November 8, 2024: Ivy Road remains closed between U.S. 250 bypass and city limits as VDOT crews continue to repair pipe
United Way and Minority Business Alliance hand out $49K in business development grants
There is absolutely no significance to the second Friday of the month except that it is where we find ourselves. This is the fifth consecutive edition of the Charlottesville Community Engagement newsletter in a row, a feat not accomplished in nearly four years of digital publication. A lot of things are always happening, and November 8, 2024 is one of those days. I’m Sean Tubbs, always with an eye on the calendar.
In today’s installment:
Crews continue work to repair a pipeline on Ivy Road that shut down the roadway
Charlottesville budget staff describe lower than expected revenue collection so far in FY25
More counties have been added to the Virginia Drought Watch but not Albemarle and Charlottesville so far
Charlottesville seeks a firm to manage the two city’s two outdoor pools
The United Way of Greater Charlottesville and the Minority Business Alliance of the Chamber of Commerce award seven businesses with $7,000 awards
First shout-out: JMRL Friends of the Library reports another record Book Sale
Sadly the most recent book sale held by the Friends of the Jefferson Madison Regional Library is now in the past, but the numbers are in! The recent fall sale at Albemarle Square Shopping Center was a success as community members came out and spent $166,367! That’s a new record and the fifth in a row!
Soon the Friends of JMRL will begin taking new items for the spring sale, but it’s important to point out where the proceeds go. The principal purpose of the Friends of the Library is to raise additional funds for the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library so that:
Children and adults at all branches may enjoy programs to enrich their learning
The various collections of the library system may be enhanced
Library branches may receive donations and funding assistance in emergencies
For more information, visit the Friends of JMRL website!
Sinkhole on Ivy Road causes major congestion delays today
At publication time, crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation continue to repair a section of Ivy Road in Albemarle County that failed due to a pipe failure. The roadway remains closed.
“Our crews plan to work around the clock to repair the pipe and reopen the roadway,” said Sharon Ketcham, a communications specialist with VDOT. “The best estimate is tentatively by tomorrow around noon.”
This morning motorists were urged to use alternative routes, but one of them was also impaired for part of the day when a box truck got stuck in the underpass on Old Ivy Road. A lane on the U.S. 250 Bypass was also closed due to an overturned truck at Leonard Sandridge Road but both have been cleared up and roadways are open.
VDOT is also seeking to determine why the pipe failed.
“Our crews are also dealing with underground utilities, so we are working with [Albemarle County] and the city [of Charlottesville] to identify all those,” Ketcham continued. “Some water lines might be abandoned, but we also discovered fiber optic cable and gas lines.”
Were you affected? Do you have pictures? Would love to hear your stories.
Charlottesville financial staff further outline details of first quarter report
On Monday, Charlottesville City Council got an update on how revenue collection is faring in the fiscal year that began on July 1. The first quarter ended on September 30 and budget staff are seeing something unusual in recent times.
“For the first time in a long time we are seeing a little bit of a different trend,” said Krisy Hammill, director of budget and performance measurement. “We are finding that the revenues are more closely aligning to our budget. There are a few revenues that have not performed as strongly in the past.”
These are the sales tax and the lodging tax and Hammill said staff are trying to find out why.
“We are noting that this is a little bit different from the results that the state is seeing and even Albemarle County,” Hammill said. “They are both reporting slight increases for the same quarter.”
Hammill said it is too early to know for sure if this trend will last throughout the year.
Hammill said the city does expect a budget surplus of several million for FY24. That’s in part because the real property tax increase Council approved in April is applied to the second half of the fiscal year. The Commissioner of Revenue will provide a report at Council’s meeting on December 16.
DEQ expands drought watch to 38 counties
A state panel that watches hydrological conditions has expanded the number of localities under a drought watch to 38 as dry conditions prevail across the mid-Atlantic.
While no localities in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission are included Augusta County and other Shenandoah Valley communities have been classified in a drought watch which is intended to signal that dry conditions may persist.
All of Virginia has experienced lower than normal precipitation for over 30 days.
“The impacts of Tropical Storm Helene remain evident within the 60-day period, but the positive gains realized by streamflow have largely dissipated,” reads the latest report from the Virginia Drought Monitoring Task Force
Drought watch conditions have already been in place in the Northern Virginia and Shenandoah regions, but now the drought watch has been extended to the Eastern Shore, the Northern Coastal Plain, Southeast Virginia, and York James.
The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority periodically reports levels at the five reservoirs it maintains. The latest data online is from November 6 and all bodies of water are full except the Ragged Mountain Reservoir which is 96.34 percent full.
Charlottesville seeks firm to manage two outdoor pools
The City of Charlottesville owns two outdoor pools but is looking to outsource the work of operating them to a private company.
“Onesty Family Aquatic Center and Washington Park Pool are seasonal outdoor pools that operate between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day annually,” reads a request for proposals sent out today.
Since the pandemic, the city has at times struggled to find enough lifeguards to keep the two pools open simultaneously and to also have enough people to watch over the indoor Smith Aquatic Center. The city has previously contracted with a company to manage Onesty and this would turn over management of both amenities.
“The Contractor will be in charge of staffing all lifeguards, full-time, and seasonal employees,” reads the statement of needs in the RFP. “This shall include the creation and management of employee schedules and coverage.”
The contractor will also have to developer a plan for emergency action including emergency procedures, an emergency weather plan, accident and injury reporting, fire procedures, and active attacker protocols.
The contractor will also have to run the concession stand and this can be sub-contracted to another firm. Alcohol sales are prohibited.
Over 23,050 people attended Onesty in the summer 2024 season compared to 14,589 at Washington Park.
The successful company will report to the director of Parks and Recreation or their designee.
United Way and Minority Business Alliance announce $49K in small business grants
Seven more businesses have received funding through a local coalition intended to reduce economic disparities through entrepreneurship.
The United Way of Greater Charlottesville and the Minority Business Alliance of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce offer business development grants through their ENVISION initiative. Seven grants of $7,000 each were announced at a gala on November 2.
Mahogany and Friends to Janasha Bradford
By Sasha Lashae LLC to Sasha Morgan
Dizon LL, doing business as Little Manila, to Jessica Dizon
Style & Beyond Hair Studio to Lisa Johnson
Reincarnation of Beauty to Shamanda Gregory
Shaniece Be to Shaniece Bradford
Mixed Beauty Bar to Brenda Pendleton
“Grant funds support and stabilize business operations and can be used for expenses such as equipment, marketing, and inventory,” reads an announcement sent out this afternoon.
The person behind Mahogany and Friends said at the gala she plans to use the funding to place advertisements to increase the reach of the business.
In all, the program has awarded over $145,000 in the past four years.
Second-shout out: Camp Albemarle
Today’s second subscriber-supported public service announcement goes out to Camp Albemarle, which has for over 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. Are you looking to escape and reconnect with nature? Consider holding an event where the natural beauty of the grounds will provide a venue to suit your needs. Visit their website to view the gallery and learn more!
Reading material for #758
‘Disturbing’: Report reveals staffing, financial issues at Va. Dept. of Health, offers fixes, Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury, November 7, 2024
Scottsville mayoral race at stand-still with just three votes separating the candidates, Maggie Glass, WVIR 29NBC, November 7, 2024
Albemarle closes Free Bridge Lane to cars, opens pedestrian promenade along Rivanna, Jason Armesto, Charlottesville Daily Progress (paywall), November 7, 2024
Fed’s second rate cut this year raises hopes for commercial construction, Sebastian Obando, Construction Dive, November 7, 2024
Virginia prepares for special elections as McGuire, Subramanyam head to Congress, Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury, November 8, 2024
Where does #758 go from here?
I may not publish another regular newsletter until Tuesday, so I wanted to get these shorter stories out. I also got the WTJU radio show done by 1 p.m. so I had time to get to these. Take a listen tomorrow at 6 a.m. or wait for the podcast version that will come out tomorrow!
Five stories today for what seems to want to stay an afternoon newsletter. Does anyone else remember getting a newspaper in the afternoon? I am sorry there is no equivalent of Garfield, but maybe one day I’ll find something entertaining to include.
There was another story I didn’t publish today because I need to confirm a few things and it can wait. There are still so many other stories I want to get to and will get a start on tomorrow. Remaining to be told include the Board of Supervisors’ discussion on Albemarle County’s Comprehensive Plan this week, more stories from Charlottesville, and likely many more.
I would have liked more on the sinkhole today but I need to step up my ability to report on things happening in real-time. I really would like to hear people’s stories about today. How did you cope?
Thanks as always to paid subscribers for their support. I still have a handful of people I need to write to who have recently signed up. My goal is to bring on someone who can help me write stories and turn this into a seven-day-a-week publication. Communities deserve nothing less and I’m committed to working toward that goal.
I am grateful that the internet company Ting has sponsored this newsletter since April 2021 by matching the initial paid Substack subscription for new subscribers. This has really made a difference and it continues.
If you sign up for service and you are within Ting’s service area, enter the promo code COMMUNITY you’re going to get:
Free installation
A second month for free
A $75 gift card to the Downtown Mall
As a kid we got both the morning Courier Express and the evening Buffalo News in Buffalo, NY. I love news and newspapers. Thanks for your work, Sean!