Aug. 15, 2017: Mayor Mike Signer ’95 on Charlottesville Unrest; Peter Fortenbaugh ’89 on Improving Education; and More

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer ’95 was sharply critical of President Donald Trump in the wake of violent unrest sparked by a rally of white supremacists and nationalists in the city. — The Washington Post

Peter Fortenbaugh ’89, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, and Avani Patel detail six ways philanthropists and donors can improve local education systems, including ways to encourage both charter and public schools. — Stanford Social Innovation Review

Narissa Williams ’12, a first-year medical student at the University of Buffalo, and collaborator Nicholas Bossert studied intake information for numerous opioid addicts at the DART methadone clinic in Buffalo, N.Y., and found that many of the patients became addicted after being prescribed legal opioids. — The Buffalo News

Former Oregon State University basketball coach Craig Robinson ’83 has joined the New York Knicks in a front-office role, working for former Tiger teammate Steve Mills ’81, the team’s president. — The New York Times

“I was raised with the adage that service is the rent we pay for the space we use on this Earth.” 

Sara Love ’89, the public-policy director of the ACLU of Maryland, on why she’s seeking a seat in Maryland’s House of Delegates. Read more in Bethesda Magazine

Kerry Song ’04 has started a vegan food company called The Abbot’s Butcher, which produces a variety of plant-based products, from chorizo to pastrami. — The Los Angeles Times

Thor Solberg ’65 *66, the owner of the Solberg-Hunterdon Airport in New Jersey, says that President Trump’s visits to nearby Bedminster are harming his airport’s operations due to flight restrictions. — The Hill

In a recent interview, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford ’79 discussed the company’s investments in electric and hybrid vehicles and other new ventures such as ride-sharing and autonomous cars. — The Wall Street Journal 

Danny Hoy ’16 of the Kingsport (Tenn.) Mets hit his first professional home run during a game against the Princeton (W.Va.) Rays in the Appalachian League. — Bristol Herald Courier

BoxPower CEO and co-founder Angelo Campus ’16 donated and installed a solar- and wind-powered system at the Ramapough Lenape Nation prayer ground near Mahwah, N.J. The system will help to power security cameras, LED lights, and movie screenings. — NorthJersey.com

Dean Spears *13 and Diane Coffey *15 have published a new book that describes the practice of open defecation in India and its links to infant mortality and the health of Indian women. — FirstPost

Former presidential candidate Ralph Nader ’55 argues that schools and community colleges should introduce civics courses so that students can learn how to advocate for change. — Truthdig

Writer and food-blogger Emily Paster ’96 has published a book titled The Joys of Jewish Preserving, which shares 75 recipes to make jams and pickled Jewish foods. — The Times of Israel

University of Virginia Law School Dean Risa Goluboff *03 was selected to receive the 2017 Lillian Smith Book Award for Vagrant Nation, a chronicle of social-reform movements and constitutional changes during the 1960s. — UGA Today

University of California-San Diego Professor Rob Knight *01 is one of three recipients to share the 2017 Massry Prize for his work on using microbiomes to benefit human and environmental health. — EurekAlert

Michigan State University economist Charley Ballard ’76 explains that while sales-tax holidays are popular among consumers, they haven’t unleashed much economic growth. — USA Today

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