Podcast appearances and mentions of shelley murphy

After accidentally forming a women's healing circle at Anna's birthday five years ago with healer and therapist Shelley Murphy, the DMP duo have gone on a spiritual journey to understand more about the world of tarot, crystals and spiritual healing. Even if you aren't a believer, there's something in the cards that have been turned in this episode…

Today's episode of End User Talk features Dr. Shelley Murphy, Descendant Project Researcher at the University of Virginia, as she discusses the importance of finding one's true lineage, the potential hiccups in record keeping and ways to confirm historical descendant data, the troubles of finding out one's lineage when it involves family history of slavery, and much more!

Another week begins in a relatively new month and no matter what side of the Atlantic you are on, it is 4/4/22. This is also the 94th day of the year and we are now officially part a quarter of the way through. This is the relevant edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement, and I’m the usual host, Sean Tubbs. You do not have to pay to read or listen! Even signing up for free helps this newsletter and podcast for free! On today’s show:A fish kill is reported off Barracks Road in CharlottesvilleCommunity engagement for Albemarle Comprehensive Plan review moves forwaard with new newsletterThe Pantops Community Advisory Committee is briefed on transportation projectsCharlottesville City Council briefed on capital projects and are presented with a potential scenario where a real estate tax will not need to be increased this yearFirst shout-out: JMRL Friends of the Library sale continues through Sunday In today's first Patreon-fueled shout-out! Lovers of used books rejoice! The Friends of the Jefferson Madison Regional Library is back again with their annual Spring Book Sale opening this Saturday through Sunday, April 10! The Friends of the Library sale will once again take place at Albemarle Square Shopping Center from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Visit jmrlfriends.org to learn more! See you there!Fishkill reported in Meadow Creek The City of Charlottesville has reported the deaths in late March of hundreds of fish and other aquatic life in a section of Meadow Creek. Scientists with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality evaluated the location near Cedars Court and found 842 dead fish, 130 dead salamanders, and 40 dead worms. “Despite further exploration of potential sources by City staff, no source or responsible party has been identified,” reads the announcement that was sent out Friday afternoon. “It is likely that this is a case of illegal dumping of a chemical or toxic product.”According to the report from the DEQ, there is no known source of pollution and the city will continue to monitor the area. The city worked with the Rivanna Conservation Alliance on the day the incident was reported by a community member, and found live creatures both upstream and downstream from the area, which is just to the north of the east wing of the Barracks Road Shopping Center. Over a hundred people apply to be on AC44 working groupAlbemarle County has begun the community engagement process for the Comprehensive Plan review, which is currently in the first of four phases. “Behind the scenes, our project team has continued to gather data on existing conditions and recent trends in the county,” reads the first newsletter for what’s being called AC44. “This data is focused on the ways community members live, work, and travel in Albemarle County and how and where we may have room to grow within our existing Development Areas.”The first phase is called Plan for Growth and is intended to review Albemarle’s Growth Management Policy, which are available for review on the AC44 website. A public survey on this will go live on April 29. Over a hundred people have applied to be part of the working group that will oversee the work and staff are reviewing the applications. Sign up for the newsletter on the Albemarle County website to get more information.Pantops group briefed on transportation projectsIn March, Albemarle’s growth area advisory committees learned about the county’s transportation process, and got updates on area projects. Albemarle keeps a list of projects that have been identified to address congestion issues, improve public safety, increase economic development, and achieve other goals.“The last it was updated was in 2019, but we are embarking on another update and a reprioritization over the next year or two combined with the Comprehensive Plan update,” said Jessica Hersh-Ballering is a principal transportation planner for Albemarle County. A project to make changes at the intersection of U.S. 250 and Virginia Route 20 was funded via Smart Scale in the third round. A sidewalk will be added in front of the McDonalds in the northwest quadrant of the intersection. (read the application)“It would add a two-stage pedestrian crossing of U.S. 250 on the east leg,” Hersh-Ballering said. “Additionally this project will add a right turn lane for westbound vehicles on U.S. 250 that are trying to turn right or north onto Route 20.”Changes to the signalizations and the geometry will be made as well to increase the number of vehicles that can make each signal cycle. However, this project won’t begin until winter of 2025 with a public hearing scheduled in the summer of 2023. “But, still great because the project is fully funded and it will be happening,” Hersh-Ballering said. A second Smart Scale project will see corridor improvements made to the east of that intersection up to Hansen Mountain Road. This access management project will be built around the same time.“VDOT is fast-tracking this project so that it can be on the same schedule as the previous project and also so that both projects can use the same construction contractor and what that will do is allow overall cost efficiencies for bother projects,” Hersh-Ballering said. The center turn lane will be replaced with a concrete median with specific openings for turns. Several projects are currently seeking funding, such as sidewalk improvements on U.S. 250 and a pedestrian crossing at Rolkin Road. Another would make changes at the intersection with Peter Jefferson Parkway that could involve a park and ride lot. Hersh-Ballering also gave an update on the proposed pedestrian bridge across the Rivanna River. Last month, the Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board has selected an alignment that will connect the former State Farm Headquarters with the Woolen Mills at the Wool Factory. The county will also launch a microtransit service in the Pantops area that would be more like a ride-sharing service than fixed-transit. “While it works like Uber, and  you can request a ride, it still functions as a public utility,” Hersh-Ballering said. “The vehicles that pick you up are not going to be anyone’s personal private vehicle. It is a transit vehicle and it will always be ADA accessible.”There will also be no surge pricing. For more details view the video on YouTube. So far it’s had one view. Let’s get that number up seven through the CCE bump! Second shout-out to the ACHS’s Race and Sports Event tomorrow night Today’s second subscriber-fueled shout-out is for an upcoming panel discussion on local history on Tuesday, April 5. The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society continues its Race and Sports project with a discussion with former star athletes and high school and college coaches. Dr. Shelley Murphy will moderate a panel with Wade Tremblay, Garwin DeBerry, and George Foussekis. They’ll share their stories and experiences during the desegregation of local public schools in the 1950s and 60s. The virtual event is available through Zoom registration and on Facebook Live. Eight days until Charlottesville City Council adopts a budgetThere are eight days left until Charlottesville City Council will adopt a budget for the next fiscal year, and many remaining decisions have yet to be made on tax rates.Will there be an increase in the city’s real estate tax increase? Council can increase to as high as $1.05 per $100 of assessed value.Will the city lower the personal property tax rate on vehicles to provide relief in the face of climbing values? The Commissioner of Revenue has recommended doing so, but leaving it at $4.20 per $100 of assessed value would bring in $2 million in additional revenue. Will Council agree to a half percentage point in the meals tax? There’s a public hearing on this tonight.  Charlottesville City Council meets twice this week, and once again on April 12 to formally adopt the budget, which is larger than presented in March due to higher revenue projections. Council met three times last week, including a work session on he capital improvement program on March 31 at which city staff indicated there may be more money available to support Council initiatives. “That’s roughly about $3.7 million that we can add to the FY23 budget,” said Krisy Hammill, the city’s Senior Budget Management Analyst.More on those details in a moment. This is a long one. Capital Improvement Program recapThe March 31 work session was a chance for Hammill to go through the nearly $157.4 million five year plan in detail. (read the presentation)The draft five-year CIP recommends $75 million for school reconfiguration, and the budget recommended by staff anticipates $2.5 million of that being allocated in FY23 and the rest in FY24. It should be noted that Council can only make final decisions about the next fiscal year, and it will be up to their future counterparts to make the next set of choices. Over time, economic conditions will change. The capital improvement plan does have projects that were approved by previous Councils and that budget staff have factored into the overall plan but for which bonds have not yet been sold. Any Council can end those projects and transfer the paper money to another, such as last year when Council directed staff to take $18.6 million from the West Main Streetscape project and put it toward school reconfiguration. The current schedule anticipates the issuance of nearly $16.9 million in bond sales in calendar year 2023. Reviewing Planning Commission recommendationsCouncil was also briefed on recommendations from the Charlottesville Planning Commission on the CIP, including one that sought to overturn a decision made by Council five years ago to purchase property on East Market Street for a future parking structure.  See also: Charlottesville PC recommends adjustments to FY22 Capital Budget, including defunding parking garage, February 10, 2021)Charlottesville PC recommends more funding for affordable housing, new sidewalks, December 16, 2021)“They recommended that existing and requested parking structure funding be reduced to a minimum so we basically removed all of the funding that was originally proposed in 23,” Hammill said. “It was remaining at $1.3 million. We took all of that out so if you look at this current draft there is no additional money for the parking structure.”The city paid $2.85 million for the property and the idea had been to tear down two commercial structures and consolidate the lot with one next door to build a garage to support an expanded courts complex to serve both Albemarle and Charlottesville. Under the terms of an agreement signed in December 2018, the city must provide a certain amount of spaces to Albemarle. “My understanding is that we’re still in discussions with the county on the path forward there, but there are no new dollars,” Hammill said. The city has a balance of $2.8 million for the parking garage, according to economic development director Chris Engel. Again, this funding represents bonds previously authorized by Council but not yet sold. Hammill said staff were able to accomplish some of the Planning Commission’s other requests such as fully funding the city’s efforts to treat and remove Ash Trees at a level of $105,000 a year as well as increasing funding for new sidewalks to $100,000. They also recommended decreasing funds for other categories, such as economic development strategic initiatives, small area plans, and implementation of the Strategic Investment Area. New pathway forward for Stribling sidewalksOther projects that have been discussed since the budget was introduced in early March include $4.9 million to cover the city’s cost to build a sidewalk on Stribling Avenue as well as new section of the Meadowcreek Trail. See also: City Manager Rogers to negotiate with Southern Development on Stribling sidewalk agreement, March 25, 2022Hammill suggested taking the $1.3 million from the parking garage and assigning that to the Stribling Project plus an agreement with Southern Development to pay a $2.9 million loan to city to build the project in order to support a rezoning for 170 units.“And that would actually get you to a point where you could add that project and given the timing from the developer and otherwise, that is more suited for an FY25 add than a FY23,” Hammill said.It must be noted that Fiscal Year 2025 begins on July 1, 2024. Budgets are confusing. The city is still in negotiations with Southern Development with the details and the rezoning will return to Council at a later date. “We are definitely facing well over a year of planning on this sidewalk project,” Sanders said. “It is that complicated.”There are nearly $5 million in requests from the Piedmont Housing Alliance to help subsidize the cost of new units on Park Street. Tax rate scenarios could lead to new real estate tax rate increase this yearToward the end of her presentation, Hammill showed multiple scenarios for school reconfiguration, some of which are built on Council agreeing to a total of $68.8 million for that purpose. This anticipates the use of $7.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds received by the school system as well as the use of $6.7 million from the city’s surplus from Fiscal Year 2021. While Hammill showed two scenarios that include at least a five cent increase in the real estate tax rate, she also suggested the city may have more money than originally suggested. Hammill also discussed increases in revenues for FY23, including an additional $900,000 for sales tax, $500,000 for the lodging tax, and $25,000 for the meals tax.“We’ve bumped those up some based on our current collection rate,” Hammill said. “We continue to see growth in those and we continue to see recovery at a faster rate than we had originally anticipated.” Council could also choose to not lower the personal property tax rate, as Commissioner of Revenue Todd Divers has suggested. All told, the city’s anticipated revenues are higher than presented in early March. “That’s roughly about $3.7 million that we can add to the FY23 budget,” Hammill said. Those higher than anticipated revenues are also affecting the current year  and Hammill said there is currently a projected surplus of $12.4 million in revenues. “If you were to decide to do a tax increase that would also be an impact on FY22 and that number would go up,” Hammill said. That’s because the tax rate applies to the calendar year, not the fiscal year.In addition, the city also has a CIP contingency account that has a balance of around $11.4 million.  Some of this funding could be applied to some of the priorities and Council faces several choices for how to proceed, such as using some of the contingency to cover the Piedmont Housing Alliance requests?“I like the opportunity to have options,” said Vice Mayor Juandiego Wade.Councilor Brian Pinkston sought clarification if Hammill was suggesting that the city could use those funds to avoid an increase in the real estate tax this year. “That is one option,” Hammill said. “The risk here is that something could happen and these two years, this surplus maybe does not materialize.” Surplus funds cannot be used and allocated until they have been independently audited which usually happens in December. Mayor Lloyd Snook said the surplus could be used to cover the costs of future debt services in the future. “What that does is, A, it buys us a year before we have to decide whether to raise the tax rate, which also buys us some time to see if the General Assembly folks can pull some magic out of a hat for a sales tax increase,” Snook said. Snook said he would prefer not to raise the real estate tax rate in a year when assessments are up over ten percent. Councilor Sena Magill repeated her desire for a real estate tax increase this year. “I would feel more comfortable if we had one cent at least that we are putting toward the school fund,” Magill said.Councilor Michael Payne also supported a tax increase this year to ensure the city can increase spending on affordable housing, transit, and collective bargaining. “I would think that a real estate would be less regressive than the meals or the personal property tax and that we should be looking at that,” Payne said. Tonight’s public hearing is on the meals tax and there will be a budget work session on Thursday. “I would hope that meeting would be the meeting where we would finally hash out the details and we would come at the end of the meeting with an agreement,” Snook said. Support Town Crier Productions!Special announcement of a continuing promo with Ting! Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here! 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 is not the final Saturday of 2021, but this is the final Saturday edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement for this two thousandth and twenty-first year of the common era. There’s been nothing common about this year, or any other, for that matter. This newsletter and podcast seeks to point out items of note, though it’s up to you to decide if there’s a tune. I’m your host, Sean Tubbs.This newsletter and podcast is supported by readers and listeners. Sign up for a regular update on what’s happening in the community, and decide later whether to pay! On today’s show:An update on the pandemic including a recommendation related to the Johnson and Johnson vaccineAn Albemarle Supervisor has concerns about the MPO hiring a consultant to craft a strategic plan Albemarle is considering three software platformsThe Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society explains its Race and Sports initiative and how it advances the study of the era of school desegregation In today’s first Patreon-fueled shout-out:Algorithms know how to put songs and artists together based on genre or beats per minute. But only people can make connections that engage your mind and warm your heart. The music on WTJU 91.1 FM is chosen by dozens and dozens of volunteer hosts -- music lovers like you who live right here in the Charlottesville area. Listener donations keep WTJU alive and thriving. In this era of algorithm-driven everything, go against the grain. Support freeform community radio on WTJU. Consider a donation at wtju.net/donate.Pandemic updateOn Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control endorsed a recommendation that individuals should receive the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine over the Johnson and Johnson shot. Both Moderna and Pfizer use messenger RNA. Still, the CDC recommends any vaccine in the face of another surge of cases nationally and internationally. (CDC release)“In general, the mRNA vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna should be used in preference over Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine,” said Dr. Costi Sifri, the director of hospital epidemiology at the University of Virginia Health System.”Dr. Sifri said the new preference is due to new information that shows the possibility of higher rates of blood clotting than was previously known. “Still, it is a rare event but they are higher and it led to the change in stance,” Dr. Sifri said. The Blue Ridge Health District announced Friday that the Johnson and Johnson shot will only be offered a first dose but boosters will no longer be provided at community-based vaccination events or in mobile vaccination clinics. They will still be available at the community vaccination center at Seminole Square while supplies last. Dr. Sifri said those who have had the booster of the Johnson and Johnson should monitor for any symptoms of blood clots such as shortage of breath. He said UVA Health is recommending those who have not had the J&J booster select either the Moderna or Pfizer when they go in for a booster. Two-thirds of Virginians have now received enough doses to be considered fully vaccinated, or 5.7 million people. So far, only 1.7 million of Virginians have had a booster or third dose. “This is the time now to get your booster,” Dr. Sifri said. “The time for getting boosters to prepare yourself for the holiday season is starting to run out. It takes a little bit of time for that booster to take effect and to boost your immune system to encounter what it may encounter along the way.” As of yesterday, the seven-day average for vaccines administered is at 42,631 shots a day. The seven-day average for new cases was 2,760 a day and the percent positivity is 8.6 percent. The next set of numbers in Virginia will come out on Monday. Dr. Sifri said he expects the surge to continue.“We are anticipating that we’re going to see more cases and I think the likelihood that’s going to translate into more hospitalizations and deaths,” Dr. Sifri said. “We’re starting to see modeling information from the CDC that is warning of that possibility so we are concerned about that. That’s similar to what we saw last year as well.”The difference this year is a supply of vaccines. To inquire about vaccination opportunities at the UVA Health System, call 434-297-4829. You can also visit the Virginia Department of Health site at vaccinate.virginia.gov. Albemarle County softwareAlbemarle County’s procurement office has identified that the firm Granicus will be awarded a sole-source contract for a community engagement platform unless other vendors come forward. In a notice dated December 17, procurement officials state that Granicus “is the only source practically available” and the platform Bang the Table is mentioned. Their website lists it as “a platform to listen, inform, measure, and build community” and also has a helpful online assistant known as Eddie the Engager. Other vendors have until December 28 or the contract will be awarded. In similar procurement notices, Yardi Systems has a sole source award for the Breeze Premier platform for property management and that closing date is December 27. Lexis Nexis Systems has a sole source award that closes on Monday for the Accurint Virtual Crime Center which is touted as a way for law enforcement to obtain “a comprehensive view of people’s identities.”New transportation personnelTwo new faces joined the virtual table at the December 7 meeting of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Policy Board. The federally-mandated body consists of two Albemarle Supervisors, two Charlottesville City Councilors, and the head of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Culpeper District. That’s now Sean Nelson, who became District Engineer in mid-October replacing John Lynch. “I’m glad to be a part of this team here,” Nelson said. “I look forward to continuing to keep things going the way John Lynch did and just hold the steering wheel and carry us in to the future. I appreciate being here and plan to be an active participant.” Ted Rieck is the new director of Jaunt after a period running a similar agency in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “Really happy to be here in Charlottesville,” Rieck said. “As you all know, this is great community and a great part of the country. I look forward to hopefully being a contributor and a partner to all of you as we development transportation and transit in the area.”MPO Strategic Plan?Staffing shortages at the Thomas Jefferson Planning District have meant some delays in work that transportation staff had expected to work on. Director of Planning and Transportation Sandy Shackleford said planners are focused on what has to be done. “We are preparing for things like our long-range transportation plan and that we’re going to be able to do a good job with that,” Shackleford said. “It does mean that there are some projects that we just haven’t been able to pursue for right now like focusing on how we can better integrate climate action initiatives into our long-range transportation plan process.”Shackleford said another item that will be delayed will be the creation of a strategic plan for the MPO. She suggested additional funding could be placed in an existing item would outsource that work rto a consultant. That idea drew the concern of Albemarle Supervisor Ann Mallek. “This makes me very nervous that we’re going to turn over something as particular and local as our strategic planning to some consultant who probably has no familiarity with us at all,” Mallek said. TJPDC Director Christine Jacobs said the plan already had been to spend $25,000 on a consultant to do the plan, but no firms responded at that price. The new idea is to increase that amount by using funds that have not gone to pay a TJPDC staff member. Shackleford said no other MPO in Virginia has a strategic plan. Mallek suggested waiting until the local elected bodies are sat and select new MPO members. The MPO Policy Board will next discuss the matter in January. Julia Montieth, a land use planner at the University of Virginia’s Office of the Architect, said the pandemic has delayed creation on a master plan called the Grounds Plan. “We ended up putting the project on hold until post-COVID or post-better understanding of COVID,” Monteith said. “But one of the things that we did during that year was we did some enabling projects in-house that we felt we were capable of doing to inform the plan. That lowered our fees once we got to hiring the consultants.” Take a look at the 2008 Grounds Plan here You’re reading Charlottesville Community Engagement. Time for a second Patreon-fueled shout-out:Winter is here, and now is the time to think about keeping your family warm through the cold Virginia months. Make sure you are getting the most out of your home with help from your local energy nonprofit, LEAP. LEAP wants you and yours to keep comfortable all year round, and offers FREE home weatherization to income- and age-qualifying residents. If you’re age 60 or older, or have an annual household income of less than $74,950, you may qualify for a free energy assessment and home energy improvements such as insulation and air sealing. Sign up today to lower your energy bills, increase comfort, and reduce energy waste at home!Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society’s Race and Sports projectThe Brown vs. Board of Education ruling in 1954 led to the eventual desegregation of public schools. For many schools created for Black students, that ended an era for beloved institutions. That’s the case with Charlottesville and Jackson P. Burley High School. Dr. Shelley Murphy is the chair of the board of the Albemarle-Charlottesville Historical Society, which has been working on collecting more oral histories as part of a project called Race & Sports: The Desegregation of Central Virginia Public High School Athletics.“Our goal is to collect 50 to 60 interviews from those in our local communities who were young students at that time, many of whom were in the athletics who desegregated the first teams at Lane and Albemarle high schools and some of whom went on to the University of Virginia to play teams there.”Murphy and others presented their work on November 28 to as part of the Sunday Sit-In series put on by AARP Virginia. You can watch the event on their YouTube page. Former City Councilor and historian George Gilliam is one of the participants in the project. He provided some historical context. “So in 1954 in the case of Brown v. Board of Education, the United States Supreme Court ruled that racially segregated schools were unconstitutional,” Gilliam said. “That put Virginians into a box because Virginians had adopted a state constitution in 1902 that provided ‘white and colored children shall not be taught in the same school.’” Virginia resisted the directive even after a reaffirmation in 1955 that ordered desegregation happen with “all deliberate speed.” “And after two years, some Charlottesville residents got frustrated and finally brought suit against the Charlottesville School Board seeking admittance of Black children to all-white schools,” Gilliam said. “The Virginia General Assembly then sprung into action enacting a package of laws providing that among other things that any school that desegregates, whether voluntarily or pursuant to court order, is to be seized by the Governor and closed.”Gilliam said this era is known as Massive Resistance because the state government refused to comply with the law. He said in the fall of 1958, the state closed Lane High School when it appeared some Black students would be admitted. The Massive Resistance laws were determined to be unconstitutional.“In 1959 the parties reached a compromise,” Gilliam said. “The schools agreed to ease Black students into the previously all-white student bodies achieving full desegregation but not until the fall of 1967.”For this period, Jackson P. Burley High School remained open for several years while the transition took place. This is where athletics come in. “Charlottesville’s Lane High for white students and Burley High for Black students both had championship football teams,” Gilliam said. “The high school for white students had a 53-game streak during which they were undefeated. And Burley, the high school for Black students had an entire season where they were not only undefeated and untied, they were not even scored upon!”Gilliam said the legacy of the Burley Bears was threatened with the order to desegregate. UVA historian Phyllis Leffler said telling that story is crucial to understanding many of the dynamics of the time in a way that transcends the legal framework. “The Race and Sports inserts the voices of those who lived through a critical time in our local and national history,” Leffler said. “Those voices of Black and white athletes and what they went through are in danger of being lost. So many of the people we would have liked to speak with are no longer with us so it is imperative to document this period now with those who have stories to tell.”Leffler said a common assumption is that sports was seen as a way to bring the community together, but some of the stories paint a different picture. “We are still living the consequences of racial inequities that go back 400 years,” Leffler said. “This project will hopefully help bring our divided communities together by honestly looking at the costs and benefits of desegregation.”Late last year, Jackson P. Burley High School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Support the program!Special announcement of a continuing promo with Ting! Are you interested in fast internet? Visit this site and enter your address to see if you can get service through Ting. If you decide to proceed to make the switch, you’ll get:Free installationSecond month of Ting service for freeA $75 gift card to the Downtown MallAdditionally, Ting will match your Substack subscription to support Town Crier Productions, the company that produces this newsletter and other community offerings. So, your $5 a month subscription yields $5 for TCP. Your $50 a year subscription yields $50 for TCP! The same goes for a $200 a year subscription! All goes to cover the costs of getting this newsletter out as often as possible. Learn more here! This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

We discuss a "tantalizing clue," as one of our guests described it, in the Gardner Museum heist. Boston Globe investigative reporter Shelley Murphy and longtime investigative reporter Steve Kurkjian, author of Master Thieves, join us to tell us more.

Did your ancestors own land under the Homestead Act of 1862? Join the Descendants of African American Homesteaders to hear about their research and land-owning ancestor's stories. Margo Lee Williams is the great-granddaughter of Florida Homesteader, Randel Farnell and his wife, Sallie Jacobs Farnell. Williams is an award-winning author and genealogist/family historian, having published three books. She is currently the Deputy Registrar for the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage (SDUSMP), and a former editor of the Journal of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. She is currently the Project Historian for the Historical Black Families of Sandy Spring project with the Sandy Spring Museum. Orice Jenkins is from Hartford, Connecticut, and is the great-great-grandson of Vandy Hutchins and Betty Horn. He is a recording artist, performer, educator, and genealogy researcher. His most recent album, 'Centennial Cole', is a celebration of a great voice from the past: Nat 'King' Cole. Released on Truth Revolution Recording Collective in September of 2019, this body of work has been featured in Jazziz, JazzWeekly, and JazzTimes magazines.  An avid genealogist for over 30 years, Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy, aka "familytreegirl," was born and raised in Michigan.  She conducts genealogy workshops at local, state, and national conferences. Murphy is known for her inspiring & interactive "SO WHAT" with genealogy research, along with interesting problem-solving methodology lectures such as the use of Timelines. Murphy is also a coordinator and instructor at the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI) and serves on the Boards of the Library of Virginia. Albemarle Charlottesville and Fluvanna Historical Societies.    Music: Sweet Mellow Spice - AK Alexander

Notorious Boston crime boss and friend of James J. "Whitey" Bulger Howie Winter died of a heart attack last week at the age of 91. The underworld figure was responsible for the rise of the murderous Whitey Bulger and an unknown number of murders himself. But that didn't stop a pair of Globe writers, Shelley Murphy and Kevin Cullen, from eulogizing the murderer, downplaying his atrocities, and attempting to turn him into a folk hero. In today's show, Kirk offers a case study in what it takes to work for the Boston Globe.

Today’s Patreon-fueled shout-out comes from an anonymous supporter who wants to say again - "We keep each other safe. Wear a mask, wash your hands, and keep your distance."*There are another 1,435 new cases of COVID-19 in Virginia today, and the seven-day daily average for new cases is 1,437. The seven-day average for positive tests has increased to 6.2 percent, up from 6.1 percent yesterday. There are another 31 new cases in the Blue Ridge Health District with 12 from Albemarle, nine from Charlottesville, and three each in Fluvanna, Greene and Louisa counties. There’s one new case in Nelson. A person from Greene County has died of COVID, the fourth fatality in that locality. That brings the death count to 78 in the district. No new fatalities had been reported since October 23. The University of Virginia’s COVID dashboard lists 41 active cases, with 24 of them students. Since August 17, there have been 1,148 COVID cases associated with UVA. *Virginia Governor Ralph Northam made several announcements yesterday about how some of the state’s remaining CARES Act funding will be spent. Seven million will go to the Federation of Virginia Food Banks for the purchase of food, $60 million will go to a municipal energy relief program to help people who have not been able to pay their bills, $22 million for private higher education institutions, and $25 million in Medicaid for day support programs for adults with developmental disabilities. However, the House of Delegates in the Virginia General Assembly declined to vote yesterday on a suggested budget amendment from Northam that would have provided more money to the energy relief program. Northam also suggested dozens of changes to how other portions of the CARES Act should be used. Delegate Mark Sickles of Fairfax made a motion to “pass by” on the amendment for the day. “This amendment from the Governor strikes a lot of language that the committee introduced to better direct in our view the coronavirus relief funds,” Sickles said. “When we came into session on August 18 there was $1.3 billion dollar of CRF funding that had not been spent and it needs to be spent by December 30.”Sickles said the House version of the bill directed more money to frontline medical workers and hospitals, but Northam’s amendment would have taken that away. “The governor eliminated our language and we like our language and we think that it’s our role as the legislative branch to direct these funds,” Sickles said. (read the budget amendments)For more on this, read Kate Masters article today in the Virginia Mercury.  The House also “passed by” on an amendment that would have altered the fee structure related to nutrient credits which are used to help improve water quality in Virginia. Delegate David Bulova represents Fairfax.“Whether you know about nutrient credit banks or not, they actually play a really critical role in our ability to meet stormwater management requirements as well as Chesapeake Bay restoration targets,” Bulova said. “They do that by leveraging capital from the private sector and in fact we can take a little bit of a point of pride here in that Virginia’s program was recognized several years as a national model for how to achieve water quality standards and do that in a cost effective way.”Bulova said the Department of Environmental Quality’s stormwater management program is underfunded, but there was concern that the Governor’s approach was not ready. Other amendments include $1 million to fund a third-party investigation into racism at the Virginia Military Institute. That item passed 52 to 46.  Governor Northam will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. to give an update on Virginia’s COVID-19 response. *There are many meetings today, and for a full review check out the Week Ahead newsletter. One of the most anticipated meetings is the Charlottesville’s City Council and Planning Commission joint session this evening. They’ll consider a rezoning on Nassau Street and get an update on the draft affordable housing plan that’s been put together by the consultant hired to complete the city’s Comprehensive Plan. This week there will be many opportunities to participate in virtual meetings about the initiatives, but tonight’s discussion between Council and the Commission might give a brief glimpse into what decision-makers are thinking. (meeting page) (draft affordable housing plan page)A subcommittee of the city’s Housing Advisory Committee discussed the draft affordable housing plan at their meeting on November 4 and have sent their thoughts to City Council and the Planning Commission. The letter from the policy subcommittee  expresses support for the plan but also asks that the document include strategies for wealth creation and economic mobility.“The plan should explicitly acknowledge that housing affordability for many households is an income problem,” reads the letter which also said the plan should better address the high cost of land and how that can be mitigated. They also made suggestions on policies for how the $10 million in annual funding for affordable housing called for in the plan.  (read the recommendations)The Nelson County Board of Supervisors meets at 6 p.m. and one item includes a decision for a rezoning to allow Wild Man Dan Bed and Breakfast to expand its brewery operations  (meeting packet)The Charlottesville Economic Development Authority meets at 4 p.m. and will get an update on the city’s COVID response.  There will also be an update on the performance agreement between CEDA and Piedmont Housing for tax increment financing for the first phase of Friendship Court. For those details, take a look or listen to a longer story and podcast I produced from the October 19, 2020 City Council meeting where the agreement was approved by elected officials.The Albemarle Planning Commission meets at 6 p.m. They’ll have public hearings on reviews to two conservation areas known as Agricultural-Forest Districts as well as a public hearing on a change to zoning involving recycling centers. (meeting info)*While not a government meeting, here’s another event that might be interesting. The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society will have another installment of their Ask a Genealogist series with Dr. Shelley Murphy. She’s the Descendant Project Researcher at the University of Virginia. Visit the Jefferson Madison Regional Library’s website to register and learn more. (JMRL page) This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

Shelley tells about her journey from surviving as a high school drop-out, victim of domestic abuse, and a young single mother to earning her doctorate and becoming a University of Virginia researcher, investigating president Thomas Jefferson’s beloved university and the enslaved laborers who built it. She talks about growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan; her fervent love of the military and dropping out of high school out of anger since she was not allowed to graduate early to join the Army; living on her own since the age of 16; completing her bachelor's degree after 28 years; earning a master's and doctorate while working full time; her children’s father being killed by his nephew over a drug deal; leaving a violent relationship; the stressors that living with a mother-in-law afflicted with Alzheimer’s had on her later marriage; being forced to identify as either black or white when living in the South after not having color lines in Michigan and Hawai’i; the shock of learning about her slave ancestry and mixed race heritage; realizing her family makeup reflects American history; the emotional impact of researching Thomas Jefferson's enslaved laborers; her Ancestor Calvin Davis, a radio gunner passing for white, who was killed in a WWII plane crash during a 1941 bombing run in Meresburg, Germany; her black ancestor who owned slaves- James Roper, the son of a slave and Nicholas Roper who left everything to his mulatto son including slaves; half of James's kids deciding to pass for white and their descendants’ reaction when they learn of their black ancestry; mission to find great grandfather William Michael Murphy; Revolutionary War patriot John Boyer and meeting white descendants; ten years ago, thinking DAR was a whites only organization and not knowing about black patriots and members; working on getting seven additional patriots approved by DAR; joining the DAR and serving as chair membership chapter; “my folks helped lay the foundation of this country”, “we’ve served”, “we have to tell these stories”. Read Shelley’s biography at www.daughterdialogues.com/daughters

Hidden in Plain Site: Researching for the Descendants of the Enslaved Laborers who built UVA Dr. Shelley Murphy was hired to conduct genealogical research for descendants of the enslaved laborers who helped to build the University of Virginia. This six month position presented challenges in conducting slave era research. She expected brick walls and set goals that would be consistent with her limited research time. Being familiar with the laws, she knew that she had to stay local for the best resources and  follow the money, land, water, community and  the faith of the people.  Over 10 years ago, a group of UVA students proposed creating a memorial to acknowledge and honor African Americans' contributions to the university. This  project responded to a deep need to address an untold and uncomfortable history while building community. Join Terri Allard for a conversation with Dr. Shelley Murphy about the UVA Descendant Outreach Program and Memorial to Enslaved Laborers. https://www.pbs.org/video/memorial-enslaved-laborers-descendant-outreach-program-pqigk/

Join Dr. Shelley Murphy for a discussion about the challenges we face when researching African American ancestry. Shelley will share her experiences with brick walls and some ways that might help you combat some of the brick walls we all have and will face. For some, the words “So What?” seem like a curt reply to a simple question. For Shelley Murphy, however, they are the driving force behind her genealogy research and her high-energy presentations. Known affectionately as “familytreegirl”.  More than thirty years later, Shelley has become a genealogy force to be reckoned with. She is a co-founder and faculty for the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI), past president of the AAHGS Chapter of Central Virginia, former vice president of the Central Virginia Genealogical Association (CVGA), and a proud daughter of the Jack Jouett and Walter Hines Page Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is active in her home state of Virginia serving on the Boards of the Library of Virginia, Albemarle-Charlottesville and Fluvanna Historical Societies. Dr. Murphy recently hired by the President’s Commission on Slavery at the University of Virginia to conduct research to locate descendants of enslaved and free laborers who helped build Thomas Jefferson’s University.        

In this episode, as we chat with our special guest, African American Research & genealogist Shelley Murphy, about a special project currently underway at the University of Virginia – a memorial that pays tribute to the enslaved people who worked there. Tune in to discover more about this project, the research involved, and why projects like this are so important. You can learn more about Shelley and her research work on her popular website https://familytreegirl.comYou can learn more about UVA's Memorial Project here: https://slavery.virginia.edu/memorial-for-enslaved-laborersJoin us live every Sunday at 4pm EST via:FaceBook Live: https://www.facebook.com/genealogyadventuresusa (Real-time comments + Q&A enabled)or Live Show In-Studio Stream: http://listenvisionlive.com (Commenting not possible) Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/genealogy-adventures. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Angela Walton-Raji, Dr. Shelley Murphy, Janis Forte and Bernice Bennett for a discussion of the Tracks offered through MAAGI. The Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI) is a place where attendees learn, research, and gain the tools needed to become a stellar genealogists and family history researchers. MAAGI is the only African American focused event offering a total of 78 classes over 3 days with evening lectures, and guided personalized instruction. In 2018, attendees selected a track in which they immersed themselves in a core curriculum for three days taking 7 different tracks, guided by nationally recognized instructors.  Save the Dates: July 9 - 11, 2019 The Genealogy Center at Allen County Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana

Happy 2019!   Join Bernice Bennett and her Genie Friends tonight for an open mic discussion on what your goals are for 2019. Joining me are Shannon Christmas, Janice Lovelace, Ph.D., Angela Walton-Raji, Antoinette Harrell, Shelley Murphy, Nicka Sewell- Smith, Leonard Smith and many more. We will discuss DNA, documentation, resources, history, leaving a legacy and much more. The call in number is 646-200-0491 and press 1 to speak to the host.     Music by AK Alexander Productions

In 1990, two thieves dressed as policemen walked into Boston's Gardner museum and walked out with 13 artworks worth half a billion dollars. After 28 years the lost masterpieces have never been recovered. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe the largest art theft in history and the ongoing search for its solution. We'll also discover the benefits of mustard gas and puzzle over a surprisingly effective fighter pilot. Intro: In 1938, Italian physicist Ettore Majorana vanished without a trace. Many of the foremost intellectuals of the early 20th century frequented the same café in Vienna. Sources for our feature on the Gardner heist: Ulrich Boser, The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World's Largest Unsolved Art Theft, 2008. Stephen Kurkjian, Master Thieves: The Boston Gangsters Who Pulled Off the World's Greatest Art Heist, 2015. Michael Brenson, "Robbers Seem to Know Just What They Want," New York Times, March 19, 1990. Peter S. Canellos, Andy Dabilis, and Kevin Cullen, "Art Stolen From Gardner Museum Was Uninsured, Cost of Theft Coverage Described as Prohibitive," Boston Globe, March 20, 1990, 1. Robert Hughes, "A Boston Theft Reflects the Art World's Turmoil," Time 135:14 (April 2, 1990), 54. Peter Plagens, Mark Starr, and Kate Robins, "To Catch an Art Thief," Newsweek 115:14 (April 2, 1990), 52. Scott Baldauf, "Museum Asks: Does It Take a Thief to Catch a Degas?," Christian Science Monitor 89:193 (Aug. 29, 1997), 3. Steve Lopez and Charlotte Faltermayer, "The Great Art Caper," Time 150:21 (Nov. 17, 1997), 74. "Missing Masterpieces," Security 37:6 (June 2000), 14-18. Robert M. Poole, "Ripped From the Walls (And the Headlines)," Smithsonian 36:4 (July 2005), 92-103. Paige Williams, "The Art of the Story," Boston Magazine, March 2010. Randy Kennedy, "20th Anniversary of a Boston Art Heist," New York Times, March 17, 2010. Mark Durney and Blythe Proulx, "Art Crime: A Brief Introduction," Crime, Law and Social Change 56:115 (September 2011). Katharine Q. Seelye and Tom Mashberg, "A New Effort in Boston to Catch 1990 Art Thieves," New York Times, March 18, 2013. Tom Mashberg, "Isabella Stewart Gardner: 25 Years of Theories," New York Times, Feb. 26, 2015. Shelley Murphy, "Search for Artworks From Gardner Heist Continues 25 Years Later," Boston Globe, March 17, 2015. Tom Mashberg, "Arrest by F.B.I. Is Tied to $500 Million Art Theft From Boston Museum, Lawyer Says," New York Times, April 17, 2015. Serge F. Kovaleski and Tom Mashberg, "Reputed Mobster May Be Last Link to Gardner Museum Art Heist," New York Times, April 24, 2015. "New Video in 25-Year-Old Art Heist at Boston's Isabella Gardner Museum," New York Daily News, Aug. 6, 2015. Tom Mashberg, "25 Years After Gardner Museum Heist, Video Raises Questions," New York Times, Aug. 6, 2015. Rodrigue Ngowi and William J. Kole, "2 Suspects in Boston Art Theft Worth $500 Million Are Dead, FBI Says," Washington Post, Aug. 7, 2015. Sarah Kaplan, "Surveillance Video Raises Questions — and Possible Clues — in 25-Year-Old Museum Mystery," Washington Post, Aug. 7, 2015. Justin Peters, "Why Is Stolen Art So Hard to Find?," Slate, Aug. 14, 2015. Erick Trickey, "The Gardner Museum Heist: Who's Got the Art?," Boston Magazine, March 13, 2016. Shelley Murphy and Stephen Kurkjian, "Six Theories Behind The Stolen Gardner Museum Paintings," Boston Globe, March 18, 2017. Graham Bowley, "Gardner Museum Doubles Reward for Recovery of Stolen Masterpieces," New York Times, May 23, 2017. Edmund H. Mahony, "Stubborn Stand-Off Over Stolen Gardner Museum Art Could End With Sentencing of Hartford Gangster," Hartford Courant, Sept. 5, 2017. Katharine Q. Seelye, "Clock Is Ticking on $10 Million Reward in Gardner Art Heist," New York Times, Dec. 26, 2017. Camila Domonoske, "Got the Scoop on the Gardner Museum Art Heist? You Have 4 Days to Earn $10 Million," The Two-Way, National Public Radio, Dec. 27, 2017. Edmund H. Mahony, "Museum Extends $10 Million Reward in Notorious Boston Gardner Museum Art Heist," Hartford Courant, Jan. 11, 2018. Colin Moynihan, "Gardner Museum Extends $10 Million Reward for Information in Art Heist," New York Times, Jan. 11, 2018. Nadja Sayej, "Will Boston's $500m Art Heist Ever Be Solved?," Guardian, Jan. 19, 2018. Leah Silverman, "Suspect in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist Sentenced to Four Years in Prison," Town & Country, Feb. 28, 2018. Sarah Cascone, "Paintings Stolen in America's Biggest Art Heist Have Returned to Their Frames -- Thanks to Augmented Reality," Artnet, March 26, 2018. "Learn About the Theft," Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (accessed April 29, 2018). Listener mail: Derek Lowe, "Understanding Antidepressants -- or Not," Science Translational Medicine, Feb. 12, 2018. Johnathan Frunzi, "From Weapon to Wonder Drug," Hospitalist, February 2007. "Evolution of Cancer Treatments: Chemotherapy," American Cancer Society (accessed May 17, 2018). Augustus De Morgan, A Budget of Paradoxes Reprinted, With the Author's Additions, From the Athenaeum, 1872. Robert and Michele Root-Bernstein, "Medicinal Notes: Honey Works Better Than Cow-Dung," Independent, May 4, 1999. Ole Peter Grell, Paracelsus, 1998. This week's lateral thinking puzzle was contributed by listener Steven Jones. You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Google Play Music or via the RSS feed at http://feedpress.me/futilitycloset. Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- you can choose the amount you want to pledge, and we've set up some rewards to help thank you for your support. You can also make a one-time donation on the Support Us page of the Futility Closet website. Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode. If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!

Join my special guest as they reflect on Rootstech 2017.

Have you searched for records and finally found that special person you have been looking for?  So what?  What does the record tell you?  Is this all that you need? Join Dr. Shelley Murphy, aka "familytreegirl" for a discussion on the "SO WHAT" concept?  "So What" is a concept used in the Midwestern African American Genealogy Institute to help analyze genealogical records and resources. The goal is to question the value of the evidence and plan the path to new leads and discoveries.  Shelley Murphy, aka "familytreegirl" is a native of Michigan. Shelley has been an avid genealogist for over 25 years researching the Davis, Marsh, Goens/Goins/Goings, Roper, Boyer, Worden, Cureton, & Murphy, etc. family lines. She attends and presents at local and national conferences and currently works for a nonprofit and serves as adjunct faculty at Averett University. In addition, Shelley is a founding member and current President of the Afro-American Historical Genealogical Society Chapter of Central Virginia. 

Have you considered joining a lineage society?  Why is a lineage society important?  Do you know what information and research is required to qualify for membership?   Dr. Shelley Murphy and True Lewis will answer your questions and discuss the research and documentation process to prove your ancestors connection to the Revolutionary War.  Chatters are encouraged to call in to share their thoughts and research on joining a lineage society. Dr. Shelley Murphy, aka "familytreegirl" is a native of Michigan. Shelley has been an avid genealogist for over 25 years researching the Davis, Marsh, Goens/Goins/Goings, Roper, Boyer, Worden, Cureton, & Murphy, etc. family lines. She attends and presents at local and national conferences and currently works for a nonprofit and serves as adjunct faculty at Averett University. In addition, Shelley is a Coordinator of the Track 1 for the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute.  The only Institute developed exclusively to address the issues associated with African American Research. True Lewis is a Family Historian & Geneablogger for her personal diary and family history research work on  MyTrueRoots.com . She was also a guest on the Season 2 - Genealogy Roadshow St. Louis Episode. She is also the Family Historian for www.ike-iveryfamily.org in Honor of Ike Ivery his 3 wives and 23 Children.   

Have you searched for records and finally found that special person you have been looking for?  So what?  What does the record tell you?  Is this all that you need? Join Dr. Shelley Murphy, aka "familytreegirl" for a discussion on the "SO WHAT" concept?  "So What" is a concept used in the Midwestern African American Genealogy Institute to help analyze genealogical records and resources. The goal is to question the value of the evidence and plan the path to new leads and discoveries.  Shelley Murphy, aka "familytreegirl" is a native of Michigan. Shelley has been an avid genealogist for over 25 years researching the Davis, Marsh, Goens/Goins/Goings, Roper, Boyer, Worden, Cureton, & Murphy, etc. family lines. She attends and presents at local and national conferences and currently works for a nonprofit and serves as adjunct faculty at Averett University. In addition, Shelley is a founding member and current President of the Afro-American Historical Genealogical Society Chapter of Central Virginia. 

Have you searched for records and finally found that special person you have been looking for?  So what?  What does the record tell you?  Is this all that you need? Join Dr. Shelley Murphy, aka "familytreegirl" for a discussion on the "SO WHAT" concept?  "So What" is a concept used in the Midwestern African American Genealogy Institute to help analyze genealogical records and resources. The goal is to question the value of the evidence and plan the path to new leads and discoveries.  Shelley Murphy, aka "familytreegirl" is a native of Michigan. Shelley has been an avid genealogist for over 25 years researching the Davis, Marsh, Goens/Goins/Goings, Roper, Boyer, Worden, Cureton, & Murphy, etc. family lines. She attends and presents at local and national conferences and currently works for a nonprofit and serves as adjunct faculty at Averett University. In addition, Shelley is a founding member and current President of the Afro-American Historical Genealogical Society Chapter of Central Virginia. 

Join Director, Charles Brown, Jr. and the Coordinators of the second Midwest African American Genealogical Institute of St. Louis, hosted by the historic Harris-Stowe State University for an exciting discussion of the courses offered over a three day period.  The faculty consists of individuals wth genealogy expertise with special emphasis on African American research strategies. The Institute will offer courses for the beginner, intermediate and advanced researchers to enhance their genealogy skills.

Join Director, Charles Brown, Jr. and the Coordinators of the second Midwest African American Genealogical Institute of St. Louis, hosted by the historic Harris-Stowe State University for an exciting discussion of the courses offered over a three day period.  The faculty consists of individuals wth genealogy expertise with special emphasis on African American research strategies. The Institute will offer courses for the beginner, intermediate and advanced researchers to enhance their genealogy skills.

Boston Globe reporters Kevin Cullen and Shelley Murphy talk about their book “Whitey Bulger: America’s Most Wanted Gangster and the Manhunt That Brought Him to Justice.” Cullen and Murphy appeared at the Newseum nine days before Bulger’s federal trial began in Boston. He was apprehended in 2011 after a 16-year manhunt.

Boston Globe journalists Kevin Cullen and Shelley Murphy discuss their book, Whitey Bulger: America's Most Wanted Gangster and the Manhunt That Brought Him to Justice. WBUR reporter David Boeri moderates.