CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Catie Ratliff, a reporter with C-VILLE Weekly, joined Courteney Stuart of Charlottesville Right Now to discuss several key stories from the latest issue.

Ratliff touched on recent crime statistics in Charlottesville. According to Police Chief Kochis, overall crime rates have decreased despite a noticeable spike in gun violence. She says this year has seen a reduction in calls for shots fired and homicides compared to the previous year. “While you might be getting a lot of alerts right now about potential shootings or shots fired, it’s actually a decrease compared to this point last year.”

Ratliff also discussed her investigative piece on abortion access in Virginia post-Dobbs decision. She said that despite remaining a “safe haven” state, Virginia’s abortion services are under strain due to increased demand from neighboring states with stricter laws. “Their clinic in Northern Virginia saw a sixty-person increase, which ended up being a 600% increase in patients coming from Florida,” Ratliff noted.

Additionally, Ratliff highlighted the summer guide, offering various suggestions for enjoying Charlottesville both outdoors and indoors. “It kind of reignited that want to go, you know, down to the city market, go try some new ice cream places or go hit the old haunts on the Corner from when I was an undergrad.” This guide, written by C-VILLE Weekly Editor-in-Chief Kate Hamilton, is written for both residents and visitors.

Listen to the full story here:

You can listen to the full story here: