4BETTER OR WORSE- The week in review
Worst day for vehicles slamming into buildings: July 31, when a auto driver smashes into Millmont Grille, NBC29 reports, and a tractor trailer jettisons off I-81 and crashes into an empty dorm at James Madison University in Harrisonburg.
Worst night for vehicles slamming into roofs: A stolen vehicle chased by police goes airborne at the T-intersection of Rugby Road around 2:30am August 7 and hits the roof of a garage and a house before flipping to a stop at the bottom of the hill. Police are seeking the driver, who somehow survived and fled the scene.
Worst day for trains slamming into vehicles: Win Maung, 35, allegedly misses the road and ends up stuck on the train tracks August 7 at Farmington Drive. A Buckingham Branch engine pushes his 2000 Ford Focus 100 feet. Maung is charged with failure to maintain control and having no license.
Worst hit and run (without hitting a building): Probation officer Rachael Ann Rossman, 23, is charged for allegedly running a red light and slamming into and totaling a cop car July 20, then driving away, the Progress reports.
Most appalling lobbying: A firm called Bonner and Associates sends forged letters against the cap and trade bill purporting to be from legitimate minority organizations– Creciendo Juntos and the NAACP– to Congressman Tom Perriello in June. Brian McNeill at the Progress has the story, which goes national, and a Congressional investigation is in the works.
Most ironic postal news: Montpelier opens its duPont-built, newly renovated P.O. August 4 on the heels of word that the U.S. Postal Service will close 19 post offices in Virginia and Charlottesville's processing center could be shuttered.
Most police manpower for fewest traffic violators: Five Albemarle County cops conduct a safety checkpoint August 6 for two hours in Crozet at Railroad Avenue and Lanetown Road, according to a release. Of the 247 motorists who are stopped, 19 are issued summons, eight of which are for inspection violations.
Most debatable Charlottesville School Board proposal: A photograph of President Barack Obama in every school is the brain-child of board member Juandiego Wade, Brandon Shulleeta reports in the Progress.
Most tragic camp-out: Albemarle resident and Eagle Scout Christopher William Murray, 20, dies August 7 from a fire at Camp Shenandoah in Augusta County that investigators say he intentionally set.
Cruelest casualties of church building: Twelve low-income families left at Sleepy Hollow Trailer Park on U.S. 250 will be evicted by the end of the year to make way for construction of Faith Christian Center International's new facility on the 10-acre property, NBC29 reports.
Worst statistic: In Virginia, 1.03 million people– 15.5 percent– have no health insurance, while Charlottesville has 24.7 percent uncovered, according to 2006 U.S. Census Bureau numbers.
Worst designated driver plan: An 11-year-old Crimora boy crashes his father's car and sends four people to the hospital February 21 when Michael W. Powell, 31, decides he's had too much to drink, the News Virginian reports. Another parent, Kelly L. Scott, 30, pleads guilty to felony child endangerment August 10 for taking her seven-year-old son along for the ride.
Best false alarm: A package delivered to Wilson Hall at UVA August 6 makes a woman ill and the building is evacuated, but the alleged biohazard stems from her reaction to glue on the box.
Best bus buy: Charlottesville Transit System drops the price of a day pass from $2 to $1.50 and monthly passes are available for $20.
Fruitiest: If 350 people sign up, vegetarians in Virginia can get their own license plates.
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7 comments
Worst statistic: In Virginia, 1.03 million people-- 15.5 percent-- have no health insurance, while Charlottesville has 24.7 percent uncovered, according to 2006 U.S. Census Bureau numbers.
Ok so lets insure them on the public dole.. it would only come out to about 1500 bucks for every man woman and child (who is insured) to cough up.
Of course if we don't make the kids, the elderly and the disabled contriburte then it comes out to about 4k per working person... surely they can afford that...
except the ones who are at or below the poverty level.. so lets not make them contribute...
That would bring it up to about 6 k for the rest of us...
Surely we can cut back on the cavier and only take the yacht out twice a week instead of three times...
I wonder how many of those unisured have cell phones cable, designer clothes, go to DMB concerts at 80 bucks a pop, drive cars they bought new, have nice laptops etc?
Willowwall, just because an individual can't afford $800 a month for health insurance doesn't mean they have to give up everything in their life.
I guess you don't think they should buy a soda if they can't afford health insurance.
It's also about priorities in life. $800 a month for health insurance is $9,600 a year. That $9,600 a year can buy the person a car to get to and from work so they can feed and house their family. So let's see, what the choices? They can have health insurance and sleep under a bridge in a cardboard box, or they can provide food and shelter for their family. Can you understand now why Obama sees the need for reform in health care for this country?
"Willowwall, just because an individual can't afford $800 a month for health insurance doesn't mean they have to give up everything in their life.
I guess you don't think they should buy a soda if they can't afford health insurance."
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This one point is a good one though. Health insurance aside, I've thought this same exact thing too many times to count. There you see some poor ghetto-y person ridin' the bus...with the cell phone pressed to their ear. There you are listening to some poor person....talking about this or that television show they watched courtesy of their cable bill. Or they're on the poor side, but they're driving a nice newer car that they're making payments on. Etc.
So no, it's not about "buying a soda," it's about why in the world do these supposedly poor people have all these completely unnecessary expenses in life? I'm not even technically poor, and yet I don't have cable. Don't have a cell phone. My car is a '93, bought used, totally paid off. I don't have a lot of the monthly expenses that other people have - both rich and poor. And it enables me to pocket a lot more money every month than I would otherwise.
It's a separate topic really. I'm not arguing it from the standpoint of "don't have these expenses so you can then afford healthcare," rather, I'm saying it just to vent on a slightly off topic but related subject that peeves me. :D If you're poor then lay off the unnecessary expenses. (And don't have kids you can't afford!! just thought I'd toss that one in there.)
The Government already takes care of people without health care as eER's are not allowed to deny people.
That being said.. most people can learn to take care of 90% of their medical needs by using google and a little common sense. Doctors were expensive 40 years ago and health care was a rarity.
I don't care what obama "thinks" as he has shown that he is an idiot when it comes to balancing social issues and a thriving economy.
Nobody.. even the rush libowels of the world think that no reform is nessasary.. most of us just think that it is wrong to screw with the functioning 85% who have health insurance in order to accomodate the 15% that don't (20% who are here illegally)(35% who could afford it but don't) and 99% who can probably survive another year until a better plan comes along.
Not true, Thomas Pain. More and more citizens are losing their jobs and benefits. Most after 20, 30 and 35 years on the job. They travel home one day with nothing more than termination slip. And since they may still own their homes, cars, boats, furniture and whatever, they are not eligible for free health care in any emergency room. Many people are losing everything they have ever owned to major hospital bills.
The days of losing a good job with great benefits, and replacing said job with comparable salary and benefits are over forever.
America's on tilt now and to get helth care you have to have a job that give's it to you. I had health care once it cost me 100 dollars a month and I was 20 so I guess it's really expencive when your young or becouse you might get by one of th crazy driver out there. Please don't tell my car insurence people about this week.
I'm one of the uninsured living in the greater Charlottesville area and I've never owned a cell phone, bought designer clothes, a DMB ticket or a laptop. My car is 19 years old. Any more questions?