C-VILLE Weekly | May 10 - 16, 2023

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10 –16, 2023 c-ville.com

Charlottesville’s News & Arts Weekly

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Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

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EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Richard DiCicco richard@c-ville.com

CULTURE EDITOR

Tami Keaveny tami@c-ville.com

NEWS REPORTER

Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

COPY EDITOR

Susan Sorensen

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Maeve Hayden

INTERN

Giulia Silverstein

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Brezsny, Amelia Delphos, Matt Dhillon, Carol Diggs, Brielle Entzminger, Shea Gibbs, Mary Jane Gore, Will Ham, Erika Howsare, Justin Humphreys, Kristin O’Donoghue, Lisa Provence, Sarah Sargent, Jen Sorensen, Julia Stumbaugh, Courteney Stuart, Eshaan Sarup, Paul Ting, Sean Tubbs, David Levinson Wilk

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

ART DIRECTOR

Max March max@c-ville.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Tracy Federico designer@c-ville.com

ADVERTISING

advertising@c-ville.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

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

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Lisa C. Hurdle classyexec@c-ville.com

Brittany Keller brittany@c-ville.com

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & MARKETING

Stephanie Vogtman

REAL ESTATE WEEKLY

Theresa McClanahan theresa@c-ville.com

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Faith Gibson ads@c-ville.com

BUSINESS

PUBLISHER

Anna Harrison anna@c-ville.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Debbie Miller debbie@c-ville.com

A/R SPECIALIST

Nanci Winter (434) 373-0429

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Billy Dempsey circulation@c-ville.com

C-VILLE HOLDINGS,

Bill Chapman, Blair Kelly

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2:00LaughingDragon KungFu

LionDance

2:20 I-Jen Fang

IntrepidPercussionist

2:40Sylvia Chong

AsianAmfolkrock

3:00VictorLeew/PeterMarkush

ChineseUyghurDotarMusic

3:30MeeshaGoldberg

Spoken Word

3:45 Jay Pun’sAfroAsia

ThaiAmericanFunk

4:15Prabir RichmondIndianRock PKRoss and

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CulturallyCompetentBook

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AsianPacificAmericanStudies

Student @ UVa Program

AusderTieferufeich,Herr,zudir with chamber orchestra from the Early Music Access Project And works by Whitacre, Barber, Morle y, and more...

Tickets: Greenberry’s, New Dominion Bookshop, or at the door, if available.

Information: 434-260-7484 www.virginiaconsort.org

The Virginia Consort thanks its corporate sponsors, WVTF Public Radio and NBC29 WVIR-TV

Photographer Siranee

Meesha Novi Sri Zaree

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Tai Chi and Tea Ceremonywith Johnson Hiromi

THIS WEEK

Hello, Charlottesville! Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly. When artificial intelligence started dominating the headlines, I wondered what all the fuss was about. After all, I remember there being chatbots on AOL Instant Messenger, and we’ve all got some kind of AI personal assistant on our smartphones. What makes ChatGPT so special, compared to the likes of Siri? But, once I messed with the technology myself, I saw that AI had advanced leaps and bounds ahead of what it looked like 10 or even five years ago.

But with such sophistication comes ethical concer ns. This week, writer Mary Jane Gore talked with the experts behind AI’s growth in Charlottesville (p. 28), along with the watchdogs keeping an eye on how it’s utilized. Gore spoke with University of Virginia professors in computer science about how machine learning works; local business leaders on how AI is changing the way they work; and an artist, reporter, and ethics professor about the dangers of this swiftly advancing technology.

5.10.23

I wanted to see what ChatGPT could put together if I fed it my other editor’s letters and asked it to generate a similar one, but it kind of rambled on and on. (So, maybe it learned to imitate me too well.) But when I asked the AI if it could “summarize the vibes of Charlottesville,” it said, “Charlottesville has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere with a mix of traditional Southern charm and progressive energy, fostered by its diverse community, historic roots, and academic influence.” Fair enough.—Richard

DiCicco

JUST ANNOUNCED!

is wrong, love is right.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

Teens arrested

Albemarle County police have arrested two local teenagers for the April 9 carjacking of a Lyft in Crozet. Despite initial reports describing the suspects as 16 to 17 years old, the juveniles arrested are 13 and 14. The arrest is the latest in a wave of crime committed by extremely young individuals in the Greater Charlottesville Area.

PCOB meeting

New Executive Director Inez Gonzalez will meet with the Police Civilian Oversight Board for the first time on May 11. The meeting will be held virtually at 6:30pm as normally scheduled, with an opportunity for public comment after Gonzalez’ introduction. Gonzalez officially began work on May 1.

Cyberattack funds

Sen. Mark Warner announced that $1,820,000 of federal funding will be awarded to Virginia universities. The funding will be divided between the University of Virginia and Norfolk State University to research AI approaches to cybersecurity. UVA has been granted $845,000 for the project.

Cop decertified

A former Massachusetts police officer has been decertified due to his alleged involvement in planning the 2017 Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville. The ex-officer— John Donnelly—had previously been suspended from his position in fall of 2022, but quickly resigned before an investigation could be completed. Donnelly is the first officer to be decertified by the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.

Hot button

Whole Woman’s Health sues FDA

Whole Woman’s Health Alliance has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Drug Administration.

The suit follows a wave of recent rulings over the drug mifepristone, which is commonly used for medication abortions. While the U.S. Supreme Court has already blocked a Texas federal court ruling banning the drug, WWHA is suing the FDA in an effort to further protect access to mifepristone.

Plaintiffs in the case include Whole Woman’s Health of Charlottesville, WWH of Alexandria, WWH Virtual Care, two providers from Montana, and one provider from Kansas. Although there has been

Early voting begins

Voters can now cast their ballots early in person for the June 2023 primary elections, which include local races and House of Delegates and state Senate seats.

For Charlottesville and Albemarle residents, the ballot includes Democratic primaries for the 11th District Virginia Senate seat, the 54th and 55th District House of Delegates seats, and (in the city) City Council.

To vote early in person, city residents should visit the City Hall Annex at 120 Seventh St. NE, Room 142,

a wealth of abortion-related cases since the overturn of Roe v. Wade last year, WWHA v. FDA is the first time an abortion provider has sued the FDA.

In a press release announcing the lawsuit, WWH President and CEO Amy Hagstrom Miller said, “We believe in the safety and efficacy of mifepristone. The ability for our Virginia patients to receive abortion care on their own terms, whether in a clinic or at home, is paramount to their bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom.” She concluded, “There is no medically accurate reason to withdraw access to mifepristone for anyone in this country.”

Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. In Albemarle County, voters can go to the County Office Building at 1600 Fifth St., Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Fluvanna and Nelson counties also have a Democratic primary this June, in addition to local elections. Although Greene County does not have a primary election for either state legislature, there will be a Board of Supervisors primary. The addresses and

hours of operation for each county are: Fluvanna County: 265 Turkeysag Trl., Suite 115, Palmyra, Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5pm; Greene County: 32 Standard St., Stanardsville, Monday through Friday from 8:30am to noon and 1 to 5pm; Nelson County: 571 Front St., Lovingston Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Limited Saturday voting will occur closer to the primaries, which are on Tuesday, June 20.

“Hate

Halina Zimm, Holocaust survivor, repeated by Gov. Glenn Youngkin at a bill signing that adds a definition of antisemitism to the Code of Virginia

AMY AND JACKSON SMITH

Amy Hagstrom Miller’s Whole Woman’s Health manages five clinics, including one in Charlottesville.

2:00pm Mack McLellan: “Real Life DEI Navigation”

Sly Mata: “Everybody Hurts: the Accumulating Mental Health Impact of Systemic Racism and Racial Violence” 3:00pm

Cynthia Murray: “Being the Only ________ in the Room” 4:00pm

Reception to follow from 5:00-6:00 pm $20 per session or $50 for all 3 sessions

Resilient students

Twenty-seven to graduate from prison education program

By Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

On May 10, the first class of students since 2019 will graduate from the Resilience Education program at Fluvanna Women’s Correctional Center. The graduation also marks the first time program participants will receive UVA course credit for their studies.

Resilience Education is a business education program designed to provide inmates with the tools they need to succeed post-release. With more than 650,000 people released from American prisons every year, Resilience Education aims to combat the primary drivers of recidivism—unemployment and social ties—through its classes taught by MBA students. While the program was started at Darden more than a decade ago, it has changed immensely since its conception with an entrepreneurship-focused curriculum.

Although entrepreneurship is still a major part of the Resilience Education curriculum, the courses have shifted to better meet the needs of its participants. “We started to realize that it wasn’t just going and getting a job … or starting a business,” says co-founder and Executive Director Tierney Fairchild. “A lot of people are incarcerated because of financial challenges, [because] of poverty.” As a result, financial capability and business foundation courses have been incorporated to prepare students for life after incarceration.

“It’s taught me to never let your past define your future,” says Resilience Education graduate Cereatha Howard. Howard has stayed involved with the program since her own release from FWCC in 2014, and is now a mentor for other formerly incarcerated people. “When you get out … you don’t know where to go … or where to start. And

having people like us … [that have been] home and doing well … I tend to know how to help people look for resources.”

To help navigate life after incarceration, the Resilience Education program has expanded its network of post-release support through its Resilient Professional Community. While the network is currently in beta, the RPC provides a professional support network for Resilience Education graduates and other formerly incarcerated individuals.

“We actually can reconnect with them, and help them build a connection, both with each other and with trusted allies that want

to support them in their journey to … flourishing in their communities,” says Fairchild about the RPC.

For graduates and volunteer teachers alike, both the Resilience Education program and the RPC network have been impactful. “Resilience Education is actually one of the reasons I chose Darden as a business school,” says Jackie Temkin, who volunteered regularly with the program during her time at Darden, and is now a mentor in the RPC network.

“[Resilience Education] has completely changed the way I think about … hiring. I think employers have a lot of trouble finding

and retaining employees, but a lot of the time … it’s because they just have a really bad hiring process,” Temkin says. As the owner of Afton Design Co.—a local graphic design studio—Temkin has adopted a hiring process where she seeks to “eliminate unnecessary barriers … and requirements” that are often present in the recruitment process.

While Resilience Education had to pause a significant portion of its program during the pandemic, it is once again up and thriving. Both the Wharton School and Columbia Business School now partner with the program, expanding its impact significantly.

Beyond anecdotal success, Resilience Education has data that shows the positive impact of its program. Upwards of 1,000 incarcerated graduates have completed the program, which boasts a 7 percent recidivism rate. Compared to a national rate of 68 percent of releasees being rearrested within three years, this number is exceptionally low.

Fairchild attributes much of the program’s success to its community-driven approach. “This professional community is a place, it’s by and for our individuals. We have a community advisory board which started out as our design team, these are all formerly incarcerated graduates … they know what they need,” she says.

Looking to the future of Resilience Education and its professional network, Fairchild says, “We believe that what [we are] going to be doing is taking this more nationally.”

For now, Resilience Education is thriving locally. Twenty-seven students will be honored during the Fluvanna Women’s Correctional Center graduation ceremony, and preparing to enter the next stage of their post-release planning.

Resilience Education boasts a 7 percent recidivism rate among incarcerated students that have completed the program. The 2023 class will be the first to graduate since 2019.

THURSDAY, MAY 18 12 P.M.

VIRTUAL VIA ZOOM, FREE TO ATTEND

Frank Ostaseski will introduce The Five Invitations, principles that show us how to wake up fully to our lives. Best understood as practices for anyone navigating a life transition, coping with loss or serious illness or a personal crisis, The Five Invitations guide us toward appreciating life’s preciousness. Register online with the QR code or use the URL: bit.ly/3LTwIkT

Good won’t go green

Rep. Bob Good pushes back on Biden’s climate plan

By Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

Rep. Bob Good has introduced legislation aimed at blocking U.S. contributions to the United Nations Green Climate Fund.

The bill—No Taxpayer Funding for Green Climate Fund Act—would halt $1 billion promised to the fund by the Biden administration, and stop any future U.S. endowments. “Domestic energy production has helped make America great, but President Biden has consistently ceded our energy independence in the name of the radical green agenda here at home and at the United Nations,” Good said in a press release announcing the bill.

While Good claims that “[his] legislation will block Biden’s efforts to use American taxpayer dollars to push climate alarmism overseas,” the bill lacks any real momentum. Although Good’s bill will likely die in the House, it demonstrates his broader support of anti-climate policies and reactionary legislative agendas.

Despite the District 5 representative’s portrayal of the GCF and other climate protection efforts as “radical,” climate change is a pressing concern for a significant portion of the electorate. According to a 2021 Yale Climate Connection survey, a majority of respondents within Good’s own district indicated that they are concerned about global warming, and Congress should do more to address the issue.

Since coming into office, Good has consistently opposed key climate legislation. He voted against the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which “really [have] the opportunity to accelerate clean energy transitions” according to Community Climate Collaborative Executive Director Susan Kruse. While C3 focuses on more local climate efforts, Kruse says that federal legislation like the aforementioned bills “really [support] people on the ground directly.”

Beyond opposing international climate efforts, Good has also indicated his support for the continual use of fossil fuels in the U.S. In the same press release that announced his bill, Good said, “We should make every effort

to enable drilling and unleash energy production in the U.S. by stewarding the vast resources of our great country.”

Since coming into office, the congressman has consistently introduced bills on an array of issues with no legislative future. Even in the Republican-controlled House, almost all of Good’s bills have not progressed past introduction (e.g. the Go Woke, Go Broke Act, Stop the Invasion Act, and Work Not Woke Act). The majority of his proposed legislation is oppositional in nature, and despite its failure, it provides him with an opportunity to publicly oppose Democratic efforts.

“Like a lot of things Bob Good does, it could … be posturing,” says J. Miles Coleman from the UVA Center for Politics. “I think of the speaker vote. … They really [did not] have a viable alternative to McCarthy, but there was Bob Good, basically until the last vote trying to push for someone else.”

Ultimately, the No Taxpayer Funding for Green Climate Fund Act will not stop U.S. contributions to the GCF. But, the bill does reveal a lot about Good’s political agenda and legislative track record.

“President Biden has consistently ceded our energy independence in the name of the radical green agenda here at home and at the United Nations.”

Rep. Bob Good has a 0 percent lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters.

Enjoy easy first floor living in this beautiful, betterthan-new villa. Through the front door, you’ll be greeted by a lovely foyer. As you turn the corner,you’ll experience an open concept with 10’ ceilings & LVP floors flowing throughout. The upgraded kitchen has a large island with plenty of counter space & a bar to socialize while the at-home chef is whipping up a delicious meal. The dining area has plenty of room for a large table. The spacious living room is filled with natural light from the extra windows only available in an end unit. Step out onto the patio to enjoy grilling out with your friends. Your master suite gives plenty of room for all your furniture while delivering a spalike bathroom with tiled shower & double vanities. It’s capped off with a huge master closet. Also on the first floor is the laundry room. $525,000

shower & double vanities. The main floor includes two more bedrooms, one of which makes a terrific office or study. The laundry acts as a mudroom on the way to your two-car garage. Family room with enough space for lounging, a pool table, & play area. An additional bedroom with attached bath makes a wonderful guest suite. The backyard has beautiful landscaping & wonderful privacy! $740,000

The Antioch Glen neighborhood is one of the best kept secrets with large lots and a neighborhood feel! As you approach the home, you will see a lovely covered front porch perfect for relaxing as you greet your guests. The two story foyer creates an impactful entrance. You can follow the beautiful hardwood floors into the living room and wrap around to the dining room. As you go into the kitchen you will see great cabinet storage and countertop space. The kitchen overlooks a breakfast area and the family room with a gas fireplace and built in cabinetry. Off the family room is a back deck. A fenced portion of the backyard keeps children and pets safe and close while still giving the option of utilizing the rest of the yard.

$440,000

Amazing Ivy home is ready for you! Too many upgrades to list here. The main floor has a brand new kitchen perfect for a home chef and open to the dining area to allow socializing. Off the kitchen is a huge screened in porch with an additional open deck perfect for grilling as you overlook the open backyard with plenty of room for play. As you head down the hall you will find two bedrooms with a full bath plus a great multi-purpose room with its own attached bathroom. A few steps up is a true master suite. The giant bedroom has plenty of room for an additional sitting area. The beautifully renovated master bath has a gorgeous tiled shower,soaker tub, and double vanities with cabinetry for storage. There is also a big walk-in closet. $625,000

149 TURKEY TROT LN

3501 GLENAIRE DRIVE

3216 BERGEN STEET

LANE

Preserving the past

Nonprofit acquires historic Woolen Mills chapel

Fantastic, unique floor plan! One floor living. The 2 story entry hall leads to a sunken living room with a wall of windows. First floor primary suite has an amazing closet and a private study/ nursery. Spacious kitchen features an island and a breakfast area. Large, open dining room. Full length deck with views of the lake. Fenced yard. Set on .48 acres at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. All of the advantages of living in Forest Lakes: pool, tennis, club house, walking trails and lakes. Convenient to shopping, schools and restaurants.

BROOMLEY ROAD

A unique contemporary cottage set on 2.6 wooded acres just west of town. This 3 bedroom, 3 full bath home (including an in-law suite on the terrace level) backs up to farmland. The great room features a vaulted ceiling, brick fireplace and built-in bookcases. Front terrace and back deck are great for birdwatching.

By Sean Tubbs

An organization that seeks to foster appreciation for older buildings in the hopes of preserving them for the future now owns a significant Woolen Mills landmark.

“The 1887 Woolen Mills chapel is one of the earliest still surviving historic houses of worship in the city,” says Genevieve Keller, president of Preservation Piedmont, which will fundraise to pay for chapel repairs, and develop a plan for the building.

In the meantime, the Rivanna Baptist Church will continue to use the space for Sunday services, and “from time to time the chapel will be available for events and functions, as the church and building rehabilitation schedules allow,” Keller says.

According to a March 2020 C-VILLE article, neighbors had been making minor repairs to the street’s “signature building” until about eight years ago, when a group of volunteers created a nonprofit to take control of the building and raise money for restorations. Now, however, Preservation Piedmont has stepped in.

“Preservation Piedmont has never owned or sought to own property previously, but with the dissolution of the Woolen Mills Chapel Foundation, [we] accepted the chapel because it is a nonprofit 501(c) group and closely aligned in a preservation mission,” says Keller.

The chapel is one of 104 contributing structures in the Woolen Mills Village Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

“Founded as a mill village in the early 19th century to take advantage of the water power generated by Moore’s Creek and the Rivanna River, the Woolen Mills Village Historic District is now almost exclusively residential,” reads the nomination form for historic designation.

Preservation Piedmont’s acquisition could signal a more secure path for a 19thcentury structure in a location that’s seen significant investment in the 21st century. The chapel is just a quarter mile down East Market from the recently redeveloped Woolen Mills, which for many years stood mostly vacant and was prone to ruins.

In late 2017, developer Brian Roy began transforming the site into what is now the mixed-use Wool Factory, home to an event venue and “culinary experiences,” among other things. This area is a major anchor, but it’s within Albemarle, and Roy agreed to limit vehicular access from East Market.

“Having a group like Preservation Piedmont dedicated to historic preservation should allow for best practices and more creative solutions to ensure that the chapel lasts and stays useful well into the future,” Roy says.

Roger Voisenet lives just down the street, and says he was caught off guard by the transfer, but that Preservation Piedmont has access to resources to maintain the structure and prepare it for the future.

“In talking to neighbors, we think there is potential to expand the use of the chapel to include past uses such as theater presentations and possibly even a store in the basement, where vintage clothing could be exchanged or sold,” Voisenet says.

Annie Gould Gallery

SOLD

The Woolen Mills chapel’s future looks bright, thanks to the historic building’s new owner.

HATTON

FERRY RD

Situated in Southern Albemarle County, and within 2 miles of the James River at Hatton Ferry, this 21+ acre parcel backs up to the Totier Creek Reservoir. Parcel offers a private, elevated building site with open pasture and mature hardwoods. Parcel is within 5 miles of the historic town of Scottsville.

MLS# 637310 $245,000

WESTERN ALBEMARLE

A RARE find in a spectacular Western Albemarle location! This 120.75 parcel offers magnificent mountain and valley views in all directions. The rolling pastures and beautiful mature hardwoods combined with privacy and convenience (minutes from downtown Crozet) create a one-of-a-kind opportunity.

MLS# 636241 $3,400,000

PENDING

PLANK ROAD

Beautiful 4.93-acre parcel located just outside the quaint town of Batesville. Parcel is divided into two separate parcels and offers an open elevated front parcel with a small shed and shared stream at the rear. The rear parcel offers an elevated wooded building site.

MLS # 634345 $343,000

NELSON COUNTY

Absolutely private and pristine deep water lake of 50+/- acres, with (2) miles of shoreline, in Nelson County, surrounded by nearly 800 acres of commercial pine forest, designed for staggered harvests into perpetuity. An incredibly rare recreational paradise. A new lake home, with quality appointments at waters edge, a boat house with (2) lifts and a large steel storage building to house toys and equipment. Internet and generator are in place. Nearly 7 miles of interior roads and trails with mountain views. Includes access to nearby James River!

MLS # 623894 $4,400,000

FRAY’S GRANT

Just outside Charlottesville, Fray’s Grant offers luxury living in Earlysville, VA. With breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge, gently rolling land, meadows, wildlife, nature trails, and lot sizes ranging from 2 to 74 acres, Fray’s Grant is a beautiful setting to build your forever home. This 21+ acre parcel sits on a culde-sac offering privacy, towering hardwoods, (2) year-round running streams, and natural sloping for building plans with a basement. Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport is 6 miles away with shopping and eateries within 10 miles.

MLS# 637061 $359,000

FRAYS

MILL RD

Gorgeous 6.22 acre building parcel located in beautiful Northern Albemarle County. This parcel offers an open elevated building site with gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and surrounding mountainside. Located on a quiet country lane yet close to both Charlottesville and Ruckersville. One of 5 parcels available in this small country subdivision; parcels range from 4 to 8 acres. It is advised to use 4WD to access parcels until driveways are completed. MLS# 636003 $344,500

LANGDON WOODS LOT 12

Gorgeous park-like wooded parcel located in NW Albemarle County with state maintained roads, underground power, high speed internet through Centurylink, and community stocked lake. Parcel is unique in the fact that there is a 57 acre preservation tract that adjoins this parcel that will preserve the privacy and natural beauty of this parcel. Elevated building site with streams on each side plus rock outcroppings create a very special parcel. HOA review of plans and minimum 2800 sq. ft. home. 4 bedroom perc test on file and 20 GPM well in place.

MLS # 638296 $259,900

LANGDON WOODS LOT 3

Beautiful Langdon Woods - a tranquil, large-lot subdivision featuring public roads, HOA, plus pastoral and seasonal mountain views. This 8.42 acre lot features an elevated building site overlooking the shared stocked lake most of which is located on this parcel, and backs up to a 57 acre preservation tract. This is the only parcel in the subdivision which allows for a dock. Parcel has a drilled well in place. Ten minutes to CHO airport, shopping, NGIC, etc. Bring your builder! Plans subject to HOA approval.

MLS # 638242 $279,000

A DREAM HOME IS GREAT, BUT THE RIGHT ONE IS BETTER. Let an agent who knows guide you.

LOUISA COUNTY LOT

Bev Nash 434-981-5560

• 5 acres in Dogwood lake Estates

• A wooded corner lot

• Well maintained gravel roads

• Community access to a lake

• Kayak launch and a covered picnic area

Dan Corbin 434-531-6155

• Wonderful Home in Earlysville

• 4100+ sq ft, 4/5 Bedroom, 4 Bath

• Huge Master Suite / Bath, 2 Walk ins

• New Roof 2021, Granite, Hardwoods, Deck

• 12 mi to UVA, 2 mi Broadus Wood, 8 mi to Airport

• Privacy in Hickory Ridge on 2+ ac, MUST SEE

• MLS 637801

Lori Click 434-326-7593

• Lakefront living at it’s finest in a spacious, well maintained custom home

• 5 Bedrooms/3 Baths located at Lake Monticello

• Living room with cathedral ceilings & fireplace

• Family room with pellet burning stove

• 2 Kitchens perfect

Bev Nash 434-981-5560

• 5.5 acres. 145 feet of road frontage

• Just reduced and motivated

• On Rt 20 south of Monticello HS

• Mostly cleared land ready to bush hog

• Survey on file, no HOA or restrictions

$210,000 REDUCED! Motivated Seller!

Rachel Burns 434 760-4778

• Build your dream home on this five acre lot in the heart of Keswick. Wake up each day to a view of the mountains and the neighboring horse farm, owned by the UVA Foundation. The current owner has already done all the legwork - the driveway is in place and approved by VDOT, the home site is cleared, well and septic permits have been issued! The permits on file are for a conventional septic system and a three bedroom dwelling but, the lot can accommodate a larger septic system. Just bring your builder and settle in to this perfect bucolic property.

JEFFERSON HIGHWAY

Candice van der Linde 434-981-8730

• Timber Oaks Subdivision is a shovel ready Mixed-Use Development with a Variety of Housing types as well as 2 Commercial Blocks on Route 33.

• Conceptual Plans include 2 Entrances; 2 Phases & 3 Blocks.

• This also includes almost 4 acres for Green Space (IE: Park; Playground; Tree Preservation Area). Opportunity Awaits!

$459,000 | CarterMontague.com/641192

Carter Montague | 434.962.3419

Situated on 15 acres along a paved driveway is this 3400 sq.ft. home, 3 BR, 3½ BA with large open kitchen with quartz counters, detached garage w/workshop, a 3-car garage with upstairs studio apartment, and a horse barn.

$789,000 | montaguemiller.com/VAFN2000170

Carrie Brown | 434.806.2048

$445,000 | montaguemiller.com/641221

63 acres in a very private and appealing western Albemarle location, surrounded by large acreage parcels. A 2004 3 Bed, 2 Bath home sits in the middle of the property. Property has a creek and some very nice building sites.

$375,000 | CarterMontague.com/639319

Carter Montague | 434.962.3419

Montague, Miller & Co., is celebrating 75 years of service in Charlottesville and the surrounding communities!

As a three generation family owned company with deep roots in Central Virginia, we’ve been a part of the region’s evolution and growth.

Whether you’re buying or selling a home, locally or globally, or just have questions, we’re here to help!

Looking

$283,000 | montaguemiller.com/640035

Ashley Balazs | 802.558.5139

Build your dream home on this Private 3.42 acres nestled in a peaceful community devoted to rural preservation. You’ll enjoy walking trails, a community lake & other amenities. Near Hollymead Town Center & the Blue Ridge Mountains.

$125,000 | montaguemiller.com/591221

Anita Dunbar | 434.981.1421

Bellevue Ln | Rockbridge Baths Sycamore Springs---A fully renovated farmhouse in an idyllic setting in northwestern Rockbridge County. Charming older home w/standing seam roof, screened porch, gorgeous heart pine floors & woodburning fireplace. Open and airy kitchen.

2272 White Mountain Rd | Afton

serving Central Virginia’s real estate needs for seventy-five years!

324 Mechunk Creek Dr | Troy

Langdon Woods Dr Lot 11 | Earlysville

HATTON RIDGE FARM

A most tranquil and private 278+ acre grazing and hay farm with two-thirds mile of James River frontage. The centerpiece of Hatton Ridge Farm is an impressive 4-5 bedroom, brick Georgian home, built circa 2000. MLS#634311 $3,495,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

WOODLANDS ROAD

Stunning 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath home with 4,115 fin.sq.ft. of immaculate living space situated on over 2 pristine and landscaped acres only 5 miles west of the City of Charlottesville. This property has been improved with top quality upgrades and finishes throughout. Home features 12 ft. ceilings, ample room space across the flowing floor plan, impressive master suite, fully loaded kitchen and so much more. Huge, detached garage with room to finish above. MLS#641366 $1,350,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

K’DEE FARM

GREENFIELDS FARM

317 acre estate that has it all: location, views, water, 5-BR residence, event center and more! 15+ acre lake is centered among lush rolling fields of rich grass & unparalleled views. Additional acreage available. 25 minutes west of Charlottesville. MLS#631962

$8,875,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

Embodying the essence of country life! 214+/acre farm with main residence and dependencies. Many agricultural and recreational uses. Easily accessible to Charlottesville and DC. MLS#636896 $1,675,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

212± acre country estate showcasing a stately, c. 1904, southern residence and extensive equestrian facilities, 25 miles south of Charlottesville and UVA. Option to purchase with 753 acres at $6,295,000. Tranquil setting with creeks and a pond. MLS#640175

$2,850,000 Steve McLean,434.981.1863

GIBSON’S HOLLOW

Ivy area! A 249 + acre hidden, private Arcadia controlling its own little valley up to the mountain ridge top building sites. Multiple parcels and subdivision rights make it a conservation easement candidate. MLS#634183 $3,250,000 Tim Michel, 434.960.1124 or Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

STONY POINTE

4-6-bedroom, 5.5 bath Manor home on 57 acres of tranquility, and panoramic views of the Southwest Mountains and to the west are winter views of the Blue Ridge Mountains 6 miles from Charlottesville. MLS#638292 $2,575,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

MEADOWLARK FARM

Stunning 22-acre farm, only 12 miles from Charlottesville, features a completely renovated 8,575± finished sf primary residence nestled on a knoll overlooking the pool and the Mechums River and captures a magnificent view of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. Includes 3-BR cottage, 6-stall stable with living accommodations, trailer shed, equipment barn/shop, and several runin sheds. A property like this is truly an offering difficult to find and rarely on the market. MLS#640137 $3,195,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

WOLFCREEK FARM

Situated near the Blue Ridge Mtns. in Madison County on 333 acres. Currently runs as a grazing farm for beef cattle. There are 2 homes on the property and a complement of necessary farm buildings. NOT IN CONSERVATION EASEMENT! MLS#630435 $3,200,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

NORTH GARDEN

Located in a beautiful & tranquil pastoral setting of Southern Albemarle County - Property includes 12+ mostly wooded acres, a very well-built 2-story, 4-BR brick colonial w/full basement & attached 1-BR cottage. MLS#640697 $1,250,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

PEA RIDGE FARM

10 miles from town, near Free Union, 100+ acres, division rights, NO CONSERVATION

EASEMENT! Spectacular Blue Ridge views from many homesites, several barns, stable, 2 ponds, creeks, FANTASTIC offering! MLS#638858

$4,975,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

Mostly wooded preservation tract of 81.395 acres next to Frays Mill Subdivision in highly desirable Northern Albemarle. This beautiful gently rolling land has a great, private homesite with Blue Ridge Mt. views, and creek on property. MLS#608509

$995,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

RAGGED

MOUNTAIN FARM

Two wonderful estate parcels comprised of 185.01± acres in coveted Ragged Mountain Farm. Excellent elevated building site, complete privacy, and beautiful views. Murray/Henley/Western school district. MLS#621083 $1,895,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

ARWOOD

ROAD

Well constructed home just four miles north of the City. Set on 1.45 acres - great outdoor space for gardens. Home is in need of some renovation, but given quality construction & excellent location, it’s worthy of the investment. MLS#638788 $545,000 Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

3 separate parcels with commanding Blue Ridge Mtn. views, level building sites 15 minutes from Charlottesville. Sites have been perked, have wells, and ready for your dream home. MLS#632482 $375,000 (7.8 acres), MLS#632490 $275,000 (2.4 acres), MLS#632487

$175,000 (2.0 acres), Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

MISSION

HOME ROAD

146.88 ac. in Albemarle & Greene County. Privacy & protection adjacent to the Shenandoah National Park! Full division rights & multiple home sites. Extraordinary timberland. Views of the mountains, along with easy access to trails & Skyline Drive. MLS#620276

$1,100,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

EDNAM

FOREST

FRAYS GRANT

10 acres of mature woods. Property has long road frontage and consists of two parcels being combined and sold as one. No homeowners association! Design and build your dream residence on this very well-priced parcel. MLS#621178 $189,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

Wonderfully large 1.5+ acre building lot in Ednam Forest. Build your dream home on this elevated, wooded lot located in a single family community, minutes from UVA and within walking distance to Boar’s Head Resort. MLS#598537 $289,500 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

Just outside Charlottesville near Earlysville. This 21 acre lot is situated at the end of a cul-de-sac that provides privacy and a quite setting among towering hardwoods, and is convenient the CHO airport and ample shopping of various kinds. MLS#640231

$269,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

GREENTREES

11.73-acre, buildable lot in Western Albemarle! One of a kind location and a rare opportunity to purchase a large lot in an estate neighborhood 10 minutes to town. 2 division rights and is gently rolling with a small stream bisecting the property. MLS#628219

$795,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

94+ acres 20 minutes from Charlottesville. Originally part of a 188-acre tract, two parcels may be purchased separately or together, with 2 developmental rights each. Mostly maturing pine and very long public road frontage. MLS#635861

$700,000 Tim Michel, 434.960.1124

436+ acres in Southern Albemarle! 4 division rights; complete privacy; lush, gently rolling terrain; long road frontage; stream; 3-acre lake; 125-135 acres of open land; mature hardwood forests. Under conservation easement. Owner/agent. MLS#634139

$2,985,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

SIMMONS GAP/ ESTES RIDGE

FRAYS GRANT

SOUTHWIND ESTATES

HIDDEN FOX FARM

GARTH ROAD

MEADOW FARM

122 JEFFERSON HWY

Timber Oaks Subdivision is a shovel ready Mixed-Use Development with a Variety of Housing types as well as 2 Commercial Blocks on Route 33.Conceptual Plans include 2 Entrances; 2 Phases & 3 Blocks. From Route 33 the Commercial block is located at the entrance followed by a Higher Density Residential Block and then Lower Density Single Family Block at Pine Ridge Dr Entrance. This also includes almost 4 acres for Green Space (IE: Park; Playground; Tree Preservation Area). Opportunity Awaits!

BUYING or SELLING? CALL US!

616 Elizabeth Ave

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | .18 ACRES | $489,500

Nicely Updated 4 bed, 2 bath, home on a CUL-DE-SAC. Hardwood floors in Living Room and Bedrooms. White Cabinets, Stainless Steel Appliances, Tile Flooring in the Eat in Kitchen. The finished walk out level basement has a Rec Room, Bedroom, Full Bath and Laundry Room. Nice Patio and partially fenced yard provides a private backyard that looks to wooded area. Located just 5 minutes from Charlottesville High School, 5-10 minutes from Pen & McIntire Park, UVA, and the Downtown Mall!

Midway Road

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | MLS# 621439 | $1,850,000

66 acre parcel. One of a kind property in Western Albemarle; less than 30 minutes to Charlottesville & UVA. The land is gently rolling and about 20-25% hardwood with the balance in pasture. Two streams come together at a potential pond/lake site. There are several building sites that each offer a unique perspective on the glorious mountain views & the surrounding countryside. This is an opportunity to create a fabulous estate, in a rural area, but close to shopping, schools, medical facilities, the town of Crozet & only minutes to the Blue Ridge Mountains & the Shenandoah Valley. High Speed Internet available from Firefly Fiber Broadband. Several airports are nearby along with easy access to major arteries. Bring your architect, builder, and imagination to create a place to call home that you will never want to leave.

3734 Advanced Mills Rd RUCKERSVILLE, VA 22968

5Acres $495,000 MLS: 637894a 7Acres $620,000 MLS: 637894b

12Acres $770,000 MLS: 637894c 68.15 Acres $1,695,000 MLS: 637893 Fantastic opportunity to buy a farm, on 68+/- acres in Greene County, just over the Albemarle County line, create your own subdivision, or buy the home with a smaller selection of acreage.

Bring your finishing touches to the existing brick, 3 bedroom/2 bath home which features hardwood flooring, 1st floor owner’s bedroom & 9’ ceilings on the main level. There is a detached workshop with power & a woodstove, a storage shed as well as 3 farm buildings/barns and fencing. Amazing, BLUE RIDGE mountain views, gently rolling land & springs/ creek with the possibility of a pond/lake! Close to Route 29, the Charlottesville airport and shopping areas.

525 Reas Ford Road

EARLYSVILLE, VA | MLS# 640849 | $795,000

Well built brick home set on a private lot close to Charlottesville, the airport, shopping & only 15 minutes to downtown/UVA! Enjoy first floor living inan open living design. Living room, with a fireplace, dining area, kitchen, mudroom & office/workout/studio room to go with Owners Bedroom & Bath, Bonus Roomthat can be used as office/den & full bath. Upstairs offers an additional two bedrooms & full bath. Recent improvements include, new carpeting & Luxury Vinyl Plankflooring. A full basement with a 2 car garage offers plenty of options to add more finished square footage along with storage. The back terrace deck is a lovely outdoorliving space with mature landscaping all around. Blue Ridge views from the front porch, fenced yard area for gardening, pets, etc.

Langdon Woods

Build and enjoy your custom home in Langdon Woods, a preservation community located just minutes from the Airport, Route 29, Hollymead Town Center and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Langdon Woods offers wooded, private lots from 2 acres to 4.4 acres with a walking/running trail and a community lake with a dock. Bring your builder and come see why you should be living in Langdon Woods. Tranquil, country living with amenity & convenience in beautiful Northwest Albemarle County.

LAST LOT AVAILABLE

21.25 ACRES | $239,500 |

MLS: 526218

19 Courtenay Glen Way Charlottesville VA 24590

The Farms at Turkey Run - a unique enclave of 40 private country estates within an 800 acre haven surrounded by 5000 acres of protected rural area that is Mount Ida Reserve. This 21.25 acre lot features rolling pasture with beautiful mountain views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, streams, ponds, and wooded areas. Turkey Run is within minutes of area attractions and less than 20 minutes from Charlottesville. 434.220.5656 | sloanmanis.com | 415 Fourth Street N.E. Charlottesville, VA 22902

BY MARY JANE GORE

DANGERS

rtificial intelligence was once the stuff of sci-fi dreams, and though it has been available in some form for many years, 2023 has marked a sea change for AI. New chat bots seem to launch by the day, and backlash has already begun to foment. The “godfather of AI,” Geoffrey Hinton, left Google, warning of the dangers of the invention, and Writer’s Guild strikers have named AI as a threat to their livelihoods.

Advancements in the ease-of-use and sophistication of AI have prompted companies around the world to integrate the most powerful technology of the moment—and maybe for years to come—into their businesses. Now, Charlottesville’s techies are harnessing AI to achieve all sorts of research and marketing goals, but each application comes with its own risks and rewards.

THE ORIGINS OF AI

Before AI, machine learning developed. “The goal of ML is to extract patterns from data,” says Yangfeng Ji, the William Wulf Career Enhancement Professor in the University of Virginia’s computer science department. For example, looking at restaurant reviews, a machine trained on data sets can examine the data and figure out which words are related to positive reviews and which words are related to negative reviews. The machine extracts patterns and then predicts something from them, such as whether to add a restaurant to suggested recommendations for a user. “Machine learning is a way to achieve artificial intelligence,” Ji says.

Ji says AI began when people started trying to build and train computers to mimic human-level intelligence and perform tasks in the way a human would, in several aspects. For each aspect, “we try to create a research subject to study it,” Ji says. “To name two examples, we have natural language processing, where the goal is to understand human communication in the natural language. Computer vision teaches the computer to recognize and identify a human face or a different object in an image.”

Charlottesville is a “hub for AI” work and research, says John Elder, who has owned Elder Research for nearly 30 years. He notes that the university here has researchers and professors who train students in AI and machine learning, and many graduates like living here. Elder, whose company creates business value from client’s data, says, “Alumni of our organization have also started or staffed other analytic firms nearby. Charlottesville is very strong, for its size, in data science, just like it is in good restaurants. We also have an abundance of hedge funds and venture capitalists here, which likely further amplifies local innovation.”

Artificial intelligence used by companies reaches far beyond the free version of ChatGPT (which stands for “generative pre-trained transformer”), an assistive, natural-language bot available online through Microsoft’s OpenAI. OpenAI offers more robust products, like the GPT-4 model that is avail-

LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE INVESTING IN AI

WHILE OTHERS WARN

OF ITS

able as an application programming interface, or API, for developers. Other large companies also offer AI, including Alphabet (home of Google), Meta (Facebook), and Baidu in China, so smaller companies can build AI-based applications and services.

AI GROWTH IS MOVING FAST

AI usage is growing swiftly in labs and companies globally. Elder says his company brings in “millions” annually for AI-related work.

Market.us estimates that the global artificial intelligence market size was $129.28 billion in 2022, with more than 51 percent of revenues in North America—and growth is estimated to accelerate at a compound annual growth rate of 36.8 percent, to an estimated incremental revenue of more than $2.7 trillion by 2032. While a search for AI revenues in central Virginia or the state didn’t return results, a study by AI-driven website builder YACSS found Virginia to

be the 10th most “AI-obsessed” state, based on Google keywords data (Massachusetts was first).

“Analytics, data science, and AI are on a continuum,” Elder says. “They all use experience of known situations and their outcome [data] to better determine actions to be taken for similar new cases. They are ideal for, for instance, finding people who are the lowest risk for repaying loans, or who could be the highest threat to national security. Success marries the speed and accuracy of the computer with the people skills of creativity and understanding of the problem.”

Aiding accurate, swift analysis is UVA’s new School of Data Science. Commerce school alum Jaffray Woodriff, successful in hedge-fund analytics, gave the university $120 million to establish an entire school full of students, from undergraduates to Ph.D.s., looking toward careers in AI and other data analysis fields.

Tobias Dengel, president of WillowTree, a TELUS International company with its headquarters here and more than 1,000 employees worldwide, says, “Over the next 24 months everything we do—from design to development—will be made more efficient using AI tools. Consumers will see this change as every app and website will become a virtual voicebased assistant. To order your favorite coffee or pizza, you’ll just open your Starbucks or Domino’s app and tell it what you want. The entire human/ machine interface is about to change.”

Some are wary of that predicted inevitability, however. Artist Rosamond Casey says AI artworks need to stay in the digital world: “Label it as AI art, set up a market for it, but call it what it is,” she says. “Keep it out of the physical world.” With AI making the art, “it appeals to emotion, but large areas of the composition fall apart. Maybe artists being artists will find a way to own AI and make it their tool, and we will all adapt.”

Eric Seaborg, a journalist and author, notes, “The articles I write are based on interviews with experts,

and AI doesn’t seem close to being able to do that, so my little part of the world is safe for now.”

But as usage of AI grows, and many leverage its power, some experts’ confidence in its abilities to assume other tasks in society grows with it. Michael Freenor, WillowTree’s principal data scientist says, without hesitation, “I predict every shop will be using AI.”

LOCALS

LEVERAGE AI

Elder’s group approaches queries to learn, for example, about people with security clearances by looking for anomalous behaviors—their keystrokes, which doors they enter and exit, and so on. “The question is, ‘How do you create good features out of that vast sea of flowing information, so that you can summarize it in a way to make it clear?’” he says. The model shows only that a person has a certain probability of being risky, fraudulent, or not paying off loans. A model provides a probability (a number between 0 and 100, say), and it’s up to the end user to decide whether to act on the prediction.

Other local businesses, like Astrea, also use AI. Its website describes an “artificial intelligence platform to combine cutting-edge technologies and analytics-ready satellite imagery,” dealing in geospatial data and tools to analyze the data at lower costs.

Drug developer Ampel’s site notes that the company “brings their expertise in basic and translational research, clinical trial design, and bioinformatics together in a new way to develop scalable systems using AI and deep machine learning to improve patient outcomes.” Ampel expects its first product, LuGENE (a blood test that assesses disease state and drug options for lupus patients), to be out this year. ZielBio is also using AI to develop drugs,

[Above] John Elder, owner of Elder Research for nearly 30 years, believes Charlottesville is a “hub for AI” work and research. He points to university researchers and professors, as well as hedge funds and venture capitalists in town, who are focused on AI.

[Left] Yanfeng Ji, the William Wulf Career Enhancement Professor in UVA’s computer science department, is working on a system where human users will be able to verify whether an AI’s answer is truth or misinformation.

as is HemoShear Therapeutics. All three are based in Charlottesville.

Sheng Li, a professor in the UVA School of Data Science, primarily directs his AI research to improve trustworthiness. In the concept of machine learning, those in the field define trustworthiness from several angles: robustness, fairness, transparency, security, and interpretability. His team would like to investigate all of these topics, but for now it focuses on robustness and fairness.

One robustness project is fish recognition—gathering data for the U.S. Geological Survey. Researchers are recording unique patterns and markings that stay with individual fish over the years. The recognition data has robustness issues, however, because often the fish are not seen in winter, and by spring and summer they gain size. Such changes will make the model work worse if you only examine data from certain seasons. More frequent data will improve the project, which tracks fish to learn how populations are growing. If individual fish can be recognized, then researchers can monitor the health status of the fish, based on unusual skin patterns, Li says.

WillowTree has an active AI project group, including clients in health care, human resources, financial services, and agribusiness.

WillowTree’s Freenor says his most complex project to date involved a client dedicated to enabling data-driven efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion. AI can drastically increase productivity across product development, so one assignment that typically takes six weeks was completed in two days. The final product entailed creating a smart database interface for HR professionals skilled in the DEI space but not necessarily at data analysis or engineering. With GPT, natural-language commands such as “What’s the gender pay gap at my company?” allowed users to search for patterns in the client’s own HR database on which the AI was trained.

“It was the first major project we used GPT on,” says Freenor. “It’s the first time in my career that I got giddy with a piece of technology, honestly. It was very obvious. It was so fast and I had it performing in just a couple of hours, which was wild.”

Freenor cautions that with a large-language model like GPT, the first answer isn’t always the right answer, however.

WillowTree found prompting and then re-prompting technology is a good technique, says Freenor. Adam Nemett, WillowTree’s director of brand and content strategy, explains that this kind of “prompt engineering” is vitally important. “If the technology is operating in a world of assumptions, drawing on the massive amount of public information it’s been trained on, it’s going to reflect whatever bias exists in its training.”

“For most use cases a company will want to license and train the AI independently, to make sure the application is analyzing a concrete set of data rather than billions of data points from all of human history. Then you can essentially engineer the prompt to refine itself,” Nemett says. “Just because this technology is powerful doesn’t mean it’s always correct the first time. You still need human experts building and training these models to ensure the privacy of the data and integrity of the system’s responses.” Nemett says WillowTree is well positioned to work on complex, thorny issues because of the breadth of its expertise, from the data scientists effectively wielding LLMs to the engineers and designers building voice-powered AI solutions to the social scientists in their research division staying abreast of the technology’s impact.

UVA’s Ji is working on a system that would make the human user responsible for concluding the correct answer. He wants a system to include three different characteristics for the user’s peace of mind: an answer, an explanation for the answer, and then the

percentage prediction that an answer is information used to come to an answer. Given all of the information, the human user needs to make an educated decision about whether the answer is truthful or whether it is misinformation.

“The difficulty is that we have to construct a collaboration, working together with people who may have different views and backgrounds,” Ji says.

RISKS OF AI TECHNOLOGY

Tobias Dengel, president of WillowTree, believes that within two years everything his company does will be made more efficient with AI. Customers will interact with virtual voicebased assistants in the apps we use to order coffee or pizza. “The entire human/machine interface is about to change,” he says.

Kay Neeley, associate professor in the UVA School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, teaches a course called The Engineer, Ethics, and Professional Responsibility. Every student in the school must take one ethics course.

“One of the biggest problems is that AI is a very broad category of technical capability that can be used for lots of different things,” Neeley says. “We need to start by saying that generalizing about AI doesn’t make sense.” She calls for people to look at specific AI applications in the context of their use.

“Scrupulous” is a word several interviewees used when talking about businesses that use AI. Businesses must be scrupulous or the information delivered will be unsatisfactory, false, or worse. There can be risk to the brand if the LLM doesn’t provide thorough information or provides incorrect information, or if someone can trick it to obtain information or intellectual property that should not be released. “There is risk to the brand and to those who receive its information, and any of those outcomes is bad from an organization’s perspective,” Freenor says.

Often, those who get the information hesitate to use it. Gartner, a technological consulting firm, predicted that “80 percent of analytics insights will not deliver business outcomes through 2022.” Elder says he is pleased that 90 percent of his clients do use the insights his team provides. “People naturally fear making decisions in a new way. They may not understand the model well enough, or just figure that no one gets fired for doing things the old way.”

ChatGPT, open and available to the public, is astonishing people with how quickly it can produce seemingly-sensible commentary on any subject. That it is public and free may be a real problem, in Elder’s view. “It lies brazenly. I wouldn’t make a business decision based on it,” he says. “It never

says, ‘I don’t know.’ It’s often right, always wrong about something, and completely confident on everything.”

Elder challenges: “Ask it something you know a lot about. Like, ask what you have invented and how does it work? It’ll get some things right but then run on about your genius with say, a super-shredder or galvanizing rubber. It badly needs a validation mechanism.” He says he knows a local firm using the public version even now to craft marketing pitches to different types of customers.

Neeley agrees that ChatGPT needs to be used carefully. “There are some limited, humane purposes to which something like ChatGPT can be put,” she says. She gives the “very constructive” example of lower-skilled workers who performed at a higher level in the context of interacting with customers if they were assisted by a capability like ChatGPT.

“In an academic context, however, we don’t have students write essays because someone is going to buy the products,” Neeley says. “We have them write so they develop the capability. The point is the people who are developing or making money off of ChatGPT are not bearing the costs of reconfiguring the system of education, so that it still works reasonably well with this capability out there.”

Students could cheat. Neeley bemoans the lack of accountability on the part of the AI developers, while back at UVA, “we are spending a lot of time figuring out how we are going to deal with this capability. Those are costs that we are bearing.”

One of the biggest risks Neeley sees, however, is that people treat the continued development and use of this capability as inevitable, as if this is something that is going to happen, in which case the question is how we adapt to it.

“The discourse of inevitability is inimical to ethical sensitivity and awareness,” Neeley says. “Ethics is not about what we can do, it is about what we should do.”

She subs in “morphine” for AI. “None of us wants to live in a world without morphine. We don’t give morphine to students and say, ‘This can be used for good and bad things, and we hope you make good decisions.’”

With morphine, we control the outcomes. With AI, “we know we cannot control the outcome, but we know the stakes are high enough that we are going to try to control it, and the role that choice plays,” asserts Neeley. “If we believe we have choice, then we do.”

EZE AMOS

SATURDAY 5/13

HA-HA-HART

Check your phones at the door and let Kevin Hart take you through a riot of observations. The Hollywood A-lister and comedian performs his Reality Check tour, a device-free evening of stand-up, stories, and laughs. Hart’s most recent comedy special, “Zero F**ks Given,” was filmed in his living room during the pandemic, and covers everything from group chats to having sex in your 40s. $45 and up, 7pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 295 Massie Rd. johnpauljonesarena.com

FRIDAY 5/12

LITTLE BIG TUNES

Singer-songwriter Eli Lev pens heartfelt and uplifting lyrics and melodies for everyday enlightenment, and offers up bits of wisdom gained through a lifetime of travel and selfdiscovery. His latest release, Walk. Talk. Dance. Sing., is a genre-spanning five-song collection inspired by the highs, lows, and in-betweens of the pandemic. Lev tunes listeners in to a range of sounds, including lo-fi rock, Caribbean beats, and upfront vocals. Free, 7pm. The Garage, 100 E. Jefferson St. thegaragecville.com

FRIDAY 5/12 & SATURDAY 5/13

PAS DE DEUX

FRIDAY& SATURDAY: The three little pigs go on an epic journey in Albemarle Ballet Theatre’s Once Upon a Time. Furious over an encounter with the Big Bad Wolf, the trio heads to Wonderland to plead their case to the Red Queen. Along the way they meet familiar characters including Snow White, Puss in Boots, and the Mad Hatter. $18-40, times vary. PVCC’s V. Earl Dickinson Theater, 501 College Dr. abtdance.org

SATURDAY: Experience the enchantment at Charlottesville Ballet’s Cinderella. The company brings the classic fairy tale to life with intricate choreography by Pedro Szalay of Southwest Virginia Ballet, stunning costumes, and detailed sets. Helping the professional dancers put the magic on stage are 50 children from across the state. $20-75, 11am and 3:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. charlottesvilleballet.org

Wednesday 5/10

music

Berto and Matt. Latin guitar night. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Jim Waive. Classic country tunes from the man with a velvet voice and impressive beard. Free, 7pm. Blue Moon Diner, 606 W. Main St. bluemoondiner.net

Open Mic Night. Charlottesville’s longestrunning open mic night. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. 234-4436

dance

Sunset Salsa & Bachata. A night of dancing, drinks, food, and beautiful sunset views. $10, 6pm. Quirk Hotel Charlottesville, 499 W. Main St. quirkhotels.com

classes

Nature Photography Workshop. Take your photos to the next level. $165, 5pm. Living Earth School Base Camp, 101 Rocky Bottom Ln., Afton. livingearthva.org

The Art Of Cocktails. An afternoon of mixology, education, and, most importantly, tasting. $25, 4pm. Quirk Hotel, 499 W. Main St. quirkhotels.com

etc.

Block Night. An informal session for those interested in the art and craft of book and printmaking. Free, 5:30pm. Virginia Center for the Book, Jefferson School City Center, 233 Fourth St. NW. vabookcenter.org

Mortal Kombat Nothing in the world has prepared you for this slam-bang 1995 adventure. $10, 7:15pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Trivia. Show off your trivia knowledge and win prizes, including gift cards, merch, and free drinks. Free, 7pm. Dairy Market, 946 Grady Ave. dairymarketcville.com

Wine Down Wednesday. Wind down the work day with live music, award-winning wines, eats, and sunsets over the vineyard. Free, 5pm. Keswick Vineyards, 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. keswickvineyards.com

Thursday 5/11 music

Berto & Vincent. Good times and tunes. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. Performing the music of the Grateful Dead. $49, 7pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

CULTURE THIS WEEK

The After Party featuring Sisters & Brothers. With Zoomst. $10, 10pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesouthern cville.com

words

Art Chats: Radioactive Inactives with Patrick Nagatani & Andrée Tracey. Walk the gallery with Assistant Curator Hannah Cattarin and share your thoughts. Free, 5:30pm. The Fralin Museum of Art at UVA, 155 Rugby Rd. uvafralinartmuseum.virginia.edu

classes

Paint & Sip: Fundraiser for CureSearch. Grab a drink and paint in support of CureSearch, a nonprofit that works to end childhood cancer. $40, 6pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarm andwinery.com

outside

Thursday Evening Sunset Series. Bring lawn chairs and blankets, and enjoy live music, food trucks, drinks, and a stunning view of the sunset. $10, 6pm. Carter Mountain Orchard, 1435 Carters Mountain Trl. chilesfamilyorchards.com

etc.

Flower Competition. Vote for your favorite garden. Free, all day. Downtown Mall. friends ofcville.org

FUNdraiser BINGO. Ten rounds, all the cards you can handle, prizes, and raffles to benefit The Haven. $20 suggested donation, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Friday 5/12 music

Bobby Thompson at Offbeat Roadhouse. D.C. blues comes to town. Free, 8pm. The Stage at WTJU, 2244 Ivy Rd. wtju.net

Scuffletown. Marc and John perform calypso, bluegrass, reggae, and blues. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Viv & Riley. Old-soul roots music. $20-25, 8pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

dance

Albemarle Ballet Theatre’s Once Upon a Time Once upon a time there were three little pigs… Enjoy ABT’s fairy tale-filled spring gala performance. $18-40, 6pm. PVCC’s V. Earl Dickinson Theater, 501 College Dr. abtdance.org

words

CreativeMornings. A breakfast lecture for the creative community. Free, 8:30am. Location TBA. creativemornings.com

The Book of Maps Ernest Thompson reads from his new novel. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com

classes

Mother’s Day Flower Arranging Workshop. Treat your mother, loved one, or yourself to a relaxing class with Susanna of Spring Creek Blooms. $85, 6pm. Bluebird & Co., 5792 Three Notched Rd., Crozet. bluebirdcrozet.com

outside

Playdates at the Playscape. BYO snacks and buddies and enjoy outdoor play. $20, 9:30am. Wildrock, 6600 Blackwells Hollow Rd., Crozet. wildrock.org etc.

Annual Garden Sale. Garden-related ceramics filled with flowers, including vases, planters, berry bowls, salad bowls, bird houses, feeders, and more. Free, 5pm. City Clay, 700 Harris St., Suite 104. cityclaycville.com

Date Night Drop-Off. Parents can enjoy a Friday night on the Downtown Mall while the kids hang out at the Virginia Discovery Museum. Free, 5:30pm. Virginia Discovery Museum, 524 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. vadm.org

Saturday 5/13 music

Blue Ridge Chamber Orchestra. Performing a program of Albinoni, Bach, Janacek,

and Holst. $10 suggested donation, 3pm. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 851 Owensville Rd. brco.avenue.org

Josh Mayo and The House Sauce. Performing originals and covers. Free, 10:30pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Milor Farmer Duo. Roots, blues, and Americana tunes, with a good bit of Ken’s storytelling mixed in too. Free, 5pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Mother’s Day Music Festival. A full day of music by local bands, vendors, food, and fun. Free, 11am. Tandem Friends School, 279 Tandem Ln. @mothersdaymusicfest

Free Union with Theocles. The Rivanna Roots season kicks off with live local music, food trucks, and fun. $14-154, 5pm. Rivanna River Company, 1518 E. High St. frontporch cville.org

The Pollocks. The Batesville house band hits the stage. $15, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Vanessa Collier. The musician and multi-instrumentalist weaves funk, soul, rock, and blues into every powerful performance. $2530, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

dance

Albemarle Ballet Theatre’s Once Upon a Time See listing for Friday, May 12. $18-40, 5pm. PVCC’s V. Earl Dickinson Theater, 501 College Dr. abtdance.org

Charlottesville Ballet’s Cinderella Intricate choreography by Pedro Szalay of Southwest Virginia Ballet pulls you into the endearing story we all know and love. $2075, 11am and 3:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

words

Samman Akbarzada: A Glimmer in the Dark The poet reads from and discusses her new work. Free, 4pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com

Storytime. Readings of recent favorites and classics. Free, 11am. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com

outside

Hospice of the Piedmont 5K Run/Walk. A kids’ quarter mile dash kicks off the morning, with a fun run starting at 7:30am, and at 8am the run/walk starts. $40, 8am. Keswick Hall & Golf Club, 701 Club Dr., Keswick. runsignup.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

ANDREW

The Historic Wayne Theatre Presents: ROCK THE BLOCK

Featuring a thrilling original rock score, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical has fans of all ages MAY 19 at 7:30 PM

New Orleans native, Andrew Duhon, is a singer/ songwriter with an undeniable voice, weighted and soulful. JUNE 16 - JUNE 18 Fri & Sat: 7 pm |

The evening features a night of fine food, drinks, and dancing on Main Street- all for a great cause! The Significant Others from Richmond, VA will serve up the music.

PM

Vanessa Collier

LIGHTNING THIEF, The Percy Jackson Musical

DUHON

GALA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

Saturday 5/13

Playdates at the Playscape. See listing for Friday, May 12. $20, 9:30am. Wildrock, 6600 Blackwells Hollow Rd., Crozet. wildrock.org

Spring Plant Walk with Wild Edibles. Taste the wild abundance right at your fingertips and learn what you can eat, what the animals can eat, and what to stay away from. $40, 9am. North Rivanna Trail, Charlottesville. livingearthva.org

etc.

Annual Garden Sale. See listing for Friday, May 12. Free, 5pm. City Clay, 700 Harris St., Suite 104. cityclaycville.com

Cameras & Coffee. Bring your film camera, your friends, your friends’ film camera and all your burning film camera questions. Free, 9am. Milli Coffee Roasters, 400 Preston Ave., Ste. 150. eventcreate.com/e/camerasandcoffee

Charlottesville City Market. Shop seasonal local produce, homemade baked goods, authentic cultural foods, wares from artisans of various disciplines, and more. Free, 9am. Charlottesville City Market, 100 Water St. E. charlottesville.gov

Climate Change Film Challenge. Documentary, narrative, animation, and experimental films to increase community awareness and activism around climate issues. Free, 5pm. Light House Studio: Vinegar Hill Theatre, 220 W. Market St. lighthousestudio.org

Family Studio Day. Hands-on art-making with exhibiting artist Brittany Fan. Free, 10am. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE. secondstreetgallery.org

Kevin Hart: Reality Check. A device-free experience. $45 and up, 7pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 295 Massie Rd. johnpaul jonesarena.com

The Wizard of Oz Brunch. Enjoy brunch in the Emerald City as we bring the 1939 classic back to the big screen. $10, 10:15am. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Sunday 5/14

music

Swansong. Violinist M. Alan Pearce and pianist Rene Sanchez perform classical, rock, soundscapes, soundtracks, jazz, and tango. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

The Wavelength. Jazzy bluesy vibrations and vintage rock. Free, 1pm. Merrie Mill Farm and Vineyard, 594 Merrie Mill Farm, Keswick. merriemillfarm.com

William Byrd: Mass for Four Voices Musica Sacra Virginia presents its spring concert featuring William Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices and works by other composers of the English Renaissance. $10-20, 6pm. Holy Comforter Catholic Church, 208 E. Jefferson St. musicasacravirginia.org

classes

Community Intensive: Creating a Solo Show. Explore the creative and logistical aspects of creating and touring a solo show, as well as devising plays from personal narratives. $52, 10am. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org etc.

Annual Garden Sale. See listing for Friday, May 12. Free, 5pm. City Clay, 700 Harris St., Suite 104. cityclaycville.com

Mamma Mia! Mother’s Day Brunch. Have an ABBA-solutely fabulous brunch with Meryl Streep and company. $10, 10:15am. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

CONTINUED ON

CULTURE ALL YOU CAN EAT

Shored up

Siren restaurant hits its stride with a focus on love

By Carrie Meslar living@c-ville.com

The story of Siren is a love story. Maybe not a typical love story, but like many authentic ones, the path that led chef Laura Fonner to open her own restaurant was full of unexpected twists and turns. And some major bombshells.

If you haven’t dined at Siren, located in the former Shebeen Pub & Braai spot on Ridge McIntire Road, you’ve likely heard of Fonner, who won The Food Network series

“Guy’s Grocery Games,” hosted by celebrity chef Guy Fieri, and then was the victor on a spinoff of the show that featured a tournament of “Guy’s Grocery Games’” champions. Fonner is not just a name on the local food scene, she’s a seasoned veteran of cooking under the added pressure of cameras, lights, cash prizes, and business partners.

The longtime head of the kitchen at Duners, Fonner seemed to many, including herself, destined to find her happily-ever-after as the eventual owner of the legendary establishment. But a twist of fate found her partnering in a restaurant with an entirely new concept. And then another twist.

“In July of 2022, we suddenly started experiencing money issues,” says Siren’s General Manager Erin McGowan. “Our bank card was being declined, vendors were starting to complain that they hadn’t been paid, etc. … Laura didn’t have access to the bank account and fully trusted that her partner was making sure bills were paid. Siren was a successful restaurant from the day we opened, so it was quite a shock to find out how bad of a place we were in.”

With Siren being a product not just of Fonner’s physical labor, but her emotional energy as well, she vented her frustration in a widely shared social media post last winter. “I know who I am. I know how hard I have fought to keep my dream alive. I know how hard I will continue to fight,” she wrote.

Eventually coming to an agreement with her business partner, Fonner acquired full ownership of the restaurant this spring. And as Siren settles into its second year, the seafood spot with a Mediterranean flair has quickly become a highlight on lists of where to eat in a town.

The menu features not just seasonal fare, but a rotation of dishes rooted in the inspiration Fonner derives from what is fresh and interesting—a quick scroll through the restaurant’s Instagram shows a gallery of specials that arrive and disappear at a rate that is only feasible in a chef-driven environment. There are fan favorites that have remained staples, including the panko-fried oysters (recently featured in C-VILLE), plus clam chowder, shaved beet salad, and eggplant moussaka.

The ambience at Siren is equal parts cozy and airy. Its extensive patio holds the promise of good times on balmy evenings, and

the bar offers its own welcoming pocket-sized vibe for those looking for a casual drink or dinner. Monday nights feature live bluegrass and a “gourmet stoner food” menu at the bar. This is particularly noteworthy on a night of the week that can often prove challenging for those looking to eat out.

As dining culture continues to adjust post-pandemic, it seems patrons crave more than just the food: They want to connect with the personalities that make a restaurant successful. Fonner says this current fascination with kitchen life can create a disconnect between chef and customer. “We are real people who have real lives, and I think sometimes customers forget that,” she says.

“Sometimes we get dehumanized.”

The professional kitchen has long been a workplace dominated by men, but Fonner looks at the environment as a welcome challenge, and is optimistic about the future.

“This industry has gotten better and more

accepting to female chefs, and the thought that it doesn’t matter your gender—your drive and your grind is what counts.”

“Laura is unlike any chef I have ever met,” says McGowan. “She’s humble, down to earth, she listens and would rather people ask her questions to make sure things are done correctly the first time versus trying to fix a mistake later.”

As she prepared to participate in a recent out-of-town event, Fonner worked late into the night. “As I was wrapping up prep work at around 2:30am, the song ‘More of You’ by Chris Stapleton came on,” says Fonner, an avid music fan. “This is my love song for food. My food tasted like my love for that song. It was amazing, so amazing I told the story to the guests at the event and got to watch them taste music in my food. It was one of the most special and fulfilling moments ever.”

As she surveys her future in Charlottesville’s dining scene, Fonner has faith in a love story inclusive of her peers. “If you truly know what we have to offer as a culinary community, then you know we are rich in amazing choices of amazing food,” she says.—with additional reporting by Tami Keaveny

At Siren, chef Laura Fonner has built a following around her seasonal, Mediterranean comfort dishes.

“I know how hard I have fought to keep my dream alive.”

Seller Review: Jordan sold our home quickly and helped us select the best offer out of the 8 we received in one weekend on the market. He was wonderful and insightful in what was an extremely stressful event. His ability to market our home was impressive. It never looked better in the pictures he took. The 3D touring technology he used was amazing. Highly recommend Jordan.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39

Sunday 5/14

Mother’s Day Brunch & More. Yoga, brunch, and a Pharsalia flower pop-up. Price TBA, 10:30am. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

The Cat Returns A girl saves a cat’s life and finds herself whisked into a feline fantasy world in the English-dubbed version of this Studio Ghibli favorite. $10, 7:15pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. draft house.com

Monday 5/15

music

Berto & Vincent. Fiesta. Free, 7pm. South and Central Latin Grill, Dairy Market. south andcentralgrill.com

Gin & Jazz. The Brian Caputo Trio performs in the Château Lobby Bar. Free, 5:30pm. Oakhurst Inn, 100 Oakhurst Cir. oakhurstinn.com

words

Storytime. Words, songs, movement, and bubbles. Free, 10:30am. Virginia Discovery Museum, 524 E. Main St. vadm.org etc.

Subspecies V: Blood Rise An exclusive premiere of the prequel to the popular vampire series. $10, 9:15pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

The Spy Who Loved Me A Soviet spy teams with 007 to deep-six a villain who operates out of an underwater city in this 1977 blockbuster. $10, 7:15pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Tuesday 5/16

music

Thunder Music Karaoke. Show off your singing skills or just enjoy the show. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. 234-4436

Vincent Zorn. Olé. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Vinyl Night. BYO record to play and get $1 off pints. Free, 4pm. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market, 946 Grady Ave. dairymarketcville.com

words

Profs & Pints: Reflecting on Narcissists. A look at the myth, reality, and treatment of clinical narcissism. $13-17, 5:30pm. Graduate, 1309 W. Main St. profsandpints.com

outside

Playdates at the Playscape. See listing for Friday, May 12. $20, 9:30am. Wildrock, 6600 Blackwells Hollow Rd., Crozet. wildrock.org

Three Notch’d Run Club. Log some miles and enjoy a $5 post-run beer. Free, 6pm.

Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery, 520 Second St. SE. threenotchdbrewing.com

etc.

Family Game Night. Games for all ages, including corn hole, Jenga, and board games. Free, 5pm. Dairy Market, 946 Grady Ave. dairymarketcville.com

Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night. Teams of two to six people play for prizes and bragging rights. Free, 8pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

WarGames Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy play a potentially disastrous game when they stumble into a top-secret program. $10, 7:15pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

CULTURE THE WORKS

Pure wonder

Three artists engage the natural world at Second Street Gallery

By Sarah Sargent arts@c-ville.com

The moment you enter Second Street Gallery, you appreciate the variety of techniques featured in “Mirabilia naturae (Wonders of Nature)”—the precise, elegant line of Lara Call Gastinger’s works of paper; the poetic, emotive quality of Giselle Gautreau’s paintings; and the velvety tones and photographic verisimilitude of Elizabeth Perdue’s palladium prints. Each medium and style has its own formal and evocative allure, while also being ideally suited to capture and convey nature, a subject with which these artists are deeply engaged.

The differing approaches work very well in concert throughout the show, and specifically in the grid arrangement of 30 6"x 6" squares that form a joint, site-specific piece. “We wanted a way to represent a cohesiveness in the show and came up with this idea of one gridded part of the wall that would embody all three of our styles together,” says Gastinger. “We love it. It shows everything from the detailed work of mine to the dreamy photographs of Elizabeth, and then the moody landscapes of Giselle.”

The individual works that make up Gastinger’s “Seeing Plants: A Year in Virginia (January-December),” feature florae as they appear during a given month. Her graphically symmetric arrangement of specimens is derived from the illustrated botanical plates of German scientist Ernst Haeckel. Gastinger uses the dry brush watercolor technique (a small amount of paint—without water—is used with a brush) to produce the extraordinary precision. Just look at her wispy paradise flower in “Seeing Plants,” or the thin hair-like filaments on the fiddlehead

fern stems in “Emerging Ferns.” In this and the aforementioned series, Gastinger limits her palette to sepia, which produces varying tones of gray. In other works, she introduces color. Throughout, you marvel at Gastinger’s ability to artfully join scientific veracity with a finely tuned sensitivity to the myriad aesthetic qualities of her subjects.

In her contemplative encaustic paintings, Gautreau uses tonal values to create mood. She downplays detail in these softly edged, atmospheric works, keeping her palette muted and focusing on dusk or twilight when shadows grow and light is diffused. The multiple layers of oil and encaustic that Gautreau employs expand the visual depth while augmenting qualities of luminosity.

In “Virginia Nocturne with Fireflies,” the insects of the title appear as pinpricks of brilliant bluish light against a backdrop of inky conifers. Hazy silvery light from the moon illuminates the sky and shines on a small glade in the foreground, creating the effect of a spotlit stage. Here, a patch of springy clumps of grass with worn areas of dirt is conjured out of lush brushstrokes in vivid green and yellow. A simple composition, the piece evokes childhood memories of the ineffable magic of lightening bugs and moonlight in a summer garden.

“With landscapes, there’s a point where the viewer might connect with them and feel some familiarity with something,” says Gautreau. “But if I get too specific, unless it’s something they have a personal connection to, they lose interest. So, I walk that line between making work that’s rooted in something specific, while also leaving it open to interpretation.”

Palladium printing is an old process, prized for its beautiful effects and archival

resilience. Traditionally, large-format cameras are used because the technique requires the negative to be the same size as the image. Perdue uses a Calumet camera with either 8" x 10" or 4" x 5" negatives. When she’s ready to print, after first processing her film, Perdue paints an emulsion containing palladium salts and a light sensitizer onto watercolor paper. After it dries, she lays the negative on top to make a contact print. She then places this in a light box for exposure, with the addition of a developer. How long it stays in there depends on the desired effect, but it can range anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, or even more.

“I love the tones, the gradations and the grays, and also the texture of the paper. None of it is digital,” says Perdue. “It’s all very tactile—very hands-on. It’s old school. I love that about it.” While palladium printing may be complicated, it’s also simple in the sense that the artist can be involved and in control of the entire process.

Perdue gathers her subject matter on walks, looking for things that “shine in their simplicity.” She selects just one stem or branch to photograph at a time, producing a form of portraiture. “I love celebrating the ephemeral quality of a single bloom, or shoot, and capturing it in a medium that is believed to last for up to a thousand years,” she says.

There’s an unmistakable elegiac quality to “Mirabilia naturae.” We see it in the desiccated magnolia leaf, the fragile fireflies facing collapse, and the somber grandeur of a lone magnolia bloom. It’s easy to revel in each approach, and also in the wonders they present, and it’s very hard to leave the gallery without being more mindful, observant, and appreciative of the ever-fascinating natural world.

Lara Call Gastinger, Giselle Gautreau, and Elizabeth Perdue are featured in “Mirabilia naturae (Wonders of Nature)” at Second Street Gallery through May 19.

A simple composition, the piece evokes childhood memories of the ineffable magic of lightening bugs and moonlight in a summer garden.

WATERWORKS

A FESTIVAL OF NEW THEATRICAL WORK IN DOWNTOWN CHARLOTTESVILLE

SPOTLIGHT SERIES

SILAS, THE UNINVITED by Derek J. Snow, directed by Clinton Johnston / LOOKING GLASS ELEGY by Robert Wray, directed by Kerry Moran / UNSUNG STORIES: AN EVENING OF VOICES directed by Edward Warwick-White with musical direction by Kristin Baltes / #CHARLOTTESVILLE by Priyanka Shetty, directed by Ti Ames

NEW WORKS LINEUP

HEARTBEAT OPHELIA by D.L. Siegel / SIMPLE FUTURE PAST PERFECT by Jack Karp / DON'T HYDROPLANE by Bryan Curtis / UNABASHEDLY by Mike Teverbaugh / HITHER, GA by Byron Harris / MAGNOLIA AND THE PIG by Ally Karaca / BLOOD/SWEAT/TEARS by Ali Keller / THE LAST DAYS OF THE FRANKLINTON HISTORICAL VILLAGE AND SHOPPE by Ron Burch / THE BURIALS OF ANDRÉ CAILLOUX by Alan Freeman / AH WING AND THE AUTOMATON EAGLE by Brandon Zang / TALKING

TENDERLOIN by Marsha Roberts / LOCALLY SOURCED : One Act Plays Developed by the Live Arts Playwrights' Lab / LIZZIE BORDEN: LIFE AFTER DEATH by William Meurer

CO-PRODUCERS & PARTNERS

LIVE ARTS PLAYWRIGHTS' LAB / CHARLOTTESVILLE PLAYWRIGHTS

COLLECTIVE / THE BRIDGE PAI / COMMON HOUSE / CHASKI GLOBAL / THE BREATH PROJECT / BUSHMAN DREYFUS ARCHITECTS /JACK

BROWN'S BEER & BURGER JOINT

COMMUNITY INTENSIVES

ACTOR SELF-CARE INTENSIVE with Daniel Kunkel

MONOLOGUE TRAINING INTENSIVE with Ronda Hewitt

INTRO TO SHAKESPEARE TECHNIQUES with David Minton

CREATING, PRODUCING & TOURING

A SOLO SHOW with Priyanka Shetty

HIP HOP & MINDFULNESS INTENSIVE with Chris Jeter

HOW TO RECORD A VIRTUAL AUDITION with Andrew Bryce

SPECIAL EVENTS & MORE

FRIDAY, MAY 5

KICK-OFF POOL PARTY

THURSDAY, MAY 11

*FREE* FESTIVAL PREVIEW SHOWS

SATURDAY, JUNE 3 CLOSING MOONDANCE PARTY

FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE AT LIVEARTS.ORG

livearts.org/waterworks

Sponsored by Pamela Friedman & Ronald Bailey

Supported by Bank of America Foundation and Virginia National Bank

Memorial Day Weekend 2023

Pay It Forward

Memorial Day is a time of reflection, gratitude, and gathering. Beginning May 8, guests have an opportunity to buy a military service member a drink. Simply tell the Eastwood tasting room team that you would like to "Pay It Forward" and our team will add a drink for a military service member to your tab.

Enjoy menu items from our tasting room every day: Open 7 Days A Week

eastwoodfarmandwinery.com/our-menus

WINE DOWN

WHAT’S DELISH AT LOCAL WINERIES?

CHISWELL FARM WINERY 2020 Chardonnay

The 2020 Chardonnay is crisp and easy drinking as we head into warmer weather! You’ll find notes of honeysuckle and yellow apples on the nose, with zippy pink grapefruit and lemongrass on the palate. Enjoy our Chardonnay with home made chicken salad, grilled shrimp, or strawberries and cream!

With a glass of one of our award winning wines, enjoy the beautiful scenery from our lawn, or a cozy chair inside, where you’ll discover a variety of inviting spaces. There are many options for outdoor seating, including rocking chairs on the covered porch and dining tables on the lawn for small groups. You’re also welcome to bring your own folding chairs and blankets to sit further out on the hill. All seating is first-come, first-served. Ages 21+, no dogs or other pets permitted on the property. For a family-friendly experience, visit our wine shops at Chiles Peach Orchard or Carter Mountain Orchard. Make sure to check out our exciting events calendar online to stay up-to-date on all things happening at Chiswell!

Wine is currently available by the glass, flight, or bottle. We have a full menu of seasonal boards, paninis, small bites and snacks to pair well with any of our wines (outside food is not permitted). Wine sales stop 30 minutes prior to closing.

Fridays - Summer Sundowns with live music, special food & wine menus, and sunsets!

Sundays - Brunch featuring mimosas with juices from our farmgrown fruit.

May 14th – Corks & Collage series (advanced ticket purchase required)

May 21st - Watercolors and mixed media workshops

May 21st - Paint & Sip: Picking Daisies (advanced ticket purchase required)

Hours: Wed-Sun 11 am – 5:30 pm

430 Greenwood Rd, Greenwood, VA 22943 434.252.2947 • www.chilesfamilyorchards.com/chiswell

53RD WINERY AND VINEYARD

2022 Albariño

Just in time for the spring: our 2021 Albariño! Pale gold in color with a nose of tropical fruit, this light and lively wine is easy drinking. With flavors of candied citrus peel, ripe pear, and thyme, this estate grown Albariño is one to look out for. Enjoy with firm cheeses, shrimp scampi, or a nice picnic on a warm fall afternoon.

A few notes from winegrower and owner, Dave Drillock:

If you are planning a visit, come for the wine and enjoy the chill. We are down to earth and love to share our enthusiasm for wine. We just revel in what we do, growing, making and selling wine! Open 7 days a week, 11am to 5pm, we offer our 100% Virginia wine by the bottle, glass, flight or tasting. Enjoy your visit at our meadow-like setting in rural Louisa County. We offer wellspaced indoor and outdoor seating and customers are welcome to bring their own picnic baskets, chairs and blankets. Children and pets are welcome, but pets must

always remain outside of buildings and on a leash. Our friendly staff focuses on serving quality wine at a great escape! For more information, visit our website, www.53rdwinery.com.

May 13th - Celebrate Mother’s Day with brunch by Sauce catering and live music.

May 14th - Live music + Vittles

Van Food Truck

May 19th - Sunset in the Vines! With live music by Scuffletown and food from Dad Bod BBQ

May 20th - Live Music by Vintage Silk + Wrappers D-lite food truck

KESWICK VINEYARDS

facebook.com/cville.weekly

@cville_culture

Open 7 days a week, 11 am – 5 pm

13372 Shannon Hill Rd

Louisa, VA 23093

(540) 894-5474 • 53rdwinery.com

CASTLE HILL FARM CIDERY

Cider Mosa’s with our Featured Burrata

Enjoy our perfect option for brunchour Cider Mosa on these warm weekends and afternoons! Pair with our featured burrata with fresh fig, peach, grilled bread, blackberry, mint, and a balsamic glaze

Visiting Castle Hill Cider

Our expansive cider barn features a variety of ample seating including Adirondack chairs overlooking the rolling countryside and lake; farm tables for larger parties; as well as bistro seating and cozy couches for smaller groups. Inside the Tasting Room, you’ll find bistro seating and a roaring fireplace. Outdoors, there are a variety of options including patio and firepit seating available year-round (weather permitting), and plenty of green space to walk the grounds or throw a football. Come check out our new food and cider cocktail menu!

Castle Hill Cider welcomes all guests! We offer non-alcoholic beverage options and a delicious food menu. Well-behaved dogs on a leash are also welcome both indoors and outside. Dogs must remain leashed and with their owners at all times.

Thursdays - Live Music from 5-8 with Travis Elliott and Friends!

Sundays - Royal Tea from 2-4 pm

May 19th – Free salsa dancing class from 6:30-8:30

June 10th - 231 Festival benefiting the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank! Visit 231fest.com for details and tickets

Hours: Thursday 1-8pm Friday 1-7pm Saturday 11am-5pm Sunday 11am-5pm

6065 Turkey Sag Rd. Keswick, VA 22947

Tasting Room Text/Call: 434.365.9429

www.castlehillcider.com

CROSSKEYS WINERY

Letizia

Letizia is made from 100% Chambourcin which was picked, processed and fermented specifically for sparkling wine. Chambourcin’s great acidity and fruit flavors are well suited to sparkling rosé; and unique to Letizia is the ripeness at which the grapes are picked. The riper fruit yields bright raspberry aromas along with notes pineapple and guava. Refreshing acidity is balanced by natural residual sugar, which further contributes to tropical fruit flavors on the palate. Vividly pink, vigorously bubbly, and vibrantly fruity.

CrossKeys Vineyards is a family owned and operated winery located in the heart of beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Our approach is to grow, by hand, the highest quality fruit using careful canopy management and yield balance to achieve 100% estate-grown wines that are truly expressive of the varietal and soils here at CrossKeys. Our first vines were planted in 2001 and we have only grown since then. Our 125-acre estate currently houses more than 30 acres of vines with plans for more planting in the future. We currently grow 12 varietals of grapes all used to produce our one of a kind award-winning wines. We offer wine tastings throughout the day. Our knowledgeable tasting room associates will guide you through tasting our wines whether you are a novice or a seasoned veteran. We love large groups and want to make sure your experience at CrossKeys Vineyards is extraordinary. We request that large groups call the vineyard 48 hours in advance to set up a reserved group tasting. The group will have a reserved table, staffing, and a cheese plate included with price.

Mon-Thurs - Winery Tours (by reservation only) at 12:30 pm

Sundays - Royal Tea from 2-4 pm

Fridays- Finally Friday! With light fare and plenty of wine from our bistro.

May 14th – Mother’s Day Buffet

Open Daily from 11- 7pm

6011 E Timber Ridge Rd, Mt Crawford, VA 22841

(540) 234-0505

https://crosskeysvineyards.com/

DUCARD VINEYARDS

2022 Rosé

A classic Bordeaux-style rose with notes of red fruit, strawberry, cranberry and melon to finish. A blend of 61% Cabernet Franc and 39% Merlot exhibiting a lovely salmon color and a bright and lively finish.

Our uncrowded rural Madison County area has mountains, streams and plenty of beautiful views along scenic back roads. The tasting room is near hiking and biking trails along the Shenandoah National Forest and is a perfect respite after your day out! Enjoy some peace and quiet relaxation in this challenging environment. Sit on our lawns and sip or pick up a bottle or three of our award-winning wines to take home. Reservations available and recommended (especially for Saturdays). No reservation fee or minimum purchase. Walkups accommodated on a spaceavailable basis. To order wine for local delivery or UPS shipping, visit our website!

• May 13:  Music w/Kat Hammock and Josh Tomiak, Food w/Sweet Jane’s Kitchen

• May 14: Mothers Day Festivities w/Salty Bottom Blue Oysters, Virginia Wine Love gathering, and free winery tours with winemaker AJ Greely!

• May 20: Music w/David Kulund and Matty Metcalfe

• May 27: Music w/Ron Gentry

- Live Music! Check out our website for a list of who’s playing.

May 14th - Mother’s Day Sunday Brunch

Open daily – Mon-Thurs. 12-5 pm Fri. 12-9 pm Sat/Sun. 12-6 pm

Weekends (Fri-Sun) - Live music

Friday-Sunday all month long. Check out our website for details and the musical artist lineup!

40 Gibson Hollow Ln • Etlan, VA 22719 (540) 923-4206 www.ducardvineyards.com

HARK VINEYARDS

2021 Virginia Verde

Flavors of lime, melon, and a slight effervescence giving it that zing! Crafted by our winemaker in a nod to the tasty and fresh vinho verdes of Portugal, this wine bursts with the optimism of warmer weather and brighter days. Enjoy with oysters, grilled shrimp, or on a warm and sunny porch swing!

Visiting Hark:

Hark Vineyards is a family-owned winery focused on the belief that beautiful views and delicious wine can bring people together. Children and well-behaved four-legged friends are welcome. We welcome — and encourage — you to bring a picnic and enjoy the experience our estate offers.  Some picnic foods such as cheese, charcuterie, jams, crackers, and chocolate are available for purchase. Food trucks and live music most Saturdays from March-November; check our website and social media for details. Our grapes love it here. We think you will, too.

Upcoming events

May 13th :  Music w/Kat

Hammock and Josh Tomiak, Food w/Sweet Jane’s Kitchen

May 14th : Mothers Day Festivities w/Salty Bottom Blue Oysters, Virginia Wine Love

gathering, and free winery tours with winemaker AJ Greely!

May 20th : Music w/David Kulund and Matty Metcalfe

May 27th : Music w/Ron Gentry Hours

Friday – Sunday / 12 noon – 6pm

434-964-9463 (WINE)

1465 Davis Shop Rd, Earlysville, VA 22936 www.harkvineyards.com

HORTON VINEYARDS

2021 Viognier

Viognier was introduced into the state of Virginia by Dennis Horton in 1991. He was met with a lot of opposition, being told it would not grow or produce enough fruit. Horton released Virginia’s first Viognier in 1992 and produce the world’s first sparkling Viognier just 6 years later in 1998. Dennis has received worldwide attention for his Viognier. Dennis Horton started “Viognier is the red drinkers white.” It is full bodied, bold white has honey aromas and smooth peach and apricot flavors.

WE ARE HIRING!

Want to work in a fun and unique industry? Come visit us at Horton! We’re looking for tasting room staff to help make memorable experiences for our guests, build our local wine club, and so much more. Give us a call or email for more information: info@ hortonwine.com

May 19th - Spring Wine Festival and Sunset Tour

Open Daily from 10 am – 5 pm

6399 Spotswood Trail, Gordonsville, Virginia (540) 832-7440 • www.hortonwine.com

KESWICK VINEYARDS

2021 Chardonnay

The nose is quite pronounced with an abundance of wet rock, slate, chalk, and stone fruit character. With aeration the wine shows a

touch more tropical tones, but this is a focused and mineral driven wine. The palate is dry with bracing initial acidity before stone and mineral characters come to the fore. Vibrant flavors of green apple, meyer lemon with crystalline acidity and just a touch of baking spices and doughy bread on the palate.

Tasting Room Hours

We look forward to continuing to serve all of our wonderful guests

for updates on who’s playing!

1575 Keswick Winery Drive Keswick, Virginia 22947 Tasting Room: (434) 244-3341 ext 105 tastingroom@keswickvineyards.com www.keswickvineyards.com

this winter during our daily hours of 10am-5pm (last pour at 4:45). We offer first come, first served seating under our tent or open seating in our outdoor courtyard. Wine is available by the flight, glass and bottle at our inside or outside service bars, with bar service inside on the weekends! A selection of pre-packaged meats, cheeses, crackers, and spreads are available for purchase as well as our new food truck which is currently open Wednesday- Sunday from 12p-4p

Bring the family or friends and enjoy live music every Saturday from 124p or play a fun 9 hole of miniature golf on our new course!

Every other Wednesday- Wine

Down Wednesday with live music from 5-8:30, check out our website

REVALATION VINEYARDS

2021 Sauvignon Blanc

A great Spring wine made from 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Pinot Gris grapes. Its aromas feature orange, papaya, toasted bread, boxwood, cocoa powder and fennel. The mouth has a beautiful volume with a rich and delicate attack. Classic boxwood flavor combined with a rounded, sweet body. Beautiful equilibrium, leading to a fresh saline finish.

Virginia is for Wine Lovers!

Starting this May, Revalation Vineyards will host a Virginia Varietal Comparative Tasting Series to highlight how different terroirs, cultivation practices and winemaking techniques contribute to the flavor, aromas and mouthfeel

of wines that are all made from the same grape variety. Guests will be able to taste each wine and enjoy it alongside expertly paired small plates. Our first event features Tannat on Saturday, May 20th. The second event features Cabernet Franc on Saturday, June 10th. Our final event in this series features Petit Manseng on Saturday, June 24th. Tickets are available on our website, www. revalationvineyards.com

May Hours: Friday 12pm to Sunset; Saturday 12pm to 6pm; Monday + Sunday 12pm to 5pm  All Month – Vibrant paintings by the BozART Collective are being exhibited until the end of June.  May 5th - Join us on Friday for our Book World meets Wine World event from 4-7pm with local Author Erin Gifford discussing and selling her Virginia Hiking Guides!

May 13th & 14th - Arts & Vines @ Revalation. We will be continuing our monthly weekend artist pop-ups at the vineyard. Stop by the vineyard and enjoy a bottle of wine while perusing handcrafted goods from local vendors.

Friday, May 19th - Book Club @ The Vineyard and Jack Leg Pizza serving! The discussion will focus on Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy.

Saturday, May 20th Comparative Tasting at the vineyard featuring Tannat from Chestnut Oak Vineyard, Stinson Vineyards, Grace Estate Winery, Horton Vineyards and Montifalco Vineyard with food pairings by Chef Paul Diegl of Real Foods. Tickets are still available through our website until 5/17.

Saturday, May 27th - Hog & Hooch will be serving their delicious BBQ starting at 3pm.

2710 Hebron Valley Road, Madison, VA 22727 540-407-1236

www.revalationvineyards.com

Complete the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

#1 solution

#1 #4 #2 solution

#3 solution

#2 #5 #4 solution

Zed

BY DAVID LEVINSON WILK

ACROSS

1. Teeming throng

6. Fargo’s state: Abbr.

10. Result of branching out?

14. Unfamiliar

15. East Indies tourist destination

16. “I feel pretty, ____ pretty” (“West Side Story” lyric)

17. Zed?

19. What sirens do

20. Lombardi Trophy org.

21. Dish next to stuffing and cranberry sauce

22. You might sleep on it

23. Securit y guard’s viewing, for short

24. Ornament al projection on some 1950s cars

26. Classic name for a poodle

29. Kitchen doohickey

31. Lacking scruples, say

34. Ladies’ man

39. Al?

41. It might get under your skin

42. “____ the Spider” (classic African folk tale)

43. Watering holes in deserts

45. They’re heard in herds

46. Stop patronizing

50. “Let’s ... never do that”

53. Gabrielle of “Being Mary Jane”

54. “Hamilton” won one in 2015

55. 401(k) kin

58. Treats with a cold pack

59. Nelson?

62. ____ classic

63. Hammock support

64. 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature winner

65. Converse alternative

66. “Race Matters” writer Cornel

67. 1865 and 1945, e.g.

DOWN

1. Kathr yn of “WandaVision”

2. Singing snowman in Disney’s “Frozen”

3. Small stream

4. 100%, in slang

5. Brit annica, for one: Abbr.

6. Award won twice by Giannis Antetokounmpo

7. Häagen-____

8. Pub pick

9. Josh

10. Spa handout

11. Fisherman’s spot

12. Three-word question from Judas

13. Mideast’s ____ Heights

18. Tell (on)

22. When repeated, name in 1968 news

23. W ispy clouds

24. Picard’s counselor

25. Health insurance giant

26. Website help sections

27. Sleepyhead’s response

28. Young horse

30. Emmy winner Woodard

32. When some do lunch

33. Unleash upon

35. Hertz competitor

36. What a GOP member might call their proimmigrant, pro-choice colleague, for short

37. “This ____ unfair!”

38. Redding in the Memphis Music Hall of Fame

40. Take five

44. Rent what you’ve rented

46. General Motors brand

47. Promptly

48. Defer (to)

49. Expenses

51. 60 secs.

52. High-maintenance

54. Flamenco cheers

55. Fisher of “Wedding Crashers”

56. 2013 Katy Perry hit

57. St. ____ Bay, Jamaica

59. Online initialism of rejoicing

60. Suffix with text or fail

61. Ingredient in soapmaking

ANSWERS 5/3/23

By Rob Brezsny

Gemini

(May 21-June 20): Most of us have an area of our lives where futility is a primary emotion. This may be a once-exciting dream that never got much traction. It could be a skill we possess that we’ve never found a satisfying way to express. The epicenter of our futility could be a relationship that has never lived up to its promise or a potential we haven’t been able to ripen. Wherever this sense of fruitlessness resides in your own life, Gemini, I have an interesting prediction: During the next 12 months, you will either finally garner some meaningful fulfillment through it or else find a way to outgrow it.

Cancer

(June 21-July 22): Many of us Cancerians have high levels of perseverance. Our resoluteness and doggedness may be uncanny. But we often practice these subtle superpowers with such sensitive grace that they’re virtually invisible to casual observers. We appear modest and gentle, not fierce and driven. For instance, this is the first time I have bragged about the fact that I have composed over 2,000 consecutive horoscope columns without ever missing a deadline. Anyway, my fellow Crabs, I have a really good feeling about how much grit and determination you will be able to marshal in the coming months. You may break your own personal records for tenacity.

Leo

(July 23-Aug. 22): Why do migrating geese fly in a V formation? For one thing, it conserves their energy. Every bird except the leader enjoys a reduction in wind resistance. As the flight progresses, the geese take turns being the guide in front. Soaring along in this shape also seems to aid the birds’ communication and coordination. I suggest you consider making this scenario your inspiration, dear Leo. You are entering a phase when synergetic cooperation with others is even more important than usual. If you feel called to lead, be ready and willing to exert yourself—and be open to letting your associates serve as leaders. For extra credit: Do a web search for an image of migrating geese and keep it in a prominent place for the next four weeks.

Virgo

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I boldly predict that you will soon locate a missing magic key. Hooray! It hasn’t been easy. There has been luck in-

Taurus

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

(April 20-May 20): A famous football coach once said his main method was to manipulate, coax, and even bully his players into doing things they didn’t like to do. Why? So they could build their toughness and willpower, making it more likely they would accomplish formidable feats. While this may be an approach that works for some tasks, it’s not right for many others. Here’s a further nuance: The grindit-out-doing-unpleasant-things may be apt for certain phases of a journey to success, but not for other phases. Here’s the good news, Taurus: For now, you have mostly completed doing what you don’t love to do. In the coming weeks, your freedom to focus on doing fun things will expand dramatically.

volved, but your Virgo-style diligence and ingenuity has been crucial. I also predict that you will locate the door that the magic key will unlock. Now here’s my challenge: Please fulfill my two predictions no later than the solstice. To aid your search, meditate on this question: What is the most important breakthrough for me to accomplish in the next six weeks?

Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Losing something we value may make us sad. It can cause us to doubt ourselves and wonder if we have fallen out of favor with the Fates or are somehow being punished by God. I’ve experienced deflations and demoralizations like that on far more occasions than I want to remember. And yet, I have noticed that when these apparent misfortunes have happened, they have often opened up space for new possibilities that would not otherwise have come my way. They have emptied out a corner of my imagination that becomes receptive to a fresh dispensation. I predict such a development for you, Libra.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Kissing is always a worthy way to spend your leisure time, but I foresee an even finer opportunity in the coming weeks: magnificent kissing sprees that spur you to explore previously unplumbed depths of wild tenderness. On a related theme, it’s always a wise self-blessing to experiment with rich new shades and tones of intimacy. But you are now eligible for an unusually profound excursion into these mysteries. Are you bold and free enough to glide further into the frontiers of fascinating togetherness?

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Antonie van Leeuwenhoek worked at a variety of jobs. He sold cloth. He

was a land surveyor and bookkeeper. He managed the household affairs of his city’s sheriffs, and he supervised the city’s wine imports and taxation. Oh, by the way, he also had a hobby on the side: lensmaking. This ultimately led to a spectacular outcome. Leeuwenhoek created the world’s first high-powered microscope and was instrumental in transforming microbiology into a scientific discipline. In accordance with astrological omens, I propose we make him your inspirational role model in the coming months, Sagittarius. What hobby or pastime or amusement could you turn into a central passion?

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I wonder if you weren’t listened to attentively when you were a kid. And is it possible you weren’t hugged enough or consistently treated with the tender kindness you deserved and needed? I’m worried there weren’t enough adults who recognized your potential strengths and helped nurture them. But if you did indeed endure any of this mistreatment, dear Capricorn, I have good news. During the next 12 months, you will have unprecedented opportunities to overcome at least some of the neglect you experienced while young. Here’s the motto you can aspire to: It’s never too late to have a fruitful childhood and creative adolescence.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): As I’ve explored the mysteries of healing my traumas and disturbances over the past 20 years, I’ve concluded that the single most effective healer I can work with is my own body. Expert health practitioners are crucial, too, but their work requires my body’s full, purposeful, collaborative engagement. The soft warm animal home I inhabit has great wisdom about what it needs and how to get what it needs and how to work

with the help it receives from other healers. The key is to refine the art of listening to its counsel. It has taken me a while to learn its language, but I’m making good progress. Dear Aquarius, in the coming weeks, you can make great strides in developing such a robust relationship with your body.

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): Can we surmise what your life might be like as the expansive planet Jupiter rumbles through your astrological House of Connections and Communications during the coming months? I expect you will be even more articulate and persuasive than usual. Your ability to create new alliances and nurture old ones will be at a peak. By the way, the House of Communications and Connections is also the House of Education and Acumen. So I suspect you will learn a lot during this time. It’s likely you will be brainier and more perceptive than ever before. Important advice: Call on your waxing intelligence to make you wiser as well as smarter.

Aries

(March 21-April 19): All of us are always telling ourselves stories—in essence, making movies in our minds. We are the producer, the director, the special effects team, the voice-over narrator, and all the actors in these inner dramas. Are their themes repetitious and negative or creative and life-affirming? The coming weeks will be a favorable time to work on emphasizing the latter. If the tales unfolding in your imagination are veering off in a direction that provokes anxiety, reassert your directorial authority. Firmly and playfully reroute them so they uplift and enchant you.

Expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text message horoscopes: RealAstrology.com, (877) 873-4888

Get Hired For A Career

POSITION FOR ACCOUNTING AND CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR

Skeo Solutions, Inc. (Skeo) is a small consulting firm specializing in providing innovative and collaborative solutions to our primary clients in environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic opportunity. Skeo seeks to create a work environment that accommodates a balance of family, career, and personal goals while committing to providing outstanding service and products to our clients. We continuously strive to improve our skills and provide educational opportunities for our staff while holding ourselves to a high standard of excellence, integrity, and accountability.

We are seeking a Contract Administrator with an accounting background and mid-level experience to join our team. The ideal candidate should have a working knowledge of GAAP and FAR-compliant financial and project accounting and be extremely detail-oriented, responsive, and a clear communicator. The candidate will be responsible for managing, reporting, and documenting the administrative elements of contracts throughout their lifecycle, from initial proposal pricing and cost estimates to close-out activities, as well as performing corporate accounting and finance tasks.

As a Contract Administrator, you will be responsible for ensuring smooth and compliant implementation and administrative management of various types of contracts (time and materials, firm fixed price, etc.). You will collaborate with and support Skeo work managers and experienced contract managers and/or work independently, depending on the contract or task. Some examples of contract administration tasks that you will perform regularly include: tracking multiple details and deadlines across and within contracts, such as period of performance, client deliverable deadlines, and internal reporting and accounting; assisting with preparing and submitting cost estimates, budgets, and invoices catered to varying contract types; tracking and supporting subcontractor tasking and invoicing; and responding to various quick-turnaround requests for information by Skeo work managers and external clients.

You will also regularly support or manage various corporate-level accounting and administrative tasks. Some examples include: supporting external audit responses; performing internal and external reporting, such as compiling and reviewing materials for incurred cost submissions, internal management reports tied to revenue projection and staff utilization, and other financial requests; conducting detailed account reviews and reconciliations to ensure transactions are accurate, appropriate, and well-documented; developing reports to monitor pricing and indirect rates; and conducting research to understand various financial or compliance issues.

Skeo offers a competitive salary, full benefits, and a flexible, supportive work environment. The salary range for this position is $65,000 to $85,000, commensurate with experience. This position may be performed remotely, but preference will be given to qualified applicants who are able to work in our Charlottesville, Virginia office on a full-time or hybrid basis. Applicants must be available during Skeo’s regular business hours (9 AM to 5 PM Eastern). You will participate in regular, paid training on GAAP, FAR and/or contract administration topics to ensure consistency with government contracting best practices.

Required qualifications include an undergraduate degree in accounting or a directly related field, at least five years of relevant experience, and a demonstrated ability to track, document and be responsible for accounting and compliance details. Preferred qualifications include experience working with a company that supports a wide range of contracts, especially fixed price and time and materials, experience with Deltek and JAMIS, and experience supporting federal, state, or local governments or clients.

Skeo promotes a healthy work-life balance and expects all staff to reflect Skeo’s operating principles: dignity, respect, compassion, integrity, and accountability. Applicants should be able to multi-task, be meticulous with details, collaborate well with teams, be responsive, maintain a positive attitude, and have excellent communication skills.

If you meet the qualifications described above and are interested in joining our team, please submit the required application materials using the link provided:

https://skeo.applicantstack.com/x/apply/a2b5yqwcu8p7

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, citizenship, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Position Summary

Would you like an opportunity to part of a skilled human resources team that supports scientists who are pushing the boundaries of our knowledge of the universe?

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is seeking a motivated individual wishing to assist in carrying out responsibilities in benefits, including benefits administration, and advising employees and management on the interpretation of benefit policies, programs, and procedures.

The position is initially available for 8 months with a target start date of no later than June 20, 2023. Continuation of this position is contingent on progress and additional funding.

NRAO offers great paid time off benefits (vacation and sick leave) in addition to competitive pay. Medical, dental and vision plans are effective first day of employment.

NRAO’s retirement benefit contributes an amount equal to 10 percent of a qualified participant’s base pay; no contribution is required of the employee. We also offer an optional supplemental, tax-deferred plan for employee retirement contributions.

Job Duties Summary

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Performs administrative work involved in the full range of benefit functions including medical, dental, employee wellness, employee assistance (EAP) programs, the open enrollment process, and the retirement plans. Retiree medical as needed.

• Ensures that programs are carried out in accordance with company’s policies and procedures; maintains related records.

• Coordinates communications with benefits broker and insurance carriers as needed.

• Ensures compliance and manage FMLA, LTD and COBRA related activities.

• Provides assistance to employees regarding benefits questions and claims resolution.

• Supports NRAO benefits for its International Staff members.

• Provides administrative and project support to HR Site Managers.

• Ensures printed and computer-based benefits information is available, accurate, and up to date.

• Support the full-range of ongoing work related to audits and special projects between HR and benefits vendors and our corporate office.

• Maintain, disseminate and file employee records in both electronic and paper formats.

Work Environment

Work is performed in an office environment working at a computer and interacting regularly with employees and external resources.

Position Requirements:

Minimum Education

Associates degree or equivalent work experience is required.

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Human Resources or other relevant field preferred.

Minimum Experience

Minimum of two years of experience in a benefits administration support role. Experience working with multiple locations encompassing a diverse workforce and interacting with employees at all levels, to include senior management preferred.

Competency Summary

Must possess the ability to communicate comfortably and effectively with scientists and senior managers. This position requires excellent written, verbal communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills. Strong analytical and quantitative skills and experience with Microsoft Office platform at the intermediate level are required (word, excel, PowerPoint). Experience with use of HRIS and other Human Resources related databases.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently sits at a desk, uses a personal computer, telephone, and other standard office equipment; the ability to climb stairs is required. The employee is required to bend, reach, and must have finger dexterity. The employee is required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus. May occasionally work at high altitudes. Must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

Application Instructions:

Select the “Apply” button. You will need to be prepared to upload a cover letter describing your interest in this position, and current resume.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

AUI is an equal opportunity employer. Women, Minorities, Vietnam-Era Veterans, Disabled Veterans, Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities are encouraged to apply. To view our complete statement, please visit http://jobs.jobvite.com/nrao/ jobs. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, you may submit your request by sending an email to resumes@nrao.edu.

The NRAO is an equal opportunity employer (M/F/D/V)

What is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month?

It’s a chance to celebrate and honor the histories and cultures of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S.

Is there any significance to it being held during the month of May?

It honors two historical events: May 7, 1943, marks the arrival of the first Japanese American immigrant, a 14-year-old sailor named Manjiro, and May 10, 1896, saw the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad, on which over 12,000 Chinese had labored.

Charlottesville, and UVA, certainly have a long, largely unacknowledged, history of racism toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. And more recently, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic led to many people of Asian descent being targeted by hate crimes. How does our local history fit into broader experiences?

Sadly, many people are unaware of how Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders contribut-

Stories and song

In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the second annual VeryAsian celebration is coming to 5th Street Station on May 13. The daylong event, co-organized by Jay Pun and Sylvia Chong, is jam-packed with music, art, food, and community. Chong, a professor and director of the minor in Asian Pacific American Studies at UVA, discusses the history of APAHM, the importance of VeryAsian, and her performance of Asian American folk rock as part of the celebration. veryasianva.com

Asian American students at UVA have a decades-long tradition of celebrating APAHM with dozens of events, but outside the university, there was almost nothing going on. During the isolation of the pandemic and the frightening rise in anti-Asian violence, I started talking with my friend and co-organizer Jay Pun, who grew up in Charlottesville, about what we could do to respond to this. We threw together the first Charlottesville APAHM celebration in just under a month, focusing on the diverse artistic expression and experiences of Asian Americans, from recent immigrants to those born here, from adoptees to mixed-race folks. Our event was a way of taking up space, of showing up and speaking up.

ed to the building of this nation, from the Transcontinental Railroad and the sugar cane plantations of Hawai’i to military veterans from the civil war up to the war in Afghanistan. A lot of anti-Asian racism presumes that Asians are foreign, culturally deficient, and conduits of disease or immorality, that Pacific Islanders are primitive, and that all of them are interchangeable. When I researched the first Asian students at UVA in the early 1900s, I found stories by their white classmates ridiculing Chinese and Japanese as heathen, grotesque, and ignorant, despite the fact that many of these students were highly educated, fluent in English, and often Christian. There’s a direct line between this and the recent spate of anti-Asian violence, which presumed that Asian Americans were responsible for bringing COVID to the U.S., or the Atlanta spa shootings, in which the murderer blamed his sex addiction on Asian massage workers.

Last year’s APAHM fest was the first of its kind in Charlottesville. What does it mean to bring this celebration to the city at this time?

Together, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make an incredibly broad group. How is VeryAsian celebrating AAPI voices and stories?

Jay got inspired by the St. Louis news anchor Michelle Li, who got racist messages about being “very Asian” when she tried to talk about eating Korean food on New Year’s. That’s why our festival is named “Very Asian” this year—we’re focusing on the different ways we may claim our Asian Americanness, from food to music to art. Although some of this may seem traditionally Asian, a lot of the festival will draw on the ways we’ve created new identities in the U.S. that are unique and different even from one another. We’ve also tried to highlight the enormous diversity within Asian America. People assume Asian means Chinese or Japanese, but we also have participants with Thai, Filipino, Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Korean heritage.

In addition to co-organizing VeryAsian, you’re also performing Asian American folk rock. What is Asian American music to you?

I ask myself and my students this question a lot. Again, many people think Asian American music is Asian music, and usually only traditional music. But what about Asian American jazz, rap, folk, or rock? In my set, I include two songs from the Asian American movement in the 1970s by singer-activists Chris Iijima and Nobuko Miyamoto. They are influenced by Woody Guthrie, Jefferson Airplane, and Nina Simone, but they sing about things like imperialism, the Vietnam War and the Japanese American incarceration. I also do a song by the Khmer American band Dengue Fever, which was part of a pandemic-era hashtag (#CRBChallenge, for the play “Cambodian Rock Band”), not only to support Asian American theaters, but also to address systemic racism and anti-Blackness. Of course, there’s a wide world of Asian American hip-hop that I can’t begin to cover with my limited abilities, so I urge folks to check out Ruby Ibarra, the Far East Movement, and M.I.A. if you’re interested.

New Storefront

Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: Explore & Play class 1:30-2:30

Perfect for preschoolers and homeschoolers. Children explore art materials with a theme.

*Begins the week of September 5, 2023

Tuesdays & Thursday

After school art clubs-6 weeks 3:30-4:45 & 5:00-6:15

*Begins the week of September 5, 2023

Fridays: Adult Art Classes 5pm-7pm

Saturdays: Open Studio time 10-11 Workshops 11:30-1:00

website for dates)

Summer Art Camps & Art Studio

Summer camps with different themes each week for ages 5-11 M-F 9am-3pm

June 26-30

July 10-14- SOLD OUT!

July 24-28

July 31-Aug 4

Teen Art camp for rising 6th-rising 8th graders

July 17-21 M-F 9am-3pm

Days include: art projects, explore/free choice art time, outside walks, snacks, reading, art puzzles and gallery viewing on the last day