The changes at Food Lions throughout Charlottesville have been happening for months, but today’s the official unveiling of the new and improved stores, which now boast expanded organic foods and wine sections, more fresh meats and seafood, and spruced up interiors. Each of the six local stores will be celebrating with various giveaways and door prizes. What remains to be seen: if the newly upscale Food Lion still has the lowest prices.
Food Lion celebrates today
The changes at Food Lions throughout Charlottesville have been happening for months, but today’s the official unveiling of the new and improved stores, which now boast expanded organic foods and wine sections, more fresh meats and seafood, and spruced up interiors. Each of the six local stores will be celebrating with various giveaways and door prizes. What remains to be seen: if the newly upscale Food Lion still has the lowest prices. (0)
Dog wash on the move
Lorri Parrott, the Ruckersville-based owner/operator of Waggin Tails, hoists Bailey after scrubbing the pooch in her large mobile dog-washing trailer downtown yesterday. Dog washing appears to be a burgeoning business. (0)
Couric mocks Palin
Tina Fey isn’t the only UVA alumna poking fun at Sarah Palin. A week after the Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential nominee told Katie Couric that of America’s newspapers she reads, “all of them, any of them,” a paparazzo from celebrity gossip site TMZ.com approached Couric on the street in New York and asked the CBS Evening News anchor the same question. Couric flashed her trademark pearly whites before answering, “All of them and any of them.” Finally Couric did offer that, “Everyone lies about The Economist, but I actually read it. And I read a lot of magazines and newspapers, but luckily I’m not running for vice president.” (6)
Police advisory panel named
A year after calls for more police oversight following several incidents involving police officers and pedestrians in crosswalks, City Council announced appointments to the Charlottesville Police Advisory Panel at last night’s meeting. The nine-member panel— which includes City Councilor and former Charlottesville Fire Chief Julian Taliaferro— will primarily act to improve community relations between the department and the public. The panel will not, Police Chief Tim Longo has repeatedly asserted, be involved in any type of investigations or matters of intradepartment discipline. (14)
Bailout passes House, Goode and Goodlatte vote no
The day after the U.S. Senate passed a revised version of the $700 billion bank bailout package, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to approve the same measure, 263-171, sending it to the White House for President Bush’s signature. Still, not everyone was impressed with the new deal. Two local Republicans— the Fifth District’s Virgil Goode (R-Rocky Mount, representing Charlottesville, Albemarle, Greene, Nelson) and the Sixth District’s Bob Goodlatte (R-Harrisonburg, representing the Shenandoah Valley)— voted against the revised bailout. The Seventh District’s Eric Cantor (R-Henrico, representing Louisa and Orange) remained steadfast in his support of the deal, having already voted in favor of the original bill on Monday. (3)
