Let's Talk Albemarle

Let's Talk Albemarle

Let’s Talk Albemarle seeks to foster community participation through the exploration of important topics in Albemarle County. Serena Gruia, host and public engagement coordinator, designs each conversation to make local government interesting and accessible for our community. We invite community members to share constructive feedback, submit topic ideas, and ask questions. Call or email Serena at 434-296-5841 x3274 or sgruia@albemarle.org

Episodes

December 27, 2024 17 mins
Mark as Played

Episode Notes

Move Safely Blue Ridge is the region’s plan to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries for all road users through the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. Learn about the project, the goals, and the vision in this conversation with Sarah Simba, Planner with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission.

Project Website: https://movesafelyblueridge.com/

Learn more about the Thomas Jefferso...

Mark as Played

Episode Notes

Chapter by Chapter is a series on our podcast in which we introduce and review the draft chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. We’ll discuss land use, housing, environmental stewardship, parks and open spaces, and more.

This podcast was designed to provide a quick overview of the chapter. We hope you’ll be inspired to visit our website, read the whole chapter, share your feedback, ask questions, and review the ...

Mark as Played

Episode Notes

Chapter by Chapter is a series on our podcast in which we introduce and review the draft chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. We’ll discuss land use, housing, environmental stewardship, parks and open spaces, and more.

This podcast was designed to provide a quick overview of the chapter. We hope you’ll be inspired to visit our website, read the whole chapter, share your feedback, ask questions, and review the ...

Mark as Played

Yay! Season Two of Let's Talk Albemarle is FINALLY HERE!!!

Episode Notes

Katie VanLangen, co-executive director of LEAP, the Local Energy Alliance Program, and Gabe Dayley, Albemarle County's Climate Protection Program Manager, join me to discuss Solarize Virginia, an innovative program to help support community members put solar energy to work for them. We also cover an intro to solar energy – how it works and why it’s im...

Mark as Played

Introducing the Community Voices Audio Project. The intention of this project is to create a platform for community members to share their experiences and knowledge so that together we may build a deeper understanding of complex topics. The idea came to me as I was reflecting on the variety of perspectives and opinions people were sharing about community growth and the future of Albemarle County.

This episode will focus on growth i...

Mark as Played

In this episode, we'll learn about the Comprehensive Plan Update (AC44). This is a great introduction to understanding what the Plan is, how it's developed, and what it’s used for. We’ll also get some insight into the project team’s role in the process and some of the challenges associated with such a big (comprehensive!) community project.

All community members are invited to participate! Please take advantage of these tools to ge...

Mark as Played

In this episode, we’ll learn about the Climate Protection Program, what’s next for the Climate Action Plan, and get a glimpse into the future of Albemarle County if we realize all of the goals associated with this important work.

Mark as Played

This episode is part of a live fireside chat-type community event associated with the promotion of Colonel Sean Reeves to Chief of Police. Our host is my boss and the director of Communications and Public Engagement, Emily Kilroy, who spoke with Colonel Reeves about his professional experience and his vision for the future of the department. Colonel Reeves is the first patrol officer to rise through the ranks to become Chief. The c...

Mark as Played

About the Show

Welcome to Let’s Talk Albemarle. I’m your host, Serena Gruia. I’m the public engagement coordinator with Albemarle County in beautiful central Virginia. Every day I learn more about local government and our community. I have spoken with so many people who really want to get involved in local governance, but don’t know where to start. Well, it is my hope that this podcast is a starting point to supporting com...

  • Mark as Played
    November 5, 2021 21 mins

    Episode Notes

    If you’ve been listening to our podcast you know that I like to shine a light on collaboration and ways to participate in local decision making. Pickleball at Darden Towe is a particularly fun example of what can happen when community members engage local government to advocate for a project, rally support, and make things happen. In this episode, we’ll learn a bit about pickleball and hear about how communit...

    Mark as Played

    Episode Notes

    The B.F. Yancey Elementary School officially closed in June of 2017. Almost two years later, the Yancey School Community Center opened in the former school building. This innovative model for a community center creates space for collaboration between local government and non-profit organizations to provide programming and services in support of community health and wellbeing. The service footprint for the B.F...

    Mark as Played

    Episode Notes

    In this episode, we’ll have a conversation with Christine Putnam that ranges from biodiversity to composting to the importance of turning off your outside lights at night. We’ll also address a listener’s question: What is your favorite pollinator, and why?

    Mark as Played

    In this Episode

    Let's talk about how to design infrastructure that truly serves the community, the benefits and engineering considerations of roundabouts, and the next steps for the corridor.

    Learn More

    For more information about the Rio Corridor Plan, and ways to participate, please visit our project website at http://www.publicinput.com/riocorridor.

    About the Podcast

    Let’s Talk Albemarle seeks to foster...

    Mark as Played

    In this Episode

    Let's talk about the history of the corridor and the challenges and opportunities associated with the current conditions.

    Learn More

    For more information about the Rio Corridor Plan, and ways to participate, please visit our project website at http://www.publicinput.com/riocorridor.

    About the Podcast

    Let’s Talk Albemarle seeks to foster community participation through the exploration of im...

    Mark as Played

    Popular Podcasts

      The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

      Stuff You Should Know

      If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

      Dateline NBC

      Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

      The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

      The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

      The Breakfast Club

      The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!

    Advertise With Us
    Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

    Connect

    © 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.