Crozet Gazette November 2017 by The Crozet Gazette

INSIDE WHO PAYS? page 3 LETTERS page 3-4 MONUMENTS page 6

NOVEMBER 2017 VOL. 12, NO. 6

DELEGATE CHOICE page 14

Western Park Design Reopened at CCAC Meeting By Michael Marshall

THE JAM BAND page 15

editor@crozetgazette.com

a leader in the development of autonomous—driverless—cars. Joining McAuliffe for the occasion were Fifth District Congressman Tom Garrett, 25th District Delegate Steve Landes, Todd Haymore, the state’s Secretary of Commerce and Trade, and White Hall District Supervisor Ann Mallek, as well as other county

A plan to develop Albemarle County’s “western park” in Old Trail was reopened by County Parks and Recreation Department officials at the Crozet Community Advisory Committee’s well-attended Oct. 15 meeting in the Crozet Elementary School cafeteria. Parks and Rec Director Bob Crickenberger said, “It’s time to revisit the [western park plan] to make sure the community is all in synch with what’s proposed. Do we need it to be revised?” There is no formal process for how to change the plan, he said. No one was sure how to answer because there was no copy of the standing plan on hand to look over. No one could remember even the outlines of the plan. Western park was a proffer to the county in 2000 when the allowable densities for the Old Trail project were in play. Beights and Co., then the developers, offered up 38 acres of damp lowland with one narrow buildable peninsula touching Old Trail

continued on page 31

continued on page 21

NEW NON-PROFIT page 17 RED HILL FARMERS page 18

BISCUITS page 26 BIZ BRIEFS page 27 TRICK-ORTREATERS! page 28-29 HOT MARKET page 30 EPIGENETICS page 32 STORY OF A MAN page 36 MOUNTAIN WINDS page 38 THE BAD NEWS page 39 SHARING TURKEYS page 40 MEDITATION page 41 NO PILLS page 42 BEN HURT IS 99 page 43 SHOP SMALL page 48

MIKEMARSHALL

APPLE PICKING page 19

Paul Perrone and Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe return from a robot car’s tour of the Crozet firm’s test track.

Governor McAuliffe Announces Expansion of Perrone Robotics By Michael Marshall

editor@crozetgazette.com

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe visited Crozet Oct. 6 to announce that Perrone Robotics, which has established its headquarters on the former Barnes Lumber Co. site, will spend $3.8 million to expand and create 127 jobs. The tech company is

Sugar Hollow Runner Joins Fifty States Marathon Club by Clover Carroll

clover@crozetgazette.com

Laura Sprung does not consider herself an athlete. But most of us, upon learning that she recently completed a 26.2-mile marathon in each of 50 states, would definitely put her in that category. From her first marathon in October 2006 to the last in October 2016, it took her a mere ten years to reach her goal. She is an

inspiration—especially to people who, like me, have trouble working exercise into their daily routine. “I’ve just always loved to walk,” Sprung explained. “That is my way of knowing a place.” Having run off and on all her life, and run/walked the Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler six or eight times, in 2006 she saw an ad for a walker-friendly marathon in Oregon and began looking for a partcontinued on page 16

ALLIE PESCH

LOCAL ELECTION GUIDE page 8

Crozet Halloween pictures, page 28.

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From the Editor In the Game for Public Funds Albemarle County is considering applying for a VDOT matching funds grant using $1 million of developer Frank Stoner’s money to leverage $1 million in state funds to build the street that will connect The Square to Hilltop Street in Parkside Village. This is a new, precedent-setting tactic for Albemarle, but one that other counties have been pursuing successfully to get road-building funds, and VDOT has signaled our local officials that they favor the project. So it can happen. But should it? It’s doubtful that this fund, set up decades ago, was designed to incentivize private money for public roads. Rather it gave counties a way to extend what

NOVEMBER 2017 public funds they had for projects they considered so urgent they were willing to advance local money for what is typically a state responsibility, rather than wait their turn in VDOT’s funding queue. But some counties are willing to game the fund by acting as the agents of their local developers. For Albemarle, which has so far watched the money in the fund, some contributed by Albemarle citizens, be spent in other counties, joining the game means some of that money could come home. Until now, no new road in booming Crozet has been paid for by the public. The public pays to improve and repair roads that already exist. The job of a developer is, after all, to build the roads and other infrastructure—water and sewer lines—that make the new parcontinued on page 45

To the Editor Send your letters to the editor to news@crozetgazette.com. Letters will not be printed anonymously. Letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Crozet Gazette.

Enough With Permit Appeals

Special

Use

It’s difficult to communicate how upsetting these incessant attempts by Jeff Sprouse to damage our community and homes have been. It has been harassment by process. We spent years and years attending countless meetings held during work and evening hours discussing this development with the applicant, the board, the community, the CCAC, county planners, and others. The result of all this was a special permit designed to protect our neighborhood and the larger Crozet

community. However, what good is a special use permit, designed to protect a community and provide peace of mind for its residents, if every few months the applicant can submit another proposal to remove its protections? I appreciate the professionalism of both the county planning office and the tireless work and support of the Board of Supervisors on this issue. However, I would ask that the county look into amending its processes to restrict the applicant from using the permit process as a tool to harass the residents and homeowners of Free Town Lane. Once a change to an existing special use permit has been denied, can we not restrict an applicant from resubmitting another request for a specified amount of time? continued on page 4

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CROZET gazette

MICHAEL J. MARSHALL, Publisher and Editor news@crozetgazette.com | 434-466-8939

LOUISE DUDLEY, Editorial Assistant louise@crozetgazette.com

the

Published on the first Thursday of the month by The Crozet Gazette LLC, P.O. Box 863, Crozet, VA 22932

Member, Virginia Press Association

ALLIE M. PESCH, Art Director and Ad Manager ads@crozetgazette.com | 434-249-4211

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: John Andersen, Clover Carroll, Theresa Curry, Marlene Condon, Elena Day, Phil James, Charles Kidder, Lisa Martin, Dirk Nies, Robert Reiser, Roscoe Shaw, Heidi Sonen, Denise Zito.

Don’t miss any of the hometown news everybody else is up on. Pick up a free copy of the Gazette at one of many area locations or have it delivered to your home. Mail subscriptions are available for $29 for 12 issues. Send a check to Crozet Gazette,

P.O. Box 863, Crozet, VA 22932.

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

To the Editor —continued from page 3

Without this restriction the applicant will continue his barrage of requests, thereby leaving our community in a constant state of anxiety and worry. We would appreciate the basic right to live peacefully without the omnipresent worry that Jeff Sprouse will try to make our homes and neighborhood unlivable. In addition to this change, we would request that the Board of Supervisors deny the applicant’s most recent attempt to undermine the special use permit. He has already been found to have violated the permit by keeping his pumps open 24 hours a day, only stopping once reported. He also allowed trucks to park and idle in his parking lot, at all hours of the night, in violation of the permit. Increasing the hours of operation and keeping the pumps open 24 hours a day will harm our neighborhood. We can say this on authority because we’ve already experienced it. Jonathan Hunt Free Town Lane homeowner Vote Angela Lynn When I moved to Crozet 5 years ago I asked my new neighbors about our local government officials. I was told by some that our delegate in Richmond, Steve Landes, was a reasonable Republican. While that may have been true at one time, in my opinion Mr. Landes has followed the leadership of the GOP into the land of make-believe and racism. He uses some of the right words but his actions indicate that he denies climate change, thinks we should have more guns in circulation even though we lose almost 100 Americans (including 7 children) every day to gun violence, makes it harder for minorities to vote, has worked to deny health care to the poorest among us and believes that birth control is not effective in reducing abortions. He thinks voter fraud is a big problem, while several studies indicate that there was only one instance of in person voter fraud for every 342,000 votes cast in recent elections. By his actions

and positions he is defending the white nationalists that recently invaded our community and murdered one of us. I have phoned, emailed and written to him about my concerns. His and his staff’s replies consist of canned GOP talking points. Most egregious is his continuing insistence on not expanding Medicaid in our state. He has been a ringleader in refusing millions of dollars from the federal government. Even after the lies about the Affordable Care Act have been revealed by the GOP’s failure to repeal it, Mr. Landes continues in his quest to not spend a dime on expanding health care. For every dollar our state would spend on such expansion, the federal government would kick in 9 dollars. 31 other states, including many controlled by reasonable Republicans, have taken advantage of this opportunity. It is time for a change. Angela Lynn is running against Steve in this year’s election. Angela worked with FEMA and the Red Cross in disaster recovery efforts. She has served as PTA president and as a member and director of many community boards. She comes from a proud military family and is the mother of five children. She will work to strengthen our schools and lead efforts to reform Richmond and end partisan gerrymandering. She has vowed not to accept corporate contributions and is relying on individuals to support and volunteer for her campaign. I urge you to join in those efforts. Jack Hickey Crozet Vote Steve Landes Del. Steve Landes listens to our concerns! I live in the Afton area; after multiple accidents and increased traffic congestion at the intersection of Rts. 151 & 250, I reached out to Del. Landes and expressed my concerns. I was told he would contact the VDOT office in Culpeper and was copied on his correspondence with them. A short time later, there was another accident involving an overturned tanker truck. I contacted Del. Landes again and asked, “does someone have to

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die at this intersection before something is done?” Within six months, work had started on the installation of the traffic light. Thank you Del. Landes, you have my vote! Barbara Frazier Afton Like me, you’re probably frustrated with our health care system. Thanks to the failed policies of Obamacare, our premiums are skyrocketing while options are dwindling. The progressive Democrat answer is to expand Medicaid, a broken system that often fails those it’s designed to help and continues to devour more and more of Virginia’s annual budget. Fortunately, our Republican leaders in Richmond are working to improve Virginia health care without costly Medicaid expansion. Del. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, introduced a bill allowing direct primary care agreements between patients and their doctors in Virginia. This innovative health care delivery model is the model we need to fix our health care system. Mr. Landes is working to increase health care access and choice, not expand a broken government entitlement program riddled with fraud and inefficiencies. Let’s re-elect Steve Landes, a proven conservative who delivers results, not rhetoric. Dan Cullers Dayton Driving in Crozet I was happy to read Mr. Marshall’s piece in the October Crozet Gazette, “No Hope Soon for Traffic Relief.” However, I kept hoping for driver behavior, traffic safety

and enforcement to somehow be woven into this very important local news story. It is important to understand that traffic congestion cannot be addressed without factoring in the subsequent behavior changes and resulting need for more consistent enforcement of traffic laws, without which our community safety is at great risk. There is the increasing inconvenience of congestion, but the more consequential danger of failing to address speed limits has been overlooked or ignored. In the few years I have regularly traveled on Jarmans Gap road to Greenwood, I rarely see law enforcement and have never seen anyone stopped for any traffic infractions like speeding or, having noticed the growing piles of trash along this road— throwing liquor and beer containers out their vehicle windows. Why have laws and speed limits if they rarely if ever get enforced? I am a more recent resident of Crozet, having only lived here for four years. I have noticed the very consistent increase in development of housing and retail businesses, all resulting in the increase in population and the derogatory impact of traffic, and, at times, vehicle congestion. This has caused drivers to find other ways around the Crozet downtown corridor and it often appears that they are very frustrated and in a hurry. Some of the roads that have experienced an increase in traffic and speeding are Jarmans Gap to Greenwood, including Half Mile Branch and Lanetown Road and the additional ‘cutthrough’ route of residential Old Trail Drive. These roads represent a way to avoid the more congested bottleneck of

continued on page 25

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

Stories and Photos By Lisa Martin

lisamartin@crozetgazette.com

’Em Shine” grant as part of the “Let nts me nu mo l de Students construct mo Laux and Sandra McLaughlin initiative.

Taking a Stand at WAHS Western Albemarle High School juniors who are currently studying U.S. history have embarked on a yearlong project exploring how monuments and memorials serve to educate the public about historical figures and events. The work is sponsored by a grant given to all three Albemarle County high schools by LRNG, an initiative of the nonprofit Collective Shift, which was launched by the MacArthur Foundation. LRNG’s mission is to “close the equity gap by transforming how young people access and experience learning.” LRNG’s “Innovators Challenge” awarded $25,000 to the County for its proposal, titled “Let ’Em Shine,” which “invites students to help unite the community by creating a symbolic ‘monument’ that honors the rich history of Charlottesville.” At WAHS, social studies teachers Monica

are leading their classes to begin researching a U.S. figure in history who took a stand. “The projects will focus on a local untold story, and students will design and build a monument or memorial to add to Albemarle County history,” said Laux during a recent class introduction to the concept. “Students will learn about the power of monuments, the power of story, and how to engage people effectively.” The projects can employ a variety of digital “artifacts,” such as virtual reality 360-degree movies, interactive apps, and original songs and lyrics to tell their stories. Though the grant was received in the spring of this year, its topic has become even more timely after the horrific events in Charlottesville this past August, sparked by local debate over Confederate statues. “The grant is not necessarily focused on those issues, but rather on how monuments illuminate history, driven by what interests the students,” said John Hobson, lead coach and facilita-

tor for Social Studies education in the school division. “Rather than walking them through a dry ‘history death march,’ we are going on field trips to places like Montpelier and to D.C. to explore the monuments on the National Mall.” Angela Stokes, who works in the Response to Intervention area of the Dept. of Student Learning for the County, was the author of the successful grant. “It’s important to make sure that all students have this

continued on page 48

Getting to Know Community Helpers On a recent sunny autumn day, students in Tammi Williams’ kindergarten class took a walk from Crozet Elementary to Crozet Fire Station 5 to meet the firefighters and explore the big trucks and equipment there. As part of Williams’ unit on community helpers, the students will have a chance to meet a dentist, a chef, the school nurse, a police officer, and a librarian, in addition to the firefighters. “Of course they love this particular trip because of the fire trucks,” said Williams, but there are some important learning elements as well. “We encourage them to ask questions, which is sometimes hard to do when you’re five years old.” In a demonstration, as one of the firefighters dons each piece of his fire suit, the kids shout out what’s still missing. “Your boots! Your gloves!” After his outfit is complete, the students can see what to expect in case of a real

CRES kindergarteners

Students record their impressions of effective historical monuments as part of the “Let ’Em Shine” grant initiative.

kind of learning opportunity, including some who may not have had a chance to visit major monuments when they were younger,” she said. During Ms. Laux’s introduction, students thought about the monuments or memorials they had visited, which were most memorable, and how their construction conveyed meaning or significance. The students used post-it notes to write down their observations, stuck them

CRES Kindergarteners thrill at the sight of the enormous tower truck at the Crozet Fire Station.

fire, including the “Darth Vader”-like breathing sounds coming from his mask. While the pumper trucks were fun to clamber through, nothing could beat the tower truck, and the students screamed with excitement as the long arm lifted a firefighter, a chaperone mom, and a student teacher high in the air. All in all, a great day out and about in the Crozet community.

climb aboard at the Cro zet Fire Station.

Something “NOTEWORTHY” going on at your school? Let lisamartin@crozetgazette.com know!

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

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RE-ELECT

LIZ PALMER

Albemarle County Board of Supervisors / Samuel Miller District

VOTE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH

Liz Palmer is currently on the Albemarle County Board LIZ PALMER STANDS FOR: of Supervisors. She was first elected in 2013 and served • Striving to make our schools the best and supporting school as board chair in 2016. She is running again to make Albemarle County an even better place to live for all of us.

• Dr. Palmer is a veterinarian and a small business owner. •

She is a wife, mother of 4 children, who all attended

•

Albemarle County Public Schools, and has been involved • in local issues for 20 years. She is running again to bring • this valuable experience to the Board.

excellence, Liz is endorsed by the Albemarle Education Association for her work to keep our county schools the best in Virginia Watching the bottom line to keep costs as low as possible Listening to all and believing in diversity to bring a collaborative approach to decision making Improving access to internet service in rural Albemarle Improving recycling and trash disposal Being an excellent steward of our environment, protecting our vulnerable streams and rivers and supporting farmers’ efforts to sustainably work their land.

I’d like to earn your support. Please contact me for more information: www.LizPalmerForSupervisor.vote Authorized and paid for by Liz Palmer for Supervisor

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

Local Election Guide: November 7, 2017 by Lisa Martin

lisamartin@crozetgazette.com

Board of Supervisors Candidates — Samuel Miller District

LISA MARTIN

We asked each of the candidates about their views on current Albemarle County Board of Supervisors issues, and the following is a sampling of their answers.

John Lowry lives in North Garden and is a former financial manager and stock broker, and also former chair of the Albemarle County Economic Development Authority. Liz Palmer is the incumbent supervisor for the Samuel Miller district, including serving as chair of the Board in 2016, now seeking a second term. She lives in Ivy, and has been in private practice as a veterinarian for 25 years.

County Board of Supervisors candidates John Lowry and Liz Palmer discuss the issues at the Senior Statesmen of Virginia forum.

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traditional in their approach. JL: Because we rely on property taxes for our revenue, our land is our means to sustain ourselves; only 15 percent of our revenue comes from commercial activities, whereas in places like Henrico it’s more like 30 percent. I do think that if we had more commercial activity, there’d be more jobs. Over the last five years, both [real estate] assessments and tax rates have gone up, and our debt has doubled, and this is fiscally irresponsible. We should have an Economic Development Director and staff and managers. The County has 470,000 acres, and only 100 acres are zoned for light industry and

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Do you think there is sufficient development in the County’s growth area (currently 5% of total County acreage)? LP: I disagree with this whole idea that 5 percent of county land slated for development is not enough. It’s not that we’re not allowing any development in the rural area, we are protecting rural areas for agricultural uses, and that’s a huge portion of our economy. A lot of people are employed by the wineries and the wedding industry and one of the reasons we are a wedding destination is because we protect those areas. I favor careful, properly placed commercial growth, and I voted against hiring an Economic Development Director [for the County] because we are now looking at economic development as a planning process, using formbased code to increase density and increase revenue. I wanted somebody who really understood the plan, whereas it seemed like the [proposed] new person would have been more

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Local Elections —continued from page 8

440 acres are zoned commercial—there is a paucity of land immediately available. My district contains a lot of farmers, and they may not realize the extent to which they are subsidizing the development area. The growth area isn’t paying for itself, so the Board raises the real estate tax on everyone, and that is not sustainable. Would you vote to move the County Courthouse from downtown Charlottesville to an alternate location in Albemarle County? LP: I have said no in the past, and the only way I would change my mind would be if the new proposal were to enhance the administration of justice. Stantec [the consulting firm advising the County on the move] said clearly that we should not consider a public-private partnership (P3) as a funding source, and we can’t do many of Stantec’s options anyway, because by law the county has to own the building. So I’m set on keeping the courthouse downtown. JL: P3’s can be wonderful opportunities, but we have to be sure what we’re getting into. I am open to listening, but it doesn’t normally work that the private entity goes first and then the county comes in. It’s a pig in a poke as far as I’m concerned— the county’s going to have to buy the property without knowing who the private partner would be. They talk about Option 5 [moving the courthouse to Albemarle Square] being cheaper, but they haven’t bought the land yet, and the land has to be in the county’s name by law. So I am definitely in favor of keeping our beautiful courthouse downtown and renovating the Levy building, plus asking the city to build a parking garage. Do you support or oppose the ACE (Albemarle Conservation Easement) program, in which the County provides payments to landowners to put their land under easement? LP: Most conservation easements are privately owned. If you are trying to protect rural

John Lowry

areas for farming and to protect the soil, then the Albemarle Conservation Easement program allows less wealthy landowners to do that. As the price of land keeps going up, if you’re permanently giving away development rights [via conservation easements], that to me is a lot better than our land use program, which only requires a five-year clawback of taxes. You have land speculators who hold land, put it in land use for a while and then flip it, and so our attempt to try to slow down development is with the ACE program. JL: Virginia is among the most liberal in the country in putting land under easement. My view is, if a private owner wants to put land under easement, that’s fine, but I can’t tolerate taxpayer funding of easements. The combination of conservation easements and land use taxation has really reduced our county’s tax revenues, and those are private decisions. The current Board has made it clear that they won’t try to up-zone land in order to woo and win business, but it doesn’t make sense to me. If a person puts a conservation easement on rural land in the growth area, it can never be developed. That shows me how they really feel about economic development. In 2015, large commercial brewer Deschutes considered building a facility just south of the I64/US29 interchange, but the Board did not approve a Comprehensive Plan amendment to accommodate the brewery. What is your view of this decision? LP: In my view, Deschutes had already made their decision to go to Roanoke even as they

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

Liz Palmer

were negotiating with us. There were folks who wanted us to expand our development area boundaries outside the Comprehensive Plan process, which we review every five years, and that would weaken our ability to fight lawsuits in the future. Our legal advice was not to do it, the Planning Commission voted 7-0 not to do it, traffic was a big issue, we would have had to raise taxes to get seed money to help them, and we would have put an industrial brewery where tractor trailers would have been coming and going 24/7. We would have had to denude part of the mountain, we would have had to bring water and sewer there, and in addition we didn’t own that land—it was owned by a private developer—so this would have cost us millions of dollars. JL: For economic development in the County, the Deschutes Brewery is a case in point. That corner is just barely into the growth area but the brewery needed more than 38 usable acres, so it would have been necessary for the BOS to do a Comprehensive Plan amendment to change the boundary. The Comprehensive Plan isn’t law, it’s just policy, one that hasn’t changed in 30 years—they could do an amendment to the plan tomorrow. My opponent wouldn’t do it, and we’ve given up $2.5 million a year in tax revenues as a result. I’d like to see more balance in our land use. What are your expectations for the new County Executive? LP: We are losing several people at once—Lee Catlin (the Assistant County Executive) is retiring and also the director of

planning just retired. The new executive will have a fresh viewpoint but he will also lack that kind of institutional knowledge. The previous County Executive was less interested in the newer form-based code processes and more interested in traditional models, and the Board has been clear that next executive has to have that kind of background and outlook. We’ll focus on organic growth and walkable, bike-able work areas, and place-making is the important part of this, so I’m optimistic. JL: Philosophically, I’m a businessman, so I look at the Board as a Board, advisory in nature. The executive should run the County. Right now some supervisors are almost in the trenches with the staff running the County, and I don’t think that’s their role. We need a great leader with great vision, and I would love to work with the new executive. He seems like a smart guy with a fresh vision. How do you think the County handles spending and taxation issues? LP: Most of any budget surplus goes into the capital improvements fund. We have been so behind on our capital projects for so long because during the recession the previous Board went into maintenance mode only, and we reduced staff by attrition. After the recession we had a huge gap in funding for the future and we now are going to have to make storm water changes, deal with overcrowded schools, spend money on police training, provide raises for employees, and face many other pressures. So we voted to increase the real estate tax rate, but it wasn’t until a year ago that what people are paying equaled what we had paid before the recession. We’ve been chipping away at the capital improvements plan (CIP) but we still have a long list of things we have to do. If there is extra money in the CIP, then we can meet to decide if tax rates should be reduced, trying to equalize revenues with rates. Back in 2007, they lowered the [real estate tax] rate 5 cents, and that was too much at once. JL: For the last fiscal year reported, there was an $8.5 million surplus. They gave some of continued on page 12

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Local Elections

We asked each of the candidates about their views on current Albemarle County schools issues, and the following is a sampling of their answers. Graham Paige is the incumbent seeking his first full term. He lives in Esmont, and is now retired after having taught in the Albemarle County school system for 25 years. Julian Waters is a recent graduate of Western Albemarle High School, who has been active for the last three years in education policy issues, and is seeking his first term in elective office.

The 2017-18 School Board Budget is titled “All Means All.” What does that mean to you? GP: To me, All Means All refers to the idea that although we really do a good job generally, we still see that an achievement gap does exist among our students. That gap is partially racial and also due to socio-economic factors, and our goal is that all students in Albemarle County, no matter where they live, should be able to have the best possible education. The main part of the All Means All budget increase this year is the funding for the Social Emotional Academic Development (SEAD) program. A staff member heads the program, and it includes school psychologists, counselors, and social workers in the schools, working with the students that need help, beginning with schools in the urban Ring. Hopefully, we will be able to close that gap, then apply what they learn to other parts of the county. It’s a struggle with state and federal funding—after the recession the state has never made up the difference of what we had been receiving. JW: All Means All means we try to serve all types of student learning. As a recent student, I know there has historically been an emphasis on a test-based system, and now there’s a movement toward a project-based system. Teachers say professional development hasn’t changed enough to support these new expectations, so we have to make sure they are prepared. Even if we have to shift a little bit, we ought to find a budget baseline that is consistent with our priorities. For instance, when you look at the

Graham Paige

Julian Waters

—continued from page 11

the money to each of the small area plans, and the rest was put into the CIP budget. The majority of the CIP spending goes toward schools, parks, and sidewalks. If they had an Economic Development department, they could be encouraging people to have pad-ready lots to entice business to come in. The supervisors are right now riding a wave of prosperity, but I believe I’m the person who will take better care of the Samuel Miller district, maybe because I know what’s coming. Time and time again this Board has done things where they either don’t realize or don’t want to recognize the consequences of what they are doing. The County’s debt has doubled, and tax rates have increased in four of the last five years. I’d like to see us have more balance in how we finance ourselves.

Candidates for School Board — Samuel Miller District

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CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

School Board candidates Graham Paige and Julian Waters debate at the Senior Statesmen of Virginia forum.

Dept. of Accountability, Research & Technology, their budget has received a massive influx of dollars in the County, and we should think about what is important and how we can support curriculum changes as the education landscape is changing. What is your perspective on the new High School 2022 initiative? GP: I served for four years on the County’s Long-Range Planning Committee, and I saw the school overcrowding issues

firsthand. Right now a consulting firm out of Maryland is conducting a study on what to do with our schools, whether we need to build or add on, and even what the curriculum should be. The High School 2022 initiative will emphasize experience-based learning, and might address some of the overcrowding problems as students do more outside the classroom. The High School 2022 plan has had student, parent, and teacher involvement the whole way, and I’m excited about it. JW: I’ve been involved with

High School 2022 as a student advisor for several years, and it’s really based on the changing requirements from the Virginia Dept. of Education in terms of how prepared students are for college. It will totally rethink high school from the bottom up, and will create a whole new learning environment. I think we need a curriculum not focused mainly on projects or mainly on tests, but instead we should ask how can we structure it so that each student has options in dealing with course material, and strike a balance over multiple years. There are cross-curricular learning opportunities that can make students more invested in their overall holistic learning experience, but at the same time it will be a strain on teachers, and will be difficult to pull away from the AP course model that colleges want to see. What is your perspective on the closing of Yancey Elementary School in the Samuel Miller district? GP: One of the biggest issues I faced during my first term was closing Yancey Elementary. It

was a very quick decision, only about a month [from start to finish], and I think it should have been less quick. That hurt me a lot when that happened so fast, but the bright side is that the building is going to be used by the County; there will probably be a food bank there. We’ll also make sure that the kids at Red Hill and Scottsville are doing well, and that the transition went smoothly. I think people were angry because Yancey’s been on the chopping block so many times in the past. Generally speaking, sometimes redistricting becomes necessary, and all of our urban ring elementary schools face that problem. We’ll also have to do something with AHS because it’s overcrowded, and after the School Board voted not to redistrict some AHS students to MHS, we are hearing further recommendations on that now. JW: The constant, aggressive redistricting drives people nuts. The current policy is a minimum reset time of three years, so that elementary student could potentially be redistricted twice. My three-step plan for continued on page 34

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CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

25th District House of Delegates Candidate Statements PHOTOS: MIKE MARSHALL

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I have been fortunate enough to call Crozet home for the past 17 years of our lives. We moved here from Williamsburg, Virginia after the visiting the area time and time again and marveling at its beauty and welcoming spirit. My husband and I moved to Virginia and stayed in Williamsburg for 12 years, after he left the Air Force, and we were busy raising our children in the state that called my mother’s Garst family home since the 1700s. We have been a military family moving around my entire life and home where was where ever the next assignment was until we had a chance to find the perfect place to raise children with great schools. This is a friendly wholesome environment and it has the outdoor wonderland that most people could only dream about. The public schools were the perfect match for our children’s interests and talents. We needed the quality and investment that only the most professional educators and mentors could give them. My husband and I wanted to donate our times and talents to give back, so we coached, taught, mentored and created sports clubs, music development groups, arts events and made ourselves available as much as we could could. Throughout the years the community at Henley and Western Albemarle High School where my children went,

It is an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of the 25th District. I have enjoyed my service in the General Assembly and proud of what we have accomplished together. Our work is not finished. I ask for your vote on November 7th to continue the work on the issues we all care about: promoting economic development to create jobs and grow our economy; providing our students with the world-class education they’ll need to succeed in our new economy; and increasing healthcare access, affordability, and choice. We must continue our efforts on these issues to ensure that the Commonwealth of Virginia, especially the Piedmont Region and Shenandoah Valley, remain a great place to live, work and raise a family. During my tenure in the General Assembly, I have gained the reputation of being a thoughtful and principled legislator who is committed to serving his constituents to the best of his ability and always doing so while remaining faithful to the U.S. and Virginia Constitutions, as required by the oath that I have taken to uphold. Many of us have spoken during this campaign and throughout my tenure. Hearing your concerns, ideas and vision for Virginia helps guide me as we face many difficult choices in the General Assembly. Jobs and the economy continue to be a top concern with voters.

continued on page 48

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

The Crozet Jam Band Comes Into Its Own ALI JOHNSON

by Clover Carroll

clover@crozetgazette.com

If you’re ever feeling bored or lonely on the second Friday of the month, just head on down to Starr Hill Brewery and Tap Room to play or sing along with the Crozet Jam Band! Led by guitarist Jim Pyles, this informal jam session runs from 7 to 9 p.m. and is reminiscent of an Irish pub, where anyone who wants to can pick up an instrument and join in the fun. The audience is encouraged to sing along, and participants are invited to make requests and even come up on stage to lead a song from the 170+ (and growing) songbook! The jam band, or CJB, has grown dramatically since it began only 20 months ago with two or three musicians in the back of the Crozet Artisan Depot. “We have really evolved in terms of numbers, quality, expertise, and technology,” Pyles explained. Moving to Starr Hill about a year ago, the band is now ten members strong, playing everything from keyboard to fiddle to trombone to harmonica, with recent additions of mandolin and drums. Although it is made up entirely of amateurs who bring their own instruments, “some really accomplished musicians have joined, like our fabulous lead guitarist Eric Spath, keyboardist John Nafziger (who also does fine vocals), and outstanding lead vocalist Lori Schwanhausser Freeman,” he continues. The October session featured a new, 24-channel electronic sound mixing board that seriously improves the blend and balance of their sound. “This unites all the mics for both voice and instruments, running them all through one mixing board that will

The Crozet Jam Band rocks out every second Friday night from 7 to 9 p.m. at Starr Hill Brewery, with an enthusiastic audience singing along. (Left to right): Larry Swift, Eric Spath, John Nafziger, Jim Pyles, Linda McNeil, Lori Schwanhausser Freeman, and David Miyamoto. Drummer Urs Kaestli is behind Pyles and Michael Dubova is behind the music stand in the back right. Not pictured: Dennis Wright.

connect with Starr Hill’s sound system,” Pyles explained. “It has slides for each of the 24 channels, so we can boost selected mics, like the lead singer’s voice, and tone down the louder instruments.” Before, they were all running through a few individual amps, including the audience mic, so that it was not blended with the band and the crowd couldn’t hear themselves. “We have added better mics as well as a stage monitor that sends the sound back toward the band and allows us to hear ourselves as well as the audience.” Pyles has learned a great deal about how to improve his equipment from Heinz Musitronics, which has been incredibly helpful. With this major technological advance,

Freeman’s velvety vocals and other members’ soulful harmonies can be heard clearly over the band’s many instruments. In October, Schwanhausser, who joined the band about six months ago, really stood out in “Boulder to Birmingham” by Emmylou Harris, and in September Linda McNeil gave a nice, sultry rendition of “Crazy,” as sung by Patsy Cline. They really rock out, with everyone feeling each other’s beat, to create a cohesive sound with a raucous, funky feel. Many fans from the Crozet Chorus and the community at large belt out the songs from the audience. “We are in the church/front porch tradition,” Pyles pointed out. “This is how people have played music in the South for continued on page 30

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

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ner to share the challenge. Her old friend, Karen Axelrod from Massachusetts, agreed, and together they travelled to Portland for the event. “We had so much fun, we decided to do it again.” And again and again! “The whole ritual is so fun. Getting ready, going to the expo, getting the bib. The first ten miles is fun, but then you start to get punchy. We had a rule that we couldn’t talk about where to go for dinner until mile 17.” They would make the time go faster by laughing and enjoying each other’s company. “Anybody can do 26 miles,” the two friends joke, “but it’s that last two tenths that sets us apart.” “At that first race, we realized we could alternate running and walking to make better time. We finished in seven hours plus one bathroom stop.” Six months later, she completed the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati, plus two more that year—and the idea just snowballed. It was a fun way for the friends to get together, and to see the country. From then on, Sprung ran multiple races each year—sometimes as many as seven or eight. “The more you do, the less you have to train,” she explained. Axelrod joined her for most, but not all, of them. “We started meeting members of the 50 States Marathon Club and Marathon Maniacs,” Sprung said, “and decided to give it a go. We wouldn’t have gone to all 50 states without

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Sprung alternates walking and running to tackle the marathon challenge. Her best time was 5 hours, 40 minutes in 2008. Photo: New Orleans Marathon

this incentive.” They kept a steady pace, even as scheduling conflicts and medical issues intervened. When she finished her 50th marathon in Bluefield, West Virginia last year, the 50 States Marathon Club—which includes only 4,326 active members—gave her a medal, and her sister gave her a lovely silver necklace in the shape of the U.S. engraved with the message, “50 marathons, 50 states.” To train, Sprung read a couple of books on how to gradually build your strength and stamina. She would run/walk from her home on Sugar Hollow Road out to the dam and back five times, or drive into town so she could run on sidewalks and streets. While working at U.Va., she walked four miles every day at lunch. At first she covered eight miles a day, then 12, then 16, then 20. She had to carry water during training, but during the marathons themselves, water tables along the way support the runners. To keep up her energy during the all-day trek, she would carry nuts or protein bars. In most of them, Sprung ran about a third of the distance and walked the rest, in a walkrun-walk-run pattern. There are plenty of marathons to choose from; many communities hold them as fundraisers. Sprung and Axelrod preferred the smaller ones, and avoided the huge Rock-n-Roll races with many thousands of participants, like New York and Chicago. “In San Antonio, after lining up it took an hour before we even crossed the starting line!” she says. They tended to choose races that worked best with their schedules, and usually tried to match the season with the location. “In Jackson, Mississippi, it was 24 degrees, and there was ice everywhere,” she recalls. “We never got warm.” Sprung’s personal best time was five hours, 40 minutes, achieved in Carlsbad, California in January 2008. She did this one alone and really pushed herself. Her hardest race was in Kentucky, three days after her mother died when she was still grieving. It was rainy and muddy, and at mile 24, she fell and broke her arm—but still she finished! The prettiest one was on Mount Desert Island in Maine. “Richmond one of the

CLOVER CARROLL

Sugar Hollow resident Laura Sprung recently completed her 50th marathon, one in each of the fifty states.

friendliest,” she advises. “The race is held downtown and runs through parks.” In Las Vegas, they were so slow that they got re-routed after the cut off time and got lost. They ended up walking 27 ½ miles. “At least we got our money’s worth!” she joked. “That last marathon last year was one of the hardest I’ve run,” confessed Sprung. “We had rented a cabin and all kinds of family and friends had come to town for a party.” However, she was nursing a torn meniscus and had had a cortisone shot just six weeks before. She thought she’d be okay, but at mile 11, her knee gave out. “I couldn’t give up with all those people waiting to celebrate, so I just gritted my teeth and limped those last 15 miles!” It took her eight or nine hours to finish, but finish she did! This is only one example of the determination and tenacity needed to accomplish what she has. The marathon culture as a whole—with the motto “We RUN this country!”—is very supportive. “We met one incredible man who didn’t start running marathons until his 50s, and was just about to do his 2,000th marathon.” “Hats off to the ‘slower sluggers,’” he told them. The participants tend to include a combination of true athletes, exercise devotees, and novices. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of Mark Lorenzoni,” she said. He encouraged her, provided shoes, and gave great advice. “The Lorenzonis [who own the Ragged Mountain Running shop and help produce many local races] are the best kind of community people. Everything continued on page 30

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

DCI Formalizes its Role in Plaza Project by Lisa Martin

lisamartin@crozetgazette.com

Plans for the development of a commercial center in downtown Crozet advanced recently as the Downtown Crozet Initiative (DCI) gained certification as an incorporated entity, an important step on the path toward securing a 501(c)(3) designation. Meg Holden will serve as president and Brenda Plantz as secretary/treasurer of the corporation, whose mission is to be “a proactive community development organization that serves as a catalyst for making Downtown Crozet a vibrant commercial and residential area.” A 501(c)(3) organization is a nonprofit, tax-exempt status that would allow DCI, Inc. to receive donations and secure grant funding to further its economic development goals in Crozet, which include attracting new business, providing input on architectural review, facilitating infrastructure, and promoting public art and his-

Downtown Crozet. Photo courtesy Piedmont Place.

torical projects that beautify Crozet. “DCI’s purpose is primarily educational, to provide information to businesses,” said Holden. “We are currently building a budget as part of the 501(c)(3) application and refining our by-laws, as well as actively recruiting board mem-

bers, both those who have been involved with the project from the beginning and others who have a strong interest in making it happen.” The group would like to increase publicity about its plans and has added information about its mission, recent activity, and other resources to its website.

Frank Stoner, co-owner of Crozet New Town Associates (which owns the former Barnes Lumber Company parcels), updated the DCI on recent progress toward financing both the plaza project and associated Phase 1 roads at the group’s October 12 meeting. Of the $5 continued on page 18

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CROZETgazette

Third Thursday at The Lodge at Old Trail november 16 5:30 pm

An Evening With Social and Fashion Photographer Mary Hilliard You’re invited to join us for the final Third Thursday of the year. This month we’re excited to present social, travel and fashion photographer Mary Hilliard, as she presents and discusses her over 30 years of photographing different parts of the world, parties, weddings, galas, socialites, fashion stars, world leaders and celebrities. Mary has worked as a freelancer for publications like Vogue, Town & County, Avenue, Quest, the New York Times Magazine, Women’s Wear Daily to name a few. During her career Mary has attended and taken pictures at some of the world’s most glamorous events from fashion parties for Valentino and Versace to Barbara Walters’ party at the Rainbow Room to Malcolm Forbes’ birthday party in Tangier. She’s traveled all over the world capturing different

Red Hill Farmers Market Ends Its First Season The Red Hill Farmer’s Market celebrated its first season at the corner of Rt. 29 South and Red Hill School Road in Red Hill with a spread of pumpkins, a bounce house for kids, a food truck (Two Brothers) and live music by Carol Wright, Dennis Knight and Jim Ford. From left are vendors Fred and Amber Lyssy, Alex Pettigrew, Lynette Meynig, Jamie Barrett, Jerry Jernigan, Deena and Nora Hambsch, Israel Gonzales, Madison Cummings, Bill and Irma Mahone, Katherine Burton, Neal Halvorsen-Taylor and

Leslie Benz. “We have to keep agriculture going in this part of the county,” said Madison Cummings, who added that the market is forming a board now. “We survived the first year. We picked Thursday because of Charlottesville’s being on Saturday. We have a sense of community and we’re trying to enhance that.” Regular vendors include Pettigrew Woodworks, Ties and Pies, Bellair Farm, Highland Orchard Farm, Loving Cup Vineyard, Buck Island Farm and Mountain Dream Farm.

DCI

posal is persuasive. “The tax revenue from just a hotel and 4,700 square feet of business space would be enough to service the debt on the bond issue,” he said, and plans to try again with the Board in November. “There are possible alternatives to the bond issue for funding the plaza,” said Stoner. “Those are also being explored right now and will likely be considered by the BOS. The rezoning application for Phase 1 [to change the current industrial zoning to mixed-use commercial] will likely go to the Planning Commission in December and the BOS in February or March of 2018.” DCI, Inc. would like to hold another public engagement event soon, and perhaps present a white paper summary to tell the expanded story of the project. In the meantime, Stoner is optimistic about his downtown vision. “The only thing that could slow the schedule down is failure to come up with a funding plan for the plaza, or lack of support from VDOT for the revenue-share funding.”

—continued from page 17

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million in funding that Crozet New Town Associates (CNTA) is seeking for public improvements, approximately $2 million will be part of this year’s Albemarle County application for VDOT revenue-sharing funds. The VDOT program requires matching funds from a city or county in order to award the grant, and CNTA will contribute the County’s share to qualify for the state funding. These funds would provide for an eastbound road connecting the downtown area to nearby Parkside Village, as well as an upgrade of the Square. For the remaining $3 million to construct the central plaza, a proposal for bond funding from the County’s Economic Development Authority was to be considered in closed session by the Board of Supervisors in early October, but the Board ran out of time for a full consideration. Stoner thinks the pro-

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

By Phil James

phil@crozetgazette.com

Fruit Harvest Those who have recalled Albemarle County’s earlier days of fruit growing have painted colorful pictures of a time when apple and peach orchards covered the land, and nearly all who were able shared in the seasonal prosperity. Jobs were available for young and old, male and female. When the fruit was ripe, one’s availability was important. Even the youngest could be taught to paste labels on baskets, or if strong enough, to carry water to the pickers in the orchard. Clyde McAllister of Blackwell’s Hollow said, “My dad was a farmer, but when it was time to pick apples or peaches they would hire themselves out. My sister’s husband would put together a working crew and go to the orchards. They had something they called a shanty, like barracks, and they would stay there while they were picking the peaches. I’m talking about back there in the early ’30s.” Purcell Daughtry (1918– 2010) was a highly respected businessman in Waynesboro for more than a half-century. “I worked in peaches at the orchard that John James (1889– 1966) ran near White Hall,” he said while reminiscing on his years growing up in western Albemarle County. “All across

At some fruit farms, seasonal laborers were paid by the hour, while other orchards paid each worker according to the number of bushels picked. For the latter, numbered “Picker’s Tickets” assigned to individual workers were inserted into each box of fruit picked. Payment was received according to performance. [Courtesy of Phil James Historical Images]

in the

Piedmont: All Able Hands Needed

Workers in this orchard, from child to adult, were gathered together and cleverly posed to illustrate the season’s most bountiful apple harvest. [Photo courtesy of Woodrow and Rosie Keyton]

there was orchards. It was five miles from our house, and I would have to walk there and then walk home. Jim Sandridge was the night watchman at the orchard, to keep people from coming in and picking peaches when they were ripe. He stayed there. He was an older fellow from Sugar Hollow. I remember that Lem James up in Sugar Hollow was an expert with bees. He would go in the mountain and hunt bee trees. He had a big thing for finding them. How he cut them and got ’em, I don’t know. But he had a lot of bees and he rented them to the orchards for pollination. I reckon that’s one way he made a living.” Woodrow Keyton (1918– 2014) of Pasture Fence Mountain spoke of one of the many jobs he had as a youth. “When I was picking peaches for John James, they had these Georgia peach inspectors come around to your orchard and tell you when the fruit was too

green and when they were ripe enough. But my first work there was helping him haul peaches out of the orchard with horse and wagon. I would have to set the peaches up on the wagon. Many as I could get up there. Then get up on the wagon and

place them. Get back off and go to another bunch.” Homer Sandridge (1916– 2004) was raised in the Mountfair community. His father Laurie was a laborer on James Early’s Mount Fair estate continued on page 20

A grading and packing crew caught up on the news from one another as they waited on the dock of a fruit packing shed near Crozet. This scene was mirrored throughout the region during the labor-intensive weeks of fruit harvests. [Photo courtesy of the Strickler-Via Collection]

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

Harvest

—continued from page 19

prior to taking over the community’s general store business. In addition to working in the store, as all of his siblings did, Homer worked out during fruit season. “Picking fruit used to be an annual thing around Crozet after trucks came along. Everybody would work in the fruit for a couple weeks in peach season and then a few weeks in apple season also. Truckloads of ’em would go to Crozet. I did that a couple of years when I was growing up. Worked picking peaches for Charlie O’Neill. He had orchards up there in Mint Springs on the side of the mountain.” Virginia Wood Sandridge (1917–2013) said, “My daddy Wilson Wood (1874–1949) ran the farm at Walnut Level, the

The early 20th-century apple harvest at the Yawkey-Gilbert orchard in Jarman’s Gap was conducted entirely in the field, from picking to sorting and grading to packing the fruit into barrels for shipment. [Photo courtesy of Doris Woolford]

Antrim place up near Mountfair. Mr. Antrim had a huge store in Richmond. The farm had a big orchard. Used to pack apples every fall. Oh, gosh, it took

A WWII German Prisoner of War rested beside bushel boxes of apples he had picked in western Albemarle County. Housed at the former Civilian Conservation Corp camp at White Hall, the military prisoners were used in place of local laborers who were away in the military service. In 1944, this local contingent picked 133,858 bushels of apples. A “Picker’s Ticket” (see arrows) identified the picker of each fruit box. [Photo courtesy of David Hutchinson]

them so long to get all the apples picked and worked up and shipped.” The list of jobs created by the fruit industry was nearly endless: from the nurseries that supplied the quality rootstock to the housewives who carefully sorted and graded the fruit prior to packing; timber sawyers, coopers in barrel factories, fruit brokers with overseas business connections, blacksmiths, wagon makers, mechanics, printers... Equally important were the “nippers”, the young ones whose job it was to quickly retrieve the filled baskets or buckets from the pickers, resupply them with an empty so that the process was not interrupted, and run and empty the full one onto a sorting stand or centralized collection box. With multiple pickers at work in the trees, the nipper could be the busiest and most in-demand laborer in the orchard, and those singing his name from atop a tall ladder never let him forget it! One of those former nippers, farmer and businessman John W. “Bill” Clayton Jr. (1927– 2014), remembered some of his own coming-of-age while still living at home at Mechum’s River. “In the early ’40s, Pop had bought this Chevrolet truck with no cab on it,” Clayton said, “and I hauled peaches out

of Emmett Wiley’s orchard at Jarman’s Gap and loaded them on the railroad car over here in Crozet, where they iced it [at Herbert’s Cold Storage.] Wiley’s fruit alone didn’t fill the whole car, so there were other orchards that shared freight space in the cars. Weren’t many trucks available to haul for hire, see, so I think everyone was loading ‘em. They were lined up over there. “I was 14 and had just gotten my driving permit. I had this little ’34 dump truck they done put sides on. There was a Bahamian picking crew of a dozen or so that I picked up over at Joe Henley’s near White Hall. He was putting them up. I nipped the peaches out of the orchard during the day, and then took the Bahamians back to Henley’s. Then I had to go back and haul that day’s peaches to the rail car in Crozet. Sometimes I’d be three o’clock in the morning getting done. I had to have the Bahamian crew back up there at the orchard by seven, so I didn’t get much sleep.” And as Virginia Sandridge exclaimed as she recounted those earlier times of large family groups and more than enough manual labor to last from dawn-to-dark, “Whoowee, those days—couldn’t nobody stand to work like that today. They were good old days.”

Follow Secrets of the Blue Ridge on Facebook! Phil James invites contact from those who would share recollections and old photographs of life along the Blue Ridge Mountains of Albemarle County. You may respond to him through his website: www.SecretsoftheBlueRidge.com or at P.O. Box 88, White Hall, VA 22987. Secrets of the Blue Ridge © 2003–2017 Phil James

CROZETgazette

Western Park —continued from page 1

Drive as a trade-off for higher densities. The deal was done. The county next hired Rieley and Associates landscape architects of Charlottesville, a firm with many distinctions in their opus—including Walnut Creek Park and Darden Towe Park, to develop a plan for the park with $50,000 that came with the proffer for that purpose. After a series of public design meetings in the spring of 2008, Rieley submitted his plan. At the time it was estimated to cost about $3.5 million to execute. The plan was incorporated in the revision of the Crozet Master

Plan that the Board of Supervisors ratified in 2010. David Anhold of Anhold Associates, landscape architects, was on hand to lead the discussion about the park. Anhold consulted in Rieley’s plan, designed the handicapped fishing piers at Mint Springs Park and the streetscape at the Dairy Queen corner. “We’ve lived in Crozet since 1990,” said Anhold. “I’ve had my office in Greenwood since 2000. We’re fully invested in the community. We’re here as a first step. We’ve done some site analysis and a survey. “The property is fabulous. It’s a rich water resource, with springs and wetlands, and abundant native plants. It’s a won-

Clover Carroll, Gary and Heidi Grassi and Tim Hughes in small group discussion.

MICHAEL MARSHALL

NOVEMBER 2017

Dave Stoner addresses the crowd at the October CCAC meeting

derful land form surrounded by development.” Anhold showed an aerial photographs and slides of the present conditions. “It needs to be opened up,” he said. “Ninety percent of the park is floodplain. There’s a small buildable area for a pavilion or shelter. About 33 out of 38 acres is unbuildable.” Results of an online survey on the design for western park recently conducted by the county produced the following ideas: trails and paths, a playground, a soccer field, garden plots, a pavilion. In the category

of “other ideas” were restrooms, tennis courts, a dog park, a basketball court, an amphitheater, Anhold reported. “We don’t see parking as viable in the buildable areas,” he warned. The floor passed to Craig Redinger, local council president for the Boy Scouts of America, who proposed the possibility that the council would lease the buildable area of the park and build a two-building Scout center. Waynesboro is the geographic center of the council, which takes in parts of the Valley and continued on page 23

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NOVEMBER 2017

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NOVEMBER 2017

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

Western Park —continued from page 23

Street, the high ground of downtown. The plaza to be built there will hold as many as 1,500 people, Stoner said. The Downtown Crozet Initiative will apply for grants to help fund the cost of the plaza, estimated at $3 million. He said he will apply for VDOT funds to build the road through the property to connect The Square to Parkside Village. The county will apply for revenue matching funds. The project has moved up on VDOT’s priority list, Stoner said, because of its economic development potential, ranking just above the bridge over Lickinghole Creek needed to connect “eastern avenue” to Rt. 250. Stoner said a rejection by VDOT would put the project on hold. He said for now parking will happen on the undeveloped eastern portion of the parcel. When the time comes for phase 2, it will have to include a parking garage, he said. Stoner said two properties

Preliminary design for The Square renovations.

must grant easements over their edges to allow the extension of Library Avenue. He said he is willing to contribute to the cost of installing a traffic light at Library Avenue. Construction could start in 2019 and the first buildings could be occupied in 2020, he said. Two boutique hotels are interested in being on the plaza,

if it happens. “The idea is to create a miniature Downtown Mall,” Stoner summed up. In an update on the push to renovate The Square parking lot, CCAC chair David Stoner (no relation to Frank) reported that the draft plan shows 5-foot sidewalks where 10-foot ones are required and that streetlights have been left out. He said the

development of Oak Street (from The Square to Library Avenue) is now included in the project. He also called for the relocation of the gate to the CSX lot, worth about 5 parking spaces, noting that the plan results in 29 spaces, which is probably fewer than are there now.

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CROZETgazette

To the Editor —continued from page 4

Jarmans where it joins Crozet Avenue. Further from town, there has also been an undeniable increase in traffic and pedestrian activity on Jarmans with the growing seasonal attraction of Chiles Orchard, which now includes tasting rooms for a winery and a cidery. As a result, there are even more pedestrians, including families often with small children, walking along the road and crossing it. I fear this, along with the existing 40 mph limit that is exceeded by many drivers, is an incredibly unsafe stage for an accident—with tragedy in the wings. I originally intended to circulate a petition to change the speed limit on Jarmans from the posted 40 mph to 30, and ask for a stop sign at Jarmans where it intersects with Lanetown Road/Half Mile Branch. I have seen numerous close calls at this intersection and was recently almost hit there while riding my bike. It makes no sense to have a posted 25 mph limit on Jarmans where it is wide with shoulders including bike lanes, and then to increase the speed limit as it heads west where the road narrows and involves dangerous curves AND becomes a part of a national bike route— route 76. I have taken the time to talk with residents along these roads and have realized that I am not alone in my observations and thinking. This was my initial motivation to start a petition. However, when I recently called the VDOT to inquire about submitting a petition with signatures, I was told that I merely needed to make the request by phone. I was called back a day later by a representative from the VDOT and told that they had already recently studied the road safety concerns that I had reported and that they felt that there was no need and they had no plan to add a stop sign or lower the posted speed limit. I bike and drive on these roads almost every day and observe drivers traveling at speeds that are obviously above the posted limit. I strongly feel that something needs to be done before a tragedy that could be averted strikes our community. If other Crozet residents

NOVEMBER 2017 feel the same, I encourage them to call the VDOT customer service line at 1-800-367-7623 and ask that they lower the speed limit to 30 MPH from 40 MPH—at least up to the stop sign in Greenwood, AND install a four-way stop at Jarmans where it intersects Lanetown/Half Mile Branch. Although we may be unable to hold back “progress” and the continued development in Crozet that will invariably lead to traffic congestion, we should all insist on keeping our community safe for everyone who lives and travels here for the beauty and increasingly attractive opportunities that Crozet provides.

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Kyle Bollmeier Crozet 10 years ago I moved to Crozet from N.J. Crozet was a beautiful little tow n and now we have rude elitists driving around in BMW’s Land Rovers, and Mercedes. Residents who speed and high school students who speed through neighborhoods. Attitudes of entitlement and rude behaviors. Minimal police involvement and a town spinning out of control. Traffic at school times excessive due to parents giving their children expensive cars as means of school transportation. Why are school buses not being used to capacity? Food eateries opening and taking advantage of customers by serving sub-par quality food with high pricing. There clearly is a huge demarcation between the old Crozet and the new Crozet. As a resident of Crozet, old or new, we need to do a better job taking responsibility for actions and behaviors of all. Most businesses are not neighborly friendly. Tailgating and speeding through Old Trail has become a way of life for many. Does it take a tragedy/ fatality for our community and police department to wake up? Let us all realize that unless we take control of our town expansion we may be the victims of our own demise. Graham Bernstein Crozet Crossword Correction History

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NOVEMBER 2017

Biscuits Let’s just admit it: Thanksgiving is a carb-fest— because we love carbohydrates. They make us feel warm and cozy. They are delicious and comforting. So if you’re already serving stuffing (dressing if you’re a Southerner), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, cranberry sauce and pie, do we really also need bread? Answer: yes, absolutely! And our family favorite for Thanksgiving has become the yeasted biscuit. With a combo of baking soda and baking powder, like the traditional biscuit, and yeast, as in traditional bread, this quick bread not only keeps in the fridge overnight, but allows you to mix it the day before and then roll, cut and pop it into the oven when the

turkey exits. We love them because the texture is something special— rich yet light. I know you don’t have any spare refrigerator space at Thanksgiving, but this dough can be made the night before and then stored on the screened porch (my winter auxiliary refrigerator), or the garage if you’re desperate. Make it the day before and bake at the last minute. This recipe makes a large batch of biscuits—about two dozen depending upon the size—so if you don’t have twenty guests, as I will, you will have leftover dough that can stay in the fridge for up to two weeks. Hot from the oven with butter, these little biscuits make us so thankful.

Flaky Thanksgiving Biscuits 5 cups flour (I prefer King Arthur) 2 T plus 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 3 T sugar

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3/4 cup cold butter or shortening 5 tsp dry yeast ½ cup warm water 2 cups warm, cultured buttermilk

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, combine the flour, baking powder salt, baking soda and sugar. Cut the butter or shortening into the flour mix until it has a crumbly texture. In a separate bowl, sprinkle the dry yeast over the warm water and stir. Allow the yeast to dissolve for about five minutes. Add the yeast mix and the warm buttermilk to the flour mix and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms. Now keep it cool: in the refrigerator if you have space, screened porch if the evening temperature won’t fall below 32 degrees, or a cooler with a cold pack. On Thanksgiving Day, remove your turkey from the oven and allow it to rest. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees. Take a portion of dough, knead briefly and roll out to an inch thickness. Cut with your favorite biscuit cutter and bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Serve to your happy guests.

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

CROZETYOGA.COM

By Theresa Curry theresa@crozetgazette.com

Local business news

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Business Briefs

Whistlestop Grill

Chloe Watkins and Ashley Holland, Santosha Yoga owners.

Driverless Cars: Planning for Their Future We know they’re coming, but we don’t know when or how they’ll affect us. Driverless cars, the technology that was predicted long before most of us were born, was the topic of U.Va.’s “community conversation” in late September. With the presence of Perrone Robotics in the area, it seemed like a good time for this kind of conversation, said Andrew Mondschein, an assistant professor of urban and environmental planning at U.Va. Mondschein was a panelist at the forum, where Paul Perrone gave the opening remarks. Mondschein said the forum gave people a chance to ask questions and the speakers to clear up misconceptions. One common mistake people make is thinking of driverless cars as a kind of “all or nothing” situa-

tion, he said. “If you think of it as a continuum, with some driverless features at the start; and the complete ability for a car to drive itself at the end, we’re somewhere in the middle,” he said. Automation— kind of like autopilot on a plane—can be used when it appears safe to the human driver, who’s still present in the car. This technology assumes well-marked signs and roads. The car that depends on complete connectivity, that can talk to other vehicles and talk to the road is presently possible, but depends on many changes in infrastructure. “In the near future, we might see cars that are fine navigating on the highway but do require someone to make that decision,” Mondschein said. As for the idea of driverless cars helping with reducing the growing congestion and vehicle accidents on the commute between Charlottesville and Western Albemarle, he sees

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mass transportation as the only real way to address that. If driverless cars could help with establishing mass transit; for instance, if there were a lane added to I-64 dedicated to driverless cars with multiple passengers, that would help, he said, but of course it would help with any form of mass transit. Mondschein found one aspect of the conversation to be especially auspicious. “It’s remarkable to see a technology company like Perrone interact from the start with the public, the engineering and planning community and government officials,” he said. “It’s a very good beginning.”

Santosha Yoga and see the schedule of classes, visit crozetyoga.com.

Santosha to Move

The long-awaited restaurant opened in mid-October and immediately became a favorite. Whistlestop Grill, owned by Connie Snead, is open every day from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., except Sundays, when it closes at 2 p.m. It’s in the building that formerly housed Cocina del Sol, next to the barbershop, and serves traditional diner-style food in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

As of January 1, Santosha Yoga studio will open its doors across town from its present home in Piedmont Place to a new space in the Crozet Shopping Center. The move will provide more room for the popular studio, including spaces for a lounge and child care, and will allow for more course offerings. To find out more about

Wayland’s Crossing Tavern Now Open Wayland’s Crossing Tavern, at the Old Public West site, serves Irish and American pub favorites with a gourmet twist, and is open at 4 p.m. for dinner every day except Tuesday. Since its opening October 20, business has been lively, said co-owner Kim Dillon.

Whistlestop Grill Opens Downtown

NOVEMBER 2017

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

Western Albemarle Third Quarter Real Estate Report

Anothering Blistering Sales Pace for Crozet Housing For the second quarter in a row, the headline news in the Crozet real estate market (defined by housing in the Brownsville and Crozet elementary school districts) is the pace of sales. The third quarter of 2017 eclipsed past quarter increases, as sales rose almost 40 percent year-toyear! There were 106 total sales in Crozet in the just past quarter, up from 76 total sales at the same time last year. This increase greatly exceeds the 5 percent increase seen in Albemarle County as a whole (see attached five-year sales trend chart provided courtesy of Nest Realty), exemplifying the draw the Crozet community has become. Of the 106 sales, 83 were for detached homes, the remaining 23 being for attached properties. There was one sale over a $1 million, a 54-acre equestrian property on Dick Woods Road that has been excluded for sta-

tistical purposes. Thirty-five of the total sales were for new construction properties. Fourteen percent of the total sales were for homes on an acre or more, a figure that is lower than usual and is influenced by increasing neighborhood sales on smaller parcels. There were seven land sales in the quarter, and only one distressed sale (qualified as a short sale, foreclosure or auction). This latter figure is one that we hope goes to zero in the fourth quarter. The average price for a detached home in Crozet rose 5 percent to $462,000. This was in large part influenced by the sales price of new construction homes rising 6 percent to $636,000. These 29 newly built homes averaged 3,326sqft in size. Nine of them were built in in Old Trail, nine in Foothill Crossing, seven in Westlake, with the balance in Chesterfield Landing and surrounding areas. The average price of these newly constructed properties was up 4

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percent to $194/sqft, a figure likely set to jump as building supply costs, especially wood and wood products, are rising at an alarming pace. The price of a resale detached home rose a bit over 6 percent to an average price of $432,000. These homes are going under contract in an average of 35 days. There were 23 attached home sales in the quarter, almost double the 13 sold at the same time last year. Six of these were for new townhomes, with the average sales price of these rising to $448,000 and the cost of construction rising 6 percent to $197/sqft. New townhouse neighborhood choice continues to be limited to Old Trail. Hopefully, new neighborhood choices will surface that offer lower prices to enable more families to afford a newly constructed home. Resale neighborhoods were dominated by Old Trail with six sales, and The Highlands and Wickham Pond having three sales each. Looking forward, the underlying constant will remain affordability. Construction prices continue to rise and are

Marathoner —continued from page 16

they do, their hearts are in the right place.” Laura is a joyful person, with an ever-present twinkle in her eye. Growing up in Asheville, NC, she played basketball in high school, but she especially loved to walk. “I walked everywhere in college, and while living in Boston during graduate school.” She doesn’t like red meat—calling herself a “piscapoultrytarian”—and she eats spinach for breakfast every morning. “I view it as a kind of base coat of nutrition,” she

passed along to the consumer. There is no end in sight for this trend, especially with increased material demand from recently hard hit areas such as Texas, Puerto Rico and California helping to push prices higher. Land prices in neighborhoods in and surrounding Crozet areas are rising as well, which only adds to the problem. Heading into the fourth quarter, it is a pretty safe bet that total 2017 homes sales in Crozet will top any year since the start of the Great Recession. With new homes sales soaring, and more affordable resale properties lasting fewer days on the market, there really are few headwinds. The Federal Reserve may raise rates before year’s end, which could be easily justified as an inflation tamer resulting from the strong national economy as a whole. And even though Freddie Mac predicts a 30-year mortgage rate high of 4.4 percent in 2018, the folks at CoreLogic still expect prices nationwide to rise by 5 percent. We will see the same increases in Crozet almost assuredly.

laughed. Her other hobbies including historical dancing such as Contra and English Country, plus a wide range of crafts including paper folding, jewelry making, and needlework. Now that she has passed this major milestone, what are Sprung’s plans? “I plan to keep walking!” she smiled. Since retiring in 2013, she walks 12-15 miles at least once a week, often on the beautiful Saunders-Monticello Trail. “Maybe we’ll do half marathons and other smaller events. Or maybe we’ll just travel together and not do marathons!”

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

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Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe presented Paul Perrone of Perrone Robotics with a state flag that was flown over the Capitol.

Perrone

—continued from page 1

officials. “We believe we are creating the future,” said Perrone Robotics marketing director Dave Hofert, who opened the announcement program. The governor said that under his administration 1,027 new business projects valued at $17.5 billion and generating 215,000 jobs have been announced. His visit came the day after Facebook announced it will build a new data center in Henrico County. McAuliffe noted that Virginia’s unemployment rate is now 3.8 percent, the third lowest in the U.S. McAuliffe thanked Paul Perrone, who lives in White Hall, for keeping his business in Virginia after getting relocation offers from California, Michigan and Pennsylvania. In his remarks Perrone said that it’s been 12 years since the company competed in a Defense Advance Research Projects Agency robotic car challenge in 2006 that held out a $2 million dollar prize to the autonomous vehicle that could best navigate the Mojave Desert. Perrone’s car was in the competition until a closing railroad crossing gate, which the car did not stop for, knocked it out of the game. Perrone’s was one of 40 teams invited from some 400 that were eligible. “We’re working today with large manufacturers to get autonomous vehicles in every garage,” he said. “A huge quantum leap is required. Huge investments are being made. We are pleased to do this in Virginia. Our area is a prime location for developing autonomous vehicles. It makes working here truly idyllic. The opportunity for growth is truly

exhilarating. Trillion dollar stakes are at hand.” Perrone noted that the firm has recently had a capital infusion from Intel Corporation. “The Crozet area has been working on the ‘new economy’ from about the 1800s. We have a wonderful history,” said Mallek, who also recounted a field trip she took with her summer science students to visit Perrone’s company. “We want to provide places for our locally grown businesses to grow and thrive.” Congressman Garrett quipped, “If Paul gets this autonomous vehicle right, we can all take more advantage of our wineries and breweries. A light shines today from Crozet that lights the direction of the future.” Landes said, “I want to thank the Governor. Economic development and education are something we [Democrats and Republicans] can work on together.” He thanked Perrone “for being an entrepreneur and for the opportunities you provide for others. When I first started representing Crozet it was a sleepy village. Now it’s becoming an economic hub. Maybe someday we’ll be a mini-Silicon Valley. This research really is cutting edge.” McAuliffe, Haymore and Perrone took a tour of the company’s test track in a robot car. Perrone had arranged for a person dressed in a bear costume to emerge from the side of the road, and when it happened the car detected the unexpected figure at the shoulder and stopped. McAuliffe was duly impressed. “When you have a business like this, it draws other businesses,” said McAuliffe. He said the effect of Facebook’s announcement was that it promptly drew the notice of other companies to Virginia.

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NOVEMBER 2017

EVERY SUNDAY • 10 A.M. The Field School • 1408 Crozet Avenue

by John Andersen

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Epigenetics: Does Exercise Change Your Genes?

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Many of you reading this find yourselves in need of a physical change in your life. Perhaps you’re out of energy, out of shape, full of aches, sick with disease, overweight, etc., etc. Although there are a million stories of amazing self-transformation out there, it’s often difficult to believe that we can really change from our current state. The longer you have been in this current rut, the more difficult it is to find a way out. There is no better way to derail progress than by not believing it can be made. Enter “epigenetics”! Okay, some of you are already starting to glaze over—bringing genetics and that type of science into a motivational discussion? You lost me, bro. But, yes, epigenetics. I first heard of epigenetics from one of my mentors in the endurance world, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella. I was listening to him on a podcast as he briefly touched on this concept of epigenetics, whereby you can actually change the gene expression of your DNA over time by changing the way you live. He went into the science on it, and although it all makes perfect sense, it blew my mind. Epigenetics, in short, is the study of changes in gene expression, without any changes to the underlying DNA. So, a change in phenotype happens without a change in genotype. Okay, I lost you again. We all have our own unique DNA, an incredibly complex strand of genetic information that is present in every single cell in our body. We inherited this DNA from our parents, but it is uniquely our own and is the blueprint for the construction, function, and maintenance of our body. Your height, your eye

color, your immune function are all coded in your DNA since the time you were a cute little ball of cells in your mother’s womb. Now, genes. Genes are simply specific strands of DNA that are responsible for producing a specific protein. You and I have about 23,000 genes in our DNA and all of these function to produce…us! On the surface, that may sound rather rigid. We have very specific DNA, and the genes in our DNA each create very specific proteins that all together miraculously form our human body. So you get what you get, and you don’t get what you didn’t get. Right? Epigenetics says wrong. Long ago, people started to wonder if genes ever change. For example, why do we get certain types of cancers? Is it random bad luck? Or is it possible that certain environmental factors can cause our genes to produce something different than what they used to produce? Epigenetics is simply the study of this phenomenon, a study of changes in gene expression (what the genes are actually making) without any changes to the underlying DNA. The field of epigenetics is rapidly growing as scientists continue to find how changes can occur in our genes that influence the development of cancers, dysfunction of our immune system and many other diseases. We now know that things like our environment and our diet can eventually change our gene expression. People like Dr. Cucuzzella are looking at it the other way. If all of these negative changes can lead to negative changes in gene expression–cancer, developmental disorders, neurologic prob-

CROZETgazette lems, etc.–what about the effect of exercise and a good diet? Consider the current function of your body. (I’m back to talking to the folks who are finding themselves in a physical rut.) We can make an argument that your body is not currently functioning as well as it could. Perhaps you have a chronic disease. Perhaps you have orthopedic issues. Maybe you’re depressed. Maybe you’re overweight and nothing seems to be changing that. Now consider the epigenetics view. Your body is in its current state in part because of unchangeable DNA and gene expression, but also in part to very changeable gene expression that is a response to the diet and environmental factors that it has been exposed to thus far. The epigenetics view says that if you change the diet and environmental factors, your body can change. Genetically. Real change. Epigenetics is just a fancy word describing something our bodies have been doing from the beginning of time. That is, adapting to the circumstances. It is more proof how complex and amazing our bodies are. So, don’t like where you currently are? You can change. Your body can change. Literally.

NOVEMBER 2017

Improve your diet. Avoid sugars, fake ingredients, and processed foods. Improve your fitness. Exercise daily. Thirty minutes a few times a week is not really going to cut it. Change the way you think about your exercise. Walk often. Sit little. Get your heart rate up daily. Become active. Consider your life stresses. Often we think we can’t do much about work stress or life stress, but we also usually don’t try or get help with these issues, even though they are usually the biggest hits to our quality of life. Chronic stress is probably not good for your genes! If you don’t believe you can change, you will most certainly never change. I don’t think we need studies or scientists to tell us that if we change the way we are living, our bodies will respond in kind. But in case you do need it, those scientists have come through for you! Now common sense and science agree: eat right and exercise and you will start to see change. It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to take work and commitment, and you’re going to hit speed bumps. But change is not only possible, it’s probable. Now let’s go change some genes!

Virginia’s Trail Running Headquarters

Neils, Gillette Take Crozet Trails Crew 5k Andrew Neils was the male winner in the Crozet Trails Crew’s annual 5K race Oct. 11 with a time of 18:40 minutes. Second was Xavier Alvarez in 19:40 and third was Travis Lambert in 20:31. Jack Burr, a runner under age 12, was fifth overall in 21:40. First among women runners was Christi Gillette in 23:14; second was Andrea Wright in 23:37, and close behind in third

was Nicole Kelleher at 23:40. It was the first race in several years that was not run in cold drizzle, and the turnout was a record with 145 runners. The 3.1-mile course over the trails that connect to Crozet Park now includes a new start/finish portal. Zoom Fencing contributed temporary fencing that greatly enhanced the chute to the finish line.

Turk Mountain Summit, Shenandoah National Park

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Located on the first floor of the Crozet Library building

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

Local Elections —continued from page 13

redistricting is: (1) work with the Long-Range Planning Committee to find development opportunities, and then work with developers to ask what are their five- and ten-year goals, and how can we focus this development so we understand where to put school capacity; (2) expand that reset period to a six-year minimum (unless there is massive overcrowding), so a kid could get all the way through elementary school; and (3) reform how we look at school capital projects. Instead of constantly playing catch-up and throwing in trailers to handle excess capacity, we need an ongoing architectural review process which will help us plan better, and make better projections of enrollments based on planned building. What is the best way to implement the Equity in Access initiative? GP: The achievement gap will be hard to close. Research shows that if anything traumatic

happens to you when you are even 1 or 2 years old, there can be a strong effect on your development down the road. Within the [$1.3 million] Equity in Access initiative, $500,000 is for professional development so that each teacher can decide which area they’d be most interested in working on. We’d like to see an increase in the number of minority students in the [high school] academies, and we’re trying to get minorities into those classes and upper level classes. JW: Equity in Access is a big part of the budget, but right now the Culturally-Responsive Teaching (CRT) initiative doesn’t seem to be having a big impact on teaching effectiveness [at the high school level]. I think it’s inefficient to focus on Equity in Access when it comes to high school, but that’s how it’s being measured. I think it would be better to expand Pre-K access, which would give students these experiences when they’re still very young and are more inclined to be tolerant and have diverse mindsets. A greater investment in Pre-K would pay off with lower costs in middle

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and high school, so the investment pays for itself in one generation. How would you address the issue of teacher pay in the County? GP: Always in the past, we’ve compared our teacher pay to the local market— Charlottesville and surrounding counties and maybe a few others—but a recent study by a group called Niche used a variety of criteria to rank schools similar to us, though not necessarily close to us. That survey gave us a better idea of what our pay should be. In the early years we do pretty well, but we seem to fall behind around year 10. County staff are going to come back with proposals, perhaps combining the best of both markets. One thing we are looking at might be to increase our stipends, which are amounts added on to base salary for things like professional development or advanced degrees, and that might be able to close the gap. We have to consider this carefully because the pool of teachers is shrinking too, so we have to stay competitive. Within a few years this could become a pretty big problem. JW: I have friends who are teachers who are not paid enough to be able to live in Albemarle County. They have to room with others or live outside the district, which is an economic disadvantage for the County as well because it’s not getting their tax dollars, plus they’re not putting roots down

in the community. I think we have to recognize that teachers are the single greatest asset we have in the school system, and we have to pay them fairly. While we do seem to be competitive among school systems similar to ours, it’s unacceptable that we are not paying first-year teachers enough to live close to their schools. What is your rationale for wanting to serve on the School Board? GP: I have more experience than my opponent on the School Board, and 25 years of teaching experience in Albemarle County. I’m a lifelong resident here in the community, and these are all important advantages when it comes to having perspective on the issues. Most important to me would be resolving the parity issues between schools, and trying to close the achievement gap between students with the Equity in Access initiative. JW: I’d like to strike a balance between my three years of policy experience with Albemarle County and my 13 years of experience with the school system. The school board has lawyers, dentists, and educators, but they don’t have any recent students, and all perspectives should be represented. My voice would be both recent and relevant, which is critically important to policies and changes that we’re making from an administrative perspective that will have lasting impacts.

stAte-of-the-Art heAring Aid technology: To help you hear what you have been missing, our hearings aids are available in different styles and a wide range of prices for your budget! We Specialize In Custom Earmolds For: Musicians, Hunters, Swimmers, Nascar Fans, MP3 Players, Industrial Employees and MORE! Our Services Also Include: Assistive Technology For Personal Listening, T.V., and Telephone We care about you and your family! We are here to serve you!

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GENERAL ELECTION November 7, 2017 Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. To check your precinct location, visit:

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CROZETgazette

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NOVEMBER 2017

Stop the World, I Want to Get Off A Review of A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman by Clover Carroll | clover@crozetgazette.com

Spoiler Alert: This review discusses some of the main revelations of the plot, so if you plan to read it, save the review for after you’ve whipped through this page turner! It is hard to imagine an author making a man’s repeated attempts at suicide funny, but that’s exactly what Fredrik Backman manages to do in A Man Called Ove, his bestselling novel published in 2012 and translated from the Swedish by Henning Koch in 2014. This hilarious and life-affirming novel will be discussed at the Crozet Library Book Club Monday, Nov. 6, beginning at 7 p.m., and all are welcome! Ove (pronounced Ooo-vah), a 59-year-old curmudgeon who has just been laid off from his railroad job of 40 years, is angry at the world and disappointed at the turn his life has taken—“Life was never meant to turn into this,” he laments. He takes out his frustrations on everyone and everything, yelling at sales clerks and parking attendants, and even punching a hospital clown who makes Ove’s five-kroner coin disappear in a magic trick. His running interior monologue consists of negative generalizations about the state of a world peopled by “useless bloody imbeciles” who “have no respect for decent, honest functionality anymore.” For example, no one knows how to brew a proper cup of coffee any more or write with a pen, “because now it was all computers and espresso machines.” He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, because “if men like Ove didn’t take the initiative, there’d be anarchy.” At the beginning of the book, he mistrusts—and dislikes—all the members of the diverse crew of neighbors who live in his high-density housing block, not dissimilar to parts of Old Trail, with narrow alleyways running behind the houses—including a pregnant Iranian immigrant and her two children, her inept

Swedish husband, an obese computer whiz, a gay cafe worker (translated from the Swedish as “bent”), an old friend who is battling Alzheimer’s, and a flea-bitten stray cat who adopts Ove after he saves it from freezing to death. With an almost religious devotion to his Swedish-made Saab—which he considers the only acceptable car to own—he views all his irresponsible neighbors who drive Audis, Volvos, and Toyotas as insane. On his daily inspection of the neighborhood for cars parked where they shouldn’t be or trash not properly sorted for recycling, “Ove is the sort of man who checks the status of all things by giving them a good kick.” And in contrast to the throwaway culture he disdains, Ove is self-sufficient and can fix almost anything—from radiators to bicycles to ceiling joists. Our sympathy is aroused and sustained when, in alternating chapters between past and present, we gradually learn that Ove was orphaned at 16, was on his own most of his life, and has had his share of hard knocks. But his father’s legacy of integrity survived: Ove “believed so strongly in … justice and fair play and hard work,” his warm and eternally optimistic wife, Sonja, explained. “Not many men of his kind were made any more.” And now, six months after her death, he misses her so dreadfully that he wants to rejoin her on the other side. But things keep going wrong—the rope breaks, a neighbor needs a ride to the hospital, the gunshot would wake the cat, or a stranger falls into the train tracks just before Ove jumps. In other words, he keeps getting stopped by others’ need for help—requests to which he is incapable of saying No. “Considering how they are constantly preventing him from dying, these neighbors of his are certainly not shy when it comes to driving a man to the brink of madness and suicide,” he thinks in an ironic complaint. By the time you’re halfway through— when tears of laughter are fighting with tears of sympathy over

the many revelations that explain Ove’s irascible disposition—you don’t want to do anything other than continue reading this book. The book is really “a love story told in flashbacks,” observed Hannes Holm, director of the film, in a Sept. 2016 NPR interview. Much of the humor stems from the book’s relatability and refreshing honesty: many of his railings against humanity echo our own thoughts. How often have we been frustrated by the seeming stupidity and corruption of our fellow citizens? Or wished to stop the world so we could get off? Then there is Backman’s gift for comic dialogue. “It’s like an episode of Dexter,” comments his neighbor when he discovers Ove drilling a hole in the ceiling for the hook to hold his noose. “Almost looks like you’re about to murder someone!” Beyond that is the juxtaposition of Ove’s antisocial, hard-boiled exterior with his inherently soft heart, which is slowly but surely opened over the course of the book as he finds his purpose in helping others. In the same way that Ove’s wife, Sonja, had once thawed his hardened heart, his new Iranian neighbor Parvaneh’s warm and loyal friendship saves him from his tragic plans. And we discover that deep down, grumpy old Ove has the heart of a hero. When the neighborhood bands together to prevent the “men in white shirts… [like] robots sent out by the mother ship” from forcibly removing the Alzheimer’s patient to a nursing home over his wife’s objections, community spirit and social responsibility win out, causing Ove to decide— like Virginia Woolf ’s Mrs. Dalloway —to choose life (in contrast to the ultimate choice of that book’s author). “You’ll just have to wait a bit longer for me up there,” he confesses to Sonja’s gravestone. “I don’t have time to die right now.” Sweden is on a roll, international bestseller-wise. First there was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Larsson, 2005)—with its four sequels and counting— then The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out the Window

and Disappeared (Jonasson, 2009), and now Ove, which has sold 2.8 million copies worldwide and been translated into 38 languages. This is Backman’s—a thirty-something Swedish blogger who lives in Stockholm with his family— debut novel, which was a “sleeper” for months after its translation until word of mouth spread and it spent 42 weeks on the bestseller list. Lucy Scholes, in England’s Independent online, commented that the book presents a “Disneyfied version of reality,” but admits that “the predictability… is part of its charm,” and that Backman “can tickle the funny bone and tug on the heart strings when he needs to.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor declared: “In the contest of Most Winning Combination, it would be hard to beat grumpy Ove and his hidden, generous heart.” Backman followed up his success with My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry (2015) and Britt-Marie Was Here (2016). He confesses that the character of Ove is loosely based on himself. This charming, heartwarming book is a model of black humor, delightfully combining the dark—and occasionally absurd—side of life with a celebration of its inherent joy. Ove, a full-fledged, antisocial misanthrope, reminds us of Scrooge before he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. As he finds kindness, love, and happiness in the most unlikely places, Ove—like Scrooge—finally learns that human connection and the joy of giving are what make life worth living.

CROZETgazette

ALI JOHNSON

NOVEMBER 2017

Jim Pyles, organizer of the CJB, believes that “music is an expression of love.”

Jam Band —continued from page 17

decades. Crozet is a unique place, because the residents have a ‘can do’ attitude and get behind inventive ways to make things happen.” The CJB has been drawing such a big crowd—some all the way from Charlottesville—that Starr Hill recently moved them from Thursdays to Fridays for the rest of this year. “Their acoustics are phenomenal,” Pyles affirms, “and I think business is increasing when we play.” Pyles, a retired lawyer, has advertised the sessions through posters, the Gazette, and Nextdoor, and now works with Jack Goodall and Allie Hochman who promote the sessions through the Starr Hill website starrhill.com/events. Now, “we are being swamped with requests to play at other venues—like Pro Re Nata, King Family Vineyard, and Barboursville Vineyard. We recently played at the White Hall Ruritan Club meeting, and one of the local TV stations even wants us to play before a studio audience. We are also putting together CJB 2.0, a small group that can be flexible and play more quietly for smaller spaces like the Rooftop.” “I just love to play music,” Pyles said. “I wanted to do popular music that everyone could sing. We want this not to be a passive exercise where we just perform, but a participatory thing where the community can come and try new things, bring their instruments, and harmonize. Music bridges political divisions. Our band and our audience are a diverse group that represents a broad spec-

trum of ages, lifestyles, and talents. The jam sessions blend sounds, but they also blend people.” The band practices twice between each session in Pyles’ home studio, and they continue adding new songs to the repertoire. “It takes me about six hours to collect and type up the lyrics and chords for each new song,” Pyles admited. There is a different artist focus each month—they’ve featured songs by Willie Nelson, the Beatles, the Eagles, Dixie Chicks, and Paul Simon, among others— plus tributes to recently deceased musicians such as Prince, Leonard Cohen, and Tom Petty (you may well hear a Fats Domino number in November). Lately, Pyles has started adding songs that address “this wonderful journey we’re on called Life,” such as “Colors,” “Things I Never Needed,” and “Can’t See Through” by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. “These are exquisite songs that Lori sings beautifully,” Pyles adds. The evening usually ends with John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” “The life I love is makin’ music with my friends,” we croon like Willie Nelson in “On the Road Again”— a lyric that perfectly captures the feeling of this Crozet phenomenon. “Music is an expression of love,” said Pyles. “It is just so great to look out at the crowd and see everyone smiling and having a great time. I tell our members, we are not in the music business, we are in the entertainment business—we’re here to give people a good time.” In terms of future plans, Pyles would love to appear in a festicontinued on page 45

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We had our first downslope windstorm of the season Sunday night, Oct. 29. Crozet is infamous for these storms. This one was particularly nasty with wind gusts estimated to be 60mph. Some big trees came down all over town and closed off Crozet Ave. for a full day and a half. The whole town went dark at one point as falling trees took out power lines. The windstorms are the result of complicated fluid dynamics but are actually pretty easy to forecast. When big storms move into New England, we sometimes get very strong northwest winds. When they flow perfectly perpendicular to the Shenandoah Mountain ridge just to our west, the wind accelerates down the lee side of the mountain with amazing force. The downslope acceleration is strongest right at the bottom of the mountains. While we were being pummeled with 60mph gusts, the Charlottesville airport

never had a gust worse than 32mph. In addition to the annoying wind, the strong northwest winds are cold, too. The morning after the windstorm, the mountains were white on top from snow. We got cold enough to dust the ground above 2,000 feet. Buck’s Elbow was gorgeous with the white mixed with the fall colors (pictured below). This was the third time in six years that we have had late October snow. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy produced the same effect and another similar storm struck in October 2013. The Crozet downslope windstorms happen about once a week from October through April and range from run-ofthe-mill to intense. Most of us hate the winds, but not the Crozet Bear. He loves the overturned garbage cans. When he is not hibernating, he has his own Twitter account: @CrozetBear. continued on page 42

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Breaking the News This has been one of those months where I’ve had to break a lot of bad news to people. Your dog has a terminal cancer. Your cat is in severe kidney failure. Your dog needs emergency surgery. Your cat is permanently blind. Your dog just died. Any way you slice it, delivering bad news to people is always a difficult task, at least it is for me. In my job as a veterinarian, I’m usually breaking bad news to clients that I’ve known for years. We’ve developed mutual trust, respect, and often friendship, and I’ve gotten to know their dog or cat for years as well, developing a similar type of trust, respect, and friendship with them, too. But there inevitably comes a time when they bring their sick pet in, wearing their worry and emotions on their sleeve. After an exam and running some tests or imaging, I find the bad news. Ugh. A tumor. Ugh. Liver failure. Ugh. Our relationship is about to permanently change. As the doctor, I take this information, consider the options available, and try to give an honest and reasonable plan to the owners for how to proceed. As a person, I know I’m about to walk into that exam room and make someone

really sad. My typical thought as I grab the chart and walk into the room is, “This is gonna suck.” People take bad news in a lot of different ways. When you’re telling someone that their pet is going to die, I suppose that all reactions are appropriate. Most people react with a mix of sadness and acceptance. Some people are incredibly unemotional. Others are absolutely hysterical. You never know what you’re going to get. After 15 years of breaking bad news to people about their pets, I’ve developed some strategies and thoughts on the process. Although it is still never easy, now I can approach it in a way that lets me sleep at night, knowing I did the best I could. Be honest. Being honest can be hard. And time consuming. Sometimes we are tempted to sugar coat bad news, or to try to give people false hope. We do this simply because we hate to tell people really hard bad news. Maybe we think they can’t handle it. Or that they will direct their emotions at us. But this approach almost always causes more pain in the end. It took me a few years of practice to be able to walk into a room, look the owners in the eye, and tell them the bad news, slow and clear. “I have bad news. Rusty has a bleeding cancontinued on page 52

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NOVEMBER 2017

THERESA CURRY

Religion News

Michael Payne has been all over the world in his roles as teacher and pastor. Early in his profession––while still a theology student at Westminster–– Rev. Payne believed he might be called to serve overseas in poor countries. “I’d spent a month in Africa in my junior year,” he said. “I felt really drawn to it.” His mentor at the time talked him out of making that decision immediately. “It was wise,” he says, looking back. “When you’re just starting, you’re affected so deeply emotionally, and it’s easy to get that confused with what you are really meant to be doing.” For a few years after his schooling, he became an assistant pastor and also pursued another of his interests, the intersection of religion, medicine and the law. He did end up serving in Kenya for more than a decade as a professor in the seminary there. Other foreign assignments have been in Budapest, Taiwan and Mexico City. In between, he taught theology at a seminary in Mississippi and military ethics for the Air Force in Alabama. Payne didn’t find the transitions to be shocking, whether between Taipei and Greenwood or Kenya and Alabama, or Philadelphia and the Deep South, “There are no real surprises,” he said. “People are the same, with the same conflicts and pressures.” He did find that people with few resources listen in a different way to the Gospels. “People can be miserable, no matter what their economic status,” he said. “But those with money and power can distract themselves, can clutter their lives with possessions and recreation. If you’re poor, you don’t have that clutter, so it’s pretty much you, alone with your misery. That creates a different kind of response to God’s words.” He cautioned against stereo-

Rev. Michael Payne

types of poverty as either romantic or brutalizing: “There’s just as much diversity in the behavior of the poor as that of the wealthy,” he said. Long before he moved to Greenwood, he’d learned that “rural” does not mean “unsophisticated,” he said, and his congregation bears this out. Since moving to Lebanon Evangelical Presbyterian Church in November 2015, Payne has put a lot of thought into making the church more visible in the community, both literally and figuratively. “We’re hidden back here by trees,” he said of the building whose original structure is several hundred years old. He wants to make the church visible in other ways, and there’s been an effort to make all of the print materials and website materials consistent with what the church is trying to do. He’s planning some conferences for the coming year: One will be on C.S. Lewis, and one will be on the intersection of science and faith. Meanwhile, he leads a weekly group, “Two Beer Theology Study” at Blue Mountain Brewery. Payne said he’s been enjoying the beauty of the mountains and open spaces, especially since his wife, Karen, a long-time horsewoman, is now able to keep a horse and ride. “This is a great place for us near the end of our ministry,” he said.

Share the Blessings volunteers at Crozet Baptist

months ahead. Years ahead, if you count the long experience of Tracey Pugh, Crozet Baptist’s minister for children, youth and community connections, who’s refined the operation (formerly, she ran the Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival) and mobilizes the yearly effort like a general mounting a campaign. Armed with spreadsheets, shopping carts, high school kids needing community service, a willing congregation and a grateful community, Pugh paces her collection of the individual dishes for a bountiful, traditional Thanksgiving meal, starting in August when she asks the congregation for boxes of macaroni and cheese and cans of green beans. September’s the month when Crozet Baptist members strip the grocery shelves of instant mashed potatoes; followed by October (stuffing and gravy) and November, when mountains of turkeys, hams and frozen pies disappear into freezers all over the community. A couple of food drives at the Crozet Market supplement the

groceries hauled in by the parishioners. One has already taken place and the next is scheduled for Nov. 11. Near the end of the collection period, Pugh and her helpers will count the food accumulating in the church basement and place a giant order for anything missing. When all is ready, there’s a massive packing party and finally, delivery to far-flung areas of the county on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. “We make this a county-wide service,” Pugh said. The families throughout Albemarle are identified through the schools, and bags are modified according to the size of the family, she said. Besides the army of volunteers from the church and community, Pugh acknowledges the continued support of the Crozet Market for supplying turkeys at cost; and of the new Crozet Catholic Mission for partnering with the Baptists in this project. The Church welcomes donations of any kind from the community, whether volunteers, continued on page 50 THERESA CURRY

Payne Seeks Consistency, Visibility for Lebanon Evangelical Presbyterian Church

SUBMITTED

By Theresa Curry theresa@crozetgazette.com

Crozet Baptists Share Blessings It’s a massive Thanksgiving project that consumes much of November for its organizers, but really it starts weeks and

Warner Bainbridge, 9, of Crozet, at Harmony Place

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

An Ancient Practice for Anxious Times THERESA CURRY

by Theresa Curry

theresa@crozetgazette.com

As a young doctor associated with U.Va. in the 70s, Robert Hodge came across a new idea for helping his patients. “We saw so many people with high blood pressure in our practice,” he said. “And every drug we had to offer them had side effects, some of them bad.” Dr. Hodge had come to U.Va. from Harvard as part of an outreach effort sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to bolster the number of primary care doctors. He was several years into his practice when he read The Relaxation Response, by Herbert Benson, who had been a professor at Harvard when Hodge was a student. Widely read and favorably reviewed, the book proposed that meditation had profound effects on consistent practitioners, including lowering their blood pressure. The Relaxation Response was kind of a lay introduction to an established spiritual practice (Dr. Benson went on to also research and write about the power of prayer). “I thought I’d give it a go,” Hodge said. Although his interest was initially for his patients, the book sent him on what became a lifelong journey. After many years away from the area and many increasingly more responsible positions in medical practice and administration, Hodge retired, returned, and now facilitates meditation weekly in his former home in White Hall. “I guess you could say I’ve been on and off the wagon with meditation,” Hodge said. As time went on, meditation and related Buddhist thought became more prominent in his life and, when he moved to Missouri in 1997, he served on the board of Show Me Dharma, an insight meditation center in Columbia. “Dharma,” he explained, simply means “teaching,” and is meant to illuminate the Buddhist path to enlightenment, peace and acceptance. Over his years in Missouri, he came to have roles of both

Robert Hodge of White Hall Meditation

teacher and administrator, and taught Buddhist thought as well as guided meditation. Although many of the benefits of meditation are intangible, Hodge said he can articulate some of them. It’s had a profound effect on his life, he’s sure of that. “Those of us who work in patient care tend to think we’ve heard it all,” he said. “I know my meditation practice helped me be completely receptive to what my patients were telling me; to really listen and let them tell their own story in their own time.” He found other elements of Buddhist thought helpful for him and everyone going through changes. Realizing that everything changes, all the time, is a comfort, once you accept it, he said. Not only does it relieve us of the wasted suffering caused by our resistance to change; it also helps us realize that our suffering in the moment is impermanent. The practice of mindfulness is bolstered by regular meditation where attention is focused on the moment rather than past grievances or future worries. Early in the month, Hodge had group members anonymously write down their thoughts on the White Hall practice. Many used the words “calm” or “peace” to describe the benefits in their lives: One said simply, “Life sparkles!” Medical research has continued to examine the benefits of

continued on page 51

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CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

Weather

—continued from page 38

Check out his tweets and you’ll see town from a bear’s perspective! October Recap October started off cold and

finished with snow but overall the month was warm. The average temperature was 3.9 degrees above average. Ten days exceeded 80, including eight in a row. The coldest morning was 32 on October 27. Rainfall was a solid 4.08,” which helped with low reservoir levels.

BY DR. ROBERT C. REISER

crozetannals@crozetgazette.com

Pill Problems

Wind damage on Crozet Avenue October 29

No Home for Bats Netting has been installed over the portals of the Claudius Crozet’s 1850 Blue Ridge Tunnel to oblige the bats that roost there to find new homes. Once they have resettled, the task of removing the two mas-

sive bulkheads that currently block passage can be removed. The bulkheads were installed in the late 1940s with the idea that the abandoned tunnel might serve a gas storage container (it didn’t work).

On Thursday President Trump declared the opioid epidemic to be a National Public Health Emergency. On that same Thursday we ran out of morphine in the hospital. We are likely to be out of morphine for months if not longer. These are strange times we live in. We are flooded with opioids in the streets and out of most of them in the hospital. Morphine is on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines. Morphine has been in widespread clinical use for over two centuries and this is the first time in history that we have run out of it. We are also critically low on other opioid pain medicines like dilaudid and fentanyl. The reason for the shortfalls is multifaceted but really boils down to two words; Puerto Rico. Almost all the morphine used in the U.S. is made in Puerto Rico (who knew?), and Hurricane Maria has devastated the pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities there. Due to tax incentives implemented in 1976 Puerto Rico became a giant in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. There are about 50 pharmaceutical plants on the island representing all of the major pharma firms and about 30 that make medical devices. It is the fifth largest manufacturer of drugs in the world. Pharmaceuticals and devices represent 75 percent of Puerto Rico’s exports, valued at $14.5 billion, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. About ten percent of all the pharmaceuticals used in the U.S. come from Puerto Rico and at least 13 are manufactured only in Puerto Rico. The island accounted for 25 percent of total U.S. pharmaceutical exports. The FDA has compiled a list of 40 drugs that are likely to be

in short supply due to the hurricane but they have not released that list. That’s concerning, since the plants produce treatments for cancer and HIV, as well as immunosuppressants for patients with organ transplants, anticoagulants to prevent strokes, as well as insulin pumps and pacemakers. Oh, and all those sterile bags for mixing and administering antibiotics are made there and we are out of those too. We can improvise around that for now, but it is time consuming and introduces additional processes that increase the possibility of error. The solution to these ongoing dangerous shortages is for FEMA to get the power back on in Puerto Rico and soon. 70% of the island still lacks power six weeks after the hurricane. This is hard to believe. The pharmaceutical plants are largely intact but lack electrical service. Some are running on generators, but that poses its own challenges, including finding enough diesel fuel to keep them running. The tax breaks that created the successful pharmaceutical economic miracle were phased out in 2006 and if Puerto Rico does not reopen the plants soon the industry is likely to go elsewhere, taking 25 percents of Puerto Rico’s economy with it. The island will not recover from this. Meanwhile the opioid epidemic rages on. 62,000 Americans died of opioid overdoses in 2016. That is more people lost in one year than we lost in the wars in Vietnam and Iraq combined. Public health experts estimate that nationwide over 500,000 people could die from the epidemic over the next 10 years. Declaring a National Public Health Emergency (PHE) sounds like a good thing, but it is an empty gesture. The PHE continued on page 45

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

Legendary Albemarle High School principal Ben Hurt with former students Tommy (Class of ’68) and Karen Viar (Class of ’70)

Ben Hurt & His Students Celebrate His 99th Birthday Ben Hurt celebrated his 99th birthday Oct. 27 in the company of adoring former students at The Lodge at Old Trail. Hurt was born in Farmville and has lived in Crozet since 1961. He came to Albemarle for a teaching job at Greenwood High School. From there he went to serve as a tank commander in World War II in Africa and Europe. When Albemarle High School opened in 1953 Hurt was assistant principal for the first year and principal for 30 years thereafter. Hurt’s trademark is that he remembers every one’s name.

The Albemarle High School Alumni Association was organized in 2008 and Hurt was inducted in their Hall of Fame at the first “A Night To Remember” program in 2011 attended by an estimated 700. To honor Hurt, the association published a book, Mr. Hurt’s 10,000 Memories, representing the number of Albemarle graduates during his tenure. The association has made it an annual event for members to send birthday cards to Hurt, and he said he receives 400 to 500 cards each year.

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CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

CHARLES KIDDER

inthegarden@crozetgazette.com

Symphyotrichon A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, according to Shakespeare. But what about a Symphyotrichon? Symphyotrichon is just one genus of perennial plant commonly referred to as Asters in the United States, and as Michaelmas Daisies in the U.K. Until a few years ago, there were almost 600 species of aster, sharing the same scientific and common names in our part of the world. In the late nineties, research revealed some significant differences among these species, whereby there are now only about 180 species of “true” asters, i.e. the scientific name of the genus remains as Aster. Several hundred other species were split off into new genera, with delightful names such as Eurybia and Symphyotrichon. Sometimes referred to as the Aster Disaster, this renaming was particularly bothersome to those in the business of selling—or buying—plants. To this day, some nurseries still list their plants as asters to keep things simpler for their customers. Regardless of nomenclature, asters deserve a place in every garden. When most other perennials are done for the year, asters are just beginning to hit their stride in the fall. While a few start to bloom in August, peak color is typically in September to October, and some species hang on into November. In something of a reversal of the usual horticultural situation, the native American asters are more commonly grown in eastern U.S. gardens than their Asian cousins. The genus

Symphyotrichon comprises thirty-some species native to Virginia, and a few of those are garden stalwarts; the New York Aster (S. novi-belgii) alone includes more than forty cultivars of varying dimensions and flower color. ‘Autumn Rose’ stands a statuesque 48 inches, with rosy-pink flowers. ‘Crimson Brocade’ has flowers of the hue that the name suggests, and tops out at around 36”. Almost a ground cover, ‘Apollo White’ reaches a height of only ten inches. The New England Aster (S. novae-angliae) is common in the Ridge and Valley province of Virginia, as well as in the western Piedmont. The cultivar ‘Alma Potschke’ is fairly tall at 48” and requires staking to prevent flopping; flowers are rosepink. As with most asters, cutting the plant back to half its height in mid-June will produce a more compact plant. ‘Purple Dome’ is covered in a mass of bright purple flowers and tops out at only 24”. A word of warning on the New England Asters: I’ve seen one report that the hairy stems can produce a rash. A couple of compact cultivars of the Side-Button Aster (S. dumosum), aka Rice-Button Aster or Bush Aster, are tough garden plants. With red-violet flowers, ‘Alert’ grows to only 18” tall and as wide. ‘Danielle’ grows to one foot; flowers are deep violet. Small needle-like leaves lend the Heath Aster (S. ericoides) its common name. ‘Pink Cloud’ is mildew-resistant and grows to about three feet. Covered with larger white flowers, ‘Snow Flurry’ reaches only a foot in height. Smooth Aster (S. leave) ‘Bluebird’ arrays its violet-blue

Climbing Aster growing to six feet on a trellis

flowers on arching stems that can grow to about forty inches. Reportedly, no staking is required for this variety. In Virginia, Smooth Aster grows primarily on calcareous soils in the mountains. Something of an oddball among its genus, Climbing Aster (S. carolinianum) is a shrub that sends its stems arching over any support it can find. In my garden, this Deep South native has reached six feet growing over a couple of trellises. Pinky-lavender flowers appear in late fall and are covered with pollinators. Moving on to another genus, the White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricatus) is notable for tolerating shade, although morning sun plus good air circulation will provide the best flowering and yield a healthier plant. Only growing to about two feet, it will be covered with a cloud of small white flowers in late summer into fall. A couple of Asian asters are worth mentioning. With its strong spreading habit, Japanese Aster (Aster ageratoides ‘Ezo Murasaki’) will form a two-foot tall ground cover topped by medium-purple frost-resistant flowers. It needs a fair amount of water and shouldn’t be placed near other plants. Another

spreader is the Tatarian Aster (Aster tataricus), growing to near six feet and requiring no staking; light blue-purple flowers appear in mid-fall. The variety ‘Jindai’ stays slightly smaller and spreads more slowly. The Tatarian asters resemble a mound of chard until they send up their flower stalks, not exactly refined, so you should consider hiding the base among some other plants. Some general cultural requirements for all the asters: although most can tolerate some dryness, moderate moisture is best. Except for the White Wood Aster, most are happiest with a lot of sun and good air movement. Depending on how much flopping you’re willing to accept, most will look better if cut back by half in midJune. Or be prepared to stake them up. By the way, all asters that we’ve looked at have flower petals that range all the way from white to crimson, with blue, purple and pink in the spectrum. Typically the centers are yellow, but none have totally yellow flowers. The Maryland Golden Aster (Chrysopsis mariana) has golden flowers, but it’s not really an aster. At least not for the time being.

CROZETgazette —continued from page 3

cels being created accessible and sellable. That’s the essential contribution of the developer. He makes his money back on the sales of lots. Is there any notion that Milestone Partners will pay back the public for its contribution to the access road once the lots are sold? County leaders will point to the economic rewards of a new downtown Crozet, but every new road can be labeled an economic development project because it’s leading to houses or businesses that won’t otherwise exist. Kant’s moral test, known as the categorical imperative, poses the question, “Would it work if everybody did it?” So, if everybody cheats or lies or steals, is a just society possible? If every Virginia jurisdiction were to act as brokers for its local builders to the fund, would the fund still work? Because some people do

Medicine

—continued from page 42

fund currently contains only $57,000. That is not going to go too far. In fact at $4,500 per dose it would only buy 12 doses of narcan, a lifesaving antidote to opiate overdoses. Of course Congress could vote to more robustly fund the declared PHE, but so far their record on additional health care funding has not been encouraging. In a more productive step the Drug Enforcement Admin-

Jam Band —continued from page 37

val. “I think we’re better than a lot of bands out there. We’re really coming into our own.” The November 10 CJB session will feature songs by Jim Croce, Grace Potter, and Emmylou Harris—including songs about Corvettes in honor of the Blue Ridge Corvette Club, whose members plan to join the audience that night. There is no cover charge and there is always a food truck available for dinner or snacks. On Dec. 8, Pyles is planning a three-hour retrospective, play-

something arguably against the ethical norms and appear to profit, does that make it acceptable for everyone to do it? Partnerships between government and private businesses are fraught with risks and, as we saw in the Bob McDonnell administration, these relationships can slip into corruption as government leaders use their offices to perform favors for special parties. One of government’s main duties in a capitalistic society is to regulate the profit incentive of business toward the general welfare. It’s hard for it to regulate circumstances in which it is an actor in the deal. It’s already compromised by its interest in the outcome. The Gazette remains a strong supporter of the redevelopment of the Barnes property into the vital heart of town, but the county should think twice about whether it is a referee on the field or a player. If it’s a player, who is the referee?

David A. Maybee, DDS

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istration has reduced the amount of opioids that can be manufactured in the US this year. Production of all opioids has been cut by at least 25 percent in 2017. While this is good step toward combatting the opioid epidemic, the change also paradoxically affects morphine, which has not contributed to the epidemic and now is gone from our hospital. As a final note, if a hospital without morphine does not alarm you, guess what else is made in Puerto Rico? All of America’s Viagra.

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ing a song from each month of the past year. Starr Hill will stay open until 10 p.m. for this special event. So come on out to join our homegrown CJB for “good food, good beer, good music, and good company—it doesn’t get much better than this!”

Sun., December 3 3 p.m. From Wayland Drive to the Firehouse

CLOVER CARROLL

From the Editor

NOVEMBER 2017

Lineup is at 2 p.m. on Wayland Drive in Crozet. No registration is required, just show up. Sponsored by the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department. Sound board for the Crozet Jam Band.

PHOTOS BY PENNY WAGNER & JUSTIN IDE

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

MARLENE A. CONDON

Everyone Should Practice Environmental Libertarianism Flowering plants (angiosperms that make up more than 80 percent of green plants in the world) depend upon wildlife for their continued existence. Conversely, wildlife depends upon plants for its existence. It is a form of quid pro quo, in which both entities benefit from each other’s activities. Humans, just like plants, also depend upon wildlife for their continued existence. When people provide habitat for pollinators and numerous other kinds of critters, the animals provide people with the perpetuation of plants that provide oxygen and food, as well as great beauty in the form of flowers, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, and oh, so very many creatures! Yet it can be very difficult to get folks to do what is proper for the environment, which in the end, is also going to benefit neighbors near and far as well as wildlife nearby and down the road. The situation with the Chesapeake Bay is a prime example. Although people are aware of the causes of the bay’s problems, many refuse to change their ways to help the Chesapeake Bay to recover. Their inaction has brought great harm to the people whose livelihoods were dependent upon a healthy bay chock full of sea life. Environmental libertarianism would never have allowed this to happen. A right-to-the-point summation of the political philosophy of libertarianism is that it advocates allowing folks to do pretty much whatever they wish, especially on their own property, so long as they do not bring harm to others. The idea is that state intervention in the lives of citizens should be minimal.

Therefore, so long as people are not causing difficulties for other people, there should be a minimum number of government regulations for citizens to abide by. Indeed, if everyone practiced libertarian ideals with respect to the environment, we certainly would not need so much government interference in our lives. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency came into being only because people refused to take proper care of the environment that all of us depend upon for our own health and wellbeing. When too many people will not act of their own accord to do what is right for the natural world—and thus their fellow citizens—there is absolutely no choice but to rein in their behavior with threats of fines, or jail, or whatever it takes. More recently, government had to step in to demand that companies manufacture more-energy-efficient light bulbs because people would rather leave lights unnecessarily burning than to flick a switch to turn them off. And while some farmers have put up fencing to keep their cows and cow waste out of our waterways, others continue to allow their animals to enter streams at will, the Chesapeake Bay and the people dependent upon it for jobs be damned (please excuse the language). I have heard straight from farmers’ mouths that they do not believe waste from their cows is a major contributing factor of bay pollution that harms sea life, but chemistry proves these farmers to be in denial of the truth. Of course, home and business owners, as well as government, are equally guilty, if not more so, of polluting the bay. On many of their properties, laborers mow and weed-whack every last plant to such an extent

This stream ran red into the Moormans River of western Albemarle following logging upon the adjacent mountain. The dirt-laden water pouring into the river was unfortunate not only for aquatic wildlife, but also for the future growth of trees on the mountain.

that the soil often becomes exposed and then dries out. If you come by as they are working, you can see soil dust-clouds created by their machines. The dirt settles out on roads, eventually washing into drains and streams that feed the Bay. In our forests, loggers may not feel obliged to take adequate precautionary measures to limit erosion if the logging takes place high up on a mountain hidden from view. However, a steady rain alerts those of us paying attention to the error of their ways. I have seen more than one local stream run red with local clay during logging operations well out of eyesight, but not out of earshot. All that dirt ends up settling out eventually to smother aquatic habitat and wildlife. Some folks leave trashcans out 24/7, creating a hazard for our wildlife. When people neglect to secure their trashcans so that animals cannot get into them, critters may eat plastic wrap because it smells like food, and die a horrible death due to intestinal obstruction. Bottles that were not cleaned up can lure and trap small animals. The world would be a much nicer place in which to live if folks would just consider whether the things they do on

their own land impact not only wildlife, but other people as well. On many a lovely day I have had to close my windows to keep the house from filling with smoke from neighbors burning yard debris (and sometimes plastic-laden trash, the fumes of which can cause cancer). On those occasions, it is very upsetting that I am not able to bring fresh air inside, but it is also troubling to know that these folks are not letting their yard debris decay naturally. They would not be polluting the air, and they would be recycling organic matter while creating habitat for many different kinds of animals, such as lizards, salamanders, insects, and spiders. We have so many environmental regulations because far too many people do not take proper care of the environment. Yet it is our moral duty to nurture it, and if everyone behaved morally in the first place, we would not need laws to make us behave appropriately. I am not particularly political by nature, but I think it would be extremely worthwhile for people to start practicing environmental libertarianism, no matter what their political stripes may be. After all, a better world always begins at home.

Read and comment online at the newly designed

crozetgazette.com

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

By Theresa Curry

theresa@crozetgazette.com

There’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday, both designed to kick off the holiday season with a huge transfer of cash from your pocket to faraway retail giants. If the thought of either of these days fills you with a sense of dread, there’s another option. In between, there’s “Shop Small Saturday,” the day first dreamed up by American Express eight years ago, and falling this year on November 25. It’s a day for shopping in your neighborhood, making purchases from people whose children go to school with your kids, or who volunteer with the Fire Department, or who go to your church: people who put in the long hours it takes to make a small-town business profitable. There’s no question that shopping locally benefits the community. The American Independent Business Alliance figures that 13.6 percent of the dollar you spend at chain stores works its way back into the community (the percentage being nearly zero for cyber retailers) while nearly half of the dollar you spend at a locally owned store continues to bolster the economy. There are plenty of other reasons to shop where you live. Local businesses form a large part of the character of any community; they offer human contact and service; they use local contractors; and they’re here because they love the com-

munity and don’t want to spend their lives commuting. American Express has developed free materials for merchants and, with other stakeholders, has measured the response throughout the country. It’s been a success, with more people each year saying they’ve become aware of the advantages of local shopping. But perhaps the biggest beneficiaries are the shoppers who take a day to stroll around their local retail community for the first time, meeting real people, discovering locally made products, crafts or art; eating at one of our coffee shops, diners or restaurants, grabbing growlers, cider, wine or bourbon produced locally, and enjoying life in the generous spirit of the holidays. The American Express promotion encourages shoppers to buy at least one gift from a local merchant, but with a little care, you should be able to find something for everyone on your list. At Piedmont Place, Over the Moon bookstore has small items as well as books for gifts, including funny socks and oven mitts, toiletries, cards and calendars. Morsel Compass will stay open until 7 p.m. for hungry shoppers on “Shop Small Saturday” and feature turkeys from Heritage Bronze in holiday specials. At Smojo’s, Beth Harley will offer special baked goods as well as her healthy smoothies, juices and salads. Across the hall, The Blue Ridge Bottle Shop has wine, beer, coffee, candy and small gift items.

Something for everyone at Over the Moon Bookstore and Artisans Gallery

They’re expanding the wine selection and will have special promotions throughout the season. And what kid wouldn’t like a gift certificate from The Crozet Creamery? On The Square, the Crozet Hardware Co. has a selection of bird feeders, birdhouses, bird seed and other paraphernalia for backyard birders, and there’s the very latest in flashlight technology for those seeking gifts that kids love and really use. At the Parkway Pharmacy, you can splurge on Ahava Dead Sea salt concoctions for someone in need of pampering, or find a surprisingly large selection of children’s toys and games as well as cards and wrapping paper. Crozet has become a bit of a center for self-improvement and there are those on your list who might need it. Surprise them with a gift certificate from ZSP Crossfit, Santosha Yoga, ACAC or A Place to Breathe; or a membership in the Crozet

THERESA CURRY

Get in the Spirit by “Shopping Small” for Christmas

New and gently used products at Claudius Consign and Design.

YMCA. If they need some tangible inspiration to get moving, the Crozet Bicycle Shop or Crozet Running Co. can help with ideas. If cultural improvement is more of a priority, talk to Crozet Arts about upcoming classes. Headed south for the holidays? Apples get worse and continued on page 50

Beautiful handwoven work by Innisfree at Artisans Depot.

Find pottery handmade by Robyn Nuesch at Two Owls pottery on Monticello Artisans Trail

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

Just Married!

Rebecca Maddox & Brandon Ward

Rebecca A. Maddox and Brandon W. Ward were married September 23, 2017, at Sugar Hollow Girl Scout Camp. Pastor David Collyer officiated the nupuals. The bride is the daughter of Russell and Carol Maddox of Mount Sidney and the granddaughter of Joe and Beverly Johnson of Mount Sidney. The groom is the son of Eddie and Doris Gibson of Crozet and the grandson of John and Ruth Ward of Crozet. The bride was attended by Allison Fletcher as the maid of honor with her sisters, Jennifer and Emily Maddox, as her bridesmaids. The best man was Eric White and groomsman Wesley Gibson. The bride is the financial administrator at Wonder Land Enrichment Center, Inc. The groom is employed by Piedmont Country Store. After a weekend of camping with family and friends, the couple honeymooned at the Outer Banks. The couple will reside in Boonesville.

School Notes —continued from page 6

on large pages tacked up around the room, and then broke into groups to construct small models of monuments using craft materials like clay, construction paper, pipe cleaners, and styrofoam. A team from Getting Smart, an online blog community fea-

Angela Lynn Steve Landes —continued from page 14

—continued from page 14

embraced my family and we all grew together. I eventually went away to work in disasters nationally with FEMA and my children went off to great universities and jobs. I wanted to give back more to the great place we call home so I joined boards for the County in the department of social services and the agricultural and forestral districts board. I have also been a member of the Public Recreational Facility Authority because preserving this beautiful place with its superb forests, farms, rivers and valleys needed to have stewardship so they can be seen long after our days on earth were gone. I have seen many changes as the small town with the big heart grew. I am welcomed into their homes here, to hug, laugh and smile about the stories that lives bring. I ask about the children that have grown and marvel at the achievements they have made. They share their stories and I have been to their hospital beds, care facilties and helped them bury their loved ones. Life has bonded me to many and given me reasons to embrace them more. I will never shy away from duty and work but my life is service and that is where I belong. I would be honored to represent all of Crozet in Richmond. I know only too well what is needed from Richmond to keep this place the great place it is to so many. I know what this place has been to me. Sincerely, Angela Lynn

Keeping Virginia’s economy moving forward remains a top priority. I will continue the fight to keep taxes low and reduce the burdensome government regulations that all too often stifle economic growth, while exploring ways to expand our economy, and remove any barriers that prevent our small businesses from reaching their full potential. As chairman of the House Education Committee, I am leading efforts in high school redesigns in Virginia to increase flexibility for our students. I’ve fought for reductions in the state’s Standards of Learning tests, carried legislation for the establishment of charter schools to provide an option for parents in areas where struggling schools exist, and expanded school funding. As chairman of the Joint Committee to Study the Future of Public Elementary and Secondary Education in the Commonwealth, we have been working diligently in developing a long-term approach for educational excellence in the Commonwealth, including reforms to our K-12 and Higher Education systems in Virginia. Working on solutions to our healthcare system remains another priority. While this is largely a federal issue, we are taking steps to try to find a solution to the problem created by Washington. In 2017, I introduced House Bill 2053, allowing the establishment of direct primary care agreements between doctors and their patients, establishing a new innovative healthcare delivery model between patients and doctors. I also serve on the Joint Subcommittee for Health and Human Resources Oversight. This Joint Subcommittee is exploring ways to respond to healthcare changes at the federal level, provide ongoing oversight of Medicaid and the children’s health insurance programs, and to provide oversight of Health and Human Resources agencies. My commitment to strengthening and expanding our healthcare safety net is firm and this Joint Subcommittee’s oversight will help us to identify and recommend the reforms necessary to improve healthcare access

turing news and stories about innovative teaching and learning, was on hand during the class to film and document the unique focus of the project. The students’ work will be completed in phases throughout the year, and the results of the initiative from all of the high schools will be presented at a community showcase at the end of the school year.

and affordability for all Virginians. Over the years I have worked with members on both sides of the aisle and my work with legislators and the Governor on policies that will advance the Commonwealth’s interests will continue. I will never compromise on the conservative principles that guide me. As vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and a budget conferee, I helped craft a conservative and responsible state budget that carefully spends taxpayer dollars while making strategic and targeted investments in the core functions of state government. We will continue to explore ways to provide additional services for Virginians in need and seek ways to reform and improve the programs we currently have in place. In Crozet, I helped secure a $125,000 state grant for the “Build Crozet Library” project. Knowing the importance of this library for the families of Western Albemarle County led me to pursue that funding. Having travelled with the Governor to Georgia to explore ways to bolster biosciences here in Virginia, I recognized the tremendous work being done in the bioscience field in Albemarle County. Virginia can become one of the national leaders in bioscience. I sponsored legislation that established the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID), one of the bills I’m most proud of, to spur economic development across the Common-wealth. Kelley Turkeys USA was awarded a $29,000 AFID Grant for its operation in western Albemarle. Over the course of this year, I have campaigned person-to-person and town-to-town, as always. Your input and feedback are invaluable and greatly appreciated when casting votes on the challenging issues we face. You may not agree with every vote I cast, but you’ll always know that my votes are carefully considered and in the best interest of the people of Albemarle, Augusta and Rockingham Counties, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. On November 7th, I ask for your vote. Sincerely, Steve Landes

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

dirknies@crozetgazette.com

Empowering Puerto Rico Early in the morning of September 13, 1928, Mama Pepa held tight to her son Luis Angel Morales. Are we going to make it through this alive? Looking up from his mother’s arms as they sat together on the bed, Luis watched the eight sheets of their metal roof peel away like tissue paper in the howling wind. Mother and child now were exposed to the full fury of the hurricane’s torrential rain. Huddled together against the violent gales, they left their oneroom home. Venturing out across a banana plantation, they found shelter in a neighbor’s home. Terribly, this home, too, succumbed to the brutal winds and was completely flattened. Not unlike the story of the Three Little Pigs after the big bad wolf had blown down the house of straw and then the house of wood, they all fled together in terror to the safety of a wealthy neighbor’s home– built like the Rock of Gibraltar– half a mile away. Luis Morales—my venerable father-in-law—recently relayed to me this eyewitness account of San Felipe Segundo, the strongest hurricane ever to strike Puerto Rico, as I asked him to reminisce about his childhood. (Speaking of harrowing tales he can tell, during World War II, Private Morales was attached to Virginia’s 116 Infantry Regiment under the command

of Major Thomas Howie, a former English teacher and coach at Staunton Military Academy. Senor Morales is one of only a handful of America’s veterans who can still give a first-hand account of storming Omaha Beach at 0630 hours on D-Day, June 6, 1944 as part of Operation Overlord to liberate Europe from the tyranny of Nazi Germany.) Destruction was catastrophic across the island after San Felipe Segundo pummeled Puerto Rico with 160 mile-per-hour winds and two feet of rain. And yet, what a different time it was back then. Like many fellow ‘jibaros’ who lived in the mountains of Puerto Rico, Luis grew up without electricity or running water. Everyday life and the mountainous agrarian economy of the 1920s ran without these present-day necessities. Eighty-nine years after San Felipe Segundo, Puerto Rico has been hit hard again, this time by Hurricane Maria. In the morning of September 20, I watched in dismay the weather radar signal go blank as the entire island lost power. More than a month after Maria made landfall, nearly three million people (about 80 percent) who call ‘Isla Borinquen’ their home remain without electrical power or running water. This truly is a humanitarian crisis for our fellow U.S. citizens. Relief efforts are hampered because the government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States, is $72 billion in debt. On the brink of insolvency, Puerto Rico soon will have insufficient cash flow to cover basic obligations. Making matters worse, the island’s only electric utility company, PREPA, is $9 billion in debt and in default. These circum-

stances are discouraging and distressing, but here is what galls me right now. With double-digit unemployment and forty-five percent of the population of Puerto Rico living at or below the poverty line, PREPA negotiated with an off-shore, private, for-profit company to repair the 2,400 miles of transmission lines and 30,000 miles of distribution lines across the island. Site supervisors are being paid as much as $462 per hour; regular lineman, $319 per hour! On top of these exorbitant wages, hotel/accommodation fees and food allowances are more than $400 per worker per day! Yes, this is an acute human emergency. Yes, the work requires skilled labor, is dangerous and the working conditions are difficult. Yes, the island’s electrical grid was unreliable and in horrible shape prior to the hurricane. Nevertheless, who is going to pay these excessive bills? The U.S. tax payer. We need to voice how our monies are to be spent. I recommend that we think outside the box as we help get Puerto Rico back on its feet. Let’s not spend all our money merely to rebuild and restore the failing, monopolistic, electrical utility system that presently generates power primarily from imported fossil fuels. Instead, we should set about helping Puerto Rico transition to a diversified, resilient, and reliable electrical system that draws upon what the island has in abundance year-round: sunshine, wind, and ocean power. Using primarily local entrepreneurs and local labor, rebuild and retrofit homes and businesses with wind-resistant, solar roof shingles. Set up retractable wind turbines to catch the trade winds. Use ever-present ocean waves and currents to generate electrical power. Place electrical cables below ground and out of harm’s way. Install ‘smart-grid’ technologies that communicate and work together, greatly reducing the frequency and duration of power outages, and helping restore service faster when outages occur. In short, let’s empower Puerto Rico by assisting ‘La Isla de Encanto’ to become a laboratory and a model of 21st century electrical generation and distribution we all can learn from.

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

—continued from page 47

worse the farther you get from the Blue Ridge. Bring a bag, a box or a bushel of apples from Henley, Carter or a Nelson orchard so your relatives can find out what real apples taste like. To save room, haul the apples in cider form from Bold Rock and they’ll thank you. Or visit Virginia Vintage Apples and Albemarle Ciderworks in North Garden to find what kinds of apples and cider were available years ago. Put together a box of locally made products, with bread, cheese, fruit, coffee and wine, all made here. Good candidates for the cheese are old-fashioned gouda from Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, found at the monastery or online (olamonastery.org) and “Simply Cheddar” cheese balls made in Waynesboro and available online (simplycheddar.com) or at the Crozet Market. While you’re there, grab ciabatta, baguettes or loaf bread from Goodwin Creek. Baked treats are also available down Rt. 151 at Rockfish Baking Company in Nellysford, or in Crozet at Cakes by Rachel on Jarmans Gap Road, or from “Bite Baking Company,” a Crozet homebased bakery you can find through Facebook. The Crozet Market offers a large selection of locally made products, as does the Batesville Market and Greenwood Gourmet. Although the Rockfish Valley Community Center won’t be open for “Shop Small Saturday,” visit there for Nelson County’s finest homemade and homegrown produce, meats, cheeses, jams, baked goods, plants, greenery and arts and crafts on Saturday Nov. 4, and December 2 and 16. Come early, as the indoor market closes by noon. If you’re the type who likes to present the family with one huge present, consider a kitchen remodel with the help of the folks at Blue Ridge Building Supply, or find the perfect power tool there for the handy people on your list. You’d be surprised at the type and quality of used items that end up for sale. Make it a point to stop by The Green Olive Tree, Crozet Antiques and

Religion

Claudius Consign and Design while you’re shopping small, and also take a look at the new and unusual items featured in these shops. There are dozens of artisans on the Monticello Artisans Trail between Ruckersville and Lovingston. More than 40 of them will show their work in 20 working studios Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 11 and 12. Find a map at www.artisanscenterofva. org; or save some time and look at the carefully curated collections at the Artisan’s Depot in Crozet, or the Barn Swallow. Art lovers can also buy local art (and frame it) at the Art Box. Don’t overlook a collection of high-quality art supplies as a gift for the artist or would-be artist. It goes without saying that your day should begin with locally-roasted coffee at one of Crozet’s coffee shops, or lunch at one of our diners or ethnic restaurants; and end with a leisurely meal at our selection of wonderful but unpretentious dining venues. Your patronage will keep them open during a difficult season. Don’t wait until “Shop Small Saturday” to order a Kelly Bronze turkey from Kelly Bronze.com or a River Oak turkey from the Batesville Market. If beef is more your idea of a holiday meal, talk to the folks at Ragged Branch Distillery; or surprise your family with the famous fried chicken from Brownsville Market. You’ll end your day of shopping small with gifts for all and a renewed belief in community and the holiday spirit. The Crozet Gazette’s annual local photography calendar makes a great gift and will be availble at local stores in December.

—continued from page 40

food or money. She’s glad to answer any inquiries about what’s needed at info@ crozetchurch.com; or send donations to 5804 St. George Ave, Crozet, VA 22932 marked “Share the Blessings.”

Tabor Presbyterian Park Encourages Harmony Several times a day, Rev. Susie Atkinson looks out the window at Tabor Presbyterian and sees children playing at the tidy little “Harmony Place” across from the Crozet Library adjacent to the church. “It’s really wellused,” she said. “I love to see that.” When time permits, she’ll walk over and talk to the children or their parents. Harmony Place is a park with a personality all its own. Those who visit often can tell that it’s constantly changing, as equipment is updated and cleaned. Atkinson said the park reflects the loving work of many hands, but is mostly the creation of Bettye Walsh and Carol Davis.

It’s clear that there’s a musical theme to the place, reflected both by its name and the nature of some of the structures: you can beat the drums, sing through a microphone, play a suspended xylophone. The church has had to abandon the gongs for now, as several attempts have been made to steal the copper. There’s also a labyrinth, an age-old structure encouraging focus and contemplation: “I sometimes have to go out and explain what it is,” Atkinson said. “Sometimes I see children wanting to use the bricks for building a structure.” Other features make it unique: there’s a bamboo forest with a secret path, many climbing challenges for both little and older children and suspended seats that twist and suddenly unwind. Large wooden structures are pirate ships, forts and castles. Harmony Place never looks disheveled: the bamboo path is mowed, weeds are removed and seats replaced if they get torn or damaged. That’s because Bill Atkinson, Susie’s husband, has adopted it as his retirement volunteer project. “He loves it,” Susie Atkinson said. THERESA CURRY

Shop Small

THERESA CURRY

Crozet Antiques

Jayden Reynolds enjoying Harmony Place at Tabor Presbyterian Church.

CROZETgazette

Meditation —continued from page 41

meditation. Earlier this year, the Journal of the American Heart Association examined a number of papers, and summarized the studies confirming the longterm effects of meditation on the brain. Although the statement called for further randomized studies, it also noted that since the practice was risk-free, there was no reason to wait for those studies to recommend meditation as prevention and therapy for cardiac disease. In his years away from the area, Hodge and his wife, Sandy, kept their home in White Hall and were later able to buy an adjoining property better suited to their retirement. The former home now serves as the meeting place for White Hall Meditation as well as a short-term rental. Here’s how the Wednesday evening meditations work: People arrive a little before 7 p.m., remove their shoes and take a seat in the comfortable central room. There are ample chairs, and people are also

NOVEMBER 2017 invited to bring a mat for seating on the floor. Everyone, including beginners, is welcome. Hodge introduces a few thoughts and techniques to get started with meditation, and people settle into the practice. After 30 minutes, the muted sound of a gong gently brings everyone back. There’s a wellstocked kitchen where people help themselves to tea, then the dharma talk as part of a progressive study of Buddhist thought. On a Wednesday in late October, one regular attendee read a poem, and Hodge showed a short excerpt from “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” to illustrate the idea of cause and effect (karma). “All suffering has a cause,” he explained, “but not only one cause.” In the short clip, the film’s narrator reviewed the sequence of multiple characters, missed connections, delays, forgotten items and missteps that led to a dancer and a taxicab being on the same street in Paris at the same time, with disastrous results for the dancer. Then Hodge read from the continued on page 53

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CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

community events NOVEMBER 11

Second Saturday Art Receptions

On Saturday November 11, from 2 - 3 p.m., photographer Ben Greenberg will offer a free presentation that will provide images and information about locations throughout the state of Virginia that are excellent places to capture dramatic photographs of the natural environment. The event will take place in the Community Room at The Depot and is hosted by the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau. Art on the Trax will present “Verdant Melody,” paintings by Nancy Campa during the month of November, with an artist reception on Saturday, November 11 from 4 – 6 p.m.

NOVEMBER 11

Rockfish Nights

Rockfish Nights 2017, this year themed as a Casino Party, will be held Nov. 11 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Rockfish Valley Community Center in Afton. Music will be by Eli Cook, who has toured to national acclaim and was voted #3 on the prestigious U.K. Blues Matters Writer’s Poll for Favorite International Blues Solo Artist. Dinner will be by Mouth Wide Open. Doors open at 6 p.m. for gaming and the silent auction. Dinner will be at 7 and the concert will begin at 8 p.m. Full tickets are $45 for members and $50 for non-members. Concert tickets are $20, with no admission before 7:45 p.m. All tickets come with a free gaming chip. All proceeds benefit the Rockfish Valley Community Center. For more information call 434-361-0100 or visit rockfishcc.org

NOVEMBER 11 & 12

Orchestra Concerts

The Crozet Community Orchestra will perform fall concerts under the direction of Philip Clark on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. at Aldersgate United Methodist Church at 1500 Rio Road East in Charlottesville, and Sunday

Nov. 12, at 4 p.m. at Crozet Baptist Church at 5804 Saint George Ave. in Crozet. That concert will feature a lecture by violinist Monika Chamasyan at 3:30 p.m. A reception with refreshments will immediately follow both concerts, courtesy of “Avocado Catering” in Crozet. The program will include the U.S. debut of “Concerto for Violin and Orchestra” by Arno Babajanian, with violin soloist Monika Chamasyan; “Mars, Bringer of War” from The Planets, by Gustav Holst; and “Tombeau de Couperin,” by Maurice Ravel.

NOVEMBER 18

SK8 Crozet

The SK8Crozet Celebration will be a dedication of the Crozet Park Perimeter Trail on memory of Daniel Mark Neumeister. Entry is free. Come see the memorial skateboarding gecko in the back parking lot of Crozet Park, near the tennis courts, and enjoy music, food trucks (Dr. Ho’s & Continental Divide), and drinks!

NOVEMBER 18

Batesville Thanksgiving Service

On Saturday, November 18, Holy Cross Church Batesville will host a Thanksgiving Community Service at 5 pm. This annual ecumenical service is co-sponsored by Batesville United Methodist Church, Holy Cross Church and Mount Ed Baptist Church. All are invited to attend the service and the supper afterwards. Holy Cross is located at 2523 Craigs Store Road (Rt. 635); directions are provided at the Holy Cross website: www.holycrosschurchbatesville.org. Please address any questions to blsvirginia@ gmail.com.

DECEMBER 2

CUMC Holiday Bazaar

The 30th annual holiday bazaar at Crozet UMC will be December 2, from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. The bazaar features break-

fast and lunch, baked goods, and a variety of more than 20 vendors and crafters for every gift on your list.

DECEMBER 2

Crozet Chorus Concert

The 66-member Crozet Chorus will present their holiday concert, “A Season of Light,” Saturday Dec. 2, at the Crozet Baptist Church at 4 p.m. under the direction of Dr. John McCarty and with pianist Tracey Reed. The performance features much-loved holiday music as well as beautiful choral arrangements celebrating the joy of the season.

Gazette Vet —continued from page 39

cer in his spleen. He is suffering and I don’t think he will survive surgery. I really think we need to put him down tonight.” Tears start coming out as the owners process this information, and I can’t help but feel somewhat responsible. But as hard as it is, it is our job as the “bearers of bad news” (I’m talking about anyone in a similar type of position…) to be honest. I always think to myself that when I walk out of that room, I had better not have any different thoughts in my head than what I just told those clients. If so, I’m not doing my job and I’m not being a good person. People end up always appreciating honesty. Care. Often times, caring is easy—good people, sweet pet, sad story. Easy to get sad and teary-eyed when we think about those cases. But sometimes caring is hard. Sometimes I don’t particularly like the clients. Sometimes the bad news is all due to their own negligence. Sometimes they are particularly rude to the staff. Sometimes they don’t seem to care about anyone but themselves, so why should we care about them? But if you don’t care, and you don’t find some empathy for that person, you’re going to be a crummy bad-news-breaker. If you don’t care, it will show. Actually, caring is easy. If it’s not coming naturally in a situation, assume that the person

DECEMBER 10

ABT Nutcracker

Crozet’s Albemarle Ballet Theatre will preform the Nutcracker at the Wayne Theater, in downtown Waynesboro Sunday, December 10, at 2 and 5 p.m. Tickets are available at bit.ly/ ABTNutcracker17

Check out the full community event calendar at crozetgazette.com/ events

you don’t like behaves the way they do because they had some hard stuff in their life that made them this way, and second, assume that person is actually going to be really sad when you break the news. In my experience, these two points generally hold true. Be complete. Assume they can handle the details. Give them the short and long-term plans. They may not be asking for it, but they will soon be seeking as much information as they can. Sometimes when I tell people bad news, they start to shut down a bit. As much as I may want the conversation to end, it’s important to fill in the blanks and give them a plan for dealing with the problem. Part of the grieving process involves searching for understanding. I can’t tell you how many times someone has remembered and regurgitated verbatim something I said that I didn’t think was significant. When you’re breaking bad news, it’s important to balance giving people silence and space, with giving people pertinent information that they may not want to hear. They may not want any more info right then, but will likely appreciate it later. As I write this, I finish a work day in which I had to walk into the exam room three separate times thinking “this is gonna suck.” But by being honest, caring, and being complete, I can rest easy tonight knowing those clients have what they need, even though they are sad.

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

by Louise Dudley

Giving Thanks 1

2 4

3 6

9 11

13 15

From left: Rev. David Collyer, Louise Cook, Beverly Barnette, Betty Ferneyhow, Lewis Barnette, Doris Woolford, Ronny Byram, Goldie Tomlin and Tracey Pugh

Woolford Honored as Community Builder The Crozet Masons recognized Doris Marie Woolford with their Community Builders Award at their meeting Oct. 9. “I thank the entire Mason community,” said Woolford, who was nominated by Ronny Byram. “I didn’t start out with a goal of getting recognition. I’ve applied my gifts that the Lord has given me. I drive patients to their medical appointments, mainly, and I teach Sunday School [at Crozet Baptist] and I’m on the mission board. “God says humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up. Humility gets down and lifts up. Humbly submit yourself and ask Him how He

To the Editor —continued from page 25

noticed the error in one of the crossword clues I wrote for the Gazette’s October issue. Jimmy Carter is not, in fact, the correct answer to “oldest living U.S.

Meditation —continued from page 51

day’s copy of the Wall Street Journal with a prominent article, Seven Ways to Reduce Stress in Anxious Times. “Interesting,”

wants to use you.” Woolford said her career in the military gave her the spirit of serving. Goldie Tomlin, the worshipful grandmaster at King Solomon’s Lodge 194, thanked Woolford for her help on projects at Mountainside Senior Living. “As Masons, it’s our honor to honor you and others who do good.” “Any time she’s called to serve, she’s quick to answer,” said Rev. David Collyer, the pastor at Crozet Baptist Church. “She’s a wonderful steward of the gifts she’s given. She never says no. She does what needs to be done.” President.” That honor belongs to President George H.W. Bush, who birthdate is June 12, 1924. President Carter, who is also 93, was born almost four months later, on October 1, 1924. Louise Dudley Albemarle County

he said, “that the first five ways are steps we do every week, here in our practice.” Sessions are held every Wednesday, except when there’s a retreat scheduled, and end at 8:30. For other questions, email Hodge at hodger@gmail.com.

21 22

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ACROSS

DOWN

1 Big serving plate for the turkey 3 In the past 6 Chasing game at recess 8 State where new settlers gave thanks at Berkeley Plantation in 1619 10 Harry’s friend at Hogwarts 11 “No, you may ___ have another piece of pie.” 12 The 11th month 15 _______, set, go! 16 “Cousins” of sweet potatoes 17 Piece of cloth or paper to put in your lap at dinner 18 Small red fruit often made into jelly or sauce 23 Orange fruit (or gourd) for a seasonal pie 24 Traditional bird at Thanksgiving dinner 25 Opposite of near 26 ______-meat pie 28 Bread and herbs inside the turkey 29 Yeast makes these rise before baking

1 Mashed ________ are whipped with butter and milk 2 Strap to guide a horse 4 Opposite of lose 5 Toy that flies high 7 Top office on Virginia’s Nov. 7 ballot 8 Adults do this on Election Day 9 “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, ___ Good, Very Bad Day” 13 Brown sauce 14 Pink, salty meat 19 Albemarle Pippins, Galas, etc. 20 Water needs to do this to cook potatoes 21 Yellow vegetable that grows on ears 22 “Jack and the _____ Stalk” 23 Title for the son of a king 24 Give _______ before you eat 27 Popular hairstyle for Dr. J, the Jackson 5, and others

Solution on page 54

CROZETgazette

NOVEMBER 2017

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Puzzle on page 53

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CROZETgazette CLASSIFIED ADS

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