CVILLE Weekly | March 12 - 18, 2025 by C-VILLE Weekly

Proposed $264 million city budget now in the hands of City Council P.9

Albemarle Supervisors grant slight expansion to Greenwood Grocery P.13

Indie comic creators take on corporate malfeasance with Southtown P.37

MARCH 12 – 18, 2025

At play

From dice rolls to role-play goals, Charlottesville's gaming scene is on a winning streak

March 20 to 23 2025

CHARLOTTESVILLE’S FREE NEWS AND ARTS WEEKLY

REED ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING AWARD

2025 CEREMONY

Join us virtually to celebrate these extraordinary writers.

SOLD OUT IN-PERSON EVENT

VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK

You’re invited to join SELC virtually as we celebrate our Reed Environmental Writing Award winners as part of the Virginia Festival of the Book. Don’t miss your chance to hear from author Jonathan Mingle, and ABC News journalists Jared Kofsky, Maia Rosenfeld, and Steve Osunsami as they share reflections on their awardwinning work.

Tim Kaine — current U.S. Senator, author and longtime outdoor enthusiast — will be this year’s featured speaker, reflecting on his new book Walk Ride Paddle.

March 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM

The first 400 event registrants receive a FREE copy of Jonathan Mingle’s book, Gaslight: The Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Fight for America’s Energy Future.

Jared Kofsky JOURNALISM AWARD WINNER

Steve Osunsami JOURNALISM AWARD WINNER

Maia Rosenfeld JOURNALISM AWARD WINNER

Jonathan Mingle BOOK AWARD WINNER

VILLAGE SCHOOL AND ARIANA WILLIAMS COLLEGE CONSULTING PRESENT

Harlan Cohen

WIN OR LEARN PARENTING:

5 STEPS TO HELP YOUR STUDENT GET GRITTIER AND BUILD RESILIENCE (BEFORE COLLEGE)

Many students never acquire the life skills needed to overcome adversity. They go to high school and graduate without the grit, resilience, and life skills needed to navigate the challenges ahead. New York Times bestselling author Harlan Cohen steps in and gives parents a framework to guide and support their children through all stages of life.

THIS IS A FREE EVENT FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS

MARCH 17 2025 • 7:30 PM

Hello, Charlottesville.

Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.

If there’s one thing I know about C-VILLE readers (as evidenced by the emails I received last week when we accidentally left a few clues off the crossword—follow us on social media for any rectifications we may need to make in the future!), it’s that you like your games. Not only that, you rely on them to provide a little day-to-day relief.

“One of the simple things that keeps me going in these challenging times,” wrote one reader who noted our recent omission, “is the C-VILLE’s crossword puzzle.” This week, we thought: Give the people what they want!

Starting on page 21, you’ll find three stories about local gamers, 10 ways to get your game on, a New York Times-style Connections, and our very own Charlottesville-centric crossword puzzle (all clues included, we promise!).

This cover story comes at just the right time for geeks people who love games, as this weekend is the fourth annual WTJU Cville Puzzle Hunt, of which C-VILLE Weekly is a co-sponsor. The free event invites you to traipse around downtown and uncover the answers to five large-scale puzzles under the theme of “American Revolution.” Keep your eyes peeled for clues—one may be right under your nose.

Hey, thanks!

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

Towns Ackerman

Lori Balaban

Timothy Bambury

Catherine Barnes

Jennifer Beachley

Mayanna Bean

Denise Benson

Anne Bergamesca

Kim Biasiolli

Paddy Bowman

Paul Brewer

Claudia Murray Brindle

Sumner Brown

Colette Brown

Jack Brown

Kate Buford

Cathleen Burgess

Michael Callahan

Brian Carlton

Karen Collins

Emily Currier

Maria-Eugenia Dalton

Martha Donnelly

Charlotte Drummond

Louise Dudley

Lee Elberson

Jane Elmore

Karen Emmitt

Ken Engebretson

Elizabeth Engle

M. Fife

Lavonne Fitts

Barbara Fornoff

David Gies

Stephanie Goodwin

Madeleine Hawks

Mary Haynes

Chris Hellings

Stephen Herrick

John Heyser

JoAnn Hofheimer

Lisa Hogan

Laura Horn

Christina Horton

Garth Jensen

Nina Johnston

Nicole Jones

Diane Jones

Janet Jospe

Brian Kelly

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

Jessica Lino

D. Little

Phillip Long

Rob Lynch

Jeff Martin

Erin Mayer

Kieran Mcdowell

Mary McIntyre

Ruth McWilliams

James Mernin

Nicolas Mestre

Parthy Monagan

Hilary Moorman

Michael Morency

Harold E. Morgan

Michael Moriarty

Jim Mummery

Karen Myers

Monica Newby

Dennis O’Connor

Cynthia Van Osch

Annette Osso

Annette Owens

Elizabeth Perdue

Joann Peters

Damon Pettitt

Elayne Phillips

Anne Price

Ernest Pugh

Harry Purkey

Leslie Quenichet

Sarah Ratcliffe

Stots Reele

Marjorie Rein

Cindy Richards

Kevin Richardson

David Robinson

Julia Rubarth

Carol Gilbert Sacks

Audrey Sarate

Joan Schatzman

Sandra Schmidt

Eric Schultz

James Seitz

Elaine Shaw

Chuck Shelton

Paul Shettel

This week’s contributors

CM Turner brings nearly 20 years of experience working in galleries, museums, studios, and schools to bear in his efforts to expand appreciation for and understanding of contemporary art and culture. He has spoken on the subjects of video art and internet culture at MidAmerica College Art Association and Mid-America Print Council conferences, and his work has been published by AEQAI, Report Magazine, and Undermain. Turner joined the editorial team at C-VILLE Weekly in the spring of 2024, focusing on coverage of the visual and performing arts across the greater-Charlottesville region.

John Smith

Kristina Smith

Meredith Smoot

Mickey Speck

Maria Spence

Nichole Taylor

Emily Thiede

Reid Thompson

Prue Thorner

John Titus

Erica Toy

Jill Trischman-Marks

Susan Uland

Rick Vergot

Christina Walker

David Waters

Chris Waugaman

Kelly West

Jay Wildermann

Marcia Wilds

Andrew Wolf

Natalie Yancey

Suzanne Yeaman

Nura Yingling

Kelly Zalewski

Kathleen Zenker

Andrew Hollins is a freelance crime reporter, features writer, and investigative journalist who has contributed to C-VILLE Weekly since 2023. He’s a former first responder, an avid musician and gamer, and has been writing as a hobby since third grade. He began his journalism career in 2016 with The Central Virginian. Since then, his work has been featured in The Daily Progress, The Progressive Frontier, and Trendline News. He lives in the Town of Louisa with his family and his cat, Link.

Explore our new membership types to find the right fit for your lifestyle. Whether you tee off weekly or only have time for a round or two per month, we have a solution for you. Scan the QR code to learn more about each option, and dive into the perks and benefits of our Loyalty Program. It's an exciting time to become a member at Old Trail! Visit oldtrailclub.com/golf/membership or call 434-823-8101 to get started.

SPECIALS

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 27

Wine Passport Series: Spain & Portugal

April 20

Easter Brunch

May 1

Wine Passport Series: Oregon & California

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

Games people play

COPY EDITOR

Susan Sorensen

NEWS INTERN

Merrill Hart

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Brezsny, Dave Cantor, Matt Dhillon, Carol Diggs, Shea Gibbs, Claudia Gohn, Mary Jane Gore, Maeve Hayden, Andrew Hollins, Erika Howsare, 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

ADVERTISING

advertising@c-ville.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Bianca Johnson bianca@c-ville.com

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Brian Hrozencik brian@c-ville.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Gabby Kirk gabby@c-ville.com

Candace Stevens candace@c-ville.com

Stephanie Vogtman-Say stephanie@c-ville.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Tracy Federico designer@c-ville.com

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Faith Gibson ads@c-ville.com

BUSINESS

PUBLISHER

Anna Harrison anna@c-ville.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Debbie Miller debbie@c-ville.com

A/R SPECIALIST

Nanci Winter (434) 373-0429

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Billy Dempsey circulation@c-ville.com

C-VILLE HOLDINGS, LLC Bill Chapman, Blair Kelly

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 LEFT LANE CRUISER WITH THE PENTAGRAM STRING BAND & LITTLE FOOT

THURSDAY, MARCH 13 CIMARRON 615 WITH THE GLADSTONES

MARCH 29-ON SALE NOW EDGEHILL & THE BARONS

JUNE 7-ON SALE NOW LYAO PRESENTS: LIZ MIELE

Local Author William A. James, Sr. has done it again.

HIS TWO NEWEST BOOKS ARE...

LUCY CAT IN A CAT BOOK, is primarily for children five to eight years old kindergarten through third grades. It’s main focus Is on getting children to relate to each other in a positive manner regardless of their cultural and diverse origins. The Book consists in two parts: One is pictorial-cartoon depictions showing how Lucy Cat is able to befriend everyone around her in a very convivial manner.

The Second part is Lesson Planning Suggestions giving the Teachers or Instructors ideas about how to reinforce the messaqe each cartoon presents.

Based on LUCY CAT IN A CAT BOOK, 2024, By William A James, Sr., LUCY CAT IN A COLORING BOOK includes all of the characters in LUCY CAT’S neighborhood

James will sign copiesof his books at 2nd Act Books March 22, 1-3 pm

434-970-1900

Tuesday – Friday 10 – 5 Saturdays 10 – 3

OTHER BOOKS BY JAMES ARE:

In, A MURDER ON FIFTH AND DICE AND THE RUIN OF FIFEVILLE, James shows how drugdealing and gang violence led to the condemnation, demolition, and gentrification of Fifeville. It is a Sequel to his IN THE STREETS OF VINEGAR HILL, 2007. (He is writing a play based upon this latest Book)

In, HARD TIMES AND SURVIVAL: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN AFRICANAMERICAN SON, James relates His Story and the Reader learns what He means when He Says: “Do not GiveIn to Adversity, but overcome it by Steady and Constant Perserverance.”

IN THE STREETS OF VINEGAR HILL, James reveals how fear and misunderstandings caused The Charlottesville City Council to condemn and Demolish a 20 Acre Tract (30 Black businesses and 600 residents) from the Downtown area from 1958-1964.

Local Author

William A. James, Sr.

Call or Write, William A. James, Sr. 434-985-8987 PO Box 6991, Charlottesville, VA 22906 Wjpublications@aol.com

BOOKS SOLD AT:

The University of Virginia Bookstore

400 Emmet Street, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (on UVA Grounds).

Patsy Goolsby, Manager, 434-924-1075 | bookshop@virginia.edu

2nd Act Books

214 East Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Daphne Spain, Owner, 434-202-0754 | daphnespain@gmail.com

Amazon.com

Numbers game

City’s draft budget prioritizes education, affordable housing, and transportation BY CATIE RATLIFF CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

The (projected) numbers are in. Under the draft proposal presented to City Council on March 4, Charlottesville’s budget will total $264,474,183 for fiscal year 2026.

Despite a nearly 5 percent increase from last year’s budget, no tax increases were needed to balance the draft budget this year. Any potential tax increases have been pushed off, with the deadline required for public notification of potential rate hikes already past.

Funding priorities include education, capital improvement initiatives, transportation, and affordable housing.

The largest single-item expenditure this budget cycle is education, with a more than $4.9 million increase proposed for Charlottesville City Schools. The draft budget allocates $79,026,522 for CCS—fully meeting the district’s budget request. Ahead of City Manager Sam Sanders’ presentation, CCS Superintendent Royal Gurley and School Board Chair Emily Dooley shared the school district’s request with council.

“At this moment in history, the moral imperative of public education could not be bigger,” said Dooley.

Most of the funding increase will be used to cover personnel costs, according to Gurley. In addition to raising compensation, eight full-time positions and one part-time role will be added to CCS’s roster. Among the jobs funded are three English as a second language teachers, two reading and math specialists, one family engagement liaison, one transportation coordinator, and a recruitment specialist.

CCS and Albemarle County Public Schools are both bracing for anticipated federal funding cuts courtesy of the Republican-controlled legislature and President Donald Trump’s opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives—especially in schools.

It is anticipated that Trump will use an executive order to direct newly appointed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to shut down the agency, something McMahon has publicly supported since her March 3 confirmation. Despite signals from the administration, Trump cannot dismantle the DOE through executive action alone. Congressional ap-

proval is required to shutter the department, and would likely require a Senate supermajority of 60 votes to pass.

Trump had not signed the anticipated memo at press time, but cuts to the DOE’s funding and personnel have already begun.

Beyond the school district’s general budget, CCS also requested an additional $1.5 million in Capital Improvement Project funds to address school priority projects. Safety and facility improvements are long overdue at several district buildings, including the Charlottesville Area Technical Education Center, which has not been updated in more than 50 years. In addition, a fall safety audit identified the need for new doors, among other things, at Charlottesville High School.

“We do expect impact, and we do believe there will be damage to mitigate.”

IN BRIEF

The city’s draft budget proposal falls just short of the CIP request, with $1.4 million currently slated for school priority projects. Both Sanders and members of City Council expressed a desire to meet the district’s full request, signaling future efforts to increase the allocation.

Increasing construction and capital costs were cited by both Sanders and Gurley as reasons for additional CIP funding, with costs outpacing estimates in most, if not all, projects. While the contribution to CCS is the most expensive expenditure in the general fund, the category receiving the most CIP funds is affordable housing. Approximately 39.8 percent of FY26 CIP expenditures are slated for affordable housing efforts. Among the projects receiving CIP funds in FY26 are Carlton Mobile Home Park, the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund, and the Westhaven redevelopment.

Transportation is another major driver of expenses in the proposal. A significant investment in transportation and pedestrian infrastructure is part of an effort to improve accessibility and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. More than $41.5 million in transportation projects are planned through 2030, including $4.7 million toward the ADA Transition Plan and $5.4 million for the New Sidewalks Program. Outside of spending, uncertainty around federal and state government was a focus of Sanders’ budget presentation. In anticipation, the city is holding on to surplus funds from previous budgets rather than immediately allocating the roughly $24 million.

“We need to hold on to [the surplus] and give our people in D.C. a little more time to work out whatever it is that’s causing us to be in the state that we’re in, and see how those changes, proposed changes, actually make impact,” said Sanders. “It is very unpredictable right now, it’s very difficult to determine what is likely to happen. … We do expect impact, and we do believe there will be damage to mitigate. We’re not just looking at the federal government changes, but there will be state changes that happen as a result, and that means we will be hit twice.”

Charlottesville City Council is expected to vote on the final budget on April 14. For information on the remaining work sessions, public hearings, and community forum ahead of adoption, visit charlottesville.org.

SAM SANDERS,

CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY MANAGER

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

Nyeem Hill, the fugitive responsible for a UVA shelter-in-place order in late February, is apprehended. Charlottesville Pride sets September 6 as date for 2025 festival. Charlottesville Free Clinic receives $75,000 grant. Albemarle resident Sunnie Jordan pleads guilty to misdemeanor animal cruelty following viral video in which he repeatedly strikes a dog. UVA women’s basketball guard Kymora Johnson named to All-ACC First Team. Stanardsville man charged in connection with weapon found in a child’s backpack at Nathanael Greene Elementary School. Ralph Sampson’s American Tap Room closes, making way for Milk & Honey. UVA celebrates 200th anniversary of its first classes. Downtown Crozet Initiative receives $250,000 Perry Foundation grant to build Crozet Plaza. UVA Health System Board member Thomas Scully resigns in protest of treatment of now-former CEO Craig Kent. Charlottesville resident Richard Hobcraft Allan III, who in 2020 threw the city’s former slave auction block marker in the James River, chains himself to a post outside the White House March 10 to protest cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

City Manager Sam Sanders presented a balanced budget, with no tax increases, to City Council on March 4.

READ LOCAL. WEAR LOCAL.

NEWS UVA Diversity of thought?

UVA BOV dissolves Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

uring a March 7 meeting, the University of Virginia Board of Visitors voted unanimously to dissolve the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and its Center for Community Partnerships. The two-page resolution cites both a January 21 Trump executive order “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” and communication from the U.S. Department of Education as contributors in the decision.

The resolution also directs UVA to “immediately transfer permissible programs to a new organizational home,” and indicates that “legally permissible research and activities should proceed as normal.”

The final line of the resolution calls for UVA President Jim Ryan to update the BOV on compliance within 30 days. While the resolution’s language demands the immediate dissolution of the university’s DEI office—which houses the Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, Title IX compliance, the UVA Tribal Liaison, and the university’s Center for Community Partnerships—the future of numerous employees and programs remains uncertain.

“In accordance with the resolution, the administration will review the functions of the office, and all personnel and programs that are permissible under state and federal law will be transferred within the University, within 30 days. We will provide additional information as those efforts proceed,” shared a university spokesperson in a comment over email. “As the resolution,

Meningitis death

First-year UVA student Nicolas “Nico” Ramos-Esteban died from a severe case of bacterial meningitis at the University of Virginia Medical Center on March 7.

According to a fundraiser organized by fraternity Phi Kappa Psi, Ramos-Esteban battled the disease for a week prior to his death. “At UVA and beyond, Nico was known for his kindness, generosity, happy-go-lucky spirit, and dedication to others,” reads the GoFundMe.

At press time, more than $92,000 has been raised for Ramos-Esteban’s family.

Community members were alerted about the case of meningococcal disease on March 2. UVA’s Department of Student Health and Wellness shared information about the disease, and offered a meningococcal vaccine clinic on March 5. While he was not identified in the alerts, known close contacts of Esteban-Ramos were notified by Student Health with additional instructions. Anyone experiencing symptoms of meningitis—sudden fever, severe headache, stiff neck, and rash— were told to contact SHW immediately.

Students are currently on spring break, and, at press time, UVA has reported no additional cases of meningitis.—CR

which was approved unanimously, states, the ‘University of Virginia highly values diversity, including diversity of thought and experience, and fosters an inclusive environment, encouraging a culture of opportunity for all’ and those values will guide this process going forward.”

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin applauded the decision in a press release the same day. “The Board of Visitors voted for common sense, saying ‘no’ to illegal discrimination and ‘yes’ to merit-based opportunity,” he said. “DEI is done at the University of Virginia. We stand for the universal truth that everyone is created equal, and opportunity is at the heart of Virginians’ and Americans’ future.”—Catie Ratliff

UVA President Jim Ryan will update the Board of Visitors by April 6 on compliance with the resolution to dissolve the Office of DEI and Community Partnerships.

REAL ESTATE NEWS

Special exception

Albemarle supervisors allow for a slight expansion of Greenwood Grocery

BY SEAN TUBBS

Albemarle County has several rules intended to limit commercial development in the vast majority of its 726 square miles, including large stretches of highway. For instance, you can’t have a country store that’s more than 4,000 square feet in total size.

In 2024, the owners of Greenwood Grocery on Rockfish Gap Turnpike learned that the hard way when they had to stop work on an expansion that would have exceeded the limit.

“The grocery itself was built as a hut for fruit sales around 1957,” says Leah Brumfield, a planner with Albemarle County. “The hut was expanded into a country store between 1960 and 1990 with regular changes and updates and expansions.”

The original owners sold the property and a house next door to Nina Promisel and David Atwell in September 1999, but the existing hut burned down a month later due to faulty wiring. The store was rebuilt in 2003, even though the zoning code did not allow for it.

“In order to rebuild and continue our livelihood, we began a lengthy process to demonstrate to the county officials’ and board of representatives’ satisfaction that the business had existed and had been operated out of both structures for nearly 50 years at that point,” reads the couple’s application for a special exception to allow the house to be used as a business.

That effort pushed the county to amend the zoning code in 2008 to define country stores.

On March 5, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to grant the exception,

which requires the two parcels to be combined into a single property. One supervisor noted that the cost involved to obtain approval is a regulatory burden for other would-be applicants.

“This does make everything more expensive for those involved and ultimately for the people that end up purchasing from them,” said Ned Gallaway of the Rio District.

Another supervisor thanked Brumfield for assisting with the application to ensure a long-standing business can grow and continue to serve as a gathering place for the community.

“It’s complicated from a civilian’s point of view, including me, to get it right,” said White Hall District’s Ann Mallek. “It is a gem, and I’m very glad to have them continue in operation.”

Other examples of country stores in Albemarle include The Batesville Market, Wyant’s Store, Hunt Country Market & Deli, and Earlysville General Store. Efforts were underway to restore the Purvis Store in Esmont but that project was dealt a blow after the roof recently collapsed.

“Plan B is to make the whole area into a historic park and that design is being worked on as we speak,” says Peggy Denby of the group Friends of Esmont.

The ongoing update of the county’s Comprehensive Plan could one day lead to further changes in the rules for country stores. One objective in the draft rural land use chapter calls for ways to “increase the adaptive reuse of existing structures in rural communities that provide essential services and daily need for rural residents.”

Annie Gould Gallery

Greenwood Grocery currently operates out of this structure, which was built following a fire in the early 2000s. The approved special exception will allow expansion into an existing house on the property.

unique art gallery located in the heart of historic Gordonsville.

LOCUST AVENUE

Charming 1929, classic brick home located in north downtown. Tastefully renovated and updated without losing the original character. 9’ ceilings, built-in bookcases, beautiful woodwork, trim and crown Professionally landscaped yard with mature plantings offers room for relaxation, play, and entertaining. Private, offstreet parking. Walkable community with wide streets and sidewalks. Quick access to major roadways, UVa and Downtown. Recent upgrades include: new roof 2022, replacement windows, renovated bathrooms, exterior painted 2022, and new Plantation shutters $899,000

MCGUFFEY HILL

Tucked away in a Fabulous city location! This home features a large great room with a fireplace and opens onto the terrace. The breakfast nook opens onto a large private deck. $450,000

STONEY CREEK DRIVE

Mill Creek South Come by to see this great floor plan! One floor living with the primary bedroom on the first floor. Home offers 3 other bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, half bath, masonry fireplace with gas logs and a full laundry room. Property offers a nearly flat fenced in yard with a large storage shed. Great access to Biscuit Run State Park, schools, Wegmans and Uva. $485,000

$3,900,000

$1,250,000

$1,950,000

$1,195,000

PRESS ‘PLAY’

The world is a lot right now. Headlines scream for our attention, deadlines loom, and the constant hum of daily life can often feel overwhelming. Sometimes, we just need a break—a moment to step away from the noise and immerse ourselves in something purely fun. Enter gaming. Whether it’s an epic adventure, a mind-bending puzzle, or a casual mobile distraction, games offer us an escape hatch, a way to decompress, connect, and even make sense of the world in unexpected ways. In this issue, we’re diving into three reasons locals find time for play—and giving you a few puzzles to solve on your own. Sometimes, pressing pause on reality is exactly what we need.

Derrick McElhaney vintage home furnishings Dust

Tricia Humphreys curated antique jewelry Got Rocks Jewelry Design

Joan Cates original art It’s Art Not Science Ellen Beard home furnishings Patina

benefit Foothills Child Advocacy Center *

FUN & GAMES

Noobs welcome

By the time he was ready to start his own game store, indie role-playing game author Todd Leback had grown his blog and website large enough that he knew he wasn’t the only person in Charlottesville interested in RPGs. “Eventually, he decided there was space in the Charlottesville landscape for a specialized game store,” says Truman Brody-Boyd, who with Leback and their friend Miles Rodi start Sabre Games and Cards in 2023. The store is uniquely beginner-friendly, with multiple events geared at getting more people into tabletop games. Combat Patrol night on Wednesday offers newcomers to the miniature-based tabletop role-playing game a chance to play a smaller encounter with loaner armies for folks who want to try Warhammer 40k without investing hundreds of dollars into it in advance.

Relatively new to the local gaming store scene, Sabre Games sits right off the Downtown Mall and is quickly becoming a hotspot for local diehards, tryhards, and noobs alike. “The idea [for the store] came from Todd Leback, who is an indie RPG author who started blogging to promote other indie RPGs, which turned into a webstore that collected indie RPGs and sold his own works,” Brody-Boyd says. “Eventually, he decided there was space in the Charlottesville landscape for a specialized game store.”

The highlight of the week, however, is the store’s Saturday Night Dungeon Crawl Classics “one shots,” a TTRPG that’s based on the ruleset of Dungeons & Dragons Edition 3.5. It’s about as close as one can get to recreating the D&D games of yore. Best of all, it’s not a lengthy time investment, and Sabre has an in-

house Dungeon Master, so everyone can focus on playing and not have to design and manage the game itself.

Co-owner Brody-Boyd says Sabre Games’ community is what makes it unique.

“We have an amazing crew of regulars, some of whom have stepped up to lead their own sessions as well, which is really fun to see,” he says. “We have new people stop by to participate as well, so it’s a nice mix of experienced players and new players that can help each other out.”

The appeal of any kind of game, whether it’s sports, video games, poker, or D&D, is the relationships you make with the people you play alongside. Sometimes, those relationships are platonic, Brody-Boyd says, and sometimes not.

“We had a proposal happen a few weeks ago, one of our community DMs had their partner’s friends join them for a one shot and at the end of the adventure, it culminated in him getting down on one knee,” he says. “It was a super special thing to have happen in the store and we love that RPGs can be such a special way to share adventures and connections with one another.”

People who are familiar with D&D but who want to make the jump from player to DM are also in luck: This summer, Sabre Games will be hosting an event specifically designed to help people learn the intricacies and mechanics of running their own games of D&D in the various rulesets. The shop will also host a summer camp for kids ages 10 to 17 who are interested in TTRPGs. Find more information at sabregamesandcards.com.—Andrew Hollins

10 ways to play

BINGO

The Virginian 1521 University Ave. | Tuesday, 10pm

D&D, BOARD GAMES, ETC.

Gamer’s Guild at Holly’s Diner and Pub 1221 E. Market St. | Thursday, 7pm

PINBALL, ARCADE GAMES, ETC.

Decades Arcade

418 E. Main St., Downtown Mall | Friday and Saturday, 7-10pm; Sunday, 12:30pm-7pm; Monday, 4-9pm

ROCK WALL

Rocky Top 1729 Allied St. | Monday-Friday, 6am-9pm; Saturday and Sunday, 9am-9pm

ESCAPE ROOM

Unlocked History

Escape Rooms 1717 Allied Ln. | Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 1:30-9pm; Saturday, 10:30am-9:30pm; Sunday, noon-9pm

BOWLING, ARCADE GAMES, BILLIARDS

Bowlero

(formerly Kegler’s Lanes) Rivanna Plaza | Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 4-10pm; Wednesday and Friday, 2-10pm; Saturday, 10am-midnight Sunday, noon-11pm

SKATING

Charlottesville Skatepark Route 250 Bypass | Daily, 8am-8pm

FENCING

Blue Ridge Fencing School 1326 E. High St. | Contact school for details

INDOOR PLAY CENTER

BOUNCE Play-n-Create Seminole Square Shopping Center | Monday-Thursday, 9am-2pm; Friday and Saturday, 9am-6pm; Sunday and holidays, 9am-5pm

SINGO (MUSIC + BINGO)

Milkman’s Bar Dairy Market, 946 Grady Ave.| Tuesday, 7pm—AH

FUN & GAMES

Locals only

It’s not “campus”

Colonial-era inn serving fried chicken

Ageless “West Wing” actor born in

Bricked pedestrian hub

UVA’s second-longest-serving president

C’ville-born band with devoted following

Brewery-rich town at the foot of the Blue Ridge 40. The city’s only alternative newsweekly

Cidery in a renovated stone church

Activist memorialized after 2017 tragedy

Locally raised NFL player turned nonprofit founder

Lively district near UVA

UVA prof and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet

Neighborhood razed in the name of “urban renewal”

Belmont tapas go-to

Arts district in a former textile mill

UVA’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach

61. Music mogul turned major Charlottesville developer

62. UVA student tradition that includes kissing Homer statue’s rear end

63. Bestselling author and longtime Albemarle County resident

64. Only U.S. museum dedicated to Indigenous Australian art

65. Elusive Korean spot on 29N with more rumors than customers

69. One-time gift shop with retro goods

70. Weekly music series at the Pavilion

Down

1. Scenic orchard for apples and peaches

2. The city’s first craft brewery

3. “CBS Evening News” co-anchor and UVA grad

4. Ever-changing Rugby Road landmark

6. Gallery and creative space in an old factory

7. Monument celebrating the first amendment

9. Jefferson’s favorite apple

10. First Black UVA grad

17. Domed landmark inspired by the Pantheon

19. Where students, tourists, & townpeople once met

20. Local horse race where the infield gets rowdy

22. One of UVA’s first Black professors

23. Ride the...

25. Indigenous people whose land includes Charlottesville

26. Edgar Allan Poe’s West Range digs

27. Charlottesville’s only public golf course

30. Photographer who took portraits of Black Charlottesville residents in the early 20th century

31. Annual Charlottesville foot race

34. “30 Rock” actress who graduated from UVA

35. A fish capable of drinking twice its weight

38. Defunct snarky C’ville blog

39. Father of Virginia wine

41. UVA-based literary journal

43. Modernist painter who studied at UVA

44. C’ville paper that ruffled feathers

45. City’s biggest employer

46. Hard work, or a local coffee chain

48. 2007 Steve Carell movie that was filmed here

50. River winding through Charlottesville

54. Labyrinthine bookstore downtown

55. Former NBC “Today” show co-host and UVA alum

59. Iconic bagel joint

60. Restored theater on the Downtown Mall

66. Confederate general whose statue sparked Unite the Right rally

67. Annual event bringing Hollywood to C’ville

68. ‘90s hotspot for live music, once on 10th Street

Asking questions FUN & GAMES

Who is the former Starr Hill bartender who took over trivia night at its Crozet location and quickly turned it into the hottest bar trivia event in Charlottesville?

The answer: Olivia Brown.

“And no, I didn’t only start a trivia company because it rhymed with my name,” her website reads.

“I’m a UVA grad, and [after graduating in 2015] I moved away, then came back in 2021, and I was the bartender at the Crozet Starr Hill. We were using a thirdparty company for trivia night, and when that fell through, I took over,” she says.

The northern Virginia transplant says that after assuming trivia duties at the brewery’s other location in downtown Charlottesville, she quickly realized there was a market for a company solely focused on hosting trivia events. Since then, Brown has grown her business from a one-or-two-nights-a-week side gig to a quizgame empire, hosting events for the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society and the Chris Long Foundation.

“I realized pretty quickly that people would enjoy having a locally owned trivia event company to handle all of this for them,” she says.

Currently, Brown hosts four events a week: Mondays at IX Art Park’s Three Notch’d Brewery at 7pm, Tuesdays at 7pm at Starr Hill Crozet, Wednesdays at Dairy Market’s Starr Hill downtown at 7pm, and Fridays at Superfly Brewing Co. at 6pm.

Brown also has special themed nights focused on pop culture favorites like Lord of the Rings trivia, ’90s Nostalgia, Taylor Swift, or “The Office.” The next themed night is March 17, when she’ll host Harry Potter Trivia Night at Three Notch’d.

On the line, typically, are gift certificates from the hosting restaurant for the first- and second-place winners, but a very popular prize is her third-place offering: selecting a topic for the following week.

“I’ve gotten UVA engineering students who pick extremely difficult topics, I’ve had superfans who pick their favorite bands,” Brown says. “Lately, it’s what people are most excited about winning.”—AH

Charlottesville Connections

Look at all of the words and group them into four sets of four words each based on their common themes. Write the themes and grouped words in the lines below the grid.

France Italy

FUN & GAMES

Family-friendly fantasy

Since the first live-action role play (or LARP) groups were founded in the late 1970s, the fantasy genre has transformed itself from a small, devoted niche in the entertainment industry to mainstream, thanks in part to the success of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, and George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire books and accompanying television series, “Game of Thrones.” With the growth of the genre itself, more and more gamers don’t want to simply watch people going on great adventures; they want to experience adventures of their own. One of those people is Charlottesville’s Silas Byrne, leader of the Charlottesville LARP guild Zorn Vongal.

“We have a good number of participants,” Bryne says. “There’s about 10 or 15 of us that come out, depending on the time of year.”

Zorn Vongal, meaning Mountain Raiders in Khuzdul (Tolkien’s Dwarvish language), was founded by Joe Compton in Greene County in the 2010s. The group uses Dagorhir Boffer rules, meaning all the weapons have to meet a strict criteria, primarily for safety but also for general aesthetics and theme consistency (no pretend laser rifles or Gatling guns allowed). They practice on Sundays at Darden Towe Park, and host special events, like February’s Jilted Lovers Battle throughout the year, often participating in regional events, such as the Brigand’s Ball at Mountain Run Winery in Culpeper.

“I do it to stay in shape,” Byrne says. “We’ve kind of carved out our niche in being a place for nerds to get some exercise and have some fun. Amusingly, the two biggest backgrounds for adults joining are former military and grown-up theater kids who played sports.”

Zorn Vongal endeavors to make most of its LARP events accessible to younger participants and people who want to bring their families along.

“We call them the ‘kobolds,’” Byrne says, referring to the child-sized monsters from Dungeons & Dragons. “It’s like a lighter-weight division, so we don’t have kids going up against grown men.”

Bryne says that, while they don’t have a hard age limit, they encourage newcomers to use common sense in determining whether or not it’s right for their families.

“Obviously we don’t think people should bring their toddlers,” he says. “But I actually brought my daughters. As a dad, it’s incredibly fun to get beaten with a foam sword by your 11-year-old daughter.”—AH

PUZZLE ANSWERS

Crossword:

Connections:

P Charlottesville sister city locations (France, Italy, Ghana, Guatemala)

P Restaurant dishes named after people (Gus, Lisa, Raucci, McIntire)

P Common local mispronounciations (Staunton, Rio, Michie, Crozet)

P Entities at the center of area scandals (Landmark Hotel, Rolling Stone, Bel Rio, Teresa Sullivan)

Tina Fey

Casteen

Streaking the lawn

John Grisham

Kluge-Ruhe

Bamboo House

Ridley

Rotunda

Foxfield

John West

Gabriele Rausse

O’Keeffe

The Hook

UVA

Grit

Evan Almighty

Rivanna

Daedalus

Katie Couric

Bodo’s

Paramount

Lee

VAFF

Trax

APRIL 16—19, 2025

How can we adapt the ways we think, live and lead? This April we’re bringing together civic leaders, visionaries, and changemakers to explore the intersections of technology, storytelling, business, society and wellness.

CROWDFUNDED PITCH NIGHT

WED. APRIL 16 | FREE

Crowdfunded Pitch Night showcases 10 aspiring entrepreneurs to the Charlottesville community, who will vote with their dollars. Flash pitches will share the contestant’s vision and inspire the crowd to action! The evening will conclude with a round of crowd voting and the pool of money goes to the winner.

INNOVATION MIXER

THUR. APRIL 17 | TICKETED

Raise a glass to celebrate Charlottesville’s most innovative companies and organizations. Tom Tom’s annual Innovation Mixer is a multisector extravaganza that highlights the most innovative ideas and people in the region at the CODE Building. Sectors include: biotech, energy, data, defense, social impact, wellness, technology, and more.

DOWNTOWN MALL BLOCK PARTY

FRI. APRIL 18 + SAT. APRIL 19 | FREE

A cultural experience to remember, the Downtown Mall turns into a New Orleans-style festival for TWO nights! Grab a drink from your favorite local bar, take a walk, check out galleries and shops, listen to live performances, and hang out with friends, old and new.

PERFORMING

Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar

Abdelazer Overture by Henry Purcell

UVA MUSIC EVENTS

Date/Time/Place Event

Saturday, 3/22, 7:30pm Old Cabell Hall

Charlottesville Symphony Mozart Requiem

* denotes free events

KATHERINE NIES and

performing

Sunday, 3/23, 3:30pm MLK Performing Arts Center

Tuesday, 3/25, 4pm The Robertson Media Center

Saturday, 3/29, 8pm Old Cabell Hall

Friday, 4/4, 8pm Old Cabell Hall

Saturday, 4/5, 8pm Old Cabell Hall

Charlottesville Symphony Mozart Requiem

Making Noise in the Library * The Hard Modes

Jack Siegel * Distinguished Major Voice Recital

UVA Chamber Singers 20th Anniversary Concert

UVA Percussion Ensemble 20th Anniversary Concert

Presented by: Saturday, Mar 15, 2:30-6 pm Starts & Ends at IX ART PARK

WEDNESDAY

CULTURE

POWER POINTE PRESENTATION

Founded in 1957, Richmond Ballet became the first professional ballet company in the commonwealth in 1984. Designated as the State Ballet of Virginia in 1990, the premier touring dance organization carries a mission to awaken and uplift the human spirit through the promotion, preservation, and sustained evolution of its art form. This performance features a recital of classic and original works drawn from an expansive repertory that includes 19th- and 20th-century masterpieces and more than 80 new ballets by contemporary choreographers. $17–23, 7:30pm. Piedmont Virginia Community College, V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. pvcc.edu

STAGES CULTURE

Curtis on tour

Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music’s touring music program finds a pair of esteemed faculty members and two star students performing at the Tuesday Night Concert Series.

The visiting quartet boasts two Grammy-winning professors in guitarist Jason Vieaux and viola player Roberto Díaz, joined by Australian Emmalena Huning on violin, and cellist Ania Lewis. These performers are all decorated for their achievements in virtuosity and have, commensurate with their ages, an impressive list of experiences sharing stages and collaborations with composers and orchestras of the highest order. When they take up their instruments at Old Cabell Hall, this combined talent translates into an engaging evening of strings.

Kicking things off with a piece by everyone’s favorite Spanish 20th-century composer is Manuel de Falla’s Suite Populaire Espagnole. The Curtis quartet follows de Falla’s own geographic relocation to Argentina, busting out selections from the South American’s celebrated tango master Astor

Piazzolla. They’ll take on his “Histoire du Tango” and its four-part cinematic view of the genre, taking the listener to a 1900 bordello, a café in 1930, a 1960s-era night club, and ultimately to a concert of the present moment. Kinda meta.

The quartet backs that history lesson with “Oblivion,” a shorter work that leans unwaveringly romantic without schmaltz, and, despite any chaotic misery suggested by its title, gives way to moving and intense melodic, emotive power.

Old Cabell Hall March 18

Wednesday 3/12

music

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

Left Lane Cruiser. Raw hillbilly punk-blues. With The Pentagram String Band and Little Foot. $20, 7:30pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

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

Queer Open Mic Night. Share original music at this queer and trans open mic night. Mic, speakers, and keyboard provided. Please bring any other instruments. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

dance

Richmond Ballet. The State Ballet of Virginia returns for its annual performance with an eveninglength program featuring classical favorites and new works on the cutting edge of the art form. $17–23, 7:30pm. Piedmont Virginia Community College, V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. pvcc.edu/ performingarts

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

words

National Park Services Ranger Talk. Rangers delve into the natural wonders and rich history of the Shenandoah National Park in presentations on

Following intermission, the Curtis players turn to one of their own. A 2005 alumnus, Zhou Tian’s Red Trees, Wrinkled Cliffs offers a 10-minute musical journey inspired by classical Chinese landscape paintings, according to Curtis’ notes on the upcoming performance. Sounds fun, but I won’t venture to guess exactly what that may sound like. Wrapping with Niccolò Paganini’s Guitar Quartet No. 15 in A minor, M.S. 42 provides tailor-made moments for Vieaux to show his impeccable guitar skill, while also affording passages for each of the players to demonstrate their unrelenting chops.—CM Gorey

various fun activities the whole family can enjoy while in the natural outdoors. Free, 4pm. Northside Library, 705 W. Rio Rd. jmrl.org

classes

Crochet for Beginners. Learn the basics of crochet. Leave with a bamboo crochet hook and a small crocheted washcloth. Ages 12+. $25, 5:30pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Paint + Sip: Spring Tulips. Learn a variety of techniques and skills to paint a beautiful bouquet. $38, 6pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. blueridgebrushes.com

etc.

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

Thursday 3/13

music

Ben Cook and the Stew. Local indie rock. With garage pop/indie rock group 7th Grade Girl Fight. $10 suggested donation, 7pm. SuperFly Brewing Co., 943 Preston Ave. superflybrewing.com

Berto Sales and Vincent Zorn. A night of wild flamenco rumba and Latin guitar. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Cimarron 615. California country-rock with deep Nashville roots. $20–25, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Eli Cook. Music from the crossroads of blues, the highways of rock, and the backroads of country. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

John D’earth & Friends. Live jazz with a rotating cast of local and national musicians. Free, 10pm. Miller’s Downtown, 109 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. millersdowntown.com

Travis Elliott. Originals and covers with thoughtful takes on classic and contemporary songs. Free, 10pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

stage

SIX: Teen Edition. This Winter Conservatory production brings history to life in a high-energy, pop-concert musical where the six wives of Henry VIII reclaim their narratives and rewrite history—one mic drop at a time. $20–27, 7:30pm. Belmont Arts Collaborative, 221 Carlton Rd. Ste. 3. phoenixtheatreworks.com

words

Indigenous Australian Art and Culture Conversations. See listing for Wednesday, March 12. Free, 10:30am and 1:30pm. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org

Regional Housing Summit. Exploring innovative and practical solutions to the housing affordability crisis through a series of engaging presentations and discussions. $55, 8am. Omni Hotel, 212 Ridge McIntire Rd. tjpdc.org etc.

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

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

The Harlem Globetrotters 2025 World Tour. Get ready for high-flying fun as the Harlem Globetrotters take on their rivals, the Washington Generals with signature spins, slams, and trick shots. Tickets start at $69, 7pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 295 Massie Rd. johnpauljonesarena.com

Trivia Night. Brain-teasing fun for teams of up to six players aged 21+. Prizes for winning teams. RSVPs requested. Free, 6pm. Hardware Hills Vineyard, 5199 W. River Rd., Scottsville. hardwarehills.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. Like an escape room but at a winery. Crack codes and unravel riddles while sampling Charlottesville’s best wine, beer, and cider. Play when you want and go at your own pace. $15, available noon–8pm. Please confirm Eastwood Winery and Potter’s Cider hours beforehand. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Friday 3/14

music

Charles Owens Trio. Live jazz from a master tenor saxophonist, composer, band leader, recording artist, and educator. Free, 10pm. Miller’s Downtown, 109 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. millersdowntown.com

Dara James and the Soul Disciples. Awesome blues, R&B, and a whole lot of soul. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Josh Mayo and the House Sauce. Get saucy with rootsy high-energy jams. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Rob Gentry. End your week on a high note with live music. Free, 5:30pm. Hardware Hills Vineyard, 5199 W. River Rd., Scottsville. hardwarehills.com CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

CULTURE TO-DO LIST

SATURDAY 3/15

MOZART REQUIEM

PERFORMANCE PAIRING

Bass-baritone Kevin Spooner returns following his 2024 work with Charlottesville Opera to join The Oratorio Society of Virginia as a soloist for Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs during Together in Song: Music & Poetry. The performance sets to music four poems by George Herbert, a Welsh poet and Anglican priest in the 16th century, and includes works by a variety of composers including Libby Larsen, Morten Lauridsen, and Rosephanye Powell. This concert benefits Literacy Volunteers of Charlottesville/Albemarle, and community members are invited to participate in a 10am choral workshop with Music Director Michael Slon before performing with The Oratorio Society later in the day. $10–20, 4pm. First Presbyterian Church, 500 Park St. oratoriosociety.org

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

Friday 3/14

South of Heaven: Castle Rat. Medieval fantasy doom metal from Brooklyn. With Uga Buga. $16–18, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Téada. Launch into the St. Paddy’s celebrations with one of Ireland’s premier traditional bands. This is a first-come first-served seated show. Free, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

The Honey Dewdrops. Through their years of playing music together, Laura and Kagey continue to expand their folk sound, while maintaining a commitment to deepening their understanding of the world through music. $30–35, 8pm. The Front Porch , 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com dance

Justin Bieber Night. Presented by Club 90s. This event is general admission standing room only. Ages 18+. $15–25, 8:30pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com stage

SIX: Teen Edition See listing for Thursday, March 13. $20–27, 7:30pm. Belmont Arts Collaborative, 221 Carlton Rd. Ste. 3. phoenixtheatreworks.com/

The Prom. Four Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. When they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue … and themselves. $10–20, 8pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org words

Storytime. Join us for 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 etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, March 13. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Scrappy Crafty Hour. See listing for Wednesday, March 12. Free, noon. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

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

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, March 13. $15, available noon–8pm. Please confirm Eastwood Winery and Potter’s Cider hours beforehand. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Saturday 3/15

music

Albemarle Symphony Orchestra. Works by Mozart, Elgar, and Purcell featuring local pianist Katherine Nies. Free, 3:30pm. Grisham Hall, St. Anne’s-Belfield School, 2132 Ivy Rd. albemarle symphony.org

Berto Sales. Brazilian and Latin guitar to warm your spirit and satisfy your soul. Free, 11am. Tavern & Grocery, 333 W. Main St. tavernandgrocery.com

Buzzard Hollow Boys. This Charlottesville-based band channels the haunting echoes of murder ballads, train songs, and jug band stomps, as immortalized in Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Electronic Underground. Underground electronic shenanigans with Rometti, Noogenesis, and Assthetic x Ravida. Ages 18+. $12–15, 9pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Jimmy O. An amazing guitarist with a unique style of classic rock, oldies, and a rockin’ country mix that’s sure to please everyone. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Matthew O’Donnell. The Blue Ridge Bard performs with energy, wit, and amazing talent. Free, 6pm. Decipher Brewing, 1740 Broadway St. decipher brewingco.com

Meisha Herron. A natural singer who mostly plays acoustic folk, Americana, blues, and soul music. Free, 12:30pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Mike Burris Trio. Country-tinged roots rock with a nod to Texas blues and a good pop hook. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Nick McNally. Acoustic singer-songwriter with a unique blend of Americana, folk, and modern country. Free, noon. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. keswickvineyards.com

PEEN. Virginia’s premier Ween tribute band. Free, 10pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

St. Patrick’s Day Party. Performances by Chamomile & Whiskey, Ramona & The Holy Smokes, and Jesse’s House. $18–20, 7:30pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jefferson theater.com

Tara Mills. Original mountain Americana inspired by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the rich traditions of folk and bluegrass. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

The Michael Elswick Gathering. Entertaining all with jazz, blues, ballads, and Latin tunes. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Together in Song: Music & Poetry Concert. The Oratorio Society of Virginia, along with singers from the community, present a concert featuring works showcasing the how music and poetry combine to create unforgettable beauty. $10–20, 4pm. First Presbyterian Church, 500 Park St. oratoriosociety.org dance

heartspace. A pop-up dance party featuring music by XII Galaxies and Silk Scarves. Featuring house, nu disco, indie dance, and electronica styles. $30–40, 8pm. Bar Baleno, 209 Monticello Rd. stage

Met Live in HD: Fidelio. Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen performs as Leonore, the faithful wife who risks everything to save her husband from the clutches of tyranny in Beethoven’s Fidelio. $22–26, 1pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

SIX: Teen Edition See listing for Thursday, March 13. $20–27, 7:30pm. Belmont Arts Collaborative, 221 Carlton Rd. Ste. 3. phoenixtheatreworks.com

The Prom See listing for Friday, March 14. $10–20, 8pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St. Barboursville. fourcp.org classes

Butterfly and Moth Pins. Learn how to make a butterfly or moth pin using a specialized barbed needle to apply dyed wool to your choice of felt base. Beginners welcome, ages 14+. $40, 10:30am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappy elephant.com

Felted Soap. Learn a wet felting process for making colorful scrubby soaps covered in soft wool. Beginner-friendly, ages 12+. $40, 1:30pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappy elephant.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

TRIED IT IN C’VILLE CULTURE

Escaping the Dungeon of Fire

For many of us, the winter doldrums make us particularly susceptible to adventure’s siren song. Answering the call often takes the form of vacations to warmer climes, but for those looking for something less typical (that might be easier on the budget than a full-blown vacation), solving an escape room may be the way to go. Keep reading for the tale of a harrowing adventure in the Dungeon of Fire.—Kristie Smeltzer

What

Completing Cville Escape Room’s Dungeon of Fire.

Why

Because I’m a nerd who enjoys immersive experiences and solving puzzles.

How it went

Brains were wracked, puzzles solved, and secrets revealed!

Our adventuring party entered the Cville Escape Room by climbing the stairs from the building’s main entrance on the Downtown Mall. (There’s a wheelchair-accessible entrance for players, too.) After checking in, an enthusiastic staff member escorted us into a briefing room where we sealed our phones in a small briefcase while they explained how everything works. Our group had completed other rooms, so we got the short version. Essentials include that players may request unlimited hints, exits always remain open, etc.

A staff member led us down the hallway toward the Dungeon of Fire. It’s an Alice in Wonderland feeling to step through the doorway into another world. Inside, wall sconces flickered like torchlight. Blood-spattered shields lined the rough gray cave walls, and a skeleton laid on the floor just inside the door, next to the air purifier. The Cville Escape Room folks go hard with the theming, but they also care about the health and wellbeing of their players.

Once “sealed” inside, we started working on the clues. Rooms are designed with groups of puzzles that culminate in getting a piece of the overarching puzzle for the room—puzzle sets can be worked on separately in any order.

I love that escape rooms require folks to take nothing for granted. To be successful, players must look at every detail in the space as a potential clue. For example, mysterious marks on the framed dungeon map on the wall or words in the giant tome encased in a glass case might correlate to numbers or letters in the lock combination for a box that will reveal the next clue.

Each room comes equipped with tools to help players in their quest, like flashlights, magnifying glasses, and a Magna Doodle-esque tablet for notes. When desperate times call for desperate measures, there’s a phone available to ring the helpful staff members at the front desk. It’s an old-school push-button phone with a handset and spiral cord. Heck, it’s probably worth taking your kids there just so they finally get the expression “hang up the phone.”

Our five-person group worked pretty well together. We tended to break into smaller groups to noodle different puzzle sets and then switch out if one of us got stumped. Everyone’s brain works a bit differently, which makes collaborative problem-solving part of the fun. A funny moment was when I turned around to find two family members wearing hats they’d taken off the walls while searching for clues!

Cville Escape Room

cvilleescaperoom.com

At the family-owned and -operated Cville Escape Room, unique offerings are updated every few years. I’ll head back soon to try the newest addition—a pirate-themed room titled Captain’s Challenge—that opened near the end of last year. For escape room enthusiasts (read: addicts), Cville Escape Room offers a chance to commemorate the experience with an ornate key hung on a ribbon that repeat offenders receive upon completion of their fourth unique escape room. Keys hang from their ribbons on the walls surrounding the front desk, and recipients can earn additional charms to add to their key ribbons as they complete additional rooms.

CULTURE TO-DO LIST

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com

Saturday 3/15

Mosaic 101. Beginner workshop focusing on the tools, materials, and basics of cutting tile and glass, how to adhere mosaic bits to a substrate, make a curve from a square, and grouting. Ages 12+. $65, 10am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Pollinators for Four Seasons. A garden basics class explaining how all of us can help address the decline in pollinators and enjoy them year-round by providing them food and shelter. Free, 2pm. Trinity Episcopal Church, 1118 Preston Ave. piedmont mastergardeners.org

Together in Song: Music & Poetry Workshop. Community members are invited to participate in a choral workshop with music director Michael Slon and The Oratorio Society singers, then join the concert later in the day. $25–40, 10am. First Presbyterian Church, 500 Park St. oratoriosociety.org

etc.

Author Event: T. R. Thorsen Book Signing. Local author T. R. Thorsen will be signing copies of the new sci-fi novel, The Germans Have a Word for It, a story about an AI replica of a deceased person, and the human that falls in love with it. Free, 1pm. Barnes & Noble, 1035 Emmet St. N. thorsen.com

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, March 13. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Storytime. Featuring readings from recent storybooks and the classics kids know and love. Rain or shine. All ages welcome. Free, 11am. New

The Last Improv Show on Earth. Big Blue Door’s two-performance-only, star-studded improv comedy spectacular examines the worst, the last, and what comes next. $10–15, 7pm. Light House Studio: Vinegar Hill Theatre, 220 W. Market St. lighthousestudio.org

The Last Waltz A documentary about the final concert of The Band, which took place on Thanksgiving Day, 1976 in San Francisco. $7–9, 8pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Vintage Street Market. Outdoor vendor market featuring vintage and secondhand sellers from Richmond and Charlottesville. Free, 10am. Darling Boutique, 115 First St. S. shopdarlingxdashing.com Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, March 13. $15, available noon–8pm. Please confirm Eastwood Winery and Potter’s Cider hours beforehand. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

WTJU’s Cville Puzzle Hunt. A citywide cerebral puzzle for you and your friends to solve. Assemble a team of creative thinkers to untangle five diabolical, large-scale, multimedia puzzles inserted into the urban landscape. Free, 2:30pm. IX Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.com

Sunday 3/16 music

Dave Goodrich. A rock-based repertoire including flavors of blues, pop, Motown, and original music. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

SUNDAY 3/16

FULL SWING

A stellar roster of local musicians joins the Albemarle High School Jazz Ensemble for its annual Swing Into Spring benefit concert, an evening of standards, pop, and R&B favorites. The award-winning band, under the direction of Andrew LaPrade, is joined by John D’earth, Charles Owens, Greg Thomas, Jay Pun, Morwenna Lasko, Taylor Barnett, Bobby Gregg, Malik Poindexter, and others. The show benefits ReadyKids, which provides counseling, support, and early learning opportunities for children and families in central Virginia. $30, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Matt Johnson. Local star of NBC’s “The Voice.” Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Music Open Mic. Open to musicians of all ages. Two songs or 10 minutes, whichever comes first. P.A. and microphone provided. Hosted by Theocles. Free, 5pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

St. Paddy’s Musical Cheer. Raise a glass and singalong with Matthew O’Donnell, an experienced practitioner of the classic pub singer’s trade. Free, 2pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Sunday Jazz Jam. Live jazz featuring local, regional, and national musicians improvising with friends and strangers. Free, 6pm. Miller’s Downtown, 109 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. millers downtown.com

Swing Into Spring Benefit Concert. The Albemarle High School Jazz Ensemble holds a benefit concert to support ReadyKids. An all-star lineup of the area’s top professional musicians sit in with the ensemble. $30, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net dance

Beginner-Intermediate Salsa Classes. No partner needed. Proficiency with the basic, turning, and partner connection required. $10, 4pm. The Dance Connection, 109 Second St. SE.

Intermediate-Beginner Bachata Classes. No partner required. Proficiency with the basic, turning, and partner connection required. $10, 5:30pm. The Dance Connection, 109 Second St. SE. stage

The Prom. See listing for Friday, March 14. $10–20, 2:30pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org classes

Beginning and Intermediate Gelli Printmaking. Learn to use a Gelli plate to create custom paper designs for display, collage, or scrapbooking and cardmaking. Plate and supplies provided. Ages 16+. $30, 11am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Paint + Sip: Cherry Blossoms. Learn a variety of techniques and skills to render a cherry blossom scene. No experience necessary, one free drink included with ticket. $42, 2pm. Starr Hill Downtown, 946 Grady Ave. Ste. 101. blueridgebrushes.com

Spring Blooms Watercolor Workshop-Botanical Painting Fundamentals. Discover the art of botanical watercolor painting in this three-hour, beginner-friendly workshop. Ages 15+, all materials provided. $35, 2pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, March 13. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Loop de ’Ville. Walking the loop from Meadow Creek Gardens behind the Bodo’s on Emmet St. to Greenbrier Park. Meet at the RTF shed next to the community gardens. Free, 10am. Rivanna Trails Foundation Tool Shed, 2030 Morton Dr. loopdeville.org

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

Monday 3/17

etc.

Comedy Open Mic. Showcase your talent, try out new material, and take in the best local comedy that Charlottesville has to offer. Hosted by Chris Alan. Ages 18+. Free, 7pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Scrappy Crafty Hour. See listing for Wednesday, March 12. Free, noon. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

St. Patty’s Day Pinball Tournament. An IFPAsanctioned two-stage pinball tournament begins at 6:30pm sharp. Cash prizes for the top-four finishers. $10, 5pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

St. Patricks Day Sing-along. Get your Irish eyes smilin’ at The Mick Irish Pub pop-up. Traditional songs, food, and drink. No cover, 5pm. Tavola, 826 Hinton Ave. tavolavino.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 3/18

music

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

Peter Case and Sid Griffin. Two legends of Americana and roots music bringing their rich histories and unparalleled artistry to the stage on the Sings Like Hell tour. $22–30, 7:30pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Tuesday Evening Concert Series Presents: Curtis on Tour. Music for guitar and string quartet from Piazzolla to Paganini, featuring Jason Vieaux, guitar, and Roberto Díaz, viola. $5–45, 7:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. tecs.org

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

words

Eliza’s True Story. Author and Highland interpreter Barbara VornDick dramatically adds to the previously limited historical knowledge about Eliza Monroe Hay and the tragic circumstances of her death in Paris. Free, 4pm. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org

Who Wants to Sleep in a Castle? Paradores and Pousadas of Spain and Portugal. A Speak! Tea and Travel event exploring the history of the paradores and pousadas of Spain and Portugal, highlighting their uniqueness and special features. Free, 5:30pm. Vault Virgina, 300 E. Main St. speak languagecenter.com

classes

Paint + Sip: Blue Mountain View. Learn a variety of techniques and skills to render a Blue Mountain view scene. No experience necessary, one free drink included with ticket. $42, 6pm. Ellie’s Country Club, 16 Elliewood Ave. blueridgebrushes.com

etc.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia. Good trivia, good times. Teams of two to six people can 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.

THE WORKS CULTURE

A tale of two towns

Indie comic collaborators release a gritty new series BY CM TURNER

Anew independent comic book from local artist Wil Smith and Richmond-based writer Joshua Eadie explores a dystopian near-future through a cyberpunk story packed with gritty pulp action. Southtown, self-published by Smith and Eadie with co-creators Ally Slawson and Mallorie Mize, offers a neo-noir narrative tied to capitalist critique, corporate malfeasance, and the authenticity found within marginalized communities.

Set in River City—a stand in for Richmond, Virginia, with a stark divide between the complacent citizens of well-enough-todo Uptown and the hardscrabble denizens of the titular neighborhood beyond the bridge—Southtown imagines a future where new technology and old vices collide, with explosive results.

Sex and violence—along with a healthy dose of substance use and abuse—are enduring actions in Southtown. The pervasiveness of these elements is made evident through Smith’s illustrations of background scenes as main characters navigate the seedy streets and venues of their derelict district. In the absence of civic or governmental authority, gangs of mechanically and electronically enhanced cyborg outlaws define the status quo, and wanton acts of transgression appear around every corner.

The initial storyline, planned for a 10-issue arc, introduces a crew of diverse friends and allies from the fringes of society, caught up in a corporate data heist where the motive and identity of their client is shrouded in mystery. The first two issues of Southtown, available for digital download and print edition purchases, set the stage both visually and narratively for what’s to come.

Where issue No. 1 offers an easy entry point to the setting, characters, and plot, drawing the reader into the storyword, issue No. 2 brings a stronger sense of refinement to the series. The illustration and sequencing are tighter, creating better cohesion between visual representation and plot points. Like other forms of visual narrative, comics have to carefully consider how the image pairs with advancement of the story. The trick here is to ensure the illustrated action allows the reader to fill in the blanks of what isn’t being shown, what actions are implied. Issue No. 2 strikes a strong balance, allowing the reader to move through the story more immersively.

Smith illustrated the first issue entirely by hand, with letters and coloring by Slawson. Issue No. 2 is a hybrid of analog and digital illustration utilizing Procreate software, with the inking and coloring done digitally by Slawson and Mize, with contributions by Jenna Figgers. Moving forward, Smith will take on coloring duties in addition to his linework, with a goal of expanding his illustrative style.

Smith and Eadie have built a decent online following for Southtown, with sales coming through local shops in Richmond and Hello Comics in Charlottesville, as well as their website southtowncomic.com. They hope to release the third issue by the end of this summer, creating shorter intervals between issues as the self-publishing process becomes smoother. The plan is to drop at least two issues a year, with a full run of 50 to 60 issues down the line.

For now, the project is a self-sustaining venture, with all proceeds from sales and crowdfunding going into production of the physical book. For the creators, making a financial return is less important than sharing their ideas and telling the types of weird and wild stories that shed a light on underserved communities and interest them as artists.

Wil Smith and Joshua Eadie will promote their indie comic Southtown at Shenandoah Comic Con in Harrisonburg on April 12 and Tidewater Comicon at the Virginia Beach Convention Center June 28–29.

SUMMER CAMP Guide

Directory of Summer Camps, Schools & Programs for kids

www.elementsofpeace.org

elementsofpeaceprogram@gmail.com

Camp Sign Up

form.jotform.com/250074462087153 website: www.theisc.org/ We also still have availability for the 2025-26 school year for 2 year olds to 4th Grade! Reach out at admissions@theisc.org for more information.

Half

day

writing camps

that focus on creativity, community, and collaboration!

Are you ready to bring your stories, poems, and ideas to life? Join us this summer for a fun and inspiring writing camp designed just for middle and high school writers! Whether you’re into fiction, poetry, non-fiction, or songwriting, this camp will help you develop your skills, find your voice, and connect with other young writers who share your passion.

Write, Create, Inspire!

Location: WriterHouse classroom and local field trips

Dates: Session 1, Rising 6th-8th Grades -- July 14-18 Session 2, Rising 9th-12th Grades -- July 21-25

Time: 11 AM to 3 PM Contact:

SUMMER CAMP

Fun & Safety: ACA-Accredited Camps Set the Standard

Camps and ACA form a partnership that promotes growth and fun in an environment committed to safety.

ACA Accreditation means that your child’s summer camp cares enough to undergo a thorough peer review of its operation — from staff qualifications and training to emergency management. American Camp Association collaborates with experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Red Cross, and other youth-serving agencies to assure that current practices at your child’s camp reflect the most up-to-date, research-based standards in camp operation. Camps and ACA form a partnership that promotes growth and fun in an environment committed to safety.

ACA helps member camps provide:

• Healthy, developmentally appropriate activities and learning experiences

• Discovery through experiential education

• Caring, competent role models

• Service to the community and the environment

• Opportunities for leadership and personal growth

Answers to Parents' Most Frequently Asked Questions About Camp Accreditation

What’s the difference between state licensing of camps and accreditation by ACA?

Accreditation is voluntary and ACA accreditation assures families that camps have made the commitment to a safe, nurturing environment for their children. If a state requires licensing, it is mandatory; licensing requirements vary from state to state. ACA standards are recognized by courts of law and government regulators as the standards of the camp community.

How do ACA standards exceed state licensing requirements?

ACA goes beyond basic requirements for health, cleanliness, and food service into specific areas of programming, including camp staff from director through counselors, emergency management plans, health care, and management. ACA applies separate standards for activities such as waterfront, horseback riding, and adventure and travel.

What are some of the ACA standards that camps rely on?

• Staff-to-camper ratios that are appropriate for different age groups

• Training for staff to minimize 1:1 camper/staff interactions

• Goals for camp activities that are developmentally based

• Emergency transportation available at all times

• First-aid facilities and trained staff available when campers are present

• Staff appropriately trained to lead program

Does ACA accreditation require criminal background checks?

ACA accreditation standards require a staff screening system, which includes an annual criminal background check on all seasonal staff and at least every five years on year-round staff. When talking to a camp director as you consider enrolling your child, ask what the screening process for that camp includes.

In addition to the criminal background checks referenced above, ACA standards require additional staff screening which includes an application, interview and reference checks upon initial hire (along with a criminal background check); annual checks of the National Sex Offender Public website and an annual voluntary disclosure statement. Staff training and staff/camper supervision are also critical to ACA standards.

How can I verify that my child's camp is ACA accredited?

Parents can (and should) verify the accreditation status of any camp at any time by visiting ACA's Web site at www.ACAcamps.org or by calling 1-800-428-CAMP.

If your child's summer camp isn't ACA-accredited, ask WHY NOT?

Keep in Mind — Informed parents are best prepared to select a camp that meets their standards for staff, programs, safety, and facilities and strives to promote the welfare of every child.

The world needs bold, visionary leaders those who think beyond limits. CARELab is your (high school and college students) launchpad for developing the mindset, 21 skills, and courage to create a sustainable future.

In just 14 days, you will:

Lead with Heart & Mind – Cultivate self-awareness & empathy to build confidence.

Harness AI for Good – Use AI consciously to navigate ethical & regenerative solutions.

Be Future-Ready – Anticipate challenges and design solutions rooted in your values.

Create Real Impact – Build ventures that align profit with sustainability.

Expand Possibilities – Confront assumptions and make decisions that balance logic with intuition.

Build Your Network

Become a part of our growing CARELab alumni network building social venturesEmpower your college, career and beyond.

Stand OUT!

Invest two weeks this summer—jumpstart your future. Real leaders don’t wait; they create.

2-weeks (40 hours): M,W,F, 9am-1pm & final Sat,Sun 9am-5pm

June 16-29, 2025: University of Richmond, Robins School of Business

July 14-27, 2025: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Rotunda

@carelabglobal Care360.global/CareLab info@care360.global

SUMMER CAMP Guide

Students entering grades 8+ Counselors in Training will develop leadership skills and mentor younger campers. First aid and other special trainings will be balanced with active experience.

FOR FUN PUZZLES

SUDOKU

#2 #5 #4

CROSSWORD

ACROSS

53. Actress Reeves of “Slow Horses”

54. Pretty close

55. Obsolescent

56. Workplace of 2024 sitcom character Dr. Ron Leonard

57. Distress signals, plural (and yeah, it’s the preferred spelling but looks weird)

DOWN

1. Did some wicker work

2. Simple audio cord

3. Fruit par t used to make the spice anar dana

maybe 28. Syllabus segment 29. “Too much excitement!”

31. “Girls5___” (Busy Philipps sitcom)

32. Grand Theft Auto: ___ Andreas

33. Stannic metal

34. Station where you scan your own groceries, for short

35. Hideaway

36. ‘70s hoops grp

37. M

40. Middle range

42. Temperance, e.g.

43. Preserves

45. “Episode I” villain

47. “Getting to Know You” musical locale

49. Mount acrobatically, as a horse

50. Being

4. Get (mud) on the carpet

5. “Son of,” in some surnames

6. Nav y Yard team, to fans

7. Workout consequences

8. Dress that translates to “cut off”

9. Ordered hierarchically

10. Zuider ___

11. Sinuous shape

13. Confirm

14. Tale that mentions the Trojan horse

16. Verbal nudge

19. Pitch in a window

22. Downwind side of the river

24. Responsibilities handed down

25. R.E.M. hit

27. Ravioli filling options

29. “Forever Blue” singer Chris

30. Mouse alternative for a laptop

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR FUN

By Rob Brezsny Aries

(March 21-April 19): Cheetahs are the fastest land animals. From standing still, they can be running at 70 miles per hour three seconds later. But they can’t sustain that intensity. After a 20-second burst, they need to relax and recover. This approach serves them well, enabling them to prey on the small creatures they like to eat. I encourage you to be like a metaphorical cheetah in the coming weeks, Aries. Capitalize on the power of focused, energetic spurts. Aim for bursts of dedicated effort, followed by purposeful rest. You don’t need to pursue a relentless pace to succeed. Recognize when it’s right to push hard and when it’s time to recharge.

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): Inside a kaleidoscope, the colored shards of glass are in an ever-shifting chaotic jumble. But internal mirrors present pleasing symmetrical designs to the person gazing into the kaleidoscope. I see a similar phenomenon going on in your life. Some deep intelligence within you (your higher self?) is creating intriguing patterns out of an apparent mess of fragments. I foresee this continuing for several weeks. So don’t be quick to jump to conclusions about your complicated life. A hidden order is there, and you can see its beauty if you’re patient and poised.

Gemini

(May 21-June 20): Spiders spin their webs with meticulous care, crafting structures that are delicate, strong, and useful. Their silk is five times more robust than steel of the same diameter. It’s waterproof, can stretch 140 percent of its length without splitting, and maintains its sturdiness at temperatures as low as -40 degrees. With that in mind, Gemini, I bid you to work on fortifying and expanding your own web in the coming weeks—by which I mean your network of connections and support. It’s an excellent time to deepen and refine your relationships with the resources and influences that help hold your world together.

Cancer

(June 21-July 22): Chichén Itzá was a large pre-Columbian city from around 600 to 1200 CE. It was built by Mayan people in what’s now Mexico. At the city center was a pyramid, The Temple of Kukulcán. During the equinoxes, and only on the equinoxes, sunlight fell on its steps in such a way as to suggest a snake descending the stairs. The mathematical, architectural, and astronomical knowledge necessary to create this entertaining illusion was phenomenal. In that spirit, I am pleased to tell you that you are now capable of creating potent effects through careful planning. Your strategic thinking will be enhanced, especially in projects that require long-term vision. The coming weeks will be a favorable time for initia-

(Feb. 19-March 20): Coast redwoods are the tallest trees on the planet. If, goddess forbid, lumber harvesters cut down one of these beauties, it can be used to build more than 20 houses. And yet each mature tree begins as a seed the size of a coat button. Its monumental growth is steady and slow, relying on robust roots and a symbiotic relationship with a fungus that enables it to absorb water from fog. I propose we make the redwood your power symbol for now, Pisces. Inspired by its process, I hope you implement the magic of persistent, incremental growth. Treasure the fact that a fertile possibility has the potential, with patience and nurturing, to ripen into a long-term asset. Trust that small efforts, fueled by collaboration, will lead to gratifying achievements.

PISCES

tives that coordinate multiple elements to generate fun and useful outcomes.

Leo

(July 23-Aug. 22): Fireflies produce very efficient light. Nearly all the energy expended in their internal chemical reactions is turned directly into their intense glow. By contrast, light bulbs are highly inefficient. In accordance with astrological omens, Leo, I urge you to be like a firefly in the coming weeks, not a light bulb. You will have dynamic power to convert your inner beauty into outer beauty. Be audacious! Be uninhibited! Shower the world with full doses of your radiant gifts.

Virgo

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Brazil nut trees grow in the Amazon—but if only they are in the vicinity of orchid bees, their sole pollinators. And orchid bees thrive in no other place except where there are lots of blooming orchids. So the Brazil nut tree has very specific requirements for its growth and wellbeing. You Virgos aren’t quite so picky about the influences that keep you fertile and flourishing—though sometimes I do worry about it. The good news is that in the coming months, you will be casting a wider net in quest of inspiration and support. I suspect you will gather most, maybe all, of the inspiration and support you need.

Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In 1858, businessperson James Miller Williams was digging a new water well on his land in Ontario, hoping to compensate for a local drought. He noticed oil was seeping out of the hole he had scooped.

Soon, he became the first person in North America to develop a commercial oil well. I suspect that you, too, may soon stumble upon valuable fuels or resources, Libra—and they may be different from what you imagined you were looking for. Be alert and open-minded for unexpected discoveries.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov.21): I’ve been through the U.S. education system, and I can testify that our textbooks don’t give the French enough of the credit they deserve for helping our fledging nation gain independence from Great Britain. The 18th-century American Revolution would not have succeeded without extensive aid from France. So I’m a little late, but I am hereby showering France with praise and gratitude for its intervention. Now I encourage you, too, to compensate for your past lack of full appreciation for people and influences that have been essential to you becoming yourself. It’s a different kind of atonement: not apologizing for sins, but offering symbolic and even literal rewards to underestimated helpers and supporters.

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec.21): As I survey the astrological aspects, I am tempted to encourage you to be extra expansive about love. I am curious to see the scintillating intimacy you might cultivate. So, in the hope you’re as intrigued by the experimental possibilities as I am, I invite you to memorize the following words by author Maya Angelou and express them to a person with whom you want to play deeper and wilder: “You are my living poem, my symphony of the untold, my golden ho-

rizon stretched beyond what the eye can see. You rise in me like courage, fierce and unyielding, yet soft as a lullaby sung to a weary soul. You are my promise kept, my hope reborn, the infinite melody in the heart of silence. I hold you in the marrow of my joy, where you are home.”

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Here are four facts about a mountain goat as it navigates along steep and rocky terrain: 1. It’s strong and vigorous. 2. It’s determined and unflappable. 3. It’s precise and disciplined. 4. It calls on enormous stamina and resilience. According to my astrological analysis, you Capricorns will have maximum access to all these capacities during the coming weeks. You can use them to either ascend to seemingly impossible heights or descend to fantastically interesting depths. Trust in your power to persevere. Love the interesting journey as much as the satisfaction of reaching the goal of the journey.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The Swiss Army knife is a compact assemblage of tools. These may include a nail file, scissors, magnifying glass, screwdriver, pliers, blade, can opener, and many others. Is there a better symbol for adaptability and preparedness? I urge you to make it your metaphorical power object during the coming weeks, Aquarius. Explore new frontiers of flexibility, please. Be ready to shift perspective and approach quickly and smoothly. Be as agile and multifaceted as you dare. Expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text message horoscopes: RealAstrology.com, (877) 873-4888

CLASSIFIEDS

DEADLINE

SIZES AVAILABLE

PRICING

Employment Legals

We’re eager to hear from candidates who share our forservingthecommunityforthefollowingpositions.passion

We’re Hiring

Direct Support Professionals (Residential)

$16-$18 per hour

To see a complete job description for each position, visit arcpva.org/careers

classifieds.c-ville.com

SOUL FOOD JOINT, LLC

200 W. Water Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902

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

for a restaurant or caterer wine, beer, mixed beverages consumed on and off the premises license to sell or manufacture alcholic beverages

Shaun Jenkins, Owner

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

NOW AND ZEN

202 Second Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902

The above establishment is applying to the VIRGINIA ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) AUTHORITY for a retail license to sell or manufacture beer & wine.

Bernie Lin, Owner

Complainant v. NELSON R. DAVIS,

ERLINE DAVIS, aka EARLENE ELIZABETH DAVIS,

SHIRLEY RAGLAND, deceased, JANICE M. BARBOUR, EDDIE J. BARBOUR, deceased, KAREN L. JACKSON, deceased, CLARK JACKSON, aka

JAMES CLARK JACKSON, deceased, LINWOOD N. DAVIS, JR., aka LYNWOOD N. DAVIS, JR., CHRISTIE DAVIS, aka CHRISTY DA VIS, aka KRISTI ANN DAVIS,

Case No. CL24-1463

and any other heirs, devisees, personal representatives, successors, or assigns, if any, of Shirley Ragland, Eddie J. Barbour, Karen L. Jackson, Clark Jackson, aka James Clark Jackson, and any other named Respondents, as they may appear, proceeded against herein as PARTIES UNKNOWN,

Respondents

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to effect a judicial sale of certain real property, reportedly containing 7.57 acres, more or less, and designated as Tax Map Parcel No. 03400-0000-008300, and which is being assessed on the tax records of the County of Albemarle, Virginia in the name of Shirley Ragland or Nelson R. Davis, et al., in order to subject such property to the lien thereon for delinquent real estate taxes.

It appearing from the Complaint and by the Affidavit filed according to law that the Complainant has used due diligence to ascertain all of the owners of the subject property but has been unable to do so and that there are or may be persons unknown who claim or may claim an interest in the property, namely the heirs, devisees, personal representatives, successors, or assigns in and to the title and interest of Shirley Ragland, Eddie J. Barbour, Karen L. Jackson, Clark Jackson, aka James Clark Jackson, and any other named respondent.

It is therefore ORDERED that the heirs, devisees, personal representatives, successors, or assigns in and to the title and interest of Shirley Ragland, Eddie J. Barbour, Karen L. Jackson, Clark Jackson, aka James Clark Jackson, and any other named respondent, as they may appear, proceeded against herein as “Parties Unknown,’’ appear on or before March 29, 2025, and take such action as they deem appropriate to protect any interests they may have in the abovedescribed property.

It is further ORDERED that the foregoing portion of this Order be published once a week for two consecutive weeks in the C-Ville Weekly, that a copy hereof be posted on the door of the Courthouse and that a copy be mailed to the last known address, if any, of the Respondents.

The Clerk is hereby directed to send this Order to the C-Ville Weekly by email to sarah@c-ville.com and to make the aforementioned posting and mailings. Endorsement of parties and counsel of record is dispensed with for good cause shown including the nature of these proceedings, the relief granted, and the time and expense associated with acquiring said endorsement.

ENTER: Cheryl V. Higgins DATE: 2/20/2025

I ASK FOR THIS:

JONATHAN T. WREN, VSB #40304 MARTINWREN, P.C.

400 Locust Avenue, Suite 1 Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 (434) 817-3100 (phone) (434) 817-3110 (fax) wren@martinwrenlaw.com (email) Counsel for the County of Albemarle

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE

COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE, Complainant v Case No. CL24-1462

HELEN V.S. DUDLEY, aka HELEN V. DUDLEY, TRUSTEE UNDER THE HELEN V.S. DUDLEY LIVING TRUST. DATED DECEMBER 21, 2004. believed deceased, GARY ALAN DUDLEY,

and any heirs, devisees, personal representatives, successors, or assigns, if any, of Helen V.S. Dudley, as Trustee under the Helen V .S. Dudley Living Trust dated December 21, 2004, or otherwise, or Gary Alan Dudley, and any other Respondent, as they may appear, proceeded against herein as PARTIES UNKNOWN, Respondents

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to effect a judicial sale of certain real property, reportedly containing 5.72 acres, more or less, and designated as Tax Map Parcel No. 054B0-00-00-01100, and which is being assessed on the tax records of the County of Albemarle, Virginia in the narne of Helen V.S. Dudley, Trustee, or her successor(s) in trust, under the Helen V.S. Dudley Living Trust dated December 21, 2004, and any amendments thereto, in order to subject such property to the lien thereon for delinquent real estate taxes.

It appearing from the Complaint and by the Affidavit filed according to law that the Complainant has used due diligence to ascertain all of the owners of the subject property but has been unable to do so and that there are or may be persons unknown who claim or may claim an interest m the property, namely the heirs, devisees, personal representatives, successors, or assigns in and to the title and interest of Helen V.S. Dudley, Trustee, or her successor(s) in trust, under the Helen V.S. Dudley Living Trust dated December 21, 2004. and any amendments thereto.

It is therefore ORDERED that the heirs, devisees. personal representatives, successors, or assigns in and to the title and interest of Helen V.S. Dudley, Trustee, or her successor(s) in trust, under the Helen V.S. Dudley Living Trust dated December 21. 2004, and any amendments thereto, as they may appear, proceeded against herein as ‘’Parties Unknown,” appear on or before March 29, 2025, and take such action as they deem appropriate to protect any interests they may have in the above-described property.

The Clerk is hereby directed to send this Order to the C-Ville Weekly by email to sarah@c-ville.com and to make the aforementioned posting and mailings.

Endorsement of parties and counsel of record is dispensed with for good cause shown including the nature of these proceedings, the relief granted, and the time and expense associated with acquiring said endorsement.

And this cause is continued.

I ASK FOR THIS:

JONATHAN T. WREN, VSB #40304

MARTINWREN, P.C.

400 Locust Avenue, Suite 1

Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

(434) 817-3100 (phone) (434) 817-3110 (fax) wren@martinwrenlaw.com (email) Counsel for the County of Albemarle

ENTER: Cheryl V. Higgins

DATE: 2/20/2025

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE

COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE, Complainant

v. Case No. CL24-1456

MINGDAR HSIEH, believed deceased,

and any heirs, devisees, personal representatives, successors, or assigns, if any, of Mingdar Hsieh, as they may appear, proceeded against herein as PARTIES UNKNOWN, Respondents

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to effect a judicial sale of certain real property, reportedly containing 6.41 acres, more or less, and designated as Tax Map Parcel No. 060G0-00-00-00500, and which is being assessed on the tax records of the County of Albemarle, Virginia in the name of Mingdar Hsieh, in order to subject such property to the lien thereon for delinquent real estate taxes.

It is therefore ORDERED that heirs, devisees, personal representatives, successors, or assigns in and to the title and interest of Mingdar Hsieh, as they may appear, proceeded against herein as “Parties Unknown,” appear on or before March 29, 2025, and take such action as they deem appropriate to protect any interests they may have in the above-described property.

The Clerk is hereby directed to send this Order to the C-Ville Weekly by email to sarah@c-ville.com and to make the aforementioned posting and mailings.

ENTER:

Cheryl V. Higgins

DATE: 2/20/2025

I ASK FOR THIS:

JONATHAN T. WREN, VSB #40304

MARTINWREN, P.C.

400 Locust Avenue, Suite 1

Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

(434)817-3100 (phone) (434)817-3110 (fax) wren@martinwrenlaw.com (email) Counsel for the County of Albemarle

NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE

In execution of a certain Deed of Trust dated November 29, 2018, and recorded on January 31, 2019, in the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Albemarle County, Virginia, as Instrument No. 201900000950, as modified by Modification of Deed of Trust dated November 15, 2019, and recorded on November 19, 2019 in the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Albemarle County, Virginia, as Instrument No. 201900012777, default having been made in the payment of the debt therein secured and being required to do so by the noteholder, the undersigned Neal L. Walters, Trustee, will offer for sale at public auction in front of the Albemarle County Circuit Court building located at 501 East Jefferson Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902, on Thursday April 3, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., the real estate with improvements thereon known as Parcel ID 05800-00-00-10100, 0340000-00-12900, and 03400-00-00-13000, one of which is known by common numbering as 350 Bloomfield Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, and more particularly described in the aforesaid Deed of Trust to which reference is hereby made.

Sale shall be made subject to all existing superior liens, easements, and restrictive covenants, if any, as the same may lawfully affect the real estate.

Terms of Sale: Cash. Settlement within ten (10) days after the sale. A bidder’s deposit of up to ten percent (10%) of the successful bid may be required. Additional terms will be announced at the time of sale and any such terms will prevail over the terms set forth in this notice.

Neal L. Walters, Trustee

For information contact:

Neal L. Walters

Scott | Kroner, PLC

418 East Water Street

Charlottesville, VA 22902

Telephone: (434) 296-2161

Fax: (434) 293-2073

NB+C, LLC (on behalf of T-Mobile) is proposing to modify an existing telecommunications facility at an approximate centerline height of 52 feet above ground on an existing 60-foot water tower near 4685 Three Notched Road, Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Virginia (38° 4’ 1.2” N, 78° 39’ 32.7” W). NB+C, LLC (on behalf of T-Mobile) invites comments from any interested party on the impact the proposed undertaking may have on any districts, sites, buildings, structures, or objects significant in American history, archaeology, engineering, or culture that are listed or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Comments may be sent to Environmental Corporation of America, ATTN: Annamarie Howell, 1375 Union Hill Industrial Court, Suite A, Alpharetta, GA 30004 or via email to publicnotice@eca-usa.com. Ms. Howell can be reached at (770) 667-2040 x 108 during normal business hours. Comments must be received within 30 days of the date of this notice. 25-000574/JET