4BETTER OR WORSE- The week in review
Worst high school sex scandal: Charlottesville High choir director Jonathan Spivey is indicted on seven felony charges December 1 for child sexual abuse, including three for verbal sexual propositions, in a case first reported by Lisa Ferrari at WCAV in September. A student reported he was improperly touched by Spivey, who also is minister of music at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
Most prostitute arrests: Seven women are charged for plying their trade near Tonsler Park in what police call "Operation Hook-up," according to a November 30 release. The women range from age 31 to 55-year-old Clementine Bullock, who is arrested twice during the operation.
Biggest brawl: Fifty people are involved in a disorder at Fashion Square December 2, according to an Albemarle police release, and Ronrecus Carter, 18, is charged with vandalism, four counts of assault and battery, and violating a protective order. When mall security asked Carter to leave, a physical altercation took place and a crystal bowl and clothing rack are broken.
Least successful getaway vehicle: Carter attempts to flee on a red scooter, and is apprehended at the Courtyard Marriott parking lot, according to the release.
Highest paid: UVA football coach Al Groh, 5-7 for this season, pulls in $1.785 million this year on a contract that goes through 2010, Jay Jenkins reports in the Daily Progress. Athletics director Craig Littlepage steps in November 30 to keep Groh's contract from automatically extending to 2011.
Biggest surplus: Charlottesville reveals a $9.9 million surplus from fiscal year 2006– $6 million from extra revenues and $3.9 million from cost savings, John Yellig reports in the Progress.
Least troubled: HUD takes the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority off its "troubled" list, where it languished for three years. The agency, which manages 375 public housing units, now enjoys "standard performer" status.
Most leniency toward a whistleblower: The feds will not file criminal charges against Albemarle High grad Christopher Soghoian, 24, who– to expose a flaw in airport security– put up a website that generated fake boarding passes, Rob Seal reports in the Daily Progress.
Hardest time getting drugs on West Main: The Board of Architectural Review shoots down architect John Mack's plans for a CVS on the corner of West Main and McIntire November 28, according to John Yellig in the Progress. [See Om Architecture, page XX.]
Least likely to fade away quietly: Former dean of African American Affairs Rick Turner, who copped a plea with federal prosecutors for lying about a drug dealer, weighs in on racial sensitivity at UVA in a letter to the DP editor November 27.
Worst driving: James Francis Phillips, 54, crashes his Mercury head on into a cruiser driven by Albemarle police Officer Andy Gluba November 29, according to a Yellig report. Phillips allegedly runs brandishing a pocketknife toward Gluba, who releases his K-9 partner, Rico, who sinks his teeth into Phillips' arm. The alleged knife wielder is taken to UVA Medical Center with cuts on his arm.
Second-worst driving: A car backs over a woman in the Food Lion parking lot in Greene County November 30 and neighbors lift the car off her, the DP reports.
Worst spate of robberies: A man with a knife robs Oak Hill Store on Country Green November 30. And the Little Market on Plank Road is robbed November 29
Best time to get an AIDS test: UVA Health System offers free confidential testing December 1 in honor of World AIDS Day 2006.
Worst news for those who like to watch: Comcast cuts the adult pay-per-view channels from six to four effective December 28.
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