Somehow we find ourselves marching into a new month, when perhaps the last one needed a few more days to tie up all of the loose ends. Yet life in this third decade of the 21st century does not work like that, and nothing ever seems to stop long enough to write all of it down. But this is Charlottesville Community Engagement, which really strives to capture as many pebbles as possible to depict whatever mosaic I can knowing full well there may at times appear to be missing pieces. I’m Sean Tubbs.
On today’s edition:
An Albemarle County man is dead after an encounter with police
Charlottesville City Councilor Lloyd Snook announces a re-election bid
Delegate Rob Bell is retiring from the General Assembly
The city of Charlottesville is giving out trees intended to help homeowners to save energy
First shout-out: WTJU’s Puzzle Hunt Preview Party is coming up soon!
In today’s first Patreon-fueled shout-out: WTJU wants you to know the 2nd annual Cville Puzzle Hunt is coming! Save the date for Sat, August 26 for this citywide cerebral puzzle for you and your friends to solve.
Before then, whet your puzzle solving appetite at WTJU’s Puzzle Hunt Preview Party! Thursday, March 16, 7 – 9 p.m. at The Looking Glass @ IX Art Park, 522 2nd St SE.
Featuring music, drinks, and a mini-puzzle to get you warmed up for the main event in August.
Everyone is invited to this free preview party. But please register at CvillePuzzleHunt.com to attend.
Albemarle County man shot dead by police
A failed negotiation between law enforcement officers and a man wanted by Albemarle County police resulted in officers killing the suspect yesterday.
Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis briefed the media after the incident yesterday afternoon.
“At 10 a.m. this morning, an Albemarle County detective witnessed a subject who was wanted in the area of the Red Roof Inn,” Kochis said. “The detective attempted to engage that suspect who then fled on foot into a wooded area. The suspect started firing rounds while in that area and at that time out of abundance of caution we went ahead and initiated a lockdown in the area.”
Charlottesville Police attempted to contain the area which meant blocking off the U.S. 250 Bypass diverting vehicles onto Barracks Road or Hydraulic Road. They called for back-up from other law enforcement agencies.
“We asked for tactical resources to show up to help take over that area to ensure this person did not enter the community and cause anybody harm.” Kochis said. “Albemarle County tactical response team responded and took over the scene. At some point after negotiations broke down, the suspect fled the area and started to go toward the parking lot which was populated at the Red Roof Inn. The tactical response team of the Albemarle County Police Department attempted several times to use less lethal force which was unsuccessful. At some point during that encounter, the suspect turned toward the tactical response team and pointed his firearm at them. At that point they fired at the suspect, striking him several times. He was transported to UVA Medical Center where he later succumbed to his injuries.”
Kochis identified the deceased as 44-year-old Billy Sites of Albemarle County.
For a more full account, read Alice Berry’s story in the Charlottesville Daily Progress.
Thanks to NBC29 for providing the audio for that story.
Snook launches re-election campaign for City Council; Payne will also seek a second term
None of the people elected to City Council in either 2015 or 2017 opted to run for a second term, but two members of the 2019 cohort want more time to represent Charlottesville voters. One of them made an announcement yesterday at the Free Speech Monument on the Downtown Mall.
“I’m here to announce that I am going to be running for election as a City Councilor on the June 20th Democratic primary,” said Lloyd Snook, who wanted to make certain he was not running for another term as Charlottesville’s Mayor. In fact, he said he would not seek another two-year term if he is re-elected.
“Because the Mayor is chosen only by the City Council by whoever is elected, so the five who are elected in the first meeting in January will then select who the Mayor is,” Snook added.
Snook said he ran four years ago to try to restore a sense that Charlottesville’s government could work again, and to address affordable housing, climate action, and school reconstruction. He wants another four years to see the work through.
“For example, we will have completed the Buford reconstruction by time,” Snook said. “We will have implemented a fair amount of the climate action plan by that time. We will have finalized the rezoning and finalized all of the affordable housing plans and really gotten those moving forward.”
Snook said that the current Council has demonstrated that Charlottesville’s elected body is capable of getting things done as a unit.
“It doesn’t have to be a pitched battle every time, and I think that’s really helped, and for me if had been a battle, I was still going to be part of it because that’s just who I am but for some people it was just so frustrating to deal with the last few years,” Snook said.
Lined up behind at the event Snook was Vice Mayor Juandiego Wade. Not lined up behind Snook but present at the event was City Councilor Michael Payne who has announced via email he will seek a second term.
Anyone else who wants to run for the Democratic nomination in the June 20 primary has until April 6 to submit paperwork as well as the signatures of 125 qualified voters. Learn more on the Virginia Department of Elections webpage.
Second shout-out goes to Camp Albemarle
Today’s second subscriber-supported public service announcement goes out to Camp Albemarle, which has for sixty years been a “wholesome rural, rustic and restful site for youth activities, church groups, civic events and occasional private programs.”
Located on 14 acres on the banks of the Moorman’s River near Free Union, Camp Albemarle continues as a legacy of being a Civilian Conservation Corps project that sought to promote the importance of rural activities. Camp Albemarle seeks support for a plan to winterize the Hamner Lodge, a structure built in 1941 by the CCC and used by every 4th and 5th grade student in Charlottesville and Albemarle for the study of ecology for over 20 years. If this campaign is successful, Camp Albemarle could operate year-round. Consider your support by visiting campalbemarleva.org/donate.
House District 55 update: Bell not seeking election
Late last week, Delegate Rob Bell announced he would not seek re-election to another term in the General Assembly. Bell was first elected in 2001 when he defeated Democrat Charles Martin with 59.9 percent of the vote. He ran unopposed in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2013, and 2015. In the years he faced a contested election, he secured between 62 percent and 67 percent of the vote.
On the final day of the General Assembly last Saturday, Bell addressed the House of Delegates to explain he is retiring to devote more time to his family and thanked his wife Jessica.
“When we started this, she thought it was fun,” Bell said. “It was one of the things that we kind of did together and in our first race we didn’t have kids and she knocked on a thousand doors and that was just something we did. And once you have kids, it changes all of these trade-offs.”
Bell said his wife has been the one to dedicate time to their children and the family, and he thanked his wife. He told fellow legislators that their time is transient and all legislation can be changed, referring to a 2004 law he carried that was intended to curtail bullying.
“And then my recollection and I might get some of this wrong is that Jennifer McClellan and everybody voted for that,” Bell said. “At the time, Delegate [Eileen] Filler-Corn had a bill and she put in a time limit. And then I think [Glen] had one and at each step you took a little idea that, everybody voted for all of these, I think they were all unanimous. But hopefully that made someone’s life somewhere in the Commonwealth a little better and something you do will make your lives a little better and that’s why we’re here, I hope.”
This time around, Bell would have run in the new House District 55 as opposed to the old House District 58. That had contained sections of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene and Rockingham counties, which learned Republican. Because of redistricting, the new House District 55 consists of most of Albemarle and parts of Louisa and Nelson. There are 19 registered voters in Fluvanna who will vote in this race.
There are two Democrats competing in the June 20, 2023 primary, including one who ran against Bell in 2017. That year, Kellen Squire got 38.7 percent of the vote to Bell’s 61.2 percent. The other candidate is Amy Laufer, a former member of the Charlottesville School Board. Laufer placed third in a race for two Charlottesville Council seats in 2017. In 2019, she ran against Senator Bryce Reeves in the former Senate District 17 and garnered 48.11 percent of the vote.
Both candidates immediately put out statements.
“Despite our profound differences, anyone who puts themselves forward and serves their community is deserving of our respect. However, as we’ve progressed, it’s clear Delegate. Bell no longer represents our values and that we need new leadership,” said Laufer’s statement.
“The Virginia GOP calculated that they’ve had to spend millions of dollars in our district - and waste it in the face of the campaign we’ve built,” said Square’s statement.
The two Democrats are locked in an intense campaign. At the end of 2022, Laufer had raised $121,256 to Squire’s $104,637. Check the Virginia Public Access Project for the full details.
Charlottesville handing out free trees to utilities customers
We’ll hear in the near future a little more about how Charlottesville’s Tree Commission is concerned about the declining tree canopy in the city. For the second year in a row, the city’s Department of Utilities is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation to hand out 200 free trees as part of a strategic planting.
“Properly planted trees can reduce the amount of energy a home requires to remain comfortable by providing a barrier to cold winter winds and delivering shade in the summer,” reads the press release sent out this morning. “When planted properly, a single tree that grows over time can save a homeowner up to 20% on energy costs.”
Interested parties can submit a request for a tree through a reservation portal. Available varieties are Serviceberry, Black Gum, Ironwood, Willow Oak, and Tulip Poplar. Pick-ups can begin as soon as March 6.
Material to read when done with this newsletter:
Bill to raise taxes to fund school construction fails to pass, ACPS hopeful it will be revisited, Jacob Phillips, NBC29, February 21, 2023
Albemarle County forced to reconsider allowing school workers to collective bargain after more than 100 people descend on meeting, Tamica Jean-Charles, Charlottesville Tomorrow, February 24, 2023
Discrimination suit against Albemarle schools to proceed, Reynolds Hutchins, Charlottesville Daily Progress, February 24, 2023
Allegations against Charlottesville SPCA get state attention, Alice Berry, Charlottesville Daily Progress, February 24, 2023
Courteney Stuart Reports: 54th District candidates share their stories, vision, Courteney Stuart, WINA, February 24, 2023
Notes for #503
How and when does someone who runs a small business dedicated to providing information take time off? The next two weeks you will find out! I’m helping some family members move and am somewhat distracted by that and doing a lot of driving between Lynchburg and Charlottesville. That’s why there was no issue yesterday. If I am not going to do a show, I will place a note on the Substack Chat which you can subscribe to.
I am forgoing the usual newsletter self-promotion to take time for a shout-out to a cause. The Charlottesville High School Marching Band wants to go to Rome to play in a parade on New Year’s Day 2024. To get there, they are raising money for travel costs. It would mean a great lot to me personally if you could spare a bit. Check out their fundraising page on BetterWorld and at this moment, no one has donated anything for the tubas, trumpets and trombones, the front ensemble or the chaperones!
March 1, 2023: Police fatally shoot suspect near U.S. 250/29 interchange at Hydraulic; Snook running for second term on Charlottesville City Council