I'm still here. Just not...here.

Working two full-time jobs, raising a passel of kids, trying occasionally to have a social life, and grabbing rare bits of sleep here and there -- all told, I just haven't had a whole lot of time to keep up with this here blog of late. Not sure if anyone ever checks it any more anyway. Anyhow, I'm not a Twitterer but I do stay current on Facebook so feel free to friend me there if you'd like to stay in touch. I'm at www.facebook.com/cvilledave. And maybe someday I'll get back to blogging regularly again. Someday.

Slacker Blogger

The most recent edition of the Virginia Municipal League's monthly magazine, Virginia Town & City, highlights this blog as an example of a local elected official using social media to communicate with his/her constituents (go to http://www.vml.org/VTC/10VTC-PDF/VTCMar10_Web.pdf and scroll down to pg. 13). I felt guilty when I saw that article (I didn't know that I was going to be mentioned in it) because my blogging has slacked off considerably over the past year as (1) my free time has become more and more constricted and (2) Facebook seems to have taken over as my social-media venue of choice, in large part because it's easier and quicker to post things there. I realize that many people are not on Facebook, though, so I try to cross-post things here from time to time; unfortunately, I have yet to find a simple way to make that happen automatically. I will try and make more of an effort to keep this blog current (especially now that it's getting statewide attention!), but if you're on Facebook, know that you can always find me at www.facebook.com/cvilledave. See you on the Internets.

Why Does a Salad Cost More Than a Big Mac?

I bet this has something to do with it:

(Chart courtesy PCRM, h/t Waldo J.)

Unsolicited & Unpaid Advertisement for a Good Local Builder

The construction business is hurting these days and many small "mom and pop" contractors are struggling mightily. Since I have a bit of a bully pulpit with this here blog, I thought I'd do my part to support one small businessman here in our community, Mr. Charlie Rogers. This fall, Charlie and his crew built a new addition on my Belmont home. Charlie does good work and pays close attention to detail. He is quite affordable (I had a very limited budget for my project) and very easy to work with. The project was completed on time and I couldn't have been more satisfied with the outcome. Though Charlie is not a "green builder" per se he was happy to incorporate a number of green features (including a high-efficiency heating and air system, dual-flush toilet, eco-friendly insulation, etc.) at no additional cost. So if you're looking for someone to do a small or large construction/renovation project at your home or business, please give Charlie a call at (434) 981-1738 and I'm sure he'd be willing to come out and give you a quote. Feel free to tell him I sent you. Charlie's a native of this area and does most (if not all) of his subcontracting with other locally-owned firms, so your dollars will be recycled right here in our community.

Mustache 4 Kids

We are now entering the final week of the "Mustaches 4 Kids" competition and as you can faintly see in the photo below, my wooly red caterpillar of a mustache is coming along. We "growers" are supposed to be soliciting donations in honor of our 'staches, donations that go to charities that help kids -- in my case, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge. If you'd like to make a small (tax-deductible) contribution to that cause, please click here. It sure would help me feel like this whole 'stache thing has been worth it. :-) Thank you.

Befores and Afters

This was a weekend of personal transformations. On Friday my new home addition passed final City inspection, bringing to an end 4 months of living in a construction zone. On Sunday I decided to take the "Mustaches for Kids" plunge so shaved off my beard; I now have until Dec. 18 to grow a sweet 'stache for charity. And on Saturday...well, check out what happened to me and Sarah on Saturday, among all the before/after pics below.





















Chloe, during and after construction




















I'm told I now look 12 years old.

She said yes!

World Peace...and other 4th grade achievements

A few years ago, my son Eli and his 4th grade classmates had the great fortune of participating in Mr. John Hunter's "World Peace Game" at Venable Elementary School. A local filmmaker, Chris Farina, captured the experience for a documentary ("World Peace...and other 4th grade achievements") that's about to be released. Stay tuned -- click here for more info.

On a related note, from the Interfaith Cooperation Circle of Central Virginia:

Thousands of communities in countries around the world will celebrate their commitment to a more peaceful, just and sustainable world on International Peace Day. Locally, this celebration will take place on Monday, September 21, from 7:00 to 9:30 PM at The Unity Church, located at 2825 Hydraulic Rd, in the Charlottesville area. Performances will include peace-related music, stories, and poetry offered by people from our community, including some well-known talent. The event is co-hosted by the Interfaith Cooperation Circle of Central Virginia, a URI affiliate, and the Unity Church, along with several partners, in a local effort to create a world-wide culture of peace. Donations are welcome and will support awareness of interfaith cooperation locally and globally. For further information, see http://interfaithcooperation.org/events/

Glimpses of Winneba

I'll share some thoughts and reflections about our trip to Ghana soon (my head is still spinning from sensory overload and I've got an election on Saturday to focus on). For now, here are a few "slice of life" snapshots from our journey. More later...

Africa-Bound

Heading to the airport in a couple of hours to hop on a plane to Amsterdam, and flying from there to Accra, Ghana. Will be in Ghana for a week with a privately-funded, seven-member community delegation from Charlottesville to explore development of exchanges (youth exchanges, academic exchanges, cultural/arts exchanges, business exchanges, etc.) between Charlottesville and the university community of Winneba. Couldn't be more excited, both for me personally (my first trip to Africa) and for the people of Charlottesville and Winneba, who as a result of this trip will hopefully enjoy many opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration and travel in the years to come.

Among others, we'll be meeting this week with city leaders, traditional/tribal leaders, business leaders, university leaders, Winneba's Member of Parliament, the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana (a UVa alum), and the leadership of the Africa Global Sister Cities Foundation, which is based in Accra and just this past week received a $7.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help 25 U.S. cities to develop community-improvement partnerships with municipalities in Africa (fortuitous timing, anyone?). We'll also visit a number of historical sites and natural landmarks and partake in one of Ghana's largest annual cultural festivals, which takes place next weekend in Winneba.

I'm not sure which is going to require more of an adjustment, being in Africa for the first time in my life or not having regular access to phone calls or e-mails for the next week. Both, I suspect, will be equally enjoyable. :-) See you when I return.

Ain't Gonna Happen

This past Saturday, I was about 10 sluggish miles into a hilly 15-mile training run for the Charlottesville Marathon when my body pulled me aside and quietly but firmly informed me that if I intended to finish the run, I was on my own. During the 5-mile walk back up Dick Woods Rd., I had a lot of time to think. And it occurred to me that now is the worst possible time for me to be training for my first marathon. In between serving as Mayor of a small city and running a non-profit organization with 22 staff and starting a job search (yes, I've decided to move on from PACEM this summer, more on that later -- see here for the position announcement) and launching a re-election campaign to City Council and raising two kids and occasionally getting together with friends or going out on dates and trying to keep my house clean & yard in order (a losing battle there, alas), I've come to the unfortunate conclusion that trying to find the time and energy to prepare for a marathon is just not in the cards right now. So please forget what I've said publicly about my intention to run the Charlottesville Marathon this year. I am still going to run the Charlottesville Ten Miler on April 4 and I will do the Charlottesville Half Marathon on April 18 but the full marathon is going to have to wait for another time, when life feels a wee bit less like...well, like running 26.2 miles each and every day.

Too Early to Go

Jameria Brown is being buried tomorrow. She turned 9 on Christmas Day. She was full of love and life. So sad.

One more reminder that we should treasure every moment we've got with the ones we've got.

What's Going On

* Congratulations Congressman Perriello! Couldn't have happened to a nicer or brighter guy. Tom is going to be a real breath of fresh air in Washington, DC and here's wishing him a long and successful career as our U.S. Representative.

* Tom is already staffing up and has made a stellar pick to run his Charlottesville district office. Stay tuned for that announcement.

* Love this idea for shared work space in Downtown Cville. Heck, maybe I'll even join in.

* As far as I'm concerned, you can never have too many Thai restaurants in a given town, so the news of a new Thai place in the old Casella's spot at Barracks Road is cause for happiness.

* My dear friend Lorraine from Upstate NY has started a business designing and selling "positive affirmation decals." Who among us cannot use more positive affirmation in our lives? Check it out: www.creatingbliss.com. I think I'll even run my first blog ad for her on this here site (free of charge, of course).

* Best one thing you personally can do to simultaneously help (1) reduce gun violence, (2) lower the school dropout rate, (3) decrease the number of teen pregnancies, (4) keep kids off of drugs, (5) bridge racial and/or class differences in our community, (6) make a new friend, (7) expand your horizons, (8) have a boatload of fun, and (9) make the world a little better place for one lucky child? Become a mentor. Youth mentoring has so many proven benefits for mentors and mentees alike -- consider doing it as one of your New Year's resolutions. To find out more: www.charlottesville.org/mentorville or www.bbbsocbr.com.

Half Marathon Results

Thousands of runners (including myself and over 100 other folks from Charlottesville) participated in yesterday's Richmond Half Marathon and despite the forecast of thunderstorms, it turned out to be a beautiful autumn day for a run. I'm pleased to say I finished the race, coming in 1,846th place out of 3,619 runners at a pace of 10:05/mile. My legs were (are) a little sore afterwards but otherwise I felt pretty good.

Next I have to decide if I'm really going to make a go of an actual marathon. I might rest up for a few days before even thinking about that.

Ask the Mayor

I'm enjoying my new weekly gig on 106.1 The Corner. Politics, music, local news...good times. Most weeks I'm on Thursday mornings with Tad Abbey (formerly known as the spandex-clad child-Mayor of Utica) around 8:40 for about 15-20 mins. This week's show came a day early (today) for scheduling reasons.

A Corner listener suggested that the show include a regular "Ask the Mayor" feature and we agreed. Feel free to shoot Tad a question (click here for his e-mail) and he'll pick a couple each week to throw my way. I'll take any question about any subject except the biomechanics of the human respiratory system. I have people who keep on top of that for me.

Random Thoughts on a Sunday Evening

* Where some media outlets seem to be more interested in cheeky/gotcha journalism than intelligent reporting and thoughtful analysis of the issues, Charlottesville Tomorrow consistently impresses me as the kind of information agent that every community would be blessed to have, yet few are fortunate enough to do so. Their staff are top-notch and their reporting is like chocolate for wonks. I don't know where they get their money, but whoever funds them, please keep the dollars flowing.

* Yesterday's Daily Progress piece about Charlottesville's declining African-American population came right on the heels of a very insightful article in last week's New Republic about the "demographic inversion" that many cities across the country are experiencing. The gist of the article is that as more and more people of means are choosing to put down roots in city centers (which is a good thing), more and more low-income families are finding themselves displaced to the suburbs. I've long argued, and still strongly believe, that there are ways to invest in urban revitalization that don't necessarily lead to wholesale gentrification and broad displacement of long-time residents, but it takes more time and often more money to do it "the right way" and few communities have been willing to sacrifice enough of either. I just became Chair of the Redevelopment Committee of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority (CRHA), which is about to undertake an ambitious Master Planning process to guide the revitalization of our City's seven public housing neighborhoods. Redevelopment of public housing is the best opportunity we have for expanding our supply of affordable housing, improving the quality of life for our public housing residents, and changing the very dynamics of poverty in our community. But it has to be done the right way lest we continue down the wrong path. I believe we can do it right.

* On a much lighter note, I recently registered for (and started training for) the Richmond Half Marathon on Nov. 15; my ultimate goal is to do the Charlottesville Marathon next April. Now that I've actually put those words in print for the whole world to see, there's a better chance I will actually follow through on them. Or, not.

* Starting in the next week or so, I'll be kicking off a weekly "Mayor's Corner" morning gig on 106.1 The Corner. Being a big Corner fan, and eager to find new ways to engage and inform area residents on issues of the day, I'm excited about the opportunity. It won't be more than 10-15 minutes or so each week, just a chance to talk about local goings-on in a fun and creative environment. Including one feature that every Charlottesville resident is just dying to know: What's on the Mayor's iPod? Each week I'll get to choose a different artist/album to take me in and out of commercial break, which gives me a chance to put in a plug for some of my favorite musicians. I'll mostly be highlighting local acts, or folks with local connections (like Lunasa and Vieux Farka Toure, who are headlining the "Stand Up Charlottesville for Darfur" concert at the Paramount on Sept. 12).

* One of the primary reasons I started this here blog was to show off my collection of vintage Charlottesville postcards, but it's been woefully devoid of such material of late. Herewith, appropos of nothing (other than, perhaps, Gate Pratt's recent commentary on the need for a revisioning of this particular intersection), a circa-1909, pre-Lewis & Clark statue image of the intersection of Ridge and Main Streets, featuring the old Midway High School (where Midway Manor now stands):

Seen on a Church Sign in Rural West Virginia Yesterday

PREACH THE GOSPEL AT ALL TIMES
USE WORDS IF NECESSARY

Love it.

(Apparently attributed to St. Francis of Assisi)

Ithaca

Vacationing with my kids in upstate New York this week, attending a friend's wedding at the base of the beautiful Taughannock Falls outside of Ithaca this weekend. Missed out on the chance to welcome President Bush to Charlottesville this morning, hopefully won't be my last opportunity as Mayor to greet a head of state (maybe President Obama will roll through town next year?). Miss my Cats. Going through Bodo's withdrawals. Thankfully have some new (new to me) Curreri and Sproule tunes to remind me of home.

Interesting to note that the City of Ithaca is about to launch a major renovation of their downtown pedestrian mall (sound familiar?) and just last month sent a delegation of local officials and business leaders to...Charlottesville, VA, to learn from our experiences with the Downtown Mall. Interesting to hear their take-aways from that visit:

"Charlottesville, Va: Ithaca's To Discover And Borrow," Ithaca Times, 6/25/08

"The Commons Redesign to Start in 2010," Ithaca Journal, 6/20/08

Kids and I spent the 4th of July at the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen (what an uplifting place!), followed by a swim in Cayuga Lake and a stroll down the Commons. No fireworks in Ithaca tonight -- they do theirs earlier in the week, apparently get a cheaper rate that way. Unfortunately, though, some burning embers from their fireworks show ignited a series of small fires near the staging area at Ithaca College. Including a grass fire on...the rooftop of a new building. Yes, a green-roofed building, like Cville City Hall. Oops.

Happy Birthday, Nation.

Home soon.

Candyapolis

Keith Morris gets his due.

Persephone

Around this time tomorrow, I will be a first-time uncle. My kid sister Lani, who lives in San Antonio, is due to be induced and little Caitlin Naomi Kinion will make her entrance to this world. I don't think Lani or her husband Chris truly know what crazy and wonderful adventures await them -- I wish them all the best and we look forward to meeting Caitlin later this summer!

When we were kids, Lani and I used to listen to Casey Kasem's "American Top 40" radio show every weekend. We never called in one of those "long-distance dedications," but if that show were still on the air (who knows, maybe it is), my long-distance dedication today would be to Lani as she readies herself for the biggest day of her life tomorrow. It's a song called "Persephone" by Helen Horal, one of my new favorite Charlottesville singer-songwriters. It is a love song from Helen to her mother, from whom she is separated by some physical distance; it refers to the ancient Greek myth about the beautiful maiden Persephone and the deep love that her mother Demeter had for her that caused Demeter to travel to the ends of the earth in search of her daughter when they became separated. To wit:

In your arms, I find all the world, and gifts of summer you bring.
Carry me over oceans to lands, bringing home with me.
If home is where the heart is, you are my heart.
Wherever this world carries you, carries me, I'm your Persephone.
I can't give you seasons, only songs,
and passion, those seeds, I'll swallow one by one.
But the devil's fruit can keep me only so far,
I'd walk this world to find out where you are.
If home is where the heart is, you are my heart.
Wherever this world carries you, carries me, I'm your Persephone.

(Click here to hear the song, from Helen's CD "Words Unbroken," or click here to see her performing it live.)

I love that line -- "If home is where the heart is, you are my heart. Wherever this world carries you, carries me" -- what an apt description of the abiding bond that children have with their mothers and vice-versa. Good luck tomorrow, Lani!

UPDATE: Welcome to the world, Caitlin Kinion. Born at 5:28pm on Monday, June 23, 7lbs 12oz, 21 inches long, with "deep blue eyes, dark hair, long legs and big 'ol hands and feet...and a very sweet temperament" (according to proud dad Chris).

Me and Jiminy Glick

I've been interviewed by the best of 'em since I've been on City Council -- Seth Rosen, Henry Graff, Lisa Ferrari, Rick & Jane, Coy Barefoot, Will Goldsmith, Scott Weaver, Christina Mora, Lisa Provence, Cheryn Stone, Bob Gibson, I could go on and on. None of them, however (sorry guys) is nearly as entertaining as Jiminy Glick, who visited the Paramount with his alter ego, Martin Short, back on March 20. (If you're not familiar with Jiminy's work, see him interviewing Jerry Seinfeld here and Steve Martin here and prepare to keel over laughing.) I had the "honor" of being Jiminy's interview victim that night and it was a riot.

A couple of days ago, I ran into Jane Mills from the Paramount and she said she had some photos of me and Jiminy that she wanted to send along. Forthwith, courtesy the superb lensman Rob Garland (check out his stunning photo blog by the way):