Month: April 2010

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Crozet Twitter Updates – Brief Notes for 2010-04-11

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Crozet Tunnel May be Renovated

From the Daily Progress –

An engineering marvel 150 years ago turned into a stately, scenic and slightly mysterious ruin today, the Blue Ridge Tunnel is poised to benefit Central Virginia when restored, officials say.

Nelson County has applied for a $1 million grant for renovation of the tunnel, which runs through Nelson and Augusta counties near Waynesboro’s city boundary.

Update 10 April – From a comment on the DP story comes this site that is documenting the workers who built the tunnel and railroad – Clann Mhór –

* Clann Mhór is documenting the many workers who labored for ten years on the thirty mile long Blue Ridge Railroad from Ivy to Staunton, Virginia.

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Crozet is Going to Grow – And We Can’t Stop It

Nor should we. But we can and should manage how we grow.

The Master Plan is under review …

As Albemarle County looks for ways to increase its industrial land, some Crozet residents are concerned their community has paid a high price for development in the past several years.

…

“When we asked the community about the update and what the focus areas should be, the guiding principle [was] that Crozet should remain Crozet,” said County Planner Rebecca Ragsdale during a work session held Tuesday by the Albemarle County Planning Commission. 

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Over the Moon Bookstore coming to Crozet

Editor’s note: the following is a guest post:

Let the buzz begin, Crozet, because you are about to get your very own bookstore and gallery! Over the Moon Bookstore & Artisan Gallery will be opening late spring right in the heart of historic downtown Crozet (Arlington Hair Studio West’s former location). We couldn’t be more excited to become a part of this vibrant and evolving community. (Thanks, Jim, for inviting us to guest blog about it!)

We are Laura and Anne DeVault, sisters and co-owners. Anne has wanted to own a bookstore since she was 12 years old! In the intervening decades, she has been a bookstore clerk, manager, and buyer, an editorial assistant, and a local teacher. Laura has been an avid reader since the age of 4 and became an art collector once she grew up. She loves exploring – a new author, a new career, a new country. She’s been a full-time Mom, a registered nurse, a mediator, a certified life coach, a Nia instructor, and a volunteer.

For the past year, we’ve been having a blast turning this dream into a reality. We’ve completely redesigned the interior space, ordered a fantastic inventory of books of all kinds, planned loads of exciting events, and lined up local as well as nationally known artists’ work. We’re thrilled to have Fred Dodson of Blue River Woodworking, a local craftsman, creating our beautiful bookcases.

We can’t wait to welcome you our beautiful new shop to enjoy great books, great art, and personal service. We look forward to getting to know you as you get to know us and tell us what you’d like to see in the store. Here’s a sneak peek at some of our events:

– Children’s Story Time – three times a week!
– Author readings and book signings
– Second Saturdays – Gallery openings and receptions
– Book Clubs
– Children’s writing contests and readings
– Special party for our MLCs! (Most Loyal Customers)
– And many more…

We want Over the Moon to be your little corner in Crozet.

For now, follow our progress on Facebook as we get ready to open http://snipurl.com/v7u0k and email us so we can keep you posted on our opening and store specials and events ([email protected], or [email protected]) and stay tuned here on Jim’s blog for an announcement of our opening date! Watch us grow!

This guest blogging opportunity was brought to you by Teri Kent, our enthusiastic marketing specialist. Please contact her at [email protected]. Thanks, Teri and Jim!

Laura & Anne, the Over the Moon Sisters

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Black Bears Hanging Around Old Trail

From a reader:

My husband and I just moved to Crozet this March and enjoy your blog. We just moved into our house that is close to the trail connecting Wayland’s Grant with Old trails. In the past two weeks we’ve had about 4 bear sightings on this path. I called the local game warden and was told they will move on when there is no food – I am not sure where/what food source they have found here. I’m also not sure how many bears are around, but just this past friday (4/2), we took this picture of a little cub in our driveway. I’ve told our neighbors, but it might be good to let all the people who use the trail that this bear/s hasn’t moved on yet! No signs yet of a mam bear, but I am pretty sure the bear I saw from the distance wasn’t a cub so I think there is more than one.

Black Bear in Old Trail

And when I asked permission to post:

You can definitely post, I think it is a good idea to let people know and so they can secure any trash or food they may have outside- The first sighting was by my sitter when she took my son for a walk on 3/24. Then my sister and I saw another bear in the same area (this is in the Creekside neighborhood on the trail that goes behind the homes) on 3/28. I thought the bear/s had moved on but this photo is from 4/2 and in our yard instead of on the trail.

Update 7 April 2010 – The Newsplex saw the story here and then did what reporters do – interviewed a bunch of people and discovered it’s an orphaned bear.

People are on the lookout for an orphaned bear cub in Crozet. It seems the furry creature is creating quite a stir in the Old Trail subdivision.

People are being told not to pet the bear or go near it, even though it’s a tiny cub, only about forty pounds. The bear has become a fixture in the western Albemarle County development.

“When I left that day it was right at the edge drinking,” says Sandra Terrell. The nanny was taking ten-month-old Sammy for a stroll in the neighborhood when she heard a loud noise.

“Something went running across the bushes. I thought it was a fat cat, but when I looked over at the tree it was a baby bear,” says Terrell.

She says it’s the same bear Sammy’s parents saw in their driveway just days ago.

“I startled it, and it startled us, and when I looked over there, the bear was hugging the tree and turned and looked at me,” says Terrell. The Newsplex has learned the bear is an orphan yearling. It’s too old to be considered a cub, and too young to be out on its own. The bear’s parents likely died, forcing it to fend for itself.

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Crozet Twitter Updates – Brief Notes for 2010-04-04

  • RT @bharathc: Sugar Hollow in Crozet,VA. Beautiful outside, allergies be damned! What can't wine cure? #
  • @juphoff Hey, now. We love our @MudhouseCrozet . in reply to juphoff #
  • A great day to coach soccer. Then show. Then leave. #
  • I'm going to say the heavy equipment making noise this morning is a sign of the economy moving. Otherwise, it's aggravating. #
  • RT @1070WINA: First Two Phases Completed At Crozet Meadows Apartments http://easyuri.com/93985 #
  • @trailsidecoffee has been streaming people for the past 45 minutes. Busy is good. #
  • Please don't block the intersection at Western and Old Trail. http://bit.ly/9Traeg #
  • Home sales in Crozet seem to have doubled YoY. http://bit.ly/cbXsxo #
  • RT @JimDuncan: Morning at the Crozet Mudhouse http://post.ly/XFBw #
  • @TessOrtega Amazingly, the train has been my clients' nemesis while trying to sell their home. in reply to TessOrtega #
  • RT @JimDuncan Welcome to Crozet (signs) http://post.ly/X9eB [which entrance sign do you like?] #
  • @trailsidecoffee is making Old Trail look good. Tremendous service & ice cream for my clients! #
  • RT @brbs: Ok, One Saturday only, On Saturday, April 10, the first 50 customers to spend $100 or more get a FREE Crozet CommuniTee T-Shirt! #
  • RT @CBS19: [NEWS] Without Leader, Crozet Farmers Market Could Be in Jeopardy http://bit.ly/adK6ZI #
  • RT @MudhouseCrozet: Tea party to go!! We've got a new line of tea cookies [and they are *delicious*!] #
  • Damn proud of one of my classmates at VMI – http://bit.ly/aWfLG2 #
  • RT @mgw68: @realcrozetva totally enjoyed my blueberry spudnuts and Elephant Chai. Thanks Cville Concierge for donut transport to Trailside #
  • Does anyone know what's going on with the Crozet Farmer's Market? http://bit.ly/aq3TS6 #
  • Be careful, Crozetians. It seems there are lots of new teenage drivers out there this Spring. #crozet #
  • Crozet crash – http://bit.ly/9m1GV7 #
  • RT @bradramsey: http://twitpic.com/1bqhso – The calm after the storm in Crozet [I loved the storm last night!] #
  • Anyone on Jarman's Gap who received the letter from VDOT willing to share it with me? jim @ realcrozetVA.com #
  • @trailsidecoffee Thanks for the great coffee today! Fresh flowers for sale are a great addition. What *don't* y'all do? in reply to trailsidecoffee #
  • RT @trailsidecoffee: Spudnuts today…fresh local organic flowers for sale, Bali blue moon, Malawi dark and Peru on tap today! #
  • Correction: if I hadn't waited nearly 10 minutes and *then* have guy call on guy who had just walked in, I'd have patience. #
  • Two mornings in a row I've been disappointed with mudhouse's interminable slowness. Part of it is me, but only a small part. #
  • RT @SuzySaidCville: But…Suzy's Night Out in Crozet will be a great way to start it off! http://tinyurl.com/yg4kml7 #
  • Proof one person can make a difference: one slow car causes 50 cars to go slowly on 250 into C'ville #

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Crozet Home Sales and Contracts in March

Home sales in Crozet* in March 2010 were double those of March 2009! (okay, they went from four to nine, but we’ll take whatever good news we can find). I also expect that that “nine” will increase by a few as transactions are closed out over the next few days.

Even more heartening is the fact that properties placed under contract in Crozet are double last year as well.

It seems that 2004 was a boom year. 🙂 Mind you, the above data are preliminary, but they show an uptick. The real test is going to come in the second half of 2010. Continue reading “Crozet Home Sales and Contracts in March”