The parties will almost certainly try to draw favorable maps in the states where they control the process. In 2020, that’s an advantage for the GOP. Republicans can draw the lines for 20 states and 187 congressional seats compared with only 75 seats for Democrats, according to Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the UVA Center for Politics.
But Pew and Gallup polls show increasing support among voters for third-party candidates. A Gallup poll from February shows 62% of Americans say a third-party is needed. “In broad, abstract terms, there does seem to be this call among voters for more variety and additional parties,” said Jennifer Lawless, professor and chair of the University of Virginia political science department. “But when push comes to shove, they seem to be satisfied with the two broad party options that they have.”
Hemmed on nearly all sides by highways, Westside is a physical manifestation of the economic and social dislocation caused by some of America’s massive infrastructure projects. Peter Norton, associate professor of history in the engineering school at the University of Virginia, calls it “the Berlin Wall effect.”
And, as for working from home: “A family of four would not be able to work and study from home at speeds of 25/3,” says Christopher Ali, an associate professor of media studies at the University of Virginia. 
Already, many U.S. hospitals have begun installing solar panels, while others are trying to cut surgical waste and phase out ozone-damaging chemicals. Activists are pressing for the industry to cut back on energy-intensive protocols, such as ventilation requirements that mandate a high level of air circulation, measured as air changes per hour. They say they could be reduced without harming patients. But the industry is moving cautiously to avoid harm to patients — and legal liability. They “don’t want to make any mistakes. And part of not making mistakes is a resistance to change,” said Dr. M...
“Alpha-gal is dramatically different from other forms of food allergy,” said Thomas Platts-Mills, MD, professor of medicine and microbiology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “Previously healthy adults can suddenly develop potentially life-threatening reactions to red meats such as beef, pork and lamb. The delayed nature of the reactions adds to the difficulty that clinicians and patients have in identifying the cause of the symptoms. This unique set of circumstances makes an accurate diagnosis critical for managing this disease.”
A Charlottesville landscape architect is getting national recognition for her innovative design. Julie Bargmann was honored by the Women in Architecture Awards Program as an innovator. She is a professor at the University of Virginia School of Architecture and also has her own firm. D.I.R.T., or “dump it right there,” is known for reconstructing and transforming former industrial sites.
“The reason why Black and Brown Americans had low uptake of vaccines early in the rollout is that they could not get one even if they wanted to,” Dr. Ebony J. Hilton, a Critical Care Anesthesiologist doctor at the University of Virginia and founder of GoodStock Consulting, LLC, tweeted. Dr. Hilton has loudly denounced things like quick re-openings, anti-vaxxers, and reckless gatherings during the pandemic. “The CDC guidelines were pro-white in design. Prioritization is defined along the lines of age and employment and not risk,” Dr. Hilton wrote.
Infectious disease and international health expert Dr. Patrick E. H. Jackson of the University of Virginia told Medical News Today: “There have been relatively few studies of COVID-19 and influenza co-infection in humans. However, there is some data to suggest that outcomes could be worse if a patient has both viruses at the same time. Co-infection would also complicate treatment for hospitalized patients.”
Some art world observers say there are several issues raised by Johns’s use of the teenager’s drawing. Siva Vaidhyanathan, an expert on intellectual property who directs the Center for Media and Citizenship at the University of Virginia, believes that Togodgue’s drawing is clearly copyrightable material. “What’s copyrightable about this drawing is that it has specific design choices,” he says. “A color scheme. The letters that make up Jéan-Marc. Those are design choices that an artist made even if he didn’t think of himself as an artist at that moment. Had it been just an X-ray or an MRI, that...
When paid leave doesn’t include job protection, a significant share of workers are unlikely to take it even if they’re eligible, research shows — particularly Hispanic workers, low earners, those who work at small businesses and those who work part time or frequently switch jobs. “My view is if leaves aren’t job-protected, it’s barely leave,” said Christopher Ruhm, professor of public policy and economics at the University of Virginia. “You’re going to have lots of people being very hesitant to use it, so it loses a lot of the benefit.”
(Commentary by Helena Zeweri, assistant professor of global studies) In the wake of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August, U.S. politicians and media pundits alike have argued that Afghan women’s rights are now in peril as they weather life under the repressive and cruel Taliban. Many have gone on to make the case that the United States’ presence as a force for securing women’s rights was in fact a necessary one, further reinforcing the idea that in the end, the United States was a benevolent force in the country. 
(Commentary by Dr. Taison Bell, assistant professor of medicine in the divisions of Infectious Diseases and International Health and Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine) If the last several weeks have taught us anything, it’s that health care workers have continued to step up daily to take care of patients during a Delta wave that has exploded across the country. But we’ve also seen how health systems are now strained to the breaking point. Hospitals are still standing, but with a worsening nationwide nursing shortage and states like Idaho, Montana, and Alaska beginning to ration care, it’s c...
Three new leaders were named by the University of Virginia Medical Center for its nursing and emergency services teams. A new chief nursing officer, associate chief nursing officer, and administrator of emergency medicine and services have been appointed, according to a news release.
Tuesday marks National Penicillin Allergy Day. Doctors at UVA Health recommend people get re-evaluated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10% of patients report a penicillin allergy, but only 1% of the population is truly allergic.
The number of people across Virginia who have COVID-19 is going down and fewer people are being hospitalized. In Charlottesville, UVA Health is seeing a trend consistent with that. Earlier this month, UVA was reporting a weekly average of 20 new cases per day, but that number has now been cut in half.
Fire swept through a staple of the last 35 years on the University of Virginia Corner on Tuesday. The Charlottesville Fire Department responded to a fire at Coupes on Elliewood Avenue just after 6 p.m. Officials believe a grease fire in the basement caused the spark. Nobody was injured, but there is believed to be a lot of smoke damage.
The Virginia Film Festival is getting ready for its 2021 event, and for the first time since before the pandemic, it will feature in-person events. The five-day festival starts on Oct. 27. You can catch films like “Spencer,” starring Kristen Stewart; “The Power of the Dog,” which stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst; and “C’mon C’mon,” with Joaquin Phoenix.
The Virginia Film Festival, which has more than 85 films and a variety of panel discussions and special guests in store, resumes in-person programming on Oct. 27 with an opening-night screening of Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch.” Guests for the 34th annual festival will include Emmy Award winner and multiple Tony Award nominee Martha Plimpton; Jeremy O. Harris, a Tony Award-nominated playwright now finding acclaim as a screenwriter; and Danny Strong, the writer, producer and actor who serves as executive producer for the Hulu limited series “Dopesick.”
Dr. Christian Chisholm, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Virginia and past chair of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology – Virginia, rounded out the discussion with data on maternal mortality and disparities, particularly among causes of death. According to Dr. Chisolm, Black birthing people account for up to 75% of deaths from cardiovascular diseases, despite accounting for 19.2% of maternal mortality in the state.