On this week’s Sunday Morning Wake-Up Call with Rick Moore, members of the Nelson County Humane Society talk about their no-kill Almost Home Pet Adoption Center. Bette Grahame, Gretchen Price, Sarah Landon, and Tedi Wright, board members and volunteers at the Center, discuss how they became involved with foster pet care, and their desperate need for additional homes. Find out how you can become a foster owner, and help keep these animals from being euthanized. The facility also offers free spaying and neutering two days every month for pets of Nelson County.

The Nelson County Humane Society is hosting an Animal House Ball this Saturday at the Carriage House at Oak Ridge – the event will include live and silent auctions.

What role did the Chinese have in the development of cannon? In this edition of Technology in World History, Bernard Carlson, Professor of Science, Technology and Society at the University of Virginia, examines the development of this technology of warfare.

Wendy Fournier is the president of the National Autism Association. She joins Coy Barefoot on WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now to talk about her own family’s experience with autism as well as the latest research. She also updates listeners on legislation in the Senate to give the Food and Drug Administration oversight of the nation’s compounding pharmacies. Currently they’re regulated by state governments. Fournier says this will limit the options of parents of autistic children, who need individually prepared medications.

Fournier also reports on a recent workshop on autism and the environment held by the Institute of Medicine. She reports that a representative of the CDC appeared at the meeting and listed Thimerosal, an ethyl mercury-based vaccine preservative, as one of possible key triggers of autism. This is a welcome line of research for many parents, scientists, and doctors who have advocated for many years now that there is a connection between mercuryG,V poisoning and autism.

In this episode, Ken White interviews vice president of alumni relations Michael Woodfolk about the purpose and significance of the alumni survey that was distributed recently. Survey results will be evaluated by Dean Bruner and senior Darden leadership as they chart the future course of the school.

Bob Gibson of the Charlottesville Daily Progress joins Coy Barefoot on WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now to talk about Virginia politics. This week, Governor Kaine signs an executive director to close a loophole that allowed the killer in the Virginia Tech shootings to purchase firearms, but it would not have stopped him from buying one at a gunshow. Other topics include Charlottesville residents’ first chance to elect members of the Soil and Conservation District, and the possibility of Albemarle County’s implementing impact fees on new developments.

On this installment of WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now, Coy Barefoot speaks with Jayson Whitehead of C-Ville Weekly about his reporting on the Albemarle Place project at Route 29 and Hydraulic Road. He wrote an article last week that describes how limited sewer capacity is holding up progress on the development. The piece sparked a very active thread on cvillenews.com. The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority is undertaking a study on the required upgrades to supported the additional users. Mr. Whitehead also previews upcoming articles he is working on for the C-Ville Weekly related to the June 2nd Democratic Caucus and the health of the Rivanna River.