The I Love CVille Show With Jerry Miller! - Henley Middle School Truancy Student Protest Today; Are We Accepting 12 Year Olds Skipping School?

Episode Date: February 20, 2026

The I Love CVille Show headlines: Henley Middle School ICE Truancy Student Protest Today Are We Accepting 12 Year Olds Skipping School? Elementary School Students Next Age Group To Protest? AlbCo Supe Pruitt Says Funding Not There For 4th HS VA Judge Blocks Democrats’ Gerrymandering Efforts UVA BOV Names Dominion Energy Boss As Rector Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, Merck: $12.5B + 1,750 New Jobs In Area The Most Important 3 Minutes Of News Today (2/20/26) 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, Rumble and iLoveCVille.com.

Welcome to the I Love Seville Show, guys. Thank you kindly for joining us. My name is Jerry Miller. It's a Friday in downtown Charlesville, and this is the water cooler of content and conversation in Central Virginia and across the Commonwealth. I'll cut to the chase. Our viewership, listenership, our engagement, our metrics are booming.

They are absolutely spike in the right direction. We know we've been onto something when we launched this, you know, more than a decade ago with long-form content on an everyday basis. but what's happened of late is just wild. We have hundreds of thousands of viewers and listeners across the Commonwealth and beyond that watch and listen to us every day. And we do not take that lightly. We try to relay information that we find fascinating to you,

and that's what this program's about. I'm going to ask you for advice. I rarely come to you a hat in hand and ask you the viewer and listener for honest feedback and advice. I've been set information that I don't know what to do with. I have the information in hand. It's information that's vulnerable. It's information that's valuable.

And it's information that's honest and accurate. And it's information that pertains to elected officials locally. more in that in a moment. Or I'm going to show some vulnerability and ask you the viewer and listener of what I should do with it and whether I should relay it to hundreds of thousands of people on the I Love Seville Network. It's pretty much what I'm going to ask. I'll explain the information I have in about 90 seconds. I do want to highlight a new partner of the show.

It's the team behind a recently launched real estate listing, 919 Druid Avenue. Katie Mullins, who is the owner of Blenham Realty Group. Ben Mullins, her husband, who's the owner of Blenham Builders, and Chris Koiner, the owner of Desim Design Build. They have purchased a non-lownable piece of real estate in Belmont. We're talking a very dilapidated property at one time. They have revitalized this piece of real estate and made it extremely special.

It is fresh, not even a day on the market. In fact, it may still be in coming soon status. 919, Druid Avenue, four bedrooms, three and a half baths. It's got an income producing revenue stream waiting to happen. It is in the heartbeat of the city where you can walk to restaurants and nightlife in just special places like moths. and the local and Bell and the downtown mall. The upside for this $699,000 piece of property is significant.

Purchasing this under $700 grand in the city with an income stream. You live in here for a little bit and then you rent the basement. Your mortgage is offset. Before you know it, you're looking at a piece of property that's knocking on the door of a million dollars in a short period of time. I want to commend Katie and Ben and Chris for buying a non-loadable piece of real estate and adding it to the housing ecosystem as an incremental inventory unit. That's a business model I can support.

Conscious capitalism, social entrepreneurship. When you leave the community in a better place than when you first arrive, that's what we try to do with our business. Props to Katie, Ben, and Chris. All right. Hat and hand, viewers and listeners. Had in hand for you. Someone I trust implicitly, someone I respect, has sent us information. And the information that we have in our possession is basically the net worth, the securities, the assets, the income streams of, Charlottesville City Council members current.

Not only for the five counselors, Juan Diego Wade, Jen Fleischer, Natalie Oshrin, Lloyd Snook, Michael Payne, Juan Diego Wade, but also the city manager, Sam Sanders. This is public record. I want to emphasize this. This is public record.

It was not obtained in nefarious fashion. I didn't backdoor this in a smoky cigar room or meet somebody in a water street parking garage on the sixth floor right before midnight while no one was looking while wearing a trench coat and a hat while standing behind a pillar. We got this the old-fashioned way. Freedom of Information Act requests. Take some time. It may not be easy. Elbow grease costs some money. But what we have in our possession are the statements of economic interest

that absolutely shed financial light on the net worth of Sam Sanders, the city manager, Juan Diego Wade, the two-term mayor, Lloyd Snook, friend of the program, Jen Fleischer, Natalie Oshran, and Michael Payne. It's vulnerable information. It shows the counselor that has the least amount of net worth. I think the community knows that. Wouldn't you say, Judah?

If you watch the show, if you watch the show, you know who that is. Recently moved out of his parents' house. It also shows the counselor that has the most net worth. I think you could probably put that together as well, just from a common sense and age standpoint, the longer you've been around, if you're self-employed, if you own some real estate, if you have a solid job, you can probably figure out it's Lloyd Snook. But this is the financial information that counselors have disclosed on the record in a statement of economic interest that they have to file. It's the law when running for office.

and while serving as an elected official. It also includes Sam Sanders. Sam Sanders as well, the city manager. Interesting tidbit. A rental property, Sam Sanders has in Baton Rouge. That's all for a fair amount of revenue for our city manager. So here's what I'm asking of you, the viewer and listener. I'm looking for advice.

what should I do with the information? Is this a topic for the I Love Seville Show? Should I spend time next week on the statements of economic interest for five elected officials and one city manager? And dissect them from top to bottom. Is something that is public record that can be foiled, fair, game for the water cooler of content and conversation that has hundreds of thousands of people watching and listening to it. And what is the upside? I got to be straightforward here. How about I'll be straightforward? What is the upside for me and what is the downside for me and Judah in our business

for doing this? So I got to be mindful of that as the viewership and listenership grows. So that's how I'm going to start the program. I'm going to ask you guys hat in hand. What should we do? What should we do with this information? And the individual who sent this to me last night, as promised, your name is not associated with this in any capacity. I appreciate you sending that information to us.

Put your thoughts in the comment section of what I should do with this information as I head into the weekend. There's few times where I'm unseeing. uncertain of what to do, Judah. A few times. Studio camera and two shot. What should we do? I count on you.

What is your take for the viewers and listeners of what we should do? Jack of all wits, Jack of all trades, 16 year team member here at the firm of some of the most vulnerable information you could possibly have with elected officials

and a city manager. Hold on. All right. I'm going to switch to us. there we go personally i don't think uh that information is really germane to anything um i think unless people have questions um that we could answer but i don't think that uh airing all that is uh i mean what is it related to so you're saying don't talk about it unless i mean unless people i mean unless there's an outcry for it but even then i i think i think think we would still, I would still take some serious thought in deciding whether or not that we really want to make a show about that.

The reason it was forwarded to me and the reason someone I trusted did the Freedom of Information Act request is because on previous shows I discussed the, speculated would be a better word, the financial worth of city council members. Right. And that show prompted this individual to FOIA and then send me the information, which we now have. And it is public record. Right. You know, I've made reference to elected officials.

This reminds me of the Rory Stolzenberg when he was on the Planning Commission. And Rory Stolzenberg was the most significant advocate for the new zoning ordinance before it was finalized and approved. Yeah. And right before the new zoning ordinance was finalized and. approved in the city of Charlottesville, Mr. Stolzenberg made a purchase on Park Street that significantly benefited once the new zoning ordinance was approved. Then his purchase on Park Street looks like an absolute genius move, Roy Stolzenberg, the planning commissioner, with the NZO. And the timing of it, I found a bit curious just a few months before the NZO goes from Planning

Commission, which he was serving on. And it clearly had a... information that a lot of average Joe's and Jennifer's did not have when this listing was on the market on Park Street. And then a planning commissioner makes a significant purchase of hundreds of thousands of dollars, closer to a million dollars in purchase than closer to $250,000 in purchase price.

In fact, we wrote some commentary on this. I think I could find it. Rory Stoll, Zinberg, Isle, Sevo. I remember writing some commentary on this. I'm not going to I mean it's public record the address although he did purchase it in an LLC

2 acre wood LLC 899000 was the purchase price for the planning commissioner so you know that's when stuff like that happens you wonder about some of the backside but what do I do viewers and listeners with the information this from deep throat

number one in the family deep throat did not send me this information he sends us a lot of information very smart man, but he was not the individual who forwarded us this net worth information on the city councilor members and the city manager. He says if this is foiable information that anyone could request, I don't think there is anything terribly wrong with publicizing it. But unless there is something surprising in there, I don't think that it is helpful to disclose it. Council members get enough SHIT as it is. he also says surprising would be someone who voted on NZO having vacant land or redevelopal property, stuff like that,

just rubbernecking on how profitable it is to own a small law firm in town or how unprofitable it is to be a small town, Lennis, not very helpful. Stolzenberg storyline I found intriguing. Especially since his attorney at the time, Nicole Scrow is also a local builder developer and mover and shaker. and she filed the LLC paperwork and handled the closing for the former planning commissioner on Park Street. It's a small town. It's a small town. I'd like to highlight on the program, Judah Wickauer, Charlestful Sanitary Supply, 62 years in business, Charlestful Sanitary Supply,

John Vermillion and Andrew Vermillion. We saw them yesterday. Their business is doing really well. You can find them online at Charlestfulanitary Supply.com where they have free in-market delivery. often the stuff you buy is on your doorstep the day of. Their prices beat the big box brands, and you're supporting a business that's hiring within the community and supporting the community financially, philanthropically,

goodwill-wise, Charlottesville Sanitary Supply. And as we're getting warmer weather, it's 60 degrees out there, and we got sunshine. Their sister company, Charlottesville Swimming Pool Companies, who you should use for anything swimming pool related. Charlottesville Swimmingpool Company.com. Print radio on television is watching the program. I can't not tell you how many viewers and listeners are watching outside of the Commonwealth.

It's quite a bit. I'm surprised with how many people are now watching the show across the Commonwealth and outside of Virginia. And it's a direct reflection of us making our content verticals a little bit more robust and vast. For example, today we're going to be talking about Virginia Democrats and they're stonewalled right now. They're getting stonewalled right now by a TASwell judge when it comes to redistricting or gerrymandering. That's some branding for you. Redistricting is the positive connotations of gerrymandering. Gerrymandering, the negative condostations of redistricting.

The Democrats of Virginia, they're pushing the word redistricting. The Republicans of Virginia are pushing the word gerrymandering. That's called branding in a lot of ways. We'll talk about that. We're also going to discuss on the program the combined or collective impact of biotechnology, publicly traded companies on this area of Merck, AstraZeneca, and Eli Lilly. I've talked about this. No one's talked about the biotechnology impact on the economy and what will undoubtedly be the further gentrification, homogenization, and wealth-inducing influence. of biotechnology in our region.

But today I just did a back of the napkin estimate of AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly and Merck. All three are opening headquarters within what, 45 miles of Charlottesville. You're talking 12 and a half billion dollars. They're gonna be investing in the next 24 months, 12 and a half billion dollars into creating 1,750 incremental new jobs, all with an average wage of six figures or more.

We'll unpack that on the program today. We'll also talk the new rector at the University of Virginia. He's the boss of Dominion Energy. Think about the timing of Abigail Spanberger, who now has total control of the Board of Visitors, and the rector of the University of Virginia is now the head honcho at a monopoly who is sticking it to, without question, Virginians across the board as we just exited Snowpocalypse and Snowbageddon, 2026. So you're opening your energy bills. I've heard people arguing, I've heard people complaining about 183% increases since last year.

While you open your energy bill and get 183% increases versus last year, as Judah highlighted, the head honcho of the company is now the head honcho of the University of Virginia. How's that for irony or redistricting gerrymandering, sad, sad timing? We'll talk about that on the program today. I'm excited for the Friday show. I enjoy doing the program with you. Do we want to begin with Henley Middle School, Judah? Sure.

Henley Middle School truancy ice truancy protest Judah cringes with that he thinks the language should be less about ice is it about ice

I mean why else would they be protesting my friend I know isn't it not absolutely about ice I think we're both in agreement that the our I don't want to speak for you. I never want to speak for you. My problem here and for the viewers

and listeners that want to resist what I have to say, hate on what I have to say, push back on what I have to say, I welcome the resistance. I sincerely do. That's what we want with this network, is we want to be the water cooler of content and conversation. But the essence of my commentary when it comes to ICE truancy student protest is I'm against them, not because they're protesting immigration, customs enforcement, and border patrol. I'm against them because they're happening during school time, classroom time, and learning time. I don't think children, high school students, middle school students, elementary age students, should be missing classroom and learning time.

I am all four students pursuing their First Amendment rights, freedom of speech, freedom to protest, as long as it happens outside of classroom and learning time. That's my only issue with this. It's happening at a time when boys and girls should be learning about ABC's 1, 2, 3s. And the spin, there's this, for instance, this individual. I forget her name, Meg something, posted on our page. Oh, you just hate people, Jerry. She said something along those lines.

You just hate immigrants, she said. First of all, I am the son of an immigrant. My mom and my grandparents migrated from Cuba to South War. We've talked about that. I don't need to get into that story again. I've covered it often on the show. No, it's not that. it's that this is happening during school time.

I'm also extremely concerned about the safety of students. I'm concerned about the politicization of education. I am concerned about the role administrators and teachers are playing with protest and politics in our schools. I am concerned that private schools and homeschooling are not participating in this type of classroom time and missing, which furthers the educational gap. The private schools went to school earlier than the public schools.

The private schools coming out of Snowmageddon and the snowpocalypse have missed less school than the public schools. They went to school earlier. They didn't have the two-hour delays. They're not missing classroom time with the ICE truancy student protest. If you, the mom and dad, that are watching, and listening to this program, and this is going to make you uncomfortable, angry, cringe, frustrated, flabbergasted.

If you don't see that your son or daughter that is in a public school setting is getting less education and classroom time than private school and homeschool peers, then you're not realistic with yourself. Can't be more straightforward to you with you than that. And now there's a scuttle butt. can anyone that's watching and listening to this show confirm that Murray Elementary School and Ivy is also taking part of the ICE truancy protests? That's nuts.

Are we now, are elementary schools not protesting? Are elementary school protesting? For me, having a sixth grader and a seventh grader and an eighth grader, you're talking 12-year-olds here. 12-year-olds are protesting border patrol in Ivy, Virginia, and Croze, Virginia. It's nuts. Can you say that straight-faced? No, I wouldn't because it's nuts.

So I appreciate you, you, I haven't gone through all the comments on what you posted today, but I did see a few, and I appreciate so much that we have. have a diverse group of people making comments and I think some of them have have put forth some very interesting ideas and a couple of those are about equal rights and debate and I think the debate one follows what you're talking about with do we want our kids in school learning or do we want them out you know walking the streets and I think the debate question hits on that in that are these kids

just getting swept along by their teacher's passion and the overwhelming the overwhelming feeling in school? Are they all, you know, are they just going out because everybody else is doing it?

Is there any real thought about what's about what this is really about. And where is the debate? Where is the other side of this discussion? Because all I'm seeing is ICE is bad. But you know what? Ice wasn't bad when we had Democrat presidents. And the fact that we have a Republican president now doesn't make them bad.

Again, it's the same argument that people had with police. Yes, there are bad apples. That doesn't mean that every police officer is an evil person and that we need to defund the police and get rid of them. They still provide a service that we need, as do the ICE officers. They are meant to keep us safe from criminals crossing the border. Have they perhaps gone too far in places like Minnesota? Maybe. That's not for me to tell you.

and I don't think that's for our teachers to be telling our students. They should be discussing this and keeping an open mind because ICE agents are not some evil monsters. Some of them have probably done horrible things. I'm sure there are people in this community who have done horrible things. So I would rather our kids in school discuss this. and learn critical thinking skills so that they can think for themselves and be able to defend their arguments to others,

and not just as a blind block of sheep, walk out of the school to go traipsing around the city because their teachers and some of their parents think ICE is bad. can we not have a discussion about this? And in terms of equal rights, does every student now have the right to walk out of school for any reason? Because they want to protest that 7-Eleven is no longer selling cherry slurpees. Like somebody made the great point that...

Is this in the comment section of the posts I did on my Facebook page? Yeah, there was a comment about the fact that the school, needs to be neutral on topics like this. And allowing these kids to go out, does that mean that to maintain neutrality, any student can walk out of the school for any reason? Is that what our schools have become? It's just a place where, oh, we give up because we've got to let them do it for, you know, for, for ice protests because we, the administration and the teachers believe in that. well, now in order to maintain neutrality, when some other students come along and say, hey, we've got this, you know, we've got this thing that we want to protest as well. That's called a Pandora's box.

Yeah. They've opened a Pandora's box. And you're just basically saying, you know, kids are small adults and we're going to let them do whatever they want because we can't stop it anymore. Yeah, well said, Judah. Fantastic commentary from Judah Wickhauer. The Pandora's box was opened and now. what's the next fomo, the next viral, the next hashtag,

the next movement, the next trend that's going to captivate young minds and drive them out of the classroom either because they're authentically passionate about it or they just want to miss algebra class. They see a perfect opportunity for freedom. For freedom to get away from rules and regulations. And I do want to emphasize this again.

This is not happening at, private schools or homeschools. Yeah. It's not happening there. I would like to know if there are those debates going on in those schools, if there are discussions about what's going on and getting kids to critically think and make their own decisions on the subject. As someone who has insight into at least the lower school of one private school, our family,

I can tell you that is not. No, 100% not. At least in the lower school. school in our family of one private school, there is zero tolerance to speaking politics at any capacity in the school. I mean, I can

kind of understand that. In the case of seven-year-olds. I mean, it goes basically to the age of students that are protesting at Henley. And there's zero tolerance, zero allowance for speaking politics in the school. None whatsoever.

And a dynamic of this story here, and Kate Schartz is watching the program. She has multiple kids at Murray. She says this, that there is no protest right now that she has heard of at Murray Elementary. I was past

information by a handful of moms that it was being planned at Murray. It's a natural comparison, Kate, to compare the private schools locally with the public schools. And it's not necessarily something that everyone wants to hear,

but it's a natural comparison. Because it's, this is what one school is doing and this is what another's doing. The dynamic that is something that's an interesting wrinkle here, I think it was Maria Marshall Barnes, her photo on screen.

She posted this on the I Love Seville Network yesterday. The fact that I referenced in previous shows that I would be surprised if a Western Amarro school did this. And I think a dynamic that's intriguing with Henley is it's a Western Almaro school that's protesting ice here. You're talking statistically the top performing middle school within Central Virginia, period,

certainly within Almaro County Public Schools, the top performing public school in Central Virginia, certainly within Almaro County Public Schools, right? You're talking an incredibly homogenous, wealthy, affluent student body. I would say of all the middle schools locally, and this is an assumption, this is an assumption here, what I'm saying here, two-parent household, Henley Middle School, as prolific or, or, what's the word I'm looking for,

prevalent two-parent households in Henley Middle School compared to any other middle school in Almore County. I would bet. I don't know if that date is out there. But the surprise for me was it was Henley. It now is very clear to me, Amarro County Public Schools, is going to have its other middle schools protesting.

If Henley's doing it, the other middle schools will. It's very clear to me that Charlottesville Middle School will be doing this. I'm now curious to see if this is going to impact the Flavanna-Louisa's orange, the greens, the Goutchlands, the surrounding counties as well,

whether they're going to be doing it. I'm very curious to see if there will be repeat protests at the school. I'm extremely curious to see if this will embolden the conservative groups that are tied to the public schools to protest themselves.

Like if you're the Turning Point USA Chapter at Western Amora High School, you have a hell of a lot more leverage right now to do any kind of protesting and no longer fear ramifications or Ku Klux Klan name hurling from school board members like Allison Spillman did earlier this year. Like if you're turning point USA Western Amarral chapter, you should be organizing a protest right now. Counter protest. You know, some kind of counter protest if you're

turning point USA. Western Amar chapter. If you're any middle school and should. If you're, well, I mean, you have a press, the Pandora's box is open. yeah but I think that brings up a good question about should about about about uh about what about aboutism uh that's fair oh and and what aboutism is is in in in a lot of ways just like I mean this is this is part of the this is part of my argument about the about the redistrict the the the gerrymandering and the what who was it I think I think it might have been I think it might have been who we focus Don Gathers

Don Gathers who brought up the fact that that they did it in Texas what are we just going to do sit around and like Yeah it's the next trending move for TikTok and Instagram And I don't

That's what these kids are doing I don't support what happened in Texas But the whole what aboutism Is gonna kill us We're you know And it's amplified and exasperated by algorithms on social media that infiltrate and brainwash and keep this top of mind.

And it's not just students that are seeing this on TikTok or Instagram algorithms, it's the parents as well. It's the parents as well. I'm curious to see, I'm very curious to see the impact the teachers and the administrators have here. I've been sent a lot of information when it comes to Henley that there was a lot of teacher organization

with this. fueling the fire. Okay? You know, and where's the, the zero tolerance? When it comes to politics and schools, I can assure you that's a difference between public and private.

The zero tolerance. If this was something, I had, who was the guy on my Facebook page that's been pushing back on me? It was the, God, 99% of the people that leave comments on, on the feed here.

I've never met in real life. I forget the individual's name. Cameron, I think was Cameron somebody, Cameron. He said, what would you do about it? You're posting all this. What would you do about it to enforce this not happening? And then I said, Google what some of the other schools are doing.

Rules. Some of the other schools are legitimately in-school detention. Principles that are preventing this from happening by saying if you do this, you will be suspended with the support of their superintendent and their school boards. Yeah, we're not suggesting that schools start making up rules to punish students. You can't skip school, dude. But if there are rules in place, maybe uphold them.

Let's see what happens. Almore County Public Schools, this is going to impact your remaining middle schools that haven't done this. Almore County Public Schools, I would expect your high schools to do this again, and I'm curious to see if this is going to impact elementary schools within Almaral County Public Schools. And if Almaro County Public Schools,

the biggest school system in Central Virginia is doing this, it's a copycat world. This will happen and continue to happen for the rest of the year, which is why when I posted about this on Instagram and they prompted me to pick a song that I could include with my post, I included, what was the song I picked? I think it was, was it Alice Cooper, schools out for summer?

Schools out for summer. Schools out for summer. Here's a way for you to be schools out for summer. But I think more apt as the second line, I believe, is schools out forever. Schools out forever. I mean, you found a way. I mean, I could, I'm sure I could, I'm sure if I was in school right now,

I could find something to protest at least, at least what, 150, 200 days out of the year? I mean, they've got a day for everything. Like a national hot dog day, a national whatever day. Surely you could come up with a protest for every school day. Let's go to the next topic, Judah Wicker. What's the next topic on the show at the 115 marker? Let's see, we've got Pruitt.

I want to give. props to an Almar County elected official. Oftentimes we are holding elected officials accountable in the show. But in this particular circumstance, Mike Pruitt, who's the Scottsville District Representative on the Almar County Board of Supervisors, is telling the community that the Almore County School Board

wants $250 million from taxpayers. Yeah. 250 million to build a fourth high school in northern Almaro County. Yeah. And I think Biala Pisto currently is saying, look, we can just release bonds, which is essentially borrowing money, giving out IOUs. But I believe Pruitt made the point that there's a cap on how much debt we can sell in order to do things.

And, you know, we can't just sell a billion dollars worth of debt because we want to build five new schools and a firehouse and, you know, whatever. There is a limit. And I appreciate the fiscal responsibility shown here in saying that, look, yes, we could have bonds. We could make some money. But that is not going to get us over the line. and do we really start doing this when we have other things that require our attention and our funds and our in our budget are you know the money in our budget $250 million is an eye-popping amount of money we're talking a Almore County budget that's to the tune of 600 million plus a year Al Morrow County is a AAA bonded county yeah which means it's in very simplistic terms has just glowing and phenomenal credit

Lepisto currently highlights that there is roughly 64 AAA-rated counties in the entire nation. Yeah. The entire nation. Both Pruitt and Lepisto-Curtley are now, maybe pimping is not the right word. I'm going to use pimping. Are both pimping a one-cent sales tax referendum. Now that the General Assembly is dominated by Democrats and there's a Democrat in the governor's mansion, the expectation is that this one cent sales tax referendum,

which has got to be greenlit by voters, is going to be approved in this one cent sales tax referendum once it's approved because the expectation is schools are a cross-isle issue. They unify both conservatives and liberals. That that one-cent sales tax referendum could generate, if it's passed at Almaral, 26 million a year for the schools divisions construction projects. What neither Pruitt nor Lepisto-Curtly are analyzing correctly from my standpoint

in their pimp-tastic language is that we already are dying the death of a thousand cuts and adding a one-cent sales tax while on paper when you say it it's just one cent on the sales tax doesn't seem like a whole lot of money. that's just branding. Yeah. That's called... Can we? It's should we?

It's called perception management. It's like the gerrymandering versus the redistricting. Yeah. Adding a one cent sales tax to the grocery bills, to the every other bill

that's escalated, the Dominion Energy bill, to the credit card floating debt, to any insurance carrying costs, anything else that's a, the assessments, the real

state tax rate. I mean, all you're doing is just making the community more homogenous affluent and white. We're going to cut through the BS right here. That's why you listen to the show, right? Yeah. And I think affordable and find out what happens. I think that this referendum has an opportunity to be approved by voters in Almore County. Today or now, more so than I've ever seen. Assembly's Democrat, General Assembly's Democrats, governors, Democrat. Almore County's extremely Democrat. But be

careful what you vote for? I feel like it's kind of a bait and switch in itself. The whole idea that, like you mentioned, that schools are a cross-isle subject. Everybody wants to, you know, are schools to do well. But just throwing money at them every time you get a chance to raise taxes is not, how does that, where's the proof of concept behind that? Show us how the money is being spent. show us why we have 269 new school employees.

Are they, is that all administration? Is that, you know, do they need, you know, 50 new janitors and 60 new workers for the, you know, for the food line? It would be nice to know why that money is being spent, where it's being spent. how it's, how, what, what the, the ROI is for our students. Because if we're spending money on schools and it's not for the students, what's it for? Chita Wickhars on point today. John Blair's photo on screen. Then we'll get, we're going to open up the comments.

I'm actually texting with a viewer and listener right now who's asking questions while hosting the show while also reading comments on 47 social media pages that this show airs upon. He says, John Blair, I think Mike Pruitt needs. some credit for simply telling the truth about the fourth high school situation. I 100% agree with Judah. Give him credit. Also, I know that a lot of news about Amarro County public schools could be controversial or negative.

But tonight, my son and other middle schoolers at Community Lab are going for a night at the museum at the Virginia Museum of Natural History. Jerry, I cannot believe how excited my son and his friends are about this and their education. He was talking about dinosaurs most of the night last night. So while things can always be better, it's also worth noting that some really good things are happening for a lot of kids at Almore County Public Schools. I'm going to respond to John's comment saying, amen. Thank you for sharing this. Amen. And Judah says thank you for the kind words, period, send on LinkedIn.

Is that okay? I don't mean to speak for you. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I'd like to give some attention to Stanley Martin Holmes, a partner of the program. Stanley Martin Holmes, what was it, Jimmy Evers and Gunner Cook of Stanley Martin Homes who are a guest on real talk, our real estate talk show this morning. Stanley Martin Homes is dedicated to building homes that cater to each person's unique needs and lifestyles. Stanley Martin Homes offers high quality, single family homes, townhomes, and condominiums

designed and constructed with innovative techniques that ensure exceptional efficiency and aesthetic appeal. I'm curious of who has built. the most homes. I don't have this answer. Who has built the most homes in central Virginia? I would say that number is, I would say the companies that have built the most homes in Charlottesville, Al Morrow, and across Central Virginia are Stanley Martin, Southern Development, or Ryan Holmes. But I'm quite confident those are the three that have built the most homes in central Virginia. I wonder how we could figure out that answer. Is that something that you would know, Deep Throat, who's built the most homes?

That might be a question for a Keith Smith. I would not be surprised if number one in a clear-cut number one is Stanley Martin. And I would bet you in the number two slot is Frank and Charlie at Southern, and in the three-slot it's Ryan. Brent Lillard watching the program, he has come on the show in the past. He's smart guy. He says there's an absolutely zero percent chance that the... the teachers and administration were not involved with the planning of that. That would be my take as well.

I, without question, think the teachers and administrators are a part of this. And Rick Verhovaek, who issued the email, did you read the email to the parents? Yeah. He's like, you should not do this, but if you do do this, this is how you do do this. We're going to make a way for it. Yeah, I know Rick Verhobeck well. I've known Rick Verhovaq for 20, almost 25 years. He's an extremely good man.

He's in a terrible position. Do you not agree? Yeah. Well, yeah. I mean, he's not in charge of the school. So he's, you know, he's sending out this at the request of someone above him. And in that case, you know, do what you have to do. Yeah.

Tough spot for the principal. I don't think Bill McChesney, Craig Builders, is in the top three, but I do appreciate your comments. William McChesney, you're a smart guy. William McChesney, the mayor of McIntyre's photo on screen. Mike Pruitt, I appreciate your honesty. We cannot afford a $250 million school right now. And I also need to emphasize this. The Weldon Cooper Center has highlighted.

and I've shared this date on the I Love Seville Network, that public school enrollment is going to fall significantly in our region, in Amarro County. I would be extremely hesitant if I was a school board member, and if I was a board of supervisor, to allocate a quarter billion dollars to a new school when public school enrollment is falling. Fluvana County, you saw similar dynamics play out

with the new high school that it built, spend a boatload of money for that new high school. So be very cautious. As the average age for a home buyer, the National Association of Relater says it's 40 years old. Albemar County, I would bet you the average age for a first-time home buyer is even higher in Alamara County because it's so expensive.

And as baby boomers are the top drive, demographic of homes. The people that are moving to Al Morrow County are also extremely wealthy that are moving here. All these factors, when combined, suggest that enrollment in Al Morrow is not going to uptick and may not support

a $250 million taxpayer investment. Just my two cents. Hank Martin is watching the program. Hank Martin's a fantastic addition to the show. he says middle school students do we have a photo for Hank I think you found one yesterday yes we do was this the Star Trek referenced photo it is I saw that he changed it today

he did is the Star Trek reference photo on screen yeah there it is there we go handsome Hank Martin that's what we're going to nickname him middle school students are six years away from stepping into the world seems to me given the seismic shifts in technology and employment opportunities time would be best spent preparing them for this reality. He also says the Brookhill development made available seven acres of land for an elementary school

and 62 acres for a high school in 2016. The Amar County Public Schools expressed no interest at the time due to diversity concerns. Now they are seeking a quarter of a billion for a new high school. Talk about lost opportunity, poor timing, and decision making. Yeah, 100%. A hundred percent.

Stacey Baker Patty is watching the program. She says, I will say that at a lot of, local private school, there's an opportunity for discussion on these politically charged topics. Students are provided material from both sides. And the faculty facilitates civil discourse. Wow, what a concept. And that conversation happens with high school students. High school students. I also want to add some color to what Stacey Baker-Patti is saying. This is in an in an upper school scenario with high school students where the discussion is from both sides of the topic.

It is not in any capacity in a lower school setting. And I'm speaking from firsthand experience here. Next topic, Judah Wickhauer, what do you got? Next, we have a Virginia judge is blocking the Democrats' gerrymandering efforts. Probs? At least for now. Yeah, to what is it?

the Attorney General Attorney General is saying he's going to appeal. Yeah. I think you know And there's argument that this is that all, I think the Democrats are arguing that these types

of blocks should all go through the same circuit court or the same court whereas the Republicans took this to I believe it's Tazewell, Tazwell,

which apparently is a notorious, I don't know if notorious is the right word, but a Republican judge. Stronghold, foothold. And that's for other people to decide. Yeah, I mean, this is my whole, do you want to know why people have distaste

in their mouth when they hear the word politician? It's this. Politicians should, not select other politicians. Voters should pick politicians. Politicians who are lawmakers should not construe and manipulate law to create favorable conditions so their like-minded peers have an easier chance of getting into office. That's called nepotism. That's called collusion. that's called disingenuous. That's called shady a shit.

Let's call it what it is. That's what it is. Politicians should not pick politicians. Voters should vote politicians. And that's all I have to say about that. The next topic, Judea, what do you got? Let's see, UVA. B-O-V has a

new rector and vice rector. You know, I'll tell you what. The new rector, his name, Judah Wickhauer. Carlos Brown. Yeah. Carlos Brown is the new rector. Victoria Harker is the vice rector. They replaced Rachel Sheridan and Porter Wilkinson. Before I offer some commentary on Carlos Brown, the man has a phenomenal wardrobe. He knows how to accessorize eyewear. Mr. Brown, you have fantastic taste in clothes. No doubt. You are always sharply dressed, rector brown. Your accessories with eyewear are unmatched. You are, you have swag. I mean, you, I'm serious, dude. It's cool how you dress. I sincerely mean that. And I, and I welcome, uh, personality and attire. Now, some commentary that perhaps, I think, is fair

that you may not want to hear. I think the timing is suspect that now the Abigail Spamberger reimagined UVA Board of Visitors, which you have 10 appointees on there, 10 appointments on the board now.

After forcing five to resign the night before she was inaugurated, Mr. Brown is the boss of Dominion Energy. And all of us this month are opening the envelopes that come into our mailbox. and we were already, like, cringing and preparing ourselves for increased electric bills because it was single-digit temperatures for an extended period of time,

snow apocalypse, 2026, right? But the extent of what's coming in, the extent of what's coming in, goodness gracious. I believe the issue that people are having is not that they're paying more because it was a very cold month. it's that they're paying more because the rates are higher. And so, yes, you're paying a lot more because it's not just the fact that we had extended days of double and single-digit weather. It's the fact that the rates have gone up. The energy usage is relatively the same.

For some people, yeah. I mean, obviously everybody's going to be different. But the billing is, gouging. So at a time where Rector Brown, I gave you props to start, sir, you're the best-dressed guy on the board of visitors, and it ain't even close.

At a time where Rector Brown is the new boss of the UVABOV, we also should highlight this is the boss of what, the top monopoly in the Commonwealth? Executive Vice President, chief administrative and projects officer and corporate secretary for Dominion Energy. Yeah, this is the guy.

Right? Seems to be. He's got at least three roles. Yeah. Congratulations to Carlos Brown and Victoria D. Harker, two former University of Virginia board members, former, who returned to the board thanks to Governor Abigail Spamberger last month, and they're the rector and vice rector.

These are people that are orange and blue UVA through and through. Next topic, Judah, Woodhauer. What do you got at? the 130 marker. Philip Reese, who's coming on the program on Thursday. Do we have a photo for Philip? We do have a photo. Let me see if I make sure I got it in here.

Yeah, there we go. Philip Reese is watching the program. He says about half of Dominion Energy bills are actually taxes, also known as riders. He's coming on the program on Thursday this coming week. Philip Reese is the Almar County Republican Committee, newly minted chairman. I'm going to be watching Philip Reese closely as he has a pretty significant task on his hand. And the task that he has on his hand is the youngification, no pun intended with Yonkin. The youngification of the Republican Party in Amar County, he's got to make it younger.

he's got to make the Republican Party less Trumpinian, less Yonkinian, Yucanite, and he's got to make the Republican Party in Almore County more about being responsible with taxpayer money. And talking to people. The whole Al Morrow County Republican Party should be this. We are here to help Al Morrow counties, Almore counties keep more money in their pocket. and pay less taxes. That's all we want to do. We're distancing ourselves from Donald Trump.

We're going to distance ourselves from Glenn Yonkin. All we want to do is keep a county that is aggressively spending in check and have a counter voice on the board, school board, and the supervisor board. Because having both sides is important for checks and balances. That's it right there. if I was building a business model. No doubt. Gosh, there's more comments coming in than I can keep up.

Kate Sharts has made a phone call to Murray Elementary School and has indicated that both secretaries at Murray have heard zero about anything to do with the protest at Murray and that she would be livid if there was a protest at all at that elementary school. So I appreciate the Queen of Ivy Kate Sharts for passing that along to us. Thank you, Kate. I would be extremely livid if there was

no communication with parents about a protest at an elementary school and in advance. So, next topic, what do you got? Chita Wicara. Next, we've got Eli, Astrozenica, and Merck.

I wanted to put the combined impact of biotechnology into perspective because I often talk about the $4.5 billion for AstraZeneca and the fact that AstraZeneca is building its world headquarters in northern Amar County, and it's investing $4.5 billion and creating 600 jobs, and those 600 jobs have an average wage of $125,000 for the 600 jobs, $125,000 is the average wage. So what I did today on Real Talk this morning when the Stanley Martin crew, Jimmy, Evers, and Gunner Cook were on the show is I,

on the fly during the show. There's a lot of stuff we're doing here. I'm communicating with a supervisor right now via text message on the show, literally as I'm talking right now. But on the fly, on real talk, I said, okay, Merck 3 billion in Rockingham County, publicly traded Merck pharmaceutical, biotechnology.

That 3 billion headquarters is going to create 500 jobs, Judah. Eli Lilly, $5 billion in Guchland County. Yeah. And that's going to create 650 jobs. And AstraZeneca, $4.5 billion, Northern Amarro, it's going to create

600 jobs. That's a total of 1,750 new jobs, all deep six figures, and a combined financial investment of $12,500,000 within, what, $40,000? 45 miles of the city of Charlottesville.

So when you want, if you're uncertain about what to talk about at your cocktail and charcutory party this weekend, how about this? Merck, Eli, Lilly, and AstraZeneca in the next 24 months are investing $12.5 billion within 45 miles of Charlottesville and will create 1,750 due jobs that are all average wage deep six figures. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. And that's on top of the people that'll get jobs constructing all this stuff, at least

temporarily. Right. The tip of the iceberg is that. The base of the iceberg is the businesses that are birthed on the supply chain that ride the coattails of these three companies. That's the true incremental citizen

impact and economic impact. Not to mention build up around them. after they've grown. The people that were stroking the checks to the Biotechnology School at the University of Virginia, literally stroking the checks,

told me before COVID that it was going to be 6 to 8,000 new citizens moving here with six-figure jobs, 6 to 8,000 citizens with the predominant focus of those 6 to 8,000 citizens being Almarl County is the place to call home.

Not in my backyard. That's what was told Remember, we've been waving that flag for some time, right? All right. Any other headlines due to a car that we haven't covered? That's it. All right. Conan Owen and Sir Speedy of Central Virginia.

Conan Owen and Surreveedia Central Virginia are locally owned and operated. Conan Owen and Sir Speedy of Central Virginia handled the signage at our studio, our rental portfolio, our tenants, the banner behind me, direct mail, merchandise, uniforms, Lanyards, stickers, pamphlets, trifolds, locally owned and operated, SIRSpeedy, Central Virginia, Conan Owen is who we utilize. Philip Dahl says today's show was absolutely fantastic, his photo on screen, thank you, Philip, Tina Wyatt Breeden, Logan Wells-Colelo, Maria Marshall Barnes, Bill McChesney, Vanessa Parkhill, Susan Bailey Schimp, thank you for watching the program.

I counted 13 supervisors across the various jurisdictions watching us on the show today. City Hall was watching us on the show today. I haven't decided City Hall what we're going to do and counselors with the financial information that we have in our inbox from the Freedom of Information Act requests. I was told by this individual who I have a lot of confidence in and trust in. He says this. If you have, if you have to pause and think, then I think you know your answer, Jerry. Unless there is something counter to your prior assumptions, let that info be a further guide for you, but no need to spread it. Further, the more stuff

that is disclosed, the more barriers to business and community leaders wanting to be on council. Basically, he's saying, why would anybody... Why would the next person that comes along say, I want to do this when you realize you're going to get FOIA and have all your...

I mean, I doubt there's any dirty secrets in the Charlottesville City Council, nor will there be anytime soon. but that I believe is your point that there's no sense putting yourself out for that kind of that kind of scrutiny.

My wife is watching the program and she says I don't think you should do it, Jerry. I take what she says seriously or it has significance with me, more so than anyone on this planet. My wife, she says, I don't think you should do it. And then again, I have you know, 100 plus on the other side saying absolutely it's our right to know.

They can FOIA it. Yeah. My response to them is if we do not release the information, that is also public record, that you can FOIA this. And it does require a little elbow grease and a little bit of money, but you can do that. Barbara Becker-Tilley and David Goodwin and Carlos Abanas Franco. Thank you for watching the program. The print radio and television was all watching the.

the show today, not just in Charlottesville and Almore, but outside the market, including Roanoke and Richmond and Lynchburg. Handsome Hank Martin, we appreciate you. Randy O'Neill, we appreciate you. Kate Sharts, we appreciate you. John Blair and Deep Throat. Carol Thorpe, we appreciate you. You see what we're trying to do here? It's just the water cooler of content and conversation for Charlottesville, Almarral and Central Virginia. You want to close with anything? Have a great weekend. VMI is slightly off the hook. We didn't get to I thought, I think that's good. Yeah.

Destruction of VMI. Yeah. It was a foolish tilting at windmills. Well, Spamberger has got to be careful because out of the gates this quickly, this reeks of overreach. And a lot of people are blaming her for the tax bills that were coming her way. I think a lot of them have been tabled, at least for the next year. I don't think they're going to make it to this assembly. Yeah, that's correct.

The overreach is what alienated much of America when it comes to the president. And the Trump administration, overreach is the word most used to define Trump's second term. Spamberger better be careful because the appetite for overreach is pretty next to nothing. And Spamberger, everyone realizes this is extremely. politically motivated. Like, this isn't like a, you know, the last hurrah for her. Abigail Spanberger. If you like the show, do us the favor of sharing the show.

Help us spread the gospel. We're unaffiliated. We're unafraid. We're unabashed. And we always will be. His name is Judah Wickhauer. My name is Jerry Miller, and this is the I Love Seville Show. Thank you for joining us.