn more:* Two Democrats have announced for Jack Jouett seat on Albemarle Board of Supervisors* Zyahna Bryant enters the race for Charlottesville School BoardSecond shout-out: Town Crier ProductionsI created Town Crier Productions in the summer of 2020 as a way of getting back to the business of journalism. Whether you are listening or reading this newsletter, it's part of a venture based on a pretty simple idea: I will continue to spend my time researching and reporting and will provide ways for people who want to pay for the material to be produced!In 2025 I'm seeking ways to solidify the business, and here are some ways you can support the work.* Sign up for a paid subscription through Substack. There is not much premium content because my primary aim is to get information out to as many people as possible. I'm long overdue on December 2024 transactions, for instance, and that's what I'll do as soon as this is posted!* Contribute through Patreon. A major goal this year is to replace this with a way to make a tax-deductible donation, but that's not set up yet. If I had more time, I'd make more audio programs through Patreon. Maybe today I'll do something weird.* Send in a check made out to Town Crier Productions at PO Box 1754, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902. This will be used as a replacement for Substack.* Ask me about advertising opportunities! I am testing out advertising on Information Charlottesville and I'm enjoying the experiment. Reach out if you'd like to get in on an introductory deal!* Volunteer for cvillepedia, a great way to become a fact checker and to bolster your research skills! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

With the writing of this sentence, I advance my desire to be more familiar with Democracy in America. In the fourth decade of the 19th century, a French national named Alexis de Tocqueville wrote two volumes of an examination of the system of government in the relatively new United States of America. I have vague memories of reading it over thirty years ago in a political science class at Virginia Tech and I've been meaning to take a look back in order to get a fresh perspective of where we are on February 8, 2025.This is the audio edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement for that particular today and the I in this sentence is me, Sean Tubbs. I've made my career writing about municipal government, giving me a unique perspective into American government for the first three decades of the 21st century. If you decide to take a listen, you're about to hear the audio versions of recent stories.The following links go to Information Charlottesville, the companion website for this newsletter.* Charlottesville City Council briefed on Project Safe Neighborhoods (learn more)* Charlottesville Police Chief Kochis gives an update on FLOCK license plate readers (learn more)* Albemarle County Supervisors and the Charlottesville City Council both acknowledge Black History Month (learn more)* Albemarle County appoints a new director of Facilities and Environmental Services (learn more)* Supervisor Pruitt sounds alarm on economic threat of federal cuts, executive orders (learn more)* Coalition wants Albemarle County to pay $10 million a year toward housing costs (learn more)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!In today's first shout-out in the form of a house ad, I want to make sure everyone knows that every edition of the regular newsletter (not the podcast ones) ends with a section called Reading Material. Charlottesville Community Engagement is just one offering in a landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Second shout-out:What you are reading or listening to at Charlottesville Community Engagement is part of a business-venture that's based on a pretty simple idea. I will spend my time researching and reporting and will provide ways for people who want to pay for the material to be produced!bI've been a journalist for a long while now, and this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Charlottesville Podcasting Network. While that website doesn't have new content, it's part of how I demonstrate my dedication to this community. In 2025 I'm seeking ways to solidify the business, and here are some ways you can support the work.* Sign up for a paid subscription through Substack. There is not much premium content because my primary aim is to get information out to as many people as possible.* Contribute through Patreon. A major goal this year is to replace this with a way to make a tax-deductible donation, but that's not set up yet. If I had more time, I'd make more audio programs through Patreon.* Send in a check made out to Town Crier Productions at PO Box 1754, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902. This will be used as a replacement for Substack.* Buy an ad on InfoCville.com! I do not have a rate sheet yet, but if you respond to this email with the promo code #experimental-ad I can do a really very low price until the end of February! How low? Send me the email! * Tell friends about the work and use the stories to start conversations. Post articles on social media, for instance. * Volunteer to design some logos because I'm very bad at graphics! Someone did the one for me a few years ago and I probably should give her credit. I'll reach out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe