C-VILLE Weekly | July 17 - 23, 2024

Free screening mammograms

Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital is offering a free screening mammogram for women who:

• Don’t have insurance or insurance that does not cover mammograms

• 40 years of age or older

• Are not having any issues with breast such as a lump or skin changes

If you are unable to attend one of the Saturday events and still need a mammogram, please contact our Breast Health Nurse Jessica Cooper, RN at 434-654-4483. Schedule your screening mammogram at least 4 weeks after any vaccine dose. Please do not bring small children.

Dates: July 20, 2024 October 19, 2024

Location:

Sentara Martha Jefferson Outpatient Care Center 595 Martha Jefferson Drive Charlottesville

Registration: An appointment is necessary. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call 1-800-SENTARA (1-800-736-8272) or online at sentara.com/events.

Stay awhile

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

V.36, No. 29

FEATURE 20

Kindness kindled

In the aftermath of a devastating fire, the Twin Oaks commune unexpectedly receives a helping hand from neighbors in Louisa County.

NEWS 9

10 Construction on Hydraulic Road leaves drivers navigating chaos.

11 Gov. Youngkin orders phones out of public schools.

13 Real Estate Weekly: Fifth Street lots show promise.

CULTURE 25

26 Rock hard, rock early: Shagwüf displays frenzied energy at the Pavilion on July 19.

27 Tried It: The Women at Monticello Tour uncovers the legacies of its residents

29 Pickin’ at the Pav: Andrew Bird and Nickel Creek to defy expectations at Ting.

31 Pages: Poet Annie Woodford honors Appalachian land.

32 Sudoku

33 Crossword

35 Free Will Astrology

CLASSIFIEDS 36

P.S. 38

Game Designer Chandler Jennings in the HotSeat

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EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Caite Hamilton editor@c-ville.com

CULTURE EDITOR

Tami Keaveny tami@c-ville.com

NEWS REPORTER

Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

CM Turner arts@c-ville.com

COPY EDITOR Rachel Cressell

EDITORIAL INTERN

Ella Powell

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Brezsny, Dave Cantor, Matt Dhillon, Carol Diggs, Shea Gibbs, Claudia Gohn, Mary Jane Gore, Maeve Hayden, Andrew Hollins, Erika Howsare, Justin Humphreys, Matt Jones, Sarah Lawson, Erin Martin, Kristin O’Donoghue, Lisa Provence, Sarah Sargent, Kristie Smeltzer, Jen Sorensen, Susan Sorensen, Julia Stumbaugh, Courteney Stuart, Paul Ting, Sean Tubbs

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ART DIRECTOR Max March max@c-ville.com

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Hello, Charlottesville. Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.

Andrew Hollins, the author of this week’s cover story on Twin Oaks, first visited the Louisa-based intentional community as a teenager in 1997. He was wide-eyed. For a kid with a traditional upbringing and Southern Baptist parents, he says it felt like visiting an alien planet—“like walking around in someone else’s dream”— and some people still see it that way. But the place grew to mean a lot to him.

I’ll let him tell it:

7.17.24

“The more time I spent there, the less obscure and bizarre the residents and their lifestyles became, and the more I realized something that has become one of my most firmly held beliefs: Deep down, most people are essentially the same.

For me, Twin Oaks became a place of firsts, both trivial and monumental. It was where I tried unpasteurized milk and tofu for the first time. It was where I first picked up a guitar and had the incredibly good fortune to be taught my first chords by singersongwriter Devon Sproule, now an international recording artist.

This experience with Twin Oaks, modest as it may be, is why I found the effects of the March 20 fire so compelling. By its very nature

COOL DOWN, TONE UP EVENT

as an intentional community, Twin Oaks offers a different life than is available elsewhere. But the seclusion it affords someone hoping to create a paradise apart from mainstream society can be a doubleedged sword. The same distance from the government that protects you from its interference can quickly become the distance that interferes with its protection. Thankfully no one was hurt in the fire, but the damage to Twin Oaks, and particularly to the commune’s renowned, decades-old hammock business, was substantial.

The fact that it stands at all is because of the intervention of both communities surrounding it.”

Hollins suggests that the crux of the story about the Twin Oaks fire isn’t the damage it caused (though that was devastating), but how it brought down the barriers between the commune and the county, at least in part, and began to blur the lines between “them” and “us.” Read more on page 20.

Caite Hamilton

The Biggest Cville Sabroso Festival Ever!

Now at Ting Pavilion, this year’s family-friendly Sabroso will be 9 hours of music & dancing, twice as many food and artisan vendors as last year… twice as much fiesta fun! Come celebrate, and discover more about, the rich cultural heritages of our Latin American friends and neighbors from 20+ countries. Purchase your tickets in advance (kids are free).

Scan for tickets+info

Booths to show or sell your products & services

Your ad in the Event Guide every attendee receives Acknowledgement by name and organizational logo in the Festival’s promo materials & media releases

Speaking and photo opportunities

VIP-area Seating

“In November 2021, Virginians elected a Republican outside businessman as their 74th governor. And I believe this year Virginia will elect another Republican outside businessman as president of the United States.”

—Gov. Glenn Youngkin in a speech at the Republican National Convention on July 15

NEWS

IN BRIEF

Communities of care

The Charlottesville Human Rights Commission is hosting state legislators and representatives from HRCs in Virginia Beach, Alexandria, and Fairfax to provide community-centered legislative advice. Democratic leaders including Albemarle County Del. Katrina Callsen and state Sen. Creigh Deeds will be in attendance. This initiative will help inform the commission’s recommendations for city council regarding the prioritization of human rights in local legislation ahead of the 2025 General Assembly session. Community members are encouraged to attend the hybrid meeting on Thursday, July 18.

Trailblazing

On Sunday, July 14, Sen. Tim Kaine made a stop in Albemarle County while on the campaign trail. The Virginia Senator attended the canvass launch for the Democratic Party of Virginia’s Coordinated Campaign, where he shared his support for local Democratic leadership. He seeks reelection to a third term in office, having served as a Virginia senator since 2013.

Keeping cool

The city of Charlottesville celebrated the expansion of crucial food bank cold storage with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 11. With the completion of the expansion project, the cold storage capacity at Blue Ridge Area Food Bank has nearly tripled to 560 square feet. According to Charlottesville City Hall, the center provided aid to 22,000 community members in 2023. The expansion of the space will enhance the center’s ability to distribute fresh fruit and nutritious vegetables through its pantry networks and related services. “The City of Charlottesville is extremely proud to support them in their important work,” said Grants Analyst Anthony Warn in a press release.

Pedestrian fatality

Charlottesville City Police are investigating the death of 42-year-old Edward Anderson, who was fatally struck by a vehicle in the 700 block of Nassau Street on July 6. The driver of the vehicle has not been charged or publicly identified, though there are contradictions between official accounts and claims made by community members on social media.

In a release shortly after the incident, CPD shared preliminary information based on witness accounts and information at the scene. According to the department, “further investigation and statements obtained indicated that Mr. Anderson attacked the female while she was in her parked vehicle. As the female attempted to flee the attack, she struck Mr. Anderson with her vehicle. The attack appears unprovoked, and the involved parties are not believed to be known to one another.”

The driver of the vehicle was an adult female and was still at the scene when

officers arrived. CPD says an investigation is ongoing, but no charges have been filed in connection with Anderson’s death.

After the statement by CPD, allegations quickly emerged online contradicting the preliminary official account of the incident. CPD Chief Michael Kochis held a press conference on July 15 to address community concerns about the lack of arrest and contradicting reports.

“This tragedy has not only shaken two families, but also our community,” said Kochis. “In an attempt to communicate why there was not an immediate arrest, we put out preliminary information based on independent eyewitness accounts and initial evidence on the scene. Some may have taken this release as an indication that a conclusion had been reached in less than 24 hours. That is not true.”

Kochis called on community members to cease online speculation, directly mentioning a since-deleted Facebook post that was “very different than eyewitness accounts and

the evidence at the scene.” In the post, the user alleged that she witnessed the incident and that the driver backed up over Anderson after hitting him before leaving the scene.

Detectives have reportedly spoken to the poster and determined that she was not an eyewitness but was instead repeating community speculation.

Comments below a livestream of the press conference show some community members remain critical of the official account of the incident. Several people expressed frustration with the withholding of the driver’s identity and race.

CPD is reportedly waiting on several key forensic reports, including the autopsy and lab reports on the vehicle and the weapon allegedly used by Anderson, which Kochis identified as a pair of scissors. At press time, the investigation into Anderson’s death remains open and charges have not been filed against the driver. C-VILLE continues to follow the investigation.

CPD says the investigation into Edward Anderson’s death remains open and ongoing.

Chasing pavement

Updates on the construction and detours at Hydraulic Road and Route 29

By Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

As of July 8, through traffic on Hydraulic Road is closed while contractors work on the construction of a roundabout. If you’ve driven anywhere in Charlottesville recently, you’ve probably noticed the wealth of ongoing road work while sitting in heavier-than-usual traffic. Here are the latest updates on the construction status and detours for local motorists and pedestrians:

By far the largest ongoing project is at Hydraulic Road and U.S. Route 29. According to Virginia Department of Transportation Project Manager Will Stowe, construction on the roundabout at the intersection of Hydraulic Road and Hillsdale Drive is on schedule despite the extreme heat, with drainage work and the removal of old signal poles already completed.

Crews are working in two shifts six days a week on the project to finish by the August 13 deadline.

“They’re working almost 24/7 during the daylight hours,” says Stowe. “We are giving the guys a break on Sunday, but we’re working six days a week besides that to try to get this back open to the public.”

“There’s quite a lot of concrete that needs to go down. We’re probably about 80 percent done with the splitter islands [pavement that separates a roundabout’s entrances and exits] currently. So right on schedule,” says Stowe. Some of that concrete will be poured in the second week of construction as crews work on the center island of the roundabout and install light poles.

During project planning, the detour was intentionally scheduled to end before the influx of traffic from the University of Virginia’s move-in weekend and the start of the school year in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. “The roundabout will be functional with all lanes of traffic open in the roundabout configuration. … It won’t be the final pavement, but it should be a smooth intermediate layer with good pavement markings. Also, the pedestrian facility should be completed around the roundabout.”

While work is ongoing, roughly 35,000 vehicles per day are being detoured from Hydraulic Road, according to VDOT. Traffic signal timings have been adjusted at several lights around the detour to accommodate the temporary traffic pattern, but some congestion is still occurring during rush hour windows.

“It’s really a balancing act of managing the traffic that was there before the detour and adding the additional traffic to it,” says Stowe.

VDOT does not currently have official information about the extent of delays. An-

“We are giving the guys a break on Sunday, but we’re working six days a week besides that to try to get this back open to the public.”

WILL STOWE, VDOT PROJECT MANAGER

ecdotally, traffic is moving well at off hours, but there is some backup in the detour areas during peak flow hours of 9am, noon, and 5pm on Route 29.

Motorists coming off of the 250 Bypass traveling westward who would normally use Hydraulic Road have been detoured to the next available exits for 29 North and 29 South. Traffic traveling eastbound from Route 29 looking to use the bypass can use the entrances by Angus Road at the intersection of Route 250 and Emmet Street.

Access to both Whole Foods and the Kroger shopping area has also been affected by the detour. To get to Whole Foods, shoppers can either use Zan or India roads to access Hillsdale Drive or pass through the rerouted one-way side entrance from the east side of Hydraulic Road. Kroger and its surrounding stores are still accessible by

Hydraulic Road in both directions through Kroger Way and the turn-in on 29 North.

According to Stowe, VDOT has been coordinating with both grocery stores and other businesses for more than a year to maintain access during the detour.

“Back when we first were procuring a contractor and designer for the project, we sat down with both Kroger and Whole Foods and some of the businesses along Hydraulic,” says Stowe.

The size and frequency of the semi-truck deliveries were also factored into the design of the roundabout itself.

Beyond the roundabout, improvements to Route 29 and Hydraulic Road also include signal and traffic pattern adjustments and the construction of a pedestrian bridge crossing Route 29.

“We’re currently building some retaining walls for [the pedestrian bridge], and we’ll start doing some drilled shafts here later in August,” says Stowe. “We’ll be working on that after the roundabout is completed. … When we go to hang the girders for the pedestrian bridge, we will have some overnight closures for traffic for about 20 minutes, but that’ll be probably a year down the road from now, so nothing to anticipate in the near future.”

For more information about the project and detours, visit vdot.virginia.gov.

VDOT project manager Will Stowe says the roundabout construction is on time: “We are on schedule to finish, certainly by August 13, which is really the deadline, but probably a couple days before that.”

Pencils up, phones down

Youngkin issues executive order to ban cell phones in the classroom

By Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

On July 9, Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order calling for “cell phone-free education” across Virginia. Rather than issuing a direct guideline, the EO outlines a rapidly paced timeline for stakeholder feedback and policy development.

“This essential action will promote a healthier and more focused educational environment where every child is free to learn,” said Youngkin in a press release announcing the action. “Today’s executive order both establishes the clear goal to protect the health and safety of our students by limiting the amount of time they are exposed to addictive cell phones and social media and eliminates clear distractions in the classroom.”

In the order, Youngkin indicates that the directive was prompted by rising rates of depression and suicide among teenagers in addition to a dip in academic performance trends. (Meanwhile, Youngkin has not expressed support for regulating guns, the most common method used in deaths by suicide.)

Under Youngkin’s EO, leaders in the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Resources, and other related agencies have until August 15 to publish a draft guidance factoring in feedback and best practices from stakeholders. As part of this process, the agencies will also define exactly what a “cell phone-free education” means. Feedback on the policy guidelines will be gathered through online comment and listening sessions, according to the EO.

None of the Commonwealth Conversations listening sessions will be held in Charlottesville, with the closest event set for July 31 in Waynesboro. Those looking for more information on the events or to comment online can visit doe.virginia.gov.

While Youngkin’s office describes the executive order as the first statewide action on cell phone usage in the classroom, the action largely mirrors rules and expectations currently in place across the commonwealth.

In Charlottesville City Schools, students are already required to keep their devices “off and away all day.” The district has also

health and academic concerns.

publicly discussed the potential implemen tation of Yondr pouches—lockable mag netic cases that make devices inaccessible in phone-free zones—but has paused rollout.

“We expect we are already in line with the guidelines that the state will develop— but we are prepared to be responsive and adjust accordingly,” said CCS Community Relations Coordinator Amanda Korman in a comment via email.

“While cell phones have many benefits, they can also be a distraction to student learning and harmful to mental well-be ing,” said Korman. “We have found that the ‘off and away all day’ policy has had a positive impact in our classrooms, and, to a lesser degree, in our hallways, lunch rooms, and restrooms.”

Albemarle County Public Schools has less restrictive cell phone policies but does prohibit the use of personal devices during “instructional periods.” Unlike their peers in CCS, ACPS students are allowed to use their phones before and after school, be tween classes, and during lunch.

At press time, ACPS has not responded to a request for comment.

Both CCS and ACPS mention the det rimental effects of cell phone use on men tal health and academic performance in the districts’ cell phone policies, largely mirroring the concerns expressed by Youngkin in his executive order.

The executive order can be found in its entirety on the VDOE and Governor’s websites.

“While cell phones have many benefits, they can also be a distraction to student learning and harmful to mental well-being.”

AMANDA KORMAN, CCS COMMUNITY RELATIONS COORDINATOR

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Fifth Street sale

Undeveloped land on major highway into Charlottesville up for grabs

By Sean Tubbs

Charlottesville’s new zoning code, which went into effect in February, opens up potential for a much more urban landscape with higher buildings and increased residential density. The updated rules provide a new lens to speculate what might happen with some of the last undeveloped parcels across the city.

Earlier this month, signs were placed at the edge of several wooded plots of land on Fifth Street in Charlottesville just to the north of the Beacon on North residential community.

“This prime piece of real estate offers convenient access to public water and sewer, making it an ideal choice for your dream home or investment project,” reads the listing offered by Sherri White of the Hogan Group.

In all, White represents four lots, with three owned by the same family. The parcels were the property of Ammon and Shirley Brown since at least 1994. Both have since died and the land is now split between six of their surviving children.

Two of the Brown lots measure 0.33 acres and a third is 0.23 acres. Each is listed at $180,000. Carroll Gibson, the owner of the fourth lot, decided to sell at the same time.

“I think their hope for these properties [is for them] to be purchased at the same time,” White says. “This could actually provide the city with a great opportunity to provide more affordable housing.”

The topography of the land illustrates some of the real-world obstacles that perhaps explain why the land is not yet devel-

oped. For instance, there is a 25-foot decline from Fifth Street to a relatively flat portion on which structures could be built.

However, whatever land is available to be developed is in the new Residential Mixed Use 5 district which allows unlimited density. The old zoning would have limited the parcel to a certain number of units before the City Council would need to grant a special use permit.

The new rules converted all legislative approvals to technical ones, which now would require a developer to work with the city to develop a way to get in and out of the site.

Another consideration is Lodge Creek, a tributary of Moores Creek. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality considers the waterway impaired for bacterial health, but property owners along its run have added buffers to help prevent sedimentation.

“The zoning doesn’t have anything on small streams,” says James Freas, Deputy City Manager for Operations. “Depending on the specifics of a given site, other state and local laws might apply.”

Elsewhere on Fifth Street, there are other undeveloped parcels which may one day yield more apartments or businesses. One of them is a 5.89-acre property owned by an entity called Renaissance Place between the multifamily Blue Ridge Commons community and the highway.

The City of Charlottesville and the Virginia Department of Transportation are also in the early stages of identifying projects to solve safety issues on Fifth Street. Council agreed to lower the speed limit on the road to 40 miles per hour in 2021 after a series of well-publicized fatal crashes.

The four lots for sale form part of a triangle of undeveloped land along Fifth Street, a four-lane highway in between I-64 and downtown Charlottesville.

EDGEMONT

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, 15 miles south of Charlottesville, is this rare 572-acre historic estate whose design is reputed to be the only remaining private residence attributed to Thomas Jefferson. $15,000,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700 www.HistoricEdgemont.com

FARM

436+ acre parcel of land 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. MLS#651411

$2,985,000 Charlotte Dammann, 433.981.1250

HISTORIC STAUNTON

Meticulously renovated National Historic Register home, blending modern amenities with remarkable charm. Five-bedroom with tall ceilings, hardwood floors, stained glass windows, and trim. Quartz kitchen, magnificent primary suite, terrace apartment. MLS#653080 $1,295,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

CARRSBROOK

This family friendly home has been thoughtfully updated with a blend of style and comfort for modern living. Spacious with 5 bedrooms, dual purpose main floor bed or office with adjacent full bath, 3 full baths, living room and den, plus 3 season sunroom. MLS#654829 $699,000 Jeremy Fields, 434.270.1220

BENTIVAR MANOR

Exquisite brick home on 88 acres less than 5 miles from city limits. Residence is in excellent condition, 7-BR & 11,000+ sf. Property is a mix of pastures & woods with long frontage on the Rivanna River, & miles of trails. MLS#652353 $4,875,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

BELLAIR

Recently renovated contemporary home in soughtafter neighborhood on 5.46 acres! 4-BR, 3.5 BA, this residence offers superb construction and materials. Enjoy stunning views from the screened porch. MLS#652438 $2,675,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

CRAIGS STORE RD

Nestled amidst the rolling hills of western Albemarle, this 76 acre parcel offers compelling views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, diverse terrain, and multiple estate-caliber building sites. 2 miles from Batesville Market, 15 miles from Charlottesville. Not under conservation easement. MLS#652337 $$975,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

KESWICK ESTATE

Discover Keswick Estate, a gated community near Keswick Hall, offering a 2.10± acre building site harmonizing country life and resort living in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Create your dream home close to golf, dining, tennis, and more. MLS#650785 $470,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

FIELDS OF BOAZ

A country French estate on 24 acres 6 miles from the University of Virginia. Timeless charm and modern luxury with soaring ceilings, spacious primary suite, home office, wine cellar, guest quarters, and private pond. MLS#652608

$3,995,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

VIEW PROPERTY

Scenic 42-acre farm 10 miles from Charlottesville. Features pastures, woodlands, serene creek, antique farmhouse, updated kitchen, 3-BA, 4-BR, and panoramic Blue Ridge Mtn. vistas, and substantial barn. MLS#651245 $1,695,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 or Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

BUCK MOUNTAIN RD

Contemporary home on 13+ acres in Earlysville. Features include a 1.5-story main house with firstfloor suite, open living room with fireplace and deck, galley kitchen, dining room, upstairs Jack and Jill bath, cozy studio/bedroom with bath and loft, plus a detached two-car garage. MLS#654758 $750,000 Mark Mascotte, 434.825.8610

COUNTRY GREEN RD

Modern living at a great value! Open-concept living on first floor w/bright great room, oversized kitchen, dining area and half bath. Upstairs, enjoy a primary BR with en suite, 2 additional BRs, full bath, and stackable washer/dryer. 2 off-street parking spots. Easy access to local amenities. MLS#654818 $434,900 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

MEADOW

Paradise loss

Louisa’s Twin Oaks commune recovers from a devastating 227-acre fire

DBy Andrew Hollins

eep in the Louisa backwoods, Twin Oaks sits on a dirt road that runs behind the ancient Yanceyville Mill on a 450-acre property unlike any in the area. Dotted by rustic two- and three-story dormitories with names like “Tupelo,” named for a type of tree, “Degania,” after a socialist Zionist kibbutz, and “Zhankoye,” an old Jewish laborers’ song that residents abbreviate to “ZK,” it is a community that is ostensibly different in every way from the rest of deep-red Louisa County, which is exactly what most residents came there seeking. The perceived dichotomy between the close-knit (and mostly conservative) residents of Louisa County and the progressive and inclusivity-focused Twin Oaks has grown into a metaphorical brick wall over the decades, as obvious and tangible to the commune’s residents as it was to Louisa County’s—that is, until March 20, 2024. On that day, when approaching flames threatened to destroy the very place that had touched the hearts and minds of countless people for more than half a century, this paradise to so many, the brick wall separating the two communities was demolished. ***

An intentional egalitarian community, or commune, Twin Oaks was founded in 1967 by eight people seeking a more sustainable and communal lifestyle, fleeing the escalating materialism of modern life. The most famous of its founders, Kat Kinkade, would go on to write two books about the community and would become instrumental in founding two others: East Wind in Missouri and Acorn, the younger and smaller offspring of Twin Oaks, just down the road in Louisa County. Inspired by B.F. Skinner’s novel Walden Two about a fictional utopian collective, the commune’s initial founding was roughly sketched according to the book. Soon, however, Twin Oaks found itself diverging from the behaviorist principles of Skinner’s novel, becoming its own entity focused on egalitarianism, equality, and inclusivity, specifically regarding access to resources and power. Today, Twin Oaks and its residents share their money, cars, clothes, food, and just about everything else. Residents share their responsibilities and raise their children together, and while many have several jobs around the community’s businesses—weaving hammocks, making tofu, and selling heirloom seeds—some current and former members have outside jobs.

These egalitarian principles are only part of what separates Twin Oaks from the rest of Louisa. It’s not uncommon in rural America to find informal arrangements made between unrelated neighbors ones that involve the sharing of resources as well as collaborative and multi-family living, particularly in places like Appalachia and the rural South, where low-income families often collaborate with each other out of necessity. Sustainability practices, recycling, and waste reduction are things that poor families have been doing in the South for years as a means of survival.

What makes Twin Oaks different is its welcoming of alternative lifestyles, its inclusivity and devotion to equal rights, and its embrace of free spirits and free thinkers. Against the conservative backdrop of Louisa County, the natural assumption is that such a place would be unwelcome by the greater community—and the commune’s members have certainly faced their share of strange looks and prejudicial treatment.

“I’ve gotten a lot of accusations of being in a cult,” says Keenan Dakota, laughing. “It’s really not that weird. We want a place like Mayberry, where everyone knows each other’s name and the sheriff doesn’t need to carry a gun. We want what most people want.”

Like many others, Dakota, who has lived at Twin Oaks for more than 40 years, says he had a lot of his own assumptions before coming to Twin Oaks in 1983 while he was a college student at George Mason University.

“I was a young republican,” he says. “President of the student government. It was a long time ago … I went on my first Saturday tour [of Twin Oaks] through a school program, and it was … different. It was not what I was expecting.”

After his first few trips to Twin Oaks, where he was exposed to alternative lifestyles and revolutionary ideas, the context of the information he was learning in school began to shift.

“I remember going back to school after that, and I was in a macroeconomics class, and they were talking about infinite growth,” he says. “I remember thinking, wait a minute … y’know what has infinite growth? Cancer. And what does that do to the body it grows in? I was two classes away from graduation, and I moved to Twin Oaks.”

Wednesday, March 20, 2024, was warm for a winter day, with temperatures hitting the lower 50s by afternoon. Paxus Calta was gathered with a group performing a ritual, a calling of the elements, to celebrate the equinox.

“Shortly after the equinox ritual called the element of air, wind blew hard enough to send plastic chairs flying around us,” Calta, a Twin Oaks resident since the late ’90s, writes on his blog, where he chronicles his life and travels. “When we called water, clouds blocked the sun and it felt for a moment like we might actually get rain. And less than 15 minutes after we called the element of fire into the circle, brown clouds from the neighbors’ land started billowing overhead in the courtyard.”

A few hundred yards away, Dakota was in his bed, napping.

“There was a knock on my door,” he says. “Someone said, ‘There’s a fire, we gotta evacuate.’ I was skeptical, because we’d had a fire back in September and it really wasn’t anything like this. So I figured we’d go out there and make sure everything was fine and then I’d come back to bed.”

Unbeknownst to any of the residents, an unattended brush fire was left still-smoldering about a half-mile away. According to a report from the Virginia Department of Forestry, the gust of wind described by Calta was enough to reignite the smoldering brush, and the wind blew the fire into a young pine forest, where it spread rapidly.

“I saw plenty of smoke, but I couldn’t see any flames,” Dakota says. “I really didn’t think it was a big deal until half the sheriff’s department showed up.”

The fire was threatening to tear a path of utter and absolute devastation through southern and central Louisa and likely would have done so if not for the quick intervention of Louisa County’s first responder community. According to VDOF’s accounting, 46 first responders and VDOF personnel (many of them volunteer firefighters) answered the call to combat the fire, as well as multiple Louisa County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Louisa County public school buses. Their response saved more than $6 million in property alone. Most area residents evacuated to two places: sister commune Acorn or a shelter set up by Louisa County Emergency Services at the local middle school. Dakota was one of the residents who went to the latter.

“It was really touching to see them go to such lengths to help us,” he says. “I’ve lived here for over 40 years, and I never really thought of myself as part of Louisa County. I thought of myself as part of Twin Oaks. … We’ve had people and churches show up with everything from food to money donations. It’s really touching.”

While no people were hurt in the fire, the same could not be said for many commercial and industrial buildings, both on and off Twin Oaks’ property. The two most disastrous losses for the commune were Emerald City, the processing and storage facility for the hammock business that is one of the community’s main sources of economic income, and the conference site, including the pavilion and kitchen, which is where residents host several conferences throughout the spring and summer, including one of the few queer-focused celebrations in the area.

sions for the community, says that the loss of potential future income and the costs of rebuilding puts the true figure much higher—closer to at least $1 million.

Dakota, whose role in the community varies from shop teacher to maintenance worker, is part of the crew responsible for fire remediation. He says that the community is still in the early phases of cleaning up and assessing their damages and that the rebuilding process will be later this year.

“At the moment, Twin Oaks has not decided the best way to move forward to replace the lost business,” he says. “We will be doing a communal design process over the coming months and volunteers will be needed this winter once we start genuinely rebuilding.”

In the meantime, Dakota says, the fire taught the community a lesson.

Sarah Rose, a New York transplant living next to the commune’s southern border, lives adjacent to the empty lot where the fire began. She said that while her relationship with the people of Twin Oaks prior to the fire had been polite but distant, the fire brought her closer to the community.

“We were always comfortable having them as neighbors,” she says. “[We] have always been on the progressive side of things, politically, so I had no problem living next to people with alternative lifestyles … but since the fire, they’ve been one of our best allies.”

Following an investigation by the VDOF, Louisa County prosecutors charged James Grant League, 45, with leaving a fire unattended and careless damage by fire, both misdemeanors. His next court date is August 22 in Louisa County General District Court.

Here to help

VDOF estimated that total damages are less than $200,000. But Twin Oaks resident Raen Thornberry, one of four elected “planners” who make important deci-

“I’ve

“I don’t speak for everyone,” he says, “but for me … I was very touched by the response from volunteers and churches throughout Louisa. I didn’t expect this kind of response. It showed me a lot about the people around us.”

Twin Oaks is accepting volunteers for the cleanup and rebuilding process, as well as crowdfunding donations. To volunteer, contact Zoe at zoedamlefl@gmail.com or Paxus at paxus.calta@gmail.com. To make a donation, visit tinyurl. com/twinoaksfire. AH

gotten a lot of accusations of being in a cult. It’s really not that weird. We want a place like Mayberry, where everyone knows each other’s name, and the sheriff doesn’t need to carry a gun. We want what most people want.”

KEENAN DAKOTA, TWIN OAKS RESIDENT

The two greatest losses in the fire were Emerald City, Twin Oaks’ processing and storage facility, and the conference site, where residents host several conferences throughout the spring and summer.

One of eight original founders of Twin Oaks, Kat Kinkade hoped to create a community separate from the materialism of modern life.

CULTURE

THROUGH 7/21

THIRSTY FOR LOVE

Virginia Theatre Festival’s season takes a mad twist with the wonderfully weird stage adaptation of the black comedy film Little Shop of Horrors. In the sci-fi story, a flower shopkeeper named Seymour discovers a plant thirsty for blood while he schemes to win over his love interest, Audrey. The new succulent breed presents itself as the perfect ploy to impress his crush in this gushing love tale. Laugh, smile, and scream at this classic musical that has thrilled audiences since the ’60s. $15–35. Culbreth Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginiatheatrefestival.org

SUNDAY 7/21

LET IT FLY

SATURDAY 7/20

GET PSYCHED

amminal returns to The Stage at WTJU as part of the Third Rail music series. The psychfolk space-rock band embraces the mundane in songs that explore the transcendent effect of nature. Formed in 2021, the group has been guided by the inspiring tug of the natural world in life and art. amminal EP, released in March, features songs like “Are You The Crocodiles, Gentlemen?” and “Cloud Song,” which interweave human experience with the spaces we encounter. Free, 8pm. The WTJU Stage, 2244 Ivy Rd. wtju.net

A modern piano man who rocks out and pens intelligent songs, Ben Folds rose to fame in front of his ’90s alt-rock group Ben Folds Five before going solo in 2000. The Ben Folds Paper Airplane Request Tour takes flight with opener Lindsey Kraft and invites guests to launch their song requests to the stage via paper airplane. “It’s the purest, most low-tech form of engagement that creates a special bond with my audiences,” says the Emmy-nominated musician. $35–90, doors 6pm, show 7pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

CULTURE THIS WEEK

Wednesday 7/17 music

Berto and Matt. Latin guitar night. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Eddie 9V. Scorching southern blues with some retro-soul sounds to boot. $15–18, 8pm. The Southern Café and Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Karaoke. Downtown C’ville’s longest-running karaoke party. Hosted by Jenn Deville. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Karaoke. Sing your heart out at Fiorano Karaoke. Easy sign-up and a booming sound system. Free, 9pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

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

Nickel Creek and Andrew Bird. Nickel Creek revolutionized bluegrass and folk music in the early 2000s. Andrew Bird makes the kind of music that leaves critics groping for labels. $49–89, 7pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

Open Mic Night. Open to all musicians, poets, and everyone in between. Hosted by Nicole Giordano. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. The Wavelength. The full band will be playing blues, vintage rock, and original tunes on the patio. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

stage

Little Shop of Horrors Suddenly, Seymour is … back! The Virginia Theatre Festival presents this cult-classic musical that has been delighting and disarming audiences for decades. $15–35, 7:30pm. Culbreth Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. drama.virginia.edu classes

Paint + Sip. Cold beer, good music, and a guided painting class—what more do you need? Learn a variety of techniques and skills to render a “fiery Blue Ridge sunset” scene. $38, 6pm. Starr Hill Brewery Tap Room, 5391 Three Notched Rd., Crozet. starrhill.com etc.

Bingo. Free to play, fun prizes. Free, 6pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com Le Samouraï 4K Restoration. In what may be one of the all-time coolest movies ever, the magnetic Alain Delon plays a hired killer in a very tight spot. $10, 7:15pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Paramount On Screen: The 39 Steps A heart-racing spy story by Alfred Hitchcock, The 39 Steps follows Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) as he stumbles upon a conspiracy. $7–9, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

SuperFly Run Club. Run around the city, then enjoy $5 pints. Raffles and exclusive merchandise to be earned. Free, 6pm. SuperFly Brewing Co., 943 Preston Ave. superflybrewing.com

Trivia Night. Come join the fun and test out your knowledge. Winnable prizes for first and second place, with a second-to-last place

On its face, it seems awfully early in the evening to lose it for the kind of rock ’n’ roll you’ll get out of Shagwüf. Then again, with that Fridays after Five offer (um, free), you can’t exactly complain about it either. A mainstay of local music stages, the self-proclaimed “sweet freaks” are actually more sweet than freaky on stage. Still, keep an eye out or you might get your drink kicked out of your hand. Bassist Sally Rose (also of the much better-behaved Sally Rose Band) and guitarist Sweet Pete make it easy to get lost: Their pop hooks keep coming

at you, harkening back to musical archetypes from across the decades while keeping the energy frenzied and the crowd cavorting. The results of Shagwüf’s sound tend to come up as fuzzy, unflinching head-boppers that can easily dance sideways into snaking rhythms suggestive of world music, thanks to the flailing intensity of drummer Pablo Olivieri. Ultimately it’s slightly psychedelic, kinda indie, a touch of sludge, with the faintest whiff of stoner rock. Not that you should ever ever quote Billy Joel, but I guess it is still rock ’n’ roll to me.—CM Gorey

prize to boot. You won’t want to miss it. Free, 6pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

Thursday 7/18 music

Barling and Collins. C’ville’s most raucous duo. Stephen Barling (guitar) and Brandon Collins (cello) are two rather reckless bastards who make ornery noise for the sheer jollies of it. Free, 10pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Berto and Vincent. Join Berto and Vincent for a night of wild flamenco rumba and Latin guitar. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Karaoke. Sing karaoke with us at Firefly Restaurant + Game Room every Thursday. Reservations recommended. Free, 8pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

Matthew O’Donnell. “The Blue Ridge Bard” is a cornerstone of the C’ville music scene. Free, 7:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

Michael Clem. Enjoy live tunes with food and drink specials in addition to the regular menu. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Songwriter’s Open Mic. Now’s the chance to share that song you’ve been writing. This is a space for all levels, styles, and ages. Please plan to limit your performance to one original song. Amps and mics provided. Free, 7pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

The Currys. Indie folk-rock band The Currys perform their harmony-driven tunes at Charlottesville’s best dive bar. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscville.com

Thursday Jam with Steve Lanza. Steve hosts a gathering where you are invited to come and play along. Free, 8pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

stage

Little Shop of Horrors See listing for Wednesday, July 17. $15–35, 7:30pm. Culbreth Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. drama. virginia.edu

Shakespeare at the Ruins: The Comedy of Errors This beloved, nationally-acclaimed collaboration between Barboursville Vineyards and central Virginia’s longest-running community theater returns. $25, 7:30pm. Barboursville Vineyards, 17655 Winery Rd., Barboursville. barboursvillewine.com

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical Live Arts’ “Summer Teen Musical.” Expelled from school and sent off to the summer camp for half-bloods, troubled teen Percy—aka Perseus—Jackson discovers he’s a demigod. $16–20, 7:30pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org etc.

Family Hike: Sounds of Nature. Bring the kids out to learn about the sounds of nature. Registration required. Free, 9:30am. Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm, 1780 Earlysville Rd. ivycreekfoundation.org

Friday 7/19

music

Dave Goodrich. This guitarist, singer, and songwriter brings a repertoire of blues, rock, pop, Motown, and original music. He’ll make you laugh and touch your heart with his soulful music. Free, 5pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Ed Ruben. Live rock ‘n’ roll and scratch barbecue. Free, 8pm. Ace Biscuit & Barbeque, 600 Concord Ave.

CULTURE TRIED IT IN C'VILLE

Life, liberty, and the Women at Monticello Tour

Straight out of the gate, I must acknowledge this wasn’t a fair test. Almost a decade ago (where has the time gone?), I worked at Monticello for roughly seven years. My last few roles were Martha-ofmany-trades jobs, doing everything from loading buses and giving tours to helping with events and addressing guest feedback. Not surprisingly, I went full nerd (or as my guide would say, I professionally nerded) when I heard that Monticello began offering a seasonal Women at Monticello Tour.

I did worry that even a new tour might not offer much new information for me, because for years it felt like I was in every nook and cranny (literally and figuratively) of that famous historical home. My concern couldn’t have been more misplaced. Our guide and the information she shared blew ye olde wig off. Seriously, every expectation was exceeded. I need to find a perruquier now.—Kristie Smeltzer

What

Why

To learn more about historical women.

How it went

I cried, I laughed, and I learned new things.

As directed, I arrived at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center with plenty of time before my tour. After meandering through the exhibition gallery, I rode the shuttle up to the mountaintop. Our guide collected us when the tour time rolled around, and our education in the women of Monticello began.

We started on the South Terrace and heard about Jane Randolph Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson’s mother, and Elizabeth Hemings and her daughter Betty Brown, women brought to Monticello while enslaved. In the South Pavilion, which I’d never been in before, we visited the bedroom that Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson, TJ’s wife, shared with him while the main portion of the house was still under construction.

We toured a few rooms in the dependencies, Monticello’s attached working, living, and storage spaces. In the Granger/Hemings Kitchen, a recently excavated and restored area, our guide shared stories about Ursula Granger’s life experiences, which brought me to tears, and her culinary expertise. I won’t offer any spoilers, but know this tour will be emotional. Many of these women had hard, hard lives. Our guide also spoke about Sally Hemings and her relationship with Jefferson. Despite the extreme imbalance of power between them, Sally Hemings made a deal with Jefferson that resulted in her adult children escaping slavery. Though not part of the tour, an exhibit about Sally Hemings has been added in the room they believe she lived in later in her life. I missed seeing it this time, but I plan to go back to check that out (though maybe in the cooler autumn weather).

Just as our sweat became distracting, we entered the house proper and basked in the glory of historically inaccurate—but delightfully refreshing—air conditioning. We moved through spaces that are familiar to those who have been to Monticello before, but we were prompted to view them through

a different lens. Our guide shared moving stories about Jefferson’s daughters, Martha Jefferson Randolph, Maria Jefferson Epps, and Harriet Hemings, as well as prominent female visitors and granddaughters. While history doesn’t change, our interpretation of it evolves. We learn more. We unearth untold stories and honor the many lives left off the pages of previous

Women at Monticello Tour

monticello.org

texts. The Women at Monticello Tour offers one way to do just that. Here are some practical tidbits for your own visit. Keep an eye on the temperature. If you typically go from zero-to-melting in 60 seconds, you’ll want to pick a cool-weather day to do the Women at Monticello Tour (and be sure to hydrate!). The tour is available now through September 1, Fridays through Sundays at 2:05pm daily, and will resume for part of October.

The Women at Monticello Tour.

Tour guide Lou Hatch offers new perspectives during a tour of Monticello that honors the women who worked and lived there.

THOMAS JEFFERSON’S MONTICELLO

CULTURE THIS WEEK

Good... better... BEST!

Eli Cook Band. Eli comes from the crossroads of blues, the highways of rock, and the backroads of country with his gritty voice. There ain’t nothing like it. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. Fridays After Five: Shagwüf. A genre-defying band with a variety of influences entrenched in their gutter-glam and fuzzed-out psychedelic sound. With Holy Roller. Free, 5:30pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

Karaoke. See listing for Wednesday, July 17. Free, 9pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

Main Vein. Main Vein delivers a solid fix of good times and hard rock ‘n’ roll. Live music and delicious BBQ. Free, 8pm. Ace Biscuit & Barbeque, 600 Concord Ave.

Mo Safren. Our Sundowner’s Series presents a late-night musical event each Friday at Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard. Free, 5:30pm. Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard, 594 Merrie Mill Farm, Keswick. merriemillfarm.com

National Public Rodeo. Original Americana music with Richmond’s National Public Rodeo. Free, 8pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscville.com

Strong 7s. Honky-tonk done right at Offbeat Roadhouse. Join the live audience or listen along on WTJU or on-line. Free, 8pm. The Stage at WTJU, 2244 Ivy Rd. wtju.net

The Currys. A fantastic musical smorgasbord of rock, Americana, folk, and country. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Tyler Dick Band. Soulful, funky rock ‘n’ roll from C’ville. Expect a high-energy, soulful mix of originals and covers that will surely get you moving. Free, 9:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Üga Büga, Murdersome, and Roaming Eyes. South of Heaven presents a night of headbanging with southern sludge beard metal from Üga Büga, plus Murdersome and Roaming Eyes. $12–15, 8pm. The Southern Café and Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

stage

Little Shop of Horrors See listing for Wednesday, July 17. $15–35, 7:30pm. Culbreth Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. drama. virginia.edu

Shakespeare at the Ruins: The Comedy of Errors See listing for Thursday, July 18. $25, 7:30pm. Barboursville Vineyards, 17655 Winery Rd., Barboursville. barboursville wine.com

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical See listing for Thursday, July 18. $16–20, 7:30pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

words

Charlottesville Reading Series. Join us for the July Charlottesville Reading Series event, featuring poet Andy Fogle, poet Annie Woodford, and musician Nahlij Corbin. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com

CreativeMornings Charlottesville. CreativeMornings is a free, monthly breakfast lecture series for the creative community. Your local hosts are Jeremy Stern, Emma Terry, and Maureen Brondyke. Free, 8:30am. creativemornings.com

etc.

Paramount On Screen: Forrest Gump Tom Hanks gives an astonishing performance as Forrest in this acclaimed film from director Robert Zemeckis that rocketed to box-office history and touched the hearts of filmgoers like no other movie. $7–9, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. the paramount.net

Puzzle Crawl. This puzzle crawl takes you to the breweries on Preston Avenue. Crack codes, solve puzzles, and enjoy some of Charlottesville’s best beers along the way. $15, all day. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Saturday 7/20 music

Adam’s Plastic Pond. From folk ballads to modern R&B and sing-along-able guitar pop, this band shows off jangling hooks, expressive guitar stylings, and lucid vocal harmonies. With local opening act Kai Crowe-Getty. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com amminal. WTJU Rock’s Third Rail welcomes psych/folk/space-rock band amminal to the WTJU Stage. This event will also be video streamed and broadcast at 91.1FM and wtju.net. Free, 8pm. The Stage at WTJU, 2244 Ivy Rd. wtju.net

Berto Sales. Sounds of Brazil, Spain, and Latin America with Berto Sales. His unique fingerpicking style and contagious energy will have you tapping your feet. Free, 11am. Tavern & Grocery, 333 W. Main St. tavernandgrocery.com

Corrie Lynn Green Band. The Corrie Lynn Green Band brings their award-winning lyrics and stories to C’ville. They can’t wait to dance, laugh, and share music with you. Free, 8pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscville.com

Her Checkered Past. Live music in the orchard. This duo will keep you humming along to popular songs. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

Mike Proffitt. Join us at DuCard Vineyards for an afternoon of rhythm and views. Listen to the superb music of singer-songwriter Mike Proffitt, with his mixture of original and classic acoustic rock. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

South River Strings. Join us for upbeat and fun bands every Saturday night. Gather your friends and family and join us for live music that you’ll want to dance to. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmand winery.com

Sue Harlow. Enjoy live tunes with your wine, cider, and beer along with a full menu of food options to choose from. Free, 1pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

The Falsies. No matter who you are or are becoming, The Falsies helps your corks pop and your balls drop as they continue to put the art in artifice and the she in shenanigans. With Four Thirty Four and Heemeyer. $15–50, 8pm. The Southern Café and Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

The Michael Elswick Gathering. The Michael Elswick Gathering returns to our tropical oasis here in Free Union, entertaining all with their jazz, blues, ballads, and Latin tunes. Free, 5pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union.

housewinery.com

dance

’80s Dance Party. ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s tunes to get you busy on the dance floor. Free, 9pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

Gimme Gimme Disco: A Dance Party Inspired by ABBA. Calling all dancing queens. This DJ-based dance party plays all your favorite ABBA tracks, plus plenty of other disco hits. Disco attire encouraged. Ages 18+. $15–25, 9pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

stage

Little Shop of Horrors See listing for Wednesday, July 17. $15–35, 2pm and 7:30pm. Culbreth Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. drama.virginia.edu

Shakespeare at the Ruins: The Comedy of Errors See listing for Thursday, July 18. $25, 7:30pm. Barboursville Vineyards, 17655 Winery Rd., Barboursville. barboursville wine.com

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical See listing for Thursday, July 18. $16–20, 7:30pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

words

Author Event: Natalie Naudus. An evening with Natalie Naudus, who will read from her new YA novel, Gay the Pray Away A conversation with author Alix E. Harrow will follow. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com

classes

Flower Embroidery. Stitches common in floral embroidery can be used in so many ways. Embroidery hoop and supplies as well as printed instructions provided. Ages 14+. $25, 11am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Soul Collage. Our time together in this workshop is less of a deep dive into the art of collage and more a surprising and remarkable deep dive into the art of the soul. Ages 18+. $45, 10:30am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Summer Floral Centerpiece Workshop. Using local Virginia flowers, we will show you how to create a vibrant summer centerpiece. Whether you are a flower-design newbie or a clipper-wielding pro, this class has something for everyone. $100, 4pm. Hedge Fine Blooms, 115 Fourth St. NE. hedgefine blooms.com

etc.

Little Naturalist Program. Bring your 3- to 5-year-old out to start learning about—and experiencing—nature. We ask that you pre-register for this free and fun program. Free, 10am. Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm, 1780 Earlysville Rd. ivycreekfoundation.org

Prolyfyck Run Crew 5-Year Anniversary. Prolyfyck 5-year Anniversary Celebration featuring the Prolyfyck Sole Systaz’ film, Count It Up. Follow the journey of seven women of color as they work together to train for their first marathon. Free, 6pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Puzzle Crawl. See listing for Friday, July 19. $15, all day. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

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

Sunday 7/21 music

Alex Krug Combo. Queer-fronted Appalachian dream-rock out of Asheville, North Carolina. Free, 2pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

An Lár Traditional Irish Band. Seven musicians make up An Lár with fiddles, flutes, penny whistles, guitars, octave mandolin, tenor banjo, accordion, concertina, and bodhran. Free, 2pm. Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Ben Folds: Paper Airplane Request Tour. Superstar Ben Folds brings back his “Paper Airplane Request Tour,” where he randomly selects fan-requested songs from paper airplanes thrown on stage during the show and plays them live. $40–80, 7pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

BRIMS Family Social and Beginner Session. Join us for an informal Irish music gathering hosted by the Blue Ridge Irish Music School (BRIMS) and Albemarle CiderWorks. Geared towards musicians who are beginners and new to sessions. Free, 3pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

FarAway. Featuring the talented singer-songwriter couple Brian Franke and Sara Davenport, FarAway is treating us to their awesome folk and pop-rock sounds, highlighting their amazing harmonies. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Lynn Riley and The World Mix. Saxophonist and flutist Lynn Riley returns to C’ville with her powerhouse Philly-based jazz and world music band. $18–22, 4pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com

Michael Johnson. Dinner as usual with some live music added for your enjoyment. Michael Johnson has been playing country, worship, rock, and a range of music for the last 20 years. Free, 1pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

stage

Little Shop of Horrors See listing for Wednesday, July 17. $15–35, 2pm. Culbreth Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. drama.virginia.edu

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical See listing for Thursday, July 18. $16–20, 2pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

classes

Learn to Knit. Join Emma as she teaches you the basics of knitting. No experience needed. Leave with a pair of knitting needles, the beginning of a scarf, and enough yarn to finish it. Ages 12+. $25, 11am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

etc.

Changing Landscape Hike. Join us to see how Ivy Creek Natural Area has changed since it was Historic River View Farm. Free, 11am. Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm, 1780 Earlysville Rd. ivycreekfoundation.org

Paint by Numbers. Join us for a self-guided paint-by-number session to explore your creative side at your own pace. $20, 1pm. Cake Bloom, 705 W. Main St. cakebloom.com

Paramount On Screen: Chariots of Fire. In this Academy Award-winner for Best Picture, two very different men on the same team vie to win Olympic gold to demonstrate to the world the worth of their deeply held convictions.

$7–9, 2pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

CULTURE THIS WEEK

Andrew Bird and Nickel Creek with Mike Viola

Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird has been in a few noteworthy bands and has released or joined in on more records than we have space to discuss here. The singer and songwriter first came to fame collaborating with swing band Squirrel Nut Zippers in the late 1990s and went on to put out three big, brave, folksy swing albums under the name Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire. On his own for years now, Bird tends to be found playing violin—sometimes with the support of looping pedals—but he gets his hands on many other stringed instruments as well. He’s also known for his virtuosity as a whistler, but don’t hold that against him. These days, Bird mostly performs under his own name as he delves into many mixed influences ranging from indie to jazz. His latest with the Andrew Bird Trio, Sunday Morning Put-On, sticks firmly to the latter genre with a 90 percent track list of standards. We can’t be sure whether that choice flat-out nixes the chances of him doing anthemic tracks like “Fake Palindromes”

or the acoustic retro catchiness of “Sisyphus,” but one can always hope his live show won’t stay too rooted in the songs of others when he’s got so many good ones of his own.

Ting Pavilion

July 17

Puzzle Crawl. See listing for Friday, July 19. $15, all day. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Silent Book Club. Sip cider and read in quiet camaraderie. No assigned reading, no obligations. Bring your own book of choice. This is a free social event hosted in our Orchard Room. Free, 12:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com

Monday 7/22

music

Berto and Vincent. Come join us for an evening of Spanish rumba and Latin guitar with Berto Sales and Vincent Zorn. Free, 6:30pm. South and Central Latin Grill, 946 Grady Ave., Ste. 104. southandcentralgrill.com

Betty Jo’s Boogie Band. Live boogie band with a horn section and all. Free, 7:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

Grammy Award-winning Nickel Creek belies the simplicity of the fact that the band is made up of a guitarist, a fiddler, and a mandolinist who are also relentless harmony singers. After nine years away, the band released its fifth album Celebrants, in 2023, which saw the group branch out even further from its bluegrass roots. The best Nickel Creek songs stray from expectations—across lyrics, arrangement, chord composition, and, on its recordings, surprising production choices. The trio combines soaring voices and enough ingenuity to make you think bluegrass is much bigger than categorization, and, in Nickel Creek’s case, it’s about playing outside the genre’s box—without having to chuck out the box. Listen to the Celebrants tracks “Holding Pattern” backto-back with “Where the Long Line Leads” and it’ll all be perfectly clear.—CM Gorey

DG3. Gin and jazz series welcomes trio playing modern takes on classics and standards. Free, 5:30pm. Oakhurst Inn, 100 Oakhurst Cir. oakhurstinn.com

dance

Salsa Dance Night. DJ Rafa will be spinning the latest in salsa and Latin-inspired dance cuts in the dance floor area of the bar. Come feel the heat and move. Free, 9pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

words

Profs & Pints: Spiritual Robots. Profs and Pints Charlottesville presents: “Spiritual Robots,” an exploration of artificial intelligence, spirituality, and the question of whether humanity can coexist with conscious machines. $13, 5:30pm. Graduate Charlottesville, 1309 W. Main St. graduatehotels.com

Rare Book School Lecture. Aaron Pratt of the University of Texas at Austin discusses the book trade of early modern England and how readers acquired books and interacted with sellers. Free, 5:30pm. The Edgar Shannon Library, 160 McCormick Rd. library.virginia.edu

classes

Create and Play Mondays. Come have unstructured fun with toddler-friendly art projects and sensory trays. Ages 3–5. $12, 11:30am. Rose’s Inspiration Station, 2025 Library Ave., Crozet. piedmontplace crozet.com

etc.

Family Hike: Aquatic Animals. Join us for an exciting nature hike focused on the amazing aquatic animals of Ivy Creek Natural Area. Perfect for kids aged 9–13 and their families. Registration required. Free, 9:30am. Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm, 1780 Earlysville Rd. ivycreekfoundation.org

Paramount On Screen: The Raid: Redemption Now Rama must take command and lead his remaining team on an ultraviolent charge through the building to complete— and survive—the mission. $9, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Tuesday 7/23

music

Barling and Collins. Legendary C’ville bar band takes the stage. Free, 7:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

Cville Band: The Classics. Every musical genre has a list of classic selections, so come to our concert and hear some of our favorites. Free, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Karaoke. Sign up and sing your favorite songs. Hosted by Thunder Music. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St.

Vincent Zorn. Vincent Zorn performs solo wild flamenco rumba. Must say “olé.” Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

classes

Paint + Sip. Learn a variety of techniques and skills to render a “blue + orange sunset” scene. Paint, sip, repeat. $38, 6pm. Ellie’s Country Club, 16 Elliewood Ave. elliescountryclub.com

etc.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia. Good trivia, good times. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com

Music Bingo. Prizes to be won. Hosted by King Trivia. Free, 7pm. SuperFly Brewing Co., 943 Preston Ave. superflybrewing.com

Poker Night. Test your luck and skill at our hold’em poker night. Free, 7pm. Fiorano Restaurant and Bar, 5924 Seminole Trail Ste. 101, Barboursville. fioranomediterranean.com

Silent Film: Sparrows Summer Silent Film Series. Sparrows (1926) starring America’s sweetheart, Mary Pickford. Mary must protect a group of orphans from an evil guardian. Free, 5:30pm. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org

CULTURE PAGES

Not a poem, an ache

Discovering place, family, and memory in Annie Woodford’s poetry

By Sarah Lawson arts@c-ville.com

“Poetry allows you to preserve a certain moment, a certain place. It’s giving voice to something that otherwise I would just carry around mutely,” says poet Annie Woodford, author of Where You Come From Is Gone and winner of the Weatherford Award for Best Books about Appalachia. “Then, when you think about economic systems or environmental issues, I think [poetry] becomes some sort of small act against that destruction or that lack of attentiveness to places. It’s a way of honoring people and places and hopefully elevating things that are not normally seen.”

Since her childhood in Henry County, Virginia, as well as the time she spent elsewhere in Appalachia, Woodford has borne witness as the places she calls home have been subjected to forces of globalization and capitalism that undermine local cultures and ecosystems. From the outsourcing of jobs from Bassett’s furniture industry to the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), Woodford addresses these head-on in her poetry, balancing grief over the losses with appreciation for the places and their people.

Her poems should not be mistaken for nostalgia, though many can be read as eulogies. As one example, Woodford’s poem “In the Pipeline’s Path” is dedicated to Red Terry, a tree-sitter who lived in the canopy of a scarlet oak and maple near Bent Mountain to protest the MVP, which went into service earlier this summer despite a decade of community pushback: She took to her tree because she knew she’d never see any of this again— the wayward field, the water meadow filled with late spring rain filtering down through karst-pocked caves to the aquifer’s hidden well. The way southeastern trees turkey-call against each other when they rub high branches in high wind.

Her poems honor people and places, but also moments of light or sound. She doesn’t romanticize—she archives. With a focus on words as documentary, cataloging that which becomes forgotten, Woodford details regional realities that seemed immutable but have nonetheless begun to vanish. In “Quiet as It’s Kept,” amid nods to concealed carry, colony collapse, and other contemporary threats, she includes the stanza:

“Things People Don’t Know the Names of Any More”

Kudzu Katydids

Chicken Hawks

Woodford’s landscapes ring true to those who know Appalachia, who have marveled at its red-tailed hawks and who have creekwalked for crawdads. Oaks, maples, vireos, serviceberries, pokeberries, aster, and catalpas all populate her work—yet these are not what could be called nature poems. Rather, Woodford’s attention to nature is inseparable from the generations of people living within these ecosystems.

She often writes from a place of personal embodiment, deftly probing and questioning the idea of nature as separate from ourselves in poems like “Old Christmas,” from her earlier collection, “When God Was a Child:” Matted grass. The body flayed open like a milkweed pod. The body as muddy pasture. I think I was a field once

A bull lived in me. He liked to sleep. Herds of deer half darkness wavered across me. In winter I froze. In spring I bled wetweather branches. Water witching. In addition to contemplating the personal, many of Woodford’s poems read like family scrapbooks with imperfect memories fluttering out from burst seams. In a poem titled “Ides,” she shares: I hear my mother struggle to breathe. She has COPD. She smoked her first cigarette at five years old & now holds a vape pen tucked into her palm, her hand bent like a saint’s as she sips its chemical sizzle. This is not a poem. It’s an ache.

Her mother is also a significant influence in her storytelling. “I have come to realize that my mother was a very intentional storyteller about family,” Woodford reflects. “A lot of those people are gone now, but she made sure that I heard those stories.” She adds, “I’m writing about family and stories and place, but I have really been thinking a lot about what it means to take an event or a story and write about it … Who gets to keep the stories, tell the stories, shape the stories … I’m fascinated by that.”

A related question informing her work is about who gets to enjoy the poetry and art that is made out of daily life. In addition to her writing, Woodford has taught in community colleges for years, where she is committed to sharing the written word with students. “My dad’s a plumber and I believe that even the daughters of plumbers should encounter beautiful art,” she says.

A lifelong reader, Woodford began writing poetry in fifth grade. “I actually have a very specific memory of writing a poem and really enjoying it,” she recalls. “Going out in nature and observing and then writing about it … I guess I’ve been doing that ever since. I was really lucky, I went to Patrick Henry Community College and had really great teachers. And then I went to Hollins and found poetry there.” Through her poems and her teaching, she shares in the collective work of attending to and holding space for beauty, humanity, and tenderness, even as—and especially because—the world around us seems to change more quickly than ever. Woodford’s work is a clear-eyed, meticulous, and unapologetic repository, excavating the precarities in our lives while invoking the wonderment of all that surrounds us.

“Who gets to keep the stories, tell the stories, shape the stories … I’m fascinated by that.” ANNIE WOODFORD

Poet Annie Woodford will read from her work on July 19 as part of the Charlottesville Reading Series at New Dominion Bookshop.

PUBLICITY PHOTO

PUZZLES

SUDOKU

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

#1

What comes Fourth?

BY MATT JONES

ACROSS

1. Ike’s spouse

6. Caramel candy brand

10. “30 for 30” channel

14. Love, in Rome

15. Peters of “American Horror Story”

16. High point

17. Angel’s citation for forgetting an instrument?

19. Sit a while

20. Muse of astronomy

21. W ilson who played Dwight Schrute

23. Like some almonds

24. Abbreviation after a comma

26. Cessation

27. Give it ___

30. Lean meat source

31. Question of a continental country consortium’s willingness to rock the mic?

34. 20 00s boy band named after a Florida city

35. Physically flexible

36. L.A. tree

39. “Clean” surface?

42. Advance, as cash

43. Farmyard refrain

45. Shabby

47. The Insult Comic Dog’s French counterpart?

50. West Germany’s official name until 1990, for short

53. Ready for action

54. “Unbelievable” band of 1991

55. “Chandelier” singer

56. Suffix after mountain

57. Parodize

59. Split in t wo

61. “Somebody Feed ___” (Netflix travel documentary)

63. What happens when you treat your garden hose badly?

66. Verdi opera heroine

67. Dull pain

68. Quetzalcoatl worshipper

69. “Ocean Man” group

70. Shout it out

71. “All That Jazz” director Bob

1. Organic fertilizer component

2. Conscienceless

3. Centrist st yle?

4. Persian Gulf country

5. Most chilling

6. Arbiter

7. Ab ___ (from square one)

8. Hardy counterpart

9. No longer at sea

10. Bring in

11. “What if” situation

12. Keir Starmer and others, for short

13. Volleyball need

18. Feeling of sympathy

22. Notion

25. Part of a Traitor’s outfit, on “The Traitors”

28. Big part y

29. Uninhibited

32. Take away the heat?

33. Reprehensible

34. Leave out

36. Shepherd’s pie veggies

37. Million or billion ending

38. Where rational thought occurs in the brain

40. Pub fixtures

41. Business school subject

44. Nabisco mainst ay

46. Bit brewed in a bag

48. “No need to worry about me”

49. Workplace

50. Huge meals

51. Some Broadway jukebox musicals

52. Countr y on the Aegean

58. Prepare (for)

60. Auto exec Ferrari

61. “___ Patrol”

62. Move it along quickly

64. Senators’ gp.

65. “Kenan & ___”

By Rob Brezsny

Leo

(July 23–Aug. 22): Some bamboo species grow very quickly—as much as 36 inches per day. I suspect your capacity to burgeon and blossom will display a similar vigor in the coming weeks. You may be surprised at how dramatic your development is. I’m hoping, of course, that you will be acutely focused on channeling your fertility in positive ways. Don’t feed an urge to recklessly gamble, for instance. Don’t pursue connections with influences that are no damn good for you. Instead, decide right now what areas of your life you want to be the beneficiaries of your growth spurt. Choose the beauty and power you will encourage to ripen.

Virgo

(Aug. 23–Sept. 22): For months, we heard and saw crows pecking on the roof of our rental house. Why? Were they grubbing for food? It was mildly annoying, but seemingly no big deal. Then one night, their small, regular acts of mayhem climaxed in an unexpected event. Rain began to fall around 8 pm. It was constant, though not heavy. At 9, the ceilings in five rooms began to leak. By 10:30, our house was flooded. We managed to rescue most of our precious items, but the house was damaged. We had to find a new place to live. I don’t expect anything nearly this drastic to befall you, dear Virgo. But I do encourage you to check to see if any small problem is gradually growing bigger. Now is a favorable time to intervene and forestall an unfavorable development.

Libra

(Sept. 23–Oct. 22): Two Scottish veterinarians researched the health of rhesus monkeys that are compelled by human handlers to dance on the streets of Islamabad, Pakistan. When I first learned about this, my response was, “Wow! Don’t those doctors have anything better to do? That is the most obscure research I have ever heard of.” But later, I decided I admired the doctors because they were motivated primarily by compassion. They found the monkeys were under severe stress, and they publicized the fact as a public service. Their work will ultimately lead to better treatment of the monkeys. In accordance with astrological omens, Libra, I advise you to seek out comparable ways to express altruism in the coming weeks. By engaging

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

Cancer

(June 21–July 22): I dreamed that a young elephant appeared on the back deck of my house and stuck its trunk through the open sliding glass door. I got up from my chair and gently pushed the animal away then closed the door. But after I woke up, I was sorry I had done that in my dream. What was I afraid of? The elephant posed no danger—and may have been a good omen. In some cultures, elephants in dreams and visions are symbols of good luck, vitality, long life, and the removal of obstacles. So here’s what I did. I dropped into a deep meditative state and reimagined the dream. This time, I welcomed the creature into my home. I gave her the name Beatrice. We wrestled playfully and had fun playing with a red rubber ball. Amazingly, later that day, a certain obstacle in my actual waking life magically disappeared. The moral of the story, my fellow Cancerian: Welcome the elephant.

in noble and idealistic acts, you will attract good fortune into your sphere both for yourself and others.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Do you place any limits on how deep and expansive you allow your yearnings to be? Are you ever worried that maybe you desire too much and are at risk of asking for too much? If you answered yes to those questions, Scorpio, I will give you a temporary license to rebel against your wariness. In accordance with astrological rhythms, I authorize you to experiment with feeling the biggest, strongest, wildest longings you have ever felt. Please note that I am not advising you to immediately go out and actually express those longings to the hilt. For now, I’d like you to simply have the experience of entertaining their full intensity. This will be a healing experience.

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You will never guess the identity of the strongest animal on the planet. It’s not the gorilla, tiger, or elephant. It’s the dung beetle, which can lug loads that weigh 1,141 times as much as it does. The equivalent for you would be to pull six double-decker buses crammed with people. I’m happy to inform you that although you won’t be able to accomplish that feat in the coming weeks, your emotional and spiritual strength will be formidable. You may be surprised at how robust and mighty you are. What do you plan to do with all that power?

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): By age 35, you have already shed over 50 pounds of skin. The flesh that covers you is in a constant state of renewal. In the coming weeks, I expect your rate of

regeneration to be even higher than usual— not only in regard to your skin, but everything else in your life, as well. Here’s a proviso: Renewal and regeneration are always preceded by withering or dwindling. To enjoy the thrill of revitalization, you must allow the loss of what was once vital but is no longer.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 19): Among people who go hiking a lot, “death march” is a term that refers to a long trudge through boring scenery in bad weather. Let’s use this as a metaphor for your life. I believe you have recently finished your own metaphorical version of a “death march.” Any minute now, you will begin a far more enjoyable series of experiences. Get ready for an entertaining meander through interesting terrains in fine weather. Be alert for unpredictable encounters with inspiration and education.

Pisces

(Feb. 20-March 20): Alex Larenty gives massages to lions at the Lion Park near Johannesburg, South Africa. They especially love foot rubs. Even Jamu, king of the local beasts, rolls onto his back so Larenty can get a good angle while caressing and kneading his paws. I bring this to your attention, Pisces, because it’s a good metaphor for the unique power you will have in the coming days: a knack for dealing successfully with wild influences and elemental powers through the magic of kindness, affection, and service.

Aries

(March 21-April 19): Aries singer-songwriter Lady Gaga has written many songs, both for herself and other artists. She has famously declared that some of her most successful songs took her just 10 minutes to compose.

They include “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” and “Born This Way.” According to my interpretation of the astrological omens, you could be rising to Lady Gaga levels of creativity in your own sphere during the coming weeks. And I won’t be surprised if your imaginative innovations flow with expeditious clarity, like Gaga at her most efficient.

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): During the winter, some animals hibernate. They enter a state of dormancy, slowing their metabolism, breathing, and heart rate. Other animals enter a similar state during the summer, conserving energy when the weather is hot and dry. It’s called estivation. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, many of you Tauruses would benefit from a modified version of estivation in the next couple of weeks. You’re in prime time to recharge your energy through deep relaxation and rest.

Gemini

(May 21-June 20): The English word “amphibian” is derived from the Greek term amphibios, which means “living a double life.” The original meaning of the English word was “combining two qualities; having two modes of life,” though eventually it came to be used primarily to describe animals that function well on both land and in water. You Geminis are of course the most amphibious of all the astrological tribes. You can feel at home in a variety of situations. This may sometimes stir up confusion, but I see it as one of your greatest potential strengths. In the coming weeks, I hope you enjoy it to the maximum. It should serve you well. Wield it to take advantage of the sweet perks of versatility.

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

Expandedweeklyaudiohoroscopesanddailytextmessagehoroscopes:RealAstrology.com,(877)873-4888

CLASSIFIEDS

DEADLINE

SIZES AVAILABLE

PRICING

LEGALS EMPLOYMENT

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

Commonwealth of Virginia VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Albemarle County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

C-VILLE Weekly is seeking an Account Executive. For more than 30 years C-VILLE has been covering the news, arts, people, food and events that make our town a perennial top city to live in.

Want to help build a powerful local brand? Looking for a job that connects you to every aspect of life in our city?

C-VILLE Weekly is looking to add a dynamic salesperson to our advertising sales team. We are looking for a fearless self-starter to manage a list of established clients and develop new business. Does this sound like you?

The right person will join our hard working staff in a fast-paced online and print publishing environment. This is a F/T hybrid, salaried position with great perks and benefits!

Send resume to: anna@c-ville.com

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re: R.S. (dob 9/15/2023)

The object of this suit is to terminate residual parental rights in R.S. (dob 9/15/2023) and aprove foster care plan with adoption goal.

It is ORDERED that Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before September 10, 2024 at 9:00 a.m.

6/5/2024

Judge Pather DATE JUDGE

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE

COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE,

Complainant,

v.

EDD TAYLOR, deceased

NORA TAYLOR, aka

Case No. CL23-l 732

NORA ELIZIBETH NAPIER TAYLOR, deceased

MARGARET T. NAPIER, deceased

NELLIE T. INGALLS, aka

NELLIE TAYLOR INGALLS, deceased

PEARL HAWKS aka PEARL HAWKES, deceased

JAMES E. TAYLOR, deceased

ROGER O’BRIEN aka ROGER H. OBRIEN

SHARON WATKINS aka SHARON OBRIEN WATKINS

STELLA MARIE NAPIER

MARILYN FA YE NAPIER

LINWOOD L. SMITH, JR.

CLARISSA S. LINTON

Respondents.

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to effect a judicial sale of certain real property, reportedly situated in the Town of Scottsville, Virginia, containing 1.38 acres, more or less, and designated as Tax Map Parcel No. 130A l-00-0002800, and which is being assessed on the tax records of the County of Albemarle, Virginia in the name of Stella M. Napier, Marilyn F. Napier, Nellie Ingalls and Pearl Hawkes, in order to subject such property to the lien thereon for delinquent real estate taxes.

It appearing from the Complaint and by the Affidavit filed according to law that the Complainant has used due diligence to ascertain all of the owners of the subject property but has been unable to do so and that there are or may be persons unknown who claim or may claim an interest in the property, namely the heirs, devisees, personal representatives, successors, or assigns in and to the title and interest of Edd Taylor and/or Nora Taylor, aka Nora Elizibeth Napier Taylor.

It is therefore ORDERED that any heirs, devisees, personal representatives, successors, or assignors, if any, of Edd Taylor and Nora Taylor, aka Nora Elizibeth Napier Taylor, and any other Respondent, as they may appear, proceeded against herein as “Parties Unknown,” appear on or before July 22, 2024, and take such action as they deem appropriate to protect any interests they may have in the above-described property.

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

The Clerk is hereby directed to send this Order to the C-Ville Weekly and to make the aforementioned posting and mailings.

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

And this cause is continued.

ENTER: Cheryl V. Higgins

DATE: 6/20/2024

I ASK FOR THIS:

JONATHAN T. WREN, VSB #40304

MARTINWREN, P.C.

400 Locust Avenue, Suite 1

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

Community & MISC.

LARGE, SUNNY OFFICE AVAILABLE TO SHARE

Downtown with on-site parking

Comfortable, furnished first floor office available on Mondays, Thursdays and weekends. Tues, Wed, Fri mornings before 10:30a negotiable. The building features shared waiting rooms and ADA compliant restroom, high speed internet, fax and copier. Printer, refrigerator and microwave in office. Ample on-site parking. Building is on High St near Locust Ave. The other tenants are also therapists so privacy and quiet are expected. I am looking for tenant(s) to sublet on an ongoing basis (lease required). Rent starts at $300 for one day per week and is negotiable depending on how often you anticipate using the space. Perfect for someone with hybrid (online, in person) practice or starting a new business.

Call/text (434) 282-4998

Game on

On view through July 25, New City Arts presents “Around the Table: Political play, agency, gamification, and other things we can learn from board games,” an exhibition curated by Chandler Jennings. A Spring 2024 New City Arts Research Residency recipient, Jennings used his residency to continue developing a prototype of his own tabletop game, Conxensus: A Game of Storytelling & Political Imagination, and organized the exhibition to explore several aspects of tabletop gaming, like the way board games have been used to convey ideas, how games represent historical events responsibly, and how rules and points structure our lives.

Name: Chandler Jennings

Age: 32

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Job(s): Graduate student, lecturer

How did you get started in gaming? In 2015, I got hooked on modern board games by playing endless games of Carcassonne with my partner and then-housemates. As I read and learned more about board games I started working on a couple game development projects, began to dip my toe into academic game studies, and played a lot more games. In short, I became a bit of a boardgaming sicko.

Favorite style of gameplay: Many of my favorite games are “engine builders.” You start off the game with relatively limited abilities and then have to strategically build up different abilities that work together to let you do loads more things.

Favorite game you’ve played: I’ll say it’s a tie between Ark Nova and Decrypto.

Are there more competitive board games than cooperative ones? Why?

The rise of cooperative board games is one of the biggest trends in gaming over the last couple decades, but the vast majority of games are still competitive. I think it mostly has to do with the history of board games and people’s idea of what a board game is and should be. But even in co-op games you’re still competing, often aggressively, against the game itself.

If you could play a game with anyone from history, which game would you play and with whom? I’d want to try out the new open-world cooperative campaign game Earthborne Rangers with Octavia Butler and Walter Benjamin.

What lessons do you believe we should be learning through gameplay? The ability to make choices and pursue goals with total commitment—and then to step back from the experience and the result and think about how the process made you feel and what you can learn from it.

Best part of living here: How lush and green it is.

Worst part of living here: Winter.

Favorite Charlottesville restaurant: Public Fish & Oyster.

Bodo’s order: Lox & cream cheese on everything.

Who is your hero: David Cohn (aka Serengeti), whose ongoing series of Kenny Dennis concept albums are so difficult to explain and intricate and whimsical and beautiful and the kind of thing that’s impossible to believe one person could make.

Best advice you ever got: The spots that feel most awkward or painful or cliched in your writing are often places where your thinking is at its best, and your writing just can’t catch up. Learn to love them as opportunities to slow down, pay extra attention, and give full voice to your ideas.

Proudest accomplishment: Marrying the love of my life (despite once choosing to win a four-hour board game by myself instead of sharing the win with her—on New Years Eve).

Describe a perfect day: Morning hike, midday swim, evening cookout with beer and board games.

If you could be reincarnated as a person or thing, what would you be?

A beloved cat.

Most embarrassing moment: A few years ago, I ran into an acquaintance from high school. We chatted for a bit, and then she kind of waved goodbye at me. I didn’t realize that it was a wave and reached out and clasped her hand, interlocking fingers, and we kind of rocked them back and forth for a sec before I disentangled and ran away.

Do you have any pets? One 50-lb. pitty/lab mix named Joni aka Joni Bologna aka Princess Nugget.

Favorite movie and/or show: “Twin Peaks”

Favorite book: Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon

Go-to karaoke song: “Rain Dogs” by Tom Waits

Subject that causes you to rant: Popular misconceptions about American religious history.

Favorite curse word? Or favorite word?

I do love all the curse words, but I’m going to go with the word “countenance,” which slips delightfully among so many different meanings.

Hottest take/most unpopular opinion: Chocolate [with] fruit is disgusting. Especially chocolate and orange.

Interested parties are encouraged to attend upcoming events related to the exhibition, including a curator talk and guided playthrough of a prototype of Jennings’ game on July 20, and a New City Arts & Crafts workshop on July 24. Prior to these events, we put Jennings in the HotSeat to learn more about life and gaming.