Va. Supreme Court remands districting suit

The Virginia Supreme Court remanded the review of the General Assembly's newly redrawn congressional district lines back to the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond Tuesday, claiming that the lower court had failed to adequately review the evidence. A group of Democratic state residents filed the initial suit, claiming the redistricting plan is unconstitutional because the General Assembly had not drawn the congressional district lines within a year of the last completed population census as required by the Virginia Constitution. Geoff Skelley, media relations coordinator at the University's Center for Politics and former Cavalier Daily opinion columnist, said, "Attorney [General] Ken Cuccinelli tried to have the Virginia Supreme Court claim that the decision in the lower court in Richmond was unfounded, but the Virginia Supreme Court refused to halt the suit, so it will be allowed to continue." Skelley said the Circuit Court will now continue to review the constitutionality of the redistricting plan. "The elected representatives of the citizens of Virginia have passed a redistricting plan through legislative process, and we will continue to seek to protect the result of that process," according to a press release by the Attorney General's office. Cuccinelli filed for an emergency clause to move congressional primaries from June 12 to Aug.

Student activists seek living wage

Students and community leaders spoke yesterday afternoon at a rally on the Rotunda steps to celebrate "The Real Legacy of Martin Luther King" and emphasize the importance of continuing King's fight against economic injustice. The advocacy group the Virginia Progressive Action Network organized the rally, which included presentations by History Prof.

U.Va. endowment parallels recovery

The University has the 19th largest endowment of the 838 colleges in the United States and Canada included in a survey released Monday by the National Association of College and Business Officers (NACUBO) and Commonfund.. The University's endowment, managed by the University's Management Company, increased by 28.4 percent to $4.76 billion from its 2010 value of $3.7 billion. This growth reflects the net impact of withdrawals to fund institutional operations and capital expenses, the payment of endowment management and investment fees, additions from donor gifts and other contributions, and investment gains or losses. "Before the economic downturn, we used to say that the endowment was the icing on the cake at the University," University spokesperson Carol Wood said.

Man abducts student

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office arrested Jamil Alam Monday evening after a female University student accused him of abducting her Sunday evening , according to a statement released by University Police yesterday. University Police said Alam was driving the student to her on-Grounds residence, but when they arrived he refused to let her out of the vehicle and instead drove her to Ruckersville, Virginia. The student said Alam released her without further incident. Following the encounter, University Police obtained a warrant for abduction and an emergency protective order against Alam. University Police also charged Alam with sending threatening text messages to the victim. Alam is currently being held without bond in the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. -compiled by Michelle Davis

Darden Prof. offers free course online

The University plans to participate this semester in a trial program launched last week called The Faculty Project, which allows professors to record their lectures online and make them available to the general public for free. The Faculty Project is one of the programs marketed by Udemy, a for-profit organization which uses videos, discussion boards and article archives to teach online courses. "Our target audience is anyone who is interested in lifelong learning, such as business students, students who want to attain their MBA or students that would like to take courses that they weren't able to before," Faculty Project Director Tim Parks said.

Student attacked on Wertland St.

Multiple assailants assaulted and robbed a University student and a visiting friend around 3 a.m. Saturday morning on the 1000 block of Wertland Street. Charlottesville Police identified one suspect as 22-year-old Andre Maurice Jackson. Jackson fled the scene after the robbery.

Jodi Kantor, the author of "The Obamas," an insider account of the Obama family, visited the Miller Center of Public Affairs yesterday evening to discuss her best-selling book. Kantor, a reporter for The New York Times, spent five years working on the book, which focuses particularly on the first lady. "The narrative that runs through the heart of this book is the story of [Mrs. Obama's] turnaround," Kantor said.

Court sentences C-ville Occupiers

The Charlottesville General District Court Friday morning found 17 Occupy Charlottesville protestors guilty of trespassing in Lee Park. The protestors had been camped out in the park under a special events permit since mid-October.

Board of Health discusses abortion law

The Virginia Board of Health discussed Friday whether the emergency regulations passed last December by Gov.

Honor reviews retraction

The Honor Committee yesterday evening heard Batten School Representative Michael Karlik's proposal for an "informed retraction" which would allow students to avoid formal honor trials, even after their offenses had been recognized, by accepting the punishment advocated by the affected party. Karlik's proposal differs from the informed retraction the Committee discussed last semester because the Committee itself would not sanction the guilty party, leaving it to the victim of the honor offense.

AG disputes redistricting suit

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli asked the Virginia Supreme Court Wednesday to overturn a lower court ruling made the previous day which held that six Virginia residents had grounds to sue the state for its current redistricting legislation. "Given the impending elections and deadlines associated with the federal Voting Rights Act, my office is seeking immediate intervention by the Supreme Court of Virginia," Cuccinelli said in a statement. Also on Wednesday, Gov.

Huguely: judge sets jury process

Charlottesville Circuit Court Judge Edward Hogshire decided the jury selection process for former University student George Huguely's upcoming murder trial at a hearing yesterday. Huguely faces first-degree murder charges for the May 3, 2010 death of his ex-girlfriend, Yeardley Love. Jury selection begins Feb 6.

Declaration newsmagazine to print every other week

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Faculty discuss MLK legacy

University Law professors Tomiko Brown-Nagin and Risa Goluboff discussed the legal implications of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s protest methods and how they have shaped social change yesterday evening at the Chapel. The discussion, hosted by the University Office of Engagement, focused on legal lessons taken from the Civil Rights Movement in major cities like Montgomery and Birmingham. Brown-Nagin said one of the main conflicts of the Civil Rights Movement was disagreement about the definition of civil equality presented by the U.S.

City, County to share dam cost

The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority approved an agreement between the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County yesterday to share the cost of a new dam aimed at increasing the size of the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. The City will pay 15 percent of the cost of the dam, while the county will be responsible for the remaining 85 percent. The project will cost $21.5 million and will be funded by both the City and County through water utility bills, RWSA Executive Director Tom Frederick said in an email. Thalle Construction Company of Hillsborough, N.C.