Sidarth selected Salon’s Person of the Year
Dec 18th 11:41am
by Lisa Provence
Online magazine Salon has named the man Senator George Allen dubbed "macaca"– UVA fourth-year Shekar Ramanuja Sidarth– its Person of the Year for changing history with a camcorder and introducting "Allen– and the rest of us– to the real America."
Sidarth captured a moment that led to Allen's defeat of a
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Shifflett charged; cops cleared
Dec 15th 5:51pm
by Courteney Stuart
On the same day that Albemarle Police announced three new felony charges against Elvis Gene Shifflett, Charlottesville Police Chief Tim Longo held a press conference to announce an investigation by State Police has exonerated the officers who shot Shifflett.
"These are split second decis
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Sign of the times to come?: The Woodlands opens sales office on the Downtown Mall
Dec 15th 12:41pm
by Dave McNair
On Wednesday, Gropen sign and display company employees Darrell Muler (standing) and King Scott were busy putting the finishing touches on The Woodlands latest marketing move– a swanky new sales office across from the Mudhouse, which will join the Ryan Homes sales office wi
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Smiling car killer Payne gets 46 years
Dec 15th 12:22pm
by Hawes Spencer
There was no smile on Crozet native Kelly Dinelle Payne's face when Richmond Circuit Court Judge Beverly Snukals sentenced the two-time drunk-driving killer to 46 years behind bars, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
"I could say I'm sorry, but it wouldn't begin to scratch the surface," Payne said, according to the TD.
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Pursue: A brand for Charlottesville
Dec 14th 5:18pm
by Lisa Provence
It's not quite "Virginia is for lovers," but the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau unveiled the fruits of a 22-month, roughly $65,000 branding strategy this morning at a breakfast with the region's movers and shakers.
The slick, new logo is supposed to evoke the domes of the Rotunda and Monticello, and the nearby mountains.
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HookCast for December 14, 2006
Dec 14th 10:48am
by lindsay
Snocap muscles in on iTunes, Cafe No Problem returns?, ACAC boosts Downtown business
ON THIS WEEK�S COVER:
Never mind the iTunes, here's Snocap
Shawn Fanning and the people who brought us Napster are poised to change the music industry once again with their new company, Snocap, and they're doing it with a little help from their friends in Charlottesville. What will this mean for independent acts, the big record companies, and consumers?
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UVA: No Heritage Rep in ‘07
Dec 14th 6:33am
by Hawes Spencer
UVA has announced that the construction around Culbreth Theater means no Heritage Repertory Theater this summer.
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Camblos: “There will be no criminal charges filed..”
Dec 13th 5:23pm
by Dave McNair
According to a late afternoon news release, Commonwealth's Attorney Jim Camblos has decided not to file criminal charges against the two Charlottesville police officers involved in the October 20 shooting of Elvis Gene Shifflett, and he has officially closed the investigation.
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Supes gun for new law
Dec 12th 5:27pm
by Courteney Stuart
Eight months after her death, the legacy of Carmen the cat may be determined at a work session tomorrow, December 13, as the Albemarle Board of Supervisors considers whether to amend the county gun laws, and if so, how.
Current County law prohibits the discharge of firearms in any area zoned residential, but many county subdivisions– including Bentivar, where Carme
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DMB takes Europe
Dec 12th 4:32pm
by Courteney Stuart
Dave Matthews Band may be one of the biggest touring acts in the nation, but across the pond? Let's just say they don't have quite the draw. The band may be hoping to change that with its 2007 tour. After two weeks in Australia in late March and April, DMB will rest up for a month before heading to Ireland, Portugal, and Belgium.
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Shifflett moved from rehab to jail
Dec 12th 2:53pm
by Hawes Spencer
Elvis Gene Shifflett, who was shot by Charlottesville police following a manhunt on October 20, has been transfered from UVA's HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital to the Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail, according to family members.
The 39-year-old Shifflett had been in the custody of jail
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Capshaw, JPJ nominated for industry awards
Dec 11th 12:57pm
by lindsay
As if more evidence were needed that Charlottesville is fast becoming a live music hub, two local institutions have been nominated for industry publication Pollstar's
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Spivey free on $50,000 bond
Dec 8th 2:13pm
by Lisa Provence
The former Charlottesville High music teacher indicted on seven felony counts for making sexual contact and verbal sexual propositions to students appeared in Albemarle Circuit Court this morning for a bond hearing.
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HookCast for December 7, 2006
Dec 7th 4:17pm
by Dave McNair
Why are we here?, pagan worshippers, hair dye allergies
ON THIS WEEK�S COVER:
Why Are We Here?: Charlottesville responds
People have wondered for eons about the meaning of existence. While we didn't attempt to answer that one this week, we did ask local residents why they chose to exist here in Charlottesville. Seems like everyone has a unique story about what brought them here.
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Studio 60 boss hails from Charlottesville
Dec 6th 2:55pm
by Hawes Spencer
One of the lead characters in NBC's new drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip confirmed on this week's episode that she hails from Charlottesville.
The character, Jordan McDeere, is the female head of the television network that creates and broadcasts the show within the show: "Studio 60," a comedy sketch program that resembles perennial NBC hit Saturday Night Live.
Created by Aaron Sorkin (who also pro
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Man writes xmas song for troops
Dec 6th 8:31am
by Hawes Spencer
Charlottesville stage artist John Carden has written a Christmas song with arrangements by M.E. Forbes for American troops and their families.
Carden, who during the day works at the hair salon he founded, hopes he can find a way to distribute it among the troops. "If you have any ideas," he says, "let me know."
Not convinced that Carden cares about the community?
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Wreck deprives Key Westers of phone for days
Dec 5th 6:21pm
Ex-AHS star Novak waived by Redskins
Dec 5th 11:32am
by lindsay
Less than two months after the Washington Redskins signed him to be their kicker, Albemarle High School alum Nick Novak finds himself out of a job.
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Culbreth Road to close for at least a year
Nov 30th 5:55pm
by Dave McNair
Culbreth Theater is about to get a new neighbor in the form of a 554-space parking deck, and it means you won't have Culbreth Road as your favorite Rugby to Emmet cut-through for at least a year.
UVA announced Tuesday that Culbreth Road, which connects Rugby Road to University Avenue near Emmet Street, will close to through traffic on December 11.
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Nick Novak on the hotseat again
Nov 30th 4:49pm
by lindsay
Three weeks after sitting in the Hook's HotSeat, Washington Redskins kicker and Albemarle High School alum Nick Novak now finds himself on an actual hot seat as he faces possible unemployment. On Tuesday, the Redskins signed kicker Shaun Suisham to be part of the team's practice squad.
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HookCast for November 29, 2006
Nov 29th 5:45pm
by Dave McNair
Police shootings, school bus seat-belts, dumbing down students
ON THIS WEEK'S COVER:
Riddled: What happens after police shootings
The news of police shootings is sensational, but what happens in their aftermath? In this week's Hook, families of two men disabled by police bullets–including Elvis Shifflett, the subject of a seven-day manhunt
in October– speak out.
ALSO IN THIS WEEK'S ISSUE:
Unbuckled: no belts on local school buses
When an Alabama school bus plunged off an overpass recently, killing four students, the issue of seat belts on school buses made national news.
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Newsplex gets Comcast boost
Nov 29th 12:14pm
by Lisa Provence
Comcast's takeover of Adelphia Cable is proving a boon for the local Gray Television stations as they land prime spots lower on the dial, while their fiercest competitors get the boot– or the less desirable spots Newsplex stations now hold.
"It's huge," says Newsplex general
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Webb and Bush get testy in first meeting
Nov 29th 11:39am
by lindsay
If it's true that first impressions are the most lasting, then President George W. Bush and Senator-elect Jim Webb may not be the chummiest of statesmen in Washington for the next two years.
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No indictments in Allen fracas– yet
Nov 28th 5:31pm
by lindsay
Almost a month after borderline violent images from a Charlottesville campaign stop for Senator George Allen splashed across cable news and the Internet, city Commonwealth's Attorney Dav
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Copywrong: why can’t we take pix inside Monticello?
Nov 28th 4:34pm
by Hawes Spencer
A November 27 post at the popular boingboing.net suggests that the reason visitors aren't allowed to take pictures inside Monticello is– get this– copyright law. But according to Monticello spokesperson Wayne Mogielnicki, that's almost right.
"Our policy is no photos in the house," Mogielnicki.
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Was Albemarle First a ‘welfare agency’?
Nov 28th 11:41am
by Hawes Spencer
A former member of the Albemarle First Bank board of directors claims in a recent magazine article that the bank ran into trouble because of reckless lending that essentially made it a "welfare agency."
In the fall edition of Region Focus, retired economics professor and banking veteran
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Stink’s demise? Authority to halt composting
Nov 28th 6:44am
by Hawes Spencer
There's been a big stink in the Woolen Mills neighborhood, but yesterday's action by the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority may lessen the smells.
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Biggest yet: Billy Joel’s coming to JPJ
Nov 27th 6:57am
by Hawes Spencer
Billy Joel, the "piano man" who shot to fame in the mid-1970s with a moving song by that title and then successfully danced through various musical genres, is bringing his tunes to town.
According to an email sent out to customers of the John Paul Jones Arena shortly after 10pm Sunday, Joel will perform Friday, February 23, and tickets go on sale December 1.
How big is Joe
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HookCast for November 22, 2006
Nov 21st 4:37pm
by Hawes Spencer
The Holiday Survival Guide, The end of 10-4, CarMax muscles in on Pantops
That's right, you read correctly. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, this week's issue hits newsstands a day early this week. Our regular Thursday releases will resume next week.
ON THIS WEEK'S COVER:
The Holiday Survival Guide
Each November and December, an ever growing chorus sings the same refrain: "The holidays have gotten too commercial!" But luckily for us we live in a town rich in holiday traditions that, by and large, don't require spending a dime.
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Gray Television nixes O.J. faux confessional
Nov 20th 3:00pm
by Lisa Provence
Public outrage over O.J. Simpson's upcoming book, If I Did It, and a FOX interview with the former football star acquitted of murdering his wife spills to the local airwaves.
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‘Tis the (tree-ey) season
Nov 20th 10:39am
by Hawes Spencer
The Christmas trees have arrived– as seen in this 8am photo today at Ivy Corner, a horticultural shop in downtown Ivy.
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HookCast for November 16, 2006
Nov 16th 5:15pm
by lindsay
Is Charlottesville the Little Apple?, Beebe plea could bring new indictments, Sheriff added to sexual assault suit
ON THIS WEEK'S COVER:
I [heart] Charlottesville: Is our town the Little Apple?
This week, we ask has Charlottesville taken a turn for the north? With ever-more exotic restaurants and shops, new residents from around the world, and a decided voting tilt to the left, we're looking more and more like a certain big, mid-atlantic city.
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Queen Elizabeth II to visit Jamestown
Nov 16th 1:21pm
by lindsay
Four centuries after English entrepreneurs claimed our Commonwealth in the name of her forebear, Queen Elizabeth II will attend the ceremonies commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement in May.
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How are our children and families doing? Study takes our vital signs
Nov 16th 12:52am
by Dave McNair
For seven years now, the Charlottesville/Albemarle Commission on Children and Families (CCF) has been issuing Stepping Stones, a statistical study on the well-being of children and families in the area.
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Cantor could take #2 GOP slot in House
Nov 15th 4:22pm
by lindsay
After suffering its worst losses in 12 years in this year's elections, the Republican party has been doing plenty of cleaning house, with Bob Gates nominated to replace Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense and Senator Mel Martinez (FL) taking over for Ken Mehlman as head of the Republican National Committee. But sometimes, a loss can be a win, and for Rep.
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Save 30 seats– Leitao lures Farrakhan to UVA
Nov 15th 3:27pm
by Hawes Spencer
Mustapha Farrakhan, a highly recruited Illinois prep basketball player and grandson of controversial Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, announced yesterday that he has signed a letter of intent with UVA coach Dave Leitao, who
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Colbertââ?¬â?¢s a fan of ââ?¬Å?Gail for Railââ?¬Â jingle
Nov 15th 12:49am
by lindsay
The election may be over, but the hits keep on coming in the Virginia senate race.
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The Progress slims down
Nov 14th 3:16pm
by Lisa Provence
It seems like only yesterday that the Daily Progress unveiled a much heralded redesign, complete with an insert to help readers fully appreciate the enormity of the changes.
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Bombshell dropped as Beebe pleads
Nov 14th 1:07pm
Semper fi, meet super fab
Nov 10th 10:06am
by lindsay
If all goes as planned, our Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan will be getting a helping hand from an unexpected source back home: Charlottesville's own Club 216.
In a press release, the dance club says it has launched a drive to send care packages to Marines. "Some of us may not support the war, but we all support the troops," the e-mail reads.
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