Tastes like chicken: Landers takes bite out of invasive species
Mar 14th 9:06am
by Lisa Provence
Of course Jackson Landers recently ate python at the big hunt in the Everglades, and naturally, the machete slaying involved a biker named Lucky.
"Outdoor Life wanted photographs of a python dissected and photographs of the stomach," Landers recounts. "You have to take apart an eight-foot snake. It's not like gutting a deer.
"And after all that," he continues, "the bastard died hungry."
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Ramped up: Pedestrian rankled over city's snow policy
Mar 14th 5:08am
by Courteney Stuart
With the white stuff still falling during the March 6 storm that dumped a foot of heavy wet snow on the Charlottesville area, plows were out clearing streets, and by 4pm on Thursday, March 7– 24 hours after the last official snowflake fell– city residents and businesses were required to have cleared the sidewalks along their properties– or face fines.
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Spotlight on Greenbrier
Mar 14th 5:05am
by Samantha Masone
Area: GreenbrierPrice range: $150,000-$399,000Schools: Greenbrier, Walker, Buford, CHSPros: location, valueCons: age of some of the homes
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Witch backstory: New 'Oz' offers twist on an old classic
Mar 14th 5:00am
by Meri Jane Smith
By Richard Roeper
You can be a good witch or a bad witch or even a little of both, but a bland witch?
Then we'll have to talk.
Some of the surprises in Oz the Great and Powerful, the much-anticipated Wizard of Oz origins movie, are delightful. Others, however, sink the movie just below the point of recommendation, with the primary drawback falling on the lovely shoulders of Michelle Williams and Mila Kunis, as early versions of Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West, respectively.
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The week in review
Mar 13th 1:18pm
by Hook Staff
Worst missing girl case: Jennifer Carolina Romero, 16, at first was believed to be a runaway when she disappeared from her Weyers Cave home March 2. Police now think that through social media, the teen may be ensnared in human trafficking, NBC29 reports. Mynor Franco-Depaz, 19, of Arlington, has been arrested, but no sign of Romero since her cellphone signal was traced to Arlington.
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Get Out! events, shows, things to do
Mar 13th 11:45am
by Dave McNair
"Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life." - Pablo Picasso
Eyes of the world on Wolf Trap
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Board moves: Supes try to shake Dumler
Mar 12th 4:15pm
by Lisa Provence
Supervisor Chris Dumler spent his first weekend in jail– only 14 more to go– March 8-10, while his fellow Albemarle supes are making plans to fill his seat, despite Dumler's insistence that he's not going anywhere.
In the six weeks since Dumler took a plea that reduced a felony forcible sodomy charge to misdemeanor sexual battery, the number of people calling for him to resign has grown to include city and county Democrats and all of his fellow supervisors.
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Anchor's away: Schieffer visits Sabato
Mar 7th 8:48pm
Opinion: Dumler bashing's out of control
Mar 7th 12:46pm
Cut through
Mar 7th 12:42pm
by Bill Emory
City neighborhood streets are used as an interchange by regional motorists. Getting from point A to point B in the County? Drive local streets through the neighborhoods (in this case Woolen Mills and Belmont), avoid collector streets and traffic signals.
Commentator Bill Emory puts up a new photo nearly every day at billemory.com/blog.
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Letter- Essay reveals "original sin eco-guilt"
Mar 7th 12:40pm
by Letter Writer
Western Christianity dates back over 2,000 years. An essential part of Christian belief is the concept of Original Sin. The Church provides baptism as a sacrament to provide individuals a “clean slate” by removing both the guilt and the punishment due to Original Sin.
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New questions: Dashad Smith's family keeps pressure on investigation
Mar 7th 12:03pm
by Courteney Stuart
Fifteen weeks. Almost 3,000 hours. Dozens of candles lit at vigils across the city. Countless tears. There many ways Dashad "Sage" Smith's family can measure the time since the 2011 Charlottesville High School grad disappeared two days before Thanksgiving, but none of them add up to the answers they need.
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Treacherous path
Mar 7th 11:11am
by Lisa Provence
Pedestrian Paul Hostetler navigates his way down West Main Street in front of the Amtrak station around 9am March 7, the day after the big snow. "It was terrible," says Hostetler of his walk.
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Nowhere to hide: The brave new world of domestic drones
Mar 7th 10:27am
by Janis Jaquith
In the good old days, if you wanted to spy on someone or cause them harm, you pretty much had to do it up close and personal. You could stand outside someone’s house and peek through the windows, follow people around, punch them in the nose. The only way to conceal your identity was to wear a mask, or stand far enough away before aiming a rock, arrow, or bullet.And then mankind came up with devices that allowed greater distance between the aggressor and the subject of interest.
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Re-LAX: Youth lacrosse gets a boost
Mar 7th 10:02am
by Courteney Stuart
For years, youth soccer players looking for tougher competition have had the SOCA organization, and, more recently, Monticello United for a travel team experience. Serious swimmers have had the Gators and baseball players have had the Bears. But those looking to advance their lacrosse game have been limited to school teams or to playing for travel leagues based far away– in Richmond or Northern Virginia. No longer.
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Dinner and a movie: Stonefield's date-night options bloom
Mar 7th 6:20am
by Courteney Stuart
In its inexorable march toward local date-night dominance, The Shops at Stonefield now boasts two casually upscale restaurants with the March 4 opening of Travinia Italian Kitchen.
Facing the courtyard in front of the new Regal Theater, the Charlottesville Travinia is the 10th location in a chain that now stretches from Northern Virginia to South Carolina and will soon extend to Florida. It's one of six full-service restaurants planned for Stonefield and joins the already-opened Burtons Grill.
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City budget: Housing decline still affects revenue
Mar 7th 5:39am
by Lisa Provence
Charlottesville City Manager Maurice Jones describes his proposed fiscal year 2013-2014 budget as "cautiously optimistic." Wait, that's what he said two years ago.
There's a lot that hasn't changed during that time. City schools continue to face shortfalls. Residential real estate assessments in the city are either "stagnant" or decreased, says Jones. And the city tax rate remains at 95 cents per $100 value.
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Pop-shove-it! Charlottesville Skate Park re-opens in McIntire
Mar 7th 5:33am
by Courteney Stuart
After more than a dozen years in its original location, the Charlottesville Skate Park has ollied over 250 and landed in McIntire Park, but the best is yet to come, says Charlottesville Parks and Rec head Brian Daly, who's preparing to put out an RFP for the new skate park construction.
"We want to be sure that we're seeking out and hiring a recognized skating design firm," says Daly, who notes there's plenty of room for creativity in the two-acres designated for the skate park as part of the McIntire Park master plan.
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Spotlight on Free Union
Mar 7th 5:05am
by Samantha Masone
Area: Free UnionPrice range: $55,000-$9,650,000Schools: Meriwether Lewis, Henley, Western AlbemarlePros: dramatic scenery, privacy, proximity to Blue RidgeCons: high prices, distance to town, potentially difficult access in bad weather
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Rector reaction: Boiling point or dénouement?
Mar 7th 5:03am
by Dave McNair
Just when you think the bad publicity that has plagued UVA since the "unpleasantness" of last summer couldn't possibly continue, up pops a front page story in the Washington Post exposing lingering tensions between between UVA Rector Helen Dragas and UVA President Teresa Sullivan that recently reached a "boiling point."
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Get Out! events, shows, things to do
Mar 6th 1:43pm
by Dave McNair
“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
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The week in review
Mar 6th 12:04pm
by Hook Staff
Biggest predicted snowfall: We've been duped before this winter, but the National Weather Service calls for 8-14 inches of snow– up from 4 to 8 inches– starting Tuesday evening, March 5, after the Hook goes to press.
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Storm update: 45,000 homes without power
Mar 6th 11:07am
by Dave McNair
Emergency officials from Albemarle County, Charlottesville and UVA are monitoring the storm and conditions from the Emergency Operations Center EOC on Ivy Drive, and they report that there are almost 45,000 homes without power in Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville.
As for the roads, they are in poor condition and drivers are being asked to stay home. Right, now there have been no serious crashes or injuries reported. Because of the heavy/wet snow there are a lot of trees and power lines down.
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County in crisis: Dumler digs in as outrage mounts
Mar 6th 5:06am
by Lisa Provence
More than a month after Scottsville Supervisor Chris Dumler pleaded guilty to sexual battery and steadfastly refused to resign from the Albemarle Board of Supervisors, igniting a firestorm that's jumped the pond to the Daily Mail in Britain, the Democratic committees of Albemarle and Charlottesville have called for him to leave, as did Dem Delegate and House Minority Leader David Toscano.
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The end of language
Mar 4th 1:12pm
by Lisa Provence
Kate Farrell and Alessandra van der Meulen become part of an art installation March 1 at Ruffin Hall called "The end of language." Curated by local artist/UVA prof Dean Dass – these page-turners are his students – the show features former Charlottesvillian Suzanne Silver. This piece is by Justin Quinn. "He's translating Moby Dick into the letter 'e'," explains Dass.
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Between a Rock and a Snitch: Dad saves the day
Mar 4th 11:26am
by Roger Ebert
by Richard Roeper
Who would have guessed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would deliver the best work of his career playing a guy who squares off against a pack of small-time street thugs — and winds up face down on the ground, his mug bloodied and his wallet gone.
You know, the kind of thing that would happen in real life when it's four against one, even if that one is an imposing hulk who looks like he's wearing a padded superhero suit under his shirt and jacket.
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A Virginia DUI story: Know your rights
Mar 4th 8:17am
by Hook Contributor
By André HakesCHAPTER ONE: It's 11:00pm and you're on your way back from dinner. You are pulled over for a check point, speeding, or a taillight out. The officer walks up to your car shining the flashlight in the backseat on the way past, looking for drugs, beer bottles, or anything else of interest. The officer asks: "Do you know why I stopped you?" WHAT TO DO: Don't guess. Just say "Why?" and listen politely. Do not comment. You know that part where they say, "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law?" They mean it.
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Apology tour: Can Dumler remorse salvage supe seat?
Mar 1st 2:47pm
by Lisa Provence
Scottsville Supervisor Chris Dumler is a cad. He doesn't like that description– and he's been called worse– but says, "I wouldn't say that's an unfair characterization." This is on February 27, the day he releases a statement and makes the rounds of media interviews, apologizing for what he calls "inappropriate" behavior, one month after pleading guilty to sexual battery.
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Property auctions
Feb 28th 4:44pm
by Hook Staff
March 5 at noon at 4257 Seminole Trail Property: 4257 Seminole Trail Debtor: Kerry L. Hall Original amount owing: unknown Bidder brings: $100,000 Info: Richard E. Carter 977-0191
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C.A.T. Nap
Feb 28th 3:02pm
Tragedy on the tracks: Mystery surrounds death of Kimberly Welch
Feb 28th 10:57am
by Courteney Stuart
Two weeks after 18-year-old Kimberly Welch was killed by a train on the tracks just east of Charlottesville city limits, details about the teen's tumultuous life on the streets are emerging as her friends and family grieve the loss of the young woman, an aspiring musician who dreamed of moving to California and whose family was trying to bring her home.
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Vacation violation: Kroboth back in jail after Oregon excursion
Feb 28th 5:38am
by Courteney Stuart
Two years after he was released from prison, the man who donned a vampire mask and attacked his estranged wife as she slept is back at the Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail following a January vacation that resulted in his being charged with a probation violation.
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Thinking on his feet: Hamiltons' welcomes new chef
Feb 28th 5:18am
by Dave McNair
When long-time Hamilton's chef Jeanette Peabody announced she was leaving to pursue motherhood, owners Bill and Kate Hamilton took their time deciding on a replacement.
"In its 17 years, Hamiltons' has been blessed with a dedicated and loyal staff. We really are an extended family," says Bill Hamilton. "We give a great deal of thought to 'fit' when we bring in new hires."
The right fit? Chef Curtis Shaver.
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Understated Ultima: Iconic book gets worthy film treatment
Feb 28th 5:12am
by Roger Ebert
Although it was published only in 1972, Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima has achieved the iconic stature as such novels as The Grapes of Wrath and To Kill a Mockingbird. Now comes a movie to do it justice. Carl Franklin's film is true to the tone and spirit of the book. It is patient and in no hurry. It allows a balanced eye for the people in its hero's family who tug him one way and another.
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Spotlight on Highlands at Mechums River
Feb 28th 5:05am
by Samantha Masone
Subdivision: Highlands at Mechums RiverLocation: CrozetPrice range: $163,000-$386,000Schools: Crozet, Henley, Western AlbemarlePros: pretty area, friendly neighbors, decent value, low maintenanceCons: disparate HOAs, lack of sidewalks
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The week in review
Feb 28th 1:48am
by Lisa Provence
Best/worst news for transportation in Virginia: The General Assembly passes a bill to address the Commonwealth's crumbling infrastructure that shifts the gas tax from the pump to wholesale, ups the sales tax by 0.3 percent and depends on yet-unpassed-in-Congress Internet sales tax for revenue.
Least energy-efficient friendly: While the federal government has given tax credits for hybrid cars, Virginia adds a $100 surtax on hybrids.
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Disorderly solution? Deaton proposes new pot possession charge
Feb 27th 4:20pm
by Lisa Provence
At the same time Colorado and Washington are decriminalizing marijuana possession, the issue popped up again at the February 19 Charlottesville City Council meeting, when Council voted 3-2 against doing away with jail time for pot possession.
Steve Deaton, a former prosecutor who is seeking his old job back, is sending them another proposal: Charge pot possessors with disorderly conduct instead.
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Correction: Wrong floor
Feb 26th 10:00pm
by Hook Staff
In last week's story, "Bell-wether: Will Rob be our next AG?", the Hook lost count of which floor Bell's Richmond General Assembly office is on, and incorrectly identified it as the ninth rather than the seventh floor.
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Recession-ender: Albemarle budget ready to grow
Feb 26th 5:38pm
by Lisa Provence
The sun has come out and the recession is over, if Albemarle's 2013-14 fiscal year budget is any indicator. The county's budget was grim grim grim in 2010, reflecting the nosedive in real estate values and in corresponding property tax revenue. Last year's was slightly improved, with county exec Tom Foley calling it a "half-smile" budget after unrelenting cuts since 2008.
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Get Out! events, shows, things to do
Feb 26th 4:18pm
by Dave McNair
“What would an ocean be without a monster lurking in the dark? It would be like sleep without dreams.” ― Werner HerzogOtherness to the sceneMonsters invade March's First Friday art lineup at the brand new Telegraph gallery on the Downtown Mall. Located between O’Suzannah and The CVille Smoke Shop on Fourth Street, Telegraph debuts with "Monstrous," a show featuring various imagined creatures in pop art-style screen prints, a theme that reflects the philosophies of the gallery owners.
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