C-VILLE Weekly | May 21 - 27, 2025

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Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.

5.21.25

Until last week, my husband had never seen Napoleon Dynamite. He’s the kind of guy who, as a child, deceived his friends into thinking he had a condition that prevented him from watching too much television, lest he be forced to endure even the slightest emotional fallout from something harder than a comedy. You can imagine, then, how difficult it is to get him to sit down and watch anything.

But as Shea Gibbs notes in this week’s cover story (p.20), an interview with three stars of Napoleon Dynamite, the movie is a gentle film—sweet, strange, and surprisingly wholesome. It’s also sustained its popularity for 20 years, and now, Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, and Jon Gries are taking the show on the road, with a live event coming to the Paramount on May 22.

Both the film and the live show are reminders that sometimes, what we need most is something a little weird, a little joyful, and full of heart. This week’s feature is an embrace of that: the light, the laughter, and the perfectly awkward dance moves that make being human kind of wonderful.

And yes, my husband loved it.

Hey, thanks!

This

week’s

contributors

Shea Gibbs is president of public relations and marketing firm Gibbs Communications and has been a working journalist for more than two decades. Gibbs’ work has appeared in trade and consumer publications across the country and internationally. As a stringer for C-VILLE Weekly since 2013, Gibbs has written about local businesses, food, music, and real estate. Read his work on page 20.

Sarah Sargent has been writing about contemporary art for more than 20 years. In addition to C-VILLE Weekly, her writing has appeared in Art Papers, Sculpture Magazine, Artillery, and Virginia Living. A former director of Second Street Gallery, Sargent lives in southern Albemarle. Read her work on page 29.

These generous benefactors of C-VILLE have supported our work through our Save the Free Word campaign. If you’d like to contribute, follow the QR code.

Towns Ackerman

Catherine Anninos

Lori Balaban

Timothy Bambury

Catherine Barnes

Julie Basic

Susan Battani

Jennifer Beachley

Mayanna Bean

Denise Benson

Anne Bergamesca

Kim Biasiolli

Patrick Bird

Paddy Bowman

Paul Brewer

Claudia Murray Brindle

Sumner Brown

Colette Brown

Jack Brown

Kate Buford

Cathleen Burgess

Patricia Burkett

Michael Callahan

Brian Carlton

Helen Cathro

James Clark Jr.

Karen Collins

Emily Currier

Maria-Eugenia Dalton

Nancy Dettor

Martha Donnelly

Charlotte Drummond

Louise Dudley

Lee Elberson

Jane Elmore

Karen Emmitt

Ken Engebretson

Elizabeth Engle

Rosa Ellen English

M. Fife

Lavonne Fitts

Barbara Fornoff

David and Janna Gies

Stephanie Goodwin

Cara Hall

Madeleine Hawks

Mary Haynes

Chris Hellings

Stephen Herrick

John Heyser

JoAnn Hofheimer

Lisa Hogan

Laura Horn

Christina Horton

Deb Jackson

Garth Jensen

Nina Johnston

Nicole Jones

Diane Jones

Janet Jospe

Brian Kelly

Trish Kenney

Tom Kirk

Kathryn Kluge

Julie Lacy

Marcia Langsam

Jacalyn LaPierre

Aaron Lawrence

Eric and Diane Lawson

Elizabeth Lawson

Frances Lee-Vandell

Sean Libberton

Angeline Lillard

Peppy Linden

Jessica Lino

D. Little

Phillip Long

Rob Lynch

Jeff Martin

Erin Mayer

Kieran Mcdowell

Mary McIntyre

Ruth McWilliams

James Mernin

Nicolas Mestre

Tim Michel

Parthy Monagan

Hilary Moorman

Michael Morency

Harold E. Morgan

Michael Moriarty

Catherine Moynihan

Jim Mummery

Karen Myers

Monica Newby

Dennis O’Connor

Cynthia Van Osch

Annette Osso

Annette Owens

Timothy Palmer

Joe Peacock

Elizabeth Perdue

Joann Peters

Damon Pettitt

Elayne Phillips

Anne Price

Ernest Pugh

Harry Purkey

Leslie Quenichet

Frances Racette T. Radsky

Sarah Ratcliffe

Stots Reele

Marjorie Rein

Cindy Richards

Kevin Richardson

David Robinson

Julia Rubarth

Carol Gilbert

Sacks

Audrey Sarate

Joan Schatzman

Sandra Schmidt

Eric Schultz

James Seitz

Elaine Shaw

Chuck Shelton

Paul Shettel

John Smith

Kristina Smith

Meredith Smoot

Mickey Speck

Maria Spence

Jim Spencer

Nichole Taylor

Emily Thiede

Reid Thompson

Prue Thorner

John Titus

Jessica Tobin

Erica Toy

Jill Trischman-Marks

Susan Uland

Rick Vergot

Christina Walker

David Waters

Chris Waugaman

Kelly West

Jay Wildermann

Marcia Wilds

Andrew Wolf

Natalie Yancey

Suzanne Yeaman

Nura Yingling

Kelly Zalewski

Kathleen Zenker

THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

MONDAY, 2 JUNE

Mindell Dubansky

the metropolitan museum of art

A Parallel History of Books and Blooks

All RBS summer lectures are free, open to the public, and hosted on Grounds at UVA. Lectures begin at 5:30 p.m. ET and are followed by a reception.

Unless otherwise noted, Monday lectures are held in Room 330 of the Edgar Shannon Library, and Wednesday lectures are held in the Auditorium of the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library.

This year, for the first time, RBS will offer an option to attend a livestream of the in-person lectures via Zoom. Register for the livestreams at the QR code below or at: rarebookschool.org/ programs/lectures.

Visit our website for recordings of past lectures. This summer’s lectures will be made available later this year.

Please email Rare Book School with any questions at contactRBS@virginia.edu.

Examines areas in which books and booklike objects (“blooks”) most closely intersect

WEDNESDAY, 4 JUNE

RENDELL LECTURE

Janine Barchas

university of texas at austin

Jane Austen on the Cheap

Tells the story of how private collectors, eBay, and lucky breaks led to the discovery of lost Jane Austen books

MONDAY, 9 JUNE

DIFFERENT LOCATION: MULTIPURPOSE ROOM

BELOW UVA’S ROTUNDA

Paul Halliday

university of virginia

Stationery Bindings: A Law Story

Explores the legal lives of the hundreds of stationery-bound books that survive in English court archives

WEDNESDAY, 11 JUNE

KRESS FOUNDATION LECTURE

Alexander Bevilacqua

Williams college

Chivalry in Color: Central European Tournaments and the Matter of Race

Considers the challenges of the bibliographic documentation of cross-racial chivalric masquerade

WEDNESDAY, 9 JULY

KARMIOLE LECTURE

Mark McConnell

johns hopkins university

Publishing in the Renaissance: Christophe Plantin’s Business Strategy

Investigates the activities, costs, and risks of Europe’s largest printer, starting in the 1560s

MONDAY, 21 JULY

NEH-SHARP LECTURE

E. M. Rose

2025 Summer Lecture Series RARE  BOOK  SCHOOL AT

cambridge university

Books for Virginia 1620: America’s First Public Library?

Reviews a recently unearthed list of 50 titles purchased by the Virginia Company in December 1620 for shipment to America

WEDNESDAY, 23 JULY

James H. Marrow

princeton university

Iconographic Disjunction in the Ruskin Psalter/Hours: A Flemish Illuminated Manuscript of ca. 1470–80

Proposes a novel explanation for the iconographic “slippage” found in the cycles of illustration of the psalter/hours

MONDAY, 28 JULY

WOMEN IN BOOKS LECTURE

Rachael DiEleuterio

delaWare art museum

Curious and Creative Women

Focuses on Rare Book School alumnae who are preserving for posterity 19th- and early 20th-century publishers’ book bindings

WEDNESDAY, 30 JULY

MALKIN LECTURE

Christopher N. Warren

carnegie mellon university

What is Computational

Bibliography?

Analyzes how this new field is resolving methodological tensions by connecting granular details to larger patterns

SCULPT TO RESULTS WITH

COOLSCULPTING

Sculpt

Coolsculpting

CULTURE

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

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

NEWS INTERN

Merrill Hart

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Brezsny, Dave Cantor, Matt Dhillon, Carol Diggs, Shea Gibbs, Claudia Gohn, Mary Jane Gore, Maeve Hayden, Andrew Hollins, Erika Howsare, Matt Jones, Sarah Lawson, Kristin O’Donoghue, Lisa Provence, Sarah Sargent, Kristie Smeltzer, Jen Sorensen, Julia Stumbaugh, Paul Ting

ADVERTISING

advertising@c-ville.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Bianca Johnson bianca@c-ville.com

REAL ESTATE & CLASSIFIED ACCOUNT MANAGER

Brian Hrozencik brian@c-ville.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Gabby Kirk gabby@c-ville.com

Candace Stevens candace@c-ville.com

Stephanie Vogtman-Say stephanie@c-ville.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

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 (434) 373-0429

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Billy Dempsey circulation@c-ville.com

C-VILLE HOLDINGS,

Bill Chapman, Blair Kelly

NEWS

Happy trails

City (finally) nearing completion of shared-use path on Rugby Avenue near Brooks Family YMCA BY CATIE RATLIFF

MORNING

8-11:50am | Mon-Thu $94

7:30-11:50am | Friday $94

7:30-11:50am | Sat-Sun $114

Rates include cart fee. Visit oldtrailclub.com/golf or call 434-823-8101 to book a tee time OUR

AFTERNOON

12-5:20pm | Mon-Thu $79 Friday $79 | Sat-Sun $94

EVENING

5:30pm-last tee time Mon-Thu $47 Friday $47 | Sat-Sun $54

PATIO SEASON

at Restoration Crozet

Restoration: 434-823-1841 www.oldtrailclub.com/restoration Enjoy Your Meal with a Side of

HOURS

Monday 9am-8pm

Tuesday - Friday 9am-9pm

Saturday 10am-9pm Sunday 10am-8pm

SPECIALS

Monday

Half Off Wine by the Glass Half Off Kids Meal with Adult Meal Purchase Tuesday

All Day Happy Hour

Wednesday

Half Off Wine by the Bottle

Thursday

$10 Cocktails | $11 Burgers

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 6

Wine Passport Series: Australia & New Zealand

June 15

Father’s Day Brunch

July 10

Bold Rock Cider Tasting Event

RED DIRT ALERT NEWS

More than eight years after the Virginia Department of Transportation awarded a grant for construction of a shared-use path along Rugby Avenue by the Route 250 bypass, the project is nearing completion.

The 10-foot-wide path, and a return to the original traffic pattern along Rugby Avenue, will be finished by the end of August. The current flow, which has both directions of traffic on the same side of the median as drivers pass under the bypass, was meant to be a short-term measure while work continued on the pedestrian bike bridge over the railroad line in McIntire Park.

Construction on the bridge began in March of 2018 and concluded in April 2019.

Rather than immediately returning to the normal pattern, the city kept the former northbound lane closed while it considered making the new pattern permanent, allowing for an alternative use of the space. Potential options for the northbound lane included the creation of a promenade, but feedback from community members ultimately led the city to return to its original plan.

“The initial idea was to just widen the sidewalk, like we’re doing,” says Chris Gensic, parks and trails planner for Charlottesville Parks & Recreation. “If we want to add other stuff later, we can, but because this is funded by the state and the federal highway administration, we want to hurry up and spend that money and get at least the trail in.”

Work on the shared-use path is moving swiftly, according to Project Manager Eric Morris, with a concrete curb currently being installed along the east side of Rugby Avenue.

“We are very pleased to have this project underway,” says Morris. “It has been a long process, and I am confident that pedestrians and cyclists will be very happy once the trail is open.”

Once completed, the widened path will open to both pedestrians and cyclists, creat-

ing a link between the Rose Hill and Rugby neighborhoods to the in-progress 250 bypass trail. The trail will eventually connect the John Warner Parkway to Hydraulic Road through McIntire Park.

“This will make travel into McIntire Park more pleasant for families and groups of people, wide strollers, and bicycles, which currently do not have a dedicated space through the interchange,” says Gensic. Other elements of the project include a curb extension, which will add a grass buffer between the shared-use path and vehicle traffic.

No funds have been spent on the construction of the shared-use path at press

time. The estimated cost of the project is $590,000 for the contract, with an additional $100,000 spent on engineering and design work, according to Gensic.

While the pathway portion of the project may be completed within 30 days, Gensic says the city is considering additional safety measures that would require traffic pattern adjustments.

“Traffic safety improvements on the south side of the bypass … may include a four-way stop and pedestrian crosswalk improvements,” says Gensic. “Public Works is assisting with project management and will also coordinate on the traffic improvements later.”

IN BRIEF

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

Mifepristone case is back in Charlottesville court

ACCESS TO MIFEPRISTONE WAS ONCE again on the local docket, with representatives from the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Food and Drug Administration presenting oral arguments on May 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville.

The suit, filed by Whole Woman’s Health Alliance in May 2023, challenges federal restrictions on mifepristone, one of the most common abortion medications in the United States.

“I think it’s really important to make sure there aren’t restrictions on medication abortion that are politically motivated, but that the FDA pays attention to the science and the evidence,” says Amy Hagstrom Miller, president and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health.

The plaintiffs—WWHA, Trust Women in Kansas, and All Families Healthcare and Blue Mountain Clinic in Montana—assert the current regulations are medically unnecessary and restrict patient and prescriber access to the time-sensitive medication.

“What we’re trying to do is get Virginia, Montana, and Kansas to get the same protections that are already in place in what’s often referred to as the Washington Brief,” says Miller.

Similar to the WWHA suit, Washington et al v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration was filed in 2023 in an effort to reduce nonmedical restrictions on mifepristone. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found in

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

Indivisible Charlottesville protests UVA’s FEI application. Body of 12-year-old Jordan Sims found May 14 following flood. UVA’s Weldon Cooper Center predicts 30,000 jobs lost in Virginia this year. May 13 lightning strike causes Crozet house to catch fire. UVA adds accessibility infrastructure ahead of May 17 Final Exercises. Flood damage causes temporary closure of several Shenandoah National Park trails. Search warrant for a home in the 200 block of Saponi Road in Albemarle leads to discovery of pistols, marijuana, suspected cocaine, and 65 grams of suspected raw fentanyl. UVA Health names longtime health-care finance leader Stephanie Schnittger as new CFO. Charlottesville Mayor Juandiego Wade retires from his position as Social Services Career Center coordinator in Albemarle to focus on City Council. Demonstrators gathered (again) at The Shops at Stonefield to protest Elon Musk and Stonefield’s upcoming Tesla showroom. Charlottesville names John Maddux as city attorney. Eljo’s sale falls through; store announces June closing. School zone speed cameras activated at Summit and Johnson elementaries, and Buford Middle School.

Traffic along Rugby Avenue near the 250 bypass will return to its original pattern in late August 2025, following the completion of the shared-use path.

favor of the plaintiffs in July 2024, expanding and protecting access to the medication in 17 states and Washington, D.C.

“We’re asking for the FDA to take a look at what’s called the REMS, which are these special restrictions that are connected to mifepristone that really aren’t based on the health and safety of mifepristone, and asking them to take a look at the evidence that’s come in in the last 25 years since mifepristone was first approved, and be sure it’s not restricted unduly,” says Miller.

In addition to abortion care, mifepristone is commonly used to manage miscarriage. WWHA v. FDA challenges the Patient Agreement Requirement, which mandates patients sign a statement reading “I have decided to take mifepristone and misoprostol to end my pregnancy” prior to receiving the medications. The form is required for both abortion and miscarriage management, and is added to patients’ medical records.

On the provider side, the suit argues that the current requirement for medical professionals to register with the drug manufacturer before prescribing mifepristone “deters qualified providers from prescribing the medication out of fear that registration could expose them to anti-abortion violence or harassment.” The case also examines current restrictions on pharmacies that dispense the medication, which are regulated similarly to providers.

Amy Hagstrom Miller founded Whole Woman’s Health, now headquartered in Charlottesville, in Austin, Texas, in 2003.

If an opinion is issued in favor of the plaintiffs, Virginia, Kansas, and Montana would be protected from potential restrictions on mifepristone at the federal level.

“It just feels incredibly poignant at this point in time,” says Miller, “especially in light of what [Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.] talked about … taking a look at the FDA approval of mifepristone.”

At press time, an opinion has not been issued in the case. Access to medication abortion remains unrestricted in Virginia.— Catie Ratliff

DEVELOPMENT NEWS Demolition underway

Former Red Carpet Inn demolished to make way for 80-unit supportive housing apartment complex BY SEAN TUBBS

The development of housing reserved for people with low incomes can take a long time, given shifting timelines of residents’ availability.

That has twice been the case for SupportWorks Housing (formerly Virginia Supportive Housing), a Richmond-based nonprofit that steered the 60-unit Crossings at Fourth & Preston in Charlottesville through a complex process that involved a rezoning, a land purchase, and the security of funding to keep rent deeply affordable. The “single-room occupancy” complex opened in 2012 and has been credited with giving many who would otherwise be on the streets a place to stay.

There has been talk about a second such facility for many years, something that took root when SupportWorks Housing, the Piedmont Housing Alliance, and the Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless announced a partnership in 2020 to redevelop the Red Carpet Inn off of Premier Circle in three phases. After nearly five years of planning, work is finally underway.

“Demolition has begun,” said Julie Anderson, director of real estate development for SupportWorks Housing.

SupportWorks Housing will build 80 apartments, 62 of which will be reserved for unhoused individuals, with the rest made available to those with incomes less than 60 percent of the area median income. Ongoing rental subsidies will come from a mixture of project-based vouchers and federal funding.

All but three will be studio units.

“These units are identified as permanent supportive housing, which is a best practice solution, support, and tool for individuals who have experienced extended periods of homelessness and manage a disability of some kind,” says Kaki Dimock, Albemarle County’s chief human services officer and a member of the SupportWorks board of directors.

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning for the

property in February 2021, and the existing hotel continued to be used as an emergency shelter through the spring of 2023. The project hit a financial obstacle when construction inflation created a $1.5 million shortfall.

Albemarle and Charlottesville split the cost of filling the void and broke ground on what’s now known as Vista29 in late October 2024. A press release at the time stated construction would begin in November, but the project has so far not gone to construction. On April 7, Albemarle County issued a demolition permit allowing the two structures on the property to be razed.

The project has a cost estimate of $26.3 million, and construction was slated to begin in February, according to materials shown to the closed-door Land Use and Environmental Planning Committee in January.

“The delay was caused by filling the funding gap and securing additional rental subsidies,” Anderson said.

Albemarle has committed a total of $3.4 million to the project, and the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation contributed $4.25 million in the spring of 2021.

In the second phase, the Piedmont Housing Alliance seeks to construct 60 units. Pre-development of that project is expected to be in 2027. At the time of rezoning, the third phase was envisioned as a commercial building.

After five years of planning, work is finally underway to redevelop the Red Carpet Inn off of Premier Circle into 80 affordable housing units.

AMY AND JACKSON SMITH (TOP), SUPPLIED PHOTO (RIGHT)

REAL ESTATE NEWS Split decision

Albemarle Planning Commission votes to recommend approval for Forest School on Dudley Mountain Road BY

SEAN TUBBS

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit just over five years ago, child-care providers struggled to find ways to stay open amidst social distancing rules. Congregation Beth Israel “pivoted to a forest school model, embracing outdoor learning to keep our doors open for families,” said Jill AbbeyClark, the director of what CBI calls its Forest School.

To build on the idea, CBI now wants to open a campus on Dudley Mountain Road on a portion of 156 acres donated by local philanthropists. However, the property is in Albemarle’s rural area and a special use permit is required for such a structure. The Albemarle Planning Commission held a public hearing May 13, and voted 3-2 to recommend approval of the school.

If approved by the county Board of Supervisors, the Forest School would be built in two phases on 15 acres with the first being a main school building to be called Basecamp. A second phase would be a building for religious assembly for up to 200 people, a by-right use that doesn’t require additional permission from the county. The remaining land would be placed under conservation easement.

County planner Syd Shoaf said a traffic study indicated the school would add 589 vehicle trips per day to Dudley Mountain Road, up from an average of about 180 per day, as measured in 2018. That might overload the rural road’s intersection with Old Lynchburg Road about a mile downhill from the site.

“Staff are concerned about safety at this intersection, with the higher level of traffic utilizing it with this proposal,” Shoaf said. Any future plan to widen the road would have to compete with efforts to build capacity in the development area.

Speaking on behalf of CBI, civil engineer Kendra Moon said the school would stagger drop-off times and take other steps to limit trips. She said a school at this location would have a benefit to the county and be worth a trade-off.

“CBI would flourish at this location and help to alleviate child care needs for over 100 families,” Moon said.

At least a dozen residents of the Dudley Mountain neighborhood urged the Plan ning Commission to recommend denial. Several pointed out that Albemarle’s Com prehensive Plan seeks to limit intense uses in the rural area. For instance, Melanie Evans said the year-round facility threatens surrounding wells.

“Virginia law and Albemarle County zoning requires that special use permits protect neighbors and align with rural land use,” Evans said. “This proposal fails on both counts.”

Planning Commissioner Corey Clay borne said he thought the project was a good one, except for the additional traffic it would add to Dudley Mountain Road.

“Seems like the road infrastructure is just not suitable,” Clayborne said. How ever, he and some of his colleagues said the special use permit process gives the op portunity for CBI to agree to conditions.

Annie Gould Gallery

unique art gallery located in the heart of historic Gordonsville. 109 S. Main Street, Gordonsville, VA • (540) 832-6352 anniegouldgallery

After the Planning Commission’s vote in support of the special use permit, Commissioner Nathan Moore said his vote in favor was made in the public interest.

“What are people’s needs?” Moore asked. “In the county, we have a very strong need for quality childcare, for quality early learning.”

Moore was joined by Planning Commissioners Julian Bivins and Luis Carrazana. Clayborne joined Commissioner Lonnie Murray in voting no. Commission Chair Fred Missel and Commissioner Karen Firehock were absent.

The item is not yet scheduled for a vote by the Albemarle Board of Supervisors.

Opponents of the special use permit have erected signs along Dudley Mountain Road.

A

cult classic coming-of-age movie Napoleon Dynamite turned 20 last year, but the main characters—Napoleon, Pedro, and Uncle Rico—are still kicking around their old stomping grounds.

About five years ago, the film’s core ensemble of Jon Heder (Napoleon), Efren Ramirez (Pedro), and Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) hosted a Dynamite film screening and post-movie conversation with a moderator. Since then, the event’s grown more outrageous and fun-loving as the years have passed. Gone is the moderator; here to stay are scene reenactments, attendees in costume, Q&As in character, Napoleon Dynamitethemed games, and general tomfoolery.

The spectacle comes to The Paramount Theater on May 22. Ahead of the shenanigans, the three hosts joined C-VILLE Weekly for a video call about farmers’ daughters, protein powder, and chimichangas.

C-VILLE: Thanks for joining me. Looks like we’re still waiting for Jon Gries.

Heder: I just texted him. He said he’s getting on. He’s such a knucklehead—he’s our most technically challenged. He’s like, “I didn’t get today’s link.” Yes, yes you did.

Maybe I should just throw away my questions and let you guys bicker.

Ramirez: He’s also the most introspective of us—the wise man who has so much experience.

Heder: That don’t make you wise. It just makes you have good stories.

Gries: Hey. Hi. There we go. Sorry about that. The problem is, with my new setup, all the emails stack on top of each other. I’m a luddite. I’m a well-known luddite.

Now that everyone’s here: I recently watched Napoleon Dynamite with my 15-year-old, and she didn’t laugh as much as I did. Any idea why?

Gries: She just needs to watch it a couple more times.

Heder: Yeah, Jon’s absolutely right, and your daughter is wrong. I think this movie still really resonates, at least in our experience. We’ve had people tell us it’s the same as it was 20 years ago; it’s still relatable. You put away all the new technology and pop culture, all the technological fads and fashion, and it still has universal truths and universal themes: awkwardness, teen romance, trying to fit in, friendship, and family. We have heard from fans that say, “The first time I saw this movie, I didn’t get it.” But they watch it two more times or three more times, and all of a sudden it clicks.

So the event here will start with a screening. Do you guys ever watch any of the movie?

Ramirez: No, but there are times we arrive early and maybe see parts. And there are moments where—it’s just those little nuances from all of the characters—where you go, “Oh, yeah, remember that?” I think Jared [Hess, director] has—in not only writing it with his wife, but in the way it was edited—done it in such a way that you really care about each character.

Gries: There’s a lot of people who’ve never seen it in the theater. Yes, there’s a lot of the OG fans who come, but there’s also a lot of people where it’s the first time they’re ever seeing it with a crowd. That experience lifts the whole vibe.

What can people expect after the movie?

Heder: It’s the Napoleon Dynamite experience is the best way to put it. Very interactive.

Ramirez: I’ll tell you how it started. Someone asked us to screen the movie and go up on stage and talk about our experiences. At some point, Jon Heder goes, “What if we kick out the moderator and do it ourselves?” That really ignited something. It became much more of a show because we started to pour in all these ideas about our involvement with the audience.

Gries: We don’t have someone walking around with a microphone. We’re out there in the crowd.

Why have you continued doing it the last five years?

Gries: We love the film. We’re the original fans. We’re celebrating our fandom the same way they’re celebrating theirs.

Heder: When we made the movie, it’s not like we were sitting

back thinking, “All right, we’ve got a hit on our hands.” We were along for the ride. That’s what these shows are about. You have these OGs who saw it when it first came out, and now they’re bringing their kids and friends.

It’s such a wholesome film in many ways, but it also felt kind of subversive. How does it walk that line?

Heder: I think the reason why it did so well, especially with families, is because it felt like an edgy indie film that’s quirky, and there’s art there, but it’s also just being honest and true to the storyteller. People kind of got bamboozled into watching something with no cussing, no sex, and not really anything raunchy.

Gries: Jared Hess being 22 years old when he made this movie, I don’t think that big picture ever came to his mind. He was just writing something that was true to his upbringing in Preston, Idaho. And it just resonated beyond what all of us imagined.

What did you all think of the script when you first read it?

Ramirez: I didn’t even get the whole script. All I had was pages, so I was guessing the entire time. I was like, “Really? What is this?” I got it like the day before I was going to Preston to start shooting.

What has this movie meant for your careers?

Heder: It was everything for my career. I didn’t have a career before it. When I did it and saw that it was getting popular,

I was like, all right, there’s a good chance I may be known for this role for the rest of my life. But that’s okay.

I know you’ve been asked this many times, but will there ever be a sequel?

Heder: I think what people need to realize is, there’s no plan for a sequel, but if there was a plan for a sequel, do you think we’d tell you? No.

If you don’t mind, I have a couple questions for Napoleon, Pedro, and Uncle Rico. Napoleon: We have a lot of farms around Charlottesville, and you know farming. Any advice for the local farmers?

Heder: You better lock up your daughters, ’cause Napoleon’s coming into town, and there’s a lot more where that came from.

Uncle Rico: Everyone wants more protein these days. You’ve never had a problem with that. What’s your advice for the protein bros?

Gries: Don’t think you’re ever gonna get it out of a powder.

Pedro, your class president opponent, threatened to take chimichangas off the lunch menu. Did you keep the chimichanga?

Ramirez: The only thing I got to stay is, whether you’re eating or chimichanga or a tater tot, make sure you make all of your wildest dreams come true, no matter what. C

SERENITY RIDGE RETREAT CENTER

Ancient Teachings for Modern Times

JULY 12–26

SERENITY RIDGE ANNUAL SUMMER RETREAT

Longevity & Vitality Through Self-Realization with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and honored guest, His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin Rinpoche, spiritual head of the Bön tradition of Tibet. Join us for one or both weeks!

SEPTEMBER 30–OCTOBER 5

SOUL RETRIEVAL TRAINING PROGRAM

Part 1 of 4 with Lama Kalsang Nyima & Khandro Tsering Wangmo Khymsar.

MAY 28

LIGMINCHA CHARLOTTESVILLE MONTHLY PRACTICE

6:00 - 7:30 PM at Jefferson Memorial Regional Library, downtown Charlottesville.

Learn more and register:

SERENITYRIDGEVA.ORG

Jon Gries, Jon Heder, and Efren Ramirez will take the stage at the Paramount to talk all things Napoleon Dynamite—ligers, tots, and Tina included.

CULTURE

SUNDAY 5/25

SOULFUL SOUNDS

Bringing a bygone era to stages far and wide, Thee Sacred Souls channel elements of rocksteady, R&B, and plenty of soul music into a sweet, smooth repertoire. With soaring falsetto vocals, jazzy drum fills, and mellow yet intricate guitar strumming, the group rounds out its sound with horns, keys, and backing vocals that elicit memories of Motown’s greats and showcase the band’s firm grasp of musical history. $39–65, 7:30pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

SPOTLIGHT SERIES

LOCALLY SOURCED by Live Arts' Playwrights' Lab THE RAVENSIDE OCCURRENCE MARIA KENT & THE SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE

NEW WORKS FESTIVAL

SHOWCASING 18 PLAYS OVER 13 DAYS-YOUR CHANCE TO SEE SCRIPTS BROUGHT TO LIFE FROM NEW AND EMERGING PLAYWRIGHTS FROM CHARLOTTESVILLE AND BEYOND. GET ON THE FRINGE HERE IN CVILLE!

SINGLE TICKETS AND FULL FESTIVAL PASSES AVAILABLE AT LIVEARTS.ORG

“I loved meeting emerging playwrights and seeing powerful new work unfold on stage!” –2024 Waterworks Audience Member

Wednesday 5/21

music

Berto Sales and Matt Wyatt. Latin guitar night. Brazilian and Latin treasures to make you smile from the inside out. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Jim Waive. Whether he’s breathing new life into the classics or pouring his guts out into originals, Waive can make your heart sing and your boots scoot. $5, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Mike Rosensky Trio. Live jazz. Free, 8:30pm. Miller’s Downtown, 109 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. millersdowntown.com

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

Weekly Swing Dance. Beginner-friendly swing dance lessons teaching the Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, and blues. No partner needed. Stay for social dancing after the class. $10, 7pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com stage

WATERWORKS Festival 2025. Celebrating new theatrical voices in Charlottesville and beyond, this festival of new works puts the playwright at center stage and diversifies the stories told on the Live Arts stage. Prices and times vary. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org words

Artists in Conversation: “Charlottesville Porch Portraits.” An artist talk with Ézé Amos, Tom Daly, Kristen Finn, John Robinson, and Sarah Cramer Shields, the photographers behind the Charlottesville Porch Portraits project. Free, 5:30pm. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE. secondstreetgallery.org classes

Paint and Sip: Garden Walk. Learn how to paint this design in a step-by-step format, no experience necessary. Ticket includes an 11×14-inch canvas and acrylic paint. $38, 6pm. Muddy Paws Winery, 2640 Rock Island Rd., Scottsville. blueridgebrushes.com etc.

Drop In Still Life and Watercolor Sessions. Providing all the supplies you need to take a relaxing and creative break in your day. Feel free to bring objects you’d like to draw and any additional supplies you’d like to use. Free, noon. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com Exhibition on Screen—Michelangelo: Love and Death. Sculptor, painter, architect, poet, genius— discover why Michelangelo is without a doubt one of the greatest artists of all time. $13–17, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Rapture Karaoke. The longest-running karaoke event in town. Hosted by Jenn DeVille. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Scrappy Crafty Hour. Bring your project, grab a cup of tea, and hang out in the library with other knitters, hookers, stitchers, and crafters. Free, noon. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Thursday 5/22

music

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

Septic Vomit, with Chezolangia, Lay Waste, and Aisle 19

STAGES CULTURE

lively, freewheeling discussion with fan-favorite cast members Jon Heder, Jon Gries, and Efren Ramirez. $29-149, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Headlining a night of uncompromising sonics, self-described “mincedout billy gore” three-piece Septic Vomit unleashes its gross outtake on extreme metal-core at—where else?—a barbecue joint.

Minute-long documentarian murder samples, overdriven detuned guitars, and blasting drums vie for conquest, clouding a vocal that brings new meaning to the word “guttural.”

If I didn’t know better, I’d be inclined to guess that the bulk of the vocals were the result of the vocalist stuffing an SM57 mic somewhere on his person to capture what bears a shocking similarity to a grumbling tummy, or a bout with bad gas.

Friday, 5/23

as possible. With a decidedly medical focus—in theme and sample usage—the band offers a particularly misanthropic and confounding layer cake of guts on Baroque Examples of Surgical Anastomosis. Kudos for figuring out how to transform guitars into a tidal wave of multiple radios, unable to tune to a station, while racing jazz drum solos convey the will of trapped demons raging to escape another dimension. Really, it kinda sounds like that.

Ace Biscuit & Barbecue

With a name like Septic Vomit, and tracks titled “Hey Regurgitate,” “Mechanically Separated Torso,” and “Carelessly Discarded Hospital Waste,” we should expect nothing less, but clearly, the Charlottesville band’s got a sense of humor about the puke landscape it’s creating.

Sharing the bill, Chezolangia seems to step deeper into absurd territory in both sound and subject. The Wheaton-Glenmont, Maryland, guitar and drum duo’s latest is equally as intent as the headliners on getting in and out of each song as soon

Blue Healer. Southern-tinged classic rock. Free, 8pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Ian Gilliam & The FireKings. Thursday Evening Sunset series featuring a band formed out of the love of early rock ‘n’ roll, country, rockabilly, and Americana. $10, 6pm. Carter Mountain Orchard, 1435 Carters Mountain Trl. cartermountain orchard.com

John D’earth & Friends. Live jazz with a rotating cast of local and national musicians. Free, 10pm.

Harrisonburg’s Lay Waste offers another set of mostly minute-long tracks that, in light of the other bands on the bill, comes across as relatively straightforward, grind-heavy death metal cuts. That isn’t to say it’s generic or easy on the ears, it’s that the group has instruments you can still discern, and vocals—while no more intelligible than Septic Vomit—that do sound like an angry human, but with vocal cords of titanium. Another charged-up two-man affair, openers Aisle 19 go thick on distorted guitar and barked vocals that may or may not have words, with riffing that drives over breakneck drumming, and occasional slow sludge sections.

I’d eat early, because this night of severe sounds sure as hell isn’t dinner music, kids.—CM

Gorey

Miller’s Downtown, 109 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. millersdowntown.com

Michael Clem. For more than 30 years, Clem has been playing bass, singing, and writing songs for Eddie From Ohio, the national touring act he cofounded. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com stage

Napoleon Dynamite LIVE! This unique evening includes a full screening of the film followed by a

WATERWORKS Festival 2025. See listing for Wednesday, May 21. Prices and times vary. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org etc.

Bent Theatre Improv. A hilarious evening of improv comedy where you make the show by suggesting scenes for the players to act out. Free, 7pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

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

Meet the Author Event and Happy Hour: Badass Women of Charlottesville Enjoy a happy hour event with book author Rachael Kesler Palm and subject Jennifer Mowad, owner of FIREFLY and Cocoa & Spice. Free, 5:30pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

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, available noon–8pm. Please confirm Eastwood Winery and Potter’s Cider hours beforehand. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Friday 5/23

music

Boomerangs. Acoustic and electric classic rock and pop hits from past generations. Free, 6pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

Chickenhead Blues Band. New Orleans boogiewoogie, upbeat, rhythm and blues. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Fridays After Five: Waasi. A local hip-hop artist whose unique brand of rap music features melodicvibes combined with in-your-face bluntness. With Atreyu. Free, 5:30pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

Fridays on the Canal: James Tamelcoff Band. Country music from Charlottesville with high-energy stage shows and a smooth, classic sound. This family-friendly series brings together live music, local food trucks, craft beverages, and local vendors. Free, 5pm. Canal Basin Square , 249 Main St., Scottsville. cbs.avenue.org

Ian Gilliam & The FireKings. Local rock ‘n’ roll, blues, rockabilly, and country. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St.

Metal Mayhem. Another night of mosh pit love featuring Septic Vomit, Aisle19, Lay Waste, and Chezolangia. Free, 7:30pm. Ace Biscuit & Barbecue, 600 Concord Ave. acebbq.com

Pat Anderson. An Oklahoma-born, Virginiaraised roots-rocking singer-songwriter. Free, 5pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Royce Campbell, Bob Bowen, and Jim Howe. A mix of original compositions, jazz standards, and free improv, with a few special guests throughout. Free, 8pm. The Stage at WTJU, 2244 Ivy Rd. wtju.net

The Wavelength. Vintage rock and jazzy blues vibrations. Free, 5:30pm. Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard, 594 Merrie Mill Farm, Keswick. merriemillfarm.com

Ty Burkhardt. Fingerstyle guitarist whose technique transforms a single instrument into a full-band experience. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

CULTURE TO-DO LIST

FRIDAY 5/23

MODERN MASTER MOVIE

Art lovers and inquisitive minds alike have an opportunity to view Exhibition on Screen: Matisse from MOMA and Tate Modern, an intimate documentary that chronicles a blockbuster museum show. This behind-the-scenes look into the landmark show brims with contributions from curators, historians, and personal friends of the pioneering French visual artist. Exploring the late stages of Matisse’s career, the film weaves footage of the exhibition together with biographical information on the artist and specially commissioned performances by Royal Ballet principal dancer Zenaida Yanowsky and jazz musician Courtney Pine. $12–14, 6:30pm. Violet Crown Charlottesville, 200 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. charlottesville.violetcrown.com

stage

Immodest Opulence Burlesque. Bringing Vegas to Virginia in our grandest burlesque show yet. Be dazzled by stripteasing showgirls, mobsters, magicians, and maybe a silly tourist or two. Ages 18+.

$20–30, 9pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

WATERWORKS Festival 2025. See listing for Wednesday, May 21. Prices and times vary. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

classes

Paint and Sip: Colorful Country Road. Learn how to paint this design in a step-by-step format, no experience necessary. Ticket provides all supplies, including an 11×14-inch canvas and acrylic paint. $38, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, May 22. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Scrappy Crafty Hour. See listing for Wednesday, May 21 Free, noon. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Trivia with Olivia. Get the weekend started with beers and trivia. Free, 6pm. SuperFly Brewing Co., 943 Preston Ave. superflybrewing.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, May 22. $15, available noon–8pm. Please confirm Eastwood Winery and Potter’s Cider hours beforehand. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Saturday 5/24

music

100 Proof. A legendary go-go band known for its high-energy performances and unstoppable beats. $20, 8:30pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Danny Jams. An indie-electronic loop artist based in Richmond. His music combines jam focused guitar performances over electro-funk rhythms that weave together both songwriting and improv. Free, noon. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. keswickvineyards.com

Heidi Riddell. A singer-songwriter saved by grace through faith in Jesus. Free, 12:30pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com

Mama Tried. Local five-piece band plays highenergy versions of early Grateful Dead songs, plus their own impressive material, with a heavy accent on improvisation. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Night Teacher. Haunting vocals and poetic lyrics weaving together elements of doom-folk and altrock to create an experience that listeners have described as part seance, part lullaby. With Annie Stokes. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Robert Jospé Trio. High-energy, world-class jazz. Free, 5pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Smokin’ Trout. A sound steeped in Americana, influenced by folk, bluegrass, rock, blues, country, country rock, and Celtic music. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

The Near Passerines. Masters of musical time travel. From ’50s classics to today’s chart-toppers, the band blends genres for a show that’s always fresh. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

The Pollocks. American rock, with the right amount of soul. Led by Jason Pollock, former guitarist and songwriter for Seven Mary Three. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

dance

May Ballroom Dance. The class for this month is Salsa, taught by Edwin Roa and Lynda Buechel. Beginners welcome, no partner required. Come for the class and stay for the dance. Cash or checks only. $5–10, 7pm. The Center, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org

stage

Met Live in HD: Salome Claus Guth, one of Europe’s leading opera directors, gives the biblical story a psychologically perceptive Victorian-era setting. $22–26, 1pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

WATERWORKS Festival 2025. See listing for Wednesday, May 21. Prices and times vary. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

classes

Designing a Photo: 14 Steps to Better Composition. Learn the keys to creating photographs that are far more pleasing to you and others than simple snapshots. Registration required. Free, 3pm. Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm, 1780 Earlysville Rd. ivycreekfoundation.org

Learn to Knit. Learn the basics of knitting. No experience needed. Leave with a pair of knitting needles, the beginning of a scarf, and enough yarn to finish it. Ages 12+. $25, 10am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.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. You will also be introduced to the art of bookbinding and go home with a journal. Ages 12+. $45, 3pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, May 22. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Charlottesville Arts Festival 2025. More than 50 fine artists and artisans celebrate creativity, diversity, and community. Immersive art experiences, incredible live music, workshops, and artisan demos happen throughout the event. $7–22, 3–8pm. IX Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.com

Charlottesville City Market. Discover produce and products from 80+ local vendors. Visit the Market Management tent to match your SNAP dollars up to $50 each visit. Free, 8am. Charlottesville City Market, 100 Water St. E. charlottesville.gov

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

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

THE WORKS CULTURE

Emotional fabric

Vibha Vijay transforms one precious object into another at New City Arts BY

SARAH SARGENT

In “one hand washes the other” at New City Arts, Vibha Vijay endows art with emotional import, incorporating secondhand fabric and materials belonging to family members—a practice that allows her to explore the associations these items hold. Vijay says a recent visit to India “really sparked a lot of the thought behind this work.”

Evident in “Maybe I’ll find a god in these woods,” is the search for meaning in Hinduism and the blending of cultures. The piece alludes to the story of Krishna’s death. Krishna, the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love is an avatar of Vishnu, the central deity in Hinduism. Krishna’s body was invulnerable except for the bottom of his foot.

One day, Krishna was resting in woods, meditating with his foot up and sole exposed, when a hunter mistook his foot for a deer and shot him with an arrow, killing him.

In Vijay’s piece, Krishna’s image is overlaid on top of a background of snow-covered woods. He’s not really in them, he hovers above like a thought bubble, and the woods are actually in Wales where Vijay was attending an artist’s residency. “It felt good to connect the woods and Krishna in a more positive joining of Indian deity and Northern woods,” says Vijay.

Krishna is rendered in the Tanjore style. Used to depict gods and idols, this style was developed in the late 17th century in south India. Tanjore works feature simple compositions, vivid color, and expanses of gold foil inlaid with glass beads and semi-precious gems. It has special meaning for Vijay as it was an art form practiced by her grandmother.

“TV watching on the terrace,” a hand-knit tubular hanging sculpture, immortalizes an event that occurred on Vijay’s recent trip back to India. One of the ubiquitous monkeys that populate the area where her relatives live, got onto their terrace and made off with the television remote. (It was eventually discovered on the roof.)

The sculpture’s crazily skewed shape recalls The Cat in the Hat’s hat and the mayhem inherent in that tale. “I found the shape interesting,” says Vijay, who hung it in space so people could see around it. “I liked how I ruched the stripes first and then added the rings and how the neatness of the stripes is interrupted by the manipulation of the form.” Encircling the top of the piece are three monkeys, a TV set, a remote, two eyes that are “our eyes watching the monkeys, and the eyes of the monkeys watching us as we watch TV,” and droplets that represent blood, because according to Vijay, there was a lot going on—“a lot of tussles, metaphorically.”

In “Again, but with permission,” the distinctive Tanjore jewel-studded gold foil is used, this time in a stand-alone fashion without religious figures. Vijay overlays red grid lines and a border on top of this curious glittering shape that’s stretched like a hide being dried. As a child, Vijay was drawn to her grandmother’s art studio, with its supply of dazzling beads and gems, which she helped herself to, gluing them onto random things. “I was interrupting her work and intruding on her space,” says Vijay. “But now these things have been passed on to me. I’m using them again, but, this time, with permission.”

“Around $20 in gold” is made from Vijay’s great-grandmother’s sari. The sari origi-

nally featured a border of woven gold-dipped thread. When saris like this wear out, people detach the border and sell for the gold that is then melted off. This is what Vijay’s greatgrandmother did. “When I asked her how much money she got for it, she said, ‘around 20 U.S. dollars.’” For Vijay, the body of the sari, being her great-grandmother’s, holds more sentimental value than a mere 20 dollars. With the remaining silk, she made a rectangular, rounded soft sculpture with two negative spaces that are the same size as her paintings. This allowed her to frame her great-grandmothers’ sari conceptually.

For “Big old hoop,” Vijay repurposes an oval embroidery hoop to use as a loom. The warp of the weaving (lengthwise direction) is from one sweater, the weft (crosswise direction) is a combination of fibers Vijay’s had for years. The spiral in the center of the piece is yarn that Vijay carded herself and handspun. These materials have been used many times, with the yarn having been in various projects, unraveled and then used again. With her show, Vijay has raised provocative questions about family, possessions, and cultural heritage. She shows us that, passed from hand to hand, even scraps of fabric with no real monetary value gain substance and importance by their contact with the people who owned them, wore them, and used them. A person of Indian descent, but born and raised in Maryland, Vijay presents her works as a link to her rich cultural legacy. “It’s been interesting as an adult to reconnect and figure out what I want to pull from my culture and religion and bring into my independent life,” Vijay says.

Vibha Vijay’s “one hand washes the other” is on view at New City Arts through May 28.

inch canvas and acrylic paint. $38, noon. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. blueridge brushes.com

Spring Vision Board Class. Led by local astrologer Lainie Gratz, this hands-on workshop creates meaningful collages using the image of a vase or pot to represent dreams taking root and blooming. $35, 7:30pm. The Green Cauldron, 107 W. Main St. greencauldron.shop

etc.

Big Band Bash. Live Big Band charity event benefiting Friends of Rappahannock, featuring the music of Sentimental Journey. $50, noon. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducard vineyards.com

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, May 22. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Charlottesville Arts Festival 2025. See listing for Saturday, May 24. $7–22, 10am–6pm. IX Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.com

Music Bingo. Listen to your favorite music and match the songs to the titles on your bingo cards. Fun for the whole family, with gift card prizes for the winners. Free, 2pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, May 22 . $15, available noon–8pm. Please confirm Eastwood Winery and Potter’s Cider hours beforehand. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Monday 5/26

music

Memorial Day with 40 East Band. A Central Virginia rock cover band brings the perfect blend of classic and modern hits. Free, noon. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. keswickvineyards.com

The Wavelength. A consortium of local musicians plays vintage rock with jazzy, bluesy vibrations. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

etc.

Scrappy Crafty Hour. See listing for Wednesday, May 21 Free, noon. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Trivia on Tap. Five rounds of themed trivia for teams of up to six people. This month’s theme: “Game of Thrones.” Free, 7pm. Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery - Charlottesville, 520 Second St. SE. threenotchdbrewing.com

Tuesday 5/27

music

Gary Hawthorne. Expressive, melodic, and powerful originals and covers from one of the region’s most enduring voices. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Vincent Zorn. Lively flamenco rumba with a unique percussive technique that incorporates a diverse range of strumming styles, rhythms, and taps. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.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

The Run Club. Do a 5K run, then drink beer. $1-off pints for runners. Free, 6pm. Decipher Brewing, 1740 Broadway St.

EXTRA CULTURE

Around the edges

Live Arts’ Waterworks is packed with fringy fun

BY KRISTIE SMELTZER

From May 15 through May 31, Live Arts’ third annual Waterworks celebrates new work, while featuring original performances and diverse voices.

“When I describe the festival,” says Live Arts Artistic Director Susan E. Evans, “[I say] it’s Charlottesville’s response to the Fringe. It’s not exactly a fringe festival in some ways, but it has that kind of flavor.”

Distilled from roughly 650 submissions from local and national artists—the most yet in the festival’s history—the bonanza boasts more than 20 plays, as well as indepth conversations with artists, social events, and more. Like a fringe theater festival, Waterworks offers artists the opportunity to showcase new work, often using experimental forms, and portraying subject matter that’s missing from mainstream stages.

“We are honored that [the presentation of the festival plays] continues our effort to center historically erased writers,” states the Waterworks field guide, “with over half of produced works written by an artist who self-identifies as marginalized.”

In addition to the diversity of perspectives presented, the festival also feels a bit fringy in its staging conditions. “You’re going to see things in a variety of staging stages,” says Evans.

During the opening night performance of Locally Sourced, a collection of five plays

written by local writers presented by the Live Arts’ Playwrights’ Lab, some plays had two or three set elements and props—total. Black wooden apple boxes did a lot of work to frame audience members’ imaginations. Casts varied from two performers to five or six at the most. The minimalist staging choices are a functional necessity when offering five plays in rapid succession, and they’re also an invitation to focus on the playwrights’ words and the actors’ performances. Shows in the Conover Studio are essentially readings, with actors performing from scripts on music stands. The intention is to let the playwright and audience experience the words. In the black box Founders’ Theater, work will be presented more fully, with actors moving around the performance area—albeit with scripts still in hand sometimes. Evans says these productions give viewers a greater sense of the play’s shape from a directorial perspective. Plays produced in the Conover Studio and Founders’ Theater will run for two performances. Waterworks’ spotlight performances occur in the Gibson Theater. Locally Sourced— featuring plays by Sean Michael McCord, Jenny Mead, Kate Monaghan, Scott Dunn, and Sara Hutchinson—had three performances in the festival’s opening weekend. Spotlight shows by Derek J. Snow and Danny Vincent will have three performances each, over the festival’s remaining weekends.

“I’m very excited about having Derek Snow back,” says Evans. The Cincinnatibased actor participated in the inaugural Waterworks festival in 2023 with his play Silas, The Uninvited. “He has a heavily researched play that’s very different called The Ravenside Occurrence. It’s a Victorian ghost story about women escaping Bedlam Prison in London and going into this [haunted] house.”

“The last spotlight is a play we found last year,” says Evans. “Adrienne [Oliver] and I loved this play, and we wanted to make it a spotlight. The playwright is Danny Vincent. This is a family-friendly play called Maria Kent and the Spirit of Adventure. It’s a pirate tale in the wild West.”

The festival also features a comedy night, an additional Community Deep-Dive session, and a wrap party. To get the full effect of the fest, participants may wish to take in multiple shows and events on the same day.

When Waterworks draws to a close, patrons are left with a cerebral souvenir. “I think they take away stories,” says Evans. “It gets the imagination crackling about how many stories there are out there. These are writers from all different backgrounds approaching their work in all different ways. It should have your brain making more connections. I always think that theater is about connecting dots that might not have been connected.”

Waterworks creators will appear on stage and at talks throughout the festival. The full schedule is at livearts.org.

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ACROSS

World Series

19. Opera singer Tetrazzini (of chicken and pasta fame) 21. Rhino relatives with long snouts

28. ___ sci (college

32. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” actor who’s on the current season (series!) of “Taskmaster”

37. Running automatically, maybe

38. Sneakily got halfway?

39. Abbr before a founding year

40. Dark German lager variety

41. “Sure, sure”

43. Shoe blemishes

47. Necessitate

51. Green hill

52. Does double duty?

57. Item you may wait with

58. Event where you win, lose, and draw?

59. Temptation

60. One who prefers NES to the Switch 2, perhaps

61. 1914 Belgian battle river

DOWN

1. One end of a Goodwill rack

2. Court locale, with “The”

3. Stinging

4. 2001 comic book-based black comedy with the tagline “Accentuate the negative”

5. Fist-bump greeting

6. “As I see it,” in a text

7. Somebody

8. Les Jeux Olympiques d’___ de Paris

9. “___ bene!”

10. At right angles to a ship’s keel

11. Bad AI-generated “art”

12. Airpor t-to-hotel option

13. Kuwait VIP

14. Fires up the engine

20. Manhattan map line

23. Bracket tournament stage

24. Sliced thin

25. Narrative device that resolves plot holes

27. ___ conducciÛn (driver’s license, in Durango)

28. In for thright terms

29. New Orleans veggie

30. Country where the Buddha’s breastbone is reportedly located

31. Shipwreck site

32. “Yes, Chef!” judge AndrÈs

33. They may get into cereal boxes

34. Either of the Proclaimers, by birth

35. Joke “prizes” on a certain game show

FOR FUN FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

By Rob Brezsny Cancer

(June 21-July 22): Even if you don’t regard yourself as a psychic or prophet, I suspect you now have an uncanny knack for deciphering future trends. Your intuition is operating at peak levels, especially when you focus it on the big picture of your long-term destiny. As long as you’re not overconfident about this temporary bloom of expansive vision, you can trust your ability to see the deep patterns running through your life story. To make the most of this gift, take a loving inventory of where you have been and where you are going. Then devote relaxed meditations to adjusting your master plan.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): River deltas form where rivers meet the sea, creating fertile and complex ecosystems that nourish abundant life. Some of my favorites are the Rhône River Delta in France, the Po River Delta in Italy, and the Shinano River Delta in Japan. In the coming weeks, Leo, I will visualize you as the metaphorical equivalent of a river delta. I’ll call you the Leo Delta, trusting you will be inspired to celebrate and cultivate the rich intersections that characterize your life—areas where an array of ideas, paths, and relationships converge. Be open to synergizing different aspects of your world: integrating emotions and logic, connecting with diverse people, blending personal and professional goals.

Virgo

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your natural inclination is to solve problems through detailed planning and careful analysis. On occasion, that process dead-ends in overthinking, though it often works pretty well. In accordance with current astrological omens, however, I suggest an alternative approach for you in the coming weeks. Instead of trying to figure everything out, how about if you simply create a relaxed spaciousness for new things to emerge? Experiment with the hypothesis that progress will come not from doing more, but from allowing more.

Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): As they climb, mountaineers carefully assess every handhold and foothold. Unfailing concentration is key. I recommend adopting their attitude in the coming weeks, Libra. You are entering a phase when ascension and expansion will be among your main assignments. The best approach to your adventures is to make steady progress with precision and thoughtfulness. Rushing rashly ahead or taking needless risks could be counterproductive, so be scrupulous about planning and preparation. Trust that the most efficient path to the summit will be via small, deliberate steps. Your winning combination will be ambition leavened with caution.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov.21): At age 42, Scorpio painter Georgia O’Keeffe left her busy New York

(May 21-June 20): Gemini writer Raymond Carter established a reputation as a master of terse minimalism. One critic noted that he practiced the “Theory of Omission”—an approach to writing fiction that mandates the elimination of superfluous narrative elements.

But it turns out that Carver’s editor Gordon Lish had a major role in all this. He deleted half of Carver’s original words and changed the endings of half his stories. Years after his death, Carver’s widow, Tess Gallagher, published the original versions, with the omitted material reinstated. I believe the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to make comparable restorations, Gemini. In every way you can imagine, tell the full story, provide the complete rendition, and offer elements that have been missing.

art career and traveled to New Mexico for the first time. The landscape’s beauty overwhelmed her. She wandered around the desert for three months, creating no art at all. A few critics accused her of wasting time. She rejected their ignorant misunderstanding of her process, replying, “To see takes time. I had to learn the country first before it would let me paint it.” Her most iconic paintings emerged after this phase of pure observation. I’m recommending a similar period for you, dear Scorpio. While your instincts may tempt you toward a flurry of activity, I believe now is a time to wait and see; to pause and ponder; to muse and meditate.

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec.21): By the 20th century, the 483-mile-long Seine River in France was so polluted that most of its fish were gone. But clean-up efforts have been successful. Now there are 32 fish species, including the Atlantic salmon. The Seine is also very close to being completely safe for humans to swim. I would love it if you were inspired by this success story to undertake a comparable project in your own life, Sagittarius. What would you most like to see revived and restored? Now is a good time to begin the effort.

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Until she reached her 70s, Capricorn visual artist Louise Bourgeois was a peripheral figure in the art world, modestly respected but not acclaimed. Then New York’s Museum of Modern Art presented her work in a major show. In response, The New York Times reviewed her work, saying it was “charged with tenderness and violence, ac-

ceptance and defiance, ambivalence and conviction.” I bring this to your attention, Capricorn, because I suspect the coming months will also bring you recognition for labors of love you’ve been devoted to for a while—maybe not in the form of fame, but through an elevated appreciation by those whose opinion matters to you.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The name of the old Talking Heads album is Stop Making Sense. One of its many implications is that we periodically derive benefit and relief from being free of the pressure to sound reasonable and be consistent. According to my detailed, logical, in-depth analysis of your astrological omens, now is a perfect time to honor this counsel. I hope you will give yourself a sabbatical from being sensible, serious, and overly sane. Instead, please consider a sustained pursuit of pure pleasure, fun foolishness, and amazing amusement.

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): Be on high alert for fleeting intuitions that flow through your awareness. Really good ideas may rise up only briefly and only once, and you should be ready to catch them in the ripe moment before they fade away. Do you hear my urgency? Pay special attention to passing thoughts or sudden insights. They may contain more value than initially apparent. I will even speculate that seemingly ephemeral inspirations could become foundational elements in your future success. Document your hunches, even if they seem premature.

Aries

(March 21-April 19): I think you’re ready to establish new ways of nourishing and protecting what’s valuable to you. Your natural assertiveness will be useful in setting boundaries and securing resources. Your flourishing intuition will guide you to implement adjustments that safeguard your interests while remaining flexible enough to permit legitimate access. Be extra alert, Aries, for when you need to balance security with accessibility. Your best defenses will come from clever design, not brute force. Do what you need to feel secure without feeling trapped.

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): In July 1971, 26-year-old Taurus poet Bernadette Mayer kept a scrupulous diary. Every day, she shot a roll of 35 mm film, wrote about the day’s events, and recorded herself reading her accounts. By August 1, she had accumulated 1,100 photos and six hours of readings. One of her goals in doing the project was to learn more about how her memory worked. What was worth remembering, and what wasn’t? She also hoped to gain an objective perspective about her routine rhythm. Years later, she acknowledged that though this was a narcissistic experiment, she had no shame about it. Inspired by Mayer, and in accordance with astrological omens, you might find it worthwhile to lovingly and thoroughly study the details of your daily life for a while. It’s an excellent time to get to know yourself better.

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

CLASSIFIEDS

Email salesrep@c-ville.com

classifieds.c-ville.com

We’re

To see a complete job description for each please visit the careers page of our website. arcpva.org/careers

Offering

Software Engineer III:

Bach’s deg (or forgn equiv) in comp sci, comp eng’g or electr eng’g+ 3 yrs exp. Use Linus/Windows OS; debugging hardware & software interactions; oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, & vector network analyzers, & programming; RF measurements; & devg firmware for embedded sys & FPGAs to provide expertise in software eng’g in support of radio astronomy instrumentation devt, test, & eval. F/T. National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA.

Apply at

https://public.nrao.edu/careers/ Ref# 41 No calls/recruiters/visa sponsorship.

Commonwealth of Virginia VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Charlottesville Circuit Court Case No. CL25000251 315.East High Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re: CYNTHIA BROWN-LOCKLEY v. DEAN CARNELL LOCKELY, SR

The object of this suit is to: Divorce

It is ORDERED that DEAN CARNELL LOCKELY, SR appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before June 16, 2025.

5/8/2025

Claude V. Worrell, II DATE JUDGE

STARR HILL BREWERY, LLC

5391 Three Notch’d Road, Charlottesville, VA 22932

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a On & Off Premises Beer & Wine Retail license

Josh Cromwell, President

Dairy Road Bridge Replacement

Dairy Road Bridge Replacement

Proposed Project:

State Project: U000-104-365, UPC 113835

State Project: U000-104-365, UPC 113835

Federal Project: STP-5104(326)

Federal Project: STP-5104(326)

Proposed Project:

Proposed Project:

STARR HILL BREWERY, LLC

State Project: Federal Project:

This project will replace the aging and load Route 250 bypass. The City of Charlottesville has of Good Repair program to complete the bridge bypass will be closed during construction beginning year to complete the construction.

NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be Submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200. Dairy Road

Plan Review:

This project will replace the aging and load restricted Dairy Road bridge over the US Route 250 bypass. The City of Charlottesville has secured funding through VDOT’s State of Good Repair program to complete the bridge replacement. Dairy Road over Route 250 bypass will be closed during construction beginning in late 2026 for approximately one year to complete the construction.

Trading as STARR HILL

DOWNTOWN

This project will replace the aging and load restricted Dairy Road bridge over the US Route 250 bypass. The City of Charlottesville has secured funding through VDOT’s State of Good Repair program to complete the bridge replacement. Dairy Road over Route 250 bypass will be closed during construction beginning in late 2026 for approximately one year to complete the construction.

Project plans, a project map of the proposed Policy Act document can be provided for review Behhnam (contact information below) to make

Plan Review:

Plan Review:

946 Grady Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22903

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY

Written Request:

Project plans, a project map of the proposed detour, and the National Environmental Policy Act document can be provided for review by request. Please contact Najeeb Behhnam (contact information below) to make a request.

for a On & Off Premises Beer & Wine Retail license

Josh Cromwell, President

Written Request:

NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be Submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www.abc.virginia.gov or 800-552-3200.

Project plans, a project map of the proposed detour, and the National Environmental Policy Act document can be provided for review by request. Please contact Najeeb Behhnam (contact information below) to make a request.

By this notice The City of Charlottesville is indicating its willingness to hold a public hearing for the project if individual concerns cannot be addressed. A request for a public hearing to be held may be made by sending a written request stating your concerns to the address below on or before June 5, 2025.

Najeeb Behhnam

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

City of Charlottesville Public Works Capital Development Division 305 4th Street NW Charlottesville, VA 2290 434-459-9763

On Monday, June 2, 2025, at 6:30 p.m., the City Council of the City of Charlottesville, Virginia, will hold a Public Hearing in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 605 East Main Street, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902, to consider adoption of an ordinance authorizing the granting of an easement to Dominion Energy Virginia for the undergrounding of electrical equipment on the following parcels:

Written Request:

By this notice The City of Charlottesville is indicating its willingness to hold a public hearing for the project if individual concerns cannot be addressed. A request for a public made by sending a stating your concerns to the address below on or before June 5, 2025.

Charlottesville Public Works Capital Development Division

Charlottesville, VA 2290

If a request for a public hearing is received, and cannot be adequately resolved, a public hearing be advertised in a future notice.

Questions or Special Assistance:

If a request for a public hearing is received, and the concerns addressed in the request cannot be adequately resolved, a public hearing will be scheduled at a time and place to be advertised in a future notice.

Questions or Special Assistance:

• Located at 1300-1400 Pen Park Road, identified as City Tax Parcel No. 48B002000, and Tax Parcel No. 48B001000; and

• Located at 420 Quarry Road, identified as City Tax Parcel No. 600255000, and Tax Parcel No. 077000000015A0.

By this notice The City of Charlottesville is indicating its willingness to hold a public hearing for the project if individual concerns cannot be addressed. A request for a public hearing to be held may be made by sending a written request stating your concerns to the address below on or before June 5, 2025.

Najeeb Behhnam

Questions regarding this project should be directed or behhnamn@charlottesville.gov The City nondiscrimination in all programs and activities the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Any persons with or need for reasonable accommodations should

Questions regarding this project should be directed to Najeeb Behhnam at 434-459-9763 or behhnamn@charlottesville.gov The City of Charlottesville and VDOT ensure nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Any persons with questions on the accessibility of the facility or need for reasonable accommodations should contact Najeeb Behhnam.

This Notice is given pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-1813.

The proposed Ordinance regarding this matter is available for examination in the Office of the Clerk of Council, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 605 East Main Street, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902. Any person may appear at the Public Hearing to express their views on the proposed Ordinance. Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangements to participate in the Public Meeting may call (434) 987-1267 or submit a request via email to ada@charlottesville.gov. The City requests that you provide forty-eight (48) hours’ notice, so that proper arrangements may be made.

City of Charlottesville Public Works

Capital Development Division 305 4th Street NW Charlottesville, VA 2290 434-459-9763

If a request for a public hearing is received, and the concerns addressed in the request cannot be adequately resolved, a public hearing will be scheduled at a time and place to be advertised in a future notice.

Questions or Special Assistance:

Questions regarding this project should be directed to Najeeb Behhnam at 434-459-9763 or behhnamn@charlottesville.gov. The City of Charlottesville and VDOT ensure nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Any persons with questions on the accessibility of the facility or need for reasonable accommodations should contact Najeeb Behhnam.

Services

STATEWIDE CLASSIFIED AD NETWORK

AUCTIONS

ATTN. AUCTIONEERS: Promote your upcoming auctions statewide! Affordable Print and Digital Solutions reaching your target audience. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net

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Pocket full of stones

When Jam According to Daniel owner Daniel Perry saw 7-year-old Lucia Cox selling painted rocks on the street outside her house in their neighborhood, he invited her to join his son Samuel, who often sells lemonade, at Perry’s City Market booth on Saturday mornings. Cox set up her table covered with foraged rocks on May 10, to sell at (negotiable) prices between $2 and $7. “Lucia is a self-proclaimed artist and loves creating at every chance possible,” says her mom, Tracey Love. “This was 100 percent her idea because she also loves shopping, and decided to take her finances into her own hands.”