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Charlottesville police release more information about what caused yesterday’s three-school lockdown
Police say Charlottesville City Schools locked down three schools Tuesday because a man threatened violence toward a single student at Buford Middle School. Charlottesville Police Department are on the lookout for that man, who they say is Dionte Ruffin, a 22-year-old Albemarle County resident. Ruffin is wanted on an unrelated warrant, and had not been apprehended Wednesday afternoon.
Police lockdown three City Schools after discovering someone trespassing at Buford
UPDATE: Three Charlottesville City Schools were locked down Tuesday afternoon for nearly two hours after officials discovered a “credible threat” to student safety. Students at each school have now been dismissed without incident, though police say officers will remain at each campus for the rest of the week.
Charlottesville Tomorrow wins Virginia Press Association awards for best government reporting and for giving a ‘master-class in data journalism’
Charlottesville Tomorrow’s coverage of housing and development took top honors at the Virginia Press Association’s annual awards ceremony this week. Led by reporter Erin O’Hare, reports about housing affordability and access won first place in the category of “government reporting” in open class — meaning any news organization in the Virginia Press Association could apply.
Charlottesville plans to hire one of the only city sponsored housing discrimination investigators in the state
The city of Charlottesville plans to hire one of the only housing investigators in the state to look into allegations of housing discrimination on behalf of its Office of Human Rights. It’s a new position for the office, and it’s also an unusual one for a Virginia city. Charlottesville is...
Primary Democratic candidates for Charlottesville City Council will appear in a May 10 forum
On Wednesday, May 10, Dashad Cooper, Bob Fenwick, Natalie Oschrin, Michael Payne and Lloyd Snook — the five Democratic candidates nominated for Charlottesville City Council — will appear at a candidate forum at the Hillsdale Conference Center. The candidates will take questions from moderators Sean Tubbs and Neil...
Gun violence is as much about changing our culture as it is about changing our laws, says UVA undergrad activist
The first time I confronted gun violence, I was 15 years old at Madison West High School in Wisconsin in 2018. We were celebrating Valentine’s Day when a student threatened a security guard with a gun and the whole school went on lockdown until he was disarmed and in custody.
The city and county are facing another summer of pool and beach closures because they don’t have enough lifeguards
Summer has yet to kick off, and Charlottesville Parks and Recreation is already limiting the hours on its public pools. For the past few years, both the city and Albemarle County have struggled to hire lifeguards for their pools and lakes. This year, both localities are in the same boat.
The long awaited, $90 million Buford Middle School renovation will begin in June
Buford Middle School is one step closer to a complete makeover. The Charlottesville City Council hired a construction firm — Nielsen Builders — to begin the major renovation and reconstruction project earlier this month. Rebuilding Buford is now priced at $91.8 million. Currently, the City is short $13.4 million.
The delayed Robert E. Lee statue trial might be losing a plaintiff
There has been another bump on the long road to legally determine the fate of the Robert E. Lee statue formerly on display in Charlottesville’s Market Street Park. Lawyers for Ratcliffe Foundation, one of the plaintiffs, argued a motion for substitution this week to reflect that Ratcliffe has started operating as a new corporation since the case was filed and the new Ratcliffe (called Ratcliffe 2 in court for clarity’s sake) and should be allowed to substitute for the old Ratcliffe in the case.
The trial over Charlottesville’s statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee has been postponed again
The upcoming trial over the bronze statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that was once on display in Charlottesville’s Market Street Park has again been postponed. It was scheduled for Tuesday, but during pre-trial motions last week, Judge Paul M. Peatross granted the city’s request for a continuance in the case and also set a status hearing of June 27 at 9:30 a.m. for the impending bench trial.
Trial over Charlottesville’s statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee scheduled for Thursday
The complicated public saga over a bronze statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that was once on display in Charlottesville’s Market Street Park will be back in court next week. The statue, best known for inspiring the Unite the Right rally in August 2017, has been at the...
Food pantries see usage soar after government cuts pandemic-era emergency benefits
On Friday afternoon, the Charlottesville Emergency Food Network’s small distribution center was packed with dozens of food orders and families lined up out the door. Volunteers say the demand for the small pantry’s services has nearly doubled since early March, after the federal government ended the emergency increases it had been giving to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly food stamp) recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The European bus company that just bought Greyhound is offering a new service in Charlottesville
Late one sunny morning last week, a toddler wearing blue fuzzy monster slippers jumped up and down outside the Charlottesville Amtrak station. “Beep beep!” he squealed in the direction of the sleek charter bus in front of him. His parents nestled their luggage into the bus undercarriage. “Vroom! A wheel!”
Charlottesville City Schools is looking for more ideas to rename two elementary schools
Charlottesville City Schools will pause the school renaming process for Burnley-Moran and Johnson elementary schools. The school board voted 5 to 1 to change the names of the two elementary schools in a meeting Thursday evening, but said they weren’t satisfied with the new names presented. They have asked community members to email additional suggestions. Community members can do this by emailing schoolnames [AT] charlottesvilleschools [DOT] org.
Democratic state senate candidates Hudson and Deeds debate the need for a new generation of legislators versus the value of seniority
As the Democratic primary is heating up, allies have become adversaries as District 25 Sen. Creigh Deeds and 57th District Del. Sally Hudson are facing off for a new Charlottesville-Albemarle seat. The voting districts of Virginia were redrawn in 2022, so this year, Charlottesville and Albemarle County (minus a small...
Charlottesville Tomorrow receives the 2023 Thomas Jefferson Foundation Award in Citizen Service
Charlottesville Tomorrow is the recipient of the 2023 Thomas Jefferson Foundation Award in Citizen Service. CEO and Editor-in-Chief Angilee Shah accepted the award at the Foundation’s annual Founder’s Day celebration on Thursday. She was presented the award by Jason Rezaian, award-winning writer and journalist for The Washington Post. Rezaian became The Post’s Tehran bureau chief in 2012 and in 2014, he was arrested on unsubstantiated charges of espionage. Rezaian gave a keynote address as the 2023 Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medalist in Citizen Leadership.
Albemarle Supervisors give developer the OK to move forward with plans to build a solar farm that would be among the largest in Virginia
A proposal to build a large-scale solar farm in Albemarle County got its first public hearing, as Supervisors met to vote on two special use permits for the project — both of which were approved. That means Albemarle’s solar project is moving forward, though it will still need final...
Listen: ‘When I transitioned, life just started.’
There was a moment that Charley Burton learned what it means to be a Black man. Two white women on an elevator at work moved to the other end of the cabin. All he could think is that maybe it’s because he is a trans man. “I’m in AA...
CATEC Foundation asks City Schools to be more transparent about its plans for the technical school
After taking Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center from Albemarle County Public Schools, Charlottesville City Schools officials say they are working to ensure a smooth transition of ownership of the technical school. But the members of the CATEC Foundation (CATEF) want City Schools to hold off on finalizing the deal. Foundation leaders...
If you receive food assistance, here’s where you can get free reusable bags
Starting this week, Albemarle County will begin distributing free reusable bags to WIC and SNAP benefit recipients to help offset the cost of the five cent plastic bag tax, which went into effect in both Albemarle County and the city of Charlottesville on Jan. 1. Bags will be available to...
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Founded in 2005, Charlottesville Tomorrow is a hyperlocal journalism nonprofit with a mission to expand civic engagement and foster a vibrant, inclusive, and interdependent community.
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