Podcast appearances and mentions of virginia supreme court

The Virginia Supreme Court ruled that former high school French teacher Peter Vlaming was wrongfully terminated for refusing to use pronouns that were opposite of a transgender-identifying student's biological sex. Two new laws in California censor free speech and specifically target satirical works. Babylon Bee is taking California to court! ADF is involved in both cases, and Lathan Watts joins us with the important details! https://adflegal.org/

It's Thursday, October 3rd, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Chinese Communists install their own religious leaders The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom released a report on China last week. The country continues its policy of subordinating all religious groups to the Chinese Communist Party. The party installs its own religious leaders and requires religious teachings to align with its agenda. However, many Christians choose to operate illegally in underground churches. The report noted, “Independent house church Protestants face . . . repression for not joining [state-controlled religious organizations], with the government detaining, arresting, and incarcerating independent Protestant leaders and laypersons.” Thailand legalizes faux homosexual marriage Last week, Thailand became the first southeast Asian country to legalize faux homosexual marriage. The country's king gave royal assent to the law which was passed by parliament in June. The measure goes into effect next January.  The law also gives adoption and inheritance rights to same-sex couples. Thailand is the third country in Asia to pass such a law behind Taiwan and Nepal and the 30th in the world. Vance confronted Tim Walz over support of infanticide In the U.S., as we reported yesterday, CBS hosted a Vice Presidential debate on Tuesday between Republican VP nominee J.D. Vance and Democrat VP nominee Tim Walz. Senator Vance from Ohio called out Governor Walz of Minnesota for his support of infanticide during the debate. Listen. VANCE: “As I read the Minnesota law, the statute that you signed into law, it says that a doctor who presides over an abortion where the baby survives, the doctor is under no obligation to provide life-saving care to a baby who survives a botched, late-term abortion. WALZ; “That is not true.”  (unintelligible) VANCE:  “Whether you are pro-choice or pro-abortion, that is, I think, fundamentally barbaric. And that's why I use that word, Norah [O'Donnoell], because do you want to force Catholic hospitals to perform abortions against their will? Because Kamala Harris has supported suing Catholic nuns to violate their freedom of conscience. We can be a big and diverse country where we respect people's freedom of conscience and make the country more pro-baby and pro-family. Wisdom says in Proverbs 8:35-36, “For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD; but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.” Court: School ordered to pay $575,000 over forced inaccurate pronouns A public school district in Virginia agreed to a $575,000 settlement with a Christian teacher on Monday. Alliance Defending Freedom represented Peter Vlaming in his case against the West Point School Board. In 2018, the school fired him for refusing to use the preferred pronouns of a transgender student. The Virginia Supreme Court sided with Vlaming last December. After the recent settlement, Tyson Langhofer, Senior Counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom said, “We're pleased to favorably settle this case on behalf of Peter and hope other government and school officials will take note of the high cost involved in failing to respect an American's constitutionally protected freedoms.” Most Evangelicals do not promote Biblical perspective in culture The Institute for Faith and Culture released a new report on Evangelical engagement with culture.  The report found most evangelicals read the Bible and go to church weekly. Most say the Bible is relevant today. And most also say they want to promote the Bible's perspective even if it's not popular. However, only a minority of evangelicals actually do so. Robert Pacienza with the Institute for Faith and Culture said, “For decades there has been a dearth of prophetic Christian voices in our culture. The North American church exists in a time when biblical literacy is at an all-time low. Without an understanding of Scripture, Christians cannot faithfully engage the culture with a biblical worldview.”  Psalm 119:104-105 says, “I gain understanding from [the Lord's] precepts; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” 19 states saw increases in homeschooling And finally, the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy released a report on homeschooling recently.  The report covered data from 21 states for the 2023-2024 school year. Only two states saw a decline in homeschooling—New Hampshire and Vermont. The other 19 states saw increases. Some states experienced consistent growth in homeschooling over the years like Louisiana, South Carolina, and South Dakota. Others saw big growth over the previous year. Homeschooling grew 24% in North Dakota, 29% in Delaware, and 67% in Rhode Island.   Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, October 3rd, in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Today on Truth in Politics and Culture, people trying to recover from the effects of Helene criticize FEMA's response, J.D. Vance fact checks the fact checkers and wins the VP debate, Judge Chutkan and Jack Smith engage in election interference, and a Virginia French teacher wins an important free speech and religious liberty case at the Virginia Supreme Court.

High school French teacher Peter Vlaming was fired from his job in West Point, Virginia, for declining to refer to a female student using male pronouns. Vlaming filed suit in state court, alleging that the school board had violated his rights to the free exercise of religion and free speech under the Virginia Constitution. Late last year, the Virginia Supreme Court held that the Virginia Constitution provides more robust protections for religious freedom than the federal Free Exercise Clause as interpreted in Employment Division v. Smith. As the Court wrote, “the federal Smith doctrine is not and never has been the law in Virginia, and its shelf life in the federal courts remains uncertain.” In its place, the Virginia Supreme Court adopted a history-and-tradition approach that asks whether the religious claimant has committed or is seeking to commit “overt acts against peace and good order,” and whether the government’s interest in negating that threat could be satisfied by “less restrictive means” than denying a religious exemption. This opinion raises a host of interesting questions: Will the U.S. Supreme Court’s history-and-tradition test for Second Amendment challenges be expanded to apply to other constitutional rights? Will other state courts follow the Virginia Supreme Court’s lead in applying it to their own state constitutions? Did the Virginia Supreme Court get its history right? Could its historical analysis serve as the basis for the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit Smith? What rights should public schoolteachers have in the classroom? Should courts resolve conflicts between the alleged free-exercise and free-speech rights of teachers and the alleged rights of students to engage in their own forms of self-expression? Finally, what role, if any, does Title IX play in the analysis? This panel will address these and other questions raised by this important decision.Featuring:Prof. Stephanie Barclay, Professor of Law, University of Notre Dame Law SchoolProf. Kate Carté, Professor of History, Southern Methodist UniversityChris Schandevel, Senior Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom's Appellate Advocacy TeamAdam Unikowsky, Partner, Jenner & Block LLC(Moderator) Eric Treene, Senior Counsel, Storzer and Associates; Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of America Law School

Week of 12/18/23--Education topics discussed in this episode include: A teacher in Virginia who was fired over his school's pronoun policy wins his lawsuit in the Virginia Supreme Court: https://adfmedia.org/case/vlaming-v-west-point-school-board A Michigan teacher violated school policy by accidentally telling the truth: https://adflegal.org/article/school-district-slips-exposes-its-own-dishonesty-parents?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc Two New Jersey School Districts reject state gender policies, calling them “Gender Nonsense”: https://www.dailywire.com/news/gender-nonsense-multiple-new-jersey-school-districts-scrap-transgender-policies

This week on Everyday Injustice Jarrett Adams – himself exonerated of a wrongful conviction – is seeking to undo a massive injustice in Virginia. Despite the fact that a jury found Terrence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne not guilty of murder, a judge was able to sentence them to life in prison. They have currently spent 22 years behind bars, but Jarrett Adams is trying to free them, having recently argued before the Virginia Supreme Court. “The Court's decision to sentence Terrence and Ferrone to life in prison despite being found not guilty robbed due process of its very meaning,” said Jarrett Adams. “The U.S. Supreme Court must do away with its ruling in U.S. v Watts, which gives a judge the discretion to make a jury's finding meaningless, and prevent further miscarriages of justice from occurring like the one we see in this case.” Listen to Adams describing this remarkable and unthinkable injustice in the criminal legal system.

Today on Truth in Politics and Culture Republicans abandon conservatives on the defense spending bill, will they do the same on the border?  The Biden Administration led by Kamala Harris and other prominent democrats begins to backtrack on its support for Israel, A Virginia school teacher wins big at the Virginia Supreme Court and it's time for Republicans to impeach President Biden.  

In a groundbreaking decision, the Virginia Supreme Court reinstated a high-profile lawsuit, thrusting into the spotlight a pivotal battle over a teacher's fundamental rights. Peter Vlaming, a dedicated French teacher with nearly seven years of service, found himself at the center of a controversial firestorm. Represented by the powerhouse legal team from Alliance Defending Freedom, Vlaming's case challenges the very core of Virginia law.The West Point School Board's decision to terminate Vlaming sent shockwaves through the community. At the heart of this contentious saga is Vlaming's staunch refusal to use personal pronouns for a student that contradicted the student's biological sex, a decision he defended as a matter of conscience. Despite his efforts to respect the student by using their chosen name and skillfully avoiding pronoun usage, school authorities imposed a stringent directive. They demanded he adhere to the superintendent's order to use pronouns aligning with the student's gender identity, not their sex, sparking a fierce debate over rights, respect, and personal beliefs.This is the oral argument before the Supreme Court of Virginia in that case.This podcast is brought to you by Virginia Injury and Disability law firm, Ben Glass Law.Real legal help for real people Your life has been disrupted. You have good doctors and they support you. Your personal injury or long-term disability claim seems like a slam dunk. But there's a problem: The insurance company doesn't believe you. “You can't be hurt that bad! Our medical experts say you're fine.” You need a trusted advocate who can uncover all the facts, tell your story to the skeptical insurance company, and get you the money you deserve. You don't have to do this alone. Contact our Virginia personal injury and long-term disability lawyers today for a free consultation or denial letter review. Get a free consultation

Peter Vlaming was fired in 2018 for insubordination after refusing to use a transgender student's preferred pronouns.

The ACLU of Virginia filed Prease v. Clarke in the Virginia Supreme Court, challenging the continued incarceration of Steven Prease and advocating for his immediate release from the custody of the Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC). The case focuses on the interpretation of a law that expanded Virginia's earned sentence credit program, with the petition arguing that Mr. Prease had been unfairly denied the increased credits.Since its establishment in 1995, Virginia's earned sentence credit program has offered the possibility of early release for most incarcerated individuals. In 2020, the program underwent an expansion when the Virginia General Assembly passed a law that increased the number of credits individuals could earn. This legislative change was expected to benefit thousands of people currently serving time.UPDATE: July 7,2023, The Supreme Court of Virginia has ordered the release. https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/virginia-supreme-court-orders-release-of-steven-prease-who-challenged-earned-sentence-credit-rollback/   

Today on Conflict Managed we are joined by Geetha Ravindra, Vice President for Ombuds Services for The McCammon Group. Geetha Ravindra has over 30 years of experience in ADR in international, federal, and state organizations. She began her career with the Supreme Court of Virginia where she was Director of the Department of Dispute Resolution Services and managed court-connected mediation programs for 11 years. For many years she provided mediation and training for the World Bank Group, and several federal and state agencies, and taught mediation at the University of Richmond and College of William and Mary Law Schools. Geetha then served as in-house Mediator and Ombuds for the International Monetary Fund and the Center for Global Development. Most recently, she was Director of Workplace Relations for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She is an International Ombuds Association Certified Organizational Ombuds (CO-OP®) and a Virginia Supreme Court certified mediator. Geetha is past Chair of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution, past President of the Virginia Mediation Network, and past Chair of the VSB-VBA ADR Committee. You can find Geetha online at here: Ombuds Services - McCammon Group Conflict Managed is available wherever you listen to podcasts. Conflict Managed is hosted by Merry Brown and produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services.

The case could have a big impact on a similar fight happening in Suffolk over a proposed logistics center that would stretch more than 500 acres. Neighbors there are suing the city council over the project's approval.

The Suffolk City School Board appealed a lower court's ruling that it violated Virginia's Freedom of Information laws.

They're not just parts of speech anymore. No longer can pronouns be relegated to the back of our minds or those grueling exercises in school where we diagrammed sentences. Pronouns are now at the forefront of national conversation, and increasingly in the signature line of every email or social media bio. Joseph Backholm joins Massachusetts Family Institute's Andrew Beckwith and Family Research Council's Quena González to talk about pronouns and how Christians should approach the pronoun hospitality debate and what it means to stand for truth in a world that lives by lies. Related links: Why I no longer use Transgender Pronouns—and Why You shouldn't, either⁠, Rosaria Butterfield (Reformation 21) School Pronoun Case Goes before the Virginia Supreme Court⁠, by Alice Chao⁠ Read ⁠⁠⁠The Washington Stand⁠⁠⁠, featuring news and commentary from a biblical worldview. Published by ⁠⁠⁠Family Research Council⁠⁠⁠.

Brown v Board of Education, Roe v Wade, Loving v Virginia - Supreme Court decisions in the 20th century have affected the lives of Americans in a myriad of ways. There were repudiations of prior decisions and expansions of how Constitutional protections were understood. There were unanimous decisions and ones more fraught with dissension in the court. Join us for this episode as we touch on a few of the most important decisions.

This week, the Virginia Supreme Court reversed a jury verdict in a deadly force case. Today, we examine the case in the context of 100 years of Virginia law regarding police use of deadly force.

West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy is Now Open! 8am-9am PT/ 11am-Noon ET for our especially special Daily Specials; Blue Moon Spirits Friday!Starting off in the Bistro Cafe, Trump didn't give a damn about Paul Whelan when he was in office.On the rest of the menu, the Virginia Supreme Court overruled a Republican judge who booted a progressive prosecutor off a case; Maxwell Frost of Florida, the first member of the Gen Z generation elected to Congress, was denied a DC apartment over bad credit; and, the Government Accountability Office is urging the Department of Agriculture to include more seafood in school lunch programs.After the break, we move to the Chef's Table where a judge ordered a Guatemalan newspaper chief to stand trial amid criticism that his arrest was politically motivated; and, after less than a year on the job, the German soccer league is replacing its first female CEO with two men.All that and more, on West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy with Chef de Cuisine Justice Putnam.Bon Appétit!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“Structural linguistics is a bitterly divided and unhappy profession, and a large number of its practitioners spend many nights drowning their sorrows in Ouisghian Zodahs.” ― Douglas Adams "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Show Notes & Links:https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/12/9/2140871/-West-Coast-Cookbook-amp-Speakeasy-Daily-Special-Blue-Moon-Spirits-Fridays

Peter Vlaming believes words have power, a conviction that cost him his job. Vlaming was fired from his position teaching French at West Point High School in Virginia in 2018 for refusing to call a female student by male pronouns. Vlaming said he was essentially given the option to either “deny” his own “Christian belief, in order to stay in the school system,” or stand and fight. “Sooner or later, you have to say, ‘No, I'm not going to do that,'” he said, a decision that cost him his teaching career. Vlaming sued the school board, and now, the Virginia Supreme Court will hear Vlaming's case on Friday. Vlaming and Caleb Dalton, senior counsel at the Alliance Defending Freedom, join "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss the significance of the case and what the court's decision could mean for the free speech rights of teachers. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tonight 'In Focus', Joe Biden decries making political enemies of one another right after he called republicans 'dangerous threats to democracy'. Also, the Supreme Court could end affirmative action in America.Plus, Peter Vlaming and his attorney join the show to break down their upcoming Virginia Supreme Court case. This after Peter was fired from his teaching position for not using compelled speech.

On today's program:* The latest version of a report tracking the extent of poverty in the region has been released* The Virginia Supreme Court rules that Dominion Energy can add a surcharge to cover the cost of participating in a carbon cap and trade program * The state's transportation body learns more about planning to extend the Roanoke train to the New River Valley* The Commonwealth Transportation Board also gets a status on Smart Scale three months before the latest scores are released* West Main Streetscape officially canceled 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

Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or more? A snippet from an old song would be played at this point of the podcast version of Charlottesville Community Engagement but that would cost resources that would be better spent bringing you information to help you engage with the communities around Charlottesville. It is October 20, or, 10/20 on one side of the Atlantic, or 20/10 on the other. Either way, the date gets rounded out by 2022.  I'm Sean Tubbs, pointer outer of the obvious. On today's installment: * There's a new chief of public transportation for all of Virginia* Charlottesville City Council takes several actions including changes to the transient occupancy ordinance and a clarification on whether freelance writers provide a taxable service * Council holds first reading on $700K to replace underground storage tank* Council adopts guidelines for an alternative procurement process * Council also considers paying seven months worth of rent for a local nonprofit Every installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement is different, which is why you might benefit from reading them all. Sign up to make that easier. First shout-out: Charlottesville Jazz Society has a concert coming up In today's first subscriber-supported shout-out, the Charlottesville Jazz Society wants you to know about their last show of the year coming up on October 28. The Society will present French modern jazz group OZMA as they celebrate their 20th anniversary with the first ever tour of the United States. Borrowing largely from rock grammars, traditional music, and electronic landscapes, OZMA's music has been praised for its willingness to imagine John Coltrane jamming with Radiohead, or explosive drummer Billy Cobham playing with the best New Orleans brass bands.The show is Friday, October 28 at Unity of Charlottesville on Hydraulic Road. For tickets and more information visit cvillejazz.org. DRPT names new public transportation chiefA key ingredient in plans to both reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions is public transportation. In Virginia, there's a brand new person heading up efforts to improve bus and train routes throughout the Commonwealth. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation has named Zach Trogdon to be the new Chief of Public Transportation. “Trogdon will lead the evaluation, assistance, and execution of a $4.7 billion portfolio of public transportation, commuter assistance, and congestion management programs throughout the Commonwealth,” reads a press release from the DRPT. Trogdon has been the executive director of the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority and has worked in government for over 20 years. According to the release, he helped the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority establish a capital fund to buy, repair, and maintain the fleet. Trogdon's hiring comes at a time when a governance study is underway to prepare the potential creation of a regional transit authority for this area. Both Albemarle and Charlottesville have contributed funds to the $150,000 study which is being coordinated by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. A steering committee has been identified but the kick-off. A Regional Transit Partnership has been in place since 2017 to pick up the pieces after an earlier effort to form a Regional Transit Authority failed in the late 2000's. The Partnership next meets on October 27 and will see the final report of the Regional Transit Vision Plan. Council approves changes to lodging tax collection rules, defers vote on tax relief changesMonday's regular meeting of the Charlottesville City Council featured several smaller items and a few big ones that add up to a lot of business. The rest of this installment of newsletter goes through them one by one. Did I get to it all? Read on. First, Council took a vote to approve the relocation of a sewer line for the redevelopment of 209 Maury Avenue. That's a property right on the border with the University of Virginia. In May, Council approved a special use permit allowing for additional density and a parking reduction for a total of 64 units. “As part of the development process, the current developer is going to be constructing a new sewer line in a different location than the one that was established previously,” said City Attorney Lisa Robertson. That required a vote from Council to change the easement and to make a boundary line adjustment.  They'll later have to come back and accept the new public right of way for the sewer. “By going ahead with the vacation, you'll allow the developer to proceed with various financing applications and to proceed with the development,” Robertson said. This was a public hearing, but the agenda for the meeting did not indicate that. No one spoke during the public hearing, either in person or virtually. Business license rules changes to list “writer” as taxable profession Next, Council changed the rules classifying whether freelance writers and authors are subject to the city's business license ordinance. The Virginia Supreme Court in City of Charlottesville v Regulus Books ruled earlier this year that Charlottesville's ordinance did not sufficiently specify that work from the profession was not a “service” that triggered tax collections.  (read the ruling)“In my opinion, [the ruling] curiously found a deficiency in our business license ordinance and this so measure attempts to… it will address it,” said Todd Divers, the Commissioner of the Revenue. Divers said the new ordinance creates a specific category for writers under subclassification H. Those are businesses that must pay $0.36 for every $100 of gross receipts.  The city has had to refund several thousand dollars in taxes to several people who had previously been taxed incorrectly. There was no discussion on Council and the motion passed 5 to 0. Council approves changes to transient lodging tax ordinanceCommissioner of Revenue Todd Divers was also on hand to brief Council on a requested change to the city's transient lodging tax ordinance.“The General Assembly for the last two years has made some significant changes to provision of sales tax and local transient occupancy tax to try to address various issues raised by online travel agencies and online travel platforms like AirBnB and others,” Divers said. Divers said Council made some changes last year, but the 2022 legislation forces the city to make new ones related to how the taxes are collected and reported. The new law allows the taxation on the total charge for a stay, such as cleaning fees. Divers said the ordinance needed to be adopted immediately because the new online intermediaries will begin collecting local lodging taxes this month.  He added that he expects more legislative changes in three months in the next General Assembly. Several Councilors asked if there was anything in the update that would make it easier to police short-term rentals that are in violation of zoning. Divers said that was a separate issue related to staffing. “Right now, you've got one guy policing this, [Zoning Administrator Read Brodhead],” Divers said. “It's very difficult for one person to do it. He operates on complaints. There aren't many complaints for as many people who do complain about it.”The update also prepares for a new hotel within Charlottesville's borders. “In anticipation of the University of Virginia opening up a hotel in town, there was a curious little exemption in the local code that exempted stays in educational institutions,” Divers said. “Our position is the lodging tax, transient occupancy tax, will be applicable to stays in that hotel when it is built.”The new code specifies that dormitories are exempt. Ground was broken for a new 214-room hotel earlier this month with completion expected in the spring of 2025. A second reading of this ordinance was waived and the updates passed 5 to 0. Council also voted to note that collection of the city's cigarette taxes is now handled by the Blue Ridge Cigarette Tax Board operated by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. That passed 5 to 0 with little discussion. Second reading was also waived. Tax relief changes deferred until November 7There was also another vote to amend the city code related to tax relief for elderly and disabled persons. Divers said his intention had been to merge that program with the Charlottesville Housing Affordability Program (CHAP). “We obviously cannot merge those programs but this kind of closes the loop on this and brings the real estate tax relief program in close to inline with CHAP as we can,” Divers said. Changes include dropping the eligibility threshold for net worth for the non-CHAP tax relief program. There was a long discussion about the numbers being used in the various calculations and a lot of wordsmithing until Councilor Brian Pinkston raised a procedural question. “I'm wondering, do we feel like this whole ordinance might profit with two more weeks of conversation or do we feel like we're close to a resolution?” Pinkston asked. Robertson agreed it would be good to resolve the dispute, which related to the method to be used to calculate income and eligibility. This item will come back to Council at their next meeting on November 7. But we first have to get through items from the rest of the October 17 meeting first. Second shout-out: Charlottesville Community Bikes In this second subscriber supported shout-out, Charlottesville Community Bikes believes that bicycles can be a means to social change, addressing issues of equity, access, and inclusion. They provide free bikes to adults who need one, and have a special program that provides free bikes to children. Their mobile bike repair clinics continue October 24 with a stop at Blue Ridge Commons on Prospect Avenue. Want to learn more or support their work? Charlottesville Community Bikes currently is seeking matching funds for a grant from the Outride Fund. Visit charlottesvillecommunitybikes.org to learn more. Council considers funding for Avon fuel tank replacementFor the rest of the meeting, the Charlottesville City Council took action on items with financial impacts. The first was a request to spend an additional $700,000 from the Capital Improvement Program budget's contingency fund for cost overruns on a project to replace the underground fuel storage tanks at the city's fuel station on Avon Street. “That fuel station has been in place for quite a while and the below-ground fuel tank is at the end of its usable life and is becoming uninsurable at this point,” said Michael Goddard is a Senior Project Manager in the city's Public Works Department. Goddard said a recent crash involving a bus has damaged the fuel station and the city is currently using a fuel card system to purchase. He said the next storage tank will be above ground. “There are a lot of benefits of that sort of a tank, not the least of which is that it is easy to decommission should the time come that we don't need a fueling station anymore,” Goddard said. Goddard said the project needs an additional $700,000 to meet the lowest bid. Charlottesville City Councilor Brian Pinkston suggested finding another solution altogether, including maybe partnering with Albemarle County.“Is this like an essential thing that we have to have to function as a city, or is there another way to do it?” Pinkston asked. Interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers said the city has many vehicles that need to be fueled and it is more cost-effective to have an in-house fuel depot. “What we are doing now, though we are supporting the local economy, is costing us more money and over time as the price of gas keep going up its going to cost us more,”  Rogers said.Council's discussion was a first reading and the item will be on the consent agenda on November 7. Council extends loan to Woodard Properties for Dogwood Housing propertiesCharlottesville has many tools in the effort to ensure some residential units in the city that are below-market. Two of them date back to 2007. One is the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund, which has disbursed $46.7 million in funds since 2010 according to a report Council was briefed on this past April. (Deputy City Manager Sanders reviews recent audit of Charlottesville's housing fund, April 6, 2022)The other is a 2007 loan to the Piedmont Housing Alliance to assist Woodard Properties in acquiring Dogwood Housing. “In 2007, Council at that time extended a loan in the amount of $850,000 for the acquisition of 57 residential units to be maintained as rental properties,” said Sam Sanders, the Deputy City Manager. Sanders said Woodard Properties have come back to Council before to extend the loan and the latest period of forgiveness ends at the end of the month. They are requesting another five-year period. Council granted the extension with no discussion except to substitute some of the language in the resolution. Council agrees to adopt guidelines for procurement In the near future, Charlottesville could very well finalize plans to renovate Buford Middle School to accommodate sixth grade students, a first step toward a long-planned and long-awaited reconfiguration of the city's schools. The School Board got an update on construction estimates in September, and the final number will factor heavily into the city's budget discussions for the next fiscal year. (VMDO working against inflation as design for Buford expansion continues and estimates increase, September 2, 2022)On Monday, Council approved guidelines for the use of funds that could be raised through something called the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act, which goes by the acronym PPEA. “Under the act, the General Assembly conferred upon local entities such as the city of Charlottesville a process by which major construction projects and improvements to real estate could be conducted through a competitive process that is more flexible and less prescriptive,” said City Attorney Lisa Robertson. A key reason to do this is to potentially bring down the cost through efficiencies and through a more flexible schedule. Robertson gave examples in the staff report. * The City of Harrisonburg has constructed school buildings and at least one public park.* The City of Fredericksburg is currently using the PPEA process for the design and construction of improvements to upgrade and expand a wastewater treatment plant. * The Town of Christiansburg used PPEA procedures for a stream restoration and culvert replacement project. * Spotsylvania used PPEA procedures for construction of a new circuit court building.Robertson didn't specify the Buford project could be constructed through a PPEA nor did the staff report list any specific examples. Charlottesville City Councilor Brian Pinkston could think of a few.“One of the things we could do with this is work with local nonprofit partners on what I'll call hybrid projects where we're trying to accomplish something together and there would be private funds coming in through the nonprofit and we may be providing project management support or something like that on the city side,” Pinkston said. “This would give us flexibility in terms of how those procurements work.” Council approved the guidelines with one change making sure that the application fee for such a project would be $1,500. Council considers rent payment for Jefferson SchoolThe Jefferson School Center for African American Heritage has asked the city to help it cover the cost of the rent it pays to the Jefferson School Foundation. That's the entity that owns the former elementary school. The Center leases just over 11,000 square feet at a cost of $15,134.76 per month. Staff has recommended Council donate seven months of rent to cover the Center from December 1 through the end of next June for a total of $107,203.32. “The reason for taking this action at this moment is to provide Council the space that it needs to conduct its strategic planning sessions to determine how it will engage in investments for moments like this to invest in arrangements with non-profit organizations,” said Deputy City Manager Sam Sanders. Sanders said that conversation will also include a further discussion of how the city treats nonprofits to which it rents property. (City seeking to know more about what property it rents, May 20, 2022)At the same time, the city is seeking requests from firms to facilitate a new strategic plan. The funding will come from Council's Strategic Intiatives fund. Sanders said a previous $950,000 for this purpose went to an escrow account whereas this one will go directly to the Center. City Councilor Michael Payne said he would want to make a long-term commitment to the Center.“I would definitely want to prioritize finding a way for the Heritage Center to stay there longer-term,” Payne said. “I know there's a bigger discussion about non-profit leases and rentals but I think it would be very short-sighted for us to lose some of these community spaces for just another restaurant or whatever else.” Council held first reading of the item and agreed to hold the second as part of the consent agenda for the November 7, 2022 meeting. We're not done yet with the Council meeting from October 17, 2022. Future installments will go back through a budget work session as well as a vote on use of American Rescue Plan Act funds. This newsletter is already pushing 3,000 words so… time to publish! Housekeeping for show #446A constant refrain I have is that there's so much to get to, and I do hope to get to more in the next installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Thanks to the new paid subscribers who have signed up in the last few days, and thanks to the new Patreon contributor! All of this goes to Town Crier Productions, a company that so far only employs me. It's my hope that will change as more people fund this particular style of journalism.You may note that a lot of the links in this newsletter go to Information Charlottesville and you may wonder what that is. It's an archive site created by me to archive the various segments you see here. This newsletter and infocville.com are both intended to help keep a record of what happens at the local level, which to me never seems obscure or mundane. Thank you for being here for the journey.Ting will match the initial payment made by paid Substack subscribers, which certainly goes a long way to help planning for the future. Paid subscribers get to take a first look at content such as the September 2022 property transactions that went out Wednesday. Everyone else can see that on Monday on Information Charlottesville. If you do sign up, Ting will match your initial subscription. And even if you don't sign up for a paid subscription to this newsletter, Ting wants your custom too, and if you sign up through a link in the newsletter you will get free installation, a $75 gift card to the Downtown Mall, and a second month for free. Just enter the promo code COMMUNITY. What else today? What's missing? Drop me a line in the comments or respond to the email and let me know.  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 mid-afternoon shootout in Highland Springs sends two people to the hospital; a bomb scare closes a major Far West End store temporarily; the Mobilize Recovery Bus Tour stops in Henrico today; a new Virginia Supreme Court justice is from Henrico.Support the show

The state previously rejected the hospital's bid for a certificate of public need, but the Virginia Supreme Court said it deserved another look.

Richmond is researching what it would take to provide free preschool to all 3 and 4 year olds in the city; More than a dozen public figures and LGBTQ advocacy groups want the Virginia Supreme Court to uphold a decision that says requiring teachers to use a student's preferred pronoun is not in violation of their rights; A new poll released on Thursday from VCU's Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs shows that about 50% of Virginians are satisfied with current abortion laws and that they shouldn't be changed; and other local news stories.

LGBTQ advocates put pressure on the Virginia Supreme Court, the results of a new Medicaid survey, a monkeypox update, crocodile eggs, and the latest installment of Folklife Fieldnotes…This is the WMRA Daily for Friday, July 29th…

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley marks today's 55th anniversary of the "Loving v. Virginia" Supreme Court decision, which legalized interracial marriage on June 12, 1967. He spoke to director Jeff Nichols ("Mud") and actor Joel Edgerton ("Zero Dark Thirty") when they visited Washington D.C. to discuss their touching movie "Loving" in 2016.

What’s in a day? According to one source, it’s National Bubba Day but I’m not sure what all the hubbub is about. More realistically, it’s American Indian Citizenship Day, which marks the 98th anniversary of an act of Congress where the people who had lived here for millennia before colonization finally received some rights, if not universal recognition. Somehow it’s also National Rocky Road Day. Coincidence or something else? This episode of Charlottesville Community Engagement cannot provide the answers. But this and all of the nearly 400 installments to date are intended to encourage you to think. If you’re not ready for a paid subscription, please send this on to people you think might be interested! The newsletter is made available for free thanks to the hundreds so far who are paying! On today’s program:The Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that Albemarle County was wrong to charge a developer for transit service that stops at the Hollymead Town CenterAn update on one way how area transit agencies may address driver shortagesJABA gets some funding due to one hospital’s employee surveyAnd the Albemarle Planning Commission reviews a study that seeks to help the Rio Road corridor become more of a human-scale First shout-out goes to a RoadDucks concert at Groovin’ in Greene In today’s first subscriber supported shout-out, this Saturday in Stanardsville, Virginia’s house band, the RoadDucks, will take the stage at Greene Commons to headline an evening of music. The event kicks off at 4 p.m. with local music from Keith Samuels, Todd Sansom, Chad Aylor & Jon Kougher. That’s followed by singer-songwriter Jenny Marie McAdams. Then, the RoadDucks will draw upon their 46 years to perform all kinds of music. Various members of the Greene Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring the event, with proceeds from beverage and drink sales going to Artistic Remedies for Creative Hearts. For more information on this latest in the Groovin’ in Greene series, visit their Facebook page. Virginia Supreme Court rules against Albemarle in Jaunt proffer caseAlbemarle County acted unconstitutionally when it demanded the developer of the Hollymead Town Center begin making $50,000 annual payments for a transit route operated by Jaunt. That’s according to a Virginia Supreme Court opinion issued this morning by Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn. (read the opinion)“While a state, under its police power, may regulate land use to further legitimate state interests, it may not use this power as a cudgel to coerce concessions from a land-use applicant who seeks to repurpose her property,” reads the opinion. The Board of Supervisors approved the Hollymead Town Center development in September 2007 and under one of the proffered conditions, a company called Octagon Partners agreed to pay $50,000 a year “within thirty days after demand by the County after public transportation service is provided to the Project.” In November 2015, the Board voted 4-1 to work with Jaunt to develop a commuter route called Route 29 Express to serve the area with a stop at the Kohl’s. By that point, the property had transferred to United Land through a subsidiary known as Route 29 LLC. Developer Wendell Wood had previously sought to change the proffer but was unsuccessful. He argued that the triggering of the proffer as presented was unreasonable, but he offered to pay a smaller amount. At the time, Rio District Supervisor Brad Sheffield was executive director of Jaunt but he recused himself from the vote. He did not seek re-election to the Board in 2017. In late 2020, Jaunt’s Board of Directors asked him to resign for financial matters not related to this lawsuit. Soon after the Route 29 Express service began in May 2016, the county sent two bills to Route 29 LLC demanding payment, and issued a zoning violation in the summer of 2018. Wood refused to pay. Wood sued in January 2019 challenging that violation and both parties agreed to a certain set of facts. In May of that year, the county sought dismissal based on a claim that those facts admitted Wood’s acceptance that he needed to pay for the transit service. Albemarle Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Higgins denied that dismissal request and the case went to trial. During the trial, the county also sought to dismiss testimony and evidence introduced by the plaintiff to support their argument that the commuter route did not have any benefits of reducing traffic on U.S. 29. Higgins did not grant a motion to strike and then ruled in favor of Route 29 LLC. The county appealed, and now the Virginia Supreme Court affirmed Higgins was correct in not granting the county’s request to dismiss and to strike the evidence. The Court sided with Route29 LLC about the unreasonability of the proffer. “In essence, the County contends that when a municipality conditions the grant of a land use permit on acceptance of a conditional proffer, voluntarily entered into, the payment required by the proffer need not possess an essential nexus, nor be roughly proportional, to the impact of the development allowed by the permit in order for the proffer to be legally enforceable,” reads the analysis on page 9 of the opinion.“We disagree,” the opinion continues. The ruling does not dismiss the transit proffer completely. “The Owner acknowledges, and we agree, that a different public transportation service may trigger Transit Proffer payments that are enforceable at law,” the opinion continues. “However, the Commuter Route, as it is presently designed, does not.”A spokeswoman for Jaunt said the organization had no comment on the ruling, but did say that the North 29 Express is still operating and led to several other commuter buses such as one that serves Crozet. Albemarle County did not have a comment on the ruling. See also:Supervisors agree to use proffer to fund daily Hollymead commuter route, November 7, 2015Hollymead developer seeks changes to transit proffer, April 23, 2016Developer Wendell Wood keeping tabs on proffer-funded JAUNT route, July 5, 2016County says developer Wendell Wood owes $150,000 for bus service, December 6, 2018If you are interested in all of these stories about transportation, do consider a paid subscription to this newsletter. Every initial payment through Substack is matched by Ting to help ensure the continuance of this community journalism resourceAlbemarle Schools working on way to use public transportation for pupil transportIn April, transit officials from Vermont briefed the Regional Transit Partnership on efforts in the Green Mountain State to use public transportation to get students to their schools. (read the story)That has led to further discussion on the matter in Albemarle County. Charmane White is the new director of the transportation division for Albemarle schools and she spoke at the partnership’s meeting on May 26. “I am having conversations now with our my supervisors and the Superintendent to look at how we would roll this out and of course we would have to get our community ready for this and parents and the administrators because this is just a different approach to what we have taken,” White said. White said the division continues to try to recruit new drivers with a series of job fairs. One possible way to alleviate the shortage is to purchase vehicles that don’t require a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Garland Williams, director of Charlottesville Area Transit, said city schools are also looking at this approach. “They are looking at the type A bus model themselves,” Williams said. “Fourteen [passengers] or less. They’re going to do to two at this point of time and see how the model works and then just scale up from there.” The University Transit System also has issues with a driver shortage.“One of the approaches we’re taking a looking at is that CDL license barrier and how can we sort of attack that in creative ways,” said Kendall Howell of UTS. Howell said he would return to the partnership with some of those ideas later this summer. Sentara employee survey leads to $65,000 grant for JABAAn organization that provides services and assistance to older community members will receive $65,000 from Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital. According to a press release, the funding for JABA is the result of an employee satisfaction survey which had a question that asked respondents to name an organization that embodies the company’s values. “JABA got one of the highest vote totals in the survey," says Johnsa Morris, Vice President of Patient Care & Chief Nurse Executive at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital.JABA was created in 1975 as the Jefferson Area Board for Aging to serve as a “gateway” for resources for seniors and adults with disabilities. The $65,000 gift is unrestricted and can be used for any purpose by the organization. If you or someone you know is interested in applying for a grant from Sentara, the window runs from June 15 to July 15. Second Shout-out is for the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards In today’s second subscriber-supported Public Service Announcement, the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards continues to offer classes this spring and summer to increase your awareness of our wooden neighbors and to prepare for the future. Coming up on June 7 is a tree identification course taught on Zoom by tree steward Elizabeth Ferguson followed by a separate hike on June 11 at the Department of Forestry’s headquarters near the Fontaine Research Park. That’s followed by a tree identification walk at the University of Virginia on June 12 for the public. On June 14, Rachel Keen will give a lecture on Zoom on the Social Life of Trees. Do trees really communicate with one another? What is a 'mother tree'? Can a tree do anything to repel a pest? Learn more at charlottesvilleareatreestewards.org.Albemarle Planning Commission gets look at Rio Road Corridor On Wednesday, the Board of Supervisors appointed Lonnie Murray to represent the White Hall District on the Planning Commission. Murray has been elected three times to serve as one of Albemarle’s representatives on the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District. He’s also a member of the Natural Heritage Committee. At their most recent meeting, the Planning Commission minus Murray reviewed a transportation study intended to turn one of Albemarle’s major roadways into something with more of a human scale. The county hired Line + Grade to conduct a review of Rio Road from city limits at Melbourne Road up to near the intersection with U.S. 29. (read the draft plan)“The goal of this project was to develop a community vision and plan that will guide the future design and improvements to the Rio Road Corridor,” said David Benish, development process manager for Albemarle. Benish said the concepts in the plan are not intended to be final, but will be used in the future for candidates for funding through the Virginia Department of Transportation. A list of priorities will be reviewed during the Comprehensive Plan review that’s underway. Dan Hyer of Line + Grade lists some of the intentions of the plan, which is split into two geographic phases.  “How to make it a safe corridor, how to improve environmental and public spaces along the corridor, keep traffic moving effectively and optimally,” Hyer said. “And try to make access equitable for all those who live and use the corridor.” Hyer said to balance all of those goals, his team took both a qualitative and quantitative approach to craft a roadway for the county’s 21st century needs. “At some point in the past, roadways were not just designed for their quantitative aspects but the quality of the experience was also important,” Hyer said. “And so we devised our own metrics on how to analyze both of these corridors from a qualitative standpoint. What’s it like to walk on the sidewalk? Is it hot? Are there trees? Are there crosswalks? Are their lights? Can you see the bus stops?” Hyer said traffic growth is expected as the area builds out with more housing. New intersection approaches are suggested to avoid the backups that come with the four-way signals of the 20th century.  Two traffic signals at the Hillsdale / Old Brook / Northfield intersections would be replaced with a peanut-shaped roundabout to eliminate left-hand turn movements. The Belvedere intersection would be converted into a continuous “Green T” intersection that would close off left-hand movements from the side road. Hyer said this would not preclude a future traffic signal. Line + Grade has offered several different alternatives for the roundabout at John Warner Parkway, but he acknowledged VDOT’s selection will be the one that goes forward. In the second phase, the Rio Road Corridor Study offers fewer specific intersection improvements but provides guidance such as lowering speed limits and laying out a way forward for creation of a shared-use path. “What you have currently is you have a bunch of land widths that are inconsistent,” Hyer said. “You’ve got some that are 14 feet, some that are ten feet. You have a bus stop where you don’t need one. There’s a bunch of infrastructure that can be reallocated and that’s what you see here in our proposed plan.” Hyer said one difficulty identified in the study was trying to figure out how to find a way to make it safe to walk on Rio Road between Stonehenge Road and the city limits. He said that might need a plan of its own.“Very complicated there,” Hyer said. “The creek is eroding. It’s coming closer to eroding the roadbed. It’s just an entirely different conversation and not worth trying to build a sidewalk there right now. There’s other low-hanging fruit for us to pursue.” Commission Chair Karen Firehock urged the inclusion of bioswales and other innovative ways to build in drainage that supports the ecology. She said the roundabouts might be a good place.“Because there’s going to be a lot of grading going along to put in a roundabout in the first place and a lot of times in some lazy places they are just boring lawns and they’ve done nothing with that space,” Firehock said. “It’s an opportunity besides just having more turf grass which is the number one crop in the Chesapeake Bay drainage.”The Board of Supervisors will be briefed on the plan at a later date, possibly in August. Watch the presentation on YouTube:Town Crier Productions has a sponsorship thing with Ting!For over a year one year now, Town Crier Productions has had a promotional offering through 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

A new report from Governor Glenn Youngkin's office is filled with statistics that state education officials say paint a “sobering picture” about public education in Virginia; Attorney General Jason Miyares is asking the Virginia Supreme Court for access to sealed records related to the suspension of a controversial judge and former parole board chair; Local pediatricians are warning parents and guardians not to take drastic measures as a national shortage of baby formula worsens; and other local news stories.

Today’s visit to the National Day Calendar reveals what many would regard as plain old silliness. Apparently it is National Chocolate Custard Day, National Garden Meditation Day, National Two Different Colored Shoes Day and National Lumpy Rug Day. If Charlottesville Community Engagement had a budget for promotional prizes, one would go for a winning photograph in a contest to capture the essence of all four of these fantastical days. In all seriousness, May 3 is also World Press Freedom Day and I’m honored to be able to bring your this information on as many days as possible. On today’s program:The chair of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors will run for the Virginia House of Delegates Several tourist destinations across the region receive matching funds from the Virginia Tourism CorporationThe head of the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless briefs Council on progress towards getting everybody housedAnd the Albemarle Architectural Review Board takes a first look at a project to build 81 units of permanent supportive housing Today’s first shout-out goes to LEAPWe’re now well into spring, and many of us may have already turned on our air conditioning units for the first in months. To see what you can do to get the most out of your home, contact LEAP, your local energy nonprofit, to schedule a home energy assessment this month - just $45 for City and County residents. LEAP also offers FREE home weatherization to income- and age-qualifying residents. If someone in your household is age 60 or older, or you 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!Supervisor Price running for 55th House of Delegates The chair of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors has announced she will be a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the new 55th District for the Virginia House of Delegates, whether the next election is held this year or next. Scottsville Supervisor Donna Price announced this morning on Facebook that yesterday’s leak of a Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade prompted her to file for her candidacy. “I yesterday morning filed my campaign committee paperwork to be a candidate - whether it be this year as a result of the Federal District Court case of Goldman v. Brink; or, next year as regularly scheduled,” Price wrote.Federal Judge David Novak is currently deliberating on whether Richmond Attorney Paul Goldman has the legal standing to have filed a suit claiming Virginia’s current legislative districts are unconstitutional because they are still based on the 2010 Census. The Virginia Supreme Court adopted new districts drawn by Special Masters in late December 2021 after a redistricting commission failed to reach consensus. The incumbent in the 55th District is Republican Rob Bell, who currently sits in the 58th District. The new 55th District covers most of Albemarle County, western Louisa County, and northeastern Nelson County.Price joins Kellen Squire as declared Democratic candidates in the 55th District. Squire ran against Bell in 2017 for the 58th District and was defeated 61.2 percent to 38.71 percent. Bell outraised Squire $471,519 to $115,210 that year. Squire was briefly a candidate in the 2021 Lieutenant Governor’s race. The first campaign finance report for the next House of Delegates race is not due until July 2022. In her announcement on Facebook, Price said she was running now to protect reproductive rights, which she said are one vote away from being overturned in Virginia. “While I support the legal basis of the Goldman v. Brink plaintiff, I have been holding personal concerns about elections in 2022 given the mood of the country,” Price wrote. “Those concerns no longer exist.  We are in a legally existential battle for the rights of Americans.”Price was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2019 by beating Republican Michael Hallahan on a 55.21 percent to 44.44 percent margin. Hallahan raised $92,256 to Price’s $38,234. Squire, an emergency room nurse,  said he will be making a formal announcement on Friday but responded to a question this morning.“I filed the first week of March, but have spent the last two months building the local, regional, and statewide support that will be necessary to win this race,” Squire wrote. “I've been told by both current and former local, regional, and statewide elected officials of both parties that the Virginia GOP intends to dump whatever resources are necessary to keep this seat in their column.” Squire credited his 2017 race with laying the groundwork for the eventual Democratic takeover of the House of Delegates and the Senate in 2019. Youngkin decries leakAs for that leak, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts has confirmed the publication of a draft opinion.“Although the document described in yesterday’s reports is authentic, it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case,” reads a press release from the Court.Roberts has directed the Marshall of the Court to investigate the source of the leak.  In a statement, Governor Glenn Youngkin decried the leak and said it was premature to speculate on what the actual ruling will be. “We learned from listening to Virginians over the last year that we have much common ground on this issue. I am pro-life, and I have been very clear about that since the day I launched my campaign,” Youngkin said. As of today, there’s no ruling from Judge David Novak on the Goldman v. Brink case. Area tourism efforts receive funding from the Virginia Tourism CorporationGovernor Glenn Youngkin has announced the award of 259 grants to entities across the Commonwealth to mark National Travel and Tourism Week. The funding comes from the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Marketing Leverage Program & Regional Marketing Program Grants“This funding cycle, local partners will commit more than $12.4 million to match the VTC funding, providing more than $15 million in new marketing activity,” reads a press release sent out on Monday.  The recipients are:Blue Mountain Barrel House and Organic Brewery in Afton for their Road Trip to Nelson 29 promotion ($5,000)Boars Head Resort for their Winter Wander promotion ($5,000)Center for Independent Documentary Inc in Charlottesville for the La Loba Festival ($5,000)Charlottesville and Albemarle County for the Historic Vines, New Roots promotion ($20,000)Crozet Park for the Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival ($10,000)Ix Art Park Foundation for the Cville Arts Winter Weekends / Charlottesville Arts Festival ($10,000)Louisa Chamber of Commerce for Unplug & Play 2.0 ($5,000)Louisa County Parks, Recreation and Tourism for the Happening Around Corner: Louisa County Events / Visit Louisa Mobile App ($24,936)Love Ridge Mountain Lodging of Charlottesville for the launch of the program ($10,000)Nelson County for the Nelson County Dark Skies Trail and the Nelson Winter Market ($20,000)Orange County for the Orange Uncovered promotion ($20,000)Queen City Mischief & Magic in Staunton for the Queen City Mischief & Magic Festival ($16,616)Quirk Charlottesville for their program History, Hiking, and Heritage: A Trip to Charlottesville ($10,000)Southern Revere Cellars LLC for the Land Made promotion ($10,000) Staunton Augusta Art Center for the Art in the Park promotion ($3,000)Staunton Music Festival for the Staunton Music Festival / BaroqueFest 2022 program ($13,750)Summer Stage LLC for the Summer Stage @ the Blackburn program ($10,000)The Front Porch of Charlottesville for the Boots and Bling Fall Gala ($4,350)Tom Tom Foundation of Charlottesville for the Tom Tom Festival ($10,000)Virginia Festival of the Wheel in Charlottesville ($10,000)Wayne Theatre Alliance in Waynesboro for an Outdoor Production ($10,000)Waynesboro for the Family Friendly Waynesboro program ($20,000)Shout-out to Camp AlbemarleToday’s second subscriber-supported public service announcement goes out to Camp Albemarle, which has for sixty 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. Camp Albemarle seeks support for a plan to winterize the Hamner Lodge, a structure built in 1941 by the CCC and used by every 4th and 5th grade student in Charlottesville and Albemarle for the study of ecology for over 20 years. If this campaign is successful, Camp Albemarle could operate year-round. Consider your support by visiting campalbemarleva.org/donate. Council briefed on increase in homelessness in Charlottesville areaThe Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless (TJACH) is the lead agency in this region for the U.S. Department of Housing and Development’s Continuum of Care program. They cover an area including Charlottesville, Albemarle, and the other localities in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. “We believe that everyone deserves a safe place to call home and we believe that is a human right,” said Anthony Haro, TJACH’s executive director. (download Haro’s presentation)Haro said the goal of TJACH is to make homelessness as rare, brief, and nonrecurring as possible. He said homelessess is a symptom of a system that lacks enough resources and coordination. Every year, TJACH participates in the Point in Time survey to measure the size and scope of homelessness in a community. “Every year we do it in January with the goal of trying to identify folks at a time when we’re hoping most people are in sheltered settings because of the weather,” Haro said. The count is reported to HUD and the same methodology has been used for the past 12 years. The number of people in emergency shelters increased from 144 in January 2021 to 228 in January 2022. “The most significant shift has just occurred over this past year and it’s directly related to the pandemic and also things that the pandemic has brought with it like high housing costs and lack of available affordable housing,” Haro said. During the pandemic, congregate shelters moved to non-congregate settings as people were set up with private rooms in hotels. TJACH has partnered with Virginia Supportive Housing and the Piedmont Housing Alliance to purchase the Red Carpet Inn on U.S. 29, which has been converted to an emergency shelter. More on that in a moment.Just under seventy percent of those counted are male, and 98 percent of those counted are individuals. Fifty-two percent are white, 41 percent are Black, and seven are listed as other. Haro said the number of people who were chronically homeless dropped from 76 in 2012 to 32 in 2014. He attributes that to the opening of the Crossings at Fourth and Preston, a 60-unit single room occupancy building built by Virginia Supportive Housing. That number has begun to increase and Haro said there’s a need for more housing. “The other real key component to address unsheltered homelessness is street outreach programs and so we have street outreach though the PATH program at Region 10 which is focused people living outside with mental health and or substance issues but those resources haven’t really changed significantly in a long time,” Haro said. The Point in Time count isn’t the only metric. Haro said TJACH also measures the total number of people served each year and that figure increased from 290 in 2013 to 528 in 2021. He also said people are staying longer in emergency shelters with the average length of stay in 2021 was 136 days. “Before the pandemic it was around 40 days, 30 to 40 days in shelter was the average,” Haro said. That leads to a lack of turnover in those shelters, leading to shortages in emergency shelter capacity. Haro said the forthcoming 81-unit project at Premier Circle will provide relief when it’s built, but it will take some time. Ground is expected break ground next May and will be supported by Low Income Housing Tax Credits as well as Housing Choice Vouchers. Vice Mayor Juandiego Wade said constituents have asked him if TJACH had any outreach to people who panhandle on medians within the city. “Have you all, or is there a way to reach out to them, to say yes, here is service?” Wade said. “They say they see many of the same people in the same intersection and it concerns them. Sometimes they say it seems dangerous and I tell them there’s really not anything we can do.”Haro said many of those individuals may not be homeless. Some may be paying for hotels and some may be living in their own places. “People choose to panhandle for many different reasons,” Haro said. “For some people it’s a social interaction activity and for other people they are paying to stay in a hotel that night and so it varies widely. We do have outreach workers who are familiar with many of those individuals. There are new individuals that pop up every now and again and that I see panhandling and I notify outreach team to see if they are aware of those individuals coming through.” ARB makes comments on Premier Circle projectOn Monday, the Albemarle County Architectural Review Board took a look at the initial site for Premier Circle which involves construction of a four story building as part of a three building campus.. The property is within the county’s Entrance Corridor Review guidelines.“The focus is largely on the site landscaping and the building design in the Entrance Corridor facing elevation of the first phase one building,” said Khris Taggart, a planner with Albemarle County. Staff recommended approval of the initial site plan with some recommendations for revisions. That means things like hiding electrical equipment from view, requiring windows to avoid blank walls, and to include a plan indicating how demolition of existing structures should proceed.The building is being design by BRW Architects and they were represented by Whitney McDermott.“The TJACH Premier Circle initial plan before you today is a component of a larger vision that is a partnership between the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for, Homeless, Virginia Supportive Housing who are developing the building before you today, and the Piedmont Housing Alliance,” McDermott said. McDermott said the design of the whole plan is to allow for the existing motel units to exist for as long as possible. The Piedmont Housing Alliance will eventually build a 60-unit multifamily building as part of phase 2 and the third phase will be a future mixed-use building. View the entire ARB meeting: This is a public episode. 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After today, there are only two more days in April. After today, there are 247 days left in 2022. But for now, it is still April 28 and this is the appropriate Charlottesville Community Engagement. After this installment, is it my hope that you will know slightly more than you did before. I cannot quantify precisely. I am Sean Tubbs, the host and producer.Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts in your email, become a free subscriber. To keep them coming, become a paid one! On today’s program:The Jefferson Madison Regional Library is celebrating National Poetry Month today with a series of scrolls The General Assembly takes action on Governor Youngkin’s vetoes and recommendations More documents filed in the Goldman v. Brink case to force a 2022 House of Delegates electionThe Virginia Film Festival is taking submissions and Virginians get a breakCharlottesville City Council approves a rezoning for 170 units in the Fry’s Spring areaAn update on the elevators at Midway ManorFirst-shout is for the Saturday premiere of Raised/RazedIn today’s first subscriber-supported shout-out, Preservation Piedmont wants you to know about this Saturday’s premiere of Raised/Razed, a film by filmmaker Lorenzo Dickerson and Jordy Yager about the life and destruction of Vinegar Hill, one of the oldest African American neighborhoods in Charlottesville. The Maupintown Media production charts the lives of residents over nearly a century as they built prosperity in the face of racially discriminatory policies at every level. The film will be willl be shown outdoors at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center at 8 p.m. Tickets are available on the center’s website with donations to be divided between seven Black-led organizations. Visit https://jeffschoolheritagecenter.org/ to learn more. General Assembly convenes for veto session Virginia legislators returned to Richmond yesterday to continue the 2022 regular session of the General Assembly by responding to vetoes and recommendations from Governor Glenn Youngkin. Before both the House of Delegates and Senate convened at noon, the House Democratic Caucus met and ousted minority leader Eileen Filler-Corn. Brandon Jarvis of the Virginia Political Newsletter reports a secret ballot motion to remove Filler-Corn passed with 25 votes. That’s the minimum required by caucus by-laws. There are 48 Democrats in the 100-member House of Delegates. Jarvis reports a motion to remove Delegate Charniele Herring failed. There was no vote for a new leader. In total, Youngkin had vetoed 26 bills and made recommended changes to 117 others. David Blount, legislative liaison for the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, reports in his update to area officials that none of the vetoes were overridden. Blount reports that no action was taken on the state budget, but the chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee had an update. “We’re working to resolve our differences while also maintaining the Senate position as it relates to the importance of funding core services, especially in the areas of education and health and human services,” said Senator Janet Howell. For a full recap of the action on the vetoes and recommendations, check out the Virginia Mercury’s coverage.We’ll hear more from Howell in tomorrow’s installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Attorney General’s office files briefs in 2022 House race caseThe final round of briefs in a federal case to force a House of Delegates race this November may have been filed this week. Richmond Attorney Paul Goldman filed suit against the Board of Elections last year claiming the certification of winning candidates in the 2021 race was not valid because the districts are outdated because they are based on the 2010 Census.In March. the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals sent the case back to the Eastern District of Virginia to answer the question of whether Goldman has the right to have filed the suit. In a new brief filed on Monday, Solicitor General Andrew Ferguson argues Goldman does not have standing. “Goldman’s brief is long on rhetoric but falls short on standing—the only question the Fourth Circuit authorized this Court to answer,” reads the motion. “He offers no explanation of how he has suffered the sort of particularized injury-in-fact that Article III requires for any plaintiff who wants to invoke federal jurisdiction.”The brief goes on to argue that the action by the Virginia Supreme Court to adopt new legislative boundaries in late December did nothing to invalidate the elections of 2021. “The Supreme Court merely drew the maps for the next election,” the motion continues. “The Commonwealth of Virginia’s conduct of the 2021 election did not violate the United States Constitution.”The brief also argues that a federal judicial order to hold a state election this year would be intrusive and would lead to “judicially created confusion.”  The state also argues that oral argument on this question is not necessary.In response, Goldman filed a surrebuttal arguing that the state’s latest motion introduced new matters that he deserves to have the right to respond to. On Tuesday, Judge David Novak issued an order supporting Goldman’s request to consider a case called Avery v. Midland County as he reviews how to proceed with the case. JMRL celebrating Poem in Your Pocket DayIf you happen to be on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall today, you may have someone approach you with a small scroll. If so, take it, and rejoice that you have been handed an item of poetry. The Jefferson Madison Regional Library is once again celebrating Poem in Your Pocket Day at several locations throughout the area.“On this annual international day honoring the power of poetry to inspire and delight, children, teens and adults are invited to stop by any JMRL library branch to pick out a poem scroll tied with a bow,” reads the information release for the day. “Unwrap it, and possibilities unfold: read it to yourself, share it with someone close (or even a stranger), or just tuck it in your pocket for a rainy day.” The library system has teamed up with local businesses and other organizations for this occasion. Partners include: 2nd Act Books, Botanical Fare, Chaps, Mudhouse (Downtown), Splendora’s Gelato (Shops at Stonefield), UVA Medical Center, and Virginia Discovery Museum.There’s also a virtual program at 2 p.m. with “An Afternoon with Laura Shovan.”  The poet and children’s author will discuss her work with Supervising Children’s Librarian Tasha Birckhead. Shovan is the author of The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary. Tonight at 7 p.m. there will a Poetry in the Park at Market Street Park next to the library. Everyone is to read their favorite poem at an open mic event. That goes through 8:30 p.m. Virginia Film Festival waiving fees for Virginia filmmakersThe Virginia Film Festival is six months away but time is running shorter to enter your submission. If you live within the Commonwealth or attend a school here, you can send in your work without having to pay a fee. “The VAFF showcases celebrated new narrative and documentary features, independent and international projects, fresh perspectives on timeless classics, and local filmmakers from throughout Virginia,” reads the submission webpage.For those outside Virginia, the Early Bird Deadline is June 6, 2022 and you can submit a feature for $30 or a short for $10. For reference, features are anything over 31 minutes. The regular deadline is June 27, 2022 and those fees go up to $50 and $25 respectively. Students from all over the world can submit their work, regardless of length, for $10. The 2022 Virginia Film Festival begins November 2 and runs through November 6. Second shout-out is for the Rivanna River Fest and an E-Bike demoIn today’s second Patreon-fueled shout-out, did you know we are now in the middle of the Rivanna River Fest? A host of partners including the Rivanna Conservation Alliance and the Nature Conservancy are holding a series of events this week to celebrate that waterway that helps define urban Albemarle and Charlottesville. This all culminates in the main event this Sunday, May 1, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Rivanna River Company on the banks of the Rivanna. This includes the Rivanna River Paddle Race, the virtual Fix a Leak Family 5K, There will also be Water Quality Monitoring Demonstrations, City Nature Challenge, Pop-up Environmental Education Activities, and a Guided Bird Walk at Riverview Park. Learn more at rivannariver.org!In the same area on the same day, there will be an ebike demo day at Meade Park this Sunday, May 1, from 2:00-4:00. A pair of interested ebike owners in town will be bringing their bikes, and anybody who's interested can stop by, ask questions, and take test rides. They will have some ebikes with seats for children. If you’re going, drop them a line in this form. Council considering amendment of Friendship Court agreementThe current Charlottesville City Council had the chance this month to check in with the redevelopment of Friendship Court. The Piedmont Housing Alliance came before Council on April 18 with a request to amend an agreement that governs a $6 million forgivable loan granted in November 2020 for the first phase. The amendment is a technical one because the full amount had not been allocated by Council in a subsequent budget cycle. Brenda Kelley is the redevelopment manager for the city of Charlottesville, a position currently housed in the Office of Community Solutions. “This request is not asking for additional funding,” Kelley said. “This funding is already approved in this current budget.” Council had no issue with the amendment. “This was kind of staggered mostly because of COVID,” said City Councilor Sena Magill. “Friendship Court was really trying to help ease some of the potential future unknown burden that we might be facing with COVID.” The item will require a second reading and it will be on the consent agenda for the May 2 meeting. Construction of the first phase of Friendship Court is now underway. See also: Council approves agreement for Friendship Court funding, October 30, 2020 Council approves rezoning for 240 Stribling, new agreement to pay for sidewalksCharlottesville City Council has voted to rezone nearly 12 acres of land in the Fry’s Spring neighborhood in order for Southern Development to build 170 units. They also voted for the first time on a proposal that would tie a specific infrastructure project to increased revenues that will be generated by higher property taxes. “This is going to allow us to get infrastructure that we need in that part of the city that we would not have otherwise done,” said Councilor Brian Pinkston. Approval came at the April 18, 2022 meeting. Last year, the City Planning Commission recommended approval of the rezoning but only if Stribling Avenue would be upgraded as part of the development.Southern Development agreed to loan the city $2.9 million to pay for sidewalks and drainage on Stribling Avenue. Interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers recommended against the agreement as it was written at Council’s first reading on March 21. “We did have discussions with the developer, [Charlie] Armstrong, and we did come to agreement, a funding agreement,” Rogers said The amended agreement would keep the loan at $2.9 million. The idea has always been that Southern Development would be paid back through the tax revenue generated by higher assessments based on the new development. The initial agreement would have given Southern Development 100 percent of the new tax revenue, but that would have been against the city’s policy to allocate a percentage of new real estate tax funds towards education. “We negotiated that it would be 60 / 40 and 60 percent would go to repay the loan,” Rogers said. “And we agreed for that arrangement, it would be a longer financing agreement.” The city will also allocate $1.3 million funding in the Capital Improvement Program for the project as well to cover the costs and possible overruns. “And from discussions with the engineer, that should be enough to cover the project,” Rogers said. Armstrong said the $2.9 million will be available to the city shortly.“The agreement stipulates that we would have those funds available and drawable by the city before we can pull a land disturbing permit,” Armstrong said. City engineer Jack Dawson said he did not have a timeline when the roadway would be upgraded, but said planning work on Stribling would commence on July 1 if not before. “Which means finding a consultant, doing the planning, community outreach, all of the things that go into development of a project of this size,” Dawson said. Charlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook was persuaded to proceed. “If the neighbors’ concern is that somehow the developer is going to withhold the construction of the community assets until everything else is done, that’s not going to be happening,” Snook said. Armstrong said he is hoping to be under construction within 12 to 18 months. The project will be constructed in 20 phases. Snook said the intersection of Stribling and Jefferson Park Avenue Extended also needs to be improved. “That’s the kind of thing it strikes me as a manageable problem and one that we can continue to work toward for solutions,” Snook said. “It doesn’t seem to me to be an insurmountable problem.” Deputy City Manager Sam Sanders said Council would get an update in the future on how Stribling would be maintained at a time when construction of both 240 Stribling and the upgrade to the street are underway.“We will bring back to you more details on how we will manage this project unlike maybe how we’ve done other projects in the past because this one is such a significantly complicated and somewhat controversial project,” Sanders said. Councilor Michael Payne said the city should be able to better analyze how much economic value a developer gets for lots that are rezoned. “So that we can understand our position vis-a-vis the developer in a situation like this when we are in a way going to be informally negotiating,” Payne said. “I will say I don’t think that we were perhaps were careful in our analysis in setting ourselves up for this.” Payne voted in favor of the rezoning and the agreement, which passed unanimously. Midway Manor Elevator updateFinally today, in Tuesday’s program, there was a section on Council’s approval of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s approval of $23 million in tax-exempt bonds to cover the costs of purchasing and renovating Midway Manor. Councilor Michael Payne had expressed concern about a faulty elevator. I checked in with Standard Communities and received this statement yesterday.“We continue to plan for a comprehensive renovation and upgrade of Midway Manor, which is expected to begin later this year in conjunction with the implementation of extended affordability protections for the property. Recognizing that the elevators were in need of more immediate attention, we have accelerated the modernization of both elevators at the property, with on-site work currently underway. In efforts to minimize disruption to residents, one elevator car is being worked on at a time, with the entire project expected to be complete within the next 8 weeks.” - Steven Kahn, Director, Standard CommunitiesTing will match your initial paid subscription to this newsletter!For one year now, Town Crier Productions has a 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

April 20 is Chinese Language Day but perhaps more importantly, 4/20 is also Lima Bean Respect Day, National Banana Day, and National Cheddar Fries Day. Is there anything else that signifies this day? While you ponder that question, I’ll tell you that this is Charlottesville Community Engagement, a program back from a brief break and ready to get going with another year of information as it flows. On today’s program:Charlottesville City Council gets an update on what environmental staff are doing to plan for climate actionFatalities on Virginia roads reached a 14-year high in 2021Andy Parker concedes in the 5th District race to be the Democratic nomineePaul Goldman explains in writing to a federal judge why he thinks a House of Delegates race must be run this year And the Virginia House of Finance advances a bill to provide a three month period where fuel haulers would not have to pay a tax to the state of Virginia First shout-out goes to the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority for e-waste collection dayIn today’s first subscriber supported public service announcement, the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority wants you to know about Electronic Waste Collection Day coming up on April 23, 2022. Residents of both Albemarle County and Charlottesville have the opportunity to drop off old electronics from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ivy Material Utilization Center. Permissible items include computers, printers, VCRs, stereos and televisions and people can dispose of up to ten items. Only two tube-style monitors or televisions per person! You must register in advance online where you will be give a time slot. Registration is limited to 110 people per hour. Visit rivanna.org for more information.Crashes reached 14-year high in Virginia in 2021Nine hundred and sixty-eight people died on Virginia roads last year. That’s the highest number in 14 years, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Fatalities were up in several categories including speed-related crashes, pedestrians, motorcyclists, young drivers, and bicyclists. The acting commissioner of the DMV is urging people to slow down, wear seat belts, and avoid distractions. “Vehicles and roadways are safer than they ever have been, yet we continue to lose lives to senseless crashes,” said Linda Ford, who is also Governor Glenn Youngkin’s highway safety representative. “Do your part to help.”Last year’s numbers in Virginia are part of a national trend toward higher fatalities in 2021 when over 31,000 people died across the United States in the first nine months. The full data for the whole country will be available later this year. 2022 might be worse than 2021. So far this year, 245 people have been killed on Virginia roadways, which is a 12 percent increase over last year. Parker concedes Democratic nomination to ThroneburgA candidate who failed to get a thousand signatures to be on the Democratic ballot in the June 21 primary has conceded to the only one who met that threshold. Andy Parker made his announcement via Twitter on Monday.“I was looking forward to a spirited primary and campaign against [incumbent Bob] Good but did not meet the technical requirements to be on the primary ballot,” Parker wrote in the tweet. Parker’s daughter was murdered on live television while doing a report from Smith Mountain Lake in 2015, along with her colleague. The default nominee, Josh Throneburg, noted this in his statement on Parker’s concession. "Andy is a person who rose from the ashes of his tragic personal loss and dedicated himself to a life of public service,” Throneburg wrote in a statement. “He was a tireless advocate who wanted to shield other families from the terrible grief he experienced, and I know his mission doesn’t end with this race.” First-term incumbent Bob Good faces Dan Moy in the Republican convention to be held on May 21 at Hampden Sydney College in Prince Edward County. That’s right in the middle of the new Fifth District as drawn by two Special Masters appointed by the Virginia Supreme Court last year to complete the redistricting process. Goldman files new motion arguing for oral arguments in suit to force 2022 Delegate electionWhen the statewide primary is held on June 21, will there be candidates for the House of Delegates on the ballot? Richmond attorney Paul Goldman hopes so and filed a new document on Monday arguing why Judge David Novak should not dismiss the case. To recap, Goldman filed suit against the Virginia Board of Elections last year asserting that their certification of the 2021 election was unlawful because the districts were based on the 2010 Census. Goldman argues that action violates the principle of “one person, one vote” because some legislative districts are much larger than others. “The old House District 87 ranked as the most populated with 130,192 inhabitants,” Goldman writes on page seven. “Old House District 75 ranked as the least populated with 67,404 inhabitants.” The response goes into detail in its claim that this deviation is unconstitutional and deserves a remedy in the form of an election this year based on the new districts. At heart, Goldman argues that none of the current members of the House of Delegates are in legally valid districts, citing the Cosner v. Dalton case that forced a House of Delegates race in 1982. (learn more on Wikipedia)Virginia’s Solicitor General has until April 25 to respond to Goldman’s response. Second shout-out goes to a Charlottesville Jazz Society event this weekendIn today’s second subscriber-supported shout-out, the Charlottesville Jazz Society is partnering with the Front Porch and the Tom Tom Festival to host musician Joel Harrison and Free Country this upcoming Saturday. The free show will feature the guitarist, composer, and vocalist with the touring band of Adam Larrabee on guitar, Stephan Crump on bass, and Jordan Perlson on drums. The timeless, haunting melodies of this music anchor the flights of improvisation that the band creates anew every night. The tour is funded in part by South Arts through the auspices of the Doris Duke Fund and the Jazz Road initiative. For more information, visit frontporchcville.org! Charlottesville City Council briefed on climate actionEarlier this year, the nonprofit group Community Climate Collaborative waged a campaign to get Charlottesville City Council to push staff toward meeting the city’s greenhouse gas emission goals. On July 1, 2019, Council adopted a goal of reducing community-wide gas emissions by 45 percent of 2011 levels by 2030, and to be carbon neutral by 2050. Council had an hour-long work session on the issue on Monday. Kristel Riddervold, the city’s environmental sustainability and facilities development manager, led off the discussion.“The city of Charlottesville has had an active climate program since 2007 when it committed to reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by joining the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement,” Riddervold said. (watch the update)Riddervold said the City reaffirmed that commitment by also joining the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, which offers resources for both reduction of gasses and adaptation to changing weather patterns. “We use the terms climate action to be the umbrella for both of these areas of focus,” Riddervold said. The presentation covered what work has been underway since the July 2019 goal was endorsed by Council. Riddervold said there have been stumbling blocks to preparing a specific climate action plan, and that includes the adoption of a new Comprehensive Plan. She also said going through several city managers during that time has been an issue, as has been the loss of top management in city government.“I for example have been serving not only as the environmental sustainability manager, but also since mid-2018, the facilities development manager, and have been pulled into a variety of roles and responsibilities,” Riddervold said. The city is currently taking applications for a climate program specialist to assist with planning and action. The job closes April 29, if you know of anyone. “What we are looking at now is a reboot of focused effort to bring this process back on the rails and to get back on the same page,” Riddervold said. Riddervold acknowledged the frustration on the part of climate groups and she asked for their support going forward.Susan Elliott, the city’s climate protection manager, said a climate hazard assessment is complete, a climate vulnerability assessment is underway, and the adaptation plan will be ready for review next year.“In parallel with these planning activities on these two tracks, we are also still delivering a program aimed at supporting and achieving greenhouse gas emissions across our community,” Elliot said. “What we have seen when we look at our emissions community-wide is that approximately 95 percent of emissions are coming from the community outside of our local government control and about five percent are from our municipal operations.” About 30 percent comes from residential, 30 percent comes from transportation, and 30 percent comes from commercial uses. That will inform where government resources will go. “This includes supporting and funding energy efficiency improvements including hundreds of home energy assessments annually, helping to find gap fill measures so that our low-income houses are as eligible for as many utility-funded programs as possible, providing EnergySmart home rebates, [and] the Commercial and Clean Energy Loan Fund,” Elliott said.Other recent initiatives:This month, the city hired CMTA Energy Solutions to review public buildings to see how energy and water usage could be reduced (press release)Charlottesville Area Transit is conducting a study of how vehicles might transition to alternative fuels Charlottesville participated in an urban heat island study last summer (press release)Lower occupancy in city buildings due to the pandemic lead to less water and energy use (press release)This morning, the city also released two public surveys to help inform future planning efforts. One is a climate action survey and the other is a climate vulnerability survey. Both will close on May 20. Youngkin’s bill to temporarily eliminate gas tax advances The Virginia General Assembly is in special session but have not had much action. Yesterday, the House of Delegates Finance Committee heard testimony of a bill sent down from Governor Glenn Youngkin that would waive the state motor fuel tax from May 1 to July 31. “The purpose for this bill is to help cut the cost for Virginia families and fight the price of gasoline that has increased 48 percent in the last 12 months,” said Delegate Tara Durant (R-28). “This uses unanticipated transportation revenues to provide Virginians much needed tax relief.”Under the bill, the tax would be restored to half-strength in August and September before going back to normal in October. Speaking to the bill, Transportation Secretary Shep Miller talked about its fiscal impact. “The revenue impact for the FY22-24 budget that I am responsible for is about $470 million,” Miller said. “That’s about a 12 percent reduction in the motor fuels over the 26 month period in question. The total [Commonwealth Transportation Fund] collections during that same period is about $14 billion. So this represents about a three percent reduction in the CTF collections during that period.”Democrats are skeptical that any of the reduction in the tax will translate to lower prices at the pump because consumers don’t actually pay the tax. Here’s Delegate Vivian Watts (D-39).“I wanted to make sure that the patron was aware that the gas tax is collected when the tanker truck fills up,” Watts said. “There’s no guarantee at all that when I fill up my tank that if there’s no gas tax charged that I’m going to benefit from this.” Delegate Sally Hudson (D-57) said many in the state want to invest more in transportation. “When I hear from Virginians, I hear them tell me that they think our transportation infrastructure or even behind, that the roads are too crowded, their commutes are too long, the buses are infrequent and unreliable,” Hudson said. “We have nothing approaching modern commuter trains.” Durant said no existing projects would be cut, but this would just lower the amount of funds available in exchange for tax relief. Testimony against the bill came from Virginians for Better Transportation, the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Virginians for High Speed Rail, the Old Dominion Highway Contractors Association, the New Virginia Majority, the Southern Environmental Law Center, the Commonwealth Institute, and the Virginia Association for Commercial Real Estate“This coalition includes some pretty strange bedfellows,” said Trip Pollard of the Southern Environmental Law Center. Testimony in favor of the bill came from a series of individuals representing small businesses or speaking to their own pain.“I’d rather spend the money than have the government spend the money,” said Colonel Courtney Whitney, who served in the Youngkin campaign. Democrats on the committee sought to introduce a substitute that would issue a direct tax relief to Virginians for each registered motor vehicle, but the effort failed. On voice vote, the motion to advance the bill passed and it will now move to the House Appropriations Committee. No meetings are currently scheduled. Support Town Crier Productions through Ting!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

Admittedly, it is quite difficult to get the hang of Thursdays, but many of us endeavor to try. April 14 is the 15th such day of the year, and this is the equivalent edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Both the sonic version and its the textual counterpart seek to bring you to up to date on things you may not yet have known. I’m your host, Sean Tubbs. On today’s program:A Charlottesville minister has become the Democrat’s de facto candidate in the race for the 5th District seat in the U.S. House of RepresentativesMore documents have been filed in a lawsuit seeking to force a House of Delegates race this year Trees have come down on Garrett Street to make way for the redevelopment of Friendship Court Nelson County Board of Supervisors are asked to allow a mobile home park in the rural area to help provide more affordable housing opportunitiesFirst shout-out goes to the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority for e-waste collection dayIn today’s first subscriber supported public service announcement, the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority wants you to know about Electronic Waste Collection Day coming up on April 23, 2022. Residents of both Albemarle County and Charlottesville have the opportunity to drop off old electronics from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ivy Material Utilization Center. Permissible items include computers, printers, VCRs, stereos and televisions and people can dispose of up to ten items. Only two tube-style monitors or televisions per person! You must register in advance online where you will be give a time slot. Registration is limited to 110 people per hour. Visit rivanna.org for more information.Throneburg becomes Democrat’s default nominee for 5th DistrictOnly one candidate in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District has correctly filed the paperwork required to be on the ballot for the June 21, 2022 statewide primary. That means Democrat Josh Throneburg will face the winner of the May 21 Republican convention in the general election.Neither Warren McClellan nor Andy Parker turned in enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, as Throneburg announced on Twitter on Tuesday. “We just received word a couple of hours ago that I am officially a Democratic nominee for Congress in Virginia’s 5th District.” Throneburg is an ordained minister and small business owner who lives in Charlottesville. He grew up in a small town in Illinois. The candidate raised $270,154 in 2021, according to data collected by the Virginia Public Access Project. Candidates seeking to be in the June 21 primary had until April 7 to turn in ballots to their party for verification. To get on the primary ballot, a candidate needed 1,000 registered voters in the district to sign a petition. A source in the Virginia Democratic Party confirmed a Washington Post report that Parker turned in 1,093 ballots, but only 937 of them were verified as valid. Democrats in all eleven of Virginia’s Congressional districts chose to hold a primary, whereas Republican Committees in only seven chose that route. The other four will hold a convention, including the 5th District. The Republican convention will be held in the Kirby Field House at Hampden-Sydney College. Incumbent Bob Good faces Charlottesville attorney Dan Moy (convention details).As of the end of 2021, Good had raised $518,278 and Moy reported no funds. The next set of campaign reports to the Federal Election Commission are due tomorrow. In his announcement, Throneburg said he believes he can win.“We currently have a Freshman incumbent who is deeply out of touch with the people in this district,” Throneburg said. This will be the first election under the new boundaries of the Fifth District, for which Albemarle County is the northern boundary. New documents filed in Goldman suit to force 2022 House of Delegates electionThe current plan is for the new legislative districts for the Virginia General Assembly to go into effect with next year’s state races, but a lawsuit seeking a race this year is still alive in the federal court. Richmond attorney Paul Goldman sued the Department of Elections last year alleging the results of the 2021 House of Delegates should only be certified for one year because otherwise they would be unconstitutional. In March, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals sent Richmond attorney Paul Goldman’s suit back to the Eastern District of Virginia to determine whether he has the standing to bring the case. On March 25, Goldman submitted a detailed statement that documents his potential candidacy for the 68th House District in 2022 as well as a potential bid for Lieutenant Governor. Paragraph 22 points out that he now lives within the 78th District. (Notice of Additional Facts Relevant to Standing)“The old 68th District no longer exists as a legal entity recognized under the Constitution of Virginia as pointed out by Article II, Section 6 [of the Virginia Constitution],’” reads paragraph 27.“Accordingly, Plaintiff has no representative in the General Assembly that is constitutionally required to represent his interests or been constitutionally selected to be his said representative,” reads paragraph 28.  The Virginia Supreme Court finalized new legislative maps on December 28. On April 1, the Virginia Attorney General’s office filed a motion to dismiss the case once again for lack of standing. Goldman has until April 18 to respond and the defendants have until April 25 to make their reply. Trees come down on Garrett Street to make way for Friendship Court’s first phaseCrews removed several decades-old White Oak trees on Garrett Street this morning as part of a Piedmont Housing Alliance project to redevelop Friendship Court. The trees were removed as part of the first phase of the development, which got underway with a groundbreaking in January. Phase one is being constructed on a former open field. Piedmont Housing CEO Sunshine Mathon said the trees’ removal ended up being necessary due to complex topography involving a waterway that travels below the site.“We were not 100 percent sure until meeting with City staff to finalize sidewalk replacement, utilities, etc. along Garrett,” Mathon wrote in an email to Charlottesville Community Engagement this morning. Mathon said the removal of the trees is an example of a trade-off related to the need for new buildings to be set back from the street. Accommodating the channeled Pollocks Branch reduced the amount of buildable area. “The residents and the rest of the design team were balancing building footprints, number of total units, housing typologies (multifamily + townhomes), a new Community Center and Early Learning Center, ample amounts of open green space (including existing and new tree cover), parking needs, and interconnection with future phases,” Mathon continued. Mathon said the remaining phases should not have similar constraints related to Pollocks Branch and that more of the mature tree canopy in those sections could be preserved. Phase one is expected to be completed by the end of 2023. Mathon also said the wood from the trees will be used to make furniture and other products in the future. Second shout-out goes to CBIC for the WeFunder Pitch nightIn today’s second subscriber supported shout-out, the Charlottesville Business Innovation Council wants you to know about a unique event coming up on April 19 that aims to provide investment opportunities for regular people. CBIC is teaming up with WeFunder for live equity based financing for local start-ups who need capital. Recent changes in regulations allow for the event, where people can invest directly in these companies in exchange for early equity. The event will take place at 4:30 p.m. April 19 at the Irving Theater in the CODE building. Nelson County Supervisors consider Ridgecrest Mobile Home ParkThe Nelson County Board of Supervisors heard from the public Tuesday on a proposal to build a mobile home park near the Ridgecrest Baptist Church on U.S. 29 north of Lovingston. Civil engineer Justin Shimp needed a special use permit for the project. Shimp said he was pursuing the project to help provide more housing that can be affordable to households with lower incomes. “Five years ago, I would not have thought about this and didn’t think it would be needed because of affordability, but such are the increases in cost that achieving housing for folks who don’t make $100,000 a year is very difficult,” Shimp said. Shimp said mobile home parks can be a good way to provide housing at a lower cost.“One can buy a new mobile home so as little as $60,000 to pay to set it up,” Shimp said. “You could then rent a mobile home pad for around $400 a month. That is a much different sort of price point for folks than typical housing stock.”Shimp said under his arrangement, the people who would live there would own a share of the common areas and could sell those shares in the future. “I think this park investor opportunity will be a way for people who historically haven’t been able to set anchor somewhere would be able to buy in and take ownership of that and it will be good for the community,” Shimp said. The Planning Commission voted 4-1 in March on the proposal but set 33 conditions for Supervisors to consider in their review. Several neighbors of the proposed park spoke at the public hearing. One person wanted to know what Nelson County’s standards are for mobile homes and how wastewater would be handled. “Has there or will there ever be done a study on the effects of 51 additional homes on the water source?” asked Larry Shelton. Another person was concerned about the entrance off of U.S. 29. “You have to be very careful with any kind of proposals about how you’re going to get the trailers in there, how is this going to happen, how this is going to affect the residents that are there,” said Tonya Bradley. Another person was concerned that allowing 51 units in the rural area was not acceptable under the Comprehensive Plan. The debate got heated as South District Craig Barton peppered Shimp with questions about the cost of housing. Barton said he was skeptical the trailer park would work. “Have you thought about ways to figure out how to get it so people who live in this country can be able to afford a house?” Barton asked. “What could be done as a builder to help you build a house that a person will know will increase in value in his lifetime?” Shimp said there was little that the Nelson County Board of Supervisors could do. The conversation broke down as West District Supervisosr J. David Parr tried to establish order. Barton said he did not think it was likely that the trailers would increase in value. “The problems of housing are real and we need to deal with those problems,” Barton said. “Whether or not a mobile home will help in solving this problem, I don’t know. I think probably not.” Shimp said there was ample water on the site, and that many of the neighbors would be on the other side of Muddy Creek, which would mean any wells would not affect their groundwater. There were only four Supervisors present when it was time to take a vote as North District Supervisor Tommy Harvey was not in attendance. “There are aspects of this project that I think are positive and admirable, but the density concerns me,” said Central District Supervisor Ernie Reed. Parr supported the project, as did East District Supervior Jesse Rutherford. He is chair of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission and sits on the Regional Housing Partnership. “More often than not the struggle always comes down to how to make something affordable, Rutherford said. “Question always comes down to where is the appropriate place. I’ve found if you put it near an area that’s meant for high density, folks usually may not like it. And if you put it in the middle of nowhere folks might not like it and you’re going to get that perspective no matter which way you look at it.” Rutherford said the only way to attain affordability is through density. He said the Comprehensive Plan update needs to consider this as Nelson considers how to make housing attainable for more people. Given Harvey’s absence, Supervisors opted to continue the matter to the next meeting. That will give Shimp more time to respond to some of the questions asked. Watch the video:Support Town Crier Productions through Ting!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

The Virginia General Assembly reconvened yesterday to finish work on the state budget and almost fifty bills; State lawmakers are back to negotiating the thorny politics of seating two new justices to the Virginia Supreme Court; Two out of three judges on a federal appeals panel have agreed to allow a Fairfax County governor's school to continue with its current admissions process, at least for the next incoming class of students; and other local news stories.

In the first hour of The Vince Coglianese Show, Vince speaks Peter Vlanning and Chris Schandevel.  Peter isa high school teacher fired for avoiding the use of preferred pronouns of a student.  His lawsuit's oral arguments are being heard today in the Virginia Supreme Court.  Chris Schandevel is his legal counsel. For more coverage on the issues that matter to you visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 from 3-6pm. To join the conversation, check us out on social media: @WMAL @VinceCoglianese See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

California and Oregon join other Democrat states in lifting masking mandates. Virginia Supreme Court rejects petition to stop mask mandates.Canada PM Justin Trudeau can't back down to protestors. New Zealand is the latest country to join the freedom convoy. Capitol Police illegally surveil Texas Republican and Joey Puddin' Pop is a paper tiger.

As the third decade of the 21st century approaches, we all find ourselves living in a world we didn’t create and we do not understand. There are too many current challenges to list here, but I suspect many readers and listeners feel a lot of tension about the future. The goal of Charlottesville Community Engagement is to provide a bit of relief in the form of information and context, all with an aim of helping as many people as possible at least try to understand. I’m Sean Tubbs, and that hope is what’s fueled my entire career. Don’t miss an installment or podcast! Sign up! On today’s program:Charlottesville’s Fire Chief gives an update on his efforts to move the Fire Department into the 21st century by playing a major EMS role Dr. Denise Bonds of the Blue Ridge Health District updates City Council on COVID and vaccinations And City Council tells staff to advertise a tax rate increase of ten cents as they build the budget year for fiscal year 2023The first shout-out goes to LEAPWhen you think of romance, you might not immediately think of energy efficiency - but the folks at LEAP think keeping your family comfortable at home is a great way to show you care during the month of love. Your local energy nonprofit wants to make sure you are getting the most out of your home all year round, and LEAP offers FREE home weatherization to income- and age-qualifying residents. If someone in your household is age 60 or older, or you 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!Charlottesville Pandemic updateAll of today’s program focuses on Council and let’s start with the second thing first, followed by the last thing second, and the first thing last. The director of the Blue Ridge Health District appeared before Charlottesville City Council last night for another update on the pandemic. Dr. Denise Bonds reminded Council there’s been a surge of COVID cases since December that is only just now beginning to recede.“This of course represents omicron, the highly contagious variant that causes thousands and thousands of cases across the United States and really the world,” Dr. Bonds said. Today the Virginia Department of Health reports another 4,689 new cases and the percent positivity has further declined to 19.1 percent. Dr. Bonds said there is still a high transmission risk in the community that’s much higher than at most parts of the pandemic. She recommends people continue to be vigilant. “Even though generally omicron is much milder and we have a large percentage of our population that are vaccinated and thus either weren’t infected or didn’t suffer illness that was as serious, there’s a high number of unvaccinated individuals in our community who are still driving very high hospital numbers,” Dr. Bonds said. Dr. Bonds said this surge also saw increases in cases with children under the age of 11, particularly with vaccines still not being authorized for those under 5 but that may happen in the near future. “However the numbers are really still being driven by adults at this point in time,” Dr. Bonds said. So far, Dr. Bonds said the Omicron subvariant has yet to be found in Virginia. She urges people to continue to get vaccinated.“There have continued to be individuals that get their first vaccination and we’re up by almost a thousand individuals since the last time I spoke with you about a month ago so that’s great!” Dr. Bonds said. Dr. Bonds also said it is crucial that people who have not had their booster dose yet to get it as soon as possible. She also encourages people to upgrade their mask from cloth to at least a surgical or medical mask. Yesterday, the Virginia Supreme Court declined to hear a lawsuit filed by parents in Chesterfield County against Governor Glenn Youngkin’s revocation of a mask mandate in public schools. Councilor Sena Magill asked Dr. Bonds her opinion.“The CDC definitely recommends that mask use is an important mitigation strategy for both adults and children in school,” Dr. Bonds said. “I no longer have school age children but if I did have school age children I would have them wear masks in school.” Dr. Bonds said the long-term ramifications of a COVID infection are not yet known because even after nearly two years of a pandemic, the virus is still novel. For a list of places where you can get a vaccine, visit the Blue Ridge Health District website. Council directs staff on tax rate So far this year, Council has had two discussions of the budget for the next fiscal year but they gave their first significant direction Monday night. At their work session last Thursday, Council were told they needed to decide whether they wanted to advertise an increase in the tax rate above 95 cents per $100 of assessed value. For all of that discussion, go back to Saturday’s installment of this newsletter. Senior Budget Analyst Krisy Hammill said that a five-cent increase in the tax rate would not be enough to cover the additional debt service for a capital improvement plan that includes $75 million for renovations to Buford Middle School. Council also wants to honor the goal of putting $10 million toward affordable housing initiative for at least ten years. “In actuality, the five-cent tax increase does not afford the $75 million addition,” Hammill said. Hammill showed a variety of different scenarios, but said five-cents are all that is needed to be dedicated to capital. “Ten cents we don’t need,” Hammill said. “Seven isn’t quite there but seven and a half is a little more than we need so I think we’re somewhere seven and eight cents to comfortably cover $75 million.” The update to Council was not on the agenda for the meeting but was delivered during the report from the Interim City Manager. (February 7 presentation)Deputy City Manager Ashley Marshall said comparing tax rates doesn’t tell the whole picture. For instance, Roanoke has a tax rate of $1.22 per assessed value, but there’s a reason. “The average median house cost is $225,000 so when you think of that and a $1.22 tax rate, it’s going to hit a little different than in Loudoun County, where the average median home value is $625,000,” Marshall said. This year, residential assessments went up 11.7 percent and 67 households lost the ability to apply for tax relief because they now exceed the $375,000 cap. The city would have to ask the General Assembly for a charter amendment to increase that amount. Hammill showed a slide that depicted how much of a tax increase would occur. For instance, a hypothetical property assessed at $300,000 paid $3,487 in 2021. That would increase to $3,895 in 2022 without a tax increase. That would increase to $4,305 in 2022 with a ten cent tax increase. Deputy City Manager Sam Sanders said a ten cent tax increase would also allow more funding for the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund to meet the affordable housing fund, a local match to extend a federal grant for firefighters (see below) and more. That had the support of Vice Mayor Juandiego Wade.“I think that at least even though we may not do the whole ten cents to give the staff direction tonight at least to go with that so we know we can’t go higher but we can certainly go lower,” Wade said. Councilor Michael Payne said he would support that rate. “We’re not even having a serious conversation until you begin with a ten cent real estate tax increase because otherwise it is not affordable,” Payne said. “I’m comfortable with advertising that at the rate to start out conversation but I still don’t think that gets us to a point where we are having a realistic conversation about the state of our budget.”Mayor Lloyd Snook said he was concerned about raising the property tax rate this year because of the assessment increase, but called Charlottesville undertaxed. He said he wanted to increase a half-percent raise in the meals tax. That would yield just over $1.25 million according to staff projections. “At meals tax, we are at the moment I believe just a little on the low side and that may give us a little more than a million plus a year,” Snook said. Councilor Brian Pinkston said he supported the advertisement of ten cents.“I’m not personally convinced yet that we need to raise it by a dime,” Pinkston said. “Maybe we do. Maybe it’s seven and a half cents. I’m not sure. Maybe it’s just a nickel but for me it is just for the purposes of this conversation tonight is the advertisement piece.” Councilor Sena Magill took ownership.“I support advertising it,” Magill said. “It was my idea.” With that, the recommendation was officially made and check the classified section of the Daily Progress this weekend. The unscheduled conversation took an hour. At this point in mind, do remember that advertising a tax rate is not the same as adopting one. There are a lot more variables that may come into play between now and April. Some other budget items that were brought up include the potential of using $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to pay back the general fund for the use of FY21 surplus money to pay COVID-related bonuses to employees. The school system is also hoping to use up to $8 million in ARPA funding toward school infrastructure above and beyond school reconfiguration. “That’s still a number which is not in any of the scenarios that I presented to you,” Hammill said. Hammill said the budget staff is anticipating a surplus in FY22 as well as in previous years. “A lot of our big revenues, they are performing better than we had originally projected as we continue to recover from COVID,” Hammill said. Shout out to the Sisters Project Peru:In today’s second subscriber-supported public service announcement, this Friday an art auction will be held at the Fry’s Spring Beach Club to help raise funds for a sustainable medical clinic in rural Peru. The Sisters Project Peru was created to increase access to to healthcare in order to improve quality of life and empower women in Huacahuasi, a rural village in the Sacred Valley of Peru. The art auction will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with light refreshment and live music. Covid protocol is in effect and masks are required. Learn more at SistersProjectPeru.com. Registration in advance is required. Fire Chief Smith presents 21st century vision for the Charlottesville Fire DepartmentIn the early part of the City Council meeting, Fire Chief Hezedean Smith has a long conversation with the five-elected officials. Smith has been in the position since December 2020 and he wanted to reflect on the time so far. “There’s been a lot of tragedy within our community and fortunately our firefighters, they remain committed in terms of serving the community to their fullest, in spite of COVID and in spite of all the other challenges that they face,” Smith said. Last year, a structure fire on Cherry Avenue killed two people, the first fatalities from a fire since 2010. Smith said another challenge was the fire on January 13 at the Charlottesville Towers apartment complex in North Downtown. No one was killed, but many residents were displaced and returned to smoke-damaged units. “We’re committed and we’re embracing the forces that are impacting the 21st century fire and emergency services in our community, certainly in alignment with what’s going on across the United States, “ Smith said. “Charlottesville is no stranger to multiple all-hazards type of incidents that we have to be prepared to respond to.” During his time, the Fire Department has adopted a strategic plan which is “employee-driven.” Chief Smith said the goal is to become a “21st century fire service” as defined by a white paper issued by the Center for Public Safety Excellence. (read the white paper) (EMS Agenda 2050)“And alongside that, there’s an EMS agenda for the future which kind of looks at how you should prepare yourselves now as we move forward into the future and what are the elements related to an EMS system?”  Smith asked. “Fortunately for us we are a fire-based EMS system service model which is a little bit different than it was years ago when we were just focused only on fire. We are an all-hazards department.”Before Smith arrived, the Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded Charlottesville a nearly $3.5 million grant under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program. That allowed the fire department to hire 15 additional personnel. Last year the dispatch system was changed in order to speed up response times. “About eight minutes, ideally,” Smith said. “That’s the framework that we have established and ultimately we have demonstrated through a GIS analysis to confirm that we should be able to arrive at an incident within that period of time.” That dispatch system also matches the system used by Albemarle County in order to help regional cooperation and mutual aid. “And we are just basically trying to align our protocols and our response model to meet the needs of our community so at any one time we know where all of our units are located in the city,” Smith said. Smith said that later this month the Fire Department will release an app called PulsePoint to alert people to others who are having cardiac arrests nearby in the hopes of getting cardio-pulmonary resuscitation happening as early as possible. “We provide CPR training, we identify neighborhoods that are at risk, and education them on proper living and things of that sort,” Smith said. “It’s not just about running with lights and sirens to medical calls and car accidents and things of that nature. It’s actually becoming more engaged in our community and educating our community and hopefully they can recognize early signs and symptoms of strokes, heart attacks, and things of that sort.”Smith said data shows that the 10th and Page neighborhood in particular is first in cardiac arrests and third in diabetic emergencies.  Last year, representatives from the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad (CARS) complained to Council that the new dispatch system shuts them out of service calls. Smith said he has since met with their chief and other top officials and said they will play a role in the future. “One of their goals, goal 3, looks at mobile integrated health, exploring roles of the providers with mental health,” Smith said. “CARS’ community involvement, CPR training, stop-the-bleed training, all of those things are of essence for us,” Smith said. Smith’s appearance before Council came at the same time the budget for FY23 is being put together, including the five-year capital plan. The draft budget shows an additional spending of $1.2 million for a replacement for the bypass fire station, for a total of $4.2 million in authorization for bonds that have not yet been issued. Smith hopes Council will continue to support this expenditure and consider others in the future. “It’s dilapidated, it’s sad,” Chief Smith said. “I don’t know if you’ve been in there but it’s unfortunate that our firefighters have to live there. Ultimately the Ridge Street fire station also has to be on the roadmap as well because that is just as old if not older with cracks in the wall that we’ve been monitoring for a number of years.”The Ridge Street station was built in 1959. The bypass station was built in 1950, according to the city’s property records. Senior Budget Analyst Krisy Hammill said that additional money should fully fund the project. Chief Smith also said firefighters also have to be paid more and said they are not making as much as those in Albemarle. “I am pleading with you to support our firefighters because it ties in with retention, it ties in with recruitment, it ties in with their families,” Smith said. “I can probably count on one hand how many of them live in the city of Charlottesville. They travel for hours sometime to come and serve this community.” 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. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe

In the first hour of the morning show, Larry O'Connor and Julie Gunlock discussed the Virginia Supreme Court throwing out challenge to Youngkin's mask order, the fallout of Stacey Abrams, Justin Trudeau's war on truckers and HHS funding crack pipes. For more coverage on the issues that matter to you, visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 FM from 5-9 AM ET. To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @amber_athey and @patrickpinkfile. Show website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" podcast is sponsored by Cornerstone First Financial: https://www.cornerstonefirst.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some early morning ice snarls traffic; the Virginia Supreme Court weighs in on the school-masking debate. . . sort of; a band with Henrico ties earns national acclaim; the Henrico Education Foundation awards grants to 12 school projects; today is the last day to be tested for COVID-19 at Richmond Raceway.Today's Henrico News Minute is brought to you by Henrico County, which is celebrating Black History Month all month long with video biographies spotlighting Henrico's Black community. Support the show (http://www.henricocitizen.com/contribute)

Quick! Grab a glass and fill it to the fifty percent point with any liquid. How would you describe it? Perhaps for today only you might say it is half full, given that February 3 is Optimist Day, and it may be time to try out that attitude just for one day. That’s not a requirement, however, to interact with this or any installment of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a podcast and newsletter that wants you to listen and read no matter how you’re feeling today. I’m Sean Tubbs, and I will always hope that you are well.On today’s show:The Pantops Community Advisory Committee gets a briefing on a third hotel on U.S. 250The Places29-Rio Community Advisory Committee gets an update on the Rio Road Corridor PlanAlbemarle’s hope to use photo-speed cameras for traffic enforcement in rural areas is dead in 2022A quick look at the candidates seeking to be the next Congressional Representative for Virginia’s new 5th District The first shout-out goes to LEAPWhen you think of romance, you might not immediately think of energy efficiency - but the folks at LEAP think keeping your family comfortable at home is a great way to show you care during the month of love. Your local energy nonprofit wants to make sure you are getting the most out of your home all year round, and LEAP offers FREE home weatherization to income- and age-qualifying residents. If someone in your household is age 60 or older, or you 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!Pandemic update: Surge continues to wane Let’s begin today with a quick look at COVID numbers. Most numbers continue to trend toward, with an average daily count of new cases at 7,237 and the percent positivity is down to 23.2 percent. Still high for most of the pandemic, but short of the high points of last month’s surge. The Virginia Healthcare and Hospital Association reports 2,578 people in hospital with COVID. Today the Blue Ridge Health District reports another 297 new cases and the percent positivity is at 21.7 percent, continuing a gradual decline. There have been at least eight deaths reported since January 26, though COVID fatalities are often reported several days or weeks after the individual passed on. As of today, 16,548 Virginians have died from COVID. The University of Virginia Health System has received $2.14 million in federal grants for a program to help prevent burnout in medical professionals. The Wisdom and Wellbeing program works with partners at the Region 10 Community Mental Health and Wellness Coalition to provide training for healthcare workers across the region. “The program gives care providers, community health workers and healthcare students effective tools to identify and treat ‘stress injuries’ caused by trauma, loss and the many challenges healthcare workers face,” reads a press release.The program will be expanded through the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, an organization created after a UVA doctor took her own life in April 2020. Congressional fundraising continues for 2022 race as legal case for Delegates’ elections continues We’re still waiting for a final decision on whether there will be a House of Delegates race this year. Last year, Richmond attorney Paul Goldman filed a suit against the Board of Elections arguing that the certification of Delegates for two-year terms last November was unconstitutional due to the legislative boundaries being outdated because they are still based on the 2010 U.S. Census.Last week, attorneys affiliated with new Attorney General Jason Miyares took up the case and have asked judges with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to deny a request by Goldman to submit additional information in the appeal. Among other things, they argue that data Goldman used to claim imbalance in legislative districts cannot be verified. (read that brief)On Monday, the court deferred consideration of Goldman’s motion earlier. (read that order)Request for 2022 General Assembly election still alive in federal court, January 19, 2022Goldman lawsuit prompting Albemarle to consider expedited redistricting schedule, January 25, 2022 But there will definitely be a Congressional race this year under the new districts approved by the Virginia Supreme Court in late December. In the 5th District, Republican Incumbent Bob Good will defend his seat in seeking a second term. He currently has one member of his party challenging him and that’s Dan Moy, the chair of the Republican Party in Charlottesville. According to campaign finance data processed by the Virginia Public Access Project, Good raised $518,278 cash in 2021. Moy did not file a report in that filing period. Three Democrats are in the race. Josh Throneburg raised $270,154 in 2021. He’s an ordained minister and small business owner. Warren McClellan is a farmer who grew up in Southside and he raised $11,001.Andy Parker is running because his daughter was killed while she was doing a television report at Smith Mountain Lake several years ago. He had not filed a report by the end of 2021.  A fourth Democrat, Lewis Combs Jr., suspended his campaign last week due to the new shape of the 5th District. “As a result of our analysis, I have decided that there is not a viable path to victory for our progressive campaign in the 5th Congressional District,” Combs said in a statement “We are confident that our campaign could raise the funds and field the organization needed to run an effective campaign. However, I could not truthfully assure our potential donors that there is a pathway to victory in the general election.” General Assembly snapshot There’s so much going on at the General Assembly and a lot of bits of information may fall through the cracks. As of this morning, 184 of 2,446 bills and resolutions filed have officially failed. The House of Delegates has passed 250 bills and the Senate has passed 309 bills. A total of 139 bills have passed both Houses, with most of these being commendations or celebrations. Thirty-nine bills have been carried on to 2023. Albemarle County asked local legislators to introduce a bill that would allow localities to use photo-speed cameras to enforce speed limits on sections of rural roads. Delegate Rob Bell (R-58) carried HB747, but on January 27 a subcommittee of the House Public Safety Committee recommended “laying on the table” which is one way of saying it died. A similar bill (SB334) in the Senate also died when it failed to report out of the Transportation Committee on January 20. Crossover Day is on February 15. That’s the day when bills must have passed one House to be considered by the others. Third hotel planned for Pantops A lot happens in Albemarle County, and sometimes it takes me a bit to get to all I want to write about. Stories are coming in the near future on redistricting and Albemarle’s Comprehensive Plan process. If you can’t wait, do check out Allison Wrabel’s stories on those items in the Daily Progress. Albemarle launches website, seeks work group members for Comp Plan updateAlbemarle bumps up redistricting timeline, will hold public hearing March 2But, sticking with Albemarle County for a bit, let’s get some updates on various development projects coming up. At the January 24 meeting of the Pantops Community Advisory Committee, members learned about a site plan for a new project at the intersection of Town and Country Lane and Olympia Drive. Rachel Falkenstein is a planning manager with Albemarle. (watch the meeting)“The proposal there is for a five-story 119-room hotel and parking,” Falkenstein said. That use is consistent with the zoning, but the final design will need to get a certificate of appropriateness of the Albemarle Architectural Review board. “It’s right behind Guadalajara and Marco’s Pizza,” said Supervisor Bea LaPisto-Kirtley. “You’ll see some of it from U.S. 250.” The developer is HMP Properties LLC. They own several properties in the Williamsburg area and other parts of eastern Virginia.  This is not to be confused with another hotel under development right across the street. That’s got the working title of Overlook Hotel. The Planning Commission recommended approval of a technical rezoning for that project in January. The Board of Supervisors will make a final decision at some point, but the meeting has not yet been scheduled yet. There’s also a new Holiday Inn Express that’s opened on Pantops Corner Way.One member of the Pantops CAC asked a question that’s on many people’s minds. “Is there really a need for another hotel?” asked Stephanie Lowenhaupt. “Has there been documentation or some type of data that would show why we need a third hotel in that very close area?”Supervisor LaPisto-Kirtley said that’s not a decision that’s up to the local government, but the county does try to promote other uses where it can. “On properties we know that are vacant we try to elicit let’s say high-tech, light manufacturing, high-paying jobs,” LaPisto-Kirtley said. “On other sites like this, whoever owns it, they can do what they want. Presumably they’ve done their homework.” Two more shout-outs: Good cheer and community journalismYou’re reading Charlottesville Community Engagement and it’s time for two more Patreon-fueled shout-outs. The first comes a long-time supporter who wants you to know:"Today is a great day to spread good cheer: reach out to an old friend, compliment a stranger, or pause for a moment of gratitude to savor a delight."The second comes from a more recent supporter who wants you to go out and read a local news story written by a local journalist. Whether it be the Daily Progress, Charlottesville Tomorrow, C-Ville Weekly, NBC29, CBS19, WINA, or some other place I’ve not mentioned - the community depends on a network of people writing about the community. Go learn about this place today!Places29-Rio group reviews corridor plan One of the purposes of a Comprehensive Plan is to direct government resources into specific areas in order to maximize investment in infrastructure. For over forty years, Albemarle County has envisioned an urban area that gets the vast majority of capital dollars. Pantops is one of the designated growth areas, as is the area around the intersection of Rio Road and U.S. 29. (Rio Corridor Public Input page)For the past year, Albemarle has been working on a plan to address traffic congestion and a lack of walkability on Rio Road East in and around the intersection with the John Warner Parkway. They hired the firm Line and Grade to do the work which is being done in two phases. The first extends from the Rio Road / U.S. 29 intersection to the John Warner Parkway and a written draft is nearing completion. The second phase travels down Rio Road East to the border with Charlottesville. The Places29-Rio Community Advisory Committee got an update on January 27 from Dan Hyer of Line and Grade. Specifically he focused on the area of East Rio Road between the Parkway and Pen Park Road. Let’s hear some traffic counts. (watch the meeting) “And what we see is that this portion of Rio Road is at least as of the year 2019 carrying about 9,300 vehicles a day,” Hyer said. “We’re seeing that Pen Park Road carries about 4,400, Pen Park Lane which goes to Lochlyn Hills carries about a thousand. The John Warner Parkway carrying around 19,800. Dunlora Drive carries about 2,400 vehicles per day.” Hyer said those figures are likely out of date with more development in the area. “Lochlyn Hills has continued to develop and bring more vehicles and more neighbors and more residents in the area,” Hyer said. “The Lofts apartment has come online with it, again, more neighbors, more residents, high density, multifamily there.Dunlora Park has come online.” Hyer also the 43-unit Rio Commons project will be developed by-right on land already zoned R-4 just north of the Waldorf School. That will add another 300 vehicles a day. There’s also another by-right development of a farm nearby that could see many more units. Before Hyer was able to get into the details of what phase 2 might look like, members of the CAC questioned his traffic data. One wanted to know what the limits are to development.“At what point would traffic lead to so much that further development would be prohibited?” asked Audrey Kocher, who is serving in her third term on the Places29-Rio CAC. Hyer said development is based on land use decisions made by the locality so if land is already zoned for houses, the developer as a property right to build. “It has nothing to do with how much traffic is or is not on on the road already,” Hyer said.“Whoa!” Kocher exclaimed. “So we can just have a really crowded, dangerous situation.” The point of the plan is to address those public safety concerns in advance of future development. So far, crash data from the Virginia Department of Transportation does not indicate any fatalities. In the future, though, there will be a lot more activity on a 2,000 linear feet stretch of Rio Road East with the 328-unit Rio Point development approved by Board of Supervisors in December. The study is intended to bring it all together for the future. “The roadway is going from this to this and so its getting increasingly dense and increasingly complex and our recommendations need to consider this and account for this,” Hyer said. Hyer said the Rio Point project provides an opportunity to increase non vehicular access via the greenway that runs along the John Warner Parkway. “You can see that if that connection is successfully put in, it would be really helpful for someone who lives in Dunlora Forest and wants to get to the greenway, it might make it a little easier than going through the John Warner Parkway or going down to Pen Park,” Hyer said. There’s also a roundabout funded and planned for the intersection of the parkway and East Rio Road. The work of Line and Grade is intended to inform how the rest of the corridor might look in the future. Phase two is still in the idea phase. “If we want to bring unity to this stretch of road, which is happening, how do we do it?” Hyer asked. “What are the opportunities? And what is the desire?” CAC member Nancy Hunt liked what she saw in Hyer’s presentation because she sees further growth as inevitable. “We’re going to have more traffic,” Hunt said. “This is an urbanizing area and we have to treat all property owners equally. And if we give dense zoning to one, we need to look at the possibility of giving dense zoning to another.”Hunt said she wants speed limits on East Rio Road to be reduced to make it safer for other road users.Fellow CAC Member Judy Schlussel took issue with one image that showed a median on East Rio Road.“I find that as a red flag,” Schlussel said. “We all know now median strips are not maintained and it worries me that if you’re going to put this lovely greenery in, one, who is going to ultimately be responsible for the maintenance.” You can also get a sense of where things are in a January 26 newsletter. Support the showToday I will keep this simple. Visit Information Charlottesville to learn how you can support the show. 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’re now over a month past the solstice and I can assure you that there’s more light in our day and there will be an end to winter. For now, there certainly is a lot of cold and it’s a shame there’s no way to conduct a harvest. I’m Sean Tubbs and I spend my time indoors with the curtains drawn pouring through meetings and agendas to bring you Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter and podcast that wants you to keep track of the sky. On today’s show:Legislation to allow Charlottesville to hold a referendum on a one percent sales tax  increase for education has passed the SenateCharlottesville needs more time to respond to a lawsuit from a former city managerAlbemarle County begins the redistricting process and may accelerate it due to a pending federal lawsuit that could force House of Delegates races this NovemberCharlottesville’s public housing body is briefed on back rent owed by a third of tenants, and the city wants proposals for three quarters of a million dollars in affordable housing moneyFirst Patreon-fueled shout-out:With winter weather here, 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!Pandemic updateAs Virginia policy on COVID mitigation strategies continues to change with a new Governor, the numbers continue to come in. Today the Virginia Department of Health reports another 10,699 new cases and the seven day-percent positivity is at 29.5 percent. While the trend this week is downward, these numbers are still higher than at most points during the pandemic. In the Blue Ridge Health District, there are another 350 new cases reported today and the seven-day average for new positive tests is at 25.1 percent. There have been four new fatalities reported since Friday in the district. Augusta Health and the University of Virginia Health System are pleading with members of the public to get a COVID vaccination and a booster to reduce strain on the medical infrastructure. “After two years and four surges, COVID-19 has tragically claimed the lives and health of too many in our communities,” reads a joint press release from both entities. “Our care teams are exhausted, both physically and mentally.”The release points out that the vast majority of hospitalized patients are unvaccinated and urges people to get the booster. It also asks people to continue wearing a mask in public but to upgrade to one that is medical grade as opposed to a cloth mask.Richardson lawsuit updateThe city of Charlottesville has asked for more time to respond to a federal lawsuit from former City Manager Tarron Richardson. Richardson filed a civil rights suit in November in the Western District of Virginia against Council and four individuals claiming he was discriminated against after members of Council broke a non-disparagement clause. He was also barred from publishing an op-ed in the Daily Progress. Charlottesville asked for an extension to respond to the argument, and Judge Norman K. Moon has given them until February 16.  See also: Former City Manager Sues Charlottesville, November 24, 2021Chamber of Commerce welcomes new membersThree new people have been added to the Board of Directors for the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce.Eric Mayberry is the president of the Daily Progress as well as director of sales and local marketing. Jonathan Chasen is a private wealth financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors. Rebecca Ivins is a client solutions manager for Hourigan, a construction company that has worked on several projects in Charlottesville including the Dairy Central building, the CODE building, and the Apex building. Charlottesville sales tax bill clears Virginia SenateHere’s a snapshot of where the General Assembly was at the close of business yesterday. The Senate has passed 37 bills, and the House of Delegates of Delegates has passed three, all three of which deal with insurance. So let’s focus today on the 40-member Chamber, where Senator Chap Petersen’s bill to permit hunting on Sunday passed the full Senate on a 29 to 11 vote (SB8). Both Charlottesville and Isle of Wight County are one step closer to being able to hold a referendum for a one percent sales tax increase to support education. SB37 for Isle of Wight County passed on a 27 to 12 vote. SB298 for Charlottesville passed on a 28 to 12 vote. Another bill would allow all localities in Virginia to hold such a referendum also passed on a 28 to 12 vote (SB472). Other bills that have passed the Senate:Legislation to allow employers to offer rewards to people who get the COVID-19 vaccine through their health insurance wellness program has passed on a 19 to 17 vote (SB42)A bill to direct the Department of Health to create a prescription drug awareness program in conjunction with the Board of Pharmacy passed unanimously. (SB14)A locality’s planning commission would have up to 100 days to make a recommendation on a Comprehensive Plan amendment under a bill that passed the Senate on a 26 to 14 vote. (SB35)Candidates for constitutional officers for localities would be required to identify their party registration if the House agrees to (SB39) and Governor Youngkin signs it. The Senate voted 25 to 15.  The Senate unanimously approved a bill to float $101 million in bonds for projects at Virginia Tech and James Madison University (SB93).Juvenile and Domestic Courts could waive the requirement for the ceremonial occasion when a minor gets a driver’s license if SB139 if the House agrees. The Senate passed it unanimously. (SB139)Candidates for public office would have to file campaign finance reports electronically under SB222, which passed the Senate unanimously. Another bill to expand required disclosures for who pays for campaign advertisements also passed the Senate on a 23 to 15 vote (SB318). Finally for the Senate, a bill to allow Arlington County to appoint an independent police auditor passed on a 21 to 19 vote (SB388). Second Patreon-fueled shout out goes to WTJUAlgorithms 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 and get ready for the Folk Marathon, beginning on February 7. Consider a donation at wtju.net/donate.Public housing agency owed $100K in unpaid rent At last night’s meeting of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, one Commission noted that there is a great deal of unpaid rent on the agency’s books.“We have roughly a third of our public housing residents not paying their rent,” said John Sales, the CRHA’s executive director. In all, the CRHA is owed about $100,000 in back rent but Sales said that’s not the only financial hit public housing takes as a result because a federal match cannot be made. “And CRHA is not receiving the rental subsidy on it which negatively impacts the overall financial standing of the housing authority,” Sales said. The CRHA has been redirecting other funds towards covering the shortfall with grant funding covering April, May and half of June from last year. Sales said continuing lack of rent payment continues to trouble the federal government.“[The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development] is calling it out at every meeting and asks where we are doing to address it,” Sales said. The CRHA’s fiscal year ends on March 31. Sales said the agency is hiring an eviction prevention coordinator and housing stabilization position soon to work with families.“There is a policy now where the housing authority has to work with the families before moving forward with any eviction proceeding to at least get them to attempt to get the rent relief program,” Sales said. Sales said eviction is a last resort. The average rental payment is $247 a month and the monthly operating expense to run CRHA is currently $265,927. HUD considered CRHA to be a “troubled” agency and there will be an audit on March 16. At the meeting, former Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker was officially appointed to serve on the CRHA’s redevelopment committee in an at-large capacity.City seeking affordable housing proposals Since 2007, Charlottesville has had an affordable housing fund to help create and preserve affordable housing units. Today they’ve begun the process of soliciting proposals for how to use $750,000 from the current fiscal year’s capital budget. The notice for funding availability (NOFA) refers to the affordable housing plan adopted by Council last March. “This Plan recommends that the City make a strong and recurring financial commitment to address housing needs in Charlottesville in order to increase the number of subsidized affordable homes by 1,100 homes, preserve existing 600 existing subdidized affordable homes, and stabilize 1,800 to 2,000 owner and renter households facing housing instability,” reads the application.The application comes at a time when the firm HR&A continues to work on an audit of how the housing fund has been used. They gave a preliminary report to Council on December 20 that states the city has not tracked how the $38 million in local funds have been used to date. The current capital improvement program budget for this year includes $1.5 million for CHRA redevelopment, $900,000 for the supplemental rental assistance program, and over $3 million for the redevelopment of Friendship Court. The budget actually shows a line item of $925,000 for the housing fund this year. Questions are out but the answers will come in a future edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. See also: Council briefed on affordable housing funds, December 31, 2021Goldman lawsuit prompting Albemarle to consider expedited redistricting scheduleThe redistricting process in Albemarle County got underway last night with an information session on how it will work out. Guidelines require magisterial districts to be contained with Virginia’s legislative and Congressional lines. Under the new maps approved in late December by the Virginia Supreme Court, Albemarle falls entirely within the new 11th Senate District.“Albemarle County falls into two different Virginia House of Delegates districts, the 54th which is basically the urban ring around the city of Charlottesville and then the 55th which is the majority of the county,” said Anthony Bessette, the Senior Assistant County Attorney.There’s a slight glitch when it comes to the new House of Representatives maps.“Almost all of Albemarle County is in the 5th District but there is a tiny sliver up [north] that is in the 7th District,” Bessette said. There’s even a Twitter account for the sliver. Since 2010, Albemarle’s population grew by 13,385 people according to the Census but the growth isn’t even.“Rio and White Hall grew a great deal whereas on the other hand Scottsville did not grow at the same pace,” Bessette said. That means the Rio District and White Hall districts will need to be reduced in size and others will need to be expanded. In December, Supervisors approved preliminary guidelines that would keep their number at six. “The determination of whether to have six supervisors, five, four, seven, eight, etc, is a local decision that the Board of Supervisors gets to make,” Bessette said. Because of a federal lawsuit that may force an election for the House of Delegates this year, staff is now recommending an accelerated schedule in order to prepare for potential primaries in June. “Long story short on that is that timeline would see the process compressed further to begin on February 2 and end on March 23,” Bessette said. Attorney Paul Goldman has filed suit against the state Board of Elections arguing that the current districts for the House of Delegates are unconstitutional because they are out of date. Goldman filed a brief on January 18 in the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and attorneys for the Board of Elections have until January 28 to file additional materials. Public comment on redistricting will be taken at their February 2 meeting. The maps that have been developed so far were not shown to the public at the information session. Registrar Jake Washburne said three maps are being proposed. “We are planning to send those to the Board of Supervisors so they can be placed on the Board of Supervisors’ agenda for February 2,” Washburne said.  If you want to submit written comments:Richard J. WashburneGeneral Registrar Albemarle County Department of Voter Registration and Elections 1600 5th Street Charlottesville VA 22902 rwashburne@albemarle.orgThanks for reading!For ways to support this newsletter visit Information Charlottesville. Please send this on to someone else so we can grow the audience. Please let me know if you have questions! 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 third hour of the show, Larry O'Connor and Julie Gunlock talked to legal analyst Joe diGenova about the latest revelations about the Biden family receiving $31 million from Chinese officials, and Virginia Supreme Court taking up the mask debate next week. They also talked to Virginia mom Elicia Brand who is helping the families of sexual assault victims in Northern Virginia schools. They also chatted about a rumor that former Governor Terry McAuliffe used the pandemic to avoid attending the inauguration. For more coverage on the issues that matter to you, visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 FM from 5-9 AM ET. To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @amber_athey and @patrickpinkfile. Show website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe diGenova, legal analyst and former U.S. Attorney to the District of Columbia, joined WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on Monday to discuss the latest revelations about the Biden family receiving $31 million from Chinese officials, and Virginia Supreme Court taking up the mask debate next week. For more coverage on the issues that matter to you, visit www.WMAL.com, download the WMAL app or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 FM from 5-9 AM ET. To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @amber_athey and @patrickpinkfile. Show website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Politicians and voters in Virginia are pouring over the commonwealth's new political maps approved by the state supreme court on Tuesday; Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority will lift the freeze on lease enforcements at the end of the month; Chesterfield County Public Library's current location in Midlothian will officially close today; and other local news stories.

Less than 12 hours after the Virginia Supreme Court approves the VA House, Senate and US Congressional District maps drawn by their special masters, Joe is breaking the preliminaries down with Virginia GOP Chair Rich Anderson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The final week of 2021 begins with a slight pause on government meetings at the local and state level, but there’s always something to document in every edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. What phrase would you use to describe the week between Christmas and New Year’s? Boxing Week? Witching Week? Charlottesville Community Engagement is looking for a few more subscribers, each and every day! Sign up for free and decide later how you might want to contribute! On today’s program:A lawsuit has been filed to stop a Confederate statue from being given to the Jefferson School Center for African American HeritageScottsville and Charlottesville have both received additional funding from a cap and trade program to pay for flood programs The Nelson County Board of Supervisors hires a consultant to help update the Comprehensive PlanAlbemarle County offering seven drop-off locations for Christmas tree recyclingIn today’s first 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!Pandemic updateAs the week begins, the Virginia Department of Health reports the seven-day average for positive tests has climbed to 14.5 percent this morning and a seven-day average of 6,307 new cases. On Christmas Day, the VDH reported 8,609 new cases and 5,432 cases on Boxing Day. More on the pandemic tomorrow. Statue lawsuitTwo organizations that bid to receive the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee have filed suit in Charlottesville Circuit Court to prevent it from being awarded to the Jefferson School Center for African American Heritage. The center plans to melt the statue down and made into a new public work of art. The petition for injunction filed December 22 on behalf of the Trevillian Station Battlefield Foundation and the Ratcliffe Foundation argues that City Council overstepped its authority when it voted 4-0 in the early hours of December 7 to choose the center. “The City can legally remove, relocate, contextualize, or cover the Lee monument, but the General Assembly denied the City authority to alter or destroy,” reads the argument, which also names the center as a defendant. “A foundry is not a museum, historical society, government, or military battlefield, which are the only lawful recipients for placement of a relocated monument.”The plaintiffs seek voidance of the award and to prevent the Center from submitting another one. Alternatively they seek damages or restoration of the statue. The suit claims the city broke the Freedom of Information Act and its own procurement rules. (read the petition here)The 2020 General Assembly passed legislation allowing localities to decide for themselves if they wanted to remove war memorials, which had been protected by state law. The Virginia Supreme Court ruled in April that that state law did not apply to either the Lee statue or another Confederate statue that formerly stood in a city park. (April 1, 2021 opinion in City of Charlottesville v. Payne)Belmont Bridge updateCrews working on the replacement of the Belmont Bridge will take a break today, Thursday and Friday. The Caton Construction Group has been working on removing the eastern span of the bridge, but will take some time off for the holiday, according to a press release from the city. However, work on a waterline between East South Street and Old Avon Street will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. The work began this past summer after several years of planning and after Council agreed to spend $7.5 million in capital improvement funds to make up a cost over-run. Learn more at the project website at belmont-bridge.com. In today’s second 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.Nelson County Comprehensive PlanFans of Comprehensive Plan reviews can rejoice now that Nelson County has hired the Berkley Group of Bridgewater to conduct the first update of their plan since 2014. Dylan Bishop is the county’s director of planning and zoning. They’ll be paid $160,000 for the work. “When I first accepted this position two and a half years ago, I was aware that the Comprehensive Plan update was on the horizon,” Bishop said. “Over the last couple of years there have been a few roadblocks with that but it’s also given me a good opportunity to become familiar with the current Comprehensive Plan, zoning ordinance, and subdivision ordinances.”The current plan was written by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission with an entity at the University of Virginia known as the Design Resources Center. (read the 2014 update)Bishop said the current plan does not lead the county’s land use and development decisions, and that that occurs now in the zoning ordinance.“When it’s done correctly, it should be an economic development tool,” Bishop said. “It’s often used as reference for grant applications such as Smart Scale, Virginia Outdoors Foundation grants, when you have something to point to that says our county already supports this.” Nelson County sent out a request for proposals this fall and receive three submissions. Two of the firms were interviewed and staff chose the Berkley Group. Public engagement will begin with a meeting in January.  “Once the final plan is adopted, they will follow it up with another diagnostic of the zoning ordinance and subdivision ordinances,” Bishop said. “They’ll generate recommendations that will make it consistent with our Comprehensive Plan. That will be the enforcement tool to set the vision of the comp plan as the years go on.” The Berkley Group is currently working on the Comprehensive Plan updates in Richmond County and Greensville County. They’ve recently concluded work in Northampton County and the city of Lexington. (Watch the Nelson BOS meeting)Charlottesville, Scottsville, receive flood-prevention funds Governor Ralph Northam has awarded an additional $24.5 million to help Virginia localities prepare for weather events associated with a changing climate. The money comes from Virginia’s proceeds from participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin has said he would end through an executive order after he takes office. In the meantime in this round, Charlottesville will receive $94,276 for “resilience planning and staff training” and the town of Scottsville will receive $123,346 for a planning study. Both communities were among 30 applicants for the second round of the Community Flood Preparedness Fund. In October, Charlottesville was awarded $153,500 in the first round for a project to create a two-dimensional model for the Moores Creek watershed. (Charlottesville awarded $153K for flood study from RGGI funds, October 6, 2021)Virginia became the first southern state to join RGGI in 2020 and has received $227,636,583.52 in the four auctions it has been a part of so far. Utility generators have to purchase credits to exceed a certain threshold of carbon emissions. Forty-five percent of the proceeds go to the Community Flood Preparedness Fund. According to their application, the city will put the money towards a Charlottesville Resilience Plan that will include taking an inventory of existing plans, identifying hazards and threats, and assessing vulnerabilities. “The City is applying for these grant funds to contract with an expert consultant to facilitate planDevelopment,” reads the application. “The consultant will co-create the plan at facilitated workshops with the City’s Resilience Team staff to increase staff expertise and capabilities.” The schedule anticipates the plan will be ready in mid-April. Scottsville will use the plan to develop to modernize its plans for dealing with floods. According to the application, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed a levee project in 1988 after a series of devastating floods in the mid-20th century.“This project connects to the town’s history and its future, assuring the continued safety from flooding, and laying the groundwork for new economic development,” reads the project narrative. The document goes on to state the town would like the Federal Emergency Management Agency to adjust the floodplain map to remove the designation for the former Kyosung tire factory in order to make it more attractive to redevelopment. They also want a new hydraulic model for downtown Scottsville. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation will need to approve both documents. Resources:Charlottesville’s applicationScottsville’s applicationFull list of recipients on the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s webpageAlbemarle tree recyclingBeginning today, Albemarle’s Parks and Recreation Department will operate seven places where county residents can drop off Christmas trees for recycling. People are asked to remove all decorations, lights, stands, and nails before they are added to the pile. The trees will be chipped and converted into mulch. That mulch will be available beginning January 24 at both Darden Towe Park and Claudius Crozet Park. The locations:McIntire Recycling Center* – 611 McIntire Rd. Charlottesville, VA 22902Claudius Crozet Park – 1075 Claudius Crozet Park, Crozet, VA 22932Greenwood Community Center – 865 Greenwood Rd. Crozet, VA 22932Chris Greene Lake Park – 4460 Chris Greene Lake Rd. Charlottesville, VA 22911Darden Towe Park – 1445 Darden Towe Park, Charlottesville, VA 22911Scottsville Community Center – 250 Page St. Scottsville, Va 24590Walnut Creek Park – 4250 Walnut Creek Park North Garden, VA 22959Community members are asked not to bring any other yard waste, and are warned that the McIntire Recycling Center may be congested. 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

The Hake Report, Tuesday, August 31, 2021: Virginia Supreme Court sides with Christian PE teacher Byron Tanner Cross. // Owen Shroyer and mostly peaceful protesters // Jake Paul makes the right people mad…? // "Sleepy Joe" – CONFIRMED, or Fact Checked by Blue Checks? // The "N-word" and the W-word // New Orleans is below sea level, made rich by the Mississippi River. // U.S. Marine resigns: Is he right or grandstanding? // Liberty Counsel to represent airline workers for religious exemptions. // INTERESTING CALLS — see below.  MUSIC: The Knights of the New Crusade – "Born Winner" and "E Is for Evil" – from 2004 album My God Is Alive! Sorry About Yours! Songs in Praise of Our Lord God and in Condemnation of Sin  Also check out Hake News from today.  CALLERS Kevin from Chicago, IL likes Jake Paul making Young Turks' Hassan Piker and others mad.  John from Kentucky doesn't like white Americans saying the N-word or its relative W-word.  Teronzo from Oklahoma gives cryptic praise to Hake, and says bloodline is from the father.  Killian from Boston, MA tells about New Orleans, the Mississippi, and the Boston Bombing.  Rick from Hampton, VA is trying to keep healthy but wonders if a vaxx mandate is coming.  TIME STAMPS 0:00:00 Tue, Aug 31, 2021 0:02:53 Born Winner, TKOTNC 0:05:18 Hey, guys!  0:06:43 Byron Tanner Cross 0:15:04 Owen Shroyer 0:22:40 Sleepy Joe 0:37:03 Kevin, Chicago: Jake Paul 0:44:41 Super Chats: Bible, History 0:51:21 John, KY: N-word 1:08:37 E is for Evil, TKOTNC 1:11:09 Music comments 1:15:02 New Orleans 1:21:15 Super Chat: N-word 1:23:56 Teronzo, OK 1:30:42 Killian, Boston, MA 1:40:55 Ghost town 1:42:42 Marine resigns 1:52:08 Liberty Counsel 1:58:03 Rick, Hampton, VA 2:00:10 Desert Brawl, Vans in Japan HAKE LINKS VIDEO ARCHIVE: Facebook | Periscope/Twitter | YouTube | Audio podcast links below PODCAST: Apple | Podcast Addict | Castbox | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon | PodBean | Google  LIVE VIDEO: Trovo | DLive | Periscope | Facebook | Twitch* | YouTube*  SUPPORT: SubscribeStar | Patreon | Teespring | SUPER CHAT: Streamlabs | Trovo   Call in! 888-775-3773, live Monday through Friday 9 AM (Los Angeles) https://thehakereport.com/show  Also see Hake News from JLP's show today.  *NOTE: YouTube and Twitch have both censored James's content on their platforms lately, over fake "Community Guidelines" violations.  BLOG POST: https://www.thehakereport.com/blog/2021/8/31/083121-tue-sleepy-joe-confirmed-n-word-debate-again-vaxx-freedoms 

Little update! What's taking place in the mindful revolution here in this southern town which I've called home since Los Angeles kicked me out? Over the past year, Richmond has removed at least a dozen monuments of confederate leaders - which have stood since the 1800s - including the towering statue of army general Robert Lee on a horse at a major intersection.  The images - of thousands of locals criss-cross applesauce, engrossing the feature for days until the mayor inventively eighty-sixed it to zero spectacle -  are messy and moving.  Several more statues remain.  It is staggering, but optimistically so - because the method, pacing, and rote approach to getting them gone has not thus far been a riot, but a knowing cooperation, with hormone-fueled youth zeal as a minor, obligatory detail, but nowhere near the sincere quickening - steady, and certain - of this current.   They've stood for a century, so the abrupt unanimous understanding of their absurdity can be an engine to assist, rather than to compel, as the mayor and local bodies study up and do their thang. AND the Virginia Supreme Court may soon have a chance at a resounding decision in response to two lawsuits against the city, which have been filed to restore statues and prevent further mindful redecorating.  Note:  Read the article and find out that it is not a large movement flailing to bring back those statues...it is literally one family.  PRIOR to the mindful revolution, we may have been incensed and terrified that two behemouth ideological waves are in a battle about such things.  But once meditated upon, once living from ourselves, we can see that is ok.  A lot is headed the right way, though we may not understand why the by-rote law must lag behind our ideals. Even "Woke" people will soon actually wake.  They're headed in the right direction. https://richmond.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lawyers-in-richmond-monuments-case-disagree-about-significance-of-ruling-in-charlottesville-case/article_50a9ada6-8595-568c-af26-540645579d26.html

How does a person who is raised to dislike other races and another who was distrusting of white people find each other? How does a person change their perspective from that of their family of origin? How should brothers and sisters in Christ respond to racism? These questions and more we'll explore While Getting Real immersed in Truth.  The theme of Redemption is weaved all throughout Ken and Gigi's story. It's visible in they're personal stories and in they're story as a couple. They have seen what God can do and how the love of Christ can change hearts. I will pray alongside them and ask you to join me as we pray for opened eyes, changed hearts, healing for each other, our country, and around the world.  On June 12, 1967 Loving V. Virginia Supreme Court ruling legalized interracial marriage in America. People around the world celebrate June 12 as Loving Day. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/06/10/loving-day-june-12-marks-supreme-court-interracial-marriage-decision/5326018002/ (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/06/10/loving-day-june-12-marks-supreme-court-interracial-marriage-decision/5326018002/) I hope you enjoyed the series of Conversations in black and white. Don't forget to subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcast, iTunes, Spotify, Google podcast or wherever you listen to your pods. Connect with me on Instagram @Robrennaredl and my GRIT podcast Facebook page and my blog:https://robrennaredl.wordpress.com/ (https://robrennaredl.wordpress.com) The podcast is Produced by me - Robrenna Redl and Hand-crafted Studios Original Music by Hand-crafted Studios: Composer Michael Coffey 

As a leader in the student group Transparent GMU, Janine worked with faculty and other students to expose the strings attached to private donations to George Mason University. Janine grew into a leadership role following a chance encounter with group co-founder Samantha at a political rally. She learned valuable and empowering lessons about her own abilities to make change in the face of imposing, well-funded opposition. Samantha and Janine's work brought them all the way to the Virginia Supreme Court with a case that could have impact on the whole state, and implications for transparency for university donations everywhere.