Kucinich brings message of peace to Charlottesville

Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich came to Central Virginia Friday night for a fund raiser that brought in over ten thousand dollars for his campaign. The Congressman from Cleveland is the third Democratic candidate for the presidency to appear in Charlottesville this fall. Impeachment activist David Swanson formerly worked as press secretary to Representative Kucinich, and called upon his old boss to follow in the footsteps of Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama.

Kucinich is introduced by Swanson, as well as by: Sherry Kraft and John Wertman of the Albemarle County Democratic Party; Charlottesville Mayor Dave Brown; Andrea Miller, state director of the Kucinich campaign; and former CIA Analyst Ray McGovern.

 

Watch the video below:

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(alternate link for above video)

Video from the question and answer period:

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See more pictures here.



Chief Longo briefs reporters on McGowan murder

Charlottesville Police Chief Tim Longo held a press conference on Monday, November 12th at the Charlottesville Police Station to discuss what officials know in the murder of 26-year-old Jayne Warren McGowan on November 8. McGowan’s body was found the next day at her home in the 800 block of St. Clair Avenue. In this 20 minute recording, Longo answers reporters questions ranging from where her car was found to possible motives in the killing.

There’s more information at cvillenews.com:

November 13 Update: Police have arrested two men in connection with the case. The Daily Progress has the story.

February 2005 Public Hearing on new reactors at Lake Anna

One of the very first things posted on the Charlottesville Podcasting Network was a 27-minute long documentary compiled from my interviews at a public hearing on Virginia Dominion Power’s application to build two new nuclear reactors at Lake Anna. I recorded it in February 2005.

Tomorrow night, October 24, there’s another public hearing on the same issue, again at Louisa Middle School. I won’t be able to cover it, but I hope reposting this piece will at least inform a few folks about this week’s public hearing.

LIVE ARTS PRESENTS American Buffalo, by David Mamet

Philip Green, Steve Tharp and Michael Volpendesta hunt the American BuffaloSet in a junkshop and occurring over the course of one very bad day, American Buffalo tells the story of three blue-collar men Guv,!vDjkj Don Dubrow, Walter Guv,!E”TeachGuv,!Vkj Cole, and Bob Guv,!vDjkj as they scheme and dream of better lives. After realizing heGuv,!v,,us sold a rare Buffalo nickel for a fraction of its value, Don comes up with a harebrained plan to steal it back with the help of Teach and Bob.

American Buffalo is about much more than a simple heist. Don and TeachGuv,!v,,us scheme is merely the latest offensive in their ever losing battle to make something of their lives. Don resolves to right the wrong done to him. Teach seeks to lie and cheat his way to the top and thus forces himself into DonGuv,!v,,us plan. All the while, young Bob reverently, and mistakenly, seeks the respect of the two older but not necessarily wiser men. Through the interactions of the three men, the play provides an intimate, candid, and comedic look at the menGuv,!v,,us attempts to improve their lot.

Director Mark Valahovic has a long history at Live Arts. If you dropped in on our Streetcar Named Desire this Summer, youGuv,!v,,ure probably still haunted by his Stanley Kowalski.

Valahovic says that, Guv,!E”Since David Mamet is an advocate of an acting technique to which I subscribe, this production gives me the opportunity to train actors to tell a story in a way that would make the playwright very proud if he were to see it. You’re invited, David.

Guv,!E”My goal is to tell a story that is so compelling and so funny that a Charlottesville audience member would pay to see it again.Guv,!Vkj

American Buffalo was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet, famous for his innovative and unrestrained dialogue. In addition to American Buffalo, Mamet also penned many other works such as Glengarry Glen Ross and Speed-the-Plow, both of which earned Mamet Tony Award nominations (and both of which have been produced at Live Arts). A writer for the screen as well as stage, Mamet also wrote the screenplay when American Buffalo was made into a feature film in 1996, with Dustin Hoffman and Dennis Franz starring in the roles of Teach and Don respectively. His other screenwriting credits include the Oscar-nominated films The Verdict and Wag the Dog.

Cast for the Live Arts production of American Buffalo features Steve Tharp as Don, Michael Volpendesta as Teach and Philip Green as Bob.

For tickets or schedule information, visit livearts.org or ring 434-977-41777 ext. 108.

Senator Warner announces his retirement

On Friday, August 31, Senator John Warner announced he would not seek a sixth term in the U.S. Senate. He made his comments from the steps of the Rotunda at the University of Virginia.

Special thanks to the University of Virginia for providing the audio for this event. Read more at the Hook’s website as well as on The New Dominion.



CHIPping away at poverty

The Jefferson Area Child Health Partnership (CHIP) staff work every day with low income families. They help these families connect with needed services in our community. Some of the staff members are low income themselves, and they understand the challenges of trying to be a good parent when facing ongoing financial challenges. Compassionate and committed, the CHIP staff advocates strongly for their clients.In this podcast, they talk about the baby steps, support networks and knowledge people need to pull themselves out of poverty. Produced by Voices of Poverty.



Area police announce arrest of suspect in two sexual assaults connected to the serial rapist

On August 13, 2007 at 4pm the Albemarle County, City of Charlottesville, and University of Virginia Police Departments convened a press conference to announce the arrest of an Albemarle man in connection with two sexual assaultsGuv,!vDjkjone in 2002 and another in 2004. The man is also considered a prime suspect in a series of other attacks on women in Central Virginia committed since February 1997, known locally as the “serial rapist case.” Police did not give out much information beyond the basic details. Read those details and more on the Hook’s blog and on cvillenews.com. Washington’s arraignment will be on Thursday.
The main details in the case are about five minutes in. Thanks to radio producer Lydia Wilson for obtaining this audio. You can also hear Courtney Stuart of the Hook explore the details on WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now with Coy Barefoot.

Tracking: The Educator’s Dilemma

For decades, students in the public education system have been given labels: “General,” “Advanced,” “Honors” – and split into classes with others who supposedly have roughly the same intelligence level. This practice is called Tracking, and there’s currently a big push among educational professionals to get rid of it, and stop segregating students based on their IQ.

Chad Prather, a history teacher at Charlottesville High School, is part of the movement to abolish tracking, and has created a “detracked” class for the 2007-2008 school year. The Charlottesville Podcasting Network’s Michael Strickland spoke with Prather about his class, and how students will be affected by this new style of teaching. Also interviewed were Rick Wellbeloved-Stone, an environmental science teacher at CHS who would prefer the tracking system stay put, and Carol Ann Tomlinson, a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Virginia who is an international advocate for detracking.

Currently a heated and sensitive topic among school administrations, this piece overviews the tracking system as well as the movement towards detracking, and presents the highly varied opinions teachers have on the issue.

Live Arts Presents: Old Times – An evening of Classic Pinter

How does one describe a play in which more goes unsaid than said? Is there such a thing as a triple entendre? Decide for yourself after seeing Harold PinterGuv,!v,,us Old Times at Live Arts.

When Anna goes to visit her old friend Kate and husband Deeley in the English countryside, each of the characters seems to relive and revise their pasts while reminiscing. The pastoral setting becomes quickly tainted, however, as Anna and Deeley politely spar for control of Kate. Under the direction of Francine Smith, this play explores the power of memory and the dangers inherent in trying to manipulate your own Guv,!V| or othersGuv,!v,,u.

Francine Smith, Live Arts Director in Residence, is director of this production. When asked about Old Times, Smith said, Guv,!E”The essence of the play can be summed up in one of AnnaGuv,!v,,us lines: Guv,!LnjThere are some things one remembers even though they may never have happened, but as I recall them so they take place.Guv,!v,,u PinterGuv,!v,,us work is distinctive and provocative in that what is not said (in the pauses) speaks more than the words themselves and the questions or recollections found in the play are ever answered or validated. Lots of bits and pieces leave the viewer free to conclude what really went on twenty years ago between Anna (played by Boomie Pedersen), Kate (played by Daria Okugawa), and Deeley (played by Chris Baumer).Guv,!Vkj

First performed on June 1, 1971 by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Aldwych Theater in London, Old Times has continued to gain audiences across the globe through its universal examination of shifting time and definitions of truth. Written by Harold Pinter, renowned British playwright, actor, director and political activist, Old Times is one among a long line of his plays that have won him critical acclaim. It is with great excitement that Live Arts brings the work of this theatrical pioneer to our UpStage theater.

Tickets for Old Times go on sale to the public Monday May 28 and may be purchased in one of three ways. Tickets are sold via phone at the Live Arts Box Office, in person Monday through Friday 10 am. Guv,!vDjnj 6 pm., or 1 hour before the performance. The preview performance of Old Times is June 7 at 8 pm. Free tickets to this continue

Season media sponsor is C-Ville Weekly. Photos in this entry are by Jack Looney of C-Ville weekly.

A Streetcar Named Desire rolls into Live Arts – May 11 through June 10

Live Arts proudly presents Tennessee WilliamsGuv,!v,,u A Streetcar Named Desire. Directed by John Gibson, A Streetcar Named Desire runs in the DownStage theater May 11 Guv,!vDjnj June 10, 2007. Show sponsors are Allison Partners, Garris and Company, and Elizabeth and Joe LeVaca. Media sponsor is WHTJ. Season media sponsor is C-VILLE weekly.



Live Arts Teen Theater Team presents The Servant of Two Masters


Above, from left to right: Jeremy Weiss, Kate Hancock, Maggie Brown, Rhiannon OGuv,!v,,uCoin, Gigi Gay, Richard Drake (Photo: Jack Looney/C-VILLE Weekly)
The results of a Live Arts program to train teenagers in the various aspects of theater is culminating this month with presentation of The Servant of Two Masters. The Teen Theater Team is Live Arts most intensive and focused training program for young people between the ages of 14 and 19.

The Servant of Two Masters is an 18th century comedy by Carlo Goldoni and for almost 300 years audiences have recognized themselves in its timeless characters and situations. Clever servants, grasping masters, lovelorn youth, buckled swashes, drawn swords, interrupted weddings, slapsticks, and chases are all in dayGuv,!v,,us work for Truffaldino, the titular servant. With rich language and physical hijinks, our teens will draw on their clown training to make a show that leaps from silly to sublime. The play runs on Live Arts Upstage Theater from April 20 to May 5, 2007.

I stopped by Live Arts to talk about the play with director Daria Okugawa and produced this five minute feature.