C-VILLE Weekly | September 11 - 17, 2024

September 16thSunday, September 22nd

Teacher Innovation Grantees PUBLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF CHARLOTTESVILLE-ALBEMARLE HONORS

ALBEMARLE HIGH SCHOOL

Kate McKinley

Traditional Arts Transformed by Circuits

BAKER-BUTLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Lucy Spencer Force & Motion Fair

BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL

Paula Chanda

National Youth Theatre Experience

BUFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL

Cianna Washburg

SOL Ready: Game Day

CHARLOTTESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

Samantha Pagni The Oasis Project

JACKSON-VIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Sabra Timmins

Crossing the Line: An After-School Soccer Club for Building Inclusive Communities

JACKSON-VIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Sabra Timmins

Wild Wisdom: Unlocking Learning & Well-being Through Nature’s Classroom

JACKSON-VIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Jessica Pedersen Learning Through a Listening Library

JOURNEY MIDDLE SCHOOL

Elena McIntosh

Robotics & Engineering Class for FIRST Lego League (FLL) Competition

JOURNEY MIDDLE SCHOOL

Lewis Griffin

Virginia Native Wildflower Garden

LAKESIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL

Jon Warmsley

Building a Stage for Literary Work

MOUNTAIN VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Danielle Paxton

Building Thinking Classrooms in the 5th Grade

RED HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Sarah Rogers

Radiant Futures: Unleashing Solar Energy Adventures for Kids

WALKER UPPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Amy Wissekerke Classroom Economics for 6th Grade

WESTERN ALBEMARLE HIGH SCHOOL

Zoe Padron From the Mountains to the Sea

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Charlottesville’s News & Arts Weekly CIRCULATION: 20,000 WEEKLY

P.O. Box 119 Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

www.c-ville.com

Facebook: facebook.com/cville.weekly

X: @cville_weekly

Instagram: @cvilleweekly

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Caite Hamilton editor@c-ville.com

CULTURE EDITOR

Tami Keaveny tami@c-ville.com

NEWS REPORTER

Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

CM Turner arts@c-ville.com

COPY EDITOR Rachel Cressell

EDITORIAL INTERN

Ella Powell

CONTRIBUTORS

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

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

ART DIRECTOR

Max March max@c-ville.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Tracy Federico designer@c-ville.com

ADVERTISING advertising@c-ville.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Gabby Kirk (434) 373-2136 gabby@c-ville.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Sarah Smith sarah@c-ville.com

Sydney Chrismer sydney@c-ville.com

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & MARKETING

Stephanie Vogtman

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Faith Gibson ads@c-ville.com

BUSINESS

PUBLISHER

Anna Harrison anna@c-ville.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Debbie Miller debbie@c-ville.com

A/R SPECIALIST Nanci Winter (434) 373-0429

CIRCULATION MANAGER Billy Dempsey circulation@c-ville.com

C-VILLE HOLDINGS, LLC

Bill Chapman, Blair

C-VILLE is published Wednesdays. 20,000 free copies are distributed all over Charlottesville, Albemarle, and the surrounding counties. One copy per person. Additional copies may be purchased for $1.99 per copy.

Unsolicited news articles, essays, and photography are carefully considered. Local emphasis is preferred. Although care will be taken, we assume no responsibility for submissions. First-class mail subscriptions are available for $140 annually.

©2024 C-VILLE Weekly. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

Virginia Press Association

Palmyra Arts Fest

Saturday September 14 • 10 AM - 4 PM

Stone Jail Street, Palmyra Rain Date September 15

LOCAL ARTISTS AND ARTISANS, PERFORMERS, FOOD TRUCKS, AND CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES

Hello, Charlottesville. Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.

Last May, my husband and I traveled to Paris by way of Lisbon for our anniversary. I spent the weeks leading up to the trip researching restaurants and not-so-touristy attractions. He spent them teaching himself Portuguese.

9.11.24

He’s always been like this. In fact, he paused his study of ancient Greek (he’d been taking classes with an Australian classicist, one of the few teachers who can actually speak the language with some fluency) to perfect at least a few common phrases. I poked fun at him for being such a nerd, but he had the right idea: While he bebopped from restaurant menu to retail store with his olás and obrigados (even fooling one shopkeeper into thinking he was a native!), I kept my head down, not wanting to butcher any stress-timed syllables. (I did much better in France, merci beaucoup.)

That’s part of the reason I like this week’s cover story. Written by Brian Hamilton (of “my husband” fame), the feature chronicles the evolution of Speak! Language Center, whose founder has been unlocking access to language—for travelers, scholars, and global citizens alike—in our area (and beyond) for 20 years. Like Brian and his ancient Greek class, students at Speak! benefit from the center’s melding of community and communication, a method it’s even more poised to deploy following a relocation to Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. Read the story on page 21, s’il vous plaît.

Caite Hamilton

“What you saw is guys putting their love for their teammates into action, and then it just spread throughout the team—and that’s what good football teams do in the fourth quarter. They feed off of each other, but it starts with just an attitude or belief.”

—UVA Football Coach Tony Elliott in a post-game

press conference following the team’s 1-point win over Wake Forest on September 7

NEWS IN BRIEF

New neighbor

Effective September 9, Kellie Brown is Charlottesville’s Director of Neighborhood Development Services. Brown previously worked with the Arlington County Planning Division and has more than 15 years of experience in community planning. “I’m really excited to support the exciting work that the City of Charlottesville is doing to implement its comprehensive plan and new zoning ordinance,” she said in a city press release announcing her appointment. “My goal is to build on the community’s work over the last several years to chart a path for a sustainable and equitable future.”

Federal attention

Two men have been indicted on federal conspiracy and kidnapping charges in connection with a January 8, 2023, fatal shooting in Belmont. Ricardo Franco-Ordaz and Jordan Perez, both of Texas, allegedly kidnapped and held multiple undocumented migrants for ransom at the U.S.Mexico border in early 2023. A ransom exchange in Charlottesville’s Belmont neighborhood resulted in the death of another suspected kidnapper, Osvaldo Lopez-Hernandez. None of the suspected perpetrators or victims have any known ties to Charlottesville.

You don’t say

Despite calling in Virginia State Police on student protesters this May, the University of Virginia was number one in the latest college free speech rankings from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. As of press time, UVA has not dropped its University Judiciary Committee charges against several student protesters and has continued to withhold degrees from demonstrators who were arrested on May 4.

Moving forward

More than 100 faculty members employed by the University of Virginia Physicians Group called for the immediate removal of Craig Kent, CEO of UVA Health, and Melina Kibbe, Dean of the UVA School of Medicine, in a signed letter of no confidence on September 7.

The letter—signed by 128 faculty members and addressed to the Rector and Board of Visitors—alleges that Kent and Kibbe “have not only undermined but also directly attacked the values that inspired us to study, teach, and work at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and UVA Health.”

The letter further alleges that Kent and Kibbe have undermined physicians’ ability to prioritize patient safety and have created a negative environment for the faculty.

UVA President Jim Ryan has responded to the letter of no confidence, not only standing by Kent and

Charlottesville City Schools commemorated the 65th anniversary of integration in local schools with a ribboncutting at the newly renamed Trailblazer Elementary School.

Formerly Venable Elementary, Trailblazer was one of the first integrated schools in Charlottesville. In 1958, Virginia Gov. Lindsay Almond Jr. closed both Venable and Lane High School rather than integrate the schools following a ruling by Judge John Paul. On September 5, 1959, Paul

ordered the immediate transfer of 12 students, now known as the Charlottesville 12, to Venable and Lane.

The Charlottesville 12 and their courageous role in integration are the inspiration for the elementary school’s new name.

“Students who desegregated Charlottesville City Schools in 1959 joined us to cut the ribbon on the newly renamed @TrailblazerElem this morning,” shared Charlottesville City Schools on X/Twitter. “We thank these trailblazers for their

Kibbe, but speaking against the methodology of the aggrieved faculty.

“The letter itself is daunting. There are many accusations. There are few details. Some of these accusations are fairly evident references to specific matters that we have already addressed or are actively working on,” said Ryan in a message to UVA Health faculty. He acknowledged the need to address new claims, but he indicated a need for due process and full investigation. “We will then take the appropriate steps based on what we find. Once the dust of this particular controversy settles, we will figure out how best to move forward as a community.”

Ryan’s response also highlighted that the 128 signees represent roughly 9 percent of the health system faculty, and that he has personally received messages of support for Kent and Kibbe from other faculty members.

leadership and courage and for inspiring our current students to blaze their own trails today.”

“Education was important … it’s not about the color of your skin but the goodness and greatness that lies within,” said Charles Alexander, one of the Charlottesville 12, in an interview with CBS19. “I want [current students] to learn and blaze a new trail and become listeners, thinkers, and set the course for a better future for themselves.”

Craig Kent

Melina Kibbe

Adding it up Charlottesville adopts ranked-choice voting on a trial basis

By Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

After moving the ordinance from the consent agenda, Charlottesville City Council voted on September 3 to adopt ranked-choice voting for its June 2025 primary elections.

Ahead of the vote, former delegate and founder of Ranked Choice Virginia Sally Hudson spoke in favor of the new polling method. During her time in the General Assembly, Hudson was instrumental in introducing and passing the state law allowing city councils to choose ranked-choice voting.

“To use the popular parlance of our time, ‘This ordinance did not just fall out of a coconut tree; we exist in the context of all that came before us,’” she said. “In Charlottesville, that context goes back centuries. I hope that you will join the three founding fathers emblazoned on this building in doing your part to build a more perfect union today.”

Every other public commenter, several of whom were there with Ranked Choice Virginia, spoke in favor of adopting rankedchoice voting for next year’s city council primaries.

Council members registered some reservations about the ordinance but ultimately approved the measure by a 4-1 vote.

“I think people who have concerns about it, I think it’s still in good faith, because any time you’re making a change to the way an election works, it’s a big deal,” said Councilor Michael Payne. “I think Arlington [the only locality in Virginia with ranked-choice voting] shows that it can be done as long as we’re really committed to doing the education and outreach.”

Councilor Natalie Oschrin, Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston, and Mayor Juandiego Wade also spoke in support of the measure, noting that while it is experimental, adoption has the potential for significant positive impacts and could set a meaningful precedent for other localities.

“This has been framed as an experiment,” said Pinkston, who noted ranked-choice voting has been a topic of discussion for the entirety of his time on city council. “I do feel that there is a strong coalition of folks who are aware enough about this, and this is a high information electorate here.”

Despite overwhelming public support for the ordinance at council meetings, Councilor Lloyd Snook ultimately opposed the measure—casting the sole dissenting vote.

“If this vote were only about rankedchoice voting I would have no qualms about voting yes. But it’s not. It’s about rankedchoice voting and single-transferable voting,” said Snook before the vote. “When I’ve tried to explain all of this to people over the past

How it works

Proportional ranked-choice voting is fairly straightforward on the voter end, but understanding how votes are tallied can be a bit more complicated. On the ballot, voters rank the candidates based on preference. Voters do not have to rank all candidates if they don’t want to; their ballot will still be counted. Each voter has one first-choice vote regardless of the number of open seats. Candidates must reach a “threshold” or “quota” to be elected. For example, in an election with three open seats, a candidate needs to get 25 percent of the electorate plus one vote to be elected. (It is impossible for more than three candidates to meet the 25 percent plus one vote threshold.)

few weeks, I don’t know that I’ve found a single person who understands the practical effect of this—that you vote for the first person to get elected and [with] your second transferable vote, you only get one and a fraction vote. So you have relatively little influence on who the second choice is.”

While Snook’s understanding of singletransferable votes—the mechanism of ranked-choice voting for multiseat elections in Virginia—is mostly accurate, it slightly mischaracterizes the mechanics.

“Everybody has one whole vote. Nobody gets more power than anybody else,” says Hudson. “The suggestion that somebody gets more votes than anybody else is just flat false.”

1 In the first round of tallying, only voters’ first-choice candidates are considered. Once a candidate reaches the threshold, they are elected. If all seats are filled in the first round, the process stops here.

2 If a candidate exceeds the threshold and there are remaining seats, sur-plus votes past the threshold are redistributed to voters’ next preference candidate.

3 If there are still remaining seats after redistributing surplus votes, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated. Anyone who voted for the eliminated candidate has their vote redistributed to their second choice. The process continues until all seats are filled.

Councilor Snook joined the rest of Charlottesville City Council in appropriating $26,460 for voter education and any hardware or software purchases needed for ranked-choice tabulation.

City council will consider whether to more permanently proceed with rankedchoice voting after the 2025 primaries.

To understand single transferable rankedchoice voting, Hudson provides the analogy that “your vote is $1 and you’re going to spend that dollar on your first choice. If your favorite winds up with more votes than they need, then you get change back, and that change goes to your second choice. If your favorite only needs a third of the votes, but they get 40 percent, then they’ve got more than they need, and your support can go to your second choice as well,” she elaborates. “If everybody’s got $1 to spend, then everybody’s got equal power. If your [preferred candidate receives] exactly a third [of the votes], then your favorite is going to need all of your vote just to win.”

“Everybody has one whole vote. Nobody gets more power than anybody else ... the suggestion that somebody gets more votes than anybody else is just flat false.”

SALLY HUDSON, FOUNDER OF RANKED CHOICE VIRGINIA

UVA MUSIC EVENTS

Date/Time/Place Event

Creative solutions

IX Art Park Foundation reports financial turnaround

By Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

One year after announcing a ma jor restructuring of staffing and offerings due to a budget short fall, the IX Art Park Foundation has found its footing financially, according to a Sep tember 3 press release. With the stabiliza tion, the nonprofit hopes to bring back some offerings in the upcoming months, but it still needs community support.

“We really refocused on our sources of revenue and how we can collaborate with other organizations, partners, and just community members … to support the programming that we want to offer [in] an affordable or free way to the community,” says Ewa Harr, executive director of the IX Art Park Foundation.

* denotes free events

The nonprofit has hit roughly 80 percent of its grants fundraising goal this year, according to Harr; public donation progress has been slower, currently sitting at 20 percent of the annual goal. IX Art Park Foundation hopes to rally community support with its PhoenIX: Rising Together fundraising campaign, which hopes to raise $10,000 and officially launches on the park’s 10th anniversary at LOVEFEST on September 21.

“Our revenue sources are our signature events, tickets to The Looking Glass, and events and private rentals that we do here,” says Harr. “We’re [otherwise] dependent on grants, private and public donations, and corporate sponsorships to make the magic happen here.”

The most recent tax filing from the foundation was filed on November 14, 2023, but it pertains to fiscal year 2022. In the filing, the nonprofit’s 990 form shows a negative net income of more than $57,000 and a massive decline in contributions and grants compared to the year prior down from $2,051,905 to $874,073.

No tax filings pertaining to the nonprofit’s revenue or net income post-restructuring are publicly available at press time.

While IX has continued its signature events since cutting back operations, offerings including summer camps, IX Flix, and community outreach efforts have been paused. The nonprofit hopes to resume some

“We

Ewa Harr has served as executive director of IX Art Park Foundation since December 2023.

previous programming on top of new events in the months to come, with expanding hours for The Looking Glass at the top of the list.

According to Harr, the interactive museum could move to four-days-a-week operations as soon as January.

“We definitely want to bring back some of our educational and community programming,” she says. “Summer camps were very successful here; the kids really enjoyed it. …

My goal is to be able to bring some more of our free art-making out into the community. Not everybody can make it to IX Art Park, but maybe we can bring some of our inspiration out to the community as well.”

Bringing back offerings may also financially benefit the nonprofit. In its 2023 impact report, IX Art Park Foundation reported 24 percent of revenue came from museum tickets, with an additional 10 percent from summer camps and workshops. A majority of the foundation’s revenue comes from signature and weekly events (35 percent).

Beyond financial contributions, Harr says the nonprofit is also looking for volunteers and collaborators.

“So many people have been so supportive of this renaissance that we’ve experienced,” says Harr. “A lot of people have been donating their time and talent, and we are just waiting here with open arms for anybody that has ideas [and] creative concepts that wants to get involved and collaborate and contribute.”

really refocused on our sources of revenue and how we can collaborate with other organizations, partners, and just community members … to support the programming that we want to offer [in] an affordable or free way to the community.”

EWA HARR, IX ART PARK FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Friday, 9/13, 3:30pm Virtual via Zoom

Friday, 9/13, 6:30pm Carr’s Hill Field

Friday, 9/20, 1pm Music Library

Sunday, 9/22, 3:30pm Old Cabell Hall

Saturday, 9/28, 7:30pm Old Cabell Hall

Sunday, 9/29, 3:30pm MLK PAC at CHS

Friday, 10/4, 3:30pm 107 Old Cabell Hall

Friday, 10/4, 6:30pm Carr’s Hill Field

Sunday, 10/6, 8am-5pm Old Cabell Hall

Sunday, 10/6, 3:30pm Old Cabell Hall

Guitar duo LINÜ Colloquium * Colloquium

Cavalier Marching Band * “Life’s a Beach” open rehearsal

Jason Evans Groth & Pete Schreiner * Making Noise in the Library

David Sariti, violin UVA Chamber Music Series

Charlottesville Symphony Beethoven Symphony No. 5

Charlottesville Symphony Beethoven Symphony No. 5

Jade Conlee Colloquium Sonic Cartographies in Hawai‘i Exotica *

Cavalier Marching Band * “That 70's Show” open rehearsal

Flute Forum * Featuring Marianne Gedigian Marianne Gedigian, flute * Flute Forum Recital

To find out more about these and all our other events, subscribe to our weekly “music at UVA”.

uvamusic:

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

for

Find your favorite brands like Orvis, Filson, Simms, Sage, Johnnie-O, Tom Beckbe, SMITH & more

•We JUST got in our largest shipment of Filson ever including the classic waxed canvas and wool jackets, vests and jacket shirts, shirts, belts, gloves and hats.

•We JUST got in a huge shipment of Orvis with barn/field coats, quilted jackets and vests, fleece jackets and vests, sun shirts and a variety of flannel, cotton and canvas shirts & pants.

•ALL SHORTS and SHORT SLEEVED SHIRTS 30% OFF! Come get rare savings on Filson, Orvis, Johnnie-O, Tom Beckbe, ANETIK and others.

Emergency Food and Shelter Program

*CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY HAS BEEN AWARDED FEDERAL FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS)/FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY UNDER THE EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER NATIONAL BOARD PROGRAM.*

Award: Charlottesville City has been chosen to receive $14,439 through phase 41 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the city.

The selection was made by a National Board that is chaired by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA; The Jewish Federations of North America, The Salvation Army; and, United Way Worldwide. The Local Board was charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country.

A Local Board made up of representatives from the above organizations will determine how the funds awarded to Charlottesville City are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service agencies in the area. The Local Board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds and any additional funds made available under this phase of the program. Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local agencies chosen to receive funds must: 1) be private voluntary nonprofits or units of government, 2) be eligible to receive Federal funds, 3) have an accounting system, 4) practice nondiscrimination, 5) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and 6) if they are a private voluntary organization, have a voluntary board. Qualifying agencies are urged to apply.

Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds must contact Kaiden Pritchett at kpritchett@tjpdc.org or (434) 760-6320 for an application. The deadline for applications to be received is November 15th, 2024.

MARKET

Annie Gould Gallery

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

109 S. Main Street, Gordonsville, VA • (540) 832-6352 anniegouldgallery

THE REALTOR CODE OF ETHICS

On and off housing

UVA Board of Visitors to meet this week over two private development projects

By Sean Tubbs

The governing body of the area’s largest landowner will meet this week with five new members, at least one of whom has significant experience in real estate. Governor Glenn Youngkin’s latest appointees to the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors begin their terms at a time when two private, recently approved student developments are moving toward construction and while UVA seeks to provide more housing for students.

“UVA has committed to expanding its current first-year residency requirement to require all first- and second-year students to live on-Grounds while enrolled at UVA to better support students in their transition to University life, and as residents of the broader Charlottesville community,” reads a May 2024 solicitation for firms to partner to build the housing.

At the same time, two large private developments near UVA continue to make their way through the finer details of the city’s permitting process.

On Tuesday, the Charlottesville Planning Commission formally approved a site plan for the Verve, a 12-story student apartment building to be constructed in the heart of central Grounds. Several dozen apartments at the intersection of Jefferson Park Avenue and Emmet Street will soon be demolished to make way for the new building, which will have 442 units, according to the site plan.

City Council approved a rezoning in January for the Verve despite opposition from UVA officials, who argued the tall building would diminish UVA’s architectural character. The plans were submitted in time to qualify under the city’s

zoning rules, which required significantly fewer units to be designated as affordable. In this case, the developer will contribute $6.8 million to the city’s affordable housing fund rather than build units that are price-controlled.

Earlier this month, the Charlottesville City Council granted approval of another technical step for a 10-story student apartment building at 2117 Ivy Rd. that was approved under the old rules. That project comes with a $3.25 million contribution to the city’s affordable housing fund and required council action to waive a requirement to build sidewalks on all road fronts.

“The waiver request is only for the easternmost portion of the property’s frontage on Copeley Road,” said Dannan O’Connell, a city planner. He added that they will build sidewalks on Ivy Road and a portion of Copeley Road.

Meanwhile, UVA is planning to build up to 2,000 bedrooms for undergraduate students at both the former University Gardens as well as on Ivy Road. The Afghan Kabob restaurant will be demolished to make way for what UVA calls the Emmet North site.

Because UVA owns those parcels of land, the city will not collect property tax revenue but they will for both the Verve and 2117 Ivy Rd. UVA officials want the first units to come online for the fall of 2027.

One of the new members of the Board of Visitors is David F. Webb of Virginia Beach, whose day job is vice chair of development firm CBRE’s Capital Markets Group. Webb is now a member of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, which will meet on Thursday. One item on their agenda is a discussion of student housing.

The 12-story Verve is one of two large student apartment buildings planned for construction within close proximity to the University of Virginia.

ESG ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

FARMINGTON

Elegant Farmington Country Club residence on 5 acres with stunning Blue Ridge Mountain views. Offering privacy, yet great convenience to Charlottesville and the Club amenities, this 5-BR home includes a guesthouse, pool, separate office and garage. MLS#650584 $5,795,000 Tim Michel, 434.960.1124

MEADOW FARM

436+ acre parcel of land in Southern Albemarle! 4 division rights; complete privacy; lush, gently rolling terrain; long road frontage; stream; 3-acre lake; 125-135 acres of open land; mature hardwood forests. Under conservation easement. MLS#651411

$2,985,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

HISTORIC STAUNTON

Meticulously renovated National Historic Register home, blending modern amenities with remarkable charm. 5-bedrooms with hardwood floors, stained glass windows, and trim. Quartz kitchen, magnificent primary suite, terrace apartment. MLS#653080 $1,295,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

UNDERCONTRACT

HOLLOW

A charming home tucked off Owensville Road in Whippoorwill Hollow. With two acres, this 4-bedroom, 3-bath home offers outdoor space to enjoy nature. A wonderful offering in the western school district and less than 10 miles to Charlottesville. MLS#656446 $749,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

BENTIVAR MANOR

Exquisite brick home on 88 acres less than 5 miles from city limits. Residence is in excellent condition, 7-BR & 11,000+ sf. Property is a mix of pastures & woods with long frontage on the Rivanna River, & miles of trails. MLS#652353 $4,875,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

BELLAIR

Recently renovated contemporary home in soughtafter Bellair neighborhood! With 4-BR, 3.5 baths, and a vaulted great room, this residence offers superb construction. Enjoy stunning views from the screened porch. MLS#652438 $2,675,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

THE HOLSINGER

Exceptional 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath condo, located just steps from the historic Downtown Mall. Luxurious living spaces, spacious floor plan, fully loaded kitchen, hardwood floors, a private balcony, and secure parking. Enjoy vibrant downtown living! MLS#656160 $1,200,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

BAILEY’S QUARTERS

One level living with full basement, two acres and a spectacular view of Buck Mountain and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Home is 10 miles northwest of Charlottesville near Free Union. MLS#654595 $525,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

FIELDS OF BOAZ

A country French estate on 24 acres 6 miles from the University of Virginia. Timeless charm and modern luxury with soaring ceilings, spacious primary suite, home office, wine cellar, guest quarters, and private pond. MLS#652608 $3,995,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

HIGH FIELDS

Scenic 42-acre farm 10 miles from Charlottesville. Features pastures, woodlands, serene creek, antique farmhouse, updated kitchen, 3-BA, 4-BR, and panoramic Blue Ridge Mountain vistas, and substantial barn. MLS#651245 $1,695,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

CRAIGS STORE RD

76 acre parcel in western Albemarle with compelling views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, diverse terrain, and multiple estate-caliber building sites. 2 miles from Batesville Market, 15 miles from Charlottesville, not under conservation easement. MLS#652337 $975,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

KESWICK ESTATE

Nestled near Keswick Hall lies Keswick Estate, a gated community offering a 2.10± acre building site blending country life with resort living in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Build your dream home minutes from amenities like golf, dining, tennis, and more. MLS#650785 $470,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

WHIPPOORWILL

WALKING THE TALK

Together with Vault Virginia, Speak! is creating community—at home and abroad

Twenty years ago, Christina Ball was teaching evening Italian courses to adult continuing education students at the University of Virginia. She had come up in academic spaces, doing a Ph.D. at Yale and teaching for a while at Wake Forest before moving to Charlottesville. But as she watched the waitlists for those evening courses grow, she realized: Not everyone is a UVA student. There are countless people in this community who want to learn to speak a new language, and there’s nowhere for them to learn. CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

By Brian Hamilton

EZE AMOS

Speak! founder Christina Ball started the language center as Ecco Italy, a celebration of Italian culture, with cooking classes, movie screenings, and travel partners.

She had gotten to know Mark and Victoria Cave, who were starting their Italian coffee bar, Milano, in Main Street Market, and they generously offered her the space to spin off on her own. It was perfect: Ball was focused on helping people get ready to travel to Italy, and now they could practice over a proper caffè. Ecco Italy, as she called the new venture, quickly became something bigger than a place to learn to speak Italian. It was a celebration of Italian culture, with cooking classes, movie screenings, and travel partners. It was a bridge to Italy.

Five years later, Ecco Italy had become Speak! Language Center. “That’s when I had to really learn to run a business,” Ball says, “to find the partnerships, to make a profit, and not just do this as a hobby.” The list of languages got longer, the team got bigger, and the company’s scope got wider. In the years since, they have taught 22 languages: Swahili, Czech, Pashto, Korean, Hebrew, and many more. The team now includes teachers and staff members working remotely from Argentina, Portugal, Bangladesh, and Ukraine. The company’s B-Speak! program, which coaches international students in professional English online, started at UVA’s Darden School of Business and now serves business schools across the U.S. Two decades in, Speak! is becoming a national brand.

Yet it remains an essentially local business.

Language is fundamentally a mode of connection, and learning languages well requires real connections with real human beings. This basic observation about the nature of languages fits well with developments in the study of language acquisition over the last few decades. If your goal is to know a language the way a native speaker knows a language, learning formal grammar rules is surprisingly unimportant. (A native Spanish speaker probably can’t explain to you when to use the subjunctive in Spanish any better than you can explain when to use the pluperfect in English!) What is important is what language educators call comprehensible input. You need meaningful messages you can understand—as many of them as you can possibly get. It is even better if those messages come from a person with whom you have a real relationship rather than from a book of exercises or a chatbot.

Ball is generous but firm when someone mentions programs like Duolingo or Babbel (or Rosetta Stone, in the old days). “We love those apps because they are a cheap and quick way for people to experiment with different languages and sounds,” she says. They help people develop an interest in a language. But when they’re ready to get serious, they need to spend time with real human beings. Even better, they need to spend time with a human being who cares about what they have to say and who is willing to slow down and engage in a way that they can understand. This is what parents do for children as they are learning, and it is what a good teacher does for a student. Teachers connect with their students, and the connection itself is what drives the learning.

In the wake of the pandemic, a lot of us have been thinking again about the need for connection. The isolation of quarantine was hard. It pushed many of us more online, in hopes of maintaining our relationships from a distance. And that often worked! We were able to stay in touch with those we couldn’t touch. Some of us even found new connections, new communities, that we might never have found otherwise. Speak! has flourished by moving some of its work online, connecting with teachers and students in every part of the world.

But moving online is double-edged. It connects us with those at a distance while pulling us away, or at least threatening to pull us away, from those up close. We have seen it in our politics, where we hear more from influencers and talking heads than we do from neighbors; we have seen it in our cities, where it becomes easier to order something direct from a factory far away than to go to the Downtown Mall; we have seen it in our work, where even the occasional stolen minute of water cooler gossip has given way to the crisp efficiency of a Zoom meeting that begins precisely on time. We all know these tensions. These are the cliches of daily life now.

James Barton helped start Studio IX and Vault Virginia, two of the growing number of coworking spaces in Charlottesville. As a language lover himself (he played soccer in Mexico as a high schooler and studied for his MBA in Chi-

na), Barton was a natural partner for a company like Speak!. But more importantly, he shares with Ball a deep concern for the difficulties of developing real connections between real human beings. His coworking spaces are not just meant to provide a desk and a wifi connection; they’re meant to provide community.

At the center of his work at Vault Virginia, housed in the Bradbury Building on the Downtown Mall, is The Guild. He calls The Guild a “culture club.” It’s an effort to create a better, more engaging water cooler for Charlottesville’s remote workers and entrepreneurs. The natural tendency in our society right now is toward isolation, Barton acknowledges, even after the pandemic. It’s easy just to go back home at night and withdraw into our devices. But “humans are social creatures,” he says. “The work each of us does is, ideally, an expression of who we are and the good we hope to bring into the world. I believe that we are much more capable of achieving that when we put ourselves in spaces where we can support and inspire one another.”

Vault Virginia and The Guild are attempts to create such a space. “I want people to have something of substance to do on weeknights,” Barton says. A concert, a film, a gallery talk. Speak! moved into Vault Virginia last month in large part because Ball and Barton recognized each other as kindred spirits. Ball has already started to contribute to Vault’s weeknight offerings with a free event she calls Tea and Travel, where people can come to learn about a new place from someone who has spent time in the culture—Micronesia in May, Tuscany in June, Portugal in July. In August, more than 80 people came out to learn something about Sicily. This month, Ball is launching informal conversation hours at the Bradbury Café, where people can come and practice their Spanish, Italian, or French—also for free— with a Speak! teacher. So even as she develops her online programs, Ball is investing deeply in face-to-face relationships. Together with Barton, she is working to create the kinds of spaces that spark new connections between people who live here in Charlottesville, and also between Charlottesville and the rest of the world.

Ball grew up around Italian culture (her grandmother was from Gaeta, not far from Naples), but the first language she fell in love with was French. She found her way to Italian in college, while studying art history at Bowdoin. She came to the work of language teaching as a Europhile. But now, Speak!’s biggest languages are Spanish and, perhaps surprisingly, English. “I never thought I would teach English,” Ball admits. But Spanish and English are the languages that this community most needs.

Speak! now works extensively with the University of Virginia, for example, helping Spanish-speaking workers train for new jobs that require English and running language and culture courses for English-speakers who work with Spanish-speakers. Ball has also been nurturing relationships with a variety of local companies with multilingual teams. This fall, Speak! will start teaching Spanish to construction workers at Martin Horn and employees at the Farmington Country Club.

For those of us who live most of our lives in monolingual spaces, it can be easy to overlook how many of the relationships that make our communities work depend on the ability to speak across cultural lines. It can also be easy to overlook how connected we are to other parts of the globe. The students at Speak! are a window into the sheer variety of those connections: one has coworkers from the Caribbean, another is getting to know in-laws in Mexico, another is planning a research project in Portugal, another is heading to college in Japan, another has a daughter working in Lebanon.

Franco Perez is one of the Spanish teachers at Speak!. Perez grew up in Esperanza, Argentina—a city about the size of Charlottesville—and lives now in Buenos Aires. He’s worked with Ball for the last two years to develop their online Spanish course. He’s met a number of Speak! students who were traveling in South America. Now, for the first time, he’s in Charlottesville. He’s showcasing Argentinian films in the Vault Virginia screening room, hosting Spanish conversation hours, meeting some of his longtime online students in the flesh, and, of course, he says, “exploring the beautiful mountains and vineyards that Charlottesville is known for.”

For all the growth that Speak! has experienced over the last two decades, Ball is in some ways returning to her roots. All those years ago, from her space above Milano, she was helping people engage deeply in a new culture—its language, yes, but also its food, art, and customs. Now, from her new space above the Bradbury Café, she’s back at it. She has even re-focused on the needs of travelers, building out a new online course series for English-speakers preparing to go to Portugal or France. (“This is my passion project right now,” she says. “This is what I do on the nights and the weekends.”) But her bridges are much bigger now, and they bring as many people here as they send out into the world. There is a lot of pressure on businesses to expand their reach by going online. Ball has done some of that—and quite successfully. But what makes Speak! unique among language centers is its rootedness in a particular place and its commitment to real human beings. Moving to the Downtown Mall, she says, means she can “go all in on Charlottesville.”

EZE AMOS

Language Café, informal weekly meetups for Speak! students to practice their speaking skills, launched this month.

Dear Community Builders, Visionaries, and Fun-fueled Future Catalysts,

Today we’re announcing the 13th Annual Tom Tom Festival, April 16-20, 2025. Our April celebration of music, art, and ideas connects us over a magical week to bridge divides, have fun, and innovate toward a brighter tomorrow.

This year our theme is EVOLVE.

EVOLVE is about transforming the way we think, live, and lead. It’s about adapting to change—whether as individuals, communities, businesses, or societies—and growing stronger in the process.

EVOLVE speaks to one of life’s fundamental realities, in order to thrive, we must adapt. It’s an optimistic theme, but not a simple one.

What we once were, is not who we must be. We can take a painful past, changing circumstances, and challenging realities, to become something stronger and more resilient. But change is unsettling, and it can be scary. Evolving demands real courage -- alongside bold dashes of humility, empathy, intelligence, discipline, and determination.

These values speak to the fact that as humans we have the unique privilege of actively contributing to and understanding our evolution. Examining our lives, our businesses, our community, or even our democracy, we may actually see where we are stuck, where we are fearful, and where change is needed. And if we have observed closely enough, we may see what’s next.

We believe the week of Tom Tom, when so many communities come together in joyful connection, is the perfect time to pose these questions about our shared future. It’s a moment in our civic imagination when we hit pause on the normal day-to-day, and start evolving; together.

Co-Create EVOLVE with us!

We will be exploring EVOLVE at the Festival through 200+ programs, sessions, and performances. A vast majority of those are co-created and co-curated during a year of planning that empowers hundreds of stakeholders to bring their vision forward.

This Co-Creation happens through official and unofficial means. With the launch of EVOLVE -- we are opening up our Community Partner Program and our EVOLVE Conference Creator.

These two crowd-sourced initiatives allow engaged leaders to craft the EVOLVE message directly. The Community Partner Program is an opportunity for you to bring a new initiative you’d like to showcase, or a workshop, talk, concert, performance or open house you’d like to contribute.

Or if you’d like to contribute a session at the conference and explore how EVOLVE is shaping technology, entrepreneurship, society, or wellness, that invitation is open. Bring your passions to the table!

We are also opening our annual series of Public Interest Meetings to spark conversations and get ideas brewing for the Festival. These sessions include a presentation on the Festival and Theme, but are primarily designed to connect attendees and start the process of co-creation.

Wed. Sep. 25 at 6pm — General Interest

Wed. Oct. 2 at 6pm — Community Partner Program

Tues. Oct. 15 at 12pm — EVOLVE Conference

Wed. Oct. 30 at 6pm — Performers and Artists

EVOLVE Starts now. With YOU!

Please consider this the first of many invitations to cocreate the 13th Annual Tom Tom Festival. The Festival is the culmination of a year’s worth of collaboration with countless local organizations, artists, and visionaries.

Here’s four questions we hope you will consider with us over these next months:

How would you like to evolve?

How is your organization evolving?

Where should Charlottesville evolve? What does it mean for our nation to evolve?

Choosing an annual theme has been a tradition since the pandemic. As we lean into the notion that Tom Tom is a Festival about the Future of Community, our Themes have helped us communicate with Charlottesville, Albemarle and communities beyond, about the intentions -- and possibilities! -- of the Festival.

So let’s start that conversation, please tell us what EVOLVE means to you.

Bring on TOMORROW!

Now the Festival is launched, we’re full speed ahead. Can’t wait to see what our community creates in the months for our biggest Tom Tom yet!

Beer

Birria, chihuahua queso, onion, cilantro

Vegan eggplant caponata, pickled peppers, avocado

Drink

QUESATACOS DE BIRRIA

The Greenbrier Quesatacos de Birria - Three white corn tortillas dipped in consome oil, grilled with queso Chihuahua, Birria beef, onions, and cilantro. Served with fresh limes, radishes, chilito en aceite with a side of consume for dipping! (best in the surrounding area!)

Try a flight of Aero-Ritas, in 8 different varieties!

Weekly Specials:

• Monday Margaritas

• Chela Wednesdays (Beer)

• Jueves Sedientos Specials (Thirsty Thursday)

Taco Week Plate

3 tacos for $8

-Chorizo, onions, cilantro, roasted tomatillo salsa

-Mexican chicken tinga with onions, cilantro, roasted tomatillo salsa

-Suadero with cilantro, onions, rajas, roasted tomatillo sauce

-Roasted cauliflower marinated in salsa macha, with mole verde, crema, pico, cilantro

CHICKEN TACOS:

SWEET & SPICY SLAW

PICO DE GALLO

AVOCADO LIME CREMA

SRIRACHA AIOLI

CVILLE TACO WEEK

CULTURE

FRIDAY 9/13

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ADOLESCENCE!

Take a seat in front of the silver screen for Light House Studio’s 23rd Annual Youth Film Festival. Student films created over the last year through Light House’s workshops, community partnerships, and Summer Film Academy are highlighted at the YFF, giving attendees a chance to see the public debuts of projects before they screen in the national film festival circuit. With 23 acceptances and nine awards already conferred to Light House Studio productions for the 2023-24 festival season, this show should get two thumbs way up. $17–127.50, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

TUESDAY 9/17

THE RIGHT TRACK

Bringing a blend of South African rhythms, Cuban influences, and soul jazz sounds, Sharon Katz and The Peace Train steam into C’ville carrying the message of love and unity. Growing up in apartheid South Africa, singer-songwriter and guitarist Katz witnessed the atrocities and divisiveness brought on by the country’s imposed racial barriers. She vowed to use her music to help break down her country’s unjust system of government and aid healing. That commitment to social justice has extended beyond the group’s musical efforts, with proceeds from its performances and music sales used to fund humanitarian work throughout the world. $20–30, 7pm. Unity of Charlottesville, 2825 Hydraulic Rd. cvillejazz.org

TUESDAY 9/17

MISSISSIPPI MAESTRO

Pioneering bluesman R.L. Burnside liked to joke that Mississippi has four eyes and still can’t see. But as long as your hearing is good, you’ve likely heard some of the best American music come out of the Magnolia State. The Delta region is considered the birthplace of blues, and Grammy winner Cedric Burnside brings the rhythmic sounds of his birthright to his latest release Hill Country Love. The album title is a nod to the Hill Country Blues style played by greats like Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside, Cedric’s grandfather. Get into the groove with a sound that the younger Burnside has occupied since he first went on tour playing drums for his grandfather at age 13. $20, 8pm. The Southern Café and Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

101 WAYS TO WIND

CHARLOTTESVILLE CHAMBER

MUSIC FESTIVAL

SEPT 8-19

Students, check this out  Tickets and info: www.cvillechambermusic.org 434.295.5395

Student pricing: Sept. 12, 15 & 19 concerts, $6 in advance, FREE at the door with student ID

THE PARAMOUNT THEATER

9/12 @ 7:30pm

Bach Brandenburg 3, Trapani world premiere Beethoven, Mendelssohn Octet

9/13 @ 12:30pm FREE ONE-HOUR COMMUNITY CONCERT

OLD CABELL HALL @ UVA

9/15 @ 3pm

Brahms Sextet No. 1 & Beethoven Diabelli Variations

9/19 @ 7:30pm Brahms Piano Quartet #2, Schubert

Arpeggione, Gershwin Rhapsody, Fisher, Armstrong

CULTURE THIS WEEK

Wednesday 9/11 music

Berto and Matt. Latin guitar night. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Karaoke. Sing your heart out at Fiorano Karaoke. Easy sign up and a booming sound system. Free, 9pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail, Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

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

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

The Wavelength. Live music with The Wavelength, standards of the C’ville scene. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

Tyrone Vaughan. Blues from Austin, Texas by a member of one of America’s most renowned musical families. With Hot Texas Sun. $15–28, 8pm. The Southern Café and Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesouthern cville.com

Wednesday Karaoke. Downtown C’ville’s longest-running karaoke party. Hosted by Jenn Deville. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com classes

Jam with Steve Lanza. Steve hosts a gathering where you are invited to play along. Free, 8pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail, Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

John D’earth and Friends. Join us each week for live jazz with John D’earth and a rotating cast of local and national jazz musicians. Free, 10pm. Miller’s Downtown, 109 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. millers downtown.com

Karaoke. Sing Karaoke with us at FIREFLY Restaurant + Game Room every Thursday. Free, 8pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fire flycville.com

Matthew O’Donnell. The “Blue Ridge Bard” is a cornerstone of the C’ville music scene. Free, 7:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskey jarcville.com

classes

Floral Design Workshop. Create your own unique floral arrangement. Florals, foliages, and botanical elements provided. Ideal for all skill levels. $150, 6pm. Be Just Cville, 407 Monticello Rd. bejustcville.com etc.

Bent Theatre Improv. A hilarious evening of improv comedy where you make the show. No tickets or reservations required. However, you will be required to shout out suggestions. Free, 7pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potters craftcider.com

Paint + Sip: Summer Shade. Learn a variety of techniques and skills to render a summer shade scene. Paint, sip, repeat. $38, 6pm. Starr Hill Brewery Tap Room, 5391 Three Notched Rd., Crozet. blueridgebrushes.com etc.

SuperFly Run Club. Run around the city, then enjoy $5 pints. Raffles and exclusive merchandise to be earned. Free, 6pm. SuperFly Brewing Co., 943 Preston Ave. superflybrewing.com

Trivia with Olivia. Olivia and Maggie bring you all your trivia needs. Come prepared to win with a team or meet folks here. First place winners get a $50 Starr Hill gift card and second place winners get $25. Free, 7pm. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. starrhill.com

Zombie A scientist races to find a cure for a virus that causes the dead to rise and attack the living. $10, 7:15pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Thursday 9/12 music

Baby Jo’s. Boogie-woogie takes on classics with a full horn section, groovy rhythm, shredding guitars, washboards, and the Queen of Boogie, Betty Jo. Free, 10pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

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

Cake Fight. Music on the Lawn. A typical Cake Fight set includes covers spanning from the ’60s to today’s hits. Free, 6:30pm. The Shops at Stonefield, 2100 Hydraulic Rd. shopsatstonefield.com

Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival. Magic happens when ten stellar string musicians come together to play timeless music of Bach and Mendelssohn, plus Beethoven and a Trapani premiere. $6–30, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Music Bingo. Listen to your favorite music, match the songs to the titles on your music bingo cards, and win great prizes. Fun for the whole family. Free, 6pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. east woodfarmandwinery.com

Friday 9/13

music

N. Scott Johnson. Live 9-minute cello performance followed by Q&A. Free, 5:30pm. The Fralin Museum of Art at UVA, 155 Rugby Rd. virginia.edu

Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival Community Concert. This one-hour concert should appeal to both classical music fans and curious music explorers alike. Free, 12:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. the paramount.net

East Nash Grass. Nashville’s newest bluegrass ambassadors bring a balance of undeniably hard-driving instrumentation alongside surprisingly introspective songwriting and earnest narration. $30–35, 8pm. The Front Porch , 221 E. Water St. frontporch cville.com

Ed Ruben. Live rock music and scratch barbecue. Free, 8pm. Ace Biscuit & Barbecue, 600 Concord Ave.

Hotel Fiction. Genre-fluid indie-rock with pop and folk influences from Athens, Georgia. $15–50, 8pm. The Southern Café and Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesouthern cville.com

James Tamelcoff Band. Join us for a night of all your favorite classic, ’90s, and modern country music. Free, 7pm. Pro Re Nata Brewpub & Music Hall, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpk., Crozet. prnbrewery.com Karaoke. See listing for Wednesday, September 11. Free, 9pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail, Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

Ken Matthews. Wailing saxophone and classic tunes on the clarinet. Free, 5pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Laura Jane Grace & The Mississippi Medicals. One of the iconic voices of contemporary punk rock, of Against Me! and The Devouring Mothers fame. $27–32, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Marching Band Open Rehearsal. Bring a picnic and a blanket and watch the Cavalier Marching Band as they prepare for their halftime shows with Life’s A Beach. Free, 6:30pm. Carr’s Hill Field. music.virginia.edu

Matthew O’Donnell. A lively night of traditional pub music, incredible covers, and all-around good times. Free, 6pm. Starr Hill Downtown, 946 Grady Ave., Ste. 101. starr hill.com

Mike Burris Band. Friday Sunset Soirée. Live music, Twisted Biscuits food truck, and 100 percent estate wine with a Blue Ridge Mountain sunset view. Free, 6pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

Sally Rose Band. Fun and funky lively indie-rock sounds. Families, picnics, and well behaved leashed pups welcome. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Stiff Peaks. A Friday night full of nostalgic tunes. Free, 8pm. SuperFly Brewing Co., 943 Preston Ave., Ste. 2. superflybrewing.com

words

Author Event: Jody Hobbs Hesler. Jody Hobbs Hesler will read from her debut novel, Without You Here. A conversation with writer Louise Marburg will follow. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com

etc.

23rd Annual Youth Film Festival. Light House Studio’s annual YFF highlights student’s stories created over the past year. $17–127, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. the paramount.net

C’ville Brewery Puzzle Crawl. This puzzle crawl takes you to the breweries on Preston Avenue. Crack codes, solve puzzles, and enjoy some of Charlottesville’s best beers along the way. $18, all day. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. starrhill.com

Friday the 13th (2009). College kids eager to have a wild weekend must face the ultimate party pooper: Jason Voorhees. $10, 9:30pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Zinc. Vintage Market. 30+ vendors selling antiques, vintage ephemera, handmade items, and more. Free, 9am. Misty Mountain Camp Resort, 56 Misty Mountain Rd., Greenwood. mistycamp.com

Saturday 9/14

music

Berto Sales. Come enjoy the sounds of Brazil, Spain, and Latin America with Berto Sales. His unique fingerpicking style and contagious energy will have you tapping your feet. Free, 11am. Tavern & Grocery, 333 W. Main St. tavernandgrocery.com

Blue Healer Band. Rock and blues with a side of jam. Come dance, sing along, or stick your head in the speaker. We’re here to have fun. Free, 10:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

Creedence Clearwater Recital. The premier CCR tribute band playing all of your favorite CCR songs. $10, 7pm. Pro Re Nata Farm Brewery, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpk., Crozet. prnbrewery.com

CULTURE THE WORKING POUR

Turning this into something

Women gather to set a new vision for Virginia’s wine industry

By Paul H. Ting

The journey to establish Virginia Women in Wine began five years ago with a series of informal get-togethers spearheaded by food and travel writer Nancy Bauer. The gatherings of women who shared a passion for Virginia’s wine industry but found themselves unfamiliar with, or disconnected from, one another grew, and Bauer remembers the moment when the potential for something greater became clear to her. It was during discussions about challenges facing the industry that it dawned on her that “all the answers were in the room.”

The idea that their informal network should be formalized into a nonprofit entity soon emerged. “It became kind of a running joke,” Bauer says. “Shannon [Horton of Horton Vineyards] would always yell across the room, ‘Nancy, you really need to turn this into a 501(c)(3),’ and I’d yell back, ‘Shannon, you have fun with that.’”

On August 6, Virginia Women in Wine, led by Bauer as the organization’s first president, attracted more than 160 attendees for its launch at Eastwood Farm Winery. The event underscores the excitement and support for empowering women in Virginia’s growing wine industry through innovative media and marketing strategies, community-building, networking, leadership development, and promoting career advancement and equity.

Ultimately, a lunch meeting with Horton and Megan Hereford, co-owner of Stuart, Virginia-based Daring Wine & Cider Co., convinced Bauer to move forward. She drafted a grant proposal for the Virginia Wine Board. The proposal was not funded, but it did spark the formation of a dedicated group of women.

“I invited all the women who had ever been to one of our dinners or showed any interest in the idea to put their names on the proposal—50 women signed,” Bauer recalls. This list became the foundation of the organization’s inaugural board, which includes 14 members supported by an additional nine committee members and volunteers.

Bauer estimates that 6,000 or more women are employed in the Virginia wine industry and recognizes that they face some unique challenges. As VWW interviewed individuals to develop an upcoming white paper, issues such as pay inequity, lack of

respect, and equipment not designed for women emerged. Additionally, child-care challenges are significant, especially during back to school time, which coincides with the start of grape harvest.

Stephanie Pence, co-owner of Brix & Columns Vineyard in McGaheysville, highlights some of these unique challenges, noting that physical size and strength can sometimes require creative workarounds. She says there is often a reaction of surprise when she’s seen driving her tractor, sometimes in a dress, or arriving to unload pallets from a truck. “I’ve received comments like, ‘I thought you were getting your husband to unload this,’” she recalls. For Pence, such moments underscore the importance of community among women in the industry, for bonding and for problem-solving.

This sentiment is echoed by Seidah Armstrong, owner of Unionville’s Sweet Vines Farm Winery, who says, “I love the fact that VWW is essentially saying, ‘Hey, we see you and we support you!’” She notes that there are often isolated parts of the profession where collaboration is limited. VWW can reduce these workplace silos to foster more connection and resources.

“As a former K-12 administrator, I see continuing education opportunities as a

huge challenge for women in the industry,” says Armstrong. “VWW will work to make educational opportunities available for women as they navigate key Virginia-specific issues such as the impact of introducing new varietals or working on creative ways to grow tourism and clientele.”

Athena Eastwood, owner of Eastwood Farm and Winery, emphasizes the significance of representation at all levels, including leadership. “I think it’s important for people to be able to look out and see faces like theirs doing the things they dream of doing,” says Eastwood. “It makes it easier to imagine that you can do it too. When you are a woman just getting started, whether you are working in the cellar or serving on a board for the first time, having another woman in the room or at the table with you can be invaluable.”

Reflecting on the importance of formally organizing as a group, Bauer notes, “This board has reminded me how much more you can get done when you work together.” Admitting that she is “smitten” with the new challenge, she finds the prospect that Virginia Women in Wine might outlast her “pretty exciting.”

For more information or to become a member, visit virginiawomeninwine.com.

“When you are a woman just getting started, whether you are working in the cellar or serving on a board for the first time, having another woman in the room or at the table with you can be invaluable.”

ATHENA EASTWOOD, OWNER OF EASTWOOD FARM AND WINERY

Virginia Women in Wine, a new organization of wine professionals led by Nancy Bauer, finds answers through community. VWW is dedicated to creating the change, support, and resources necessary for women in the Virginia wine industry to thrive.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

Saturday 9/14

Her Checkered Past. Join Anne O’Brien and Frank Bechter in the orchard for some live music that will warm your heart. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarlecider works.com

Jimmy O. This high-energy, talented musician focuses on playing music that will have you up on your feet, dancing and singing along. Free, 6pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Karaoke with Lane. Karaoke is back. Come show off your singing skills with your friends. The stage is yours here. Free, 7pm. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. starrhill.com

Pamela Ryder. Relaxed outdoor fun with Dogwood & Thistle wine, chef Bud Porter, mini portrait sessions, and music from Pamela Ryder. Free, 9am. Bellair Farm, 5290 Bellair Farm. bellairfarm.com

Pat Anderson. Singer-songwriter Pat Anderson is a real roots-rocker. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Queeraoke. A place where everyone can belt it all out. We want you to show us what you got. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St.

Robert Jospé Trio. An evening filled with high-energy, world class jazz. Families, picnics, and well-behaved leashed pups welcome. Free, 5pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Swamp Street. Neo-soul, R&B, and blues by a C’ville band known for its live performances. Free, 10pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

The Cows. Rock as reggae, reggae as ska, and ska as rock after too much Grateful Dead. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com dance

’80s Dance Party. ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s tunes to get you busy on the dance floor. Free, 9pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail, Ste. 101, Barboursville. fiorano mediterranean.com

Yeah! ‘90s/2000s R&B and hip hop throwback party. Ages 18+. $15–22, 9pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

words

Author Event: Evan Friss. Join us for a book talk with Evan Friss, author of The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com

Democracy Day. A celebration of our 248year democracy with public remarks from local leaders. Free, noon. Market Street Park. Sabato’s Crystal Ball. Larry Sabato looks inside his Crystal Ball to detail everything you need to know about the major players and issues driving the 2024 Presidential and Congressional Elections. Free, 10am. UVA Alumni Hall, Ballroom, 211 Emmet St. S. engagement.virginia.edu

classes

Mosaic 101. Learn the basics of mosaic. 5.5 hour workshop with a 40 minute break to let the tiles set before grouting. Ages 15+. $56, 10:30am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

etc.

C’ville Brewery Puzzle Crawl. See listing for Friday, September 13. $18, all day. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. starrhill.com

Get Better Crozet Community Health Fair. Free health screenings and more for adults and kids. The event will be held rain or shine under covered pavilions. Free, 10:30am. Claudius Crozet Park, Crozet. crozetpark.org

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix As the forces of darkness begin to take power, Harry and his friends decide it’s time to fight back. $10, 10:15am. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.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. newdominion bookshop.com

Teas of the World. Stop by the Central library for an educational tea tasting. Free, 10:30am. Jefferson Madison Central Library., 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org

Woolly Bully Beer Festival. A celebration of craft beer featuring some of Virginia’s best craft breweries. Hosted by Selvedge Brewing. $17–55, noon. The Wool Factory, 1837 Broadway St. thewoolfactory.com

Zinc. Vintage Market. See listing for Friday, September 13. Free, 9am. Misty Mountain Camp Resort, 56 Misty Mountain Rd. Greenwood. mistycamp.com

Sunday 9/15

music

An Lar Traditional Irish Band. An afternoon of traditional Irish music the third Sunday of the month. Free, 2pm. Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd, Batesville. batesville market.com

Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival. Two masterpieces: Gorgeous Brahms for strings and monumental Beethoven on the piano. Free, 3pm. Old Cabell Hall Auditorium. virginia.edu

Gina Sobel Duo. Accomplished on multiple instruments, Gina Sobel is a natural improviser bringing together elements of funk, jazz, and American folk music into a fresh and compelling sound. Free, 2pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potters craftcider.com

Jazz Jam. A rotating crew of local, regional, and national jazz musicians where guests are invited to “join the jam.” Free, 6pm. Miller’s Downtown, 109 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. millersdowntown.com

Joint Venture. A musicians’ project playing bluegrass, country, and rock ‘n’ roll. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Michael Johnson. Dinner as usual with some live music. Michael Johnson has been playing country, worship, rock, and a range of music for the last 20 years. Free,

CULTURE THIS WEEK

1pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail, Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

Music Open Mic. Musicians of all ages are welcome. Two songs or ten minutes per performer, whichever comes first. Hosted by Theocles. Free, 5:30pm. The Southern Café and Music Hall, 103 S. First St. the southerncville.com

Silversun Pickups. Alt-rock from L.A. With Speedy Oritz. $40–139, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

The Trio. Live jazz music, 100 percent estate wine, and a Blue Ridge Mountain view. Children and dogs welcome but must remain with their group. Free, 1pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

Two of Us. Featuring the acoustic duo of Justin Storer and Joel Streeter performing well-loved Beatles tunes and songs inspired by The Beatles. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glass housewinery.com

classes

Beginner Watercolor Workshop. Discover essential tools for watercolor painting, master foundational techniques, and apply what you’ve learned to create a personal piece of art with one-on-one support from the instructor. Ages 15+. $40, 2pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappy elephant.com

Introduction to Block Printing. Discover the art and joy of block printing with local printmaker Josef Beery. Make a set of six personalized notecards just in time for the upcoming holidays. $125, 1pm. Be Just Cville, 407 Monticello Rd. bejustcville.com

Macramé 102. Create a decorative wall-hanging using basic macramé knots. All skill levels welcome. Ages 12+. $30, 3pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Paint + Sip: Field of Fireflies. Learn a variety of techniques and skills to render a field of fireflies scene. Paint, sip, repeat. $38, noon. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. blueridgebrushes.com

etc.

BRIMS Family Social & Beginner Session. Join us for an informal Irish music gathering hosted by the Blue Ridge Irish Music School. Free, 3pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarlecider works.com

C’ville Brewery Puzzle Crawl. See listing for Friday, September 13. $18, all day. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. starrhill.com

C’ville Vegfest. Vegan food, speakers, live entertainment, cooking demos, children’s activities, yoga, and more. Free, noon. Ix Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.com

The Capitol Fools. Political satire group holds a mirror up to our crazy political culture, providing hilarious song parodies and foolish reflections that inspire belly laughter as both sides of the aisle get skewered. $29–54, 4pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Monday 9/16 music

Betty Jo’s Boogie Band. Live boogie band with a horn section and all. Free, 7:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

DG3. Gin and jazz series welcomes trio playing modern takes on classics and standards. Free, 5:30pm. Oakhurst Inn, 100 Oakhurst Cir. oakhurstinn.com

dance

Salsa Dance Night. DJ Rafa will be spinning the latest in salsa and Latin-inspired dance cuts in the dance floor area of the bar. Come feel the heat and move. Free, 9pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail, Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

etc.

Comedy Open Mic. Showcase your talent, try out new material, and take in the best local comedy that C’ville has to offer. Hosted by Chris Alan. Free, 8pm. The Southern Café and Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Trivia on Tap. Five rounds of themed trivia for teams of up to six competitors. Hosted by Olivia. Reservations recommended. Free, 7pm. Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery - Charlottesville, 520 Second St. SE. threenotchdbrewing.com

Tuesday 9/17

music

Cedric Burnside. Grammy-winner and National Heritage Fellow brings the Mississippi Hill Country Blues style to C’ville. $20, 8pm. The Southern Café and Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Karaoke. Sign up and sing your favorite songs. Hosted by Thunder Music. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. Sharon Katz and The Peace Train. South African singer and guitarist Sharon Katz brings her exciting group The Peace Train to town for the first time. $20–25, 7pm. Unity of Charlottesville, 2825 Hydraulic Rd. cvillejazz.org

Vincent Zorn. Vincent Zorn performs solo wild flamenco rumba. Must say “olé!” Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

words

Tea and Travel. Guest speaker Claudia Wisdom-Good of Jetset Wisdom delivers travel tips and highlights on journeys to Slovenia, a small but stunning country nestled in Central Europe. Free, 5:30pm. Vault Virgina, 300 E. Main St. speaklanguagecenter.com

classes

Movin’ n’ Groovin’ 101. An adult dance class dedicated to enhancing body awareness, fostering personal growth through challenges, and pushing boundaries while enjoying the experience, with instructor Liberty DeLeon. $200, 5:30pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

Paint + Sip: Sunset Over C’ville. Learn a variety of techniques and skills to render a sunset over C’ville scene. Join us for a fun paint night. $38, 6pm. Ellie’s Country Club, 16 Elliewood Ave. blueridgebrushes.com etc.

Coach’s Corner with Tony Elliott. Another season of Coach’s Corner with Tony Elliott kicks off at Starr Hill. Free, 7pm. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. starrhill.com

Geeks Who Drink Trivia. Good trivia, good times. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

Poker Night. Test your luck and skill at our hold ’em poker night. Free, 7pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail, Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

Run Club. Charlottesville Run Club meets every Tuesday for a leisurely run before heading back to the taproom to hang out and enjoy beer specials. Free, 6pm. Starr Hill Downtown, 946 Grady Ave., Ste. 101. starrhill.com

Read our Q&A with Laura Jane Grace at cville.com.

Laura Jane Grace & The Mississippi Medicals

PUZZLES

Complete

BY MATT JONES

ACROSS

1. A, in Spain

4. Removes, as a hat

9. Word before bod or joke

12. St ate of danger

15. Allotted portion

16. Soccer st adium cheer

17. Aerosmith lead singer who announced his retirement from touring this year

19. Took the prize

20. “You’re totally wrong”

21. Made-up big number in Hobbit lore

23. Allow

24. Reggae singer ___ Kamoze

26. It’s in the loop

27. Bitten by the acting bug, maybe

33. Where funambulists walk

34. Court

35. Grammy winner Black

38. “Mr. Blue Sky” band

39. Gave an edge to

41. Diaphragmatic spasm noise

42. Trample

44. Heat sensor on the range?

50. Party spoiler

51. Take to court

52. “Son ___ Critch” (Canadian sitcom)

53. Like ungulates such as pigs, hippos, and giraffes (but who’s counting?)

57. Concoct

59. German definite article

60. “Let me blow off some steam,” or the reason for five other Across theme answers?

62. Verb ender

63. “Hot in Herre” rapper

64. Tough-to-find character

65. Printers’ dash lengths

66. “Evening Shade” narrator Davis

67. Tajikistan, previously, for short

DOWN

1. Convinced to shell out more

2. It comes before “lands” or “world”

3. Coy comeback

4. “Spring ahead” clock abbr.

5. “___ of little faith”

6. Topple

7. Giveaway gift

8. Person who waits

9. Urban center

10. Tons

11. Say it isn’t

13. 1961 Nobelist Andric or comedian Graham

14. Forgiving

18. It alian grandma

22. Middle-earth inhabit ant

25. Words after “as” that, on their own, look grammatically incorrect

28. Baron ___ Rightoften (playable character in the 1984 Trivial Pursuit arcade game)

29. NHL player in Edmonton

30. Many charity golf tournaments

31. Sturgeon eggs

32. “The ___ Squad”

35. Comedian Margaret

36. 54, in Roman numerals

37. Glacier breakaways

39. Keyboarder’s base (index fingers on F and J!)

40. “___ Punch Man”

42. Last word of an HBO megahit

43. Have reservations

45. Smoking alternative, ages ago

46. Pizzeria owner Jim who founded a frozen-pizza manufacturing company

47. Linen closet items

48. Money in an online wallet, e.g.

49. “Jurassic Park” predator

53. Falco who appears in the “Avatar” sequels

54. Type of diagrams appreciated by Kamala Harris

55. Squiggly fish

56. Salami source

58. Longoria on the current season of “Only Murders in the Building”

61. Turn eggs green, perhaps

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Virgo

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You have probably heard the platitude, “Be cautious about what you wish for. You might get it.” The implied warning is that if your big desires are fulfilled, your life may change in unpredictable ways that require major adjustments. That’s useful advice. However, I have often found that the “major adjustments” necessary are often interesting and healing—strenuous, perhaps, but ultimately enlivening. In my vision of your future, Virgo, the consequences of your completed goal will fit that description.You will be mostly pleased with the adaptations you must undertake in response to your success.

By Rob Brezsny Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The bird known as the gray-headed albatross makes long, continuous flights without touching down on the ground. I propose we nominate this robust traveler to be one of your inspirational animals in the coming months. I suspect that you, too, will be capable of prolonged, vigorous quests that unleash interesting changes in your life. I don’t necessarily mean your quests will involve literal long-distance travel. They may, but they might also take the form of vast and deep explorations of your inner terrain. Or maybe you will engage in bold efforts to investigate mysteries that will dramatically open your mind and heart.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You are in a good position and frame of mind to go hunting for a novel problem or two. I’m half-joking, but I’m also very serious. I believe you are primed to track down interesting dilemmas that will bring out the best in you and attract the educational experiences you need. These provocative riddles will ensure that boring old riddles and paltry hassles won’t bother you. Bonus prediction: You are also likely to dream up an original new “sin” that will stir up lucky fun.

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your spinning and weaving abilities will be strong in the coming weeks. I predict that your knack for creating sturdy, beautiful webs will catch the resources and influences you require. Like a spider, you must simply prepare the scenarios to attract what you need, then patiently relax while it all comes to you. Refining the metaphor further, I will tell you that you have symbolic resemblances to the spiders known as cross orbweavers. They produce seven different kinds of silk, each useful in its own way—and in a sense, so can you. Your versatility will help you succeed in interesting ways.

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn basketball player JamesOn Curry had the briefest career of anyone who ever played in America’s top professional league. Around his birthday in 2010, while a member of the Los Angeles Clippers, he appeared on the court for 3.9 seconds—and never returned. Such a short-lived effort is unusual for the Capricorn tribe—and will not characterize your destiny in the coming months. I predict you will generate an intense outpouring of your sign’s more typical expressions: durability, diligence, persistence, tenacity, resil-

ience, determination, resolve, and steadfastness. Ready to get underway in earnest?

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): It’s a good time for you to embrace the serpent, metaphorically speaking. You may even enjoy riding and playing with and learning from the serpent. The coming weeks will also be a favorable phase for you to kiss the wind and consult with the ancestors and wrestle with the most fascinating questions you know. So get a wild look in your eyes, dear Aquarius. Dare to shed mediocre pleasures so you can better pursue spectacular pleasures. Experiment only with smart gambles and high-integrity temptations, and flee the other kinds. PS: If you challenge the past to a duel (a prospect I approve of), be well-armed with the future.

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): Panda bears don’t seem to enjoy having sex. The typical length of their mating encounters is from 30 seconds to two minutes. There was a dramatic exception to the rule in 2015, however. Lu Lu and Zhen Zhen, pandas living at a Sichuan giant panda research center in China, snuggled and embraced for 18 minutes. It was unprecedented. I encourage you, too, to break your previous records for tender cuddling and erotic play in the coming weeks. The longer and slower you go, the more likely it is you will generate spiritual epiphanies and awakenings.

Aries

(March 21-April 19): Few of the vegetables grown in the 21st century are in their original wild form. Many are the result of crossbreeding carried out by humans. The intention is to increase the nutritional value of the food, boost its yield, improve its resistance to insect predators, and help it survive weather extremes. I invite you to apply the metaphor of crossbreeding to your life in the coming months. You will place yourself in maximum alignment with cosmic rhythms if you conjure up new blends. So be a mix master, Aries. Favor amalgamations and collaborations. Transform jumbles and hodgepodges into graceful composites. Make “alloy” and “hybrid” your words of power.

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): “All I ask is the chance to prove that money can’t make me happy,” quipped comedian Spike Milligan. I propose we make that your running joke for the next eight months. If there was ever a time when you could get rich more quickly, it would be between now and mid-2025. And the chances of that happening may be

enhanced considerably if you optimize your relationship with work. What can you do now to help ensure you will be working at a well-paying job you like for years to come?

Gemini

(May 21-June 20): The World Health Organization says that 3.5 billion people in the world don’t have access to safe toilets; 2.2 billion live without safe drinking water; 2 billion don’t have facilities in their homes to wash their hands with soap and water. But it’s almost certain that you don’t suffer from these basic privations. Most likely, you get all the water you require to be secure and healthy. You have what you need to cook food and make drinks. You can take baths or showers whenever you want. You wash your clothes easily. Maybe you water a garden. I bring this to your attention because now is an excellent time to celebrate the water in your life. It’s also a favorable time to be extra fluid and flowing and juicy. Here’s a fun riddle for you: What could you do to make your inner life wetter and better lubricated?

Cancer

(June 21-July 22): Cancerian rapper and actor Jaden Smith has won a few mid-level awards and has been nominated for a Grammy. But I was surprised that he said, “I don’t think I’m as revolutionary as Galileo, but I don’t think I’m not as revolutionary as Galileo.” If I’m interpreting his sly brag correctly, Jaden is suggesting that maybe he is indeed pretty damn revolutionary. I’m thrilled he said it because I love to see you Cancerians overcome your natural inclination to be overly humble and self-effacing. It’s OK with me if you sometimes push too far. In the coming weeks, I am giving you a license to wander into the frontiers of braggadocio.

Leo

(July 23-Aug. 22): Research by psychologists at Queen’s University in Canada concluded that the average human has about 6,200 thoughts every day. Other studies suggest that 75% of our thoughts are negative and 95 percent are repetitive. But here’s the good news, Leo: My astrological analysis suggests that the amount of your negative and repetitive thoughts could diminish in the coming weeks. You might even get those percentages down to 35 percent and 50 percent, respectively. Just imagine how refreshed you will feel. With all that rejuvenating energy coursing through your brain, you may generate positive, unique thoughts at an astounding rate. Take maximum advantage, please!

CLASSIFIEDS

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

Commonwealth of Virginia VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Charlottesville Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re: a male child born to Jamie Willoughby

Charlottesville Dept. of Social Services v. Jamie Willoughby and Unknown Father

The object of this suit is to terminate the parental rights of a male child K.C. born to Jamie Willoughy on December 20, 2013

It is ORDERED that the defendant unknown father, appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before October 4, 2024 at 2:30 p.m.

8/6/2024

Areshini Pather

DATE JUDGE

Live your fest life

More than 5,000 people attended Saturday’s Cville Pride festival at Ting Pavilion—the largest crowd in the festival’s 12-year history. The day-long celebration included drag shows with Bebe Gunn and Lavender Menace; performances from The Falsies, Shagwüf, and 7th Grade Girl Fight; and more than 70 vendors, from Free Mom Hugs to The Front Porch. “This year, because of the hard work of the Cville Pride team and community support, we were able to bring Pride back to the Downtown Mall and the Ting Pavilion,” said Cville Pride President Nick Hutchins on Instagram following the event. “After yesterday, it feels like the sky is the limit for the future of this festival.”

On Stands Now!