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Move2Health Equity presents 2021 transportation survey results to City Council

Since reacquiring management of the Charlottesville Podcasting Network, I have resisted posting material here. When I created this site, it was just to experiment with the technology. Thousands of podcasts later, there is a lot here I want to keep as an archive of a certain time.

But I also want to add things, even if those things may just be repurposed content from my other work at Town Crier Productions.  That’s the company I created in 2020 to help me figure out how to make a living covering the world around me as a journalist.

So, I think what I may do for a time is continue to post these and to add a little commentary about the stories where I can. I’m not doing that for this one, nor am I going to repost all of the text. You can read that on Information Charlottesville.

Anyway, here are the first two paragraphs of the story to whet your appetite.

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The current administration of the City of Charlottesville has inherited a city government that has struggled to turn ideas for road and multimodal improvement into completed projects. For instance, the Commonwealth Transportation Board awarded three Smart Scale grants to the city in 2016, but none of them has yet gone to construction. The city saved up millions for a West Main Streetscape project that was canceled last year with the money reprioritized for the renovation of Buford Middle School.

The task of reforming the city’s transportation process has fallen to Deputy City Manager Sam Sanders. Last year, he worked with the Virginia Department of Transportation on a plan to fix the city’s broken process, including the cancellation of a couple other projects. Last year, the city did not submit any applications through the Smart Scale process. That was one concession to VDOT officials who have become impatient with the city’s inability to deliver.

 

 

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Press conference with new Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis

Michael Kochis will be the next police chief for the City of Charlottesville. He was the final selection of interim City Manager Michael C. Rogers and approved by City Council on December 5, 2022. He will start work on January 16, 2023.

On December 6, Rogers held a virtual press conference to allow members of the media to ask questions of the new chief, who comes to the position after being the chief for the Town of Warrenton in Fauquier County.

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Center for Politics forum explores election security in advance of Election Day

On October 18, 2022, the Center for Politics held a seminar in the Rotunda at the University of Virginia called “Hacking Our Elections.” Charlottesville Community Engagement recorded the event and produced this six minute podcast summary.

To read this story, please visit Information Charlottesville. 

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Virginia Film Festival’s 35th annual program is announced

The falling of the leaves is the sign of many things, but the onslaught of autumn also marks the coming of the next Virginia Film Festival. Here’s a very brief preview of the 35th annual event, which will take place November 2 through November 6.

This piece was originally part of the October 12, 2022 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. You can read the item here.

Will there be more podcasts from the Virginia Film Festival? Stay tuned!

The opening night film is Glass Onion: A Knives Out mystery

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Historical Marker unveiled at Central Library for crucial desegregation case of Swanson v. UVA

On May 19, 2022, a crowd assembled at the intersection of East Market Street and 3rd Street NW in downtown Charlottesville to watch the unveiling of a historic marker to commemorate an important moment in the desegregation of education in Virginia. In 1950, Gregory Swanson applied to attend the University of Virginia School of Law, but he was denied a space because he was Black. He sued in federal court citing 14th Amendment rights to equal protection, and a three-panel judge heard arguments on September 5 that year. Our recording begins with David Plunkett, the director of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library.

Timeline for podcast:

  • 00:00 – Introduction
  • 00:50 – Comments from David Plunkett, Jefferson-Madison Regional Library
  • 04:10 – Comments from Risa Goluff, Dean of the University of Virginia School of Law
  • 10:00 – Comments from M. Rick Turner
  • 12:00 – Comments from Donna Price, Chair of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors
  • 15:30 – Comments from Lloyd Snook, Mayor of the City of Charlottesville
A close up of the historical marker unveiled on May 19, 2022

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Whole City Podcast: A conversation with Elizabeth Catte on Pure America: Eugenics and the Making of Modern Virginia

The Reverend Alex Joyner is the pastor of Charlottesville First United Methodist Church, and he wants to ask questions about what it takes to make a place more whole. One thread in his questioning is the future of Market Street Park in downtown Charlottesville.

In late February of 2022, Reverend Joyner spoke with Elizabeth Catte about her new book Pure America: Eugenics and the Making of Modern Virginia.

You can also watch this interview on YouTube.

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Wake-Up Call: Current Views, and Uses, of Public Schools

Pam Moran (left) and Gena Keller

Sunday Morning Wake-up Call host Rick Moore talks with Dr. Pam Moran, Executive Director of The Virginia School Consortium for Learning and Gena Keller, Executive Director of The Commonwealth Learning Partnership, about current trends in public education. Ms. Moran and Ms. Keller are former superintendents of the Albemarle and Fluvanna public school systems respectively. Topics include: the original intent of the public school system and some of the challenges faced by public educators today.

This is the final show for this series. We’d like to send a thank you to the many guests who took time out of their busy schedules to appear on our show and to our many faithful listeners some of who have stayed with us for over 20 years.

We’d also like to give special thanks to the good people at 97.9 WREN for providing a space for us for the last two years and to the Charlottesville Podcasting Network which has been our online home since 2005.

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Wake-Up Call: A Conversation About Education with Jim Ryan and Frank Friedman

Jim Ryan (left) and Frank Friedman

Sunday Morning Wake-up Call host Rick Moore talks with University of Virginia President Jim Ryan and Piedmont Community College President Frank Friedman about the current state of college education in Virginia. Topics include: COVID and its effect on the mental health of college students and balancing life, work and school.

The Sunday Morning Wake-up Call is heard on Real Oldies 97.9 The WREN, Sundays from 11 a.m. to noon.

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Wake-Up Call: Local and National Real Estate Update

Jim Duncan (left) and Matt Hodges

Sunday Morning Wake-up Call host Rick Moore talks with Jim Duncan from Nest Realty and Matt Hodges from Presidential Bank Mortgage about the real estate market in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Topics include: A seller’s market and buyer love letters.

The Sunday Morning Wake-up Call is heard on Real Oldies 97.9 The WREN, Sundays from 11 a.m. to noon.

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SSV: Moving Forward with Equity in Our Community

On Zoom: Elizabeth Beasley (left), Putnam Ivey de Cortez and Bob Beard (moderator)

Elizabeth Beasley and Putnam Ivey de Cortez spoke at the February 2022 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia.

Elizabeth Beasley is from the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion where she is director of community partnerships. In addition she is a member of the President’s Council on University-Community Partnerships and co-chair of its Public Health Work Group. She began her presentation answering the question, “What is the difference between “equal” and “equity.” Equal implies that there is a one size fits all resolution to an issue. Equity is an intentional way of equalizing responses according to the needs of the recipients. The goal of the President’s Council is to build partnerships with the community such as using local vendors, improving public health and public housing. Practicing good neighbor ethics, pursuing actions with mutual benefits and building authentic partnerships are ways of achieving equity between The University of Virginia and the local community.

Putnam Ivey de Cortez from Albemarle County’s Office of Equity and Inclusion coordinates programs for the county government. The mission statement of this program is to improve the well being and quality of life for all community members. In order to accomplish this goal, understanding the issue more thoroughly is essential so, the speaker presented several demographic studies. For example, factors affecting health were found to be 20% clinical care, 30% health behaviors, 40% socioeconomic factors and 10% physical environment. These statistics provide the foundation for determining the work the staff is trained to do. Currently the county is revising their comprehensive plan and soliciting a broad selection of its citizens to give their input.

The two spoke at the Wednesday February 9, 2022 meeting of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The meeting was held at The Center in Charlottesville and simulcast on Zoom. Following the presentation, questions were taken from the audience. The program was moderated by SSV Board Member Bob Beard.

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Wake-Up Call: A US President’s First Year in Office

William Antholis

Sunday Morning Wake-up Call host Rick Moore talks with William Antholis, Director and CEO of UVA’s Miller Center for Public Affairs about how US Presidents faired during their first year in office. Topics include: Why Presidential leadership matters and why unity is more challenging than assumed.

The Sunday Morning Wake-up Call is heard on Real Oldies 97.9 The WREN, Sundays from 11 a.m. to noon.