The I Love CVille Show With Jerry Miller! - AlbCo Teachers: Collective Bargaining Approved; Will City Council Adopt FY2025 Budget Tonight?

Episode Date: April 15, 2024

The I Love CVille Show headlines: AlbCo Teachers: Collective Bargaining Approved Will City Council Adopt FY2025 Budget Tonight? Yearly Budgets: CVille City $253M AlbCo $629M The Arrowood: 250-Unit Appts. Breaking Ground What’s The Worst Traffic Intersection In CVille? How Would You Grade CVille City Council In ’24? Littlejohn’s Grand Opening Today On UVA Corner Dino Hoxhaj On The I Love CVille Show Tomorrow Read Viewer & Listener Comments Live On-Air The I Love CVille Show airs live Monday – Friday from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm on The I Love CVille Network. Watch and listen to The I Love CVille Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Fountain, Amazon Music, Audible and iLoveCVille.com.

Good Monday afternoon, guys. I'm Jerry Miller. Thank you kindly for joining us on the I Love Seville show. It's great to be with you on a glorious and gorgeous afternoon in downtown Charlottesville. My allergies are horrendous. This is the time of year in central Virginia where the blanket, the yellow blanket coats sidewalks, vehicles, roadways, and pretty much any surface you touch outside. I don't know if you viewers and listeners are like me and popping at least one claritin a day in this, what, 30-day window we call spring in central Virginia. A lot to cover on the show. We have collective bargaining approval, or at least the early stages of it. Albemarle County employees for public schools.

It's not just teachers. I mean, this is going to impact support staff, administrators. This is going to impact the janitors, the lunch ladies, the custodians, the aides, drivers, from soup to nuts, this is a significant story to cover. I think this is something that's going to be good for Albemarle County schools, especially with Charlottesville City having this opportunity. If you're a teacher and you can get more compensation in the city or you could get lower cost of living in one of the outer counties, you would think twice about

working in Albemarle. So the opportunity for collective bargaining and negotiating as a group to get better perks or benefits and compensation is pretty important for educators and also calls into fact important for students and parents that are a part of this school system i want to unpack this from every angle including what this is going to do for kids for moms and dads most importantly for those that work within the school system also for taxpayers i think this is something that should be highlighted here. Collective bargaining is likely going to mean even more allocation for the yearly budget and almaral to public schools. And right now the supervisors are talking about a $620 million yearly budget for the county in totality.

And between 40% and 50 percent of that will get an exact number for you, is the schools. In fact, if you could get me fiscal year Albemarle County public schools, the yearly budget, I'd love to get an exact number of what Albemarle County public schools are looking for fiscal year 2025 for their budget. So we're going to unpack this. I was talking there with Judah Wickhaber. We'll bring him on screen in a matter of moments. Also something to consider tonight, the city council is on the dais back in council chambers,

and according to the city charter, their budget should be adopted today. And that's a $253 million budget that Sam Sanders, the city manager, has presented to councilors. The reason it's been delayed is one councilor, her name, Natalie Oshren, she is the newest, least experienced, yet the top vote getter in this past election. She asked Sanders and city staff to consider prioritizing personal property as a greater source of tax revenue and taking tax strain off the meals tax in the last city council meeting. Basically, she wants to tax vehicles more and meals a little bit less, restaurants a little bit less. That's a

conversation that should be smack dab up for debate during the public comment portion of council today. A lot of people are having this argument right now. What is a more regressive tax? Increasing the taxes on cars and vehicles or increasing the taxes on meals that you eat at restaurants? That's a topic we've covered on the show. We'll cover it again today. There's a new, another topic we'll cover today, a new apartment complex. It's breaking ground. Is it the Arrowwood? Yeah, I think so. This is a J-Dub's headline. A 250-unit apartment complex around Rio Road.

Housing proponents are doing jumping jacks and cheering for additional housing. Folks like me are asking about the infrastructure. Can you think of an intersection that is more cluster, duck, quack, quack, quack, than Rio Road? I mean, maybe you make an argument for Pantops, but that Rio Road Route 29 intersection is a nightmare. 250 additional apartments for that intersection. How do you feel about that? If you're a county payer or if you're a city or central Virginian

that uses that area for travel often. I mean, this is Greene County. This is Culpeper. This is Madison. This is the Forest Lakes and Hollymead Crown. Anyone north of Charlottesville. Anyone going to a Target. Anyone going to a Target, anyone going to a Costco, a Sam's Club, anyone going up and down Route 29, 250 additional apartments for that area. We'll talk about that on today's show.

And I'm going to ask you guys this question. What is the worst traffic intersection in the Charlottesville area? Judah and I will discuss that topic today. I also want to talk Little John's. Little John's is reopened on the UVA corner today. Today, I have many fond memories, some that I recollect clearly, and some that I have foggy recollection of ranch hands and five easy pieces, and the Samson, and the Nuclear, and the Chris Long, and the Onion Wheel, and so many fantastic subs at Little John's. The restaurant is open again. The money behind Little John's, Mr. Stefan Friedman, he's the financier who is the owner of Ace Biscuit and

Barbecue. He is the owner of Draft Taproom. He is the owner of a brewery by the name of Licking Hole Creek. He is the owner of, what's the name of the seafood joint on the UVA corners at Bonnie and... Bonnie and Reed. Bonnie and Reed on the downtown mall, the old Bresry Saison. It's Bonnie and Reed. Yep. Thank you very much, Judah. And you're still getting us that number for Elmhurst County school budget?

Yeah, I'm looking. I think it's 40 to 50 percent of the budget goes to the public schools. So, Mr. Friedman, the money behind Little John's, and an icon returns to the corner. This makes me happy. Any brand or business that has a local feel that's returning to the UVA corner is fine by me. We'll see how they execute. Their menu is up. One of the interesting things that I saw on Reddit about the menu release is it does not have prices on the menu. And one of the Redditors asked this question in the chain, is Charlottesville now so bougie, so expensive, so in love with itself, so punch drunk with Charlottesville that a restaurant can launch its business with a menu with no prices on it and you say it's market rate prices, meaning prices change day to day as ingredients escalate, downtick, uptick, and costs. You see this often

with seafood specials. Lobster or the tuna is market rate price. Are we at that point for a sandwich shop? We'll talk about that on the Monday edition of the I Love Seville show. Dino of Dino's Pizza is going to be on set tomorrow. We're excited for Dino to join us. He is the namesake of Dino's Woodfired Pizza and Rotisserie Chicken and Dairy Market. He is also the restaurateur behind Basta Pasta and Dairy Market. He purchased the Moo Through in Dairy Market. The folks that initially brought the Moo Thru to Dairy Market sold this location and essentially, I guess, the franchise rights to Dino. And as we broke the news on Friday on this program, he's opened a Moo Thru at Pro Renata Brewery. And I can't think of a better spot for an ice cream joint like Muthuru. Pro Renate has

kids and families everywhere. So he has points of sale Dino at Dairy Market with his wood-fired pizza and rotisserie chicken business. Those are two stalls that he has at Dairy Market. He has the Muthuru stall at Dairy Market and he has the Basta Pasta stall at Dairy Market. So that is, what, one, two, three, that's four. And then he's got a Dino's point of sale at Pro Renata, and now a Muthru at Pro Renata. We're going to celebrate this guy tomorrow in the program. We're going to talk about his hard work, his success. He's expanding in an economic climate that is facing significant headwinds.

So I'm going to ask Dino about his expansion, his success in a time of headwinds for food and beverage. What is he doing well? What does he see the industry going? What is the things that concern him about the industry? What are his next goals and stages for this empire he's building? And folks, this guy's got a little bit of an empire going. I want to celebrate the success of a local guy that does things the right way on today's talk show. And this got me thinking of a show from a couple of weeks ago, there's four sweet or treat businesses that have now opened in the last month

in this area. You've got Muthru, the second location at Pro Renato with Dino. You've got Chaps opening a second location on the UVA corner. You have, what's the high street ice cream place that's opening?

And the old double horseshoe saloon? Something Bear. And what was the name of the donut shop on Maury Avenue with the Marie Bett team and the Marie Bett Baker opening? On the tip of your tongue there, Jude, or no? Sugar Bear is the one, and

let's see. Sbarcos? Yeah, that sounds close. Four of them, sweet or treat businesses, have opened in the last month in Charlottesville or Albara. Sugar Bear on High Street, Chap's second location on the UVA corner, Moo Thru at Pro Renata, and this donut concept with the Brie Bet Baker and the Brie Bet team behind it on Maury Avenue. Four of them in the last month. I'll ask you this question.

I asked you this question a couple of weeks ago. Can you think of one restaurant that is open in 2024? Give me one new restaurant that is open in 2024 in Charlottesville or Almaro County. Just one. But in the last month alone, we've had four businesses tied to sweets or treats announce their opening in Charlottesville and Almaro County.

Is that an indication of where we're potentially going with food and beverage? We'll talk about that on the show. Each of those businesses that we just highlighted, and Judah's given us the donut shop. You got the name there, Judah? Sprockos. Sprockos. Each of those does not need front of the house staff, no table service, very little labor. The product itself can hold from day to day to day. There's not much waste with product.

Its footprint for its point of sale has very small square footage, which means little rent and overhead. I want to talk about that on today's program. Dino on tomorrow's show. The lead of the show, as we weave you in on a two-shot, Judah, is collective bargaining. Are you still looking for the budget there? I think I've got it in a couple different places.

60% Neil Williamson says, for most Virginia localities. Thank you, President of the Free Enterprise Forum, Neil Williamson. I'll do some quick math there. What's the number you have, Judah? Thank you, Neil. do some some quick math of there what's the number you have Judah thank you new let's see I've got one number here from the Albemarle County FY 2025 recommended

budget that is saying the budget this budget funds Albemarle County Public Schools, adding $10.1 million in new revenues to schools operated by formal plans. So what's the number? Fiscal year 2025. A total of $206.8 million in school capital projects. That seems very low. So that's just the capital improvement projects. Neil Williamson is saying it's about $377 million.

Do you have any number there showing $377? No, I do not. Okay, 60% of $629 would be $377. I should have that number. I won't forget that number again. That's on me. Let's talk collective bargaining here so we're not going deep down the weeds of the budget.

This flew under the radar last week. Thursday, school board meeting. School board, greenlit, the early stages of collective bargaining for not just teachers, but staff of ACPS. This is significant. not just teachers, but staff of ACPS. This is significant. They're not first to the table.

Charlottesville City is already first to this table with its public school system. This is what we can expect, at least from my position on this. I think we can expect compensation, benefits to improve noticeably for employees of Albemarle County Public Schools. I can expect, I expect that there will be a hierarchy of leadership for ACPS. ACPS, they're already doing this with the Albemarle Education Association, is going to have a clear-cut team of leaders that are speaking on behalf of the group.

I would imagine as this matures, that team of leaders is going to be up for re-election every year. That's going to cause interesting dynamics within employees of ACPS, with some folks wanting to go in some direction, other folks wanting to go in other direction, and utilize their power of collective bargaining to get what those various splintered groups within educators want. I think this is going to cause or create improved quality of life

for educators in the hallways and classrooms, which should cause improved quality of life for students that are interacting with these educators. I think we hope, we hope, this is hope not expect, we hope that's going to lead to improved performance with ACPS. I think we would be remiss not to say that this is going to cause the allocation from Albemarle County and its Board of Supervisors to the school board to be greater. If you're paying educators and teachers and custodians and bus drivers and aides and administrators more money and giving them better benefits, that's going to come from somewhere, and it's going to come from us, the taxpayers. Anywhere you want to go on this, Judah, then we'll get to Stacey, Baker-Patty, Georgia Gilmer, and Vanessa Parkhill, who are watching the talk show, Bill McChesney, who is watching the talk show, Neil Williamson, who is watching the talk show,

and any other viewer, enlisted, or comments on the show. Judah, the show is yours. I think this is i think this is good for the teachers and hopefully good for the school and the students and um we'll see where it goes anything else you want to throw in there um no no what concerns you about collective bargaining? What concerns me about collective bargaining? I think, I mean, we're talking a lot, obviously, about spending. And this is, of course, definitely one of the better things we could be spending our money on.

But, again, we have to be careful. It's easy for districts to say, hey, we need all this money to spend on all this stuff, so here's where we're raising your taxes so that we can get all this money. We've talked in the past about balancing the budget and not asking for more every year, and I think we just have to be clear on what money our districts are spending, what they're spending it on, and whether it's called for. Jason Howard watching the program. Let's get his photo on screen. iloveseville.com forward slash viewer rankings.

iloveseville.com forward slash viewer rankings. Mr. Howard is dubbed, we've dubbed him the King of Rio Road, and he is one of the key members of the family. Mr. Howard is currently ranked 26th and climbing. He says he's in favor of collective bargaining, Mr. Howard says, for anyone that can make it happen. And he asked on previous shows that in the Commonwealth of Virginia,

employees, can they not strike? He says that's one bargaining tool for many unions, the opportunity to strike. One of the things I learned from Charlottesville public schools before Thanksgiving with the organized sick-out, whether they're allowed to strike or not, they seem to have found a way around that by still exerting their influence

with this organized sick-out. And that organized sick-out with Charlottesville Public Schools led to obvious change. So, with collective bargaining, other storylines to follow, at-large candidate Allison Spillman she was very quick after this was approved to offer support of teachers at-large candidate Spillman and I disagree on most things but the collective bargaining was one thing we did agree upon I have seen in my 24 years of being in this community,

the schools suffer in Alamaro County or get progressively more concerning. And my hope is that with teachers earning more money and getting better benefits, that that will translate into better results. The worst case scenario would be this. Here's the worst case scenario. Collective bargaining, more pay for teachers and educators, more benefits for educators, yet performance still suffers. If those that are employed by ACPS get more money from taxpayers,

yet performance still heads southward, that's the worst case scenario. Taxpayers will be on the hook for more money, and still performance would have suffered. I don't think that's going to happen. I'm a glasses half full kind of guy. Let's hope that's what turns out or becomes a reality. Next headline, Judah Wickhauer. Read them to the viewers and listeners. Will City Council adopt FY 2025 budget tonight? We learned from Sean Tubbs of the Charlottesville Community Substack.

Sean Tubbs is fantastic at what he does. According to the city charter, it must be adopted by the 15th of the month. The reason our, Derek Bond, we'll get to that comment here in a matter of moments, and I think he's referencing the union. The reason the charter, the reason the budget is behind is because Natalie Oshren asked city staff to consider a raise in personal property taxes as opposed to level it's ever been in Charlottesville history, while also potentially approving and adopting the budget. So if you speak before council today and you're vehemently opposed to increasing taxes on personal property, vehicles, cars, automobiles, and then the budget is adopted at the end of the meeting, is council basically saying, we don't really put much credence into what you say during public

comment? Their back is against the wall here. I have talked on this show about the regressive nature of all taxes, and I think all taxes are regressive. I would much rather that local government find new sources of tax revenue as opposed to taxing its citizens more money. Because if you continue to tax citizens more money at the time of inflation and other economic headwinds, grocery prices, gas prices, credit card debt, etc., etc., housing, all you're going to do is change the makeup of the community and gentrify people on the margin out. We've talked on previous shows that if you tax personal property,

folks that need to drive places are going to suffer. And last check, just about everyone needs to drive here because the transportation public is not so great. It's not so ubiquitous or approachable. Everyone wants a walkable, bikeable, runnable city, but we don't have that right now. That's not what we got. So what do you think council's going to do? Do you think council's going to drop the hammer on personal property or drop the hammer on meals tonight?

And then we'll get to Derek's comment about unions and examples of when they've worked in the past. I mean, that be a struggle between some of the counselors tonight and which way to go in this, but it remains to be seen. So what's your answer? I think they're going to go back and forth. I don't know that I have an answer for which one I think they're going to go back and forth. Well, for the sake of a talk show, no one's going to hold you if you get it wrong here. We're just having a talk show here.

Go mules tax or personal property and're just having a talk show here. Go meals tax or personal property and then give us a convincing argument why. Oh, a convincing argument even though I'm not sure. I mean, I can make a convincing argument for either one. Yeah, I know. Let's go with personal property tax. Okay, tell us why. Because I think they're convinced that meals is going to affect too many people in the F&B industry, and they'll go for the other one. I don't know that there's really much of a difference, but there it is. Here's the argument, I think, for both sides. If you raise the taxes on meals at restaurants, I've said this before, you make dining out an option or opportunity for the privileged. And a lot of families with young kids

use dining out as a way to help create socialization and maturity for their kids. Eating out should not be only for the privileged. Furthermore, if you raise taxes on meals, what council may or may not realize, they're going to get less customers, restaurants coming in their doors, and that's going to impact the employees that work at said restaurants. And these employees are often those on the financial margin. So if Natalie Ostron is saying, we're not going to raise the taxes on meals, we're going to raise it on cars, and we're going to do this to help folks

that don't have a lot of money out, well, a lot of the folks that are working in food and beverage right now are the folks she's trying to help. If you raise the taxes on cars, we all got them. The other argument is this. You don't have to eat out if you don't want to

you can get food from the grocery store and cook it at home but just about all of us have cars so you're going to tax us no matter what that's why I'm so hugely proponent hugely a proponent of finding other sources of revenue tie those sources to business development economic development, tourism. Huge fan of sports tourism. Why there's no organization or board or cohort with Charlottesville

and Albemarle County and the University of Virginia to drive sports tourism to the area befuddles me. Like, why isn't there a focus of regional or national sports tournaments, youth tournaments in this area at like Dardentow Park using University of Virginia athletic fields? What is the largest tournament we have in this area? Do we have one? Why isn't there one that drives lodging, that drives revenue? These are the kind of ideas we should be considering. Let's go to Derek Bond. His photo on screen. Derek Bond is a restaurateur, owns The Melting Pot and Moe's,

and he's very good at what he does. Let me know when his pic is on screen there, J-Dubs. It is on screen. Thank you, Derek, for watching the show. He's 30 in the family. He says, do you have examples of where the union concept has worked? It's a fair question.

Locally, I do not. Charlottesville City Public Schools is entirely too early in the process to say it's worked or it has not worked. The extent of unions that most of us know is what we see in the process to say it's worked or it has not worked. The extent of unions that most of us know is what we see when we're watching the NFL, Major League Baseball, the NBA.

And the argument can be made for unions. All it's done is made those organizations more expensive for average Joe and average Sally's to go to games because salaries are out of control and us the consumer or fan is the one that covers the cost of much of that escalating overhead I will say this to mr. bond and then we'll get to your comments Sarah Williams I'm gonna get to your comment on Twitter I love getting the comments on Twitter. I will say this to Mr. Bond. With Charlottesville City greenlighting

collective bargaining and unionized efforts for its employees, for its across-the-board employees, if Albemarle County did not follow suit, it was going to lose its best educators to either the city, private schools, or some of these other counties that have lower costs of living. Albemarle County could not do nothing. It had to do something. You can just go one shot if you want, J-Dubs.

Doing nothing was not going to be an option. And if you're a parent of a student in ACPS, would you feel at this point today that you are most disheartened or disenchanted with the school system than you've been maybe ever? Ever is a strong word. Perhaps, certainly COVID, you were more disenchanted or disheartened with the school system. But right now, the schools are struggling.

And we've documented it closely on the show. We got a teacher, a Golden Apple Award winner, Tom Stargell, watching the program. We get Mr. Stargell's photo on screen if we could, please, sir. Tom Stargill is, what's his number in the family, J-dubs? Let me check. Here he is on screen. He's looking sharp. Has he got the hat on?

He's 51 in the family. Mr. Stargill said there's no way that Haas and the school board he controls are ever going to give up an ounce of control that Haas wields and yields over every aspect of the ACPS. Not a chance in hell. That could be another positive that comes from this. Loosening the power that Superintendent Dr. Matthew Haas has on this school system. Could be.

$377 million. We're talking a yearly budget for Alamaro County of $629 million. That's what the board of supervisors are discussing. $629 million for fiscal year 2025 Mr. Williamson, the president of the Free Enterprise Forum says roughly 60% of that is schools that's $377 million the top line item for public schools

if the top line item for Albemarle County the top line item for overhead for Albemarle County is schools don't we all have a dog in this fight to at least want the schools to be as good as they possibly can be? No doubt. And does absolute power corrupt? Yes, it does. And has academic performance suffered? Yes, it has. And has political,

and has politics entered into school more than it's ever been? Yes, it has. What was that, J-Dubs? You jump in anytime you want. There's an interesting chart that I found on Crozet Gazette. It's got a chart of the ACPS comparison of student enrollment versus per pupil spending going back from 2018 to what I have to assume is a projected 2025. And it looks like I think they've broken $20,000 per student.

Anticipated revenues of $260 million lagged proposed expenditures of $273 million, a 5% increase from last year. The increase is requested even as total student enrollment dropped this year to 13,459 from a pre-pandemic high of 14,032, which means that spending in the 2025 budget will top $20,000 per student for the first time, vaulting from $13,000 per student in 2018. Let's go the first lower third, so those that are scrolling through can see what we're talking about. $20,000 plus per student spent on Albemarle County to educate each year, according to the Crozet Gazette? Will be in 2025.

That's a boatload of money. And it would be nice to have the figures available with this graph that shows how the students are doing as a whole in that school. I would say performance has suffered. I would say quality of life has suffered, and I would say staff morale has plummeted. They've gone up roughly $1,000 per student every year,

or at least over the course of the last seven years, it's gone up $7,000. That's a lot for lagging performance. I mean, we talked about this on Friday. The yearly budget for Albemarle County is up 20% in two years. Yeah. Albemarle County's budget for the entire county is a 20% increase in two years. Mm-hmm. county's budget for the entire county is a 20% increase in two years. Folks, these are the type of things

that we should follow. These are the type of things that we should talk about. Fiscal year 2023, the budget was $525 million. Derek Bond is a fan of lowering taxes across the board and see what happens. This is budget time. This is where the opportunity for us to talk about, rotate the other lower third with the Charlottesville and Elmore County

budget side by side. This is our time to talk about this and ask our elected officials to listen and act. Sarah Williams is watching on Twitter, or excuse me, YouTube. I believe this is Sarah Williams' first time she's commented on the show. I love getting the comments on YouTube. She says they are going to tax property because they are guaranteed to get it. They are not guaranteed to get it on meals tax because they will run the food and beverages out of the area. So that's why she says personal property is going to get the tax and not the meals. Sarah Williams, thank you for commenting on the show. Is this your first comment, Ms. Williams, on the program? It's a good take. If so, welcome on the show. Is this your first comment, Ms. Williams, on the program? It's a good take.

If so, welcome to the family. I'd say the taxes on the vehicles is going to hurt the community more. The taxes on the vehicles is going to hurt folks on the financial margin more than the meals. I agree. Thank you. than the meals. I agree. James Watson watching the program. Can you get his photo on screen? Anytime Mr. Watson comments, I relay it on air.

Number five in the family. He says, we have been saying for years, invest in sports tourism. Youth and NCAA sports are wide open opportunities for dollars from visitors with no major impact on schools. I read that Caitlin Clark reeled in $82 million for Iowa City and its local economy. Mr. Watson's a smart man. James Watson has been saying we should be hosting a first round or a second round of the NCAA tournament for years. I've pointed to Richmond, Virginia's success with sports tourism, whether it's NASCAR or youth sports. We have a university that recruits world-class athletes and has world-class coaches living in the area.

And we have world-class athletic infrastructure in the area. Fields, training, practice facilities, practice fields. We have Saka, north of town, that has an incredible soccer... What do you call it? An epicenter of soccer field. It's not just, have you ever been to soccer north of town? No. Fields everywhere. It's not just a field. Soccer fields everywhere. They have an indoor playing facility. Darden Tau. Why do we not have a national tournament here?

I grew up doing travel soccer, my brother and I, in the Williamsburg Soccer Club. We routinely would go to Charlotte or Raleigh for weekend soccer tournaments. Like twice or three times a year. We'd go to Virginia Beach. Mom, dad, brother, me. Hotel for two or three nights. Eating out every night. And then we left.

Why is that not happening in Charlottesville? Or in Albemarle? Because we need to have our you know what together we can't keep going back to people that live in the area and asking them for more money every year you'd be surprised yeah you'd be surprised and then the hud median income for families per household is 124,000 plus. Do you have that slide still that we can put on screen? The HUD slide from Real Talk with Keith Smith? You keep going back to families every year for more money. This is what you get. Last year, 2022, according to HUD, the median income per family, per household, was $123,300.

I think this is it. You got it? Can you put it on screen? Yeah. Now $124,200. $124,200. Keep taxing us. This is the byproduct of that. HUD family household median income,

124,200 per household. And then the same people are screaming about affordability and housing affordability and tax relief and land trusts and housing affordability, and tax relief, and land trusts, and CRHA. Yeah. Come on now.

What's the next headline, Judah Wittkower? Viewers and listeners, let us know your thoughts. We'll relay them live on air. We appreciate you and we want the program to be interactive. The Arrowwood. What is it? The Arrowwood. The Arrowwood, Charlottesville. 250 unit apartments are breaking ground. Keep going. Oh, that's the headline uh let's see um

i mean it's a uh who what when where why oh let's see it always always in media the who what when where why is what you want to focus on judah what always in media you want to focus on, when, where, why is what you want to focus on, Judah. What? Always in media, you want to focus on the who, what, when, where, why, when delivering. Mm-hmm. That is true. GW Real Estate and Griffin Capital are breaking ground on the 250 apartment community. It is going to be showing up on 463 Rio Road West. It's about two miles from the shops at Stonefield and short drive to UVA. It will feature studios to three bedroom layouts as well

as a clubhouse with a fitness center, co-working space, resort-style swimming pool, and a grill lounge area. Do we have an idea for rents? Let's see. There's not that much information on it. Still too early. Development expects the first buildings to be ready for occupancy in mid-2025 with full community

completion expected by March of 2026. So in less than two years, the 250-unit apartment complex will be built right off Ryle Road? Yep. Is there an intersection

in the Charlottesville area that is most miserable for traffic or more miserable for traffic than Ryle Road in 29? Ryle Road in 29. Now it's improved since they did the

bypass. I'd have to say that the... The only one I can think of is Pantops. Pantops? What would you say? And Sarah Williams confirms it's her first comment on the I Love Seville show. Sarah, welcome to the family.

Thank you kindly for watching and commenting on the show. We hope you watch the show each day, Monday through Friday, 1230 to 130. What is a more miserable intersection for traffic than that one? John Snow says 250 and John Warner. Get John Snow's photo on screen if you can. Mr. John Snow, a key member of the family,

ilovecevil.com forward slash viewer rankings. Jon Snow is ranked 44 in the polls. Joe Thomas watching the program. Joe, I'm going to get to that comment in a matter of moments. We've got to get Joe and the viewer and listener power rankings here as well. The award-winning broadcaster who's waiting for some FCC approvals before his station goes live. Joe, we're all eagerly anticipating having you back on air. I'd say your top five most miserable traffic intersections in the Charlottesville area.

Anything Route 29 between Rio and Forest Lakes followed very closely with pantops around Freebridge to Martha Jefferson Hospital. Freebridge to Martha Jeff, drive in or drive home, is a cluster duck, quack, quack, quack. I believe it. I mean uh does anyone has anyone yet figured out why they did that whole crossing lanes thing which crossing lanes thing going under 64 the way it cuts oh the roundabout the diamond interchange

uh is that what they call it yeah Yeah, they call it the Diamond Interchange. Interestingly, the Diamond Interchange now, I can't believe I'm saying this, has actually made traffic better. It took the community of folks that, and I live in that area, as you know, Keswick, Shadwell, Pantops, those that use the interstate right

there, it took folks six months to 12 months to figure out the Diamond Interchange and now it's flowing. It's flowing beautifully. Maria Marshall Barnes says, hydraulic area is definitely one of the worst traffic patterns. Chicken lane is atrocious. The fried chicken alley.

You know what we call the fried chicken alley? The cock block. It? The cock block. It's the cock block. Can you get Maria Marshall Barnes' photo on screen? I love when she watches the program. She is 22 in the family. Fried chicken alley, forever known as the cock block. Explain to me how Popeyes, KFC, Raising Cane's, Chick-fil-A,

and what's the one on the right that has a national recognition? Is Chick-fil-A in that block too? Chick-fil-A is in Barracks Road. You have six within less than a mile. What is the one on the right? That was kind of on the right side there by where Arch's

Frozen Yogurt is. God, I always forget this one. You know what's on the right side? Across from Barracks, between Barracks and Stonefield. You know what's on the right side? Across from Barracks, between Barracks and Stonefield. You know what I'm talking about, right? Between Barracks and... Oh my gosh, right on the tip of my tongue. Zaxby's.

You have Popeyes, Raising Cane's, KFC, Zaxby's, and Chick-fil-A. All less than a mile from each other on the same road. And how does, thank you Logan Wells-Claylow, thank you Joe Thomas. Joe Thomas, we need to get him on the power rankings. Joe Thomas is going to check in on the power polls here at number 60 and counting. iloveseville.com forward slash viewer rankings. He says, wait till you see what's next on Hillsdale and Hydraulic in 29. Make sure the lower thirds are right on screen if you can too, please, sir. Judah. What did you want to see on there?

The traffic one, if you could. 250 apartments coming on Rio Road. Unbelievable. Olivia Branch Branch Holly Foster Chuck Ramey welcome to the program folks in Crozet Lynchburg

Charlottesville City Belmont Keswick Richmond Southwestern Virginia on the program we'll go to John Blair number two in the family

his photo on screen Mr. Blair'll go to John Blair, number two in the family. His photo on screen. Mr. Blair, who's watching the show, if we could. Here's a question about sports tourism. I cannot speak to all sports, but I do know that the larger high school baseball tournaments require a certain amount of hotel rooms in an area to be pre-booked as a block. Do you have an idea about the ability to block hotel rooms? That might be an issue due to the University of Virginia. That's a great question.

You know who would know that is Andre Xavier. Andre Xavier, do you know that answer if you're watching the show? I'm going to send this screenshot to Andre and see if I can get an answer from him, Mr. Blair, John Blair, two in the family. Even Williamsburg, where I grew up in, had regional sports tournaments. And it had William and Mary, not the University of Virginia.

Allow access to photos. I'm sending this to Andre right now, not the University of Virginia. Allow access to photos. I'm sending this to Andre right now, John. Hello, Andre. Do you know this answer? Oh, he just checked the screenshot. It's from the show. Today's show, we are live on air now. Let's see if he responds.

Oh, bubbles coming in from Mr. Xavier. This is the guy who would know this, the travel and hospitality and tourism entrepreneur. Russ Kronberg, my buddy that's C-suite at UVA, would know this too. UVA Foundation. Bubbles, John Blair, your answer's coming. Remember Dino's last name, Judah?

Hacha? Hacha is on the program tomorrow. Anything else you want to add before we get to Andres' answer, which is coming on screen right now? No, go ahead. You're good? Okay. Ginny Hu, welcome to the broadcast.

She's watching on Twitter. Should I call it X? I'm going to stick with calling it Twitter. Are you okay with that? Yeah, I'm okay with that. Okay. Don't you feel like, I mean, the X is weird. Oh, Ginny Hu

has these comments. Her photo's on screen. She said hydraulic in 29 is the worst. And don't forget, it's five cent cone day today at Coors Brothers. Coors Brothers got five cent cone day. You a fan of custard?

I like custard. Andre Xavier's got an answer for John Blair. Hey, Jerry, a room block can be requested by reaching out directly to the hotel sales manager. They can help with any group to do so. I'm going to respond. Thank you. Thank you, Andre. You made the show better today. Andre Xavier, I'm going to give them some props here. Giving you props now. The co-owner of Patch Brewery.

The co-owner of Seville Hop-On Tours. The co-owner of Charlottesville Travel. Andre, Xavier. The founder of Seville Transportation. He's come on the program in the past, A-plus guy. So you can book hotel blocks. Stacey Baker-Patty, did we ever get a photo from her? I don't believe we did.

We need a photo for Stacey Baker-Patty. Stacey, if you're watching the program, we would love to get you in the power rankings. We need a pic. She says, where did Stacey's comments go? There's so many comments coming in. I'm having a hard time keeping up with them right now. She highlights in Crozet the opening of a couple new restaurants. Remember we asked the question in the last month we've had, what was the name of the donut shop? Sprockos. Sprockos? I believe that's what it was. We've had Sugar Bear, Chaps opened a second location, a second move through.

You can't really think of many restaurants that have opened. And the year alone. Carol Thorpe, I'll get to your comment in a matter of moments. Stacey Baker-Patty, let us know what that comment was again. If you could put it on my Facebook page, that would be amazing. John Blair responds, he goes, thank you guys. So we know, I love you guys. You guys are making the program better. So we know that it's not a hotel room issue that would be holding back sports

tourism. Why the hell do we not have sports tourism in this area? Why do we not have mountain biking races? The Miller School, the Blue Ridge School all have fantastic trails. Walnut Creek, Pretty Creek have fantastic trails. O'Hill, fantastic trails. You definitely don't want to do it at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. Good Lord. That's going to be like World War III. We might be on the cusp of World War III with Iran and Israel right now? You know what it calls Central Virginia War III? Not the revenue sharing agreement. Oh, no. Not the revenue sharing agreement, but walking and biking around the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. Yeah, because something about invasive species?

I think it's more of a flex between Almarill County and the city of Charlottesville. And Almarill County not wanting to be told by the city of Charlottesville what to do with land it controls. Well, every time I hear anything about it, I hear something about invasive species, which just sounds like somebody

is making stuff up to come up with any reason they can fabricate to decide things the way they want to decide them. Carol Thorpe watching the program. Let's get Ms. Thorpe's photo on screen. She's the queen of Jack Jewett. She is number nine in the family. Jerry, whatever the method, Charlottesville taxpayers should prepare to bend over. Happy 15th anniversary today to the late great Jefferson area Tea Party, of which I was the three-term chairwoman from 2019 through 2023. It is a shame it did not survive for long past my departure. Its first public rally was April 15, 2019, at the downtown pavilion with 1400 people in attendance and

tea stood for taxed enough already. And she says, Jerry, speaking of my previous comment, the mighty Joe Thomas, he was the MC of the rally that day along with Rob Schilling. And she said, you can also count cookout. They sell a lot of chicken. Cookout does sell a lot of chicken. Really? Chick-fil-a, Zaxby's, cookout, Popeye's, KFC, and Raising Cane's all comprise the cock block. And I've called a strip of chicken joints the cock block, and I didn't even mention the porno shop that's in that same strip. We're talking fried chicken here, folks. Get your minds out of the gutter. Judah, I know where you, come on, you sicko. You're the one that said porn. King of the sickos over there.

What are you talking about? Just joking. Giving you a hard time. Just for the sake of a talk show. It's a joke. Logan Wells-Clello says, there's also the 26-acre development on the corner of Rio Road and John Warner Parkway. They have started clearing approximately 295 dwelling units. Logan Wells-Clello, her photo on screen, please. The other thing that is absolutely mind-boggling is the out-of-market developer that specializes in college

student housing building. I'm not talking about the one on the site of the truest bank site. I am not talking the truest bank site development that's an apartment tower. I'm talking about the one that's close to St. Ann's Belfield.

I think it's in the area of Old Ivy Road. There's a college student apartment tower coming there. Makes no sense. Look, elected officials and governments that prioritize housing for people above infrastructure, that is putting the cart before the horse. We're going to put 250 apartments in northern Albemarle County in an area where we know we need another high school. We're going to put 250 apartments next to Albemarle High School

when Albemarle High School is already bursting at the seams with students make it make sense Albemarle County High School does not have enough room for students kids are learning in trailers but we're going to put more housing around the high school

make it make sense people please what's the next headline on screen if you could please sir how would you grade Seville City Council 24 how would you grade it

I'm curious of your take on this j-dubs how would you grade it? I'm curious of your take on this jdops I mean it's tough for me I want to give them a good grade because I know they're trying but at the same time you and I and probably a

lot of our viewers and listeners are either more moderate or more conservative. And so I think sometimes it's hard to view the city council through a lens of neutrality. You know what I mean? So what was your answer there? I'd give him a 6. A score of 1 to 10? I think so, yeah. A 6 is failing. No, it's not.

70 is passing. All right, well, I'll give him a 7. So you give him a D. Yeah, I mean, I think that... You give him a D, a D, right? A 70 is a D. I mean... Wow, you're a tough grader. You give them a D, right? A 70 is a D. Wow, you're a tough grader.

Yeah, well, we've been talking how much they're planning on raising taxes. I think that's a big part. I did not expect this from you. All right. I think that's a big part of the grade. I think overall they've done a decent job. But again, like I said, it's tough to remain even-handed when there are some pretty big disparities in

how we feel things should be run. I appreciate our council, but I would like to see a more varied council. We don't have that, and it's not their fault. You can't hold that against current council when grading them. That's what I just said. The other aspects you can't.

I know. I did not anticipate such a critical grade from the empathetic and kind Judah Wickauer, beloved by the viewers and listeners for your empathy. Overall, I think they're doing a pretty good job. But, I mean, come on. They want to raise taxes on everything, that's massively affecting my current grade of their... Should counsel speak up today on the wrongfully accused Rivanna Trail groper? Should they speak up today?

The man who was wrongfully accused of groping a woman oh so you're asking if they should speak on ribana trail who has now been exonerated should counsel speak up about that today should counsel mention that in any capacity i'll take it a step further i'm not sure i I see the, I'm not sure I see any, any benefit in that. They literally had nothing to do with any of that. So I don't know how they're, unless they're going to, what, make promises about doing better in the future across the board? I don't know.

I don't know why they would comment on it. Okay, I agree that they're not going to comment on it, but I think specifically they're not going to comment on it for legal reasons because this man's going to sue the city. Follow-up question. Will Sam Sanders, the CEO of the city, and the man who's in charge of the police department Chief Kachis under Sam Sanders

will Sam Sanders speak about this tonight at council I honestly don't know him well enough to know whether he will or not. You don't have to know the person to have an opinion. I kind of don't think he will, but I honestly don't know. I also think he will not. Again, I don't see the merit in bringing it up.

Well, the upside is communication and transparency and the ability to tell taxpayers this is what we're going to do next to make sure this doesn't happen again. The downside is something that can be used against you in a liable lawsuit. And I think right now they're playing it as close to the vest as possible because they have an idea that a payday is coming for this man. Stacey Baker-Patty has this. She said, Jerry, you mentioned restaurants that have opened in the area in 2024. And I mentioned Fiesta Azteca and Jack's Bar and Grill in Crozet. I don't go that side of town, that side of the county very often.

Thank you, Stacey Baker-Patty, for that comment. She highlights two that have opened in 2024. Fiesta Azteca. Isn't that a rebranding? What? Isn't that a rebranding? I believe Fiesta Azteca is in the old Ivy Roadhouse location. Is that correct, Stacey Baker-Patty?

Fiesta Azteca is in the old Ivy Roadhouse location? And I am not sure where Jack's Bar and Grill is in Crozet. I find it a point of conversation that we've had. Ivy Roadhouse location, and I am not sure where Jack's Bar and Grill is in Crozet. I find it a point of conversation that we've had. Yes, Stacy Baker Pagge says it's in the old Ivy Roadhouse location. I've heard they have a fantastic selection of tap beer, beers on tap.

The Fiesta? Yeah, Azteca, in the old Ivy Roadhouse location. I highlight it again. Chaps, second location. Move through, second location. Sugar Bear on High Street. And what was it? Sabarcos?

Yeah, I think so. Is that how you say it? I think so. Sweet or treat businesses, four of them announced openings or plans to open this month alone. And we're struggling to find restaurants that are announcing openings or have opened in 2024 altogether.

All right. That's the talk show today. Carol Thorpe says 70 and 75 is right. You're tough but fair. What's the standard we grade them upon? I mean, that's another reason why it's a tough call. How far do you go back and say, this is the standard that we want Charlottesville to adhere to? And you probably get a lot of different answers from a lot of different people

um some of us would have would want to go back to a time when there was actually a uh there's actually a a variety a uh it wasn't it wasn't all uh Democrats. When was that? Not recently. But we've actually had, aside from the occasional independent, we have had Republicans. One. Yeah. There's one. Republican. Rob. Yeah. There's one. Republican.

Rob Schilling. He's the only one that's ever been on the Seville Council. Since I've been here. Look it up. That's why I said you may have to go back pretty far. One. In my 24 years. Nakia Walker, an independent.

I wouldn't consider her conservative. I wouldn't either. One. And you're quick to, you know, I want to push back gently. Gently. People say, what do you most identify with? I identify with the party of common sense. Yeah.

I'm very center of the aisle on a lot of things that's why I said extremely center of the aisle that's why I said moderate yeah moderate very center of the aisle and one of the things that I find

most frustrating about is obviously the taxation and the overreach by government. Those are the things that I find most irking, if you may. All right, that's today's talk show. Did we cover all our headlines, sir? Little John's UVA Corner Grand Opening.

This is a topic for conversation here. We kind of missed that one. Little John's is open on the UVA Corner. Hooray. Right? Hooray. One would hope. That's great news.

The money behind Little John's is the money behind Bonnie and Reed, the seafood restaurant. The money behind Ace Biscuit and Barbecue. The money behind Draft Taproom. Will that ever open? I mean, people are writing in black magic marker on the, on the doors and windows that, uh, it's all lies. The money behind, uh, licking hole Creek now brewery, right? The question I'm going to ask you this. I find it, I found it unique. I don't have an answer.

I'm just spitballing here, okay? I'm strictly spitballing. Do we find it odd that there's no prices on the menu? Where was that again? Little John's. I mean, is that, I would find that, uh where was that again little johns i mean is that i i would find that i find that very odd anywhere i go i mean that's i don't think i've ever ordered something that said market price on it because i want to know what i'm getting into i want to know what i'm getting into i don't want to order something

and then get the bill and be like wait a a minute. Why is this twice as expensive as any other item on the menu? Especially when you're ordering at a pickup window or ordering at a window and then paying down the line. Yeah, I mean, I would say anywhere. Are we at the point with Charlottesville where market rate is becoming the norm? I don't think anyone's going to see a whole lot of success with that model. If I went into a shop, if I went anywhere

and everything on the menu said market price, I might inquire at what the price was on something that I really wanted to get, but chances are I'd just turn around and walk out. Wow. Wow. No prices on the menu. I'm curious to see how this plays out. It's the grand opening. Maybe it's just they couldn't fit the prices on the menu. I'm not going to jump to conclusions.

I'm not going to jump to conclusions. But Charlottesville, it would be so Charlottesville of Charlottesville to have sandwiches at market rate. That would be quintessential Charlottesville to have sandwiches at Market Rating? That would be quintessential Charlottesville. What I'd be worried about is, I mean, I'm not worried about, I probably just wouldn't go there, but are they going to have surge pricing?

Surge pricing? Like Uber? Like if it's 5 o'clock in the evening or lunchtime, are sandwiches going to be, you know, let's say normally a sandwich is $7.50. Is a sandwich at lunch going to be $8.50, $9? Is a sandwich at dinner or peak kids getting out of the bars time going to be $10 a sandwich?

I mean, I honestly don't think they're going to do this, but if you've got market price for everything on your menu, I've got to wonder what you're charging other people when I'm not there. That's why I'd probably turn around and walk out. Okay, follow-up question. And Carol Thorpe also says, Baskin-Robbins and Dunkin' Donuts is another sweet treat place that also opened.

Yep. On Pantops. Yeah, I drive by it all the time. Over the last month. Mm-hmm. So five of them have opened. We are heading into summer. All five have a lot of commonalities.

Little staff, product that does not get wasted or go to waste, a order window, and a pickup window. How would you feel if a restaurant had surge pricing? Judah just came up with something novel right there. Maybe a topic for tomorrow's show. Like Uber or Lyft, when demand is high, price points go up. Surge pricing.

That's the I Love Ceevil show on a Monday. Dino Hacha is on tomorrow's program. The man behind Dino's wood-fired pizza and rotisserie chicken, pasta pasta, and move-through. In studio tomorrow. Thank you for joining us. So long, everybody. Surge pricing just blew my mind.

Surge pricing. joining us. So long, everybody. Tell me you don't want my money without telling me you don't want my money.