There are perhaps more than two ways to experience Charlottesville Community Engagement, but the audio edition is one of the ones that I know about. I’m Sean Tubbs, a journalist who got his professional start as an intern at a public radio station in Roanoke thirty years ago. Before that I spent a couple of years at a student newspaper at Virginia Tech. Somehow all of that led to this time in 2025 when I’m able to produce radio and print stories for an audience that pays me to do the work. Thank you and here’s what’s coming up in this edition.
* Case against Charlottesville’s zoning to proceed to trial after Judge Worrell changes position on default (learn more)
* A round up of other stories not quite yet ready for a full story (see below for the briefs)
* Albemarle Supervisors are briefed on strategic plan report (learn more)
* On September 5, groups will mark the 75th anniversary of federal ruling that allowed a Black man to attend UVA law (learn more)
* Albemarle Supervisors approve special use permit for private school on Dudley Mountain Road (learn more)
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A note of difference with this edition:
This particular podcast edition comes at a time when there have been a few developments here and there. Perhaps it would be useful to have a segment of quick stories. This functions as the script for those who likely won’t take a listen and longer versions may be in the next regular edition.
City Council to consider ban overnight camping ban in Charlottesville public’s spaces
The Labor Day holiday means City Council will meet on Tuesday rather than Monday, and the final item on their regular agenda is an ordinance to ban camping and personal storage on city property.
“The City Manager shall be guided by City of Charlottesville’s interpretation of applicable federal and state law, the safety and dignity of those impacted, and the need to protect public and private property in the City of Charlottesville,” reads the final line of the draft rules.
Charlottesville City Police Chief Michael Kochis has proposed the new rules which are being considered less than two months after the White House has issued an executive order that calls for imprisonment of people who cannot find a home.
For more information on this story, check out my story on C-Ville Weekly’s website but also be sure to read the source materials.
Resources:
* Staff report for the ordinance
* Draft protocol for how the ordinance is to be implemented
* The ordinance to prohibit “unpermitted camping on city property”
* White House Executive Order titled Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets
White House withdraws $39 million from Norfolk project for off-shore wind logistics
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has used the power of the federal government to shift away from the use of alternatives to fossil fuel. For instance, on July 7, 2025, the administration issued an executive order titled “Ending Market Distorting Subsidies for Unreliable, Foreign-Controlled Energy Sources.”
On Friday, August 29, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy followed through with the termination or withdrawal of $679 million in projects for offshore wind projects. Duffy called such projects a scam.
In late October 2023, the Port of Virginia provided an update on its efforts to become the primary logistics center for the Mid-Atlantic to assist Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. This is taking place at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal.
Duffy’s announcement includes $39.265 million for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Logistics Port. This was to support the Dominion project which is to consist of the construction of 176 offshore wind turbines situated on a lease site 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. (view the project on Dominion’s site)
What does this mean to the overall project? Stay tuned.
Virginia Senate committee denies confirmation of more UVA Board members
When the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors next meets on September 11, there may not be as many members around the table at the Rotunda.
On August 28, the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee declined to confirm 14 appointees to governing bodies of Virginia’s public universities including four to the UVA Board of Visitors. All eight Democrats voted to decline to advance the nominations while all six Republicans voted to do so.
The action comes at a time when the Virginia Supreme Court is taking up a lawsuit over a similar denial on June 9 when the committee declined to confirm the appointment of former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. Current Attorney General Jason Miyares had advised fellow Republicans and University Rectors that the Senate committee action was not valid.
The Senate Democrats on the panel sued and Fairfax County Circuit Court Jonathan D. Frieden agreed to a preliminary injunction barring Cuccinelli from serving as a member of the BOV. He did not attend a meeting in early August and his name is not listed on the BOV website.
In late June, Youngkin appointed four more to the Board of Visitors and the newcomers did attend that August meeting. However, their names have also been removed from the BOV website.
The Privileges and Elections Committee meeting on August 28 was swift but Republicans on the panel argued that a confirmation vote should wait until after the Virginia Supreme Court weighs in.
“Traditionally, if we have something in front of the courts, we allow the court to rule and give them the opportunity to do their job,” said Senator Bill DeSteph (R-8). “And I think that before we vote on this, we should allow the Supreme Court the opportunity to rule on this.”
DeSteph said a vote to deny the nominees could be construed as an attempt to influence the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision.
Senator Adam Ebbins (D-39) noted that none of the people up for appointment were part of the pending lawsuit.
Senator Tara Durant (R-27) said she felt the nomination process was becoming politicized.
“This is really kind of unprecedented,” Durant said. “We have a long list of people who have got quite a wealth of experience. And I think the broader question it begs is what will happen in the future to dissuade those who are willing to serve the Commonwealth in this capacity?”
Committee Chair Aaron Rouse (D-22) responded briefly without much explanation.
“We have a job to do as this committee, not only to protect our colleges, universities, but make sure that appointees or potential appointees are upholding the values and principles set forth by members of the Commonwealth, members of this body,” Rouse said.
Stay tuned for more on this and other stories.
And make sure to check out the Cavalier Daily’s coverage as well.
The end of 915-A
I don’t usually post end-notes for the podcast version but this is a hybrid. I wanted to get a newsletter out with the three stories that are reported in this edition, and I’ll flesh each out in editions to come.
Today could have been a day off, but I know when I chose this career decades ago that such things were not for me. I chose a profession where there’s always the potential for something to happen. I call the business Town Crier Productions as a way of explaining the basic function of what I want my journalism to be.
I want you to know things and the context in which decisions are made. I want you to consider possibilities you may not have done so before. I believe in this so strongly that I’ve dedicated my life in the pursuit of this craft. Sure, I make typos. Sure, I make the occasional error. Sure, I maybe don’t know when to shut up in these blurbs sometimes.
As soon as I hit send and as soon as Leeds v. Newcastle is over, I’m going to lace up my boots and walk somewhere. I don’t know where yet but everywhere I walk I will see the examples of previous decisions I’ve covered in my 20 years here.
Whenever I get to where I’m going, I’ll keep working. It might be correspondence. It might be thanking subscribers. I may get the second version out of the Town Crier Productions media kit. I may begin writing the Week Ahead. I may write a note to the people doing the Virginia Local News Ecosystem Study to ask why the Cavalier Daily isn’t included in their geographic scope.
Or maybe I’ll just keep trying to make up new sounds for future podcasts.
Or maybe I’ll just chat with friends?
Who knows? All I know is I pledge to always be ready to get to work when I am able.
Anyway, Everton looked good today until the end. Wolves were attacking at the end. Here’s a review for the two people who read to this point.
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