Charlottesville Podcasting Network
Lectures, radio shows and more available on-demand
Hook Reporter Courtney Stuart joins Coy Barefoot on to talk about her recent article on how many smoke detectors do not necessarily do what their name describes. Ionization smoke detectors are in 90 percent of American homes, and Stuart says they can only detect smoke from an open flame. The Hook news team conducted fire tests with both ionization and photo-electric detectors to find out which ones would provide the most early warning. Read the article for pictures and to find out more.
After 8 long years of partisan politics and endless discussions of a red-state/blue-state divide in this country, many Americans are anxiously awaiting the end of a presidency defined by fringe politics, one that persistently and systematically moved away from the will of the center. According to historian Gil Troy, great American presidents can be defined by their willingness to move away from partisan extremes to the center. Troy’s new book is called Leading from the Center: Why Moderates Make the Best Presidents. He also explains the concept of a ‘muscular moderate.’
“It’s an ability to compromise while also having core values,” Troy said. “If you look at the greats – Lincoln, Washington, the Roosevelts, Reagan, Kennedy, the ones who were effective – they were able to have a certain sense of their core values, their defining principles, their fundamental beliefs. But at the same time they knew that as leaders of a very complicated country… they had to be nimble and they had to adapt.”
Ralph Nader defines political activism for many Americans, though many also attribute George W. Bush’s presidency to Nader’s presidential run in 2000. Now, Nader is running again as an independent and will be at the Gravity Lounge on Sunday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM for a rally. Coy Barefoot spoke with Nader before the event to get a preview of what he’ll be saying this time around. Nader says Wall Street is ruining the country by taking too many risks, and points to the credit crisis as evidence. He also weighs in on the possibility of an Iranian invasion, the oil crisis, and outlines what a Nader presidency would do for the country. (photo by David Shankbone)
Live Arts is on the cutting edge again… just ask any ‘tween. 
In the great tradition of American Musical Comedy Love Stories, Live Arts is presenting Disney’s High School Musical this summer from July 11 to August 2, on the main stage, with all local talent.
As the actors warmed up for their final rehearsal, I had a chance to sit in the back of the theatre and talk to the director, designer and then briefly meet the cast.
Disney’s High School Musical
Live Arts
www.livearts.org
Box Office:
434-977-4177 x 108
The Forest Lakes Community Association held a town hall meeting at Hollymead Elementary on July 1, 2008 to discuss the safety of the Route 29 intersection where a fatal accident occurred earlier this year. A 16 year old Albemarle High School student, Sydney Aichs, was killed on May 9, 2008 turning out of Forest Lakes South from Ashwood Boulevard onto Route 29 South when a tractor trailer driver on Route 29 North failed to stop at the red light. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has investigated the circumstances of the accident, and presented their findings and recommendations to the community at the meeting. Afterwards, over 20 residents asked questions about a number of issues relating to the intersection. There were over 150 members of the public in attendance.
For full coverage, see Charlottesville Tomorrow’s article here.
John Piller is the Director of Mind-Body Programming at ACAC, and he joined Coy Barefoot on the July 8, 2008 edition of WINA’s Charlottesville-Right Now! Coy begins the interview by confessing he’s always wanted to do tai chi, and then asks John how he came to get involved with his area of expertise.
Architect and Architectural Historian Ed Lay has been teaching at the University of Virginia since 1967, and he joined Coy Barefoot on the July 9, 2008 edition of WINA’s “Charlottesville-Right Now!” Coy and Ed talk about how he got interested in his field, the evolution of architecture, and what makes a good architect.
An Albemarle County program that grants a reduced tax assessment to property owners who use their land for agricultural purposes will remain unchanged. At their meeting on July 9, 2008, the Board of Supervisors declined to make any changes to land use taxation. Staff had prepared a report that explored the effects on County revenue and staff-time if land use taxation only applied to property that qualified as “open space” under state law.
For a full writeup and timeline, see Charlottesville Tomorrow’s coverage here.
Over two hundred people took advantage of an important opportunity to comment on the near final design for the proposed renovation of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. They crowded into the CitySpace meeting room overlooking the Mall to view details of the plans created by MMM Design, and to give feedback on key details of the Mall redesign.
For a full writeup and a timeline, see Charlottesville Tomorrow’s coverage here.
Lowell Feld is the founder and editor of Raising Kaine and the co-author of 
Net Roots Rising: How a Citizen Army of Bloggers and Online Activists Is Changing American Politics. In this July 7, 2008 edition of WINA’s “Charlottesville–Right Now with Coy Barefoot,” Feld talks about how he got his start online, and why Virginia’s blogosphere is a little different, and predictions on the presidential race.
President George Bush became the fourth sitting president in U.S. History to visit Monticello on July 4, 2008. The 43rd president was on-hand to address 75 new Americans who were participating in their naturalization ceremony. Bush’s speech was interupted several times by protestors who shouted slogans.
Brian Wheeler, Executive Director of Charlottesville Tomorrow, joins Coy Barefoot every Tuesday for an update on growth and development issues in greater Charlottesville. On the July 8th edition of the show: