INSIDE PARADE DAY page 4 LETTERS page 5 NEW BOY SCOUTS page 6 BE PREPARED page 8 GREAT VIEWS page 10
CROZET gazette the
crozetgazette.com
APRIL 2012 VOL. 6, NO. 11
Supervisors Green Light Crozet Library
LABEL PROS page 12
who first worked on it to still to be able to see their strokes. We’re stabilizing it for another 20 years. We want to be able to pass the torch and make them a living tribute to the past and for the future.” Kirchman said it’s a sign of the pride and respect Crozetians have for the murals that they have never been harmed. Perhaps that’s because the names of all the folks who helped bring the murals into being are still signed on it. The murals were washed to get off grime that had washed down from the tracks overhead and then scraped
The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors authorized county officials to enter into negotiations with MB Contractors Inc. of Roanoke, the apparent low bidder in the competition to see who will win the contract to build the new Crozet library, at their meeting April 4. The adoption at the same meeting of a tax rate of 76.2 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value means the county budget will also fund construction. MB Contractors bid $5,771,000, under the $6 million budgeted by Albemarle County for the project. Mathers Construction’s bid of $5,792,698 came in a close second and Nielson Builders’ bid of $5,857,397 ranked it third best. The highest bid set the cost at $6.91 million. “The range in bids here is pretty tight,” said Trevor Henry of the county’s facilities management department, “which gives us confidence the contractor can deliver at that cost.” Having the lowest bid does not necessarily mean the company has won the job. Its documentation must be examined to confirm that it meets the terms set by the county in detail. But county procurement director Hugh Gravitt said the bidding companies in this case are well-established
continued on page 22
continued on page 8
LET THEM EAT CAKE page 13 REAL SERVICE page 15 POLLENATED PETS page 18 BLUE OR PINK? page 19 PEACHTREE OPENING page 21 LIFE INSURANCE page 23 LIGHTS OUT page 24 JAMES SUN RUN page 25 GENERAL TALK page 26 GET GRADES page 28 WARRIOR CHIEF page 29 ALABAMA WEATHER page 31 OLD TRAIL CHURCH page 32 OLD SONGS page 34 CROSSWORD page 35 BEREAVEMENTS page 37 PIEDMONT PHOENIX page 39
Bob Kirchman, Laney Riley, Soobin Choi and Shuhui Wu
Trestle Murals Get Refurbished The murals under the railroad trestle in downtown Crozet that evoke the early days of local history got a spruce-up in the first week of April by its original artist and other volunteers. Bob Kirchman, the Michelangelo of the murals when they were first painted under the bridge on Crozet Avenue in 1993, came over from Staunton, where he now lives and plies his calling as an architectural illustrator, and joined Crozet painter Meg West to lead the restoration of the paintings. “This is a polite restoration,” Kirchman said. “We want the people
Planning Commission Rejects Interstate Interchange Development The Albemarle County Planning Commission was unmoved by the idea of developing the Interstate highway interchanges in the county’s rural areas at their meeting March 20 and directed the planning staff to drop the idea. County planners presented a report on available light industrial land in the county as a preliminary to the discussion of whether uses not allowed at rural interchanges should
be introduced. Planner Andy Sorrell said the planners expect the county will need 18,000 new jobs by 2030 and that 3,000 of those will be industrial or quasi-industrial. It was not clear how those figures were derived. They extrapolated from that that somewhere between 200 and 557 additional acres of land zoned for light industry will be needed, depending continued on page 14
John Savage at the Planning Commission
A JABA ANTIQUE APPRAISAL AND FUND RAISING EVENT Always wondered about the value of your grandmother’s Art Deco vase? Perhaps you’d like to know
the worth of an oil painting, an old manuscript or a piece of jewelry. Here’s your chance to have your cherished items appraised and help JABA raise needed funds for healthcare and nutritional meals for at-risk older adults in our area.
Sunday, June 10, 2012 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm Omni Charlottesville Purchase tickets in advance
UĂŠ www.jabacares.org/page/full/better-with-age/ UĂŠ ĂŠvĂ€ÂœÂ˜ĂŒĂŠ`iĂƒÂŽ]ĂŠĂˆĂ‡{ĂŠ ˆÂ?Â?Ăƒ`>Â?iĂŠ Ă€ÂˆĂ›iĂŠÂV>ĂƒÂ…ĂŠÂœÂ˜Â?ގ UĂŠ *Â?>Â˜ĂŠÂ™ĂŠÂˆÂ˜ĂŠ-i“ˆ˜œÂ?iĂŠ-¾Õ>Ă€i
`Ă›>˜ViĂŠĂŒÂˆVÂŽiĂŒĂŠÂŤĂ€ÂˆViĂŠÂˆĂƒĂŠfĂ“xĂŠÂŤiÀʍiĂ€ĂƒÂœÂ˜Ă‰f{xĂŠÂŤiÀÊVÂœĂ•ÂŤÂ?i]ĂŠ which entitles each person to bring one item for a free >ÂŤÂŤĂ€>ÂˆĂƒ>Â?ĂŠÂĂ“ĂŠÂˆĂŒiÂ“ĂƒĂŠÂŤiÀÊVÂœĂ•ÂŤÂ?iŽ°Ê/ˆVÂŽiĂŒĂƒĂŠÂŤĂ•Ă€VÂ…>Ăƒi`ĂŠ>ĂŒĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ`ÂœÂœĂ€ĂŠ >Ă€iĂŠfĂŽxĂŠÂŤiÀʍiĂ€ĂƒÂœÂ˜Ă‰fxxĂŠÂŤiÀÊVÂœĂ•ÂŤÂ?i°Ê/ˆVÂŽiĂŒĂŠÂŤĂ€ÂˆViĂŠÂˆÂ˜VÂ?Ă•`iĂƒĂŠ ĂœÂˆÂ˜iĂŠVÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŒiĂƒĂžĂŠÂœvĂŠ/ÀՓÊ7ˆ˜iÀÞ]ĂŠÂ?ˆ}Â…ĂŒĂŠĂ€ivĂ€iĂƒÂ…Â“iÂ˜ĂŒĂƒ]ĂŠÂ?ÂˆĂ›iĂŠÂ?>ââ]ĂŠ and free Omni parking with ticket stub.
Better with Age Event Appraisers ELIZABETH HAYNIE WAINSTEIN is the president of The Potomack Company in Old Town Alexandria, specializing in auctions, estate sales and appraisals. A former specialist at Christie’s in New York, her expertise is in decorative arts and furniture.
WILL PAULSEN has been an independent appraiser for over 30 years, servicing clients nationwide. His specialty is Southern material culture, with expertise in period furniture, fine art, decorative arts, militaria, manuscripts, letters and documents. SANDRA PERRY has been the in-house appraiser and cataloger for Harlowe-Powell Auction Gallery in Charlottesville since 1997. She is a research member of the Virginia Historical Society and Colonial Williamsburg.
Better with Age Event Platinum Sponsors
For more detailed information, please go to www.jabacares.org/page/full/better-with-age/
ANNIVERSARY paint & decorating
ogs D t o H Free er & 2 lit ducts o r p e r) Cok stome (one p
er cu
Saturday, April 14th Hours: 8am–4pm at ALL locations WCYK LIVE REMOTE BROADCAST at the Crozet location 10:00am–NOON
Crozet Store 434.823.1387 Palmyra Store 434.589.2877 Charlottesville Store 434.964.1701
GRAND PRIZE DRAWING register to win at all three locations: BUILDERS SUPPLY AND HOME CENTER crozet, palmyra and BLUE RIDGE PAINT & DECORATING in charlottesville. look for blue registration boxes in each store!
“Make Your Home the Place to Be� GRAND PRIZE INCLUDES: $2500 gift card from blue ridge builders supply pool/game table from charlottesville aquatics $2500 in labor from goodman b. duke, general contractor
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
From the Editor Three Heroes With the news that bids to build the new Crozet library came in at $5.77 million, under the county’s budgeted estimate of $6 million, there were no reasons to further delay construction. It will never be cheaper to accomplish. Detractors of the project argue that libraries are becoming obsolete in the digital age, but the digital transformation of the world is not reaching everyone equally and egalitarian access to information is the reason libraries came to be. This isn’t America if we don’t all have the same chance to learn or know something. This is a bedrock value because the social and economic implications of it are obvious. Many many people have worked hard to make the library happen,
but we owe thanks especially to two of Crozet’s own: Tim Tolson, currently the chair of the JeffersonMadison Regional Library’s Board of Trustees, and Bill Schrader, who stepped forward years ago to lead the $1.6 million dollar fundraising effort that we in western Albemarle will undertake to furnish the space and stock it with content. These gentlemen have served with dogged dignity and grace in the long campaign to make the library a reality. It took a seeming infinity of meetings to get here and there were many reverses along the way. Yet they persevered in the cause and in their own conduct showed it is worthy. Crozet has many patriots who come forward and work to make the town’s future bright and to defend the community we have made. But none have done more or been better stewards than these two. Hail to you, we say, and thanks so
MARY BALDWIN COLLEGE ADULT DEGREE PROGRAM 9 9
Earn your degree. Transform your life.
IT’S CLOSER THAN YOU THINK.
Come see us at Piedmont Virginia Community College or our historic campus in Staunton to find out more about our co-ed programs in teaching, business, health care administration, and more. Online and in-person options. Additional locations in Glenns, Greensville/Emporia, Kilmarnock, Richmond, Roanoke, South Boston, Warsaw, Weyers Cave, Williamsburg.
APPLY BY APRIL 30 FOR SUMMER 2012
much. Warm thanks are also due to White Hall District Supervisor Ann Mallek who understood that now is the time to build the library. She skillfully managed the project through county government and won the support of fellow supervisors. She has made a tangible, valuable, permanent difference for western Albemarle with this achievement. She has truly represented us. The library will take about a year to build once construction begins in July. That’s not much time to raise so much money. Crozet likes to stand on its own feet and take of itself when it can. In recent years we have been pressing on local government to act on the library. Soon it will be our duty to provide the library’s key ingredients, the reasons we want to build it. But like this goal that we have just achieved, we will reach the next one, too.
now open under
Next to the Green Olive Tree
This U.S. Postal Service is actively considering closing Greenwood Post Office. The immediate plan is to move both the mail “sorting� functions and service of our Rural Delivery Route to Crozet. This is undoubtedly an interim step that will undermine the level of service currently provided through our Greenwood P.O. and ultimately lead to its full closure. Should this occur, it is entirely possible that our “Greenwood, Va. 22943� mailing address will disappear forever from the Postal Service landscape and, with it, a vital part of our identity as a small rural comcontinued on page 5
UNDER CONTRACT
CROZET LAUNDROMAT
Owners/OperatOrs arlin & Janet Martin
Save the Greenwood Post Office
1441 Ballard Drive 5520 Jamestown Road 1836 Thurston Drive 1426 Greenwood Road
EASTER BRUNCH
800-468-2262
Come Check Us Out!
Letters reflect the opinions of their authors and not necessarily those of the Crozet Gazette.
SOLD IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS
www.mbc.edu/connect/crozet
NEW MANAGEMENT OPEN DAILY 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.
To the Editor
Your Home Could Be Next!
Miller School Road Marquette Court
4
82 34-8
-526
3
“From Wall Street To Your Street�
David H. Ferrall Associate Broker, Nest Realty
dhf@ntelos.net
434.882.LAND (5263)
5368 THREE NOTCH’D ROAD, CROZET | 434-531-5968
CROZET gazette the
Published on the first Thursday of the month by The Crozet Gazette LLC, P.O. Box 863, Crozet, VA 22932.
www.crozetgazette.com Š The Crozet Gazette
MICHAEL J. MARSHALL, Publisher and Editor news@crozetgazette.com | 434-466-8939 ALLIE M. PESCH, Art Director and Ad Manager ads@crozetgazette.com | 434-249-4211
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: John Andersen, Clover Carroll, Marlene Condon, Elena Day, Phil James, Kathy Johnson, Charles Kidder, Robert Reiser, Heidi Sonen, Roscoe Shaw, David Wagner.
LOUISE DUDLEY, Editorial Assistant louise@crozetgazette.com
INTERNS: Connor Andrews, Annie Dennis
3
Don’t miss any of the hometown news everybody else is up on. Pick up a free copy of the Crozet Gazette at one of many area locations or have the Crozet Gazette delivered to your home or dorm room. Mail subscriptions are available for $25 for 12 issues. Send a check to Crozet Gazette, P.O. Box 863, Crozet, VA 22932.
4
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
news in brief Crozet Farmer’s Market Opens April 28 The Crozet Farmer’s Market will begin the 2012 season on Saturday, April 28, in the Crozet United Methodist Church parking lot on Crozet Avenue. The hours of operations will be from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Reminders have been mailed to previous vendors and new vendors are welcome. The Crozet Market is a growers/producers market that provides vendors an opportunity to sell their locally grown produce, products and handcrafted goods to the public. Last year, the market donated $500 to the United Methodist Church Food Pantry to support their efforts to assist citizens in the community. For more information, call the Market Manager, Al Minutolo, at 8231092.
Independence Day Celebration Set for June 30 Crozet’s Independence Day celebration at Crozet Park will be held Saturday, June 30. The parade will form at Crozet Elementary School at 3 p.m. and begin its march through downtown to the park at 4 p.m. Food vendors will offer a variety of all-American fare. Local breweries and wineries will offer beverages. Two bands will perform between 5:30 and 9:30. The Crozet Volunteer Firefighters will play a doubleheader against the Peachtree
Coaches on the upper ball field. There will raffles for cash prizes as well. Fireworks will go off at 9:30. Plan to celebrate your town and your country. Don’t miss this fun day.
Hull’s Drive-In Theatre Opens for Season
Hull’s Drive-In Theatre Opens for Season Hull’s Drive-In Theatre in Lexington, the nation’s only community-owned, nonprofit drive-in, opened its 2012 season last weekend with screenings of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Coming next in April are The Adventures of Tin Tin; We Bought a Zoo; War Horse; The Grey; Ghost Rider, the Spirit of Vengance; Chronicle; The Lorax and The Secret World of Arrietty. Tickets are $7 per adult, with kids 11 and under admitted free. Ticket cost includes both movies shown each evening. Hull’s shows new double-features weekly. Gates open at 7 p.m. and the movies play in reverse order on Sunday nights. Movie start time these days is between 8:10 and 8:25 p.m., depending on twilight. Concession food is available. Hull’s first opened in 1950 and its first movie was The Wake of the Red Witch starring John Wayne. When it closed in 1999, drive-in movie fans formed a nonprofit, Hull’s Angels, to keep it alive. It is one of 10 drive-ins still operating in
The Crozet Farmer’s Market
Virginia. For current listings, visit Hull’s website at www.hullsdrivein.com or call the Movie Line at (540) 4632621. Hull’s Drive-In is located at 2367 N. Lee Highway (Route 11), north of Lexington. It is about a 45 minute drive from Crozet.
Batesville Ruritans Host Clean-up Day March 31 was Batesville Cleanup Day and Ruritans, newbies and locals turned out to help clean up roadways. “Spring came early this year and we’re trying to beat the poison ivy and snakes,” said Ruritan Emily Greer. In the parking lot by the post office, Grady Lewis stood with a hand-drawn map and wrote in the names of 45 volunteers, showing where they would work along the
roads around Batesville. Volunteers worked from Miller School back toward Batesville, and covered Plank Road in both directions, all the way to Route 250 at the west end and towards North Garden on the other. The territorial limit of Batesville is indistinct. “Batesville is a state of mind,” explained Todd Kissan. Volunteers pretty much pick up whatever area they want and then others try to fill in. “You just never know what you’ll find,” said Kissan. One year they found a large cache of peach schnapps bottles. Volunteers wore heavy duty shoes, long pants and long sleeves. Gloves are encouraged, since one never knows what might be found. Each volunteer wore an orange vest and carried four large orange trash bags. They were all entered in a drawing for a gift certificate to Dr. Ho’s in North Garden. Free donuts were available at the Batesville Store, open just for this special event.
CROZET gazette
To the Editor —continued from page 3
munity. It is absolutely essential that we take immediate action with a loud and unified voice to oppose these initial steps and to let the appropriate authorities know how much our local Post Office means to us! We have scheduled a meeting to be held in the Parish Hall of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church (located on U.S. Rte. 250 here in Greenwood) on Wednesday, April 11 at 7 p.m. Please attend this important meeting to discuss how we can let the USPS know that we do not want them to change or close our Post Office!! Be looking for a petition to support our post office. It will be available at the post office and available at the meeting for signatures. If you would like to help us circulate the petition before the meeting, or help coordinate efforts now, please email or call Scott Peyton at (540) 456‐6400 or Scott@jtsamuels.com, or Mike Knasel at (540) 456‐8899 or Mike@Stagebridge.net. This meeting and information is
APRIL 2012 put together by concerned local citizens and is not connected to the USPS in any way. Scott Peyton Greenwood Dear Crozet friends and neighbors, We would like to thank you very much for your faithful patronage of Pesto Mediterranean Grill over the last 3 1/2 years. You all made us successful. We have thoroughly enjoyed serving our hometown and getting to know your families. We come from a long line of restauranteurs. The Ballas family has owned many local restaurants—Tiffany’s Seafood, The Greek Village, Jak ‘n Jil, Pig Tails BBQ, College Inn and many others. Pesto Mediterranean Grill was our most recent. My wife Athena and I decided to sell Pesto and change our career paths. We are going to take time to enjoy our children and take a much needed rest. The new owners are wonderful, local people. We would love for you to continue supporting the restaurant. They have exciting new plans for the place that I’ll let them
No Cost Eye Exams For infants 6-12 months
tell you about. Thanks again from the bottom of our hearts for the countless orders and catering you all placed. We wish you all the best. John and Athena Ballas Ivy Natural Flea Control Regarding the article about fleas [“Gazette Vet,” March 2012]: Some of the commercial flea and tick products have directions on the package that say “use gloves when applying these products to your dog or cat.” If you have to wear gloves to apply them, are they safe for the pet or the family living with the pet? There have been many published articles regarding the active and inert chemicals in these products, which have been reported to have caused adverse immune system reactions in some pets. There are ALL NATURAL ways to combat fleas! 1. Organic essential oil combinations, used directly on the pet or combined in a spray made with aloe vera juice and water, work very well on fleas, ticks and skin conditions resulting from insect irritation.
5
They are much less expensive than chemical products. 2. Many progressive vets confirm that fleas will not live on a pet that has no yeast in the body. Deleting white rice, rice bran, beet pulp, wheat, corn or soy and replacing those ingredients with good quality meat protein works wonders and is not expensive. If fleas hate a pet with a healthy immune system, then a good diet is the best defense! In some cases, we realize stronger products may be professionally recommended for extremely aggressive flea infestation. However, we would encourage you to consider offering holistic, all natural options to your readers as an alternative to chemicals. Pattie Boden Crozet Please Respect Handicap Parking Like many Crozet parents, I have a child who plays baseball for the Peachtree league. Most of my son’s practices and games are at Crozet Park, which can get extremely crowded as parents drop off and continued on page 7
Martha, wait! Your conventional mattress contains toxic chemicals!
“I really love the InfantSEE® program, and the way Dr. Franklin works with our young children is amazing!”
My mattress contains WHAT?!
InfantSEE® Day April 20th Make your child’s appointment today
434.823.4441 www.CrozetEyeCare.com Across from Harris Teeter on 250 W
On Rt. 250, in Ivy 434-817-4044 SRNB.com
Find us on Facebook to see home remodel photos & to find out what others are saying about us!
State of Insurance. Lauren Morris, Agent 1207 B Crozet Avenue Crozet, VA 22932 Bus: 434-823-1800 www.laurenmorrisagency.com
www.bassetthomeservices.com
I deliver both. Take the guesswork out of your insurance. Whether it’s your car, home, life, or more, I can help you feel good about your coverage, as well as the price you’re paying. GET TO A BETTER STATE . CALL ME TODAY. ™
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, State Farm General 1101258.1
6
APRIL 2012
CROZET gazette
Crozet Cub Scouts Cross Over to Become Boy Scouts
Pack 107 Webelos, from left to right, Zachary Conley, Owen Foster, Kevin Cheely, Jacob Jordan, Daniel Brown and Nick Hamm.
Webelos II-rank Cub Scouts from Crozet-area Packs 107 and 79 crossed over to become Boy Scouts at the annual Blue and Gold Banquet held February 25 at the Field School auditorium. This is the first joint Pack 79 and Pack 107 crossing over ceremony. With Pack 107 closing, the active scouts of Pack 107 are transferring to Pack 79. The banquet was planned to be held at Crozet United Methodist Church, Pack 79’s home base, but when the guest list hit 125 the day
before the ceremony, scout leaders knew they needed a bigger venue. Todd Barnett at the Field School came to their aid. More than 140 people attended and enjoyed fried chicken and a large cake. Webelos II’s receiving their Arrows of Light were Zachary Conley, Owen Foster, Kevin Cheely, Jacob Jordan, Daniel Brown, Nick Hamm, Nathan Vance, Ian Lassetter, Owen Thacker, Max Somers and Josiah Walcott.
Pack 79 Webelos, from left to right, are Nathan Vance, Ian Lassetter, Owen Thacker, Max Somers and Josiah Walcott. In the rear are scout leaders Billy Lassetter and Ken Thacker.
CROZET gazette
To the Editor —continued from page 5
pick up their kids, or when they arrive for the games. SOCA uses the same park, so it can truly become a traffic nightmare. Without fail, almost every time I arrive at the park, at least one if not both of the two handicap spots near the lower baseball and soccer fields are taken by cars without handicap tags. There are signs clearly posted on the fence in front of these spaces, but many people disregard them altogether, especially if they’re just dropping off or picking up their kids, because “I’m only here for a minute.� As a person who IS handicapped and has a legitimate handicap tag, I can assure you that that “minute� matters greatly to a handicapped person who arrives before you have vacated the space that doesn’t belong to you. It means I then have to park farther away, sometimes quite a bit farther away, and on a bad day, that can be a real problem for me. I either have to do a longer walk than I comfortably can, or wait until you leave the space (and I
APRIL 2012 don’t know how long that will be, so I often just park farther away). On a good day, I park as close as I can while leaving the handicap space for someone who truly needs it. There are many of us who do need those spaces, either for ourselves or for our parents who come to see their grandchildren play. Some of these people are your friends and you STILL park in those spaces! On occasion I have approached the offending party if s/he is present and doesn’t look like a hostile person, but more often than not, I run the risk of an unpleasant confrontation with someone who thinks I’m making a big deal out of nothing, that I have a lot of nerve to tell them they can’t park there. Well, the LAW says they can’t park there, with fines ranging from $100 to $500 per infraction. I have been verbally assaulted by people I’ve confronted (and I am always polite) and have on one occasion had to
7
call the police. A few of us have even parked our cars behind the offending parties’ cars, blocking them in, to get the point across. I am entitled to call the police every time someone parks there who shouldn’t, but they don’t always arrive before the person leaves, and they’ve got better things to do. It is an added stressor that we don’t need, when we have to deal with this every time we come to the park. So please, Crozet citizens, have some respect, both for the law and for your less able-bodied neighbors and even friends, and do not park in the handicap spaces if you are not entitled to do so. Not even for a minute. I can tell you that living with a disability is hard enough. Having those spaces available to us makes it easier for us to get out and about and enjoy watching our children play at sports. Your taking them away from us makes it harder. Just don’t do it. Thank you, A Crozet Parent (Name Withheld Upon Request)
You’re Not Like Everyone Else, So Why Shop Like Everyone Else? Shopping for All Sizes, All Shapes, and All Ages,
At Great Prices! Just minutes away from Crozet! TOMS Shoes Desigual Lily Pulitzer Vineyard Vines Eileen Fisher Tribal Sportswear Gretchen Scott Madison Hill 600 West Woolrich Dresses for the Mother of the Bride or Groom Dresses for Guest of the Wedding
Mon.-Sat. 9:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Sun. 1 - 5 p.m. 111 Lee Highway, Verona, 24482 Route 11, Just North of Staunton 540-248-4292 www.fashiongalleryva.com
Mountain Plain Baptist Church Our friendly church invites you to share your Sunday with us. 4VOEBZ 4DIPPM t B N 5SBEJUJPOBM 8PSTIJQ 4FSWJDF t B N Rev. Sam Kellum, Pastor 4297 Old Three Notch’d Road
Travel 2 miles east of the Crozet Library on Three Notch’d Rd. (Rt. 240), turn left onto Old Three Notch’d Rd., go 0.5 mile to Mountain Plain Baptist Church
More information at XXX NPVOUBJOQMBJO PSH PS
Antique & Home DĂŠcor Sale Saturday, May 5 9 am - 4pm
Sunday, May 6 11am - 4pm
New Venue! ~ The Pavilion Room
Old Trail Golf Clubhouse, Crozet FREE EVENT ~ Something for Everyone Fun Dealers in Unique Specialty Shops Help Us, Help Others... Please Donate Canned Food for Charity
8
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
Are We Prepared for 2012? by Larry Miles Coronal mass ejections, solar flares, hail, tornados--I wonder what else awaits us in 2012? In March’s article I noted that 2011 was the most expensive year on record for natural disasters in the United States. 2010 was likely a bad year for you if you lived in Haiti. 2011 was without doubt a bad year for you if you lived in Fukushima, Japan. Fortunately, for us here in Crozet those years were relatively peaceful and enjoyable. Having said that, however, if you wait until something bad really does happen before you begin to prepare, you will be too late and you will regret it. So, where to start? If you begin to consider all the possible scenarios that could occur (earthquakes, tornados, nuclear meltdown, terrorism, etc.), it isn’t hard to be overwhelmed and then paralyzed into inaction. Who can possibly prepare for everything? But that doesn’t make it logical to do nothing. Part of the subconscious underpinning of this logic, in my opinion, is our belief that our dear leaders in government will always be there with the safety net. The police, fire, and rescue folks have it all under control and so there’s no need for action. Last month I tried to point out the fallacy of this mindset by illustrating how a seven-minute thunderstorm easily overwhelmed the official response back in 2010. After writing that article I felt a little concerned that public safety professionals might be offended by my conclusions, so I decided to ask one of them. I spoke with a man in law enforcement who read the last arti-
cle I wrote. Was he offended? Was I wrong? Quite to the contrary, he told me emphatically. Most citizens have no idea how self-reliant they will need to be in the event of a regional-level disaster, he said. He told me that in the event of a disaster (natural or manmade) those who fare the best will, without a doubt, be those who’ve taken some basic precautions and prepared ahead of time. He told me some of the things he and his family have done and directed me to the very place I am now going to direct you: the website for Virginia’s Department of Emergency Management. Before we go there, however, a quick note on our community’s emergency response. In the time since I wrote the last article, my neighbor’s house caught on fire when they were not home and was severely damaged. As we all stood in the nearby street and yards I know that the level of fear each one of us felt at witnessing a tragedy unfold in such close proximity was tempered in large part by the amazing response of local police and fire officials. A fire truck was literally on the street within five minutes after the call to 911. So a short pause to sincerely thank the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department and those who serve our community in that unique way. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s website, is found at http://www.vaemergency.com. A basic level of emergency preparation is not an overreaction, but rather a wise and reasonable response to potential challenges we may face. While we cannot rely solely on government to cope with a
regional emergency, we nonetheless should strive to “help those who are trying to help us.” Virginia’s official emergency management homepage is a simple and easy to understand site. The menu bar on the left side offers typical “About Us” and “News” sub pages, but the one that everyone should investigate is the link called “Ready Virginia.” This link again reveals a page with a plethora of information. The page is modeled after the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) page, http://www.ready.gov/. Both FEMA and Virginia advocate the same plan, summed up with these instructions: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Stay Informed. In subsequent articles we’ll examine each of those suggestions in detail, but for the moment it’s worth considering exactly what we’ve found. The Commonwealth of Virginia is imploring citizens to exhibit a level self-reliance. It is asking us to be responsible for our futures and providing us with some very basic instructions on how to do it. Next month we’ll discuss in detail what the Virginia Department of Emergency Management recommends that we put in our kit. But meanwhile take a few moments to visit the website. They have instructions for those with infants and toddlers, those with special needs, and the elderly. If a real disaster strikes, we are the ones who will be called upon to help one another. Get to know the folks in your community, your neighborhood, and on your street. Urge one another to start planning and get ready. Together, our community will be stronger and better prepared for whatever may be coming our way.
Library Bids —continued from page 1
firms and already bonded. “It’s pretty likely” MB Contractors will be awarded the job, he said. Henry said a contract should be signed in May and building should start July 1 when the new county budget becomes effective. MB Contractors is currently building The Lodge at Old Trail in Crozet and has an impressive string of large-scale projects to its credit, including high schools around Roanoke, buildings at Virginia Tech and Radford and Hollins Universities, churches, hotels, wineries, medical offices, and athletic facilities. Crozet library architect Melanie Hennigan of Grimm and Parker Architects in McLean said, “We’re delighted. We’re really happy for the citizens. You’ll be getting an amazing library for the money. It’s LEED [a standard for environmentally sustainable design] and it’s beautiful. It was a good bid. It was very tight. There was only a five percent variation across the bids.” Gravitt said the bid request did not ask contractors to quote a price for a deeper excavation into the hillside of the site to enlarge the lower floor. He said the possibility will be raised after the contract is signed. “Excavation is about dollars,” said Hennigan. “It can very costeffective for the square footage you add.” Hennigan said she had not heard of the idea of adding a right turn lane from Crozet Avenue onto Library Avenue in front of the library, an idea that would mean the library would have to be set back a few more feet. She said engineers would have to look at its feasibility.
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
9
Hamer Hamer Orthodontics
New CROZET OFFICE in
Old Trail!
Complimentary Sonicare Toothbrush Patient Motivation Program Emphasis on oral hygiene and compliance
FREE School Shuttle for Crozet Schools In-Ovation Brackets New Braces that reduce treatment time
Area’s only Premier Provider 2006–11 Elite Preferred Provider 2011–12 Teen Provider Invisalign and braces are now the same cost! No down payment, no interest, $160–$245/month for those who qualify.
Call today for a FREE consultation Offices in Charlottesville, Crozet and Ruckersville
434-296-0188 www.cvillebraces.com
Find community
make a connection, make a difference
Crozet Dentist NellysfordDentist Offer not valid for previous services. New patients only. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. Expires 4/30/12.
10
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
Painting Is Sort of Like Fishing By Kathy Johnson kathy@crozetgazette.com The view from artist Malcolm Hughes’ living room window in North Garden—rolling fields, blooming trees and nearby rippling ridgelines—is an inspiration to paint. “I grew up in Texas,” said Hughes, “the land of the big skies, West Texas in particular–Amarillo. I think that developed an appreciation for the luxuriant landscapes, and I think because of the sparseness, in terms of trees and that kind of thing, I developed an appreciation for landscapes with trees–big trees and ornamental things in my imagination,” he said. “I lived in West Texas for 30 years plus, then we moved to northern New Mexico, the community of Taos. It’s very artistic, very much an art town both in terms of produc-
tion and galleries and that kind of thing. “We lived in New Mexico for 12 years and I plied my trade as a painter, a landscape painter. That’s been my first love. I’m really taken with light, color, value changes in the landscape, shadowing, reflected light, all those kind of impressionist ways of seeing the landscape, as well as beautiful shapes and colors. “I kind of wanted to live wherever that happens, which tends to be around mountains or where there’s hills or interesting trees and seasonal changes. My wife and I had honeymooned in this area in 1979 and I’d always remembered Charlottesville after we drove through here and saw Monticello. I remember thinking how beautiful the landscape was with the added difference being that the atmosphere was very thick, and it had a diffusing effect on the colors and a
Swim
JOIN TODAY!
Open to All!
swimCLUB
OLD TRAIL
Limited memberships available! Opening Memorial Day Weekend 8 Lanes of 25meter lap Swimming 12-ft Diving Well Splash Fountains Wading Pool Zero-depth, walk-in entry
www.OldTrailSwimClub.com
Call 434.823.8100 info@oldtrailvillage.com
Malcolm Hughes
bluish effect on distances. The trees were what stuck in my imagination. So years later when we thought about moving from New Mexico to a little better place for our kids we thought of Charlottesville and also the church situation here, the many educational opportunities, the many amenities that we thought would work. We moved here in ’98, built this house and I continued my work as a landscape painter. I made a lot of day trips and area trips, or I would just set up my easel right outside my door.” Hughes does take commissioned subjects. “I am happy to do those. I don’t know if I’ve actually ever turned down a commission,” he said. “There’s probably been a time or two, but generally it works for me if it captures my imagination and I feel like I can honestly make an interesting painting out of whatever it is. Since I’ve been here I’ve had commissions every year, landscape pieces, or special homes or barns or farms or that kind of thing. “I find that it’s a real enjoyable challenge to take something that might be kind of ordinary but is
CROZET ARTS Child-centered Arts Education. Classes for Teens & Adults.
Beginning in April & May: DRAWING PILATES SHORT STICK YOGA CHAMBER STRINGS FLUTE ENSEMBLE
beloved by a certain person and then find something, an angle on it, that is extraordinary, or a time of year or a time of day when the light is doing interesting things, and make something extraordinary out of it. “Art is very much a correspondence between the viewer or the one that enjoys the art and the one that produces it. I am very communal in my sense of how art ought to happen, so that I am very happy for people to suggest things that I paint or request paintings or whatever and for that to be part of the creative process of how I actually produce a given painting. “I just recently did one this past year down in Rockingham County. I had never been to Rockingham. The view I painted was on the westward slope of that area and is quite beautiful. I was really struck by the view of a whole different part of the state. The longer I live here the more I find that I would like to paint.” “Sometimes I find a farm or vista and I will think of three or four continued on page 17
Ballet, Music,Theatre,Visual Arts,Yoga, more! JOIN US FOR
SUMMER!! CrozetArts.org
1408 Crozet Avenue (side entrances) (434) 964 - 6770 Crozet Arts is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit. Need-based scholarships are available.
CROZET gazette
Sunday, April 8 SUNDAY, APRIL
APRIL 2012
4th
10:00am 8:30am—BRUNCH 10:00am—CELEBRATION Celebration
Gather With Gather With Other Believers Other Believers To Celebrate The to celebrate the Resurrection Amazingof True Love Our Lord! Story!
11
cornerstonealbemarle.org Contemporary Worship Located at Biblical & Relevant Preaching 470 Twinkling Springs, Home Group Fellowships Crozet, VA Spiritual Growth Classes Prayer Emphasis
12
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
Crozet Print Shop: The Local Label Pros Crozet Print Shop dates to 1913 and is likely the oldest continuously operated business in town still in the same place, its cute workshop on Blue Ridge Avenue. Jim and Delores Baber have run the business for 36 years, now joined by their son Scott and assisted by an employee, Rob Rosadina, who has been with them since 1997. The shop was first opened by Jack Phillips, now referred as “Uncle Jack” by the Babers, though there is no relation, in a back section of what is now The Modern Barber Shop on Crozet Avenue. Phillips cut hair with Vivian McCauley, the grandfather of current shop owner Lisa Miller, fixed radios and because there was a local demand, ran a letterpress, the sort with moveable metal type bundled in frames that were inked and pressed on paper. Phillips built the current shop in 1930. “He was a very meticulous person,” said Delores. “He could pick up any tool in the dark. Everything was carefully kept in its
place.” He kept the shop going until 1955, when he was very elderly. He sold to Jesse Puckett, who ran it until he was 76, and in 1976 the Babers took it over. “It was mainly letterpress work for Morton’s [Frozen Food],” she said. “That was seventy-five percent of their business. “We set type and we did a lot of dry gum case labels for Morton’s. They used those in their bulk division, which supplied frozen food to schools and businesses like airlines. But having a big customer like that can also hurt you,” Delores said. Puckett got into offset printing, the common process today. “With letterpress, the type is directly on the paper,” she explained. “Offset makes negatives of a paste-up image. You make metal plates for the press. They print to a rubber blanket and that prints the paper. The plates never touch the roller, only the blanket. In letterpress you’re dealing with a mirror-image.” The print shop rarely uses its two
Scott Baber at the label machine.
Delores, Scott, and Jim Baber with Rob Rosadina.
letterpresses now. “It’s not costeffective,” explained Scott. “Our type is old and a lot of it is mashed,” added Delores. But the shop has three tall cases, called California cases, of old type, 68 drawers in all, with some fonts in good condition. Jim brought out blocks of type set up for routine orders the plant would make when Del Monte owned it. “We could just pull it out,” he explained. Delores has a scrap book of examples of things the shop had printed. “We’re the only print shop in Crozet,” she said. “We do letterhead, envelopes, statements, invoices, raffle tickets, wedding invitations, magnets.” Many of these routine forms are now offered in digital publishing software, though, and demand is down. The shop does not do photocopying and cannot make blueprints. “We give good customer service with a family touch,” Scott added.
“We do not do any process color, though. We use spot color,” said Delores. Process color builds color shades by layering four basic colors. Spot color is a single pure color. “You get a truer color with spot color. It’s like ordinary paint. Spot
The shop makes these labels for Trager Brothers Coffee, a roastery in Lovingston.
CROZET gazette color is sharp,� she said. The shop’s main business now is based on its Flexo Press, a sophisticated machine that prints pressuresensitive labels on a roll. The shop acquired it in 1986 and installed in what had been a garage. The press can produce labels at 500 feet per minute, but Scott runs it slower to save wear on it. Orders for it can be in the 1 million labels range, but the shop will also run orders of 1,000. An average run is 250,000. Shelves of metal dies specific to each label are racked on shelves nearby. It is also a spot color machine. “We do a lot of bar code labels, which is not very interesting. Labels are our niche. We have customers in Tennessee, South Carolina, Canada.� They also make laminated labels for filing systems, vivid spools of brightly colored numbers or letters. She said labels amount to 75 percent of the shop’s business, but the Flexo Press does not run full time any more. “Scott started working in the shop after he graduated from East Tennessee in ’93. He’s taken a load off our shoulders. He operates the flexo. In a shop like this we all fill in where we’re needed.� “I’m the mechanical troubleshooter now,� said Jim, who is 73. “We made the decision to buy on a golf course,� he recalled. “I came home and told mama, ‘We’re buying a print shop.’� He had been running a Gulf station at the corner of Crozet Avenue and Jarmans Gap Road with his brother Roger. Jim handled the gas service; Roger did repairs in what is now the Community Garage. “We didn’t know anything at that point. Mr. Puckett stayed with us for a year and a half and taught us the business.� Jim had been working nights in the print shop at Acme and Delores was in the finance department there before they bought the shop. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last summer. They have worked together in the shop for 39 years. The letterpresses they used, one a Miehle Vertical and the other a Kluge, still sit in a rear section of the shop. “The Miehle was bought to do work for Acme Visible Records and a factory man came to Crozet and rebuilt it in the shop. It was our workhorse. We worked unbelievable hours. We started the presses at four in the morning and worked all day on Con Agra jobs. continued on page 17
APRIL 2012
13
Seasonal Flavors
MEMORIES & RECIPES FROM AN ITALIAN KITCHEN [ by elena day | elena@crozetgazette.com \
Cake & Icing April brings around a host of birthdays of folks in my life who are all unrepentant “c h o c o h o l i c s .� There is Easter with the chocolate bunnies and foil wrapped chocolate eggs, but a birthday celebration requires an easy and satisfying personal chocolate dessert. And easy and quick it must be for the cook, as garden work abounds in April.
Chocolate Mousse ½ cup sugar 2 Tbls rum or cognac (or 2 tsp almond extract) Ÿ lb or 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (4 oz) 2 egg whites (stiffly beaten) 2 cups whipping cream (whipped) Cook over low heat the sugar and rum/almond extract. This is the only hard part of the process since one must be patient until the sugar is dissolved. Melt chocolate in double boiler while sugar is dissolving. When melted, stir in 2 tablespoons of the whipping cream. Now quickly add the dissolved sugar syrup to the melted chocolate and stir again. Allow the mixture to cool slightly and then add the stiffly beaten egg whites. Fold in whipped cream. Cool at least two to three hours before serving. Timing is the key. Beat the eggs and whipping cream while you are waiting for the sugar to dissolve and have already melted the chocolate.
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake * 2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1 cup water ž cup sour cream Ÿ cup shortening or softened butter 1 Ÿ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp baking powder 4 ounces melted chocolate Grease and dust with flour an oblong pan 13 x 9 x 2 or two 9-inch round layer pans (or if you are ambitious you can do three 8-inch round layer pans). Measure all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mix for ½ minute on low speed. Beat 3 minutes on high speed. Pour into pans. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees F. To frost, either make Cream Cheese Frosting or use Boiled Sugar Frosting. *Another mother–in-law recipe. She had nine children and thus nine birthdays.
Cream Cheese Frosting 4 ounces cream cheese Ÿ cup softened butter 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ lb (2 cups) confectioner’s sugar Beat the first three ingredients together and then add the confectioner’s sugar. (I can never bring myself to use the full 2 cups as it is way too sweet. I probably use slightly more than one cup, enough so that the consistency is appropriate for spreading/icing.)
Boiled Sugar Frosting In a double boiler place the following:
2 unbeaten egg whites 1 ½ cups sugar 5 Tbl cold water Ÿ tsp cream of tartar 1 tsp vanilla Beat these ingredients constantly with a rotary beater or a whisk while the water is boiling underneath for approx. 7 minutes. Add vanilla. Cool before icing cake.
CLIMATE CONTROLLED UNITS
. & #' # % . $#' "+ & & . % '$% % " % && " . && $ ' && . $(% && ) " " . ! # ' % "& RENTING NOW
*** %"$'' &) "" & " &'$% # ' "" $" (' - Resident Manager
% $' - %$, '
14
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
*OUFSDIBOHF —continued from page 1
on whether you plug-in a requirement for 1,000 or 2,800 square feet per employee into their planning formula. Some 674 acres zoned light industrial now are vacant, Sorrell said, but only 12 parcels are larger than 10 acres and only two are on the order of 25 acres. Most businesses would be satisfied with parcels in the three- to five-acre size, Sorrell said, providing a redundant electricity supply and high-speed Internet access are available to them. He said the “target industries” for county economic growth are in the financial services, information technology, defense and security and biomedical and health industries, but that was a specific as information got on what sort of companies were desired or what their actual needs would be. Sorrell said that suitable property for rezoning to light industrial lies just south of the Charlottesville/Albemarle airport and in the vicinity of Hollymead. White Hall District Planning Commissioner Tom Loach asked if the report had looked back at predictions of need made in the past and how those had borne out. “No,” answered Sorrell. Loach noted that the Board of Supervisors has rezoned 137 acres from light industrial to commercial in recent years as property owners hope to get higher prices for their land. Three out of four of the target industries could also be accommodated on what the county has zoned as commercial land, he said. Some 1.5 million square feet of commercial space has already been approved by the county but remains unbuilt
from lack of demand, he noted. “We had an applicant two weeks ago who wants to rezone her light industrial to commercial because she has no interest in her light industrial land,” he said. Planner Elaine Echols briefed commissioners on the conditions at the county’s rural I-64 interchanges, including corners of the interchanges at Pantops/Shadwell and at Rt. 29 where rural zoning is opposite corners slated for higher development. Development on South Lego farm on the southwest corner of the Shadwell exit would be difficult and expensive because of access costs. A new bridge into the property would be necessary and parcels would have to combined. At the Rt. 29 exit, property west of the Virginia Eagle Distributing Company is a possibility, but access issues also complicate that area. The plausible route in is up a ravine there, but rules say it can’t be disturbed. If the area currently zoned for “regional service” were enlarged further west, additional access points could be possible. Planners recommended expansion, but the property owner is not interested in the idea, Echols reported. Echols said the former Blue Ridge Hospital complex on Rt. 20 south has possibilities, but the University of Virginia, which owns the tract, is not interested in planning new uses for it and wants to retain its designation as “institutional.” Other possibilities include land around Snow’s Nursery on Avon Street or on the north side of the National Ground Intelligence Center grounds off Rt. 29 north. But they remained only hypothetical options because planners were trying to meet requirements for industries they couldn’t identify.
This left the discussion focused on the rural Interstate interchanges. The Boyd Tavern exit has “environmental issues,” Echols said. “It’s very rural and not many uses could go there.” The Ivy exit is “even more rural,” she said, and “its roads are narrow and less accommodating.” “Crozet is different,” said Echols. “It has good access to Rt. 250 and is adjacent to an industrial use.” But, she added, “A decision was made in the Crozet Master Plan that the area would not be made part of the Crozet Growth Area. There are lots of concerns by the community of Crozet that this remain rural.” It could have uses supportive of agriculture or forestry, she suggested, such as distribution of local products. The county’s Comprehensive Plan does not promote those uses now at the interchanges, so introducing them would require a change to the plan, she said. She gave as examples slaughterhouses, sawmills, show grounds, contractors’ or landscapers’ storage yards, mini-warehouses and packing plants. Planners would recommend that uses have low traffic impacts, not require public water or sewer, not disturb historic or natural resources and meet Entrance Corridor guidelines, she said. “The Crozet interchange should not be on this list,” responded Loach. “This issue was already addressed and ratified by the board [of supervisors]. The board has a contract with the people of Crozet. This area is in the [Rivanna reservoir] watershed.” He paused to read from county rules protecting the watershed. “You would have to break your own rules. The [Crozet] community did what it was sup-
posed to do [in revising the Crozet master plan in 2010] and we shouldn’t be fooling with our natural resources.” Noting that Echols had said that new users would be “small,” he asked, “What is ‘small’?” “We need your guidance on that,” she answered. “We added light industrial at Clover Lawn for nursery services,” he said. “The ACME Visible lot could be a contractor yard. It was used for that during the filming of Evan Almighty. These uses are already accommodated in the Crozet Master Plan.” He was also skeptical that slaughterhouses are not large water users. “We’re looking for love in all the wrong places,” said Scottsville District Commissioner Richard Randolph. “I can’t see any compelling economic reason why the interchanges should be called out for light industrial uses. One of the hallmarks of our region is that it is really beautiful to come into. I would hate to see in 20 years that our interchanges are replaced by congestion and development, and also the reality that we could introduce pollution and reduce beauty. I don’t see a pressing reason for it.” At-Large commissioner Bruce Dotson said, “This question comes about because we are looking at the interchanges as opportunity areas. The question is, could these uses go anywhere in the rural areas or do they need the interchanges? They might go anywhere if looked at specifically.” “I worry about the slippery slope,” said Loach. “I worry about when you ask what is ‘small’ and there is no definition. It’s the industrialization of the interchanges.” continued on page 33
UVA Family Medicine – Crozet
Catherine Casey, MD Tim McLaughlin, MD Caring for family members of all ages. Now accepting new patients. Same day appointments available.
UVA Family Medicine – Crozet The Shops at Clover Lawn 375 Four Leaf Lane, Suite 103 Charlottesville, VA 22903 Across from Blue Ridge Builders Supply and Harris Teeter
434.243.0700 UVA Family Medicine – Crozet | 434.243.0700 | uvahealth.com/crozetfamily
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
15
by Phil James phil@crozetgazette.com
When Service Was the Hallmark “There’s more to running a business than the ring of the cash register,” Bob Crickenberger stated recently. The comment was a result of his many decades of polite and professional service to the traveling public. The community surrounding Ivy Esso (Exxon) Servicecenter, as well as motorists on busy U.S. Route 250, which bisects Ivy, were benefited greatly by the partnership of Bob Crickenberger and Dan Wood. Together with their mechanics and attendants, they hustled to provide much more than a tank of fuel for their customers. One might even consider their ranks as models for the precision pit crews observed in today’s auto racing. If you were fortunate enough to have been a customer of a genuine service station, then you know the drill. For those whose only option has been to pump-your-own, here’s a brief glimpse of how it used to be when your car needed some gas. When you pulled your car to the pump, you were greeted by a station attendant—likely the actual business owner—who greeted you with a “Howdy. Fill-’er-up?” During the brief time that your tank of gas was
being pumped, both your windshield and back glass were washed and buffed dry. Without asking, the hood was raised and your motor oil was measured. The water levels in the radiator and battery were checked and topped-off if necessary, followed by a visual check of belts and hoses. A glance was taken at your tires and, if any were low, air was added at no extra charge. “When it snowed, we even installed tire chains for our regulars,” Bob Crickenberger recalled. “We never gave a thought to charging our customers for that service.” Station owners were familiar with their regular patrons and their vehicles, and a routine gas stop kept the attendant, as well as the driver, upto-date on the vehicle’s roadworthiness, all in the brief time it took to pump the gas and make change. In the first decade of the 20th century, America was just beginning the transition from grain-fed horse power to octane-driven horsepower. The blacksmith shops that had shoed the horses and repaired their primitive conveyances were being called on to repair the modern mechanical marvels. Early Automobile Blue Books
Ballard’s Sinclair, c.1945, on High School Avenue in Crozet. Its stylish but diminutive facade would be dwarfed by the Dairy Queen Convenience Store that occupies the location today. [Photo by Ray P. “Pete” McCauley]
did not contain used vehicles prices as they do today. Instead, their vital information informed the motorist of what general conditions to expect along the typically poor wagon roads of the day. Mileages were shown between the all-important
continued on page 16
Fox Brothers’ Sinclair service station and garage, c.1931, on U.S. Route 250 near Greenwood. Since 2006 the building has been occupied by Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church. [Courtesy of the Phil James Historical Images Collection]
Don’t laugh—the hand-lettered 18¢ Good Gulf gasoline at a 1930s station was still expensive for rural and small town budgets. This dealership also offered its customers “curb service” for Coca-Colas: five cents each or an ice-cold six-pack for a quarter. [Courtesy of the Phil James Historical Images Collection]
16
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
Fill ’er Up —continued from page 15
repair shops and gas and oil dealers. Even Albemarle County’s oldest extant country store, the original 1850s Piedmont Store located in White Hall, shows vestiges of its later proprietors’ adapting to and serving the needs of the motorist. Traffic increased as vehicle pricing became more attractive. The availability of gasoline became a factor in choosing which store to patronize, and many establishments added a pump—quite literally. Early gasoline pumps had a graduated, see-through globe on top and a long handle that was used to hand-pump the fuel from a reservoir into the globe. When the desired number of gallons was visible, the gas drained via gravity into the vehicle’s tank. General stores and repair shops began to sport brand signage for oil, tires and replacement parts. Oil dealerships competed for business by building stations dedicated to servicing the everincreasing traffic. They distinguished themselves through advertising, consistent levels of service, and the distinctly professional-looking uniforms worn by their attendants. Crozet native Grant Tomlin recalls Alan Rosencrans’ Conoco filling station and “the hard black rubber bow tie that was part of his uniform.” Following the opening decades of the 1900s, the motoring public had much less concern about where or even “if ” they might be able to locate gasoline. By 1950, the villagers in Crozet had known more than 20 locations where gas was sold. The earlier oil companies represented there
included Amoco, Conoco, Esso, Gulf, Sinclair, and Texaco. Most folks have at least a small degree of curiosity about what occupied their community before they arrived. During a local history question-and-answer session at an elementary school, this writer found that inquisitiveness to be especially high among the fourth and fifth graders. When a long-ago “service station” was mentioned, the classroom went momentarily silent before a student asked “what” that was. The terms “filling station,” “service station,” and “gas station” brought few looks of understanding. Not until a detailed description was given did that newest generation arrive at an understanding of these unique places and the services experienced by their ancestors. Who knows…maybe one of those students will happen someday to sit and listen to Mr. Crickenberger or one of his cohorts and be duly inspired to revive that earlier grace of genuine customer service.
This lonely looking gas pump was probably a God-send for some early motorists in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western Albemarle County. Along with modern restrooms, it complemented the roadside services at the Blue Ridge Terrace Dining Room and Cottages. [Courtesy of the Phil James Historical Images Collection]
Alan Rosencrans’ Conoco station, early 1940s, formerly adjacent to Rockgate Cemetery in Crozet. [Courtesy of Charles Witt]
Starke’s Cash Market with Amoco gas on Rt. 240 in Crozet was located ideally in the mid-1950s to serve the many employees of Acme Visible Records and Morton Frozen Foods. The Starkes and their employees ably met the varied needs of their customers. [Photo by Mac Sandridge]
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 © 2003–2012 Phil James
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
.BMDPMN )VHIFT —continued from page 10
ways to paint it. During the day the atmosphere changes and so it is just a kaleidoscope of possibilities.� Of course light plays a huge part in Hughes’ paintings. Bright sun, soft shadows, shaded areas with different textures and depth combine to bring a sense of moment to the paintings. A viewer can almost sense the heat of the day, or the buzz of bees among the flowers or the soft touch of sunlight. “I like to say that I am somewhat self-guided. Or maybe a more accurate way to say it is that I am sort of ‘hunger-guided,’ meaning that I wanted to do something on canvas that was only possible, it seemed to me, if I chased certain painters to emulate or to study their work and to try to draw on the well that they were producing from.� His father and grandparents were art dealers after World War II. Back in his hometown of Amarillo, they had a gallery Hughes described as “kind of a furniture gallery with some pretty good paintings.� “I would take these paintings
home and copy them, matching colors and matching textures, because that was one way to learn,� he explained. “That was in my early teens. Then I started doing watercolors based on imagination and on what I was seeing, and painting and doing some photography in conjunction with that.� After high school he delved into photography and went to a graphic arts school. “That was the extent of my ‘formal’ training in art,� he said. “Then I studied with various painters in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and hung out with painters, and, probably the most helpful thing, I went to museums and sometimes copied paintings. But mostly I just painted. The greatest teacher is to take your easel and your pallet outdoors and trying to capture what is in front of your eyes. That’s the whole idea of ‘plein air’ painting.� He mentioned French Impressionist painters who took collapsible easels outside to paint in the open air. “The same basic design for the easel is still used today. Nobody can come up with anything better.� Hughes said he spends a lot of time outdoors developing color
Fostering a Love of Learning Since 2002 " XFFLEBZ NJOJTUSZ PG )JMMTCPSP #BQUJTU $IVSDI Visit www.HBCnet.org and click “Preschoolâ€? t )BMG EBZ GPS › ZFBST UP 1SF , t 'SJFOEMZ -PWJOH &YQFSJFODFE 4UBç t /VSUVSJOH $ISJTUJBO &OWJSPONFOU t "çPSEBCMF 3BUFT t "SUT BOE $SBGUT %BJMZ
434-823-5342
Nancy Fleischman Principal
An independent agency offering a choice of companies.
Let us compare for you.
ď?Łď?˛ď?Żď?şď?Ľď?´ď?Šď?Žď?łď?ľď?˛ď?Ąď?Žď?Łď?Ľ.ď?Łď?Żď?
ideas. He also drives around at different times of day and year to see what he might find. “It’s sort of like going fishing,� he said. “A lot of men like to fish. I actually don’t fish because it is so much like painting. You’re quiet and you’re also sort of casting. You’re putting your opportunity out there and if something beautiful comes your way you try to catch it. “I might go out on a given day with what you might call my ‘oil sport’ and I might do three or four different paintings and two or three of them may be really great opportunities but I don’t know that at the time. There’s just too much sensory data coming into your brain when you are outdoors, but when I get back in the studio and hang the stuff up and look at it, I often think, ‘Wow, this has got possibilities.’� Hughes’ work was recently on display as the artist of the month at the Shenandoah Valley Art Center in Waynesboro. His pieces can be seen now at l’etoile restaurant at 817 West Main Street in Charlottesville or online at www. mhughesart.com.
17
Print Shop —continued from page 13
Crozet Print Shop on Blue Ridge Avenue.
Those people [at the factories] wouldn’t give you any time to do the job.� “We’re being replaced by digital machines,� acknowledged Delores. “It’s hard for a small family business to be able to keep up with big competitors.� “We’ve had good luck with the label machine,� said Jim. The shop is a good source for local manufacturers or food growers who need attractive labels for their products. They are making them now for Breadworks, the Hip Joint and others.
18
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
By John Andersen, DVM gazettevet@crozetgazette.com
Pollen Primer We Virginians are blessed with extraordinary spring seasons each year and this year seems particularly beautiful to me. I get great pleasure stepping out on my patio each morning and observing everything coming back to life. Daffodils, tulips, and bluebells are in bloom along with dogwood, cherry, and redbud trees. The grass is thick, deep green, and freshly mowed. Roses are leafing out, boxwoods are fluffing up, and deciduous trees are waking. Then I look at my patio table that is covered with a thick layer of yellow pollen and I sneeze. Our pets are afflicted by the same
CLIP TH
IS AD A
environmental and seasonal allergies that we often suffer from, and this is most obvious during season changes like right now. But while we humans tend to suffer from sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy eyes, our pets instead get skin and ear infections related to allergies. This doesn’t intuitively make sense; why aren’t they sneezing? How in the world is all this pollen causing my dog to have ear infections? Or causing my cat to have scabs all over her head and neck? The answer is simply that they are different than us. When a person steps outside on a heavy pollen day, they are surely exposed head to toe. But we are usually clothed and we sure do like to shower and wash our hands a lot.
ND GET
$10 OFF
YOUR FI
RST VIS
So for the most part, allergens (like pollen, dust, and mold) seem to cause problems when we inhale them and when they encounter our eyes. If we are allergic to these airborne particles and exposed, there are immune cells in our nose, throat, and eyes that release histamine and other compounds that cause inflammation and hence the sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes. Occasionally we see dogs and cats sneeze and have red eyes from allergies, but this is not common and it is rarely severe. We don’t really know why they don’t get similar “hay fever� signs like us. They are simply different. The main difference in how dogs and cats are affected by allergies is that they have skin reactions. When they are exposed to pollens and allergens, even by inhaling them, it tends to cause histamine release in their skin and ears. This leads to pink, itchy skin. And we also know that dogs can get a lot of allergen exposure through their skin directly. So when they walk on that freshly mowed grass, or are walking around with pollens caught in their fur coats, the skin inflammation is only worsened. With prolonged allergy
exposure, the skin will stay inflamed and they will start producing more oils and having dandruff. Meanwhile, like us, dogs and cats have bacteria and yeast that colonize every square inch of their skin and ears. In health, these occur in balance and do not cause problems and are not noticed. With warm, moist, inflamed skin and ears, these bugs are loving it and start to overgrow and misbehave and cause skin and ear infections. Specifically, allergic skin disease in pets looks like: t %PHT XJUI iEJSUZ w TNFMMZ JUDIZ ears. Dogs do not normally produce ear wax and rarely get dirt in their ears. They also rarely get ear mites. So if you see black waxy discharge or any type of discharge in your dog’s ears, they likely have a yeast infection and need some medication. Cleaning their ears alone will rarely resolve these infections once they have started. t %PHT XIP BSF JUDIZ BOE DIFX lick at their feet. Is your dog recently waking you up at night chewing at herself and licking her feet? When you scratch her neck, does she now reflexively itch with her back leg? Is continued on page 27
I T!
434-979-DOGG (3644) Serving Crozet and all of Albemarle County
Compassionate care for your pets! Bring your four-legged friends to us or we’ll come to you. Monticello Animal Hospital is equipped to provide routine health care as well as advanced surgical, medical, and dental procedures. The Traveling Vet will come to your home if you can’t bring your pets to the vet. We are child friendly so feel free to bring the whole family along!
MONTICELLO ANIMAL HOSPITAL
1193 5th Street S % C "" !# % $$$ # # "
continued on page 27
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
19
POET SARA M. ROBINSON
Wednesday, April 4, 6 p.m.
Author of Two Little Girls in a Wading Pool
PUBLIC RADIO ESSAYIST GERRY KRUGER
Wednesday, April 11, 6 p.m. On Kruger Pond: Charlie’s Story
inthegarden@crozetgazette.com
SECOND SATURDAYS
High on Hydrangeas Sometimes I just can’t resist the goofy alliteration that most gardening magazines stoop to for their cover teases. Perhaps I could try “Heavenly Hydrangeas.” But, enough already. Let’s just talk about the plant. Hydrangeas conveniently go by the same name in both common usage and scientific terms. The only difficulty arises when it comes to pronunciation: some pronounce the first “a” as in ape; others as in annual. I am not too sure which is correct, so take your pick. Either way, several dozen hydrangea species are native to North and South America, as well as eastern Asia,
where the greatest diversity occurs. They have long been garden standbys, and breeders are now working on new varieties. Probably when most people think “hydrangea,” they conjure up Hydrangea macrophylla, a small-tomedium-sized shrub with big blousy pink or blue flowers. (Hydrangea serrata is closely related and is often considered to be merely a variety of macrophylla, with more elongate, less shiny leaves.) Rounded clusters of flowers occur on cultivars officially known as mopheads. The term lacecap, on the other hand, refers to a group of cultivars with flattened flower clusters and two types of flowers: sterile flowers with large, conspicuous petals on the edge of the inflorescence, continued on page 27
continued on page 28
Saturday, April 14, 6-8 p.m.
Gallery Reception: J. Scott Robinson, painter, Kilaurwen Vineyards pouring tastes.
NEW SPIRITUALITY SERIES Sunday, March 18, 10 a.m. - Noon With Katharine Holub. This month’s focus: Shamanism ($20, registration required)
NOVELIST LULA BELLE
Wednesday, April 18, 6 p.m. Author of Expecting
KIDS EVENT
Sunday, April 22, 2 p.m.
The Duckling Gets a Cookie? Party $5 (Can be applied toward purchase of the book) Call store for details.
E-BOOKS & THE INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE FORUM
Thursday, April 26, 6 p.m. Call store for details.
MON. - SAT. 10 - 6 ; SUN. 12 - 5
Rt. 240 at Crozet Ave. | 434-823-1144
Come and see what we’re about!
20
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
Building an outdoor stage required a large team of Alpha Phi Omega members. The stage will be used for plays, programs, assemblies, and concerts.
U.Va. Students Lend a Hand at North Branch School Operated by the Piedmont Family YMCA
Come check out the newly-renovated Crozet PARC and Claudius Crozet Park, featuring a YEAR-ROUND swimming and fitness center!
FREE OPEN HOUSE! YMCA Healthy Kids Day! Saturday, May 5 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
One hundred members of the University of Virginia chapter of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity transformed the school grounds of North Branch School in Afton March 17 as their spring project. The U.Va. students raised almost $4,000 and volunteered their time—the equivalent of about
1,000 hours of labor—on a beautiful Saturday to build an outdoor stage, erect a greenhouse and construct the end wall for it, repair a wooden ramp, spread mulch on the playground and entrance, build benches on the front porch, and restructure the sandbox on the playground.
ANN ARDEN Home Furnishings
&+( * / +! " * (* %%!) $&%)*( *!&%) $ () !' %(&##$ %* ,!* %& &!%!% ) $' (& ( $ !) &+%*) / (&. * *&() % & ))!&%
Family-Friendly Recreation & Programs! MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP RATES
+#* !% # # ( +#* $!# *+ %* &##
$45.00 $40.00 $65.00 $35.00
Daily passes and scholarships also available!
piedmontymca.org
404 West Main St . Waynesboro . 540-943-0751 www.ann - arden.com . Tuesday -Saturday 10-6
CROZET gazette
P
T
APRIL 2012
21
2 1 0 O e 2 p e y e n a r i n D g t h c ea
he Peachtree League held its Opening Day March 17 at Claudius Crozet Park in May-like weather and fielded a record number of teams, 41, and players, nearly 400. Albemarle County Parks and Recreation workers Mike Morris and Jimbo Barber threw first pitches of the season at the same time. They maintain the ball fields at the park. “We’re here every day and we mow the fields three times a week,” said Barber. He has two sons playing this year and was a Peachtree player himself in the 1970s. Peachtree president Cheryl Madison reminded players and parents that, “We’re here to learn how to play baseball, to make friends and to have fun.” The league has four teams playing this year at the Greenwood
Community Center field, a first. Normally two teams play there. The lower field at Crozet Park sports new covered dugouts and a new press stand (where the stat keeper sits to keep score), all provided by the generosity of Drew and Michelle Holzwarth, the owners of Piedmont Realty and Construction Company. The upper field also got a new press box. Madison said that for the first time, the sign board of sponsors at the concession stand has no room left for company names. Former major league star reliever Billy Wagner, now settled in Crozet, was thanked for equipment donations and for his work getting the fields in condition to play. Madison called the players on last season’s 8-U All-Star team to the upper field mound for special recognition. They were state champs in 2011.
The new dugouts and press box at the lower field.
The pride of the Crozet Gazette, the T-Ball Marlins, ages 4 to 7, doffed their caps as they were introduced over the PA system. Players left to right: McKenzie Brown, Gryfin Costa, Morgan Dorrier, Hadley Hunt, Michael Malmstrom, Audrey Miracle, and Kendall Via; Coaches from left: Don Costa, David Dorrier, Ryan Miracle.
Jimbo Barber and Mike Morris threw the first pitches.
22
APRIL 2012
Murals
—continued from page 1
Tabor Presbyterian Church (USA)
Serving the community since 1879
Seeking a place to worship?
We are traditional in style, progressive in outreach and mission.
where they had suffered some damage. Then they were primed and the missing features of the mural were repainted. The task took a week. The painting was brightened and repaired spots were resealed with epoxy. Kirchman said that ideally the murals would be entirely resealed with epoxy before the fall when the fresh paint has thoroughly dried. But there is no plan to pay for that now. Laney Riley, a young mural painter from Staunton who worked on an 80-foot mural at a church there that included 30 faces, came over to aid the project. Kirchman hopes she will be the one to come back in 20 years to direct the next refurbishment. “The whole trick is in layering,� West explained to Western Albemarle students who had come to help over the school’s spring break. “Getting the colors to match is the idea. We don’t want to redo the whole mural.�
CROZET gazette “We want to preserve it,� stressed Kirchman. Deeper layers of color were applied by novices, and Kirchman, West and Riley, experienced painters, did the upper layers and the finishing touches. “There will be more life in it,� Kirchman said. He said the painting will be essentially unchanged “but there might be some surprise additions of little critters.� “We just want to help the mural,� said WAHS eleventh graders Soobin Choi and Shuhui Wu. The restoration crew also included Linda McNeil and Morgan Munson. Kirchman said that when the murals were first painted, the volunteers could stand in the street to look at the job, but traffic is so much heavier now that the volunteers dared not step back from the curb. Cones, highway work signs and orange tape marked off the sidewalk work area and the painters got greetings and praise from passing friends and fans of the murals.
5804 Tabor Street, Crozet | On the corner of Tabor Street & Crozet Avenue | 434-823-4255
wta’s
Gateway 329 West Main Street, Waynesboro VA
Make this your year! Kundalini Yoga Beginner’s Series Wednesdays, Jan. 1 - Feb. 2, 6 - 7:30 pm
Breathing for Health Series Fridays, Jan. 13 - Feb. 3, 10:30 - 11:15 am
Hatha Yoga Beginner’s Series Thursdays, Feb. 7 - Feb. 28, 6:45 - 8 pm
Become a Yoga Teacher This Year!
Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training Jan.13 – Nov. 4 (meets monthly)
Karuna 200-hour Yoga Certification Begins in February (meets monthly) Both programs are yoga alliance certified
Open Meditation Every 2 Friday of the Month! nd
A Place to Breathe Meditation Studio
www.aplacetobreathe.com
www.WTAgateway.com
2 for 1 Coupon Valid for Peter Monticup Magic, Rootstown Jug Band and Comedy Night. Must Bring this ad.
For More Information Call:
540-943-9999 Calendar of events: Peter Monticup Magic Saturday, April 7 at 4 & 6pm $10/$5
Richard Adams Variety Show Friday, April 13 at 7:30pm $9.99
Barb Martin & Liz Barnes (Jazz) Saturday, April 15 at 8pm $15
River City Radio Hour Friday, April 20 at 6:30 & 8pm $10
Mojo Saturday Night Blues Saturday, April 21 at 8pm $10 The Gateway is located Downtown Waynesboro, VA Above: Meg West; Below: Bob Kirchman.
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
Parkway Pharmacy
BY DR. ROBERT C. REISER crozetannals@crozetgazette.com
Insuring Survival It looks like spring is here for good after a brief cold snap. Good news for sure for gardeners, maybe less so for ER docs. The influx of pollen-triggered allergies and asthma is not too challenging to deal with, but the spike in trauma is as noticeable as the spikes of my asparagus shoots lately emerging. I walked into a recent shift to find four major trauma patients arriving within 15 minutes of each other. I saw two broken necks in a single shift. Fortunately both patients did well and had no paralysis. I work at a level one trauma center. We are certified and equipped and staffed to care for the most critically injured and we never say no to a trauma transfer from another hospital. We are also an indigent care hospital, one of only two in the state. We are designated to receive Medicaid support from the state and federal governments in recognition of our disproportionate share of indigent or charity care.
Consequently we receive lots of requests from other ERs to accept their insured and uninsured patients for further care. So I am in a unique position to observe a fundamental effect that health insurance has on life or death. A study published in the Archives of Surgery in 2009 analyzed data from 2.7 million patients recorded in the National Trauma Data Bank from 2002 through 2006. The researchers concluded that uninsured trauma, patients who are hospitalized have a mortality (death) rate that is 50 percent higher than insured patients who are hospitalized for trauma. If you are unlucky enough to be young, (18-30 years old) uninsured and hospitalized for trauma, your mortality is an astonishing 89 percent higher than your hospitalized trauma contemporaries who have insurance. This is after adjusting for severity of injuries, race, sex, and other illnesses. The only difference is insurance. No one knows why this is. This effect is seen in non-trauma illnesses as well. The uninsured have a 40 percent increase in mortality over the insured,
#F IFBMU
IZ‰DPW FS
ZPVS N PV
UI XB
23
TI ZPVS
IBOET
We Are Martha Jefferson in Your Community
Accepting most third party plans, including Medicare Part D, sponsored by CVS and Walmart
according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health in 2009. This, too, is after adjusting for smoking, obesity, alcohol use and other illnesses. This is 45,000 deaths a year due to lack of insurance, or one death every 12 minutes. I can speculate on the causes of this increased mortality: delays in care for trauma patients due to transfers, lower health literacy and compliance with care in uninsured patients, subtle biases in caregivers including physicians, less aggressive testing and treatment for the uninsured (this has actually been shown in other studies), but truly we do not know the mechanism(s) for this alarming increase in death. The Supreme Court has just concluded hearing oral arguments over the constitutionality of requiring all citizens to purchase some form of health insurance. One of the objections was that forcing young healthy
people to buy insurance was an unneeded financial imposition that served to support the elderly’s more expensive care. Of course if you are young and in a car crash, insurance apparently may just save your life. That does not change the constitutional question, but it does point out that we have a public health crisis that is costing lots of people their lives and we need to provide universal health care insurance somehow. After penning this column I was working in the ED seeing a patient from the nearby town of Louisa with a one-year history of severe abdominal pain. I asked him if he had ever seen a doctor for this. His reply was eerily accurate. “No, I don’t have any insurance. In Louisa you are pretty much dead if you don’t have insurance,� he observed. I am sure he thought he was speaking metaphorically.
at Crozet Children’s Health Center P.C.
Amie Munson, MD
Mark Keeley, MD
Russ Sawyer, MD
Cindy Napier, FNP
NEW PATIENTS WELCOME 1BSL 3JEHF %SJWF t $SP[FU 7" t
New PatieNts welcome| crozetKidz.com | 434-823-5439
24
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
The Blue Ridge Naturalist © Marlene A. Condon | marlene@crozetgazette.com
Night Lighting is Harmful to Our Insects My writing day does not get started until I’ve had my breakfast and exercise, both of which occur very early in the morning. I love getting out onto the roadways when it’s still rather dark so I can hear the natural world awaken and watch the changing palette of colors as the sun rises into the eastern sky. Because I’m out so early, I see the many houses that have bright lights burning needlessly overnight. Some homes have very bright lights by the front door or cellar entryway while others have them over the garage. In other yards, a lamp post or even a utility light pole illuminates the front yard. I suppose folks burn these lights to feel safer, but studies have shown that bright lighting does not deter crime. If it did, no burglaries should occur in the daytime, but in fact, more than half of them do. Burglars require light to see what they are doing so it’s far better if your home is dark outside at night. Then a burglar will need to use a flashlight, which will draw attention to him if someone is watching. If you feel that you absolutely must have lighting to ease your mind, then it would be best to use motion sensor lighting that only comes on when movement is detected and that goes off within a
set period of time. But it would be far better for folks—and our environment—if people instead invested in better locks and bolts. The reason to avoid using electricity whenever possible is to limit mutilation of our world (think mountain-top removal for coal); to limit pollution of our air and waterways (caused by burning coal to create electricity); and even more importantly, to limit the killing of insects that help to keep the environment functioning properly. Numerous kinds of insects are so strongly attracted to illumination that they will stay near it most or all of the night. These insects may circle a light until they become exhausted; by staying around the light, they neglect to mate or eat; and these insects become easy prey for their predators, creating an unfair advantage that can result in over-predation of the population. The idea that insects are important to our own lives may seem rather abstract. People usually understand that we need some kinds of these six-legged creatures to pollinate plants in order to obtain seeds or fruits for consumption by humans. But folks often don’t realize that insects do much more than help to provide food for us. Some kinds feed on decaying organic matter to recycle it ultimately back to the soil for the benefit of growing plants. Some species of insects feed upon other kinds of
Burn lights only when absolutely necessary to avoid harming our wildlife, ourselves, and the integrity of our environment. [Photo: Marlene Condon]
animals, such as spiders and even slugs and snails to limit their numbers to sustainable levels. And the insects themselves serve as a vital food source for many birds, bats, and small mammals. Sadly, insects generally get a bad rap. Although some of these animals (such as mosquitoes, ticks, and roaches) can be bothersome or cause illness in some instances, insects should not be vilified as if they exist simply to harm mankind. I could scream when I hear the press releases put out every month of the year by the National Pest Management Association, which are presented as “public service announcements.” The ads overstate the problems caused by a variety of critters, including mammals and birds in addition to insects and spiders. The most egregious aspect of all is that the association uses children to pitch their deceptively worded ads! The reality is that man can—and must—coexist with a variety of critters, all of which play important roles in our environment. For example, the larvae of mos-
quitoes feed the fish—which many folks like to catch— in our streams. Ticks are a food source for insectivorous birds and mammals (which find the ticks when grooming themselves) that people enjoy watching. And the bits of food you’ve dropped on the floor or counter are recycled much more quickly by roaches than by bacteria and fungi that would otherwise need to deal with it. Once you understand your fellow inhabitants of the earth, you can figure out how to avoid problems with them: Wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants when in mosquito-populated areas; wear shorts in tick country (you can more easily see and feel ticks crawling on your skin if it’s not covered up); and try not to leave food debris on the floors and counters to make your home inhospitable to roaches. Knowledge greatly reduces fear of the unknown. When you understand the functions of various creatures in our world, you can be more tolerant of their activities. You can also control, at least somewhat, your interactions with them.
John W. Clayton & Son ELECTRIC
Doublegrind Hardwood Mulch Pine Bark Mulch Composted Horse Manure Screened Topsoil Brick Sand Blue & Brown Driveway Gravel Custom Application of Lime & Fertilizer
P.O. Box 167, Ivy, VA 22945 johnwclaytonandson@earthlink.net
(434) 823-4877
www.jwclayton.com
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
25
upcoming community events APRIL 15
Rockfish Valley Kite Festival
Rockfish Valley Foundation Kite Festival will be held April 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bold Rock Cidery field across from Spruce Creek Park off Glenthorne Loop (Rt 627). Turn next to Elk Hill Baptist Church. Eastern Star Catering will offer lunch (hot dog or hamburger, french fries and drink) for $6. Richmond Air Force will exhibit kite flying. Free kites for the first 150 kids. Kite vendors will also be there. Free and open to all. For more information, visit www.rockfishvalley.org, email info@rockfishvalley. org, or call 434-226-0446.
APRIL 15
Gospel Group at Mt. Salem Church
Mt. Salem Gospel Church of
Mechum River, near Crozet, will host the dynamic gospel group The Newstars of Central Virginia Sunday, April 15, at 3:30 p.m. The public is invited and a free will offering will be taken.
APRIL 22-23
Annual Historic Garden Week
In Albemarle County, Historic Garden Week will focus on seven locations around Keswick: Chopping Bottom Farm, East Belmont Farm, Round Hill Farm, Keswick Hall, Keswick Hunt Club, Grace Episcopal Church, and Oak Hill Farm, all open on April 22 and 23. Tickets for the event are available through April 16 at the advance price of $30 per person by sending a check payable to HGWCharlottesville with a selfaddressed, stamped envelope, including an email or phone number, to Mrs. Irene Soderquist, 530
Explorer Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911. Tickets are also available through April 21 at a number of area locations including Trailside Coffee in Crozet. Tickets at the door will be $40. For more information about the gardens, tours, prices and ticket locations go to www.vagardenweek. org.
APRIL 28
James Sun Memorial 5K
The James Sun Memorial 5K Race will be held in Old Trail Village Saturday, April 28. James Sun, a member of the current sophomore class at Western Albemarle High School, was killed in a car accident while skateboarding near his home July 20, 2011. The 5K race, organized by James’s former classmates, will raise funds to install a tree and plaque in his memory at Western. At the request of the Sun family, additional funds
raised will go to The Compassionate Friends, a non-profit group that supports parents who have lost a child. The 5K course will begin and end at the Old Trail Village Center and follow most of the Lindy Bain Cross Country Course. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m.; race start is 9 a.m. To register, visit the Ragged Mountain Running Shop website to download the form. Volunteers are also needed; email the sophomore class of WAHS at: wahs2014@ gmail.com. Pre-registrations must be postmarked or delivered by April 21. Cost is $10 for those 18 and under, $20 for those over 18. Registration at the race will cost $25. Prizes will be awarded to the three top finishers in each age group. For race details visit the Facebook event “James Sun Memorial 5K,” or http://raggedmountainrunning. com/the-racing-scene, or email WAHS2014@gmail.com.
26
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
Douglass Makes Campaign Visit John Douglass of Fauquier County, who is contending for the Democratic Party’s nomination to run in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District against incumbent Republican Robert Hurt, met with area citizens at the Crozet Mudhouse March 29. A retired Brigadier General, Douglass served in Vietnam and was the number two NATO general during the First Iraq War in 1991. He was attacked by terrorist assassination teams three times while in that capacity. “I know terrorism,� he said. “I’ve seen it up close.� He was assistant secretary of the Navy and served in the Pentagon and White House under Presidents Reagan and Clinton. He is the father of four and lives on a farm now. His purpose in coming to Crozet was to win support for his candidacy at the county caucus meeting coming April 23 in Charlottesville, when delegates will be elected to the May 19 Fifth District convention in Lovingston. “The country has evolved a lot since the Cold War,� he told the group of about 20 who had come to
meet him. “The West won the battle and then we went into a period with the U.S. as the only superpower. Then we got into Afghanistan and Iraq and spent money that should have gone into education and health care. “We can’t afford to import oil,� he said, “and we have to deal with the deficit. We have to invest in those parts of the economy that will let us flourish in the 21st century.� He said he understands that the tax base in rural counties does not allow them to support education effectively. He has a child who needs special education services and he thinks those need greater funding. “Rural counties are losing hope,� he said. He also backed Obamacare. “If Obamacare fails, my 92-year-old mother in Colorado will be out on the street because of pre-existing conditions.� Douglass explained that he entered the race “after the senior leadership of the party called me and wanted me to run a campaign to the center. I’m wired into the Obama campaign and somewhat
Over three million miles of dental floss is
purchased in North America each year‌ ‌the road to our office is shorter!
David A. Maybee, DDS
Family Dentistry New Patients Welcome! No babysitter? No Problem! Keep an eye on your children with our playroom cam
434-823-1274
DSP[FUEFOUJTUSZ DPN
3BEGPSE -BOF t "DSPTT GSPN )BSSJT 5FFUFS CFIJOE ## 5 JO $SP[FU
John Douglass at the Crozet Mudhouse
less to the Kaine campaign.� He blamed the Republican-controlled House of Delegates for gerrymandering the Fifth District, which now stretches from Danville to Loudoun County and geographically is the largest district in the state. “This is the heart of Virginia and Charlottesville is the nerve center.� Douglass’s home was formerly in the Tenth District. Douglass said that as a child he did not know his dad, who was chief petty officer in the Navy and often at sea, very well and after a falling out in his junior year in high school he was on his own and lived in a car for two months. “I know what is like to be hungry and to be sick and not able to get attention.� A coach noticed his situation and arranged for a foster family adoption. “This election is a really clear choice between Hurt and me,� he said. “He was born with silver spoon in his mouth and has never worked except as a politician.� He called former congressman Tom Perriello’s loss to Hurt “terribly unfortunate. Everybody was crushed that Tom lost. He is universally loved. “We have to win the Fifth District. A loss here would drag the whole thing down.� Douglass said he has raised more money than Perriello had and that former President Bill Clinton “will come to the district to campaign for me. What I can bring to the race is the support of the party from all over the country.� He said he has had dinner with House of Representatives minority leader Nancy Pelosi and talked about what committees he might work on. “We want the preliminaries over and then we’ll bring in the party money,� he said.
Douglass said he sees “political attacks being made on women’s rights. We’re fired up about it. My wife and daughter are fierce Democrats. Virginia has become the laughingstock of the nation. It’s a huge issue for us.� He predicted women’s issues “will drive a wave back to Obama.� On the war in Afghanistan he said, “If I had my way, I’d bring home the troops next week. “It’s a terrible dilemma we’re in, but we can’t afford to build their nation. We need to maintain a capacity to get bad people wherever they are in the world. The strongest deterrent to say to the leaders of nations that support terrorism is that we are coming to get you personally, we’re not coming to take over your country. “Our troops are exhausted. Some have been there for five tours. The kids snap. Human beings can only take so much. Our country is more secure when it shows what it can do for its people. “There isn’t a single general in the House or Senate,� he pointed out. He said he is “disappointed that Obama did not embrace the recommendations of the Bowles-Simpson commission� on how to reduce the country’s multi-trillion dollar public debt. “It is a wise way to go forward.� He said Obama “has been feeling his way a bit. The ‘one percent’ has to pay more. We also have to cut defense and other parts of the government.� On terrorism he said, “We have no idea who is coming over our Mexican border. I’m not in fear of illegal aliens, but sooner or later terrorists will get explosives in here. Hopefully not a dirty [radiological] continued on page 34
CROZET gazette
In the Garden —continued from page 19
surrounding the more subtle fertile flowers in the center. There are dozens of cultivars with slight variations in flower color, and this brings us to the most commonly asked question about hydrangeas: How do I change the flower color from pink to blue, or vice-versa? Flower color in this type of hydrangea depends on the availability of aluminum in the soil. To go from pink flowers to blue—the easier switch—you need to increase the aluminum in the soil, generally by adding aluminum sulfate or using a fertilizer with a content of around 25-5-30. Ideally, your soil pH should be in the 5.2 to 5.5 range. Switching from blue to pink flowers is not as easy and is generally best accomplished in a container. Add dolomitic lime and shoot for a pH of 6.0 to 6.2, or use a fertilizer with a 25-10-10 analysis. The best solution? Be happy with what you get. If you buy a plant with pink flowers at the nursery, remember that it is likely to change to blue when you plant it in Albemarle County. Occasionally the macrophylla hydrangeas will fail to bloom, generally meaning one of two things. Exceptionally cold weather may have killed the flower buds over the winter; this is unlikely in our climate. Or an over-zealous gardener pruned the shrub in late summer, fall or early spring and cut off the flower buds. If you do feel compelled to prune these shrubs, do so after they have flowered. Breeders have attempted to combat these issues with remontant, or reblooming, hydrangeas; these also flower on the new wood of the season. The most widely hyped cultivar of the rebloomers is the Endless Summer
APRIL 2012 series. Unfortunately, they often don’t live up to their marketing promises. One reviewer referred to them as Endless Disappointment! There are some hydrangeas where pruning mistakes and flower color are not much of an issue. Hydrangea paniculata, or Panicle Hydrangea, is an old-fashioned shrub you can picture in front of Grandma’s house. This is the largest of the hydrangeas that we can grow, typically 10 to 15 feet. It can be trained into a tree form, but more naturally grows as a multi-stemmed shrub. Regardless of soil type, flowers are white, although they do turn somewhat pinkish as they fade. One cultivar, ‘Limelight’, is promoted for its lime-green flowers, but reports from the South indicate they are essentially white. Caveat emptor. Most Panicle Hydrangeas are mid- to late-summer bloomers, so can generally be pruned in the winter or spring without losing the flowers. One notable exception is the cultivar ‘Praecox’. It flowers earlier, on old wood, so avoid spring pruning. With its large size, Panicle Hydrangea can look somewhat gaunt and out of place in the middle of your lawn. Better to mix it in with other shrubs or put it by the corner of your Victorian house. Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) is oddly named, considering there is nothing tree-like about it. Instead, it is a suckering shrub, ranging from 3 to 10 feet tall, but usually on the lower end of that spectrum. It is the only hydrangea native to Virginia, generally found on cool, moist north-facing slopes. If you’re bothered by the dreaded “brown sticks” in the winter, Smooth Hydrangea can be whacked to the ground in the fall and will flower next summer on the new growth. Wild plants have lacecap inflorescences, but most culti-
vars, including the very popular ‘Annabelles’, sport mophead or snowball flower clusters. Flowers are generally white, fading to limegreen with age, but the recently introduced Invincibelle Spirit is pink. A portion of sales’ proceeds go to breast cancer research. Another native is Oakleaf Hydrangea (H. quercifolia); although indigenous only to the deep south, it does fine up to Zone 5. Large clusters of white flowers appear in late spring, fade to pink and remain as attractive brown “dried arrangements”. Even without flowers, the oakleaf would be an attractive plant. Flaky, cinnamoncolored stems show throughout the year. In early spring the unfolding leaves are a silvery gray-green. In fall, the leathery leaves turn red, then go to burgundy; some may even persist through the winter in mild years. Several dozen oakleaf cultivars are available, differing primarily in size and shape of the flower cluster. A neglected hydrangea is the climbing vine, H. anomala, formerly known as H. petiolaris. Climbing hydrangea will cling to trees and structures, and as it matures horizontal branches will develop, giving the effect of an aerial shrub. The delicate white flowers show well against the clean, deep green foliage, and in winter the flaky bark of the “trunk” is attractive. Most hydrangeas share similar cultural requirements: even moisture in a rich organic soil and partial shade, especially in the afternoon. Panicle hydrangea is tougher than the others, able to take a good deal of sun and drier soils. One more try at alliteration. “Holy Hydrangeas, Plantman!” Groan…
27
Gazette Vet —continued from page 18
she just scratching herself all day long? If so (and if you are using proper flea prevention!), she probably has allergies. t %PHT XIP IBWF TDBCT SBTIFT PS hair loss. These often occur over their back, under their bellies, and on the insides of their legs. These are usually a result of hair follicle infections secondary to the allergies. t %PHT XIP IBWF TLJO UIBU IBT become darkly pigmented, thickened, and smelly. This is usually the result of yeast infection on the skin, a result of allergies. Usually it is most prominent on their bellies and feet. t %PHT XJUI iIPU TQPUT w DJSDVMBS areas of raw, moist, skin infection. These are usually around their cheeks and head and are very sensitive. t $BUT XJUI TNBMM TDBCT BOE TPSFT over their head and neck. These are rarely fight wounds or bug bites, and more likely to be hair follicle infections that have scabbed over. t $BUT XIP BSF MJDLJOH UIF IBJS Pê their belly or sides. These cats are itchy and obsessive-compulsive. Allergies are rarely easy. I probably spend more time with client education about allergies than any other disease. This is because we will rarely cure their allergies, much like I’ll probably always have ragweed allergies. It becomes important to understand these allergies and your pet’s particular allergy pattern in an effort to best manage them over time. Some pets are managed with regular bathing and antihistamines. Bathing is probably the most underutilized tool—I recommend bathing itchy dogs on a weekly basis if possible, it makes a huge difference! continued on page 33
28
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
The Western Beat Reports from Western Albemarle High School Parent Portal: WAHS Initiates New GradeTracking Program by Sophie Webb January 25 was the beginning of the end for the age of paper grades, report cards, and F’s artfully edited into B’s at Western. Albemarle County Public Schools enabled parental access to Parent Portal, an application that allows parents to track students’ attendance and grades online. It had been implemented in Charlottesville City Schools, and other schools across the country, with varying degrees of success. “Like with anything else,” Assistant Principal Tim Driver explained, “there is a learning curve. That’s why WAHS chose to implement it slowly.” In the first semester of this year, only teachers had access to PowerSchool, the application that Parent Portal runs through. In January parents arrived at school to collect their personal key codes, and students engaged in intense discussions over the ethics and the effects of Parent Portal. There were mixed reactions. While a few chafed at the invasion of their privacy, others simply became paranoid over what their parents would now have access to. Others tried to view it as a personal motivator of sorts. Freshman Cara Leigh Crayton said, “I think it’s a very good thing because…you’re not really hiding anything and [your] parents can help you if they know you’re in trouble.” Senior Jessica DePaul disagreed. “I think it’s our grades and we should be able to trust that our grades are kept private. Parents already see…interims and report cards.” The application puts some new pressures on teachers. Although Carol Stutzman, an honors chemistry teacher, thinks “it’s really easy to use,” it still requires teachers to input many grades in a short amount of time. According to Driver, an understanding needs to be established between parents and teachers. “If there’s a more difficult, critical thinking test, and you take it on Thursday, it’s not gonna be graded by Thursday night.”
Recently engaged?
Just married? Share your celebration in the Crozet Gazette.
WEDDINGS, ENGAGEMENTS, BIRTHS, ANNIVERSARIES, & SPECIAL BIRTHDAY ANNOUNCEMENTS $25 (SMALL) OR $45 (LARGE)
Questions? Call 434-249-4211
Stutzman submits grades quickly by entering them directly into Parent Portal. She said that she only uses a paper gradebook for classroom checks, and overall she liked the system and thought it was easy to use. In the next few years, she would like to see the implementation of a Student Portal. At the last school she taught at, Fluvanna, they have had both Student and Parent Portals for the last two years. At Western, she said, “there is less of a push for open access then I thought there would be.” Stutzman thought this access would be beneficial to students. “At Fluvanna, it definitely made students more responsible for grades. The best thing is that they had access to their grades quickly.”
Ace Team Takes Home the Bronze by Josh Epstein With one question remaining and the score tied against the reigning state champions, Christiansburg High School, Western Albemarle’s senior captain Josh Mandell buzzed in and correctly identified the tallest mountain in California (Mt. Whitney) to secure the Western ACE Academic team a third-place finish at the Virginia
state tournament. Although the team lost in the next round to the eventual champions, Roanoke’s Cave Spring High School, their third place finish marked a fitting end to the team’s successful and historic season. Earlier in the season, the team won its first district title in school history. After winning easy matches in the first two rounds of the regional tournament, the team lost its third match to Loudoun County’s Woodgrove High School and faced elimination. However, the team rallied to an impressive win over rival Charlottesville High School and in the final round, the team defeated Wood Grove in two consecutive matches to take the regional title. Two weeks later the team traveled to the College of William and Mary to compete in the state tournament. The team started off with an easy win over E.C. Glass from Lynchburg and followed with its exciting victory over reigning state champions, Christiansburg High School. Western Albemarle was forced out of the doubleelimination tournament when they lost a rematch with Christiansburg, finishing in third place overall. The tournament marked the final matches for the team’s graduating seniors, Josh Mandell, Connor Swank, and Michael Patashnik. All three have been key players over the past four years, Patashnik as the team’s math expert, and Mandell, team captain, was arguably the highest scorer in the Jefferson District over the past four years. “Being on ACE Team has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my time at WAHS,” said Mandell. “It made me a better student and a more curious person.”
JV Baseball Gets Win Over Albemarle by David Wagner david@crozetgazette.com The Western Albemarle JV baseball team won two out of three games to end March, evening their record at 5-5 for the season. They got a big win against the Patriots and then lost to Spotswood (whom they had beaten in a previous matchup) before capping the week off with a 6-2 victory over Covenant. In the Covenant win, Scott Fox pitched a really nice game, getting the win, while freshman Harrison Lund led the way on offense with two doubles and a triple. The Spotswood loss was all about pitching and it just wasn’t the Warriors’ day. After winning 5-2 against the Trailblazers earlier in the season, the Warriors lost the rematch, falling victim to the 10-run rule. The win over Albemarle was a total team effort. Scott Fox again contributed both offensively and defensively. He was 2 for 4 at the plate with an RBI double in the first inning and scored a run in the second after reaching on an error. Fox’s big play, though, came at the end of the game. The Warriors led 7-6 in the top of the seventh with runners on second and third. The Albemarle batter ripped a line drive down the third base line right at Fox, who caught the ball and tagged the runner out as he was diving back into the bag for
a game-ending double play. Tanner Morris got the win on the mound for the Warriors, pitching three solid shutout innings to start the game before giving way to the bullpen in the fifth inning. The Patriots tallied all six of their runs in the fourth inning behind opportunistic base running and a few Western miscues. The Warriors let a couple of chances for outs get away and allowed Albemarle to score the six runs. Turning those opportunities into outs would’ve held the Patriots to only one run in the inning, but that’s baseball. Western held on as Fox made the big play to end the game. Eighth grader Chris Hughes pitched two shutout innings in relief to help the cause and the Warriors had a six run inning of their own in the bottom of the second with Caleb Handley, Tyler Mahone, Chris Hughes, Tanner Morris, Cabe-Rody Ramazani and Scott Fox all scoring runs as the Warriors sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame. Some other contributors early in the season have been eighth grader Sam Carey (starting pitcher), sophomore Jonathan Dance out of the bullpen and freshman Ramazani, who has stepped up as a real team leader. Head Coach Buddy Clark says this year’s squad has a lot of character and they never give up. They have had several come-from-behind wins. They will start district play next week as they travel to CHS.
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
29
Warrior Sports News Redmond Takes Over as WAHS Football Coach
Ed Redmond
Ed Redmond, the head football coach at Ithaca High School in Ithaca, New York, for the last four years, is the new head coach at Western Albemarle High School, WAHS athletic director Steve Heon announced March 30. Heon said Redmond was chosen after “a very extensive search and from a capable pool.” He takes over from Ed Pearce, who coached the team for five years and resigned with a 33-22 record. Redmond said the job is “a dream come true for him.” His son was formerly an assistant in the University of Virginia’s football weight training program and the family got acquainted with central Virginia on many visits to the area. “We’ve always loved Virginia,” said Redmond. “We are going to challenge ourselves,” he said. “The program has a tremendous foundation for success. Our goal is to pursue a state championship. “As far as a good place to coach, everything is in place. You have a great administration, a solid school community, excellent facilities and outstanding kids. “There a lot of talent here. I’ve watched them on film. We have tremendous athletes.”
Redmond said WAHS principal Dave Francis is working on finding a position for him in the school as well. “The plan is to be in the building and part of the school community and helping kids develop academically. The school has the same ideals as I have. “I believe that kids should carry themselves on and off the field with class. Our program is going to be classy. I believe in hard work. There is no shortcut to success. Discipline is a big part of the program. We want to do things correctly. We want the kids to be better people.” Redmond said he would focus first on offensive line play and getting players into the weight room. “Our defense needs to get better. I’m all about the ‘no quit’ mentality.” Redmond says he comes from a run-oriented conference but he sees Western as more pass-oriented. “You don’t want to be predictable. Football should be a simple game. Block and tackle. “It looks now like we are going to be throwing the football, but we’re not going to chuck it. We want to spread them out and take advantage of what’s there.” Redmond met with the team continued on page 30
Hamer & Hamer is proud to support
Join us to celebrate and honor children from the Charlottesville area who have been affected by children’s cancer. Please, help us raise funds for children’s cancer research so that one day every child with cancer will be guaranteed a cure!
Join our team or create a team for the CureSearch Walk on April 28, 2012. Register today and support children’s cancer research!
www.curesearchwalk.org
Hamer Hamer
DDS
Orthodontics
434-296-0188
cvillebraces.com
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
30
Bravo, Guys & Dolls !
Now enrolling for Summer! Spaces are limited. Come check out our sprinkler play area! Charlottesville’s Early Childhood Leader Since 1984
434-823-7129
Offering exceptional and affordable assisted living in the heart of Crozet t t t t
Managed by JABA Skilled staff on-site 24/7 Home-style meals, featuring local foods Reasonably priced, homey rooms with views
www.jabacares.org t 434-823-4307
Photo by Kim Wilder
Love was in the air as (front row, left to right) Walker Spradlin as Nicely-Nicely, Anna Webster as Sarah, Ian Grimshaw as Sky, Gabriel Zak as Nathan, and Paige Rammelkamp as Adelaide lead the fabulous finale of Guys and Dolls at Western Albemarle High
$PBDI 3FENPOE —continued from page 29
later in the day and said he wanted to set out goals and “speak to my philosophy. I’m a kid coach. I’ll do anything for kids. There’s nothing like being a high school coach. You can really mold kids at that age.” He is impressed that Western has a turf field. “It’s outstanding. It leads to a spread attack and a faster game. Putting in a turf field shows support for the athletics program.” Redmond said he has a “strong
Crozet
www.greatvalu.com
Where respect for YOU is ALWAYS in stock
Come Check Out Our Expanded Selection of 03("/*$ Produce!
School March 9-11. A cast, crew, and orchestra of 75 students, directed by Caitlin Pitts with music direction by Joel Hartshorn and vocal coaching by Eric Betthauser, mounted the spectacular production. Kudos!
network with college coaches. I have a leg up on recruiting.” He said the decision to come to western Albemarle “is a family move. It’s not just about football. This is where we want to be.” Redmond played for Courtland State University in New York and began his coaching career at Candor High School in New York in 1982. He returned to Courtland to coach the offensive line for two years and then signed on at Lansing High School, where he coached for 18 years. He has been at Ithaca High School since 2008.
Various l ettuces kale garlic red & sw e onions et potatoes carrots celery he apples arts oranges
Follow us on Facebook for news & specials!
5)3&& /05$) % 30"% t $30;&5 t 8&45&3/ "-#&."3-& 4 -0$"- (30$&3: 4503& 4*/$&
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
31
Crozet
Weather almanac
under the roof
MARCH 2012
By Heidi Sonen & Roscoe Shaw | weather@crozetgazette.com
Fourth Warmest Ever
slipcovers for spring! www.undertheroof.com
March finished as the fourth warmest ever when compared to the normal. We finished an astonishing 9.4 degrees above average. We have 1278 months’ worth of temperature data for this area (106 years) and only three months had a warmer anomaly. March of 1945 was 13 degrees above the normal. January 1932 and January 1950 were also more extreme than this month. Another way to put it is that last month was normal March weather for Montgomery, Alabama. You would think that a month so warm would be snowless, but that’s not the case. Four inches of snow snarled the morning rush hour on March 5 before melting in the afternoon. Don’t jump to conclusions about what this means for our future. Remember that we had three straight colder than normal winters and snow fell last October 28. The trend reversed and winter was
remarkably mild. So what happened back in 1945 after that wickedly warm March that was even warmer than this year? World War II ended that summer and returning soldiers were treated to slightly cooler than normal temperatures. Actually, central Virginia has been quite cool overall the past few years. 2009 was well below normal and almost rivaled the coldest on record here from the late 1970’s. In that regard, a warm up was due. Whatever lies ahead, it will almost certainly be nice, since most folks list April and May as the nicest time of year here. A normal April for us is almost exactly the same temperature as our record March. Have fun mowing grass! March Rain Totals: Afton Summit 4.08” UVA 4.06” Crozet 3.50” White Hall 3.20” Waynesboro 3.21” Charlottesville Airport 1.96”
406 west main street downtown waynesboro 540-949-5044 . tues-sat 10-6
Limited time offer!
FREE 10 YEAR
parts & labor WARRANTY On Replacement Systems
CALL 434-823-4622 TODAY! Now Offering Duct Cleaning
Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. www.fardowners.com
5773 The Square | Crozet, VA | 434-823-1300
24 HOUR ANSWERING SERVICE “Where Quality Counts”
Serving Crozet & Surrounding Areas Since 1980
32
Alexander Salomon, MD, Joins UVA
APRIL 2012
CROZET gazette
Lebanon Presbyterian Sets Out to Plant a New Church in Old Trail
Dr. Salomon brings to the community his extensive experience in caring for those with diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. He also specializes in addressing the unique needs of geriatric patients. Dr. Salomon attended medical school and completed residency training at Georgetown University and worked in private practice for 12 years before joining UVA. Same day appointments available 434.243.0700 (office hours include Thursday evenings 5 to 7 p.m.) Pastor Dr. Don Hardman
UVA Family Medicine, Internal Medicine & Specialty Care - Crozet Suite 103, 375 Four Leaf Lane (250 West) Crozet, VA
Physical Therapy & Wellness Center
" $ ) % $ ) " ( $ ) " $ % & " ) " $$ #& )
When gardening hurts . . .
Physical Therapy can help!
Lebanon Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Greenwood will purchase a 1.5 acre lot diagonally opposite from the clock tower in Old Trail Village. It intends to build a community hall on it that will serve as a temporary location for services while part of its congregation splits off and grows the first church in the development. A church situated on the circle will follow in time. Dr. Don Hardman, the pastor at Lebanon for the last 10 years, said, “It’s a God thing to get this lot in Old Trail. It’s not something I expected or looked for. We get everything from the traffic circle back to the woods.� Hardman said the sale will close as soon as the county finishes making a legal description of the parcel. Hardman said the church has been growing in recent years as new arrivals to the area have started attending the venerable Greenwood church, which was established in 1747 by descendants of Scotland’s
illustrious Wallace family who in the 1730s settled at a farm nearby that they named Piedmont. “We have a lot of new people here,� Hardman said. “We are growing with people from Wintergreen, Waynesboro and Crozet. We’ve prospered in that. And we were looking for relief. It’s backwards from the way you normally plant a church. Life Journey [see the Gazette’s Dec. 2011 issue] is what we call a parachute drop. They come in and develop a church and then they get a building. We have the site first. We voted last summer to buy the lot, to do the whole enchilada. These folks are not rich, but they are doing a splendid job [of supporting the mission.] “But we have a place. When you have a location you are for real. It’s going to happen. God knew that two years ago. So it’s not backwards. “We’re raising money. We have some money put away. The Lord continued on page 37
Call now to schedule your spring PT Tune-up! ''' !$! %# $
Lebanon Evangelical Presbyterian Church on Route 250 in Greenwood.
CROZET gazette
*OUFSDIBOHF —continued from page 14
“I agree,” said Jack Jouett District commissioner Mac Lafferty. “I was stunned to see Crozet included. We have a ratified plan. I would like to see it taken out [of consideration].” Julia Montieth, who sits on the commission as a non-voting representative of the University of Virginia, said, “I agree about the slippery slope.” She also expressed worry over traffic congestion at the exits. Rivanna District commissioner Calvin Morris shifted attention back to the Shadwell interchange. Could the east side of Rt. 250 from the interchange to the intersection with Hunter’s Way get added to the Pantops Growth Area, he wondered. The growth area now stops on the north side of Interstate 64. When public comment was opened, county spokeswoman Lee Catlin first stepped forward to say, “The reason this is here now is not staff discretion. The economic development plan’s fourth goal has proposed modification of the rural interstate interchanges. It was the direction of the board.” Next Crozet Community Advisory Council member John Savage stood to read the CCAC’s formal resolution hostile to any change in the rural zoning at the Yancey Mills interchange. Mary Rice then told the commission, “I am very opposed to any intense use of the Crozet interchange or anything opposed to the Crozet Master Plan. We have learned that we need to be as specific as possible. What is ‘low traffic’? What is ‘minimal impact’ on a historic district? We need specificity from the get-go.” Next came Jeff Werner of the Piedmont Environmental Council. The planning staff is using “hand grenade estimates,” he said. He noted that a county study of light industrial land needs done in 2007 used 500 square feet per employee as it baseline figure. “Look at what’s been approved. There’s 133 acres of planned LI south of the airport. Why is the land planned for LI not being developed? Maybe we need to change something else. Speculators think they can make more money if they develop it a different way.” A speaker addressing the Rt. 29 interchange said, “It’s a marquee intersection. Light industrial will need big, flat pads. That land is tell-
APRIL 2012 ing you that is not what it wants to be.” He said that area should have “neighborhood model development that has live, work, play” features. Morgan Butler of the Southern Environmental Law Center said, “With 675 vacant acres, there is no pressing need to go outside the growth areas. The county has excess commercially-zoned land. . . .There is no need to let commercial uses creep into rural areas.” CCAC member Mary Gallo told the commission, “We’ve done two iterations of the Crozet Master Plan. We had trust issues with the county. To rezone outside the Growth Area would be another violation of trust.” She called for the Exit 107 interchange to be taken out of consideration. Neil Williamson of the Free Enterprise Forum said, “North Fork [research park] is not price sensitive to entrepreneurs. I’m not certain that we need more LI land. We need jobs. There isn’t existing LI land that fits that economic model.” With public comment finished, Loach responded to the jobs issue. “Crozet has added commercial centers in recent years. The Lodge at Old Trail will add jobs. My point is that we’ve seen it in Crozet because we done what we were supposed to do. We’ve preserved rural areas and made the growth area a desirable place to live. Every proposal that has been consistent with the Crozet Master Plan has gone through. My concern is we are going in a direction we have not tramped before. I believe the Crozet interchange should be removed.” And he made a motion to do that. It was seconded by Lafferty. Morris asked if a review of zoning at Shadwell could be part of the motion’s instruction. Loach and Lafferty accepted that. Rio District commissioner Don Franco said, “I don’t think there’s a need for this motion. We should just direct staff.” “I support the motion,” said Randolph. He said that the Ivy and Boyd Tavern exits should also be withdraw from consideration. Loach and Lafferty accepted his amendment. At that point county Director of Planning Wayne Cilimberg went to the public microphone and said, “I think Don had a good point. Your appropriate role is to tell us how to go forward. Crozet, Ivy and Boyd Tavern should stay as they are and we should investigate Pantops/ Shadwell.”
“The public is asking this body to once again say that we don’t think the Crozet interchange needs further consideration,” said Morris. “The county has a contract with Crozet,” agreed Lafferty. “[Interchange development] keeps popping up but we keep saying that the master plan says we are not going to develop that interchange.” Franco responded, “We do not need to make a recommendation to the board.” “This interchange has been like the walking dead,” said Loach. “It keeps coming up. You shoot it. You stab it. You do everything to it. It gets back up. If you don’t cut its head off, it bites you. I think we should protect rural areas and that starts with the interchanges.” Franco asked for a show of hands among commissioners to show who supported Loach’s motion. All hands went up but Rio District commissioner Ed Smith’s. Loach withdrew his motion. “I haven’t seen any thing tonight that says we need more LI land,” said Franco, “but I’d leave it as an open question.” He said cases proposing new uses in the rural areas should be looked at individually and in detail for location and scale. “I worry about definition creep,” said Loach. “I’m concerned about making 20 year predictions,” said Dotson. “We need to track important issues frequently. We don’t have enough information to make 20-year decisions.” “The takeaway,” said Franco, “is that we probably have enough LI land for 20 years, but we’ll look at it again in five years.”
Gazette Vet —continued from page 27
Some pets need a steroid course to decrease the allergic inflammation and antimicrobials to treat the skin infections. It is hard to get allergic pets to any kind of “maintenance” plan until we’ve gotten the skin back to normal first. Allergy testing and allergy shots are also good tools, but are more expensive and take time to work. Fortunately, most pet allergies are manageable without everyone going crazy. Spending a lot of time with your veterinarian is very important here. So get out there, enjoy the spring, and call your vet if you’ve got an allergic pet.
33
34
APRIL 2012
Seasonal Romance
mind from gaiety and hope to a more wistful, subdued acceptance of reality, drawing out the word by Clover Carroll | clover@crozetgazette.com “September” like a howling wind, and ending “December” with a jarThis lilting compliments. Her eyes, too, are as ring, mood-changing chord. English madri- warm and welcoming as summer- “Polyphonic” means that several gal, written by time when she smiles at her suitors. voice parts sing different musical T h o m a s However, the next lines, each with Morley in line ushers in a April is in my mistress’ face, its own shape and 1594 based on note of chill: her And July in her eyes hath place; rhythm; madrian Italian text, bosom, on which Within her bosom is September, gals are usually deftly uses a he longs to lay his But in her heart a cold December. written for from weather meta- head, does not two to seven voice phor to convey harbor warm feelings, but rather is parts and are sung a cappella (withthe vicissitudes of the poet’s rela- likened to autumn —a cooler sea- out accompaniment). The madrigal tionship with a woman. The “mis- son by far, when flowers are dying form originated in Italy during the tress” in this case is not an intimate and leaves withering on the trees. To 14th century, spread throughout friend, but rather a woman he is his even greater chagrin, he finds Europe, and blossomed in England courting, who therefore holds that her heart, seat of her true feel- during the Renaissance, reaching its power over him as a master would ings, is as cold to him as the ice and height of popularity in the 16th over a servant. As we look around us snow of deepest winter. century. The word “madrigal” is now at Crozet and Albemarle When sung as written in fourbelieved to derive from the Latin County bedecked in blooming fruit part polyphonic harmony, many of “matricale,” meaning Mother trees, dogwoods, redbuds, daffodils, the lines and parts of lines are Tongue, because they were written lilacs, and wisteria against a back- repeated. For a real treat, I hope you in Italian vernacular, the language drop of new green, we understand will take a moment to listen to of the people (as opposed to Latin, through this comparison how “April is in My Mistress’ Face” on the language of the church). In condelightful, fresh, and glowing the YouTube, Spotify, or iTunes. trast to the dominance of religious subject’s face appears to the poet, Morley’s musical setting reflects the texts in the music of that time, who thus pays her this highest of movement of the poet’s state of madrigals were secular in nature, celebrating life, love, and earthly delights—replete with fa la la’s and te whit, te whoo’s. Luca Morenzio, Orlando di Lasso, William Byrd, and Thomas Weelkes were some of the best-known madrigal composers. It is hard for us to imagine that these complex polyphonic creations were the rock songs of their day! Thomas Morley (1558-1602) was the first great English madrigalist, and one of the best. A student of Byrd, Morley both reworked Italian madrigals into English, and set English sonnets and other poems to music he composed himself. His compositions are known for their elegance and balance, the keys to which are set forth in his textbook, A Plaine and Easie Introduction to Practicall Musicke (1597). “The astonishing flowering of the English madrigal during the next thirty years was very largely due to the skill, taste, enterprise, and discernment of this one remarkable musician,” said Thurston Dart in his Foreword to Invitation to Madrigals 2. The madrigal form is alive and well today, performed widely by groups such as the King’s Singers, sometimes by our own Zephyrus, and various college chamber choirs (including Mary Baldwin’s). Contact me if you are interested in joining our fledgling madrigal group formA page from an Elizabethan part-book that shows the bass voice of Morley’s “April is in my ing right here in Crozet! mistress’ face.” (From Invitation to Madrigals 2)
CROZET gazette
%PVHMBT
—continued from page 26
bomb. But we’ll hear about one exploding in New York City.” He said Hurt is trying to reduce the EPA’s regulation of dust because his father is trying to reopen a uranium mine in Southside and uranium dust issues are one way the mine could be regulated. “We’ve got to get Hurt out.” Douglass characterized Tea Party supporters as wanting to send unqualified people to Congress. “We need skilled people who know what they are doing.” He said “Most Tea Party people have never had to rely on the safety net.” Later he said America’s energy future lies in nuclear power and that in a hundred years the nation will be “all-electric.” “We should follow France’s lead on nuclear power.” He believes nuclear fusion will develop as a power source. He said he has been responsible for decommissioning nuclear–powered submarines and “It is not an easy job.” He did not have an answer for how to deal with accumulating tons of radioactive waste from nuclear power plants, but predicted it will have to be buried somewhere. “I’m not an expert on that,” he said. He said he expects people will someday “plug their cars in at night.” He said trucks should convert to natural gas-fueled engines. “I’m with the President that it’s time to end subsidies to oil companies. We have to get off petroleum as quick as we can.” He favors tax incentives to get farmers off the electricity grid and producing the power they need independently. He said his farm is now off the grid. “We have to have the courage to stand up and get the job done,” Douglass told the group. “We have to get out the Democratic vote and we have to get the independents who are fed up. We have to keep charity in our hearts. There is more that unites us than divides us in the Fifth District. We have to listen to the other side. I don’t want to contribute to animosity. This is the race to win in Virginia. The eyes of the country are on us.” He predicted independent voters will pick Obama over Romney. He said he had spoken at 61 events in the previous 30 days, put 60,000 miles on his car since starting his campaign and appeared on CNN three times in March.
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
CLASSIFIED ADS EXPERIENCED SEAMSTRESS with 30 years of tailoring and garment alterations experience. I work from home in Crozet (Highlands). Please call for a free consultation. Ruth Gerges: 434-823-5086. DO YOU LIKE TO SEW quilts, fashions, crafts, etc? Come share your creative interests with the Charlottesville Neighborhood Group of the Richmond Chapter of the American Sewing Guild. Saturday, April 7 from 10:30am to 12:30pm at Le Fabriques, 1895 Seminole Trail (29-N across from Lowes). For more information please call Ann 434-2968117. DREAM HOME AVAILABLE IN WESTERN RIDGE IN CROZET: 4 BR, plus office, 3 BA, 2-car enclosed garage, 2700 sq. ft. at end of quiet cul-de-sac. Includes community clubhouse, pool, fitness center, tennis court, Western Albemarle school district. Lease price $2400 per month + utilities, plus security with 2 year lease. Will consider pets with additional security deposit. Will consider lease to purchase option. Serious enquiries only please—Call Phillip at 843-714-4111, or email ptsrintl@gmail.com. EARN FREE GROCERIES! Horse & Buggy Produce needs Crozet delivery person. Drive your car, deliver fresh, local produce to subscriber’s homes, earn FREE PRODUCE. 2-3 hours/ week. Email office@horseandbuggyproduce.com or call 434293-3832. FEMALE HOUSEMATE WANTED 2 rooms & private full bath avail. in large house near Crozet center. Share w/professional female & dog: large porch and yard. No pets. $600+Utils. 617-429-9737. FOR SALE: DBL Wide in Beaver Hill Village must be 55+ yrs, 2 BDRs, w/walk-in closets, 2 full baths, all appliances included, gas fireplace, bright and open feel, beautiful view of pond, excellent cond. call 434-8824002.
GET IN THE BEST SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE: Boot Camp for REAL People is a fun outdoor fitness class for all ages and abilities held at Crozet Park. Classes are ongoing on M/W/F at 6am. Looking for a smaller class and more accountability? Reserve your spot for the next 6 week session of RESULTS DRIVEN Boot Camp starting May 1 at 9:15 on T/Th. For more information visit www.m2personaltraining.com or call Melissa Miller at 434-962-2311.
A Spring Puzzle
35
by claudia crozet
HOUSE FOR SALE Country Setting in Crozet: 4BR, 2.5 BA Cape Cod with 2-car garage and full basement. Features include skylights, hardwood floors, brick fireplace. Large patio surrounded by extensive landscaping and a water garden. 434-466-4634. HOUSE FOR RENT IN CROZET. Four Bedrooms. Two baths. Full basement, screened porch, fireplace, hardwood floors. Air-conditioned, recently painted, large private yard. Close to downtown on pleasant street. $1,275/ mo. Call 823-4723 or 434-5315001. LOOKING FOR OUR DREAM HOME in Crozet. Want to buy 2500 sq ft or larger home, 4BR, 3BA. One acre or larger in Western Albamarle school district. Price range $250400K. Licensed in VA. 281.636.6278. Send pics to bevinsgirls@aol.com. NOW HIRING: Administrative Assistant/Assistant Property Manager. Locally owned/operated Property Management firm hiring administrative assistant/ assistant property manager – qualified candidates must be selfmotivated and possess strong organizational and customer service skills, Submit a cover letter and resume via email to ben@ realpropertyinc.com. No phone calls please. YARD SALE Foxchase Neighborhood Multi Family Yard Sale: Quality Items at Yard Sale Prices. Saturday, April 14 8 am -12 noon. 250 West just east of Blue Ridge Builders Supply.
Solution on page 38
49 Sweet lozenge (var.) 21 Nicholas and Peter 51 La preceders (var.) 1 It has runners 53 Cockpit reading: 24 Empty weight 5 Brunswick or beef Abbr. 26 Overtime cause 9 Passover or Easter 54 Exchange 27 Alphabetic quartet entree 56 Tolkien creatures 28 Jason’s vessel 13 Love of the vine 58 Thai neighbor 29 FDA, FAA, FTC, 16 Girl friend for Pierre 60 Fearer of wind EPA, etc. 17 Boswell to Johnson 64 Rochester’s beloved 31 Quiet partner 18 Stubborn equine 65 Worcestershire or A-1 34 Antique 19 Join the Gators 66 CEO aide 35 Hair product 20 Monogram ltr. 67 Sword feat? 36 Father of Uncle 22 Calendar short form 68 Acts like a rug Sam, foe of Boss 23 Hops kiln Tweed 25 A moveable feast DOWN 37 Fix a female 27 Rebound 39 Contains (with up) 30 This mo. 1 Weep violently 40 Place in congress 32 Prepare to fire 2 Island garland 43 ___ Alamos 33 ____ Scott Decision 3 Son of Seth 45 Easter mystery 34 Bauxite 4 Festival blossom 47 Factories 35 Colors of spring 5 Phonies 48 Field covers 38 Hunted on Easter 6 Extra for service 49 Acts the part 39 Makes happy 7 K-12 50 When ___ young… 41 Short shut-eye 8 Tweeting congressman 52 Crowlike 42 Besmirched 9 Flight from the law 53 Iacta ____ est 44 Cartoon frame 10 Fun stuff 55 Perform KP task 45 Anagram for what 11 In C’ville it’s a 10 57 Hog call spelling? is prologue 12 Horn honk 59 Prepare for a spike 46 Actor Chaney 14 King of Troy 61 Hungry baby’s cry? 47 Shooter ammo 15 What the fat 62 Ages ago (abbr.) 48 Yummy lady sings 63 Rather wide shoes ACROSS
facebook.com/crozetgazette
36
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012 ALL ENGINES POSSIBLE SMALL ENGINE REPAIR MARK PUGH
Crozet Readers’ Rankings Last month’s best sellers at Over the Moon Bookstore, with a few recommendations for this month from the experts there
Quality work 434.823.8392 434.953.7931
cell www.allenginespossible.com
MARCH BEST SELLERS
The Weird Sisters Eleanor Brown
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
The Uncoupling Meg Wolitzer
Bless Me Ultima
Rudolfo A. Anaya
Clash of Kings
George R. R. Martin
FITZGERALD
The Tragedy of Arthur
S E R V I C E S
Arthur Phillips
The Women Jefferson Loved
Mitch Fitzgerald, Owner Landscape/Mechanical Background
Virginia Scharff
The History of the World According to Facebook Wylie Overstreet
The Highland Witch
540-456-8334 OR 434-960-8994
Susan Fletcher
School of Essential Ingredients Erica Bauermeister
Turn Right at Machu Pichu Mark Adams
A Discovery of Witches Deborah Harkness
Da Vinci’s Ghost Toby Lester
Breakfast With Buddha Roland Merullo
Man Who Quit Money
General Family Dentistry * #$ * !$ % % $%#) * % * ' $ $ * " % % $%#) * ! # &#) $
Mark Sundeen
* %$ * !!% $ * "$ #!( $ # $ * %&# $ #% %&# $ * ( % %$ !
APRIL RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommended by Anne:
Serving the Crozet & Western Albemarle Community Since 1975 ! ) &#$ )
1191 Crozet Avenue, Crozet
434-823-4080
Wayland Orchard Affordability in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Reserve a room for your out-of-town guests! "
Bed & Breakfast
!
Just past Mint Springs Valley Park in Crozet
Adult: Some Assembly Required by Anne Lamott Children: I’m Fast! by Kate and Jim McMullan
Recommended by Elizabeth: Adult: The Healing by Jonathan Odell YA: Monstruomologist 3: Isle of Blood
OTM Book Club Meeting
The Uncoupling CZ .FH 8PMJU[FS ɧVSTEBZ "QSJM Q N
CROZET gazette
Solution to this month’s puzzle: S
E
I
E
C
A U
S
E
B
H O
E M O P
A N
S
C
O R
S W A
T
S
S
S
E
R
Y
S
A O
L
T
L
A
P
T
I
S
A
O N
L
D
E
F O U
L
P
E
L
G G
Y
L A
S
K
E A
T
S
R A
T
L
Y
T
S
A
T
E A
P
A
S
T
P
P
N A
S
N
R O M
C A
L
E
E
A S
E
E
G R
E
M
I
A
R
E
T
C E
O R
D
E
D R
P
L S
P R
A
37
BEREAVEMENTS Sterling H. Armstead, 69 Anna Dimasi Surace, 95 Vernon Rogers Dunn Sr., 88 Mattie Braxton Barbour, — Ila White, 81 Wallace Jones Kirtley Jr., 95 Charles F. Witt Jr., 76 Betty Coffey Huffman, 65 Purnell H. Westbrook Jr., 69 Janice Beddow Bailey, 79 Steven Wendell Evans, 28 Phyllis Brown Mawyer, 87 Andrew Joseph Arave, 54 Dorothy Dean Hill, 88 Brenda Lee Davis Gentry, 43 Laura Carrol Evans, 46 Willie W. Boyd Jr., 91 Jacob Harry Hamilton, 23 Linda Lou Morris, 61 Kathleen Marie Powers, 56 Donna Brown Highlander, 55 Linda K. Layne, 51 Theodore Morris, 79 Walter Massey Jarman, 93 James Louis Conner, 53 Lillian Grace Davis, 88 Minnie Bell Shifflett, 62 Katherine Frazier Stevens, 84 Hans Dieter Braun, 80 Alice Frances Clarke Taylor, 91 Samuel Garrison, 77 Dale W. Horton, 88 Lloyd Benton Mize Jr., 81 Elizabeth Long McDonald, 58 Orra Lee Pace, 84 Lyddane Mays White, 49
February 23, 2012 February 23, 2012 February 27, 2012 February 29, 2012 February 29, 2012 March 1, 2012 March 2, 2012 March 3, 2012 March 3, 2012 March 4, 2012 March 6, 2012 March 7, 2012 March 8, 2012 March 8, 2012 March 9, 2012 March 11, 2012 March 12, 2012 March 12, 2012 March 12, 2012 March 13, 2012 March 14, 2012 March 14, 2012 March 14, 2012 March 15, 2012 March 16, 2012 March 16, 2012 March 16, 2012 March 16, 2012 March 18, 2012 March 18, 2012 March 19, 2012 March 21, 2012 March 26, 2012 March 27, 2012 March 27, 2012 March 28, 2012
Anderson Funeral Services Inc. Serving Western Albemarle Families Since 1967 Robert S. Anderson & John W. Anderson, Jr., D I R E C T O R S
S
A
E
T
T
I
N
S
O A
P
E
S
M
I
E
L
M U
R
H E
P
A
O G R
I
E
I
A M
A
I
L
I
H
N O P
O E
E W
T
S
D
823-5002
S W B S
L
E
I
L
A M B
blesses us. This is a very generous church in that way.” Lebanon has also supported a new church in Argentina and two new churches in Kenya. It is very hard to build on to the present church, Hardman explained, because the county regards it as “non-conforming” with surrounding zoning. This means they require it to have deeper setbacks from neighbors and that leaves little room for a larger septic field or building additions. The church was last expanded in the early 1960s when a front vestibule and rear office and classroom wing were added. The tentative plan for the first building in Old Trail shows it at 120 feet by 75 feet and having two floors, a basement grade and the upper floor large enough to house a full basketball court. That space will have sliding partitions that will allow the space to be divided into thirds. The floor will be one that games can be played on and is safe for street shoes. The building will also have a kitchen, classrooms and an elevator. “We want it finished inside. Not with an exposed ceiling. “I envision that congregation will be in the building for a while. It’s designed to be a multipurpose building, a place to play games and host birthday parties,” said Hardman. “It’s going to end up being a church for the community even for the people who don’t go there.” Current sketches show the building would have 58 parking spaces. Hardman said that because the church would need parking mostly on Sunday it expects nearby commercial areas to have available spaces. Hardman said the church has proposals from a dozen architects and is reviewing them to decide whom to interview to make the final design. The exterior will “fit in with” Old Trail, Hardman said. “It will be brick.” It will also have to pass Architectural Review Board scrutiny. “I expect it will take five years to complete the building. That gives us time to develop the congregation. “This congregation is trying to resource another group of people for their community,” explained Hardman. “It’s bold. It’s sort of crazy. It’s crazy love.”
E
—continued from page 32
He said that Lebanon presently has about 100 registered members—there are 120 worshippers on a typical Sunday—and he expects 30 to 40 to become the nucleus of the new church. Lebanon members have formed small groups that meet now in Old Trail and Highlands. Another is expected to organize in Liberty Hall. He sees youth programming as benefitting from the new location. Hardman said the church is also interviewing to hire a “planting pastor.” That’s someone who has all the qualifications to be a pastor plus the other “extra talents” it takes to midwife a church. They have a candidate they like who should be available by summer. “We’re not rushing it.” “I see my role as maintaining this church, the ‘sending body,’ and to help the new pastor.” said Hardman. Before undertaking the project both he and the church board made promises to persevere and not back out on each other. He said no name has been given to the new church. “We call it the Crozet ministry. It’s for Crozet, not just Old Trail. We’re looking for something to call it. It seems a little presumptive to name it yet.” Aware that Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville is also looking to start a mission in Crozet, Hardman said, “I don’t think of Trinity as competition. My call is to follow God’s leading and not get distracted by what’s going on on the left and right. These paths could converge in one church. I don’t know where God is going. But I know He’s going. I’m not doing this for me. For me, the reward is in being obedient. “When a congregation digs down and really sacrificially gives, the rewards that come back, the blessings, are always greater.”
A
Lebanon
APRIL 2012
5888 St. George Avenue Crozet, VA 22932
38
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
CARPENTRY & LANDSCAPE WORK
Crozet’s Favorite Flicks
Class “A� Contractor Looking for Small Projects UVa Architecture Graduate Specializing in: Stonework, dry-laid or mortared Hardscape, including brick paths Small Additions or Remodeling Planting, Maintenance, and Drip Irrigation Systems
General Contractor (434) 823-9009 pgrady@nexet.net NEW WEB SITE:
OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE
References Available
PAUL GRADY
VERSATILECONTRACTOR.COM
NOW
PEN
O
AYS!
SUND
PLUMBING REPAIRS, ADDITIONS & REMODELING WATER HEATER INSTALLATION & REPAIR GAS LINE INSTALLATION, AND MORE!
Monday – Saturday 10 –5; Sunday 12 – 4 *WZ 3PBE t $IBSMPUUFTWJMMF 7"
XXX QBUJOBBOUJRVFTFUD DPN t
Here’s what’s popular at Maupin’s Music and Video with a few recommendations for this month from the experts there.
Top Rentals in March The Descendants
(Drama with George Clooney)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
(Thriller with Daniel Craig)
Melancholia
(Sci Fi with Kirsten Dunst)
Jack and Jill
(Comedy starring Adam Sandler)
My Week With Marilyn
(Drama with Michelle Williams)
The Sitter
(Comedy with Jonah Hill)
for sale:
434-823-2291
Two Building Lots in Crozet On Blue Ridge Avenue, one block west of downtown. Zoned R-6; each lot can be configured for two units (such as garage apartments) Public water & sewer adjoining .255 acre for $58,000 | .395 acre for $86,000
The Muppets
(Family with Jason Segal)
Happy Feet Two
(Family with Brad Pitt)
Immortals
(War/Epic with Mickey Rourke)
April picks PETE’S PICKS Melancholia (new) The Full Monty
RICK’S PICKS The Descendants (new) Shall We Dance?
EVAN’S PICKS
Give the Gift of Hometown News! Send them a subscription to the Gazette! Send a check to:
The Crozet Gazette, P.O. Box 863, Crozet, VA, 22932 $25/year for 12 issues. For more info: (434) 249-4211
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (US Version) (new) The Parking Lot Movie MAUPIN’S MUSIC & VIDEO ď™ˆď™Šď™Œď™‰ Tď?¨ď?˛ď?Ľď?Ľ Nď?Żď?´ď?Łď?¨â€™ď?¤ Rď?Żď?Ąď?¤ --
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2012
39
Piedmont Baptist Celebrates Resurrection from Fire Damage Piedmont Baptist Church in Yancey Mills has risen from the flames that ruined its interior on November 19, 2010, and the congregation showed off its new sanctuary with a grand reopening March 18. Ron Washington, chair of the church’s trustees, said the church expected 300 visitors for the day. “Everything was gutted out,” he said. “Everything is new.” Three handcrafted pieces with special meaning to the congregation, such as an altar table built by a church member, were restored. “They were treasures we had to have,” he said. “The church has steadily grown and we hope everyone will come and take a look at what we have,” said Washington. The traditionally black church formed in 1870, soon after the Civil War, near the present location of Maupin’s Fruit Stand on Rt. 250. In 1900 it moved to a building near its present site and in 1955 the present church went up as a cinderblock structure. It was veneered with brick in the 1970s. “They said this fire would have taken an average church out,” Washington said. “The church didn’t buckle up. It withstood the fire.” It was the second time the church has survived a fire. “It’s beautiful,” said visitors admiringly as they passed the new padded pews, ten rows of them, on carpeted aisles that quiet traffic over the new oak floors. The sanctuary now seats 200. Sunday attendance ranges from 75 to 150 people,
Washington said. The graveyard behind the church holds several hundred graves, he said. Joyce Colemon, a leader at Mt. Salem Gospel Church near Mechums River, came to celebrate too. Piedmont had been her home church growing up. Charlottesville pianist Art Wheeler came to play gospel songs for the occasion and a crowd of singers formed around the piano. They meant to sing and he meant to play for them. The fire burned a cross and melted an air conditioning unit. It also cracked the stained glass window that graces the street side of the church. That was also restored. What was formerly a pastor’s study off the choir area was reconfigured to house air-conditioning equipment and a men’s bathroom. The renovation also saw a new sound system installed. The church is pastored by Rev. Philip Butler, from Richmond, who has served five years. He said he turned over the task of the renovation to the trustees, some of whom have generations-long ties to the church. They knew their business best, as Rev. Butler saw things. The church was gutted in the month following the fire and the congregation returned to using it on January 3 of this year. Meanwhile it worshipped with other churches, especially Crozet Baptist Church, Hillsboro Baptist Church and Victory Hill Church of God. Offers of help came from those churches immediately after the fire,
Piedmont Baptist Church on Half Mile Branch Road in Yancey Mills.
Trustees and church leaders at Piedmont Baptist Church, from left: Zelita Washington, Anita Washington, Ernest Henderson, Carol Hill, Jackie Washington, Ruby Stradford Boston, Tina Harris, Richard Walker, Ronald Washington, Toby Walker and, sitting, Alice Hill.
Washington said. The congregation also visited other historically black churches in Brown’s Cove, North Garden and Nelson County. “It’s been a sort of blessing in terms of the fellowship we gotten that we’ve always wanted,” said Washington. That has been especially important for members of the youth choir, who got to know youth in other churches, he said. The congregation is growing with newcomers to Crozet, Washington said, and other folks who are “just drawn to Piedmont.” The church’s next project is to build a community center on the site of a crumbling old frame school house across from the church. The idea is to make it a sort of museum,
too, about the teachers and students who were there. The church bought the land and built the school there in days when they couldn’t expect help, educational or otherwise, from the county government. The first chapter of the NAACP in Albemarle County formed at Piedmont and one of its youth, Virgil Wood, later reverend, went on to work in the civil rights movement alongside Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. A special Rededication Appreciation Service has been set for April 28 at 3 p.m. “We want to show the firefighters and the construction workers our appreciation for what they did,” explained Washington.
First Lady Joanne Butler and Rev. Philip Butler
Read, discuss, & share everything you saw in this Gazette online at crozetgazette.com
crozet 10x13:Layout 1
3/22/12
12:39 PM
Page 1
The 39th Annual
Presented by:
John Paul Jones Arena friday 1-7 saturday 10-7 sunday 1-5
GREENMATTERS | FREE WORKSHOPS Friday, April 20 2-3p New Construction: What to Ask Your Builder 3:30-4:30p Home Energy Assessment 101 5-6p It’s Time to Think About the Water Saturday, April 21 11-12p Composting 12:30-1:30p Cash For Comfort: How to Pay for Energy Improvements 2-3p Reducing Your Carbon Footprint with Geothermal 3:30-4:30p New Construction: How to Save 30-50% on Energy Bills Sunday, April 22 1:30-2:30p Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Improvements 3-4p Home Energy Assessments: Get Info for Big Savings
WINE TASTING
FREE PARKING
KIDS ACTIVITIES
$5 KIDS UNDER 12 FREE
DOOR PRIZES
Builders Painters Designers Suppliers Landscapers & more... all under one roof!
TICKETS
Like us on Facebook or visit www.brhba.org