Charlottesville Breaking News

For as long as the Charlottesville City Market Saturday extravaganza of local foods and crafts has existed on the City parking lot along Water Street–over 20 years, though the popular outdoor market has actually been around for 35 years– there's been discussion about relocating it. Earlier this year, a consulting company called Market Ventures, whom the City paid $100,000 to study the possibility of creating a "market district" downtown, presented two possible ideas: keep it in its current location with some design improvement or move it to a lot that could be leased at First and Garrett streets.

But wait. Didn't the City sponsor a $150,000 design contest to generate ideas for creating a market district in 2007? Didn't City Council have a big discussion about finding a new home for the City Market back in 2010, during which then-mayor Dave Norris noted that the market "needs and deserves" a permanent location?

Indeed, Council is scheduled to discuss the issue again in June, based on the new study.  But even if a decision is made, Chris Engel, the city’s Economic Director, points out that there's no time frame on when the new market relocation or improvement would be completed.

After all this time, the consensus seems to be to keep the market in its current location and make improvements– such as adding water, electricity, and seating o...

by Peter Galuszka

Easter Sunday blows rainy and cold while the cell phone buzzes at 12:58 p.m. It's a surprise email from Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Terry McAuliffe. "Peter," his message reads. "My family and I are about to head out to Easter brunch but I wanted to make you aware that today's the last day we have to file our first financial report of the year." McAuliffe asks for a $5 donation.

The campaign continues through the holiday. At 2:58 p.m. another email blares from Emily Aden, McAuliffe's research director, asking for $5 or more. At 7:24 p.m., another McAuliffe staffer, finance director Andrew Smith, chimes in with his pitch for five bucks.

McAuliffe's data-mining prowess is impressive, but it also shows remarkable tone deafness. Many Virginians prefer their holidays uninterrupted by cash solicitations. Nailing the point, Larry Sabato, longtime political analyst at the University of Virginia, tweets later that evening: "Returning to email after pleasant Easter to find 11 obnoxious pleas for $$$. Now know answer to age old Q: Is nothing sacred?"

And that, in a nutshell, may be McAuliffe's biggest challenge. Can a hard-charging, if not bombastic, Washington fundraiser and businessman with no experience in elective office become governor in a tradition-loving state that he doesn't seem to understand?

It's a crucial question, because McAuliffe is going up against Republican Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli, an experienced...