INSIDE THANK YOU, CROZET page 2 IT’S YOUR PARK page 5 GET BROADBAND page 6 MULLER HONORED page 7 WE’RE TAKING OVER page 8
MAY 2014 VOL. 8, NO. 12
CCAC Reviews Planning Report on Barnes Proposal
GOLDIE BABER page 9
JAKE KING WINS page 10 AROUND FOX MOUNTAIN page 11 CAR SHOW page 13 YOUTH ORCHESTRA page 15 NO YES OR NO page 16 SECRET INGREDIENT page 17 MAN-UP page 18 REST IS RECOVERY page 19 HOUSE SALES SLUMP page 20 TICK CHECK TIME page 22 AWESOME STATS page 23 PANAMA HOTEL page 24 BLAISE GASTON page 26 TANDEM ACROSS AMERICA page 27 ROUNDED-UP page 28 THANK YOU, MRS. P! page 31 PANTHER HERE? page 32
Architect’s rendering of the new Rutherfoord Hotel, construction of which will begin soon in Old Trail.
Rutherfoord Hotel About to Begin Construction Financing for the Rutherfoord Hotel is complete, according to hotel developer David Hilliard, also the builder of The Lodge at Old Trail, and construction should begin soon. It will be built on a site adjoining The Lodge. Hilliard said construction should take 12 to 13 months and he is expecting to open in the late spring of 2015. The final piece to the financing plan was a loan provided by Middleburg Bank. “I want to thank Middleburg Bank for believing in the hotel,” said Hilliard, “for believing in Crozet and for
believing in our local wine industry.” The four-story, 52-room hotel is designed with one eye on the wedding business at area wineries. It will have a bridal suite and a bridal porch. Its rooms range from 400 square feet, already larger than an average hotel room, up to 650 square feet. The first floor will include a bar and restaurant with a total of 45 seats. The fourth floor will feature an indoor/outdoor entertainment space with a catering kitchen. The third floor will include a meeting room that will accommodate 100.
The Crozet Community Advisory Council met with county planner Claudette Grant April 17 to discuss her report on a proposal by developer Frank Stoner to develop the Barnes Lumber property. “The county and you [the people of Crozet] are looking for primarily employment there and commercial opportunity and some residential, but not heavy residential. We have asked the developer for clarification of residential use,” said Grant. Her report found seven “big issues”: the builder’s commitment to employment; the location of a community “green” or plaza; transportation, referring, she said, to a lack of connectivity in the road plan; phasing of development; stormwater concerns; proffers that need revision; and a water and sewer capacity concern raised by the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority. “Housing would develop first,” said Grant. “We don’t want to end up with a residential development. We want an employment base.” She suggested that one way to regulate that concern would be to link concontinued on page 14
Gold Medal-Winning Starr Hill Opens New Tasting Room Crozet’s Starr Hill Brewery opened a new tasting room April 18, dramatically up-scaling its sampling venue over the noisy industrial setting that used to introduce suds-lovers to its shifting variety of beers. The new bar set-up opened just a week after Starr Hill won a gold medal in the American-Belgo-Style Ale category for its brew Whiter Shade of Pale, a white IPA, at the 2104 World Beer Cup in Denver. More than 4,750 beers from 31 countries were entered the competition. It’s the 21st medal the brewery has won in major competitions since it opened in 1999. The brewery debuted its summer seasonal Soul Shine, a Belgiancontinued on page 31
From left: Brian McNelis, Josh Cromwell and Mark Thompson
2
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
To the Editor Letters reflect the opinions of their authors and not necessarily those of the Crozet Gazette. Send letters to editor@ crozetgazette.com or P.O. Box 863, Crozet, VA 22932.
Dear Crozet Community On Saturday, April 26, a truly inspiring event took place at the Claudius Crozet Park. More than 70 volunteers participated in the 13th Comcast Cares Day, the nation’s largest single-day corporate volunteer effort, to tackle 23 separate park projects. As you can imagine, an event of this size and complexity required many hands to plan and carry out. There are many, many thank yous I wish to extend.
First and foremost, thank you to Shawn Johnson of Comcast and the entire Comcast team for picking our park as a Comcast Cares partner and helping us complete a huge list of projects. Many projects had been backlogged and would not have been possible without Comcast sponsorship. This help couldn’t have come at a better time for our wonderful 22-acre park. Thank you to all of the community volunteers who selflessly provided their time and energy. You make me proud to call Crozet my home. Thank you to the park board members who came out to “walk the talk,” showing just how wonderful our park is and that it takes REAL time and energy to keep it maintained. A special thank you to
Karl Pomeroy and Phil Best for helping me plan the event over many weeks. And then, as if that wasn’t enough, both helped with many of the preparations leading up to the event. Thank you to the incredible team from Albemarle County Parks and Recreation including Matt Smith, Jim Barbour, Dan Mahon and Tim Hughes. Thank you to Drew Holzwarth for donating his time, his trailer and especially for donating the beautiful new sign now adorning the park’s front entrance. And thank you to these fine groups who were represented: the Crozet Lions Club, Peachtree League, the Charlottesville Tree Stewards, families from both CYAC and Gators swimming, and our incredible Crozet Trails Crew. Thank you to the YMCA staff, who
even though they were planning a different event that day, came out to help us get things rolling. Thank you to Yancey Mills for donating the mulch we used all around the grounds. Thank you to Blue Ridge Builders Supply for working with me to pull together a lengthy list of materials at a very reasonable price. And thanks to John Efland for allowing us to use his power washer to prep all the fencing and the concession stand prior to painting. The park benefited from approximately 400 hours of volunteerism from the combined efforts of more than 70 volunteers; however, the community spirit we shared has immeasurable value. Thank you to everyone for your continued on page 29
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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 © 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 LOUISE DUDLEY, Editorial Assistant louise@crozetgazette.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: John Andersen, Clover Carroll, Marlene Condon, Elena Day, Phil James, Kathy Johnson, Charles Kidder, Dirk Nies, Robert Reiser, Ben Scheiner, Roscoe Shaw, Christina Shoup, Heidi Sonen, David Wagner, Denise Zito.
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.
Crozet Blue Ridge Dental and Charlottesville Oral Surgery
Saturday, May 17 • 9 am - 1 pm Dr. John Schoeb and Dr. Carlos Ibanez, both Crozet residents, and our staffs want to thank the Crozet Community for their incredible support over the years and to give back to those truly in need in our area. On Saturday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., we will be providing exams, x-rays and extractions free of charge, to those who cannot afford dental care, or just need a little help. If you know of anyone who needs these services, or for more information about Crozet Dental Day, please call our office at 823-2385.
5974 JARMANS GAP ROAD, CROZET | 434-823-2385
B e Pa r t o f t he S to ry We need more books! Our library is busier than ever, and there’s more work to be done. - Patron visits have more than doubled - Circulation averages more than 80% over last year Every item in the building has been paid for in full, thanks to the support of you and your neighbors. Yet, we still need 25,000 more books. Any donation made goes directly toward purchasing books.
It’s what’s inside that counts. Donate today at: buildcrozetlibrary.org/give
1990’s
Library use more than doubled
TEEN STUDY GROUPS Western Albemarle students take full advantage of the study rooms on a regular basis and during the library's special Exam Cram study nights.
2012
Construction begun for new Crozet Library at corner of Crozet Avenue and Library Avenue
2013
Funds successfully raised for all furnishings
2013 New Crozet/Western Albemarle Library opened in September
2014
Library use more than doubled
2014
Fundraising continues to fill library’s shelves with books
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
5
Crozet Park Gets a Manpower Boost
From left: Kelly Strickland, Brad Heilman, Caleb Strickland (rear), Devin Collier and Ellen Braun planted fence posts along the main entry to the park to facilitate the installation of temporary lattice barriers for events that require them.
More than 70 volunteers turned out at Claudius Crozet Park April 26 for Comcast Cares Day to tackle a lengthy list of fix-up projects that the park needed help with. Comcast sponsors an annual community volunteer day that it urges its employees to participate in. The volunteers included both Comcast workers and local residents who wanted to join in the push. County Parks and Rec provided a tractor and other landscaping tools, plus a load of gravel and additional volunteers. All the standing fencing at the park was painted. New fence posts were installed along the entry drive. The sections of board fencing removed along Park Road earlier in the month will be rebuilt in the next couple of weeks. Potholes in the drives were filled with gravel, trees were trimmed and landscaping was spruced up and mulched. The information kiosk and the concession stand were painted. Flooring in the shed that stores the pool dome over the summer was fixed. Waterline valves got fixed. More was accom-
plished in clearing the new dog park site. And thanks to a donation from Comcast that is based on how many volunteers show up, the park will likely recover all the expenses for materials that it needed to provide to enable the volunteers to do the jobs, said park board president Kim Guenther. Shawn Johnson, Comcast’s local director of business operations, said the company has sponsored the volunteer day for 14 years. Nationwide, about 80,000 Comcast employees participate. Projects are selected in regions and this year the company selected the park as the beneficiary. “We pick a different place every year and we’ve never picked Crozet, so this year we chose the park. We 1234567890-= know the park depends on volunqwertyuiop[]\ teers.” Comcast handed out T-shirts asdfghjkl;’ and breakfast bars to get things startedzxcvbnm,./ and brought in pizzas at lunch. “We had great weather and !@#$%^&*()__+ good turnout,” said Johnson. “It’s veryQWERYUIOP{}| possible we’ll be back in a few years.”ASDFGHJKL:’ ZXCVBNM<>?
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MAY 2014
CROZET gazette
Broadband Survey Crozet Park Master Now Available Planning Survey In an effort to determine how high-speed broadband Internet access might be extended to underserved parts of Albemarle County, county officials created a Broadband Task Force in October. The task force is trying to identify and analyze demand. A survey has been created for citizens to weigh-in on their broadband desires. It is critical that all county residents and business owners, particularly those in rural areas, participate in the survey in order to establish important baseline data. The survey is available on-line at www.wired.virginia.gov/broadband/ broadband-survey. For citizens with limited access to the Internet, a physical copy of this survey will be distributed at various locations. Additionally, citizens may check the speed of their current Internet connection by visiting www.albemarle.org/upload/images/webapps/ broadband/. The task force will be collecting and analyzing survey responses through June. A findings report with next steps will be published in July. For more information about the Broadband Task Force, visit www. albemarle.org/broadband.
Claudius Crozet Park is a 22-acre community park located in the heart of Crozet. A community-owned and operated park since its founding in 1958, the park relies heavily on a broad base of volunteers and partners from across the community. Over the next three months, the Claudius Crozet Park Board of Directors is coordinating an update to the park’s master plan. The master plan establishes the vision for the many ways community members use the park. This update will guide park development efforts over the next five years. In order to tie future park development to community needs, the board is conducting a community-wide survey. This survey should take about ten minutes of your time and your answers are anonymous. Each household member may submit a survey. Survey results will be published on the Crozet Park’s website this summer. As a community park, your insights and input are both necessary and extremely valuable. Please follow this link to take the survey: www.surveymonkey.com/s/crozet-park-survey. The survey is open until June 15.
Trager Brothers Part-time Summer Coffee Now Open Intern Wanted at Rockfish Valley Claudius Crozet Park is seeking a Community summer intern. This unpaid intern will work directly with the park Center board president and other board members (also volunteers). Responsibilities include: project coordination, planning and management; research, including market research to support event planning; and basic web site management. Requirements include significant experience or coursework that gives evidence of ability to plan and manage team-oriented projects, and clear written and verbal communication. A history of working with volunteer teams and prior involvement with park activities are both a plus. For a candidate with about 10 hours available per week, this role will build marketable skills and contribute directly to the Crozet Park. If you are interested, please send an email to: guentherkim@gmail.com.
The long anticipated opening of Trager Brothers Coffee at the Rockfish Valley Community Center was celebrated Saturday, April 26, when the doors were finally opened with a family-friendly event featuring music, wine, beer, food, and, as described by the owners, “100 percent organic brewed TBC.” The celebration at RVCC included open houses hosted by shop owners located in RVCC, and food from Claudia Gibson Catering and Ula Tortillas—local, organic corn tortillas (in the concession stand by the baseball field). Regular hours at Trager Brothers Coffee in RVCC will be Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
7
The Redbirds Are Flying High
Sitting left to right: Wynter Morris, Olivia Wagner; Kneeling: Rachel Thompson, Makailah Harmon, Gabby Scarbrough, Sarah Hicks, Hailey Johnston; Standing: Lauren Morris, Lydia Morris, Mara Woolford, Katie Scheivert, Macy Miller, Tim Thompson, Duane Morris.
The Albemarle Redbirds, Crozet’s girls travel softball team, have won three of the four tournaments they’ve played in this season. In March in Richmond, they lost to the Hanover Hornets 6-5 in the championship game in extra innings. That’s their one loss in 15 games. In Bridgewater
April 5 they beat Xplosion 11-1 to take the championship. In Charlottesville on April 19 they beat Xplosion again, 5-2, in the championship game. In Harrisonburg April 26 they won three straight to take the tournament.
Governor Presents Volunteer Award to Nicole Muller Western Albemarle High School graduate Nicole Muller was honored by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe for her Neighbors-4Neighbors national food drive program April 10 at the Governor’s Mansion in Richmond. Muller received the Outstanding Adult Volunteer Award and was among seven individuals and organizations recognized by the Governor for outstanding volunteer contributions. Now a third-year student at U. Va., Muller began her food drive program when she was 16 years old and still a student at Western. [See the Gazette’s story in the April 2011 issue.] She now organizes a local and a national drive every year. Since its inception, Neighbors-4Neighbors has generated more than 670,000 pounds of food and $65,000 in grants and donations and is estimated to have provided food for a half million people. Her latest community-wide food drive in March, organized through local schools, raised over 11,000 pounds of food through food and monetary donations. It had the largest number
Nicole Muller with Governor McAuliffe
of participants that Neighbors-4Neighbors has attracted in all of its four years. Her annual national food drive is held in October and draws donations in all 50 states. Muller has also been named as one of Glamour magazine’s 21 Amazing Young Women, was a recipient of the Sodexo Stop Hunger Award, was one of 10 national winners of the USA Weekend Make A Difference Honors, and recently received one of four national grants of $25,000 given by the Bayer Corporation’s One-a-Day Nutrition Mission, which she gave to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.
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8
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
Not Just Big Trains, But Little Ones, Too Crozet has thought of itself as a train town since the C&O railroad named the village for Claudius Crozet, engineer for the Blue Ridge Tunnel, as a condition for having a depot established in 1876. Now it will be better known among model railroaders too. J. Scott Geare of White Hall and his business partner Mike Militello of Fredericksburg have taken over the hobby’s Great Scale Model Train Show, the largest model train emporium in the Mid-Atlantic, and one of the largest train shows in the U.S., from founders Howard Zane and Ken Young. Held four times a year at the Maryland State Fair grounds in Timonium, outside Baltimore, the 32-year-old show is a market for buyers and sellers and a venue for displaying sophisticated layouts, some covering areas as large as a house. It draws 300 vendors and nearly fills the fairground’s three-and-a-half acre “cow palace” building.
Geare and Militello operate their own retail operation, Makin’ Tracks—based in Crozet—that retails to model train enthusiasts. “It’s a childhood infection,” said Geare, who was raised in Bergen City, New Jersey, and later moved to Cumberland, Maryland, which is also a train town. “I walked into the room on Christmas morning at age three and there was an American Flyer going around the tree. There was a basement there, so there were model trains. My dad appreciated mechanical and electrical things, so the first layout was quite elaborate.” HO-scale trains became more popular in the 1950s and ’60s and Geare made the switch to the smaller size too. He maintained a hobby interest in model railroads as a boy but fell away from it until, in retirement, he had a basement with a large empty area. Out came the trains. “I bought some things I needed and some things I didn’t need and
that sort of put me in the business. Tax laws forced the question—fish or cut bait—and it became an actual business.” Militello, a fellow model railroader, was a customer and from there the partnership evolved. Militello handles shipping and receiving from his home in Stafford. “We became an LLC and we have a stockroom and go to train shows,” said Geare. “Customers are mainly beginners who need help but not a sale. It’s a technical hobby and it’s supposed to be fun. You have the joy of creating a world and letting it operate by your rules. Now we have computers in locomotives that carry data streams. All track is powered all the time and you can have 10 trains operating independently of each other. With digital technology you can make things as complicated as you want. “Watching a railroad gives you a sounding on the economy. The Buckingham Branch is one of my
Scott Geare
favorite things and my house in Cumberland was on the tracks.” Geare said a favorite pastime of his was to sit outside in a lawn chair with a martini and wave to passing engineers. He once “rescued” a coal car that was rocking dangerously. He took down the car number and called Chessie. “They appreciated it,” he said. Train shows are the principal venues for retailing to model railroaders. Shows allow customers to handle the merchandise and get advice. There are eight to 10 shows that are nationally prominent. Zane continued on page 34
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YOUR LOCAL SOURCE FOR LOCAL, ORGANIC CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
9
Crozet
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Goldie Baber’s Navy Service Gets Recognition Goldie Baber, a cancer victim, has come home from the hospital and is under the care of The Hospice of the Piedmont. Hospice worker John Hoselton, a former Marine officer, presented Baber with a certificate and flag pin to honor his 23 years of service in the Navy in submarines. Three dozen relatives and friends gathered on deck behind Baber’s home April 18—Good Friday—to add their love to the presentation. “I am a strong supporter of the need to recognize our veterans that didn’t get the recognition that vets get now days,” said Hoselton. “Goldie was in the Navy through the 1960s. The Cold War was no joke then. The Russians are very smart people. We want to show our appreciation. It’s our privilege to serve you. You were willing to give up your life for your country. That is a special commitment.” Baber’s granddaughters pinned the enameled flag and a ‘V’ pin on his collar. Hoselton said it was the largest turnout for a certificate presentation that he has ever been part of. “Thank you. I appreciate it. I’m feeling good,” said Goldie, who is
remarked on for his refusal to complain about his condition. He declined to talk about himself otherwise or his adventures in the Navy, even when prodded by his friends from the Wyant’s Store “liars club,” a group of old friends who gather at the store in White Hall weekday mornings to drink coffee and chat and goof on each other. “Goldie was in the first sub to go under the Arctic ice,” volunteered Elbert Dale, the unofficial president of the liars club (Goldie ranks as unofficial vice president). “There was 400 feet of ice over their heads. It was essentially a suicide mission. There was no way to rescue them if something went wrong. Goldie has said the boat had a perfect crew once it went under the ice. “I’ve accused Goldie of staying under water too long,” quipped Dale. “We all love you, Goldie,” he added. Goldie’s son Billy, arguably Western Albemarle High School’s greatest athlete—he went on to an NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs—spoke for his dad. “I want to thank everybody for coming. Our family. Our friends. It’s special.” He was teary.
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CROZET PARC YMCA Swimming Fitness and Family Fun
Outdoor Pool Season Begins May 12! Water Heated!
Become a member of the Crozet PARC YMCA!
Bringing the best of two beautiful worlds together.
SECOND SATURDAYS GALLERY RECEPTION
Membership includes full access to the pool, full access to the fitness center, including all group exercise classes and discounts on all programs, including summer camp!
MEMBERSHIP
ONE TIME MONTHLY JOIN FEE RATE
Family
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SKYLINE 2014: PROSE AND POETRY BY CENTRAL VIRGINIA WRITERS
$20 ADULT (19-64) $10
Photographs by Ben Greenberg
Saturday, May 10, 6 - 8 p.m.
SENIOR (65+) $5
Adult Masters Swim M/Tu/Th 5:30-6:30 AM; Sat 8-8:15 AM
Contributing authors will read from and sign books
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Chito-ryu Karate Ages 7 and up. May 5-30 Summer Day Camp Ages 5-12. June 16-August 19
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MAY 24
Swim Lessons All ages. May 19-June 16
Mother’s Day!
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Rt. 240 at Crozet Ave. | 434-823-1144
10
THE FIELD SCHOOL
CROZET gazette
Mountain Bike Races at Miller
is proud to present
THE
MAY 2014
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2014 Rockingham County Fair
One of the five races in Virginia’s high school mountain bike racing circuit was held at Miller School of Albemarle April 22, attracting teams from 8 schools. The varsity race was won by Jake King of North Garden, the younger brother of Ben King, who races as a pro for team Garmin Sharp. Ben King won the National Road Race Championship in 2010 and is on the short list to compete with the American team racing in
the Tour de France this summer. Jake King had no challenger in the race at Miller, where racers do four laps over a three and a half mile course. He has signed a scholarship to Milligan College in Tennessee, which boasts one of the nation’s top teams, and also has a pro contract with the Hincapie Sportswear Development Cycling Team, the premier program for up-and-coming riders.
Boot Camp Anniversary
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5:50 a.m. Boot Campers at Miller’s five-year anniversary workout on April 25.
By Susan Williams Five years ago, Melissa Miller took a gamble that enough people would show up at Crozet Park at 6:00 in the morning to fill a Boot Camp class. Not only did enough people show up, five years later the class is ten minutes earlier and participation is at an all-time high. Fully utilizing the park, playground and various sports fields, Miller combines high
intensity cardio with strength training for a dynamic and original workout. What stands out in Miller’s classes is the diversity in her clientele. There are young and old, male and female, with a whole spectrum of body types and fitness levels. It is a balancing act that Miller has mastered. What all participants do share is a common desire to get and stay fit. Mix that with a sense of humor and a love of community and one has the ideal exercise class.
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
11
by Phil James phil@crozetgazette.com
Fox Mountain: Surprises All Ignore old Fox Mountain if you want to, but it’s certainly not going away anytime soon. As a matter of fact, back in 1980 when Mount St. Helens popped her top out in Washington State, more than a few central Virginia folks cast sideways glances toward western Albemarle’s long-extinct volcano. Fox Mountain, named for an early landowner, is actually a grouping of several related summits named Cherry, Currant, High Top, Gibson and Martin. When one views Fox from the right vantage, there’s no mistaking the flattened volcanic dome of High Top. Geologists say the greenish rock that is encountered in much of the Virginia Blue Ridge complex was once a molten concoction which was spewed from now-2369-foot tall High Top Mountain. That layer of rock known as “Catoctin greenstone” is nearly five miles thick in some areas. Of course, all of those fireworks happened looong before either Hector or Grandpa were pups. But once things had settled down and human activity eased into the area, some folks took a distinct liking to the mellowed old hills. Early European settlers soon noticed that they, in fact, were not the first persons to explore the hills and hollows of Fox Mountain, as a variety of
American Indian artifacts were revealed with each season’s plowing. Hop in the truck and we’ll take a slow ride through time around Fox Mountain and catch up on what’s been happening in these parts. Our starting point is Mountfair, at the intersection of Brown’s Gap Turnpike (Rt. 810) and Fox Mountain Road (Rt. 668). The “round” trip of 17 miles will bring us back to this point, and, if time allows, we’ll slip into the store there across the river for a little refreshment. Heading north on 810, the first intersection is with Walnut Level Road, leading to a former working plantation that belonged to the pioneer Brown family. (In the 1740s, Benjamin Brown was tasked by the county court to clear a road across Fox Mountain) A stave mill was set up on one corner here, a sassafras mill sat on another. Around this curve and below the road, Hobart Shiflett and crew performed annual hog killings and butchering. Ahead and up the hill to the left sat Mountfair School with its majestic white pillars. Here come Bryce and Maude Walton down the road, moving their young family from the Boonesville area while Bryce works at Dorsey Wilberger’s busy heading and sawmill near Doylesville. Lem
Mountfair Store, c.1930s, as viewed from the Lemuel and Beadie Shiflett home. [Photo courtesy of Virginia Shiflett]
the
Way Around
Andrew and Lela Shifflett and family of Fox Mountain and Mountfair. [Photo courtesy of Robey and Dorothy Shifflett]
Shifflett operated a small blacksmith shop on this stretch. Across the road, beside the river, was a store and grist mill before flood waters carried them away. Moses Coleman’s old log barn leans back on this stretch once referred to as Battonsburg.
Mount Carmel Baptist Church, organized in 1879, sits opposite the accompanying former AfricanAmerican schoolhouse. Around the bend on the left was a movie theater established by Randolph White, well-known editor of the continued on page 12
Lewis Washington (1880-1951) was a familiar neighbor in the Fox Mountain and Free Union area. [Photo courtesy of the Dunn-Bing Collection]
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
Fox Mountain —continued from page 11
Charlottesville-Albemarle Tribune newspaper. The theater morphed into a restaurant for a season, and later was operated as a general store by the Ernest Shifflett family. Ahead is Brown’s Cove Methodist Church, said to have been founded in a nearby 18th century tobacco barn. At the Blackwell’s Hollow Road intersection, we bear sharp right across Doyles River. If we had continued straight ahead, prior to the establishment of Shenandoah National Park in the 1930s, we could have crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains at Brown’s Gap where Stonewall Jackson’s Confederate troops maneuvered in 1862. Two miles up Rt. 810 is Albemarle County’s Patricia Ann Byrom Forest Preserve Park. Less than a mile passed Byrom Park, we see Lucy “Big Mama” Walton’s logbodied Blackwell Hollow store just before we pass the former Blackwell Hollow Episcopal Mission, established in 1905 by Rev. Frederick Neve. At Shifflett Mill Road (Rt. 687), we turn east beneath the shadow of Martin and Gibson Mountains. Henry Beddows, a mail carrier and
Albert Morris was born and raised in Fry Hollow, in the folds of Fox Mountain. He keeps busy with farming and maintaining a lifetime of friendships. [Photo by Phil James]
store proprietor, operated a small mill alongside this road. A couple miles ahead we turn right onto Rt. 601, having bypassed the village of Boonesville. We’re about half way back to our starting point. In a mile and a half we pass another of Neve’s missions, Crossroads, a reminder to watch for our next right-hand turn onto Wesley Chapel Road (Rt. 749). A few hundred yards ahead, our route number changes to 671 at Davis Shop Road, but we continue straight ahead on Wesley Chapel. In the early 20th century, nearby this intersection were two distinct mining operations, each likely owing its existence to Fox’s volcanic past. Parrott’s Iron Mine was on a lower shoulder of Gibson Mountain. Near the head water of Piney Branch was the Naylor-Bruce Graphite Company’s mine. Their vein of graphite varied from 13” to eight feet wide, and yielded blocks of ore weighing several hundred pounds. By 1911, however, their fortunes had changed and the digs were abandoned. Farmington Hunt Club moved into this area in 1984. Their storied hunts date to pre-WWI. Along the two miles from here to Wesley Chapel, one might have encountered Lewis Washington astride his mule, riding to or returning from Free Union. In the late 1930s, Civilian Conservation Corps laborers from the White Hall camp improved an old road that traversed Fox Mountain. That private road was maintained for some years for fire-fighting purposes. It extended from Wesley Chapel Road up Gibson and Martin Mountains, skirted the summit of High Top, and exited on the west side of Fox Mountain above Mountfair. Our final right hand turn is made at Fox Mountain Road (Rt. 668). Wesley Chapel, a successor of the 1790s Garrison’s Meeting House, stands to the left. Five miles to go now, up and over Fox Mountain on Benjamin Brown’s old mountain road. Peavine Hollow lies between Cherry and Gibson Mountains Its private road once connected up top with the old C.C.C. road. It passed
The Fox Mountain range as viewed from White Hall. [Photo by Phil James]
The first meeting house of the Church of the Brethren east of the Blue Ridge was on Fox Mountain. Locust Grove Meeting House was built on land given by John A. Via in 1870. [Photo courtesy of the Dunn-Bing Collection]
through the sag between Martin and Gibson, then zigzagged down the northwest side of Fox into Blackwell Hollow. John Fry met Julia Gibson, his wife-to-be, in these parts. They married in 1890 and, today, many still reference Peavine as Fry Hollow. Brothers Albert and Junior Morris, grandsons of John and Julie, keep family traditions alive with their farming and timber operations. Locust Grove Meeting House, now a private residence, was established alongside Fox Mountain Road in the 1870s by Brethren believers from the Shenandoah Valley. Many traveled there by horse and buggy until the Lower Union meetinghouse (now Free Union Church of the Brethren) was built in 1896. Into the steep portion of the
mountainside a century ago, travelers noted Burnt Shop Hill, where a blacksmith shop had been consumed by fire. The road still exhibits its true mountain character near the summit with high banks, S-turns and small roadside waterfalls. Present-day Mountfair Vineyards is passed a half-mile above the old riverside post office and general store. Mountfair Store proprietors Jim Early, Laurie Sandridge and Roy Blackwell greeted, collectively, generations of customers. Across the road, blacksmiths and mill keepers provided needed services. Where transient salesmen of snake oil once cajoled passersby, youngsters swapped snared rabbits for pencils and penny candy, and families bartered live chickens and shelled walnuts for home essentials, we end our ride, still on the rocksolid footing of Fox Mountain.
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 © 2003–2014 Phil James
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
13
upcoming events
MAY 17
Batesville Day
The 39th annual Batesville Day will be held May 17 in downtown Batesville starting at 7 a.m. with registration for the 10K race, which will begin at 8 a.m. Race awards will be presented at 9:30, followed by the parade assembly at 10 and the parade down Plank Road at 11. The annual fair opens at noon with food by The Clean Fork and music by the Central Virginia Blues Society featuring Batesville’s own “Bluezonia” and other local musicians. For more information, or to register for the race, parade or fair, visit www.bates villeva.org.
MAY 19
Rockfish Valley Orchestra Concert
The newly organized Rockfish Valley Community Orchestra will have its second concert at the Rockfish Valley Community Center Monday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. An eclectic program is planned under the direction of conductor Philip Clark, including historical and ethnic dances, traditional American music and a Mozart piece. The concert will be in collaboration with the international dance class at RVCC, led by dancer and instructor Sue Chase. The orchestra will be resuming rehearsals in September and welcome all ages 13 and up. The orchestra seeks string and wind instrument players, particularly clarinet, oboe, bassoon and French horn and trumpet. Contact Connie Muscenti at 434-361-0440 or rainbowridge music@gmail.com.
MAY 25
Memorial Day at Piedmont Baptist
Piedmont Baptist Church in Yancey Mills will hold its annual Memorial Day service Sunday, May 25, at 3 p.m. with the All For Christ Gospel Singers of Fork Union. There will be the “Tolling of the Bell” in remembrance of dear departed loved ones. The public is invited.
MAY 31
Car Show at Old Trail with Kids Bike Rodeo
The Albemarle County Police Department and Big C New Me are pleased to announce the 1st Crozet Car Show to be held on Saturday, May 31, at Old Trail Village Center. In case of rain, the event will be held on June 7. The free event will start at 10 a.m.; prizes will be awarded at 2:30, and the event will wrap up at 3. Multiple vehicle classes are being accepted, with awards going to each class. The first 50 registered vehicles will receive a free car show commemorative dash plaque. Industry experts will be brought in for judging, and the crowd just might see a face they know from the Discovery TV program “FantomWorks.” The public can also vote for their favorites. Paved parking spaces are reserved for the first sixty-five entries. Preregistration is encouraged to ensure a paved space. The popular local Bluegrass band “James River Cut-Ups” will be performing, and there will be facepainting for the kids. Kids will also be able to take part in the Youth Bicycle Rodeo starting at 11 a.m. Kids are invited to bring their bikes and trikes to navigate the track, learn safety signals, the importance of road signs and more. Youth bicycle helmets are available for any participant who needs one, courtesy of the Albemarle County Police Department. Participants are encouraged to decorate their bikes. Car entries can pre-register for $20 at www.bigcnewme.org or can pay $25 the day of the event. All proceeds go to support local cancer charity Big C New Me. The event is free to the public.
JUNE 8
Crozet Community Orchestra Concert
The Crozet Community Orchestra will perform a free concert Sunday, June 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Crozet Baptist Church on St George Ave. For more information on the orchestra, visit the Crozet Cares website.
The Gazette’s Upcoming Community Events listing is intended for free, not-for-profit or fundraiser events that are open to and serve the broader community. Events are included at the editor’s discretion. Priority is given to special and unique events. Space is very limited. Submit event press releases for consideration to news@crozetgazette.com.
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MAY 2014
Barnes Plans —continued from page 1
struction of residential units to construction of commercial spaces. White Hall District planning commissioner Tom Loach said, “Mixed use is apartments over shops or offices. We want more apartments in downtown. On affordability, our standard is 15 percent and we don’t accept cash as a substitute. Old Trail and Wickham Pond were held to that.” “I think we are heading into this already deviating from the plan for the Downtown Crozet District,” observed CCAC member Jennie More. “It’s a problem if the developer doesn’t want to pay the proffers or follow mixed use,” said Loach. “The developer says that banks don’t want to finance apartments over commercial space,” noted Kim Connally. She pointed to the commercial buildings in Old Trail village as a case where it has been
done. Both White Hall Supervisor Ann Mallek and Loach said they were surprised to hear of a concern about water capacity. Mallek said she took that to mean a concern over transmission capacity, since the Beaver Creek reservoir has plenty of water in it. Grant said the concern could be that water planners are taking into account the units already approved for construction in Crozet that are not yet built. “I very strongly support residential over commercial,” said Lisa Goehler. “We need rental apartments. It keeps downtown from being a dead downtown and it keeps it safer. We should stick to our guns.” Mallek said her understanding was that banks do not like condominiums over commercial space, but do not feel that way about rental units. Stoner had been listening to the discussion and took a seat at the table to offer his reactions.
“We are committed to mixed use in the red shaded area [of the plan drawing] next to The Square,” he said. “We are concerned about residential above commercial.” He argued that putting different sorts of buildings in the same block is mixed use and pointed to the example of blocks in Washington, D.C. “We need a downtown,” said CCAC member Brenda Plantz. “We don’t trust you to build the housing first, the part that makes you the most money,” said CCAC member Phil Best. “Build the commercial parts first.” “We need more specifics before you get your rezoning,” said Loach. “If it’s good we’ll recognize it.” “Employment is critical to downtown,” agreed Stoner. “We are absolutely as committed as you to bringing employment to downtown. It’s unlikely we would build a spec building. We want businesses to buy lots and build their own buildings.” He raised again his concern over the need for a railroad track cross-
ing at the east end of the property, “or a grade-level crossing at the closed location” [opposite Crozet Great Valu]. He was also concerned about parking. Surface parking for the scale of commercial use envisioned in the Master Plan would use up 9 acres of the parcel, he said. “You should spec build the first commercial building to show your commitment,” proposed Bill Schrader, whose term on the CCAC just ended. “We’d be happy to if you can find the investors,” retorted Stoner. “I think people would come if it was there,” answered Schrader. Audience members spoke up in favor of a downtown that is “attractive, even quaint.” “We don’t want to be stuck with a trashy thing,” said Goehler. In other business, Schrader, chair of the Build Crozet Library fundraising committee, reported that prospects are slim that the County budget will increase staffing at continued on page 34
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
15
WAHS Musicians Perform with Youth Orchestra May 11
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From left to right, front row: Joseph Lee, Julia Klein, Eric Xu, Angela Li, Yeeun Kim, Lillian Xu. Back row: Henry Cohen, YeRang Ju, Esther Harris, Yeri Kim, Leah Schweller
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Ten other Western students will perform in the Youth Symphony and the Evans Orchestra. Eric Xu, principal trumpet in the Youth Symphony, said his favorite thing about the orchestra is “seeing a piece of music come to life” after hours of practice and rehearsal. Flutist Angela Li, a senior, said she is inspired by the challenging music the Youth Symphony performs. “The repertoire in Youth is difficult enough to make it interesting; we aren’t given watered down pieces because Dr. West, our conductor, knows we can handle the real stuff.” Tickets for the May 11 concert are $15 for adults (18 years and under, free) and are available at the door or at the online UVA box office, or by calling (434) 924-3376. Orchestra auditions for the 2014/15 season will be held May 27-29.
Talented young musicians from Western Albemarle will be performing in the Youth Orchestras of Central Virginia’s final concert of the season on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, at 2 p.m. in U.Va.’s Old Cabell Hall. The concert will feature the Youth Symphony, the Rita M. Evans Orchestra, and Junior Strings and will also feature winners of the 2014 Theron McClure Concerto Competition: Meredith Hooper, cello and Julia Klein, clarinet. Klein, a freshman, started playing clarinet at age nine. “I would love to be able to play in a professional orchestra one day, or at least have opportunities to play music, maybe in chamber groups,” said Klein, who also won positions in the Senior Regional Orchestra and All-State Band this year.
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MAY 2014
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crozetannals@crozetgazette.com
Shades of Gray Medicine is a science of uncertainty and an art of probability. –William Osler, MD Medicine is a science based on probabilities and thus error is built into the science. –Robert Reiser, MD There are very few yes or no answers in medicine. This is hard for patients and families to grasp. It is also hard to teach to new physicians. Our faith in high technology blinds us to the true nature of medical decision-making, which is always predicated on calculating a range of probabilities. I was reminded of this on a recent morning when I was supervising a resident taking care of a sweet little 100-year-old lady who had fallen down for no apparent reason. Well, I suppose the fact that she was 100 might have been the reason, but remember there are very few yes or no answers in medicine. She had some neck pain after her fall so we ordered an X-ray of her neck to make sure she did not have a fracture. When you order an X-ray you are required to provide your colleague the radiologist some history and a general idea of what you are looking for, what question you want answered. In medical speak it might go something like this: 100 y/o f, s/p GLF, r/o c-spine fx. Translation: A 100-year-old female status post ground level fall (she fell from standing earlier today) please rule out (make sure she doesn’t have) a broken neck. Then the chess match begins. The radiologist, cooped up in a dark room all day staring at black and white pictures sees only shades of gray, endless probabilities and no yes or no answers. She sends us her
report, answering our question with a question of her own. “Age indeterminate degenerative changes of the bones of the neck, likely chronic in nature but cannot rule out fracture in the appropriate clinical setting. Suggest clinical correlation.” Well jeeze, that is not an answer. If we could tell clinically if she had a broken neck we wouldn’t need an X-ray. Of course these degenerative changes could be chronic; she is 100 years old. So I called the radiologist for some clarification and she gave me the probabilities, most likely not fractured but impossible for her to say no for sure. She suggested a CT of the neck, which we ordered. The report came back. “The previously noted age indeterminate changes favor congenital abnormalities versus fracture, which cannot definitively be excluded. If the clinical question persists MRI may be helpful to further delineate these changes.” After 100 years we may have discovered a congenital (present from birth) abnormality? Wow. But still the question of fracture had not been ruled out. By now the sun was setting on my 100-year-old lady. She was getting tired and confused and couldn’t remember if her neck still hurt. Time to fish or cut bait. I ran the probabilities by the resident on the case. The CT scan was 95 percent sensitive in picking up fractures, meaning it would pick up 95 of 100 fractures. Pretty good, but it would miss 5 of 100 fractures. The patient’s pre-test probability of having a fracture based on her age and history was estimated at 10 percent, pretty low. I asked the resident what the likelihood was after the CT that the patient had a fracture that we had missed. This is called the negative continued on page 17
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
17
Seasonal Flavors
MEMORIES & RECIPES FROM AN ITALIAN KITCHEN [ by denise zito • denise@crozetgazette.com \
Brownies with a Secret Ingredient No, not that secret ingredient; we’re in Virginia, not Colorado. File this one under ‘now I’ve heard everything!’ My friend Rhonda joined me for dinner the other day and brought black bean brownies! ‘Oh, good’ I said politely, meanwhile thinking, ‘good heavens, what will this be like?’ The answer: delicious, moist, a bit crumbly and tasting exactly as though they contained flour. Rhonda has some gluten-free
friends (don’t we all?) and uses this recipe when she needs a dessert that everyone can enjoy. Of course there is a bit of a downside: traditional brownies bake in about 25 minutes while these will take twice as long. They kind of violate that important rule to ‘underbake chocolate’—which doesn’t seem to hold true with this recipe. Can you just not wait to serve these and shock the populace?
Black Bean Brownies 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate ¾ cup butter 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups mashed black beans 1 cup pecans (leave them whole—I think it’s much better that way) Preheat oven to 350° F. Use a heavy saucepan to melt the chocolate with the butter. Remove from heat and add the sugar, the eggs, vanilla, mashed beans and pecans. Bake in a greased and floured OR parchment paper-lined 8 X 8 inch baking pan, for 50 minutes. Check for doneness using a toothpick. These brownies will always be somewhat moist, i.e. your toothpick won’t come out completely clean.
Medicine —continued from page 16
predictive value; the likelihood that a negative test means the patient doesn’t have the condition. This is really what we want to know. The resident confidently stated that since there was a five percent chance of missing a fracture the negative predictive value was only 95 percent. He did not feel comfortable with only a 95 percent certainty that the patient did not have a broken neck and thought we should pursue an MRI despite the patient’s increasing agitation and confusion brought on by her prolonged stay in the unfamiliar setting of the ER. I redid the math for the resident. A 95 percent sensitive test applied to a population with a 10 percent inci-
dence of the disease (similar to our patient’s 10 percent risk) will pick up 9.5 of the 10 cases, missing 0.5 cases, meaning a negative predictive value of 99.5 percent. I was 99.5 percent confident that my patient did not have a fracture. There is no test that will ever reach 100 percent. This is where the error is necessarily built into the decisionmaking. It was time to stop testing. Time to put granny to bed. I summed it all up for the resident. Risk versus benefit. There are no yes or no answers in medicine, young man. He nodded agreeably at my wisdom and then slyly pointed out the radiology request form I had filled out for the CAT scan for our 100-year-old lady. As on all radiology request forms, there was a standard question, was the patient pregnant? I had circled no.
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By Ryan Smith, M.D. Jiroemon Kimura of Japan died at age 116 in June 2013. He was the last man alive from the 19th century. Most men won’t be around to see age 116. Statistically, your chance of reaching that age is better if you are a woman. In fact, there are several women still alive who were born in the 19th century. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average life expectancy for a man living in the United States is about 76 years old. For a woman, it’s 81 years old. So, on average, men are dying five years earlier than women. Women also outlive men in every age bracket. By the time we reach age 85, there are nearly twice as many women as men. If there ever were such a thing as a weaker sex, it certainly wouldn’t be women. In fact, men exceed women in nearly all of the leading causes of death; men are about 1.5 times more likely to die from heart disease, cancer and lung disease. Typically we define what it means to be a man with words like self-reliance, responsibility, and strength. So where are those qualities when it comes to our health? The reasons for the generally poor state of men’s health are numerous and fairly complex. Many men think of themselves as having the same healthy body they did when they were teenagers, which for some of them is also the last time they saw a doctor. Compared to women, men are 25 percent less likely to have seen their primary care physician in the last 12 months. Women are consistently better at ensuring they receive the
preventative care they need. And it’s often women who convince men to go see the doctor. The good news is that there is still a lot men can do to improve their health. The next time you are sitting with friends to watch a game, think about these statistics: sitting for more than 6 hours in a day increases your risk of dying of heart disease by 18 percent and your risk of dying from diabetes by 7.8 percent. In terms of danger to your health, some people equate sitting with smoking. Regular exercise can bring about meaningful changes in weight, cardiovascular health, mood, fertility, energy and testosterone levels. Next, don’t ignore changes in your health. “Problems” in the bedroom could be one of the earliest signs of heart disease in men and can present three to five years before a cardiovascular event. The good diet and exercise habits that preserve cardiovascular health also ensure that men can maintain performance in other areas. If you’re smoking, cutting back or quitting can substantially decrease your risk of cancer and other diseases, such as heart disease. Many diseases and conditions don’t have any symptoms, so regular check ups can help diagnose issues before they become a problem. A doctor can tell you what cancer screening is appropriate for your age, risk factors and family history. Men don’t like going to the doctor and tend not to discuss their health or how they’re feeling. But some of our habits are literally killing us. Being a man also means taking control of your health.
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
19
by John Andersen
Five Fitness Tips Here are a few tips that apply to anyone who is exercising regularly. If you’re not exercising regularly, why not? 1. Eat within 30 minutes of a workout. It has been well studied that your body is super-efficient at absorbing and utilizing nutrients for about 30 minutes right after a workout. Technically, whenever we are working out and using our muscles, we are causing micro-trauma to these muscles. It is the healing and repair of this micro-trauma that ultimately makes us stronger. Why not fuel this process as effectively as possible and get the most out of your workout! You don’t need to take in 1000 calories; a simple glass of chocolate milk will do. Look at it this way; your recovery for your next workout begins in these 30 minutes. 2. Avoid stretching before a workout. There is actually a lot of controversy out there about the benefits and risks of stretching. Stretching also causes micro-trauma/tears to our muscle bellies. Stretching cold muscles is generally believed to not be a good idea and can sometimes cause/aggravate problems. It is much more important to just make sure you start each workout with some form of a warm up. If you’re going out for a run, you should ALWAYS start slow and warm up, especially if you’re going out on a faster paced run. If you’re doing a gym or boot camp type workout, warm those muscles up by doing simple exercises like jumping jacks, running in place, or other easy, low-intensity movements. If you have a mobility issue that warrants stretching, it is best to stretch after your workout. It would also be a great idea to see a physical therapist and see if you do have any mobility issues (like tight hip flexors!) that need stretching in the first place. 3. Taking NSAID pain relievers before or after a workout is generally a bad idea. You just went for a long run or bike ride. Now your legs are a little sore. Pop a couple of ibuprofen, no big deal, right? Lets look at the reason you’re sore. Hopefully it’s just
muscle soreness. But remember that exercising will cause micro-trauma to your muscles and then your body heals this and ultimately makes the muscles stronger. When you take NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), you are inhibiting your body’s natural healing process and thus decreasing your body’s ability to get stronger. Yes, your muscles may feel less sore, but now your workout doesn’t count as much. In fact, you may be sore from a joint, tendon, or ligament problem. Instead of hiding the problem with medication, it’s best to address why these areas hurt before a more lasting injury sets in and derails your training for a longer period of time. Again, physical therapists are great resources for all those exercise-related aches and pains. Last, NSAIDS can cause stomach ulcers and other adverse effects. 4. Form matters more than miles. If you look at where most running training plans go wrong, it’s when people say “I’ve got to get in X miles today” regardless of how their body feels, because that’s what their training program tells them. If they have poor form or inadequate strength and stability, something is going to break down as the mileage increases. The same is true for swimming, biking, and most any other endurance sport. Don’t wait until you’re injured to address a form or strength issue. Do it right from the start with advice from a coach, or experienced (and honest) person and you’ll be able to follow your training plan successfully! 5. Rest is recovery Another downfall of many training plans is not focusing enough on sleep. Lets face it, those non-professional athletes out there—us—have got a lot of other stuff going on besides exercising! What’s the most likely thing to suffer? Your sleep! Sleep is when your body recovers and repairs itself. If you are exercising like a beast but not getting enough sleep, something’s eventually going to give. You simply cannot continue to perform at a higher level if you don’t work in time for adequate sleep. There are only 24 hours in a continued on page 37
Tabor Presbyterian Church (USA) Worship Service Sundays • 10:30 a.m.
FOLLOWED BY FELLOWSHIP adult sunday school at 9:30a.m. Rev. Dr. Jewell-Ann Parton, Pastor
Traditional in style, progressive in outreach and mission
An Outreach of Tabor Presbyterian Church
Events for the Crozet Community Kindergarten 911
April 26, May 3, and May 10 • 4 -6 p.m.
A kindergarten readiness program for parents and caretakers of preschoolers. For more information contact Maggie Morris: maggiemorris1@gmail.com. Register online at crozetcares.com.
Orchid Sale & Art Show
May 10 • 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and May 11 • 12 - 6 p.m. Sponsored by the Charlottesville Orchid Society
Buy orchids, get tips and troubleshoot problems with experienced orchid growers. Featuring the botanical drawings and prints of Sharon Morris Kincheloe and the landscapes of Nancy McDearmon.
Crozet Community Handbell Choir Concert May 14 • 7 p.m.
With special guest performance by the Field School Boys Choir.
Camp Hanover Day Camp
June 23 - 27 • For Children entering 1st - 6th Grades For more information visit www.crozetcares.com
JULY 12: MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Blood Drive for Virginia Blood Services “Save local lives. Give blood local. Keep it local.” Sign up now on the Crozet Cares Website, and we’ll remind you when the time comes!
For more information visit
CrozetCares.com Click on Upcoming Events
Tabor Presbyterian Church
5804 Tabor Street • Crozet www.taborpc.org • 434-823-4255
20
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
Western Albemarle First Quarter Real Estate Report
Crozet Real Estate Sales Slump Over Winter by David Ferrall ferrall@crozetgazette.com It is here! The much ballyhooed Crozet Avenue streetscape project is underway. Work on Tabor Street is mostly complete and the widening of Crozet Avenue has begun. Once done, the project should be a boon to local residents, making the street better and safer for pedestrians, runners, cyclists, and motorists alike. So, while much needed infrastructure work is going on, what is happening with the real estate market in Crozet? Not much, sales-wise. First quarter sales in Crozet experienced a disappointing 46 percent drop compared to the same period last year. Only 25 properties sold in Crozet in the first quarter, a quarterly total not seen since before the inception of this report in 2011. And, this was the first quarter in 10 that did not see a year-to-year increase. New listings were down over the same period, as were properties being put under contract (see chart provided by RealCentralVA.com). Several drags could explain the low sales numbers. The first would certainly be the weather. The extreme cold and snow amounts were in fact polar opposites of the weather experienced during the same time last year. Kids were home from school, driving was difficult at times, and it was just downright cold. Not conducive conditions to house hunting. The area is also suffering a slight shortage of inventory. By February
ers’ Mar-
2013 there were 202 properties for sale in Crozet. This year at the same time there were only 174. Couple these factors with rising prices and inflating seller expectations and the result seems to be slower sales. This is true across the entire Charlottesville metro area market, which experienced a 5.6 percent slowdown in sales in the first quarter. Of the 25 sales, 18 were for detached and 7 were for attached properties. This ratio is slightly higher than in previous quarters, and reflects the declining inventory of entry-level townhouses. Of the detached properties, 11 were on lots less than an acre in size. Seven of these were new construction, three in Old Trail. There was one sale for over $1 million; the 266-acre Shelton Mill Farm sold for $2.75M (and is excluded from the statistical averages in this article). Of the 7 attached property sales, only one was new construction, and 6 of the 7 sales were for properties priced at $205K or less. There was only one short/distressed sale in the quarter, compared with 7 a year ago. That’s a trend we all hope continues! For the most part, prices are continuing to rise in Crozet, which mirrors the trend in the Charlottesville metro area. Nationally, according to the KCM Blog, prices are up about 10 percent in the past 12 months, a trend analysts see as continuing. This outlook is shared with the folks at CalculatedRiskBlog.com, who see declining distressed sales, delin-
CHART COURTESY REALCENTRALVA.COM
quencies, and negative equity paired with rising inventories (nationwide) as being positive factors propelling the market. This inventory outlook is not shared by all, and certainly isn’t what the Crozet market is experiencing. The average price for all properties in Crozet jumped 15 percent compared to the first quarter of 2013 to reach $383,000. The average price per finished square foot was up almost 25 percent to $170. The average price for a detached property rose 23 percent to $435,000, and the price per finished square foot rocketed 42 percent to $180/sqft. The average price of an attached property dropped 7 percent to $256,000, though the price per finished square foot rose almost 6 percent to $148/sqft. If you remove the attached property at Baywick Circle in Old Trail that sold for $644,000, the average price for an attached property was actually $191,000! This reflects what buyers are looking for, and high-
lights the lack of affordable inventory in the segment that boasts just a smattering of re-sales and higher priced new inventory in Old Trail and Haden Place. How far prices can or will rise is the question of the hour. Tight inventory nationally (according to Fannie Mae) and rising prices have prompted Fannie Mae’s chief economist Doug Duncan to revise their annual sales projections downward. We certainly saw higher prices and lower sales in Crozet in the first quarter, and a slower sales pace so far in the second quarter as well. Mortgage rates remain near historic lows, and surveys show rental rates continuing to advance, so purchases could pick up as renters are motivated by lower costs of owning versus renting. That is, if selection allows. Local realtors are scratching their heads wondering where the “fresh” inventory is. There are buyers for well-priced properties, especially resales. If inventory picks up and prices stabilize, sales will follow.
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
21
Brownsville’s Destination Imagination Team Heads for Globals
Brownsville Elementary’s fourth grade Destination Imagination team, “Super 7,” is heading to Knoxville, Tennessee, to compete in the Global DI Finals. Globals usually attracts around 16,000 people and teams from 20 countries. The 7-member team won second place in their “Going to Extremes” challenge and first place in their Instant Challenge at the state competition. The “Super 7” created a story about a tourist who had a misadventure trying to go to the Outback Steakhouse. Through a series of mishaps, the tourist finds herself in the Australian Outback instead! To survive the extreme envi-
ronment, the team created a backpack that does amazing things such as extract water from frogs, power a flashlight and apply homemade sunscreen. The team has been working to raise funds to get the team to the event. In April, they held a pancake breakfast at Crozet United Methodist Church and a car wash at the Dairy Queen. They will hold a yard sale May 10 from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 1006 Rolling Meadow in Western Ridge and they will have spirit night May 13 at the Waynesboro Chickfil-A, when a percentage of food purchases from 5 to 8 p.m. will go toward team fundraising.
ADDITIONAL STREETLIT PARKING AVAILABLE BEHIND ALL SHOPS
SALLY & GARY HART
Albemarle Ballet Theatre
ANNE DEVAULT
EVAN TAYLOR & PETE MAUPIN
Maupin’s Music & Video
Over the Moon Bookstore
COLLEEN & MIKE ALEXANDER
Crozet Pizza Pourhouse
PATTI SIEHIEN
Bark Avenue Crozet
HAYDEN & CATHY BERRY
Three Notch’d Grill
DONNA & JEFF MAHAN
Sam’s Hot Dog Stand
JIM WEBBER
Handcrafters
ANNE NOVAK & AMANDA JOHNSON
Creative Framing & The Art Box
22
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
By John Andersen, DVM gazettevet@crozetgazette.com
Spring Is Tick Time! They’re coming. They’re here. They’ve never really left! Ticks! Ugh! After my 38 years on this planet, I am still creeped out by ticks. There is just something inherently spooky and unwholesome about them that gives me chills. Unfortunately, I now have good reason for my worry. Growing up in Virginia, I remember getting ticks (and hating them), but never heard of tickborne illnesses. I’m sure they were present, but there is no doubt that tick-borne diseases are on the rise and seem to be here to stay. And
guess what, central Virginia—we’re in a hot zone of tick diseases that affect both people and our pets. Lyme Disease is now an endemic disease (meaning it’s well-established) in central Virginia, but several other tick diseases now call central Virginia home—Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, as well as a few other less common ones. I wish I was writing this just to scare people, but it’s true—get used to it, ticks are bad. The American Dog tick, the Black-legged (deer) tick, the Lone Star tick, and the Brown dog tick all grace our environment and all are bad. As I say this, I also think that fear of ticks should in no way decrease
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your (and your pet’s) time outside in the woods and fields. Ticks can attach themselves into your skin in just minutes, but fortunately it takes quite a bit longer than that for them to spread any disease they may carry. Though exact times may vary, it is estimated it takes 24 hours of attachment for Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis to spread, while it may take only 4-8 hours for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever to be transmitted. This translates into: ‘Go out into the woods and play without worry, but just be sure to do a really good tick check on you and your dog when you get home.’ Ticks truly are a year-round threat in Virginia. They are active when there is snow on the ground— but there are just not as many and not as many people are outside. Spring is definitely the worst time of year for ticks, as this is when hordes of eggs hatch and release nymphs, or “seed” ticks—the really tiny ticks that are sometimes as small as the period at the end of this sentence. These little buggers are
just as capable of spreading the same tick diseases, but obviously are much harder to detect on your dog, let alone yourself. So, clearly we’re all doing to die of tick disease and so are our pets, right? What’s a person to do? Fortunately, there are several safe and effective tick preventatives for dogs. I am the first to say that yes, you will be putting a chemical on or into your dog or cat to kill ticks (and fleas). I don’t love this and I am very conscious of any chemicals we use on ourselves or on our child. However, my dogs are active. And very hairy. And I know that despite a really good tick check, I may miss ticks. Easily. Regularly. And my wife will freak out if we get fleas in our house. So I use and recommend to my clients to use a flea and tick preventative as the “lesser of all evils.” Fortunately, there are several very effective flea and tick preventatives and a few newer ones that have excellent safety profiles. Frontline and K9 Advantix have been out forever and have truly excellent safety continued on page 39
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
Warrior Sports News Warriors Shine on the Diamond by David Wagner The Western Albemarle varsity baseball team has reeled off 10 straight wins to start the season, posting a perfect mark of 10-0 overall and 6-0 in the Jefferson District. Six of the wins have been decided by the 10-run mercy rule and the Warriors have won nine of the games by five or more runs. The Warriors have outscored their opponents 111-15, averaging just over 11 runs per game, while allowing only 1.5 per game. The only team to really test the Warriors so far is Monticello. On April 17 at Monticello High School, the Mustangs and Warriors delighted the crowd with an oldschool 1-0 pitchers’ dual. Western’s Jack Maynard pitched a three-hit, 12-strikeout gem of a game to shut out the Mustangs and earn his fifth win of the season. Dylan Weiss got the game-winning RBI on Western’s only hit of the game, driving in Sam Hearn on a single to right field in the top of the sixth inning. Warrior bats have been phenomenal, posting a staggering .423 batting average with 124 hits. Eight of the nine starters are batting .400 or better and four of the nine are hitting at .455 or higher. Junior Steve Mangrum is leading the way at the plate for the Warriors with 17 hits in 34 at-bats for a .500 batting average. He also has six extra base hits (four doubles and two triples), 15 runs scored, seven stolen bases and 14 RBI. Senior Logan Ebanks is third on the team in hitting with a .462 average, totaling 12 hits, three doubles, 11 runs scored and 10 RBI. Ebanks has also played solid defense in the outfield, committing no errors so far this season. Sophomore outfielder Henry Kreinenbaum is batting .469. Kreinenbaum is a bright young star for Western on a veteran team. He
has 15 hits, 16 runs, two doubles, a triple, four stolen bases and 12 RBI. Junior John Casteen has 10 hits (one home run), 9 runs and 10 RBI with a .455 average. Junior Harrison Lund is hitting a .448 clip with 13 hits, 3 doubles, two triples, a stolen base, 9 runs and 7 RBI. Senior pitcher/catcher Jack Maynard is hitting .417 with 15 hits, four doubles, one home run, two runs scored, 18 RBI and only one strikeout in 36 at bats. Junior shortstop Weiss has a .412 average with 14 hits, 12 runs scored and 10 RBI. Senior infielder/ pitcher Eli Sumpter is hitting .333 with 11 hits, 13 runs, two stolen bases and six RBI. And senior John Mark Mastakas is batting an even .400 with 12 hits, 11 runs, five doubles, a triple, six hit-by-pitch and 9 RBI with only two strikeouts in 30 at bats. The Warrior pitching staff has been just as impressive with a gaudy team ERA of 0.55. They’ve given up only five earned runs in 10 games and opponents are hitting only.146 against the Warriors. Maynard and Sumpter, along with sophomore Hearn, have pitched 55 1/3 of the 64 innings. Maynard has been the ace of the staff and the workhorse, pitching 29 1/3 innings with a 0.48 ERA. He has 34 strikeouts, five walks, and has surrendered only 15 hits. He has pitched four complete games en route to a 5-0 record. Hearn has thrown 15 1/3 innings and has a perfect ERA of 0.00. Hearn has struck out 12, walked only three and given up 8 hits with one complete game and three wins. Sumpter has pitched well in 10 and 2/3 innings with 11 strikeouts, three walks, 7 hits allowed, one win and a 1.97 ERA. As a staff, the Warriors strikeout-to-walk ratio is better than 4 to1. They’ve allowed only 31 hits in 64 innings and have a strike-to-ball ratio of about 2 to 1, having thrown 572 strikes to only
291 balls. The only potential problem for this staff would be the number of unearned runs allowed by the Warriors in 2014. They’ve given up a total of 10 as a team, which translates to one every game, while they’ve given an earned run just every other game (five earned runs in 10 games). If the Warriors continue to hit and pitch as they are, this team has the potential to go deep in the playoffs. They’re at the mid-point of the season and playing exceptionally well. Fluvanna is the only district opponent they haven’t played yet, and Powhatan and Monticello are the only teams that have really given them a game so far (Western beat
23
Powhatan 10-5). The rematches of both those games will be in Crozet. Head coach Skip Hudgins has a talented, veteran squad that is hungry and knows how to play the game. It’s going to be an exciting stretch run for the Warriors as they look to make a mark on Western Albemarle baseball history. They have five remaining home games on the schedule: May 6 at 6 p.m. vs Albemarle; May 13 at 6 p.m. vs Monticello; May 15 at 6 p.m. vs Charlottesville; May 20 at 6 p.m. vs Powhatan; and a make-up game versus Fluvanna on a date not yet set. All home games are played at the field adjoining Brownsville Elementary School.
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
May Crozet Library Book Club: A Soulful Love Story by Clover Carroll | clover@crozetgazette.com
The best historical novels— perhaps the best novels, period— illuminate as well as entertain. The May selection of the Crozet Library Book Group (meeting Monday, May 5, at 7:30), Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, skillfully does both. This heartfelt novel sets a story of first love—with all its joy, tenderness, and loss—against the backdrop of one of the most shameful periods in American history. Rich with romance, family conflict, and cultural detail, this is a read that will stick with you long after you close the book’s covers. 1986: Henry Lee, a retired resident of Seattle’s Chinatown who is still grieving the loss of his wife to cancer, notices many people removing old Japanese artifacts from the basement of the Panama Hotel, an actual place in Seattle’s International District that stands as the gateway to the historic Nihonmachi neighborhood, or Japantown. The Panama still serves traditional Japanese tea and contains the last remaining sento, or Japanese bath, in the U.S. This moment opens the floodgates of Henry’s memories of his adolescence in 1942, just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the U.S. declaration of war on Japan. In alternating sections, the book deftly interweaves these two time periods in Henry’s life to dramatic effect, keeping us wondering right up to the end what caused Henry’s separation from the love of
his life, and what, if anything, can be done to pick up the pieces this late in his life. As the American populace comes to mistrust all Japanese—even those who were born in America—as spies and saboteurs, Henry’s father makes him wear an “I Am Chinese” button as a badge of protection—a button which author Ford’s father actually wore. At the white private school where Henry is “scholarshipping,” it has nearly the opposite effect; “why not just put a sign on my back that says ‘kick me’ while you’re at it?” Henry wonders. Bullied mercilessly and made to serve food to the white students at lunchtime, Henry is also outcast by his former friends at the Chinese school, who call him “Caspar”—a white ghost. His only friend is a young black saxophonist named Sheldon, a member of Seattle’s flourishing jazz scene, who gets his first gig playing at the Black Elks Club with the only non-fictional character in the book, jazz pianist Oscar Holden (1887-1969), often called the patriarch of Seattle jazz. Sheldon is his only friend, that is, until Henry meets Keiko Okabe, a
Japanese evacuation. 1942
Japanese student at his school who is also assigned to help in the lunch line. As their friendship blossoms into first love, Henry and Keiko share a love of jazz, her love of drawing, and mutual protection from the racist bullying they endure at the white school. Sadly, Henry has to hide his new friendship from his nationalist Chinese father, who hates all Japanese because of their country’s invasions into China. But in February, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt calmed American war hysteria by issuing an executive order authorizing the creation of “military areas” from which “any or all persons may be excluded.” This power was used to declare that all people of Japanese ancestry were excluded from the entire Pacific coast, except for those in “War Relocation Camps” located in various parts of the interior such as Colorado and Idaho. More than 110,000 people of Japanese heritage, 62 percent of them American citizens, were evacuated en masse to these internment camps to live in cramped barracks covered with tar paper, several families housed together with no privacy and communal facilities. They were given only a few days to pack and were allowed to take with them only what they could carry. They stored the many valuables they had to leave behind in churches and other public buildings; in Seattle, the basement of the Panama Hotel.
Plans to retrieve them when they came back were forgotten after four long years of internment; hundreds of items in the Panama were rediscovered decades later, and many of them remain to this day. Gerald Ford finally issued a formal apology for this national disgrace in 1976, and Congress paid reparations in 1988. As Henry watches helplessly, huge bonfires are lit in the alleys of Nihonmachi, onto which his Japanese neighbors throw any photos or documents that might link them with the homeland. After the evacuation order, he finds Keiko in the chaos of loading thousands of Japanese onto busses, and tries to give her his “I Am Chinese” button. The Okabes are taken first to Washington state and eventually to Camp Minidoka in Idaho. In an act of first manhood and defiance of his parents, Henry travels by bus to visit Keiko and tell her how he really feels. Ford’s descriptions make the conditions of the camps, with their barbed wire fences, armed guards, and desolate spaces, a vivid reality. Henry and Keiko try to stay in touch by writing letters, but over four long years all manner of things can and do happen to complicate what had seemed so simple. Now (in 1986), Henry visits the Panama Hotel himself, sorting through hundreds of boxes of other people’s intimate treasures, looking for any memento of Keiko, especially the Oscar Holden record they had
continued on page 37
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
Native Virginia May Flowers
25 E SAV
Solution on page 30
by claudia crozet
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 Across 1 Artistic dash 14 15 15 16 5 Stopwatch 10 Distance 18 19 17 14 Twelve to Zorro 15 Virginia Woolf playwright 20 21 22 16 “A person who talks when you wish him to listen” –Ambrose 22 23 24 25 26 27 Bierce 17 Native wildflower or nanny 28 29 30 34 35 soul patch? 31 32 33 34 35 36 19 Taking care of business 20 Ostrich kin 37 38 39 40 21 Debtors letters 22 Extra 45 42 43 23 Native wildflower or wise king’s 41 signet ring? 48 44 45 46 28 Tequila source 30 Say your piece 44 47 48 49 50 31 Native blue wildflower sounds like groups of ducks? 51 58 59 60 52 62 53 54 55 32 Scolding sound 56 57 58 59 60 33 Foot race 37 Tablet 61 62 63 38 Savoir fair 40 Q queue 64 65 66 41 Front half of Japanese goodbye 42 Tolkien goblin 43 One who adapts Down molding with egg and dart 45 Sphinx question 44 Masonry strengthener 47 Typical western hero 1 It’s often cutting 25 _____ illusion 46 Desist at sea 48 Houston catcher, 2 Weaving apparatus 26 Monster lake 47 Native wildflower or fancy say 3 Connected only by 27 Fermented rice beverage footwear? 49 Fights to lose? coincidence 28 Specialized software for 51 Notable riveter 50 Read leaves 4 Tennis must mobile devices 52 Constitution Hall org. 51 Broccoli _____, 5 Forbidden act 29 Karmann _____, 53 Floated like a butterfly, flowering turnip 6 Small intestines erstwhile Volkswagen stung like a bee tops 7 Darden degree sportscar 56 Poker stake 54 _____ Riefenstahl, 8 Always, to Wordsworth 33 Took the car 57 Native plant or Astaire German actress 9 Scarlet or carmine 34 Edible shoots of spring comment on Roger’s and director 10 Humble dwelling flowering perennial outrageous new dance step? 55 Spring flower or 11 Henry, Peter, or Jane 35 Jean d’Arc, et al. 61 Ernie BFF eye part? 12 Little mermaid 36 Fifth District 62 Doddering, as an old woman 57 Existed 13 Abbr. for Colin Powell congressman 63 Small antelope 58 Pen partner or Wesley Clark 38 Edgar Allan’s family 64 Aphrodite offspring 59 52 18 Proctor _____ 39 Spheres 65 Sometimes cloudy, 60 Snowden target: 22 Invite 43 Italian isle sometimes bright Abbr. 24 Convex architectural 44 Catcher site? 66 Customer caveat
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Mountain Plain Baptist Church Our friendly church invites you to worship with us. Sunday School • 10 a.m. Traditional Worship Service • 11 a.m. Dr. Sam Kellum, Pastor 4281 Old Three Notch’d Road Charlottesville (Crozet), 22901 Travel 2 miles east of the old 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
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26
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
Blaise Gaston: The Artist as Furniture Maker By Kathy Johnson Few people have a true passion for what they do. Blaise Gaston’s love of wood and woodworking started at age nine and that passion is still going strong. Born in England, Gaston moved to the area when he was just three. “Almost home grown,” he said, and from that first woodworking class his path moved steadily toward becoming the master craftsman he is. The plan was that he would study industrial arts, but Gaston said no. He went to Barlow Boarding School in New York, then to the School for American Crafts, earning a bachelor’s degree in furniture design. After graduation in 1975, things didn’t come easy. “I got a job making $3.25 an hour—shoveling gravel,” he said. But hard work started to pay off when he got on with Shelter &
Associates in Free Union, building doors and cabinets. Then he ran the shop. In 1978 he spent some time at the McGuffey Art Center. The next year he and some friends started Gaston, Murray & Wyatt, which became a premier shop for architectural woodworking and custom furniture. But in 1992, Gaston said, “I made the leap to more exciting work.” He sold his part of the company and began building the art furniture and cabinets for which he has become well-known. “I did a huge job for a local client,” he said as he pointed to some photos. “The walnut bar took six months to do—that’s one piece of furniture in six months.” He also made the front doors for Monticello and took on projects at other historical sites such as Ash Lawn and the University of Virginia’s Rotunda, as well as for
private homes and businesses. “It’s a hard way to make a living, but it’s a whole lot of fun,” he said. “I spent five and a half years on restoration at Montpelier. I did all new woodwork.” The home he and wife, Cali, share is a three-story art structure nestled in the woods near Earlysville. Filled with unique and beautiful wood pieces, all done by Gaston, the home is a testament to Gaston’s artist statement: “I make unusual furniture: elegant, beautiful, and superbly built.” Each piece is an art piece, but each is also functional and beautiful. Probably the most unique piece at his home is the large white sycamore tree trunk sofa that Gaston made some years ago, which has its own story. Blaise and Cali enjoy canoeing in the large stream that runs through their property. In 2001 they were out in the canoe when they saw a large sycamore hanging out over the stream. After gaining permission to remove the tree, Gaston and some friends built a shed on the property
Blaise Gaston in his studio [Photo courtesy the artist]
near the house to dry the sycamore. That took seven years. “Then when the tree was dry,” Gaston explained, “it had to be power washed - then sanded.” Once the tree was ready, “we brought in a crane.” The tree was lifted to the second floor. Glass panels in the house were temporarily removed and the tree was moved inside. With animal skins and pillows it offers the perfect resting place or spot to curl up and read a book. continued on page 39
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MAY 2014
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Marianne and Christopher O’Brien
By Kathy Johnson For many folks, being with their spouse around the clock in hot and cold and wet and dry and friendly and unfriendly conditions does not sound like a great idea, more like a recipe for disaster. Marianne and Christopher O’Brien, two of Batesville’s hardiest, are not fazed by the prospect. They are off on what they say is a grand adventure: seeing America on a three-month tandem bike trip on the TransAmerica Trail. Many locals will remember June Curry, the Cookie Lady, who distributed cookies to bikers first during the Bike 76 TransAm that went past her home on Afton Mountain. This is the same route that Christopher and Marianne will travel. This is their third tandem bicycle trip. Their first one was shortly after they were married. “Many, many happy miles ensued over the next 18 years, including biking in the White Mountains, the Maine Moose Tour, and the Pyrenees to Paris in 2003 following Le Tour de France!” said Marianne. Christopher said with some pride, that while following the Le Tour de France on their tandem, “on probably the fastest day, there were some 100,000 people standing and cheering for us as we went by,” pretty heady stuff and very exciting for the couple. Christopher said that part of that may have been the bicycle. Tandem bikes were uncommon in France, as they are here, with only three couples in the area owning one. “You learn how to be a team,” said
Marianne. “We don’t go as fast as we once did,” said Christopher. He admits that going down Afton Mountain they have buried the speedometer a few times, but they don’t plan on that for the trip. Certainly, it’s not all been easy, with banged knees, scrapes and the occasional mishap during the months of training that have preceded the trip. They hope that is all behind them. Why would anyone take on this challenge? The O’Briens are not kids; their 20s are well behind them. “This was always something we wanted to do,” Marianne explained. “Then my mother became ill and passed away.” Marianne’s mother had been a volunteer in Virginia Beach for Beach General Hospital for 24 years. The Auxiliary there donates money annually to the Beach Free Clinic. Marianne said they want the ride to be in her honor and they are raising money for the Charlottesville Free Clinic in her name, June Burke Van Werz. Chris calculates the ride will take them roughly 72 “riding days.” They will rest one day each week on the trip. There are some side trips planned, including a couple of days in Yellowstone National Park. Both Marianne and Chris praised their employers, “My company (Barron Associates in Charlottesville), and his (Unboxed Technology in Richmond), have both been really good,” she said about their sabbatical. The trip that will cover ten states and take them (with a few side trips) continued on page 29
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
A World Record For Virginia Industrial Agriculture [ by elena day • elena@crozetgazette.com \ May is my favorite month. Fields turn green and flowers delight the eye. One anticipates the abundance of summer. I think of Beltane, the ancient Irish May Day celebration when bonfires were lit, fertility was celebrated and cattle were moved to lush green summer pastures. It hurts my heart that in more recent years more and more fields in Central Virginia green up and then just as quickly turn yellow and brown. Today’s agriculturalists spray glyphosate herbicide (Monsanto’s Roundup)* to deaden growth in order to monocrop Roundupresistant corn and soybeans. These in turn are fed to our cattle and pigs and chickens. U.S. (and South American) corn and soybeans travel as far as China and Southeast Asia to feed their industrial meat production facilities. Energy efficiency and sustainability in such a system of intercontinental food transport were deep-sixed decades ago. Recently I read in an issue of The Progressive Farmer about the 2013 world record corn yield per acre winner right here in Tidewater Virginia. Mr. Hula’s no-till fields are “Rounded-Up” and planted with Roundup-resistant corn. Mr. Hula listed applications of germination stimulants, products to protect against cutworms and wireworms, additions of products from a company called Biovante that provides
BioRed—soil microorganisms-and feeds these with complex sugars with product names like BioMate and Assist 45. Fertilizer is regularly added by “fertigation,” the application of nutrients via irrigation. And finally, at brown silk stage Mr. Hula orders two helicopter applications of what he calls Kritter’s Kryptonite, which includes more fertilizer, amino acids, BioMate, Headline AMP (fungicide) and Tombstone insecticide. All this occurs on Curles Neck Farm or Plantation (east of Richmond on the James River), which dates back to 1635. Industrial farming has come a long way from small plots of hills of corn fertilized with fish heads and companion plantings of squash, pumpkins and beans. The Progressive Farmer has lots of information about pesticides and herbicides and fungicides. I cannot say it is happy bedtime reading. Atrazine is now routinely used to control marestail, which has developed glyphosate or Roundup resistance, in corn and soybean fields. Atrazine is one of the most widely used weed killers in the U.S. and its highest use is on Midwest corn. Ninety-four percent of drinking water tested by the USDA has been found to be contaminated with Atrazine. Higher contamination levels occur from April to July. It has been banned in Germany and Italy since 1991, and in the European Union since 2004. Although studies have linked Atrazine to adverse effects on
amphibians and fish and to birth defects in humans, EPA remains adamant regarding its regulatory safeguards. I recently read the May 2014 National Geographic issue “The New Food Revolution.” The author is trying mightily to make the case for a new agricultural model combining modern industrial farming and organic methods. Within this article this particular subtext has stayed with me: “Though small farms tend to lag behind industrial farms in yields, they often deliver more food that actually ends up feeding people.” Once again, “small is beautiful.” In the end we may pay heavily for the environmental degradation resulting from an agricultural system that currently showcases giant combines in Kansas harvesting wheat at 25 acres an hour. Note the disappearance of Monarch butterflies (an indicator species) from the vast farm fields of the Midwest as most milkweed on which these insects feed has been wiped out by herbicides that are integral to this method of feeding the world’s growing population. Last week Vermont passed a GMO labeling bill and Governor Peter Shumlin has promised to sign it. The bill includes funds to fight the challenge that will likely be brought by the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association (GMA). Pepsi, Coke, Kraft, Kellogg’s, Monsanto, etc. all are GMA members. Although GMO-labeling initiatives were defeated in California and Washington, efforts to pass
“right to know” what you eat legislation continue in both states as well as in Oregon, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, and Colorado. Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo (R) is sponsoring GMA’s dream legislation, The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014.” H.R. 4432 allows for “voluntary” GMO labeling and prohibits states from passing mandatory GMO labeling laws. Food manufacturers could continue to use the word “natural” on products that contain GMO’s. A couple of weeks ago there appeared a long article in the Washington Post about Monsanto developing new seeds that are not genetically engineered. I figured it was an attempt to get some good PR. (Monsanto is forever buying full-page ads in the Post about its achievements feeding the world its “chemically challenged” food.) Monsanto and other chemical companies are calling “mutagenesis” plant breeding the old fashioned way in the greenhouse. Mutagenesis subjects plants to radiation and chemical baths to scramble genes to produce traits suitable to industrial agriculture. The USDA Organic certification allows for mutagenesis although it disallows irradiation of food. Clarification is necessary. Don’t forget, the Crozet Farmers Market opens May 3. *A study released early in April found glyphosate in mothers’ breast milk as well as at levels 10 times higher than in Europe
CROZET gazette
To the Editor —continued from page 2
involvement! I’ll be seeing you at the park. Kim Guenther Board President, Claudius Crozet Park Crozet Dental Day I’m frequently reminded of the wonderful people living here in Crozet. My wife, three children and I left the Washington, D.C. suburbs looking for a better place to raise our family. We found it here in Crozet. For the last eight years, I have owned a dental practice on Jarmans Gap Road. I’m touched by the generosity of people here, who demonstrate real values in this quickly changing world. I feel strongly that I should share a story of an incredible person who has helped, and continues to help, many others in Crozet. Mrs. P, who wishes to remain anonymous, has been my dental patient for six years. She asked me one day what happens to people who cannot afford dental care. I told her that it depends on their situation, but if I feel that they truly deserve it, I will provide their dental care for free. Mrs. P wanted to help. She had me open a separate account that she deposits money into several times a year. Her instructions to me were to decide who is truly in need and to use the money for their dental care.
Bikers
—continued from page 27
more than 4,600 miles. The trip will begin in Yorktown, the official “start” of the trail. Marianne is packing one short-sleeve jersey, two sleeveless jerseys, two sports bras, three pair of bike shorts, three pairs of bike socks, arm warmers, a pair of long windproof tights, a rain shell, a midweight bike jacket, bike shoes & booties, a pair of ultralight off-bike shoes, a bathing suit, a polar fleece bike jacket, fingerless gloves, cool weather bike gloves, a wind vest and cycling cap. For Chris the list is nearly the same, except no bras. The bike also has a packing list that includes spokes, a spoke wrench, four tubes, a patch kit, milk levers, a
MAY 2014
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No other rules. Through her donations, I have been able to help many people. Recipients have ranged in ages and situations: children with special needs, college students, disabled veterans and others that have been negatively impacted by our country’s economy. I feel blessed and grateful to Mrs. P for allowing my office to help people in our community. When I tell patients that their bill has been paid for by an anonymous benefactor, they appear puzzled. But as I explain Mrs. P’s gift they often erupt into tears of joy and appreciation. I ask the recipient to write Mrs. P a thank you letter, then I make a copy for my office and send her the original. One of my favorite things to do is to call Mrs. P and tell her another letter is on its way. To thank Crozet for making this my home and to carry on Mrs. P’s kindness, the staff and I, along with local Crozet resident and oral surgeon, Dr. Carlos Ibanez, will be donating our services to those in need on Saturday, May 17. We will provide free dental exams, free x-rays, and free extractions. Please see our ad on page 3 for more info. If you know of anyone in the Crozet community that would benefit from these services, please feel free to pass this information on to them. Thank you, Mrs. P, for inspiring all of us. Sincerely, John Schoeb, DDS Crozet Blue Ridge Dental
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
CLASSIFIED ADS ALTERATIONS AND TAILORING: Experienced seamstress with 30 years of tailoring and garment alterations experience, working from home in Crozet (Highlands). Call for a free consultation. Ruth Gerges: 434-823-5086. MATH TUTOR: I am an Adjunct professor at PVCC where I teach Developmental Math. I am available to tutor math for middle/high school students in the Crozet area. $25 per hour. Bill Millard: 804-874-5023. GET UP, GET OUT, GET FIT: Boot Camp for REAL People is a co-ed exercise class that meets at Crozet Park on M/W/F at 5:50AM. Have fun, meet your neighbors and get in shape! Come try your first class for free. For more information or other classes and services visit www.m2personaltraining. com or call Melissa Miller at 434-962-2311. COMMUNITY WIDE YARD SALE in Old Trail, Crozet. Visit all of Old Trail’s neighborhoods for individual home owners’ sales on: indoor furniture and decor, patio furnishings, rugs, lamps, sports
equipment, window treatments, kids toys and clothes, lawn & garden tools, many items for free and many priced under $1! No early birds please. Saturday, May 17 from 8 a.m. to noon. Old Trail Community, Crozet. Just off Route 250 across from Western Albemarle High School. SPEECH COACH: Let Kairos help you master the art of public speaking. We can help with organization, speech delivery, and anxiety. One-on-one instruction or groups. Great for HS students, execs, or seniors. Call Rob today at 434-2425606 for more information and rates. HUGE COMMUNITY YARD SALE: Grayrock Subdivision (Crozet)— Saturday, May 10 from 8 a.m. until noon. Multi-Family with Children’s Items, Household Goods, Clothes and Furniture. From Charlottesville take 250 W. Turn right onto 240 E, then left onto Jarmans Gap Road. The subdivision is one mile ahead on your right. MOTORCYCLE FOR SALE: 2006 Suzuki Burgman 650. 24085 miles. $3,500 OBO. Call 434-981-7892.
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Starr Hill —continued from page 1
Style pale ale, at the opening. The brewery also presented a check for $4,000 to the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation on the occasion. The new tasting room, with an industrial warehouse look, has 1,500 square feet with large windows that give a full view of the production area and bottling lines. On the street side, two wide windows that roll up like garage doors make the room seem virtually outdoors when opened. The walls are covered in wide, sawn-wood planks with one section filled with mesmerizing posters of local music events. A stage is at one end and a rack of eight oak casks creates a partition separating the stage from the route to the restrooms. There are two large HD TVs mounted for sports fans. A track door was salvaged for another part of the former frozen food plant and the brewery’s star symbol, which used to hang on an outside wall, has been attached to it. A clock from the original Starr Hill music hall on West Main Street in Charlottesville is on one wall and tap caps decorate another side. The 50-foot bar counter is concrete with a state-of–the–art drafting system that will supply 16 taps. Some of Starr Hill’s beers will be available only there. The tasting room will also handle package sales, growler refills and kegs. Inside, the room seats roughly 65 people at tables, plus there is plenty of space at the bar. Outside is a patio with picnic benches and space for two food trucks to park. Potted landscaping will be added along the patio to screen it from traffic on Three Notch’d Road. Sal’s Pizza has agreed to deliver to the tasting room, which will be available for private events. It has a capacity of 100 and Starr Hill managing director Brian McNelis suggested it could be suitable for weddings, alumni events or HOA meetings. “We knew we had to step up for our customers to enjoy our culture,” said McNelis. “We looked into downtown Charlottesville and in Nelson [County]. We decided to stay in the original building. We preserved our musical DNA in the posters from Charlottesville shows.”
continued on page 35
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
The Blue Ridge Naturalist © Marlene A. Condon | marlene@crozetgazette.com
A Panther in Western Albemarle? I walk around my neighborhood almost every day, and I’ve gotten to know neighbors who also exercise on a regular basis. One day last June, Daisy—a runner—stopped to inform me excitedly that she had recently seen a panther in the area! What she described surely sounded like a cougar (Puma concolor), except that she said it was black, and our native big cat is a tawny color. In fact, no all-black cougar has ever been documented in the United States, even though folklore includes stories of panthers in our country. The term “panther” more accurately describes jaguars and leopards, melanistic (all-black) large cats
that are completely different species. Neither of these animals is native to our area, so I didn’t know what to make of Daisy’s report. In our brief conversations along the road we share, she’s always made comments to me that illustrate she has quite an interest in wildlife and understands the important role that wildlife plays in our own existence. I had no reason to doubt her report of seeing an all-black large cat. That said, cougars were extirpated from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States over 100 years ago. Officially (i.e., according to the Department of Game & Inland Fisheries), there are no wild cougars in Virginia. State biologists insist that if someone were to see a cougar, the animal would have to have been one that had been kept as a pet (I’ll
never understand how this could be allowed) and which has been set free illegally. Most folks scoff at the idea that a cougar, even a pet one, could be seen in Albemarle County. It sounds like the stuff of myth, and yet I know first-hand that there has been at least one of these large cats wandering around my local area. On the morning of February 2, 2007, I convinced my husband to walk with me in the pre-dawn darkness. I wanted to get my day started earlier than usual, but I didn’t feel comfortable walking the roads alone when it was pitch-black out. As we were heading back home at what I figured was about 6:40 a.m., it was barely light enough to see where we were going. We were approaching a wildlife trail (a pathway used often by wildlife and thus obvious by flattened plants along it) when I noticed a large animal crossing the road ahead of us. All I could see was a silhouette that was moving with a definite catlike gait across the road. My first thought was that it was a bobcat, an animal that is supposedly common in our area, but which is rarely seen. I was stunned when the animal
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reached the roadway right in front of us and I could clearly see its long body followed by a very long tail, not a short (“bobbed”) tail of a bobcat! I asked my husband if he saw the animal just as it reached the side of the road we were on. He hadn’t seen it crossing the road, as I had. He only saw it when it was in front of us and jumped onto the bank leading down to the river. Having grown up with cats as I had, he recognized the cat-like movement of the animal but couldn’t make out any details in the brief moment he was aware of its presence. If only I’d had my camera with me! I wouldn’t have been able to document the cat itself, but I could have documented its paw prints on the roadway. At first we were so astonished that we just kept walking and talking about what we’d just seen. But then I regained my senses and said we should return to look for prints. The animal had, indeed, left behind perfectly identifiable tracks of a cougar. I contacted the property owner of the wildlife trail to ask if his
continued on page 36
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
33
inthegarden@crozetgazette.com
Unfair Competition Competition is said to improve the breed. A plant that has to duke it out with other plants for resources should end up better for it, right? Or at least the best of its offspring should prevail over the weaker ones. But what about competition in another sense, where one competitor barely gets an invitation to the contest? The leading contender in the fray of spring-flowering trees is arguably the familiar flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Abundant in the wild as well as ubiquitous in gardens, who would dare challenge the dogwood? So, the shy, retiring silverbell tree (Halesia spp.) just sits in the corner and hopes somebody will notice it. And perhaps even invite it into their gardens. As yet another tree with white flowers in mid-to-late April, silverbells have an uphill battle to gain attention. But not all white flowers are created equal. The “bells”, only ½’’ to ¾” long, are white and hang delicately from the branches. What
they lack in size, they make up for in numbers, cloaking the tree before and during leaf emergence. Attractive from any angle, they show best when viewed from below, allowing you to look up into the bells. A good choice for a patio, where folks can sit under the tree, or on a hillside where you can stroll under it. In their native haunts, silverbells can be relatively common trees, but unfortunately we’re beyond where they grow wild. One species of Halesia is found in China, with the rest growing in the southeastern United States. Just how many species are native to the U.S., and what they’re properly called, gets a bit murky. As gardeners, the distinctions aren’t that significant, since all three species are pretty similar. They are typically fairly small understory trees, often with two or three trunks with subtle striping. The simple, undivided leaves may turn soft yellow in the fall, but silverbells aren’t known for spectacular autumn color. The Little Silverbell, H. carolina, has the smallest flowers and grows in alluvial forests of the deep south.
Two wing silverbell
The Common, or Mountain, Silverbell (H. tetraptera) is the most widespread, ranging from one or two counties in Southwest Virginia all the way to Texas and Oklahoma. The center of its distribution is the southern Appalachians, especially the Great Smoky Mountains, and this is where the taxonomy becomes confusing. Most Common Silverbells are small trees, ranging up to about thirty feet tall. But in the mountains, silverbells can reach heights of eighty feet, with a twofoot diameter. These trees also have slightly larger flowers; sometimes labeled as a separate species, they’re now more commonly regarded as a variety. The Two-wing Silverbell (H. diptera) is slightly more distinct from its brethren, but only because its fruits have two wings rather than four. There is also a variety of this deep south species, magniflora, but the “large” flowers are still just barely over an inch in length. Some authorities consider this variety to be more drought-tolerant, however. And speaking of drought, what growing conditions should you provide for your silverbell? In the wild
they generally receive abundant moisture, either growing near streams, in moist mountain coves, or along wet slopes. So don’t plant them in a hot, dry, exposed place, and be prepared to provide some supplemental water in dry spells. Partial shade, with protection from the hottest sun, will provide the best conditions for flowering and good growth. Mulch to keep the roots cool. One blessing: grown in the right conditions, silverbells are generally quite pest- and disease-resistant. Silverbells are not widely available, but with some looking or travelling, you should be able to find one. There are a few cultivars out there; most focus on pink flowers, although there is one weeper, as well as a variegated selection. One caveat when buying the pink varieties: if possible, look at the actual tree, since the degree of pinkness is highly variable. Even if you don’t plant a silverbell, take a trip to find them. For years a silverbell has grown in the gardens behind Pavilion III at UVA. I hope it’s still there, but haven’t
continued on page 34
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MAY 2014
Crozet Country Charmer 4 bedroom, 2 bath, near Mint Springs Hardwood floors and tile, woodstove in living room, new windows, central air, detatached man cave garage with electric wood stove and skylight. $247,900 This home qualifies for 100% USDA rural home financing. 434-466-4634
For Sale By Owner
Country Setting in Crozet Character galore in this 2100+ sqft, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath Cape Cod. Large garage, finished walk-out basement, abundant landscaping surrounds a large patio & fish pond. 1st floor master, fireplace, skylights. Call to see where you can view pictures. $206,000. Qualifies for 100% VHDA rural home financing. 434-466-4634.
For Sale By Owner
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APRIL 2014
Model Trains —continued from page 8
and Young, both now in their seventies, had had offers to buy their show, but they were reluctant to sell to someone who was not a true enthusiast, too. Shows sell table space to vendors and take an entrance charge at the gate. The Great Scale Model Train Show, held four times a year, has about 800 tables. “A show has lots of moving parts and they don’t always move in harmony,” said Geare, who formerly worked as staff at the show. He said he and Millitello are now investigating Virginia locations for a show as well, but that will wait until they prove they can manage the Timonium show smoothly. Geare said that the tough economy has forced general belt tightening and people find more reward in spending their disposable income on their hobbies rather than on transient enjoyments. Show attendance has persisted through the recession. “This is big news in the model railroad world,” said Geare. “This is significant. Zane and Young wouldn’t sell to just anyone.” Makin’ Tracks is not a prominent retailer who might have been predicted to take on the show. “There’s an underlying ethos: we support the hobbyist,” said Geare. “The show advances that by making things affordable to people. We’re hobbyists ourselves and we understand. We do it because we love it.”
5690 Three Notch’d Rd., Ste. 100 • Crozet (Beside PT Plus)
Mother Knows Best My mother created a unique seasoned salt in the ’70s and it’s now made and sold locally as Peg’s Salt. A pinch of Peg’s makes every meal delicious! A perfect gift for mothers and fathers. Sold at Crozet Great Valu, Greenwood Gourmet Grocery, Whole Foods, and many other stores
www.pegssalt.com
Barnes Plans —continued from page 14
Crozet Library so that it can offer evening hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Schrader noted that March circulation was 22,000 items and the door count was 11,000 patrons. He said that 1,453 new library cards have been issued at the library since it opened in September. He said the fundraising committee continues to work toward its goal of raising the collection to 75,000 volumes by next year. Mallek suggested that the community consider a fundraising drive to install landscaping in front of the fence in The Square that marks off CSX property. An estimate by Watkins and Company landscaping in Crozet put the plant cost at $1,500.
In the Garden —continued from page 33
checked recently. If you’re up for a drive, head down to the Smokies and look for the really big examples. One of my favorite hikes is up into Albright Grove on the Tennessee side of the mountains. Among many large trees of various species, mature silverbells stand out. Instead of the striped bark of young specimens, they develop gray-black-brown plates that are almost iridescent, well worth the hike. And what about snowbell trees, cousins to the silverbells? Perhaps another contender in this competition? Stay tuned.
CROZET gazette
Crozet’s Favorite Flicks What’s hot now at Maupin’s Music and Video
Top Rentals in April Delivery Man
(Comedy with Vince Vaughn)
The Wolf of Wall Street
(Drama with Leonardo Dicaprio)
Anchorman 2
(Comedy with Will Ferrell)
The Pirate Fairy (Children’s/Family with Christina Hendricks)
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (Horror)
The Hobbit: The Desloation of Smaug (Franchise with Martin Freeman)
Philomena
(Drama with Judi Dench)
Ride Along
(Comedy with Ice Cube)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Drama with Ben Stiller)
May picks PETE’S PICKS
Philomena (new); Bull Durham
RICK’S PICKS
Grude Match (new); Old Yeller
EVAN’S PICKS
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (new); The Amazing Spiderman Maupin’s Music & Video 434-823-2244
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
35
What I Owe My Mother Starr Hill by Clover Carroll | clover@crozetgazette.com
My mother gave me many gifts. Unfortunately, she died when I was too young— only 28—to appreciate them or to thank her properly. Often it is only with maturity that we recognize how precious those childhood influences were. First, my mother gave me the gift of music. Deeply involved in theater all of her life and blessed with a glorious mezzo soprano voice, she sang all the comic/matron roles in major musicals and operettas with DC’s Lyric Theatre, Harmony Theatre, the Little Theatre of Alexandria, and others. From Katisha in The Mikado to Bloody Mary in South Pacific to the mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, my mother performed them all to rave reviews. Not only did I spend many of my evenings at rehearsals (and join a few choruses myself ), but our house was always full of music as she practiced for shows and recitals and hostessed parties for theatrical friends, including the D’oyly Carte Opera Company when they toured the U.S. in the early ‘60s. And on top of all this, she made all her own costumes, upholstered the furniture, and made the curtains in our house! Second, my mother gave me the gift of humor. She was a talented comedienne who brought down the house with laughter in many performances—most notably when she won the National Theater Ball in 1968 by dressing as Brunhilde and singing Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” as she dragged my poor father across the stage by his hair (a family trip to Mexico was the prize). Laughter, highjinks, and joy filled our home as she was always joking and making fun of one thing or another. From green mashed potatoes on St. Patrick’s Day to cardboard-filled pancakes on April Fool’s, life in our house was full of surprises. Using her wealth of creativity to make up songs and poems--from “Nothing Like a Good Hot Bath” to “Akety Bakety Bo/ the mouse peed in the snow/ he nearly froze his peter off/ cause it
was ten below”--she entertained the family with irreverent humor every day. My mother loved to read and our house was full of books. She taught us to read before we started school, and we were reading adult books in junior high school. She took us to the opera, to the ballet, to art museums, and to New York musicals when we could afford it. She even revived the drama club at my high school. She ensured that our young lives were enriched with art and culture in its every aspect.
Clover with her mother and older sister
But the most important gift my mother gave me was the gift of magic. She encouraged us to believe in magic, to have faith in the invisible, and to use our imaginations to create new realities. On Midsummer Night we put ferns in our shoes and made a wish upon a star. On St. Patrick’s Day she would scatter shiny new pennies through the grass, along with scraps of chamois cloth she swore were left by the shoemaking leprechauns. At Halloween we hosted the neighborhood haunted house, with masked goblins on the porch topping strawstuffed bodies, and life-sized masked figures terrifying our friends in the basement—some of whom were her costumed friends who would actually move or groan! I spent countless hours staring at the big Map of Fairyland poster on the wall over my bed, imagining all the things that could happen there. Of course I also fought with and rebelled against my mother, as children do. But the older I get, the more I appreciate the many intangible gifts I received from her. I hope she can hear the prayers of gratitude. To devoted mothers everywhere, thank you!
—continued from page 31
“Live music is spiritual,” said Starr Hill founder and master brewer Mark Thompson. He Tom Noelke described the typical bands that will REALTOR® play there as “jam bands. Like 434-770-8902 Bonnaroo or Lochn or Phish.” “We really want Crozet folks in Since 1927 here,” said McNelis. “You can get Roy Wheeler Old Trail Village food here. We want this to be a norCrozet, Va 22932 434-770-8902 • www.RoyWheeler.com mal stop. We want to be part of the renaissance in Crozet restaurants. We are not a bar. We’re only open until 8 p.m. We’ll push business to other places in Crozet.” “We’re a big part of Crozet now,” agreed business manager Josh Cromwell. “and we want to strengthen that. It’s fun to be part of SUMMER SummerCamp Camp Ages 3Preschool Summer 2 1/2 - 5CAMP PRESCHOOL a growing community.” Preschool Ages Ages 3 - 6 Ages 2 ½ -several 58 Ages 2 ½ 5 Ages 3 Sign up for days or for th A gentle, safe &Sign loving Starr Hill is currently producing up by the week A gentle, safe & loving A gentle, & loving Sign up for or forsafe the whole summer. atmosphere whole summer. Creative weekl for one youngweek atmosphere young children 25,000 barrels of beer a year (a bar- for Creative weekly themes. children to beginsummer. to atmosphere for young or the whole themes. Private, in-ground wadi to begin exploring the world & to Private, to in-ground explore theweekly world & to rel contains 31 gallons) and distrib- children begin wading Creative themes. pool for daily swimming. prepare forin-ground kindergarten. exploring the world & to Private, wading pool for daily swimming. preparetofor kindergarten. utes in 10 states from Georgia prepare for kindergarten. pool for daily swimming. HALF DAY & FULL DAY New York. About 40 percent of its Close to Charlottesville, Crozet Close to Charlottesville, Crozet & Close to Charlottesville, Crozet & UVA UVa& UVA sales are in Virginia, Thompson NUMEROUS SCHEDULE OPTIONS NUMEROUS SCHEDULE OPTIONS said. It has 40 full-time employees (434) 979-2111 979-2111 vy.com and some 50 to 60 part-time work-(434)434.979.2111 | www.millstoneofi www.millstoneofivy.com www.millstoneofivy.com ers. Production could rise to 40,000 barrels in the existing plant and they expect to reach that level of demand within three years. “We’re looking at whether to expand the present building,” said Thompson. “The number one thing is to produce high quality beer that is a cut above, day in and day out. There is still room for craft beers to grow. It is very competitive now. There are 2,700 craft breweries in the U.S. Consumers are going to make the decision about who is going to make it into the future.” Thompson credited the gold award success of Whiter Shade of Pale Ale to lead brewer Robbie O’Cain, just 25, who has been with Starr Hill for two years. A chemistry major in college, he is a certified brewmaster who trained in Germany. “What’s cool about American craft brewing is that we take styles from other countries and make them our own,” said O’Cain. “We can grow some of the best hops in the world in the Pacific Northwest.” O’Cain said he makes small-scale test batches and then refines the recipes. “Craft beers can interrupt their production processes to try new continued on page 37
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
Panthers
—continued from page 32
neighbor, a National Geographic photographer, could set up a camera along the trail to possibly catch a glimpse of the big cat. But perhaps the thought of a cougar in Albemarle County sounded preposterous to the photographer. The landowner recently told me he didn’t think a camera had ever been set up. Of course, I can remember when the idea of coyotes in the county seemed far-fetched, too. Now the poor things are shot by people whose fears of them arise from a lack of knowledge of these animals. Now folks might think that I must have been mistaken. But Daisy had witnesses to her panther sighting! She told me a runner had come by so she stopped him to ask what kind of animal was in the field. He replied, “A panther,” and they both “just gawked and stood there.” Then two women came by in a vehicle and Daisy stopped them too. They also agreed they were all looking at a panther! Daisy didn’t know the names of any of the witnesses to her sighting, but a friend of mine—who possesses a keen interest in cougar sightings after spotting one himself—had heard about the panther observation. He managed to put me in touch with the runner Daisy had stopped and the runner was kind enough to send me a written report, which matched Daisy’s account quite well. He confirmed seeing “a large, black feline. The field had been cut very recently, and the animal walked immediately in front of a round bale of hay. Because the bale had a
diameter of five feet ([he] returned later to measure), [he] was able to judge the size of the animal in relation to the hay bale. The cat was one and a half to two feet tall at the shoulder, and was slightly more than five feet long from its head to the tip of its tail. The head, the long tail, and its movements all were distinctly feline.” The runner also wrote that “We watched it walk along the edge of the field for a minute or so. When a car passed by, we stopped it so the two people inside could watch, too. Everyone agreed that the animal was feline, and far too large to be a domestic housecat. After a short while the animal walked into the woods behind the field and disappeared.” Because there were so many people who saw this cat at the same time, I have no doubt that they did, indeed, see a large black cat. The question is, did they all see an animal that scientists claim has never been seen—a melanistic cougar? If so, did it find its way to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Albemarle County the same way that coyotes have? Both animals can feed upon the overabundance of deer that is the direct result of men having rid our county of large predators. (Many hunters claim it’s their job to control deer numbers, but it actually isn’t, as is obvious by how poorly men have been able to step into the role of predator to keep deer numbers limited.) Or was the large black cat from another country, having been kept as a pet and then let loose? If anyone knows about the possible origin of this animal, please contact me. All information will be kept as confidential as you wish it to be.
BEREAVEMENTS John Thomas Sapienza, 101
March 12, 2014
Robert Eugene Martin Sr., 68
March 27, 2014
Charles Maupin, 58
March 28, 2014
Marcus Norton Barbour, 92
March 29, 2014
Margaret Ann Little Martin, 72
March 30, 2014
Mary Ralston Smith Bates, 64
March 31, 2014
Lacy E. Belew Jr., 82
April 1, 2014
Barbara Ann Dickson, 73
April 2, 2014
George W. Howell Sr., 91
April 2, 2014
Patricia Roark Reynolds, 75
April 2, 2014
Luther William Maupin, 79
April 3, 2014
Gladys Shiflett Farish, 86
April 4, 2014
Michael H. Orend, 82
April 4, 2014
Hank Kuiken, 86
April 5, 2014
Bettie Mae Davis Maxey, 82
April 5, 2014
Thomas Michael Dempsey, 63
April 6, 2014
Harvey Page Humphreys, 59
April 6, 2014
Margaret Estelle Morris, 83
April 8, 2014
Helen Williams Shifflett, 98
April 8, 2014
Virginia Dahleen Brooks, 85
April 9, 2014
Ann Patterson Perkins, 91
April 9, 2014
John Rea McCauley, 76
April 11, 2014
Sheila Fitzgerald Anderson, 59
April 12, 2014
Charles S. Gardner, 89
April 12, 2014
Nell Carlton McCormick James, 88
April 12, 2014
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April 14, 2014
Carl Wayne Baugher, 82
April 17, 2014
Jane Ann Chisholm, 65
April 17, 2014
Sharon Lavonne Fields, 55
April 17, 2014
Alphonso Allen Givens, 54
April 17, 2014
Frank Marcellus Ripberger Jr., 96
April 17, 2014
Gerald Patrick Schoenig, 73
April 17, 2014
Charles Rufus Wesner, 88
April 17, 2014
Anderson Funeral Services Inc.
Randolph Franklin Wood Jr., 35
April 17, 2014
Susie M. Birckhead Damron, 96
April 18, 2014
Charles D. Jefferson Sr., 58
April 18, 2014
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April 18, 2014
Serving Western Albemarle Families Since 1967
Elizabeth McPherson Ravenel Harrigan, 85
April 19, 2014
Clifford Allen Jessee, 81
April 19, 2014
Roxie Fitzellen Smith, 70
April 19, 2014
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April 20, 2014
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Woodrow Franklin Rea, 88
April 24, 2014
Robert S. Anderson & John W. Anderson, Jr., D I R E C T O R S
823-5002 5888 St. George Avenue Crozet, VA 22932
CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
Joe Smith, 1940 -2014 Joseph Henry Smith, Jr. formerly of Crozet, passed away April 4, 2014 in Tidewell Hospice House in Venice, Florida. He was born September 10, 1940, in Crozet, the son of Joseph Henry Smith, Sr. and Kathryn Woodward Smith. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Harriet Smith, his paternal grandparents Henry Walker Smith and Myrtle Coleman Smith, his maternal grandparents George Avis Woodard and Lutie Rea Woodward, his uncles Charles E. Smith, George Avis Woodward, Jr. and William H. Woodward. He is survived by his wife Josephine Smith of Englewood, Florida, his daughter Julie Shepard of Chesterfield, Virginia, his son Joseph Hason Smith of Chesterfield, Virginia, two stepsons Stephen Steiner of Fort Valley, Virginia and Todd Steiner of Maurertown, Virginia. He is also survived by two grandchildren, Carl and Zachary Shepard, and two great–grandchildren, Carson and Jacob Shepard. Also surviving him are his sister Joan Smith Sullivan of Crozet, his brothers William (Billy) Staples of Crozet, Ronald James Staples and wife Gayle of Glen Allen, Virginia, Donald Staples of King Mountain, North Carolina and his aunts Gwen Smith of Crozet and Ann
Woodward of Newport News, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Joe lived in Crozet as a child and teenager with his parents and grandparents. He enjoyed fishing and working in his grandfather’s movie theater. He graduated form Hampton High School and attended Shenandoah College. After retiring from Virginia Power Company as a senior buyer, he and his wife moved from Fredericksburg, Virginia to Englewood, Florida in 1993. His hobbies were boating and woodworking. He loved sailing on his boat, the Joe-Jo. He made beautiful entertainment centers and tables. Joe will be missed by his family and friends for his kindness, great sense of humor, and big smile.
Roger Patterson Roger (Scrooge) W. Patterson, 85, of Crozet, Virginia, died at his residence on April 20, 2014, the son of the late Earl Stanley Patterson and Mary Woodson Patterson. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Stanley, JD, Carlton, Frank Patterson, and two sisters, Ann Abrahamson and Martha Jane Owens. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Patterson of Crozet, two children, Dinah Adcock and husband Robert of White Hall and Rachael Collins and husband Luke of Crozet; three sisters, Dorothy Jones of Stuarts Draft, Grace Morris of Ruckersville, and Katherine Coffee of Afton; and nine grandchildren.
Roger worked at Western Albemarle High School as head maintenance supervisor, was a carpenter and bricklayer, and built his own home and homes for his children. He was a member of the King Solomon Lodge of Crozet for 63 years. Family suggest that memorial contributions be made to the Crozet United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 70, Crozet, VA 22932 or Western Albemarle Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 188, Crozet, VA 22932. A graveside service was held April 22 at Hillsboro Cemetery in Crozet. Rev. Doug Forrester officiated. Anderson Funeral Home handled arrangements.
37
Book Club
Fitness
bought together. As his memories intertwine with his awakening awareness that he has never stopped loving her, the poignancy becomes palpable. This novel deals affectingly with a universal theme. How many of us had our first loves wrested from us by circumstance, and still long to find them on the lost banks of the river of time? As with all separation stories, we can’t help but secondguess the characters’ decisions and wonder why they let love slip away. Not every turn of events is believable, and some discoveries seem too easy and predictable. But overall this enlightening novel is deeply touching, with a satisfying ending that resolves our questions. It opened my eyes to a devastating period in our history that I knew little about. I’ll let you decide whether the story is ultimately more bitter or more sweet—or whether, as in life itself, they work in tandem to intensify one another.
day. You should be sleeping for 7-8 of those. Cut out the junk, like TV, the couch, electronics. I will argue that anyone can make time for regular exercise and adequate sleep, all the while working hard and spending plenty of quality time with your family. Make sleep a priority. Think of it as part of your workout program!
—continued from page 19
—continued from page 24
Starr Hill —continued from page 35
things. I apply biochemistry to brewing. We use it to make all our beer better. We’re doing scientific method. It’s a blend of science and art. “I’m really excited to have won,” O’Cain admitted. “We have a great bunch of guys working here. Beer is a sort of magical beverage. It’s older than nearly every other fermented beverage but wine. Sharing it makes the magic happen.”
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TUESDAY SPECIAL!
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— THANK YOU —
Crozet Lions Club 2014 Pancake Dinner Supporters
MAY 2014
CROZET gazette
Little Warriors Girls Softball Teams
Thank you for making our April 5 pancake dinner fundraiser such a success! ACAC Fitness & Wellness Albemarle Ballet Theatre Anderson Funeral Home Annimal Wellness Center Arborlife B&B Cleaners Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Blue Ridge Beads & Glass Blue Ridge Builders Supply Brownsville Market Central Virginia Builders Chimney Cricket Clover Lawn Salon Coca Cola Staunton Couture Design Creative Framing & The Art Box Crozet Eye Care Optometrists Crozet Family Medicine Crozet Great Valu Crozet Insurance Crozet Volunteer Fire Department Doris Davis Douglas Seal & Sons
Doug’s Coins Encompass Therapy Fardowners Fisher Auto Parts Georgetown West Salon Grand Home Furnishings Green House Coffee Green Olive Tree Greenwood Country Store Hanckel-Citizens Insurance Harris Teeter Hillk & Wood Funeral Home Jazzercise Karl Pomeroy & Becca White Kennedy Electric La Cocina del Sol Lincoln Financial Advisors Mary Kay Cosmetics Maupin’s Music & Video Mike Capp Modern Barber Shop Mudhouse Needle Lady Otto’s Over The Moon Bookstore
Parkway Pharmacy Pinnell Custom Leather, Inc. Pollack Vineyards PT Plus QB Financials, LLC Real Estate III—DB Sandridge Robert Graves Guitar Instruction Rockfish Gap Country Store Sal’s Pizza Savvy Rest Settle Tire Snead ‘s Backhoe & Septic Service, Inc State Farm Insurance— Greg Leffler The Cox Clinic of Chiropractic Tiger Fuel Co. Timberlake Drugstore TM Turf, Co., Inc. US Joiner UVA Community Credit Union Wild Wolf Brewing Company Woodbrook Sports Yancy Lumber Co. YMCA at Crozet Park
See you next year!
MOTHER’S DAY MAY 11 • 10:30 A.M.
The Field School • 1408 Crozet Avenue Fr. Joseph Mary Lukyamuzi Holy Comforter Catholic Church
Upcoming:
June 8 • Pentecost July 13 • Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Join in! Email crozetmass@gmail.com
Jefferson Area Girls Softball (JAGS), a Little League affiliate, now has three Crozet teams competing in its recreation league. The teams are comprised of 35 girls ranging in age from six to ten who attend Brownsville and Crozet Elementary schools. The 7-8 team, sponsored by Crozet Dominos, is headed up by coach Rod Crawford. The original 9-10 team, sponsored by Mountainside Grille, is led by coach Ashley Gale, who is on her way to
college next year, with help from her father, Lee Gale, and assistant coach Todd Foster. The new 9-10 team, sponsored by McClung Companies, is headed up by coach Larry Miles and team manager Julie Smith. The Crozet Little Warriors, who hope to play one day for the high school team, are already sporting the school colors of blue and gold. The girls play their home games on Sunday afternoons at the WAHS varsity softball field.
Crozet Lions’ Pancake Supper Supports Local Charitable Causes Jugglers Chris and Danny Hodges dazzled the crowd that came out for the Crozet Lions’ annual pancake supper April 5 at the Field School in Crozet with feats of dexterity and balance. The Lions sold 130 tickets for the supper and griddle master Paul Dowell was kept busy flipping pancakes. The fare also included sausages and cooked apples. Door prizes were raffled to raise money for the many local causes the Lions support. Lions put a special emphasis on helping those with vision problems. The Crozet Lions Club was the first civic organization to step forward with a contribution to the Build Crozet Library fund. Members
Chris and Danny Hodges
pooled their contributions with the goal of doubling the library’s large print section and also won a grant of $5,000 from the Lions’ state office to support their purpose. So far the club has donated $14,500 for large print books and their drive is continuing.
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CROZET gazette
MAY 2014
39
5117 Brook View road
Enjoy the Best Views in Old Trail!
Absolutely the best views in Old Trail from rooftop widow’s walk! Very private space. Beautiful details throughout this 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home. Gourmet kitchen with 60” refrigerator and open, airy space on main level. Breakfast bar, center island, and eat-in kitchen. Second floor boasts large master suite, private bath, plus two additional jack-n-jill bedrooms sharing a bath. Third floor is fantastic with rec room, private bedroom and full bath. Hardwood/ceramic throughout. Rear brick patio. 1 year home warranty. MLS#518552. $637,900.
Beautiful Bellair Estate!
Lettuce in the author’s hoophouse.
34 CanterBury road
Exquisite offering in Bellair subdivision! Elegance, luxury and detailed craftsmanship in every corner. 6 bedroom, 7 bath estate which includes attached nanny/office/7th bedroom suite. Handmade hardwood floors with intricate designs in every room. Home completely rebuilt on inside after fire. Everything new! Owner financing available to qualified purchaser. Close to everything and exceptional schools. Property backs up to Birdwood Golf. MLS#519574 $1,425,000
KATHRYN HALL BENTLEY
Blaise Gaston —continued from page 26
Near the tree is his one-of-a-kind dining room table with unique chairs. One of his specialties is fine dining room chairs. Done on commission, a set of chairs typically takes about five months to finish, depending on how many chairs are needed. He always makes at least one extra.
Gazette Vet —continued from page 22
records. These are both topical medications that are applied onto the skin over the pet’s neck and which spread over their hair coat. Nexgard is a promising new oral flea and tick preventative that has been FDAapproved and avoids the skin/hair residue. It is important to note that NONE of these medications repel ticks. There is, in my opinion, no safe medication that actually repels ticks from your pet’s coat. These medications kill ticks after being on the pet for several hours. Since ticks will often attach within 30 minutes, it is very normal to still see ticks attached to your dogs even though you recently applied a preventative. However these ticks should ideally die and fall off prior to being able to feed and transmit disease. Still, there is no substitute for a good tick check after a romp in the fields. I wish I could name a few good
Those extras become his dining room chairs. What does the future hold? Well, some of the pieces he creates are made using new computerized equipment that enables him to twist and shape the wood into forms not natural for the wood. “I always want to design something a computer can’t do,” he said. To see more of his work, visit his website at www.blaisegaston.com. home remedies to keep ticks off your pets, but after 12 years in practice, unfortunately I haven’t seen any. And believe me, I would love nothing more than to tell you that giving your pet garlic would keep fleas and ticks away—the inner hippie in me yearns to give advice like this! But we regularly see these home remedies fail, as these pests are determined to live, and they must find blood meals to live. So as you venture out into the woods with your pets this spring, have a great time and enjoy the best time of year to be in Virginia. But when you get home, be sure to spend some time checking yourself and your pets in good lighting. Consider changing your clothes, and don’t hesitate to check yourself and your friend later in the evening in case you missed one. If you do notice a tick bite that looks old, or your dog is acting sick and feverish several weeks after getting a tick bite, be sure to contact your veterinarian for advice. Happy trails!
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