C-VILLE Weekly | December 14 - 20, 2022

Locals demand more action after tragic gun violence

Jefferson School celebrates art made outside the margins

A crumbling regional jail faces a $49 million renovation, but debates rage over its funding for a mental health unit.

Experience the Magic!

The beauty of light and the whimsy of nature intertwine harmoniously at the Boar’s Head Resort Winter Wander Trail of Lights. Experience the nature of our rolling landscape during this illuminated lakeside stroll as an extraordinary palette of colors blanket the natural surroundings for a magical show of lights like no other. Visit our website to learn about new light displays for the 2022 season.

Select nights: Nov. 18, 2022 - Jan. 7, 2023.

New! Longer Tunnel

Quirk Hotel Charlottesville Holiday Happenings

Holiday Music Series

Enjoy free musical performances of holiday classics in the Quirk Gallery. Dec 14 & 21 @ 6pm.

Gallery Shop

The Quirk Gallery Shop is the perfect place to find one-of-a-kind holiday gifts.

Elizabeth Graeber

Quirk Gallery exhibits a collection of Elizabeth and Susan Graeber works beginning Dec 15.

Details at QuirkCharlottesville.com

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“Provide leadership through this challenging time by advocating for policies that can result in real and meaningful change.”

BRIEF

Name changes

After two years of public feedback, Venable and Clark elementary schools are getting new names, selected by third- and fourth-grade students at both schools. Venable—named for Confederate officer Charles Venable, who supported slavery and promoted the Lost Cause myth—will become Trailblazers Elementary, honoring the Charlottesville Twelve, the first Black students to desegregate the city’s white schools. At Clark—named for Revolutionary War officer George Rogers Clark, who led militias that slaughtered Indigenous people and stole their land—students chose Friendship Elementary, celebrating the importance of friendships and referencing the Friendship Court public housing community, where many Clark students live. Because Friendship won by just five votes, the Charlottesville School Board is seeking public input on the choice between that name and Summit, a nod to the school’s view of the mountains. To weigh in on the decision, email schoolboard@ charlottesvilleschools.org before the board’s January 5 meeting.

UVA shooting update

On December 8, University of Virginia shooting suspect Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. attended his second court hearing, and revealed he had not yet hired his own attorney. Though Jones asked the court last month to give him time to secure a lawyer, he will continue to be represented by public defender Liz Murtaugh until he finds other counsel, reports NBC12. A preliminary hearing is now set for March 30, 2023. The same day as the hearing, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced that law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan, LLP, will lead an external review of the shooting. Former U.S. Attorney Zachary Terwilliger will also serve as a special counsel for law enforcement issues.

Suit up

New police chief shares goals for CPD

One day after appointing Warrenton Police Chief Michael Kochis as Charlottesville’s next chief, the city held a press conference so Kochis could share his priorities and goals for the department.

Kochis, who has led the WPD since 2020, said he met former CPD chief RaShall Brackney for the first time and had a “very cordial conversation” with her at the city’s police chief candidate forum on November 28, but has not spoken with her since. Brackney has filed a $10 million lawsuit against the city and 10 individuals, alleging she was wrongfully terminated on the basis of her race and gender.

“I don’t know the details of what happened,” said Kochis of Brackney’s lawsuit. “I will say that the accusation of racism … should be taken very seriously. That accusation [against] anyone deserves a full and thorough investigation. And if I had any evidence that that would be occurring, it would be dealt with.”

The new chief said he will immediately begin developing a strategic plan for the department, and directly involve CPD staff, the Police Civilian Oversight Board, community members, and other stakeholders in the process.

Acknowledging the rift between the CPD and the community, Kochis emphasized the importance of facilitating “real-life conversations” between police and area residents, as well as requiring officers to spend time in the community, to build trust. He also suggested creating a community action team, a reform he implemented in Warrenton, and utilizing the department’s citizens police academy.

“In order for me to understand your expectations, it’s going to take a lot of conversations, me being present in those communities, and listening to a lot of people,” said Kochis. “[This] is a community that is screaming to be … involved in their police department.”

To put an end to the recent spike in shootings in the city, the department and residents must work together, especially regarding juvenile gun violence, Kochis said. Police need to alert parents to the warning signs that their child is “going down the wrong path,” and

speak with both youth and parents to get their ideas on preventing gun violence.

“We need to sit down and understand what types of programs we have in the city that allow law enforcement … to be involved with youth at a young age so they see them as a positive role model … other than what they may see from another gang member,” said Kochis.

The new chief also expressed support for violence intervention and prevention efforts, like the B.U.C.K. Squad.

“[The squad] can meet with youth that will talk with them and maybe not talk with the police, and they can prevent a crime. … I think it’s a great thing,” said Kochis. “I hope we can partner with them.”

Additionally, recruitment and retention are among Kochis’ top priorities—the CPD has a severe staffing shortage. He stressed the importance of creating a positive public image to attract quality candidates.

Kochis’ first day on the job is January 16.

Beloved Community Cville, calling on UVA President Jim Ryan to advocate for gun violence prevention policies and laws

Venable Elementary will now be known as Trailblazers, which honors the 12 Black students who first attended the city’s all-white schools.

STAFF PHOTO

Newly appointed Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis shared his priorities for the department during a December 6 press conference.

Is anyone listening?

Demand grows stronger for more gun control legislation in Virginia

By Kristin O’Donoghue

The first 17 rings commemorated the victims of mass shootings that have occurred since Sandy Hook. The 18th commemorated the 611 other mass shootings that have taken place on U.S. soil.

Approximately 30 people gathered on the Downtown Mall for the 10th annual vigil to remember those harmed by gun violence. The first vigil was meant to honor the 27 victims of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Now, it honors the thousands of people killed in mass shootings since.

Members of the Charlottesville Coalition for Gun Violence Prevention organized the vigil and addressed the crowd gathered. Calls to action followed the collective reflection. Members of the group urged participants to email their legislators to support common sense gun control legislation.

“We are Americans,” chanted participants.

Within 10 days, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s heart supposedly broke—twice.

On November 13, 2022, an act of gun violence left three bright stars at the University of Virginia dead, two others wounded, and a community in mourning. Just nine days later, a man shot and killed six people and injured several others at a Walmart in Chesapeake before killing himself.

The people of the commonwealth turned to their governor to ask if he would do anything to change state gun laws, to prevent such acts of violence from hurting them and their community members again. His response? “Today’s not the time.”

“It is really a moment to reflect on the state of mind of the nation and Virginia and this

tion organization Everytown, 1,065 people die by guns in an average year in Virginia.

Bob McAdams, who leads the Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice, characterized Youngkin’s comments as a “delaying tactic” used to avoid talking about meaningful action. “Mental health problems afflict people in every country,” McAdams said, “but mass shootings are a uniquely American problem caused by the ready availability of guns.”

Between 2018 and 2021, emergency room visits for gun-related injuries in Virginia increased by 72 percent. Black patients, and Black men in particular, are disproportionately represented: The rate of emergency room visits for Black Virginians is nearly triple that of white Virginians. Young adults aged 18-24 have some of the highest rates of gun-related injuries.

The University of Virginia has engaged in comforting acts of togetherness in response to a difficult period of devastating loss. Students planned memorial runs that were replicated across the country. Vigils were held and flowers were placed around Grounds in honor of the three young men killed. Community organizations shared meals and enjoyed each other’s company as they grieved.

Nomi Dave, associate professor and director of graduate studies and co-director of the Sound Justice Lab at UVA, has been working on gun violence prevention in the Charlottesville community since 2017.

Dave believes that Youngkin’s comment “ignores the very real impact of guns that all members of our society are constantly living with.”

“Recent research shows that guns are now

tired of Youngkin’s “excuse,” which she hears from too many politicians who “prevent meaningful change from ever taking place.”

When asked how the Charlottesville community should respond to Youngkin’s refusal to talk about guns, Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise said, “It is important to allow space to grieve and remember the precious lives taken after a tragedy. But when it comes to gun violence, there is no time to spare. Elected officials have a responsibility to do everything they can to protect our communities.”

Hockley, whose son Dylan was killed during the shooting at Sandy Hook, said that while it is important to hold our elected officials accountable, we all have a role to play in prevention. “That includes understanding what the warning signs are and how to get help when seeing them, as well as having conversations about what safe gun ownership looks like for your community and voting for your values in election cycles.”

State Senator Creigh Deeds believes that blaming mental illness does nothing to solve the problem posed by guns. “Now is not the time to avoid talking about guns. It’s easy to blame mental health issues whenever a tragedy occurs, but the truth is people experienc “Mass

shootings are a

About 30 people gathered on the Downtown Mall December 10 for the 10th annual vigil to remember those harmed by gun violence.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

Plaintiff balks

County cop moves to force settlement

By Lisa Provence

The long-running lawsuit accusing an Albemarle police officer of racial profiling was back in federal court— this time for the defendant’s motion to enforce a September settlement agreement, to which seven of the eight plaintiffs mostly agreed.

The suit against Andrew Holmes, now a detective, was originally filed in February 2016. Plaintiffs Bianca Johnson and Delmar Canada said Holmes showed up at their home around midnight on a Friday in 2014 with a warrant to search for a piece of paper—a DMV license suspension that Canada said he’d never received when Holmes pulled him over earlier that week.

Holmes stopped Rodney Hubbard and his mother Savannah Hubbard on U.S. 29 in 2015, and claimed he smelled marijuana, a police tactic for warrantless searches outlawed in Virginia in 2021. He searched Rodney, including his groin, handcuffed him, and held the Hubbards for several hours while searching their car—finding no drugs, according to the complaint.

Plaintiffs Leon Polk, former UVA football player Malcolm Cook, Cory Grady, and Sergio Harris were similarly stopped under dubious pretexts and searched by Holmes, according to their complaints.

On the second day of a March 2018 jury trial, Judge Norman Moon dismissed the case, saying there was no evidence Holmes did not treat other races in the same manner, despite evidence that the sector Holmes worked in 2015 was 68 percent white and 18 percent Black, yet 51 percent of the summons he issued were to African Americans. That same year, 22 percent of the tickets county cops wrote were to Black drivers and 74 percent to white.

The U.S Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit remanded the case back to Moon in 2019, and it was scheduled for a jury trial in September. Days before the trial, plaintiffs’ attorney Jeff Fogel and Holmes’ attorney Jim

Guynn, aided by federal Magistrate Judge Joel Hoppe, reached a settlement agreement.

Guynn testified he would only agree to a “global settlement,” meaning all the plaintiffs signed on or it didn’t happen. Fogel insisted a non-disparagement clause in the settlement was a deal-breaker and that was removed. And the parties agreed to keep the amount of the settlement confidential.

Ironically, Fogel filed a suit in April against the City of Charlottesville for not

revealing police misconduct settlement amounts.

Hubbard, the hold-out plaintiff, refused to sign on, and accused Fogel of misrepresentation. Fogel’s motion to be removed as Hubbard’s counsel was granted October 4.

Meanwhile, Guynn filed a motion to force the settlement agreement, and that brought the parties to a December 9 Zoom hearing in U.S. District Court, along with Hubbard’s new Norfolk attorney, S.W. Dawson. Not present at the Zoom hearing: defendant Holmes, whom the county named detective of the year in 2021.

Moon instructed the witnesses not to mention the amount of the settlement unless necessary. However, from testimony and court filings, it appears the county wanted to settle for $35,000 for each plaintiff, while in the first go at mediation in January, Hubbard believed the plaintiffs should receive the “extraordinary amount of $45 million,” said Fogel.

In a motion opposing Fogel withdrawing as his attorney, Hubbard said he would settle for $3.8 million and did not agree to $35,000.

At one point, some plaintiffs agreed to take less so Hubbard and Harris could get $50,000. Cook, now a police officer in Alexandria, testified that he told Fogel that was the lowest they’d take. Both Hubbard and Harris disagreed with that account. And Polk testified that in a Zoom meeting with other plaintiffs, he said he “didn’t think it was fair because everyone was not getting the same.”

Moon did not rule on the motion, and ordered the parties to submit findings of fact and agreements of law by December 16.

The plaintiffs are “frustrated and tired,” says Bianca Johnson. But they’re united in bringing awareness to racial profiling, both here and throughout the country, she says. The suit, now approaching its seventh anniversary, is “for awareness to stop the bad policing that many African Americans, especially men, deal with on a daily basis.”

The suit is “for awareness to stop the bad policing that many African Americans, especially men, deal with on a daily basis.”

PLAINTIFF BIANCA JOHNSON

Detective Andrew Holmes leaves federal court in 2018 after the racial profiling case against him was dismissed. An appeals court did not agree with that ruling, and the case is ongoing.

STAFF PHOTO

‘People can’t get well in a cell’

JAIL RENOVATIONS INCREASE CALLS FOR MENTAL HEALTH REFORMS

blue paint, allow the jail to put up to two people in a cell, but there is one person in each at the moment. Still, when people are allowed to leave their cramped cells and use the common space throughout the day, everyone—and everything—is visible to the entire block.

Kumer points me to the block’s A/C system, which does not remove humidity, making the hot Virginia summers even more unbearable for those incarcerated here. There are no fresh-air intake vents, or air filtration systems, significantly increasing the chance of COVID and other airborne diseases spreading around the jail. The entire space appears very unsanitary—the communal shower, shared by up to a dozen people when the cell block is full, looks like it has not been cleaned in a long time. Before we leave the block, bathed in harsh fluorescent lights, Kumer motions to several bargrate windows that let no natural sunlight in.

rumbling paint. Exposed pipes. Cracked floors. As I walk through the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, it is clear the 48-year-old facility is in horrible condition.

When ACRJ Superintendent Martin Kumer guides me to a cell block in the older section of the jail, built in 1974, my eyes are immediately drawn to the small silver toilets, tan sinks resting directly above them, inside of each 7-by-5 cell, offering no privacy. The metal bunk beds, covered in chipped

The jail’s poor state does not come as a surprise to me. Since the beginning of the pandemic, people incarcerated here have called attention to the facility’s host of health and sanitary issues, including black mold, faulty wiring, leaky ceilings, poor plumbing, freezing temperatures, bug infestations, standing water, and shoddy COVID containment procedures. Seeing these conditions firsthand is no less disturbing.

Kumer takes me past a gym, classroom, visitation room, and small outdoor recreation space before we stop at the intake unit, located in the newer section of the jail. Because the facility has no ded-

BY BRIELLE ENTZMINGER

icated mental health unit, people who are experiencing mental health crises and need to be separated from the general population are taken here, where they can be monitored at all times. We see a man inside a small single-person cell, his distressed face visible through the door’s window. The superintendent thinks he recognizes the man, and believes he may be on suicide watch. Staff will ensure the man does not harm himself, but the intake unit’s environment—especially its bright, 24/7 lights—does little to de-escalate mental health crises, and may even worsen them, Kumer admits.

“It’s the best we have,” he says, sighing.

Acknowledging these unsettling conditions, jail leadership has begun taking steps to renovate the facility, which serves the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle and Nelson counties. But the massive project and its $49 million estimated price tag has sparked pushback, particularly regarding the proposed mental health unit. Some community members have called on Charlottesville to invest in local mental health resources and programs instead—and do more to prevent people with mental health conditions from entering the criminal justice system at all.

PROPOSED RENOVATIONS

In 2000, the jail added three new housing units, each holding up to 40 people. Compared to the older portion of the jail, these units appear to be

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in better condition. The bigger cells can house up to four people, but typically two or three people are put in each. There’s also a larger common space, and plexiglass windows instead of bargrate. A gym, medical unit, and other necessities are located next to each housing unit.

The ACRJ, however, currently houses its entire population in the older cell blocks, in addition to the medical, intake, and other units—only those who have tested positive for COVID and need to quarantine are held in one of the newer housing units, largely due to the jail’s low population and staffing shortage. As of December 12, the jail’s population is 262 people, 67 below its rated capacity of 329.

To use these units, “you have to find enough people, 40 or more, who can get along 24/7, otherwise the housing area would be chaotic and unsafe,” Kumer says. “We have a relatively small population with several different issues that make it impossible to find enough people to efficiently use those spaces. Those issues include co-defendants, individuals testifying against others, people who have had issues [with each other], [and] gangs.”

Though the jail could house smaller groups of people who get along with each other in a new unit, it does not have enough staff for a low officer-toindividual ratio—in the older section’s general population areas, each employee is able to supervise between one and 60 individuals, or more.

The $49 million project will completely demolish and rebuild one older jail wing, while renovating the rest of the facility. In addition to upgrading and replacing the HVAC units, electric systems, lighting, and air filtration, the renovation will create an outdoor recreation space and larger visitation area, as well as add more classrooms, programming space, and administrative offices. Housing areas will be revamped with larger common spaces, natural sunlight, sound-deadening materials, plexiglass, and more showers and private toilets.

After the renovation, the jail will house its population in the renovated 1974 section, which will have larger cells. The 2000 section will be used when necessary, depending on the jail’s staffing.

Though the renovation will enlarge the jail’s square footage, it will not add more beds, or increase its capacity. After conducting a needs assessment— which examined crime trends, criminal justice reforms, and other factors in the three localities—jail leadership determined the facility’s population would not increase substantially in the future.

However, the renovations will demolish 40 beds in an old wing, and move them to a new dedicated mental health unit, featuring sound-absorbing materials, anxiety-reducing colors, and other elements of trauma-informed design. The unit will house people with mental health conditions, as well as other people who need to be separated from the general population, until “they are stable enough to be housed in the general population, transferred to a state hospital, entered into the therapeutic docket, or released,” says Kumer.

From July 2015 to July 2021, approximately 33 percent of the people held long enough at ACRJ to receive the Brief Jail Mental Health Screener (at least 24 to 48 hours) met the minimum screening criteria for serious mental illness, according to findings by the 2021-22 UVA Systems Engineering Capstone Team.

“Consistently, we have found that between 25 and 33 percent of ACRJ inmates meet the minimum screening criteria for serious mental illness,” says Jefferson Area Community Criminal Justice Board planner Neal Goodloe. “We have also found that one in four former inmates are treated for either a physical or behavioral health issue at UVA’s Emer-

gency Department within one month of their release from custody.”

“The majority of individuals we see are those who suffer from severe depression, mood disorders, anxiety, bipolar [disorder], and personality disorders that can be effectively treated with medication,” says Kumer. Individuals diagnosed with more severe mental illnesses “who are a harm to themselves or others or cannot care for themselves” are transferred to a state mental hospital until they are stable enough to return to ACRJ.

Like the rest of the jail, the new unit will have individual cells and a common area, which people will have access to during the day. Individuals who cannot safely socialize with others will have limited access to the common area.

“The purpose of the unit is to provide an environment that reduces the potential traumatizing effect that incarceration can have on individuals, especially those with mental illness,” says Kumer.

In March, the ACRJ board authority passed a resolution asking the Virginia Board of Local and Regional Jails to consider approving the renovation project, and requesting the state cover 25 percent of the cost. Cyndra Van Clief, a Republican and self-described fiscal conservative, was the only board member who voted against the resolution, citing concerns about the project’s high cost and a desire for more public input. In April, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors voted to remove her from the jail board for her “failure to act in the County’s best interest,” she told CVILLE in May.

The state is expected to contribute $12.5 million to the renovation, and the three member localities will be on the hook for the rest. Each locality will pay a portion of the renovation cost equivalent to their jail beds usage—Albemarle uses about 45 percent of the beds, while Charlottesville uses around 40 percent, and Nelson about 15 percent.

COMMUNITY BACKLASH

Some community members and activists have spoken out against the $49 million project, particu-

larly the proposed mental health unit. Instead of investing millions into the jail, they argue the city should increase its funding and support of mental health resources and programs.

“You can’t get well in a jail,” says city resident Gloria Beard. “If anything, if I was put in a jail and my mental health was bad … I think it would make me worse being locked up.”

“The treatment … in [the new unit] will not be any different,” adds Kate Fraleigh. “They won’t be hiring any new staff to provide more services. The only thing that will be different is that it will just look different.”

Kumer argues that medication is the only form of treatment the jail can provide, due to the short stays of individuals—typically 30 to 40 days. “Talk therapy or group therapy can take months or years to be truly effective,” he says. “Individual and group therapies are more common in prisons, since those individuals’ release dates are known and they will be incarcerated for potentially several years.”

Harold Folley of the People’s Coalition points to the closure of Region Ten’s Wellness Center as an example of the desperate need for investment in local mental health resources. This year, Region Ten—which serves six localities including Charlottesville and Albemarle County—paused admissions to the 16-bed center, a short-term residential stabilization program for adults experiencing an acute mental health crisis, due to staffing shortages. It hopes to reopen the center in January 2023, according to Community Relations Director Joanna Jennings.

“How can we increase the funds in the places that we need?” asks Folley. “Instead of being reactive, how can we be proactive?”

Fraleigh questions why the renovations cannot reduce the jail’s size, and in turn, come at a cheaper price, citing the area’s dwindling crime rate. From 2012 to 2021, crime in Charlottesville and Albemarle decreased significantly, according to data compiled by Goodloe. Under Charlottesville and Albemarle commonwealth’s attorneys Joe Platania and Jim Hingeley, progressive reforms, including the drug treatment court and restorative justice

December 14 –20, 2022 c-ville.com @cville_weekly facebook.com/cville.weekly

ACRJ Superintendent Martin Kumer is spearheading the jail’s proposed $49 million renovation project.

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Local activist Harold Folley calls for increased investment in community health resources and programs instead of incarceration.

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program, have also diverted people from incarceration. This year, Nelson County started a drug treatment court, too.

“My issue is not the renovation at all. It needs to be done. [The jail is] terrible. The old section is really, really bad. … My objection is how much money is going to be spent,” Fraleigh says. “There will be fewer people in the jail anyway because … crime is dropping.”

The jail’s current low population does not guarantee it will not rise again in the future, making it financially unwise to reduce the jail’s size and capacity now, Kumer says. “In the long run it would be significantly more expensive to at some point have to rebuild a facility you just paid to have demolished.”

The jail will not have any cost savings after the renovations, he adds.

Still, the city can do more to address the root causes of crime, says Ang Conn of Charlottesville Beyond Policing, including by creating a mental health crisis response team.

“Jails, prisons, and detention centers have and never will be designed to rehabilitate but rather continue to disappear those who are most in need of support services,” says Conn. “While some may believe that reform is the key to resolve the immediate needs, true resolve will come from a transformative approach outside of the carceral state.”

BOARD DIVISION

After working for Region Ten for more than 10 years, Charlottesville City Councilor and ACRJ Authority Board member Sena Magill says she understands the community’s concerns over the renovations and mental health unit, but adds the issue is “so much more complicated,” pointing to the cracks in Virginia’s mental health care system.

Since Virginia expanded Medicaid in 2019, the program has increased its coverage of mental health care services. However, Medicaid’s strict reimbursement conditions and inadequate reimbursement rates have contributed to staffing shortages on community service boards like Region Ten, as well as other state mental health care providers, for years. And some services aren’t covered by Medicaid or private insurance, requiring community service boards to try to fill those gaps—leaving even less money available to pay their staff, explains Magill.

“That state has made it so complicated to give services to people,” says Magill, who served as Region Ten’s director of intensive services from 1999 to 2010, and later served on the organization’s board of directors. “People are leaving [community service boards] in droves because it’s just not affordable for them anymore to stay working there.”

Magill claims the funding for the new mental health unit will not be enough to solve the staffing crisis at Region Ten. Until the state boosts community service board funding, improves Medicaid reimbursement, and takes additional steps to fix its mental health care system, “we’re going to see people [with mental health conditions] in jails,” she says.

“We need massive state infusions. … They got the money,” she adds, citing Virginia’s $654 million Medicaid surplus last year.

Additionally, mental health care resources and programs cannot entirely prevent people with mental health conditions from being put in jail, says Magill, explaining the need for the mental health unit. “Sometimes someone with a mental health issue

commits a crime that has nothing to do with their mental illness. [And] being in jail can set off your symptoms of mental illness,” she says. “The jail needs to be able to do the least amount of damage. It’s not supposed to be treating mental illness … that’s not its purpose.”

Jail board member Lisa Draine, Charlottesville’s citizen representative, says that if she could vote again on the state funding request for the renovations today, she would vote against it, echoing community concerns over the hefty price tag.

When Kumer brought the request to the board for approval in March, “I assumed nothing was set in stone. The three jurisdictions had not been asked for funding for the renovation. … I hoped we as a board would have the opportunity to further discuss the renovations,” says Draine. “If I could do it all again, knowing what I know now, I would change my vote.”

“There’s no question that the jail is in bad shape … but we don’t need to spend this kind of money,” explains Draine, who joined the board in October 2021 when the renovation planning process was already underway. “Should we be putting $49 million of taxpayer money into this facility in which the population is decreasing, instead of putting that money into community solutions and programs that address the root causes that would lead somebody to end up in the criminal legal system?”

Kumer emphasizes that the state funding request is non-binding, and the jail board and leadership can explore ways to cut down the renovation costs. The member jurisdictions can also choose not to move forward with the project in the future.

Draine says she has asked the board multiple times to further discuss the renovation costs, but so far, those conversations have not happened. She hopes jail leadership and the board can find a way to reduce the renovation costs, and leave more funding available for community resources and programs addressing mental health, poverty, and other issues.

Jail board Chairperson and Albemarle County Supervisor Diantha McKeel says there will be “many more discussions to follow in 2023 with the com-

munity, service providers, ACRJ inmates, and staff regarding a final design. The current estimate … is only that, an estimate, as required by the [state Department of Corrections] process to submit for 25 percent reimbursement from the state.”

“I certainly understand the concerns around the cost,” McKeel adds. “There will be many opportunities [for] … discussion regarding reduction of cost.”

To cut costs, Draine suggests the jail move its population into the newer wing, make repairs and upgrades to “the infrastructure most in need,” and demolish the 1974 wing entirely.

According to Kumer, the newer housing units are not large enough to do that. “The new section was designed to hold 120 people. … It would be irresponsible to reduce the capacity of the facility to the point that it doesn’t serve the current needs, let alone the future unforeseen needs,” he says. “Several of the jail’s primary services are located in the old section and would have to be maintained. Even if the jail’s population was somehow guaranteed to be 120 people or less … it would be unlikely they could all be housed safely and effectively in three pods.”

Regardless of the project’s final cost, the jail has a strong need for a mental health unit, Kumer says. “I agree people can’t get well in a cell … but I have no control over who comes through that back door.”

MENTAL HEALTH REFORMS

In response to community and nationwide calls for criminal justice reform, several programs aiming to divert people with mental illnesses from the criminal justice system and reduce police involvement in mental health crisis response have been implemented in the Charlottesville area.

In 2018, Offender Aid and Restoration-Jefferson Area Community Corrections created the therapeutic docket, which allows defendants diagnosed with serious mental illnesses to receive mental health treatment, and be diverted from incarceration in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Since

Kumer gave C-VILLE a tour of the jail, showing the facility’s poor condition.

STAFF PHOTOS

Jail board member Lisa Draine is concerned about the renovation project’s high cost.

EZE AMOS

then, 169 people have participated in the program, something that takes a minimum of nine months to complete. The county and state each fund onefourth of the program’s costs, while the city covers the other half.

Major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder are among the mental illnesses often seen among docket participants. Many also have substance abuse disorders. “These are people that are clinically diagnosed with needing help, are generally on medication, have some history of treatment … and often have had multiple run-ins with the criminal justice system,” explains OAR Executive Director Ross Carew.

When defendants are referred to the therapeutic docket, docket coordinator Jennifer Scott and Region Ten conduct an assessment to determine the influence of mental illness on the offenses they are charged with, before presenting their findings to the court. Defendants must agree in court to participate in the docket, and the judge or commonwealth’s attorney can approve or reject their participation request.

While defendants must plead guilty to their charges in order to participate in the docket, the charges are usually reduced to a misdemeanor with a suspended sentence, or dismissed, upon their completion of the program. The program is limited to Charlottesville and Albemarle residents who are charged with misdemeanors, or felonies that can be “safely reduced” to misdemeanors, says Scott.

Upon beginning the docket program, participants meet with a Region Ten clinician and Scott, and attend group therapy at least once a week. They also do regular court check ins. To assist them throughout the program—which often takes a year to complete—they are connected with a Partner for Mental Health navigator. At any point, participants can choose to leave the program, and continue with their case in regular court.

“We try to wrap people as holistically as possible so they have a support network to build the skills so that when it comes time for graduation, they’ve had a period of success,” says Carew.

After graduation, participants are encouraged to continue to receive the services they did while in

the program, but they are not required to. Some of them continue with their treatment, and stay in touch with OAR, says Scott.

OAR does not have data yet regarding participant recidivism, but says the program has had a positive impact. According to the Virginia Supreme Court’s 2021 Behavioral Health Docket annual report, “preliminary research, although still very limited, demonstrates that Behavioral Health Docket participants tend to have lower rates of criminal activity and increased linkages to treatment services, when compared to defendants with mental illnesses who go through the traditional court system.”

The docket currently has a long waiting list. OAR plans to ask the county to contribute the same amount of funding as the city so the docket can take on significantly more participants. OAR has also discussed expanding the docket into felony court and the adult side of juvenile and domestic relations court, but “there needs to be more resources before we can do that,” says Carew.

This year, the Albemarle County Police Department opened a Crisis Intervention Team Assessment Center through a partnership with Region Ten, offering care to individuals experiencing mental health crises outside of the criminal justice system.

When the Emergency Communication Center receives a 911 call regarding someone experiencing a mental health crisis in the county, an ACPD officer responds to the call and speaks with the individual, then reaches out to the CITAC and speaks with a Region Ten mental health professional about the case. The professional decides if the person meets the criteria to be brought to the center, where they can be connected quickly with resources and treatment, instead of the hospital, explains ACPD Lieutenant Jeremy Wood.

However, the department’s response to mental health calls will soon change again. In the county’s FY23 budget, the Board of Supervisors funded a new Human Services Alternative Response Team. Managed by the county social services department, in collaboration with the police and fire rescue departments, the team will consist of “a police officer, firefighter/paramedic, and human services

worker, [and] will respond to incidents where a person is in crisis,” says social services department director Kaki Dimock. “The team will adjust their response based on each situation to ensure the safety and best outcome for the individuals involved and the team members responding.”

A mental health crisis response team will eventually come to Charlottesville, thanks to Virginia’s Marcus-David Peters Act, named in honor of a 24-year-old Black high school biology teacher who was killed by a Richmond police officer during a severe mental health crisis in 2018.

Passed in 2020, the law initially required localities to create a 988 number for mental health crises, and to develop protocols by July 2022 for when behavioral health experts, instead of law enforcement, will respond to crises related to mental health, substance use, and developmental disabilities. But in March, the Republican-majority General Assembly passed a bill allowing localities with populations of less than 40,000 to opt out of the system, and giving those with more than 40,000 residents until July 1, 2028, to implement the system.

Last year, the city’s Marcus Alert work group began exploring how to develop the new system. And this year, the city allocated funds for it—but with the state’s fluctuating deadlines and requirements, it remains unclear when it will be implemented in Charlottesville, which has around 46,000 residents. For Region Ten, the current expectation is for all six of its member localities to implement the system. Marcus Alert legislation will be revisited during the next General Assembly legislative session, according to Jennings.

Magill says Charlottesville’s severe staffing shortage has also slowed down the Marcus Alert implementation process—it currently has around 70 job openings. However, the city plans to look to the county for guidance in the near future.

The shortage “is impacting everything. … New initiatives take time and energy, and we have to have staff to do that,” says Magill. “We really want to see what Albemarle’s doing … and learn from them.”

PUSHING FORWARD

As various mental health reforms work to expand or get off the ground in the Charlottesville area, the ACRJ’s massive renovation project is pushing forward.

Charlottesville, Albemarle, and Nelson have passed resolutions supporting the jail’s request for state funding for the project. The Virginia Board of Local and Regional Jails has also recommended the state fulfill the jail’s funding request.

During the next legislative session, the General Assembly is expected to review the BLRJ’s recommendation. “At the same time, [the jail’s] member jurisdictions will hear from Davenport Financial Consulting, and consider the request for interim financing that will fund the planning phase of the project. The funds would be used to finance architecture and engineering services to get the project bid ready,” says Kumer.

If the state approves the funding request, the jail plans to advertise a request for proposals, and hire an architectural engineering firm for the renovations next June. The firm will “work with the community and stakeholders to determine the actual renovation design,” says McKeel. “After that, engagement … followed by value engineering and receipt of construction bids [we will] be able to determine an actual cost.” The final cost will be paid by a bond issued by the ACRJ authority.

Construction is estimated to begin in August 2024 and finish in November 2025.

Charlottesville City Councilor and jail board member Sena Magill laments the cracks in Virginia’s mental health care system.

Albemarle County Supervisor and jail board chairperson Diantha McKeel says there will be “many more discussions” about the jail renovations next year.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

Give the gift of relaxation with Outdoor Living Spaces

SATURDAY 12/17 & SUNDAY 12/18

KEEPING IT

SUITE

At Charlottesville Ballet’s The Nutcracker, Clara and her Nutcracker embark on a magical Christmas Eve journey, during which they battle the vicious Mouse King, dance with merry snowflakes, and enter the enchanting Land of Sweets. CB’s professional company brings the holiday classic to life with the help of over 100 community dancers, Tchaikovsky’s treasured score, and a whimsical snowfall inspired by Massanutten Resort. Free-$75, various times. PVCC’s V. Earl Dickinson Theater, 501 College Dr. charlottesvilleballet.org

THROUGH 12/30

HA HA HUMBUG

If you’re feeling a little Grinchy, the American Shakespeare Center’s production of A Christmas Carol is sure to turn that frown upside down. The immersive show follows miserly Ebenezer Scrooge as he gets a visit from the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Audience members should arrive early so they have time to take in the awe-inspiring playhouse, the world’s only recreation of Shakespeare’s Blackfriars Theatre, before finding their seats for a jaunty cast-led singalong of holiday tunes. $27-54, various times. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

THURSDAY 12/15

GET YOUR JOLLIES

Deck the halls, throw back some eggnog, and cut loose at the 15th Annual Xmas Jam. The evening features a lineup of local musicians performing old favorites, new surprises, and holiday hits, and the gig benefits The Front Porch. Hosts Tucker Rogers and BJ Pendleton keep the festivities rolling between sets by Andy Waldeck, Joe Lawlor, members of Ebony Groove, Sally Rose, John D’earth, Travis Elliott, members of Disco Risqué, Chamomile & Whiskey, Kristen Rae Bowden, and many more. $12-40, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

AMY WOLF

PHOTO

Wednesday 12/14

music

Beleza Duo. With Madeline Holly-Sales on vocals and keys, Berto Sales on guitar, voice, and loops. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Hard Swimmin’ Fish trio. A midweek music boost. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskey jarcville.com

Holiday Music Series: The Charlottesville Opera. Sharin Apostolou, Ryan MacPherson, and Shelby Sender perform their holiday carol interpretations. Free, 6pm. Quirk Hotel Charlottesville, 499 W. Main St. quirkhotels.com

Joe Pug. With Will Overman. $25-30, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Julian Lage. The guitarist expands his horizons on View With A Room, a collection of original compositions. $23-83, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Karaoke with Jenn DeVille. Sign up to sing or just enjoy the tunes. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

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

etc.

A Christmas Story You’ll shoot your eye out! $11, 7pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Daily Tour of Indigenous Australian Art. Explore the only museum in the U.S. devoted to Indigenous Australian art. Free, 10:30am and 1:30pm. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org

Thursday 12/15

music

15th Annual Xmas Jam. Local musicians perform to benefit The Front Porch. $12-40, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Berto & Vincent. Wild gypsy rumba. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

John Shanesy and The Accommodation. The five-piece performs classics and an array of original outlaw-style country music. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Trans Siberian Orchestra. Performing The Ghosts of Christmas Eve tour. $49.50 and up, 7pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 295 Massie Rd. johnpauljonesarena.com

etc.

Daily Tour of Indigenous Australian Art. See listing for Wednesday, December 14. Free, 10:30am and 1:30pm. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org

Trivia & Thai. Preorder dinner from Chimm and put your thinking caps on. Free, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Friday 12/16

music

A Very Pollocks Christmas. A pub-style show with plenty of good cheer. $15, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Hard Swimmin’ Fish. A roots music throwdown. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glass housewinery.com

Travis Elliott. The guitarist performs live, with food from Crustworthy Pizza. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

dance

Kizomba Fridays. A bi-monthly social in Kizomba and related dance. Free, 8pm. Ashtanga Yoga of Charlottesville, 906 Monticello Rd. core4kizomba@gmail.com

stage

Elf: The Musical Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. $10-20, 8pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org

outside

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

Veritas Illuminated. The grove and vines of Veritas winery come alive with sparkling holiday lights and decorations. $10-15, 5:15pm. Veritas Vineyards and Winery, 151 Veritas Ln., Afton. veritaswines.com

etc.

Daily Tour of Indigenous Australian Art. See listing for Wednesday, December 14. Free, 10:30am and 1:30pm. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org

Saturday 12/17

music

A Holiday Evening with Will Overman. A special set for true fans and new fans alike. $12, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Anthony Semiao. Live music, wine, and food from the Eastwood food truck. Free, 1pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Berto. Enjoy the sounds of Brazil, Spain, and Latin America. Free, 11am. Tavern & Grocery, 333 W. Main St. tavernandgrocery.com

The Michael Elswick Gathering. Enjoy wine and music with friends. Free, 1pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

The Oratorio Society of Virginia Presents: Christmas at The Paramount. Director Michael Slon and 80 community singers perform traditional favorites and arrangements of holiday classics. $10-54, 2:30 and 7:30pm.

The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

CULTURE SMALL BITES

WINE ON THE MOVE, BRINSON GOES BIG ON BRUNCH, AND MORE

PIZZA POPS ON THE SCENE

Who moved my wine and cheese?

The Wine Guild of Charlottesville has officially moved into a new location at 600 Concord Ave., next door to Ace Biscuit & BBQ. For years, the Guild has been Charlottesville’s go-to spot for its finely curated selection of wine and beer, acting as a personal sommelier to its members and retail customers for over a decade. Owners Priscilla and Will Curley have expanded the wine bar, and say traditional Wednesday tastings will continue, plus an educational series launching in the new year. “The additional space means we can offer more interesting wine from around the world,” says Will, along with “a small kitchen serving great drinking snacks: cheese and meat plates, olives, almonds, and plenty of tinned fish.” Check them out at wineguildcville.com.

French connections

Wine from Charlottesville is journeying further than just across town. Local winemaker Michael Shaps recently presented his wine brands at the Paris home of the U.S. ambassador to France for a gathering of 400 guests. “It means a lot to me to receive such positive feedback from numerous dignitaries at such a historic and prominent place,” says Shaps. “I like to think that Jefferson, who I believe was as enamored of French wines as much as I am, would appreciate this celebration of the French and American collaboration of wine.”

Cheffing to the Max on HBO

Charlottesville’s outstanding food scene got some national attention recently when chef Antwon Brinson of Culinary Concepts AB was chosen to compete in “The Big Brunch,” a new reality TV show by Dan

Levy and the creators of “Schitt’s Creek.” The competition began streaming November 10 on HBO Max, with 10 guests chosen for their cooking prowess, compelling stories, and a chance to take home $300 thousand for their individual cause. While we won’t reveal the ending for you late streamers (okay, one spoiler: Brinson is a cinnamon bun), we can say the show is enticingly shot, drool-provoking, and reveals the deep emotional core at the center of good food. With his Culinary Concepts, Brinson offers career training and life skills to underserved individuals who hope to break into the hospitality industry, all while building community and promoting unity.

Twinkle and fade

After just four years, Little Star restaurant, known for its contemporary Spanish fusion cuisine, has closed its doors. After chef and owner Ryan Collins stepped back from the restaurant earlier this year, Little Star announced it was closing permanently on November 5, leaving foodies around town mourning the loss of signatures dishes such as the Shibbity Dibbities, Pan Tomate with Manchego, and the Grilled Flank Steak.

Popped up

Popitos Wood Fired Pizza started in a backyard in Forest Lakes when Lauren and Ray Zayas began serving family and friends at small gatherings. The pizza was so popular that they expanded into a mobile kitchen, and estimate that they served over 1,500 pizzas at various music festivals, farmers’ markets, and school fundraisers. Now they are quick-firing pies at a new brick-and-mortar location in Rio Hill Shopping Center, next to Kroger. Pop by for a traditional margherita, the Fun Guy with pesto drizzle, or the Hot Pig with bacon and jalapeños—and don’t forget an arancini from the snack menu.—Will Ham

December 14 –20, 2022 c-ville.com @cville_culture facebook.com/cville.weekly

HBO MAX

Antwon Brinson is one of the competitors on HBO Max’s cooking competition “The Big Brunch.”

Saturday 12/17

Sunna Gunnlaugs. The Icelandic pianist and composer performs with her trio. $12-15, 7pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. cvillejazz.org

stage

Elf: The Musical See listing for Friday, December 16. $10-20, 8pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org

words

Storytime. Featuring recent storybooks and classics kids know and love. Free, 11am. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com

outside

Charlottesville Holiday Market. Handcrafted items from a variety of artisans. Free, 8am. Charlottesville City Market, 100 Water St. E. charlottesville.gov

Jolly Holly Trolley. Take a ride down the mall every weekend this holiday season. Free, noon. The Downtown Mall. friends ofcville.org

Playdates at the Playscape. See listing for Friday, December 16. $20, 9:30am. Wildrock, 6600 Blackwells Hollow Rd., Crozet. wildrock.org

Veritas Illuminated. See listing for Friday, December 16. $10-15, 5:15pm. Veritas Vineyards and Winery, 151 Veritas Ln., Afton. veritaswines.com etc.

After Hours at Highland. James Monroe first-person interpreter Beau Robbins, and a private viewing of exhibits in the 1818 guesthouse. $25, 4:30pm. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org

Daily Tour of Indigenous Australian Art. See listing for Wednesday, December 14. Free, 10:30am and 1:30pm. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org

Family Studio Day. Make stamps and use printmaking techniques to personalize holiday cards, gift bags, and gift wrap. Free, 10am. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St SE. secondstreetgallery.org

Selfies with Santa. Share your wish list with Santa and snap a photo for your holiday card. Free, noon. Central Place, Downtown Mall. friendsofcville.org

Wassail. A day and night filled with live music, mulled cider, fire pits, and singalongs. Free, all day. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraft cider.com

The Wind Rises Studio Ghibli’s soaring salute to aviation history. $10, 11:30am. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Sunday 12/18 music

Christmas With Elvis. Starring Matt Lewis with Big Ray and the Kool Kats. $25-35, 7pm. Martin Luther King Jr. Performing Arts Center, 1400 Melbourne Rd. eventbrite.com

Mojo Sweet Potato Pie Christmas Sing along & Pie Share. Sing along to your favorite holiday tunes and bring a pie to share. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glass housewinery.com

stage

Elf: The Musical. See listing for Friday, December 16. $10-20, 2:30pm. Four County Players, 5256 Governor Barbour St., Barboursville. fourcp.org outside

Jolly Holly Trolley. See listing for Saturday, December 17. Free, noon. The Downtown Mall. friendsofcville.org

Veritas Illuminated. See listing for Friday, December 16. $10-15, 5:15pm. Veritas Vineyards and Winery, 151 Veritas Ln., Afton. veritaswines.com etc.

Daily Tour of Indigenous Australian Art. See listing for Wednesday, December 14. Free, 10:30am and 1:30pm. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org

The Holiday Two strangers connect online and swap houses as a means of escaping from the stresses of their lives. $10, 12:30pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Monday 12/19 music

Baby Jo’s. Tunes from the seven-piece, New Orleans-inspired boogie and blues band. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

Beleza Duo. Funkalicious samba soul. Free, 7pm. South and Central Latin Grill, Dairy Market. southandcentralgrill.com

Gin & Jazz. Brian Caputo Trio performs in the hotel lobby bar. Free, 5:30pm. Oakhurst Hall, 122 Oakhurst Cir. oakhurstinn.com

Tuesday 12/20 music

Berto. Enjoy the sounds of Brazil, Spain, and Latin America with Berto Sales. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Thunder Music Karaoke. Show off your vocal chops, or just come enjoy the evening. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. 234-4436

The Lint Collectors. Grooves and leads from resident shredder Evan Sposato and friends. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

classes

Cookie Decorating & Tabletop Wreath Class. Kid-friendly cookie decorating and a mini-holiday table decor workshop for parents. $125, 11am. Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, 5022 Plank Rd., North Garden. pippinhillfarm.com

outside

Playdates at the Playscape. See listing for Friday, December 16. $20, 9:30am. Wildrock, 6600 Blackwells Hollow Rd., Crozet. wildrock.org

Veritas Illuminated. See listing for Friday, December 16. $10-15, 5:15pm. Veritas Vineyards and Winery, 151 Veritas Ln., Afton. veritaswines.com etc.

Daily Tour of Indigenous Australian Art. See listing for Wednesday, December 14 Free, 10:30am and 1:30pm. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org

Family Game Night. Enjoy dinner, refreshing cocktails, mocktails, and beers, and play a variety of games for all ages, including corn hole, jumbo Jenga, cards, and more. Free, 5pm. Dairy Market, 946 Grady Ave. dairymarketcville.com

CULTURE THE WORKS

Shared experience

‘Of Another Canon’ brings 11 acclaimed artists together at JSAAHC

By Sarah Sargent arts@c-ville.com

Untrained and subject to the dual, almost insurmountable, constraints of economics and Jim Crow, the artists on display in “Of Another Canon: African American Outsider Art” at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center possessed a creative fire. Despite cruelly stacked odds, Mozell S. Benson, Rudolph Bostic, Bessie Harvey, Anderson Johnson, Mary Proctor, Bernice Sims, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Annie Mural Tolliver, Mose Ernest Tolliver (aka Mose T), and Ruby Williams persevered in their art, creating work that brims with raw authenticity, joy, and passion.

With the show’s title, the curators place the work, from the collection of Richard and Ellie Wilson, in its own alternate, yet equally valid canon to that of Western art history. They also raise questions about the term “outsider art.”

While it’s a generally accepted way to refer to art made by self-taught artists who operate outside the traditional art world, in this case, the work speaks not just to the individual artist’s experience, but to similar experiences shared by a large group of people. It was a 1982 exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery, “Black Folk Art in America, 1930–1980,” that played a significant role in elevating the art of self-taught African American artists and creating a market for their work. Nearly all the artists represented in this show are now featured in major museum collections. Mose T is widely known, and Williams, who sold her paintings off the back of a truck along with her produce, was the subject of an extensive New York Times obituary in August of this year. With this recognition, I wonder if the artists benefited in any substantial way from their artwork. It’s likely they did not, but it gives me hope that other, similar artists coming up behind them will.

Entering the gallery space, the eye is immediately snagged by Williams’ electric “Piano Playing Cow I Give Better Buttermilk.” I’m betting Picasso, who reputedly once said, “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child,” would envy this odd-footed orange bovine sporting black and white keys running along its back and a toothy, mask-like face. Nearly as riveting, “Ms Bonnie Bon Bonnie with Purse” is a simple composition made exceptional by her weird and wonderful hands.

Mose T, Sudduth, and Johnson share a similar approach. For the most part, they rely on vibrant color and bold shapes to render figures against flat expanses of pigment or just plain plywood—as in the case of “Self-Portrait with Willie Mae.” T’s so-

phisticated sense of color and composition is laid bare in this painting and in his “Portrait of a Woman with Baby.” A similar sensibility is echoed in the work of Sudduth, who used a combination of house paint and mud from his yard to create his jaunty self-portrait, and his likeness of a girl sporting a stylish hat and holding a violin. Annie Mural Tolliver (T’s daughter) and Sims take this approach and expand it into spiritual and narrative directions. Tolliver’s stylized “Garden of Eden” employs a dramatic palette and striking arrangement of forms, while Sims’ “Edmund Pettus Bridge,” painted from memory (as was all her work) with childlike simplicity, is made more powerful knowing the artist was an eyewitness to the seminal event.

Harvey’s “Garden of Eden,” the only sculpture in the show, is made from a tree root. The label describes how root sculpting plays an important role in African American vernacular art. Here, Harvey daubs paint across the surface, and uses the longest root for her serpent. It seems to veer like a malevolent tube man toward the viewer. Harvey takes advantage of a knob in the wood to form the nose, adding stuffed animal eyes surrounded by painted lashes, a row of pearls for teeth, and a jaunty orange earring. This almost human face is creepy, thanks largely to the teeth, with a totemic quality that suggests a spiritual purpose.

Bostic’s “Egyptian Scene” and “Garden of Eden” take us even further into visionary territory. The first, a tondo painted on the cover of a flour container (Bostic worked at a baking company), is studded with Egyptian iconography that identifies the reclining figure as a dying pharaoh. Bostic mixes his colors to add volume and highlights, and to produce a range of hues that tend toward the richer jewel tones. Indeed, the works, with figures outlined in a Sharpie, resemble stained glass. The second painting, on a rectangular piece of cardboard, features an ornate composition, chockablock with the wonderfully rendered animal and human cast of the Judeo-Christian origin story. Bostic tops it off effectively by creating a trompe-l’oeil gilded frame with yellow squiggles on a black border.

Other artists also used materials that were at hand and free—odd bits of plywood, leftover house paint, a tree root, or worn-out clothes. Though employed out of necessity, these humble materials have a grittiness that add both visual and emotional weight to the work. In addition to information about the works, the accompanying labels also provide brief accounts of the artists’ lives. They were universally challenging, rife with enormous obstacles. And yet, from these terrible circumstances art was produced—a vital outlet for the artists and a record of their existence. It’s an extraordinary testament to the creative drive and to the resiliency of the human spirit.

December 14 –20, 2022 c-ville.com @cville_culture facebook.com/cville.weekly

Though employed out of necessity, these humble materials have a grittiness that add both visual and emotional weight to the work.

Mose T’s unique style of painting often uses house paint on plywood, as in “Portrait of a Woman with Baby” and “Figure with Birds.”

COURTESY OF THE JEFFERSON SCHOOL AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE CENTER

12 Days of Christmas Specials!

We are looking to give back to our community while spreading cheer this holiday season!

Each day, there will be a new, single-day special. These specials are good for orders placed on the day of the deal, and can be applied to same-day or future-date orders.

For more information on any of these specials, please call us at 434-365-9200 or stop by at 2171 Ivy Rd. Suite 8 (In the UniversityShopping Center with Papa John’s)

Monday, December 12: Donate a toy tous for Toys for Tots, get a 2-rose bud vase in the color of your choice.

Tuesday, December 13: Donate underwearand socks in new and unopened packaging to us to benefit Do Good Cville and receive a FREE floral wrap valued at $20

Wednesday, December 14: All plush is 50% off

Thursday, December 15: 25% off all liveplants

Friday, December 16: FREE delivery,up to 10 miles, on any same-day or future order

Saturday, December 17: 50% off all floralwraps

Monday, December 19: 10% off ANY FlowerBar subscription for 2023

Tuesday, December 20: Buy a $50 giftcard, get a $10 gift card FREE

Wednesday, December 21: 20% off ANY Flower Barsubscription

Thursday, December 22: For every order placed,we will make a $3 donation to the Central Virginia Chapter of the American Red Cross in Charlottesville, VA

Friday, December 23: Receive a freeupgrade on any floral or gourmet item

Saturday, December 24: Buy a $100 gift card,and get a $20 gift card FREE

Walter

Helpyour needs yourHelp

Hi. My name is Walter and I need your help. These last 4 years, I have battled (and survived) throat and bladder cancer and I plan to keep surviving. However, I am losing weight fast because eating is very painful.

survived) throat and bladder cancer and I plan to keep surviving. However, I am losing weight fast because eating is very painful.

Hi. My name is Walter and I need your help. These last 4 years, I have battled (and I need extensive dental work so I can eat normally again and maintain my weight, nutrition, and health. My doctors feel that with good nutrition my cancer can be

I need extensive dental work so I can eat normally again and maintain my weight, nutrition, and health. My doctors feel that with good nutrition my cancer can be controlled. I need teeth pulled, crowns, cracks repaired, caps, root canals, four implants and bridge work. It will require 2 very long surgeries to complete.

controlled. I need teeth pulled, crowns, cracks repaired, caps, root canals, and bridge work. It will require 2 very long surgeries to complete.

I have very limited means to pay for this work. I have lived and worked in the Charlottesville area for 45 years and have no choice but to ask my community for

help. I worked 6 days a week, making minimum wage in Charlottesville. Benefits were not available through my employers and I could not afford medical or dental insurance from the private market. I am currently the full-time grounds chairman at my church (a volunteer position).

I have very limited means to pay for this work. I have lived and worked in the Charlottesville area for 45 years and have no choice but to ask my community for help. I worked 6 days a week, making minimum wage in Charlottesville. Benefits were not available through my employers and I could not afford medical or dental insurance from the private market. I am currently the full-time grounds chairman at my church (a volunteer position). Thank you for allowing me to share my story with you. Please consider donating a small amount to help me fix my teeth.

Thank you for allowing me to share my story with you. Please consider donating a small amount to help me fix my teeth.

Thank you, Walter

Thank you, Walter

No turn on red

BY DAVID LEVINSON WILK

DOWN

End of the White House’s domain

Company for which Rudolf Nureyev once danced

Co. once led by Baryshnikov

Like an enthusiastic fan

1981 cult classic film with the tagline “They got up on the wrong side of the grave”

Rider of a packed subway, metaphorically

Half of hex-

Wham!, for one

Birth certificates, e.g

Pic on a pec, say

Monkey business

Pet-food brand that offers T-Bonz treats

Ending for young or hip

By Rob Brezsny

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Better than most, you have a rich potential to attune yourself to the cyclical patterns of life. It’s your birthright to become skilled at discerning natural rhythms at work in the human comedy. Even more fortunately, Capricorn, you can be deeply comforted by this awareness. Educated by it. Motivated by it. I hope that in 2023, you will develop your capacity to the next level. The cosmic flow will be on your side as you strive to feel the cosmic flow— and place yourself in closer and closer alignment with it.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Anne, a character in a book by L. M. Montgomery, says she prefers the word “dusk” over “twilight” because it sounds so “velvety and shadowy.” She continues, “In daylight, I belong to the world ... in the night to sleep and eternity. But in the dusk, I’m free from both and belong only to myself.” According to my astrological assessment, you Aquarians will go through a dusklike phase in the coming weeks: a time when you will belong solely to yourself and any other creature you choose to join you in your velvety, shadowy emancipation.

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): My Piscean friend Venus told me, “We Pisceans feel everything very intensely, but alas, we do not possess the survival skills of a Scorpio or the enoughis-enough, self-protective mechanism of the Cancerians. We are the water sign most susceptible to being engulfed and flooded and overwhelmed.” I think Venus is somewhat correct in her assessment. But I also believe you fish have a potent asset that you may not fully appreciate or call on enough. Your ability to tune in to the very deepest levels of emotion potentially provides you with access to a divine power source beyond your personality. If you allow it to give you all of its gifts, it will keep you shielded and safe and supported.

Aries

(March 21-April 19): Aries painter Vincent van Gogh was renowned for translating his sublime and unruly passions into colors and shapes on canvas. It was a demanding task. He careened between torment and ecstasy. “I put my heart and soul into my work,” he

Sagittarius

FREE WILL

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I applaud your expansive curiosity. I admire your yearning to learn more and more about our mysterious world as you add to your understanding of how the game of life works. Your greed for interesting experiences is good greed! It is one of your most beautiful qualities. But now and then, there come times when you need to scale down your quest for fresh, raw truths and work on integrating what you have already absorbed. The coming weeks will be one of those times.

said, “and I have lost my mind in the process.” That’s sad! But I have good news for you, Aries. In the coming months, you will have the potential to reach unprecedented new depths of zest as you put your heart and soul into your work and play. And hallelujah, you won’t lose your mind in the process! In fact, I suspect you will become more mentally healthy than you’ve been in a long time.

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): “The soul is silent,” writes Taurus poet Louise Glück. “If it speaks at all, it speaks in dreams.” I don’t agree with her in general, and I especially don’t agree with her in regard to your life in the coming weeks. I believe your soul will be singing, telling jokes, whispering in the dark, and flinging out unexpected observations. Your soul will be extra alive and alert and awake, tempting you to dance in the grocery store and fling out random praise and fantasize about having your own podcast. Don’t underestimate how vivacious your soul might be, Taurus. Give it permission to be as fun and funny as it yearns to be.

Gemini

(May 21-June 20): The coming weeks will be an excellent time to expand your understanding about the nature of stress. Here are three study aids: 1. High stress levels are not healthy for your mind and body, but low to moderate stress can be good for you. 2. Low to moderate stress is even better for you if it involves dilemmas that you can ultimately solve. 3. There is a thing called “eustress,” which means beneficial stress. It arises from a challenge that evokes your vigor, resilience, and willpower. As you deal with it, you feel hopeful and hardy. It’s meaningful and interesting. I bring these ideas to your attention, dear Gemini, because you are primed to enjoy a rousing upgrade in your relationship with stress.

Cancer

(June 21-July 22): Long before he launched his illustrious career, Cancerian inventor Buckminster Fuller was accepted as a student at Harvard University. Studying at such a prestigious educational institution was a high honor and set him up for a bright future. Alas, he was expelled for partying too hard. Soon he was working at odd jobs. His fortunes dwindled, and he grew depressed. But at age 32, he had a pivotal mystical experience. He seemed to be immersed in a globe of white light hovering above the ground. A disembodied voice spoke, telling him he “belonged to the universe” and that he would fulfill his life’s purpose if he applied himself to serving “the highest advantage of others.” How would you like a Buckminster Fuller-style intervention, Cancerian? It’s available if you want it and ask for it.

Leo

(July 23-Aug. 22): Leo-born Judith Love Cohen was an electrical engineer who worked on NASA’s Apollo Space Program. She was also the mother of the famous actor Jack Black. When she was nine months pregnant with Jack, on the day she went into labor, she performed a heroic service. On their way to the moon, the three astronauts aboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft had encountered a major systems failure. In the midst of her birth process, Judith Love Cohen carried out advanced troubleshooting that helped save their lives and bring their vehicle safely back to Earth. I don’t expect you to achieve such a monumental feat in the coming days, Leo. But I suspect you will be extra intrepid and even epic in your efforts. And your ability to magically multitask will be at a peak.

Virgo

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): When you’re at the height of your powers, you provide the people in your life with high-quality help and support. And

I believe you could perform this role even stronger in 2023. Here are some of the best benefits you can offer: 1. Assist your allies in extracting bright ideas from confusing mishmashes. 2. Help them cull fertile seeds from decaying dross. 3. As they wander through messy abysses, aid them in finding where the redemption is. 4. Cheer on their successes with wit and charm.

Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A blogger named Daydreamydyke explains the art of bestowing soulful gifts. Don’t give people you care for generic consumer goods, she tells us. Instead, say to them, “I picked up this cool rock I found on the ground that reminded me of you,” or “I bought you this necklace for 50 cents at a yard sale because I thought you’d like it,” or “I’ve had this odd little treasure since childhood, but I feel like it could be of use to you or give you comfort, so I want you to have it.” That’s the spirit I hope you will adopt during the holiday season, Libra— as well as for all of 2023, which will be the year you could become a virtuoso gift-giver.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In 1957, engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes invented three-dimensional plastic wallpaper. No one bought the stuff, though. A few years later, they rebranded it as Bubble Wrap and marketed it as material to protect packages during shipment. Success! Its new use has been popular ever since. I suspect you are in a phase comparable to the time between when their plastic wallpaper flopped and before they dreamed up Bubble Wrap. Have faith in the possibility of there being a second act, Scorpio. Be alert for new applications of possibilities that didn’t quite make a splash the first time around.

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

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE

RE: ESTATE OF PATRICIA A. HERRING

AMENDED SHOW CAUSE ORDER AGAINST DISTRIBUTION

It is ordered that the creditors of, and all other persons interested in the above estate show cause, if they can, on the 24th day of January, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. before this Court at its courtroom, against payment and delivery of the estate to the distributees without requiring refunding bonds.

Entered this 13th day of October, 2022

Cheryl Higgins Judge

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE

RE: ESTATE OF SUZANNE LOUIS

SHOW CAUSE ORDER AGAINST DISTRIBUTION

It is ordered, pursuant to Virginia Code § 64.2-556A, that the creditors of, and all other persons interested in the above estate show cause, if they can, on the 20th day of January, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. before this Court at its courtroom, against payment and delivery of the estate to the distributees without requiring refunding bonds.

Entered this 22nd day of November, 2022

Cheryl Higgins Judge

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE

RE: THE ESTATE OF LORENE KNIGHT SHIFFLETT

AMENDED SHOW CAUSE ORDER AGAINST DISTRIBUTION

It is ordered that the creditors of, and all other persons interested in the above estate show cause, if they can, on the 24th day of January, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. before this Court at its courtroom, against payment and delivery of the estate to the distributees without requiring refunding bonds.

Entered this 13th day of October, 2022

Cheryl Higgins Judge

Our mission is to ensure full community inclusion and participation of people with developmental disabilities through the provision of high-quality services and advocacy. Our vision is to remain the leading provider of services and advocacy for this deserving population.

IT ADMINISTRATION GIS CONTRACTOR SUPPORT

Skeo Solutions is small, employee-focused consulting firm providing innovative, collaborative and multidisciplinary solutions to complex and pressing issues in environmental stewardship, social equity and economic opportunity. Most Skeo support is provided to the Federal and local governments.

We are seeking a team-oriented person to join Skeo on a full-time basis, with full-time options ranging from 30 to 40 hours per week, with a heavy emphasis on IT and GIS Administrative support. Skeo expects some on the job learning will need to take place. Location is specific to Charlottesville, Virginia.

Elements of this work will include:

•Oversee contractors providing IT and GIS support to Skeo, including managing budgets, communicating areas of improvement, making recommendations about future contracting needs, and onboarding and overseeing new contractors as needed.

•Assess, improve and maintain Skeo’s current hardware and software needs to meet IT requirements, which includes a rapidly growing GIS team and body of work. Many systems are already in place.

•Work closely with contractors, project managers and technical staff to identify IT and GIS requirements, technical issues, and training needs.

•Plan, organize, coordinate, develop and implement GIS systems to meet the organization’s mapping and end-user service objectives.

•Administer Skeo’s ArcGIS Enterprise environment.

•Administer Skeo’s IT environment, which includes administration of Microsoft 365 tenant that utilizes SharePoint Online.

While the position is expected to require 40 hours a week, there are times where it may be necessary to work more than 40 hours per week under tight deadlines.

All staff are expected to reflect Skeo’s operating principles: dignity, respect, compassion, integrity, and accountability. Applicants should be able to multi-task, collaborate well with teams, be responsive, maintain a positive attitude and have excellent communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

•No less than eight years of experience supporting and demonstrating ingenuity and problem-solving skills associated with meeting small business IT and GIS needs consistent with the bullets above.

•Experience in ArcGIS Enterprise administration and knowledge of ESRI licensing model, or a willingness to learn.

•Experience with Windows and Microsoft 365, or a willingness to learn.

•Experience working with contractors to provide excellent results for outsourced GIS and IT elements.

•Strong project management skills to meet technical needs on time and on budget.

•Strong communication skills with an ability to communicate technical information clearly to a lay audiences and the ability to work with teams to develop infrastructure needed to support projects.

•Willingness to learn new subject matter.

•Candidates that live in or around Charlottesville, VA or willing to relocate.

Please note in your resume or cover letter any familiarity or knowledge of the following: Survey123, Python, WordPress, Azure, or SharePoint Online administrator experience.

Please submit required application materials by December 31st, Interviews are expected to begin mid-January. Decisions will be made based on resumes, performance on skill exercises, and recommendations. Skeo is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

Minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

To apply for this position, please visit https://www.skeo.com/about-us/employment-opportunities/

BY KEN WILSON

CHARLOTTESVILLE ALBEMARLE, FLUVANNA, GREENE, LOUISA, MADISON, NELSON, ORANGE, AUGUSTA

WOODLANDS ROAD

New Exclusive - A casually elegant, top quality, custom built home. One floor living. Set on a beautifully landscaped 1.6 acre lot with circular driveway. Home offers; a bright open great room with fireplace, dining room, hardwood floors, oversized 2 car garage, full basement level and a 600 sq. ft. in-law suite. Meriwether Lewis school district. $750,000

ROCK QUARRY ROAD

Unique building lot overlooking a quarry lake. 3 private properties share the lake access, sandy beach, cabana and 20 acres of common land (including a large utility barn). Amazingly beautiful! $350,000

SERENITY LANE

5 Lot Subdivision in Albemarle County! Stunning mountain views to the west. Far reaching vistas define this property; Monte Sereno. 5 lots make up this unique subdivision with four 2 acre lots and one 5.28 acre lot. High speed internet is available. 1 mile from 29N. One owner is a licensed real estate broker in the state of Va. $1,500,000

WOOD LANE

Estate Beautiful, quiet wooded corner lot, with mountain view, overlooking the 8th Tee of the Pete Dye Golf Course. Gently sloping to almost level terrain. One of the very best lots in Keswick Estates. Joining the Keswick is optional. The Club provides a tremendous opportunity for resort style living. $550,000

Keswick

Impeccable country property with an attractive, well designed and self-sustaining 5,525 fin. sf residence on 38± acres with 3-car garage, barn and Blue Ridge Mountain views. A peaceful oasis easily accessible to Charlottesville and Washington DC. MLS#634846 $1,550,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

EDNAM FOREST

Well-maintained 2-story home. Situated on two lots containing 3.60 acres (divisible) in Ednam Forest. The 2,950+ sf home contains a LR with FP, DR, eatin kitchen, FR with cathedral ceiling and FP, sunporch, study with FP and powder room on the 1st floor. The second floor has the main BR with FP, large BA and ample closet space, a small study, two additional well-sized BRs (one currently being used as an office) and a full BA . The home is in a totally private environment of mature plantings with lovely mountain views. MLS#636669 $1,745,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

HATTON RIDGE FARM

A most tranquil and private 278+ acre grazing and hay farm with two-thirds mile of James River frontage. The centerpiece of Hatton Ridge Farm is an impressive 4-5 bedroom, brick Georgian home, built circa 2000. MLS#634311 $3,675,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

EVERGREEN HILL

Private 18 acre horse farm, with 4-bedroom main residence, 1-bedroom cottage, beautiful 8-stall center aisle barn, outdoor riding ring, and several fenced pastures and hay fields. With access onto 570 plus acres of parkland with trails. MLS#632164 $1,295,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

K’DEE FARM

Embodying the essence of country life! 214+/- acre farm with spacious main residence, 3-car garage with apartment, dependencies & farm buildings. Many agricultural & recreational uses. Easily accessible to Charlottesville, Orange, I-95 & DC region. MLS#636896 $1,975,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

WOLFCREEK FARM

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

ESTATE PARCEL IN AFTON

Stunning mountain views available on this attractive 14± acre property, originally named Locust Grove Farm dating back to the 1880s, possessing lovely streams and woods, along with both hardwoods and pines. This charming parcel is tucked in a bucolic area, yet only 1.5 miles from Route 151 Brew Trail, along with easy access to Wintergreen, Charlottesville, and UVA. Unique opportunity to choose from several, desirable building sites. Firefly internet coming soon. MLS#629702 $399,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

OWENSVILLE ROAD

5-bedroom residence on 2 acre lot in Meriwether Lewis Elementary District! Stunning home has top quality finishes and many features include: open floor concept on all levels; fully loaded chef’s kitchen; and so much more! MLS#632111 $1,675,000 Will Faulconer, 434.987.9455

PEA RIDGE FARM

317-acre estate that has it all: location, views, water, spectacular 5-BR residence, event center and more! 15+ acre lake is centered among lush rolling fields of rich grass and unparalleled views. Additional acreage available. 25 minutes west of Charlottesville. MLS#631962 $8,875,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

BELMONT LOFTS

This 3-BR, 3.5-BA condo features extra high ceilings, a modern & open floor plan with huge windows and doors, and a large rooftop terrace with views of the Downtown Mall all the way around to Monticello. MLS#634149 $1,950,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

BLACKBERRY HILL FARM

SOUTHERN ALBEMARLE

87+ acre pine forest property is a good investment tract, or use as a hunting and recreational tract, or with multiple division rights, a place to build a home or more than one home. Potential mountain views, and private settings. MLS#629213 $499,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

RAGGED MOUNTAIN FARM

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

SIMMONS GAP ROAD

5-acre lot with mature hardwoods. Great opportunity to build with no HOA. Private building site amongst beautiful woods. Located between Free Union and Earlysville but so convenient to Charlottesville & UVA. MLS#621177 $140,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

MEADOW 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. Owner/agent. MLS#634139 $2,985,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

GIBSON’S HOLLOW

Ivy area! A 249 + acre hidden, private Arcadia controlling its own little valley up to the mountain ridge top building sites. Multiple parcels and subdivision rights make it a conservation easement candidate. MLS#634183 $4,000,000 Tim Michel, 434.960.1124 or Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

EDNAM

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

ECOVILLAGE CHARLOTTESVILLE

The Owner has been working with planners and the County of Albemarle to develop on this property an environmentally sensitive and sustainable housing community. 6.5 acre site with two houses. MLS#633951 $1,750,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076 www.ecovillagecharlottesville.org

MISSION HOME ROAD

146.88 ac. in Albemarle & Greene County. Privacy & protection adjacent to the Shenandoah National Park! Full division rights & multiple home sites. Extraordinary timberland. Views of the mountains, along with easy access to trails & Skyline Drive. MLS#620276 $1,100,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

BROOMFIELD FARM

29 acres fronting Blenheim Rd. small agricultural & residential subdivision with CCR’s, but NO HOA. 2 buildable lots, with an historic red barn, silo, & 8-stall stable. Driveway in place, underground power, well & water, & several building spots with mountain views. MLS#624834 $495,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

BRIDLEWOOD TRAIL

Private Keswick residence on 18.6 acres with views of the Southwest Mountains. 3-bedrooms, 1.5-baths with wood floors, screen porch and 2-car garage. Open and wooded land. Easy access to Charlottesville and UVA. MLS#634905 $695,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

GARTH ROAD

11.73-acre, buildable lot in Western Albemarle! One of a kind location and a rare opportunity to purchase a large lot in an estate neighborhood 10 minutes to town. 2 division rights and is gently rolling with a small stream bisecting the property. MLS#628219 $795,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

CROZET AREA

Beautiful building lot -3.3 acres, fronting on a quiet paved county road. Land is mostly in pasture, some woods, creek and elevated homesite with panoramic views of mountains, pond, and surrounding pastoral area. Less than a mile to Harris Teeter at Crozet. MLS#636349 $450,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

FOREST

BY KEN WILSON

It’s not as if Charlottesville has revived the 19th century after dinner stroll, transporting it to the Belmont Bridge and even more magically making us forget our cellphones. The view isn’t quite Copenhagen or Paris elegance, true, and you can in fact make the crossing with your head down. But why would you?

Walk either direction on the Belmont Bridge and you’re heading towards one of the city’s most desirable places to live and probably passing some of its most notable and noteworthy citizens.

Officially named North Downtown and Belmont, these two almost contiguous areas of Charlottesville are destination spots for many city and county residents looking for a meal, a movie, a gym, a playground, an armful of fresh veggies, a . . . . use your imagination—if it’s an urban delight, you’ll probably find it there.

Stroll down the brick-paved Downtown Mall, for example. It was a busy commercial street in the early 20th century. Today it’s a tree-lined pedestrian’s delight, with mature willow oaks, planted in 1976, and the same, varied and lovingly detailed old buildings, now brimming with bookstores and coffee shops, bars and bistros, galleries and historic theaters.

Start at the east end, where in seasonable weather the 3,500-seat Ting Pavilion serves as a quiet place for lunch. If it’s warm and it’s Friday, it won’t be quiet there by dinnertime, however. The Fridays after Five concert series running from April to September features free music by local bands. And volunteers work the concession stands, raising tens of thousands of dollars each year on behalf of area non-profits.

If it’s the first Friday of the month, walk west past the pleasantly scaled mid20th century buildings on both sides and drop in at a few of the art galleries on and just off the Mall for an Opening Night reception. Second City Arts on 2nd Street SE, is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the best of contemporary art. The Welcome Gallery, on 3rd St NE, is run by a group of local artists under the name of New City Arts. The Garage, a widely known former one-car garage on First Street, bills itself as an “art space/ concert venue/amateur film theater/impromptu studio/potluck dining hall/etc.”

Whatever’s happening there on any given evening, the crowd spills out onto the sidewalk and the slope of Market Street Park across the street.

One street behind on 2nd Street NW is the oldest gallery on the First Friday circuit, McGuffey Art Center, a Colonial Revival-style brick building built in 1916 as McGuffey Elementary School and now on the National Register of Historic Places. McGuffey presents shows by its member artists working in their own personal studios at the Center, as well as by its many associate members.

Climb the steps onto the Doric-columned porch and enter the building to see the current exhibition, then come back outside and take in the view. Steps away to

the left is the McGuffey Park playground. Across the street from the playground, that grey stone and stained glass windowed building is Christ Episcopal Church, whose cornerstone was laid in 1895. Down East Jefferson Street are United Methodist Church and Holy Comforter Catholic Church, and the beautiful brick Congregation Beth Israel, a synagogue dedicated in 1883, rebuilt in 1904, and attractively added to in the late 1990s.

Not far away are Renaissance School, a college preparatory high school for high ability students in the arts, sciences, and/ or humanities, and Village School, which serves girls in grades five through eight.

But cross Market Street now, walk the short block back to the Mall, and have a meal, indoors or al fresco, at one of the many popular restaurants there: French to Korean, vegan bowls to specialty burgers or big greasy breakfasts.

If you’re with young children, they will love the Virginia Discovery Museum, with its galleries and hands-on educational play areas designed to foster intellectual curiosity and development for kids of all ages. The museum offers

major residential part of downtown, one of the most desirable in the city. Officially designated North Downtown, this historic district runs from McIntire Road at its western edge, just across from McIntire Park, north along Park Street, whose stately and historic homes are the largest in the area, and south to the railroad tracks, crossing them at Avon Street.

“North Downtown is the epicenter,” says Katelyn Mancini with Roy Wheeler Realty. “It’s the nucleus of Charlottesville.” Four hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars is the median price for a North Downtown home, but some of the largest and most impressive are on Park Street. Prospective buyers need patience and perseverance however. “Park Street is a sought after address,” Mancini says. “People hold onto them.”

Condominiums are easier to find. Nestled on a wooded hillside behind McGuffey Art Center are the 38 McGuffey Hill condos, built in the 1980s. The Queen Charlotte building on East High Street has both condos and office space. But the oldest condos in the area

Welcome Home!

weekly Drop-In programs for all ages, monthly Date Night Drop-Offs for ages 3 to 10, after-school Discovery Workshops for ages 4 to 8, half-day camps for ages 4 to 8, and multi-week Chess Mates series for ages 6 to 10.

In the evening you might catch a concert, or a livestream or a classic film at the beautifully restored 91-year-old Paramount Theater, or a new Hollywood or independent film at the 10-screen Violet Crown Theater, with its beer, wine, cocktail, coffee, snacks and pizza selection, roomy seats, and handy seats trays.

If it’s a funkier, musical vibe you like, nationally known acts play the Jefferson Theater, another former movie palace, this one dating to 1912, and the intimate, underground Southern Café and Music Hall. If theater’s your thing, Live Arts Theatre, founded in 1990, describes its offerings as “modern, rigorous and risky,” and also “committed to being a product of its community as well as a process for creating community.”

But walk back along High or Jefferson streets to 2nd Street or 3rd Street SE, head down the hill, and you’re in the

are at stately 500 Court Square, on a high ridge two blocks off the Mall. One of the tallest buildings in Charlottesville, 500 Court Square commands views of the southwest mountains and the Albemarle County Court House.

Across the Mall are the lofts on Water Street. “They’re really neat too,” Mancini says. And they’re designer-friendly: “I call them a shell. You get walls, but none of your finishes are in there, so you can customize as you like. Some have deck space overlooking the Mall or Water Street—you can hear live music on your deck during Fridays After Five.”

Some people prefer living above the Mall itself—and with persistence they can. ”There is very limited housing above

Annie Gould Gallery

109 S. Main Street, Gordonsville, VA • (540) 832-6352 anniegouldgallery

the Mall,” Mancini notes, referring to a handful of loft-style apartments. “They don’t come available often.”

Belmont

Walk back across the Belmont Bridge, and you’re in the southeast corner of the city. The 403-acre neighborhood of Belmont is bounded by the CSX Railway on the north, Moore’s Creek on the south and east and 6th St. SW on the west.

Dating to the late 19th Century, Belmont consists primarily of two “1890’s era subdivisions, ‘Belmont’ and ‘Carlton.’” The neighborhood serves as a significant entrance to the city from Monticello as it is easily accessible to I-64 by way of Monticello Avenue (Route 20). Its hilly streets afford excellent views of both the Downtown and the surrounding mountains.

A middle and upper class neighborhood in the early 20th century, Belmont was also the site of a carousel, a carnival,

a circus lot near the railroad tracks, and even a gypsy camp. By 1941 its southeast corner held the Albemarle Livestock Market, and a number of small pig farms, giving rise among more well-to-do Charlottesvillians to the belittling nickname “Hogwaller.”

More recently a sleepy, lower middle class community, Belmont began attracting young professionals and creative folks in earnest in the early 2000s, as commercial and residential prices nearer the Mall skyrocketed. Today, with its crosswalks, trees, and planters, and buildings dating back to the early 1900s, it maintains its attractive, settled quality, and has become one of the most popular residential areas of the city. With

home prices beginning around $300,000, Belmont attracts everyone from young families and single professionals to eager renovators, and sharp-minded investors.

Some of the most exciting food in what’s now well known as a foodie lover’s town can be had in Belmont these days. Small plates lovers flock to Mas Tapas, with its brilliant contemporary takes on traditional Spanish dishes.

The wood-fired oven is the star at Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria, which offers anti-pasta and more besides its seven different “Pizze.” Tavola serves rustic Italian fare in an elegant atmosphere, and Quality Pie, with its diner-style ambience in the historic Spudnuts donut shop, offers sophisticated comfort food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus baked goods for takeout.

The Local is named for its reliance on ingredients from locally owned and operated farms for its hearty American fare, and for the area craftsmen whose talents grace the building and the beautifully appointed interior with local artist’s paintings and stained glass works.

Newcomer Mockingbird is named for Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, a story of good triumphing over evil in a small Alabama town. For chef Melissa Close-Hart, with roots in southern Alabama, the name represents both her connection to the Deep South, and the southern cuisine flavors of her menu.

Three-acre Belmont Park boasts large shady oak trees, benches, picnic shelters, a playground and basketball court, and restrooms—not to mention panoramic, 360-degree views of the city and the Blue Bridge Mountains.

The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative on Monticello Road just across the Belmont Bridge from the Mall bills itself as an “inclusive organization serving artists and thinkers who want to share knowledge, challenge one another, and engage in the progressive expression of diverse ideas.” Its goal is to bridge diverse communities through the arts, creating “stronger social ties, deeper connection to place, more vibrant community identity, and a better understanding of each other and ourselves.”

“I think what a lot of people most like about Belmont is the charm,” says REALTOR® Angie Shupe. “A lot of the houses have been renovated but they still have the charm of the older homes.”

As an example, Shupe cites a house she helped find for an elderly woman from out of state: “Her daughter and son-inlaw lived in Charlottesville, and they were trying to get her close to them.” she says.

“The house was a little one-level bungalow with a basement, and it was perfect for her because of the one-level living. It was an older home, but it was absolutely adorable; it had been updated completely, but they also kept the integrity of the home, and so it was a really cute house.”

So, take a walk some mild day, cross the bridge one direction, and the other later. Admire the architecture, have a coffee, check out the natives. North Downtown or Belmont? It’s a tough choice, but you can’t go wrong.

Some of the most exciting food in what’s now well known as a foodie lover’s town can be had in Belmont these days. Small plates lovers flock to Mas Tapas, with its brilliant contemporary takes on traditional Spanish dishes.

Cat Socializers

Cat socializers allow our cats to receive one-on-one attention and interact with other cats. The socializers get to know each cat and talk about them with potential adopters.

Dog Handlers

Our dogs need volunteers to help them get all of the exercise and affection they deserve! Dog Handlers are responsible for taking dogs on walks, to playgroups and other activities.

SPCA Rummage Store

All proceeds from the SPCA Rummage Store go to support our homeless animals in need. We need help sorting through donations and setting up displays at the store.

Offsite Adoption & Fundraising Events

Our animals attend many fundraising and adoption events. If you like being out and about and around animals, this gives you the opportunity to do both!

CHURCH PLAINS DRIVE

Beautiful 2.15 acre lot set in a quiet neighborhood, in the western school districts. A bright open floor plan with vaulted entrance and a turned staircase. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, full unfinished basement plus a large 2 car garage. Hardwood floors throughout the first floor. Large, bright kitchen with island, pantry, and terrific breakfast room. The kitchen looks into the family room that features a wall of windows and a fireplace. The wrap-around front porch takes in the lovely setting.The rear deck overlooks the large yard with room to play and a great place to garden. $625,000

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