Category: politics

Holly

Holly Edwards
Bumped into this lady January 17, 2000, first national celebration of M.L. King day. Didn’t know her at the time. Seven years later she was elected to Charlottesville City Council where she served with high distinction.

election day

Recreation Precinct, paper ballot
There is that Emma Goldman quote: “If voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal”
Jay James, WINA, interviews
Hmm. Wes Bellamy would disagree.

open for business

public comment timer
October 19, 2015- Louisa County Board of Supervisors approved a conditional use permit to allow the open pit mining of vermiculite
in the Green Springs National Historic Landmark District.
The applicant for the zoning change is admired community wide as a good man.
The mining company has, in the past, done award-winning reclamation of a mining site.

So… What the hay?

The highlights of the decision to grant the CUP are on the web.
To cover the subtleties, the principal actors, the hard choices, the layers of compromise,
thousands of words and a fearless newspaper would be required.
The Louisa Comprehensive Plan executive statement, vision and goals recognize the national significance of the Green Springs district.
The Louisa County zoning code allows for the refusal of a CUP if it is not compatible with the surrounding area.

But what the hay.

Monticello 53rd annual

nickel porch
FOB Terence R. McAuliffe, Governor of Virginia, addressed the crowd gathered for the 53rd annual Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello.


pipeline protest
Court was called into session, petitioners at Monticello took the oath of citizenship. McAuliffe posed for photos with the new citizens. I am fairly sure the Governor did not pause, on his way up to Monticello, for photos with these petitioners. The “Macster” is a deal maker. Energy companies are granted audience, common citizens can hold their breath.


new citizens
The naturalization ceremony provides a happier meditation on the strengths of our country.

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”-Oath of Citizenship

horse race

election signs
Charlottesville Democratic Primary candidates are wearing out the shoe leather. Walking the relatively shadeless streets of our city,
meeting voters in preparation for June 9 Democratic Primary.
When the new Council is seated in November, I hope that they look back and ask themselves why the 1975 Street Tree plan was never implemented.
Revise and adopt that plan in the first one-hundred days!

Pond

Mike Signer
Politics in our ten square mile pond is fascinating. In the big water,
state, national, there is a money at play. But in the little pond, it’s about vision, quality of life,
having principals and living by them, wanting to make your home better.

Charlottesville Tomorrow has the story.
Mike Signer

 

Wes Bellamy
These candidates are exemplary. They care deeply about their community.
Charlottesville Tomorrow has the story.
Wes Bellamy
Lena Seville
Many different paths lead to a councilmanic run. The candidates are activists: for community engagement, for the environment, for historic preservation, for clean safe streets, for better schools.
Charlottesville Tomorrow has the story.
Lena Seville
Dede Smith
Two of the candidates are incumbents. They’ve worked their way through a multitude of meetings in the past four years. Fielded thousands of e-mails. Met with citizens, made site visits. Stayed up late. Read thousands of pages of staff reports. It’s not easy.
Charlottesville Tomorrow has the story.
Dede Smith
Kathy Galvin
In a small pond like ours the candidates have guts, and there is little glory in the offing. No one has an office decorated in the style of Downton Abbey. The Councilors give us their work and selfless dedication, to make our town a better place.
Charlottesville Tomorrow has the story.
Kathy Galvin