Charlottesville Breaking News

When Greg McLean, University of Virginia Class of '95, had chemotherapy over the summer he was an undergrad and then insisted he was returning to school, a professor said, "Why don't you live with me?" What's extraordinary to McLean even today is that the professor didn't seem to see anything unusual about opening his home for several months to an immune system-compromised student. 

And that's just one example of the profound influence UVA Professor Ernest "Boots" Mead has had on his students, so much so that more than 100 of them got together and created an endowment in his name.

That sort of grassroots homage is pretty rare, but the students upon whom Mead cast a spell during his decades-long career have raised $1 million to fund "Dream Idea" grants for faculty and pass the torch of the Mead model they so cherished during their time at the University.

The Mead Endowment celebrated its 10th anniversary last month, and the September 17 Alumni Hall bash brought together this year's 11 Dream Idea faculty recipients, many of the 90 previous recipients, and many of the 150 or so former students who have contributed from $100 to more than $50,000 in his honor.

And of course there was the 93-year-old Mead, professor emeritus of music, still enjoying a glass of wine, still enjoying his former students.

"He dramatically enhanced my experience at the U...

The hottest ticket in Virginia last week was the grand opening of Trump Vineyard Estates, with scores of public officials among 500 wine-happy citizens clamoring for a peek at the relaunched vineyard– as well as a peek at the real estate mogul turned reality television star known as The Donald.

Despite proximity of fewer than two hours south of Manhattan via private helicopter, a close advisor asserts that the October 4 event marked the first time The Donald himself set foot on the southeast-of-Charlottesville property, which Trump bought earlier this year after banks seized the place from Patricia Kluge.

"Donald has become the wind beneath my wings," a smiling Kluge told the crowd. "I feel that I gave birth to this place, and there is nothing more pleasing than to know that it's in the hands of someone I've known for 30 years."

"I'm going to put a lot of people to work," said Trump, who has hired Kluge and her husband, William Moses.

"Patricia did a amazing job," Trump said as he began explaining why he'll succeed where Kluge went bankrupt. "I don't have a mortgage."

Public records show that Trump paid $8.55 million for 871 acres including the pavilion, the Farm Shop on Blenheim Road, and a former carriage museum– a complex that Trump vows to make a thriving center for wines and weddings.

But questions remain about the elusive final piece of his puzzle: ...