Monthly Archives: December 2022

Albemarle preparing for end of COVID federal benefits

Posted on by Leave a comment

It has been two and three quarter years since COVID-19 was declared a public health emergency and much of the economy was shut down for a while to help reduce the spread of a virus that was still little known. Rules for federal benefits were altered for a while and now social services departments across the United States are scrambling to prepare for that period to end.

“The Department of Social Services finds itself responding to some pretty significant mid-year federal policy change which we predict will result in a significant increase in the workload required for us to manage this,” said Kaki Dimock, Albemarle County’s Director of Social Services. 

Read more

Longtime Lane High School football coach dies

Posted on by Leave a comment

A football coach who led Lane High School to a 53-game winning streak had died at the age of 89. Thomas George Theodose died Saturday as announced by Charlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook on Monday. 

“He was at Lane when I was at Lane back in the 1960’s,” Snook said. 

The winning streak came between 1962 and 1967 at a time when Charlottesville Schools transitioned from resistance to admitting Black students to white schools to acceptance. The streak straddled that time. 

Read more

Albemarle welcomes new firefighters

Posted on by Leave a comment

Six new firefighters have joined Albemarle County this week after going through an abbreviated recruit school. The county announced this morning that the new public safety employees had previous experience and are known as  “lateral recruits.” 

“ACFR personnel are highly trained and motivated to provide the highest quality service to the residents of Albemarle,” said Albemarle County Fire Rescue Chief Dan Eggleston in a statement. “These individuals were already trained firefighters elsewhere and chose to come to ACFR because of the standard of care and quality of the department, and we warmly welcome them to the family.”

Read more

Albemarle and Charlottesville set to collect plastic bag tax starting January 1

Posted on by Leave a comment

If you use plastic bags provided by grocery stores to take your food and beverages home in Albemarle and Charlottesville, it’s going to cost you slightly more. 

“As authorized through Virginia Code §58.1-1745, retailers will be required to charge $0.05 per disposable plastic bag provided to customers at checkout,” reads a press release sent out late Monday. 

The idea is to incentivize people to carry reusable bags. Revenue must go to specific sources including purchase of bags for people with eligible incomes, a marketing campaign for environmental education, or litter clean-up programs. 

The tax itself will be administered by the Virginia Department of Taxation. 

For more information: 

Are you a retailer? Are you prepared to implement the fee? What about a consumer? Will this change your behavior?

Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment comes from the December 20, 2022 edition of the program. To ensure this research can be sustained, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or contributing monthly through Patreon.

 

Charlottesville will need to look for a new City Attorney

Posted on by One comment

Charlottesville City Attorney Lisa Robertson is leaving her position effective December 28, 2022. The news was reported last night by interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers. 

“Lisa has had a long career with the city of Charlottesville and in my time here I recognize her as one top-notch professional who you can rely on for sound advice and guidance.” Rogers said. 

Read more