BOBW Dance & Step Competition returns to PVCC Published Monday, Apr. 24, 2017, 9:17 am The second annual Youth Edition of the Best of Both Worlds Dance and Step Competition returns to the V. Earl Dickinson Building on the campus of Piedmont Virginia Community College on Saturday, May 6, at 7pm. The Youth Edition is a spin off of the popular competition, which visits the Paramount Theater annually in the fall. A cash prize and a trophy will go to the teams of each genre who can bring the best performance onto the stage to be judged by those in the field. Ten years ago, the founder of Lifeview Marketing created the Best of Both Worlds Dance and Step Competition, a competition of which highlights some of today’s top dance and step teams. As the competition became extremely competitive with college and professional teams, the chances of the younger age teams to be included and/ win had become very slim. In response, the Youth Edition was created in 2016. Teams are encouraged to contact the event organizer as soon as possible to join the competition. The line up is open to elementary school – high school age youths and teams can be community or official school teams. Both dance and step teams will compete separately. Contact [email protected] to request a registration form to enter your team into the competition. The Earl V. Dickinson Building is located at 501 College Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Tickets are only $10 in advance and $13 at the door. Pick yours up now and save at Plan 9 Music (Seminole Shopping Plaza 29 North), Mel’s Barber Shop (Dice Street off of Ridge St.) and safely online at danceandstep.eventbrite.com Doors open at 6:30pm and show time is at 7pm. For more information call 434.825.0650.

CBJ: Local businesses in the news Apr 24, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College has created Network2Work, a mobile app to assist employers in finding qualified workers. The app, designed by the Charlottesville Works Initiative, is free to area employers.

Registration for PVCC KidsCollege academies at CATEC open By News Staff | Posted: Mon 1:51 PM, Apr 24, 2017 ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Piedmont Virginia Community College says registration is now open for its KidsCollege Summer STEM and Technical Academies at the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center. The summer science, technology, engineering and math, and technical academies will take place June 19 through 23 and June 26 through 30 at CATEC. They are week-long, half-day academies that provide an in-depth exploration of career areas in STEM and technical careers for students entering seventh, eighth, ninth or tenth grade. According to a release, some of the popular programs that will be offered this summer include engineering and design, culinary, cosmetology, firefighting, program coding and more. Scholarships are available based on financial need. To learn more, call (434) 961-5354, send an email to [email protected], or click on the link in the Related Links box.

Back to Class A new program allows nurses to stay on the job as they pursue continuing education online April 24, 2017 Todd Campbell is a registered nurse at HCA Virginia’s Johnston-Willis Hospital, as well as a participant in the RN-to-B.S. degree program. (Photo by Chet Strange) By 2020, it is recommended that 80 percent of American nurses have a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to “The Future of Nursing” report released by the Institute of Medicine in 2010. That statistic has proved worrisome to many registered nurses without bachelor’s degrees. Todd Campbell was one. He is a registered nurse at HCA Virginia’s Johnston-Willis Hospital who had graduated in 2013 with an associate’s degree from Charlottesville’s Piedmont Virginia Community College, and he felt nervous about his future. “It was a bit scary hearing [the report’s] conclusion,” he says. “For nurses like me who can’t walk away from our employment and go to school full time, there was this feeling of ‘What’s going to happen to me?’ ” Campbell found a solution through a partnership between HCA Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing that groups HCA nurses in a cohort as they continue their education through VCU’s RN to B.S. program. The nursing school’s online degree program allows registered nurses with a diploma or associate’s degree to earn a bachelor’s degree while maintaining full-time employment. VCU, along with many other nursing schools in the nation, offers a cohort learning structure under the partnership. Students in each cohort take all of the same courses together at the same time, meaning they learn together, complete assignments together and graduate together. Though the program is online, professors set up at least one meeting a semester for the cohort to come together in person. The first cohort of 13 students, of which Campbell is a member, began classes in fall 2016 and is on track to graduate in summer 2018. The nurses will complete the program through part-time study, taking two courses each semester for five semesters and one course in the sixth semester, for a total of 11 courses with 32 academic credits. It’s a perfect program for Campbell. “I had wanted to go back to school for a long time, but I was looking for the right program,” he says. “When I heard about the partnership between VCU and HCA, I immediately became interested. It’s so refreshing to take part in a flexible, manageable program so I can continue to focus on my work.” VCU School of Nursing Dean Jean Giddens says the partnership provides benefits for all parties involved by helping HCA Virginia achieve a higher percentage of nurses with a bachelor’s degrees in their system. “At the VCU School of Nursing, it is critical that we provide the workforce for all employers across the state,” she says. “In turn, many employers are interested in making sure they provide academic progression for their nurses — having the highest-educated workforce … possible translates to the best patient care.”

Donna Adams is a nurse manager at Parham Doctors' Hospital, and is taking classes through a learning cohort as part of a partnership between HCA Virginia and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing. (Photo by Chet Strange) Donna Adams, a nurse manager at HCA Virginia’s Parham Doctors’ Hospital and a 1982 graduate of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, is also part of the first cohort. She says she loves learning in this structure because course discussions are tailored to the context of care within the HCA Virginia health system, which increases the relevance of course material and adds value to the education offered to nurses. In fact, she says the cohort is one of the best groups she’s ever participated in. “Nursing is all about connecting with patients, and I’m so pleased that we are using evidence-based practice in our cohort to improve our patient care,” she says. “Everything we’re doing is based around what’s best for our patients and how we can translate that into what we are doing at the bedside, which allows patients to get home more quickly and safely and see the best health outcomes.” Stephanie Neal, HCA Virginia’s vice president of human resources, says nurses within the cohort benefit from the connectedness and accountability of working with peers. “Having this partnership tied to VCU means that the curriculum is tailored to what we do at HCA,” she says. “It provides a more personal approach rather than nurses simply getting their degrees through a standard [bachelor’s] program. The content is more relatable to the work they’re actually doing on a daily basis.” HCA provides tuition for the program up front rather than reimbursing the cost later on. “The partnership represents our commitment [to] and investment in our employees,” Neal says. “We are able to financially support their desire for greater education, and our hope is that this translates to commitment and loyalty towards HCA. We see our employees as partners in furthering and growing themselves in the field of health care.” Giddens says VCU School of Nursing is using this initial cohort to observe and improve the partnership. The school is prepared to enroll as many as 30 HCA nurses each semester. “If we had three cohorts enrolled every year with 30 people in each, that’s 90 people a year,” she says. “In five years, that equals nearly 500 registered nurses earning their bachelor’s degrees. That can really transform the care our nurses are delivering to their patients.”

Virginia Group Continuing to Raise Gerrymandering Awareness Posted: Apr 25, 2017 CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The issue of redrawing legislative districts doesn't come up until 2021, but one group says its important the fight starts now. The nonpartisan group OneVirginia2021 is working towards what it believes would be fair redistricting across the commonwealth before legislators redraw those lines in 2021. The process of redrawing voting district lines happens every 10 years after the state census. Voting districts for the U.S. Congress, the Virginia House of Delegates, and the Virginia Senate have been redrawn into what looks like morphed districts - this is often called gerrymandering. Onevirginia2021 says this is not about political parties, it’s about power. “For the 40 years I've been in Charlottesville, greater Charlottesville has had one delegate in the house. Now greater Charlottesville has four delegates. That's because of breaking up a college town - usually voting progressive - into four delegates. So it breaks up communities of interest,” said Dan Grogan with OneVirginia2021. The group says people need to both read up on gerrymandering in their own voting districts, and pressure state representatives to vote for more fair lines along districts If you are interesting in learning more about the issue, there will be a free documentary screening on gerrymandering at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, at the Piedmont Virginia Community College Dickinson Center.

Announcements for April 26 through May 2 The Daily Progress staff reports Apr 25, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College accepts registration for the KidsCollege at CATEC, PVCC’s summer STEM technical academies, which will be held in June. Details are available at pvcc.edu/kidscollege. (434) 961-5354. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds a Getting Started information session for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Buckingham County High School. Additional sessions will be added later. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961- 5275. » Piedmont Virginia Community College offers information sessions for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC and registering for summer and fall semester classes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and on May 11, 18 and 25 at 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282.

5 things to do as a family (for the week of 04.27.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Apr 26, 2017 “The Firebird” Charlottesville Ballet 1 and 4 p.m. Saturday ;V. Earl Dickinson Building at Piedmont Virginia Community College A timeless Russian tale of a magical bird and plenty of sorcery is set to a memorable Igor Stravinsky score. And because it’s part of Charlottesville Ballet’s Family Series, audience members will get an opportunity to learn some of the ballet steps and meet the dancers. There’s also a special feature for children ages 3 to 6; sign up for “Into the Wings,” and your youngster can learn dance steps from “The Firebird” and decorate a craft project to take home. “Into the Wings” is offered after each performance. $35 VIP, $30 children, students, seniors and military members; $20 general admission; $15 children, students, seniors and military members. charlottesvilleballet.org/firebird.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- After eight months of hard work, a team of students from Piedmont Virginia Community College shared their experience working in NASA's highly competitive student launch program. The main goal of the competition was to build a high- power rocket to launch a mile into the air. The very first Piedmont Student Launch Team was one of only three community college teams in the nation to be selected to participate. Team members described the difficult work that went into the project but said it was all worth the experience. "Fun and stressful, I think, are the two best words for it," said PVCC student and team leader, Andrew Oxford. "We're a fairly small team as we're just starting out so there's a lot of work for each individual person but it's also a lot of really fun and worthwhile work." The nine team members made it through to the end of the competition which, according to Oxford, was not an easy feat. They were also able to beat out bigger schools like Vanderbilt and the Naval Academy during the altitude challenge.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- A local philanthropist and his late wife have been honored with the Chancellor's Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. David Whitcomb sits on the Piedmont Virginia Community College Educational Foundation Board. He and his late wife, Betty, were nominated for the award by PVCC. The award was presented during a luncheon, which honors leading philanthropists from each of the community colleges around Virginia, hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education earlier this month. "PVCC is thrilled to nominate Betty and David Whitcomb for this award," said PVCC President Frank Friedman. "We are pleased to honor Betty's remarkable lifetime of service to others through this award. Betty and David have championed the concept of helping individuals improve their lives through education, and by doing so have inspired us all." The philanthropists honored this year have contributed more than $10 million to community colleges across the Commonwealth.

Madison Choral Society to celebrate Spring Concert Apr 26, 2017

Join the Madison Choral Society for a celebration of their 30th annual Spring Concert. They will perform “Grateful Praise” in two concerts Friday, April 28, at 7 p.m. at Orange Baptist Church, 123 W. Main St., Orange; and Sunday, April 30, at 4:30 p.m. at Mt. Carmel Church, 1735 W. Hoover Road, Haywood. Franz Schubert’s Mass in G is the featured choral work with several contemporary songs of faith to create a thrilling celebration of this Easter Season. Suzanne Risk is the guest conductor. The concerts are free, with donations welcome. The Madison Choral Society began in 1977 from an interest in the community to sing the Christmas portion of Handel's Messiah. Out of this experience, director Keith Wagner started the Madison Choral Society in 1986 as a way of performing sacred choral music which would be free to the public. Through 30 concert seasons the group has been privileged to sing many diverse sacred choral works from a broad spectrum of musical composers. The Choral Society is truly a community event as it draws people who love to sing from Greene Madison, Orange, Culpeper and Albemarle counties. They include: Suzanne Risk (guest director), who earned a B.A. in choral conducting and vocal performance from the University of Arizona. She has directed school, community and church choirs in Arizona, Nevada and Virginia. Most recently, she has been the director of the Greene County Singers for 12 years and is also the director of Rapidan Ward Choir of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Risk has five grown children and teaches Geometry and Algebra 1 to seventh- and eighth-graders at William Monroe Middle School in Greene County. Elizabeth Chen (soprano soloist), who attended high schools in Tucson, Arizona and Greene County and graduated from William Monroe High School. She studied music at Piedmont Virginia Community College, where she studied voice for two years with Ruth Ann Bishop. While at PVCC, Chen had the lead role of Princess Bellissima in Up & Up: The Musical. She also studied music at Southern Virginia University. Chen has performed with Four County Players and Charlottesville Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Paul Risk (tenor soloist), who attended William Monroe High School where he played the title roles in the Charlie Brown Musical and Bye, Bye Birdie. He played trumpet in band and was Drum Major his senior year. Paul served a two year mission in California for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – during which time he directed an 80 voice choir of missionaries for six months. Risk is studying information technology at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He is married to Marinda Larsen Risk and they have a 9-month-old baby boy. William Risk (bass soloist), who graduated from William Monroe High School in 2015. While a student there, he played the saxophone in band and was drum major his junior year. He participated in several musicals and notably played the part of Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music. Risk has been in several musicals with Four County Players including Robin Hood, The Music Man and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He recently began private vocal instruction with Ruth Ann Bishop.

Best Bets for Friday, April 28 The Daily Progress staff reports Apr 27, 2017 » Fourth Fridays Improv with PVCC Drama Club: 6-8 p.m., Maxwell Theatre in V. Earl Dickinson Building at Piedmont Virginia Community College, (434) 961-5376, free.

PVCC Student Wins Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship Posted: Apr 28, 2017 Release from Piedmont Virginia Community College:(Charlottesville, Va.) – Piedmont Virginia Community College student Gina Edwards has been awarded the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, worth up to $40,000 a year, to complete her bachelor’s degree at a four-year college. Awarded annually, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is the largest private scholarship in the nation for students transferring from two-year community colleges to four-year institutions. To be eligible for the scholarship, students must demonstrate academic achievement, financial need, leadership skills, a dedication to helping or serving others and persistence through adversity. Edwards is one of only 55 community college students from a pool of nearly 3,000 applicants and more than eight million community college students to be selected for this highly competitive national award. “When I first heard the news, I was absolutely stunned,” said Edwards, 57. “I am deeply honored and humbled to be receiving this award. This scholarship has opened up so many possibilities for me that didn’t exist before. It's said that it takes a village to raise a child. I'd add that it takes a community to raise an adult to awareness. This award is due to the cumulative efforts of everyone at Piedmont Virginia Community College, from the groundskeepers all the way up to the president.” Edwards, originally from Baltimore, Md., and now a resident of Charlottesville, is a general studies major. A first-time college student, Edwards began attending PVCC in summer 2015 after the business she had worked at for more than a decade closed its doors, leaving her unemployed. “After I lost my job, I spent more than a year looking for permanent work without any success,” said Edwards. “I soon realized that I didn’t want to keep looking for entry-level or temporary jobs. I knew I needed to provide my own oar to paddle my boat instead of just floating down the river—that meant going back to school.” Once at PVCC, Edwards says that she found a home and a support system among the students and faculty. “Everyone at PVCC is absolutely committed to the success of all of us,” Edwards said. “Every single professor challenged me, stretched me and helped me to expand in so many ways and my fellow students were engaged and welcoming. It’s like a wonderful family where the success of one is the success of everyone. I’m so very glad that my college experience started at PVCC.” During her time on campus, Edwards participated in several student clubs including the Adult Student Life Club, the Volunteer Club and the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She went on to serve as the secretary of the PVCC Student Veterans of America Club, as a student note-taker for PVCC students with disabilities, as a peer mentor at THRIVE and as an academic tutor for students at Buford Middle School in Charlottesville. “Gina is a shining example of the caliber of students we have here at PVCC,” said PVCC President Frank Friedman. “As an adult student, she serves as a mentor for her peers and an inspiration to others, teaching us that it is never too late to pursue an education or a new career. We are incredibly proud of Gina and all that she has accomplished and expect great things from her in the future.” Edwards will graduate from PVCC with her associate degree in May 2017 and plans to transfer to Mary Baldwin University to study sociology. Edwards says that her ultimate goal is to start her own nonprofit for adults with mild to moderate physical disabilities including veterans.

May 1, 2017 odd Lange had different plans for his life. A golf addict, the Pittsfield, Massachusetts native grew up on the links. He got his first job at age 15 at Wahconah Country Club in Dalton. It was love at first sight. “I decided I wanted to stay in the golf course industry, so I went to the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts,” Lange said. “My major was turf grass management,” adding in the same breath that most people don’t know that is a thing. “It was good money,” he said. But the beautiful outdoor office Lange dreamed of turned into grueling 60-plus-hour work weeks, mandated by nervous higher-ups who insisted he be on hand to make sure the grass didn’t die. He remained in the industry for 13 years. “I stayed in it too long, ’til I was 33,” he said. The death of his father inspired Lange to make a change. A firefighter who held down two other jobs to support his family, the elder Lange had contracted hepatitis after giving CPR to someone who had fallen ill. He died in 2011 of liver cancer, a complication from the hepatitis. “When someone close to you dies, you start thinking,” Todd Lange said. “I remember my dad always came home from work every night or every morning,” the plain-speaking single father said. “He never complained that he had to be there and he always would tell me there was never a day he went to work saying, ‘I don’t want to go.’” Lange wanted that passion for himself. “So when he passed away, I made the decision – I said, ‘It is time for me to get that.’ Why should I keep going through life with a job that isn’t fulfilling?” A self-described helper and people person, Lange had always been interested in health care. So as improbable as it may seem, the turf expert turned his attention to earning a degree in nursing. The pending birth of his daughter brought Lange to Charlottesville, where her mother lives. Lange enrolled at Piedmont Virginia Community College with the goal of completing the degree he had started at Bunker Hill Community College in Charleston, Massachusetts. “I got into Piedmont and I was planning just to go there,” Lange said recently during a chat at the Rotunda. “To be honest, I could not believe the amount of help I got when I got here, from Piedmont and UVA both,” he said. “The folks at Piedmont kept saying to me that I should apply to UVA and I was saying. ‘I don’t have that kind of money.’” Still, he applied to UVA, got in and used the benefit money from his father’s death to pay for the first year of school. A patchwork of generous grants saw him through his last two years of school, leaving him with relatively little student debt. Lange was stunned at the level of financial support he received. “I was blown away,” he said. “When I saw that, it blew my mind because I realized, ‘I’m actually going to be able to do this and not work 40 hours a week, because I was going to do what I had to do.” The money allowed Lange to fully engage in school – a good thing because the program is intense, he said. “My mom, she has been crucial to me getting through all of this,” he said. Lange’s daughter’s name is Amelia. Her parents, who share custody, call her Mia. The curly haired 3-year-old is, by all accounts, precocious, friendly and has a growing proclivity for independence. Lange said people often ask him if it is hard to balance the demands of school and fatherhood. Thinking back to his father’s work ethic, Lange said, “I just say, ‘you do it.’” His career in nursing will allow him spend more time with Mia than his golf work would have. “I’m not going to be rich, but I don’t care about being rich. I can take a vacation every year and pay my bills and see my kid.” After graduation, Lange will work in the emergency room at the UVA Medical Center. “I start at the end of August,” he said. “We do six months of orientation, but I was lucky my practicum was there, so I just did 200 hours there.” His next goals are to earn certifications as an emergency nurse, trauma nurse and pediatric nurse. “It’s part of climbing the ladder,” he said. Lange considered pursuing a job in pediatrics after graduation, but it would have been in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, which cares for children Mia’s age. “I didn’t know if seeing 3- and-4-year-olds and not being able to come home to my daughter every night, if that would be a challenge, because I don’t have her every night,” he said. “Sometimes you just want to see your kid and hug ’em.” Still, Lange hopes to get to pediatrics eventually. “I think there is something special about kids, and you’re treating the parents, too,” he said. “So a nice calm person in the room” is a good thing. Where did Lange get that demeanor? “My dad,” he said. “And my mom too, but mostly my father. We’re the same. We don’t get bothered by blood and guts and gore and stress. It’s funny. The older I get, the more I see him in me. He used to tell me that and I’d hate it. “Now I love it. Now that I have a little one, I can see myself in her. And odds are, at some point, she’ll say the same thing: ‘I’m nothing like you!’” (Editor’s note: This is one of a series of profiles of members of the University of Virginia’s Class of 2017.)

Announcements for May 3 through May 9 The Daily Progress staff reports May 2, 2017 » KidsCollege at CATEC, hosted by Piedmont Virginia Community College, accepts registration for PVCC’s summer STEM technical academies to be held in June. Details are available at pvcc.edu/kidscollege. (434) 961-5354. » Getting Started information sessions for prospective students at Piedmont Virginia Community College are offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday during Old Farm Day at Pleasant Grove Park in Palmyra, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Annual Community Extravaganza at Betty J. Queen Intergenerational Center in Louisa and from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Louisa County High School in Mineral. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds information sessions for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC and registering for summer and fall semester classes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 11, 18 and 25 at 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282.

May 2, 2017

KidsCollege at main PVCC campus accepting registrations ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Piedmont Virginia Community College is now accepting registrations for its KidsCollege Summer STEM and Arts Academies at its main campus in Albemarle County. The arts, science, technology, engineering and mathematics academies begin on June 12 and run through Aug. 11. The week-long, half-day academies give students a chance to explore STEM and technical career areas. Some of the academies will cover robotics, cooking, Spanish, video game animation, fashion design, Minecraft, acting, astronomy and a variety of other topics. The academies run from 8:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday, with full- and half- day options available. Partial scholarships are also available, based on financial need. To learn more about KidsCollege, call (434) 961-5354, send an email to [email protected], or click on the link in the Related Links box.

Registration open for KidsCollege Summer STEM and Arts Academies Posted: May 02, 2017 10:01 AM EDT Piedmont Virginia Community College News Release: Registration is now open for Piedmont Virginia Community College’s KidsCollege Summer STEM and Arts Academies beginning Monday, June 12, and continuing through Friday, Aug. 11, at PVCC’s Main Campus at 501 College Drive, and at Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC) at 1000 E. Rio Road in Charlottesville. The week-long, half-day academies provide an in-depth exploration into STEM and technical career areas for students entering third through tenth grade. Popular academies available this summer include robotics, cooking, Spanish, video game animation, fashion design, Minecraft, acting, astronomy, create an App and more. KidsCollege Academies are offered from 8:45 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday. Half- and full-day options with additional supervised lunch times are available. Supervised early care and After-Academy Club programs are also available. Partial scholarships based on financial need are available, in part, by generous donations from Rotary Club of Charlottesville, Albemarle County Rotary Club, Freas Foundation and individual contributions. To learn more about PVCC’s KidsCollege, or to register for available academies, visit www.pvcc.edu/kidscollege, or contact KidsCollege at 434.961.5354 or [email protected].

Art events (for the week of 05.04.17) The Daily Progress staff reports May 3, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South Galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

5 things to do as a family (for the week of 05.04.17) The Daily Progress staff reports May 3, 2017 Youth Edition of Best of Both Worlds Dance and Step Competition 7 p.m. Saturday; V. Earl Dickinson Building at Piedmont Virginia Community College It’s the second year for the student spinoff of the popular autumn contest for adult and college teams, so expect dancers and steppers from elementary school through high school to get their turns in the spotlight. The Youth Edition was created in 2016 to make sure the younger acts didn’t get crowded out of the increasingly competitive main competition. Cash prizes and trophies go to the top dance team and the top step team. $13; $10 advance. danceandstep.eventbrite.com; (434) 825-0650.

In and Around Greene May 3, 2017 May 25 Piedmont Virginia Community College,501 College Drive, Charlottesville, will host a Student Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR) session for new and prospective students on Thursday, May 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the V. Earl Dickinson Building on PVCC’s Main Campus in Charlottesville. At the session, participants will receive assistance with registering for classes and learn about PVCC resources and student services. The free information session is required for 2017 high school and home school graduates and non-graduates who are first time college students with an interest in pursuing a degree or certificate beginning with the fall 2017 semester. All other degree-seeking students new to PVCC are encouraged to attend. Additional SOAR sessions are planned for June, July and August. A complete list of session dates is available at www.pvcc.edu/soar. Before registering for a SOAR session, prospective students must apply to PVCC and take math and English placement tests. Advanced registration for SOAR sessions is required. Contact PVCC’s Admissions and Advising Center at (434) 961.6581 to register. Early registration is recommended as space in SOAR sessions is limited. For more information, call PVCC’s Admissions and Advising Center at 434.961.6581 or by emailing [email protected].

NOTICES Piedmont Virginia Community College will host VETS (Veterans Education and Transition Services) sessions for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC and registering for summer and fall semester classes. VETS sessions will be held on Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on PVCC’s main campus at 501 College Drive in Charlottesville April 27 and May 11, 18, and 25. During the free sessions, attendees will receive assistance with applying for veteran’s educational benefits and financial aid, applying to PVCC, understanding in-state tuition military exceptions, registering for classes and selecting a program of study. Important information about placement tests, career services, transfer of college credits, selecting a major, and more will be available. Learn more at www.pvcc.edu/veterans or by contacting PVCC Military and Veterans Advisor Jackie Fisher at 434.961.5282 or [email protected].

Some PVCC applicants may get to skip placement tests BY DEREK QUIZON May 3, 2017

Some applicants to Piedmont Virginia Community College will be able to bypass placement tests under a new initiative by the Virginia Community College System. VCCS is currently in the process of implementing a new program allowing recent high school graduates who have completed certain courses to skip the math and English placement tests that determine whether new students have to take remedial courses. John Donnelly, PVCC’s vice president for instruction and student services, briefed the college’s trustee board on the initiative on Wednesday afternoon. The current system of relying on entry tests can sometimes force students into remedial courses they don’t need, he said. Those students are less likely to graduate, Donnelly said. “Placement tests are a big barrier for some students,” he said. Under the new system, students who have graduated in the past five years and have completed certain requirements — such as completing an Algebra II course or scoring at least a 480 in reading on the SAT — will be able to skip the test. High school grade point average will be considered, as well, according to the VCCS website. The policy will apply to entering students in the summer and fall sessions this year. The initiative, also known as Multiple Measures for Student Success, will ensure that a student won’t have to take unnecessary remedial courses because of one bad day, said Frank Friedman, PVCC’s president. “This gets rid of the [prospect of] everything hanging on one test,” he said. PVCC’s board does not have control over tuition increases at the school, which is decided by the VCCS board.

Friedman said he is expecting an increase of roughly $4 per credit. PVCC currently charges in-state students a total of $151.90 per credit hour in tuition and fees; out-of-state students currently pay a total of $348.50 per credit hour. Part of that increase will go toward pay raises for employees, which also have to be approved by the state board. Taking the raises into account, the college’s budget will be static next year, Friedman said, adding that PVCC will be leaning more on private fundraising to pay for many of its new initiatives. “I think we’ll basically have a flat level of funding … and that’ll be a challenge because there are many new things we’d like to do next year,” he said. “Unfortunately, I don’t see a lot of new money being available.” The college will be moving forward on its plans for a new building, which the administration is calling the Advanced Technology Center. The center grew out of the need for more student space, as well as more space for the college’s technology programs. The administration is hoping to complete the planned 45,200-square-foot facility in the next four years. Friedman said the college is in the process of finding an architect to begin planning. In the meantime, staff and faculty members are meeting to talk about potential uses for the building — how exactly it will be used and which services might be relocated there. “We’ve been meeting the last couple of months, trying to reach a community consensus,” he said.

(ALBEMARLE COUNTY – WINA) The president of Piedmont Virginia Community College is expecting an increase in tuition. Frank Friedman says the State Board for Community Colleges sets the tuition for every school in the system. The board will meet in two weeks, and he expects an increase of $4 per credit hour For the first time in the school’s 45 year history, Piedmont students have a nickname. Friedman says they are the PVCC Panthers.

The digital divide: Broadband-less lives hold rural residents back Albemarle County is dedicated to protecting its rural areas. But one aspect of life in the country is keeping an estimated one-third of its citizens from fully living in the 21st century, and that’s the digital divide—the lack of access to affordable high-speed internet, which, in this day and age, seems to be a basic human necessity. “We’re one of the richest counties in Virginia,” says county resident Kimberly Powell. “There are third-world countries that are totally covered by high-speed internet.” The Federal Communications Commission recently redefined broadband as a 25 megabits per second download speed and 3 megabits per second upload speed, but in most rural areas of Albemarle County, existing internet services are unable to perform even the FCC’s older standard of 10 mbps down and 1 mbps up. “We think broadband is a critical utility for everyone,” says Deputy County Executive Bill Letteri, who adds that the lack of service largely affects students in the education system, people who work from home, security and even access to health care. “There’s not a practical solution, unless [internet service providers] just come forward and say, ‘we’ll just do it out of the goodness of our hearts.’ That’s a losing proposition.” Mike Culp, the county’s director of information technology, says there are pockets of underserved areas in all of Albemarle’s rural areas including, but not limited to, Cobham, Howardsville to Esmont (Scottsville is served); west of Batesville; Afton to Greenwood; Burnley Station Road near Gordonsville; and Browns Gap Turnpike up to Greene County, Mint Springs Park and Emerald Ridge. “The terrain and low housing density of Albemarle’s rural areas make it expensive to provide broadband services,” he says. And because the county does not intend to become a broadband service provider, it’s working to partner further with existing and new providers to bridge the service gaps. What’s available in the county? For those who live in areas that are already served, there are plenty of internet options—as long as one’s willing to pay the price. For a one-year promotional rate of $35 or $45 per month in any served location, CenturyLink offers 10 mbps down or 25 mbps down DSL service, respectively. In Keswick and North Garden, the same company offers a fiber internet promotion for $30 per month for 40 mbps down, $70 per month for 100 mbps down and $110 per month for 1,000 mbps down. In served areas, Comcast offers a cable service of 10 mbps down for $50 per month, 25 mbps for $67 and 150 mbps down for $83. In Earlysville, Keswick and Crozet, HughesNet Satellite internet is available starting at $60 per month for 10mbps down with a 20 gigabyte data cap. In 2015, Albemarle County staff requested a broadband strategy report, and in October 2016, Virginia-based broadband planning firm Design Nine presented it to the Board of Supervisors, with a number of suggestions, including the formation of the county’s own Broadband Authority, treating broadband as a utility and updating the tower ordinance to allow rural residents to install their own 80′ utility poles by-right to help improve wireless internet. And while the county is working toward solutions, the fact remains: 35,000 people don’t have adequate internet speeds. Life at low speed

Powell lives in one of six residences on Bellair Farm—about two miles “as the crow flies” from Blenheim Vineyards, an area of the county that is already served. But at her home, the CenturyLink connection is so slow it takes about 20 minutes to load Netflix, and only if she’s trying to watch it between 6am and noon. “After one in the afternoon, forget it,” she says. By that time, too many people are trying to surf the web on too many devices and Powell has little chance of squeezing in a single episode. Kimberly Powell lives with her husband and college-aged daughter on Bellair Farm. Though she has CenturyLink internet, she says load times are incredibly slow, so about twice a week she goes to the library to use its Wi-Fi. Photo Eze Amos Kimberly Powell lives with her husband and college-aged daughter on Bellair Farm. Though she has CenturyLink internet, she says load times are incredibly slow, so about twice a week she goes to the library to use its Wi-Fi. Photo Eze Amos She says her internet connection sometimes works well for Facebook or Pinterest, but even those load times can be maddening. “I know it drives my daughter crazy,” she says, about the 25-year-old Piedmont Virginia Community College student who often goes to school early or stays late to do her homework from a place with a reliable internet connection. “Looking back, I could almost cry because I wasn’t able to give her high-speed internet [in high school]. She was behind others in her class, socially.” Tech talk Have no idea what the difference between DSL and cable internet is? Never measured anything in megabits per second? No worries—we’re here to translate. Internet—a global network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols. Bandwidth—internet speed. Megabits per second—a unit used to measure bandwidth. Broadband—high-speed internet. The generally accepted definition is 25 megabits per second down and three megabits per second up, or enough speed to do pretty much any internet activity one wants. DSL internet—stands for digital subscriber line, which uses an existing two-wire copper telephone line connected to one’s home so service is delivered at the same time as landline telephone service. Customers can still place calls while surfing the web. Cable internet—provides network edge connectivity from an internet service provider to an end user. It is integrated into the cable television infrastructure much like DSL, which uses the existing telephone network. Satellite internet—transmits and receives data from a relatively small satellite dish on Earth and communicates with an orbiting geostationary satellite more than 20,000 miles above Earth’s equator. Cellular internet—mobile broadband accessible through a cell phone, portable modem, USB wireless modem or tablet. Fiber internet—the gold standard of residential internet connections, with much of the backbone of the internet deployed using fiber optic cables run to one’s home. Wireless internet—often known as Wi-Fi, is a way of getting broadband internet without wires. When Powell wants to watch an online aromatherapy class or a PBS program on the Brontë sisters, she travels about 12 miles to either the Gordon Avenue Library or the Scottsville Library at least twice a week to use the internet. There, she sits with her own laptop, while others crowd the library’s computers. At the Scottsville Library, one of the most popular Wi-Fi hotspots in town, David Plunkett, the collections and technology manager, says they had to add two more public computers to fulfill the public’s need. Jefferson-Madison Regional Library administration has offered free internet access for many years, according to Plunkett. He says the computers are often full at every branch. As part of a pilot program that began April 1, each branch of JMRL has one Wi-Fi hotspot available for checkout. A mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is essentially a wireless access point that library patrons can take home to provide an internet connection, says Plunkett. Each device is about the size of a credit card and as thick as a cell phone, with just one button to turn it on. “The idea was to meet the educational needs in our service area,” he says, and so far, all of the hotspots have stayed checked out for the allowed three-week period. There’s a waiting list of about 20 people, he says. The library is interested in supplementing regional schools in their one-to-one initiatives, in which each student is issued an electronic device to access the internet, digital course materials and textbooks, he adds. In the fall, Plunkett says his crew will evaluate the demand for the hotspots. While each device only costs about $100, the data they use is much more expensive, and JMRL would need outside partnerships to afford a large number of devices. For the pilot, the library spent “thousands of dollars” on two gigabytes of data per month for each device for a year— and even that is limited. “They don’t stream and they’re blocked from social media,” he says. “Otherwise, if we just opened it up and handed it out, the first person that got on Netflix would use all the data up within a week or two.” Bad connection “We occasionally get people who drive through our neighborhood looking at property,” says Phillip Fassieux, who built a house for himself and his wife in Langdon Woods, the northwestern-most subdivision in the county. “They say it’s a beautiful development, but some of the first questions they ask are how much do the lots run for and is there internet out here.” Put simply—there isn’t. “Regardless of where people lie on the political spectrum, on where they believe the role of government is, internet is just as important as electricity nowadays,” he says. While his property value has gone up since he moved into the neighborhood in 2013, he attributes that solely to the county changing its assessment software. “As for the demand—the buildout—there’s been very little movement on sales of lots because there’s no internet.” At home, he uses satellite internet, or a service that transmits and receives data from a relatively small dish. “Our internet doesn’t work when it’s cloudy or when it’s raining out,” he says. And it’s effectiveness is also based on demand, so during peak usage times, it slows down. For this reason, he maintains cell phone data coverage, but even that has caps and costs an additional $110 per month. For some people, the idea of not having internet is somewhat incomprehensible. “It’s such an abstract idea that so many people can’t process,” he says. “It’s an expectation of modern life now. …I wouldn’t take it so far as to say they paint me as being one of these live-off-the-land types, but the main signal that you get from folks is ‘why would you choose to live like that and how do you get things done?’” When Fassieux wants to watch a movie, he and his wife travel 20 to 30 minutes into town to rent one because he doesn’t have the bandwidth to stream one. He also can’t have an internet- based security system to guard his home. “Beyond the connectivity issue, the quality of living in the rural areas is unmatched, but it would be so greatly improved if we had reliable internet that was on par with the expected norm,” he continues. Fassieux knows a thing or two about the web—he specializes in cyber security at the Rivanna Station on Route 29, a military base that holds the nation’s top three military intelligence gathering agencies: the National Ground Intelligence Center, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. At Culp’s recommendation, Fassieux has applied for a seat on the county’s proposed Broadband Authority Board as its civilian voting member, because he has some ideas about how the county could improve broadband accessibility and save itself big bucks doing so.

But first, here’s what’s already in the works. Progress report To help all of Albemarle join the 21st century, Culp says there are a couple projects in the pipeline. In March, Governor Terry McAuliffe awarded the county a $118,000 grant to increase broadband access as part of the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative. The VATI funds are intended for CenturyLink equipment upgrades, and company spokesperson Debbie Keyser says the internet service provider plans to use the existing infrastructure and utilities to reach at least three of the underserved areas, including Mint Springs Park, this spring. Culp and CenturyLink representatives will meet with Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development on May 8 to discuss the requirements for the grant. And if they agree, to accept it. Last year’s report from Design Nine details a market research study aimed at residents and businesses. None of the respondents answered they were “very satisfied” with the current speed of their internet service and 72 percent said they were “not at all satisfied.” While 96 percent of the people who answered said they had an internet connection, the same number said they needed better service. Approximately 68 percent of the people who responded to the county’s survey already use CenturyLink. Culp says most people likely use CenturyLink because it has the most landline phone service customers in the county and it offers DSL internet service through those lines. In August 2015, CenturyLink also accepted $500 million per year for six years from the FCC’s Connect America Fund, to serve 1.2 million locations in the nation, including 49,000 rural households in the Commonwealth. It was required to provide speeds of at least 10 mbps down and 1 mbps up. By July 1, the company will report the locations it served in 2016. “They’ve made good progress,” Culp says, but CenturyLink has a few years to finish its buildout. “It’s a complex little world we live in.” Although more connectivity is a major plus, Fassieux fears the county is headed down the wrong path. “At the end of the day, the county should be pivoting its plans from a buried fiber backbone [with CenturyLink] to a wireless one,” he says, adding that the benefits of wireless internet are its cost, rapid deployability, network scalability and ease of updating as technology improves. “My concern is that because CenturyLink has such a significant portion of market share here in Albemarle County, we’re not very likely to see the Board [of Supervisors] shift,” says Fassieux. “If I was a betting man, we’re going to waste millions on digging trenches when wireless is the future. The county just needs to embrace it.” Speed trap South Carolina-based telecommunications company Home Telecom offers a tool on its website to help prospective customers determine how much bandwidth—or speed—they need to support the internet activities happening simultaneously in their households. Bandwidth is measured in megabits per second—here’s how many of those they estimate are needed for a single user to do each of the following activities on the web. Basic web use Including email, browsing the internet and social media 1 user | 2 mbps (DSL) Streaming music Including music streaming via Spotify, Pandora or iTunes Radio 1 user | 2 mbps (DSL) Media sharing Including sharing photos and videos online 1 user| 10 mbps (DSL) Streaming HD video Streamed from Netflix, YouTube or Amazon Prime Instant Video 1 user | 10 mbps (DSL) Video chat Including conferencing or video chat via Skype or Google Hangouts 1 user | 10 mbps (DSL) Online gaming 1 user | 25 mbps (cable or fiber) File downloading Including downloading and uploading large files via Dropbox 1 user | 50 mbps (cable or fiber) Cloud storage 1 user | 50 mbps (cable or fiber) So let’s take a typical four-person family with all four enjoying basic web use, media sharing and one kid streaming Netflix alone in her room while her brother plays an online video game and listens to Spotify in his. We’ll say one parent is on a conference call in which she’s downloading large files to review while her husband watches “Breaking Bad” in the family room—all of a sudden, the family is using 155mbps, which requires fiber internet, the fastest option currently available. According to the survey taken by Albemarle County, 69 percent of respondents indicated they use a DSL service, while only 8 percent use fiber, satellite or cellular wireless internet. Home Telecom notes that speed recommendations are based on providing “a good to great” internet experience, and while all internet activities will work at slower speeds, users will experience slower response times, lags and buffering.

Ambassadors from Greene County dancing to New Jersey By Terry Beigie | Greene County Record May 8, 2017 STANARDSVILLE — “I want us to think of ACTS during our prayer – Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication,” Maria Daniel told a group of eight dancers prior to their practice session in Charlottesville on April 2. After their roundabout prayer, the iDance Ministry is getting down to serious work preparing for May 13’s McDonald’s Gospel Fest in Newark, New Jersey. The ministry is one arm of the iDance Experience, founded by Daniel, a Greene County resident. Daniel was a dancer in her own right growing up, and received her law degree before moving to Virginia. “Prior to coming to Virginia, I lost feeling in both my legs, and I did not know if I was going to walk or even dance again,” Daniel said. “I couldn’t practice law, I couldn’t teach, I was literally sitting on the bed. This went on for about 18 months while my husband was being mobilized in the military. “I said to myself, ‘I’m not going to be able to do a jazz slide again.’ I didn’t even care about walking again,” she said. “During that time God worked on me, he humbled me and three words came to the top: educate, elevate, impact.” Daniel wondered how to dance full time, with three young children, but “God just kept saying trust me, trust me,” she said. “I needed to understand the difference between having a profession, a career and a calling. I always had the calling but it was never the center. Since I have been in Virginia, this is what I’ve been doing.” She then started offering hip-hop classes at Nathanael Greene and Ruckersville elementary schools. “While the dance ambassadors focus on the ministry part, in the school setting, I obviously respect the boundaries so we teach traditional hip-hop. I do use positive music,” Daniel said. The group has performed in New Jersey, perform in churches, and participate in parades and more through dance. The ambassadors also scrimmage Special Olympics athletes twice a year. “We’re an outreach,” she said. “We try to again educate, elevate and impact. No one I mentor or who is around me cannot love or come to love the things I love. When I grew up community service was like eating. It wasn’t something we were forced to do, we just did.” Daniel was compelled to go on Twitter, something extremely unusual for her even though she has an account. It was then that she saw it was the final day to audition for this spring’s Gospel Fest in the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. “I thought they were just looking for acts between the big national gospel artists,” she said. “If you look at [our] audition video you’ll see the passion in their eyes. Even if they’re making mistakes you’ll see they’re sincere and genuine in what they do. “I sent the videos in and a week later I got an email saying we were accepted,” Daniel said, “but I didn’t know until a month later because it went in my spam folder.” It was then she noticed it is actually an emerging artist competition, and iDance is competing – not just an act to fill in between bigger acts. “I’m so happy for this opportunity. For me it’s not about winning it’s about getting our message out and representing God, our ministry, our families and also Greene County,” Daniel said. “A lot of people lump us into Charlottesville because we do a lot in Charlottesville but we’re Greene County residents, and I don’t want that to go unnoticed.” Last October the group danced on the court during halftime of a University of Virginia women’s basketball game, which was a favorite for many of the dancers. Ruckersville Elementary School fourth-grader Aaliyah Frederick, 10, says it’s one of her favorite memories of her experience with the group. “I really liked performing at the UVa. game,” she said. “I think for that performance I just went all out and it was my best dance. When we were in the line ready to go out I got really scared, too.” William Monroe Middle School sixth-grader Ananda Daniel, Maria’s youngest, says performing and doing community service is her favorite parts. “I loved [performing] at the Uva. game,” she said. “It was nerve-wrecking but I had fun. I’m really excited for Gospel Fest. After performing for a big crowd it’s just really fun.” Daniel said high academics are a must for her dancers, and she encourages them to be involved in something else outside of the ministry to keep them balanced. When she was trying to figure out what to name the group she remembered how she used to dance, alone, on 50-yard lines and mid-courts. “It was all about me — a big ‘I’,” she said. “After my legs and that situation, I realized I couldn’t do what I’m doing now if I had that same attitude I couldn’t do what I do now without help. When everyone asked what I do I say I dance. He said that’s the name. I dance and I serve. The ‘I’ is little for that reason … because it’s no longer about me.” Recently Daniel has opened up a junior ambassador group after many requests for younger students. Piedmont Virginia Community College student Ana Lorenza heads up that group and helps with choreography for the ambassadors. “I loved their passion and it helps that they have a great leader with Mrs. Daniel,” Lorenza said. “I have a passion working with kids and teaching people how to dance. I hope to own my own dance studio one day.” There will be an evening of praise to send the group off on Friday, May 5, at 7 p.m. at Covenant Church, 1025 Rio Road in Charlottesville. Daniel teaches at BalletSchool and Carver Recreation Center. For more information about the ambassadors and other dance classes, visit www.idanceministry.com.

PVCC Holds Active Shooter Drill Posted: May 09, 2017 ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Piedmont Virginia Community College is reviewing its response to an active shooter drill that put the Albemarle County campus on lockdown Tuesday morning. Armed with an air horn, a role playing gunman fires off as he simultaneously storms every building on the college’s campus to find out if students and staff are ready to act in an emergency. Each blast is a shot fired. “We want them to react quickly. If they did hear gunfire, we don't want them to be indecisive,” said Chief Chris Wyatt with PVCC police. Faculty and staff are trained to run, hide, or fight. “That's what we're doing today - giving everybody an idea, a training of what they're supposed to do and what they can do to help themselves and how we can help them be safe,” said Kim McManus, PVCC vice president of Finance and Administrative Services. As the campus went into lockdown, security guards outside ordered people away from the buildings. Inside the simulated shooter checks each office and classroom door to see if he can get in. “Here was no one to be seen and that's what we want. We want to deny the shooter victims,” said Wyatt. This drill also tests PVCC’s emergency notification system. It triggers announcements and text alerts until police give the all clear and lead sheltered staff and students to safety. “We're going to look at what our faculty and staff did, what we did, how we can improve on things, and what do we need to be teaching our faculty and staff to make them safer here,” said Wyatt. Student Matthew Porter arrived on campus right as the drill began. “We followed the teachers to a secure location and then we just waited there until the building was clear,” Porter explained. Porter believes it's better to learn how to react through the calm of a drill than the chaos of a crisis. “If you’re panicking, you don't make nearly as good decisions on what you should be doing for your safety,” Porter said. PVCC is working with an emergency management consultant to review its planning for an active shooter and Monday's response. The campus police chief says everything went smoothly during the drill.

GREENE COUNTY, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- On Tuesday evening, the Greene County Board of Supervisors honored a 98-year-old resident who's donated more than $1 million to county programs. Ethyle Giuseppe has lived in Greene County her whole life, and she says that she has always wanted to give back to the community. "I grew up on a farm in town, and after I sold it, I realized how good it felt to give away money to places that needed it," she said. Her donations have gone to county schools, parks, and other government programs. Her most recent donation came last year when she gave Greene County Public Schools $100,000. She says her biggest passion is education. "I want to keep the educational things going for the children. That's what I really like to do, look out for the youth," Giuseppe said. One way that she has helped education in the county is by jumpstarting the budget for the Piedmont Virginia Community College campus in Greene County. "Without her, that school would not be where it is today. She is the main reason that expansion happened," said Alton Keal, a long-time friend of Giuseppe's. Giuseppe donated a total of $500,000 to get the satellite campus started. "She's been a real factor that is unsurpassed. We call her the matriarch of the valley," said Keal. Giuseppe was honored with a plaque and standing ovation. The majority of the people in attendance say they had been affected by her charitable work over the years. "I just hope that somebody else will do the same thing over and over. I'm not done, but more people need to do things like this," said Giuseppe. Supervisors also celebrated the passing of a ordinance that will bring a new entertainment venue to the community. The ordinance states a pavilion will be built next to the county administration in downtown Stanardsville. Officials say the pavilion will be used for music, festivals, and farmers' markets. "It will be a regional draw, and will bring all types of economic development in here. It will help the businesses here that we have established and encourage others to come into the county and the town," said Gary Lowe, Mayor of Stanardsville. The space is expected to seat around 2,500 people. Supervisors will meet later in the month to discuss when the project will break ground.

At forum, council candidates demur on committing to higher wages, affordable housing BY CHRIS SUAREZ May 9, 2017 In a candidate forum hosted by a new progressive advocacy group, the three Democratic candidates for Charlottesville City Council either said ‘no’ or did not say whether, if elected, they would commit to having 1,000 new affordable housing units built in the city. At Tuesday’s forum, council candidates Bob Fenwick, Amy Laufer and Heather Hill took questions that assessed their commitment to promoting economic opportunity and quality of life, social and racial equity, and open, accountable government. Those issues are the platform of Equity and Progress in Charlottesville, a political advocacy group that formed earlier this year. The candidates are vying for two open seats on the City Council. A June 13 primary election will determine the two Democratic nominees. EPiC steering committee member Matthew Slaats said after the forum that he wanted to hear more from the candidates on how they address would a perceived lack of affordable housing. “I personally would have loved to hear them say, ‘this is what I’m going to do make these changes happen,’” Slaats said. “I don’t know if I really got that tonight.” Ahead of Tuesday’s candidate forum, event organizers shared two questions with the candidates, which directly asked the candidates to make public commitments. The first asked the candidates to commit to supporting the creation of 1,000 homes that are affordable for low-income working families, the elderly, the disabled and the chronically homeless. Hill, a business consultant and president of the North Downtown Residents Association, declined to make a commitment, but said that she generally supports the development of more affordable housing. “I don’t want to be someone who commits to something that I can’t say with great confidence that I can achieve during my tenure on council,” she said. “What I am committed to, though, is policies which enable the city to support the building of as many affordable homes as possible.” Laufer, a second-term member and former chair of the city School Board, did not explicitly make such a commitment. Instead, she said there is an even greater need for housing, and said that Habitat for Humanity has reported there is a need for 8,000 more homes in the community. The city has to do more than provide more public funding for housing, Laufer said, and she suggested working more with developers, housing organizations and state authorities to develop more affordable housing in the city. “I absolutely hope I can help in this effort,” Laufer said, “and I would like to bring new ideas to the table.” Incumbent councilor Fenwick would not commit either, and said Albemarle County needs to be more involved in developing affordable housing for the Charlottesville area community. “It’s a good goal, but the county has to be part of it,” he said in an interview after the forum. Challenged to answer yes or no, he said: “Look, they’re in charge of the question, I’m in charge of the answer — and that’s my answer.” During the forum, when asked whether they would commit to increasing the city’s base wage for workers from the recently adopted rate of $13.79 an hour to $17.50 an hour, Fenwick was the only candidate to say yes. Though most advocates for the so-called living wage are asking businesses, state legislatures localities and other institutions to increase the minimum wage for citizens or workers to $15 an hour, EPiC’s organizers have stated that $17.50 is a “true living wage” for the city. That figure is extrapolated from a 2015 study by Ridge Schuyler, dean of community self-sufficiency programs at Piedmont Virginia Community College. In an email Tuesday, Schuyler said his calculations for that study determined that a single-mother of “two children, one in daycare,” would need to make nearly $35,000 per year to cover cost-of-living expenses and childcare. Fenwick said the wage hike would not happen at once. “It’ll be incremental, but we’re going to get to $17.50 [per hour] shortly,” Fenwick said. Hill said she would use her professional experience to find efficiencies in the budget, but noted that she does not think that any amount saved would be enough to increase city workers’ wages to $15 in the next budget cycle. She added that increasing workers’ wages too soon could require budget cuts elsewhere. “I certainly understand the desire to move to $15 an hour ... but we need to look at the broader picture and understand what an immediate increase to $15 an hour would mean for other programs we are supporting to help our most vulnerable populations,” she said. The city also would need to spend more money to increase other employees’ wages as to avoid wage compression, Hill said. Compression describes the gap between salaries for experienced and newly-hired employees in the same job. Earlier this year, as the City Council prepared to develop the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, Councilor Kathy Galvin and other city officials said they were concerned that wage compression could lead to “morale issues” for some workers. Laufer said she is interested in the living wage issue, but did not commit to increasing it to $15 or $17.50. She did say, however, that if the city in the future considers offering tax incentives for businesses, it could use that opportunity to require the businesses to pay their workers a living wage. “I’m definitely interested in looking into this,” she said. “I feel very passionate that if you work full-time, you should be able to feed your family and live.” Laufer also pointed to her campaign platform responding to the question, saying that the the city should also be working on more workforce development programs to help residents acquire higher paying jobs. Laufer referred to the so-called Piedmont Promise, a central piece of her campaign, in which the city would pay the tuition costs for a Charlottesville High School student with a GPA of 2.5 or better to attend a certificate program or an associate degree program at PVCC. The program would only apply to students who come from households that earn less than $63,000 a year, the area median income. “Let’s grow our own workforce,” she said. “Let’s support kids going to PVCC so that they can have access to the knowledge-based economy.” The general election is Nov. 7.

Art events (for the week of 05.11.17) The Daily Progress staff reports May 10, 2017 Exhibits Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South Galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

5 things to do as a family (for the week of 05.11.17) The Daily Progress staff reports May 10, 2017 “Little Red Riding Hood” 6 p.m. Saturday; V. Earl Dickinson Building at Piedmont Virginia Community College For its 13th Spring Dance Gala, Albemarle Ballet Theatre and Studio for the Performing Arts are teaming up to present Nicky Hart Coelho’s comic take on a time-honored fairy tale. Look for Little Red and her friends, a black cat and yellow duck, as well as the disguise-donning Wolf, in an evening of jazz and modern dance. The family-friendly show clocks in at about an hour and a half and proceeds will benefit Dancing off the Streets, a need-based dance scholarship program. $14; $10 students and seniors. aballet.org/ticket; (434) 823-8888.

In & Around Greene May 10, 2017 May 17 Piedmont Virginia Community College, Eugene Giuseppe Center, 222 Main Street, Suite 201, Stanardsville, will hold information sessions presented by PVCC Outreach Manager Denise McClanahan and will introduce PVCC’s degree and certificate programs, as well as provide information about placement tests, student services and other resources to help students get started at PVCC. The Greene County session will be held Wednesday, May 17, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The session is free and open to the public and no advance registration is required. May 25 Piedmont Virginia Community College, 501 College Drive, Charlottesville, will host a Student Orientation, Advising and Registration session for new and prospective students on Thursday, May 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the V. Earl Dickinson Building on PVCC’s Main Campus in Charlottesville. At the session, participants will receive assistance with registering for classes and learn about PVCC resources and student services. The free information session is required for 2017 high school and home-school graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students with an interest in pursuing a degree or certificate beginning with the fall 2017 semester. All other degree-seeking students new to PVCC are encouraged to attend. Additional SOAR sessions are planned for June, July and August. A complete list of session dates is available at www.pvcc.edu/soar. Before registering for a SOAR session, prospective students must apply to PVCC and take math and English placement tests. Advanced registration for SOAR sessions is required. Contact PVCC’s Admissions and Advising Center at (434) 961.6581 to register. Early registration is recommended as space in SOAR sessions is limited. For more information, call PVCC’s Admissions and Advising Center at (434) 961-6581 or by emailing [email protected]. Notices Piedmont Virginia Community College will host VETS (Veterans Education and Transition Services) sessions for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC and registering for summer and fall semester classes. VETS sessions will be held on Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on PVCC’s main campus at 501 College Drive in Charlottesville May 11, 18, and 25. During the free sessions, attendees will receive assistance with applying for veteran’s educational benefits and financial aid, applying to PVCC, understanding in-state tuition military exceptions, registering for classes and selecting a program of study. Important information about placement tests, career services, transfer of college credits, selecting a major, and more will be available. Learn more at www.pvcc.edu/veterans or by contacting PVCC Military and Veterans Advisor Jackie Fisher at 434.961.5282 or [email protected].

Announcements for May 10 through May 16 The Daily Progress staff reports May 9, 2017 » KidsCollege at CATEC, hosted by Piedmont Virginia Community College, accepts registration for PVCC’s summer STEM technical academies in June. Details are available at pvcc.edu/kidscollege. (4340 961-5354. » Getting Started information sessions for prospective students at Piedmont Virginia Community College will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Fluvanna Public Library in Palmyra, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Festival of Cultures in Lee Park and from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Louisa County Library in Mineral. Additional sessions will be scheduled later this month. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds information sessions for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC and registering for summer and fall semester classes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and May 18 and 25 at 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282.

May 11, 2017 Matt Kelly, [email protected] College can be better the second time around. It was for Jody Knowles, 58, of Charlottesville, who will graduate May 21 from the University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree, with highest distinction. Knowles first entered college in 1979, attending Michigan State University. She wanted to study journalism, a passion she discovered in her sophomore year of high school and honed in her senior year by spending time as a cub reporter at the Monroe (Michigan) Evening News. “I loved school when I was a kid,” she said, “but I also wanted to experience life after high school. So after my first year at MSU, I made the decision to put my college education on hold. “Then, with all the things I experienced – having a career, a house, a baby, getting married – I only got to read when I had free time.” She did manage to earn an associate’s degree before moving to Charlottesville in 1990, where she worked briefly for the Daily Progress. From the newspaper industry, she worked her way into radio public relations and marketing, and then landed in the human resources field, where she worked for the next 20 years, most recently in the School of Medicine. Though she had work and life experience, she did not have a bachelor’s degree, and Knowles knew that held her back. “I felt I’d progressed well in my career, but I know there were jobs I wasn’t considered for where a bachelor’s degree was required,” she said. “If you don’t check that box, your application is rejected.” While working, Knowles raised a son through getting a divorce and then getting married a second time. His departure for college rekindled thoughts of higher education for her. She mulled her options and chose UVA’s Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program. “I knew I wanted to be at UVA,” she said. “I’d heard good things about the B.I.S. program and how it works with a professional’s schedule. I contacted the B.I.S. office and they worked with me to make it happen.” Part of the preparation for UVA included taking additional credits at Piedmont Virginia Community College. “This was a great trial run,” Knowles said, “to see if I could handle taking classes along with a full-time career.” Knowles said going back to school forced her to sacrifice personal time – not just for her, but for her family as well. But she said the effort had many benefits. For one, the UVA program reignited her interest in feminism and her activism in women’s issues and LGBTQ issues. She concentrated in social science, specifically through the interdisciplinary Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality studies. “I have grown so much intellectually,” Knowles said. “You come into a program such as this with ideas about things. The program challenged my ideas, made me think about them differently, challenged my opinions.” Knowles found herself reading – a lot. During a recent class on contemporary American literature, she devoured a novel a week, a pace she had not kept in many years. “I was surrounded by books. Lots of books,” she said. “There was not enough shelf space. There are books piled up on my night table.” She was impressed with several books to which she was introduced in class, including “Tropic of Orange,” by Karen Tei Yamashita, and the works of Flannery O’Connor. In a course on poetry, she discovered the work of Russian poet Anna Akhmatova. “I never thought I would say I have a favorite poet. Now I can honestly say I have a favorite Russian female poet,” Knowles said. She also got to meet author Junot Díaz earlier this year when he visited Grounds as the Creative Writing Program’s Kapnick Distinguished Writer-in-Residence. “He was like Elvis to me,” she said. “Whenever he was appearing somewhere, I was right there in the front row.” Knowles started the B.I.S. program in 2013 and took one course each term, including summer and January terms. Some of the courses were online, but most she took in-person at UVA. She applied some of her human resources experience in helping her fellow students and by becoming a peer mentor. “I enjoy helping people be successful,” she said. “That’s why I’m in human resources. In the classroom, I was working with people who were 20 to 30 years younger than me. They are such bright people. I consider my colleagues to be lifelong friends.” Her dedication to her work and her devotion to the school impressed her professors. “Jody has clearly embraced the B.I.S. program,” said Stephen Levine, assistant professor and the program’s director. “She is an excellent student who is intellectually curious. She is also a great team player and member of the B.I.S. community.” He stressed that Knowles was a help to other students and to the program itself. “Like most other students in the program, she works and takes B.I.S. courses primarily in the evening,” Levine said. “Her genuine interest in learning, her involvement in B.I.S. outside of the classroom and the simple fact that she works while attending B.I.S. classes mean that she is just the type of student for which the B.I.S. program was designed.” Knowles credits her experience in the program with developing herself. “Without this program, I would not have the confidence to write again, the eagerness to read again, the enthusiasm to put together a project, and the patience to compose a capstone paper,” she said. Now that she has completed her bachelor’s degree, Knowles is considering an online Master of Education program, focused on lifelong learning and adult education. “I have a bachelor’s degree and 20 years of experience,” she said. “I’m not sure what my future will hold, but I will never stop learning.” (Editor’s note: This is one of a series of profiles of members of the University of Virginia’s Class of 2017.)

17-year-old author, Afton resident prepares to graduate from LU on Saturday Alissa Smith May 11, 2017 Seventeen-year-old Greyson Beights will be graduating from Liberty University this Saturday, a week before he gets his learner’s permit. “It’s going to be a special experience for me to graduate Saturday, to walk down and get my degree,” he said. The Afton-based history major started attending LU online in 2015 after transferring from Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, which he started attending in 2012 at the age of 11. “There’s nothing too special about me,” he said, citing hard work and dedication as why he’s been successful thus far. “I’m just kind of an example on what you can do if you put your mind to it.” Beights said his age didn’t cause any issues throughout his college career, but it also didn’t bring about many benefits, except getting done early. “I’ve never let age define me,” he said. “I’ve always saw it as just a number … I’ve never seen it as a race; I just moved at a pace I thought was adequate.” But Beights’ family thinks he’s always been special. When he was 2 years old, he climbed into his grandmother’s lap and asked her to teach him how to read, his grandmother Georgia Moyer recalled Thursday. “So I read him the book,” she said. “And he knew it. He went upstairs, and by the time my daughter got home that afternoon, he not only knew the book, but he knew [how] to spell all the words. “Anyway, she comes home and I said, ‘Angela, you need to put Greyson in school.’ She said, ‘Momma, he’s only 2.’ I said, ‘He’s ready.’ “So that’s what happened, and he was the youngest, but he went ahead of everybody.” After that incident, Moyer said Beights was homeschooled alongside his three siblings — Lauren Beights, now 20, and twins York and Roland Beights, now 19. In addition to graduating before being a legal adult, Beights also is a published author who currently is working on two more books. Beights said he started writing “Medieval LEGO,” a book that attempts to teach English history in the middle ages with LEGO illustrations, when he was 13. The book was published in 2015. His next two books will be about presidents and snow, and he said he hopes to instill a passion for history in readers with his writing. “I’ve always been interested in history,” he said. “The subject has always fascinated me … history helps our understanding, in both examining our successes and shortcomings with learning from examples and giving us context.” Carey Roberts, associate dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Liberty University, said Beights doesn’t really stand out. “He stands out because he doesn’t stand out,” Roberts said. “The average age of our online history student is somewhere between 35 and 45 … and as a 17-year-old, his work easily matches that of our best students.” No one would have guessed Beights was so young given the strong caliber of his work, Roberts said. “He has an incredibly innovative style for such a young historian,” Roberts said. “… This young man has discovered a means of engagement that has really eluded most professional historians.” Beights said he’s always liked history but remembers when it became something more. “I realized when you look at history, you can learn and prepare yourself for the future. When I saw that correlation, I just became really passionate about it,” he said. “It excited me, and at that point, I knew I wanted to study it.” While being a full-time student and working on a few books, Beights also started BrickUniverse in 2015, a limited liability corporation that he runs with the help of his parents that aims to bring “the universe of bricks together under one roof for fans of all ages,” according to its website. BrickUniverse is a LEGO fan convention offering professional artists, exhibits, seminars, vendors and more, according to its website. “We just finished our 10th show,” Beights said. “It goes around the country and inspires families with LEGO. It inspires them with science, technology, engineering, math, even history.” Moyer said Beights was unable to receive scholarships, grants or student loans because of his age. “I knew early on that I wasn’t able to qualify, when I was 11 or 13,” he said. Beights said he was able to pay for school with the help of his parents, Gaylon and Angela Beights, BrickUniverse and his book “Medieval LEGO.” Beights credits his achievements to time management. Starting each morning around 6 or 7 a.m., he said he begins the day by making a list. “I’ve learned that’s key, in really anyone’s life, and especially when doing so many different things at one time,” he said. “… I just try to tell people not to let their age or any barrier limit them, and to reach for their dreams. “With hard work and dedication, you can accomplish anything.” He then spends a couple hours on BrickUniverse, then LU work and then writing his books. He said it sometimes takes sacrifices to get where you want to go. “You see a goal and you actually pursue it to the best you can,” he said. “And that might mean sacrifices in some areas, but if you have this goal you really want, you have to go for it.” Beights said he doesn’t really know where he wants to go from here, though he plans on taking a year off from school to travel, write and organize events for BrickUniverse. “I’m really just interested in inspiring creativity in the next generation. It’s not really, to me, about the profession, more as what I can do and the outcome,” he said. “… I just want to teach and inspire others, leave a positive impact.”

PVCC graduates praise school they never thought they’d attend BY DEREK QUIZON, May 11, 2017 Each of the 864 members of the 2017 graduating class at Piedmont Virginia Community College has a story to tell. And all of those students will reach a milestone Friday evening, when they join their classmates on stage at the John Paul Jones Arena for the college’s graduation ceremony. Several graduates stand out academically while serving as examples of the nontraditional students the college serves. Among those are Gina Edwards and Wadah al-Mulhim. Neither thought they would ever set foot on PVCC’s campus. Both said the college changed their lives for the better. Edwards was in her 50s when the tax firm she had worked at for the past decade went out of business. She found a temp job at the University of Virginia, but during her search for a permanent position, she realized there was a flaw in her resume: she didn’t have the college degree that most of today’s employers demand of applicants. “It was never stated, but part of what I was hearing in the between-the-lines communication was: ‘We know you’re good but you don’t have a college degree,’” she said. Edwards, now 57, said she had always wanted to attend college, but got sidetracked while working and trying to raise a family. After a brief job hunt, she decided to take the plunge and enroll at Piedmont. During her first semester, Edwards took a full course load while working between 35 and 40 hours a week as an office administrator at a church. “I thought I was going to die,” she said. “But it was also exciting and exhilarating.” Edwards’ plan was to study business, but she quickly found a new passion: sociology. She said taking an introductory course with professor Kim Hoosier opened her eyes to social inequalities she hadn’t thought much about for most of her life. It appealed to the compassionate side of Edwards, who had once aspired to be a special-education teacher. As she continued enrolling in sociology courses, Edwards began to realize that she was passionate about the subject. “We think everyone is born on a level playing field, and they’re not,” she said. “The circumstances you’re born into will help determine the rest of your life.” Hoosier said Edwards was a passionate student who also brought maturity to classroom discussions. Community college classrooms are a mix of old and young students, Hoosier said, and older students can provide some perspective that the younger ones don’t have. “Younger students come in with passion and enthusiasm — maybe unrealistically — but I think we all benefit from that kind of diversity,” Hoosier said. “She’s had a variety of life experiences.” Edwards is the winner of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which will provide her with as much as $40,000 annually toward expenses at Mary Baldwin University, where she will continue her sociology studies this fall. She said she isn’t sure what she wants to do, but intends to focus on helping one of two at-risk populations: juveniles in the criminal justice system or mentally challenged young adults. “That’s kind of like my calling: Watch out for and protect the vulnerable,” she said. “Kids are vulnerable. Challenged adults are vulnerable. [I’m] trying to fix it so people don’t prey on their vulnerabilities.” Al-Mulhim had his sights set higher than community college. The Albemarle High School alum — whose family fled Iraq during the war — said he wanted to go directly to Virginia Commonwealth University and study to become a dentist. He was accepted to VCU, but his family couldn’t afford the expense of tuition, fees and living in Richmond. He decided, hesitantly, to finish his first two years at Piedmont. “At first, I had this notion that a community college was not a college — that only people who can’t make it to four-year colleges went to community college,” he said. “I thought I’d be left behind in college life. I felt that disappointment.” He was the president of the Student Government Association, a position al-Mulhim — a shy young man who said he struggled with language skills in high school — never thought he’d hold. Al-Mulhim’s transformation began when he got involved with the SGA in his first year, in the hopes of meeting new people and learning more about his new school. He joined a soccer club, the international club and the honor society. In time, he said he came out of his shell — and his social skills, command of the language and confidence went up. VCU awaits al-Mulhim this fall, but he said he’s thankful that he attended PVCC first. “Going to PVCC allowed me to get ready for college,” al-Mulhim said. “VCU is a bigger campus, a bigger school and it’s hard to communicate with professors directly. I would have been lost.” “I basically saved my life going to PVCC.”

PVCC graduates praise school they never thought they'd attend By DEREK QUIZON The (Charlottesville) Daily Progress May 11, 2017 CHARLOTTESVILLE — Each of the 864 members of the 2017 graduating class at Piedmont Virginia Community College has a story to tell. And all of those students will reach a milestone Friday evening, when they join their classmates on stage at the John Paul Jones Arena for the college’s graduation ceremony. Several graduates stand out academically while serving as examples of the nontraditional students the college serves. Among those are Gina Edwards and Wadah al-Mulhim. Neither thought they would ever set foot on PVCC’s campus. Both said the college changed their lives for the better. Edwards was in her 50s when the tax firm she had worked at for the past decade went out of business. She found a temp job at the University of Virginia, but during her search for a permanent position, she realized there was a flaw in her resume: she didn’t have the college degree that most of today’s employers demand of applicants. “It was never stated, but part of what I was hearing in the between-the-lines communication was: ‘We know you’re good but you don’t have a college degree,’” she said. Edwards, now 57, said she had always wanted to attend college, but got sidetracked while working and trying to raise a family. After a brief job hunt, she decided to take the plunge and enroll at Piedmont. Edwards’ plan was to study business, but she quickly found a new passion: sociology. She said taking an introductory course with professor Kim Hoosier opened her eyes to social inequalities she hadn’t thought much about for most of her life. It appealed to the compassionate side of Edwards, who had once aspired to be a special-education teacher. As she continued enrolling in sociology courses, Edwards began to realize that she was passionate about the subject. “We think everyone is born on a level playing field, and they’re not,” she said. “The circumstances you’re born into will help determine the rest of your life.” Edwards is the winner of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which will provide her with as much as $40,000 annually toward expenses at Mary Baldwin University, where she will continue her sociology studies this fall. She said she isn’t sure what she wants to do, but intends to focus on helping one of two at-risk populations: juveniles in the criminal justice system or mentally challenged young adults. Al-Mulhim had his sights set higher than community college. The Albemarle High School alum — whose family fled Iraq during the war — said he wanted to go directly to Virginia Commonwealth University and study to become a dentist. He was accepted to VCU, but his family couldn’t afford the expense of tuition, fees and living in Richmond. He decided to finish his first two years at Piedmont. “At first, I had this notion that a community college was not a college — that only people who can’t make it to four-year colleges went to community college,” he said. “I thought I’d be left behind in college life. I felt that disappointment.” He was the president of the Student Government Association, a position al-Mulhim — a shy young man who said he struggled with language skills in high school — never thought he’d hold. Al-Mulhim’s transformation began when he got involved with the Student Government Association in his first year, in the hopes of meeting new people and learning more about his new school. He joined a soccer club, the international club and the honor society. In time, he said he came out of his shell — and his social skills, command of the language and confidence went up. VCU awaits al-Mulhim this fall, but he said he’s thankful that he attended PVCC first. “Going to PVCC allowed me to get ready for college,” al-Mulhim said. “VCU is a bigger campus, a bigger school and it’s hard to communicate with professors directly. I would have been lost.”

Behind the Badge: A Morning with a Hospital Nurse Megan Rowe | 5/11/2017 | People of UVA It’s 8 a.m. on a Monday. UVA’s thoracic cardiovascular (heart and lung) unit feels quiet, aside from an occasional beep from a series of monitors behind the nurses station and the usual Monday morning pleasantries among employees, but it’s an “unusual day,” hospital nurse Regina Ragland, RN, tells me. She’s reluctant to elaborate for fear of jinxing it, but I think what she means is that at the moment, the unit isn’t as busy as it can get. It has beds for up to 30 patients, who typically have had some kind of heart or lung surgery or procedure, including bypasses, valve replacement and lung transplants. A Typical Day for Nursing This morning, Ragland, who has been a hospital nurse for almost five years, is the charge nurse. Charge nurses ideally don’t have any patients assigned to them, but they: • Find out which patients may be coming to the unit later that day • Assign patients to each nurse, based on the patient’s needs • Make sure the unit has adequate staffing • Care for patients while the assigned nurses take breaks • Run “discharge rounds,” where the healthcare team discusses patients who are almost ready for discharge and determine their needs at home When she’s not the charge nurse, Regina gets detailed information on her patients from the previous shift’s nurse as soon as she arrives at work. From there, she assesses her patients and give them their medications, explaining each one, which takes some time — transplant patients, in particular, have a lot of medications. She also is responsible for keeping patients’ charts and records up-to-date and discharging and admitting patients. Interested in UVA Nursing Jobs? Search for a UVA job. Although there are fewer than normal patients at the moment, this is another typically busy week for Ragland. Besides caring for patients, she participates in various patient care and nursing education initiatives around the hospital. She also needs to study for an upcoming nursing certification test that’s part of her job. But beyond her full-time job, she’s also seeking a bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) degree. This semester, she’s in class for three hours and spends an additional two to three hours on homework every week. And this is a light semester. The Path to Becoming a Hospital Nurse Ragland hasn’t always been a hospital nurse. She grew up in Nelson County, near Charlottesville. After graduating from high school, she worked for 18 years at a mail order company. Starting in sales, she worked her way up to an office manager position and treasurer of the company. However, she had always been interested in nursing. She cared for family members when they were sick, and it came naturally to her. When she’s working as the charge nurse, Ragland ensures the unit is running smoothly. “I didn’t pursue higher education after high school, because I really wasn’t mature enough to understand the value of education,” Ragland says. “As I got older, I had thought about going back to school, but things always got in the way. I finally decided if I was going to get my nursing degree, I just had to jump in, because no time was ever going to be the ‘right time.’” Ragland began taking classes at Piedmont Virginia Community College to get an associate’s degree in nursing (becoming an RN doesn’t require a bachelor’s degree). Because she was also still working full-time, the process took 4.5 years. “Getting my RN to BSN is actually a little easier than that,” she says. Her program is two years, including summer classes, and she’ll get her bachelor’s in May 2018. One difference is that as an associate’s degree student, she had to get clinical experience on different hospital units. That was how she discovered UVA’s thoracic cardiovascular unit. She “fell in love” with it, she says. She loves her patients, who are typically 60-70 years old, and finds the heart and lungs interesting. “I don’t want to go above the neck or below the diaphragm,” she says. Ragland always planned to get a bachelor’s degree someday, and she started the process almost three years ago. She asked around about RN to BSN programs, and someone recommended the UVA School of Nursing. Before she could even start the program, she needed some pre-requisites, which she mostly took online. Ragland’s obviously busy, but she also finds time for reading, going to the gym and taking care of her three dogs. She enjoys spending time with her colleagues outside of work; about once a month they plan unit outings such as snow tubing. Why RN to BSN? Beyond the personal satisfaction and career advantages, multiple studies show that when hospitals have more nurses with BSN degrees, fewer patient deaths and complications occur, and patients stay in the hospital for a shorter amount of time. A widely-cited 2010 Institute of Medicine report recommended that by 2020, 80 percent of the nursing workforce should have a BSN. UVA shares the same goal for its nursing workforce. As a result: • All registered nurses who are hired after January 1, 2013 are required to get their BSN within five years of their hire date • Once they get the BSN, they’re eligible to receive a 3.5 percent pay increase • RNs — and all UVA Medical Center employees — receive up to $5,250 per year toward tuition Since she was hired before 2013, the BSN requirements don’t apply to Ragland. But by earning her BSN, she’ll become the third person in her family to have a bachelor’s degree. “I can show my nieces and nephews that education is a good thing, and it helps you accomplish things in life.” Ragland’s already talking about ultimately getting a master’s degree. She thinks someday she’d like to be a nurse navigator, someone who follows patients throughout their care, or work in a transplant clinic.

PVCC Nursing Students Honored with Pins at Graduation Ceremony Posted: May 12, 2017 3:32 PM EST | Updated: May 12, 2017 4:30 PM EST

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Most college graduates are familiar with commencement because they went through it in high school.

Through the crowds of caps and gowns, there are a few of them doing it for the first time at Piedmont Virginia Community College.

"It's indescribable," said Kristin Shifflett, a William Monroe High School student.

Shifflett is one of 28 students graduating from PVCC this year before graduating high school.

"It's a lot of effort and it's a lot of work to struggle with two course loads," said Shifflett. "It's paying off now, so it's exciting."

Shifflett and her classmates heard inspiring words from the keynote speaker who had some advice on their next steps in life.

Rasheda Ali-Walsh, the daughter of the late Muhammad Ali, delivered the keynote address.

"When I'm at my best, I'm Ali, you're Ali, we're all Ali," said Ali-Walsh.

She now serves as an advocate for Parkinson's disease.

Her father battled it for more than 30 years, but it never stopped him from ever following his dreams.

"My dad not only gave of himself by donating his time, creating awareness, and fight to different causes, but he also showed great kindness and compassion," said Ali-Walsh. "He helped people and encouraged them to believe in themselves."

Believing in yourself is something Shifflett also passes along to younger students who have the same dream.

"If you're just going through college, just stay with it," said Shifflett. "It's worth it."

Shifflett is one of 20 students who walked at Friday's ceremony.

Shifflett will be heading to James Madison University in the fall to study architectural design.

Ali-Walsh tells PVCC graduates to aspire to greatness BY DEREK QUIZON May 12, 2017

More than 300 students and their families were in John Paul Jones Arena on Friday evening for Piedmont Virginia Community College’s 44th annual commencement ceremony.

Rasheda Ali-Walsh, daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, was the ceremony’s keynote speaker. Ali-Walsh, an author and advocate for Parkinson’s disease awareness, talked about the personal side of her world-famous father, who passed away last year after a 30-plus-year battle with the disease.

The former heavyweight champion often told his children that boxing was simply a springboard to bigger things, Ali-Walsh said, and that he became the man he was meant to be after his athletic career ended.

“He dedicated his life to helping others, to charities … he united people around the world,” Ali-Walsh said of her father’s life outside the ring. “My dad used boxing as a platform. What will your platform be?”

Ali’s condition deteriorated over the years as the Parkinson’s disease worsened, but it never stopped him from living an active life, Ali-Walsh said. He was always in good spirits, she said, and after a recent boxing match in Las Vegas, he joked with her about making a comeback.

“He still had incredible confidence and a sense of humor while facing his most difficult opponent,” Ali-Walsh said. “He didn’t take his condition seriously. He didn’t let Parkinson’s stop him from doing what he loved and helping other people.”

The Ali family has local ties to Central Virginia. Ali bought a horse farm near Afton in 1982, shortly after his final fight, and occasionally made public appearances in the area. Most memorably, he shocked residents on Page Street in Charlottesville in 1994 when he made a surprise appearance at a neighborhood block party.

Ali-Walsh told the crowd that her brother-in-law taught at PVCC during the mid-1990s and that the college is still special to her.

She wrapped up her speech by asking graduates to channel the same energy her father had into whatever they decide to do.

“As you continue on life’s journey, I hope you remember to be great — to do great things,” she said. “When I’m at my best, I’m Ali; you’re Ali. We’re all Ali.”

Announcements for May 17 through May 23 The Daily Progress staff reports May 16, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds a Getting Started information session for prospective students at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at PVCC’s Giuseppe Center in Stanardsville. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds an information session for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC and registering for summer and fall semester classes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 25 at 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282.

In and Around Greene May 17, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College, 501 College Drive, Charlottesville, will host a Student Orientation, Advising and Registration session for new and prospective students on Thursday, May 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the V. Earl Dickinson Building on PVCC’s Main Campus in Charlottesville. At the session, participants will receive assistance with registering for classes and learn about PVCC resources and student services. The free information session is required for 2017 high school and home-school graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students with an interest in pursuing a degree or certificate beginning with the fall 2017 semester. All other degree-seeking students new to PVCC are encouraged to attend. Additional SOAR sessions are planned for June, July and August. A complete list of session dates is available at www.pvcc.edu/soar. Before registering for a SOAR session, prospective students must apply to PVCC and take math and English placement tests. Advanced registration for SOAR sessions is required as space in SOAR sessions is limited. Contact PVCC’s Admissions and Advising Center at (434)961-6581. For more information, call PVCC’s Admissions and Advising Center at (434) 961-6581 or by emailing [email protected]. *** Piedmont Virginia Community College will host VETS (Veterans Education and Transition Services) sessions for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC and registering for summer and fall semester classes. VETS sessions will be held on Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on PVCC’s main campus at 501 College Drive in Charlottesville May 11, 18, and 25. During the free sessions, attendees will receive assistance with applying for veteran’s educational benefits and financial aid, applying to PVCC, understanding in-state tuition military exceptions, registering for classes and selecting a program of study. Important information about placement tests, career services, transfer of college credits, selecting a major, and more will be available. Learn more at www.pvcc.edu/veterans or by contacting PVCC Military and Veterans Advisor Jackie Fisher at 434.961.5282 or [email protected].

20 WMGS students already earn associate degree from PVCC BY PAT FITZGERALD Record Editor A year ago at this time, Greene County Schools and Piedmont Virginia Community College officials celebrated the 11 William Monroe High School students who were part of the first cohort to graduate with associate degrees as part of the dual-enrollment program between the two entities. A similar ceremony took place last Thursday morning at PVCC’s Eugene Giuseppe Center in Stanardsville, but this time nearly twice as many WMHS students were honored for completing their two-degrees just weeks before graduating high school. The program in the Mark Freid Community Room of the PVCC center in Greene not only celebrated the Early College Scholars graduates, but the many donors and locals officials who helped start the program. “This is really a Greene County celebration. This is a community success,” Frank Friedman, PVCC president, told the gathering. “Just think about it, the Early College Scholars program would not exist if it wasn’t for the Giuseppe Center. The Giuseppe Center wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the vision of the Board of Supervisors. ... “This facility would not have become a reality if it had not been for 100 donors, people and businesses in Greene County who contributed over a million dollars to enable PVCC to finish out this place and then outfit it with all the equipment and all the furnishings.” Maya Lanier Burton, one of the Early College Scholars graduates from WMHS, said the program was a bit of struggle, leaving her many nights when she barely got any sleep. “But it was completely worth it,” she said. “It helped me academically, of course, but it also created bonds among the 20 students who will be graduating with me. “We were in group chats together, we’d go out to eat together ... it’s really made a family out of all of us,” said Barlow, who will be continuing her studies at the University of Virginia. She’ll be joined at UVa. by fellow 2017 Early College Scholars from WMHS, Haley Paige Davis, Ryan Elizabeth Deane and Keyandra Marie Morris. Other early graduates honored last Thursday include: Kieren Elise Barlow, Riley Hunter Ripa, Kristen Morgan Underwood and Maria Annelise Wright, who all attend Virginia Tech; Blake Wayne Griffith and Kristin Alexis Shifflett, who both will attend James Madison University; James Joseph McKenna, Alyssa Nicole Sipe, Morgan Elizabeth Strait and Kristen Alexandra Toney, who will all attend George Mason University; Clayton Daniel Hoffmeister and Jamie Marie Wagner, who will both attend Longwood University; and Caleb Chacko, who will attend Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition, Michael Thomas Deisbeck will attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Emma Katherine McCutcheon is headed to the University of Vermont; and Gregory Edgar Sizemore will attend the University of Pittsburgh, where he has accepted a preferred walk-on spot in its football program. “The cohort program is probably the hardest things I’ve ever done in high school,” Sizemore said, “and that’s between balancing at one point two jobs, all my athletic requirements and helping support my family overall. “But this program has made me what I am today. It’s something I couldn’t be without,” he said. Sizemore gave a special thanks to Angelina T. Santus, the Early College Scholars coordinator at WMHS. “There had been a point when I had just been injured playing football and I had to drop one of the courses because I couldn’t meet the Saturday lab requirements. “[She] was the one who really pushed me forward, saying ‘it’s still possible, we’ll find a way’ and everything,” he said. Brian Huber, assistant superintendent of Greene County Schools, said the Early College Scholars program has “ignited a fire of interest” within WMHS. Twenty more WMHS students are expected to graduate from the Early College Scholars program in 2018 and 33 more in 2019. “For our freshmen who just signed up to join in the cohort program, there are 45,” Greene County Schools Superintendent Andrea Whitmarsh, who was unable to attend last week’s ceremony, said in a prepared statement. “That’s 94 students. That means 10 percent of the WMHS population earns an associate degree starting next year, which is incredible. “The Early College Scholars program is a flagship offering that provides a feather for Greene County’s cap,” she stated. “I have worked in several school divisions with lots of resources, tens of thousands of students, fancy buildings [and] fancy things,” Huber said. “I have never witnessed a community that supports education like Greene County.”

Mike and Adrienne Albers were sweethearts at Langley High School. After they married, they raised their four children in McLean. Mike worked in high tech; Adrienne volunteered at the kids’ schools and raised money for charities. Almost every week, they came into DC to go to the Smithsonian or a concert or the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. They loved this area. Mike also loved wine—he’d started collecting it in the mid-’90s. Last year, they bought DelFosse Vineyards and Winery, just south of Charlottesville. They were off on what for many harried Washingtonians is a fantasy life: trading metropolitan stress for something more placid. After they sold their house in McLean, they moved to a spot down the road from where Earl Hamner, the real-life John-Boy of The Waltons, grew up. We talked with Adrienne about what it’s been like to make that move. What did you do to prepare for taking on a winery? Michael spent about two years taking classes and volunteering at vineyards, doing everything from helping to plant vines to being a cellar rat. Without exception, every vineyard owner Michael approached was incredibly generous with their time, wisdom, resources, and guidance. The classes at Piedmont Virginia Community College were a standout, taught by some of Virginia’s winemaking legends—everything from tractor repair to pruning to law. What advice do you have for others who think about doing the same? You need capital, and plenty of it, and you need a whole lot of enthusiasm for the process. Making fine wines is incredibly intricate and time-consuming, and you have to embrace the entire lifestyle, which includes the farming, the winemaking, and sales and marketing. The worst mistakes we see come from people thinking their success in one career translates to this one. Well, it does and it doesn’t. There have been days when the learning curve seemed overwhelming, but it’s no fun without the challenge. Is it what you expected? We miss being close to our longtime friends. That’s been a little tough. But you’d be amazed how willing people are to visit you when your new home is a vineyard. There’s no wi-fi at our house, so we had to unplug, which was unintended. At first, we missed Netflix, ESPN, and Google. We started sitting out on our porch after work. We watch what we call “vineyard TV.” When neither your iPhone nor your TV gets reception, it’s amazing what you notice. The coyotes don’t just howl—they sing, they yip, they put on a concert every night. Our reality TV is the hawk pair in the upper vineyard. They are something to behold.

Golara Haghtalab was 21 and in her final year of architecture school in Iran when her family decided to move to the United States, ultimately settling in Charlottesville. Five years later, the 26-year- old is on the cusp of graduating from the University of Virginia, where she transferred after two years at Piedmont Virginia Community College, re-accumulating the class credits that did not transfer from Iran. “PVCC was so supportive, and the small community there really helped me to grow,” said Haghtalab. “Coming to a larger university like UVA was not easy at first, but I have found my place here now, and I have found the community very supportive and very rewarding.” Haghtalab’s diverse interests have helped her find her niche – in fact, several different niches – on Grounds. She double- majored in chemistry and studio art, worked for three years at The Fralin Museum of Art, became very involved in the student-led entrepreneurship hub HackCville, showed her art in several local exhibitions and even audited classes in the McIntire School of Commerce. “I am a very curious person,” she said. “I love ideas and I love challenges, and I know a good idea will always bring up a good challenge.”

Coming to UVA, Haghtalab decided to major in chemistry, inspired by her mother’s nursing career and her own interest in medicine. “I have always had this combined interest in art and science, which is why I focused on architecture in Iran,” she said. Not wanting to let her interest in art go by the wayside, she also signed up to work at The Fralin Museum of Art.

When she transferred at UVA, Haghtalab began working at The Fralin Museum of Art, an institution that she said became a second home for her on Grounds. She served as the head receptionist and an all- departments intern at the museum, working on everything from marketing to curatorial projects. She credits the staff and her work there with helping her feel at home at UVA. “My time at the art museum really affected me as a person, and for me, everything else at UVA started there,” Haghtalab said. “It gave me a path to grow and the confidence to do other exciting things.”

Haghtalab’s many roles at the museum including working as the head receptionist. Spending time in the museum’s exhibitions and collections also spurred Haghtalab to pursue her own art. “Here, I saw myself wanting to draw and create more and more. I was craving art,” she said.

Haghtalab declared a second major in studio art with a concentration in painting, which required an extra year of classes to finish. Since then, she has shown her art in galleries on Grounds and in Charlottesville, had art published in several local publications and created a painting for the Omid Foundation, raising money to help women in need in Iran. Haghtalab’s thesis project is a painting designed as a puzzle, with panels that slide into more than 70 different combinations. “The work is all about interaction and inviting people to interact with my art and the process of art making,” she said. “I enjoyed creating it, and now I want my audience to also experience that process and enjoy creating art.”

Haghtalab’s thesis project, shown above in UVA’s Ruffin Gallery, was a painting that can be moved into more than 70 different combinations. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)

Haghtalab, shown in HackCville’s headquarters, got involved in the student-led entrepreneurship group last year. At HackCville, Haghtalab learned that she also loves creating businesses. She got involved with the entrepreneurship hub last summer and now serves as its alumni relations coordinator. Through HackCville, she has taken classes in graphic design and entrepreneurship and helped several student groups working on different startups. She also connected with a mentor, alumna Kaitlyn Houk Witman, who works in marketing in Oakland, California. “I am interested in moving out West eventually, and Kaitlyn has been phenomenal,” Haghtalab said. “She has helped me with my résumé, introduced me to so many people when I visited San Francisco and still checks in with me every other week.”

Haghtalab’s sister, Parisa, shown above, also will graduate this week, from the McIntire School of Commerce. The sisters share an interest in entrepreneurship. “Entrepreneurs are always creating something out of nothing, and it usually starts with great intentions, such as helping others in one way or another,” Haghtalab said. “Working with these people, I am always inspired. I love it.” After graduation, Haghtalab will continue to pursue entrepreneurship. She is currently working remotely as a user experience and user interface designer for Arrived.US, an app and online hub for immigrants that was created by a team of Google employees to provide information about housing, education, job opportunities, deportation risks and legal counsel options and other resources. She hopes to keep up that work while looking for other opportunities and continuing to paint. For the moment, she intends to remain in Charlottesville. “As I am learning more about the people in Charlottesville and the city, I am getting more and more excited about the opportunities here,” she said. “The amount of things that this small city has to offer is truly remarkable.”

(Editor’s note: This is one of a series of profiles of members of the University of Virginia’s Class of 2017.)

LEGO enthusiast stacks up his achievements as youngest graduate at Commencement May 18, 2017 : By Drew Menard/Liberty University News Service At 17, Greyson Beights was the youngest graduate at Liberty University’s 44th Commencement. Earning a Bachelor of Science in History through Liberty’s online education programs before many of his peers complete high school is only one of Beights’ accomplishments. He is already a published author and successful entrepreneur. A LEGO fan since age 5, the Afton, Va., teen has spent much of his time looking for ways to turn the toy into learning opportunities for children and families. At age 14, he founded BrickUniverse, a large LEGO convention that has been held throughout the country, drawing thousands to each stop. “I wanted to start an event that would inspire creativity, imagination, and ingenuity,” Beights said. “I never anticipated inspiring so many kids, but I’m honored by the impact BrickUniverse has had across the country. I love seeing the families building together and checking out the displays.” BrickUniverse drew a large crowd on April 2, 2016, at the Raleigh Convention Center. Also at age 14, Beights published “Medieval LEGO,” which pairs short descriptions of historical events with fun LEGO illustrations. Scholars and prominent LEGO artists contributed to the book. “LEGO is immensely popular and has widespread appeal,” Beights said. “Kids open (‘Medieval LEGO’) thinking they are reading a LEGO book with stories, but little do they realize that they are actually learning history. The feedback with readers, parents, and educators has been fantastic.” The impetus for writing the book began with his passion for history education. “I read a report regarding America’s illiteracy in history and learning, which said, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, that 82 percent of our students are below proficient in history. LEGO seemed like a great way to get kids interested in history.” Greyson Beights (right) poses with LEGO artist Paul Hetherington at a BrickUniverse event. Taking on challenges seems to be a part of Beights’ DNA. He took his first college course when he was 11 years old. When his mother took his sister for her entrance exam at Piedmont Virginia Community College, Beights tagged along and asked if he could take the exam as well. He ended up answering 98 out of 99 questions correctly. Shortly thereafter, Beights took a general history course — and went on to get an A. “I had so much fun (in the first course) that I was eager to take more courses,” he said. He continued to take college courses, in addition to being homeschooled, and transferred to Liberty in 2015 at age 15. “I have loved every minute of my educational experience with Liberty,” he said, noting that his mother is an alumna. “The history department, flexibility, and overall curriculum brought me to Liberty. My faith and relationship with God means a lot to me, and it was great to be learning in an environment that feels the same. All of my professors were great and their passion for their subjects was contagious and inspired me.”

Completing his college degree while writing a book and then starting and running an organization is a feat he does not take sole credit for. “First and foremost, my faith and relationship with God has helped me all along the journey,” Beights said. “There have been many early mornings and many long nights, and God has been there for me every step of the way.” He said that his family, including an older sister and twin older brothers, have also been supportive, especially his mother who dedicated herself to homeschooling. “She and my dad encouraged every crazy idea I have come up with, and I am incredibly thankful for their support and guidance.” Accomplished as he may be, Beights has no intention of slowing down. He plans to continue managing BrickUniverse, write two more books, and to travel the world for about a year before starting graduate school. When the topic of achieving so much at such a young age comes up, Beights merely shrugs. “I never really think about how young I am,” he said. “It has never been a race for me. To me, age is just a number. That said, I definitely do not take my position for granted, which is why I try to inspire others to go out and accomplish their dreams and reach for the sky no matter their age.”

LEGO author is youngest graduate at Liberty University’s 44th Commencement Greyson Beights, author of Medieval LEGO and founder of Brick Universe, has graduated at Liberty University’s 44th Commencement at the age of just 17. Greyson graduates with a BSc History, appropriate given the subject matter of his book. Liberty University profiles the recent graduate: Taking on challenges seems to be a part of Beights’ DNA. He took his first college course when he was 11 years old. When his mother took his sister for her entrance exam at Piedmont Virginia Community College, Beights tagged along and asked if he could take the exam as well. He ended up answering 98 out of 99 questions correctly. Shortly thereafter, Beights took a general history course — and went on to get an A. When the topic of achieving so much at such a young age comes up, Beights merely shrugs. “I never really think about how young I am,” he said. “It has never been a race for me. To me, age is just a number. That said, I definitely do not take my position for granted, which is why I try to inspire others to go out and accomplish their dreams and reach for the sky no matter their age.” The impressively intelligent fanatic worked on Medieval LEGO at the age of just 14. The impetus for writing the book began with his passion for history education. “I read a report regarding America’s illiteracy in history and learning, which said, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, that 82 percent of our students are below proficient in history. LEGO seemed like a great way to get kids interested in history.” Medieval LEGO is available to order from Amazon.

Charlottesville Scholarship Program announces 2017 recipients Josh Mandell | Monday, May 22, 2017 The Charlottesville Scholarship Program celebrated eight new award recipients at CitySpace on Monday. The winners are 2017 graduates of Charlottesville High School from low or middle-income households. Many will be the first in their families to attend college. “It’s unbelievable, some of the challenges these students have overcome to get to where they are,” said Joseph Sabol, chairman of the Charlottesville Scholarship Program board. “We are here to figure out how we, as a community, can help those who need a leg up.” Sabol said this year’s pool of 32 applicants for the scholarship was the largest ever. “There is a very definite need in the community for what we do,” he said. The Charlottesville Scholarship Program was started with an initial grant of $250,000 from the city of Charlottesville in 2001, and is supported by donations from local businesses and individuals. Since its inception, the program has awarded scholarships to 126 students with a total value of $386,700. This year’s winners can receive as much as $9,000 over four years, starting with an initial award of $1,500. “It’s an ongoing award — not just a ‘one and done,’” Sabol said. At Monday’s ceremony, the students were introduced to their “navigators” — Charlottesville Scholarship Program volunteers who will offer them advice and encouragement throughout their college years. The 2017 scholarship winners are: Jordan Burnley, Alisse Collick, Batula Hassan, Jasmine Hayes, Eanna Langston, Kibiriti Majuto, Jacob Morris and Daeja Wade. Langston said her scholarship, along with financial aid, would cover most of her tuition at Old Dominion University. “I’m excited to build my own independence in college,” she said. Langston’s father, James Dennis, said his daughter’s education would inspire her younger siblings to pursue college degrees. “By watching Eanna go through college, they will see that going to college is a part of everyday life,” Dennis said. Wade said she has worked about 20 hours per week to support her family while in high school. “It’s taken a lot of time management, but I’m glad I’ve done it,” she said. Wade said she was “extremely happy and excited” to have won the scholarship before heading to Virginia Commonwealth University this fall. Morris said he was grateful to be paired with a navigator. “I’m pretty certain of where I want to go in college, but I may need a little help around the edges,” Morris said. Morris attended CHS through the Ivy Creek School special-education program. He is studying computer science at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Monday’s event also celebrated the renewal of the Charlottesville Scholarship Program’s Preston Coiner Scholarship. The late Coiner served as vice president of the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society and was the historian for the city’s Board of Architectural Review. Applicants for the Preston Coiner Scholarship, who can be residents of the city or county, must write an essay on some aspect of local history. This year’s winner will be announced at a later date. Janaya Mott, who won the scholarship last year, recently completed her freshman year at Lynchburg College. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science with a minor in history. “I have learned so much about myself,” said Mott, who attended Monday’s event. “I’ve learned how to remain focused on my academics, and how to manage my social life.” Mott encouraged this year’s scholarship recipients to form relationships with their professors and to get involved in their campus community. City Councilor Kristin Szakos told the students that they would make Charlottesville proud. “You are going to go out into the world and do amazing things,” Szakos said. “We are counting on you.”

Moore Named Rockbridge County Fire/Rescue Captain Published Mon, 05/22/2017 - 11:55am By: Darryl Woodson Rockbridge County native Kevin Moore has been named to the new position of captain of Rockbridge County Fire/Rescue. Rockbridge County Fire/Rescue Chief Nathan Ramsey announced his selection Monday, having been chosen from a slate of more than 30 candidates. Moore started his career in fire and EMS with the Raphine Volunteer Fire Company in 1995, and went onto work for the Staunton Fire Rescue Department from 2001 to 2004. Since 2004, he has worked full- time with Albemarle County Fire Rescue Department, starting as a firefighter, and rising to his current position of captain and acting battalion chief while earning multiple certifications in firefighting leadership. During his time with Albemarle, he became certified as a nationally registered paramedic through Piedmont Virginia Community College. Moore earned a degree in business management from Dabney S Lancaster Community College and he is certified as Fire Officer II with the Virginia Department of Fire Programs. “Kevin will be a great asset to the team,” noted Ramsey. “His combination of field and leadership experience, as well as his vested desire to help his native county move in a positive direction makes him a great fit for our organization.” Moore will be working alongside the fire-rescue chief assisting the volunteer agencies, providing leadership to the contracted partners and responding to emergencies on a regular basis. Another core function of his employment will involve emergency management, building on the partnerships with the local, state and federal agencies in preparation for and response to all hazards. Emergency management duties had been handled by Ramsey on a temporary basis since February when Robert Foresman, who’d held the title of emergency management coordinator for 11 years, left to take a similar job in Henrico County. County Administrator Spencer Suter said at the time that the county would be reviewing Foresman’s job responsibilities before determining how best to fill the void for the long term. Moore was chosen with the assistance of a selection advisory committee, formed to ensure that stakeholders could have significant input in the process, said Ramsey. The group included Rockbridge Firefighters Association President Colby Irvine and Adrian Gordon with the Buena Vista Rescue Squad. “Working in the county where I began my career is a privilege I have often thought about, I can’t wait to get started” Moore stated. He resides in the Raphine area with his wife Karen, son Kraig and daughter Kelsey. He will begin his service in Rockbridge on June 1.

Mosaic Murals Installed on Art Garden Sign By Bill Wyatt May 23, 2017 Community helps create murals at Art Garden Community Day Martinsville, VA – Artist Beryl Solla, Piedmont Arts staff and volunteers helped install tile murals on the gateway sign to Piedmont Arts’ new R.P. Gravely-A.J. Lester Art Garden on Saturday, May 20, during the museum’s Art Garden Community Day. Piedmont Arts staff and volunteers help prepare tiles to be installed on the Art Garden sign during Piedmont Arts’ Art Garden Community Day on May 20. L-R: Director of Exhibitions Heidi Pinkston, Joanie Petty of United Way and Piedmont Arts Board member Lucy Coleman. Volunteers worked with Solla throughout the event to complete two tile murals on the front of the sign. Solla completed a total of six murals over the weekend. The two murals on the front of the sign feature plants native to Virginia, while the four murals on the back of the sign represent the four seasons. A butterfly is one of six murals permanently installed on the sign to Piedmont Arts’ new R.P. Gravely-A.J. Lester Art Garden. “Each mural has a different theme,” said Director of Marketing, Communications and Design Bernadette Moore. “There is a dogwood, a butterfly, a pumpkin and a cardinal. All themes that are easily recognizable and that resonate with the community.” Solla has completed many public art projects in Virginia and has worked with students in Martinsville-Henry County on several in-school murals, as part of Piedmont Arts’ Educational Outreach Program. She is Chairman of the Art Department at Piedmont Virginia Community College. She received a BA from Florida International University and an MFA from the University of Miami – Florida.

LIVING Picks: Week of May 24-29 Health & Wellness Rotary Ramblin’ Rabbit 5K Saturday, May 27 Beginning and ending at PVCC, this 5K benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia. The race is open to walkers and runners. $30, 6am registration, race begins at 7:30am. Piedmont Virginia Community College, 501 College Dr. (703) 209- 1708.

Art events (for the week of 05.25.17) The Daily Progress staff reports May 24, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South Galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

Learning from Our Past May 24, 2017

2012 5 years ago Piedmont Virginia Community College’s Stanardsville site is progressing along nicely and should be ready in plenty of time for fall classes. PVCC President Frank Friedman told a gathering of the Greene County Ruritans last Thursday evening at the Rosebrook Inn that the college is planning a public grand opening for the 14,000-square-foot site above the Greene County Library on Aug. 15, with fall classes scheduled to start Aug. 27. “We’re about maybe only two or three weeks away from it being done,” he said of the Eugene Giuseppe Center. “Dyke Construction is the contractor, and they’re doing a bang-up job. The place looks beautiful.” Friedman also gave the Ruritans an overview of the site.

In & Around Greene May 24, 2017 June 13 Piedmont Virginia Community College will host VETS (Veterans Education and Transition Services) sessions for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC and registering for summer and fall semester classes. VETS sessions will be held on Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on PVCC’s main campus at 501 College Drive in Charlottesville May 11, 18, and 25. During the free sessions, attendees will receive assistance with applying for veteran’s educational benefits and financial aid, applying to PVCC, understanding in-state tuition military exceptions, registering for classes and selecting a program of study. Important information about placement tests, career services, transfer of college credits, selecting a major, and more will be available. Learn more at www.pvcc.edu/veterans or by contacting PVCC Military and Veterans Advisor Jackie Fisher at 434.961.5282 or [email protected].

Activities for May 25 through May 31 The Daily Progress staff reports May 24, 2017 » Ramblin Rabbit 5K Run/Walk, benefiting Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Virginia, will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Registration begins at 6 a.m. Details and advance registration are available at portal.clubrunner.ca/9758/SitePage/rabbit-run. (434) 971-9400.

Classes for May 27 through June 2 The Daily Progress staff reports May 26, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds a “Getting Started” information session for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Nelson County High School in Lovingston. Additional sessions will be offered in June. Student Orientation, Advising and Registration sessions for new and prospective students will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 8 and 29 at the Main Campus at 501 College Drive. The free session is required for 2017 high school and homeschool graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students. Additional sessions will be in July and August. pvcc.edu/soar. (434) 961-6581.

Election 2017 Council candidates address Greenbrier residents at forum Sean Tubbs | Monday, May 29, 2017 Seven of the eight candidates for City Council appeared at Greenbrier Elementary School last week for a campaign forum that covered affordable housing, economic development and race relations in Charlottesville. The moderator for the event was Michael Barnes, president of the Greenbrier Neighborhood Association. He thanked all of the candidates for running. “I know it takes a lot of time and effort and you are away from your families to do this,” Barnes said. Candidates included the three Democrats seeking two nominations in the June 13 primary as well as four of the five independent candidates who will appear on the November 7 ballot. Independent Kenneth Jackson did not attend the event. Barnes began the forum by asking the candidates to introduce themselves and to say three topics that are important to them. “I am a native of Charlottesville and I have three children who have gone through the city school system,” said independent Nikuyah Walker, who added she has worked for several nonprofits in the community. “I’ve been very active with Council for years not as a [City Councilor] but by being active in the background. I’m usually a behind-the-scenes person.” Walker said her three topics are equality, transparency and justice. Independent Dale Woodson said his three topics are affordable housing, representing people as individuals and restoring the “boringness” of City Council. “One of the reasons I’m mainly running is because I’m a millennial and no one else seems to be stepping up to do it,” Woodson said. “Instead of just complaining I figured someone might try to at least do something.” Democrat Amy Laufer said her three topics are providing tuition assistance to students to Piedmont Virginia Community College, affordable housing and environmental issues. “I’ve been on the school board for almost six years with two years as vice chair and two years as chair,” Laufer said. “We’ve raised graduation rates to nearly 90 percent.” Democrat Bob Fenwick, the only incumbent in the race, said he has been in Charlottesville for forty years. “I’ve been your Councilor for about three and a half years,” Fenwick said. “My concerns [are] neighborhood protection, making sure that the city was listening to neighborhoods and trying to get some balance on the city budget.” Democrat Heather Hill said her three topics are transparency and accountability in city management, safety and infrastructure in neighborhoods, and economic progress and community equity. “My background is in industrial and systems engineering and I have my master’s in business from Darden,” said Hill, who is also president of the North Downtown Neighborhood Association. “I’m really committed to applying those skills in a meaningful way and working with talented resources within our community.” Independent Nancy Carpenter, who is also president of the Rose Hill Neighborhood Association, said her three topics are equity, justice and progress. “I am looking for your trust and hopefully your vote in November,” Carpenter said. She also works at the Haven as a shelter supervisor and homeless prevention coordinator. Paul Long, an independent who ran in 2009 and 2011, said he is running in part to protest the money in local politics. “I believe that the Democratic Party in Charlottesville is a disgrace,” Long said. “I believe that Charlottesville is in a crisis. I believe that we need finance reform in the campaigns for City Council.” Long said his issue is public transportation and that he would increase service so all routes are served every twenty minutes and all day on Sunday. The forum’s format was a series of loose questions about growth and development in the community. “I don’t seen much evidence of sensible, smart growth development in Charlottesville,” Carpenter said, adding that public engagement is the most important principle. “Come to the community first and ask what they want the place to look like.” “I think when we’re looking at growth in Charlottesville, we need to ask the question of who can afford to live here,” Walker said, adding that many families are being pushed out by higher property costs. “Smart growth is common sense,” Fenwick said, but added the city doesn’t have smart growth because city management is not communicating well with its neighborhood leaders. “I think we can do a lot to work on this if we had a more diverse section of people actually represented on Council,” Woodson said. "I think if anything is built in the city, we need to require affordable housing units within every development," Laufer said. “I think that this Council has been unduly influenced by realtors and they give the stamp of okay to every single hotel developer that comes into the city,” Long said, adding the city should require 25 percent of the units to be deemed affordable. There is one more candidate forum remaining before the Democratic primary. Fenwick, Hill and Laufer will answer questions from the Downtown Business Association of Charlottesville at the Violet Crown on May 30 beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Cornershot: Mosaics in Martinsville Mike Allen May 30, 2017 Roanoke isn’t the only city in Timesland with a growing store of public art. Earlier this month, Piedmont Arts in Martinsville added six tile mosaic murals to the gateway of its new R.P. Gravely-A.J. Lester Art Garden. Charlottsville artist Beryl Solla, chairwoman of the Piedmont Virginia Community College art department, created the murals and oversaw their installation. Two of the murals showcase plants native to Virginia, while the remainder illustrate the four seasons. Admission to the garden is free. For more about Piedmont Arts, call (276) 632-3221 or visit piedmontarts.org.

Announcements for May 31 through June 6 The Daily Progress staff reports May 30, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds a “Getting Started” information session for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Nelson County High School in Lovingston. Additional sessions will be in June. Student Orientation, Advising and Registration sessions for new and prospective students will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 8 and 29 at the Main Campus at 501 College Drive. The free session is required for 2017 high school and homeschool graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students. Additional sessions will be held in July and August. pvcc.edu/soar. (434) 961-6581.

EPIC endorses incumbent Bob Fenwick for Charlottesville City Council May 30, 2017 CHARLOTTESVILLE (WINA) – The new progressive activist group EPIC is endorsing incumbent City Councilor Bob Fenwick in the June 13th Democratic primary for City Council. Fenwick is trying to claim one of two spots in a three-way race for the Democrats. Wanting to claim a spot in addition to Fenwick is city school board member Amy Lauffer and North Downtown Neighborhood Association president Heather Hill. In a statement, EPIC says Fenwick is best associated with the organization’s goals. Those include promotion of economic opportunity and quality of life, and open accountable government. Lauffer touts graduation rate improvements during her time on the school board. She says she will support programs that grow the city’s workforce. For instance, she has proposed a program for the city to pay for an associates degree or certificate at Piedmont Virginia Community College for any student that graduates from Charlottesville High School with a 2.5-GPA or better and is low-income. Hill says she as president of the north downtown residents group has gained insight into how the city works. She says a lot of things that are set as priorities in one instance often get dropped off the list later as city councilors and staff change. She says her background in industrial and systems engineering brings to the table the ability to instill technologies and systems to ensure these priorities promised to citizens survive during changeovers.

Art events (for the week of 06.01.17) The Daily Progress staff reports May 31, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

Notices May 31, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College will host VETS (Veterans Education and Transition Services) sessions for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC and registering for summer and fall semester classes. VETS sessions will be held on Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on PVCC’s main campus at 501 College Drive in Charlottesville May 11, 18, and 25. During the free sessions, attendees will receive assistance with applying for veteran’s educational benefits and financial aid, applying to PVCC, understanding in-state tuition military exceptions, registering for classes and selecting a program of study. Important information about placement tests, career services, transfer of college credits, selecting a major, and more will be available. Learn more at www.pvcc.edu/veterans or by contacting PVCC Military and Veterans Advisor Jackie Fisher at 434.961.5282 or [email protected].

Editorial -- $2 million-plus in scholarships May 31, 2017 Year after year, the Greene County School Board puts together a bare-bones budget and submits it to our five supervisors, who are supposed to represent the will of the community. And year after year, after hashing it out in work sessions, the Board of Supervisors makes the School Board and the Greene County Schools superintendent sit back down and go back to the drawing board and cut through the bone. As a result, it’s been left up to individual members and many organizations within the Greene County community to pick up the financial slack — and we just don’t mean the parents whose kids seem to bring home endless amounts of fundraisers like it was nightly homework. Thankfully, many residents, community organizations and businesses have come through. William Monroe High School has announced that the Class of 2017 will save more than $2 million in college expenses through a whole host of scholarships. And while there are plenty of six figure savings included in that list — often from the universities themselves, it’s the $100, $500 and $1,000 scholarships donated through endless hours of local fundraisers that need just as much applause. Whether it’s the Greene County chapter of the Ruritans or Farm Bureau or Lions Club or members of an individual church or an entire group such as the Greene County Ministers Association — or local athletic clubs or businesses — there are plenty of folks who see the value in paying to educate the next generation of residents. But what about the students who are here right now? Now, we’re not saying the Greene County Board of Supervisors is against ducation — in fact, the current group has the amount of college degrees of any board in recent memory. But there needs to come a time and place when the board makes the tough decision and starts putting its money where it’s mouth is. Yes, it’s great that we have the Piedmont Virginia Community College’s ugene Giuseppe Center right here in Stanardsville and plenty of students are taking advantage of dual-enrollment courses — but Greene County needs to start realizing that we can’t keep squeezing every last bit of talent out of our teachers without compensating them accordingly and we can’t keep rearranging the cafeteria chairs to squeeze in more students at the Middle School and High School. While some may say budget season never ends, it’s a good seven or eight months when it starts getting down to brass tacks. Hopefully our School Board will receive some good news by then.

Class of '17 scholarships surpass $2 million By Pat Fitzgerald May 31, 2017 After the nearly 240 William Monroe High School students walk across the stage to receive their diplomas this Saturday morning, they’ll be carrying a lot less debt with them to college. As of Tuesday, the WMHS Class of 2017 has earned $2,023,455 in college scholarships in increments from $100 to $231,772. In 2014-15, WMHS staff, students and parents were proud of reaching the $1 million mark in scholarships. “Within two years, we literally doubted what the kids got,” said Angelina Santus, director of the High School’s counseling center. A half-dozen WMHS Class of 2017 graduates each received scholarships worth more than $100,000 over four years, with Alexis Mosqueda, who is MIT-bound, leading the way with $231,772 in grants over four years. But Carly Gordon, college adviser at WMHS, said the school stressed to students that smaller scholarships are just as important. “Students are now more aware of the money [it takes to go to college],” she said. “I think the fact that they’re more aware means when they get letters from colleges in the mail saying ‘hey, we’ve got this scholarship, just send us your transcript,’ they say ‘wow, I can add to that total,’ instead of being like, ‘this is whatever, it’s $1,000. Who cares?’ “They know that if they can maximize this, it will all be included in that number,” Gordon said. “The increased awareness of that end number makes them more motivated.” Santus said her office also makes students more aware financially. “[Some students] sit down and talk about going out of state and say it’s 40-grand and they don’t blink,” she said. “They don’t realize that’s a new BMW every year. Look at it that way ... can your parents buy a new BMW every year? ... and they don’t get that. “Ms. Gordon runs a lot of financial-aid workshops and in those we talk about interest rates, we talk about what your payments are going to be,” Santus said. “We just make it very real for our kids. I think a lot of counselor’s offices don’t make it real. “A kid will come in and say, ‘oh, I want to apply to this school and it’s $60,000.’ Another counselor might say, ‘oh, that’s great, let’s apply.’ We sit down and say, ‘we’ll apply, we’ll get you in. How are you going to get there? I think the process of stressing how to get there makes these kids hungry. And after that, it’s all on the kids.” Santus also said many Greene County organizations show their support through scholarships. “We actually have parents emailing us, ‘what are we at? what are we at?’ It’s community-wide; everybody gets into it,” she said. “... The Farm Bureau, the Ruritans, the Woman’s Club, they all want to be a part of it and I think that’s super cool, too. Our local organizations are so generous.” Gordon also said WMHS students are saving money by going to Piedmont Virginia Community College. “We have the most kids that we’ve ever sent to PVCC. That’s a huge accomplishment,” she said. “A lot of kids see that as a failure, but they’re saving so much money. “We’re sending around 70 or 80 kids to PVCC next year; I think that’s amazing,” Gordon said. “They’re saving so much money; they’re not going to get in debt that way.”

Announcements for June 7 through June 13 The Daily Progress staff reports June 6, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College offers Student Orientation, Advising and Registration sessions for new and prospective students from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and June 29 at the Main Campus at 501 College Drive. The free session is required for 2017 high school and homeschool graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students. Additional sessions will be in July and August. pvcc.edu/soar. (434) 961-6581. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Getting Started information sessions for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday at Nelson Memorial Library in Lovingston and from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Albemarle High School. Additional sessions are scheduled later this month. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds information sessions for its culinary arts associate degree programs from 10 a.m. to noon June 17 and 23 at Jefferson City School Center at 233 Fourth St. NW. Additional sessions will be in July and August. Attendance is required at one of the sessions for any new student interested in pursuing an associate of applied science degree in culinary arts. Pvcc.edu/culinary. (434) 961-6581.

Art events (for the week of 06.08.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 7, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

Harlan, Ripa Martin earn degrees, certificate from PVCC Jun 7, 2017 The graduating class includes those who had completed their studies during the 2016 summer term and fall semester as well as the 2017 spring semester and summer term. > Kristian Harlan, cum laude, was awarded an associate of applied science degree in nursing. She is employed at UVA Medical Center in the Thoracic Surgery Unit, and plans to attend James Madison University. She is a 1998 graduate of Charlottesville High School. She and her spouse, Allen Harlan, reside in Barboursville. > Riley Ripa, cum laude, of Stanardsville, was awarded an associate of science degree in general studies. She is a graduate in the William Monroe High School class of 2017, and the daughter of Shelly and Perry Ripa, of Stanardsville. She is employed with Ruckersville Animal Hospital and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Virginia Tech. > Victor Martin was awarded a career studies certificate in administrative support. A graduate of Western Albemarle High School, he is employed with the University of Virginia and plans to pursue an associate of applied science degree. He and his spouse, Judy Love-Martin, reside in Stanardsville.

PVCC will have Information Sessions for Veterans and Service Members Posted: Jun 07, 2017

Albemarle County Starting Pilot Program to Combat Bus Driver Shortage Posted: Jun 07, 2017 ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Albemarle County is starting a pilot program to recruit and train school bus drivers in hopes of helping reduce a driver shortage. The county says its school system has to hire an average of 20 new bus drivers every year. This program aims to reduce the need to hire so many new drivers through stronger recruiting, screening, and training. The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors threw their support behind this one year pilot program Wednesday. The county will partner with Piedmont Virginia Community College to recruit and train 10 drivers. The county says the schools are perpetually understaffed when it comes to bus drivers. “The school division has been struggling with getting bus drivers. It's just been a very difficult position and a critical position for the school division. So by partnering with PVCC with this pilot program, we're hoping to be able to train bus drivers to fill a need in our community as well as creating jobs for folks,” said Diantha McKeel, Albemarle County Board of Supervisors chair. Originally, the county was considering a partnership with the city of Charlottesville’s Go-Driver program which prepares people to become school and CAT bus drivers. Supervisors did unanimously support four memorandums of understanding to collaborate with the city on the environment, education, transportation, and affordable housing.

Activities for June 8 through June 14 The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 7, 2017 » Dance & Step Competition, featuring elementary through high school-age youths, begins at 4 p.m. Saturday at Piedmont Virginia Community College at 501 College Drive. danceandstep.eventbrite.com. (434) 825-0650.

Distant relatives, graduating from CHS, have come a long way as students BY MICHAEL BRAGG Jun 7, 2017 More than a decade ago, Batula Hassan and Yahya Mohamed came to the United States as refugees from a camp in Kenya. They entered Charlottesville City Schools in 2004 as kindergartners, with no familiarity of the culture or the English language. But on Thursday, the two distant relatives — who didn’t know each other at first but now consider themselves family — will graduate from Charlottesville High School and move on to higher education. Hassan plans to attend Piedmont Virginia Community College before transferring, she hopes, to Virginia Commonwealth University. She wants to become an ESL, or English as a second language, teacher to help students like her. Mohamed’s post-high school plans have him attending Lynchburg College, where the high school soccer athlete will continue playing the sport he loves. While the two have shown their own levels of commitment and passion for learning and success that has brought them to the graduation stage, both credit the city school division’s AVID program, as well as their first teachers, as crucial to bringing them to where they are now. Advancement Via Individual Determination is a national college prep program that gives students access to rigorous courses and the support systems to help them be successful. Albemarle County Public Schools offers an AVID program to its students, as well. “Through AVID, I’ve learned everything I needed to get to where I am now,” Mohamed said. “It’s exposed me to different colleges and universities that I wouldn’t be able to go to if I wasn’t in the program.” For Hassan, AVID was a big help when it came to applying to colleges and finding the funding to make her educational endeavors possible. “AVID has been really helpful in … helping me apply for scholarships and different ways of getting more money, because if I want to go to college, all of it is going to be on me and I have to figure out all those finances myself …,” she said. Although they’ve made names for themselves as they made their way through the public school system, it wasn’t easy at first. Both remember being bullied simply because they were different. But in those early years, they can point to a teacher or two who helped to put them on their paths. “When I first came here and I was at the school, kids were so mean to me simply because I didn’t speak English and because I dressed differently,” Hassan said. It was her first- and second-grade teacher, Laura Schaaf at Johnson Elementary School, who made a difference. “She put in so much effort for me, and I don’t know what I’d do without her,” Hassan said.

Supervisors OK pilot program with PVCC for bus driver training BY ALLISON WRABEL Jun 7, 2017 The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved a pilot program for Albemarle County Public Schools bus driver training. The county will partner with Piedmont Virginia Community College and target 10 student trainees for the one-year pilot program. Currently, the school district needs about 20 school bus drivers a year. “They have perpetually run understaffed for many, many years, with only perhaps a two-month period of being fully staffed,” Economic Development Facilitator Susan Stimart said. The county averages 20 new school bus drivers each year. Stimart said the county looked at two partner options for this program — GO Driver through the city of Charlottesville and PVCC — and chose PVCC because of flexibility in the timing of the program and because PVCC could match the program directly to the county schools’ needs. GO Driver is a Growing Opportunities training program that prepares city residents for a career as a relief bus driver with Charlottesville Area Transit and Charlottesville City Schools Pupil Transportation. The program is a partnership with Charlottesville’s Office of Economic Development, CAT and PVCC. “The GO Program, it’s a great program, and they’re certainly very willing to work with us to offer us seats in their program, but as Susan said, their ability to tailor to exactly what we need for county schools, on the schedule we need to, was more challenging than what PVCC could do,” said Assistant County Executive Lee Catlin. Catlin said that there may be some career areas in the future where it would make sense for Albemarle to partner directly with the city. The city also has completed other types of GO programs, such as GO CNA (certified nursing assistant), GO Electric and GO Clean. “In this particular instance, we thought that was not the best way to get started,” she said. The county also chose PVCC because its curriculum focuses on soft-skills training, career readiness and customer service, and because of PVCC’s ability to recruit from nontraditional sources. The funding for the program would come from the county’s Economic Development Fund, as it is related to workforce development. “We feel very confident that we can keep the funding for the pilot program well under $35,000,” Catlin said. Stimart said this funding will complement the school district’s investment, as the district still has significant training programming in place following the soft-skills training and commercial driver’s license preparation that they would receive through PVCC. “This is really enhancing the recruitment and screening efforts to be able to get the best person into these career pathways,” Stimart said. Supervisor Rick Randolph suggested the program could be hosted in southern Albemarle in the Yancey Elementary School building, which will close at the end of this school year. “One thing that we have an opportunity here, post-Yancey, is to think about PVCC opening a training program at Yancey during the summer,” he said. “And that would give us the opportunity to move beyond a Charlottesville-centric recruitment strategy and really go where the job opportunities are, where people might be most inclined to be interested in a part-time job as a bus driver.” Supervisor Liz Palmer said she thought it was a wonderful idea, but said that the board would have to wait for the School Board to decide what it wants to do with the Yancey building. “I would also just plug the fact that it’s like police training — we don’t have separate training for the three different police forces, they’re all trained together,” Supervisor Brad Sheffield said. “My whole ‘Kumbaya’ attitude of CDL passenger transport is we’ve got five different entities that need passenger transport drivers, and yet we look at all five differently, and if there was a way that all five could be pooled together, trained together, appreciated and so forth, I think we would have a better pool of candidates, but that takes a lot of effort.” Chairwoman Diantha McKeel suggested that they discuss group training as part of the Regional Transportation Partnership with Charlottesville. “I think the transit partnership is the first step in some of these discussions,” she said.

June 7, 2017

(CHARLOTTESVILLE – WINA) The Albemarle Supervisors approved a pilot program Wednesday that will help the county’s public schools with bus driver training. The board has authorized a partnership with Piedmont Virginia Community College. The pilot program will involve 10 student trainees who can help the school system with its staffing.

Generation Us: Best of Both Worlds tilt puts new generation of dancers in spotlight The Daily Progress staff reports June 8, 2017 As more college and professional teams started signing up for Charlottesville’s annual Best of Both Worlds Dance and Step Competition and cranking up the competitive energy, audience members felt like winners. For hard-working dance and step teams from elementary and high schools, not so much. As the field became more competitive, it became tougher for the younger teams to get no-ticed. So, last year, Lifeview Marketing launched a competition just for them. This year’s contest is at 4 p.m. Saturday in Piedmont Virginia Community College’s V. Earl Dickinson Building. It’s a chance to see official school teams and community groups alike take the stage to share their dance moves and step choreography. And if you’re looking for an event that’ll appeal to different age groups, it may be just the ticket. The top step team and the top dance team each will receive a cash prize and a trophy. Tickets are $13 at the door, or $10 in advance. They’re available in person ahead of time at Plan 9 Music in Seminole Square and Mel’s Barber Shop on Dice Street. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m.

Discounted tuition for some KidsCollege summer academies at PVCC June 9, 2017 ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Kids interested in taking an academy through Piedmont Virginia Community College can now sign up for a discount. PVCC's Kids College is offering discounted tuition for some of its summer science, technology, engineering and math, and art academies in robotics, Minecraft and video game design through June 18. There are five of the academies that will have a registration fee of $179 in honor Father's Day: Creative Design and Robotics on June 19 through 23, Minecraft Animator on June 26 through 30, Creative Design and Robotics on July 10 through 14, Make Your First 2-D Video Game on July 17 through 21, and Code Breakers1 on July 24 through 28. They are available for rising third through ninth grade students. The week-long, half-day academies take place Monday through Friday at the PVCC main campus in Albemarle County. For more information, contact KidsCollege by calling (434) 961-5354, sending an email to [email protected], or click on the link in the Related Links box.

“Piedmont Virginia Community College held its first commencement exercises Sunday for 56 graduates. Charlottesville State Sen. J. Harry Michael delivered the commencement address at exercises held at the PVCC campus south of Charlottesville. Student government President William S. Mallory also spoke at the graduation ceremonies. Rabbi Raymond Krinsky, director of the B’Nai B’Rith Hillel Foundation in Virginia and a member of the PVCC faculty, delivered the Invocation and Benediction.”

– The Daily Progress, June 9, 1974

By 1994, The Daily Progress reported that the college had an annual economic impact of more than $24.7 million on the seven localities it serves with “a return of $1,629 for every dollar each one contributes to Piedmont’s operating budget.” In a survey of 1994 graduates, conducted by the Institute of Educational Sciences in 1997, 40.6 percent of respondents were employed in full-time jobs related to their field of study.

According to the college’s website, in the 43 years since that first class received their degrees, more than 213,000 students have taken credit and non-credit courses, more than 12,000 associate degrees and certificates have been awarded, and this year, PVCC’s graduating class totaled 864.

Announcements for June 14 through June 20 The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 13, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College presents a Student Orientation, Advising and Registration session for new and prospective students from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 29 at the Main Campus at 501 College Drive. The free session is required for 2017 high school and homeschool graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students. Additional sessions will be in July and August. pvcc.edu/soar. (434) 961-6581. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Getting Started information sessions for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday at Crozet Library and from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Louisa County Library in Mineral. Additional sessions are scheduled in June. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds information sessions for its culinary arts associate degree programs from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday and June 23 at Jefferson City School Center at 233 Fourth St. NW. Additional sessions are held in July and August. Attendance is required at one of the sessions for any new student interested in pursuing an associate of applied science degree in culinary arts. pvcc.edu/culinary. (434) 961-6581. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Veterans Education and Transition Services sessions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 22, July 20 and 27 and Aug. 17 and 24 for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282.

Art events (for the week of 06.15.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 14, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

Charlottesville held its first official Juneteenth celebration in 2000 The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 19, 2017 During the Civil War, Texas became a haven for Confederate slave-owners. Even after the Emancipation Proclamation and Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, slavery was widely practiced in the Lone Star State. It was not until June 1865, when Union soldiers, led by Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas, that the final battles against the defenders of slavery were won. On June 19, Granger read the proclamation that declared all slaves were free. Until this day, most slaves were unaware of the Emancipation Proclamation or that the Civil War was over. Today, Juneteenth celebrations are held annually to mark the event. In 2000, Charlottesville held its first official Juneteenth celebration “in a medium-sized lecture room of a community facility,” led by Tamyra Turner, an associate professor of English at Piedmont Virginia Community College. In successive years, the event was moved to the grounds of PVCC and became, not only a celebration of African-American heritage, but a learning experience with storytellers, drumming, dancing, discussions, exhibits and more. Turner said that “People leave every year saying they’ve learned so much from it. The festival is something that people understand and appreciate as soon as they find out about it. We want the festival to be connecting point for people that doesn’t end with the day’s events. There is a sense of ownership in this celebration because it is a celebration that our ancestors created themselves.” Juneteenth celebrations are now also held regularly in the surrounding counties and at Montpelier. This year, Charlottesville’s celebration was held at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center.

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- A former U.S. Navy naval reserve commander has been honored by Piedmont Virginia Community College's Education Foundation. Ralph H, Hensley III, of Winchester, has been given the 2017 PVCC Distinguished Alumnus Award, which honors people who have gained noteworthy success in their careers and who have made positive differences for others through that success. He graduated from PVCC in 1996 with an associated degree in general studies. He then earned a bachelor's degree from Liberty University and a diploma in hotel/restaurant management from Stratford University. Hensley currently serves ad the command executive officer and veterans outreach coordinator for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 2011 after serving as the senior enlisted leader and naval reserve commander at the Navy Installations Command Headquarters at the Washington Navy Yard. Five other PVCC alumni were also honored as outstanding alumni: Yolanda Speed of Charlottesville, George Graf of Palmyra, Annette "Sophie" Couch of Keswick, Erin Hughey-Commers of Charlottesville, and David Strider of Charlottesville. According to a release, the two awards aim to recognize former students that have distinguished themselves through personal and professional accomplishment and have achieved distinction through philanthropy and other forms of civic leadership. For more information on the awards, click on the link in the Related Links box.

PVCC Names 2017 Distinguished Alumnus and Outstanding Alumni Recipients Posted: Jun 20, 2017 10:39 AM EDT 06/20/2017 Release from Piedmont Virginia Community College:

Charlottesville, Va. – The Piedmont Virginia Community College Educational Foundation recently recognized outstanding alumni who have gained noteworthy success in their careers and who have made a positive difference for others through their success.

Ralph H. Hensley III, of Winchester, is the recipient of the 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Hensley graduated from PVCC in 1996, earning an associate degree in general studies. While at PVCC, he was the recipient of PVCC’s Distinguished Service Award in 1993. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Liberty University and a diploma in hotel/restaurant management from Stratford University in Falls Church, Va.

He currently serves as command executive officer and veterans outreach coordinator for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Middle East District. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 2011 after serving as the senior enlisted leader and naval reserve commander at the Navy Installations Command Headquarters at Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C.

In addition to the Distinguished Alumnus Award, PVCC also recognized five outstanding alumni: • Yolanda Speed, a 2006 engineering graduate from Charlottesville • George Graf, a 1980 business management graduate from Palmyra • Annette “Sophie” Couch, a 1991 fine arts graduate from Keswick • Erin Hughey-Commers, a 2001 liberal arts major from Charlottesville • David Strider, a 1983 nursing graduate from Charlottesville PVCC’s Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Awards were created to recognize former students that have distinguished themselves through personal and professional accomplishment and have achieved distinction through philanthropy and other forms of civic leadership. Recipients are selected by a committee comprised of alumni and members of the college community.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented each year at the college’s commencement ceremony. Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Award recipients are also recognized at an official college event during the year.

To learn more or submit an outstanding alumni recommendation for 2018, visit www.pvcc.edu/alumni.

Principals Appointed for Monticello High & the Division’s Charter Schools Tuesday, June 20, 2017 The Albemarle County School Board this evening appointed new principals for Monticello and Murray high schools. Rick Vrhovac, currently Sutherland Middle School’s principal, will succeed Dr. Jesse Turner as Monticello’s principal on July 1, and on the same date, Chad Ratliff, the division’s Director of Innovation and Instructional Programs, will succeed Ashby Kindler as the principal for the division’s two charter schools, Murray High School and the Community Public Charter School. Dr. Turner was appointed earlier this month as Albemarle High School’s principal, and Kindler was named the division’s Coordinator of Federal Programs. Vrhovac has served as an educator and administrator in Central Virginia for more than 25 years, and he has been Sutherland’s principal since 2014. He also served as an assistant principal at both Walton Middle School and Albemarle High School. Under Vrhovac’s leadership, Standards of Learning (SOL) student test scores at Sutherland consistently have improved, with more than four out of five students passing the statewide assessment tests. Additionally, the school has become one of the leaders in the school division for the quality of its mechatronics curriculum, which blends the study of engineering and technology, and in the performance of its students in the region’s annual science fair. Ratliff also has been a strong influence on the division’s award-winning technology and maker education programs in his curriculum role. He is an advocate of project-based learning and for the development of entrepreneurial skills among all students. He serves on Governor McAuliffe’s Council for Youth Entrepreneurship, is a former member of the State Advisory Committee for Career and Technical Education, and recently was named to the National School Boards Association’s “20 to Watch” list of emerging educational leaders. “Impact is the word I would use to describe the strengths of these two remarkable professionals,” said Dr. Matthew Haas, the school division’s deputy superintendent. “In addition to the academic success Rick has brought to every school in which he has served, he has extraordinary interpersonal skills,” Dr. Haas said. “You can tell his credentials include being an outstanding athletic coach—he makes connections with students and parents that transfer into more active engagement with learning and more excitement about the potential of every single student.” Ratliff has been at the center of many of the school division’s most innovative programs, including representing its maker education work at several White House sessions that have featured Albemarle County Public Schools students. He is the Project Director for the school division’s $3.4 million Investing in Innovation grant from the federal government. This grant, which also includes Charlottesville City and Fluvanna public schools, the University of Virginia, and several private sector partners, focuses on the application of advanced manufacturing and engineering principles to classroom projects. “Chad’s cutting-edge vision is a perfect fit with the Murray and Community Public Charter School communities, with their emphasis on student empowerment,” Dr. Haas said. “His ability to bring internal and external partners together and to modernize the learning environment will produce instant results,” he added. The deputy superintendent also praised the work of the Monticello and charter school communities that participated in the principal selection process through an online survey and on the respective interview committees. A new search process will be put in place immediately, he said, to appoint a new principal for Sutherland Middle School. The target date for an appointment is July 13, with School Board approval at their regularly scheduled meeting. Vrhovac received his Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education from David Lipscomb University and his master’s degree in Physical Education from James Madison University. In addition to his 23 years with Albemarle County Public Schools, Vrhovac served as a teacher, athletics coach, and director of athletics in Louisa County for eight years. Ratliff earned his Master of Education degree from the University of Virginia and his MBA from Virginia Tech. He also is an alumnus of the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business Executive Educators Leadership Institute, and he is an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship for Piedmont Virginia Community College.

ACPS Appoints Principals for MHS, the Division’s 2 Charter Schools Posted: Jun 20, 2017 06/19/2017 Release from Albemarle County Public Schools:

(ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Virginia) – The Albemarle County School Board this evening appointed new principals for Monticello and Murray high schools.

Rick Vrhovac, currently Sutherland Middle School’s principal, will succeed Dr. Jesse Turner as Monticello’s principal on July 1, and on the same date, Chad Ratliff, the division’s Director of Innovation and Instructional Programs, will succeed Ashby Kindler as the principal for the division’s two charter schools, Murray High School and the Community Public Charter School.

Dr. Turner was appointed earlier this month as Albemarle High School’s principal, and Kindler was named the division’s Coordinator of Federal Programs.

Vrhovac has served as an educator and administrator in central Virginia for more than 25 years, and he has been Sutherland’s principal since 2014. He also served as an assistant principal at both Walton Middle School and Albemarle High School.

Under Vrhovac’s leadership, Standards of Learning (SOL) student test scores at Sutherland consistently have improved, with more than four out of five students passing the statewide assessment tests. Additionally, the school has become one of the leaders in the school division for the quality of its mechatronics curriculum, which blends the study of engineering and technology, and in the performance of its students in the region’s annual science fair.

Ratliff also has been a strong influence on the division’s award-winning technology and maker education programs in his curriculum role. He is an advocate of project-based learning and for the development of entrepreneurial skills among all students. He serves on Governor McAuliffe’s Council for Youth Entrepreneurship, is a former member of the State Advisory Committee for Career and Technical Education, and recently was named to the National School Boards Association’s “20 to Watch” list of emerging educational leaders.

“Impact is the word I would use to describe the strengths of these two remarkable professionals,” said Dr. Matthew Haas, the school division’s deputy superintendent.

“In addition to the academic success Rick has brought to every school in which he has served, he has extraordinary interpersonal skills,” Dr. Haas said. “You can tell his credentials include being an outstanding athletic coach—he makes connections with students and parents that transfer into more active engagement with learning and more excitement about the potential of every single student.”

Ratliff has been at the center of many of the school division’s most innovative programs, including representing its maker education work at several White House sessions that have featured Albemarle County Public Schools students. He is the project director for the school division’s $3.4 million investing in innovation grant from the federal government. This grant, which also includes Charlottesville City and Fluvanna County Public Schools, the University of Virginia, and several private sector partners, focuses on the application of advanced manufacturing and engineering principles to classroom projects.

“Chad’s cutting-edge vision is a perfect fit with the Murray and Community Public Charter School communities, with their emphasis on student empowerment,” Dr. Haas said. “His ability to bring internal and external partners together and to modernize the learning environment will produce instant results,” he added.

The deputy superintendent also praised the work of the Monticello and charter school communities that participated in the principal selection process through an online survey and on the respective interview committees.

A new search process will be put in place immediately, he said, to appoint a new principal for Sutherland Middle School. The target date for an appointment is July 13, with school board approval at their regularly scheduled meeting.

Vrhovac received his Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education from David Lipscomb University and his master’s degree in Physical Education from James Madison University. In addition to his 23 years with Albemarle County Public Schools, Vrhovac served as a teacher, athletics coach, and director of athletics in Louisa County for eight years.

Ratliff earned his Master of Education degree from the University of Virginia and his MBA from Virginia Tech. He also is an alumnus of the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business Executive Educators Leadership Institute, and he is an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship for Piedmont Virginia Community College.

Announcements for June 21 through June 27 The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 20, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds a Student Orientation, Advising and Registration session for new and prospective students from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 29 at the Main Campus at 501 College Drive. The free session is required for 2017 high school and homeschool graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students. Additional sessions will be offered in July and August. pvcc.edu/soar. (434) 961-6581. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds an information session for its culinary arts associate degree programs from 10 a.m. to noon Friday at Jefferson City School Center at 233 Fourth St. NW. Additional sessions are set for July and August. Attendance is required at one of the sessions for any new student interested in pursuing an associate of applied science degree in culinary arts. pvcc.edu/culinary. (434) 961-6581.

Art notes (for the week of 06.22.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 21, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Piedmont Virginia Community College got a good clean up Thursday. Volunteers got out their trash bags and gloves and to participate in the PVCC Campus Cleanup. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality requires the clean up because of storm water runoff. PVCC says it is a small part to help keep the Chesapeake Bay clean. “If everybody does their part to make sure that they pick up trash if they see it and they recognize antifreeze or oils or anything kind of spoils on impervious surfaces they let us know or let somebody know and that would make a huge difference in the world,” said Rebecca Parkhill with PVCC. Forty volunteers picked up litter from around the buildings and the parking lots at the main campus in Albemarle County.

Free Community Information Sessions in July for Prospective PVCC Students Posted: Jun 23, 2017 11:26 AM EDT Piedmont Community College Press Release: (Charlottesville, Va.) – Piedmont Virginia Community College will host “Getting Started” information sessions in July for prospective students. Information sessions are presented by PVCC Outreach Manager Denise McClanahan and will introduce PVCC’s degree and certificate programs, as well as provide information about placement tests, student services and other resources to help students get started at PVCC.

The sessions are free and are open to the public and no advance registration is required. Sessions are available at the following locations in July: Charlottesville Thursday, July 13, 6 to 7 p.m. Friendship Court, 418 Garrett Street, Charlottesville

Tuesday, July 18, 6 to 7 p.m. Carver Recreation Center, 233 4th Street NW, Charlottesville

Thursday, July 20, 6 to 7 p.m. Westhaven Recreation Center, 803 Hardy Drive, Charlottesville

Fluvanna County Thursday, July 6, 6 to 7 p.m. Fluvanna County Library, 214 Commons Blvd., Palmyra

Greene County Tuesday, July 11, 6 to 7 p.m. Greene County Library, 222 Main Street, Stanardsville

Nelson County Monday, July 10, 6 to 7 p.m. Nelson Memorial Library, 8521 Thomas Nelson Hwy, Lovingston

For the most up-to-date list of upcoming sessions, visit www.pvcc.edu/outreach or call 434.961.5275.

Plans to move CATEC to PVCC get new life BY DEREK QUIZON Jun 26, 2017

Albemarle County officials aren’t ready to give up on plans to move the area’s vocational training school to the campus of Piedmont Virginia Community College — plans that had been shelved for more than a year. The county has been discussing for years the possibility of moving the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center to PVCC’s main campus. But the cost and difficulty of the move caused administrators at the two schools to quietly drop the talks. Instead, they’ve focused more on lining up the curricula of the two institutions and making it easier for students to transfer between schools. However, county supervisors recently made it clear that they want Piedmont and CATEC to share a campus. At a joint meeting between supervisors and members of the county School Board and PVCC’s board, Piedmont President Frank Friedman pledged to come up with a “plan of action” to move forward on it once again. “There are many problems to solve along the way and we’re going to need to address them,” Friedman said after the meeting. “The biggest one is money.” In past discussions, PVCC has pledged to give away the land needed to build CATEC’s new facilities — much of its 114- acre campus remains undeveloped. Still, county officials estimate the cost of the move would be in the millions, although the exact number isn’t known.

That’s another problem, Friedman said: No one knows exactly what the price tag would be because there are still some questions that need to be answered. For its high school students, CATEC is currently a half-day school that supplements their regular curriculum. If it moved to PVCC, would it be a full-time, standalone high school? “There are decisions to be made before you design a new building,” Friedman said. For now, administrators at CATEC and PVCC are content to link their programs and courses, giving students adequate preparation to leap from vocational training to college coursework without the need to repeat classes. But putting CATEC’s facilities on PVCC’s campus remains an alluring idea for some county officials, who say they are struggling to attract students to workforce training. Putting vocational training on a college campus ties them together and encourages students getting workforce training to move on to their associate’s degree afterward. Pam Moynihan, a member of the county School Board, said the biggest issue with workforce training is “getting students in seats.” Many students and parents overlook vocational training in favor of a college degree because they think that is the only path to a good career, Moynihan said. But plenty of students would benefit from learning a trade after high school.

PVCC Financial Aid Office to Offer Free Financial Aid Help Labs Through Aug. 18 Posted: Jun 26, 2017 9:12 AM EDT Release from Piedmont Virginia Community College:

(Charlottesville, Va.) – Piedmont Virginia Community College’s Financial Aid Office is offering free financial aid help labs to assist current and prospective students in completing their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) every week from now through Thursday, August 17.

Completing the FAFSA is the first step toward getting federal student financial aid for anyone attending college between August 2017 and August 2018.

To complete the FAFSA during the help lab, students must bring the following: • Copy of 2015 1040, 1040A or 1040 EZ income tax return(s) of parents and students • All W2 wage statements and/or 1099 form(s) • Net worth from parents’ current business or investments • The month and year parents were married, separated or divorced • If applicable, child support received or paid, workers compensation, social security, disability amount(s) received or other sources of income • Alien Registration number from resident card if not a U.S. citizen FAFSA Help Labs are held on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the Financial Aid Office, located in room M136 of the Main Building on PVCC’s Main Campus in Charlottesville. Help labs are drop-in only. No advance appointment is needed. For more information, visit www.pvcc.edu/finaid, or call 1.855.877.3941.

PVCC offers assistance with filling out FAFSA The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 26, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College will offer free financial aid at a series of walk-in sessions through Aug. 18. The college’s financial aid office will offer assistance to anyone who needs help filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The sessions will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The office is in Room M136 at PVCC’s main building in Albemarle County. Attendees will need to bring in the following documents: » a copy of 2015 1040, 1040A or 1040 EZ income tax returns of parents and students; » all W2 wage statements and/or 1099 forms; » net worth from parents’ current business or investments; » the month and year parents were married, separated or divorced;

PVCC president on potential CATEC move By Courteney Stuart | Posted: Mon 7:18 PM, Jun 26, 2017 ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Albemarle County supervisors and school board members are pushing a years-old idea of relocating the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center to the Piedmont Virginia Community College Campus. The move would potentially benefit students and save taxpayer money by consolidating secondary and post- secondary vocational training in a single location. PVCC President Frank Friedman said he believes the idea has merit, but there are questions about how to structure a degree from CATEC and about how to finance the move that must be answered before anything can happen "What will the local contributions be, what can we go to the state for? These are obviously key issues anytime you build a building," said Friedman. "But first we need to know what it is that we want, and then start looking at what are the funding possibilities." The cost of moving CATEC into a new facility on the PVCC campus would run into the millions but an exact cost is unknown.

Announcements for June 28 through July 4 The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 27, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College Financial Aid Office offers assistance to current and prospective students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 17. 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/finaid. (855) 877-3941. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Veterans Education and Transition Services sessions for veterans and service members from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 20 and 27 and Aug. 17 and 24. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282.

VCU launches brewing certificate program MIKE PLATANIA JUNE 28, 2017 The Richmond craft beer boom is once again pouring into higher education. VCU this week announced the creation of a craft beer certificate program, a non-credit certification that covers the business side and brewing of craft beers. The program is under the university’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education, meaning it’s not restricted to current degree-seeking VCU students. Introductory courses will be held next month at Stone Brewing and Triple Crossing Brewing’s Fulton locations. OCPE director Michael Huffman said the venue choice was deliberate. “We wanted to partner with both larger breweries and smaller operations, so students can see the differences,” Huffman said. Stone and Triple Crossing are part of an advisory council of local brewers which helped create the curriculum. The council also includes Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Center of the Universe Brewing Co. and Ardent Craft Ales. “The breweries in the community have been absolutely invaluable in developing this program,” Huffman said. “We didn’t want to come from the angle of, ‘Here’s what we think you ought to offer.’ We said, ‘What do you need?’”

Stone Brewing also will host some of the program’s classes. The program will offer two tracks: the Business of Craft Beer and the Craft Brewer Certificate. The business track will cover topics from startup plans, to real estate and design, to promotion and marketing. The craft brewer certificate will prepare students for industry credentialing, going over things like brewing processes, equipment maintenance and sanitation, and will include an internship at a local brewery. A packaging course also will be offered. Huffman said the program could launch as early as September, and each track likely would take less than a year to complete. The cost of the program has not yet been announced. “This is only available for those 21 years and older. For OCPE courses, our sweet spot as far as demographics is the 25-54 age range. Adult learners are really our market,” Huffman said. Online registration for the introductory courses this summer will be up later this week. VCU is the first public university to launch a craft beer program in the state. Last year, the University of Richmond launched a similar program, while Piedmont Virginia Community College has a Workforce Services Craft Brewing program. VCU has churned out graduates who end up in the beer business. Flight, a direct-from-brewery beer delivery service was launched in March by Matt Teachey and James Frederick, students at VCU’s da Vinci Center. Flight received $5,000 in funding from the university’s Pre-Accelerator Program.

Art events (for the week of 06.29.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 28, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

In and Around Greene Jun 28, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College will a host “Getting Started” information session for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, at the Greene County Library, 222 Main St., Stanardsville. Information sessions are presented by PVCC Outreach Manager Denise McClanahan and will introduce PVCC’s degree and certificate programs, as well as provide information about placement tests, student services and other resources to help students get started at PVCC. The sessions are free and are open to the public and no advance registration is required.

Pianist and flute-piano duo to perform in 'Corners of the Earth' on July 15 at PVCC The Daily Progress staff reports Jun 28, 2017 “Corners of the Earth,” an international classical music concert, will bring South Korean pianist Hyojung Huh and the duo PianoFlautee to Piedmont Virginia Community College’s V. Earl Dickinson Building at 7 p.m. July 15. Flutist Chelsea Meynig and pianist Siang Ching Ngu perform as PianoFlautee. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased online in advance at CornersoftheEarth.eventbrite.com. Tickets that remain will be sold at the door.

Residents weigh in on what to do with Yancey Elementary School BY MICHAEL BRAGG June 29, 2017 Several dozen residents of the Esmont community and surrounding areas have suggested future uses for Yancey Elementary School to Albemarle County officials. But many still felt frustrated by the School Board’s May decision to close the school in the first place, as it has long served as a focal point in the community. Yancey was shut down at the end of the school year. An anticipated loss of nearly $400,000 federal funding for programs at the school, the loss of accreditation and declining enrollment numbers all contributed to the decision. Students who would have attended Yancey in the upcoming school year have been reassigned to neighboring Red Hill and Scottsville elementary schools. The School Board and Board of Supervisors have agreed to work together in order to decide the best use of the facility in the long run. Representatives from each have publicly stated the importance of keeping Esmont residents involved in the process and hearing their concerns along the way. Thursday’s meeting was seen by many as a first step to get the community involved, but residents hope they’ll continue to have these opportunities before the boards decide what to do. Last day of school at Yancey Elementary Students departed Yancey Elementary School after the last day of school on Friday, June 9, 2017. The Albemarle County School Board has voted to close the school, sending students to Red Hill and Scottsville elementary schools next year. Bernard Hairston, executive director of community engagement for the school division, welcomed the residents before they had a chance to write down suggestions for Yancey’s potential uses on sticky notes for county and school staff to collect at the end of the night. Suggestions included using the space for a community center, an afterschool program or daycare services. Partnerships were proposed to provide services from Jefferson Area Board for Aging or Piedmont Virginia Community College. A few people also suggested that the school be reopened. Right now, the county has three options going forward. The School Board can decide to keep the building in its possession, sell the building or transfer it to the Board of Supervisors for its use. Liz Palmer, supervisor for the Samuel Muller District, said at the meeting that if the School Board decides to transfer, she will work hard to put the needed services for the community into the building. The decision to close Yancey was met with backlash not just from parents of students, but also by residents who had strong ties to the school. “It’s probably going to take a little bit of time for some of those wounds to heal because that was sort of a bitter pill to swallow for a lot of the community,” said Graham Paige, School Board representative for the Samuel Miller District. “So, it’s probably going to take some time for it to soak in and to heal. I don’t think it’s going to happen right away.” Paige is a lifelong resident of Esmont. He voted against the school’s closure. Angela Marrs, an Esmont resident whose daughter just finished fifth grade at Yancey, attended the meeting and said she hopes the building can still serve the community in some way. Two ideas she had were having a space for afterschool programs and for serving senior citizens. “I feel like it needs to serve the community,” she said. “They keep saying they want to serve the community — well, this is the best way to serve the community … serving the children and the seniors.” Even though the school has been closed for nearly a month now, it has been maintained by the school division. The building worked as a voting location during the June primaries, and it will likely remain a polling place for November’s general election. There are meetings scheduled for July 12 and 13 between the Board of Supervisors and School Board to continue discussing the future of Yancey. The tentative plan is to make a decision by late September. “My feeling is that this has to mean something,” said Peggy Scott, of Esmont. “It can’t just be continual meetings and then the outcomes are not what they promised the community they would do. So, I feel like, as long as this is a beginning of rebuilding trust and it goes somewhere, I think we can have a decent working relationship with the county, I do.” An online survey about what to do with Yancey launches Friday, which can be found at albemarle.org/yancey. Additional information about the building is also on the website. Comments about Yancey’s transition can be sent to [email protected].

Literacy council to present "Blakie Ridge" play Contributed Jul 3, 2017 It’s been an interesting career arc for Jim Jewett of Locust Dale – Madison County farm boy to computer information systems college lecturer and computer lab manager, to playwright. Actually, Jewett is still both a farmer and teacher at James Madison University (JMU), and writing plays isn’t exactly a career that pays him anything, but his literary efforts do a lot of good for the community. Between trips over the mountain to JMU in Harrisonburg, Jewett, his wife Abbie and his sons still work the family farm, once a dairy operation but now producing corn and soybeans. And in his third persona, he is now the author of “The Lights on Blakie Ridge,” the upcoming dinner theater fundraiser for the Literacy Council of Madison County. The event is set to begin with registration at 6:15 p.m. Saturday, July 8 at Graves Mountain Lodge and will feature the expansive menu that people expect of the lodge. Reservations are due by July 3 and may be made at the Literacy Council office by calling 948-5514 or by visiting the website at www.madisonliteracy.org. This is actually the ninth play for Jewett, a vibrant man with a quiet enthusiasm for all of his various ventures. Still, his career with drama wasn’t kicked off with a happy event. His wife, Abbie, who teaches at Waverly Yowell School, was diagnosed with cancer a decade ago. A friend was involved with Relay for Life, which that supports the American Cancer Society, so they joined. When the Culpeper group was considering ideas for fundraisers, someone came up with a mystery theater. Jim volunteered to write the script, he’s not sure why, and produced his first one in about four hours. The idea was that it would be a one-time thing. His work was an unqualified success, so they did another the next year, and then another. The author had fun – he did settings similar to rural Virginia, and added in Culpeper lore and current events. After a while he varied his locations. He used a cruise ship, and then a retro restaurant in New York modeled on the old Studio 54, the popular Disco of the late 1970’s. “I’m a big fan of Agatha Christie,” he says, and loves the intricate plotting of British TV shows. His plays often have a paranormal element as well. Then, a neighbor suggested that the Literacy Council could really use his efforts, and he was happy to write about places that conjured up Madison. For his first play at Graves Mountain Lodge, there were people scheming to take over a rustic mountain retreat. For the upcoming one, there is a power line about to be built and people take both sides of the controversy. Always, there are disappearances galore, and of course there has to be a murder. Jewett has written the latest script to include more interaction with the audience, a popular aspect. Another element he enjoys is not letting his cast know who the perpetrator is until the last minute. The actors are local people, with a few friends and family from nearby mixed in, and each of course wonders whether he or she is the guilty party, but the writer doesn’t tell. This year’s cast (each a possible murderer, remember) includes Vicki Brpyles, Judy Butler, Dink Kreis, Orange County Commonwealth’s Attorney Diana O’Connell and her husband Mark, Bob Slavin, Fay Utz, Abby Wohlhueter, Donna Yowell, and both Abbie and Jim Jewett. Brother-in-law Gil Seaux, a retired Air Force colonel who is from Louisiana and now lives in Spotsylvania, will direct. A Jewett son, Anthony, will have a part; one son actually met his wife in a Jewett mystery theater cast. Worry about possible guilt aside, character revelation and interaction are enjoyable for the actors. Those elements are really the point anyway, and provide the entertainment. But at the final run-through, all is revealed in a very British set- up – everyone is called together, an accusation is made, and the mystery is solved. Confessions are often made tearfully. Fay Utz, a cast member in “Lights on Blakie Ridge,” says the weekly rehearsals are endless fun. There’s no pressure, Jewett says. “Everybody can enjoy it, because there’s no personal gain, and no one is trying to get to Broadway.” It’s funds for a good cause, and he thinks it would spoil it all if he was doing it for a living. Jewett set up an organization, No Talent Theatrical Productions of Virginia, which became NTTPV Entertainment, to handle the productions. One new twist to the plays has been the filming of teaser trailers like the ones for movies that are posted on YouTube. The trailer for the Blakie Ridge play can be found at http://NTTPVEntertainment.com The computer guy - writer is happy to help the literacy council, particularly since education is important in his family’s life. After he grew up helping his father on the dairy farm, he went off to college, but didn’t return for a graduate degree until he was in his 30s. He and his wife met while they both attended Mary Washington College. After starting work for a computer firm, he jumped at the chance for a teaching job at Piedmont Virginia Community College, and then went on to JMU. The Literacy Council works to provide education services to adult Madison residents to improve their lives as jobholders, parents, and most of all life-long learners. It offers individual tutors for those working toward a GED certificate and those for whom English is a second language, computer literacy instruction, classes for job-seekers, and family literacy services. For tickets to “The Lights on Blakie Ridge,” visit http://www.madisonliteracy.org/, call 948-5514 or go by 304 Thrift Road.

Opinion/Letter: PVCC supports diversity in face of Klan Letter to the Editor Jul 3, 2017 If you have followed the news reports the past few weeks, you know that the Charlottesville-Albemarle community has been embroiled in an ideological debate between those who support racism, hatred and divisiveness and those who support tolerance, inclusiveness and social justice. Organizations on each side of this debate have recently held rallies in our community, with more to come — specifically the Ku Klux Klan rally scheduled for Saturday. Piedmont Virginia Community College joins with the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, the University of Virginia and many other organizations that have issued statements denouncing in the strongest terms possible the bigotry espoused by the KKK and all organizations that spread racial intolerance, fear and hatred. PVCC values the multicultural diversity of our students, faculty, staff and our community. We recognize the cultural differences due to background, experience, race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality and religion, and we seek to promote a genuine understanding and appreciation for these differences. We not only tolerate diversity, but we celebrate it as a great strength of our college, community and nation. There has been much discussion of how those who oppose the message of the KKK should respond to their planned rally. PVCC does not believe that we should deny their permit to assemble. Free speech, even for the most detestable ideologies, is a fundamental right in our country. It is one of the pillars on which our Constitution is built. The best way, the American way, to combat the ideas we despise is not to censor them but to overcome them with the ideas we value; in this case love, peace, tolerance and inclusiveness. So what should those who oppose the KKK message do on Saturday? That is a very personal decision that we must each make. I will attend the alternative events scheduled in our community, and I encourage the PVCC community to do the same. I do so because I believe that denying the KKK the attention it craves, and isolating them as the fringe element that they are, is the best way to counter their message. Whatever you decide to do, I ask you to avoid any confrontation with the demonstrators. Confrontation is not only dangerous, but it invites the media attention on which hate groups thrive. My wife, Sue, and I have lived in this wonderful community for 18 years. One of the things we love about it is our community’s belief in civility, inclusiveness, tolerance, justice, and equality. Let’s not allow a small group that promotes bigotry to destroy what we cherish about our community. Frank Friedman, Albemarle County Dr. Frank Friedman is president of Piedmont Virginia Community College.

Refugee recounts journey to citizenship Monday, July 3, 2017 CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Approximately 75 people will be sworn in as U.S. citizens on July 4 at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello's annual Naturalization Ceremony, and 22-year-old Mangal Tamang will be among them. Tamang spent the first 15 years of his life in a refugee camp in Nepal, after his parents fled their native Bhutan to escape ethnic cleansing. "It was really hard, because we didn't have electricity and stuff like that, so we can't do much over there," said Tamang. After a multi-year application process, Tamang and his parents came to Charlottesville six years ago, where he enrolled in Charlottesville High School. "It was really welcoming and the people were really nice, the teachers," he said. Tamang also says the International Rescue Committee made his adjustment easier. He joined a soccer team and went skydiving for his 21st birthday, and since his high school graduation, he's been taking classes at Piedmont Virginia Community College. "First I wanted to be a doctor, but now I'm doing business, so let's see how it goes," he said. Since he arrived, he said he has wanted to become a citizen. It's a process that takes at least five years and requires studying for a citizenship test, which Tamang passed. He said despite the political turmoil in the United States around immigration, he is proud to be here and looking forward to contributing. "Being an American citizen, I have a lot of opportunities," he said. "I'm going to do the best for society, and the community."

Announcements from July 5 through July 11 The Daily Progress staff reports Jul 4, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College Financial Aid Office offers assistance to current and prospective students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 17. 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/finaid. (855) 877-3941. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Getting Started information sessions for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Fluvanna County Public Library in Palmyra, from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday at Nelson County Memorial Library in Lovingston and from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Greene County Library in Stanardsville. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds an information session for its culinary arts associate degree programs from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Jefferson City School Center at 233 Fourth St. NW. Additional sessions are held in July and August. Attendance is required at one of the sessions for any new student interested in pursuing an associate of applied science degree in culinary arts. pvcc.edu/culinary. (434) 961-6581.

Art events (for the week of 07.06.17) The Daily Progress staff reports July 5, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

PVCC Restructures and Renames Patient Admissions Coordinator Program Posted: Jul 05, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College Press Release: (Charlottesville, Va.) – Piedmont Virginia Community College’s Division of Health and Life Sciences recently restructured and renamed its 16-credit Patient Admissions Coordinator (PAC) Program. The program, which prepares students for entry-level jobs in hospitals, medical practices, veterinarian offices, or personal care services, will now be called the Medical Administrative Support Assistant (MASA) Program.

The decision to rename and restructure the former Patient Admissions Coordinator Program came about as a result of feedback received from the program’s curriculum advisory committee and the request of regional health care employers, who wanted a program that would better align with industry expectations.

“A strong skills and knowledge base is essential for successful employment in the health care industry,” said Susan Collins, program director and associate professor of health information management programs at PVCC. “Regional industry experts felt that broadening the curriculum scope and title would make the program more attractive and more in-line with what employers need. These changes will also allow students to be more competitive for entry-level positions in local healthcare facilities.”

PVCC’s redesigned program will teach important medical office skills such as managing medical records, filing insurance claims, scheduling patient services and appointments, customer service, basic medical coding and billing. According to Collins, one of the major differences between PVCC’s new program curriculum and the past PAC curriculum is that the curricula prepares students to take several National Healthcareer Association (NHA) certifications including Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA); Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS); and Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS).

“The number of health care jobs continues to grow with an ever-aging population,” Collins said. “Earning national certifications in the health care field is crucial to ‘standing out in the crowd’ and landing that first health care position. More and more employers are looking at certification as a way to quickly asses an individual’s skills and knowledge base.”

PVCC’s MASA program can be completed in two semesters or less. To learn more about the program, visit www.pvcc.edu/masa, or contact the Admissions and Advising Center at 434.961.6581.

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- A program that prepares people for jobs in various medical fields has been restructured and renamed. According to a release from Piedmont Virginia Community College, the Patient Admissions Coordinator Program is now the Medical Administrative Support Assistant, or MASA, Program. PVCC says the decision to make changes to the program was based on feedback from its curriculum advisory committee and the request of regional health care employers that wanted a program better aligned with industry expectations. "A strong skills and knowledge base is essential for successful employment in the health care industry," said Susan Collins, the program director and associate professor of health information management programs at PVCC. "Regional industry experts felt that broadening the curriculum scope and title would make the program more attractive and more in-line with what employers need. These changes will also allow students to be more competitive for entry-level positions in local health care facilities." The redesigned program teaches medical office skills including managing medical records, filing insurance claims, scheduling patient services, customer service and basic medical coding. Collins says one of the major differences between the old and the new programs is that it prepares students to take several National Healthcareer Association certifications. "Earning national certifications in the health care field is crucial to 'standing out in the crowd' and landing that first health care position," she added. "More and more employers are looking at certification as a way to quickly assess an individual's skills and knowledge base." The program prepares students for entry-level jobs in hospitals, medical practices, veterinarian offices or personal care services. It can be completed in two semesters or less. For more information, call the Admissions and Advising Center at (434) 961-6581 or click on the link in the Related Links box.

In and Around Greene Jul 5, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College will a host “Getting Started” information session for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, at the Greene County Library, 222 Main St., Stanardsville. Information sessions are presented by PVCC Outreach Manager Denise McClanahan and will introduce PVCC’s degree and certificate programs, as well as provide information about placement tests, student services and other resources to help students get started at PVCC. The sessions are free and are open to the public and no advance registration is required.

Fredericksburg police, fire departments getting new eyes in the skies By CATHY JETT THE FREE LANCE–STAR Jul 5, 2017 The Fredericksburg police and fire departments’ newest “recruits” are bright orange, weigh 3.5 pounds and can fly for 25 minutes without recharging their batteries. More importantly, the two Autel X-Star Premium small unmanned aircraft systems, or sUAS as drones are officially known, are a less expensive alternative to airplanes for providing “eyes in the skies.” Armed with still and video cameras, they’re expected to be a useful tool in everything from child abduction cases and the apprehension of violent criminals to assessing traffic accidents and the water level on the Rappahannock River. They’ve already been used to get an overhead picture of Celebrate Virginia After Hours concert venue at 5030 Gordon W. Shelton Blvd. for planning purposes, and to help locate a missing person who was found on the Virginia Central Railway Trail near Idlewild. “A drone allows you to cover a larger area than a search crew,” said Michael Jones, Fredericksburg’s deputy fire chief. “It’s already proven its worth.” Drones are no longer seen as a novelty by law enforcement and public safety departments, according to the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College published in April. Its research has found that at least 347 state and local police, sheriff, fire and emergency units across the country have acquired drones in the past several years. More acquisitions took place in 2016 than in the previous years combined. In Virginia alone, Fredericksburg is the 11th locality to invest in sUAS for police and fire and rescue efforts—and the third in the region. The Stafford County’s Sheriff’s Office created its sUAS program in 2015, and has used it while investigating crime scenes, as tactical cover for search warrants and most recently in the apprehension of two felons in two different incidents. Caroline County started its program in May, and plans to use it for post-storm damage assessment, incident situation awareness, search and rescue and hazardous material response, among other activities. Fredericksburg’s police and fire departments got interested in developing a program after attending a class hosted by the Stafford Sheriff’s Office on how the increasingly popular devices can be used effectively to help ensure public safety. “We were intrigued and asked for more information,” Jones said. As a result, Lt. Michael Presutto in the police department and Battalion Chief Brandon Bass in the fire department took a 40-hour training program offered by Piedmont Virginia Community College at the Public Safety Building in Stafford in February. Afterward, they passed the test to get their FAA Remote Pilot certification to pilot sUASs. Presutto said that using a sUAS and learning about its capabilities was “eye opening.” “It’s an amazing tool, not just for public safety but for everyone,” he said. “If you’re looking for something, it gives you a different vantage point from where you’re standing on the ground.” The departments purchased the two Autel X-Star Premiums, which cost about $800 each and are advertised as “perfect for a new pilot” on manufacturer Autel Robotics’ website. They were paid for out of a Virginia Department of Emergency Management HAZMAT grant the fire department received. Presutto said the goal is to use the sUASs for training purposes and eventually get more sophisticated models similar to the four that Stafford uses. Theirs have cameras that can zoom in and have infrared capabilities. This would let a camera help search the foliage along the Rappahannock River, for example, something the Autel unit can’t do. Presutto said that he had one of the city’s sUASs in his truck when a roofer went missing in Idlewild recently. He tried using it to find him, but the tree canopy was too thick. The roofer was found by someone else before Stafford could get there to help. The Code of Virginia prevents state or local agencies from using a drone without a search warrant, except in the cases of Amber, Senior or Blue (for missing policemen) alerts, or for the purposes of traffic, damage, flood or wildfire assessment. “We’re not looking to be the drone police,” Presutto said. “If someone says, ‘I think there’s a stolen boat in someone’s backyard. Can you put a drone up for that?’ We can’t do that. We’d need a search warrant.” Fredericksburg’s sUASs are being used for training purposes now until City Council authorizes the departments to use them within the city. The vote is tentatively set for its Aug. 8 meeting. If approved, the initial program will be funded by the fire department’s VDEM HAZMAT grant. Future costs for maintenance, replacement equipment, and training are expected to be covered by grants or be absorbed in the police and fire departments’ operating budgets. The ultimate plan is to have enough certified pilots so a drone team is always available, and can help either department in emergencies. “If we have an incident on the police side, I could call the fire department team so I’m taking my resources away from handling the incident,” Presutto said. “If there’s a structure fire, instead of pulling resources away from their manpower, our team could help.”

Residents among PVCC graduates Published 8:03 am Thursday, July 6, 2017 Two residents from the Heart of Virginia are among more than 800 graduates who received degrees and certificates at Piedmont Virginia Community College’s 44th annual commencement May 12. “Tyger Anderson, of Dillwyn, was awarded an associate of applied science degree in nursing. A 2001 graduate of Buckingham County High School, she is the daughter of Andreia P. Hill-Smith, of Dillwyn,” officials said in the press release. The release cited that she is employed with Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge and the University of Virginia. “Cory Houtz, magna cum laude, was awarded an associate of applied science degree in information systems technology,” officials said in the release. “A 2013 graduate of Buckingham County High School, he is the son of Glenda Houtz, of Farmville.”

Fredericksburg Police, Fire Departments Getting New Eyes in the Skies Armed with still and video cameras, they’re expected to be a useful tool in everything from child abduction cases and the apprehension of violent criminals to assessing traffic accidents. BY CATHY JETT, THE FREE LANCE-STAR, FREDERICKSBURG, VA. / JULY 6, 2017 (TNS) - The Fredericksburg police and fire departments’ newest “recruits” are bright orange, weigh 3.5 pounds and can fly for 25 minutes without recharging their batteries.

More importantly, the two Autel X-Star Premium small unmanned aircraft systems, or sUAS as drones are officially known, are a less expensive alternative to airplanes for providing “eyes in the skies.”

Armed with still and video cameras, they’re expected to be a useful tool in everything from child abduction cases and the apprehension of violent criminals to assessing traffic accidents and the water level on the Rappahannock River.

They’ve already been used to get an overhead picture of Celebrate Virginia After Hours concert venue at 5030 Gordon W. Shelton Blvd. for planning purposes, and to help locate a missing person who was found on the Virginia Central Railway Trail near Idlewild.

“A drone allows you to cover a larger area than a search crew,” said Michael Jones, Fredericksburg’s deputy fire chief. “It’s already proven its worth.”

Drones are no longer seen as a novelty by law enforcement and public safety departments, according to the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College published in April. Its research has found that at least 347 state and local police, sheriff, fire and emergency units across the country have acquired drones in the past several years.

More acquisitions took place in 2016 than in the previous years combined.

In Virginia alone, Fredericksburg is the 11th locality to invest in sUAS for police and fire and rescue efforts—and the third in the region.

The Stafford County’s Sheriff’s Office created its sUAS program in 2015, and has used it while investigating crime scenes, as tactical cover for search warrants and most recently in the apprehension of two felons in two different incidents.

Caroline County started its program in May, and plans to use it for post-storm damage assessment, incident situation awareness, search and rescue and hazardous material response, among other activities.

Fredericksburg’s police and fire departments got interested in developing a program after attending a class hosted by the Stafford Sheriff’s Office on how the increasingly popular devices can be used effectively to help ensure public safety.

“We were intrigued and asked for more information,” Jones said.

As a result, Lt. Michael Presutto in the police department and Battalion Chief Brandon Bass in the fire department took a 40-hour training program offered by Piedmont Virginia Community College at the Public Safety Building in Stafford in February. Afterward, they passed the test to get their FAA Remote Pilot certification to pilot sUASs.

Presutto said that using a sUAS and learning about its capabilities was “eye opening.”

“It’s an amazing tool, not just for public safety but for everyone,” he said. “If you’re looking for something, it gives you a different vantage point from where you’re standing on the ground.”

The departments purchased the two Autel X-Star Premiums, which cost about $800 each and are advertised as “perfect for a new pilot” on manufacturer Autel Robotics’ website. They were paid for out of a Virginia Department of Emergency Management HAZMAT grant the fire department received.

Presutto said the goal is to use the sUASs for training purposes and eventually get more sophisticated models similar to the four that Stafford uses. Theirs have cameras that can zoom in and have infrared capabilities. This would let a camera help search the foliage along the Rappahannock River, for example, something the Autel unit can’t do.

Presutto said that he had one of the city’s sUASs in his truck when a roofer went missing in Idlewild recently. He tried using it to find him, but the tree canopy was too thick. The roofer was found by someone else before Stafford could get there to help.

The Code of Virginia prevents state or local agencies from using a drone without a search warrant, except in the cases of Amber, Senior or Blue (for missing policemen) alerts, or for the purposes of traffic, damage, flood or wildfire assessment.

“We’re not looking to be the drone police,” Presutto said. “If someone says, ‘I think there’s a stolen boat in someone’s backyard. Can you put a drone up for that?’ We can’t do that. We’d need a search warrant.”

Fredericksburg’s sUASs are being used for training purposes now until City Council authorizes the departments to use them within the city. The vote is tentatively set for its Aug. 8 meeting.

If approved, the initial program will be funded by the fire department’s VDEM HAZMAT grant. Future costs for maintenance, replacement equipment, and training are expected to be covered by grants or be absorbed in the police and fire departments’ operating budgets.

The ultimate plan is to have enough certified pilots so a drone team is always available, and can help either department in emergencies.

“If we have an incident on the police side, I could call the fire department team so I’m taking my resources away from handling the incident,” Presutto said. “If there’s a structure fire, instead of pulling resources away from their manpower, our team could help.”

PVCC announces new dean of humanities, fine arts and social sciences ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Piedmont Virginia Community College says it has a new dean of the Humanities, Fine Arts and Social Sciences Division. Leonda Keniston is replacing former Dean Cliff Haury, who retired last month after spending more than 40 years with the college. "We're extremely pleased to have Dr. Keniston Joining PVCC," said John R. Donnelly, vice president of instruction and student services. "Dr. Keniston brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with her to PVCC. Her roles as a faculty member, associate dean, and director of assessment and planning will be an asset to her faculty, the division and to the college as well." In this role, she will oversee a variety of academic program in art, graphic design, music and theater as well as coursework in social sciences disciplines like history, political science and sociology. Keniston will also be leading the college's performance season that includes music, dance, theater, movie screenings and art exhibitions. She has held position at John Tyler Community College in Richmond and at Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury, Maryland during her career in education.

Leonda Keniston joins PVCC as new dean of humanities, fine arts and social sciences programs Submitted Press Release | Piedmont Virginia Community College | Thursday, July 06, 2017 Leonda Keniston has joined Piedmont Virginia Community College as the new dean of the Humanities, Fine Arts and Social Sciences Division. Keniston replaces former PVCC dean Cliff Haury, who retired in June after more than 40 years of service to the college. Keniston has an extensive background in higher education and began her career as a sociology professor at John Tyler Community College in Richmond, Va., and went on to serve as the chair of the humanities and social sciences, the assistant dean of academic affairs, and the associate dean of mathematics, natural and health sciences at that institution. Prior to accepting her new position at PVCC, she served as the director of assessment and planning at Wor- Wic Community College in Salisbury, Md. “We’re extremely pleased to have Dr. Keniston joining PVCC,” said John R. Donnelly, vice president of instruction and student services at PVCC. “Dr. Keniston brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with her to PVCC. Her roles as a faculty member, associate dean and director of assessment and planning will be an asset to her faculty, the division and to the college as well.” As dean of humanities, fine arts and social sciences, Keniston will oversee a wide variety of academic programs including art, graphic design, music and theater, as well as coursework in the social sciences discipline such as history, political science and sociology. In addition, Keniston will also preside over PVCC’s Fine Arts and Performance Season, a year-long series of music, dance and theater performances; free movie showings; and art exhibitions by local and regional artists. “I am honored to have been selected to serve the faculty and students in the humanities, fine arts and social sciences division specifically, and PVCC in general,” said Keniston. “I consider Piedmont Virginia Community College one of the gems of the Virginia Community College System and I am truly excited about supporting and contributing to its student success initiatives. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to continue to advance the mission and vision of PVCC.” Keniston has a doctoral degree in community college leadership from Old Dominion University and both a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Virginia Commonwealth University. To learn more about PVCC’s humanities, fine arts and social science programs, visit www.pvcc.edu/programs or call 434.961.6581. To learn more about PVCC’s Fine Arts and Performance Season, visit www.pvcc.edu/performingarts.

Refugee recounts journey to citizenship By Courteney Stuart | Posted: Thu 11:13 AM, Jul 06, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WCAV) — Approximately 75 people were sworn in as U.S. citizens on July 4 at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello's annual Naturalization Ceremony in Virginia, and 22-year-old Mangal Tamang was among them. Tamang spent the first 15 years of his life in a refugee camp in Nepal, after his parents fled their native Bhutan to escape ethnic cleansing. "It was really hard, because we didn't have electricity and stuff like that, so we can't do much over there," said Tamang. After a multi-year application process, Tamang and his parents came to Charlottesville six years ago, where he enrolled in Charlottesville High School. "It was really welcoming, and the people were really nice, the teachers," he said. Tamang also says the International Rescue Committee made his adjustment easier. He joined a soccer team and went skydiving for his 21st birthday, and since his high school graduation, he's been taking classes at Piedmont Virginia Community College. "First I wanted to be a doctor, but now I'm doing business, so let's see how it goes," he said. Since he arrived, he said he has wanted to become a citizen. It's a process that takes at least five years and requires studying for a citizenship test, which Tamang passed. He said despite the political turmoil in the U.S. around immigration, he is proud to be here and looking forward to contributing. "Being an American citizen, I have a lot of opportunities," he said. "I'm going to do the best for society, and the community."

By Courteney Stuart | Posted: Thu 11:13 AM, Jul 06, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WCAV) — Approximately 75 people were sworn in as U.S. citizens on July 4 at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello's annual Naturalization Ceremony in Virginia, and 22-year-old Mangal Tamang was among them. Tamang spent the first 15 years of his life in a refugee camp in Nepal, after his parents fled their native Bhutan to escape ethnic cleansing. "It was really hard, because we didn't have electricity and stuff like that, so we can't do much over there," said Tamang. After a multi-year application process, Tamang and his parents came to Charlottesville six years ago, where he enrolled in Charlottesville High School. "It was really welcoming, and the people were really nice, the teachers," he said. Tamang also says the International Rescue Committee made his adjustment easier. He joined a soccer team and went skydiving for his 21st birthday, and since his high school graduation, he's been taking classes at Piedmont Virginia Community College. "First I wanted to be a doctor, but now I'm doing business, so let's see how it goes," he said. Since he arrived, he said he has wanted to become a citizen. It's a process that takes at least five years and requires studying for a citizenship test, which Tamang passed. He said despite the political turmoil in the U.S. around immigration, he is proud to be here and looking forward to contributing. "Being an American citizen, I have a lot of opportunities," he said. "I'm going to do the best for society, and the community."

Leonda Keniston named PVCC humanities dean The Daily Progress staff reports Jul 7, 2017

Piedmont Virginia Community College has hired a new dean of humanities, fine arts and social sciences.Leonda Keniston succeeds former dean Cliff Haury, who retired in June after more than 40 years at PVCC. Keniston will leave her position as director of assessment and planning at Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury, Maryland. Her previous posts include working as a sociology professor, chairwoman of the humanities and social sciences and a dean of multiple schools at John Tyler Community College in Richmond. At PVCC, Keniston will oversee several academic programs related to art, graphic design, music, theater and social sciences, as well as PVCC’s Fine Arts and Performance Season.

Classes for July 8 through July 14 The Daily Progress staff reports Jul 7, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College Financial Aid Office offers assistance to current and prospective students in completing Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 17. 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/finaid. (855) 877-3941.

Announcements from July 12 through July 18 The Daily Progress staff reports Jul 11, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College Financial Aid Office offers assistance to current and prospective students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 17. 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/finaid. (855) 877-3941. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Veterans Education and Transition Services sessions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 20 and 27 and Aug. 17 and 24 for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Getting Started information sessions for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Friendship Court, from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Carver Recreation Center and from 6 to 7 p.m. July 20 at Westhaven Recreation Center. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275.

Opinion/Letter: Writer mistakenly imputes motives Letter to the Editor Jul 12, 2017 I have to confess that, despite the fact that my family and I have lived in the U.S. for 43 years, I am not a U.S. citizen. I came here, in 1974, because I had an American wife who wanted to return home; and since I had a great admiration for the U.S. people and the U.S. Constitution (and especially the First Amendment), I was happy to make the move. Recently, I have begun to believe that we need an amendment to the First Amendment, because when anybody exercises his First Amendment rights, nobody wants to listen and try to understand the speaker’s true intention. A letter to the editor from the president of Piedmont Virginia Community College is a clear illustration (“PVCC supports diversity in face of Klan,” July 3 online and July 4 in print). He says that “the community has been embroiled in an ideological debate between those who support racism, hatred and divisiveness and those who support tolerance, inclusiveness and social justice.” The debate he is referring to, of course, has been about whether certain statues should be removed from Charlottesville parks. The letter writer has ascribed characteristics and intentions to those who oppose the removal of the statues that are totally unsubstantiated. I, personally, oppose the removal of the statues. I believe the whole dispute has been a totally counterproductive waste of time and money and has done far more, in the past year, to stir racial animosity in the community than Gen. Robert E. Lee, sitting on his horse, has caused in almost a century. Benjamin C. Foster, Albemarle County

Art events (for the week of 07.13.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Jul 12, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

The Community Foundation Invests in Regional Bike and Pedestrian Trail System Submitted Press Release | Charlottesville Area Community Foundation | Wednesday, July 12, 2017 The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of its third round of Strengthening Systems grants. Piedmont Environmental Council and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission received a two-year grant of $179,804 to complete plans and generate active community support for a regional bike and pedestrian trail network and begin implementation. The partners will work closely with Charlottesville City, Albemarle County, community leaders, neighborhoods and property owners to develop a shared vision for the trail system. The partners envision a trail network that connects our neighborhoods, retail areas, and places of work with other community resources such as Monticello, the Downtown Mall, UVA Grounds, the Rivanna River and Biscuit Run State Park. The partners explained, “Various bicycle and pedestrian planning documents already lay out most of the pieces of the puzzle that would be needed to make an interconnected off-street and on-street system. However, none of these plans has had the level of ownership, investment, and community support needed to move them from a plan on the shelf to implementation.” The Foundation’s investment will help the partners overcome barriers to building a regional greenway network. Grant funding will support a significant community engagement process that enables the community to contribute to the shared vision, stay up to date on plans and projects, and express support and ideas. “We are excited to help our community realize a regional greenway system that connects people with the places they work, live and play,” said Anne Scott, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “The primary purpose of these grants is to improve our community’s systems and we look forward to seeing this grant enable partners to move from fragmented plans to a shared community vision that can be implemented.” The Community Foundation has awarded more than $1,070,000 through its Strengthening Systems grant track since the track was introduced in 2015. Based on the idea that communities are best served when systems work well and services and activities are available to all, these multi-year grants help improve the functioning of community systems and access to those systems. Through previous Strengthening Systems grants, Piedmont Virginia Community College and Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC) are creating community career pathways to middle-skill jobs; Louisa County Resource Council and University of Virginia are mapping areas of food insecurity in Louisa County to determine alternate food distribution strategies; Charlottesville Works Initiative is helping low-income jobseekers obtain and retain sustainable-wage jobs; and Public Housing Association of Residents, Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and the City of Charlottesville are working together to create actionable public-housing redevelopment plans. The Foundation also remains committed to working with partners who are addressing other pressing issues in our community. These grants are all made possible thanks to the generous support of donors and an annual contribution to the Foundation’s discretionary grantmaking from Dorothy Batten. For more information about the Community Foundation, visit www.cacfonline.org.

Albemarle County Supervisors Discuss Yancey Options, Fire Rescue Funds Posted: Jul 12, 2017 5:00 PM ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - The future of the Yancey Elementary School Building was discussed at a meeting of the Albemarle County board of supervisors on July 12. Earlier this year, the school board voted to close Yancey Elementary. The board talked about what will happen to the property once the school is officially vacated. The decision will be made once the school board has turned the school back over to the county. Piedmont Virginia Community College has shown interest in using the building as satellite campus site. Albemarle police could also use the space along with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Albemarle County Supervisor Liz Palmer solicited the community for suggestions on how to use the space and there has been a lot of interest." There's all sorts of things the community really needs and it's a beautiful building. It's in great shape. And it just makes a lot of sense to take advantage of that," Palmer said. The board voted 5 to 1 to consolidate the fire rescue services fund into the county's general fund. It doesn't affect services but the board thinks it will provide better clarity about how those dollars are spent. Brad Sheffield was the dissenting vote. The board also met earlier on Wednesday behind closed doors over and the search for a new county executive. A source tells NBC29 that there will be no movement on that hiring decision until the end of the month at the earliest.

Supervisors mull possible uses for Yancey Elementary BY MICHAEL BRAGG Jul 12, 2017 Senior services, educational partnerships and child care were just a few suggestions brought up by the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday as members discussed possible future uses of the Yancey Elementary School building. Since the school’s closure in June, the School Board and Board of Supervisors have been discussing what to do with the facility since it will no longer serve as an elementary school to the Esmont community. The School Board voted 5-2 to close Yancey due to drops in enrollment, loss of accreditation and potential loss of federal funding for afterschool services and efforts to become re-accredited. County and school officials have used the closure as an opportunity to reflect on how the building can best serve the community. The ideas discussed at Wednesday’s meeting with the Board of Supervisors mirrored suggestions from a June 29 community meeting at Yancey. “I’ve had a lot of conversations with people and been hearing from a lot of folks on what the needs are of the community, and they’re very interested in trying to keep something going,” said Liz Palmer, supervisor for the Samuel Miller District, and who attended the June meeting. Supervisors talked about forming partnerships with the Jefferson Area Board for Aging or Piedmont Virginia Community College to provide services for the community. Residents and community members have made the same suggestions, as well as focusing on possible uses such as a child care facility, a food bank or a community center. A common point between these suggestions is that Yancey, a building in good working order, should continue to serve the community in some capacity. Supervisor Rick Randolph said it could be a place to provide services to the southern end of the county, particularly in the Scottsville and Samuel Miller magisterial districts. He even suggested it could provide “interregional services” to portions of counties that border southern Albemarle. “We would be treating [southern Albemarle residents] in an equal fashion and actually ensuring that they’re going to have access to the kinds of services that are associated in other locations in the county,” Randolph said. The School Board still maintains ownership of Yancey. Moving forward, the board can decide to keep Yancey in its possession, sell it or transfer it to the county.

Supervisors change funding process for Fire & Rescue BY ALLISON WRABEL Jul 12, 2017 The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday changed how Albemarle County Fire & Rescue will be funded in the future. The board voted to discontinue the Fire Rescue Services Fund and move it back to the general fund, and it adopted a new volunteer funding policy. The Fire Rescue Services Fund was created in fiscal year 2016 to help support a $2 million increase in costs. It gave a dedicated 1-cent real estate tax increase to support the department’s 16 percent increase in costs. “It was based on a concept we had used in previous years — it wasn’t a new concept to actually raise tax rate funding and then dedicate it to a certain item in the budget,” said Lori Allshouse, Albemarle’s budget director. The county had previously used a dedicated real estate tax rate increase for capital and debt, the school division and water resources. While it was created to try to improve transparency, Allshouse said it ended up increasing complexity. Total real estate tax funding for the fund was a value of 7.6 cents on the real estate tax rate, where 0.4 cents was designated for fire rescue capital/debt service and 7.2 cents was designated for the Fire Rescue Services Fund. “It caused a lot of confusion, there’s probably like five places in the budget that you have to go to find all these pieces,” she said. Only Supervisor Brad Sheffield voted against discontinuing the fund, saying it may create a lack of confidence if the board ever tried to do a dedicated service fund again. “It was pretty interesting, the feedback at least I got, that by dedicating a penny to a specific purpose, there was more willingness to support that increase and that tax rate, because people knew where it was going and they knew that we were committed to that specific service,” he said. The Fire Rescue Services budget will be moved back into the general fund beginning in FY19. The board also adopted a new Fire & Rescue volunteer funding policy, which had not been updated since 2010. The new policy will allow for funding of janitorial services, grounds maintenance, recruitment and bonus meals to volunteers who cover shifts during major holidays. The update will also amend the uniform policy to provide duty uniforms for all members based on a formula provided by the county’s budget office. This will not obligate the board to appropriate funds, but it will allow it to consider funding for these categories during the upcoming two-year fiscal planning process, county documents said. No changes would be made to the FY18 budget, but about $144,330 could be added to the FY19 budget, based on current costs for these changes. “In terms of funding the big maintenance items, we’re really at a process where we need to work with the volunteers to really understand and help plan for those kind of things,” county Fire Chief Dan Eggleston said. “They’re not too eager to change our current policy from where we are now, which is [that] any department can submit a CIP [capital improvement plan] proposal or request if they need assistance to replace one of these big-ticket items,” he said.

Announcements from July 12 through July 18 The Daily Progress staff reports Jul 11, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College Financial Aid Office offers assistance to current and prospective students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 17. 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/finaid. (855) 877-3941. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Veterans Education and Transition Services sessions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 20 and 27 and Aug. 17 and 24 for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Getting Started information sessions for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Friendship Court, from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Carver Recreation Center and from 6 to 7 p.m. July 20 at Westhaven Recreation Center. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275.

Opinion/Letter: Writer mistakenly imputes motives Letter to the Editor Jul 12, 2017 I have to confess that, despite the fact that my family and I have lived in the U.S. for 43 years, I am not a U.S. citizen. I came here, in 1974, because I had an American wife who wanted to return home; and since I had a great admiration for the U.S. people and the U.S. Constitution (and especially the First Amendment), I was happy to make the move. Recently, I have begun to believe that we need an amendment to the First Amendment, because when anybody exercises his First Amendment rights, nobody wants to listen and try to understand the speaker’s true intention. A letter to the editor from the president of Piedmont Virginia Community College is a clear illustration (“PVCC supports diversity in face of Klan,” July 3 online and July 4 in print). He says that “the community has been embroiled in an ideological debate between those who support racism, hatred and divisiveness and those who support tolerance, inclusiveness and social justice.” The debate he is referring to, of course, has been about whether certain statues should be removed from Charlottesville parks. The letter writer has ascribed characteristics and intentions to those who oppose the removal of the statues that are totally unsubstantiated. I, personally, oppose the removal of the statues. I believe the whole dispute has been a totally counterproductive waste of time and money and has done far more, in the past year, to stir racial animosity in the community than Gen. Robert E. Lee, sitting on his horse, has caused in almost a century. Benjamin C. Foster, Albemarle County

Art events (for the week of 07.13.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Jul 12, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

The Community Foundation Invests in Regional Bike and Pedestrian Trail System Submitted Press Release | Charlottesville Area Community Foundation | Wednesday, July 12, 2017 The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce the recipient of its third round of Strengthening Systems grants. Piedmont Environmental Council and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission received a two-year grant of $179,804 to complete plans and generate active community support for a regional bike and pedestrian trail network and begin implementation. The partners will work closely with Charlottesville City, Albemarle County, community leaders, neighborhoods and property owners to develop a shared vision for the trail system. The partners envision a trail network that connects our neighborhoods, retail areas, and places of work with other community resources such as Monticello, the Downtown Mall, UVA Grounds, the Rivanna River and Biscuit Run State Park. The partners explained, “Various bicycle and pedestrian planning documents already lay out most of the pieces of the puzzle that would be needed to make an interconnected off-street and on-street system. However, none of these plans has had the level of ownership, investment, and community support needed to move them from a plan on the shelf to implementation.” The Foundation’s investment will help the partners overcome barriers to building a regional greenway network. Grant funding will support a significant community engagement process that enables the community to contribute to the shared vision, stay up to date on plans and projects, and express support and ideas. “We are excited to help our community realize a regional greenway system that connects people with the places they work, live and play,” said Anne Scott, President and CEO of the Community Foundation. “The primary purpose of these grants is to improve our community’s systems and we look forward to seeing this grant enable partners to move from fragmented plans to a shared community vision that can be implemented.” The Community Foundation has awarded more than $1,070,000 through its Strengthening Systems grant track since the track was introduced in 2015. Based on the idea that communities are best served when systems work well and services and activities are available to all, these multi-year grants help improve the functioning of community systems and access to those systems. Through previous Strengthening Systems grants, Piedmont Virginia Community College and Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC) are creating community career pathways to middle-skill jobs; Louisa County Resource Council and University of Virginia are mapping areas of food insecurity in Louisa County to determine alternate food distribution strategies; Charlottesville Works Initiative is helping low-income jobseekers obtain and retain sustainable-wage jobs; and Public Housing Association of Residents, Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and the City of Charlottesville are working together to create actionable public-housing redevelopment plans. The Foundation also remains committed to working with partners who are addressing other pressing issues in our community. These grants are all made possible thanks to the generous support of donors and an annual contribution to the Foundation’s discretionary grantmaking from Dorothy Batten. For more information about the Community Foundation, visit www.cacfonline.org.

Albemarle County Supervisors Discuss Yancey Options, Fire Rescue Funds Posted: Jul 12, 2017 5:00 PM ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - The future of the Yancey Elementary School Building was discussed at a meeting of the Albemarle County board of supervisors on July 12. Earlier this year, the school board voted to close Yancey Elementary. The board talked about what will happen to the property once the school is officially vacated. The decision will be made once the school board has turned the school back over to the county. Piedmont Virginia Community College has shown interest in using the building as satellite campus site. Albemarle police could also use the space along with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Albemarle County Supervisor Liz Palmer solicited the community for suggestions on how to use the space and there has been a lot of interest." There's all sorts of things the community really needs and it's a beautiful building. It's in great shape. And it just makes a lot of sense to take advantage of that," Palmer said. The board voted 5 to 1 to consolidate the fire rescue services fund into the county's general fund. It doesn't affect services but the board thinks it will provide better clarity about how those dollars are spent. Brad Sheffield was the dissenting vote. The board also met earlier on Wednesday behind closed doors over and the search for a new county executive. A source tells NBC29 that there will be no movement on that hiring decision until the end of the month at the earliest.

Supervisors mull possible uses for Yancey Elementary BY MICHAEL BRAGG Jul 12, 2017 Senior services, educational partnerships and child care were just a few suggestions brought up by the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday as members discussed possible future uses of the Yancey Elementary School building. Since the school’s closure in June, the School Board and Board of Supervisors have been discussing what to do with the facility since it will no longer serve as an elementary school to the Esmont community. The School Board voted 5-2 to close Yancey due to drops in enrollment, loss of accreditation and potential loss of federal funding for afterschool services and efforts to become re-accredited. County and school officials have used the closure as an opportunity to reflect on how the building can best serve the community. The ideas discussed at Wednesday’s meeting with the Board of Supervisors mirrored suggestions from a June 29 community meeting at Yancey. “I’ve had a lot of conversations with people and been hearing from a lot of folks on what the needs are of the community, and they’re very interested in trying to keep something going,” said Liz Palmer, supervisor for the Samuel Miller District, and who attended the June meeting. Supervisors talked about forming partnerships with the Jefferson Area Board for Aging or Piedmont Virginia Community College to provide services for the community. Residents and community members have made the same suggestions, as well as focusing on possible uses such as a child care facility, a food bank or a community center. A common point between these suggestions is that Yancey, a building in good working order, should continue to serve the community in some capacity. Supervisor Rick Randolph said it could be a place to provide services to the southern end of the county, particularly in the Scottsville and Samuel Miller magisterial districts. He even suggested it could provide “interregional services” to portions of counties that border southern Albemarle. “We would be treating [southern Albemarle residents] in an equal fashion and actually ensuring that they’re going to have access to the kinds of services that are associated in other locations in the county,” Randolph said. The School Board still maintains ownership of Yancey. Moving forward, the board can decide to keep Yancey in its possession, sell it or transfer it to the county.

Supervisors change funding process for Fire & Rescue BY ALLISON WRABEL Jul 12, 2017 The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday changed how Albemarle County Fire & Rescue will be funded in the future. The board voted to discontinue the Fire Rescue Services Fund and move it back to the general fund, and it adopted a new volunteer funding policy. The Fire Rescue Services Fund was created in fiscal year 2016 to help support a $2 million increase in costs. It gave a dedicated 1-cent real estate tax increase to support the department’s 16 percent increase in costs. “It was based on a concept we had used in previous years — it wasn’t a new concept to actually raise tax rate funding and then dedicate it to a certain item in the budget,” said Lori Allshouse, Albemarle’s budget director. The county had previously used a dedicated real estate tax rate increase for capital and debt, the school division and water resources. While it was created to try to improve transparency, Allshouse said it ended up increasing complexity. Total real estate tax funding for the fund was a value of 7.6 cents on the real estate tax rate, where 0.4 cents was designated for fire rescue capital/debt service and 7.2 cents was designated for the Fire Rescue Services Fund. “It caused a lot of confusion, there’s probably like five places in the budget that you have to go to find all these pieces,” she said. Only Supervisor Brad Sheffield voted against discontinuing the fund, saying it may create a lack of confidence if the board ever tried to do a dedicated service fund again. “It was pretty interesting, the feedback at least I got, that by dedicating a penny to a specific purpose, there was more willingness to support that increase and that tax rate, because people knew where it was going and they knew that we were committed to that specific service,” he said. The Fire Rescue Services budget will be moved back into the general fund beginning in FY19. The board also adopted a new Fire & Rescue volunteer funding policy, which had not been updated since 2010. The new policy will allow for funding of janitorial services, grounds maintenance, recruitment and bonus meals to volunteers who cover shifts during major holidays. The update will also amend the uniform policy to provide duty uniforms for all members based on a formula provided by the county’s budget office. This will not obligate the board to appropriate funds, but it will allow it to consider funding for these categories during the upcoming two-year fiscal planning process, county documents said. No changes would be made to the FY18 budget, but about $144,330 could be added to the FY19 budget, based on current costs for these changes. “In terms of funding the big maintenance items, we’re really at a process where we need to work with the volunteers to really understand and help plan for those kind of things,” county Fire Chief Dan Eggleston said. “They’re not too eager to change our current policy from where we are now, which is [that] any department can submit a CIP [capital improvement plan] proposal or request if they need assistance to replace one of these big-ticket items,” he said.

Announcements for July 26 through Aug. 1 The Daily Progress staff reports Jul 25, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College Financial Aid Office offers assistance to current and prospective students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 17. 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/finaid. (855) 877-3941. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Veterans Education and Transition Services sessions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Aug. 17 and 24 for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds a Getting Started information session for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Westhaven Recreation Center. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275. » Piedmont Virginia Community College offers a Student Orientation, Advising and Registration session for prospective students. The free sessions are required for 2017 high school and homeschool graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students interested in pursuing a degree or certificate beginning with the fall 2017 semester. Participants will receive help with registering for classes and learn about PVCC resources and student services. SOAR sessions are held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 3 with additional dates scheduled in August. 501 College Drive. pvcc.com/soar. (434) 961-6581.

Money Matters: Retirement Distributions July 25, 2017 ALBEMARLE COUNTY For this week's Money Matters, Piedmont Virginia Community College professor Bill Pratt talks about distributions from retirement accounts like IRAs or 401Ks. He specifically addresses withdrawing the correct amount to avoid penalties.

In and Around Greene Jul 26, 2017 Tuesday Free community information sessions will be held for prospective Piedmont Virginia Community College students from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1, at the Greene County Library, 222 Main St., Stanardsville. Information sessions are presented by PVCC Outreach Manager Denise McClanahan, who will introduce PVCC’s degree and certificate programs as well as provide information about placement tests, student services and other resources to help students get started at PVCC. The sessions are free and are open to the public; no advance registration is require

Art events (for the week of 07.27.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Jul 26, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

Community Colleges Selected for MentorLinks Initiative brings together community colleges, mentors to advance STEM programs 7/27/2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 27, 2017 Media Contact: Martha Parham, Ed.D. Sr. Vice President, Public Relations Phone: 202-728-0200 x209 Email: [email protected] Washington, DC—The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) announced a new cohort for the MentorLinks: Advancing Technological Education program with funding from the National Science Foundation. The MentorLinks initiative pairs experienced community college mentors with extensive experience in planning and implementing advanced technology programs with colleges seeking support to build, strengthen, and sustain new or existing science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) technician education programs. Grants to the colleges total $20,000 in seed monies for the two-year grant period plus additional travel support to attend national meetings and events. The program’s primary emphasis is on valuable networking and rich opportunities for technical assistance and professional development that link the cohort with the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education (ATE) national conference and grant community. A team of 11 community colleges and 11 individual mentors were selected through a competitive peer review process and represent innovative projects in advanced manufacturing, engineering technology, environmental technology, information technologies, agricultural technology and cybersecurity. Mentors will work closely with their college teams on activities such as curriculum development or redesign, industry engagement, faculty development, student recruitment and retention, and internships/experiential learning experiences development for both faculty and students. AACC has managed the small, yet transformational, MentorLinks project since 2002. Since then, assistance to 44 colleges has resulted in the creation of more than 140 new courses, 21 new associate degrees, and 30 new certificates; development of several industry partnerships and internship sites; reported STEM program enrollment increases ranging from 14 percent to 350 percent; and the leveraging of over $4.5 million in additional grant funding. The program is also aimed at offering opportunities for smaller and rural colleges that often do not have the resources to apply for grant funding and to build or strengthen their STEM programs. Forty-six percent of colleges receiving a MentorLinks award are from rural areas. The 11 selected mentee colleges for the 2017–2019 MentorLinks initiative are: Cascadia College, Bothell (WA); Daytona State College (FL); Johnson County Community College (KS); McHenry County College (IL); Ozarks Technical Community College (MO); Piedmont Virginia Community College (VA); Riverland Community College (MN); Rockingham Community College (NC); Seminole State College (OK); Southeastern Community College (NC); and St. Petersburg College (FL). The 11 individual mentors selected to serve the MentorLinks Mentor Team are: Kathleen Alfano, faculty emeritus, co- principal investigator, NSF ATE CREATE Center, College of the Canyons (CA); Cathryn Balas, consultant, trustee emeritus, Clark State Community College (OH); Kevin Cooper, assistant dean, Advanced Technology Division, Indian River State College (FL); Vince DiNoto, principal investigator, National GeoTech Center and dean of college and systemic initiatives, Jefferson Community College (KY); Roger Ebbage, coordinator and faculty, The Northwest Water & Energy Education Institute, Lane Community College (OR); Jenni Fridgen, agriculture program director, Parkland College (IL); Elizabeth Hawthorne, senior professor, computer science and cybersecurity, Union County College (NJ); Danis Heighton, professor, computer networking and cybersecurity, Clark State Community College (OH); James Hyder, professional consultant (NM); Richard Polanin, professor, manufacturing engineering technology, Illinois Central College (IL); Ken Walz, chemistry and engineering instructor, Madison Area Technical College (WI).

TOO MANY TOP STUDENTS? July 27, 2017 It may come as a surprise that people other than parents read the list of A and B students printed in the paper. But as Lake Monticello resident Jack Byers looked at the latest list, he noticed something he questioned. “There are an extraordinarily high number of students getting As,” Byers said. “By my count, one grade level had a third of the class with all As. Either we’ve got a bunch of geniuses or something’s amiss.” Brenda Gilliam, executive director in charge of curriculum instruction and finance, said the Fluvanna school system doesn’t examine how many students have top grades. “We do not analyze data relative to grade distributions and the percentage of students earning honor roll or straight As,” Gilliam wrote in an email. Byers wondered what constitutes an A in Fluvanna schools. He is familiar with Fairfax schools where his children and grandchildren attended. “You have to get a 94 to get an A in Fairfax,” Byers said. “I feel confident a third of Fairfax students don’t get all As.” Gilliam wrote that Fluvanna grades on a 10-point scale, and has for about 10 years. That means any score from 90 to 100 is an A, 80 to 89 is a B and so on. The lowest D grade is 65. “This scale was put in place to align with surrounding school divisions, Piedmont Virginia Community College, and Blue Ridge Virtual Governor’s School (BRVGS),” she wrote. “We also added weighted credits for dual enrollment, advanced placement (AP), and BRVGS classes at the time the scale was changed. The grading scale was revised after a thorough study with feedback from all of our stakeholders.” Many education experts have written about grading: how different school systems have different standards and the effect it has on getting into college. If a student from one school system has all As, but the score to get that A is different than in a different school system, the student may not be prepared for a rigorous college curriculum. Gilliam pointed out Fluvanna schools has outside indicators to back up the success of its students: • Fluvanna is one of only 22 out of 132 school divisions in the state that has had all of its schools fully accredited for the past three years; • Fluvanna’s high school has been recognized three times by U.S. News and World Report with silver and bronze medals for being an outstanding high school; and • A review of the class of 2017 indicates that the average combined SAT scores exceed state and national averages; the on-time graduation rate is above 95 percent; and 54.9 percent of students who took an AP test scored 3 or higher. “We have worked with our teachers, particularly at the secondary level, to develop common grading practices [such as] having the same weight for tests, quizzes, essays, homework, et cetera,” Gilliam wrote. “The particular focus for this was to ensure there was equity with the same course regardless of the instructor. Teachers have also been developing grading rubrics [and] expectations for assignments that are more subjective.” Each school has a professional learning community, Gilliam wrote, where among other topics they discuss grading practices and protocols. “Administrators are a part of these meetings,” she wrote. “We do want to ensure that there is equity in our practices while giving teachers freedom within their classroom to do what is best for their students and use their professional judgment. This means that there is a great deal of dialogue around grading practices and procedures.” Everyone involved with instructing students knows it is a team effort that includes the family and community, Gilliam wrote. “Although we continuously review our data and look for ways that we can improve, we are proud of the success demonstrated through outside indicators such as those listed above,” she wrote. “More importantly, these outcomes require the success of all students and the commitment of our staff and community to education in Fluvanna.”

Announcements for Aug. 2 through Aug. 8 The Daily Progress staff reports Aug. 1, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds information sessions for its culinary arts associate degree programs from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday and 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 14 at Jefferson City School Center at 233 Fourth St. NW. Attendance is required at one of the sessions for any new student interested in pursuing an associate of applied science degree in culinary arts. pvcc.edu/culinary. (434) 961-6581. » Piedmont Virginia Community College Financial Aid Office offers assistance to current and prospective students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 17. 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/finaid. (855) 877-3941. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Veterans Education and Transition Services sessions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Aug. 17 and 24 for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds a Getting Started information session for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Westhaven Recreation Center. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275. » Piedmont Virginia Community College offers a Student Orientation, Advising and Registration session for prospective students. The free sessions are required for 2017 high school and homeschool graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students interested in pursuing a degree or certificate beginning with the fall 2017 semester. Participants will receive help with registering for classes and learn about PVCC resources and student services. SOAR sessions are held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 3 with additional dates scheduled in August. 501 College Drive. pvcc.com/soar. (434) 961-6581.

Senior Statesmen, PVCC to host Lt. Gov. candidate forum The Daily Progress staff reports Aug. 1, 2017 Lieutenant Governor Candidates Republican Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel and Democrat Justin Fairfax will speak at a forum at Piedmont Virginia Community College on Wednesday, Aug. 9. The forum, hosted by the Senior Statesmen of Virginia in conjunction with PVCC, will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Dickinson Auditorium on the PVCC campus at 501 College Drive. The event will begin with introductions by the moderator, followed by opening statements by the candidates, questions submitted in writing by members of the audience and closing statements by the candidates. The forum will be moderated by Bob Gibson of the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. The event is free and open to the public.

Art events (for the week of 08.03.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Aug. 2, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

To the Editor -- Big things happening locally Aug. 2, 2017 I hear a few folks say that Greene County can’t do big things. I strongly disagree. Why? Well, Greene is already doing big things. Local government can’t do it all, nor should it, but the role of county government includes finding smart and affordable ways to make upgrades to our critical infrastructure. I’ll explain. A growing student body and aging facilities make it necessary to upgrade our schools. The very good news is that our schools are improving and our children are in a stronger position these days as they prepare for the workforce. Have you seen the universities that Greene’s young folks are getting into and the scholarship money they are attracting? Have you witnessed the collaboration between the Piedmont Virginia Community College Eugene Giuseppe Center and our high school? With the construction of our new sports facility, have you observed “Dragon Pride” from the teams that represent Greene? A strong project committee comprised of dedicated Greene County citizens won the support of the School Board and the Board of Supervisors for the $28 million project under discussion. For sure, the estimated cost of the new capital project is daunting. The good news is that we can manage this over the long term, paying for much of it by retiring old debt. I am pleased that there is strong community support for this ambitious project. Stanardsville looks great. For years, many of us have insisted that breathing new life into our historic county seat is important. It makes sense for economic development on this side of the county and it makes sense for preserving our heritage. Mayor Gary Lowe, the Town Council and the Stanardsville Area Revitalization team have done some heavy lifting in finding grant money for new roads, sidewalks, and facilities. Independent citizen groups like the Fourth of July Committee, the Historical Society, the Blue Ridge Heritage Project, the Virginia Clay Festival and the Art Guild are seizing upon this new energy. We will soon see yet more Main Street improvements and a new town market and pavilion on county property. County Administration and the Board of Supervisors have worked hand-in-glove to support these groups -- if not with resources, then with collaboration and moral support. I applaud these efforts to improve our county seat and I will continue to help where I can. Our water infrastructure. I have made no secret that I want to find solutions for Greene County’s water needs for the next several decades. Previous boards identified the problem, obtained state and federal permits, and purchased most of the land. The current Board is working with county administration to develop engineering and financial plans that we can afford. We are moving slowly yet deliberately. Very preliminary projections show that by phasing parts of the project in over time, by spreading costs over several decades (like a home mortgage), and by charging market rates for public water to those who use it (rather than those on well water), this project can be accomplished without an increase in property tax rates. There is a lot more work to be done to validate the county’s demand for water and how we will pay for it. We will take the time to get it right, double- checking our technical consultants’ assumptions before moving forward. Be skeptical of those who say we can’t make big things happen in Greene. Criticism is easy. Finding solutions to big issues is hard. We can and should maintain forward momentum on these projects. I remain bullishly optimistic about Greene County and I look forward to continuing to play a role in making Greene a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Bill Martin Board of Supervisors Stanardsville District

Aug. 3, 2017 NEW TEACHERS WELCOMED TO DISTRICT Fluvanna County High School Karen Green: Health and medical sciences teacher Green attended Piedmont Virginia Community College, majoring in nursing. She started her career as a pediatric nurse in 2011. Since then she has been involved in a range of mental and physical care positions. Green comes to Fluvanna with a history of hard work, dedication, and overall compassion for people.

Bearing Drift Aug. 3, 2017 UVa’s Bob Gibson to Moderate Lieutenant Governor Debate With Vogel, Fairfax Virginia Lieutenant Governor candidates Jill Holtzman Vogel and Justin Fairfax are set to participate in a debate on Wednesday, August 9, at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Bob Gibson of the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service will moderate the event that is sponsored by the Senior Statesmen of Virginiaand PVCC. It is open to the public, and will include questions submitted by the audience. Republican Vogel, 46, and Democrat Fairfax, 38, won their respective party primaries in June. Vogel would be Virginia’s first woman to hold the position. Fairfax would be the second African American lieutenant governor, following Democrat Doug Wilder who won in 1986 and then went on to become Virginia’s first African American governor in 1990. Both Vogel and Fairfax are attorneys. Jill Vogel, a Virginia state senator since 2008, is managing partner of a law firm and has served as chief counsel for the Republican National Committee since 2004. The mom of five children, her husband is also an attorney who is managing partner of the corporate research firm VogelHood Research. Vogel’s father is Shenandoah Valley businessman and philanthropist William Holtzman who built a small oil distribution company into Holtzman Corporation, a regional gas, oil, construction, and food conglomerate that includes the familiar red, white, and blue Liberty gas stations. A fun fact about the Vogels is that they purchased a 25,000-square-foot Georgian-style mansion and 283 acres in Upperville from the Bunny Mellon estate in 2015. Justin Fairfax, who has been called a rising star by his party, is a litigator with Tysons Corner law firm Venable LLP. He ran for attorney general in 2013 when Democrats narrowly went for Mark Herring who won win the general election and is running for reelection. Fairfax was class president of his Catholic high school and a member of the National Honor Society who went on to attend Duke University, where he graduated with a degree in Public Policy Studies, and Columbia Law School, where he was selected for the Columbia Law Review. He is a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and served as deputy of the Major Crimes & Narcotics Unit, and is currently a member of the Human Trafficking Task Force. His wife, a dentist, operates her own Fairfax County dental practice. The couple have two children. A fun fact: His campaign chairman was also the chairman of U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine’s successful runs for governor in 2005 and U.S. Senate in 2012. Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor, often seen as a stepping stone position for governor, is first in line of succession should the governor not be able to serve. It is a part-time job that basically requires presiding over the state Senate, and to break tie votes. In addition, the lieutenant governor serves on the Board of Trustees of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and the Center for Rural Virginia; the Board of Directors of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Virginia Tourism Authority; the Virginia Military Advisory Council, the Commonwealth Preparedness Council, and the Council on Virginia’s Future. There is no limit to the number of terms that can be served as lieutenant governor. If you’re going: What: Virginia Lieutenant Governor Debate Date: Wednesday, August 9 Time: 1:30-3:00 p.m. Place: Piedmont Virginia Community College, Dickinson Auditorium

Fencing golds cap busy year for Waynesboro's Katzenbach Tom Jacobs, [email protected] Published 10:41 a.m. ET Aug. 4, 2017 Academic, civic and political conferences. The 19-year-old Waynesboro resident's individual academic accomplishments are impressive. But the ultimate expression of her individuality occurs when she has a fencing weapon in her hand. "When I'm at school, it's about doing projects or programs with other people," said Katzenbach, who graduated summa cum laude from Piedmont in May. "With my fencing, it's just me." As if to confirm that feeling, Katzenbach returned from a one-year hiatus from competition at the U.S. Fencing Virginia Division Championships on May 20 and 21 in Richmond. In the process, she carved out a piece of history for herself. Competing in the Senior Women's Division, Katzenbach won both the foil and épée, becoming the second woman in tournament history ever to accomplish that feat. She made it through the pool round and eliminations to defeat the leading point scorers in the state for the year in both disciplines. “It was something to watch them come in knowing nothing about the sport and have them fall in love with it the way I did.” Grayson Katzenbach, on her fencing students In the foil — her preferred weapon — she defeated Cyndi Lucente of the Richmond Fencing Club in the final on May 20. She then came back the next day to win the gold in the épée, beating Veronica Weser of the Richmond Fencing Club in the final. Between Katzenbach's studies and extracurriculars at Piedmont and getting her fencing school — Valley Fencing Alliance — off the ground, as well as her duties as a referee for national U.S. Fencing tournaments, there wasn't much time for competition. Plus with the closing of her club, Charlottesville Fencing Alliance, she didn't want to compete without a club. However, with the tournament taking place after her finals, she decided she needed to return to competition. "I though about how much I missed the competition," she said. "I decided to enter as an independent, but I really wasn't expecting anything." More: Young fencer living Renaissance life She was able to practice a couple of times before the tournament. Her form was good, but rusty, so she decided to try and figure out her opponents. She won half of her pool bouts, but she wasn't happy with her perfomance. So, she decided to simplify things. "When I got to the eliminations, I just decided to keep it simple — extend your arm and don't overthink," she said. "From then on, I was more relaxed. I felt like I was fencing for fun and I was able to able to start getting my form and actions back." Katzenbach also drew inspiration from her students, whom she teaches in a studio in Staunton. She said it was her students who helped her remember what the sport has meant to her. "It was something to watch them come in knowing nothing about the sport and have them fall in love with it the way I did," she said. "Plus, it's an honor to have them show up every week for class because they want to. Fencing has done so much for me and I wanted to bring that to Augusta County." The tournament wins were a pleasing cap to a grueling, but rewarding final year for her at Piedmont, one she was determined to make a fulfilling one before she transferred to the University of Virginia in the fall. More: Waynesboro fencer giving back with lessons "I was determined to pack as much as I could into the academic year before I started at U.Va.," she said. "Also, there were a lot of resources available at [PVCC] that I wanted to take advantage of." That included a host of academic and leadership conferences. She attended 33 conferences in and out of state in 32 weeks throughout the academic year. Paving the way for most of the conference was a scholarship from Valley Proteins of Winchester that covered the cost of her tuition, books and fees, and paid for leadership conferences she attended. She was one of seven students selected for the statewide program. "What is neat about the Valley Proteins scholarship is that it's geared toward producing community leaders," Katzenbach said. "You have to complete 40 hours of community service each semester and the conferences are places where they hone your leadership and community service skills." “All the extracurriculars at school actually helped me want to do better at school and helped me become more disciplined and encouraged.” Grayson Katzenbach She also helped revive a chapter of Virginia21 at Piedmont. Virginia21 is a political organization that helps college students lobby the state legislature with a nonpartisan approach on proposals affecting college affordability. She was named Virginia21's Commonwealth Leader of the Year at the end of the school year. She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society for students at two-year schools and was the vice president for service at Piedmont's chapter, which meant she oversaw service projects at the college. She completed 300 hours of community service last year and is approaching 200 this year. The crowning honor for Katzenbach was her selection to the All-USA Community College Academic Team. She was one of 20 students from across the nation selected from the honor, and the lone Virginia representative, thanks to her application, which included a series of short essays she composed on her community service, on- and off-campus activities, leadership skills and life goals. Also, because she had the highest score among Virginia nominees on her application, she was named a Coca- Cola New Century Scholar. She earned a $2,000 scholarship for the honor and was recognized for her achievements in April at the Phi Theta Kappa’s Presidents Breakfast in New Orleans. Katzenbach is now ready to step into life at U.Va., where she will major in Sociology with a minor in bioethics, as well as compete as a member of the school's fencing program. She will still be active with her community service and academic groups, but it's a challenge for which she's well prepared. "All the extracurriculars at school actually helped me want to do better at school and helped me become more disciplined and encouraged," she said. "I was able to take the skills I was using in the classroom and utilize them outside the classroom. I was happy to be able to do that."

Art and science join forces for PVCC's 2017-18 arts season opener The Daily Progress staff reports Aug 7, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College will begin its new season of fine arts and performance offerings at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 1 with an evening featuring an engineer turned international juggling champion. Greg Kennedy will bring two aerial dancers and a video projection artist to present “Spherus,” a show that combines circus arts and science to entertain and illustrate principles of physics and geometry. On Monday, PVCC unveiled the 2017-18 season of theater, music, dance, visual arts and workshop events coming to the college’s V. Earl Dickinson Building. The Core Ensemble will be back with two performances blending chamber music, theater and multicultural themes. “Tres Vidas,” set for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21, will examine the accomplishments of Frida Kahlo and two other Latin American women. “Of Ebony Embers: Vignettes of the Harlem Renaissance,” which sets stories of African-American poets, artists and other figures to Harlem jazz band sounds, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17, 2018. Also on the new schedule:i » Tidewater Classical Guitar Orchestra’s classical, soprano and baritone guitars will be in the spotlight at 3 p.m. Nov. 19. » The latest “learning and listening” concert series event from Horace Scruggs and his band, “A View from a Train: Decoding the Stories and Music of the Underground Railroad,” is set for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20. It will examine the hidden messages in song lyrics between 1840 and 1860 that helped people find their way to freedom. » Richmond Ballet returns to PVCC at 7:30 p.m. March 7. » The Charlottesville debut of The Hunts, an indie-folk band that layers harmonies and rhythms, is at 7:30 p.m. April 21. Returning favorites also have spots on the schedule: » Four new visual art exhibitions will display works by local and regional artists, students and faculty members in the PVCC Gallery. Look for art by Judy McLeod, Lisa Parker Hyatt, Mara Sprafkin, Laura Parsons, L. Staiger and James Yates. The season’s first opening reception is set for Sept. 22. (There’s still time to see the Annual Student Exhibition, which will remain on view through Sept. 6.) » “Let There Be Light,” the 11th annual evening of light-themed installations against the dark skies of winter-solstice season, is back from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 8. » PVCC Theatre will present Veterans’ Story Theater on Nov. 18, plus an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” starting Oct. 26 and Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story” opening April 5. Look for a series of free improvisation workshops, too. » PVCC Chorus will present concerts on Dec. 3 and April 29. » Open-mic comedy nights for spoken-word artists return with the “One Mic Stand” series, which kicks off Sept. 7, and Ty Cooper will continue his workshop series for comedy writers on Oct. 20. Third Fridays Improv starts its new season on Sept. 15. » The Student Art Club’s annual Free Movie Fridays series will resume with a screening of “The Big Sick” at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15. Other offerings include the annual Pottery Club Sale on Dec. 2 and a Theater of the Oppressed workshop on Feb. 3. Most events are free. For details and tickets, visit pvcc.edu/performingarts or call the box office at (434) 961-5376.

Lectures for Aug. 8 through Aug. 14 The Daily Progress staff reports Aug 7, 2017 » Senior Statesmen of Virginia will host a forum of Democratic and Republican candidates for lieutenant governor from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the V. Earl Dickinson Building at Piedmont Virginia Community College at 501 College Drive. seniorstatesmen.org. (434) 974-7756.

Former Fluvanna QB Grooms to officiate games this fall BY RON COUNTS Aug 7, 2017 Persistent concussions cut former Fluvanna County quarterback Mark Grooms’ football career short just two games into his senior season, but he couldn’t stay away from the game for long. This season, Grooms is trading in his helmet and mouthpiece for a black-and-white striped shirt and a little yellow flag. The 18-year-old will take the field as a referee for the Piedmont Valley Football Officials Association. “I didn’t know if football was going to continue for me,” said Grooms, who is studying criminal justice at Piedmont Virginia Community College. “I still wanted to be part of the game and this is a way to stay involved.” Grooms always dreamed of coaching and considered picking up a clipboard and whistle this fall for local Little League teams, but he’s been training to earn his stripes all summer and he’ll debut as a referee this week. On Thursday, Grooms will act as field judge as the Louisa County junior varsity team takes on Jefferson Forest in a scrimmage. On Friday, he’ll get a rare preseason varsity gig, acting as back judge as Fluvanna takes on Waynesboro. He’ll spend the first few years of his career working with veteran crews, officiating middle school, junior varsity and Little League games. He’ll eventually work his way up to regular-season varsity games and dreams of one day throwing his flag in an NFL stadium. “I know the game pretty well, and it will be exciting to be on the field again,” Grooms said. “I’ve watched a lot of film and learned a lot, and I feel prepared.” Grooms said he got the idea from longtime local referee and Fluvanna resident Alfred Wilson, whose son, Jameel, is the starting running back at Woodberry Forest. Wilson has officiated games in the Harrisonburg and Charlottesville areas since 2002. Occasionally, he hits the road to call games in one of several in-state Colonial Athletic Association college stadiums. He has known Grooms since he first suited up with his son when they were 9 years old, and Wilson knew the Flucos’ former signal caller’s playing career ended far too soon. “I thought it was terrible to see him lose the chance to do what he loves,” said Wilson, whose day job is to manage a bankruptcy law firm. “I told him, ‘You’re an athlete, you enjoy the game and this is your chance to uplift young players and share your experience.’” Suffering his fourth concussion since his freshman year on a brutal hit during a game last October at Culpeper County, Grooms kept a promise he made to his parents and hung up his cleats. Wilson said officiating is as much more about mentoring than calling penalties. “I talk to the kids on the field just about life most of the time,” Wilson said. “If I see a kid with bad tackling form, I’ll tell him to keep his head up. It’s about making a positive impact in young people’s lives.” Wilson’s advice for young referees? “Knowing the rules isn’t as important early on as knowing where to be on the field and understanding we’re there for safety first,” he said. “Be positive, be patient and enjoy the game,” he continued. “Don’t hurry to throw a flag. When you see something, count to three and make sure you see the whole penalty.”

Life Saving Crew implements use of drones Posted: Monday, August 7, 2017 11:23 am By PETER MASON Star-Tribune Staff Writer The Danville Life Saving Crew (DLSC) has taken another forward step in its attempt to make a speedy rescue of a victim or missing person in an accident by adding the use of drones to its strategy. On Friday, DLSC members gathered at the soccer field at Dan Daniel Memorial Park along with Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor and five members from the county sheriff’s office to give their new tools a test flight. “Our primary function with the drones will be to assist our special operations department in swift water rescue, dive team missions and any type of missing persons,” DLSC assistant director Bryan Fox said. “We’ll work hand to hand with the Danville Police Department and County Sheriff’s Office on missing persons.” According to a press release, five DLSC members spent 40 hours in a ground school for unmanned aerial systems at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC). The coursework helped them learn about the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, flight operations, human factors and radio communications. The course was taught by Piedmont assistant professor Darren Goodbar. Goodbar is also the Unmanned Aerial Systems coordinator of response programs for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Students in the class are required to take a written exam to receive their FAA certification. “It will give us another vantage point in a more timely fashion,” Fox said. “The drones will be able to launch within a matter of minutes instead of having to wait 30 minutes to an hour or more for an actual manned aircraft. This is going to be a much faster response time.” Fox said that DLSC and the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s office are the first organizations in this area of Virginia to use drones to aid in rescue operations. He’s hoping that the drones will eventually be able to fly in rescue supplies to a victim. They will also allow public safety first responders to better evaluate the situation, view the scene from above and get into small areas that may otherwise be difficult for responders to travel safely and quickly. Fox added that the money for the drones came entirely from donations from members of the community. “With the flight ability of the drone we’ll be able to go out, and not only hope to locate the person or item of interest, but we’ll actually be able to mitigate how we’re going to get to them better by having a bird’s eye view of the situation,” Fox said. “From the shore, we’ll see debris or rocks in a river. From overhead, we can change our plan and method of going after them.” Fox stated in the release that DLSC is committed to investing the most up-to-date equipment and training to serve Danville and Pittsylvania County.

Virginia Rescue Group Preps to Bring in Drones Posted by Betsy Lillian -August 7, 2017 Having completed 40 hours of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) ground school at a local college, the Danville Life Saving Crew (DLSC) in Danville, Va., is getting ready to deploy drones to help with search-and-rescue (SAR) operations. According to a release from the DLSC, five members from the SAR group attended courses at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC), where they were prepped for their Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Remote Pilot Certificate exam. The students will take a written exam within 90 days to receive their FAA certification. The PVCC course was taught by Darren Goodbar, assistant professor at PVCC and UAS coordinator of response programs for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. On Friday, July 28, students participated in the field portion of the UAS flight training. The five DLSC members, alongside Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor and five members of his sheriff’s office, showcased their flight skills at Dan Daniel Memorial Park. “We’re really excited. These small unmanned aircraft systems are amazing pieces of technology that will offer us information at emergency scene size-ups that will assist us in deploying our personnel and equipment in a safe and timely manner,” says Scott Campbell, DLSC’s special operations captain. “We’ve been researching and planning for our UAS program for over three years. In the past, we’ve had to rely on helicopters or fixed-wings from other agencies to assist us in our search-and-rescue missions.” DLSC’s assistant director, Bryan Fox, adds, “We are committed to investing in the most up-to-date equipment and training to serve Danville and Pittsylvania County. These small unmanned aerial systems will be utilized during search- and-rescue missions, such as our Swift Water and Dive Team responses. They will also be available for mutual aid request by nearby agencies and state responses.”

Danville Life Saving Crew takes to the skies with drones Ceillie Simkiss Aug 8, 2017 The Danville Life Saving Crew now has some eyes to put in the sky to save lives – it just bought five drones to help with search and rescue missions. The flying craft can hover along lake coves in search of drowning victims or zip through the air in search of missing people. Five members of the crew took an intensive 40 hour class at Piedmont Virginia Community College in July. Two days of that class involved hands-on missions that taught them how to use the devices and keep their people safe. Not only will these drones save lives, they also will keep rescuers out of tricky situations. “We’ve had some near misses in the past of personnel getting injured or equipment getting torn up,” Assistant Executive Director Bryan Fox said Tuesday. “So before we put anybody or any of our equipment in the water, we can get a good, well-rounded view of the entire situation.” The crew has been doing research and planning for this program for more than three years, and was granted money to buy the drones, Special Operations Captain Scott Campbell said in a news release. “I'm thankful for our Board and Crew members who have wholeheartedly supported us in the project,” Campbell said. The drones are heavy on the tech side: they can send images to a smartphone attached to the handset; drop a GPS- marked pin on the map and fly back to its “home” on command; and has a collision avoidance setting. “It’ll actually stop and tell you to change the path to avoid an obstacle,” Fox said. “It will not let you hit the obstacle.” As the drone flies, the camera changes with it. It has a live view, as well as a GPS view. This allows it to mark where a rescue is needed, or where it needs to come back to. It also has a digital zoom and radar built in that helps it to recognize obstacles. If it loses communication with the handset it is preprogrammed to fly back to where it was launched from and land safely. The drone also can take still frame photos and do live video. All five members must take and pass the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Pilot’s Exam, because the crew technically is a corporation. They also must inform the Danville Regional Airport of their plans. “The airport in Danville told us to give them a call and a heads up with what we’re doing and where we are so we don’t interfere with any manned aircraft coming into the regional airport,” Fox said. If the program is as successful as the lifesaving crew hopes, then they will buy some drones that have an added feature – they can drop such equipment as personal flotation devices. Fox plans to have the new drone program completely running within 60 days. Their use will also be available for mutual aid requests from local and state agencies.

Announcements for Aug. 9 through Aug. 15 The Daily Progress staff reports Aug 8, 2017 » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds an information sessions for its culinary arts associate degree programs from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday at Jefferson City School Center at 233 Fourth St. NW. Attendance is required for any new student interested in pursuing an associate of applied science degree in culinary arts. pvcc.edu/culinary. (434) 961-6581. » Piedmont Virginia Community College Financial Aid Office offers assistance to current and prospective students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 17. 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/finaid. (855) 877-3941. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Veterans Education and Transition Services sessions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 17 and 24 for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282. » Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Getting Started information sessions for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Northside Library, from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday at Crozet Library and from 6 to 7 p.m. Aug. 17 at Scottsville Library. Additional sessions will take place later this month. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275. » Piedmont Virginia Community College offers a Student Orientation, Advising and Registration session for prospective students. The free sessions are required for 2017 high school and homeschool graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students interested in pursuing a degree or certificate beginning with the fall 2017 semester. Participants will receive help with registering for classes and learn about PVCC resources and student services. The final SOAR session is held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday. 501 College Drive. pvcc.com/soar. (434) 961-6581. » Senior Statesmen of Virginia will present a forum of Democratic and Republican candidates for lieutenant governor from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Wednesday in the V. Earl Dickinson Building at Piedmont Virginia Community College at 501 College Drive. seniorstatesmen.org. (434) 974-7756.

Danville Life Saving Crew takes to the skies with drones By Ceillie Simkiss Danville Register & Bee Aug 9, 2017 DANVILLE — The Danville Life Saving Crew now has some eyes to put in the sky through five drones it purchased to help with search and rescue missions. The flying craft can hover along lake coves or zip through the air in search of missing people. Five members of the crew took an intensive 40 hour class at Piedmont Virginia Community College in July. Two days of that class involved hands-on missions that taught them how to use the devices. Not only will these drones help save lives, they also will help keep rescuers out of tricky situations. “We’ve had some near misses in the past of personnel getting injured, or equipment getting torn up,” Assistant Executive Director Bryan Fox said Tuesday. “So before we put anybody or any of our equipment in the water, we can get a good, well-rounded view of the entire situation.” The crew has been doing research and planning for this program for more than three years and was granted money to buy the drones, Special Operations Captain Scott Campbell said in a news release. “I’m thankful for our board and crew members who have wholeheartedly supported us in the project,” Campbell said. The drones are heavy on the tech side: they can send images to a smartphone attached to the handset; drop a GPS- marked pin on the map and fly back to its “home” on command; and have a collision avoidance setting.

“It’ll actually stop and tell you to change the path to avoid an obstacle,” Fox said. “It will not let you hit the obstacle.” As the drone flies, the camera changes with it. It has a live view as well as a GPS view. This allows it to mark where a rescue is needed, or where it needs to come back to. If it loses communication with the handset it is preprogrammed to fly back to where it was launched and land safely. The drone can also take still photos and provide live video. All five members must take and pass the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Pilot’s Exam, because the crew is technically a corporation. They must also inform the Danville Regional Airport of their plans. “The airport in Danville told us to give them a call and a heads up with what we’re doing and where we are so we don’t interfere with any manned aircraft coming into the regional airport,” Fox said. If the program is as successful as the lifesaving crew hopes, then they will buy some drones that have an added feature — they can drop equipment such as personal flotation devices. Fox plans to have the new drone program running within 60 days. Their use will also be available for mutual aid requests from local and state agencies.

Wednesday: Lt. Governor Debate With Jill Vogel and Justin Fairfax LYNN R. MITCHELL / August 8, 2017 Virginia Lieutenant Governor candidates Jill Holtzman Vogel and Justin Fairfax are set to participate in a debate on Wednesday, August 9, at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Bearing Drift’s Rick Sincere will be on site to cover the event. Bob Gibson of the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service will moderate the event that is sponsored by the Senior Statesmen of Virginia and PVCC. It is open to the public, and will include questions submitted by the audience. Republican Vogel, 46, and Democrat Fairfax, 38, won their respective party primaries in June. Vogel would be Virginia’s first woman to hold the position. Fairfax would be the second African American lieutenant governor, following Democrat Doug Wilder who won in 1986 and then went on to become Virginia’s first African American governor in 1990. Both Vogel and Fairfax are attorneys. Jill Vogel, a Virginia state senator since 2008, is managing partner of a law firm and has served as chief counsel for the Republican National Committee since 2004. The mom of five children, her husband is also an attorney who is managing partner of the corporate research firm VogelHood Research. Vogel’s father is Shenandoah Valley businessman and philanthropist William Holtzman who built a small oil distribution company into Holtzman Corporation, a regional gas, oil, construction, and food conglomerate that includes the familiar red, white, and blue Liberty gas stations. A fun fact about the Vogels is that they purchased a 25,000-square-foot Georgian-style mansion and 283 acres in Upperville from the Bunny Mellon estate in 2015. Justin Fairfax, who has been called a rising star by his party, is a litigator with Tysons Corner law firm Venable LLP. He ran for attorney general in 2013 when Democrats narrowly went for Mark Herring who won win the general election and is running for reelection. Fairfax was class president of his Catholic high school and a member of the National Honor Society who went on to attend Duke University, where he graduated with a degree in Public Policy Studies, and Columbia Law School, where he was selected for the Columbia Law Review. He is a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and served as deputy of the Major Crimes & Narcotics Unit, and is currently a member of the Human Trafficking Task Force. His wife, a dentist, operates her own Fairfax County dental practice. The couple have two children. A fun fact: His campaign chairman was also the chairman of U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine’s successful runs for governor in 2005 and U.S. Senate in 2012. Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor, often seen as a stepping stone position for governor, is first in line of succession should the governor not be able to serve. It is a part-time job that basically requires presiding over the state Senate, and to break tie votes. In addition, the lieutenant governor serves on the Board of Trustees of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and the Center for Rural Virginia; the Board of Directors of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Virginia Tourism Authority; the Virginia Military Advisory Council, the Commonwealth Preparedness Council, and the Council on Virginia’s Future. There is no limit to the number of terms that can be served as lieutenant governor. If you’re going: Date: Wednesday, August 9 Time: 1:30-3:00 p.m. Place: Piedmont Virginia Community College, Dickinson Auditorium

COMMUNITY EVENT Senior Statesmen of Virginia: Lieutenant Governor Candidates Forum Wednesday, August 09 1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. Lieutenant Governor Candidates Forum The Senior Statesmen of Virginia, in conjunction with Piedmont Virginia Community College, will host a forum of the two candidates for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 1:30 to 3:00 P.M. on Wednesday, August 9.

The forum will be held at Dickinson Auditorium on the PVCC campus, 501 College Drive, Charlottesville 22902.

The candidates are Republican Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel of Fauquier County and Democrat Mr. Justin Fairfax of Fairfax County. The forum will be moderated by Bob Gibson. Bob is a long-time political writer, columnist and editor at The [Charlottesville] Daily Progress. He is now with the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.

The format will be: introductions by the moderator; opening statements by the candidates; questions submitted in writing by members of the audience; and closing statements by the candidates. LOCATION Piedmont Virginia Community College 501 College Drive Charlottesville VA, 22902

Lieutenant Governor Candidates Taking Part in Forum at PVCC Wednesday, August 9, 2017 The candidates vying to be Virginia’s next lieutenant governor are taking part in a forum at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Republican Jill Vogel and Democrat Justin Fairfax are expected to discuss topics ranging from the commonwealth’s economy to healthcare and Medicaid expansion. The Senior Statesman of Virginia Lt. Governors Forum is scheduled to go from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday, August 9.

Virginia Politics Aug. 9, 2017 Much-lampooned ultrasound bill revived in race for Va. lieutenant governor CHARLOTTESVILLE — Democrat Justin Fairfax used an infamous Virginia antiabortion bill to go after Republican Jill Holtzman Vogel on Wednesday, when the two rivals for lieutenant governor faced off at a candidate forum. Vogel, a state senator from Fauquier County, sponsored a 2012 bill that would have required most women who get abortions to first undergo a vaginal ultrasound. “Senator Vogel wants to take government out of everybody’s life [but] Senator Vogel sponsored the invasive ultrasound bill that forces women to have invasive ultrasounds,” said Fairfax, a former federal prosecutor. “I can’t think of a more intrusive thing that a government can do. . . . That made Virginia a laughingstock with late-night shows.” The comment set off one of the sharpest exchanges of their 90-minute appearance at Piedmont Virginia Community College, with Vogel declaring, “The attacks that he just levied are 100 percent false.” Fairfax, who also criticized Vogel’s conduct in a mudslinging GOP primary, shot back: “Facts are not attacks.” Fairfax and Vogel are fighting for a part-time, low-profile post with just two constitutionally mandated duties: presiding over the state Senate (and breaking certain tie votes) and taking over if the governor is incapacitated or leaves office. Moderator Bob Gibson, communications director of the University of Virginia’s Cooper Center for Public Service, listed a third duty: “Running for governor. They all do, and the winner will.” Virginia’s lieutenant governorship often serves as a steppingstone in a state in which the governor’s mansion turns over every four years. Almost every lieutenant governor in modern history has run for governor, including the Democratic incumbent, Ralph Northam. He faces former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie in November. The lieutenant governor’s office has become more powerful in its own right in recent years, with a closely divided Senate producing more ties to break. The GOP has a 21-to-19 edge in the chamber. A Virginia Commonwealth University poll released this week had Fairfax up, 43 to 38. But Vogel had the advantage in the latest campaign finance reports, raising $1.8 million to Fairfax’s $1.3 million. [Poll shows Northam with slight edge over Gillespie in Virginia governor’s race] Fairfax and Vogel came face-to-face at the forum — sponsored by the college and by the public affairs nonprofit Senior Statesmen of Virginia — that was not technically a debate but still allowed them to tangle. Vogel opposed new restrictions on guns, while Fairfax called for universal background checks. Vogel said she opposed changing Virginia’s no-limits campaign finance rules, saying caps would restrict speech. Fairfax noted a $600,000 donation Vogel received from a relative. That relative was her father, William B. Holtzman, founder of Holtzman Oil Corp. Fairfax said he supports limits so that wealthy interests “do not drown out other people’s voices.” Vogel said cities and towns should not be allowed to “erase history” by removing Confederate monuments. Fairfax said localities should have the option. Both agreed that climate change is real, that Virginia needs nonpartisan redistricting and that employers should have to check workers’ immigration status. Fairfax, who narrowly lost the 2013 primary for attorney general to Mark R. Herring, said he would focus on the economy. He repeatedly credited the state’s high job growth and low unemployment rate to outgoing Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), Northam and Herring, who is seeking reelection. Vogel billed herself as an experienced legislator who has crossed party lines to fight for nonpartisan issues, such as helping families with autism. She noted that she has bucked her party on a number of issues — by opposing uranium mining, for instance, and by supporting gay rights, medical marijuana and nonpartisan redistricting. She indicated that she would not support further restrictions on abortion rights. “I am not running to take anybody’s rights away,” she said while discussing women’s health care. When Fairfax invoked her 2012 abortion bill to attack that notion, Vogel pushed back hard. “There was nothing in that bill that forced them to do anything against their will,” she said, a claim she based on the fact that abortion providers typically perform ultrasounds with or without a government mandate. “It was simply an informed consent bill.” As originally proposed, Vogel’s bill would have required that women undergoing abortions first submit to an ultrasound and that they be offered an opportunity to view the image. The bill did not specifically mandate a vaginal ultrasound, but that would have been the effect in most cases because most abortions occur early in pregnancy, when the fetus is too small to be seen via abdominal ultrasound. “Saturday Night Live” and late-night comics lampooned the measure, and Vogel eventually withdrew it. A House version was eventually passed but was amended to require an abdominal ultrasound — although in most cases, the test will not produce an image. Then-Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) signed it into law.

In First LG Forum, Will Jill Vogel Apologize For Transvaginal Ultrasound Bill? By lowkell - August 9, 2017 From Progress Virginia: In First LG Forum, Will Vogel Apologize For Transvaginal Ultrasound Bill? Charlottesville, VA—When Justin Fairfax and Jill Vogel face off in their first forum of the Lieutenant Governor’s race Wednesday, Vogel will have yet another opportunity to apologize for her sponsorship of the infamous transvaginal ultrasound bill. In 2012, State Senator Vogel introduced SB484, requiring a woman who decided to have an abortion to undergo an additional waiting period and ultrasound before she could proceed with the procedure. In debates on the Senate floor, doctor and then-State Senator Ralph Northam revealed the bill’s ultrasound requirement would mandate an invasive, transvaginal ultrasound regardless of a physician’s medical advice or a woman’s preference. In the face of massive state and federal criticism, Vogel struck the bill. However, the damage was already done—the legislature approved and Governor Bob McDonnell signed a revised version of the bill carried by Delegate Kathy Byron that requires a woman to undergo an additional 24 hour waiting period and mandated ultrasound, even when not medically indicated or useful. Vogel’s transvaginal ultrasound proposal kicked off a wave off proposals for similar restrictions across the country and turned Virginia’s legislature into fodder for late night comedy shows. “Jill Vogel was the chief architect of outrageous attacks on women’s reproductive rights in the Virginia State Senate, including sponsoring the extreme transvaginal ultrasound bill,” said Progress Virginia executive director Anna Scholl. “In fact, since 2010, Vogel and her GOP colleagues in the Virginia General Assembly have introduced over 85 restrictions on women’s access to reproductive care. Wednesday, Vogel has an opportunity to apologize to women and our families for leading attacks on our basic rights and turning our state into a national laughingstock. We need to know it will never happen again.” Vogel’s SB484 instigated backlash across Virginia. Over 1,200 women descended on Capitol Square to stage a silent protest. Thirty-one protestors were arrested after staging a sit-in on the Capitol steps and being surrounded by police in riot gear. Vogel’s legislation reached national infamy and was ridiculed on Saturday Night Live and the Daily Show. Vogel and Democratic nominee Justin Fairfax will appear Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Senior Statesmen Forum at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville.

Rivals for Lieutenant Governor appear at PVCC (CHARLOTTESVILLE – WINA) The rivals in this year’s contest for Lieutenant Governor visited Albemarle County Wednesday for a debate at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Republican State Senator Jill Vogel of Fauquier County has helped to derail outgoing Governor Terry McAuliffe’s proposals to expand Virginia’s Medicaid program. Vogel views the current Governor’s persistent push to expand Medicaid as a “budget buster”. but Democrat Justin Fairfax says McAuliffe made the right call. Fairfax believes a Medicaid expansion would help low-income families and Virginia’s most rural hospitals. Fairfax has also been questioning Vogel’s 2013 vote against a transportation package that cleared both chambers of the General Assembly. Vogel says she voted against the final version because her fellow lawmakers had not taken all of the politics out of road funding decisions. The two candidates were guests of the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. That organization is planning other public events before the November 7th general election. On dates that are closer to election day, the Senior Statesmen will hear from candidates for the House of Delegates, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors, and the County School Board.

Much-lampooned ultrasound bill revived in race for Virginia lieutenant governor WEDNESDAY , AUGUST 09, 2017 - 5:29 PM (c) 2017, The Washington Post. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Democrat Justin Fairfax used an infamous Virginia antiabortion bill to go after Republican Jill Vogel on Wednesday, when the two rivals for lieutenant governor faced off at a candidate forum. Vogel, a state senator from Fauquier County, sponsored a 2012 bill that would have required most women who get abortions to first undergo a vaginal ultrasound. “Senator Vogel wants to take government out of everybody’s life [but] Senator Vogel sponsored the invasive ultrasound bill that forces women to have invasive ultrasounds,” said Fairfax, a former federal prosecutor. “I can’t think of a more intrusive thing that a government can do. . . . That made Virginia a laughingstock with late-night shows.” The comment set off one of the sharpest exchanges of their 90-minute appearance at Piedmont Virginia Community College, with Vogel declaring, “The attacks that he just levied are 100 percent false.” Fairfax, who also criticized Vogel’s conduct in a mudslinging GOP primary, shot back: “Facts are not attacks.” Fairfax and Vogel are fighting for a part-time, low-profile post with just two constitutionally mandated duties: presiding over the state Senate (and breaking certain tie votes) and taking over if the governor is incapacitated or leaves office. Moderator Bob Gibson, communications director of the University of Virginia’s Cooper Center for Public Service, listed a third duty: “Running for governor. They all do, and the winner will.” Virginia’s lieutenant governorship often serves as a steppingstone in a state in which the governor’s mansion turns over every four years. Almost every lieutenant governor in modern history has run for governor, including the Democratic incumbent, Ralph Northam. He faces former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie in November. The lieutenant governor’s office has become more powerful in its own right in recent years, with a closely divided Senate producing more ties to break. The GOP has a 21-19 edge in the chamber. A Virginia Commonwealth University poll released this week had Fairfax up, 43 to 38. But Vogel had the advantage in the latest campaign finance reports, raising $1.8 million to Fairfax’s $1.3 million. Fairfax and Vogel came face-to-face at the forum - sponsored by the college and by the public affairs nonprofit Senior Statesmen of Virginia - that was not technically a debate but still allowed them to tangle. Vogel opposed new restrictions on guns, while Fairfax called for universal background checks. Vogel said she opposed changing Virginia’s no-limits campaign finance rules, saying caps would restrict speech. Fairfax noted a $600,000 donation Vogel received from a relative. That relative was her father, William Holtzman, founder of Holtzman Oil. Fairfax said he supports limits so that wealthy interests “do not drown out other people’s voices.” Vogel said cities and town should not be allowed to “erase history” by removing Confederate monuments. Fairfax said localities should have the option. Both agreed that climate change is real, that Virginia needs nonpartisan redistricting and that employers should have to check workers’ immigration status. Fairfax, who narrowly lost the 2013 primary for attorney general to Mark Herring, said he would focus on the economy. He repeatedly credited the state’s high job growth and low unemployment rate to outgoing Gov. Terry McAuliffe , D, Northam and Herring, who is seeking reelection. Vogel billed herself as an experienced legislator who has crossed party lines to fight for nonpartisan issues, such as helping families with autism. She noted that she has bucked her party on a number of issues - by opposing uranium mining, for instance, and by supporting gay rights, medical marijuana and nonpartisan redistricting. She indicated that she would not support further restrictions on abortion rights. “I am not running to take anybody’s rights away,” she said while discussing women’s health care. When Fairfax invoked her 2012 abortion bill to attack that notion, Vogel pushed back hard. “There was nothing in that bill that forced them to do anything against their will,” she said, a claim she based on the fact that abortion providers typically perform ultrasounds with or without a government mandate. “It was simply an informed consent bill.” As originally proposed, Vogel’s bill would have required that women undergoing abortions first submit to an ultrasound and that they be offered an opportunity to view the image. The bill did not specifically mandate a vaginal ultrasound, but that would have been the effect in most cases because most abortions occur early in pregnancy, when the fetus is too small to be seen via abdominal ultrasound. “Saturday Night Live” and late-night comics lampooned the measure, and Vogel eventually withdrew it. A House version was eventually passed but was amended to require an abdominal ultrasound - although in most cases, the test will not produce an image. Then-Gov. Robert McDonnell , R, signed it into law.

Lieutenant Governor Candidates Taking Part in Forum at PVCC Posted: Aug 09, 2017 9:51 AM EDT ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - The candidates vying to be Virginia’s next lieutenant governor are taking part in a forum at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Republican Jill Vogel and Democrat Justin Fairfax discussed topics ranging from the commonwealth’s economy to healthcare and Medicaid expansion. Vogel and Fairfax both agreed on the importance of adding jobs and supporting small business. The candidates also spoke about the upcoming Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville’s Emancipation Park on Saturday, August 12. The rally is said to be in support of the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, which sits in the park. Earlier this year, the Charlottesville City Council voted 3-2 to remove the statue. The council later unanimously approved changing the park’s name from Lee Park to Emancipation Park. Vogel said that history cannot be rewritten, and that it is important to protect monuments so that future generations can adequately learn Virginia's history. “It would be, in my mind, absolutely ill-advised to take a penny of tax dollars to go around and take down monuments when we should be directing those tax dollars to more historic preservation,” she said. Fairfax calls the Confederate statue hurtful and divisive, and says that history can be told without these monuments front and center in the public's eye. “I’m someone who wouldn’t mandate, tell localities what they should and should not do with these particular monuments. In my personal opinion, I don’t believe they belong in the public square,” he said. Vogel and Fairfax also stand on opposite sides of natural gas pipelines in the state. “I believe that it’s our obligation to allow for renewable energy in the commonwealth of Virginia, and one way you do that is by having clean burning natural gas,” Vogel said. “Based on the information that I have seen, I don’t know that the case has been made for those pipelines,” said Fairfax. The Senior Statesman of Virginia Lt. Governors Forum is scheduled to go from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday, August 9.

Lt. Gov candidates find common ground on climate change, differ on women’s health BY MICHAEL BRAGG Aug 9, 2017 Democrat Justin Fairfax and Republican Jill Vogel faced off in their first debate in the race for lieutenant governor Wednesday with less than three months until the election. Their discussion, which was sponsored by the Senior Statesman of Virginia and held at Piedmont Virginia Community College, covered a number of topics, such as women’s health, climate change, campaign finance and Confederate monuments across Virginia. Fairfax is a former federal prosecutor and Vogel is a state senator from Fauquier County. On the subject of women’s health and reproductive rights, Fairfax advocated for more choice and freedom. He also referenced an ultrasound bill Vogel sponsored in 2012 that received severe backlash. The legislation, Senate Bill 484, would have forced women to submit to an ultrasound before getting an abortion, the Richmond Times Dispatch reported. Vogel eventually withdrew the legislation after what she said were hyper-partisan attacks. “I can assure you that there was nothing in that bill that took any rights away from women or forced them to do anything against their will,” she said. “It was simply an informed consent bill, but all the partisan rhetoric around this issue was so offensive, and frankly so offensive to me, I withdrew the bill. Vogel frequently reiterated afterward that she’s not running for lieutenant governor to take away anyone’s rights, “period.” She also stated she is for expanding choice and rights with respect to women’s health. Both candidates agreed that climate change is real and would be a real threat to Virginia if not addressed. Vogel said sea level rise poses a national security threat, as well. “It has an enormous impact on our military, and I have met with representatives from the military to try to have a discussion about what we can do in partnership,” she said. “It is critical that we make this a priority and make certain that we are directing the resources that we can to the communities that need it most, to address changes that are going to be necessary for infrastructure and support those communities now before it is too late.” One question submitted by the audience asked if either candidate would support limits on campaign finance in Virginia. Vogel said limits should not be imposed, as campaign contributions are a matter of free speech. Fairfax said he is in favor of limits, and that taking unlimited money out of politics would allow more people to participate in the democratic process. “I think that actually hurts democracy rather than helps it,” he said. The two candidates also differed on Confederate statues. Vogel said she believes history needs to be taught and not erased, and that the significance of the monuments is critical to both Virginian and American history. She also said she does not believe taxpayer money should go toward destroying or erasing historic monuments. Fairfax said that the statues and other monuments of the Confederacy have different meanings to different people, and that these decisions are best left to the localities. “There are different histories and different lived experiences with these monuments, and you can't simply say because it doesn't affect you it doesn't affect everybody else,” he said. “It looks at a very divisive and divided time in the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia. I believe the localities are doing a thoughtful job about how they are going to handle monuments in their particular jurisdictions, as it should be.” A recent poll from Virginia Commonwealth University found Fairfax ahead of Vogel with 43 percent support among likely voters, compared to 38 percent for Vogel. Fifteen percent of likely voters polled were undecided. The poll was conducted by VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs from the middle to end of July. Fairfax won the Democratic Primary against two opponents with 49 percent of the vote and 252,226 votes total. Vogel won a close race with nearly 43 percent and 151,880 votes. Bob Gibson of the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service said the tone of the debate was civil. “I think they didn't really attack each other, they attacked each other's positions as appropriate,” he said. “And I think they each represent a huge part of their political party, so they are sort of running what today would be called positive campaigns.” Another lieutenant governor candidate debate is expected in September, but no other details have been announced yet, Lauren Zehyoue, spokeswoman for Fairfax’s campaign, said. Senior Statesmen of Virginia will hold a forum for two local House of Delegates races next month. The group will host 25th District candidates Del. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, and Democrat Angela Lynn on Sept. 13 at the Senior Center starting at 1:30 p.m. That forum will be followed by another featuring 58th District candidates Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, and Democrat Kellen Squire at 2:30 p.m. The election is Nov. 7, and the deadline to register to vote is Oct. 16. More information can be found at elections.virginia.gov.

Justin Fairfax and Jill Vogel spar in first debate for LG By PATRICK WILSON Richmond Times-Dispatch Aug 9, 2017 CHARLOTTESVILLE — Democrat Justin Fairfax and Republican Jill Holtzman Vogel, both politically ambitious lawyers and polished public speakers, disagreed on issues of guns, taxes and immigration on Wednesday in their first debate in the race for lieutenant governor. They did not mention President Donald Trump and remained civil during aggressive back-and-forth on issues, particularly abortion, with Fairfax attacking Vogel’s record and the GOP while pitching Virginia’s Democrats as the party of economic growth. Vogel promoted her experience as a state senator and her willingness to work with Democrats and part ways with her own party. Fairfax, of Fairfax County, and Vogel, a state senator from Fauquier County, spent 90 minutes on stage at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Senior Statesmen of Virginia, a senior citizens group, sponsored the debate. In Virginia, a part-time lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate and breaks tie votes on most issues, and fills in if the governor is out of commission. “There is a third, more traditional part of the job of lieutenant governor, and that involves running for governor. They all do, and the winner will,” said debate moderator Bob Gibson, communications director and senior researcher at the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. Fairfax is a former federal prosecutor who ran for attorney general in 2013, losing the Democratic primary by about 4,500 votes to Mark R. Herring, who went on to win the general election and is now running for re-election. “We need to focus on growing Virginia’s economy,” Fairfax said. “We have had some great success over the past four years under the leadership of Gov. Terry McAuliffe, and Lieutenant Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring. “We have a lot that we can celebrate about those four years. Unemployment has gone down from 5.4 percent when they took office to today 3.7 percent. They’ve been able to create 200,000 new jobs in the commonwealth of Virginia and bring about $16 billion in additional capital investment.” Fairfax said the parties offer two stark choices, and the Democrats want to continue positive, economically focused politics. “The other vision that we have seen is one based on divisive partisanship, personal attacks on political opponents, dragging our political process down into the mud,” he said. Vogel emerged from a personally contentious primary campaign against fellow state Sen. Bryce E. Reeves of Spotsylvania County, in which Reeves accused her of orchestrating an anonymous email that falsely accused him of having an affair with an aide, and threatened to sue her and her husband. Vogel denied the allegation and said she was the victim of a political stunt. Vogel is a former deputy general counsel at the U.S. Department of Energy who started her own law firm, which handles campaign finance and ethics law. She has been a senator for 10 years. She disputed Fairfax’s glowing report of Virginia’s economy — a debate that is being echoed in the race for governor between Democrat Ralph S. Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie. “Virginia used to be the best place to raise a child, best place to be an entrepreneur, best place to start a business, and best tax climate,” she said. “We’re now ranked 33rd in the nation in terms of tax climate. ... More people are leaving Virginia than coming to Virginia.” She said her goals are making health care affordable, fighting for children and women’s health and against domestic violence, pushing for reform of Virginia’s tax brackets and fighting for the environment and agriculture. She said she was proud this year to help get raises for police and sheriff’s deputies without raising taxes. “Experience matters. I have spent so much of my time and effort and energy focused on making Virginia a well-managed state, on constituent service and most of all fixing things,” she said. “I don’t want to fight about it. I would just like to fix them. And I have had an extraordinary opportunity to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.” She said she would govern “with principle over party. ... I am never afraid to break with my party when it’s the right thing to do.” One example, she said, was supporting reforms to the way Virginia’s lawmakers draw legislative district lines. Currently, state lawmakers draw their own district lines and the party in power does so in partisan fashion to increase its strength and electoral chances. Both Vogel and Fairfax want reform of that process. They also agreed Wednesday on the importance of prioritizing responses to climate change and sea level rise. They have divergent views on many other issues. Guns Fairfax said he would be willing to consider requiring insurance for gun ownership, wants universal background checks and a return to Virginia’s one-handgun-a-month law. Gov. Bob McDonnell signed a repeal of the law in 2012. “I am not running for lieutenant governor to take anybody’s rights away in any category,” Vogel responded. “Justin is from D.C., where they have the strictest gun laws almost anywhere in the country and yet they have among the highest levels of gun violence.” Fairfax responded that cities like Washington, where he grew up, and Chicago have a pipeline of guns that originate from states with lax gun laws. Vogel said she does not support in-state tuition rates for Virginia students who are not legal citizens. She said there are a finite number of college slots available and should be saved for students who are legal residents. Fairfax said in-state tuition should be made available to children of illegal immigrants who are here through no fault of their own. Taxes Fairfax said Vogel was wrong to vote against McDonnell’s 2013 plan that raised certain taxes to fund transportation improvements. “This was a bipartisan bill with a Republican governor,” he said. “That bill was passed and signed by the governor but Senator Vogel voted no.” For the first time in years, the state put serious investment into roads and bridges, he said. “You say you’re for infrastructure investment. When you had a chance to do it, you did not do it.” Vogel responded: “I don’t know a single time since I’ve been in the Senate that somebody’s come to me and said, ‘Please raise my taxes.’ ” Vogel has taken a pledge from the group Americans for Tax Reform to never vote to raise taxes. Fairfax said he would not make a pledge to an outside group that doesn’t have Virginians’ interests at heart. Vogel said she opposes allowing localities to move Confederate monuments, a topic of current debate in Charlottesville, Richmond and other places across the South. Fairfax said localities should decide, because the monuments mean different things to different people. Campaign finance Fairfax said he would support limits on campaign donations in Virginia, which are currently uncapped. He noted that Vogel’s father — William B. Holtzman, founder of the fuel distributor Holtzman Oil Corp. — has given her hundreds of thousands for her run and said no one person should have that much influence. Vogel said that capping campaign donations would limit the ability of people to participate and noted that the Democrats are generally the benefactors of deep-pocketed contributors like former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Abortion The candidates spent considerable time on abortion, where Fairfax sought to put Vogel on the defensive over legislation she sponsored — and then dropped — in 2012 that would require women getting abortions to submit to an ultrasound. “Senator Vogel said that she wants to take government out of everyone’s life,” he said. But she “sponsored the invasive ultrasound bill that forces women to have mandatory ultrasounds, and this would have forced them to have invasive ultrasounds. I can’t think of a more intrusive thing that a government can do.” The legislation made Virginia a laughingstock on late-night television shows, he said. “The attacks that he just levied against me on that bill are 100 percent false and he knows that,” Vogel said. “There was nothing in that bill that took any rights away from women or forced them to do anything against their will.” The partisan rhetoric around the issue was so offensive, she said, that she withdrew the bill. “I have been a hardcore advocate for women and women’s health.” Fairfax said Vogel was “saying one thing and doing another.” “Facts are not attacks,” Fairfax said. “ As then-Sen. Ralph Northam told you on the Senate floor — there is videotape of this exchange — that (bill) would have required certain women, depending on what point they were in their pregnancy, to have an invasive ultrasound forced by the state.” Both Fairfax and Vogel are rising stars in their parties and a victory in November would put either of them on a platform to make an eventual run for governor. Should Vogel win, she would become Virginia’s first female lieutenant governor and the second woman elected to statewide office in Virginia, following former Attorney General Mary Sue Terry. Should Fairfax win, he would become the second African-American to be elected lieutenant governor in Virginia, following L. Douglas Wilder, who later became the nation’s first elected black governor.

Art events (for the week of 08.10.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Aug 9, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

PVCC to Open Nurse Aide Training Program in Ivy Posted: Aug 09, 2017 Release from Piedmont Virginia Community College:

(Charlottesville, Va.) – Piedmont Virginia Community College Division of Workforce Services, in partnership with Commonwealth Care Group, announces the opening of a new training location in the Weedon Professional Center at 2421 Ivy Road, Suite 110, Charlottesville, VA 22903. The new PVCC-Ivy location will host evening/weekend Nurse Aide trainings beginning in September.

The 136-hour, state-approved Nurse Aide training program prepares students to take the Virginia exam to become a certified nurse aide (CNA). Classes are Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., September 11 through November 10.

PVCC’s Workforce Services will hold information sessions for the Nurse Aide Program on Monday, Aug. 14, at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. in room 131 of the Stultz Center for Business and Career Development on PVCC’s Main Campus. Registration for an information session is required. Call 434.961.5354 to register.

To learn more about PVCC Workforce Services’ Nurse Aide Program at PVCC-Ivy or PVCC Jefferson School Center, visit www.pvcc.edu/workforce, or contact JoAnna Collins, nurse aide program coordinator, at [email protected].

Lt. Gov candidates find common ground on climate change, differ on women’s health Aug. 10, 2017 Democrat Justin Fairfax and Republican Jill Vogel confronted off of their first debate within the race for lieutenant governor Wednesday with lower than three months till the election. Their dialogue, which was sponsored by the Senior Statesman of Virginia and held at Piedmont Virginia Community College, coated a variety of subjects, corresponding to women’s health, climate change, marketing campaign finance and Confederate monuments throughout Virginia. Fairfax is a former federal prosecutor and Vogel is a state senator from Fauquier County. On the topic of women’s health and reproductive rights, Fairfax advocated for extra selection and freedom. He additionally referenced an ultrasound invoice Vogel sponsored in 2012 that acquired extreme backlash. The laws, Senate Bill 484, would have pressured women to undergo an ultrasound earlier than getting an abortion, the Richmond Times Dispatch reported. Vogel ultimately withdrew the laws after what she stated have been hyper-partisan assaults. “I can assure you that there was nothing in that bill that took any rights away from women or forced them to do anything against their will,” she stated. “It was merely an knowledgeable consent invoice, however all of the partisan rhetoric round this concern was so offensive, and admittedly so offensive to me, I withdrew the invoice. Vogel steadily reiterated afterward that she’s not operating for lieutenant governor to remove anybody’s rights, “interval.” She additionally said she is for increasing selection and rights with respect to women’s health. Both candidates agreed that climate change is actual and can be an actual menace to Virginia if not addressed. Vogel stated sea degree rise poses a nationwide safety menace, as properly. “It has an enormous impact on our military, and I have met with representatives from the military to try to have a discussion about what we can do in partnership,” she stated. “It is critical that we make this a priority and make certain that we are directing the resources that we can to the communities that need it most, to address changes that are going to be necessary for infrastructure and support those communities now before it is too late.” One query submitted by the viewers requested if both candidate would help limits on marketing campaign finance in Virginia. Vogel stated limits shouldn’t be imposed, as marketing campaign contributions are a matter of free speech. Fairfax stated he’s in favor of limits, and that taking limitless cash out of politics would permit extra individuals to take part within the democratic course of. “I think that actually hurts democracy rather than helps it,” he stated. The two candidates additionally differed on Confederate statues. Vogel stated she believes historical past must be taught and never erased, and that the importance of the monuments is essential to each Virginian and American historical past. She additionally stated she doesn’t consider taxpayer cash ought to go towards destroying or erasing historic monuments. Fairfax stated that the statues and different monuments of the Confederacy have totally different meanings to totally different individuals, and that these selections are greatest left to the localities. “There are different histories and different lived experiences with these monuments, and you can’t simply say because it doesn’t affect you it doesn’t affect everybody else,” he stated. “It looks at a very divisive and divided time in the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia. I believe the localities are doing a thoughtful job about how they are going to handle monuments in their particular jurisdictions, as it should be.” A current ballot from Virginia Commonwealth University discovered Fairfax forward of Vogel with 43 % help amongst possible voters, in comparison with 38 % for Vogel. Fifteen % of probably voters polled have been undecided. The ballot was carried out by VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs from the center to finish of July. Fairfax gained the Democratic Primary towards two opponents with 49 % of the vote and 252,226 votes complete. Vogel gained an in depth race with almost 43 % and 151,880 votes. Bob Gibson of the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service stated the tone of the talk was civil. “I think they didn’t really attack each other, they attacked each other’s positions as appropriate,” he stated. “And I think they each represent a huge part of their political party, so they are sort of running what today would be called positive campaigns.” Another lieutenant governor candidate debate is predicted in September, however no different particulars have been introduced but, Lauren Zehyoue, spokeswoman for Fairfax’s marketing campaign, stated. Senior Statesmen of Virginia will maintain a discussion board for 2 native House of Delegates races subsequent month. The group will host 25th District candidates Del. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, and Democrat Angela Lynn on Sept. 13 on the Senior Center beginning at 1:30 p.m. That discussion board can be adopted by one other that includes 58th District candidates Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, and Democrat Kellen Squire at 2:30 p.m. The election is Nov. 7, and the deadline to register to vote is Oct. 16. More info could be discovered at elections.virginia.gov.

Much-lampooned ultrasound bill revived in race for Virginia lieutenant governor Laura Vozzella, The Washington Post Published 7:33 a.m. ET Aug. 10, 2017 CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Democrat Justin Fairfax used an infamous Virginia antiabortion bill to go after Republican Jill Vogel on Wednesday, when the two rivals for lieutenant governor faced off at a candidate forum. Vogel, a state senator from Fauquier County, sponsored a 2012 bill that would have required most women who get abortions to first undergo a vaginal ultrasound. "Senator Vogel wants to take government out of everybody's life [but] Senator Vogel sponsored the invasive ultrasound bill that forces women to have invasive ultrasounds," said Fairfax, a former federal prosecutor. "I can't think of a more intrusive thing that a government can do. . . . That made Virginia a laughingstock with late-night shows." The comment set off one of the sharpest exchanges of their 90-minute appearance at Piedmont Virginia Community College, with Vogel declaring, "The attacks that he just levied are 100 percent false." Fairfax, who also criticized Vogel's conduct in a mudslinging GOP primary, shot back: "Facts are not attacks." Fairfax and Vogel are fighting for a part-time, low-profile post with just two constitutionally mandated duties: presiding over the state Senate (and breaking certain tie votes) and taking over if the governor is incapacitated or leaves office. Moderator Bob Gibson, communications director of the University of Virginia's Cooper Center for Public Service, listed a third duty: "Running for governor. They all do, and the winner will." Virginia's lieutenant governorship often serves as a steppingstone in a state in which the governor's mansion turns over every four years. Almost every lieutenant governor in modern history has run for governor, including the Democratic incumbent, Ralph Northam. He faces former Republican National Committee chairman Ed Gillespie in November. The lieutenant governor's office has become more powerful in its own right in recent years, with a closely divided Senate producing more ties to break. The GOP has a 21- 19 edge in the chamber. A Virginia Commonwealth University poll released this week had Fairfax up, 43 to 38. But Vogel had the advantage in the latest campaign finance reports, raising $1.8 million to Fairfax's $1.3 million. Fairfax and Vogel came face-to-face at the forum - sponsored by the college and by the public affairs nonprofit Senior Statesmen of Virginia - that was not technically a debate but still allowed them to tangle. Vogel opposed new restrictions on guns, while Fairfax called for universal background checks. Vogel said she opposed changing Virginia's no-limits campaign finance rules, saying caps would restrict speech. Fairfax noted a $600,000 donation Vogel received from a relative. That relative was her father, William Holtzman, founder of Holtzman Oil. Fairfax said he supports limits so that wealthy interests "do not drown out other people's voices." Vogel said cities and town should not be allowed to "erase history" by removing Confederate monuments. Fairfax said localities should have the option. Both agreed that climate change is real, that Virginia needs nonpartisan redistricting and that employers should have to check workers' immigration status. Fairfax, who narrowly lost the 2013 primary for attorney general to Mark Herring, said he would focus on the economy. He repeatedly credited the state's high job growth and low unemployment rate to outgoing Gov. Terry McAuliffe , D, Northam and Herring, who is seeking reelection. Vogel billed herself as an experienced legislator who has crossed party lines to fight for nonpartisan issues, such as helping families with autism. She noted that she has bucked her party on a number of issues - by opposing uranium mining, for instance, and by supporting gay rights, medical marijuana and nonpartisan redistricting. She indicated that she would not support further restrictions on abortion rights. "I am not running to take anybody's rights away," she said while discussing women's health care. When Fairfax invoked her 2012 abortion bill to attack that notion, Vogel pushed back hard. "There was nothing in that bill that forced them to do anything against their will," she said, a claim she based on the fact that abortion providers typically perform ultrasounds with or without a government mandate. "It was simply an informed consent bill." As originally proposed, Vogel's bill would have required that women undergoing abortions first submit to an ultrasound and that they be offered an opportunity to view the image. The bill did not specifically mandate a vaginal ultrasound, but that would have been the effect in most cases because most abortions occur early in pregnancy, when the fetus is too small to be seen via abdominal ultrasound. "Saturday Night Live" and late-night comics lampooned the measure, and Vogel eventually withdrew it. A House version was eventually passed but was amended to require an abdominal ultrasound - although in most cases, the test will not produce an image. Then-Gov. Robert McDonnell, R, signed it into law.

Leesburg protest over Confederate statue postponed; lieutenant gubernatorial candidates debate ultrasound bill Aug. 10, 2017 Northern Virginia’s daily dose of local and national news for Thursday, Aug. 10. Democrat Justin Fairfax and Republican Jill Holtzman Vogel, the candidates for Virginia’s lieutenant governor, got into a heated debate at a forum at Piedmont Virginia Community College when Fairfax accused Vogel of making Virginia a “laughingstock” after sponsoring a failed bill in 2012 that would require women to undergo vaginal ultrasounds prior to getting abortions. (The Washington Post)

New location for PVCC Nurse Aide program By News Staff | Posted: Thu 1:35 PM, Aug 10, 2017 ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Piedmont Virginia Community College's Division of Workforce Services has opened a new training location for its Nurse Aide program. According to a release, the new location in the Weedon Professional Center on Ivy Road is in partnership with Commonwealth Care Group. Beginning in September, this location will host evening and weekend Nurse Aide training sessions. The program is a state-approved, 136-hour one that prepares students to take the Virginia exam to become a certified nurse aide. Classes will take place Monday and Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Sept. 11 to Nov. 10. There will be information sessions about the program on Aug. 14 at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the PVCC Stultz Center for Business and Career Development. Registration is required for the information session, and attendees should call (434) 961-5354 for more information. For more information on the Nurse Aide program, click on the link in the Related Links box or send an email to JoAnna Collins at [email protected].

Statement of Glenn DuBois, Chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges (Richmond) – Glenn Dubois, the Chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges made the following statement today in response to the fatal weekend of violence in Charlottesville: “It is with a heavy and sad heart I offer my condolences and prayers for those who lost their lives, and those injured, in the violence that erupted this past weekend in Charlottesville. Heather Heyer is a former student of Piedmont Virginia Community College. It is with strength and determination however, that I affirm that the racially motivated division, hatred, intimidation, and fear outsiders brought to the City of Charlottesville has no place on a Virginia community college campus, and are a violation of both the words and spirit of our community college mission. “Virginia’s Community Colleges exists to give everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills so lives and communities are strengthened. Our faculty, staff, and students should never question if that mission includes them because it always does. Higher education has been, and continues to be, an antidote to ignorance, bigotry and hatred. This past weekend is a painful and powerful reminder of how much work remains for us to do. “I am a passionate student of history. Throughout the extensive narratives that tell the Virginia story and the America story there is a clear and convincing pattern that regularly emerges: our progress and our success depend on our inclusivity. We move forward farther and faster when we move together. Community colleges were built to advance that purpose. I have dedicated my 36-year career to it, and remain steadfast to it.”

Groups, leaders continue responding to Unite the Right rally and violence

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Groups and organizations from across the country continue to respond to Saturday's Unite the Right rally and ensuing violence in Charlottesville. On Monday, the National Governor's Association released this statement regarding the events: The nation's governors strongly condemn the violent attack perpetrated by White supremacists in Charlottesville. Governors of all parties—Democratic, Republican and Independent—stand united in the fight against evil and racism in our great nation. We must come together as a nation to confront and condemn these terror-inducing deeds of hate. The Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce also sent out a statement: This past weekend, our community was captured by racist, white supremacist domestic terrorists intent on injuring our community, our citizens and visitors who dared to challenge their venomous, toxic, message of hate and violence. What we all saw, in disgust, was not – and is not – Charlottesville. The outlander terrorists and their few (2?) local co-conspiring collaborators created the mayhem and combat witnessed here. Those images are not Charlottesville. Our Charlottesville, Albemarle and the surrounding county communities are welcoming, diverse, inclusive, vibrant, tolerant and growing communities of constructive citizenship, enterprise, justice and opportunity. Our Chamber mourns the loss of Heather Heyer and State Troopers Jay Cullen and Berke Bates and sends our thoughts and prayers to their families. Our Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce cares deeply about our community, our fellow citizens and our neighbors. For over a century our Chamber has actively helped to build this great community. It will not be destroyed by hate. Earlier this June, our Chamber emphatically stated our categorical opposition to the KKK and its message of hate, hostility and division. Our Chamber fiercely opposes that message, which is fully embraced by other white supremacist, Nazi and Nazi-inspired organizations who invaded our community on Friday and Saturday. These groups are in fact, domestic terror groups that preach a message of divisiveness and hostility to threaten and fragment our community and indeed our nation. Charlottesville will not be threatened. We are taking back our community from the purveyors of hate. Our Chamber joins will all our neighbors in that effort. In the words of Saint Francis of Assisi: “Lord, help us become instruments of your peace; where there is hatred, let us sow love … where there is darkness, let us bring light …” Piedmont Virginia Community College also released a statement: PVCC condemns the hatred and violence that occurred in Charlottesville this past weekend. Our sincerest condolences go out to those who were injured and to the family and friends of Heather Heyer, who tragically lost her life on August 12. Heather was a former PVCC student, having briefly taken classes at the college in 2007. We mourn her loss and the troubling events that led to her passing. We also mourn the deaths of state troopers Cullen and Bates who were in Charlottesville to promote safety during this difficult day. As an institution, PVCC values inclusion and diversity and welcomes people from all walks of life. We will continue to be a place of tolerance and hope, promoting respect and acceptance for all people, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, age or sexual orientation. We take immense pride in the diversity of our students and consider it to be one of our greatest strengths. As a community, we remain committed to maintaining a campus culture of acceptance, caring and mutual respect. It is now a time for healing and for our community to come together. PVCC will be an active partner in promoting tolerance and diversity in our community in the days ahead. On Sunday, state Delegate Bob Marshall send out this statement: In light of events in Charlottesville, I ask my fellow Virginians to reflect on who we are as a people by recourse to America's foundational document which holds that all men are created equal, that our Creator alone gives us fundamental rights, that if we demand justice of others we ourselves must abide by the "Laws of Nature and Nature's God" and that we place our trust in Divine Providence. Our First Amendment is a guarantee of the people to assemble peaceably and to petition for redress of political grievance. It is not a license for violence, venom and mayhem. Authorities must exercise vigilance to preserve the valid right of petition and public assembly, and also to exercise prudence to prevent occasions of violence. In addition to Virginia state and local authorities conducting their own investigations, I ask the US Justice Department to look into the events in Charlottesville to carefully establish the facts as a basis to assess responsibility for the initiation of the violence as it may violate federal law, address the adequacy of the public preparation and response by Virginia authorities, and publish the findings for public reflection. The American Federation of Teachers sent out this statement: What happened in Charlottesville exposed a dark turning point in America. It is not just a sobering reminder of the very real racism and anti-Semitism running through the veins of Americans, but a call to stand up to the forces of hate and division in this country that feel emboldened today. White supremacists and Nazis now feel empowered to come out of the shadows and inflict terror on American communities. We stand with those who stood up to this racism and anti- Semitism yesterday. We grieve the murder of Heather Heyer and the injury of other peaceful protestors. And we continue to denounce the hate and bigotry that was on display in Charlottesville and is being unmasked in communities across the country. But this moment requires more than simply denouncing hatred; it requires action to protect the basic rights and safety of American families from those who peddle terror and hate. White nationalists and fascists marched in Trump’s name, yet he refuses to unequivocally denounce them. He has failed to do what any other president would do to reject hate and fulfill his chief obligation to marshal all of the resources at the federal government’s disposal to keep Americans safe. There are reports that armed white nationalists are still roaming streets and neighborhoods threatening and intimidating families. Children are terrified. People are afraid their lives will be in danger if they leave their houses to attend church services. We call on the president, the Justice Department and the FBI to conduct real, transparent investigations into terrorism from white supremacists. We call on elected officials and law enforcement from all 50 states to use all of the resources at their disposal to keep our communities safe. People in America need to know that laws will be enforced to protect them. White Americans get to presume the laws will protect them, and African-American, Jewish, queer and other marginalized Americans deserve that peace of mind as well. The AFT is co-sponsoring vigils around the country tonight with Indivisible and other organizations committed to safety, tolerance and justice for all Americans. And as educators, we will continue to fulfill our responsibility to make sure our students feel safe and protected and valued for who they are. We have free lessons on civil rights, bullying and helping students cope with traumatic events on Share My Lesson, to help families and educators talk to children about the terror we are witnessing. We must stand for what is right, and African-Americans, Jews, LGBTQ people and other marginalized people deserve justice. America is stronger when we embrace our diversity and work to ensure opportunity for everyone, and that is what we will continue to fight for. The Simon Wiesenthal Center released this reaction: This murderous attack, resembles car ramming in Israel and Europe perpetrated by terrorists associated with ISIS and Hamas. It should be treated as a deliberate act of domestic terrorismn. Today’s death and violence follows last night’s torchlight march at University of Virginia, reminiscent of KKK rallies where chants of the slogan ‘Blood and Soil’ used by marchers at mass Nazi rallies in Nuremberg and elsewhere in Germany during the 1930s and 1940s, were spouted by extremists”, Center officials added. Americans have the right to debate civilly the removal of a statue, the status of a flag or renaming of a park, without turning to violence and worse. We call upon all American leaders, whatever their political affiliations, led by President Trump, to specificly condemn the extreme alt- right and white nationalists who sow seeds of hate, distrust and violence. They and all other extremists, left or right, have no place in the mainstream of our nation,” Center officials concluded.

Heyer remembered as service is set for Wednesday BY ALLISON WRABEL Aug 14, 2017

Heather Heyer, the woman killed by a car driven into a crowd on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall on Saturday, will be remembered at a memorial service at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Paramount Theater. Attendees are asked to wear something purple. Heyer, 32, was among a mass of counter-protesters gathered at Fourth and Water streets after the white nationalist Unite the Right rally was broken up by authorities, who declared the rally at nearby Emancipation Park to be an unlawful assembly. Sign up for breaking news emails & contest alerts! Click here to sign up. James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, is being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail without bond. He is charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of hit-and-run resulting in death. Heyer grew up in Ruckersville, was a graduate of William Monroe High School and worked at the Miller Law Group in the bankruptcy department. “She was an outspoken, outgoing, determined and passionate individual; and had a special regard for social injustices and especially those concerning race relations,” her obituary reads. 'Heather died because of white supremacy': Vigil held at spot of Saturday’s killing Heather Heyer, 32, was killed and 19 people were injured after a driver sped into a crowd of counter-protesters at Fourth and Water streets Saturday.

Lauren Moon, Heyer’s friend since she moved to Greene County in third grade, described Heyer as a passionate person who was kindhearted with an infectious laugh. “We had a pretty tight little group of friends and we remained that way. Of course, life happens — people move, people get married, people have kids — and you lose touch, kind of,” she said. Moon said she had last seen Heyer about a month ago, when one of their other good friends was in town from Kentucky. “And, literally, we were just talking about how we need to make time to see each other, even when our other friend isn’t in town, and, unfortunately, it didn’t happen,” she said. Heyer was supportive of interracial marriages, Moon said, and had a “who cares” attitude about things such as sexual orientation. “Who cares. As long as you have a good heart and you’re a good person, who cares if you’re gay, who cares if you want to date a black person or a black person wants to date a white person. Who cares,” Moon said. “Just be a good person, be kind to others. Stop with all the hatred.” “I just want the world to know what an amazing person she was, honestly. She died standing up for what she believed in,” she said. “And everybody that knew her, even people that didn’t know her, everybody’s just so proud of her.” Heyer was a Piedmont Virginia Community College student in 2007. “Our sincerest condolences go out to those who were injured and to the family and friends of Heather Heyer, who tragically lost her life on August 12,” Frank Friedman, president of PVCC, said in a statement.

In the most devastating blow of the Unite the Right rally, a local activist and paralegal lost her life to a white supremacist in a Dodge Challenger. Heather Heyer, 32, is remembered by many as sweet and funny with impeccable wit. “She always had a very strong sense of right and wrong. She always, even as a child, was very caught up in what she believed to be fair,” Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro, tells NPR. “Somehow, I almost feel that this is what she was born to be, is a focal point for change.” Heyer’s profile picture on Facebook appears next to a banner that says, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention,” and friends say she was quick to denounce any injustice. She grew up in Ruckersville, was a graduate of William Monroe High School and attended Piedmont Virginia Community College in 2007. Heyer worked as a paralegal with the Miller Law Group, and also at Cafe Caturra. “She was really caring about people,” says Larry Miller, her boss at the law firm. “We just celebrated five years of her working here. It was a struggle to get her to take time off because she knew people needed her here.” Miller also describes Heyer as “humble” because “she didn’t know she was as good as she was.” He recently took her to lunch to celebrate her anniversary and told her how happy he was she was part of the firm’s family. “She cried,” he says. “It’s been really tough coming into the office because her chair hasn’t been touched, her desk hasn’t been touched,” says Miller. “It’s been devastating.” As Charlottesville grieves, many have lit candles and laid flowers and keepsakes on Fourth Street, in the spot where Heyer and many others were peacefully assembling when hit by the car. A sign that lies on the road reads, “Yesterday, my baby son took his first steps. Yesterday, as our sweet town was brought to its knees, a new generation found its feet. We will teach him to walk the right path, and to always stand for what is right. Just as these brave souls who were injured and killed standing up for what’s right. We will teach him that love always wins.” Bro told HuffPost that she wants her daughter’s death “to be a rallying cry for justice.” At a press conference August 14, Chief Al Thomas said Fourth Street would remain closed indefinitely. “It was a tragic, tragic day,” he said. “I think she’d be shocked to know we’re hearing from all over the world,” says Miller. “Some say she’s become the face of this whole thing.” A memorial for Heyer will be held at 11am August 16 at the Paramount Theater.

A mother’s farewell: Heather Heyer remembered at memorial By Allison Wrabel The (Charlottesville) Daily Progress Aug 16, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Susan Bro does not want her daughter, Heather Heyer, to have died in vain, and she encouraged people Wednesday to channel their differences, passion and anger into righteous action. “Remember in your heart: If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention,” Bro said. “And I want you to pay attention, find what’s wrong, don’t ignore it, don’t look the other way. You make a point to look at it and say to yourself, ‘What can I do to make a difference?’ and that’s how you’re going to make my child’s death worthwhile. “I’d rather have my child, but by golly, if I gotta give her up, we’re going to make it count,” she said. More than 1,000 people gathered at the Paramount Theater in downtown Charlottesville to remember Heyer, 32, who was killed when a 2010 Dodge Challenger plowed into a crowd of protesters at the intersection of Fourth and Water streets after authorities broke up the white nationalist Unite the Right rally. “They tried to kill my child to shut her up. Well, guess what? You just magnified her,” Bro said to the audience. Heyer’s grandfather, father, cousins and coworkers also spoke at the memorial service, recalling funny stories and sharing memories of who Heyer was as a person. “In earlier years, she wanted fairness, she wanted justice, she wanted everyone to get equal respect,” Elwood Shrader, Heyer’s grandfather, said. He shared that, when she was a child, she loved to be carried in a backpack, like her brother. “Oh, what exuberance in that backpack, little legs flailing,” he said. “Many times, she knocked off my hat or pushed it down over my eyes. I’ll never forget those times.” Her father, Mark Heyer, said he was proud. “I was overwhelmed at the rainbow of colors in this room,” he said. “That’s how Heather was. It didn’t matter who you were or where you were from, if she loved you, that was it — you were stuck. For that, I’m truly proud of my daughter.”

Denise Ratcliff-Kennedy, one of Heyer’s cousins, read an adapted version of the poem “We Remember Them” by Sylvan Kamens and Rabbi Jack Riemer. “For as long as we live, she too will live, for Heather is now a part of us as we remember her,” she read. “May our memories of Heather be a comfort to us all.” Another cousin, Diana Ratcliff, shared a letter that she wrote to Heather about all the things she wishes she would have said before. “Did I tell you that you come from a long line of stubborn and passionate women?” Ratcliff said. “Those qualities of a toddler that would drive any parent crazy, but those qualities turned you into an independent and compassionate woman.” “Heather, when my children ask me who I admire most, I will tell them you, my baby cousin, who was larger than life and too good for this world,” she said. Coworker and friend Feda Khateeb-Wilson remembered Heyer’s relationship with the office printer, saying she cursed at it a lot. “Her and that printer, they were enemies,” Khateeb-Wilson said, laughing. Alfred Wilson, Heyer’s supervisor at the Miller Law Group, referred to her as his “office wife.” He said watching her interact with clients was amazing. “She cared about everyone she spoke to,” he said. “She listened to everyone she spoke to and she took it to heart everything that they had to say.” Wilson said she broke up with a boyfriend who told her “you never told me you work for a black man.” “She cared enough about me as a person that she stood up for me, even in her own personal relationship,” he said. “It took a lot of strength for her to do something like that.” Prior to the service, Mia Jones, 17, said one reason she came to the memorial service was to show “young support.” “I also am a big advocate for human rights and equality, and I give speeches about it at my school,” said Jones, who attends the Miller School of Albemarle. “I came here mainly to support all of the people who were at the rally that day, all of the people who were injured by the car and specifically Heather, who unfortunately lost her life,” she said, before going into the service. Outside the memorial service, more than a hundred people were gathered in solidarity with the Heyer family and Charlottesville community, many of them wearing purple, Heather’s favorite color. “Heather stood up for us. I think everyone should stand up for her,” said a 22-year-old woman named Quashawna, flanked by her four siblings. Each of them had on a purple shirt with a custom-made message they had made the night before. “She didn’t lose her life doing something stupid — she did what she believed in. I’m doing what we believe in, and that’s standing up for each other,” she said. Sidney Bryce played gospel music from speakers he had strapped to his back and carried a sign that honored Heyer and two state police troopers who died when their helicopter, here assisting with rally security, crashed in Albemarle County. The sign said: “We all love you!” “I wanted to keep the spirit high. I know everyone is sad, but this to me is rejoicing. We’re rejoicing together,” said Bryce, a Charlottesville native who moved to New York as a teenager and came back about 25 years ago. “Since I’ve been coming to [the Downtown Mall], I’ve noticed that the people here are loving people — everyone.” Local artist James Brian McCrory stood outside the theater. He held a dark fabric batik featuring an image of what he said was a golden “woman as a seed.” McCrory said he had started creating his batik last week and finished it Saturday, moments before Heather’s life was taken away.

“As she came out, the accident happened,” he said, referencing the woman depicted in his artwork. “I realized then what she was ... When it came out, I thought, ‘Oh, that’s Heather.’ ” McCrory said he planned to offer the batik to the Heyer family. Kibiriti Majuto, a recent Charlottesville High School graduate who is starting classes at Piedmont Virginia Community College next week, was among those gathered outside the Paramount. A refugee, Majuto reflected on his identity as an African and as a Charlottesville resident. Majuto said he hopes to one day become an American citizen but that he’s uncertain about what it really means to be an American. He said he certainly feels like he is part of the Charlottesville community, however. “We are a community that’s trying to come back together and heal ... hopefully, we continue fighting for the America we were promised here in Charlottesville that equates anyone as American rather than whiteness as American-ness,” he said. “How do we show what America looks like, rather than labeling ourselves as Americans without representing the values that America tends to speak out about around the world ... representing liberty and justice for all? I feel like Charlottesville can be at the front line of building that America we were promised. That’s what I believe.” Many local and state elected officials attended Wednesday’s memorial service, including Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer, Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam and Del. David J. Toscano, all Democrats. Ed Gillespie, the Republican nominee for governor, also attended. When asked about President Donald Trump’s comments about what happened in Charlottesville, Del. Rob Bell, a Republican, said he doesn’t think there’s any equivalence. “You had a white supremacist come from Ohio and run down and kill a local resident,” he said. “That’s where I’d like the focus to be, that you’ve got these groups that are spouting racists agendas and hate. You’ve got the Klan, you’ve got the National Socialists. I don’t think we should have any trouble condemning them for their racist views.” When asked if Trump should have been at the memorial service, Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, said he didn’t think his presence would have been helpful. “Had he had a different message, had he exercised from the Oval Office what a president should do to call on people to come together, to condemn violence, to not paint a fake moral equivalency, he might have had some healing to offer, but he doesn’t have healing to offer,” Kaine said. “Unless you have healing to offer, the community doesn’t really need you.” After the memorial service, local author Avery Chenoweth described the service as very moving and truthful. He said Heyer’s family and friends connected her personality, interests and passions to the way Charlottesville sees itself as an enlightened town. “It’s interested in promoting access and success for everybody. I think they did a great job connecting her to a larger vision of Charlottesville and a larger vision for the country, and Charlottesville may be the launch pad after today,” he said. “I didn’t know Heather, but I’d love to know her now,” Chenoweth said. Abby Guskind said Bro’s statement about everyone carrying on work to make Heyer’s death worthwhile resonated with her the most. “As a mother, that was by far ... it was incredible,” she said. “Being inside, you could understand where her roots came from.” Guskind was impressed with Bro’s strength, pointing out that her voice never quivered while speaking. “She had her own higher power lifting her up to a greatness.”

For Victoria Hamilton, the double entendre of Heyer’s name speaks volumes about the situation. “To me, it’s been an … amazing play on words,” she said. “Heather Heyer — she will serve a higher purpose for all of our society now.”

CT: CATEC board commits to further discussion of relocating to PVCC By Kayli Wren | Charlottesville Tomorrow Aug 16, 2017

The idea of relocating the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center to the main campus of Piedmont Virginia Community College has been discussed on and off for the past few years. The CATEC Board decided Tuesday to initiate further, more in-depth conversations to determine once and for all whether the relocation should and could be carried out. “The conversation of co-locating CATEC at PVCC has been going on for a number of years now, and it makes a lot of sense on a lot of levels, but there’s some pretty big hurdles,” David Oberg, CATEC board chairman and an Albemarle County School Board member, said after the meeting. “There comes a point where we have to either move forward, or not.”

CATEC board commits to further discussion of relocating to PVCC Kayli Wren, Charlottesville Tomorrow The idea of relocating the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center to the campus of Piedmont Virginia Community College has been discussed off and on for the past few years. The CATEC Center Board decided Tuesday to initiate further, more in-depth conversations to determine once and for all whether the relocation should and could be carried out. “The conversation of co-locating CATEC at PVCC has been going on for a number of years now, and it makes a lot of sense on a lot of levels, but there’s some pretty big hurdles,” CATEC board chairman and Albemarle County School Board member David Oberg said after the meeting. “There comes a point where we have to either move forward, or not.” A subcommittee of CATEC board members will work with CATEC staff to gather information and envision in greater detail the possibilities of modernizing the current facility, moving all operations to PVCC or implementing a hybrid of the two options. This work will be used to lead a deeper discussion next March at a joint meeting between the city and county school boards. “I think if you have some meat on the bones for each vision, then I think you’re starting somewhere,” said CATEC board member and Charlottesville School Board member Ned Michie. The subcommittee will be chaired by CATEC board Vice Chairman Juandiego Wade and will include Michie and fellow CATEC board member Steve Koleszar, representing Charlottesville and Albemarle, respectively. In an interview before the meeting, Wade said he is open to considering all sides of the discussion and wants more information before taking a stance for or against the move. During the meeting, Charlottesville School Board member Leah Puryear said that further conversations are certainly warranted but that it will be important to be clear about what direction the board wants to take moving forward. “This is an election year; I have no idea who’s going to be sitting where in January, and that could flip everything around,” Puryear said. “I think there need to be guiding questions that are posed to the board so we are not spinning our wheels.” “It’s not about a building,” she added. “It’s about being in the best location that is going to do the best for all of the students involved.” PVCC President Frank Friedman, who attended the meeting Tuesday as an audience member, said that PVCC is receptive to the idea of co-location but that the CATEC board needs to start making decisions.

“You need to formulate the proposal, a plan for career and technical education in your school systems and how it would integrate with our programs and our students,” Friedman told the board. “We’re offering millions of dollars worth of land to assist you if we can put together a winning plan and proposal, but the ball is in your court.” In the next six months, the subcommittee will be looking at details such as how CATEC curriculum could fit into PVCC, what facilities would look like and the cost of each possibility. In order to co-locate with PVCC, the CATEC board would need approval from both school boards, the City Council and the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors. “So you’re talking about coordinating the efforts of five different boards,” Oberg said. “And anytime you try to do that, it’s sort of a herculean task.” Oberg, who acknowledges his bias as a representative of the White Hall District, believes there’s significant merit for co- location, including easier access to CATEC for Western Albemarle High School students. “I think moving to PVCC would be a really good idea, but I think we need to have all the facts before we made a formal decision,” Oberg said. “We need to make sure we’re doing it intelligently and responsibly and it’s done in a way that pushes CATEC forward for our students.” Arguments both for and against the move were raised this week and have been discussed over the past few years. Enrollment is one consideration. “Frankly, this might be part of a compelling reason to move— enrollment is disappointing and flat over the last few years,” Michie said. “I think that students going out to a college campus and a new building is exciting and compelling.” The relocation to PVCC would potentially make transportation easier for students at Western Albemarle and Monticello high schools, but it could make it more difficult for others at Charlottesville and Albemarle high schools. Albemarle Board of Supervisors chairwoman Diantha McKeel is an advocate for relocation. “Locating CATEC on the PVCC campus would elevate its educational standing in the community, thus making it more attractive to students, parents and guidance counselors,” McKeel wrote in an email to Charlottesville Tomorrow. McKeel added that there are examples across the county of high-performing career and vocational schools that share campuses with community colleges, and that a new building would better support CATEC students. Several CATEC board members brought up the issue of funding this week, with the reminder that a lack of funds was a major reason why the idea was laid to rest before. However, the board concluded that the proper course of action will be to research the relocation, make a decision and then see about funding. McKeel, for one, is confident that the challenge of funding could be solved. Pam Moran, superintendent for Albemarle County Public Schools, said making a decision may require conversations past next March’s meeting and that it could be years before a solution is actually built, but she said now is an optimal time to get deep discussions on the agenda. After the CATEC board decided to hold the spring discussion, Friedman offered a final piece of advice to the board. “It’s going to cost more money to go to PVCC than anything you do here. You’ve got to convince those with the money that it’s worth it for them to spend that money,” Friedman said. “I would just urge you to think through: What’s the burning platform? What’s the compelling reason? And if you can’t convince yourselves there’s a burning platform, give it up. Don’t waste your time and energy.”

Heather Heyer, WMHS grad, killed in attack after standing against hate Terry Beigie Staff writer Aug 16, 2017

Greene County lost one of its own on Saturday afternoon, soon after a white nationalist “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville was broken up by authorities. Heather Heyer, 32, was walking with a group of counter-protesters when a car plowed through the crowd at Fourth and Water streets near the Downtown Mall, killing her and injuring 19 others. James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, is being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail without bond. He is charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of hit-and-run resulting in death. Susan Bro, Heyer’s mother, said she was devastated when she learned about her daughter’s death at the hospital. Bro retired from teaching at Greene County Public Schools and works with the Virginia Tech Extension office in Stanardsville. “No mother wants to lose her child, but I guess at least I can try to make sense of it by being the voice for my child,” Bro said Monday. “We talked long and often, and sometimes with Heather that meant listening because she had a lot to say; she was extremely passionate. I am going to speak for her now, and I’m not the only one. I know her friends have voices, too. If we could all try to use our voices to continue what she was involved in – to add further to that.” Heyer grew up in Greene County, graduating from William Monroe High School in 2003. Andrea Whitmarsh, superintendent of Greene County Schools, offered her sympathy in the wake of Heyer's death. “We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Heather Heyer,” Whitmarsh said. “Our hearts go out to Heather’s family and all members of our community who have been impacted by this terrible tragedy.” Heyer held tight her relationships, staying close to her mother, and to her lifelong friends she met in Greene. She resided in Charlottesville and worked as a paralegal at the Miller Law Group. Her friends held a candlelight vigil Sunday night at the intersection where she was hit on Saturday. Lauren Moon, who still lives in Greene County, met Heyer when she moved to Greene County in the third grade. “We became friends then and we were friends all through high school and remained friends,” Moon said. “We had dinner about a month ago with a bunch of friends. She was just a great person.” Michael Knight, from Fredericksburg, rode the school bus with Heyer and had Bro as a teacher. “For those who didn’t know [Heyer], you should know she was a sister, daughter and loyal friend who had a big heart,” Knight said. “I would like to add my condolences to her family and her friends. We really lost a great person.” Melissa Madison said she can’t remember a time she didn’t know Heyer, meeting her when they were in elementary school in Greene. “She was just an amazing person. She was always smiling. She would do anything to help anyone,” said Madison, from Charlottesville. “She would give the shirt off her back. I know that she was all about equal rights; she’s just always been about equal rights and everyone being fair and equal.” Moon was working in Charlottesville on Saturday with her sister, Billie Jo Moon, sending her updates throughout the day. “She sent me a message that a car plowed through the crowd and killed a woman, but it didn’t even cross my mind it’d be someone I knew, let alone someone I cared so much for.” Later that night, Moon learned of Heyer’s death on a phone call from a mutual friend. “I instantly broke down in tears and was shocked,” Moon said. “She was very strong and absolutely would stand up for what she believes in.” Fighting back tears, Moon added, “For anyone who didn’t know her, I’m sorry you didn’t. She was just a really good person. She had an infectious laugh and smile; it just lit up the room. Susan did an amazing job.” Madison, who still has family in Greene County, said she was numb when she learned of Heyer’s death. “I couldn’t go to the rally because I was at work,” she said. “I heard that a car plowed through people and someone had died and I remember thinking how tragic that was. I was sick to the stomach all day by the events. However, I get on Facebook later that night and see ‘Rest in Peace Heather Heyer.’ I immediately thought there is no way, no way that was her. I immediately clicked on her page and I saw that it was. I instantly became numb. I just couldn’t feel anything. It was terrible.” Knight was beside Heyer in Charlottesville on Saturday. “Being there was just the right thing to do,” he said. “If I would have walked a minute faster, it could have been me. The events Saturday allow us to learn and grow. We all have a part to play, and it starts at home.” Madison said she’d like to see the community come together and fight against the hate. “I understand people say you need to fight it with love, that’s the only way, and I do understand that, but these people are still coming regardless,” Madison said of the white nationalists. “They’re still coming here. They’re coming here with ill intentions and regardless if we’re peaceful or not they’re going to do what they came to do. The only way to stop them is all of us coming together, united, to stand against them.” Bro has a question for the white nationalists. “I heard David Duke say this was part of making America great again,” she said. “I want to know what part of that my child’s blood on the street – or the people with broken bones or in intensive care – make us great? I don’t think it does.” Heyer’s death has affected people across the globe. The GoFundMe page for her family was shut down after 1 ½ days because it had raised more than $200,000 that quickly. The post read, “Due to the GoFundMe for Heather Heyer drastically exceeding its original goal, the decision was made to close the campaign. Heather’s mother, Susan Bro, wants to thank everyone around the world for their selfless generosity and to remember that there are still victims who are alive who are in need of donations.” The Miller Law Group, where Heyer worked for the past five years, posted on its Facebook page: “Our hearts are twisted with the pain of the past weekend. There are many things to be said about the senseless tragedy and loss of Heather. Our focus must be on the love and companionship we feel and have lost. Heather was an essential part of our firm’s family, and her loss hurts to our core.” At the end of Saturday’s events, a Virginia State Police helicopter crashed near Birdwood Golf Course in Charlottesville, killing the two officers inside: Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, who would have turned 41 on Sunday. “PVCC condemns the hatred and violence that occurred in Charlottesville this past weekend,” said Frank Friedman, president of Piedmont Virginia Community College, where Heyer had taken classes in 2007. “Our sincerest condolences go out to those injured and to the family and friends of Heather Heyer, who tragically lost her life on Aug. 12. We mourn her loss, and the troubling events that led to her passing. We also mourn the deaths of state troopers Cullen and Bates who were in Charlottesville to promote safety during the difficult day.” The City of Charlottesville and Charlottesville City Council sent condolences for all three who died Saturday. “Charlottesville resident Heather Heyer was struck down by a vehicle while exercising her peaceful first-amendment right to speech,” the release said. “Virginia State Police Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates were working with the Charlottesville Police and their brothers and sisters in the Virginia State Police to help ensure the safety of the many city residents and visitors who were in Charlottesville [Saturday]. These men gave their lives in the line of duty and our gratitude to them cannot be overstated. Their loss is a loss for all of us and we mourn with you.” Matt Hardin, running for Greene County commonwealth attorney, spoke out about holding the organizer of the Unite the Right rally — Jason Kessler — responsible. “Heather Heyer was a Greene County native, a graduate of William Monroe High School, and a valued member of the legal community. She was killed by some violent thugs brought to our area by Jason Kessler,” Hardin said in a release. “I am calling on prosecutors in Charlottesville to hold Kessler to account. I am also calling on the Greene County Republican Party to expel Kessler and make clear that his beliefs do not reflect those of the Republican Party. If the right is united, I hope it will be united against Kessler, and the dangerous criminals he brings to our community.” At a news conference Monday, Charlottesville Police Chief Al Thomas said police are working to protect vigils and memorials for Heyer. He said the city plans to keep the Fourth Street crossover closed as people have created memorials to Heyer at the spot. “We are working with the Heyer family to ensure that that the safety of vigils and memorials that are planned for this week are safe. We plan to keep the Fourth Street crossover closed until further notice as there are thousands of flowers lining the street,” Thomas said. By Monday evening there were signs in Emancipation Park, formerly Lee Park, in Charlottesville to rename the park to Heather Heyer Memorial Park. There are also online petitions and GoFundMe pages dedicated to removing the statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee from the park and put a statue of Heyer or memorial in her honor in its place. Heyer’s memorial service was scheduled for Wednesday morning at 11 o’clock at the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville.

Rescue Group, Sheriff’s Dept. Deploy Drones in Successful Water Mission

According to a press release from the DLSC, its dive team was dispatched at 10:43 a.m. to assist Bachelors Hall Volunteer Fire and Rescue. The man had been trimming trees alone when the accident occurred; a resident on the north side of the river had heard his shouts and called 9-1-1. DLSC’s special operations department and Pittsylvania County Special Ops arrived to deploy boats on the river. DLSC deployed two boats and a drone, and the Pittsylvania County Special Ops also deployed one boat. When the Pittsylvania County Sherriff’s Office arrived, they also sent their drone out. During the mission, both unmanned aircraft were used to help the boats navigate the river and maneuver around rocks. They also served as safety vantage point, reports the DLSC. After approximately 20 minutes in the river, responders located the man on the bank. Once his hand was freed, he was placed in a boat, brought upstream and transported in an ambulance, the crew says. According to the DLSC, this mission marked the first time the DLSC and Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Department used drones in a mission. The newly acquired tools will continue to make rescue missions safer and quicker for first responders, says the group. The DLSC recently announced that five members of its search-and-rescue group had completed 40 hours of unmanned aircraft systems ground school at local Piedmont Virginia Community College, where they were prepped for their Federal Aviation Administration Remote Pilot Certificate exam.

Job fair coming up in Greene County

Low jobless rate has businesses scrambling BY PAT FITZGERALD Record Editor Aug 16, 2017 As the area unemployment rate continues to remain low, companies in Greene, Madison and Orange are having a hard time trying to keep at full staff. For people who don’t want to make the commute to Charlottesville, a job fair this Friday in Stanardsville might offer a few new options to save driving time each day. From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Piedmont Virginia Community College’s Eugene Giuseppe in Stanardsville, a host of regional companies will be talking to potential job candidates.

Businesses scheduled to take part in the Piedmont Workforce Network-sponsored job fair include Virginia Linen, At Home Care, Aramark, Little Caesar’s, the U.S. Post Office, Green Applications, Lowe’s, Care Advantage Plus, Taco Bell/KFC, Wendy’s Manpower Staffing, Plow & Hearth, Jack’s Shop Kitchen, Food Lion and the University of Virginia. “Most employers are constantly hiring, especially in the retail industry,” said Greene County Economic Development and Tourism Director Alan Yost. “I think every employer is trying to hire staff,” he added. “I’ve had injuries for everything from engineers to trained sales people to retail staff.” According to statistics from the Virginia Employment Commission, unemployment in the Charlottesville Metropolitan Statistical Area ticked from in June – the latest figures available – to 3.7 percent as compared with May’s 3.4 percent. The rate in Greene County, which is part of the Charlottesville MSA, rose from 3.1 percent in May to 3.3 percent in June. Outside of the Charlottesville MSA, Orange County’s unemployment rate rose from 3.9 percent to 4.0 percent. Madison County’s unemployment rate stayed steady at 3.1 percent in May and June. “We have a lower than the state average unemployment rate at this point, although I know [companies such as] Madison Wood Preservers are hiring and there are people I know who are still underemployed,” said Madison County Economic Development and Tourism Director Tracey Gardner. “We are blessed to have a low unemployment rate.” Yost, Greene County’s EDA and Tourism director, said the county’s unemployment rate is “still doing great.” “I will say we definitely have a number of businesses that are struggling to find quality employees, primarily the service industries, restaurants and offices,” he said. Yost said folks should consider working in their home county instead of elsewhere. “If you’re talking a 10 percent difference in salary, you’ll definitely make that up by not commuting,” he said. “If I’m a Greene County resident, this is a good time to cut an hour’s commute and find a job here in Greene County,” Yost said, adding that the economic impact of someone living and working in the same county can be significant. “There’s a ripple effect on the economy when people live and work in Greene,” he said. For more information on Friday’s Greene Job Fair, which includes a free job fair etiquette and a job search workshop at 9 a.m., call (434) 963-2960.

Art events (for the week of 08.17.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Aug 16, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

Classes for Aug. 19 through Aug. 25 The Daily Progress staff reports Aug 18, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Veterans Education and Transition Services sessions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282.

CBJ: Personnel File: Local business people in the news Aug 21, 2017 » Robert P. Hodous, of the law firm Payne & Hodous, LLP, has earned a career studies certificate in cybersecurity from Piedmont Virginia Community College. Hodous works with businesses and professionals regarding various aspects of law and related cybersecurity matters.

Speaking out

MISSION & VALUES BY AACC 21ST CENTURY CENTER STAFF AUGUST 22, 2017 Community college leaders speak out after the violent rally in Charlottesville, Va. After the deadly rally in Charlottesville, Va., and the heated discussions on race that have followed, college and university leaders have been speaking out against bigotry and racism. Frank Friedman, president of Piedmont Virginia Community College, located in Charlottesville, said in a statement that PVCC “condemns the hatred and violence that occurred in Charlottesville,” and that the college “values inclusion and diversity and welcomes people from all walks of life.” Heather Heyer, who was killed after a car crashed into demonstrators at the August 12 rally, briefly took classes at PVCC in 2007. In Massachusetts, the presidents of the state’s 15 community colleges issued a joint statement voicing their opposition to the “violence, bigotry, racism and hate” that occurred in Charlottesville. The statement praises the diversity and inclusive nature of community colleges. “We reject, in the strongest possible terms, hateful rhetoric, harmful actions, or attempts to diminish the values or identity of our community members, while remaining committed to the fundamental right of free speech,” the statement said. In addition to signing on to that statement, Mount Wachusett Community College President James Vander Hooven issued a separate statement. “Within our walls and at all of our campuses, we stand for community. We stand for caring for and about each other. We stand for discussing ideas that build upon the very foundation of our country,” Vander Hooven said. In California, San Diego Community College District Chancellor Constance Carroll and board President Maria Senour signed statement. “While we remain deeply committed to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, it is important for us to reaffirm the district’s position against hate speech and violence. Simply put, there is no place in our society for those who would single out one or more members of our community to be the target of hatred and violent acts,” they said in the statement. Looking ahead Bronx Community College (New York) announced last week that it will remove the busts of Confederate Generals Robert Edward Lee and Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson from its Hall of Fame for Great Americans. “Embracing difference includes creating space where all people feel respected, welcome, and valued,” BCC President Thomas Isekenegbe said in a statement. And Austin Community College (ACC) in Texas will now serve as a site for a Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center. This is part of a multi-year initiative by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to educate and prepare the next generation of leaders to break down racial hierarchies. Ten institutions were selected as sites. ACC was the only community college selected. “In the aftermath of the horrific, heartbreaking events in Charlottesville, we must not be silent. Instead, we must harness our collective intellectual, social and financial resources to transform words into action,” AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella said.

Chamber of Commerce Announces Leadership Charlottesville Class of 2018 Posted: Aug 22, 2017 1:48 PM EDT 08/22/2017 Release from the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce:

(Charlottesville, Virginia – August 22) The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce today announced that thirty- eight (38) citizens from a diverse range of Chamber member businesses and civic organizations will comprise the Chamber’s Leadership Charlottesville Class of 2018.

The chamber established Leadership Charlottesville, a community leadership development program, in 1982 as a chamber economic development initiative. Leadership Charlottesville has been sustained as a signature chamber program since, helping to serve chamber member enterprises in an effort to help improve our Chamber members’ and community’s economic vitality and quality of life by building a reservoir of engaged, dedicated civic leaders.

Union Bank & Trust continues as a lead underwriter for Leadership Charlottesville. Union is now joined with the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia Health System as lead underwriters for the Leadership Charlottesville program.

Since its 1982 inception, the chamber has graduated more than 950 area citizens from Leadership Charlottesville. The 2018 Leadership Charlottesville class roster is attached. At the completion of the 2017-18 program, more than 1,000 citizens will have graduated from Leadership Charlottesville; a tremendous milestone for the program and our chamber.

“Our chamber welcomes our Leadership Charlottesville 2018 Class,” said Joseph Raichel, Wells Fargo senior vice president – regional business banking executive, who serves as 2017 Chairman of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “Our chamber especially thanks Union Bank & Trust, the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia Health System for their commitment, underwriting and strong support our Chamber’s Leadership Charlottesville program as well as LCAA for their continuing commitment to our program.”

The Leadership Charlottesville Alumni Association awarded scholarships totaling $1500 to six (6) members of the class of 2018 representing a woman-owned small business, minority-owned small business or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Leadership Charlottesville is coordinated by Andrea Copeland-Whitsett, the Chamber’s Director of Member Education Services and Director of Leadership Charlottesville.

The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to representing private enterprise, promoting business and enhancing the quality of life in the greater Charlottesville communities. Founded in 1913, today the more than 1,200 chamber member and affiliate member enterprises employ more than 45,000 people in greater Charlottesville, representing an estimated total payroll of more than $1.75 billion a year.

Leadership Charlottesville Class of 2018 • Pennelope “Penny” Cabaniss, University of Virginia • Brandi Carpenter, Oasis Day Spa and Body Shop • Connor Childress, Scott Kroner • Lorenzo Dickerson, Albemarle County Public Schools • Sheleigha Early, Hyatt Place • Donald “Don” Gathers, Graduate Charlottesville Hotel • Misty Graves, City of Charlottesville-Department of Human Services • Eden Green, Allison Partners • Jolene Hamm, Piedmont Virginia Community College • Kristal Hawkins, State Farm Insurance • Samantha “Sam” Holland, Omni Charlottesville • Josephine “JoJo” Humphrey, CBS19/Charlottesville Newsplex • James “Jim” Hutcherson, Hantzmon Wiebel • Carrie Jones, Hyatt Place • Arlene Lee, R.E. Lee Companies • Alfredo Lopez, University of Virginia Health System • Emmy Lyons, State Farm Insurance • Hannah Mahaffey, Martin Horn, Inc. • Tytecha “Ty” Holliday-Maupin, CTM Logistics, LLC • Jodi Mills, Stony Point Design/Build • Taylor Odom, Royer, Caramanis & McDonough, PLC • Keith O’Neil, UVA Community Credit Union • Dane Ralston, ATC Group Services • Joshua Rector, Eastgate Town Center, LLC • Erika Robinson, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company • Nicole Robinson, University of Virginia • Joshua Ryan, Union Bank & Trust • Douglas “Doug” Secrest, CenturyLink • Ellen Sewell, Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau • Mark Shipp, Charlottesville City Public Schools • Wilson Steppe, Macmillan Publishing • Jennifer Stieffenhofer, City of Charlottesville-Procurement • Harry Stillerman, Piedmont Virginia Community College • Dan Sweet, City of Charlottesville-Utilities Department • Heather Towe, Long & Foster Realty • Garrett Trent, Habitat for Humanity • Kimberly Washington, Offender Aid & Restoration • Amanda Williams, NBC29 WVIR-TV

Chamber of Commerce Announces Leadership Charlottesville Class of 2018 Submitted Press Release | Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce | Wednesday, August 23, 2017 The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce today announced that thirty-eight (38) citizens from a diverse range of Chamber member businesses and civic organizations will comprise the Chamber’s Leadership Charlottesville Class of 2018.

The Chamber established Leadership Charlottesville, a community leadership development program, in 1982 as a Chamber economic development initiative. Leadership Charlottesville has been sustained as a signature Chamber program since, helping to serve Chamber member enterprises in an effort to help improve our Chamber members’ and community’s economic vitality and quality of life by building a reservoir of engaged, dedicated civic leaders.

Union Bank & Trust continues as a lead underwriter for Leadership Charlottesville. Union is now joined with the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia Health System as lead underwriters for the Leadership Charlottesville program.

Since its 1982 inception, the Chamber has graduated more than 950 area citizens from Leadership Charlottesville. The 2018 Leadership Charlottesville class roster is attached. At the completion of the 2017-18 program, more than 1,000 citizens will have graduated from Leadership Charlottesville; a tremendous milestone for the program and our Chamber.

“Our Chamber welcomes our Leadership Charlottesville 2018 Class,” said Joseph Raichel, Wells Fargo Senior Vice President – Regional Business Banking Executive, who serves as 2017 Chairman of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “Our Chamber especially thanks Union Bank & Trust, the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia Health System for their commitment, underwriting and strong support our Chamber’s Leadership Charlottesville program as well as LCAA for their continuing commitment to our program.”

The Leadership Charlottesville Alumni Association awarded scholarships totaling $1500 to six (6) members of the class of 2018 representing a woman-owned small business, minority-owned small business or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Leadership Charlottesville is coordinated by Andrea Copeland-Whitsett, the Chamber’s Director of Member Education Services and Director of Leadership Charlottesville.

The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to representing private enterprise, promoting business and enhancing the quality of life in the greater Charlottesville communities. Founded in 1913, today the more than 1,200 Chamber member and affiliate member enterprises employ more than 45,000 people in Greater Charlottesville, representing an estimated total payroll of more than $1.75 billion a year. Leadership Charlottesville Class of 2018 Pennelope “Penny” Cabaniss, University of Virginia Brandi Carpenter, Oasis Day Spa and Body Shop Connor Childress, Scott Kroner Lorenzo Dickerson, Albemarle County Public Schools Sheleigha Early, Hyatt Place Donald “Don” Gathers, Graduate Charlottesville Hotel Misty Graves, City of Charlottesville-Department of Human Services Eden Green, Allison Partners Jolene Hamm, Piedmont Virginia Community College Kristal Hawkins, State Farm Insurance Samantha “Sam” Holland, Omni Charlottesville Josephine “JoJo” Humphrey, CBS19/Charlottesville Newsplex James “Jim” Hutcherson, Hantzmon Wiebel Carrie Jones, Hyatt Place Arlene Lee, R.E. Lee Companies Alfredo Lopez, University of Virginia Health System Emmy Lyons, State Farm Insurance Hannah Mahaffey, Martin Horn, Inc. Tytecha “Ty” Holliday-Maupin, CTM Logistics, LLC Jodi Mills, Stony Point Design/Build Taylor Odom, Royer, Caramanis & McDonough, PLC Keith O’Neil, UVA Community Credit Union Dane Ralston, ATC Group Services Joshua Rector, Eastgate Town Center, LLC Erika Robinson, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company Nicole Robinson, University of Virginia Joshua Ryan, Union Bank & Trust Douglas “Doug” Secrest, CenturyLink Ellen Sewell, Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau Mark Shipp, Charlottesville City Public Schools Wilson Steppe, Macmillan Publishing Jennifer Stieffenhofer, City of Charlottesville-Procurement Harry Stillerman, Piedmont Virginia Community College Dan Sweet, City of Charlottesville-Utilities Department Heather Towe, Long & Foster Realty Garrett Trent, Habitat for Humanity Kimberly Washington, Offender Aid & Restoration Amanda Williams, NBC29 WVIR-TV

Art notes (for the week of 08.24.17) The Daily Progress staff reports Aug 23, 2017 Piedmont Virginia Community College: Annual Student Exhibition on display through Sept. 6 in the North and South galleries of the V. Earl Dickinson Building. (434) 961-5376.

Generation Us: Seniors heading back to school for skill building, satisfaction Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017 “I’ve never had older folks audit this class.” That was the professor’s reaction when Kristina and Larry Lawwill, both in their 60s, enrolled in his accounting course. “He was amused we were there,” Kristina Lawwill said. The professor might have been amused, but he should not have been surprised. As students return to school this fall, more and more seniors will be joining them — and with good reason. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, cognitive activity and social engagement are as important as exercise and good nutrition when it comes to keeping your body and brain healthy. Its list of “10 Ways to Love Your Brain” advises seniors to hit the books: “Formal education in any stage of life will help reduce your risk of cognitive decline and dementia.” This is true not only because of the brain stimulation that results from learning something new, but also due to the social interaction that accompanies taking a course. Lifelong learning is good for you. All over the country, colleges and universities are stepping up to help. The University of Virginia welcomes seniors with the Community Scholars program, which allows individuals to enroll in on-Grounds courses part-time without applying to a degree program. Day and evening classes may be audited for free or taken for credit on a space-available basis. Seniors also may audit courses for free at Piedmont Virginia Community College, either in one of the traditional academic programs of study or as part of Workforce Services, where classes are designed to help students update their skills in business, art, design and technology. Current offerings include Job Search for the 21st Century, Event Planner Career Prep and Facebook for Business. Updating their skill sets was what sent the Lawwills back to school. After retiring from their careers in education, the Lawwills decided to start a family business, which led them to explore courses in real estate, tax and accounting. Although at first she was worried that she might not be able to perform at the level she once did, Kristina Lawwill discovered that she actually is in many ways a better student now than when she was younger. She couldn’t help but notice how many of her classmates would scramble to get the homework done in the hall right before class — something she remembers doing herself once upon a time. “I didn’t know how to do school when I was in college,” Lawwill remembered. “That came a lot later. I learned to structure my time; to get things done ahead and not wait until the eleventh hour; to leave time in case something goes wrong, like the printer runs out of ink.” Many teachers welcome older students, and not just because they have learned how to get their homework done. Seniors bring a wealth of experience that can enrich a class discussion and an interest in the subject matter that might be lacking in their younger counterparts. Earle Hilgert has been teaching adult classes since he retired from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Now 94, he continues to volunteer his time as part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UVa, whose mission is to offer “educational opportunities and intellectual enrichment to active adults” so they can “acquire new knowledge, explore ideas, exercise creativity and share interests and expertise with others.” The Fall 2017 OLLI catalog offers a wide range of university-level short courses without prerequisites that are designed for adults. You can learn about everything from The European Union after Brexit to Interior Design Basics, or take courses in playwriting, Native American spirituality or climate change. Hilgert says he enjoys the quality and enthusiasm of the students he finds in the OLLI classes. “These people know a lot before they come to class. They are mostly very well educated. They wouldn’t be in class if they didn’t have some interest or some background.” After Jim Baker retired, he decided to take an OLLI class about opera — partly because of his interest in the subject, and partly because he appreciated the opportunity to explore an area that was for the most part new to him. “All my knowledge before that was job related,” he said. “I never would have paid attention to opera before I retired. Now I have more time to expand my horizons and areas of interest. Not everything has to be production oriented.” Unlike courses at PVCC or UVa, OLLI classes do not include the papers or tests that might intimidate seniors returning to school after many years away. But what if the subject matter itself is intimidating? Sherry Sinard resisted learning to use an iPhone for a very long time. She changed her mind when, one morning, she got detoured on her way to work as a result of an accident and ended up arriving almost two hours late. What she didn’t know while she was stuck in her car was that the vehicle involved in the accident was the same model as hers, and word of the crash had reached the school where she worked. When she didn’t show up and didn’t call, the staff assumed she was the reported fatality. She remembers the tears and hugs when she finally walked in, but she also remembers what they said to her: “Get a cellphone.” So she did, and she also signed up for a class to learn how to use it — the Apple/Mac Users Group taught by Clay Sisk at the Senior Center. Although she initially worried that she might not be able to keep up, admitting, “I didn’t know a thing,” she found the class perfect for her needs — especially since the instructor was willing to offer her one-on-one help after class. According to Sinard, that is one characteristic of a good teacher for seniors, along with a willingness to move slowly and follow a logical agenda, which Sisk always sends out ahead of each class. And Sisk encourages his students to stretch out of their comfort zone. “Don’t be afraid to try stuff,” he said. “Give a kid a computer, and he will just start tapping away. As older folks, we have the fear factor.” Jorgen Vik, who teaches classes in financial planning at the Senior Center, echoes this sentiment. He understands that some people are nervous about looking foolish if they don’t know anything about his subject, and others are uncomfortable talking about their private financial situations. His advice? “Just come. Come and listen.” But he doesn’t mean they should come just to listen to him. Vik recognizes that his students bring a lifetime of experience with them, and he tries to tap into that wisdom during class. At one session, he simply went around the room and asked each member to give others one piece of financial advice. Along with suggestions to have an emergency fund and limit borrowing, one member added, “Be a lifelong learner. The world always changes; make sure to keep up.” Excellent advice — and not just with regard to your money. So take a class. Learn something new. Stimulate your mind. And reap the benefits. As Kristina Lawwill said of her decision to return to school, “It’s my Alzheimer’s prevention program.” Want to take a class for credit but worried about the cost of tuition? Thanks to the Senior Citizens Higher Education Act of 1974, low-income seniors may apply for a tuition waiver to cover the cost of credit classes at a state institution, provided they have been residents of the state for at least a year and are at least 60 years old. Judith Gardner is member and guest relations coordinator at the Senior Center.