C-VILLE Weekly | September 24 - 30, 2025

DRIVEN TO RIDE

From cargo bikes to daily commutes, local families are discovering that two wheels can sometimes beat four

Albemarle’s supervisors and school board—who’s running? P.9

Four-acre Bamboo House property up for sale in the county P.15

A new steakhouse fires up, while a downtown seafood spot sinks P.35

9.24.25

Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.

If you’re anything like me, some days it’s hard to imagine good news. National headlines are exhausting, the world feels overwhelming, and hope can feel like a luxury. And yet, amid all that noise, there are people quietly carving out a different way to live.

In this week’s cover story (p.21), we talk to families who are going “car light”—trading one (or both) cars for bikes. It’s about saving money, shrinking your carbon footprint, and finding joy in the everyday commute. These small shifts don’t fix everything, of course. But they remind us that even in a messy, tiring world, there are choices that make life a little brighter, a little kinder, and a little more ours.

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This week’s contributors

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Towns Ackerman

Susan Albert

Catherine Anninos

Lori Balaban

Timothy Bambury

Catherine Barnes

Julie Basic

Susan Battani

Jennifer Beachley

Mayanna Bean

Denise Benson

Anne Bergamesca

Rebecca Berlin

Kim Biasiolli

Patrick Bird

Paddy Bowman

Paul Brewer

Claudia Murray

Brindle

Sumner Brown

Colette Brown

Jack Brown

Kate Buford

Cathleen Burgess

Carol Burger

Patricia Burkett

Michael Callahan

Linda and Pat

Canzanelli-Dantona

Brian Carlton

Helen Cathro

Janelle Catlett

James Clark Jr.

Diane Cluck

Karen Collins

Lorraine Collins

Beth Croghan

Margaret Crone

Emily Currier

Maria-Eugenia

Dalton

Charles Dassance

Pam and Peter Dennison

Nancy Dettor

Martha Donnelly

Charlotte Drummond

Louise Dudley

Lee Elberson

Jane Elmore

Karen Emmitt

Ken Engebretson

Elizabeth Engle

Rosa Ellen English

Joe Ethier

Tom & Anna Ferrell

M. Fife

Lavonne Fitts

Kevin Foley

Barbara Fornoff

Joan Forrest

Georgia Garrett

Gerald Giammatteo

David and Janna Gies

Stephanie Goodwin

Trice Gravatte

Andrew Greeley

Jennifer Grover

Cara Hall

Kendra Hall

Jeremy Harris-

McDonnell

Madeleine Hawks

Ann Marie Haynes

Mary Haynes

Elain Heffelfinger

Chris Hellings

Stephen Herrick

John Heyser

JoAnn Hofheimer

Lisa Hogan

Laura Horn

Christina Horton

Robert Inlow

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

Catherine Maguire

Greg Mallard

Jeff Martin

Virginia Masterson

Erin Mayer

Kieran Mcdowell

Mary McIntyre

Gretchen McKee

Ruth McWilliams

James Mernin

Nicolas Mestre

Tim Michel

Parthy Monagan

Vic Monti

Hilary Moorman

Michael Morency

Harold E. Morgan

Michael Moriarty

Catherine Moynihan

Jim Mummery

Karen Myers

Monica Newby

Sandy Newhouse

Kathy O’Connell

Dennis O’Connor

Diane Ober

Cynthia Van Osch

Annette Osso

Laila Ouhamou

Annette Owens

Timothy Palmer

Joe Peacock

Elizabeth Perdue

Joann Peters

James Peterson

Damon Pettitt

Elayne Phillips

Robin Powell

Anne Price

Ernest Pugh

Harry Purkey

Leslie Quenichet

Frances Racette

T. Radsky

Scott Ransom

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

Karen Schuyler

James Seitz

Elaine Shaw

Chuck Shelton

Paul Shettel

John Smith

Kristina Smith

Meredith Smoot

Mickey Speck

Maria Spence

Jim Spencer

David Stackhouse

Rod Stoner

Robert Strickland

Nichole Taylor

William Terrell

Emily Thiede

Reid Thompson

Prue Thorner

John Titus

Jessica Tobin

Erica Toy

Rose Trapnell

Jill Trischman-Marks

Susan Uland

Rick Vergot

Christina Walker

Steven Ward

David Waters

Chris Waugaman

Phoebe Weseley

Kelly West

Gary and Anne

Westmoreland

Jay Wildermann

Marcia Wilds

Andrew Wolf

Natalie Yancey

Suzanne Yeaman

Nura Yingling

Kelly Zalewski

Kathleen Zenker

Nathan Alderman is a writer, editor, and Oxford comma enthusiast in Crozet, Virginia. He volunteers for civic causes, folds a lot of laundry, and adores his spouse and his large, loud, hungry children. He’s written for C-VILLE, Macworld magazine, and The Motley Fool, among others. Read his work on page 21.

Kristie Smeltzer is a writer, writing coach, and teacher. Her fiction has been published by Scribes*MICRO* Fiction, MonkeyBicycle, and Atticus Review. Smeltzer earned her MFA in creative writing at the University of Central Florida. She also teaches creative writing classes for WriterHouse. Read her work on page 33.

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This is the first article in C-VILLE’s 2025 election series, which will cover local and statewide races in the lead-up to Election Day, November 4.

In the race

A rundown of Albemarle’s contested elections BY

CATIE RATLIFF

Early voting is underway and, among a sea of uncontested races, three in Albemarle County have two candidates on the ballot: the Samuel Miller District Board of Supervisors, the Rio District School Board, and the Scottsville Town Council.

Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, Samuel Miller District

With current Board Chair Jim Andrews not seeking reelection, Samuel Miller District voters will elect a new supervisor in November. The race between Fred Missel and Scott Smith marks the first contested election the magisterial district has seen in eight years. Despite their otherwise divergent priorities, the candidates agree on affordability, a streamlined process in development areas, and diversifying the county’s tax base.

Fred Missel

Democratic candidate and current Planning Commission chair, Missel is a familiar face

at Albemarle County government meetings, with roughly 15 years of work in local planning and architecture. If elected to the board, he says he will prioritize affordability, rural and environmental stewardship, and public schools and services.

While Smith has raised concerns about conflicts of interest given Missel’s employment by UVA and his role on the Planning Commission, Missel says his experience and collaborative relationships are a benefit to the county.

“I’ve worked on projects with the university that have benefited the greater community,” he says. “It’s important that we partner as a community, [the] county, the city, and the university.”

Drawing on his experience at the University of Virginia Foundation and on the Archi-

tectural Review Board, Missel wants to streamline the processes of building in development areas to improve affordability while preserving the character of the county’s rural areas.

“I’ve watched growth occur, and it’s inevitable,” he says. “We have to think about how best to do that in a way that makes the most sense for the infrastructure that as taxpayers we’ve invested in. So concentrating growth in the development areas also allows us to preserve the rural areas.”

From strengthening the county’s affordable housing fund to diversifying the tax base, Missel sees several paths to address Albemarle’s affordability crisis.

As for schools and public services, Missel says he is “learning more about education in schools and understanding how to provide

fair salaries to our teachers, to empower them, and to continue to ensure that the quality of our local public schools is at its highest level,” and noted the concerns about academic performance at county schools.

More information on Missel’s platform can be found at missel4albemarle.com.

Scott Smith

It’s been over a decade since a Republican was elected to the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, but that hasn’t deterred Smith. “I care about this community and want people to feel heard. Too often, decisions are made without considering how they affect families, businesses, and neighborhoods,” he

HOST COMMITTEE

says. “I want to bring common sense leadership that always puts residents first.”

If elected, Smith says he will prioritize affordability, safety, and government accountability in Albemarle.

“Housing prices have skyrocketed, property tax bills keep climbing, and families are being squeezed. We need to make sure county funds are spent wisely to ease that burden. We should also look at creative solutions like rezoning long vacant commercial properties for mixed use development,” says Smith. “I would focus on putting housing in the right places, keeping county spending in check so costs are not passed on to taxpayers, and protecting rural land to prevent sprawl.”

Framing himself as “the voice for common sense,” Smith also supports investing in law enforcement and crime prevention.

“Locally, the 2025 Mid Year Police Report shows public generated service calls up 8 percent and officer generated calls up 9 percent,” says Smith. “Mental health remains a challenge. … Residents I have spoken with report concerns about gunfire and safety in their neighborhoods. Officers have also shared frustration that criminals often return to the streets quickly.”

To promote economic development in Albemarle, Smith proposes “targeted incentives to companies,” cutting red tape for small businesses, and tailored workforce training programs.

“Skilled trades in particular are in demand and provide strong incomes,” he says. “Keeping talent here shows businesses that Albemarle is the right place to set up shop.”

More information on Smith’s platform can be found at scottsmithsupervisor.com.

Albemarle County School Board, Rio District

Both Leslie Pryor, who was appointed to the county school board after Chuck Pace died, and Jim Dillenbeck, who previously sought

election and appointment to the same seat, are vying to represent the Rio District.

Jim Dillenbeck

A frequent face at Albemarle School Board meetings, Dillenbeck’s priorities are largely unchanged, with a continued focus on academic performance, support for teachers and support staff, school safety, career preparation, and communication.

“The issues and problems that have existed for a number of years continue this year,” says Dillenbeck. “I feel compelled to speak up on behalf of the teachers that are working so hard and the students that seem to be, in some cases, falling further and further behind.”

Dillenbeck would like to see an “increased focus on helping the students, particularly at Woodbrook Elementary School, where more than half of the students in the last three years have failed the reading tests, the math tests, and the science SOL tests.”

Dillenbeck’s proposals include shifting funds from the central office to educator and support staff salaries.

“We’ve got to hire more elementary teachers in particular, and I think I see my role as bringing to the board’s attention the need for smaller class sizes and for greater teacher training and for retention,” he says. “Another thing that I’d love to do as a board member is to meet with teachers on a regular basis to hear what’s working well, what’s not working.”

More information on Dillenbeck’s platform can be found at jimforschoolboard.com.

Leslie Pryor

Appointed unanimously to the school board in January, Pryor has highlighted her professional experience and the perspective she brings to the role as a Black woman. She does not have a campaign website, and did not send responses to C-VILLE’s questions by press time.

Scottsville Town Council

In the Town of Scottsville, a special election is on the ballot to fill the seat left vacant when former councilmember Meredith Haynes left on October 22, 2024.

Molly Angevine

After putting together a write-in campaign, then seeking appointment to the seat, current Planning Commissioner Molly Angevine is now running a formal campaign.

“Last year, I entered the race to help properly represent the town of Scottsville’s demographic makeup. The current Town Council is made up of white males. This does not diminish my confidence in their abilities whatsoever,” says Angevine. “I bring a bit of diversity to the mix and will work hard to be an advocate and an ally to those who are underrepresented.”

If elected, Angevine’s priorities include emergency preparedness and expanding the boundaries of the town proper.

“[Town Council’s] justification for [dissolving the Emergency Preparedness Committee] was that we did not need it,” she says. “I disagree and would like to propose the next phase of emergency preparedness that encompasses a communication plan (including sirens and what they mean), written materials, coordinating volunteers, and threats beyond flooding or weather-related events.”

To include more neighbors in the electorate and bolster the budget, Angevine would also like to explore annexing more people into the town proper.

“When I talked to people last year, the number-one complaint … was that they lived and worked in [the] Town of Scottsville, but they didn’t have a voice in local government,” she says. “I would like to work with the members of Town Council to create committees of non-voting members to act as a stop gap to this issue until we can solve this problem.”

Edward Payne Jr.

After a narrow loss in Scottsville’s 2024 mayoral race, Payne resigned from his expiring term on Town Council to seek appointment to the seat left vacant after the general election.

At press time, Payne has not responded to C-VILLE’s request for comment.

A roundtable discussion including Payne and Angevine will be held at the Scottsville Library at 6pm on September 30.

Fred Missel Jim Dillenbeck

Scott Smith

OCT 22 - 26, 2025

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DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Lessons learnt

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson spoke at the University of Virginia on September 18. The conversation, organized by UVA Law’s Education Rights Institute, explored Jackson’s life and the perspectives she brings to the United States’ highest court.

Tickets to the free event in Old Cabell Hall went quickly, and were available on a first-come, first-served basis to UVA affiliates and community members.

Education Rights Institute Founder Kimberly Jenkins Robinson hosted the discussion with Jackson, whom she met while attending Harvard Law School. Rather than delve into her day-to-day experience as a Supreme Court justice, the event focused on the role of education in Jackson’s journey to the bench and her 2024 memoir, Lovely One.

The child of two public school teachers who encouraged learning year-round, Jackson began her education at a very early age. Beyond the classroom and science camps, an experience at her grandmother’s house when she was 8 years old deeply affected her views on education and kindness.

After laughing at a misspelled note about a broken sink, Jackson was scolded by her mother, who shared that her grandmother wrote the note and had no formal education.

“The lesson was just how grateful I was to be in a situation in which I had opportunities that my grandmother never had,” said Jackson. “That didn’t entitle me to make fun of someone who didn’t have the same gifts.”

Discussing the prejudice she encountered from elementary school to Harvard, Jackson quoted Toni Morrison: “The very serious function of racism is distraction.”

A video of Jackson and Robinson’s conversation at the UVA law school earlier in the day is available online. At press time, a recording of the evening event had not been made available. Catie Ratliff

Future pharmaceuticals

Manning Institute of Biotechnology director outlines hope for creating new medicines BY

SEAN TUBBS

The skyline above the Fontaine Research Park temporarily includes two cranes as construction continues on projects such as the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology.

Last spring, the institute’s first director was hired after a career in the pharmaceutical industry that he now hopes will have a new chapter in Virginia.

“When I joined on May 1, I was walking the site down in the basement and I am thrilled to report that we’ll be having the topping out party on October 6, when we put the last steel beam up on the fourth floor,” said Mark T. Esser during a recent press briefing.

Esser said he is experiencing a once-ina-lifetime chance to create a new biotechnology center from scratch at his alma mater. He earned his Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Virginia in 1998 and was vice president for vaccines and immune therapies at the firm AstraZeneca before his appointment.

Esser said the Manning Institute’s mission is simply to transform science into new treatments for people with neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

“It’s really hard work, like to say a molecule is not a medicine,” Esser said. “How do you manufacture these things at scale in a cost-effective way that can really benefit patients? I’ve been doing it for 25 years. Love it. It’s always exciting.”

Since taking the reins, Esser has been building relationships within the UVA community and preparing for additional lab space. For instance, more than 50,000 square feet will be dedicated to cancer re-

search. A goal is to work with groups like CvilleBioHub to continue growing an industry that is a top economic development priority for Albemarle County.

“We hope some of the research going on here at UVA and specifically in the Manning Institute will [advance] to a point where the technology is mature enough that people can start their own companies and kind of graduate from the Manning Institute,” Esser said.

According to research conducted for the recently adopted economic development strategic plan, the life sciences sector in Albemarle generated $269 million in “gross regional product” in 2024.

The University of Virginia Foundation and CvilleBioHub are building the infrastructure

IN BRIEF

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

to increase that amount with the creation of the Commonwealth Bio-Accelerator at the North Fork Discovery Park.

CvilleBioHub is leading a study to determine the workforce needs of a sector that could add hundreds of jobs in the near future. Esser encourages people to study math and science at an early age to prepare for a career in biotechnology and other related fields.

“There’s plenty of opportunities for young folks to actually get that experience working in the lab shoulder to shoulder with real scientists doing the bench work,” Esser said.

The Manning Institute is under construction at a time when pharmaceutical companies are investing in Virginia. Earlier this month, Eli Lilly announced a $5 billion factory in Goochland County that is expected to create 650 jobs. AstraZeneca has indicated that it will build a similar center in Virginia, but an official announcement has not yet been made for a location.

Esser said he is hopeful the first medicines that emerge from research at the Manning Institute will be under clinical trials by 2030. Science is not the institution’s only component and there will be collaboration with the Darden School of Business as well to help with raising capital and securing deals.

“We’ll actually have space dedicated in the building for these kinds of entrepreneurs and residents to come alongside and help do that type of work,” Esser said.

Another crane at the Fontaine Research Park is assisting with the construction of a parking garage that is being built to support the Manning Institute as well as UVA’s greater transportation needs.

University of Virginia celebrates 75 years of desegregation. Albemarle County police launch search for vandals in suspected break-in. Bodies of two Central Virginia natives who went missing while hunting in Colorado wilderness recovered. Shooting victim dropped at Lake Monticello gate before being transferred to hospital. UVA Board of Visitors approves schematic design for its proposed Center for the Arts. Gubernatorial hopeful Abigail Spanberger makes campaign stop on Grounds. Early voting began September 19. ACPD arrests Greene County resident Brian Tichner on multiple shoplifting charges. Unoccupied commercial building off 29N catches fire. Charlottesville Police Department opens investigation into Jefferson Park Avenue indecent exposure incident. HGTV names Charlottesville in its list of top 40 most charming towns in America.

Mark Esser, director of the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology, speaks with a worker on September 22, while construction on the institute continues.

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

REAL ESTATE NEWS

Northern opportunity

Former Bamboo House property on U.S. 29N is for sale BY SEAN TUBBS

Albemarle County and the University of Virginia are both betting that properties on U.S. 29 north of Airport Road will yield an economic development bonanza.

A development company representing the owners of the now-closed Bamboo House restaurant at 4831 Seminole Trl. is hoping to capitalize on investment in both the Rivanna Futures project and the North Fork Discovery Park to attract a buyer willing to redevelop the property.

“We view this site as an ideal infill development prospect within a rapidly growing corridor, which leverages the existing infrastructure and nearby amenities,” says Sam Orr, executive vice president of McKenzie Commercial Real Estate Services.

Orr said the restaurant has been closed since 2020 and the site could support a multifamily or small commercial building. However, the two parcels totaling four acres are within Albemarle County’s rural area and the Board of Supervisors would need to approve a rezoning for any meaningful development. The Comprehensive Plan discourages such approvals on rural area property.

“Our Growth Management Policy prioritizes building efficiently in Development Areas over expanding the current boundary,” reads the draft of the new Comprehensive Plan called AC44.

The northernmost section of Albemarle County’s growth area is across from the Bamboo House property. Albemarle owns the land directly to the south after purchasing over 450 acres from developer Wendell Wood as part of the Rivanna Futures transaction in December 2023. While the county rezoned a portion of that property to prepare for a future defense and intelligence sector, the northern portion remains in the rural area.

The North Fork Discovery Park was added to the growth area in the early 1990s at the same time around 3.75 square miles were added. The property is within the jurisdiction of the Places Master Plan, which describes

what infrastructure is desired when land there is rezoned.

Albemarle County has been reviewing its Comprehensive Plan since November 2021 and the process will wrap up this fall with public hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. The AC44 update does not include any expansion of the growth area but does state that the boundaries are not set in stone forever.

“The Board of Supervisors could pursue a boundary revision independently of a future area planning effort and should request the county executive to direct staff to develop a Development Area report,” AC44 continues.

That report would include whether potential development-area land would have access to public water and sewer, a key reason why the growth areas were created in the 1971 Comprehensive Plan, and why supervisors voted to downzone much of the county in 1980.

One observer of Albemarle real estate says the county should look to U.S. 29N as one place to expand the boundary.

“Considering the infrastructure investment made, it would be irresponsible for planners not to look to northern Albemarle for future development,” says Neil Williamson of the Free Enterprise Forum.

Williamson says that includes millions spent by the Albemarle County Service Authority to extend utilities and replace aging infrastructure.

Annie Gould Gallery

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Closed since 2020, the two-parcel, four-acre Bamboo House property will likely need approval from the county Board of Supervisors before it can be redeveloped.

A unique art gallery located in the heart of historic Gordonsville.

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BY Nathan Alderman

Kevin Driscoll, who rides his e-bike with his daughter strapped in on the back, says, “It’s genuinely more fun to ride the e-bike to do something than to ride in the car.”

A SINGLE CAR

no longer sufficed. Kevin Driscoll, his wife, and their young daughter needed another way to get around. But instead of a second car, they chose a different set of wheels.

“I debated a long time on getting an e-bike because it was kind of a big purchase,” says Driscoll, an associate professor at the University of Virginia. But he met friends who’d been using their battery-powered, motor-assisted bikes to zip around town. They knew mechanics at a local shop who could service those bikes. “That gave me a lot of confidence about buying it.” And when Driscoll heard about a cargo bike for sale—at the time, an ideal configuration for carrying his daughter—he took the plunge.

Roughly two years later, Driscoll has no regrets. “It’s genuinely more fun to ride the e-bike to do something than to ride in the car.”

In Charlottesville and cities across the country, the growing popularity of e-bikes has led more families to go “car-light,” replacing one or both of their cars with a two- or three-wheeled alternative. Locals who’ve made the switch say their e-bikes make a faster, more pleasant, and less expensive way to get around town— provided you can accept a few key trade-offs.

These things go in cycles

PeopleForBikes, a bicycling industry group, surveys U.S. bike users annually to see how they’re using those wheels. Liam Donoghue, an Esmont resident and senior research manager for the group, says that it doesn’t currently have hard data on families going carlight. But results in its recent surveys suggest that more people are using bicycles for more purposes.

“Riding for transportation is up in the last 10 years,” Donoghue says, “even if riding only for transportation isn’t.” Data from the 2024 PeopleForBikes U.S. bicycling participation survey shows that the percentage of respondents who used bikes only for transportation—as opposed to recreation—stayed roughly constant, from 8 percent in 2014 to 2018 to 9 percent in 2024. But the combined share of people who reported using bikes for transportation alone, or for both fun and transportation, climbed from 44 percent to 54 percent in the same time frame.

Another PeopleForBikes survey from 2024 shows increases in respondents using their bicycles for commuting, from 14.6 percent in 2021 to 18.3 percent in 2024, and running errands, which rose from 13.1 percent to 16.2 percent in the same period.

“Obviously neither of these suggests a single person traded a car for a bike or bought a bike instead of a car,” Donoghue says. “But it does show that riding for utilitarian reasons is on the rise.”

Pedaling solutions

“We all default to, well, a car is what’s going to get me there,” says Matthew Gillikin, a speech therapist at UVA Hospital and co-chair of the advocacy group Livable Cville. “Especially once you realize how expensive it is to have a car, you start to think a little differently.”

“E-bikes felt like they offered a lot of advantages over a car,” says Sadie Van Vranken, “and we felt confident we could still get where we needed to go and accomplish our regular errands without a car.”

In July 2023, Van Vranken, a teacher, and her husband, James, an Albemarle County planner, traded their 17-year-old car for a pair of bikes, including a cargo bike big enough for their weekly grocery haul. “The cargo bike has proven to be an amazing fit,” Sadie Van Vranken says, noting that it’s carried “everything from Christmas trees to suitcases.”

James Van Vranken says he and his wife “no longer have to think about parking. There’s always a bike rack or a pole close to our destination, and it’s almost always closer than the nearest car parking.”

With a car, the Van Vrankens say they filled their gas tank once a week. Now, 3,000 miles on the cargo bike later, they rent a car roughly twice a year for trips out of state or to the airport. With an energy meter borrowed from the local library, they calculated that “we spend less than 1 cent per mile to charge the bikes,” James Van Vranken says. “It’s given us a significant boost in disposable income, and means we know we can easily save to buy a replacement vehicle without going into debt.”

Gillikin says his family got e-bikes to make sure they could get their children to various activities and appointments without needing to climb in the car. “In 45 minutes, I’m going to take my middle kid to soccer practice on the e-bike over in Belmont,” Gillikin says during a phone interview. “And my wife’s off at [Charlottesville High School] right now in a meeting with the car. If she’s not back in time, it’s totally fine, because I’ve got the bike to take him.”

Biking’s bountiful benefits

Claire Denton-Spalding, a consultant, has what she calls “a car and a half. One car that is good, and another car that’s my parents’ 1999 Toyota Sienna,” which she occasionally uses to haul larger items. She purchased an e-bike in summer 2022 to get around the city.

She recalled an evening last summer where, on a whim and a free night, she grabbed dinner on the Downtown Mall, biked to Riverview Park to walk the trail, and then cycled home. Denton-Spalding says the bike gives her more flexibility than a car: “I love just being able to make decisions on the fly while biking.”

MC Forelle, a UVA assistant professor, and their spouse Patrick Davison, research director for a nonprofit, say biking around is equally great for their 6- and

Claire Denton-Spalding has what she calls “a car and a half. One car that is good, and another car that’s my parents’ 1999 Toyota Sienna.”

Livable Cville Co-chair Matthew Gillikin can see why some people wouldn’t want to go car-light in Charlottesville, citing poor biking infrastructure.

4-year-old children. “They’re looking around, and they’re experiencing sunshine and wind and sometimes talking to passers by,” Davison says. “In the car, it’s always kind of the same, like, ‘Turn on this song and give me a snack.’”

“They yell at every person on the sidewalk they see,” Forelle adds, “which is really cute.”

“I get such a trip from hearing them squeal with joy,” Davison says. “They just have so much fun riding the bike. Even when I’m tired, that pushes me, just to know that they are getting so much out of it, too.”

With limited parking and hard-to-get permits on UVA Grounds, Forelle says their e-bike also saves them time and money at work. Rather than paying for a spot in a distant lot, they can ride directly to their office and secure their bike at the rack just outside.

Davison says that for he and his spouse, using e-bikes is “a calculation about putting off the purchase of a second car” to supplement their small, 12-year-old Chevy. The longer they can be “two adults who can go in two different directions and do two different things, despite only having one car,” the more they can avoid a monthly car payment. “We’ve never thought of our [e-bikes] as a car replacement,” he says. “We have thought of ours as a car extension.”

Road rules

None of the car-light families in this story described e-biking as a one-size-fits-all solution. Many noted the weather’s role in whether they take a bike or a car. The Van Vrankens, who entirely replaced their car with e-bikes, invested in “lights, rain gear, gloves, and balaclavas” for cycling in any condition.

“That’s the thing about cars,” Forelle says. “They do get you where you need to go, regardless of what the weather is, regardless of whether you have a cold or you hurt your knee or whatever.”

But while their opinions of drawbacks varied, every car-light family we interviewed had one concern in common.

“I totally understand why people would not feel comfortable biking around Charlottesville right now,” Gillikin says, “because we don’t have good bike infrastructure.”

“I’m a pretty experienced biker,” Denton-Spalding says. “Even for me, some of these streets in Charlottesville feel extremely dangerous. I bike up and down Fifth Street and I’ve been buzzed by cars. I’ve seen cars in the bike lane.” She suggests the city should build more protected bike lanes, like the one it plans to add on Fifth Street by spring 2026.

Many of the car-light families we talked to described certain roads where they simply didn’t feel safe, and mentioned planning routes carefully in advance until they grew more comfortable getting around on their bikes.

“You can be as safe as you want,” Forelle says, “but there are some drivers in Charlottesville who are going to make themselves your problem no matter what.”

The White Line, an organization promoting safer roads, tracks the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed by cars. Between 2001 and 2023, the site reports two cyclist deaths in the Charlottesville area—one in 2010 on West Main Street, and another in 2021 on Ivy Road west of the city.

Gillikin says making the city friendlier for bikes would benefit more than just cyclists. “Good bike infrastructure is good infrastructure for people with mobility devices and people with power wheelchairs,” he says. “I think it can be good infrastructure for people pushing strollers or pushing someone in a wheelchair around.”

“If you build safe bike infrastructure,” Denton-Spalding says, “people will start using it.”

Dare yourself to drive less

Week Without Driving, a national event organized by advocacy groups America Walks and Disability Rights Washington, says one-third of Americans can’t rely on a car to get where they need to go. From September 29 to October 5, the event challenges everyone who signs up to spend one week driving their car as little as possible.

Want to participate? The challenge imposes simple rules: Don’t drive yourself anywhere. If you ask someone for a ride,

Happiness on two wheels

Going car-light likely isn’t the right move for everyone. “I think a lot of the stuff that makes it true for us to be a car-light family comes with a fair amount of privilege,” Davison says, acknowledging that the flexibility that lets e-bikes work for him and Forelle might not hold true for others.

Most commuter e-bikes cost between $1,000 and $3,000; cargo bikes can run $6,000 or more. Given the cost, many of the families we interviewed suggested that people interested in going car-light first borrow a bike from the Charlottesville E-Bike Lending Library, a local organization that provides free rentals for a variety of e-bike models.

And if an e-bike appeals to you enough to consider trading one or more cars for it, “get the bike first,” Davison says. “Don’t take the plunge, give yourself a safety net.” He recommended “being gentle with yourself and realizing that using your bike every day might not be something that just turns on overnight.”

Still, all the families we spoke with said they’re glad they added e-bikes to their transportation options.

think about what that favor’s costing them, and what you could do to pay it back. If you grab a taxi or rideshare, imagine how that expense would fit into your budget if you had to pay it regularly. Use buses, bikes, or your own two feet to get around.

If you do have to drive, you haven’t failed, the group says. Just use the opportunity to envision how someone without that option might have needed to make do.

You can sign up for the challenge at livablecville.org/weekwithoutdriving.—NA

James Van Vranken says he’s surprised at “how much calmer and happier I feel on a bike. There’s something about being out in the open, more aware of the environment and your surroundings, that feels relaxing and natural. Now any time I’m in a car, I feel really enclosed and quick to anger and frustration.”

“I don’t have to worry about parking,” Denton-Spalding says. “I don’t have to think about, oh, do I need to fill up my gas tank? Do I need to add like 15 other errands? I have my bike and the freedom it offers, and it feels incredible.”

Annual

FALL FIBER FESTIVAL

Saturday, October 4th, 2025 10am - 5pm Sunday, October 5th, 2025 10am - 4pm

At James Madison’s Montpelier

Montpelier Station in Orange County

We will bring ewe great workshops for kids & adults, animal exhibits, sheep dog trials, shearing, crafts demonstrations, a fleece sale, fiber and crafts vendors, food court and more!

Children under 16 free | Adults $10 at gate

Friday art classes available! See website for schedule.

(434) 882-2222 - Michele Mangham

www.fallfiberfestival.org

Only demonstration dogs allowed, NO pet dogs FallFiberFestival Purchase Tickets Here:

UVA MUSIC EVENTS

Date/Time/Place Event

Thursday 9/25, 6pm Carrs Hill Field

Saturday 9/27, 7:30pm Old Cabell Hall

Sunday 9/28, 3:30pm MLKPAC at CHS

Tuesday 9/30, 8pm Old Cabell Hall

Thursday 10/2, 7pm 113 Old Cabell Hall

Friday 10/3, 8pm Old Cabell Hall

Sunday 10/5, 3:30pm Old Cabell Hall

Friday 10/7, 6:30pm Carrs Hill Field

Friday 10/24, 1pm Old Cabell Hall

* denotes free events

Cavalier Marching Band. * Open Rehearsal: CMB after Dark

Charlottesville Symphony Respighi Fountains of Rome

Charlottesville Symphony Respighi Fountains of Rome

Amina Claudine Meyers * Organ Concert

Vivaldi Project Open Workshop * with the Baroque Orchestra

Vivaldi Project Concert * with David Sariti

UVACMS: Elizabeth Roberts, Bassoon with John Mayhood and Peter Spaar

Cavalier Marching Band * Open Rehearsal: Hoos take Flight

Gaelynn Lea's Colloquium *

All artists, programs and venues are subject to change. Office: 434.924.3052; music@virginia.edu; https://music.virginia.edu Box Office: 434.924.3376, artsboxoffice.virginia.edu

uvamusic:

music.virginia.edu/events Subscribe to our music email

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STAGES CULTURE

Wednesday 9/24 music

Berto and Matt. Brazilian and Latin treasures to make you smile from the inside out. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

South Canal Street. Covering songs drawn mostly from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, including Motown, funk, soul, rock, and pop. Free, 5:30pm. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. keswickvineyards.com

The Wavelength. Vintage rock, blues, and originals. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com dance

Modern Western Square Dance Class. Square dance class with music and live caller. No experience necessary and no partner needed. Come solo or bring friends. Free, 7pm. Woodbrook Elementary School, 100 Woodbrook Dr.

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

classes

All About the Bangles. Learn to form, solder, hammer, and texture metal to make two to three fun, sterling silver and/or bronze bangles. No metalsmithing experience necessary. $150, 6pm. Malleable Studios, 1304 E. Market St., Studio T. malleablestudios.com

Copper Oxidation Workshop. “Teeny Tiny Trifecta 8” exhibiting artist Chris Haske leads a hands-on copper oxidation workshop using accessible materials to achieve stunning, unique results. $20–25, 5:30pm. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE. secondstreetgallery.org

Paint + Sip: Blue Ridge Starry Night. Learn how to paint this special design across one or two canvases in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials provided. $36, 6pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. blueridgebrushes.com

Paint + Sip: Dark Sunset. Learn how to paint the design in a step-by-step format, no experience necessary. All materials and first beverage included with ticket purchase. $40, 6pm. Pro Re Nata Farm Brewery, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpk., Crozet. blueridgebrushes.com

etc.

Dürty Karaoke. Dive bar karaoke for your hump days. Free, 8:30pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

SATURDAY 9/27

SMOKE SHOW

Bob Mould

According to the internet, Bob Mould performed at the Marquee in New York City on March 8, 1991, touring his second solo album, Black Sheets of Rain. As an 18-year-old, I won two tickets to the show by calling into the local Long Island alternative radio station around 2am. Because no one I knew was interested in joining me, and because I wasn’t enthralled with the prospect of training it into the city to see some hardcore vet named Bob—whose music I had limited exposure to—the tickets sat in my suburban bedroom’s desk drawer for years. I assume Bob actually played this show. Bob, who’d made a name for himself with Minneapolis-based punk trio Hüsker Dü, began a solo career following the group’s

breakup in 1988. He put it on hold in the ’90s for the more successful, albeit short-lived, band Sugar.

The Southern Café & Music Hall

SEPTEMBER 26

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

Shine Cville: LGBTQ+ Youth Social Event. A social event for LGBTQ+ high school-aged youth in the Charlottesville area featuring arcade games, giveaways, crafts, and free food. Free, 4:30pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

Thursday 9/25

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

John Benjamin. A full-time performer and songwriter playing 140 shows a year, from Maine to Nashville to Florida. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory. Writing and recording in total collaboration with her band for the first time, Van Etten finds the freedom that comes by letting go. With Torres. $45, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

The Falsies x Cinema Hearts. Charlottesville’s legendary absurdist theatrical rock band performs with Washington, D.C.’s sparkling indie rock project from former Miss America contender Caroline Weinroth. Free, 7pm. SuperFly Brewing Co., 943 Preston Ave. superflybrewing.com

Will Overman. Local alt-country with fish pic vibez. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Honky-tonk outfit Ramona & the Holy Smokes light it up with a recordrelease show for a self-produced, self-titled debut album. Ramona Martinez’s emotionally evocative vocals are backed by a scorching-hot band steeped in classic country of the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, with contemporary songwriting that pushes boundaries and connects cultures. Nelson County native Kai CroweGetty and Brooklyn-based, West Virginia-raised singer-songwriter Olivia Ellen Lloyd perform in support. $19.25, 7:30pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

With the exception of a few electronic detours, he’s been sticking with his guitardriven, rock band sound since 1996, most recently with this year’s Here We Go Crazy. I admit, I’m still not an aficionado, but the latest comes across as more of what fans would want and probably expect from Bob at this stage of his career. More guitar, more melodic vocal rage. Truth is, he’s had such a long list of famous musicians crediting his influence that it’s hard to imagine him dropping another surprise on everyone like his electronic Modulate (2002). It’s already been more than a decade since he wrote his biography, so where else can such a giant of the alternative-rock world go? If you said Charlottesville, you’d be a winner.—CM Gorey

stage

Romeo & Juliet Shakespeare’s most iconic story of young love—reckless, tender, and allconsuming. $35–70, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespeare center.com

etc.

Bingo Night. Enjoy friendly competition, prizes, and food. Funds raised go directly to providing vital services for older adults in central Virginia in celebration of JABA’s 50th anniversary. Free, 6pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.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

Trivia Night with Mike & Miranda. Play alone, or bring a team of up to six and let the good times roll with five rounds of brain-teasing trivia. Free, 6:15pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Friday 9/26 music

1995: 30 Years Later. Featuring The Let Downs playing Radiohead’s The Bends and Supervixen playing Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Bob Mould: Solo Electric. A singer, guitarist, songwriter, and producer who’s been an influential figure in alternative music for decades. $40.40, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Brandon Wayne & His Lonesome Drifters. A sunset soirée featuring a powerhouse quartet playing classic vintage hillbilly boogie, western swing, surf instrumentals, and rockabilly, as well as Wayne’s evergrowing repertoire of originals. Free, 6pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

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

Fridays on the Canal: South Canal Street Band. A three-piece group plays country rock, classic hits, and soul. Enjoy food trucks, craft beverages, and vendors from around the region at this familyfriendly event. Free, 5pm. Canal Basin Square , 249 Main St., Scottsville. cbs.avenue.org

Humberto Sales and Matt Wyatt. Vocal and instrumental music rooted in Brazilian and Latin repertoire. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

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

John D’earth Quintet. A trumpet player with a striking, original sound and a technique that he mobilizes for spitfire improvisation and gripping melodies. Free, 5:30pm. Pollak Vineyards, 330 Newtown Rd., Greenwood. pollakvineyards.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

CULTURE STAGES

Kirsten Haze. A variety of folk, alt-country, rootsrock, and country-blues, with a hint of jazz and swing. Free, 5pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Musical Suspects. Hard-grooving and soulful, Matt Horn and his Musical Suspects keep the crowd on its feet and moving. Free, 10pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Prabir Trio. Richmond rock ‘n’ roll with raga sensibility. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Sweet Potatoes. Jazz music inspired by the old jazz tradition. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Transatlantic Invasion. Live music in a winery setting. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com dance

United We Dance: The Ultimate Rave Experience. A genre-blending journey through the best of electronic music, past and present. Festival attire encouraged. Ages 18+. $24, 9pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

World Ballet Company: Cinderella. An enchanting story for all ages with a wonderful dose of humor, majesty of classical ballet, and the promise of “happily ever after.” $36–105, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net stage

Bent Theatre Improv. The “Best Performance Troupe in Charlottesville,” according to voters in Best of C-VILLE. Free, 7pm. Fallen Tree Vineyard and Farm, 4593 Clark Rd., Crozet. fallentreevineyard.com

The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Shakespeare at his most playful, where friendship tangles with romance and characters stumble through the beautiful, messy chaos of growing up. $41–75, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com classes

Mahjong 101. Whether you’re brand new to the tiles or looking to brush up your skills, we’ve got a class just for you. $85, 9:30am and 1pm. Caspari, 100 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. casparionline.com Paint + Sip: Autumn Lake. Learn how to paint the design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials provided. Painting takes

Black Violin

For a classical strings-meets-hiphop beats duo, there’s something very unexpected about what Black Violin has become: easy to listen to. That’s both good and bad. Violist/vocalist Wil Baptiste and violinist Kev Marcus have made a choice to evolve over 21 years of fusing disparate styles. But as is often the case, time and repeated exposure can limit the impact of singularity with music and art.

Anyone who can remember how utterly shocking Metallica sounded in 1984 can laugh now that aggressive thrash is the music of choice at major league sporting events. Such is the case with Black Violin’s initial combo of virtuosity with trap beats: At first it was revolutionary. That was before every car commercial since 2015 used the idea

place in a space up stairs with no ramp or elevator access. $36, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, September 25. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

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

Saturday 9/27

music

Blake Hunter & The Gatherers. An intoxicating blend of melodic and polyrhythmic bliss. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers. Hornsby has built one of the most diverse, collaborative, and adventurous careers in contemporary music, drawing from a vast wellspring of American musical traditions. With very special guest Eggy. $119, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Charlottesville Symphony Masterworks: Resphighi’s Fountains of Rome Featuring John Adams’ The Chairman Dances; Ottorino Respighi’s Fountains of Rome; Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, S. 244/2; and Keiko Abe’s Prism Rhapsody for marimba and orchestra. $10–53, 7:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. cvillesymphony.org

Danny Jams. A Richmond-based indie-electronic loop artist whose 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

John Kelly. Charlottesville-based singer-songwriter with more than two decades of solo acoustic performing experience. Free, 12:30pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com

LockJaw. A four-piece blues rock band covering primarily ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s classic rock, plus some classic R&B and country for variety. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Mirabelle and Matty. An accomplished and versatile musician introduces his family to the stage for a brilliant duet. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

to pair nose-in-the-air luxury with one-footin-the-street bad-assery.

BV has been acknowledged for its originality, receiving a Grammy nomination for 2019’s Take the Stairs. The latest release, Full Circle, sounds less challenging than earlier accomplishments. That’s not to say the duo’s chops have suffered in any sense, but in veering from its original blueprint to incorporate vocals and palatable musical styles, the result blends together in a way that older material couldn’t.

Ramona & the Holy Smokes. An album release party for the band representing a new generation of honky-tonk music, with powerful female vocals and a talented backing band steeped in classic country and western styles. $19, 7:30pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

South River Strings. A local four-piece string band produces an eclectic mix of rock, blues, and bluegrass in a soulful blend with rich harmonies. Free, 6pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholm vineyards.com

Todd Marcus Quartet. Bold, straight-ahead jazz with lyrical intensity. Marcus is one of the few jazz artists worldwide to focus their work primarily on the bass clarinet. $10–24, 7:30pm. The Front Porch , 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com

Uncle Bengine and the Restraining Orders. Harrisonburg-based rock ‘n’ roll band blends punk, rock, and folk influences from the underground basement scene and the surrounding Shenandoah Valley. With Matt Woods. Free, 5pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellys charlottesville.com

dance

September Ballroom Dance. This month: Argentine Tango, taught by David Acunzo. Beginners welcome, no partner needed. Come for the class and stay for the social dance. Pay at the door, cash or checks only. $5–15, 7pm. The Center, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org

stage

Gullah Meditations A staged performance of new interpretations of Gullah Geechee spirituals, featuring tenor Victor Ryan Robertson, dancer Fana Minea Tesfagiorgis, and pianist Adrianne Duncan. $35–40, 4pm. University Baptist Church, 1223 W. Main St. victoryhallopera.org

Romeo & Juliet See listing for Thursday, September 25. $45-80, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

The Two Gentlemen of Verona. See listing for Friday, September 26. $41–75, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

words

Artist Talk and Welcome Reception. Learn about Robert Fielding’s exhibition “Tjukurpa | Handle It,” and hear from the artist about his practice and

process. Free, 1:30pm. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org

Poetry Reading: Bobby Elliott and Valencia Robin. Elliott reads from his debut poetry collection, The Same Man, and Robin reads from her new poetry collection, Lost Cities. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com

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

Edible, Medicinal, Utilitarian Plant Walk. Identify and discuss uses for 20+ plants on a moderately difficult hike. Rain or shine. $55, 2pm. Nealand Farm, 8232 Scottsville Rd., Scottsville. nealand.farm

Mahjong 101. See listing for Friday, September 26. $85, 9:30am. Caspari, 100 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. casparionline.com

Mahjong 102. Take your tile skills to the next level. $85, 1pm. Caspari, 100 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. casparionline.com

Paint + Sip: Blue Ridge Autumn. Learn how to paint the design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $36, 2pm. Patch Brewing Co., 10271 Gordon Ave., Gordonsville. blueridgebrushes.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 an introduction to the art of bookbinding. Ages 12+. $45, 3pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com etc.

Black Barbers of Charlottesville Tour. Take a look at the City of Charlottesville through the history of its Black barbers on this walking tour focusing on stories from the late-19th and early20th centuries. $5–20, noon. Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, 200 Second St. NE. albemarlehistory.org

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, September 25. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Charlottesville City Market. 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

The Paramount Theater SEPTEMBER 30

Now with DJ SPS, drummer/percussionist Nat Stokes, and keyboardist/programmer Liston Gregory in tow, it’s possible that the new collaborations have brought a democratic take to creating, which may actually suit larger audiences; it’s the price of mass appeal.—CM Gorey

Court Square: Where Charlottesville Began Tour. This walking tour explores the history of the region, from the Monacan Nation to its modern history and the removal of four controversial monuments in 2021. $5–20, 10am. Albemarle County Courthouse, 501 E. Jefferson St. albemarle history.org

DEI Plants Do Comedy: Pride Edition. A Pride Month comedy show hosted by Marilyn Hajj, featuring some of the funniest queer talents from the DMV. $15, 8pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

Freedom Hair Film Screening. The true story of Melony Armstrong, a young mother who decides to start a natural hair braiding business to achieve financial independence for herself and others. Free, 11am. The Center, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org

Georgia O’Keeffe: The Brightness of Light Screening and Q&A. A screening of the documentary connecting the iconic artist to the local community, with a Q&A with Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Wagner, producer Ellen Casey Wagner, and UVA’s Beth Turner. $20–40, 2pm. Light House Studio: Vinegar Hill Theatre, 220 W. Market St. lighthousestudio.org

Historic Downtown Mall Tour. A casual eightblock walk around Charlottesville’s historic pedestrian Downtown Mall. Learn about the development and expansion of local businesses along Main Street before and after the Civil War. $5–20, 11am. Ting Pavillion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. albemarlehistory.org

Music and Mushroom Festival. Featuring an oyster mushroom cultivation workshop, live music by Perennial Collection, D’Mary’s Taco Truck, a native plant sale, and a UV flashlight tour of the gardens after dark. $5–35, 3pm. The Quarry Gardens at Schuyler, 1643 Salem Rd., Schuyler. victory hallopera.org

Sunday 9/28

music

Brian Franke. An independent award-winning singer-songwriter and cover artist. Free, 1pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Charlottesville Symphony Masterworks: Resphighi’s Fountains of Rome Featuring John Adams’ The Chairman Dances; Ottorino Respighi’s Fountains of Rome; Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, S. 244/2; and Keiko Abe’s Prism Rhapsody for marimba and orchestra. $10–53, 3:30pm. Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center, 1400 Melbourne Rd. cvillesymphony.org

Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors: Medicine Anniversary Tour. For the better part of two decades, this award-winning songwriter has brought his audience together with American roots music. $35–45, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Gina Sobel and Matt Draper. The brilliant multiinstrumentalist duo of Sobel and Draper entertain with their Americana and bluesy tunes. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

John Kelly. Local singer-songwriter with more than two decades of solo acoustic performing experience plays contemporary rock and classic tunes. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Rachel Karpo. New Jersey native and Air Force veteran pours her heart into every note she sings in tunes from the ’80s and ’90s, including classic rock and country favorites. Free, noon. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. keswickvineyards.com

Robert Jospé Trio. The distinguished drummer and educator known for his versatile style and con-

tributions to jazz and world music is joined by David Sun on keys and Joseph Nichols on bass. Free, 1pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

Whitey Morgan: Acoustic Songs & Stories Tour. With a career rooted in grit, soul, and more than 15 years of relentless touring, Morgan has long stood as one of the fiercest torchbearers of outlaw country. $60, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

dance

BRIMS Ceol and Ceili. Musicians join together with BRIMS instructors to play reels, jigs, and polkas for dancers. All dances taught and called by BRIMS dance instructors. All ages welcome, no previous experience needed. Free, 3pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

stage

Romeo & Juliet See listing for Thursday, September 25. $41–75, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespeare center.com

words

Back to the Garden: Stories about Mother Nature. Cville Stories presents a show with local storytellers sharing true personal stories about Mother Nature and the great outdoors. Free, 4pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

classes

Paint + Sip: Rolling Hills of Color. Learn how to paint the design in a step-by-step format, no experience necessary. All materials provided. Note: class takes place up stairs with no ramp or elevator access. $36, 1pm. Virginia Wine Collective, 1585 Avon St. Ext. blueridgebrushes.com etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, September 25. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Silent Book Club. Sit and read in quiet camaraderie. No assigned reading, no obligations. Bring your own book of choice. Free, 12:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

Monday 9/29

words

Storytime. A magical storytime adventure where the pages come alive and imagination knows no bounds. Free with admission to the museum, 10:30am. Virginia Discovery Museum, 524 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. vadm.org

Tuesday 9/30

music

Black Violin: Full Circle Tour. For nearly two decades, Black Violin has been merging string arrangements with modern beats and vocals and building bridges in communities along the way. $29–54, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Danny Beirne. Legendary piano performer of the Skip Castro Band. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Jazz Tuesdays. Guitar virtuoso Jeff Massanari is joined by Liz Barnes on piano, Karl Kimmel on bass, and Pat Hayes on drums. Free, 7:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapture restaurant.com

Marinus Concerts: Boyd Meets Girl. Acclaimed guitar and cello duo perform a musical journey

Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory

When you’re ambitious, you do what you can to chisel out your chunk of fame. So what has Sharon Van Etten been doing? In following a singer-songwriter migration pattern that’s led her to Tennessee, New York, and California, she’s stockpiled her cred in indie circles (note her press release being penned by none other than Lol Tolhurst, a founding member of The Cure), appeared in a few movies, and even an episode of “Twin Peaks.”

But regarding her bread and butter—music—Van Etten’s been cranking out a reliable stream of confessional indie rock since 2009’s Because I Was in Love. Now, she’s got a three-piece band behind her, so after six solo efforts, she has released a self-titled debut of sorts with The Attachment Theory.

The Jefferson Theater SEPTEMBER 25

across genres and centuries in an elegant yet casual vineyard setting. $8–32, 6pm. King Family Vineyard, 6550 Roseland Farm, Crozet. kingfamily vineyards.com

Van Etten’s voice stays an asset: tough, unwaveringly committed to lyric narratives, and melodic with stone-cut takes on femininity, or the unbearable weight of existence. Take the angelic intoning on “Afterlife,” which slightly pumps with soft keys and melodic bass before breaking into a desperate philosophical chorus. Or better still, “Southern Life (What It Must Be Like),” a song enveloped with her resounding lows sweeping into impressive heights—with angst reminiscent of Ian Curtis, and set amidst a mid-tempo, dance floor, post-punk pace that glows within a glistening synth landscape. Will these expertly executed artistic visions make her even more famous? Now in her mid-40s, she probably doesn’t care. So yeah, they probably will.—CM Gorey

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.

DEVIN

The Vivaldi Project The Vivaldi Project

Classical Chamber Music Reimagined: a program of late 18th-century duos, trios, and quartets with guest violinist David Sariti

Free Concert: 8pm Friday, October 3rd

Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia

Workshop with the UVA Baroque Orchestra 7-9pm Thursday, October 2nd

Old Cabell Hall, Room 113

Supported by the Gertrude

Weber Endowment for Music

TRIED IT IN C’VILLE CULTURE

Heed the call of foam-covered battle

For those of us who grew up dueling with long cardboard tubes from the center of wrapping paper rolls, our days of swordplay needn’t be over. (My nephew dubbed those tubes “DOOT-da-doos” because they also double as instruments.)

In my mid-life renaissance, I’ve leaned harder into my weirdo ways. I play Dungeons & Dragons weekly with my pack of nerds. I enjoy fantasy video games like Baldur’s Gate. Another endeavor of middle age is finding fun ways to get exercise—emphasis on fun. This combination of nerdy interests and fitness led me to join a local live action role-playing (LARPing) group for a session of foam swordplay. Is that the Horn of Gondor you hear? Nay, ’tis the DOOT-da-doo of Zorn Vongal.—Kristie Smeltzer

What

Engaging in foam-covered combat with LARPing group Zorn Vongal.

Why

To get exercise while venting some aggression in a gentle battle.

How it went

I worked up a solid sweat whilst having a super fun time.

Zorn Vongal meets for regular practice most Sundays at Darden Towe Park. I turned up at noon and helped unload foamcovered shields and padded weapons of various kinds. During my noob briefing, I learned about different kinds of weapons and the kind of damage they cause. Weapons marked with red tape are effectively armor-piercing, meaning they break shields and penetrate armor for those choosing to wear any. One young kobold (the term the group uses for participating children) showed up in a metal chest plate that he wore until the heat forced him to abandon it. I wielded a shield and a blue- and green-

taped foam-covered saber, the colors indicating it could both slash and stab. My first shield pick had a wooden base, which made it heavier. I lasted nearly as long as the kid in the chest plate before abandoning that shield for something lighter.

The word on the battlefield is that Zorn Vongal’s style of LARPing, Boffer, was created by college students who inserted pool cues into pool noodles and fought with them. After I signed the requisite waiver and others arrived, battle commenced.

Different types of weapons and strikes do different degrees of damage. A stab to an arm or leg counted for one point of damage, but you didn’t “lose” the limb. A slash to an appendage meant you had to imagine the limb being severed. In the heat of battle, several people ended up on their knees. It’s all very Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. You don’t have much time to laugh about it, though, as someone is always trying to stab you in the back.

Two points of damage equals death. A slash to an unarmored torso is enough to do it, or multiple attacks to limbs. I had optimistically hoped that my martial arts background might help me out. Other than my brain being able to track points from

different kinds of hits due to my ol’ sparring days and my level of comfort being hit, my training didn’t help much. I don’t think tae kwon do was intended for medieval battlefield tactics.

The group members fought individually for some battles and broke into subgroups for others. At one point, we broke into two teams. One group had three archers and two other experienced and effective fighters.

SATURDAY 9/27

’Twas 10 of us against them. In our first attempt, we used a coordinated shield line to attack. The other team thoroughly trounced us; their archers picked us off as we slowly inched toward them and their swift protectors got behind us. On a subsequent attempt, we chose chaos. As the battle began, we charged the archers and got to them before they got a shot off. Victory sure tasted sweet, if only for a time.

GOT THAT SWING

The Charlottesville Jazz Society presents an evening of bold, straightahead jazz with lyrical intensity from the Todd Marcus Quartet. Based in Baltimore—where he exerts considerable influence in the local music scene while also working as an activist and organizer—Marcus is one of the rare jazz artists to primarily focus on the bass clarinet. Eschewing the avantgarde and free-jazz styles that typically define bass clarinet in the genre, Marcus has established a distinct space for himself with hard swinging, introspective intensity in the traditional jazz vein. $10–24, 7:30pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. cvillejazz.org

Local LARPing groups find fun in the park while acting out fantasy battles.

TRISTAN WILLIAMS (ABOVE), SUPPLIED PHOTO (BELOW)

DOUBLE MATCH DAY

at Farmers Markets in Charlottesville

For every $1 of SNAP/EBT you spend, get $2 for FREE to spend on fruits and vegetables.

That’s TWICE our usual match!

Participating Markets:

Little Market at Lampo

Tuesday, September 23, 3 - 7 pm

205 Monticello Road, Charlottesville, VA

Farmers in the Park

Wednesday, September 24, 3pm - 7pm 1300 Pen Park Rd, Charlottesville, VA

The Farmers Market at Ix

Saturday, September 27, 8 am-12 pm 522 Second St. SE, Charlottesville, VA

Charlottesville City Market Saturday, September 27, 8am - 1pm 100 E. Water Street, Charlottesville, VA

Starr Hill Farmers Market Sunday, September 28, 9:30am-1:30pm 233 4th St NW, Charlottesville, VA

SNAP match sponsored by

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2025

✓ Judges’ Choice & Crowd Favorite Prizes

✓ Grand Prize Winner Receives a Grill!

✓ Surprise Challenge for Competitors

LIVE MUSIC

KESWICK, VA GATES OPEN AT 2 PM

SMALL BITES CULTURE

MORE TO CHEW ON

SATURDAY 9/27

Fall Seafood Saturday with South Canal Street. Nomini Bay Oyster Ranch provides oysters from the Northern Neck: raw, steamed, grilled, and grilled with toppings. It also offers steamed shrimp and non-seafood items. Music by South Canal Street. $12–20, noon–6pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Wine Tasting with Guest Ben Jordan. Local winemaker Ben Jordan brings bottles from both Lightwell Survey and Common Wealth Crush Co. to taste. $10, 2–4:30pm. The Wool Factory, 1837 Broadway St. thewoolfactory.com

SUNDAY 9/28

BBQ Cookout with County Smoak. Enjoy Chef Ken Hess’ BBQ feast, and wine tastings with Heath Porter (Heathen Wines) and Sandy Robertson (Dogwood & Thistle). Live tunes by The Norms at 2pm. $65–75, noon–4pm. Blenheim Vineyards, 31 Blenheim Farm Rd. blenheimvineyards.com

Cider and Chocolate Flights in the Orchard. Local chocolatier Jennifer Mowad of Cocoa & Spice brings her confectionary creations for self-guided sweets-and-ciders pairing flights. Free entry, noon–5pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

Perfect Pasta: A Culinary Class and Gourmet Wine Lunch. Master the art of handmade pasta with Chef Kelvino Barerra of C-ville Bites. Begin the class with a toast and learn how to make tortellini, followed by a threecourse meal of your pasta creations, along with wine pairings. Open to all skill levels. Event repeats Sunday 10/12 and Sunday 10/26. $135, 11am–2pm. Mockingbird Restaurant, 421 Monticello Rd. c-villebites.com

THURSDAY 10/9

Rodale Institute Farm-to-Table Dinner and Fireside Chat. Enjoy a regionally inspired, multicourse meal highlighting regenerative ingredients, curated mead and non-alcoholic pairings, and intimate conversation with national and local leaders shaping the regenerative movement. $150–275, 6pm. Thistlerock Mead Company, 3075 Gables Run Rd. rodaleinstitute.org

FRIDAY 10/17 THROUGH

SUNDAY 10/19

Harvest Party Weekend. Featuring a full slate of events celebrating the fall harvest and Virginia Wine Month. Friday evening features a ticketed red wine showcase from 6:30–8:30pm. Live music, food specials, and raffles daily. Prices and times vary. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com

SATURDAY 10/18

River Bend Wine Festival. The first-ever River Bend Wine Festival—a celebration of community, craft, and Virginia Wine Month. Enjoy tastings from some of Virginia’s most exciting boutique wineries, many pouring alongside their winemakers. $25, 11am–4:30pm. Canal Basin Square, 249 Main St., Scottsville. riverbendwinefest.com

SUNDAY 10/19

Chocolate & Wine Pairing Event. Master Chocolatier Ann Czaja brings a unique chocolate and wine program where she and DuCard owner Scott Elliff select each pairing and share the reasons why they work. Reservations required. $75, noon–1:30pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Pans, pins, and pho wins

The ultimate dining raffle returns, and C’ville bakes Chicago

BY SARAH GOLIBART GORMAN

Charlottesville’s own Chris Martin, founder of bakernobakery, took her pan dulce on the road this Labor Day for a takeover at Del Sur Bakery in Chicago—and sold all 730 pastries in just four hours. Invited by Del Sur’s pastry chef and owner Justin Lerias, Martin called it the biggest bake she’s ever done in a day. She’s back in Charlottesville with more fall pop-ups ahead, including the Fruit Market at Visible Records (10/19) and ticketed tea parties at Ethos Wine & Tea (11/2). bakernobakery.com

Rockin’ prizes

Meals on Wheels of Charlottesville/Albemarle hosts its fourth annual Music for Meals fundraiser on October 1 at Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery. Missed C-VILLE Restaurant Week? Don’t miss the Restaurants Rock Package: $4,000-plus in gift cards to some of the area’s favorite dining spots, offered as one giant raffle prize. The event features a chef-catered reception, silent auction, raffle, and interactive music experiences with dancing, games, and prizes— all in support of homebound neighbors facing food insecurity and isolation. Can’t attend? Still get in on the auction at cvillemeals.org.

Noble fires up

Downtown just got a little smokier. Noble Steakhouse, an Argentinian-inspired spot on Third Street SE, is all about fire-grilled meats, bold flavors, and a wine list heavy with Argentine wine. Think skirt steak, bone-in ribs, ribeye, and even salmon, all finished with rich malbec butter. And vegetarians aren’t left behind—the wood-grilled cauliflower steak with berbere spices, roasted black garlic, walnuts, and cranberries is a showstopper. If you’re wise, you’ll save room for dessert: The post-dinner menu is dripping in dulce de leche. noble-steakhouse.com

Rise and shine for Brekky

Baggby’s Gourmet Sandwich shop owners are waking up early to open Brekky, a new breakfast, coffee, and grab-and-go spot, next door on the DTM. Expect baked goods, a build-your-own salad bar, and rotating daily offerings like burritos, wraps, sliders, and half subs. Owner Jon LaPanta plans to allow patrons to customize their dining experience— with a baked potato bar and breakfast burrito bar on the horizon—so bring your appetite

and your feedback because LaPanta is all ears. instagram.com/brekky_by_baggbys

Mai Tea brings pho and more

Tea time meets noodle time at Mai Tea, a new Vietnamese spot on Water Street. Sip your way through fresh brewed teas, bubble teas, and Vietnamese coffee, then settle in for one of 13 steaming bowls of pho. Craving a sandwich? Their banh mi—five styles strong, including a vegetarian option— come tucked into housemade bread. maitea vietnamesecuisine.com

Roll into fun

Dairy Market’s newest hangout, Sun Pins, serves up more than strikes. Enjoy duckpin bowling, darts, and a retro-cool vibe with craft cocktails, draft beers, wine, and zeroproof options. Fuel up with shareables like grilled shishito peppers, a biscuit basket, pizza, sliders, and salads. Want to get com-

petitive? Join the bowling league on Tuesdays or darts on Wednesdays. sunpins.fun

Closings

The ship has sailed for Bonny & Read, the upscale seafood spot on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall, which served its last catch on September 15. Named after the infamous 18th-century pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read—the resto opened in late 2023 with a menu anchored in fresh seafood and craft cocktails. Owners cite declining foot traffic on the Mall as the reason for shuttering. After more than 25 years on Route 29, Bamboo House Restaurant has closed its doors. The unassuming, windowless building sparked equal parts curiosity and devotion, with diners returning for authentic Korean dishes like kimchi jigae, bibimbap, and bulgogi. Run by a husband-and-wife team—she helmed the kitchen, he filled the dining room with his taxidermy—the quirky institution pivoted to take-out only after 2020. Now, the 4.08-acre property, which includes the restaurant and two single-family homes, is for sale. C

Chris Martin of bakernobakery pulled off her largest bake in one day, in a return to her roots in Chicago’s food scene.

A Fundraiser for the Music Resource Center

Saturday, October 4th | 8PM—11PM

Party Like a Rock Star at Fry’s Spring Beach Club!

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Music Resource Center—and we’re celebrating with a “Best Of” showcase, bringing back fan favorites from over the years for an epic night of unforgettable performances. Join us for a “band-e-oke” competition featuring guest performers backed by house band the Lone Rangers, along with live music, an open bar, delicious catered appetizers, and more!

SINGLE TICKET - $95

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MISSION AND GET TICKETS: MUSICRESOURCECENTER.ORG

All proceeds benefit the Music Resource Center. Your support of this event brings music to life at MRC—providing affordable after-school music education, mentorship, and creative opportunities for the next generation of young artists. Reach out for ticket packages and more ways to support out mission.

Thank you to our corporate sponsors:

JABA empowers adults 60+, adults with disabilities, and caregivers with meaningful opportunities for social, health and wellness, and caregiving support. With 50 years as the leading nonprofit for older adults, JABA is equipped to support you throughout your aging journey. Prepare for your future, enjoy your present, and appreciate your past at JABA.

THIS PAGE COSTS

And each week, we print 500,000 of them.

Every page, every story, every voice costs only pennies—but losing them would cost our community much more.

FOR FUN PUZZLES

SUDOKU

#1

#1

#4

#3

#4

PUZZLES FOR FUN

Potato, on Indian menus 29. Kitchen utensils often linked

a group of 4-6 36. 800, in Roman numerals 37. Bony beginning

Obey Bob Barker, in a way 39. L.A. art gallery home to van Gogh’s “Hospital at Saint-Rémy”

42. Oboist’s need

43. Julep flavoring

44. Burrowing rodent

47. Dustup

49. Chop into little bits

50. Apple variety

51. Wedding music providers, sometimes

54. Baked breakfast item with a pair of main ingredients

58. Snacked on

59. About to blow

60. Stash of treasure

61. Alto instrument

62. Yawning chasm

63. Colts’ fathers

DOWN

1. Nelson Muntz catchphrase

2. “Hey, wait ___!”

3. Old U.S.-Soviet scientific rivalry

4. “Chopped” host Allen

5. Person who “can make the darkness bright,” in a Platters hit

6. The Robot, e.g.

7. It’s the thought that counts

8. Yawning chasm

9. Mess up

10. Place to purchase boots and bindings

11. Stadium sound

12. Atmospheres

13. Of the highest quality

18. Mischievous sort

19. Tango number

24. NYU’s ___ School of the Arts

25. “Ragged Dick” author Horatio

26. “___ Buddies” (Tom Hanks sitcom)

27. Silicon Valley industry, briefly

28. Added to the pot

29. Santa Fe summer hrs.

30. Mercutio’s friend

31. “In Britain, any degree of success ___ with envy and resentment”: Christopher Lee

By Rob Brezsny Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov.21): In Venice, Italy, floods periodically damage books at libraries and bookstores. Trained volunteers restore them with meticulous, hands-on methods. They use absorbent paper and towels to separate and dry the pages, working page by page. I offer this vignette as a useful metaphor, Scorpio. Why? Because I suspect that a rich part of your story needs repair. It’s at risk of becoming irrelevant, even irretrievable. Your assignment is to nurse it back to full health and coherence. Give it your tender attention as you rehabilitate its meaning. Rediscover and revive its lessons and wisdom.

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec.21): In classical Indian music, a raga is not a fixed composition but a flexible framework. It’s defined by a specific scale, characteristic melodic phrases, and a traditional time of day for performance. Musicians improvise and express emotion within that expansive set of constraints. Unlike Western compositions, which are written out and repeated verbatim, a raga has different notes each time it’s played. I think this beautiful art form can be inspirational for you, Sagittarius. Choose the right time and tone for what you’re creating. Dedicate yourself to a high-minded intention and then play around with flair and delight. Define three non-negotiable elements and let everything else breathe.

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In medieval European monasteries, scribes left blank pages in certain texts. This was not done by accident, but to allow for future revelations. Later readers and scribes might fill these spaces with additional text, marginalia, and personal notes. Books were seen as living documents. I recommend a metaphorical version of this practice to you, Capricorn. You will thrive by keeping spaces empty and allowing for the unknown to ripen. You may sometimes feel an urge to define, control, and fortify, but acting on that impulse could interfere with the gifts that life wants to bring you. Honor what is as-yet unwritten.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In West African Vodún cosmology, the deity named Lêgba guards the crossroads. He is the mediator and gatekeeper between the human world and spirit realm. He speaks all languages and serves as the first point of contact for communication with other spirits. In the weeks ahead, Aquarius, you may find yourself in Lêgba’s domain: between past and future, fact and fantasy, solitude and communion. You may also become a channel for others, intuiting or translating what they can’t articulate. I won’t be surprised if you know things your rational mind

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR FUN

(Sept. 23 to Oct. 22): The ancient Mesopotamians believed each person had a personal god called an ilu who acted as a protector, guide, and intercessor with the greater gods. You’re in a phase when your own ilu is extra active and ready to undergo an evolutionary transformation. So assume that you will be able to call on potent help, Libra. Be alert for how your instincts and intuitions are becoming more acute and specific. If you feel an odd nudge or a dream insists on being remembered, take it seriously. You’re being steered toward deeper nourishment.

doesn’t fully understand. I bet a longlocked door will swing open and a longdenied connection will finally coalesce. You’re not just passing through the crossroads. You are the crossroads.

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): In 1977, NASA launched two Voyager spacecraft into the abyss. Both carried a message in the form of a golden record to any extraterrestrial who might find it. There were greetings in 55 languages, natural sounds like whale songs and thunderstorms, music by Chuck Berry and others, plus over 100 images and diagrams explaining how to find Earth. It was science as a love letter, realism with a dash of audacity. I invite you to craft your own version of a golden record, Pisces. Distill a message that says who you are and what you are seeking: clear enough to be decoded by strangers, warm enough to be welcomed by friends you haven’t met. Put it where the desired audience can hear it: portfolio, outreach note, manifesto, demo. Send signals that will make the right replies inevitable.

Aries

(March 21-April 19): In Tonglen, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation, you visualize yourself breathing in the suffering, pain, or negativity of other people, then imagine breathing out relief, healing, or compassion toward them. The practice can also be done on your own behalf. The goal is to transform tension and stress into courage, vitality, and healing. I recommend this practice, Aries. Can you turn your scars into interesting tattoos? Can you find mysterious opportunities lurking in the dilemmas? Can you provide grace for others as you feed your own fire?

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): In a YouTube video, I watched Korean artisans make hanji paper in the same way their predecessors have for 1,300 years. It was complicated and meditative. They peeled off the inner bark of mulberry trees, then soaked it, cooked it, and pounded it into pulp. After mixing the mash with the aibika plant, they spread it out on screens and let it dry. I learned that this gorgeous, luminous paper can endure for a thousand years. I hope you draw inspiration from this process, Taurus. Experiment with softening what has felt unyielding. Treat what’s tough or inflexible with steady, artful effort. Be imaginative and persistent as you shape raw materials into beautiful things you can use for a long time.

Gemini

(May 21-June 20): Legendary jazz musician Sun Ra was a Gemini who claimed to be from the planet Saturn. He aspired to live in a state of “cosmic discipline”—not just in his musical training but in his devotion to self-improvement, aesthetic exploration, and a connection to transcendent realities. He fused outrageous style with sacred order, chaos with clarity. I invite you to draw inspiration from him. Put your personal flair in service to noble ideas. Align your exuberant self-expression with your higher purpose. Show off if it helps wake people up.

Cancer

(June 21-July 22): In Inuit tradition, qarrtsiluni means “waiting in the darkness for something to burst forth.” It refers to the sacred pause before creativity erupts, before the quest begins, before the light returns. This is an apt description of your

current state, Cancerian. Tend your inner stillness like a fire about to ignite. Don’t rush it. Honor the hush. The energies you store up will find their proper shape in a few weeks. Trust that the silence is not absence but incubation. Luminosity will bloom from this pregnant pause.

Leo

(July 23-Aug. 22): You’re feeling the stirrings of a desire that’s at least half-wild. A surprising vision or opportunity has begun to roar softly within you. But here’s key advice: Don’t chase it recklessly. Practice strategic boldness. Choose where and how you shine. Your radiance is potent, but it will be most effective when offered deliberately, with conscious artistry. You’re being asked to embody the kind of leadership that inspires, not dominates. Be the sun that warms but doesn’t scorch! P.S.: People are observing you to learn how to shine.

Virgo

(Aug. 22 to Sept. 22): If humans ever perfect time-travel, I’m going to the Library of Alexandria in ancient Egypt. It was crammed with papyrus scrolls by authors from all over the world. It was also a gathering point for smart people who loved to compare notes across disciplines. Poets argued amiably with mathematicians. Astronomers discussed inspirations with physicians. Breakthroughs flowed feely because ideas were allowed to migrate, hybridize, and be challenged without rancor. Consider emulating that rich mélange, Virgo. Convene unlike minds, cross-pollinate, and entertain unprecedented questions. The influences you need next will arrive via unexpected connections. Expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text message horoscopes: RealAstrology.com, (877) 873-4888

Email

C-VILLE Weekly is seeking a Development Lead to help us build a robust philanthropic funding program through a fiscal sponsorship. This role is ideal for someone passionate about local journalism and skilled in fundraising, donor cultivation, and resource development. You’ll help us secure contributions, grow community support, and develop strategies to expand our impact as we explore opportunities to accept tax-deductible donations. Visit c-ville.com/work-at-c-ville to learn more.

Group Vice President of Finance and Operations (Charlottesville, VA)

Responsible for all Financial Operations of the Dealership Group incl. the mgmt. of the consolidated accounting office, Controllers & Financial Analysts. Reqs. up to 10% domestic travel. Reqs. incl. 1) MBA deg. & 5 yrs. exp., or 2) Bachelor’s deg. in Business Admin. or rel. & 7 yrs. exp. Send resume to Flow Companies, LLC, 500 W 5th St., Ste. 1800, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Attn: HR.

Legals

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Agreement for Amendment of Lease

Pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-1800(B), notice is hereby given that the Charlottesville City Council will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, October 6, 2025, at its Business Meeting, beginning at 6:30 p.m., in City Hall Council Chamber, 605 E. Main Street, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902, to hear public comment on a request from International Rescue Committee (“IRC”) for the City of Charlottesville, Virginia (“City”), to approve an Agreement for Amendment of Lease (“Agreement”) for IRC’s use of a City-owned property located at 410 Old Lynchburg Road, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Any person may appear at the Public Hearing to present their views regarding the proposed approval of the Agreement. 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 forty-eight (48) hours’ notice, so that proper arrangements may be made. A copy of the full text of the Resolution, along with a copy of the proposed Agreement, is available online (at least five (5) days before the Business Meeting) at www.charlottesville.gov/agenda, and in the Clerk of Council’s Office.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Lease

Agreement

Pursuant to Virginia Code § 15.2-1800(B), notice is hereby given that the Charlottesville City Council will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, October 6, 2025, at its Business Meeting, beginning at 6:30 p.m., in City Hall Council Chamber, 605 E. Main Street, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902, to hear public comment on a request from Cultivate Charlottesville for the City of Charlottesville, Virginia (“City”), to approve a Lease Agreement (“Agreement”) for Cultivate Charlottesville’s use of a City-owned property located at 210 8th Street NW, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Any person may appear at the Public Hearing to present their views regarding the proposed approval of the Agreement. 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 forty-eight (48) hours’ notice, so that proper arrangements may be made. A copy of the full text of the Resolution, along with a copy of the proposed Agreement, is available online (at least five (5) days before the Business Meeting) at www.charlottesville.gov/agenda, and in the Clerk of Council’s Office.

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF ALBEMARLE COUNTY

BARBARA J. JOHNSON, Case No. CL24-682

Plaintiff v.

SERVE: HERNANDEZ CRUZ 4500 Bunker Hill Road Keswick, Virginia 22947 (Albemarle County)

SERVE: VICTOR NATIVIDAD MONROY CRUZ 4500 Bunker Hill Road Keswick, Virginia 22947 (Albemarle County)

SERVE: MARIA NATIVIDAD MONROY CRUZ 4500 Bunker Hill Road Keswick, Virginia 22947 (Albemarle County)

SERVE: PMC DISTRIBUTION, INC. 95 Campbell Road Keswick, Virginia 22947 (Albemarle County)

SERVE: EDWARD L. JOHNSON 4455 Bunker Hill Road Keswick, Virginia 22947 (Albemarle County)

SERVE: DABEIBA JOHNSON 4455 Bunker Hill Road Keswick, Virginia 22947 (Albemarle County)

SERVE: JOYCE M. MOORE 4475 Bunker Hill Road Keswick, Virginia 2294 7 (Albemarle County)

SERVE: FELICIA JOHNSON 4050 Campbell Road Troy, Virginia 22974 (Louisa County)

AND ANY “PARTIES UNKNOWN”;

SERVE: BY ORDER OF PUBLICATION

Defendants.

AMENDED ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to quiet title to real estate lying and being in Albemarle County, Virginia, and which is described as:

Tax Map Parcel (IMP) 80-145A is described as all that certain piece or parcel of land, with all improvements thereon and appurtenances thereunto, lying and being situate in the Rivanna District, Albemarle County, Virginia, containing two (2) acres, more or less, and being bounded and described in that certain deed dated May 14, 1894, from A. P. Fox to Nancy Howard, which deed was recorded May 14, 1894, in the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Albemarle County, Virginia, in Deed Book 100, Page 498.

It appearing from an Affidavit filed int his cause that there may be Defendants who addresses are unknown and further that there may be parties who are unknown that may have an interest in said property;

On consideration whereof, it is ORDERED that all parties hereinabove named, including those designated as “Parties Unknown”, appear on or before October 8, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. and do what is necessary to protect their interests; and is further ORDERED that this Order be published once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in Albemarle County, Virginia.

ENTERED this 29th day of August, 2025

Cheryl V. Higgins

I ASK FOR THIS:

Joseph W. Wright, III, Esquire, Attorney for Plaintiff

VSB#30347

Dygert, Wright, Hobbs & Hernandez, PLC

415 4th Street, N.E. Upper Floor

Charlottesville, VA 22902

Tel: (434) 979-5515

Fax: (434) 295-7785

Email: jwright@charlottesvillelegal.com

P.S. THE HOTSEAT

Equity in action

The Women’s Initiative has a new leader: Nicole Thomas, Ed.D. As she stepped into the role of executive director of the Charlottesville org in August, Thomas brought more than a decade of experience in higher education and nonprofit leadership, with a career rooted in equity, wellness, and trauma-informed care. Most recently, she directed UVA’s Contemplative Commons, where she developed well-being programs and helped secure more than $8 million for equity-focused initiatives. A national board-certified health coach and yoga instructor, Thomas brings a range of experience to her new role. “That mix of direct care and systems-level leadership prepared me to guide The Women’s Initiative with both compassion and strategy,” she says.

Pronouns: She, her, hers

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Job: Executive director at The Women’s Initiative

What excites you most about your new position? Joining an incredible network of staff, board members, supporters, and volunteers to provide critical care for our community. What, if any, challenges do you expect in your new role? Navigating systems that too often overlook or underserve people, particularly those from marginalized communities.

How have your prior experiences in health and wellness prepared you for your job? My work as a health and wellness coach, educator, and nonprofit leader has taught me to listen deeply, honor lived experiences, and design programs that meet people where they are. I’ve built and assessed wellness programs, always centering access, equity, and sustainability. That mix of direct care and systems-level leadership prepared me to guide The Women’s Initiative with both compassion and strategy.

How has your time in Charlottesville prepared you to serve in this community? Charlottesville is the smallest and longest place I’ve lived since leaving home, and it’s given me both closeness and belonging. Over 11 years, I’ve seen tragedies and incredible resilience, experiences that grounded me and shaped how I lead: with humility, conviction, and a deep belief in our community’s strength.

What are you listening to right now? Maggie Rogers

Best advice you ever got: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” (Maya Angelou)

Proudest accomplishment: Successfully opening and programming a new building on Grounds at UVA, the Contemplative Commons.

Best part of living here: The people and immersive natural surroundings.

Worst part of living here: Unaffordable housing.

Favorite Charlottesville restaurant: Botanical Fare

Bodo’s order: Egg, pesto, and tomato on everything bagel

If you could be reincarnated as a person or a thing, what would you be? I’d want to come back as an owl. They get to fly, which seems amazing, and they’re known for staying cool under pressure and being wise. I love that mix of freedom, calm moves, and quiet strength.

Do you have any pets? Yes, a dachshund named Benny and a tuxedo cat named Sister.

Favorite movie and/or show: “Ted Lasso”

Favorite book: That is way too hard, but a favorite recent read was The Women by Kristin Hannah.

Who’d play you in a movie? My friends have said Sandra Bullock, but that feels way out of my league.

What’s your comfort food/ meal? Mexican food: fajitas, veggie tortilla soup, queso, chips and salsa.

Subject that causes you to rant? Insurance

Best journey you ever went on: Grand Canyon and relaxing in Sedona with my best friend of 30 years to celebrate our friendship.

Favorite curse word or favorite word: How about a mantra I repeat each day? “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu” is a Sanskrit mantra meaning “May all beings everywhere be happy and free from suffering.”

Hottest take/most unpopular opinion: Vegans are cool humans.

Fantastic Fall Golf at Old Trail Crozet

WOMEN’S WEDNESDAYS

SPECIALS

Restoration: 434-823-1841 www.oldtrailclub.com/restoration