Un-wreathed: City Market founders' kin kicked out
Sandy Cason pulls out a grass he likes to use in his wreaths from his greenery-laden truck.PHOTO BY LISA PROVENCE
"My uncles, my grandfather, me sat out here on the Downtown Mall," says lifelong wreath-maker Sandy Cason, as he points out the boxwood, the tezzle, and the deer berry he collects to make his holiday creations at the farmer's market founded by his father and brothers. But he won't be there this year. He's been banned.
"They have a personal vendetta against me," declares Sandy Cason. "They don't like me because I'm boisterous."
Cason admits he told the assistant market manager to "go to hell" November 13 when discussing the fact that an anonymous jury had passed him over this season.
How did it happen that a scion of the Cason brothers–- George, Jack, Billy, and Sandy's father, Ezra, who founded the popular Charlottesville institution, the City Market–- came to be black-balled?
According to Cason, he first drew the wrath of City Market management in late October when he lambasted a woman driving the wrong way down one-way South Street.
"Do you always do stupid things like that?" he concedes he said when she pulled into the market's lot, and that remark led her to "cuss" him. Market manager Stephanie Anderegg-Maloy and her assistant, Lucy Lamm, asked what was going on; and Cason says he told them, "This is not market-related business; this is my business."
He notes that the confrontation took place at approximately 1:30pm, about an hour and a half after the market's noon closing on October 23. Yet that didn't stop Anderegg-Maloy and Lamm from ordering him off the public parking lot and then calling and sending a letter to his uncle, George Cason, saying the younger Cason's privileges were "being suspended indefinitely, effective immediately."
Sandy Cason says he didn't see the letter until November 15, and it has him perplexed for several reasons. First, he doesn't understand why a letter would go to his uncle if he's the one suspended. "I'm an adult here," he says.
George Cason holds a City Market permit, but both say Sandy is not an employee, that he was just helping his uncle out, as family members do.
The letter notes "numerous complaints regarding his behavior today, use of abusive and obscene language both to market staff and market customers." Cason finds that suspect too, given the market was already closed at the time of the contretemps. And he's further puzzled that no one mentioned anything to him about it for the next three Saturdays at the City Market when he helped out as usual even if secretly suspended.
"More than anything, I'm perturbed they banned me and didn't tell me," he says.
Sandy Cason has been making wreaths for as long as he can remember, like this one made of grapevine.PHOTO BY LISA PROVENCE
Meanwhile, Cason received a more recent letter saying he would not receive a reserved space at the Holiday Market. And the anonymous jury judging his wreath-making skills–- and impacting his livelihood–- irks him, too.
"I'm poor," says Cason. "I work hard. I'm struggling. I work seven days a week."
Cason alleges that City Market staffer Lamm would not unveil the anonymous jury that determined who gets the 87 reserved spaces.
"Staff members decided," says Charlottesville Parks and Recreation manager Brian Daly, whose office oversees the Markets. "We had so many applications this year," says Daly, noting over 125 vendors on a waiting list but declining further comment because Cason has threatened legal action.
According to city spokesman Ric Barrick, Cason's application was not juried because he did not submit the required photographs of his work.
Charlottesville resident Elena Day estimates that she's made wreaths for the Holiday Market for at least 15 years and was "flipped out" to learn that an anonymous jury determines who gets to sell and who doesn't.
"I have done the Holiday Market when no one went there," says Day. "I feel like [returning vendors] deserve to be in no matter what."
She believes the economic situation has contributed to the flood of applicants who want to be part of the Holiday Market. Day was chosen to return this year, but says, "I was really worried about it. I would have been feeling really bad because I've been here for so long."
"For 38 years, we've never had any problems like this," says founding brother George Cason, 79. "Sandy is so talented. His wreaths and flowers are some of the best in the country."
In 2004, George Cason and his brothers were the subjects of a Hook cover story about the seven brothers–- the "Fighting Casons"–- who fought in World War II. Apparently that tenacity is inherited.
"I'm not going to back down," says Sandy. "I'm stubborn. And I'm a Cason."
60 comments
Get a clue, the Farmers market and Holiday markets are run by the Parks and Rec Department. It has nothing to do with City Hall or the city budget. It is run by 2 people, neither is full time, from what I understand. It's the only deparment in the Parks that shows a profit, that includes sports and other rec activities. The Parks and Rec markets have nothing to do whatsoever with any events or festivals held at Lee Park. The only other Parks run markets are the ones at Pen Park on Tues and Meade on Wed and they only run during the growing season along with the Holiday and Farmers, got it.There are plenty of other markets that are co-op around like Forrest Lakes on tues and Frank Ix on wed just to name a few. You people are amazingly uninformed much like the Hook. Take your blindfold off C'ville eye especially when typing.
Well, #2 is incorrect. Cursing at someone, yelling at her not once but repeatedly and threatening to have her arrested is not "maybe" too strong a reaction. I heard it from a block away.
Sandy is a great person who can make the hell out of some wreaths and has done so for many years for many people. I'm sure he will survive without the infamous City Market. In Part i think it is BS they banned him for some un-related market incident. He wouldnt be so scrutinized if the traffic offender had ran head on into someone possibly carrying a small child.... The shoe would be on the other foot and he may be considered as someone looking out for the good of others... Give the lady a Ticket and Mr. Cason his spot back along with an apology for an unappropriate action and the problem is solved...Jimmany Christmas poeople, its almost christmas! No need for such hostility! Drive like you all have some darn(cause i can't say the other word) sense, and non of this would have EVER HAPPENED! TRAFFIC OFFENDERS SUCK! TEll THEM OFF!
Thank you happy vendor. Sales have become so crazy that there isn
't enough space for everyone during the summer that's why there are reserved and unreserved spaces and options for people to sell at Meade and Pen Parks where there is plenty of open spaces. Please go to city councel and ask them to find a permanent home for the market, because the managers have done such a great job, there is not nearly enough space during peak. You just can't have 70 people selling tomatoes and cucumbers. As for space now, I have a friend that was a first time vendor last week she sold hooded towels for kids and other kids clothing items. She made 0 dollars, so a 50 card table sounds pretty good to her. She'll try again next week. If you think the Farmers Market isn't diverse, then you either haven't been there lately or are too young to know what it looked like in the 80's and 90's. And just to clarify the Holiday Market isn't on the Downtown Mall and hasn't been for the last two year. Thanks for you're NYC and London references Liza, you don't sound too snobby either. Come on down to the market and talk to Ms. Maloy one day she's there every Sat at her booth. Maybe you'll learn something. Thank you sincerely, to KKildea for always being reasonable and nice. Lots of people are passionate about the market and that's a good thing.
I have never seen Mr. Cason before last November. He has not been selling his wreaths for years. His uncles have been selling at the markets for years.
Each week I see new vendors who are given the chance to sell their goods. No one has been told they can not sell at the market only that they do not have a reserved space. If the market continues on the seniority basis there would never be any new items. I have sat up beside vendors who sell nothing for weeks at a time but yet continue to take of space. New small businesses will never have a chance if this continues.
The market is being managed very well for the past 7-8 years. The market has prospered since Mrs. Maloy has taken over. Sales have increase by something like 300%, I believe. That is nothing to complain about. At least now I do not have to show up at 5am to snag a spot on the East end of the downtown mall where no one comes on a Saturday morning. If we were still in this location many people would not have the opportunity to sell at all and we would be dragging everything from a parking spot on 7th street with no tent for shelter.
Happy to be a vendor reserved or non reserved.
Ok, let me rephrase that and clarify my point. I meant people with harsh, negative views of Mr. Cason who commented that he got what he deserved. I am obviously not against people having opinions. But I believe Everyone deserves to a chance to make a living. I'm not defending his right to yell and cuss, just his right to a place in the market, like you and I. I believe their venue is not appropriate for the volume of vendors or customers, and that being addressed might resolve alot of other issues. Anyway, i wasnt trying to offend anyone directly. Nothing like a rousing discussion of local affairs! Stop hating, everybody. Life is too short.
i think if you took a survey in this town, you would find that many people are annoyed. every time they start a new market, it's a clone of something they already have. if jefferson was that unimaginative, we'd still be living in britain! charlottesville is a very heterogeneous city. there are all kinds of different people living here but the market represents a very narrow group of consumers. one market is one thing, but EVERY market addressing the same small demographic? it makes it feel like a very small and smug town. isn't this the seed of the great democracy? as far as mr. cason goes, noone should be that offensive but we should all expect honesty and maybe a second chance? the man has been selling those wreaths for many years and has a long history of satisfied customers.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I think most of the people commenting should go back to work. I couldnt respond to all the dumb comments i just read, but I have to reiterate Sandy's statement that he isnt looking for special treatment, just fair treatment. Yes, he might have gone a little far with the cussing, but dont we all? Thats what cussing is for. He didnt cuss you because your kid stole an apple; in fact i've seen him give kids stuff for free numerous times, make wreaths for people for free, donate his time to help people in need. Everyone has a temper and we all need to control it. But that isnt the point, Its that a democratic process has been turned into an exclusive club, which seems to happen alot in this town. The homogenization of the city market is a prominent example, like the gentrification of neighborhoods.Everyone deserves the chance to market their craft, and if the city market is too small to include everyone they need a different venue. If The pervy homeless child molesters can hangout at the public library and stare at my kids, Sandy can sell his Wreaths. Oh, and NOBODY is allowed to drive the wrong way up a one way street. Not little old ladys, not me,not even you ignorant UVA students. Let me finish with :: all you people with loud opinions, either do something or shut the hell up. You probably cuss obama but didnt vote for your state represntative. Get off the computer and go do something meaningful. SO THERE.
Barbara Myer-
I take exception to some of your points, but emphatically agree with others. You said:
"I mentioned Market Central because its very existence must constitute part of the pressure that has moved City Market into a juried proposition."
Let me state that Market Central had no involvement with the move toward juried space at the Holiday Market. My personal assessment, based on observations at the market alone, is that there were simply so many applications that market management needed a way to select participating vendors, and the juried admission was seen as the favorable way to proceed. Was the process flawed? I don't know, and it's not for me, or for Market Central, to say, since we don’t manage the market. So for you to draw a straight line with Market Central at one end to 'the enemy of the $50 card table' at the other is disingenuous. I can tell you that there have been many, MANY times when I’ve seen the market managers bend over backwards to carve out a niche for that $50 card table vendor, and I hope that continues to happen if our market is to maintain its vibrancy. I can also tell you that many of our board members (myself included) started out with a card table, some more than 25 years ago, and many with sales of much less than $50. I think we’re in total agreement that maintaining this opportunity is critically important to the health and vitality of our market. Why is it then, that advocating for a permanent home is misinterpreted, and categorized as ââ?¬Ë?bureaucratic’?
Could it be that the very definition of ââ?¬Å?permanent home” is elusive? I think so. I’ve fielded many inquiries from the community, vendors and patrons alike, who wonder what a ââ?¬Å?permanent home” might look like, and it hasn’t been answered ”Š yet. For one thing, Charlottesville has been conditioned by 38 years worth of City Market history: There’s always been talk ”Š rumors ”Š opinions ”Š and dreams, all of which are eventually settled by the realities of budget. Would a permanent home mean that the market becomes enclosed, exclusive, homogenized and boring? Absolutely not. But how about a space that isn’t threatened by development for its very existence; that perhaps has a pavilion covering a central core, with a peripheral band of tents and a completely un-bureaucratic chaos of $50 card table vendors? By keeping the conversation going, and involving the community at every step, we’ll get there ”Ševen if we don’t quite know where ââ?¬Ë?there’ is right now.
What is clear is that there are very, very passionate feelings and voices in our community about the City Market, yours among them. You are absolutely spot on about the tremendous pressure that the market is under. Popularity, record sales and attendance have created this pressure, along with the economy, politics and development. Market Central can act as a sounding board, collection point, and consensus-builder for voices from vendors and patrons, but we do not manage the market, nor is that our mission. As the permanent home discussion unfolds and the task force begins its assigned work, we hope that we can help take some of the pressure off the City (taxpayers) in this process by identifying and securing funding for a permanent home, once there’s a plan developed with community input. Does that sound like bureaucracy to you?
I'll renew my previous invitations to anyone who'd like to participate in the discussion. And Barbara - if you'd like to have a cup of coffee sometime, I'd love to - my card table or yours?
Mr Cason err I mean Liza , how many names are you going to defend yourself under? Accept it, you've made yourself look silly, and no one is supporting you at all. Your personality as well as your track record of being anti-social and over-reactive have left you there. It will not change.
I'd like to clear the air here a little ,I'm not looking for a spot at the city market just because I am a cason .I was told by some people that I had already been given a spot at the christmas market ,but now I know that is not so .Had I known that I would not have a space there I would have told all my customers where I would be selling my goods.I am sorry that this has blown way out of text,if certain people were more TRUTHFULL about life in general this would not be going on now.This all boils down to I was banned from the market indefinitely because I confronted a lady that drove up a one way street the wrong way .everyone that lives in cville knows that street is one way she admitted she had done this before . The city market had officially been closed since 12;00 and even though most get out by 1;00 this happened at 1;30 , this was me being a resident and concerned person may have made the wrong decision to approach but I did and here we are as for threatening her I told her I was going to call the police that is all.I know that I cussed at lucy on sat ,no excuse for that but the city has rules that state 1)verbal warning 2)written warning 3) results in termination
they went straight to indefinitely suspention and never notified me of this at all ,not knowing that I had been suspended I continued to go to the market for 3 more Saturday's and sell and no one ever said a word to me ,to even let me know this had happened.I just want the truth told I hope some one in this town reads the story and can help the city market find a HOME it can call its own like instead of putting a road through the PARK add a lake and put the market there add some restrooms add seating and why the YMCA in the PARK right to be right I am not looking for pity or hand outs I'm looking for people to be honest in what they say and do.Merry Christmas to all in Charlottesville & Albemarle and all the surrounding counties I will survive ! PEACE
Barbra,
Thanks for the very well reasoned response. I have to take your point as I cut my teeth selling at the holiday market in the center of the mall as a teenager. That business led to the full time occupation that I have now and who knows a jury might have kept me out. While I understand and pretty much agree with your points the question still stands how to fairly apportion limited spaces to a ever growing crowd of vendors. Do we want a mad rush at 5 am for spots? If I understand the process correctly the jury picked vendors for an apportioned number of fixed spaces and there will still be a number of spots available for folks who "call in" first come first served basis. I will be curious to see how the market looks and feels in comparison with past years. Perhaps it won't be as different as many fear. Barbra I encourage you to still visit the market to interact and buy from local vendors. Why ditch the locals just because of an evolving market process for the global mostly impersonal World wide web? That seems to really eliminate the local micro-enterprises and eliminates the joy of face to face interaction. Then again I can give you my website where I will be happy to sell you some stuff.
c-ville is so snobby sometimes. why doesn't c-ville start an antiques market??? i wonder if stephanie malloy has ever shopped in a big city market like the famous chelsea flea in n.y.c. or the portabello market in london. it is a wonderful mix of characters and items from all over the world-not just handmade crafts and plants. what puts those famous markets on the map IS the boisterous mix of colorful personalities. why did everyone get their panties in a bunch over sandy cason? i think it's hysterical and if i knew there were people like that selling items at the farmer/holiday whatever you wanna call it market(sandy's wreaths are true works of art btw), i would go just for the show but until charlottesville decides to open it's mind and broaden it's horizons, i don't need to buy yet another hand-knitted sock from betty homemaker who flips her wig when she hears someone say hell. how many farmer markets are there per week around here? yawn....
come on, 'come on'. err, i mean 'sybil'. maybe instead of attacking the credibility of people who have opinions that differ from your own, maybe you could consider there is a grain of truth in it. you might learn something.
Well, I stirred the pot more thoroughly than I expected. To mildly clarify:
City Market has had a unique vigor because it was open to anyone who put the time & energy into participating. There was no external judgement made on what constituted an acceptable product, nor on an acceptable day's sales. The card table with a few baked goods and a few crocheted items whose owner went home with, perhaps, fifty welcome dollars was next to a box truck of produce whose owner went home with hundreds. They were both satisfied with the outcome of their invested day. As a customer looking both for items to purchase and a community to interact with, this presented real diversity of choice. It also presented a real opportunity about where and how to invest your purchasing dollars in your community. A purchase was a very direct encouragement to a particular individual. That's a uniquely profound opportunity.
I've seen vendors remain at the card-table level which contents them. I've seen vendors shift through a variety of disciplines; experimenting until they find the medium and product mix that satisfies both them and their customers; and then grow a real business based on the outcome of their experiments. Any juried environment will not have room for either of these types of vendors. Omitting them is indeed a loss --- both to the individuals involved and the community at large.
I mentioned Market Central because its very existence must constitute part of the pressure that has moved City Market into a juried proposition. The idea of creating a physical, permanent space for the market has been batted around for quite some time: I attended a series of meetings and presentations on this idea twelve or fifteen years ago. The idea is gaining ground again and now has an organization behind it. Organizations always create bureaucracy --- nature of the beast. Bureaucracy is the enemy of the $50 card table --- nature of the beast.
Pressure has been growing on, particularly, the Holiday Market from a variety of sources: downtown merchants who felt that City Market vendors on the mall reduced their sales, which is not an idle concern since merchants pay high rents twelve months of the year and Black Friday in its original sense truly exists (ie --- not making a profit until the holiday season arrives); the proliferation of cafes limiting the physical space available for any vendors on the mall; and the year-round vendors who pay the city for outdoor space and show up in most weathers and who (righly) don't appreciate being exiled from a prime location during the busiest part of the year. So: pressures of geography and fairness have been increasingly impacting the Holiday Market. I would it were not so.
Limited space and the growing pressure to have a physical location are shoving the Holiday City Market to 'grow up' and pick its participants. For me, that leaves the mostly keenly vibrant portion of City Market's old definition behind. City Market is fast becoming something it has not been: excluding. For me, it is becoming not-city-market. As a customer, as a vendor, as a citizen whose city is no longer encouraging micro-businesses to experiment and possibly grow --- I find this a loss.
Ok so I have sold sporadically at the Holiday Market for the past 15 years. It is my understanding that the jury was a diverse group of volunteers NOT city employees. The whole idea of a Jury is for the decisions not to be made by the Market managers but by a unaffiliated group of people who judge the work by the quality, medium, and presentation. To respond to "C'ville Eye" I have served as a volunteer on the Crozet Craft Show Jury and it is precisely because of the jury that it is a sucessful quality show (now ranked as one of the 200 best in the nation by Sunshine Artist). The Jury for the Crozet show is comprised of gallery curators, art teachers, professional artists and crafters like myself. The jury combined with a good manager help select high quality and a diverse group of vendors. Quotas are very important so that there are not too many vendors in any given category. If the market for example had 30 wreath makers then few if any would do very well. Yes there are always mistakes and valid room for improvement with any jury system but I would take it any day over space selection by who wakes up the earliest or by a single manager. I for one am very glad not be re-living the old days of setting up on the mall at 5:30-6 Am in December just to get a good spot.
"Meanwhile, Cason received a more recent letter saying he would not receive a reserved space at the Holiday Market."... "According to city spokesman Ric Barrick, Cason’s application was not juried because he did not submit the required photographs of his work."
The man wasnt accepted because he didn't meet qualifications. That isnt prejudice, that isnt bias, that isnt anything but a personal failure on the part of "Cason"
Hook, why did you waste the time?
Comment authors, myself included, why did we?
This was a pointless exercise. Get over it people.
and furthermore, who cares if this man was thrown out. it states in the article he was confrontational , it states he cursed management out. would you defend a street thug because his grandfather started some business near 40 years ago?
Deleted by moderator.
an interesting article for those of you who like the farmers market..it might be illegal next year...
http://www.zagasi.com/senate-bill-510-a-major-danger-to-human-health-and...
What I see is this:
1. A woman made a bad driving choice--maybe accidental, maybe intentional,
2. A man (not himself a vendor at the time) reacted strongly--maybe too strongly to her action,
3. The Market management reacted strongly--maybe too strongly--to him,
4. The Market management took punitive action against the gentleman--perhaps not with due process.
I wasn't there, so I don't know the true story (truth is determined by perspective anyway). It seems to me, though, that several people may have been at fault here--the driver, Mr. Cason, and--yes--the Market management. Could everyone admit that, and not demonize others?
How do you get kick out if you never have a reserved space. Some will do anything for some attention. Sounds like somebody needs a hug!!!!!!!!!!
innocent shopper was not threatened I told her I was gonna call the police for reckless driving ,she deserves to loose her lic to drive reckless is reckless in fact there are several venders that have violated this drive up the street the wrong way alot she was very rude to me as were the market managersa on that day
and to the an adult ,you were not there how do you know what the conversation was about I have 2 witnesses to this whole event
Innocent Shopper What is your side of the story?
You got it michael That is exactly what I am getting. I am a CASON! I get a space regardless of how I behave.
Adults don't agressively and loudly cuss at other adults because they accidently take a wrong turn. Rational adults usually inform that person that they are going the wrong way. That customer did not cuss him she was scared and intimidated, not exactly a great vibe at a farmer's market. Boisterous doesn't mean agressive and abusive and lambasting someone with obscene language, multiple times [staff, customers or anyone else] is not adult behavior. You should interview more than a few people before you irresponsibly write articles.
I am also a vendor who was not juried in. I have gotten up for years, before dawn, suffered, heat, cold and rain to sell my wares at the City and Holiday Markets. I do not think that the jurying is a great idea. NOt just because I did not get in, but because those of us who ARE regulars during the summer, should get special consideration. I have items that are not sold by any other vendor at the Market, I'm not a jeweler, nor do I have jewelry, but I still did not get in. I had already started working on my stock for the season, and am very hurt and disappointed. I am not always a huge seller, but I have been there regularly, and in all weather, and am part of the "Family of the City market" (not a Cason) but I feel like I was sent out of the family. It's not a good way to feel, nor am I as enthusiastic about telling people to go down to the HOliday market. I hope some of my customers will still have my cards and contact me if they want an item.
As for Sandy's behavior. It's been noted before that on occasion he has not been as pleasant as many of his relatives. I'm sure cussing at the managers was not the best idea. He does make great wreaths, but it's hard to be compassionate when someone is rude to the managers and the customers (though the fact it was so much after the market closed is significant, he was a private citizen commenting on someone driving the wrong way, which someone has already noted is NOT unusual in this town. People SHOULD obey the traffic laws, that's what they're there for!
With such clear cut journalistic integrity, the unbiased interviewing of witnesses to events both Saturdays, the clear investigation into Mr. Cason's claims of being a life long wreath maker, as well as his terrible financial struggles, the total absence of buzzwords , the contradicting statements, the pathetic pandering references to ww2 something that happened very visibly 10 or more years prior to Mr. Cason's birth and consequently being totally irrelevant, how could one ever boycott the hook?!?
Thank God for your excellent reporting Lisa Provence! Whatever would we do without your excellent skills of investigation and reporting? That University of Phoenix trade certificate of journalism has certainly paid off!
~A vendor who feels the market is well managed~
In other words, "DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?!"
Those wreaths are beautifil! This is they type of stuff we need at the holiday market!
Leonard
There were lots of wittnesses. Not just two.
Why wouldn't Mr Cason go to the Daily Progress. Oh yeah, they probably wouldn't write a one sided article in less than 24 hours about a man ranting and raving again. The National Enquirer is embarrassed for you Hook.
"The vendors could organize a co-op (make it non-profit which is actually just non-tax)and rent a private space, and take the city government out of the equation entirely. Just a thought."
This makes the most sense. Get the bureaucrats out of the equation in exchange for something run by the vendors themselves.
I agree with restore the public
I think that you all should get a life.
Anyone who meets the previously determined and publicized criteria, and who pays the vendor fees should be allowed to be a vendor at any "public market." Is the space limited--the fee must be too small (too much demand), or the city should find a larger space (increase supply)...sell more permits and have more revenue.
Of course, we have been told that the market space was too small for 20 years, but we can't provide more water for our citizens. How would we provide more vendor space?
Have a "jury" (bureaucrats) determine who can enter the marketplace is Marxism, but this is Charlottesville.
The vendors could organize a co-op (make it non-profit which is actually just non-tax)and rent a private space, and take the city government out of the equation entirely. Just a thought.
"They don’t like me because I’m boisterous" - hmmm... so they're supposed to ignore the fact that he told them to go to hell, and generally acted threatening and unruly in a public place?
And "black-balled"? I don't think that's the right term for when someone has not been jury-accepted for a crafter's show.
It's interesting to me that this family continues to try and hold the City by the short & curlies, threatening lawsuits when attempts are made to hold them to a standard that is expected of the entire group. If you're right, you'll prevail, but if you're not... I hope the City sticks to its guns.
Thank you for all the good things that you've done over the years, but it doesn't excuse bad behavior, and surely doesn't give you free reign to threaten people. I, for one, am sorry that there wasn't more comment from the City in response to this story, but I understand why. Shame it doesn't stop the other side from spewing forth.
Barbara Myer - I'm not sure I understand your comment about Market Central and how it relates to this article/issue??
I am very sorry I *triggered* such anger. Although I did not *cuss* after I was threatened. Thank you City Market Managers for an immediate & appropriate response to a disturbance. I hope there will be an amicable solution.
Do you have a better way to select vendors? Or do you have a huge location that can accodomate hundreds of vendors. most likely 75-100 of thoses would be beaders. Barbara, maybe you need to call someone I hear they need a new location.
Or Maybe the Hook should dedicate an entire issue to vendor selction and Hook readers can make the selection. I am sure the City wouldn't mind not dealing with this nonsense.
I saw the cussing incident. It was at 1:30pm, at which time some vendors were still packing up. The market really closes at 1:00pm and parking restrictions end at 2:00pm. The person I saw yelling had lost his temper, which is not a crime, but he was quite rude to the woman. Then he said he would call the police and have her arrested. He went to his truck, in the private lot on South Street, and drove to the exit. There he pulled out his phone, considered dialing, and then drove away instead. People were disturbed, as the market is usually a feel-good event. And the vendors who take a long time packing up are especially deserving of good behavior.
Jurying? City Market?
Let's get back to basics, here. I was appalled when I received my annual packet that this year I would be juried if I wanted to participate!?! And they had quotas for categories?!?
I've gotten up at oh-dark-hundred hours to do the "Holiday Market" many, though not all years. "First come, first served" has been the mantra --- get up early, get the worms, as Ben Franklin intimated. Stand on freezing pavement, take your chances. Now they're to be juried?!? Where did that come from? This isn't rocket surgery. At least I'm pretty sure it's not.
Bad economy = more vendors? Hurray! Find room for them, don't wait list them because they didn't submit photographs. The more the merrier!
I don't personally care about Cason generational contribution, blah, blah, blah. I do care that City Market/Holiday Market is so uppity that who-knows-who is passing judgment on vendors who may or may not participate. AND YOU MUST HAVE PHOTOS --- AND WE MUST APPROVE --- BEFORE YOU GET SQUARE FOOTAGE!!!
Sammy Snacks started in part at City Market. C'ville Arts started in part at City Market. I'm mostly convinced that neither would have survived an anonymous jury. It's snobbery and anti-small-business-incubator. And annoying. And par for the course.
Market Central. Geez, --- try being a cooperative rather than a 501(c)3 and see if you do better for your "stakeholders", et al.
I'm shopping online this year, because I can't find the local people: they've been 'juried' out.
the lady in question drove up a one way street the wrong direction she then proceded to totaly egnore that she has been caught she is the person that complained about me and no I do not expect a space because I'm a cason Im sorry that this matter has come to this but the city market staff is wrong in this matter they kicked me out because I talk to a motorist that drove the wrong way up a street to get to the parking lot.I';m sorry I told her to go to hell ,but they lied to me for weeks
Certainly we can see Mr. Cason knows how to hold his tongue in all situations, until the opportunity presents itself to provide the most articulate, intelligent , and well thought out of responses.
Right?
Thanks for the laugh "Hook", you hooked a winner here.
Really I have met the managers many times they are anything but rude. I would love to hear from other vendors that don't have the last name Cason. And yelling and cursing at drivers doesn't do anything but ruin your day.
Thanks to Mr. Cason for telling that driver off. On several occasions, I have narrowly missed being hit by drivers exiting that parking lot onto 2nd Street going in the wrong direction towards Water St. I have had the same from drivers goingdown South Street from 3rd to get to the parking lot. THe drivers always seem to know they are doing the wrong thing but think they arespecial so it doesn't matter.
"I’m shopping online this year, because I can’t find the local people: they’ve been ââ?¬Ë?juried’ out."
Has the "holiday market" even started? maybe thats why ya cant find em?
Food for thought...
Now I want to go to the market to see my friends, shop, get doughnuts, jam, veggies, crafts, coffee, tacos, sausage dogs, cheese, popsicles, listen to music, get a balloon, donate to non proffit organizations, lemonade, soap, and watch the screaming and cussing. That creates a great family environment.
If the lady that made a wrong turn is that horrible. Write down her license plate and call the police. The police station is right across the street they can be there in 2 minutes. Otherwise take you're meds. I'm all for more police patrol at the farmer's market. There's a reason why I don't watch Fox News and will no longer read the Hook.
Perhaps everyone is at fault? The woman violated a traffic law, Sandy over-reacted,and the market staff may have over-reacted as well if he has never been warned about behavioral issues before. Has he, the article doesnt say? (if he has , then tough, he violated rules written in a contract his employer , paid or not, signed).Yes, public obscenity is a citable offense in charlottesville, it falls under the same category as "drunk in public/disorderly conduct", and one could consider him lucky the lady didnt press charges . Perhaps we should all just think our courses of action through alittle more wisely? In civilised society , we have to act civil , or we look stupid. Who looks stupid in this affair? Everyone, the woman driving, Sandy for acting how he did, the city market staff, you for commenting, and me too. What else is there to say, this is stupid, and we are all cheapened as citizens for it. The end.
I go to the market every week and I do not recognize Mr. Cason as a normal vendor. Where is his booth?
King Ralph you must have missed this at the bottom of the page.
People say the darndest things, but language stronger than "darn," insulting words like "stupid," I would consider dumb in this same list of words.
I think Aggressive Blowhard would be more appropiate King Ralph.
I think you and Mr. Cason should put on your camo gear and go scream, cuss and intimadate woman. It sounds like you are in support of this behavior. Maybe you could use a few beating now. With a mouth like yours I am sure you will eventually get one if you get out from behind your computer.
i was told by lucy the asst market manager i did not need a picture because i sold wreaths there last year have a good day everyone thanks for all your comments hope you all sleep well tonite
i see how most of all cville is really like you are all mostly all one sided folks dont want to believe what someone has to say and you all defend the lady who told him she had done this before drive up the street the wrong way hope she doesnt run into you someplace driving the wrong way reckless is reckless no matter who you are
Hey leonard... would you have shot your mouth off to a 6 foot 2 redneck with a gun rack?
You dislike "juries" deciding your fate but you were judge jury and executuiioner to the woman who may have just made a mistake.
Take your lumps, become a more tolerant person and maybe people will suport you instead of blackball you.
Claiming that being a jerk is in your DNA is nothing to be proud of.
@boycott the hook? NEVER, the only thing your words make clear is that your snot must be thick and green.
I agree with barbara myer. I remember when the Christmas (Community) Market was fresh and fun - you never know what you find. Juried? Who's the jury? Why is it hiding? What is it's level of expertise? Anybody ever wonder why the Crozet Crafters Fair has exploded and the one that was at Lee Park didn't? Guess which one was exclusionary. So typical of Charlottesville.
I have seen that market years ago hosting a vast number of vendors because the outdoor caf©s were removed and vemdprs were a;sp ab;e tp ise sp,e pf tje sode streets? Are they planning to use the grassy area in front of the transit center? Are thy using teKey Center? I think the vendors can be accommodatedif the city staff actually tried. This is what happens when you overpay people.
@Why not the Daily P, the Daily Progress rarely prints anything that is not on a wire service, a press release or comes from Charlottesville Tomorrow.
@snob - Barbara, you did not infer that barabara myer was recommending to continue with the old first come, first served method? It's funny, but I've never heard anyone complain about it even back in the '80s. Maybe that process wasn't and therefore the city felt it must fix it as usual.
The idea that someone in City Hall is qualified to jury a crafts fair is ludicrous and regardless, don't they have real work to do? No wonder the budget doesn't work out.