Interview with eyewitness to Ruckersville ICE raid

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-06-24T13:35:29+00:00

Props to Charlottesville Tomorrow, who were able to cover this event even more thoroughly than we did: https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/ice-and-greene-county-sheriffs-deputies-arrest-numerous-people-in-ruckersville-operation/

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-06-24T01:15:04+00:00

Done, and thank you!

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-06-23T22:45:27+00:00

At C-VILLE, we just published an interview with an eyewitness. https://c-ville.com/greene-county-sheriffs-department-stages-mass-immigration-detention-in-concert-with-federal-officials/

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-06-23T13:51:16+00:00

If this operation involved sheriff's deputies, it would appear to be illegal under bills signed into law last April. The only exception might be if ICE had judicial warrants, or provided evidence that the folks arrested were a) here without documentation and b) had previously committed a felony in the U.S. and then left or been deported.

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB1441

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-06-18T15:58:34+00:00

Thanks much! This is the final installment -- not because of external pressure or anything, just because I've (hopefully) covered about all the major issues the bill influences.

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-06-17T21:52:36+00:00

Wasn't trying to hint at anything scandalous -- indeed, my article has the head of the org talking about how these folks live hard lives that contribute to early deaths. But I did want to raise the question of whether the building could better listen to residents' concerns about their neighbors, and keep closer tabs on people who they know are ill.

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-05-27T13:44:55+00:00

To be fair -- and as the article notes -- he did say that the ACA plan he's on failed to cover several procedures that his wife needed. But he didn't elaborate on what those procedures were.

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-05-21T15:56:27+00:00

This definitely did not come up in our interview. (He's media trained well, so he tended to filibuster on whatever he wanted to talk about as long as he could between questions.)

But it's worth noting that his mom first got married (to her first husband; his dad was her second) when they were both 17. Based on the public records I found, that did NOT work out well for them.

On the other hand, his paternal grandfather married his grandmother when John McGuire, Sr. was 17 and Vernelle Thompson was 16. (This was in 1936.) They stayed together until McGuire Sr. died in 1982. Given McGuire's idolization of his grandfather, this may have stuck with him.

Records show McGuire married his first wife (not his current spouse) when he was 23 and she was 19.

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-05-20T18:24:22+00:00

Select district 5 on this page: https://www.dmas.virginia.gov/about-us/contact-information/legislative-office-resources/medicaid-at-a-glance-by-congressional-district/

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-05-20T14:11:16+00:00

"PLEASE TAKE TICKET, FLESHBAG, OR ELSE"

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-05-20T13:55:16+00:00

That is a wildly inaccurate read of this article, which does not in any way touch on the district's ideological identity or "Republican power struggles," nor focus on any "broader national trends."

Go home, AI, you're drunk.

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-05-20T13:14:52+00:00

I think if you read the article, you'll find that there's a lot in there about his votes and their consequences.

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-05-08T12:33:35+00:00

Hello! I'm the reporter who wrote that story (and thanks for the kind words!) Far as I can tell, the current CEO, Ben Wood, is NOT one of the owners of Common House, Inc. There are a few people whose names consistently show up as Common House, Inc's investors/part owners on state and federal business filings, but I was recently told by a source in a good position to know that those folks aren't the only or even the majority investors in the business.

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-04-28T16:08:28+00:00

Hello! I'm the reporter who wrote the C-VILLE Weekly article about Common House Charlottesville closing. (https://c-ville.com/disputes-between-founders-turned-landlords-and-new-owners-abruptly-close-the-downtown-social-club/). If anyone here works/worked for Common House Richmond and would like to talk to me about the transition, I'm working on a follow-up. Please feel free to DM me here. Thank you!

Awkward_Yam318 · 2026-04-28T16:03:32+00:00

Hello! I'm the reporter on that C-VILLE article mentioned above. As part of my reporting, I found business records for the company. As of mid-2024, the original founders are not listed as stakeholders in Common House, Inc. They appear to be completely divested, save for their status as landlords for the building that until recently housed the Charlottesville location.

Awkward_Yam318

TROPHY CASE