July 10, 2025: Albemarle County provides some details on a ransomware attack that may have compromised some personal information
Plus: The Albemarle County Planning Commission recommends approval of an additional 300 homes at Brookhill
As we come to July 10, 2025, many take for granted the ability to receive information about what’s happening across the world on our phones and other screens. While there have been many milestones on the journey to our techno-Babel, a key one is the launch of Telstar on this day in 1962. The 171-pound satellite was built by Bell Labs and only operated for seven months until an atmospheric nuclear test called Starfish Prime caused it to cease working.
How much satellite technology is used in the production of Charlottesville Community Engagement? I’m Sean Tubbs, and I’m not sure how I’d begin such an audit.
In today’s installment:
Albemarle County provides more details of a ransomware attack that caused massive disruptions in June
The University of Virginia selects a new senior vice president for operations
An ER nurse and University of Virginia has compiled a story documenting the strain the COVID-19 pandemic put on the medical
Albemarle County Planning Commission recommends approval of an additional 300 homes at Brookhill
First shout-out: Five Things ReLeaf has done this year!
Time for a subscriber-supported shout-out, this time for ReLeaf Cville!
On April 21, ReLeaf Cville celebrated Arbor Day 2025 by talking with 40 fourth grade students at Greenbrier Elementary about the importance of urban tree canopy, and then planting a tree on the preschool playground
On April 25, the Van Yahres Tree Company donated time and energy to provide tree care to 45 trees ReLeaf planted in the Rose Hill Neighborhood, Fall 2023
On May 10 at RiverFest, Green Team members Moos and Antony joined Keith Pitchford, Board vice-chair, and Cathy Boyd, Executive Director, in providing information about ReLeaf Cville and playing Tree Bingo
In May, C-Ville Weekly profiled ReLeaf Cville’s efforts to help homeowners turn their yards into leafy oases - and cool their neighborhoods.
The fourth annual Green Team session took place this week and was designed to equip rising 9th-12th graders in tree knowledge and tree care skills, this year's schedule includes sessions co-led by the Rivanna Conservation Alliance, Van Yahres Tree Company, Master Naturalists, Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, Community Climate Collaborative, and Steve Gaines, Charlottesville's Urban Forester.
Albemarle provides some details in cybersecurity attack
Last month, several government functions in Albemarle County failed as a result of a cybersecurity attack. Today, the county has provided an explanation of what happened in what’s known as a “ransomware” incident.
“Ransomware is a type of malicious software that cybercriminals use to break into computer systems and lock up important data,” reads an information release sent out at 11:47 a.m. “Their goal is often to steal sensitive or personal information.”
In many of these cases, the assailants seek money in exchange for restoring local control. According to the release, that did not happen in this case because Albemarle had back-ups.
The attack began on the afternoon of June 10, 2025 and continued overnight. County staff noticed issues with information technology systems the next day, including Albemarle County Public Schools.
“During that time, information from the County’s systems may have been inappropriately accessed and/or obtained by an unauthorized user,” the release continues. “State and federal law enforcement agencies were notified, and the County is fully cooperating with their investigations into this matter.”
County officials are warning that it is possible that some personal data may have been obtained such as names, Social Security numbers, and birthdays. However, they claim there is no evidence that any of the information has been “used for harm.”
“To provide peace of mind, and because trust is the foundation of everything we do, we are offering free credit monitoring and identity protection resources to our constituents and employees,” said Jeff Richardson, Albemarle County Executive. “We recognize how important personal information is and take our responsibility to protect it seriously.”
Albemarle has set up a website to provide more information about how to sign up for these services and to learn more.
UVA selects Brandeis University official as next senior vice president
While the University of Virginia community continues to contend with the forced resignation of President Jim Ryan by the United States Department of Justice, a key position in the administration has been filled.
According to UVA Today, Lois Stanley has been named as the next senior vice president for operations. Stanley will begin work on August 18 after serving for six years as the vice president for campus planning and operations. A Virginia native, Stanley has also worked in management positions at Tufts University and Harvard University.
“With over two decades of proven experience in higher education, we are both thrilled and fortunate to welcome Lois to UVA,” said Jennifer “J.J.” Wagner Davis, the executive vice president and chief operating officer who will also become acting president after tomorrow when Ryan’s resignation takes effect.
Stanley will succeed Colette Sheehy in the position. Sheehy announced her retirement from UVA last November. She’ll oversee a range of functions ranging from the Office of the Architect to UVA Mail services.
Area emergency room nurse pens oral history of COVID-19 response
Five years ago around this time, health care systems across the globe were fighting the COVID-19 pandemic as epidemiologists and others worked on vaccines to combat a pathogen that had not yet been experienced by humans.
The experience took its toll on many in the industry, leading to suicide among many in the profession. Kellen Squire, an emergency room nurse and instructor at the University of Virginia, has compiled a series of stories from healthcare workers into a book called “No Time to Breathe.”
“These stories need to be preserved now more than ever," Squire said. "Healthcare workers witnessed unprecedented death and suffering during COVID. With massive cuts to healthcare funding on the horizon, including $980 billion from Medicaid, we are facing another healthcare crisis.”
Squire said the book documents what happens when the system is overtaxed with stories from intensive care units, stories about shortages of personal protective equipment, and stories about people dying alone because family members and friends were not allowed to visit. There are 130 chapters in all.
“That was a hellish time to be in healthcare,” reads one anonymous submission. “Administration threw us to the wolves, with raw steak hung around our necks.”
That person ended their chapter by saying they now discourage anyone from going into the healthcare profession.
The book is for sale across multiple platforms and Squire said all of the proceeds beyond production costs will go to mental health support programs and suicide prevention programs for healthcare workers. Here’s quite possibly the first and only time I will ever link to Amazon.
Squire is also soliciting more stories for a future edition.
“If you have your own COVID healthcare story that needs to be told, please send it to covidhealthcarestories@gmail.com,” reads a section of the preface.
The work can be found for free on archive.org. Squire said he did minimal editing on the submissions to allow for individual voices to be heard.
If you want to know it was like five years ago this week, take a listen to the July 14, 2020 edition of the Charlottesville Quarantine Report. That was the template for this newsletter.
Second shout-out: Cville Village
Can you drive a neighbor to a doctor’s appointment? Change an overhead lightbulb, plant a flower, walk a dog for someone who is sick, visit someone who is lonely? If so, Cville Village needs you!
Cville Village is a local 501c3 nonprofit organization loosely affiliated with a national network of Villages whose goals are to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, and to build connections among them that diminish social isolation. Volunteers do small chores for, and have gatherings of, professors and schoolteachers, nurses and lawyers, aides and housekeepers. Time and chance come to all – a fall, an order not to drive, failing eyesight, a sudden stroke. They assist folks continue living at home, with a little help from their friends.
Cville Village volunteers consult software that shows them who has requested a service and where they are located. Volunteers accept only the requests that fit their schedule and their skills.
Volunteering for Cville Village can expand your circle of friends and shower you with thanks.
To learn more, visit cvillevillage.org or attend one of their monthly Village “meet-ups” and see for yourself. To find out where and when the next meetup is, or to get more information and a volunteer application, email us at info@cvillevillage.org, or call them at (434) 218-3727.
Planning Commission recommends approval of more residential units at Brookhill
In November 2016, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning for Brookhill, a mixed-use development on 277 acres to be constructed between Polo Grounds Road and the Forest Lakes in the northern portion of the county.
On July 8, the Albemarle Planning Commission held a public hearing on requested changes to the code of development for the project.
“The changes are limited to primarily a request to increase the maximum number of units within the development from 1,550 to by 300 units to 1,850,” said Rebecca Ragsdale, a planning manager with Albemarle County.
There are no changes requested for the amount of non-residential space as the code of development allows for a minimum of 50,000 square feet and a maximum of 130,000 square feet.
An ongoing concern in Albemarle is whether developments are coming in at the higher end of what is allowed and encouraged in the Comprehensive Plan. For decades, that plan’s hallmark strategy is to limit development in the rural area in favor of placing it in the five percent of the county’s land reserved for growth.
“When we were looking at this a decade ago, density wasn't as welcome in Albemarle County, “ said Ashley Davies with Riverbend Development. “So what we're looking at tonight is getting closer to what the Comprehensive Plan wanted in terms of density for the site.”
Davies said 762 units have been built to date. The original plan was also to have 500 single family homes, but the idea now is to build more types of housing.
A senior living facility has been part as of the site, though that is classified as commercial space rather than residential. In the new iteration what had been planned for office space will likely be ground floor commercial with apartments above.
Commissioner Karen Firehock (Samuel Miller) said she supported that idea as that concept is called for in county master plans but has only been done in a few locations. Firehock also said she recently visited Mexico City and had an observation.
“The rooftop of almost every residential building got some decking and people hang out,” Firehock said. “I mean there's got to great views up there. Our area is so weird because we don't use any of our rooftops.”
Davies said that would be something Riverbend would like to do as part of this development.
Though the Places29 Master Plan has not been updated since 2011, Albemarle has adopted a housing policy which requires 20 percent of new units to be within the county’s affordability guidelines. That means 60 of the new places must be rented or sold to households below certain income thresholds.
Davies said 301 units have been built so far that qualify as affordable.
Two people spoke during the public hearing. Lindsey Hill said she moved to the Brookhill community in 2021 when she was getting a master’s degree from the University of Virginia. She wanted to know more information about how the rents are calculated compared to area median income.
“My rent has gone up between a $100 and $150 every lease renewal,” Hill said. “So I am a little curious to what the AMI household number is based off of because there was a point to where I was calling mom and dad and I was like, I might have to move back in.”
Another Brookhill resident, Carolyn Cartwright, said she was concerned about having more residents in the community.
“I understand the need for affordable housing, yet I have concerns of being in the neighborhood,” Cartwright said. “Since the plots have been filled and the houses have been sold, there has increasingly become a problem with parking in the area and I am concerned with the number of increased units coming to the area. How will all of these cars find spots to park?”
Cartwright said amenities are also beginning to show signs of wear and tear.
In rebuttal, Davies said that a total of 1,100 parking spaces are planned for what the Code of Development refers to as a town center. As for rents, Davies said rents have been going up across the board across the county, but the affordable rents are within line of the guidelines which call for them to be within reach of households making below 80 percent of the area median.
Commissioner Julian Bivins (Jack Jouett) supported the project had a bold suggestion.
“Why don't we encourage developers to donate the apartments to the county and put them in a housing trust fund?” Bivins asked.
Bivins said that would allow the county to guarantee the units are being rented to eligible households in perpetuity.
Commissioner Nathan Moore (Rio) points out that the AMI for a family of four is around $125,000, which means rents can be as high as $2,500 a month and still be technically considered affordable. He said the county needs to consider a public housing option.
“I think that is something that, you know, as a community, as a Board of Supervisors coming down the pike, we ought to think about,” Moore said.
Moore said that did not have any bearing on his support for this project.
The six Commissioners present voted unanimously to recommend approval. The next step up is a public hearing with the Board of Supervisors. A meeting date has not been scheduled.
Very short conclusion to #895
Is there a roadway called I-895? There might be but I do not have time to look it up. It’s after 5 p.m. I had a slow start today.
The next week is going to be different for me but I am hoping to get out as much as I can. I’m going on a road trip, but will still fit in the stories I can. Expect the podcast tomorrow, the Week Ahead on Sunday, and then I’ll publish what I can.
I lost some time because my octogenarian father called me with a computer problem. He’s got a virus, and it sounds like a bad one. I’m on edge due to the first story today.
But of course I have to end this edition with one of my favorite songs of all time.