(click here for full sized chart)

As you can see from the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) data reported through September 2008, we are definitely seeing an increase in unemployment in both Charlottesville City and the Charlottesville Metropolitan Statistical Area.   I am not sure how the media got the widely reported “500 job loss figure.” In fact, according to non-seasonally adjusted data by the VEC, the Charlottesville MSA labor market looked worse:

»Read More

We just got two interesting sad telling depressing rumors about Charlottesville food businesses that appear to be dying.

First rumor about the potential closing of a town staple Crozet Pizza comes from a trusted Villain:

A friend just told me that Crozet Pizza may be closing down.  I don’t know anything more than that, but it thought it was a worthy note.

We wonder about this one, especially considering all the growth that is happening in Crozet.

The second rumor comes from a very reliable birdie that has always been right.  This time it appears Java Java is up on the auction block:

Java-Java is for sale. The economy has sent many a latte drinker to traditional coffee and since the mall has much more reasonable priced coffee (fair trade/organic small cup for .95 less than a block away…) they have suffered. First they kicked the milkman out and began making Sams club runs and some other stuff.

Not sure of the price, but since The Bean (at 225 sq feet) sold for 50K cash recently, some money might change hands…that is if he is still not upside down on his upfit.

Sad times indeed. Do we have any more info?

Earlier today I was driving down Main Street, and as I approached 7th St. I saw something odd. It was a man, standing in the middle of the road (on the double yellows) holding a sign that read “NEED WORK NOW!” I suddenly had flashbacks to my high school history books and pictures of the down-and-out during the great depression. Then I started wondering, “why the hell is this guy in the middle of the damn street?” Fortunately, on my return trip, he’d made his way (with the help of a CPD officer) to the sidewalk. But given the horrid state our economy is in, it made me wonder whether this is just an isolated incident, or if it’s an indicator of increasingly desperate times ahead?

[pic]

UVA’s budget has been cut by about 7% which accounts for about $10 million of the $160 million state budget allocation.  While the state only accounts for about 8% of UVA’s budget [ref], this still means that UVA won’t fill 11 open positions.  Additionally, this will delay the State’s planned 2% salary increases.

Layoffs aren’t going to happen, but this cut shoudn’t be thought of as the end to that fear.

The UVA budget cut is part of a much larger plan from Virginia Governer Tim Kaine.  In 2009, Virginia expects budget shortfalls of nearly $1 billion.  In order to combat the shortfall, Kaine plans 578 job cuts, a salary freeze on all state employees, across the board education cuts and more.  A detailed list is after the break: »Read More

Woah, so apparently, in our never ending list of problems (failure of decade old banks, a housing crisis, a food crisis, an oil crisis and a bee crisis) we now have two more issues to add to the list:

1.  Gasoline Shortage:  In the South East (not Virginia from what we’ve seen), you can’t find fuel.  The shortage resulted from hurricane damage to Gulf Coast refineries.  This has affected motorists in north Georgia, Atlanta, Western North Carolina and Tennessee.  People have been lining up for hours and it’s extremely difficult to find gas.

2.  Meat and Dairy Rationing:  We will soon need to start rationing meat and dairy products, according to a study from the Food Climate Research Network. In order to support the eventual takeover of vegetarians, it’s becoming more obvious that meat consumption isn’t green friendly. This report explains that UK consumption of food accounts for over 18% of carbon emissions and concludes with the ominous:

Government needs to reinvigorate its plans for developing a meat road map [i.e. reducing meat consumption]. The road map should have clear targets for emissions reduction (in line with the overarching 70% reduction target)…

Video of 93 Car Line Waiting for Gas After The Break…

»Read More

Uncertain times call for uncertain measures.  Politicians can’t get over party politics.  Banks don’t know how bad it is. $700 billion dollars.  If we don’t act now, we will fail.  Oh and it’s not just the big guys.  These economic things are hitting close to home. Who knows if it’s fear or actual problems, but judging by the amount of young people drinking, things are going pretty well (for booze companies).

Fear heard on the Charlottesville street (and real advice):

“I’m buying gold right now”- Grab an AK-47, buy an old mine in West Virginia and lots of frozen dinners.

“My kid’s college fund is down from $70,000 to $35,000″ – Kids don’t need to go to college in order to prepare for the Rapture.  Use that money to buy an online course (that is, if the internet still exists) from Liberty University.

“Catering businesses are down 25 to 50%; restaurants are suffering; food inflation is killing our margins; food service owners are not taking salaries” – Sorry folks, we already pay $3.50 for a slice of pizza outside of a ballpark.  I’ll tell you what; you drop your $10 martinis to $7 and we’ll talk.

The real list of things that could really, really hurt Charlottesville (after the break):

»Read More