C-VILLE Weekly | June 3 - 9, 2026

Nonprofit Camino opens pathways to citizenship P.9

Woodard Properties asks to transform empty lot P.12

Gettin' jazzy with it at Charlottesville JazzFest P.27

CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA TRANSIT

HEALTH & FITNESS

Dermatology Practice

Albemarle Dermatology Associates

SERVICES

Medical Spa | Hair Removal

Signature Medical Spa

Hello, Charlottesville.

Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.

Pride Month—a 30-day celebration of identity, community, and belonging—kicked off Monday, June 1, and with it all the rainbow flags and festive fanfare your heart can stand. It’s beautiful, colorful, and inclusive. But as you’ll learn in this week’s cover story (p. 18), feeling like you belong isn’t always as simple as hanging a flag.

In her interview with physician Catherine Casey, Christine Kueter explores what it means to provide care for LGBTQ+ patients in a moment when access to that care feels increasingly uncertain. Casey talks about everything from insurance denials to shifting policies around transgender health care, but one theme runs throughout the conversation: People deserve to be treated with dignity.

Something Casey says stuck with me: Many of the biggest challenges her patients face aren’t dramatic. They’re practical: insurance claims, appointments, finding providers who understand their needs. It’s a good reminder that fairness often shows up in the small things. Not in speeches or slogans, but in whether systems work equally well for everyone.

As Pride Month begins, that feels worth thinking about.

Christine Phelan Kueter, a native Midwesterner, has worked in book publishing, as a newspaper reporter and columnist, and as a writer and editor in higher education. A correspondent for WVTF/Radio IQ since 2020, her monthly series, “Meet Virginia,” aired on Virginia Public Radio in 2024. Read her work on page 18.

Sean Tubbs moved to Charlottesville in 2002, and has sought to understand why development occurs the way it does. Since 2005, he’s helped innovate information gathering to try to help people know they belong and how they can have their say. Read his work on pages 11 and 12.

Hey, thanks! These generous benefactors of C-VILLE have supported our work through our (now tax-deductible!) Save the Free Word campaign. To contribute, follow the QR code.

Towns Ackerman

Susan Albert

Mary Allen

Pat Allinson

Catherine Anninos

Elaine Attridge

Jim & Gwen Baber

Lori Balaban

Timothy Bambury

Catherine Barnes

Julie Basic

Susan Battani

John & Nancy Baum

Josh Baumann

Jennifer Beachley

Mayanna Bean

Terry Belanger

Susan Bender

Denise Benson

Anne Bergamesca

Rebecca Berlin

Kim Biasiolli

Patrick Bird

Diane Bisgaier

Mary Ann Bournos

Paddy Bowman

Olivia Branch

Paul Brewer

Susan Brickman

Claudia Murray

Brindle

Colette Brown

David Brown

Jack Brown

Sumner Brown

Kate Buford

Cathleen Burgess

Carol Burger

Patricia Burkett

David Calhoun

Michael Callahan

Linda & Pat

Canzanelli-Dantona

Brian Carlton

Helen Cathro

Janelle Catlett

James Clark Jr.

Diane Cluck

Karen Collins

Lorraine Collins

Todd Cristian

Beth Croghan

Margaret Crone

Emily Currier

Genny Dalton

Maria-Eugenia

Dalton

Charles Dassance

Lynne DeCora

Pam & Peter Dennison

Nancy Dettor

Martha Donnelly

Helene Downs

Vincent Draddy

Charlotte Drummond

Louise Dudley

Lee Elberson

Jane Elmore

Karen Emmitt

Ken Engebretson

Elizabeth Engle

Rosa Ellen English

Gail Esterman

Joe Ethier

Tom & Anna Ferrell

M. Fife

Jon Fink

Lavonne Fitts

Kevin Foley

Barbara Fornoff

Joan Forrest

Amy Gardner

Georgia Garrett

Thomas Garrison

Greg Gelburd

Gerald Giammatteo

David & Janna Gies

Karen Goertler

Donna Goings

Stephanie Goodwin

Evie Gorman

Trice Gravatte

Andrew Greeley

Jennifer Grover

Cara Hall

Kendra Hall

Jeremy HarrisMcDonnell

Wiliam Harvey

Madeleine Hawks

Ann Marie Haynes

Mary Haynes

Elain Heffelfinger

Chris Hellings

Ted Heneberry

Stephen Herrick

John Heyser

Ezra Hitzeman

Katherine Hoffman

JoAnn Hofheimer

Lisa Hogan

Gina Hogue

Laura Horn

Christina Horton

Robert Inlow

Deb Jackson

Garth Jensen

Nina Johnston

Nicole Jones

Diane Jones

Janet Jospe

Jane Kamensky

Marina Kelley

Brian Kelly

Trish Kenney

Tom & Sue Kirk

Kathryn Kluge

Julie Lacy

Marcia Langsam

Jacalyn LaPierre

Aaron Lawrence

Eric & Diane Lawson

Elizabeth Lawson

Frances Lee-Vandell

David Lemon

Linda Lester

Sean Libberton

Angeline Lillard

Peppy Linden

Jessica Lino

D. Little

Phillip Long

Rob Lynch

Catherine Maguire

Greg Mallard

James Mandell

Jeff Martin

Virginia Masterson

Jeanne & Bob

Maushammer

Erin Mayer

Grant McDowell

Kieran Mcdowell

Mary McIntyre

Gretchen McKee

John McLaulin

Ruth McWilliams

James Mernin

Nicolas Mestre

Pat Meyer-Peterson

Tim Michel

Parthy Monagan

Linda Monahan

Vic Monti

Hilary Moorman

Michael Morency

Harold E. Morgan

Michael Moriarty

Catherine Moynihan

Jim Mummery

Karen Myers

Sara Myers

Monica Newby

Jennifer Newell

Sandy Newhouse

Scott & Chris

Newsham

Kathy O’Connell

Dennis O’Connor

Diane Ober

Cynthia Van Osch

Annette Osso

Laila Ouhamou

Annette Owens

Timothy Palmer

Michael Pantano

Dashton Parham

Beale Payne

Susan Payne

Amanda Peacock

Joe Peacock

Elizabeth Perdue

Joann Peters

James Peterson

Damon Pettitt

Andrew Pevsner

Elayne Phillips

Sandra Pollock

Robin

Pugh

Racette

Diane Rosin

Roux

Audrey Sarate

Dennis Scannell

Claudia Scenna

Joan Schatzman

Sandra Schmidt

Eric Schultz

Karen Schuyler

Wendy Seay

James Seitz

Angilee Shah

Elaine Shaw

Chuck Shelton

Paul Shettel

Vaden Shields

Jeanne Siler

John Smith

Kristina Smith

Rod Smith

Meredith Smoot

Diane Snustad

Mickey Speck

Maria Spence

Jim Spencer

David Stackhouse

Mariah Steele

Rod Stoner

Robert Strickland

Jeff Strider

Deborah Strong

Chelsea

Nichole Taylor

Tim Taylor

William Terrell

Emily Thiede

Reid Thompson W. McIlwaine Thompson Jr. Prue Thorner

John Titus

Jessica Tobin

Erica Toy Rose Trapnell Jill Trischman-Marks Susan Uland

Zalewski

Dive rsit y IN THE Park

A Race Amity Event

IN THIS ISSUE

Sunday, June 14, 2 - 4 pm Forest Hills Park Music, food, games, art

“Race Amity” promotes friendship & collaboration between people of different races and cultures to break down segregation, biases, and misperception of each other.

Event is co-sponsored by the Baha’is of Albemarle County and the Unity Church.

Performance by the Esmont Community Choir! everyone welcome

Care for all

physician advocates for LGBTQ+ patients throughout Virginia.

NEWS

9

9 Local orgs come together to suppor t immigrants

11 Planning Commission denies rezoning for 18-units in Crozet. 12 Real Estate: New Woodard Properties’ building on Cherry Avenue?

CULTURE

25

Sudoku

Crossword

Free Will Astrology

27 Feedback: JazzFest features a raft of national and local talent 28 Galleries: What’s on view this month.

ED I TORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Caite Hamilton editor@c-ville.com

ART DIRECTOR

Max March max@c-ville.com

CULTURE EDITOR

Tami Keaveny

tami@c-ville.com

SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Nathan Alderman news@c-ville.com

NEWS REPORTER

Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

NEWS CONTRIBUTOR

Sean Tubbs

ASSOCIATE CULTURE EDITOR

CM Turner arts@c-ville.com

COPY EDITOR

Susan Sorensen

DIGITAL EDITOR

Tristan Williams

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Brezsny, Dave Cantor, Carol Diggs, Shea Gibbs, Andrew Hollins, Erika Howsare, Matt Jones, Sarah Lawson, Lisa Provence, Sarah Sargent, Kristie Smeltzer, Jen Sorensen, Julia Stumbaugh, Jake Solyst, Paul Ting, Eric Williamson

ADVERTISING

and C-VILE

advertising@c-ville.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Bianca Johnson bianca@c-ville.com

REAL ESTATE & CLASSIFIED ACCOUNT MANAGER

Brian Hrozencik brian@c-ville.com

DIGITAL SALES MANAGER

Rob Davis rob@c-ville.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Stephanie Vogtman-Say stephanie@c-ville.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Bill Chapman, Blair Kelly FEATURE 18

Jacob Phillips jacob@c-ville.com

Tracy Federico designer@c-ville.com

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Faith Gibson ads@c-ville.com

BUSINESS

PUBLISHER

Anna Harrison anna@c-ville.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Debbie Miller debbie@c-ville.com

A/R SPECIALIST

Nanci Winter accounting@c-ville.com

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Billy Dempsey circulation@c-ville.com

C-VILLE HOLDINGS, LLC

C-VILLE Weekly is Charlottesville, Virginia's award-winning alternative newspaper. Through our distinctive coverage, we work to spark curiosity and enable readers to engage meaningfully with their community.

©2026 C-VILLE Weekly. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

TingPavilion.com

JUNE 20:

WNRN Presents: The String Cheese Incident Just Keep Spinning Tour 2026

JULY 18:

Alison Krauss & Union Station ft. Jerry Douglas with Special Guest Theo Lawrence

JULY 26: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Benefiting the Charlottesville Free Clinic

Aug 19: Dominic Fike

SEPT 5: WNRN Presents: Charley Crockett

Age of the Ram Tour with Nat Myers

SEPTEMBER 8:

Sierra Ferrell A WNRN 30th Anniversary show Support from The Brudi Brothers

SEPTEMBER 22: Rainbow Kitten Surprise

SEPTEMBER 24:

Sam Barber

EVERY FRIDAY

Starting at 5:30pm THROUGH SEPT 11

JUNE 5

JUNE 5

Charlottesville Jazz Festival

FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE:

R4ND4ZZO BIG B4ND w/ U.S. NAVY BAND COMMODORES 5:30-8:30 pm More Announcements Coming Soon!

JUST ANNOUNCED!

R4ND4ZZO BIGB4ND

Groove Driven Jazz Orchestra w/ U.S. Navy Band Commodores Part of the C’ville Jazz Fest cvillejazz.org

COMING JUNE 12 Mariana

Upbeat Soulful Pop Rock w/ Chloë Ester

Proceeds to benefit a variety of local non-profits.

JUNE 27-ON SALE NOW THE SOUTHERN DRAG SHOWPRIDE MONTH EDITION HOSTED BY JACKIE OF ALL TRADES AND DARLING NIKKI FEATURING - TIFFANI HUNTER-MONIQUE, BEAU TOX AND SHOUJO-A-GO-GO

JULY 31-ON SALE NOW THE BARONS WITH YSA

AUGUST 6-ON SALE NOW SURFING FOR DAISY

AUGUST 8-ON SALE NOW SUNNY SWEENEY

SEPTEMBER 16-ON SALE FRIDAY HORSE FEATHERS

06-10| TRISTEN

06-12| BARSTOOL RODEO - WIDESPREAD PANIC TRIBUTE

06-13| THEOCLES & THE MUSES WITH ACELIA 06-17| SAM MORROW/HOLY ROLLER 06-19| CALEB CAUDLE & THE SWEET CRITTERS

On C-VILLE.com: John McGuire vs. SNAP, as the congressman votes to cap food aid amid rising grocery prices.

Lighting the way

How Charlottesville is supporting its immigrant neighbors under the Trump administration BY

CATIE RATLIFF

NEWS IMMIGRATION

Immigration has long been an expensive and confusing process in the United States, something made more stressful by the ongoing crackdown on pathways and people. At a difficult moment in immigration history, Charlottesville-based organizations have found routes to protect some of our community’s most vulnerable neighbors.

Since launching as an independent nonprofit in January, Camino, a former Charlottesville Albemarle Bar Association pro bono project, has focused its efforts on connecting vulnerable immigrant youth with legal and everyday resources. Founded by immigration activist Kristin Clarens, Camino works entirely on Special Immigrant Juvenile cases, which was only a portion of her pro bono workload for CABA.

All of Camino’s clients are pursuing SIJ status, an immigration pathway for children who are unable to reunite with one or both parents due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment in their country of origin. Many come to Charlottesville to rejoin a parent, or other relative, from whom they were previously separated.

“We’re really focused here on getting … what’s called the predicate order, that’s the part that we’re kind of teed up to do en masse,” says Camino founder Kristin Clarens. “We’re scaling up our operation every week, seeing more kids. … The goal is to use the existing network we have to identify these kids, connect them with pro bono attorneys at this first stage, and then help refer them on at the second stage for certain kids who are wanting to go all the way with the immigration fix or who need representation in deportation proceedings.”

Unlike some immigration pathways, SIJS requires applicants to be in the United States at the time of filing. The process to get SIJS begins at the state level, where each state sets its own cutoff age at or above 18 years old. Organizations, including the Legal Aid Justice Center, successfully lobbied for Virginia to raise the age limit for SIJS to 21 years old, which goes into effect on July 1.

At press time, Camino has 20 clients that range from 4-year-olds to 20-year-olds. The group has been incredibly successful in its legal efforts.

“We have a really high success rate with these cases,” says Clarens. “That, truly, is more a testament to the courts and the pro bono attorneys.”

SIJS, which heavily depends on local Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts, has been one of the few bright spots for immigration activists in Virginia since Donald Trump was elected to a second term in 2024. Protections for immigrant youth have been rolled back under the Trump administration, but SIJS remains a humanitarian pathway that works well, but is heavily backlogged. Per U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 78,156 petitions for SIJS were received in fiscal year 2025. During that same period, 61,055 SIJS petitions were approved, 1,798 denied, and 33,693 were documented as pending.

Tanishka Cruz, who has worked in local immigration law for years, recently exited private practice to serve on the bench for the 16th District JDR Court. She is the first Latina judge to serve on the bench. Two of her former clients, both of whom received SIJS, and eventually green cards, spoke at her May 22 swearing-in ceremony.

“Becoming the first Latina judge in this district is historic, and it matters. It sends a

Eating the cost

clear message to every young person who has faced hardship, to every child in foster care, and to every family rebuilding their lives: You belong here. Your dreams are valid. Your future is not defined by your present circumstances, and there is a place for you in positions of leadership and justice,” said her former client, Claudia, who is now working toward a law degree. “Our community is fortunate. This bench is stronger because of her. And I am grateful because I am stronger because of her, too.”

Cruz and Clarens previously collaborated on pro bono work. For Camino, Cruz’s appointment is exciting not just because of the familiar face, but also her fluency in Spanish. Most (but not all) of Camino’s clients speak Spanish as a first language, making Cruz’s

From the grocery store to the gas pump, Americans (and their wallets) are feeling the strain of increasing costs. Among the groups most affected by the rising cost of living are immigrants.

In May, a coalition of five Charlottesville groups came together to raise both awareness and support for immigrant neighbors who have been hit particularly hard by cuts to SNAP, in part due to work permit requirements for certain categories of legal residents and visa caps.

The Charlottesville Grocery Card Campaign is the latest collective effort to support those affected by SNAP cuts and

IN BRIEF

ability to explain court proceedings in that language invaluable.

But Camino’s work with these children and their families doesn’t stop at the courtroom door. Amid a turbulent federal immigration climate and multiyear-long backlog for SIJS visas, Camino is focusing on immediate support for its clients by matching them with everyone from tutors to physicians to drivers’ ed instructors.

“If it enriches the value of my [own children’s] lives … then we’re hoping to replicate those forms of support and energy for these kids as well,” Clarens says. “If you have a family and you’ve relied on a type of service provider, then we’re trying to build our team of that type of service provider, so that these kids get the best standard of care that we can offer in our community.”

With her decade of experience in the pro bono space, Clarens has amassed a network of volunteers ready to work with these children and their families. Any remaining gaps—namely in affordable dentistry and Spanish-speaking driving instructors and therapists—reflect a communitywide shortage rather than a lack of people willing to work with Camino.

More information on Camino, the Grocery Card Campaign, and each of the groups mentioned in this article can be found on c-ville.com.

rising costs with grocery store gift cards. Sin Barreras, Keep Going Together, Central Virginia Community Support Fund, LAJC, and Indivisible Charlottesville are working together on the fundraising campaign, which has raised almost $14,000 at press time.

“Food insecurity is clearly increasing in the local Latino community, but our clients are hesitant to reach out to organizations for aid,” said Javier Raudales, executive director of Sin Barreras, in a May 19 press release. “[Donations] show that neighbors are responding to our community’s needs, that the wider community is pitching in to help.”—CR

All the news you missed last week (in one sentence or less)

Water rising? Albemarle County Service Authority proposes a roughly $7 monthly increase to average water bill, recouping costs from ongoing infrastructure improvements. Water rising! Though Virginia remains under serious drought conditions, recent rains have replenished regional reservoirs to near-full capacity. Slow ahead UVA’s Weldon Cooper Center predicts a sluggish upcoming year for Virginia’s economy, with 16,800 jobs lost in 2026, continuing price pressures, and lackluster housing growth. Penny drops Virginia’s budget—whenever it gets passed—will likely include a referendum championed by local elected officials, allowing Virginians to vote on whether their community levies a one-cent sales tax to help fund new school construction. Heal turn A new UVA Health intervention program will work with victims of community violence in the hospital to make sure they don’t pursue retribution and create more casualties. Tots’ spots Registration for Albemarle County preschool (ages 3 to 4) and kindergarten (age 5) is now open at k12albemarle.org.

On top of pro bono legal services, Camino founder Kristin Clarens is connecting clients with resources for day-to-day life.

Prep work

As students celebrate the start of summer break, Albemarle County Public Schools is already looking ahead to next year with updates to programming for its youngest learners.

At the preschool level, early childhood special education programs currently housed at Stony Point Elementary will be moved to Baker-Butler Elementary. The change, per a May 26 release, will allow the county to expand access to preschool programming across the district.

“Bringing preschool classrooms together at larger program sites allows students to learn alongside more peers and gives schools greater access to specialized staff and support services,” said Craig Dommer, executive director of curriculum, assessment, and instruction, in the release. “It also creates more opportunities for collaboration among early childhood educators and supports inclusive learning environments for all students.”

Some K-5 students in the county will also see changes in 2026-27, with the centralization of the extended day enrichment program at Agnor Elementary and the expansion of afterschool options at Scottsville and Red Hill elementaries.

More information on preschools, afterschool programs, and transportation can be found at k12albemarle.org.—Catie Ratliff

You’re out!

Despite an impressive eighth-inning rally, the University of Virginia men’s baseball team was knocked out of the Hattiesburg Regional by Jacksonville State on May 31. The 7-6 loss marks an end to the postseason for the Hoos and first-year Head Coach Chris Pollard, with an overall record of 37-23.—CR

Not so fast

Albemarle Planning Commission recommends denial of rezoning for 18-unit development BY

SEAN TUBBS

Amajor objective in Albemarle Coun ty’s Comprehensive Plan is to “increase the use of infill, higher-density development, adaptive reuse, and redevelopment in the Development Areas.”

That is a guideline, not a commandment, allowing elected and appointed officials to make decisions on a case-bycase basis.

On May 26, the Planning Commission voted 5-1 to recommend denial of a rezoning for 18 units on just over three acres north of the Blue Ridge Shopping Center on U.S. 250 within the area of the Crozet Master Plan. Those in the majority felt the project was too dense.

still proposing 11 attached units in the northern block pushed right up against our backyards with no meaningful buffer,” Anderson said.

Michael Crenshaw pointed out that supervisors recently recommended denial of the expansion of the Beaver Creek mobile home in Crozet. That project is outside the county’s growth area and within the watershed of a drinking water reservoir.

Developer Bo Carrington wants a change from single-family to the R-6 zoning district.

The Crozet Master Plan has been updated twice since it was first adopted in 2004 and the land in question has three times been designated for neighborhood residential density. Some nearby developments have been constructed accordingly.

“Cory Farms is zoned R-4 and to the east are more recent rezonings, with Liberty Hall zoned Neighborhood Model District and developed at about six dwelling units per acre,” said county planner Rebecca Ragsdale.

The new conceptual plan called for two building zones with up to 11 units, each to be served by separate vehicular entrances. Four of the units would be designated as affordable.

Justin Shimp, civil engineer for the project, said he understood neighbors might be unhappy with the inconvenience, but encouraged the Planning Commission to look at a broader picture.

“We have to increase this density to get a more diverse housing type and affordable units,” Shimp said. “Four affordable units [would be] something like $260,000 a piece. So that’s a very deeply affordable product in the middle of Crozet that really wouldn’t exist without a project like this.”

Around a dozen people spoke at the public hearing, with all but one in opposition.

Nadia Anderson, who lives in the Liberty Hall neighborhood, said she saw no meaningful changes in the new version and said the design fails a requirement in the Crozet Master Plan that infill be compatible with nearby buildings.

“While Liberty Hall is a mix of single family and townhome structures, the applicant is

“If we’re going to prevent the construction of affordable homes adjacent to the development area, the least we can do is allow infill construction within the development area,” Crenshaw said.

Commissioner Nathan Moore, the lone vote in support of the project, suggested a density reduction would lead to only singlefamily homes being built.

“Those cost more, they draw people who earn higher salaries,” Moore said. “And I don’t think it’s the role or priority of this commission to prioritize those neighbor preferences for larger single-family homes over the affordable housing that we can bring in, even if it’s just dribs and drabs.”

The Planning Commission had seen a previous version in February.

“There’s a design solution that doesn’t feel like those who are existing, living there or feel cheated or robbed,” said Commissioner Corey Clayborne.

The project will now move on to the Board of Supervisors.

The Crozet Master Plan, updated twice since it was adopted in 2004, has three times designated the land in question for neighborhood residential density.

Annie Gould Gallery

NEWS REAL ESTATE

No exception

Five-story building proposed for vacant parking lot on Cherry Avenue BY SEAN TUBBS

For the second time in a few weeks, Woodard Properties has filed a development plan with the City of Charlottesville for a building in what the new zoning code refers to as a Core Neighborhood Overlay District.

According to the Development Code, the district is intended “to implement the Comprehensive Plan goals of encouraging construction and continued existence of moderately priced housing, creating and preserving affordable housing [and] respecting the cultural heritage of the adjacent neighborhoods.”

However, Woodard Properties’ latest application will stay within the by-right parameters of the zoning code and will not seek a special exception to maximize potential height. Instead it is proposing a fivestory mixed-use building with 83 units.

The company purchased a 0.82-acre parking lot at 801 Cherry Ave. in July 2021 for $1.55 million.

“Like all of our projects, we are striving to take an underutilized piece of land and create a thoughtful development for Charlottesville,” says Chris Virgilio of Woodard Properties.

The new zoning code adopted in December 2023 designated the land as Corridor Mixed-Use 3 and allows up to 72 feet of height if the project provides enough units designated as affordable under the city’s policy.

Earlier in May, Woodard Properties submitted a development for 601 Albemarle St. that is also within the overlay district. That project will require City Council to approve a special-exception permit, which includes a community meeting to get input on the design and desired neighborhood benefits.

The company’s proposed project at 801 Cherry Ave. would be the second recent

example of new construction on a roadway that serves as the major southern route to the University of Virginia Medical Center. The Piedmont Housing Alliance and Woodard Properties hope to break ground this year on a 72-unit mixed-use development at 501 Cherry Ave.

City Council endorsed a small area plan for Cherry Avenue in March 2021. That document was created under the older zoning code when less density was allowed.

“In terms of developable sites, this location is underutilized and ripe for redevelopment,” the plan reads, stating that the project at the time would have only allowed between 30 to 40 homes under the old rules. That same plan suggested 501 Cherry could be redeveloped with 35 to 45 units.

PHA Executive Director Sunshine Mathon says conditions have changed since 2021.

“The price of the land has escalated and would not have been developable at the purchase price point with half the number of units,” Mathon says. “Land cost per unit plays a big part in project feasibility.”

Virgilio says his company’s project three blocks to the west has also been updated to meet the new rules.

“Our proposal is designed to comply with the city’s current zoning regulations, housing policies, and housing priorities,” Virgilio says. “Our proposal features the same number of stories that the SAP analysis depicted, but with more units.”

The project at 801 Cherry will require a community meeting to discuss a transportation management plan because it is in excess of 50,000 square feet.

The Board of Architectural Review will play no role in reviewing this project because the property is not within an architectural design control.

Woodard Properties wants to develop a 0.82-acre parking lot at 801 Cherry Ave.

$12,500,000

$4,450,000 |

$2,450,000

C.

ENDWYKE HALL

Very nice Townhouse in convenient River Run. New roof and gutter leaf filters. Well maintained. Easy access to town and Penn Park. Easy walking distance to the Community pool.82

By cHRistiNe KUeteR

TTransgender Americans have seen big changes to their health care in the last 18 months. While medical and surgical interventions for young trans patients under age 19 are now banned by the federal government, leading to policy shifts at health systems across the Commonwealth, more subtle changes to adult transgender care are surfacing, too, including narrowed coverage and denied claims for care related to gender dysphoria. Amid the changes, here’s a glimpse at how one Charlottesville­area physician continues to advocate for LGBTQ+ patients across Virginia.

C-VILLE Weekly: Let’s start with what you do. Catherine Casey: I’m a medical doctor, and family medicine physician in Crozet.

Talk about how you became interested in LGBTQ+ patients in particular.

In medical school, I had a couple of LGBTQ friends who had to go to the infectious disease clinic in order to get primary care because doctors were not trained appropriately to screen for sexually transmitted infections in gay men. This was completely wild to me, seeing as they were just regular healthy 22­year­olds looking for a checkup.

I always had a feeling that I wanted to do something later on as a physician about that. Fast forward to about 2015, when I had about five trans patients ranging in ages from 15 to 75, and it became apparent that there was no specialist who I could refer them to who could take comprehensive care of their health. I got some mentorship, and developed what eventually became a clinic specializing in LGBTQ health and trans care.

What should people know about the kind of care LGBTQ+ patients need?

It’s important to understand trauma­informed care because many patients in this population have had really negative health care experiences, which helps us use less traumatizing language and physical exam techniques.

And trauma-informed care is…?

It’s a way of treating patients so that we first do no harm. I’ve had patients tell me about providers who walked them out of offices, or got a phone call from an eye doctor’s office saying they couldn’t be seen because they’re gender diverse. Some of my patients have been inappropriately examined, including one who went to the ED for a seizure and woke up with her pants removed. They had seen her chart, and that she had had gender affirming surgery, and were curious.

So my work really focuses on providing care for these patients directly but also teaching other providers how to do it. We create a thread of information, rather than segregate it, which inadvertently pathologizes it, and teach medical and nurse practitioner students to ask about people’s pronouns, ask sexual history questions that are inclusive of partners of different genders, ask permission before touching somebody during physical exams, and never assume patients are comfortable having their shirt off.

The approach pays dividends for cisgender populations who might need trauma­informed care, too.

You helped organize UVA Health’s first transgender clinic back in 2019. Why’d you decide to make a separate space for these patients?

The vision was to provide the care that wasn’t available and a distinct space where all the people patients would interact with—from the front desk to the nurses to the therapists and lawyers providing name change and other legal services—would be supportive and fluent in using LGBTQ terminology.

Today, we have multiple full-time staff and more patients than we can take on: probably about 1,000 LGBTQ patients who see us on a regular basis, if not more. We have a certified nurse-midwife who sees patients by telehealth with transportation or access issues, and a constant stream of medical students, providers, and residents from around the state who come to learn with us.

LGBTQ health and trans care specifically is truly interdisciplinary, overlapping with primary care, OBGYN, and surgical. It’s the entire life cycle. And that’s absolutely how it should be. LGBTQ health should be a routine part of primary care, and all primary care doctors should be familiar with it, the same way they’re familiar treating diabetes, hypertension, low back pain, sinus infections, and the rest of it.

Take us back to President Donald Trump’s executive order in January 2025 that declared gender was binary, that there were only men and women. As a medical doctor, and the child of scientists, it was about the most scientifically ignorant thing I’d ever heard. There are so many ways in which sex is a spectrum, as far as male and female—whether it’s at the hormonal level, the chromosomal level, what internal organs a patient may have, what external organs they have. It was heartbreaking to see this population targeted in such an irrational, arbitrary way. It was very frightening, too. They’re just trying to live their lives. They’re not trying to hurt anybody. They have no agenda except to survive.

As a provider seeing patients self-actualize, and improve their overall happiness and function through affirmation, it’s just like, you can’t go back. You can’t pretend like our care wasn’t an effective treatment. Gender affirming care is supported by 30 major medical associations: the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association.

For me and others working in this area, it was a call to action. It was personal. It wasn’t an abstract attack on a population; these were people we knew and cared about deeply. It definitely raised the mama bear hackles in me, and others, and led to multiple meetings, including one at my kitchen table that proved very fruitful.

At your house? What did that meeting look like? It was with other providers in the area—public policy and legal experts, people in our political system. We were able to pool our knowledge, think broadly about what commu nity and political assets we had, and try to do whatever we could to ensure these patients had continuity of care.

There are real medical consequences for somebody who stops their medications, just as there’d be for those who stop taking medications for high blood pressure or diabetes. If somebody stops medicines for gender affirmation, par ticularly if they don’t have ovaries or testes anymore, they can develop osteoporosis very suddenly. So ensuring our patients had continuity of care to keep them psychologi cally and medically safe was our priority.

I bet there was a big text chain. Yeah, that was instrumental in making progress, too.

was utterly unfair that some of my colleagues were never going to see patients again who they’d been caring for for years based on something so cruel and arbitrary.

A lot of these families came long distances to get this care, and saw their [trans] loved ones become psychologically healthy, non-suicidal. Access to medical care has always been a crisis in the U.S., but the very arbitrariness of how it was immediately taken away for one group of people was terrifying and not something I’d anticipated ever seeing in a democracy.

What’s the status of care for young trans patients now? There are still many unanswered questions. We’re seeing ongoing threats to institutions providing care to this patient population, and the current federal administration has proposed that Medicaid and Medicare funds be withdrawn from institutions that provide transgender care for youth. Should that happen, then all care [of trans youth] would have to come from private providers who don’t accept Medicare and Medicaid, and there’s a shrinking number of those.

This is also highly specialized care, provided, in most cases, by pediatric endocrinologists who don’t typically work in private practice. I don’t think there’s a private pediatric endocrinologist in the entire state of Virginia; they only exist within large academic medical centers. If such a ban were to go through, access to this important component of care could be completely dropped.

Are you seeing any changes for LGBTQ adult patients since trans-youth care has shifted?

I’ve definitely seen more denials from insurance companies paying for conditions related to a gender identity diagnosis. So, if I send a bill that indicates that I checked somebody’s testosterone and hematocrit, the health insurance company is supposed to pay for those lab costs that I ordered. But certain companies have stopped doing that across the board. We’re seeing medications related to gender dysphoria diagnoses being denied by certain insurance companies, and, certainly, surgical procedures, too. Those are obviously a big-ticket item, but even medications and lab draws run into the hundreds, which for many people is not some

These aren’t things they’ve been forced to do by federal statute, but things they’ve chosen to do. It’s disheartening, but not completely unexpected to see for-profit health insurance companies take advantage of one of the most marginalized populations.

I worry most for my patients who, if they don’t get this care, risk running into life-threatening problems as a result of being denied.

Like osteoporosis?

Correct. From the time you’re an adolescent to the time you hit menopause, you need sex hormones in your body to maintain bone density and strength. For patients who’ve had their ovaries or their testes removed, if they’re suddenly denied estrogen or testosterone, they’ll immediately start going through osteoporosis. It’s absolutely inconceivable that we even have to ponder that somebody in their 20s might be at risk for osteoporosis and fracturing a hip.

What do you say to those who believe transgender youth have a “social contagion”?

I have this really radical belief that people usually know who they are. And it’s important to respect who people are. There’s a misconception that all youth who identify as trans or nonbinary even want to take medical or surgical steps to transition. Surveys suggest it’s more like one out of 11, so a very small percentage are even interested in exploring medical or surgical therapies before 18. As society becomes more open to discussing these issues, however, more people feel empowered to come out, and that’s why there’s greater visibility.

Something that gets overlooked is that a very large percentage of the trans population is in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. My oldest trans patient is 90. These are patients who, when I asked how long they’ve known they’re transgender, answer something to the effect of, “1952.”

Clearly this is something that didn’t just happen as a social contagion or overnight.

I’m really touched and honored that patients approaching the end of their life would have the bravery to come out, and seek a doctor’s care that makes them feel affirmed and authentic.

UVA Health first banned, then reinstated with changes (admitting no new young trans patients and offering care that’s “consistent and compliant with existing law”), gender-affirming care. What impact did those shifts have? It was absolutely devastating. The phones were ringing off the hook, providers were staying until midnight to take patients’ phone calls, we were talking to parents in tears. There was literally no plan in place about how care was going to be delivered and continued for these patients and their families.

It went on for weeks. I had never seen my pediatric colleagues break down and cry like that before, and that was honestly what made me feel like I had to double down even harder, and make sure this work was done for them, too. It

It’s the caduceus, the two snakes wrapped around the pole, an ancient Greek sign of a physician and healer. Mine has blue and pink snakes, for my trans patients, and a rainbow for my LGBTQ community. I often get asked whether I get blowback from patients. Honestly, that’s only happened once, and the interaction went something like this:

She said, “Why are you wearing that rainbow?”

And I said, “I like to let my LGBTQ patients know I’m welcoming.”

And she said, “I believe in what the Bible tells me.”

Then I said, “I’m glad that’s working out for you. What can I do for you today?”

So hospice and palliative care for older transgender patients is probably important, too.

Yes, 100 percent. I teach students that you cannot make assumptions based on how somebody looks, especially not with somebody who’s older. Learners often think older people are naturally more conservative. I warn them that if you “sir” and “ma’am” somebody, without knowing what their gender identity is, you may hurt them.

Also, a lot of older people have trans children or grandchildren or spouses whom they love deeply. I will walk into a room with an 80-year-old patient who will see my badge and break down in tears, then say, “I have a trans grandchild and I’m glad to know there’s a doctor out there who won’t judge them.”

Wow.

Yeah. I tell my learners that just those small indicators, like the badges we wear, that are nonverbal make a big difference in someone’s comfort, which impacts the care they’ll receive. Foucault talks about the medical gaze, and the power imbalance when somebody goes to the doctor. Doctors get to ask any intrusive or invasive question they want. Anyone is going to struggle with that vulnerability . . . for somebody who’s LGBTQ who’s had negative experiences with the health care system in the past multiply that struggle by at least five.

You used the word fluency before. Do you think kids growing up today have that, and think being LGBTQ is … ?

Absolutely. Where it’s like no big deal. When my son was in middle school, he told me about a friend he had using he/him pronouns, and he said it as casually, and made the change as easily, as talking about a different baseball team. He doesn’t come with the baggage that those of us from Generation X and up have.

SERENITY RIDGE RETREAT CENTER

Join us in the serene foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and in Charlottesville!

June 26–July 11, 2026

The Clear Light of One’s Natural Mind ~ A Meditation Retreat with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

Step away from the busyness of daily life and into the beauty of Serenity Ridge. Enjoy meditation, time in nature, and practical guidance for bringing more peace and clarity into daily life—open to all. Dzogchen teachings and practice from the ancient texts of the Twenty-One Nails and Six Lamps, and direct guidance in a retreat setting. The second week of the retreat will include four days in silence.

Options to attend: June 26–28; June 26-July 4; July 5–11or join us for the entire retreat from June 26–July 11.

June 20, 2026

Serenity Ridge Open House. Begins 9:30 a.m. with a tour and dharma talk with Lama Kalsang Nyima. Check our website for more information.

MONTHLY PRACTICE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE

Location: Jefferson Memorial Regional Library, Downtown Charlottesville

Date: June 24, 2026 | Time: 6:30-8:00 PM | Led by Lama Kalsang Nyima

Learn More and Register:

SERENITYRIDGEVA.ORG

Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, Shipman, VA Ancient Tibetan Buddhist Teachings for Modern Times

@ McGuffey Art Center

Tuesdays, 10:30 am-1:00 pm 5 weeks, begins June 30th johnahancock,com 434-939-7445

SketchingCharlottesville Drawing

An Introduction

@ Shenandoah Valley Art Center Saturdays, 10:30-1:00 pm 6 weeks, starting June 20th johnahancock.com 434-939-7445

other Summer & Fall classes:

Our retail store is open regularly and we carefully curate and host a variety of 21+ events, supporting local artists and artisans, to bring cannabis lovers together. Whether you are passing through the city or found your forever home in Charlottesville, Virginia, The Hidden Leaf will continue to provide a safe haven for all of us. We look forward to welcoming you with open arms in a friendly and hidden place, where you are seen and known.

Intro to Watercolor (Crozet Arts, June 28th) Watercolor, Basics & Beyond (McGuffey, Sept. 22nd) Sketching w/Ink & Watercolor (McG, September 5th)

SATURDAY 6/6

ALL THAT JAZZ

Vocal sensation Veronica Swift comes home to headline the inaugural Charlottesville JazzFest. The international star was raised in C’ville, growing up in a lineage of renowned artists that includes her mother, singer Stephanie Nakasian, and father, the late jazz pianist Hod O’Brien. Expect a selection of tracks from Swift’s latest album Home, which explores a longing for Appalachia. An all-star collection of area jazz artists, led by celebrated trumpeter John D’earth, opens the show. $26.75–87.75, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

CULTURE TO-DO LIST

Wednesday 6/3

music

Holly’s Open Mic Night. Mic check to all musicians, poets, and everyone in between. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St.

The Wavelength. Vintage rock, original tunes, and bluesy jazzy vibrations for your mid-week music boost. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

words

Rare Book School Lecture: Book Solidarity in a Time of Institutional Crisis. Highlighting a number of resourceful women in American book history, with Heather O’Donnell of Honey & Wax Booksellers. Free, 5:30pm. Harrison Auditorium of the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, 170 McCormick Rd. rarebookschool.org

classes

Embroidery Stitch Sampler. Jennifer Perkinson leads a class creating a piece of fabric with a variety of stitches used for practice or future reference. Ages 13+. $25, 1pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Paint + Sip: Sunset Silhouette. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials and first drink included. $40–45, 6pm. Starr Hill Brewery Tap Room, 5391 Three Notched Rd., Crozet. blueridgebrushes.com etc.

Dürty Karaoke. Consistently voted Charlottesville’s best karaoke. Free, 8:30pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Rapture Karaoke. Hosted by Thunder Music. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Thursday 6/4 music

Berto and Vincent. A night of wild flamenco rumba and Latin guitar. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

JazzFest 2026. Live jazz takes over the Downtown Mall June 4–7, celebrating the variety of the genre. Times, prices, and venues vary. cvillejazz.org

Jeff Massanari & Friends. Rapture resident and guitar virtuoso Massanari is joined by an all-star lineup on the first night of JazzFest 2026. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Jim Howe. Performing as part of JazzFest 2026. Free, 7pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Sharif. Live music on the porch featuring original soft rock and indie-blues from a Portsmouth, Virginia-bred, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

words

VA250 Program Series: Roosevelt, Truman and the Fight for Freedom, Abroad and at Home. Focusing on why and how presidents Roosevelt and Truman fought for freedom against the Axis powers during World War II and prepared for another struggle against Soviet communism in its aftermath. Free, 6pm. The Center, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. An escape room meets a pub crawl. Visit the Preston Avenue breweries, crack codes, unravel riddles, and sample Charlottesville’s best brews. Players get $1 off pints at each brewery. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

THROUGH 8/8

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE

Comedy reigns in the classic Shakespearean play As You Like It. When quick-witted Rosalind is banished from the court before her love with noble Orlando can take root, she flees to the Forest of Arden to take up residence among other dreamers, fools, and outcasts. Love letters, disguises, and speeches all figure into a plot that explores themes of romance, identity, and nature as Rosalind tests the devotion of her beloved. $40–75, times vary. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

Paramount On Screen: National Theatre Live in HD—All My Sons. Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste feature in a five-star, triumphantly acclaimed new production of Arthur Miller’s classic play. $14–20, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. Like an escape room but at a winery. Crack codes and unravel riddles while sampling Charlottesville’s best wine, beer, and cider. Play when you want and go at your own pace. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Friday 6/5

music

Bob Bennetta Trio. Live jazz. Free, 6:30pm. Afghan Kabob House, 200 Market St. afghankabobhouse.com

Bomar & Ritter. Singer-songwriter guitarists play original folk/pop. Free, 5pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Chickenhead Blues Band. Charlottesville’s premier boogie-woogie, beat, rhythm and blues dance band. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. Dara James and the Soul Disciples. Blues, R&B, and a whole lot of soul. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Don’t Look Up Band. American roots music, specializing in the blues. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Fridays After Five: R4ND4ZZO BIGBAND. Presented as part of JazzFest 2026. With U.S. Navy Band Commodores. Free, 5:30pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

Innerspeaker. A brand new Virginia-based fourpiece group delivering an energetic setlist of 21stcentury jams from a variety of genres. Free, 7pm. Pro Re Nata, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. prnbrewery.com

JazzFest 2026. See listing for Thursday, June 4. Times, prices, and venues vary. cvillejazz.org

John Kelly. Local singer-songwriter with more than two decades of solo acoustic performing experience. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

The Hard Modes with Greg Weaver. Presented as part of JazzFest 2026. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com stage

As You Like It. The noble Orlando wins a court wrestling match—and Rosalind’s heart—but before their love can take root, she’s banished from court. $40–75, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

Tanael Joachim: The Alien Everywhere Tour. TJ is back on the road with new jokes about love, death, grief, and immigration. $32, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesouthern cville.com

words

Friday Night Writes. An open mic for emerging musicians and writers to share their unpublished works. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop. com

News from Hapsburg. Stories read aloud from the newspaper of a small town in Virginia. Free, 6pm. 2nd Act Books, 214 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 2ndactbooks.com

etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 4. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Dino Cosplay Bash. A fun night of dinosaur trivia, treats, crafts, and a dinosaur cosplay contest. All ages welcome, registration required. Free, 5:30pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org

Fun Fridays. Teens 11–18 finish each week this summer with a new, fun experience. Registration required. This week: Triassic Terrariums. Free, 2pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org

Singles & Cider. Golden hour singles social hosted by The Pair Club. Sip cider, mingle in the garden, and kick off summer in the mountains. Free, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 4. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Saturday 6/6 music

Goth Takeover. DJs and Goth bands bring spookiness galore. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. JazzFest 2026. See listing for Thursday, June 4. Times, prices, and venues vary. cvillejazz.org

Josh Mayo. One of Charlottesville’s finest entertainers takes on the party porch with his band The House Sauce. Free, 9pm. Vision BBQ & Catering, 247 Ridge McIntire Rd. visionbbqcville.com

Kat and the Travelers. An awesome blend of originals, swing, vintage jazz, blues, and boogie. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Songs and Stories From Nashville to Virginia. Featuring singer-songwriters Erin Lunsford, Genna Matthew, and Meredith Rounsley weaving between solo and round-style sets. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com South of Heaven: Üga Büga. Loud, fast, and no filler. With Vara Alta, To Be a King, and Heemeyer. $19, 7pm. The Southern Cafe & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

The Wavelength. Trio performance of vintage rock, original tunes, and more in the orchard. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

Veronica Swift. International sensation Swift headlines the main event of JazzFest 2026. $26–87, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Young Lions of Jazz. Featuring elementary school to collegiate musicians, highlighting the qualities that jazz music imparts to students at every age. $13–20, 10:30am. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Zuzu’s Hot 5. Hot jazz. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmand winery.com

stage

As You Like It See listing for Friday, June 5. $40–75, 2pm and 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

words

Author Event: Gregory Orr. Orr reads from his new book, We Interrupt This Broadcast. Free, 4pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com

New Dominion Storytime. Featuring readings from recent storybooks and the classics kids know and love. Rain or shine. All ages welcome. Free, 11am. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com

classes

Beginner Hand Sewing. An introductory course for those with little or no hand sewing experience. Ages 15+. $20, 10am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Paint, Sip, + Plant with Fifth Season Gardening. Paint on a terracotta pot, no experience necessary. Plant, materials, instruction, and two drinks included. $60, 11am. Rockfish Brewing Company Preston, 900 Preston Ave. blueridgebrushes.com

Paint + Sip: Sunset Silhouette. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $35, 3pm. Blue Ridge Brushes Studio, 1110 E. Market St. #13h. blueridgebrushes.com

Summer Drinks in Watercolor and Ink. Explore the process of creating a loose, expressive watercolor and ink painting of a summer drink. Experience in watercolor is helpful but not required. Ages 15+. $40, 1pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com etc.

2026 Descendants Day. The Highland Council of Descendant Advisors welcomes all attendees, whether descendants or not, to take part in the day’s music, food, and presentations. Free, 10am. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 4. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Charlottesville City Market. Explore fresh produce, local foods, and handmade goods from 100+ local vendors. Free, 9am. Charlottesville City Market, 100 Water St. E. charlottesville.gov

Keswick Beyond the Gates Farm Tour. Featuring tours of area farms, Keswick Hunt Club hounds, a local vineyard, and family-friendly country fair. $25, 10am. Grace Episcopal Church, 5607 Gordonsville Rd., Keswick. gracefarmtour.org

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 4. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Sunday 6/7

music

Ben Mason. Local singer-songwriter with an expansive repertoire of originals and covers alike. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

JazzFest 2026. See listing for Thursday, June 4. Times, prices, and venues vary. cvillejazz.org

Spacey Jane: If That Makes Sense Tour. One of Australia’s most successful indie acts. $45, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Theocles. Solo set from the popular singer-songwriter. Free, 1pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Vincent Zorn. Live looping and real-time song creation, layering original compositions on the spot for an engaging and immersive musical experience based in rumba guitar. Free, 2pm. Hark Vineyards, 1465 Davis Shop Rd., Earlysville. harkvineyards.com

stage

As You Like It. See listing for Friday, June 5. $40–75, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

Bent Theatre Improv. See Charlottesville’s best performance troupe live in action to finish off the weekend. Free, 6pm. Decipher Brewing, 1740 Broadway St. decipherbrewingco.com classes

Hive to Honey. A discovery session where beekeeper Allison Wickham teaches the basics of beekeeping and why pollinators matter. $75, 9:30am. Oakencroft Farm and Winery, 1455 Oakencroft Circle. oakencroftfarm.com

FEEDBACK CULTURE

Down for this

After 20 years, the Charlottesville Jazz Society hosts its first festival BY

DAVE

CANTOR

Adi Meyerson has studied with bassist Ron Carter and worked with pianist Monika Herzig, among others— and whether it’s been advice on touring or how to handle an instrument, the New York bassist has come away with important lessons.

While Meyerson’s quartet Dark Matter— set to perform as part of the inaugural Charlottesville JazzFest, which runs from June 4-7—is a post-bop ensemble with improvisation built into its song structures, she’s forged a career beyond the genre’s strictures.

She’s worked on hip-hop projects and written music showcasing vocalists, and though it might not be immediately apparent in Dark Matter’s music, all those experiences have seeped into her ensemble.

“I’ve been exploring the sampler, and I’ve had a couple pedals,” she says. “I don’t think I’m going to make an ambient-jazz record, but I do want to kind of try to play with it.”

There’s an inherent freedom in that perspective, as well as in Meyerson’s music, which belies an exacting attitude toward composition. That kind of indeterminacy is how she formed Dark Matter, a name she landed on after reading The Jazz of Physics: The Secret Link Between Music and the Structure of the Universe by scientist Stephon Alexander.

Gary Funston, who co-founded the Charlottesville Jazz Society about 20 years ago and programmed the upcoming festival, saw Meyerson’s ensemble play last year. He was blown away. “She has a killer band, and we talked at the time and just kept in touch,” says Funston, who started figuring out how to bring the bandleader back to town.

For her Friday set at Miller’s, Meyerson will be accompanied by saxophonist Alden Hellmuth and a pair of Virginia-bred players: multi-instrumentalist Marcus Tenney, perhaps best known as a member of Butcher Brown, and drummer Kofi Shepsu.

The impetus for the jazz society to host the event with more than a dozen shows on the Downtown Mall came a few years back, when Funston attended the Lake Anna Jazz Fest and realized what was possible in Charlottesville.

Funston estimates he’s put on hundreds of shows at a handful of venues during the past two decades, including recent performances at Unity of Charlottesville, as well as the now-shuttered Fellini’s restaurant and Tin Whistle Irish Pub. He says they’ve mostly been handshake deals.

Over time, some acts have been able to summon a few hundred area jazz fans to their shows—like saxophonist Houston Person, UVA educator and flutist Nicole Mitchell, as well as Richmond’s Michael Hawkins and the Brotherhood. It’s seemingly primed Charlottesville for

the festival, and Funston says he’s already been inundated by local and regional acts interested in being a part of next year’s bill.

Headlining the festivities for this year’s event is Charlottesville native Veronica Swift, a vocalist whose parents—singer Stephanie Nakasian and the late pianist Hod O’Brien— initiated her into a life of performing at a young age. Since leaving Virginia, Swift has led groups internationally, released a raft of solo projects, and currently tours as a member of trumpeter Chris Botti’s ensemble.

Funston recalls Swift singing Christmas carols alongside her parents during a holiday performance in the early 2000s and refers to her inclusion on the bill as an “obvious choice.”

But Swift’s work readily contrasts with Meyerson’s Dark Matter ensemble, which ranks among the festival’s most avant-garde offerings. Funston’s tastes lean that way, he says, though the jazz society board reigned him in a bit.

Meyerson’s acoustic group is set to issue a recording in 2027, comprising tunes the bassist has been playing for more than a year. During its Charlottesville set, the bandleader says there will be some new fare included.

“F.A.F.O.,” a tune on the pending album, opens with a bit of funky bass and drums

before the horns add in additional rhythmic underpinning. Trumpet and sax trade solos back and forth, supported by the bandleader’s sturdy low end.

“What’s cool about being able to play it live and playing with different bands … is we get a different angle every time, so it stays fresh,” says Meyerson. “I also try to remind myself, just because I’m playing it a lot doesn’t mean the audience has heard it 100,000 times.”

Meyerson called “Goomi,” another track from the album, “loose,” explaining that “every time we play it, it comes out different.” But that undersells the scaffolding she’s set up, allowing for Hellmuth and a pair of trumpeters to find their own way to the next unison line.

Punctiform, a recent collaboration with beatmaker steel tipped dove, is made up of left field hip-hop production and Meyerson’s acoustic and electric bass—and it doesn’t necessarily come to bear directly on the Dark Matter material. But the bandleader says each recording she’s worked on feels connected and linear.

“I have a lot of sides to my personality and a lot of things to say,” Meyerson says. “I hope the listener is down for the ride.”

Adi Meyerson will perform at Miller’s Downtown on Friday, June 5. Go to cvillejazz.org for a full schedule of JazzFest shows.

CULTURE TO-DO LIST

FRIDAY 6/5

ANOTHER TJ COMES TO TOWN

Comedian Tanael Joachim is back on the road with The Alien Everywhere Tour, bringing new material on love, death, grief, and immigration. The Haitian-born performer tackles darker subjects with incisive wit, pivoting between intellectual discourse and devastating zingers with disarming charm as he jokes about race and society’s idiosyncrasies. The Comedy Cellar and Gotham Comedy Club regular is also an op-ed contributor for The New York Times, bona fides that make his act especially poignant within the current political climate. $32.70, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Sunday 6/7

Paint + Sip: Cliffside Paradise. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $40, 2pm. Hazy Mountain Vineyard & Brewery, 240 Hazy Mountain Ln., Afton. blueridgebrushes.com

Stacking Rings Sunday. Learn to form, solder, hammer, and texture metal by making sterling silver stacking rings you can wear home. No metalsmithing experience required. $175, 2pm. Malleable Studios, 1304 E. Market St., Studio T. malleablestudios.com

Terrarium Workshop. Craft your own miniature garden in this hands-on class with We Grow. $36, noon. Tasting Room & Taphouse at Mount Ida Reserve, 5931 Blenheim Rd. mountidareserve.com

Upcycled Journal Making and Beginning Book Binding. Learn how to put together a journal using up-cycled items such as fabric, paper, cardboard, and string in this introduced to the art of bookbinding. Ages 12+. $45, 2pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 4. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Paramount On Screen: Pokémon Detective Pikachu. When ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, his son Tim (Justice Smith) embarks on a journey to find out what happened. $9–11, 2pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

June Exhibitions

Buck Mountain Episcopal Church 4133 Earlysville Rd. Paintings by Juliette Swenson. Through June 30.

The Center at Belvedere 540 Belvedere Blvd. Charlottesville Camera Club Group Photography Exhibition. A diverse collection of photographic works created by members highlights a wide range of styles and subjects. Through June 30.

Create Gallery at InBio, Inc. 700 Harris St., entrance off Dale Ave. “Faces Around Us,” textiles from 20 artists. Through June 30.

Crozet Artisan Depot 5791 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet. “Botanical Abstractions,” expressive watercolor, gouache, and pencil works that blend organic forms with vibrant color, pattern, and design inspired by textiles, by Jane Skafte. “Inspired by Nature,” functional and decorative pottery inspired by gardens, natural forms, and architectural landscapes by Liz Beavers and Karen Andersen of The Petal and Wheel. Both shows run June 1–30. Opening reception and meet-theartists event June 13, 11am–1pm.

C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery 118 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. “Bathing Beauties at Play,” a new collection of mosaics, collages, and paintings inspired by the ocean and celebrating joyful abandon, human connection, and the healing power of nature, by Eileen Butler. May 1–31. First Fridays opening reception with the artist, 5–8pm.

Prints, Platters, & Pints + WTJU Vinyl Takeover. Peruse cool crafts from a variety of vendors and listen to WTJU DJs hone their craft of musical selection. Free, 1pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, June 4. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Monday 6/8

music

Ramona Martinez. Local favorite serenades with her signature mix of country western and mariachi. Free, 5:30pm. The Fitzroy, 120 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. thefitzroycville.com

Tuesday 6/9

music

Tuesday Jazz with Jeff Massanari. A cast of great players joins the guitar virtuoso. Free, 6:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapture restaurant.com

etc.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia. Good trivia, good times. Teams of two to six people compete to win prizes like gift certificates and pint glasses, plus bragging rights. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

Teen Space Tuesdays. Teens ages 11–18 can beat the heat by dropping in to discover a different craft or activity each week. This week: DIY buttons. Free, 1pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org

The Gallery at Studio IX 969 Second St. SE. “Everything Good Starts Small,” new works reflecting thoughts, optimism, and belief that any idea, person, and good action starts small, by Edgar Batcheller. June 5–August 2. First Fridays opening reception 5–7pm. Artist talk June 25, 5–6pm.

IX Art Park 522 Second St. SE. Art Mix at IX, a First Fridays event featuring a free paper-lantern decorating workshop and free admission to “The Looking Glass,” an immersive art space featuring a whimsical enchanted forest and kaleidoscopic cave. June 5, 6–8pm.

Jefferson School African American Heritage Center 233 Fourth St. NW. “Swords into Plowshares: Recast/Reclaim,” original never-before-seen photographs documenting the dismantling and melting of Charlottesville’s Robert E. Lee monument by Ézé Amos and Kristen Finn. Through June. Permanent exhibition, “Pride Overcomes Prejudice,” exploring the history of peoples of African descent in Charlottesville. Ongoing.

The John P. & Stephanie F. Connaughton Gallery UVA McIntire School of Commerce

Rouss & Robertson Halls third floor, East Lawn. “POINT OF VIEW,” a two-person show featuring paintings and mixed media works by Krista Townsend and Sue McCoy. Through June 19.

Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA 400 Worrell Dr. “Ngiya Murrakupupuni amintiya Jilamara (My Country and Art),” painting, sculpture, and fiber art by Michelle Pulatuwayu Woody Minnapinni. Through July 26. “Color is Life: Women’s Work Today,” a group show of women artists featuring fiberwork, painting, printmaking, film, and sculpture. Through March 14, 2027. In the Upper West Oval Room of the Rotunda at the University of Virginia, “Tali | Sandhills: Prints from Ikuntji Artists,” a group show of printed works. Through August 16.

McGuffey Art Center 201 Second St. NW. In the Sarah B. Smith Gallery, “Untold Stories,” photographs, drawings, and animations from separate but related bodies of work by Russell Hart. In the First Floor Galleries, “Come To Life,” works by the six graduating artists from McGuffey Art Center’s 2025–26 Incubator Artist Program. In the Second Floor North Gallery, “Drawing Boundaries,” dreamy

Alda Lizalde at Visible Records

Bridget Atwell at McGuffey Art Center

interpretations of interior living spaces, city scenes, and landscapes by Bridget Atwell. In the Second Floor South Gallery, “Things I Don’t Talk About,” watercolor works rooted in the experience of living with autoimmune disease and chronic illness, by Chrissy Benninger. Artist talk June 27, 2pm. All shows run June 5–31. First Fridays opening reception 5:30–8pm. Y’ART Sale featuring affordable artworks and supplies, June 13, 1pm.

New City Arts 114 Third St. NE. In the Welcome Gallery, “Think Like A Gardener,” a solo exhibition of sketches, cyanotypes, and paintings exploring what it means to be a “planetary gardener,” by Ruby Zielinski. June 5–July 15. First Fridays opening reception 5–7:30pm, with an artist talk at 6pm.

The PVCC Gallery V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. The 2026 Student Art Exhibition showcases the accomplishments of student artists from the latest academic year. Through August 29.

Ruffin Gallery UVA Grounds, Ruffin Hall, 179 Culbreth Rd. “Time Spent, Time Taken,” a group exhibition featuring work from 2026 Studio Art graduates and Aunspaugh Fellows developed from conversations between student artists, faculty, and curators about time and what it means to make something from it. Through June 6.

SCAN—Gallery on Valley 460 Valley St., Scottsville. In the Associate Gallery, “Looking Back <> Seeing Now,” a portrait and mapping project showing the faces of African Americans currently living in communities that were first established after Emancipation, but which survive till today, by Linda Staiger. June 5–29. In the Main Gallery, “Create! Fabricate! Construct!” June 4–August 31. First Fridays reception, 4–7pm.

Second Street Gallery 115 Second St. SE. In the Main Gallery, “Aww Sookie Sookie Now,” a solo show of colorful works exploring material, process, and nostalgia by Franchell Mack

GALLERIES CULTURE

THROUGH SUNDAY 7/12

Les Yeux du Monde presents a solo show of new work by longtime gallery artist Susan McAlister Titled “On the Way,” the exhibition reflects on the interconnectedness of past, present, and future through sustained engagement with land and place. McAlister’s work considers land as an evolving, regenerative presence, rather than a static subject. Her practice begins directly on land, where she journals, sketches, and gathers ephemera from the environment to form the foundation of new works. Layers of paint, ink, graphite, and other materials are used to create complex, tactile compositions depicting lush, often abstracted landscapes. Les Yeux du Monde, 841 Wolf Trap Rd. lydmgallery.com

Brown. In the Dové Gallery, “HOT PINK,” a group exhibition exploring Queer identity and resistance, organized by Kaleido Art Collective. Both shows run June 5–July 17. First Fridays opening reception, 5:30–7:30pm. Free Family Studio Day event June 13, 10am–2pm. Artists in Conversation gallery talk with select artists of “HOT PINK” June 24, 5:30–6:30pm. Vault Virginia 300 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. “Then & Now: Charlottesville in the 1970s,” 10 painted portraits by local artist and activist Frances Brand, supported by historic photographs, newspaper articles, and additional images. Through September. Visible Records 1740 Broadway St. “come tierra, canta fuego (earth-eater, fire-singer),” ceramic sculptures and experimental installations reflecting on migration, impermanence, and the shifting boundaries between the physical and psychological, by Aida Lizalde. June 12–August 15. Opening reception June 12, 5–8pm.

Edgar Batcheller at the Gallery at Studio IX

Russell Hart at McGuffey Art Center

Susan McAlister, The Forest Gates i, 2026. Mixed media on paper, 56 x 66 inches, 57.25 x 85.5 inches framed.

6/5/2026

6/16/2026

6/14/2026

FOR FUN PUZZLES

SUDOKU

#1

#1

#4 #2

#3

#2 #5

#4

Garten

Workbench tool that only works in dangerous winds? 41. Suffix with glob

Govt. agency once headed by Patricia Harris

43. Upwords pieces

44. Thought similar to “External computer storage can be so crude”?

49. Fresh

50. Neither counterpart

51. Screen abbr.

54. Back when a mopey cartoon character was popular?

59. Girder material

60. Trollish response to a celebrity game show contestant list

BY MATT JONES

61. Ready to go

62. Parcel units

63. Feel like crap

64. Zippo

65. Pork cut

66. Physique

67. “It is too hard a ___ for me t’ untie”: “Twelfth Night”

DOWN

1. Dulce de ___

2. Nabisco cookies

3. British singer/actress Black

4. Pay attention to

5. Hat brand popularized by LL Cool J and Samuel L. Jackson

6. Retailer with a blue-andyellow logo

7. Big reveal sound

8. Might have, informally

9. Palatine or Esquiline, e.g.

10. Varieties

11. It may follow dumb or smart

14. Cabinet position?

16. Half of OutKast

20. Org. that sponsors “Read Across America”

21. Shaped like a martini glass (minus the stem)

25. Queens, e.g., for short

26. “Bob’s Burgers” spouse

27. Tumbler contents, maybe

28. Medicine bottle

29. “Next one’s ___!”

30. They have distinctive flows

31. Impact sound

32. “___ Lang Syne”

33. Title of a trickster rabbit

By Rob Brezsny Cancer

(June 21-July 22): You have superpowers that hardened hearts and tough guys can’t fathom. Receptivity is a key part of your genius, for example. Emotional fluency is at the root of your intelligence. Your ability to feel so much and so deeply makes you dangerous to a status quo managed by people who overthink everything. Wait! There’s more. You can nurture without smothering and protect without imprisoning. You wield the powers of memory without being enslaved by nostalgia. You make home a verb, not a noun, as you build shelter for yourself and your tribe. I hope you will express these gorgeous talents to the max in the coming weeks and months.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): An astrologer rooted in older traditions might claim that now is an ideal time to promote your personal agenda through sly, gossipy maneuvering. But since I am devoted to building a new culture grounded in compassionate values that nourish the soul, my message is different. I’m pleased to tell you that the coming weeks will be a potent phase to engage in elevating gossip that serves the greater good, to celebrate unsung heroes, and to call attention to everything that is thriving. For practical dreamers like you and me, carelessly speaking ill of others undermines our own aspirations. One of the most effective ways to expand our own possibilities is to use the power of language to boost other people’s chances for joy and success.

Virgo

(Aug. 22-Sept. 22): The ancient Library of Alexandria contained over half a million scrolls. If you devoted eight hours a day to reading, you could finish about 5,000 books over the course of your life. The librarians back then knew they would never read all the texts they managed and protected. Their job wasn’t to consume all knowledge but to be stewards of abundance. They’re good role models for you, Virgo. The wonderful fact is that you don’t have to master every single thing that attracts your attention. Your far more relaxing task is to curate with care and wisdom. Your growing edge is to know what to preserve and what to release. One of your noblest projects is to commune pleasurably with the intriguing mysteries that life brings you, not obsess on them.

Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libra psychologist Carol Dweck distinguishes between fixed mindsets (“I’m not smart enough”) and growth mindsets (“I can become smarter”). When you have a fixed mindset, obstacles weigh you down. With a growth mindset, they motivate you to develop. What determines your trajectory isn’t your current skill level but how you relate to your edge. With this in mind, Libra, I invite you to monitor your self-talk as you encounter challenges. Are you prone to thinking that limitations are permanent, or do you

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR FUN

(May 21-June 20): Neurologist Oliver Sacks said, “I am haunted by the density of experience.” He meant that every moment contains far more richness than we can fully register or remember. This observation will be especially relevant for you in the coming weeks. Your mind (and heart!) will be flooded with an abundance of stimuli, ideas, feelings, and impressions. It might initially feel overwhelming, but will ultimately be a boon—especially if you prepare yourself for the intensity and abundance. Imagine yourself standing next to a fountain and feeling cheerful about getting soaked.

see them as temporary states you can use as opportunities? You now have a good chance to instill the latter as a root habit.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): What’s something you wish you could change about yourself? Is it a trait, pattern, fear, or story about your body? And what exactly tells you that this can never change? Is it loyalty to old expectations or a rotting prophecy someone laid on you? Consider the possibility that maybe the “can’t” is really a “won’t,” or a “don’t know how yet,” or “I’m afraid of who I’d be without this.”

Then imagine that you don’t have to transform this thing instantly, but, for starters, need only shift it by 10 percent in the direction of mercy and freedom. What small, specific action would generate that 10 percent?

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): What’s your most vital relationship? I dare you to surprise each other in the coming weeks. Refresh your bond with playful experimentation. Here are adventures you two could explore: 1. Take a walk together with no destination in mind, letting curiosity guide you. Talk about the paths you have not yet taken in life but might like to. 2. Describe the most beautiful future you can imagine for each other. Share practical steps you could take to make these scenarios happen. 3. Choose a food treat you both love, speak a blessing over it, then eat it slowly together as you name what you are most grateful for in your connection.

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Chess masters and accomplished musicians practice differently

from amateurs. They focus most intensely on their weak points, less so on rehearsing what they already do well. It’s uncomfortable to confront inadequacy, but they’re better for it. In my astrological opinion, Capricorn, you should specialize in a similar courage during the coming weeks. I invite you to direct your generous attention toward your shakiest skills and most uncertain territories. Glorious growth will happen at the edge of your competence.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Be more like a lightning storm over a green meadow and less like a porch light attracting moths. Be more like a spiritual riddle in an ecstatic poem and less like a slogan printed on a T-shirt. Be more like a Miles Davis improvisation and less like a tune played note-for-note from the sheet music for a formulaic pop song. Can you stretch yourself into more fertile wildness, Aquarius? Will you expand your future with adventures that thrill your imagination? I believe you can and should. For bonus magic, be more like a dream of wandering in a rowdy paradise and less like the old version of yourself. Trust the frontier signals that make your pulse quicken, and speak less about the obvious truths that make everyone nod in agreement.

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): Are you ready to assess the state of your emotional pain? Every few years, I invite you to take stock. I ask you to reflect on how well you’ve been cultivating meaningful stress while avoiding useless pain and misery. So, how’s your progress since our last check-in? Have you improved

at sidestepping dull torments you’ve relived a thousand times? Are you less vulnerable to being wounded by ignorant or thoughtless people? Can you more swiftly shake off the sting of minor troubles? Most importantly, are you increasingly magnetized to the intriguing dilemmas that challenge you to grow wiser and more resourceful?

Aries

(March 21-April 19): You are often the best possible remedy for stale, unoriginal thinking that’s festering in your vicinity. And you are especially so these days. Others might have the gall to disrupt the deadening status quo, but you have the charm to do it without scorching every bridge and laying waste to the land. So I invite you to step into the role of cheerful troublemaker. Unleash your iconoclastic sparks with the intention of making life friskier and more imaginative, not more tangled and irritating.

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): In many farming cultures, including parts of India, growers speak or sing to their crops as they walk through the fields. It’s a gesture of personal care that mirrors growing scientific interest in how plants respond to sound and vibration. Some studies suggest that plants exposed to sustained speech and song may grow more vigorously. Your assignment in the coming weeks, Taurus, is to speak to the growing things in your life with similar devotion. Talk to your projects. Sing to your relationships. Tell jokes to your dreams. The universe is extra responsive to your sweet voice.

Expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text message horoscopes: RealAstrology.com, (877) 873-4888.

GEMINI

DEADLINE

Friday at 5 PM for inclusion in the next Wednesday’s paper.

SIZES AVAILABLE

Real Estate and Personal Property Tax bills for the First Half of 2026 have been mailed. If you have not received your bills, please contact the Treasurer’s Office at (434) 970-3146 before the due date. For your convenience a variety of payment options are available:

ONLINE: To pay by credit card, log on to the City’s website at www.charlottesville.gov and choose “Pay Bills Online”.

TELEPHONE: please call 1-866-660-5185

MAIL: Check or money order payments may be mailed to City Treasurer, P.O. Box 2854, Charlottesville, VA 22902

DROP BOX LOCATIONS: City Hall locations at 605 E. Main St. include: 6th Street NE (pedestrian only) by the West Side entrance to City Hall 7th Street NE by the East Side entrance to City Hall 8th Street NE between City Hall Annex and Herman Key Recreation Center IN PERSON: Payments may be made in the lobby of City Hall at 605 E. Main St., Mon-Fri 8:30am – 4:30pm

First half tax bills are due to be paid by Friday, June 5, 2026. Payments sent by mail must be postmarked by June 5, 2026.

If you are experiencing a financial hardship or would like to set up a payment plan for your tax liability, please contact the Treasurer’s Office at (434) 970-3146 prior to the due date.

Taxes on all personal property items are prorated based on the date that the item was registered with the DMV as garaged in the City of Charlottesville. If you have sold, moved, or purchased a vehicle since January 1, 2026, and have not notified the Commissioner of Revenue, please call (434) 970-3160.

ORDER OF PUBLICATION Case No. CJJ-37, 315-08, 09 VA. CODE § 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104

Charlottesville Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Charlottesville Dept. of Social Services v. Kieonna Hawkins & Mohipul Rajroop

The object of this suit is to terminate the residual parental rights of Kieonna Hawkins & Mohipul Rajroop of a male child M.R. born to Kieonna Hawkins on 6/4/2014.

It is ORDERED that Kieonna Hawkins & Mohipul Rajroop, appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before July 14, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.

3/23/26

Areshini Pather

DATE JUDGE

P.S. TRENDING

The good, the bad, and the Charlottesville

Submit your own at c-vile.com.

C-VILLE

United States Tennis Association awards more than $100,000 in grants to 44 wheelchair tennis programs nationwide, including Ivy’s Piedmont Area Tennis Association. Meanwhile, UVA men’s tennis team wins national championship for third time in six years. Charlottesville honors the late Mel Walker, owner of Mel’s Cafe, by renaming West Main Street between Seventh and Eighth streets NW Mel’s Walk. Albemarle County’s former Ivy Landfill is transformed into a 14-acre solar farm. Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to provide thousands of meals to hundreds of students over summer break. College lacrosse fans flood Scott Stadium for the men’s NCAA Final Four. Tonsler League’s back for another basketball season in the concrete jungle. City swimming pools open.

C-VILE

Gov. Spanberger vetoes numerous bills passed by local Democratic representatives. Sanitation and safety concerns at the Rivanna River unhoused encampment leads city officials to debate plans to relocate residents. Buckingham County measles outbreak puts local doctors’ offices on high alert spotting people who may have made rash decisions. Rivanna River Company cancels paddling and tubing on Memorial Day weekend due to low water levels. U.S. Supreme Court passes on intervening in Virginia’s redistricting dispute. Local immigrant families lose SNAP benefits after changes to eligibility. A puppy’s recovering at the CASPCA after being shot in the head. Tomato prices up about 40 percent over the past year. Cost of gas.

2026 Board of Directors

CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

David Mitchell Great Eastern Management Company Vice Chair - Finance

Nicole Hawker Heart and Soul Fitness with Nicole Secretary

Jonathan Chasen Bay Ridge Private Wealth & Partners Immediate Past Chairman

Tom Barrow Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC

Ravi Cooper United Way of Greater Charlottesville

Libby Edwards-Allbaugh The Tax Ladies

Chris Engel City of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development

Lisa Jones Virginia Credit Union

Emily Kilroy Albemarle County

Allison Linney Allison Partners

Carolyn Rainey Bank of America Charlottesville

Dr. Jean Runyon Piedmont Virginia Community College

Hasmukh Shah INV Group, LLC

Lois Stanley University of Virginia

Abdi Somo UVA Medical Center Vice Chair - Governance

Visit Monticello’s Jefferson Vineyards

Located just 10 minutes from Charlottesville, Jefferson Vineyards offers award-winning wines and stunning views.

FRIDAY EVENINGS & SUNDAY AFTERNOONS

Music at the Vineyards

Don’t miss our weekly concert series where great music and great wine go hand in hand.

JUNE 26

Civic Season Trivia Night

Gather your team and bring your curiosity to Jefferson Vineyards for a lively evening of history, wine, and friendly competition.

Jefferson Vineyards Wine Club

Join the Jefferson Vineyards Wine Club to enjoy exclusive wines, special events, and member-only perks all year long.

JEFFERSON VINE YARDS jeffersonvineyards.com

Sun-Thurs, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri & Sat, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. 1353 Thomas Jefferson Parkway Charlottesville, VA AT MONTICELLO