Podcast
Charlottesville Community Engagement
Hosted by Town Crier Productions · EN
Regular updates of what's happening in local and regional government in and around Charlottesville, Virginia from an award-winning journalist with nearly thirty years of experience.
communityengagement.substack.com
communityengagement.substack.com
40episodes
Episodes
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Podcast for August 1, 2026: Charlottesville City Council briefed on transportation projects and four other recent stories
3d ago00:30:56Tap to summarizeFor some reason, there has only been one other August 1 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement and that was back in 2024 with a recount underway in the Fifth District Republican Primary. This is a podcast edition that provides audio versions of stories and thus does not count toward a total number of produced newsletters. That number is 1,374 which comes from 375 Week Ahead versions and 1,099 general ones. There have been 2,210 days since #1. Somewhere here in may be a relevant statistic, but the best I can come up with is 0.62.But what does it mean?In this edition:* Charlottesville City Council votes to move forward with a sales tax referendum this November (read the story)* Charlottesville City Council allocates funding from speed cameras to cover the cost of providing the service (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors approve policy to streamline installation of solar roofs (read the story)* Albemarle supervisors seek tighter regulation of concentrated agricultural feed operations (read the story on C-Ville Weekly)* Charlottesville City Council briefed on efforts to lower speed limits, prepare new mobility plan (read the story)A sponsored message: Panorama Natural BurialAt Panorama Natural Burial, we believe caring for the deceased can be simple, meaningful, and deeply connected to the natural world. As a natural burial ground just outside Charlottesville, we offer families an alternative to traditional burial that honors both the people we love and the land that will carry them forward.Whether you are planning ahead, navigating a recent loss, or are just curious about natural burial, we welcome the conversation. We host regular tours and community events throughout the year. At Panorama we are building new ways of understanding death, land, ecology, ritual, memory, and community. We believe that building community around death care helps us all to live fuller lives. We are open to the public daily 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Come visit!A shout-out for Town Crier Productions: Not entirely cut and paste from last week!It is Saturday and the final thing for me to do to end one week and begin another is to post this edition. The right move would be to produce the podcast version as soon as the WTJU version is completed, but that usually happens at a time when I want to stop working on a Friday.After six years, I have found ways to directly cover the cost of producing the written newsletter and the Information Charlottesville. I have absolutely no direct revenue from producing the audio version as the work for WTJU is free. I do the work because it’s enjoyable. And I could just put the radio version in the podcast feed.I choose not to because of the sponsor above. In the last few months I’ve been experimenting with charging for advertising across multiple products. I’m happy to send the media kit to anyone upon request so you can see the details.I’ve also had at least one paid subscriber ask me if I could put all the shout-outs at the end. I cannot do that. If I’m to continue this newsletter I must diversify my revenue. I want to provide an affordable way for entities to reach an audience that I am still trying to understand myself.In any case, thank you for reading! And now the cut-and-paste bit intended to get your help in getting more eyes on the stories:* I post stories over at BlueSky but don’t really do much else than that at this point. Here’s the account for Information Charlottesville.* You can also subscribe to get Information Charlottesville postings via email Wordpress. This is where I confess I don’t entirely know the link for this. Might be a pop-up?* Town Crier Productions has a Facebook page but I’m really not sure if it’s worth keeping as the site doesn’t really seem to like Substack material. Or Wordpress material. In six years of doing this, I’ve never had a post “go viral” and I think it’s all throttled. I don’t pay them any money anymore* And then there’s Instagram which gets a couple of likes every now and then though I am really bad at images!Thanks for reading Charlottesville Community Engagement ! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
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Podcast for July 25, 2026: Charlottesville City Council hears both support and opposition for upcoming removal of Free Bridge encampment
1w ago00:31:51Tap to summarizeOn July 25, 1788, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed his Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, a fact we know because the composer kept intricate records. I can tell you that so far there have only been two other July 25 editions of Charlottesville Community Engagement and they were in 2023 and 2024. What were you doing on any of those three days? In this week’s stories:* Charlottesville City Council will not take another vote on design review of The Mark (read the story)* Charlottesville speakers provide multiple perspectives on how to help those without a home (learn more)* City of Charlottesville develops brochure in advance of encampment “transition” (read the story)* Albemarle County Supervisors learn about human services needs in the community (story posting Monday!)* Albemarle Supervisors get update on transportation projects (learn more)A sponsored message: Panorama Natural BurialAt Panorama Natural Burial, we believe caring for the deceased can be simple, meaningful, and deeply connected to the natural world. As a natural burial ground just outside Charlottesville, we offer families an alternative to traditional burial that honors both the people we love and the land that will carry them forward.Whether you are planning ahead, navigating a recent loss, or are just curious about natural burial, we welcome the conversation. We host regular tours and community events throughout the year. At Panorama we are building new ways of understanding death, land, ecology, ritual, memory, and community. We believe that building community around death care helps us all to live fuller lives. We are open to the public daily 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Come visit!A house shout-out for Town Crier Productions at the end of 1096-AThe posting of the podcast marks the end of one week and the beginning of another. These days it takes me a lot longer to do the very simple task of restripping the WTJU version with fresh audio. Fridays are usually very intense production days and it is my true hope to eventually have someone to assist with putting it all together.All of this work is the result of one person with a vision for how to put it all together. When I look back in my archives, I see that this is what I wanted to do with the Charlottesville Podcasting Network back in 2005 but all of the tools were not in place yet to make it work.We’re now six years into the experiment of Town Crier Productions which has allowed me to document a lot of events and decisions and details in this newsletter. This week we crossed the threshold of 5,000 subscribers in Substack, with about 820 of them paying into this newsletter. I’m going to write more notes to those paying because I need help thinking through some of the next steps of the business plan.An issue with being on Substack is that most people who find this newsletter through the algorithm don’t have a connection to the area so they disappear fairly quickly. Aside from a few Facebook boosts, I’ve never done any targeted marketing to attract new people since the beginning when I emailed as many people as possible an update of what I was doing.So this shout-out concludes with me once again giving you the opportunity to sign-up through various social media platforms.* I post stories over at BlueSky but don’t really do much else than that at this point. Here’s the account for Information Charlottesville.* You can also subscribe to get Information Charlottesville postings via email Wordpress. This is where I confess I don’t entirely know the link for this. Might be a pop-up?* Town Crier Productions has a Facebook page but I’m really not sure if it’s worth keeping as the site doesn’t really seem to like Substack material. Or Wordpress material. In six years of doing this, I’ve never had a post “go viral” and I think it’s all throttled. I don’t pay them any money anymore* And then there’s Instagram which gets a couple of likes. I’d like to have better images but that is another skill set I don’t have.Okay. I have procrastinated a lot by writing this.Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
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Podcast for July 18, 2026: Five out of six localities in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District to move forward with sales tax referendum
2w ago00:45:44Tap to summarizeThe rhythm of being an independent journalist who strives to cover a lot of ground sometimes is affected by alternate beats. The last two Saturdays have not been favorable to produce a new audio edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement so archive editions went out. But now it is time for the July 18, 2026 edition. I’m Sean Tubbs. This week’s return to the usual studio means more ability to focus so there are stories from all six localities on the same topic. Then there are some two stories from the week before I am only just getting around to completing.This work is made possible by paid subscribers and the ratio is just below one in five at the moment. I’m grateful for those with means to support the time and research that goes into this public service.In this edition:* Fluvanna Supervisors are the first in the region to initiate a process for a ballot question(read the story)* Louisa County Supervisors pull sales tax referendum resolution from agenda (read the story)* Greene Supervisors support sales tax referendum requested by Greene School Board (read the story)* Nelson Supervisors also vote to proceed with the referendum for school construction (read the story)* Albemarle County Supervisors vote to move forward and this story won’t be printed until Monday so hear it here first!* Charlottesville City Council discusses the finer points of how to use revenue from a sales tax increase to finance school construction (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors make brief announcements on Biscuit Run Trail, drought watch, and federal housing bill (read the story)* Albemarle and Charlottesville transportation planners identify next locations for further study (read the story)* Charlottesville City Council reviews process for funding nonprofit agencies (read the story)New here? Go ahead and sign if you want to learn more about what’s happening in local and regional government around Charlottesville First sponsored message: Panorama Natural BurialAt Panorama Natural Burial, we believe caring for the deceased can be simple, meaningful, and deeply connected to the natural world. As a natural burial ground just outside Charlottesville, we offer families an alternative to traditional burial that honors both the people we love and the land that will carry them forward.Whether you are planning ahead, navigating a recent loss, or are just curious about natural burial, we welcome the conversation. We host regular tours and community events throughout the year. At Panorama we are building new ways of understanding death, land, ecology, ritual, memory, and community. We believe that building community around death care helps us all to live fuller lives. We are open to the public daily 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Come visit!Second message: An improvised bit about the state of shout-outs and the likeWill the words written here match what I say in the audio version? I don’t know. I’ve not done the narration yet. In addition to paid subscriptions, I diversify revenue coming in through a lot of different forms of advertising, underwriting, sponsorship and so on. The Piedmont Environmental Council has been sponsoring the Week Ahead since the beginning, for instance.In the early days, some people opted for a $25 month tier or more on Patreon which got them a shout-out. Many of the shout-outs you see come from just that, though that’s no longer being offered. Others came through combinations like having a paid Substack subscription and Patreon member. That worked for a while but I’ve simplified.Several have taken me up on an advertising package that offers placements at the top of the newsletter, in the two “shout-out” slots, and in visual ads on Information Charlottesville. I only send this out on request at this point because I’m at a point where I am trying to figure out things like inventory and scheduling and trying to ascertain audience. Are people really reading?In any case, yes, they are, and that makes me work harder to keep it going and that includes offering additional ways to support.* Charitable gifts can be made to the Tiny News Collective and those are being directed to hiring additional people to assist me in the near future.* Patreon still exists as a way to contribute to the business, but this may in the future become something more artistic if I get up the courage to try to make music for an audience. It will be weird all the same.* Share stories on social media! Add a comment and share your thoughts as you do! The whole point of this is to spread information and discussion.Thank you to all of the advertisers and sponsors and readers and more!An experimental to read only paid subscriptions I’m toying with the idea of making the epilogue something only paid subscribers can read. Or a portion of it each time. Perhaps “behind the scenes” stuff should be for those who have decided to take a stake in it by paying? I’m not sure. Substack only started offering this up this time. And I’m not sure if I have any real “bonus” content here except to say that sometimes the soundbites in the audio version have extra phrases in them. This is because I try to not run quotes run too long. I can also say I am so glad to finally get this edition done. Two weeks ago I had to turn in the WTJU version a day early and I didn’t have time to record new stories. I also figured July 4 was a good day for an archive.The next week I was out of town and not in a place where it was easy to record audio. I’m grateful to be back in a place where all of my stuff is and where I can fix issues as they come up. Anyway, I’m grateful you’re paying into this. I hope you’ll keep doing so. If you do have concerns about the subscription or what to switch to a different form of support, drop me a line. Hooray! This edition is done! This post has a very small amount of bonus content for paid subscribers. Behind the scenes stuff. Upgrade to get full access and to support the work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
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Podcast for July 11, 2026: An archive edition on planning for 2000 Holiday Drive
3w ago00:30:03Tap to summarizeThis edition and its copy comes straight from the radio version that aired on WTJU this morningGood morning and welcome to Charlottesville Community Engagement for July 11, 2026. I’m Sean Tubbs, a writer and producer who covers local and regional government in the area in and around the University of Virginia. That includes Albemarle and Charlottesville, two communities in a nation wrestling with how to solve problems that often seem intractable.I’m traveling this week and so this is an archive edition that captures two recent discussions about trying to get a low barrier shelter for the unhoused built at 2000 Holiday Drive. This is a document of a process still in motion created to remind people that solutions can take a long time in a complicated world. This kind of journalism is intended to remind people of who said what and when.Source material:* Charlottesville City Council briefed on low-barrier shelter by groups that provide the programming, March 27, 2026* City Council presented with The State of Homelessness 2026 by four nonprofit groups working on the issue, May 12, 2026* Many details remain to be worked out for how three groups will work together at Charlottesville’s future low-barrier shelter, May 15, 2026* Work continues to develop operations plan for low-barrier shelter and service center for unhoused, July 10, 2026New here? Sign up for the free newsletter, but please know that paid subscriptions keep it going!First public service announcement: The Good Foundation event todayThe GOOD Foundation invites community members to a FREE Urban Farming Workshop, Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Carver Recreation Center, 233 4th Street NW, Charlottesville. Master Gardener Sheila Jackson will teach you how to grow container vegetables and herbs in small spaces, and everyone receives a starter plant to take home. The workshop is part of The GOOD Foundation’s Black Farmers Initiative. For more information, contact Jackie Martin at goodfoundationcville@gmail.com or 434-202-8034.Second public service announcement: Piedmont Master GardenersThe Piedmont Master Gardeners will present “More Trees, PLEASE!”, a free Garden Basics class open to all, on Saturday, July 18th at 2 pm at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1118 Preston Avenue. It will focus on suitable trees for home landscapes, emphasizing appropriate placement of native species, and highlights the benefits of trees to our environment and well-being. Register at Piedmont Master Gardeners dot ORG to reserve your place in the class. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
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Podcast for June 27, 2026: Drought persists in Virginia, zoning listening session in Charlottesville, and a few more audio stories
Jun 2700:30:00Tap to summarizeFor the second week in a row, I’m reusing the same production file that was used on WTJU. If I was awake and alert, it would maybe take 15 minutes to record new audio. However, this June 27 feels like the kind of day where such a direct task would take about two hours. I’m ready to get ready for the next set of stories.If you are a new reader, I got my professional start at WVTF Public Radio in Roanoke, Virginia, as an intern. I was in my final year at Virginia Tech and I wanted to keep going with journalism. At some point not too long after, I made a deliberate choice to focus at the local level. Every edition of this newsletter was a podcast for the first 650 editions or so. That changes in the spring of 2024 when I agreed to do a version of the podcast for WTJU. This airs Saturdays on WTJU at 6 a.m. In any case, take a listen! And I’ve included the text of the WTJU public service announcements. In this edition:* Most of Virginia continues to be under drought warning (read the story)* Charlottesville Planning Commission hears calls for reform at listening session on next round of zoning changes (read the story)* Council agrees to another extension of agreement with CRHA for additional housing vouchers (read the story)* Albemarle County prepares for new legislation including new biosolids testing requirements (read the story)* Albemarle Amateur Radio Club holding Field Day this weekend (read the story)* One archive story: Councilors push back on proposal to replace trash stickers with monthly trash fee charge more for trash collection (read the story from March 2025)Public Service Announcement #1C4K is now recruiting mentors for its Fall 2026 Cohort starting in late August. Be the trusted guide who helps a young person turn curiosity into capability. Work side-by-side with youth members on STEM projects of their choosing, like coding, robotics, design, or digital storytelling. No experience is necessary to collaborate, encourage, and expand possibilities for youth in our community. Visit the C4K website to learn more!Public Service Announcement #2Head to UVA’s Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library on Saturday, July 4th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Revolutionary Printing, a family-friendly UVA250 celebration of the materials, crafts, and stories of the founding era. Print a copy of the Declaration of Independence, view paper- and ink-making demonstrations, or add your “John Hancock” to a giant copy of the Declaration. Hear music of the American Revolution, make a printer’s hat, screen print a keepsake, view special exhibitions, or create a custom silhouette, beadwork, or sewing sampler. Event parking is free in UVA’s Central Grounds Garage. For more information, visit this website. Some nonsensical thoughts at the end of CCE-1079A Technically this one is W26-23 and not CCE-1079A because I did not produce a separate version. That’s twice in a row. I would prefer to do an original version as well, but I must admit I appreciate the illusion of a break. I assure any reader who made it to this part that I do not spend all of my hours working on this newsletter. I take a lot of breaks throughout the day, though almost none of that time is spent doing yardwork. Now that my eldest cat is no longer with us, the house is slowly being reclaimed from all of the spots damaged by incontinence.On this Saturday, what will I do? I do not know the answer though I am going to try to get the March 2026 property transactions out of the way. I’m very slow on those now and as a result I can’t put them behind a paywall. Or at least, it wouldn’t feel right.I do work seven days a week because I enjoy the research that goes into this newsletter. I see stories everywhere and the challenge is continuing to create an engine that allows me to produce as many as possible. It is my hope to find others willing to put in the work. There are almost two weeks until the 6 year anniversary of the newsletter. I am soul-searching a bit at the moment to determine the future. Should I try to see more of the world while I am still relatively young? What would it be like to live somewhere else? Yet, even thinking that thought triggers alarm as I really do want to continue trying to describe the minutiae of this community as it stumbles its way into the future. I’m so looking forward to hitting send and allowing myself to go into free association for the rest of the day. One of the ways I sharpen my research skills when they’ll dulled by morning fog is to go to cvillepedia and make some edits at random. I do not own the website but I have been associated with it since its public unveiling in 2009. The Jefferson Madison Regional Library is now the owner, but they do not program it. Who will program it in the future?Who will tell the stories of our community?I don’t have a way to look into the future except for continuing to do my part to document what I can. I hope to inspire others to do so and hopeful that in the future I’ll be better able to articulate what it is I’m doing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
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Podcast for June 20, 2026: An update from Jaunt, sidewalk projects get VDOT funding, and several other recent stories
Jun 2000:30:19Tap to summarizeAstute listeners will realize that the audio for this version is the same as the version that ran on WTJU this morning at 6 a.m. I’ve done this one or twice before and today I want to use my morning to get on to the next set of stories rather than record a new version.The switch to morning publication means there is a clock ticking the moment I wake up and motivation this morning has taken me in different directions and I want to get this finished and done.The vast majority of people who consume Charlottesville Community Engagement do so via the written version, but I encourage people to listen to the audio version so you can hear people’s voices.This time I’m putting the copy from the public service announcements than ran on the WTJU version. Did you know we won an award? In this edition:* Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders provided an update on Monday on the encampment at Free Bridge as well as efforts to open a low-barrier emergency shelter (read the story)* Charlottesville appoints a member to the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority Board but one vacancy remains (read the story)* Charlottesville City Council favors Early Learning Center option that would build new gym (read the story)* Albemarle County Supervisors select an in-house candidate to lead the Community Development Department (read the story)* Local projects to receive revenue-sharing funds after Commonwealth Transportation Board vote (read the story)* VDOT installing mini-roundabout at Greenbrier / Hydraulic intersection (read the story)* The CEO of Jaunt talks to the Albemarle Supervisors about the future (read the story)* An archive story about regional transit priorities (read the story)PSA #1A coalition of five local nonprofits and community groups has formed The Grocery Card Campaign to help alleviate the food insecurity many immigrants are facing as a result of federal immigration enforcement activities. The Grocery Card Campaign puts grocery store gift cards immediately into the hands of our immigrant neighbors, and is an opportunity for community members to show their support by helping ensure that basic food needs are met. For more information, email grocerycardcampaign@gmail.com.PSA #2The 4th Annual Women’s Empowerment Day is happening Saturday, June 27th from 8 AM to 1 PM at the Jefferson School City Center in Charlottesville. This free, family-friendly event - “She Leads. She Builds. She Thrives” - brings together women entrepreneurs, community leaders, wellness advocates, and local organizations for a morning of inspiration, educational breakout sessions, fitness activities, and community connections. Proceeds support the TQ Evans Young Women Entrepreneur Scholarship. Check out “Beyond Fitness with Sabrina” on Facebook for details. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
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Podcast for June 13, 2026: Albemarle transportation, future buildings at UVA, and a few more stories
Jun 1300:30:41Tap to summarizeOn June 13, 1895, a two-seat vehicle driven by Émile Levassor crossed the finish line in Paris 48 hours and 48 minutes after leaving that city in the world’s first automobile race. The journey took contestants on a 1,178 kilometer course to Bordeaux and back and Levassor arrived six hours before the runner-up. However, the rules called for a four-seater and both were ineligible for victory. What sort of race is Charlottesville Community Engagement documenting? I’m Sean Tubbs, and we can only know through the stories.In this edition:* Kellie Brown is stepping down as Charlottesville’s director of Neighborhood Development Services (read the story)* Area officials report from recent Chamber trip to Chapel Hill (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors presented with first transportation priority list in a few years (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors allow building to remain within stream buffer (read the story on C-Ville Weekly)* UVA Provost: Record number of applications for Class of 2030 (read the story)* Only two buildings left to be programmed at UVA’s Emmet-Ivy Corridor (read the story)* Buildings and Grounds Committee gets details on UVA’s next heat plant (read the story)Thanks for reading Charlottesville Community Engagement ! This post is public so feel free to share it.First shout-out: Plant Virginia NativesSummertime means that the invasive vines are winning the battle at my house but one day I will attain the skills to make my garden something more palatable and less like it’s an exterior shot in the Walking Dead.I often look longingly at the Plant Virginia Natives to inspire my dreams of a tidy yard. Plant Virginia Natives is part of a partnership with ten regional campaigns for ten different ecosystems across Virginia, from the Northern Piedmont to the Eastern Shore.Take a look at the full map below for the campaign for native species where you are in the Commonwealth. For the Charlottesville area, download a free copy of the handbook: Piedmont Native Plants: A Guide for Landscapes and GardenSecond shout-out: Celebrating the community’s other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That’s why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There’s also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you’ll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!#1069-A ends with a Town Crier Productions backstorySaturday podcast editions mark the end of one work week and the beginning of another. As soon as “publish” is hit I’ll get to work on the next set of stories. Paid subscribers and other contributors have been keeping this newsletter afloat for nearly six years now.The first edition on July 13, 2026 is a lot different from where the newsletter is now. The original idea was for the newsletter to be a five to ten minute podcast each day. My career began as an intern for WVTF Public Radio back in January 1995. That’s where I learned to write copy for broadcast, and learned to write quickly.But there weren’t really a lot of jobs in public radio and unsettling experiences in New Hampshire in 1996 caused me to lose interest. It took living outside the country for a year to want to come back and want to get back to this career.I’ve been in Charlottesville now for nearly 24 years moving here for a job in public radio but I was not a good fit for the organization that hired me. I went back to freelancing but that wasn’t enough to make a living so I worked at Court Square Tavern and created a business to try to figure out if I could make money off of podcasting.I couldn’t, but the Charlottesville Podcasting Network was an experiment in trying to use audio to get information out in different ways. By 2007 I had to take a steady job and for eleven years I learned about this community in my time at Charlottesville Tomorrow.And now I’ve just concluded a week in which I published five morning newsletters each day. I don’t think I could go back to afternoon publication anymore because the benefits of the switch become more clear each day.For now, though, I really want to hit send so I can get on with the day. There are a lot of stories to dig into today. I’m grateful for paid subscribers, sponsors, and donors for their belief in the work I’m doing. In so many ways, I’m still that 21-year-old kid in Roanoke in awe that I got to write stories about local government. I believe in what I do and appreciate you reading to the last line. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
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Podcast for June 6, 2026: Charlottesville Area Transit preparing for electric buses and commuter route from Buckingham tops preliminary list of priority projects
Jun 600:34:41Tap to summarizeFor the next set of stories to be written for Charlottesville Community Engagement, the audio versions of the previous ones must be distributed. That’s the purpose of this particular edition which collects four stories from the past week with an extra one thrown in from the archive. The podcast version is also slightly different from the version that aired on WTJU at 6 a.m. on June 6, 2026.Please take a listen if you’d like a different way to experience these stories for my quest for financing the stage show seems to have stalled.In this edition:* Buckingham commuter bus operated by Jaunt tops initial prioritization list (read the story)* Charlottesville Area Transit preparing for electric buses (read the story)* The Albemarle Planning Commission endorses an effort to make it easier to build rooftop solar on entrance corridors (read the story)* Albemarle Planning Commission recommends denial of rezoning for 18-unit development (read the story on C-Ville Weekly)* One June 9, the Albemarle Planning Commission will learn about five work products to implement the Comprehensive plan. The Board of Supervisors had their review in May and this is an archive story.First shout-out: Charlottesville Jazz Fest continues this weekend!The 50th anniversary of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall is this July and kicks off with JazzFest2026, a celebration of culture and qualities of innovation, improvisation, and collaboration.There are still two days left to dip your ear and tune in. Multiple stages in the Downtown Mall area are hosting special events with outstanding artists. One way to learn what’s happening is to follow the Charlottesville Jazz Society’s Facebook page.Second shout-out: Cville VillageCan you drive a neighbor to a doctor’s appointment? Change an overhead lightbulb, plant a flower, walk a dog for someone who is sick, visit someone who is lonely? If so, Cville Village needs you!Cville Village seeks to help seniors stay in their own homes as long as possible, and to build connections among them that diminish social isolation. Volunteers do small chores for, and have gatherings of, professors and schoolteachers, nurses and lawyers, aides and housekeepers. Time and chance come to all – a fall, an order not to drive, failing eyesight, a sudden stroke. They assist folks continue living at home, with a little help from their friends.Cville Village volunteers consult software that shows them who has requested a service and where they are located. Volunteers accept only the requests that fit their schedule and their skills. Volunteering for Cville Village will expand your circle of friends and shower you with thanks. To learn more, visit cvillevillage.org or attend one of their monthly Village “meet-ups” and see for yourself. To find out where and when the next meetup is, or to get more information and a volunteer application, email us at info@cvillevillage.org, or call us at (434) 218-3727.End notes for #1064-AWhat are the differences between the radio version and the podcast version? Different underwriting reads.There is also different music underneath in the ad break. I have a lot of music I like to use that comes from a friend of mine, but only two of his compositions rotate in the radio version.If you do listen, you’ll notice a couple of things. First, I use an effect on my voice when I read from something quoted. If I were doing this in a newsroom, I’d likely have colleagues do some of these voices. Earlier in the podcast I was sending copy to other people to use for this purpose, but I ended that when I began doing the research.Doing the radio show has also made me focus attention to the detail of the audio production. I wasn’t thinking much about that back when every single newsletter was also a podcast. I liked being able to do that frequency.According to my records, there is only one example of a June 6 podcast before this one. Here’s the one from 2023. Note that it is only about 15 minutes long.Will I still be doing this in 2029? I can’t know that for certain, but I can say it is my intent to continue on as long as I can because there are many stories I want to see through.Okay. I need to get to the next set of stories! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
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Podcast for May 30, 2026: Stories on Albemarle climate action, environmental review in Charlottesville, and the BAR gets a first look at student housing on West Main
May 3000:31:06Tap to summarizeIt seems that we have arrived at the end of May 2026, as well as the end of another busy week at Charlottesville Community Engagement. This week began with a holiday and ushered in a switch to a morning publication as opposed to an afternoon one, a transition intended to prepare for a more active future covering local and regional government in the community. One hopes.Mostly every story that features soundbites from a meeting is produced using skills I learned in radio over 30 years ago. The podcast is a weekly digest of some of those stories and is a slightly different edition from the award-winning radio show that airs on WTJU every Saturday. Well, one award. The Alliance for Community Media recently recognized the radio show with a 2026 Hometown Media Award for Best News Program. Hit play and listen!In this edition show:* Albemarle Supervisors briefed on how county government plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (read the story)* Charlottesville Planning Commission briefed on environmental reviews underway (read the story)* RSWA can now safely accept lithium batteries; new baling facility cost less than expected (read the story)* RSWA Board approves $11.7 million budget for FY2027 (read the story)* Biosolids company reduces amount of land requested to be sludge eligible (read the story)* Health-oriented community fair happening midday Saturday at Washington Park (read the story)* The Charlottesville Board of Architectural Review takes a look at new design for a student housing building near Westhaven (read the story on C-Ville Weekly)When you’re done listening, share with someone else!First shout-out: Charlottesville Jazz Festival is less than two weeks away!In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall, JazzFest2026 will offer audiences a chance to enjoy nationally and internationally acclaimed artists and many of Charlottesville‘s finest musicians over four days of club, concert, and featured performances.Multiple stages in the Downtown Mall area will host special events with outstanding artists and the festival will feature a two-night/multi-venue Club Circuit with no cover charges. One way to learn what’s happening is to follow the Charlottesville Jazz Society’s Facebook page.The Charlottesville Jazz Festival’s mission is to bring people together through the spirit of jazz—celebrating its culture and qualities of innovation, improvisation, and collaboration.JazzFest 2026 will foster those qualities for the benefits they offer both the art form and the community.Second shout-out: Consider support for Town Crier Productions!In July, this newsletter and occasional podcast will mark the 6th anniversary. There have now been at least 1,060 regular editions, over 360 Week Ahead Versions, and dozens of property transaction editions. All of the work is done from my sense that people should know what’s happening in local and regional government.I’m only able to do this work because of a steady stream of people who want to help cover the costs to research and produce stories about land use, transportation, economic development, and whatever else I can get together in a given edition.This continues to be an experiment and one worth doing as long as I can. The business model is overly simple.* I’ll report as much as I can and keep building up a system that allows me to do more reporting* People who want to support the work can do so through ways that make sense to themOn that latter point, paid subscriptions through Substack work quite well. There is a chance at some point that the newsletter delivery mechanism moves somewhere else, but that’s a project term at least two or three horizons away. Any amount helps, but be warned I may increase the base price in July.I’ve also set up a way for people to make a charitable contribution to support the journalism. This is through the Tiny News Collective and I’ve got a lot of ideas on what that might mean for the future of this work.A bit about shout-outs. When I launched this venture back in 2020 during the pandemic, I promoted a Patreon account and offered brief promotional messages in exchange for them being at a certain tier. Many are still paid for that way, but I’m no longer taking new ones.Instead I have an ever-evolving media kit for a sponsorship package that’s received a few bites. I introduced a line at the top of the regular newsletter and am trying to measure how many people click. This media kit is currently available by request because I am very much still trying to figure out that system.In any case, the real question is: Did I read all of this in the podcast version or did I say something else? You’ll just have to hit play! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
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Podcast for May 22, 2026: City Council gets updates on low-barrier shelter, current year's budget, and a pause on a sidewalk project
May 2200:18:56Tap to summarizeHappy Birthday to the Associated Press which incorporated as a non-profit news cooperative on May 22, 1846 to share the costs of covering a war between the United States of America and Mexico. Charlottesville Community Engagement is an experiment in bringing people stories about an area that seems to be in constant change.Once a week there’s an audio version and this is a chance to catch up on what’s been said: * Charlottesville’s budget for fiscal year 2026 is on track for surplus (read the story)* City Manager Sam Sanders given an update on development of a plan to make 2000 Holiday Drive a functioning support center for homeless (read the story)* Work to build a sidewalk to support additional development in the Fry’s Spring neighborhood is on pause due to higher than expected right of ways costs (read the story)* Bike Month continues and one Charlottesville City Councilor implores people to log rides with a government agency to beat Richmond (read the story)* Charlottesville will commemorate the late Mel Walker on May 30 with the unveiling of Mel’s Walk (read the story)* Supervisor Sally Duncan wants Albemarle to consider creating rental inspection program (read the story)This edition has no shout-outs except this oneCrikey, I’m tired. I pretty much go at this work non-stop because there’s a lot to get to and I have a reputation to keep. A reputation for my dedication to doing the work. Is dedication or is it something more stubborn? Either way, I didn’t put shout-outs in this one because I want to get it out the door so I can move on to writing two stories for C-Ville Weekly, possibly doing land use transactions, prepping what will likely be a fairly short Week Ahead, and then getting ready for next week’s stories. But Fridays are a good day to send out this list of social media sites where you can help share the work. And here are some social media possibilities:* I created a BlueSky account because I missed Twitter but I don’t do much except post links to Information Charlottesville stories. That may change.* There are 445 followers of the Town Crier Productions Facebook page which is currently solely used to let people know when a story has been posted to Information Charlottesville. I may begin using this to do live video of podcast recording. Interested?* There are slightly more followers on Instagram, but I have paused posting here because I want to make the images look better and so far that’s not been worth investing the time.* I post a version of the Week Ahead on Reddit each Sunday which is a little shorter. This is intended to attract people to the newsletter and many of you got here from there. But there is no official page and you have to know my username. Maybe I’ll change that in the future?* Except for reposts of this show, there is no new content on the Charlottesville Podcasting Network but it predates this newsletter by 15 years. I had a good idea and all I wanted to do was tell stories about the community. Here I am still, hoping to get more people involved.* I’m not doing video. Not everyone has to do video.Thanks for reading Charlottesville Community Engagement ! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
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