C-VILLE Weekly | July 26 - August 1, 2023

HOW SMOKE FROM THE CANADIAN WILDFIRES IS AFFECTING OUR HEALTH AND CHANGING OUR APPROACH TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Owner bids farewell to Siren and points a finger at former business partner PAGE 9

Fill up your bookshelves this summer with our hefty list of local reads PAGE 29

Jack & Wendy Brown • Lynn & Kenny Brown • Pam & Frank Edmonds

Chris & Brad Eure

Janna & David Gies

Elizabeth & Joe LeVaca

Julie & Geoff Montross Susie Morris

Smoke signals

Charlottesville’s News & Arts Weekly

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EDITORIAL

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Richard DiCicco richard@c-ville.com

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INTERN

Nicole Milanovic

MAGAZINE EDITOR

Caite Hamilton

CONTRIBUTORS

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

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MEMBER Virginia Press Association

Hello, Charlottesville! Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly. As an asthmatic, I’ve been pretty worried about the smoke from the Canadian wildfires that has occasionally settled over our city this summer. I remember the first time I saw it—I was driving downtown and thought my glasses or windshield must be smudged or covered in dust. When I heard it was from Canada, and saw the apocalyptic photos of New York City under a burnt red sky, I was curious and baffled as to how smoke from so far north could make it all the way down to Virginia (and beyond).

7.26.23

For this week’s feature (p. 20), I dug into what’s caused the wildfires, how they made it down the East Coast, and what we in Charlottesville should do about it. To add some expert perspectives, I drew partly from conversations I had with some of the folks featured in our 2023 Green Power Issue. When I was writing that feature, the initial burst of smoke had just cleared, and so I asked most of them about their thoughts on it, and how it has changed the conversation around climate change. Some may consider climate change a divisive issue, and it’s true that it has been extremely politicized over the past several decades. But the Canadian wildfires, caused by a long drought and a hotter than usual summer, is a bold and impossible-to-ignore example of how the climate crisis is a global problem, and how we need to unite to fight it. Fire and smoke don’t respect state boundaries.—Richard

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NEWS IN BRIEF

More mental health services

On July 24, The Women’s Initiative announced that it had received $50,000 from Sentara Health “to assist with providing culturally responsive mental health counseling and treatment.” In a press release, the WI said the funds will be used for its Bienestar, Sister Circle, and LGBTQ+ programs. Speaking about the contribution, Executive Director Elizabeth Irvin said, “through our programs and their support, we are working to address health disparity, so that all members of our community have an opportunity to heal and thrive.”

UVA gets gold

In an outstanding week for the Cavaliers, University of Virginia athletes medaled at the World Aquatics Championships and the 2023 World Rowing Under-23 Championships. At the WAC in Fukuoka, Japan, UVA alum Kate Douglass took home gold in the women’s 200-meter IM, with fourth-year Alex Walsh close behind in second place. Swimmers Gretchen Walsh and Maxine Parker led Team USA to a silver medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. In Europe, graduate student Eva Frohnhofer rowed her way to bronze as part of Team USA in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Siren song

Charlottesville seafood restaurant closes after months of financial struggles

Death of a mogul

The memorial service for local business and property owner Phil Dulaney was held on July 23 at the Coffman Funeral Home Chapel in Staunton, Virginia. As the owner and president of Charlottesville Realty Corporation, Dulaney owned several properties, including a ramshackle hotel on Afton Mountain. Dulaney died on July 15 of complications from diabetes and heart disease.

By Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

After months of financial turmoil, Siren restaurant has closed its doors. Since taking sole ownership of the business in December of 2022, restaurateur Laura Fonner has been fighting to keep Siren solvent.

“I had a big investor meeting with new people [recently], and there was potential to get money to save us,” says Fonner. “But at the same time, I was completely transparent and honest, saying that I wasn’t sure if this was the end of what was coming, if there was going to be another financial, tax thing that

would happen. And so I left the meeting with the plan of closing for a week-long summer break. … But I talked with my GM, and we made a deal that if anything else happened, then we would have to make a decision.”

“I opened the mail that came that day, and it was like $9,000 unpaid unemployment taxes from 2021 and 2022—since we opened—and so it was like the final nail in the coffin,” says Fonner. “That upped the amount of money that I would need from an investor with no guarantee or promise of it ending.”

While Fonner has been involved in the restaurant since its conception, Champion Hospitality Group was previously respon-

sible for Siren’s accounting and bookkeeping. Although she has had access to Siren’s financial information since December, Fonner claims that CHG didn’t provide full disclosure of the restaurant’s financial situation, including unpaid taxes and outstanding balances with vendors.

When she announced the restaurant’s closing on Instagram, Fonner shared an image of herself flipping off the camera with a sign reading “DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, (HUNTER SMITH) SIREN RESTAURANT IS CLOSED PERMANENTLY.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

“I never imagined when we opened that this would be where it was in two years. I don’t know if this place can be saved, I’m not sure.” LAURA FONNER, SIREN OWNER AND CHEF

While Laura Fonner has been a staple in the Charlottesville food community for years, Siren was the first restaurant she owned.

Sam Sanders, incoming city manager, joking around at the Carver Recreation Center during a July 20 meeting with the public

Before taking home the gold at the 2023 WAC, Kate Douglass won bronze for Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

EZE AMOS

at Eat up!

Building secure connections

Charlottesville links industry leaders for the Virginia Cybersecurity Education Conference

By Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

On July 19 and 20, the University of Virginia hosted the Virginia Cybersecurity Education Conference, which brought cybersecurity educators together from across the state.

“It’s just good to connect these educators together to share resources and lots of interesting talks,” says David Raymond, director of U.S. Cyber Range, the event’s creator and organizer. “They get new ideas for things to use in the classroom. … It’s a fun opportunity to run into a whole bunch of people over and over.”

Funded by the state, Virginia Cyber Range provides cybersecurity education resources to Virginia’s public high schools, colleges, and universities at no cost. While the program is based out of Virginia Tech, students and educators across the commonwealth benefit from the company’s free, cloud-based programs.

Since the first conference in 2018, Cyber Range has increasingly incorporated cybersecurity educators into planning the VCEC, including on its executive committee. The committee is composed of 19 educators from Virginia community colleges and universities, including UVA professors Angela Orebaugh and Yuan Tian.

“I attended the very first conference at James Madison and learned about Cyber Range,” says Orebaugh. Over the past six years, Orebaugh has steadily incorporated resources from the conference into her teaching, and become more involved in the conference’s planning process.

“Since we didn’t have anything like Cyber Range, in order to do fun and interesting hands-on activities I actually had to put everything on a CD-ROM, and give each student a CD-ROM, and they booted it up on their computers in the classroom and worked through a series of exercises that way,” she says. Now, the computer science professor is able to create her own labs for her courses and draw on pre-existing courseware on the company’s resource cloud. “It’s a really great free resource for Virginia educators. … Other states don’t have this resource, sometimes their students have to pay.”

Attending the conference and serving on the executive committee has also allowed Orebaugh to connect with other educators in her field. “Depending on where it’s offered, I get to meet a few new people as well,” she says. With UVA hosting this year, Orebaugh took the opportunity to show some of her colleagues around town. “I get to tell

them a little bit about the local area, see if I can get them to tour Grounds, see if I can get them to support our local businesses while they’re here as well.”

Beyond networking, Orebaugh also presented results from the inaugural Virginia Cyber Navigator Internship Program at this year’s conference. Funded by the NSA, VACNIP is run by six Virginia schools—UVA, VT, George Mason, Virginia Commonwealth University, Norfolk State University, and Old Dominion University—and teaches students about cybersecurity in elections before sending them on 10-week internships to local registrar offices.

“We are teaching students specifically what to think about in terms of cybersecurity, to secure election offices, the voting machines themselves that you and I go in and vote on, but also just think about the election offices,” says Orebaugh. “They’ve got laptops, they’ve got desktops, they’ve got printers all running in these election offices. What do we have to think about with securing them and securing the humans that are running those? That’s usually the most important piece.”

Between presentations, educators were introduced to innovative uses of Cyber Range resources through events like capture the flag

or Catching a Cyber Criminal—A Digital Crime Scene Activity. For many instructors, these interactivities are not only fun, but serve as a source for classroom inspiration.

For organizers, inspiring instructors is a key part of VCEC. “We want to be able to help somebody teach some concept in a way that they hadn’t thought of before, or do some new interesting thing in the classroom that they haven’t done before that’ll help their students,” says Raymond.

“Every time I attend, I always bring something home with me to be able to incorporate into my classrooms. And that’s actually my goal for coming,” says Orebaugh. “Just solving the challenges that are being presented here today, I’ve already captured a bunch of ideas to incorporate it into my capture the flag final exam, or just into my labs or just classroom instruction.”

The VCEC will be held in Blacksburg next year, but Orebaugh says cybersecurity education and opportunities are available in Charlottesville. “A lot of times people don’t think about it, a lot of our students graduate from UVA and they move up to northern Virginia, New York, some of the other bigger cities,” she says. “There’s a lot of cybersecurity opportunity here in Charlottesville.”

David Raymond, director of U.S. Cyber Range (creator and organizer of the Cybersecurity Education Conference), says the event is a good way to get educators together and share resources.

VIRGINIA TECH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

As the owner of CHG, Smith has come under heavy scrutiny after the closure of several CHG-connected local restaurants and breweries, including: Champion Brewing Company, Brasserie Saison, Passiflora, Champion Grill, Champion Outpost, and Reason Beer. While she had not previously named Smith directly, Fonner made a scathing March Facebook post directed at the businessman, addressing him as “you, sir.”

“I am stuck now, more than likely filing for bankruptcy, Business Bankruptcy. I don’t even know about personal yet, I have meetings with my lawyer today to discuss all that,” says Fonner. “I’m not sorry about my sign. … I don’t necessarily expect everyone to understand or agree with my choices, but it’s not their choices, they’re not the ones cleaning this mess.”

As Fonner continues to attribute Siren’s closure to Smith, the businessman argues that CHG supported the restaurant during their partnership, but there were significant accounting issues. “I will say that it wouldn’t have been long into Siren’s existence that we had major accounting changes at Champion. But I absolutely refute there is an unwillingness to share anything,” says Smith. “There were plenty of unclear, and, I would say, inadequately run and prepared financials—so much so that it was hard for anyone, myself included, to have any faith in them. And that was the result of poor work and poor supervision on my part. But the conflation of poor management and poor accounting work with anything nefarious or any sort of wrongdoing is total hogwash. That doesn’t do anything to take away from the fact that I feel personally like we let Laura and Siren down.”

While Fonner says Smith has not reached out to her following the restaurant’s closure, Smith says he regrets the dissolution of their relationship. “I don’t know why it has become such a personal issue for Laura

other than I know … owner/operators and chefs like Laura are extremely passionate,” says Smith. “If the business is looked at as a failure, it is taken personally. I understand she thinks it was not a fair shake on her part because Champion was running the business side of things, but if there were delusions that it was a very successful restaurant, that’s just not true.”

“I am not naming names, but we have always had folks in charge of the hospitality division of the business, and there was no shortage of pushback from Siren when it came to wanting to be managed,” says Smith. “When I hear that in hindsight that we weren’t very helpful, well help wasn’t wanted. This was Laura’s restaurant and her baby, and Hunter or anyone else wasn’t getting in the way. To me, it was clear that my role was just the guy running the company.”

As she works through the logistics of closing Siren and filing for bankruptcy, Fonner is trying to figure out what’s next for her and the restaurant. “I never imagined when we opened that this would be where it was in two years. I don’t know if this place can be saved, I’m not sure,” she says. “Even if it is, obviously it’ll be Sirens or something else, a whole brand new version of it. I don’t have another plan. I planned on this.”

“There’s different versions of bankruptcy, there’s restructuring, there’s complete bankruptcy where the business just shuts down fully,” Fonner continues. “I’m going to have to figure out whether it’s worth restructuring. Unfortunately, there’s a bad taste in my mouth right now with this place, and it has nothing to do with the community or with my staff, or what we were providing here.”

“I know that I will be given an opportunity somehow or another, but I’ve got pretty bad trust issues,” says Fonner. “I don’t know what the next step will be, but this is definitely not the end. This doesn’t put a bad enough taste in my mouth for me to ever stop what I do.”—with additional reporting by Shea Gibbs

“I don’t know why it has become such a personal issue for Laura other than I know … owner/ operators and chefs like Laura are extremely passionate.” HUNTER SMITH, CHAMPION HOSPITALITY GROUP OWNER

Since launching Champion Brewing Company in 2012, Hunter Smith has been involved in the development of several local restaurants and breweries.

Majestic Blue Ridge Mountain views in highly sought-after Somerset, Virginia. Come see this four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home that is move-in ready and sitting on 6.786 Acres just 6 miles to Orange and 20 miles to Charlottesville Airport. Main-level living features include the primary bedroom and bath, a spacious walk-in closet with a storage organizing system; a home office or hobby room; a great room for formal dining, and a living room area with a brick hearth, wood-burning fireplace and panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains; a half bath conveniently located off the great room; eat-in kitchen perfect for gatherings; laundry room/ mud room; and large pantry area. Upstairs offers a second ensuite bedroom and bath with a walk-in closet plus two additional spacious bedrooms and a third full bath. The full-size, walkout basement has a fourth full bathroom and plenty of room for storage or future space for a family rec room/bonus living area. Loads of outdoor space for gardening and entertaining. Enjoy a coffee and a good book on your covered front porch in the mornings and off your back patio relax as you soak in the sun setting on the Blue Ridge Mountains in the evenings. Total sq footage including the basement is 5,257. $950,000

Donna Waugh-Robinson 540-661-2263 donna@dewrmedia.com

Welcome to Village Oaks! This spacious 4 Bedroom, 3 full bathroom home boasts main-level living, with an open -concept design, and includes additional living space or an in-law suite apartment on the lower level. The main level offers you 3 carpeted bedrooms, and 2 full bathrooms, including the spacious owner’s suite with a walk-in closet, living/dining great room with a gourmet kitchen area, island, maple cabinetry, GE stainless steel appliances, granite counters, and luxury vinyl plank flooring, beautiful Trex deck built off the kitchen with steps leading down to the fenced backyard. The attached 2 -car garage is also located on the main level and is wired to charge your car. The fully finished lower level is a one-bedroom, one-fullbathroom space with a large family room, full kitchen, laundry room, and home office. The family room opens to a covered patio. There is also a hobby room located in the basement. Need extra space for your family, don’t miss out. Tired of mowing your grass? The HOA takes care of it, including the grass inside the fence. You’ll love walking down the street to the private clubhouse and pool. Village Oaks is just minutes from I-64, shopping, medical facilities and more. $419,000

John Faulconer 540-661-7923

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Bev Nash 434-981-5560

• End of row townhouse

• 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, 2 half baths

• 1,386 sf of living space plus a 493 sf basement

• Family room with a fireplace and glass doors

• Rear screen porch looking across a creek to woodlands

• We are freshly painted with new basement flooring

A

Dan Corbin 434-531-6155

• 24 Beautiful Wooded Acres

• Long paved state road frontage

• Land has a sweet running creek

• Perc site identified, electric on road

• Convenient to Lovingston, Wintergreen, Cville

• Covenants and restrictions. MLS 630947

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

• 5 Bedrooms/3 Baths located at Lake Monticello

• Living room with cathedral ceilings & fireplace

• Family room with pellet burning stove

• 2 Kitchens perfect for large gatherings

• Sunroom and glass surround deck

• Generac backup generator

Bev Nash 434-981-5560

• Over 5,000 sf of quality living space

• 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, sunroom

• Cul de sac location backing up to a fairway

• Granite and Cherry kitchen, stainless appliances

• Hardwood floors, jetted tub, fireplace Basement, garage, home theater

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Rachel Burns 434 760-4778

• Commercial property in the heart of Belmont. Property consists of three city lots, .31 acres with a 3420 sq ft commercial building on lots 1 and 2. Zoned B-3 currently, slated as CX-3 in the draft of the new city zoning ordinance. There is three phase electricity to the building. The main level is currently a workshop and storage space. The second floor has been finished with a kitchenette, conference space and office.

FLUVANNA

Candice van der Linde 434-981-8730

• Renovated & Move in Ready Ranch on 4 Acres.

• HUGE 24 X 31 Garage with LIFT; steel exterior, concrete foundation 8” deep under lift & 5” deep elsewhere. Separate 120 AMP to garage

• Creek runs through the property from a natural spring.

• Three bedrooms plus office two full baths

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

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Expanding growth areas?

Albemarle County looks at increasing development

By Sean Tubbs

For decades Albemarle has put a premium on protecting rural land by concentrating development in about 5 percent of the county’s 726 square miles. But as the review of the Comprehensive Plan continues, community members are being asked to weigh in on where future development might go.

“There will be places that we recognize it’s not appropriate to grow in the county,” said interim Director of Planning Kevin McDermott at a recent virtual meeting on what’s called the AC44 process. “But we have to keep the option open because if not there could be repercussions to not allowing any future development as well that might hurt the county.”

Since adoption of the last Comprehensive Plan in 2015, Albemarle supervisors have approved a housing plan that encourages the construction of thousands of homes. The county also adopted its first economic development plan as well as a climate action plan.

And then there’s the matter of a growing population. The Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia projects a 2040 county population of 138,523, with that climbing to 155,102 10 years later. That’s up from an estimate of 115,495 in July 2022.

The current plan review asks where and when more land might be designated for supporting density.

“The 2015 [Comprehensive] Plan estimated that about 11 percent of the development area’s land had capacity for development or redevelopment,” says Senior Planner Tori Kanellopoulos. “With the 2022 land use build out analysis, the estimated remaining development area land is about 7 percent.”

According to McDermott, any expansion would avoid natural resources, and likely areas in the water supply watershed. He says one place to start might be areas of “stale zoning,” where uses are allowed outside of the development area but have not yet been built on due to a variety of factors.

“As the cost of housing goes up, we can control some of those factors by allowing additional development that goes beyond the current development area,” McDermott says. “And we don’t want to start losing too many job opportunities in the county because we don’t have places where businesses can come and locate and grow in the county.”

Planning Commissioner Lonnie Murray pushed back on the need for additional

ARROWHEAD VALLEY ROAD

Charming country cottage set on 5 acres. Gourmet kitchen with a gas range. Family room features hardwood floors, wood beams and a stone fireplace. Property offers lots of outdoor space, a beautiful stone wall and mature trees. Convenient to downtown and UVA. $425,000

MAGNOLIA DRIVE

Dramatic, light-filled Contemporary home. Set on 2 peaceful acres at the end of a quiet lane. Great for entertaining! A gardeners delight with a 4000 gallon water system. Large gourmet kitchen is suited for a farm to table lifestyle. The dining room opens to a sunken living room. Terrace level has a family/game room and gym. A 2 story 4 car garage and much more!

space, saying that Albemarle’s development area is much larger than the total area of the city it surrounds.

“Charlottesville is only 10 square miles or approximately 6,500 acres,” Murray says. “Albemarle’s growth area is 23,680 acres, or 3.5 times the size of Charlottesville. If we look at Charlottesville, I would say that nobody reasonably believes that Charlottesville has run out of space yet.”

Sally Thomas served four terms on the Albemarle Board of Supervisors during an era when economic development was not encouraged by the county government. She says a reason for the development area has been to direct limited resources into a concentrated area in order to make provision of services more likely.

“To have the transportation available for example is much more possible when you’re not stretching out all out across the countryside,” Thomas says. “And it’s pretty well proven that additional development doesn’t guarantee lower cost housing.”

One concern is that if the growth area is expanded prematurely, it will make it less likely that those existing commercial spaces will be redeveloped.

Dick Ruffin, the chair of the Pantops Community Advisory Committee, says, “We already have some potential commercial spaces which are not being developed. We have a large shopping center, which is very poorly developed, and much better use could be made of it.”

Expanding the county’s growth area boundaries will be discussed at the August 8 Albemarle Planning Commission meeting.

Annie Gould Gallery

The spaces highlighted in blue are current Albemarle County development areas.

NORTHWOODS

Magnificent 16.5 acre estate with stately c. 1860 main house. Renovated in 2017 with stunning kitchen remodel. Complemented by cottages and 5-bay carriage house. Gracious porches, terraces, and retaining walls. MLS#642190 $4,950,000 Court Nexsen 646.660.0700

LAFAYETTE

Private estate on 92 acres in the heart of Keswick. Beautifully appointed and meticulously cared for house with primary suite on the first floor and five additional bedrooms. Gourmet kitchen with cast stone hood and cherry cabinets, sunken great room with Honduran Mahogany coffered ceiling, home theater, and covered porch with stone fireplace. Oversized three bay garage with guest suite above. The land is not under conservation easement. MLS#643578 $3,195,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

MEADOWLARK FARM

317 acre estate that has it all: location, views, water, 5-BR residence, event center and more! 15+ acre lake is centered among lush rolling fields of rich grass. Additional acreage available. 25 minutes west of UVA. MLS#631962 $7,865,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863 or Court Nexsen, 646.660.07000

22-acre equestrian property, 12 miles from Charlottesville, features a completely renovated 8,575± fin. sf residence nestled on a knoll overlooking the pool and the Mechums River and captures a magnificent view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. MLS#640137

$3,195,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

212 acres with stately 1904 residence, extensive equestrian facilities, 25 miles from Charlottesville and UVA. Purchase with 753 acres at $6,295,000. Tranquil setting with creeks, pond. MLS#640175

$2,850,000 Steve McLean,434.981.1863 or Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

MILL HOUSE

Former house of noted local architect Floyd E. Johnson, on the banks of Totier Creek. 5-bedroom, 3 full and 2 half bath, guest house, 2-bay garage, pool, equipment shed plus 130 acres of open and wooded land. MLS#639196 $2,745,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

10 miles from town, near Free Union, 100+ acres, division rights, NO CONSERVATION EASEMENT! Spectacular Blue Ridge views from many homesites, several barns, stable, 2 ponds, creeks, FANTASTIC offering! MLS#638858 $4,400,00 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

STONY POINTE

A spacious and meticulously maintained home on 57+ private and protected acres, 5 miles northeast of Charlottesville. Residence features 4-6-bedroom, 5-full and 2-half bath, large open floor plan on the main level, plus a deluxe gourmet kitchen and generous master suite. Other interior features include 3 bedrooms and home office upstairs, plus 3,000 finished sq. ft. on the walkout terrace level. Panoramic views of the Southwest Mountains and to the west are winter views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. MLS#638292 $2,475,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

GREEN ACRES

Pastoral views from this 3-bedroom brick home set on over 159 acres in Southern Albemarle. Ideal for farming with fenced pastures and ample water sources. Property is not under easement and has 4 division rights. MLS#630428 $1,685,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

BELMONT LOFTS

This 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath condo features extra high ceilings, a modern and 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 $1,790,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

GREENFIELDS FARM

PEA RIDGE FARM

HIDDEN FOX FARM

MILLINGTON ROAD

Free Union home features living room, open kitchen, mud room, 3 BR, full BA, and laundry room. Basement with family room, full BA, and utility room. Oversized garage, 3 smaller outbuildings. 5 acres in Western school district. MLS#643158 $399,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

RUNNING DEER DRIVE

One-level brick home on 3.25 acres. Convenient one level floor plan with 3-BR and 2-BA. Total kitchen update, hardwood floors, new roof, and oversized deck. Level, partially fenced lot. Easy access to Charlottesville, UVA, I-64. MLS#643033 $489,000 Charlotte Dammann, 434.981.1250

NORTH GARDEN

Lovely, partially open 2-acre lot with 3-bedroom ranch style home. Attached 2-car carport, spacious family room, DR, large kitchen and baths. A large creek runs across the back, plus a storage building. MLS #641330 $315,000 Steve McLean 434.981.1863

RED HILL

10 miles south of Charlottesville, a beautiful 283 acres, rolling to hilly, mostly wooded tract, borders Walnut Creek Park, with lake and miles of trails. This land has pastures, trails, creeks and a river! Many homesites, NO EASEMENTS. MLS#634310

$1,995,000 Jim Faulconer, 434.981.0076

GREENTREES

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

$700,000 Tim Michel, 434.960.1124

FAIRWAY DRIVE

Wonderful 3.5 acre waterfront parcel behind renowned Keswick Hall in the gated and picturesque Keswick Estate. Bring your own architect and builder. Located 5 miles from Martha Jefferson Hospital and 10 miles from UVA. MLS#641712

$540,000 Court Nexsen, 646.660.0700

MEADOW FARM

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

$2,985,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

SIMMONS GAP 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

$119,000 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

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

$269,000 Steve McLean, 434.981.1863

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

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

FRAYS GRANT

EDNAM FOREST

MISSION HOME ROAD

5017

A rare find in Albemarle County, an exclusive Farmette, just minutes from town! Affordable 10.94 acre current Horse Property. Offering a garage/run-in barn. Paddock and pastures, with tons of riding trails throughout.

$450,000 | montaguemiller/643739

Carol Costanzo | 434.962.1419

Your Place. Our Purpose.

2248 Tanners Ridge | Wintergreen Resort

End unit, top-level condo is newly updated and offers a beautiful view from the deck with entry-level access and parking. A simple lifestyle awaits you from the ideal mountain retreat. One-level living with an open concept design.

$229,900 | montaguemiller.com/643854

Ashley Balazs | 802.558.5139

2042

Beautiful Mountain Retreat situated on an idyllic 30-acre private site in Greene County. Drive up the mountain and enjoy a gorgeous wooded landscape with attractive 2-story farm house boasting spacious front and side porches.

$419,000 | montaguemiller.com/643722

Pat Sury | 434.760.2999

2614 Rio Mills Rd | Earlysville

Three bedroom, 2 full bath ranch house on a nearly 3 acre wooded lot, conveniently located near the airport and shopping at Hollymead Town Center. Sky lights provide natural lighting.

$349,000 | montaguemiller.com/642324

Brad Conner | 434.953.8124

1967

Well-cared for townhome in Pavilions at Pantops has an open light-filled main level with pristine hardwood floors, a three level Morning Room Extension, and a gourmet kitchen. 1-car garage. 5 mins. to Downtown and hospitals.

$425,000 | montaguemiller.com/643223 Ruth DeLong | 434.987.8783

0 Rising Sun Rd | Palmyra

131 acres of timberland, well-located in central Fluvanna County only 5 minutes from Palmyra, easily commutable to Charlottesville. Great hunting/recreation land, longterm investment or build your dream home/farm.

$324,900 | CarterMontague.com/643297 Carter Montague | 434.962.3419

Montague, Miller & Co Realtors is pleased to announce Brokers Pam Drumheller and Kyle Olson have completed the Virginia REALTORS® Broker Premier program.

Completion of the coursework for Broker Premier represents a commitment to industry knowledge and professionalism. When members make the commitment to invest in themselves, we all benefit. A knowledgeable, informed sales force and management team provides an opportunity for everyone to succeed.

Asheville Dr | Charlottesville

Heming Way | Charlottesville

Wyatt Mountain Rd | Dyke

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The haze over Charlottesville is forcing residents to see—and even taste—

By Richard DiCicco

Canada is burning, and we’re all inhaling the smoke. The worst wildfire season in our northern neighbor’s history began in the spring and has raged into summer, with winds carrying smoke down the northeastern United States, along the East Coast, and into the Midwest. New York City took on a horrid red Martian hue as people were once again advised to mask up and stay indoors. More than a dozen states, plus Washington, D.C., have been under National Weather Service air quality warnings simultaneously. And at one point in late June, Chicago and Detroit shared the dubious honor of experiencing the worst air quality on the planet.

The wildfires aren’t just a North American problem, though. Almost as soon as they began, the smoke made its way across the Atlantic to Northern Europe, drifting through Scandinavia and even hazing up the Western European sky.

The smoke’s descent on Charlottesville has been markedly less apocalyptic than in Washington, D.C., or New York, but the blanketing haze has still altered the course of our daily lives. Air quality changes day to day, and on the worst afternoons you can see the haze hanging over the city like a gritty smog. Some days, you can even taste it.

“Sigh,” wrote one user on the Charlottesville subreddit. “So over it.”

The wildfire smoke may be hazing up our view of the mountains, but that’s the least of our problems. Breathing it in can be dan-

gerous. The smoke contains particulate matter harmful to our bodies, which when inhaled gets deep into our lungs and affects the way oxygen enters our bloodstream and how carbon dioxide exits.

Both the National Weather Service and the City of Charlottesville look at the Air Quality Index to judge when air pollution reaches unsafe levels. The AQI takes the form of a color-coded dial, with green indicating “good” air quality, onto yellow (“moderate”), and worsening conditions represented by orange, red, purple, and maroon.

This summer, the city made it all the way to purple—“very unhealthy.” That was on June 8, when Charlottesville Parks & Recreation canceled all afternoon outdoor activities. June 29 saw the Office of Emergency Management issue a notice that air quality levels were a notch lower—“unhealthy”— and on July 17, the city warned that the air was at least hazardous for sensitive groups, and that “those with pre-existing conditions may experience health effects and should limit their time outdoors.”

Just because the AQI seems to have dropped from the most alarming levels doesn’t mean we should be less vigilant with our respiratory health. Dr. Kyle Enfield, a pulmonologist and medical director of the medical intensive care unit at UVA Health, told UVA Today in June that even if you don’t have a condition like asthma, “poor air quality increases hospitalizations and health care visits.”

Are we all going to develop chronic ailments from the smoke? Not necessarily, said Enfield. You’d have to be breathing this stuff for months

Susan Kruse, executive director of the Community Climate Collaborative, believes that “climate is connected to everything,” and sees the drifting smoke from the Canadian wildfires as proof that it affects everybody.

the global effects of climate change

Experts expect that this ebb and flow of smoke, where some days may be clearer and less polluted than others, will continue for the rest of the summer. As Canada has experienced a long period of drought and higher than average temperatures, the soil, trees, and vegetation have all dried out. And dry heat brings on lightning. Thus, fires.

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, as of July 23, more than 1,000 wildfires are burning across Canada, and while hundreds are being batted back by firefighters to protect at-risk communities, the majority are considered out of control and being left to burn. Some fires are in remote locations, and Canadian officials say it would be too expensive to combat them.

or even years. But temporary exposure, like that of this smoky summer, can up your risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke, or being hospitalized for a respiratory illness.

That’s where the familiar mantra comes in—mask up outside and stay indoors. But it’s more complicated than protecting ourselves from a human-spread virus. The kind of mask matters—N95, naturally—but even in our homes, the air we breathe is affected by what’s going on outside (like, say, massive wildfires). Using air filters with a “MERV” rating of 8 or higher can help, according to Enfield. The city has warned residents to “keep any doors, windows, and fireplaces shut to reduce fine particle build-up indoors,” and recommended running your air conditioning on a recirculation setting.

While firefighters from at least 10 countries, including the U.S. and Mexico, are helping in Canada, affected international communities are left to deal with the resulting smoke. In Charlottesville, some believe this crisis has put the reality and effects of climate change directly on the public’s doorstep.

“It’s like when there used to be smoking and non-smoking sections in a restaurant. Just because you sat in the non-smoking section didn’t mean that you didn’t have smoke,” says Susan Kruse, executive director of the Community Climate Collaborative. “It’s a tangible example that climate impact is global. Just because you don’t have some of the problems that other places do doesn’t mean you won’t be impacted by them.”

“This is it, right? This is climate change,” says Emily Irvine, the city’s climate protection program manager. “It’s happening right here and right now. … This is not gonna get any better until we stop dumping greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.”

Irvine says that while working on the climate change risk and vulnerability assess-

ment for the city a few years ago, “wildfire smoke didn’t even come up as a hazard that we’re looking at in our area.” (Though it is a small risk in Albemarle County, which has more tracts of forest.)

“There’s just not the data and modeling on it,” she says. “It’s not what we think of as an acute or a chronic climate hazard traditionally.”

But Irvine says that the events of this hazy summer have prompted the city and county to push wildfire smoke up on their list of climate crises to prepare for. Smoke is also a new topic that they want to engage the public with during this fall’s planned meetings on adapting to and building resilience to climate change.

For those who are wondering what they can do to alleviate the effects of the climate crisis—especially in a small town—Irvine says that help can often take the form of setting an example.

“Climate change is a collective action problem,” she says. “When we work here locally as a community to lower our emissions, and also to adapt to the climate disruptions that are coming because of the warming that’s already happened, we are contributing and doing our part to the global effort to address this issue.”

Irvine remains optimistic even now. Here at home, the city plans to launch a website on the in-progress climate adaptation plan in the next few weeks, and begin public engagement as early as September. While fires rage across Canada, she sees a bright—and hopefully less hazy—future for our city.

“Charlottesville, for being such a small community,” says Irvine, “is really being forward-thinking about how to address these issues.”

“It’s a tangible example that climate impact is global. Just because you don’t have some of the problems that other places do doesn’t mean you won’t be impacted by them.”

SUSAN KRUSE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY CLIMATE COLLABORATIVE

Dr. Kyle Enfield, pulmonologist and medical director of the medical ICU at UVA Health, says any amount of exposure to smoke can lead to health complications.

Emily Irvine, Charlottesville’s climate protection program manager, says the city and county now consider wildfire smoke from other localities to be a climate hazard to prepare for.

Who’ll be taking care of you?

On a recent episode of Slate’s How To podcast, Amy Goyer, AARP’s family and caregiving expert, was brought on to provide advice and guidance for caregivers. But it was her own cautionary tale in caregiving that was most impactful. She’d worked in the aging field for 40 years, she said, and had cared for her grandparents, her parents (her Father had Alzheimer’s and her Mother had a stroke), and her sister, who was across the country from her and living with Cushing disease.

“It is a cautionary tale because I did everything right and it was still not enough...because my dad had Alzheimer’s and needed 24/7 care. Even with me providing 60 to 80 hours of care a week myself, I had to pay people while I was working, and I ended up going bankrupt,” she said. “It was humiliating.”

“I had a financial advisor for my parents,” she added, “but I did not have a financial advisor for myself.”

Indeed, it was a theme in the episode: caregivers becoming physically, emotionally, and financially drained by the challenges of caregiving, and a healthcare system seemingly designed to make it even tougher.

At one point, the moderator turned things around on Goyer and asked her how she planned to prepare for being cared for in the future, and it became clear that even she had not figured that out yet.

“My boyfriend of 16 years, my life partner, has many nieces and nephews, but neither one of us have kids,” said Goyer. “And so there is that feeling of, oh, God, who’s going to do this for us?”

However, even for those caregivers in the episode with kids, there was a feeling of not wanting to put them through what they were going through with their own parents.

This led to an interesting discussion about needing to be proactive about your long-term health and emotional stability as you get older - and to participate in your own anticipated need to be cared for. Easier said than done, of course.

Goyer emphasized avoiding isolation as you get older, expanding your social circles, tending to your long-term friendships, hanging out with neighbors, and perhaps resolving problem relationships with people you love. It’s also about where you live, who you live with, and how your home is set up. It’s about educating yourself about what community and home-based services and supports are available. In fact, she recommends reaching out to your local area agency on aging, in our case JABA on Hillsdale Drive. And getting your paperwork in order.

“I would try to talk with an attorney who’s part of the National Academy of Elder Law attorneys or estate planning attorneys,” said Goyer. “Get all that paperwork in place, but then figure out who’s going to make sure that my wishes are adhered to, who’s going to be that person, who’s going to advocate for me if I go in the hospital, or who’s going to water my plants if I suddenly go in the hospital or take care of my dog.”

And as Goyer mentions, there are now Aging Life Care Specialists you can hire who’ll help you and your family navigate the various situations that can arise with aging and caregiving. And while engaging professionals can be costly now, they can end up saving you much more later.

“It’s important to prepare to be cared for ourselves, because it’s not a matter of if we’re going to need it, it’s a matter of when,” said Goyer.

David McNair handles communications, media relations, and social media efforts for JABA.

At

Fitness, lifelong learning, social connections, music, art, and more for adults

50 and up. Conveniently located just off E. Rio Road, with evening and Saturday hours.

thecentercville.org 434.974.7756

Welcoming

Call today to learn more about the compassionate care, lovely apartments, wonderful amenities, and active, family-oriented lifestyle that makes our community one-of-a-kind.

What Residents Are Saying

CULTURE

SATURDAY 7/29

ON THE RISE

Straight out of Scottsville, singer-songwriter Drew Pace is making his mark in country music. Pace rekindled his passion for music at age 13, after a devastating injury ended his football career. The multi-instrumentalist, who plays drums, acoustic and electric guitar, recently signed a record deal in Nashville, and released his debut single, “Heart of an Angel.” Pace is joined by Jared Stout of The Jared Stout Band, performing a solo opening set. $15–18, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

SUNDAY 7/30

WELCOME HOME

Will Overman may be based in Nashville, but his music is still a dynamic and nostalgic ode to his time in central Virginia. The country Americana artist tackles personal and fictional narratives with a powerful voice and heart-worn lyrics on his recent Heart Pine EP. The ballad-like title track focuses on Overman’s own struggle with mental health, while the dark and moody “Spend It All” steps into the mind of someone returning from war and fighting PTSD. With singer-songwriter Deau Eyes. $15, 4pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd. batesvillemarket.com

THURSDAY 7/27–SATURDAY 7/29

PASTORAL A-FAIR

Get your pies and pickles ready, it’s Albemarle County Fair time. Fairgoers are treated to a food truck lineup and live music from Baby Jo’s, Dark Hollow, Virginia Rain, and Charles Frazier & The Virginia Ramblers, as well as demonstrations, craft exhibits, and a livestock showcase that flaunts well-raised cows, bunnies, goats, and more. Makers compete in agricultural categories that include hops and homebrews, handcrafts, and veggies in art—best Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head! Free–$5, times vary. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. albemarlecountyfair.com

Out... Hang

CULTURE THIS WEEK

Wednesday 7/26 music

Beleza Duo. Funkalicious samba soul. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Dueling Pianos. Sing along as two pianists duke it out. $25, 7pm. Pikasso Swig Craft Bar, 333 Second St. SE. pikassoswig.com

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

Karaoke. Have a drink—it will sound better. Free, 9:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

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

stage

Dear Jack, Dear Louise A World War II love story, presented by Virginia Theatre Festival. $15-35, 7:30pm. Helms Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginiatheatrefestival.org

words

The Typesetting and Designs of the Declaration of Independence Broadsides. A lecture with Craig Welsh. Free, 5:30pm. Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library at UVA, 160 McCormick Rd. rarebookschool.org

etc.

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

Vanilla Sky. A vain, wealthy playboy (Tom Cruise) finds himself caught between two women (Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz) in two different worlds. $10, 7:15pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. draft house.com

Wind Down Wednesdays. Unwind with acoustic music and a stunning view of the sunset. Free, 6pm. Carter Mountain Orchard, 1435 Carters Mountain Trl. chilesfamily orchards.com

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

Thursday 7/27

music

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

FarAway Songs. Grab your favorite beverage and enjoy live tunes. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Junior Jam: Under the Sea. Music and fun all summer long, with a different theme each week. Free, 10am. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesville market.com

LYAO with Chris Alan. The comedian’s style is a mix of well-crafted jokes and stories about his life ranging from his family to fatherhood, the military and marriage, coupled with quick-witted crowd interactions. $1550, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com Mild Goose Chase. The Nashville-based duo pairs cello and guitar into rich vocal harmonies, lyrical songwriting, and exuberant improvisation. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durty nellyscharlottesville.com

Travis Elliott & Friends. Live music and cider specials. Free, 5pm. Castle Hill Cider, 6065 Turkey Sag Rd., Keswick. castlehill cider.com

stage

Dear Jack, Dear Louise See listing for Wednesday, July 26. $15-35, 7:30pm. Helms Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginia theatrefestival.org

Heathers The Musical: Teen Edition A dark comedy throwback to the 1988 cult classic film full of preppy fashion and vindictive teens. $20–22, 7:30pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

The Importance of Being Earnest Slapstick comedy and fun songs make this original adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s hysterical play enjoyable and understandable for all ages. Free, 7pm. Aldersgate Methodist Church, 1500 Rio Rd. E. blackbox players.com

classes

Paint & Sip. Create a one-of-a-kind acrylic painting. $35, 7pm. Pikasso Swig Craft Bar, 333 Second St. SE. pikassoswig.com etc.

Albemarle County Fair. A three-day agricultural celebration, with exhibits, baked goods, crafts, family entertainment, livestock, and more. Free–$5, 4pm. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org

Clear Day Thunder A documentary screening by The American Chestnut Foundation. Free, 7pm. PVCC, 501 College Dr. acf.org

Little Naturalist Program. Bring the kids to start learning about nature. Free, 10am. Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm, 1780 Earlysville Rd. ivycreek foundation.org

Tailgate Thursdays. Live music by The Stinsons, and food from Oyster Catcher Sea Farms. Free, 6pm. Stinson Vineyards, 4744 Sugar Hollow Rd., Crozet. stinson vineyards.com

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

Friday 7/28

music

Blake Hunter & The Gatherers. Come hungry, thirsty, and ready for a good time. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Fridays After Five: Neighbor. Soulful Americana tunes, with Josh Mayo and the House Sauce. Free, 5:30pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

J.M. Clifford. Grab your favorite beverage and enjoy live music. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

John R. Miller. The singer-songwriter-picker’s debut solo album, Depreciated, is full of intricate wordplay and haunting imagery. $18-20, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com Runawayz. Hard jam rock and funky grooves. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Scuffletown. Calypso, bluegrass, reggae, and blues. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glass housewinery.com

The Ultimate TayTay Laser Party. Dance the night away with fellow Swifties. $20-25, 8:30pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

dance

Silent Disco. A twist on the typical dance party. $10–15, 5:30pm. Pro Re Nata, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. goodtimes onlyva.com

stage

Dear Jack, Dear Louise See listing for Wednesday, July 26. $15-35, 7:30pm. Helms Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginia theatrefestival.org

Heathers The Musical: Teen Edition See listing for Thursday, July 27. $20–22, 7:30pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

The Importance of Being Earnest. See listing for Thursday, July 27. Free, 7pm. Aldersgate Methodist Church, 1500 Rio Rd. E. blackboxplayers.com

etc.

Albemarle County Fair. See listing for Thursday, July 27. Free–$5, 4pm. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org

Ix Flix Summer Film Series: Moonage Daydream Movie night under the stars. Free, 9pm. Ix Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.org

Sunset Soirée. Live music by Isabel Bailey and osyters by Salty Bottom Blue. Free, 6pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

Saturday 7/29

music

Berto. Unique fingerpicking and contagious energy. Free, 11am. Tavern & Grocery, 333 W. Main St. tavernandgrocery.com

Drew Pace. With Jared Stout. $15-50, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Hustle Souls. Soul tunes from Asheville, NC. Free, 9:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Ian Gilliam & The FireKings. An epic night of rockabilly, rock ‘n’ roll, blues, and honky tonk. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Rivanna Roots: Gallatin Canyon and Ragged Mountain String Band. An evening of live music under the stars. $14-16, 5pm. Rivanna River Company, 1518 E. High St. frontporchcville.org

Stonehenge Ave. Grab your favorite beverage and enjoy live tunes. Free, 1pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Tonal Strangers. Contemporary jazz, pop, and world music. Free, 5pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

dance

Silent Disco. Dance to your favorite songs with your own pair of multi-channel headphones. $10, 9pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. goodtimesonlyva.com

stage

Dear Jack, Dear Louise See listing for Wednesday, July 26. $15-35, 2 and 7:30pm. Helms Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginia theatrefestival.org

Heathers The Musical: Teen Edition See listing for Thursday, July 27. $20–22, 7:30pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

The Importance of Being Earnest See listing for Thursday, July 27. Free, 7pm. Aldersgate Methodist Church, 1500 Rio Rd. E. blackboxplayers.com

CONTINUED ON

Turning pages

Crack the spines of these local reads

By Maeve Hayden

Still stacking your summer reading list? Whether it be a laugh-out-loud feminist tale, a small-town mystery, or a nonfiction adventure, these titles by area authors are suitable for your beach bag and beyond.

Sara Read

Johanna Porter is Not Sorry (fiction)

What do you do when your famous narcissistic ex paints a portrait of you worth thousands? Steal it, of course. Sara Read’s debut novel, Johanna Porter is Not Sorry, follows one soccer mom on a laugh-out-loud art heist of epic proportions. Fun fact: The main character drops the F-bomb more than 100 times, including six on the first page. Read, who lives in Charlottesville, wrote Johanna Porter is Not Sorry while also working her main gig as a nurse to cancer patients.

Jeannette Walls

Hang the Moon (fiction)

New York Times bestselling author Jeannette Walls’ new novel is a twisty page-turner that follows a willful young woman as she goes from outcast to bootlegger. Sadie Kincaid is the daughter of the most powerful man in a small Virginia town. After a tragic accident gets her cast out, she returns nine years later, determined to reclaim her place in the family. If you haven’t read Walls’ memoir, The Glass Castle, yet, do yourself a favor and add it to your TBR.

Andrea Beatriz Arango

Iveliz Explains It All (middle grade)

Andrea Beatriz Arango is kind of a big deal. Her debut novel in verse, Iveliz Explains It All, earned a 2023 Newbery Honor award. The moving story follows Mimi as she takes on seventh grade while facing mental health challenges, and uses her voice to advocate for the help and understanding she deserves. It’s the perfect read for middle schoolers, or even adults looking for a little inspiration.

Amber McBride

We Are All So Good at Smiling (YA)

UVA professor Amber McBride’s sophomore release, We Are All So Good at Smiling, navigates trauma in magical ways. The young adult novel in verse packs a punch, and might make you shed a tear before leaving you inspired and uplifted. It follows protagonist Whimsy, and her friend Faerry, who grapple with childhood traumas and societal stigmas around mental health, heightened by their experiences of white supremacy and racism as Black teens in contemporary America.

Bruce Holsinger

The Displacements (fiction)

The Displacements is UVA professor Bruce Holsinger’s suspenseful tale of privilege lost in the wake of natural catastrophe. The Larsen-Hall family has settled nicely into its new upper-class Miami life, when the world’s first category six hurricane upends everything they’ve taken for granted. Now two family members are missing, the money’s gone, and the rest of the family is transported hundreds of miles away to a FEMA megashelter.

Janasha Bradford

Malcolm’s Master Plan to Gazillionaire (kids)

Experiencing the loss of her home as a child made Janasha Bradford understand the importance of financial literacy from a young age. She now works locally as a financial advisor, and teaches kids financial literacy through her picture books. Her latest, Malcolm’s Master Plan to Gazillionaire, is educational, imaginative, and might just inspire your kid to start a summer side hustle mowing lawns or selling lemonade.

M.K. England

The One True Me and You and Player vs. Player Trilogy (YA and kids)

You might know M.K. England from their YA fantasy and sci-fi novels—or maybe they helped you pick out your next read while they were working as a teen librarian at JMRL. Now, they’re diving into the contemporary genre with The One True Me and You (written as Remi K. England), a funny story full of queer joy, love, and plenty of nerdy references. For younger kids, check out their Player vs. Player Trilogy, an action-packed illustrated series perfect for reluctant readers.

Corban Addison

Wastelands (nonfiction)

Get your nonfiction fix with Corban Addison’s Wastelands: The True Story of Farm Country on Trial—an account of a small rural community in North Carolina fighting against one of the world’s most powerful companies. Addison’s fast-paced, thrilling writing and journalistic integrity will suck you in and make you forget you’re reading a true story. Need more

convincing? “Wastelands is a story I wish I had written,” says John Grisham.

Katharine Schellman

Last Call at the Nightingale (mystery) Death is always a heartbeat away in Jazz Age New York, where mob bosses rule the back alleys and cops take bootleggers’ hush money. Katharine Schellman’s Last Call at the Nightingale is a gritty, glamorous mystery set in an underground speakeasy where music, liquor, and secrets flow. Book two, The Last Drop of Hemlock, is out this summer.

Emily K. Abel and Margaret K. Nelson

Limited Choices: Mable Jones, A Black Children’s Nurse In A Northern White Household (biography)

Limited Choices tells the story of Mable Jones, a Black Charlottesville native who worked as a children’s nurse in New York in the ’40s and ’50s. The book follows Jones through the poor rural South, Charlottesville, and the affluent suburb of Larchmont, New York, piecing together her life in an effort to investigate the impact of structural racism, and a discriminatory system the authors’ family helped uphold. These authors aren’t local, but Limited Choices is a recommended read for all Charlottesvillians, and includes a foreword by Andrea Douglas, executive director of the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center.

Susan Tyler Hancock

Into the Forest (nature, nonfiction)

If beachy reads aren’t your thing, venture into the woodlands with Susan Tyler Hancock’s Into the Forest: The Secret Language of Trees. Hitchcock’s poetic prose is combined with photography from National Geographic to illuminate the remarkable role of trees in our everyday lives. This stunning coffee table book includes plenty of nuggets of fun information, including how an astronaut carried tree seeds to the moon and back, why you should microdose on tree gas, and more.

Polly Stewart

The Good Ones (thriller)

Twenty years ago, Nicola Bennett’s best friend mysteriously vanished from their Appalachian hometown. Drawn to stories of missing girls, Nicola obsessively searches the internet, hoping to discover a clue to her missing friend’s fate. Out on June 6, The Good Ones is an engrossing, suspenseful read that examines the push and pull of female friendship and the costs of being good when the rules for women begin to chafe.

This story originally ran in 434 magazine.

EZE AMOS

Johanna Porter is Not Sorry author Sara Read recently announced the title of her sophomore release, Principles of (E)motion, due out early 2024.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

Saturday 7/29

words

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

Storytime with Crozet Firefighters. Storytime with a firefighter from Station 5. Free, 10:30am. Bluebird & Co., 5792 Three Notched Rd., Crozet. bluebirdcrozet.com

classes

Wall Repair & Painting. Get hands-on practice with spackle, paint, caulk, wood fill, and a variety of rollers, brushes, and knives. $1530, 1pm. 1740 Broadway St, 1740 Broadway St. cvilletoollibrary.com

outside

The Spiders of Ivy Creek. A family-friendly walk with spider expert Joe Lapp. Free, 9:30am. Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm, 1780 Earlysville Rd. ivycreekfoundation.org

etc.

Albemarle County Fair. See listing for Thursday, July 27. Free–$5, 4pm. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org

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

Chess. All ages and skills welcome. Free, 10am. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org

Sunday 7/30 music

David Kulund with Michael Clem. Rock ‘n’ roll and folk. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Josh Rogan. Dark, bluesy rock. Free, 1pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholm vineyards.com

Wavelength. Blues, jazz, and more. Free, 1pm. Merrie Mill Farm and Vineyard, 594 Merrie Mill Farm, Keswick. merriemillfarm.com

Will Overman with Deau Eyes. Will Overman is a singer-songwriter with a powerful voice and powerful convictions. $15, 4pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

stage

Dear Jack, Dear Louise See listing for Wednesday, July 26. $15-35, 2pm. Helms Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginiatheatre festival.org

Heathers The Musical: Teen Edition See listing for Thursday, July 27. $20–22, 2pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

The Importance of Being Earnest See listing for Thursday, July 27. Free, 3pm. Aldersgate Methodist Church, 1500 Rio Rd. E. blackboxplayers.com

etc.

Easy A Brunch. A high school outsider uses social media to create a new identity in a comic twist on The Scarlett Letter. $10, 11:30am. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

Monday 7/31

music

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

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

words

Pacific Encounters in Print. A lecture with Kailani Polzak. Free, 5:30pm. University of Virginia Rotunda Dome Room, 1826 University Ave. rarebookschool.org

Storytime. Storytelling, songs, movement, and bubbles. Free, 10:30am. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. vadm.org

etc.

Insomnia A sleep-deprived detective (Al Pacino) hunts a serial killer in Christopher Nolan’s eerie thriller. $5, 7pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. draft house.com

Tuesday 8/1

music

Cville Band Summer Concert #5. An outdoor program of favorites from a variety of American genres. Free, 7:30pm. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. cvilleband.org

Michael & The Misdemeanors. Jazzy renditions of pop hits. Free, 9:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapture restaurants.com

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

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

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

classes

Pruning the Right Way at the Right Time. A presentation by a Piedmont Master Gardener and professional arborist. Free, 6:30pm. The Center, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org

outside

Three Notch’d Run Club. Log some miles and enjoy a $5 post-run beer. Free, 6pm. Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen & Brewery, 520 Second St. SE. threenotchdbrewing.com etc.

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

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

Go for Beginners. Learn about and play the ancient strategic Chinese board game, Go. Free, 2pm. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org

Superbad High school losers Jonah Hill and Michael Cera try to turn their reputations around, with disastrous consequences. $7, 7:30pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. drafthouse.com

One-string wonder

Luthier and board-game maker unveils guitar trainer

By Shea Gibbs arts@c-ville.com

The TinkerTar, a kids’ guitar trainer widely available for about a month now, is in many ways the synthesis of Charlottesville instrument and boardgame maker Brian Calhoun’s eclectic career. Calhoun’s craftsmanship has been well known around town, and beyond, for many years. Through Rockbridge Guitar, he makes high-end instruments and has worked with renowned musicians like Dave Matthews, Brandi Carlile, Keith Urban, Harry Styles, and Zac Brown.

After years of making guitars, Calhoun had a crazy idea in 2016—crazy at least for a respected luthier whose business was music. He had played a boring board game one night and decided he could make a better one. The outcome was Chickapig, a hilariously fanciful farmyard strategy game. Legend has it Calhoun even had help from Matthews in making and popularizing the game, which went on to win Best Board Game at the 2019 National Parenting Product Awards, and is on shelves at Target, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and independent game stores.

Chickapig opened Calhoun’s eyes to kids’ products, he says, and the idea of a beginner’s guitar lodged itself in the back of his mind.

“I have always wondered why kids don’t start guitar early,” Calhoun says. “On the piano, they start the Suzuki method as early as 3 years old.”

Calhoun started asking parents of small children about their strategies for pushing musicianship. Having kids learn on fourstring ukuleles seemed popular, and one of Calhoun’s friends pointed out that he was quite capable at drawing animals. He made a dinosaur-shaped uke and put it in the hands of some 5-year-olds. Still, the instrument was too hard. The concept of chords was too far removed from what kids think of when they think of songs.

That’s when it clicked. If you could get children to play melodies, he figured, they would take to the instrument more quickly. The best way to move to melodies? Force the issue with only one string. “If you get rid of the other strings, you have no option other than to play a melody,” Calhoun says.

The accomplished six-string luthier made a one-string prototype, and it worked. Kids

could pick up the single-string instrument and play melodies after only a few minutes, immediately sparking their interest.

One-string instruments are not on their own a new idea, but Calhoun figures his TinkerTar is unique in at least a few ways. First, one-string instruments aren’t typically targeted toward beginning players. Second, the TinkerTar is fretless but includes color-coded finger positioning marks and drawn-on frets. That makes it simple to both find the right place to make a note and depress the string to make clear tones. Third, the instrument is simple to tune. Calhoun recommends starting by tuning the one string to C in the open position, but even as the TinkerTar loses fidelity, it always “stays in tune with itself.”

The TinkerTar is available nationwide at Walmart, and Calhoun says the next step is finding shelf space in more stores. He says the considerable job won’t take away from his work with Rockbridge, though. Now that he has manufacturing in place, he’s able to step away and let the business jam on its own.

“We can make as many of these as the market allows, and they have so much potential,” Calhoun says. “They can have a big impact on music education.”

Kids could pick up the single-string instrument and play melodies after only a few minutes, immediately sparking their interest.

TinkerTar, a one-stringed guitar-training instrument, was created by Brian Calhoun, who founded Rockbridge Guitars and created Chickapig.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

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!

BY DAVID LEVINSON WILK

ACROSS

1. “Pirates of the Caribbean” star

5. Gorilla, e.g.

8. Japanese beer brand whose name translates to “morning sun”

13. Jai ____

14. ____ house

15. “You dig?” reply

16. Lauderdale neighbor

17. Isn’t equivalent?

18. WNBA star Taurasi

19. W ith 38- and 54-Across, helpful phrase from a person with connections (and a hint to this puzzle’s italicized clues)

22. Tupperware stock

23. TV alien played by Robin Williams

24. Latin for “womb”

26. Got to second base, maybe

29. NBA star Thompson

30. Jazz great Fitzgerald

31. W ith less delay

33. Place to conduct forensics

36. “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” host

38. See 19-Across

39. “It’s ____!” (“I’ll see you then”)

41. Lean-____ (shelters)

42. Homes that may have butlers

45. Glenn Frey hit “The Heat ____”

46. “The Voice” host Carson

47. “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” director

49. “Memento” star

52. Nickname followed by -dore or -dora

53. Scratchy voice

54. See 19-Across

59. Words before earliest or least

61. Indiana neighbor

62. On

64. Organizing expert Kondo

65. Unable to make a decision

66. M, on forms

67. Play for time

68. Comedian Barinholtz

69. Harry and William attended it

DOWN

1. Tiny amount of eye cream

2. “The Time Machine” race

3. Beasts of burden

4. Place for cocktails and music

5. Opera highlight

6. Sharp feeling

7. Caesar ’s accusation

8. Funding

9. “Sesame Street” game show host

10. The slightest margin

11. Diwali celebrant

12. “None for me, thanks”

14. “Gunpowder Plot” conspirator

20. The Magic, on scoreboards

21. Present time?

25. Skating legend Lipinski

26. Dexterous

27. Potpourri

28. Snuggle competitor

29. Soup mix brand

32. “Now what’s all this then?!”

33. Verbally attack

34. Yours, to Yves

35. “Molto ____!”

37. Big Apple debut of 1998

40. Craps, e.g

43. Supermodel Wek

44. Waits to publish, as an article

46. TV advice show co-created by Oprah

48. Lil Wayne’s “____ Carter V”

49. Strollers through Covent Garden

50. Seriously vex

51. Ad ____” (2019 space film)

55. Claim of innocence

56. “I get it now”

57. What a tightrope walker walks on

58. #carpediem

60. Delicacy with kabayaki sauce

63. Implement with a nib

ANSWERS 7/19/23

Girl

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

By Rob Brezsny

By Rob Brezsny

Virgo

Leo

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): For many of us, a disposal company regularly comes to our homes to haul away the garbage we have generated. Wouldn’t it be great if there was also a reliable service that purged our minds and hearts of the psychic gunk that naturally accumulates? Psychotherapists provide this blessing for some of us, and I know people who derive similar benefits from spiritual rituals. Getting drunk or intoxicated may work, too, although those states often generate their own dreck. With these thoughts in mind, Virgo, meditate on how you might cleanse your soul with a steady, ennobling practice. Now is an excellent time to establish or deepen this tradition.

(July 23-Aug. 22): Leo theologian Bernard McGinn defines mysticism as “the consciousness of the immediate presence of God.” In other words, people having a mystic experience are filled with a visceral sensation of the divine intelligence. It’s not just an idea or concept; it’s a deeply felt communion infused with intimate tenderness. You Leos will be more likely than usual to have such contact in the coming weeks—if you want it. If you don’t want it, or don’t believe it’s real, or don’t think it’s possible, well, then, you can of course resist it. But why not give it a whirl? There’s nothing to lose, and it could be fun.

Virgo

Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’m wondering if there is a beloved person to whom you could say these words by Rumi: “You are the sky my spirit circles in, the love inside love, the resurrection-place.” If you have no such an ally, Libra, the coming months will be a favorable time to attract them into your life. If there is such a companion, I hope you will share Rumi’s lyrics with them, then go further. Say the words Leonard Cohen spoke: “When I’m with you, I want to be the kind of hero I wanted to be when I was seven years old.”

Scorpio

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Here’s a parable for you. Once upon a time, there was a woman who could read the future in the night sky. She regarded the planets and stars as her divine informants. On one moonless evening, she took a walk down a dirt road near her home. It was so dark she could barely see two feet ahead of her. Oops! She should have brought a flashlight. Lost in wonder, she gazed up at the heavenly bodies, watching and listening for revelations they might have for her. Then one of the lights, the planet Saturn, whispered, “Stop and look down, friend.” The woman turned her eyes from the sky to the ground just in time to find she was two strides away from stepping into a deep, muddy hole. What’s the moral of the tale? Here are some possibilities. 1. Sometimes the heights provide useful information about the depths. 2. Soaring visions may help you tune in to practical details. 3. To become aware of important facts you’ve overlooked in your daily rhythm, consult your higher mind.

Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A Libran writer I know received many rejection notices when he launched his career. I was amazed at how undaunted he was. In fact, he was the opposite of undaunted. He taped copies of his rejection notices to his bedroom wall. Seeing the evidence of his failures motivated him. It

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Your theme for the coming weeks is “pleasurable gooseflesh.” I expect and hope you’ll experience it in abundance. You need it and deserve it! Editor Corrie Evanoff describes “pleasurable gooseflesh” as “the primal response we experience when something suddenly violates our expectations in a good way.” It can also be called “frisson”—a French word meaning “a sudden feeling or sensation of excitement, emotion, or thrill.” One way this joy may occur is when we listen to a playlist of songs sequenced in unpredictable ways—say Mozart followed by Johnny Cash, then Edith Piaf, Led Zeppelin, Blondie, Queen, Luciano Pavarotti, and Yellow Magic Orchestra. Here’s your

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Cancer

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Leo

(June 21-July 22): The sometimes overly clever author Oscar Wilde said, “When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.” I reject that warped view of reality and assure you it will have no bearing on your life in the coming weeks. If you formulate your prayers with care and discernment, they will lead you to rewards, not problems. Maybe not the exact rewards you imagined, but still close to your hopes and helpful in the next chapter of your life story. (PS: No sloppy, lazy, careless prayers, please. Be precise and clear.)

Scorpio

(July 23-Aug. 22): There are two kinds of holidays: those created by humans and those arising from the relationship between the sun and earth. In the former category are various independence days: July 4 in the U.S., July 1 in Canada, July 14 in France, and June 2 in Italy. Japan observes Foundation Day on February 11. Among the second kind of holiday is Lammas on August 1, a pagan festival that in the Northern Hemisphere marks the halfway point between the summer solstice and autumn equinox. In pre-industrial cultures, Lammas celebrated the grain harvest and featured outpourings of gratitude for the crops that provide essential food. Modern revelers give thanks for not only the grain, but all the nourishing bounties provided by the sun’s and earth’s collaborations. I believe you Leos are smart to make Lammas one of your main holidays. What’s ready to be harvested in your world. What are your prime sources of gratitude?

you to meditate on that riddle. Here are some preliminary thoughts: The flames rising from a burning substance are always moving, always active, never the same shape. Yet they comprise the same fire. As long as they keep shifting and dancing, they are alive and vital. If they stop changing, they die out and disappear. The fire needs to keep changing to thrive! Dear Sagittarius, here’s your assignment: Be like the fire; rest by changing.

Capricorn

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The cartoon character Bart Simpson is one of the stars of “The Simpsons” animated TV show. According to him, “Life is a paradox. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.” While that principle may sometimes be true, I believe you will be exempt from it in the coming weeks. In fact, I suspect you will be as free as it’s possible for a human to be of grueling contradictions, frustrating oppositions, clashing truths, and paralyzing contraries. There’s a good chance you will also outwit and avoid annoying incongruities and silly arguments. Congratulations in advance, Scorpio! Take full advantage of this phase of simple clarity.

Sagittarius

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): There’s ample scientific evidence that smelling cucumbers can diminish feelings of claustrophobia. For example, some people become anxious when they are crammed inside a narrow metal tube to get an MRI. But numerous imaging facilities have reduced that discomfort with the help of cucumber oil applied to cotton pads and brought into proximity to patients’ noses. I would love it if there were also natural ways to help you break free of any and all claustrophobic situations, Capricorn. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to hone and practice the arts of liberation.

Aquarius

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The dragon has appeared in the myths and legends of many cultures. Europe, China, and Mesoamerica are just a few places where the fire-breathing flying reptiles have fascinated the human imagination. In some traditions, they are dangerous and predatory. In China, though, they have been harbingers of good fortune and symbols of great power. Emperors claimed the dragon as their special emblem. In assigning the dragon to be your soul creature, Sagittarius, I am drawing from Chinese lore. What would you like to accomplish that would benefit from you having access to fierce, dynamic, indomitable energy? Call on the dragon for help and power.

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Silent gratitude isn’t very much use to anyone,” said Aquarian author Gertrude B. Stein. She was often quirky and even downright weird, but as you can see, she also had a heartful attitude about her

Capricorn

folks. Make it your intention to surround yourself more and more with interesting, imperfect, ever-changing life-lovers who appreciate you for exactly who you are— and who inspire you to grow more and more into the full idiosyncratic glory of your authentic self.

Aries

Pisces

Aquarius

(Feb. 19-March 20): According to the International Center for Academic Integrity, 95 percent of high school students acknowledge they have participated in academic cheating. We can conclude that just one of 20 students have never cheated—a percentage that probably matches how many non-cheaters there are in every area of life. I mention this because I believe it’s a favorable time to atone for any deceptions you have engaged in, whether in school or elsewhere. I’m not necessarily urging you to confess, but I encourage you to make amends and corrections to the extent you can. Also: Have a long talk with yourself about what you can learn from your past cons and swindles.

Aries

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): What psychic or prophet is most popular with a-list celebrities? I can assure you it’s not me. Few of my millions of readers are world-famous. What about the planet’s most scientifically accurate astrologer? Who might that be? It ain’t me. I don’t regard astrology as a science, and I mistrust those who say it is. In my view, astrology is a mythopoetic language and psychospiritual system that nurtures our souls and helps liberate us from our conditioning. We shouldn’t try to get “scientifically accurate” information from it. Now I encourage you to do what I just did, Aquarius. Have fun telling people who you are not, what you don’t believe in, and which goals you aren’t interested in pursuing.

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): To come up with your astrological reports, I study the positions of the sun, moon, and planets in relation to your sign. That’s the technical part of the work, the framework within which I unleash my intuition and imagination. To augment this work, I meditate and pray, asking higher powers to guide me in providing useful information for you. I often consult books written by my favorite as-

(March 21-April 19): You are about to read a thunderbolt of sublime prophecies. It’s guaranteed to nurture the genius in your soul’s underground cave. Are you ready? 1. Your higher self will prod you to compose a bold prayer in which you ask for stuff you thought you weren’t supposed to ask for. 2. Your higher self will know what to do to enhance your love life by at least 20 percent, possibly more. 3. Your higher self will give you extra access to creativity and imaginative powers, enabling you to make two practical improvements in your life.

over 300 books in this series. They aren’t truly for stupid people, of course. They’re designed to be robust introductions to interesting and useful subjects. I invite you to emulate Kilcullen’s mindset, Taurus. Be innocent, curious, and eager to learn. Adopt a beginner’s mind that’s receptive to being educated and influenced.

Gemini

(March 21-April 19): Your deep psyche will soon well up with extra creativity and fertility. I hope you will eagerly tap into these gifts. You should assume that you will be more imaginative and ingenious than usual. You will have an enhanced ability to solve problems with vigor and flair. In what areas of your life would you love to gently erupt with a burst of reinvention? Which of your habits might benefit from being cheerfully disrupted? Give yourself permission to change whatever bores you.

(May 21-June 20): “I could be converted to a religion of grass,” says Indigenous author Louise Erdrich in her book Heart of the Land “Sink deep roots. Conserve water. Respect and nourish your neighbors. Such are the tenets. As for practice—grow lush in order to be devoured or caressed, stiffen in sweet elegance, invent startling seeds. Connect underground. Provide. Provide. Be lovely and do no harm.” I advocate a similar approach to life for you Geminis in the coming weeks. Be earthy, sensual, and lush. (P.S.: Erdrich is a Gemini.)

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): My teacher Paul Foster Case said the color yellow is midway between warm, exciting red and cool, calming blue. “Yellow has an equilibrating influence,” he wrote. “It stimulates the finer functions of the brain, is of assistance in developing alertness and discrimination, and helps to establish emotional balance.” According to my astrological analysis, Taurus, you should emphasize this hue in the coming days. If you call on yellow to help strengthen the qualities Case describes, you will place yourself in sweet alignment with cosmic rhythms.

Cancer

Gemini

(May 21-June 20): Because I enjoy joking with you, I am slightly tempted right now to give you one of the following nicknames: Fidgety, Twitch, Jittery, Quivers, or Shakes. But I will take a more serious tack. Let’s instead see if we can influence you to slow down, stabilize your rhythm, get really

(June 21-July 22): I hereby appoint myself as your temporary social director. My first action is to let you know that from an astrological perspective, the next nine months will be an excellent time to expand and deepen your network of connections and your web of allies. I invite you to cultivate a vigorous grapevine that keeps you up-to-date about

ORDER OF PUBLICATION

Commonwealth of Virginia VA. CODE § 8.01-316

Albemarle County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Commonwealth of Virginia, in re: A.C. (dob 11/16/2018)

The object of this suit is to terminate residual parental rights in A.C. (dob 11/16/2018) and aprove foster care plan with adoption goal.

It is ORDERED that the Unknown father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before September 9, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.

6/27/2023

Judge Pather

CIRCA IS HIRING!

Must be able to load, unload, and merchandise all our great inventory

Help with local pickups and deliveries, to include driving

Must be self-directed, Excellent “people skills” a must

Hard work, but great fun for the right person. Great benefits

Stop by the store Monday thru Saturday between 10 and 5 to introduce yourself and fill out a brief application

We’re hiring!

C-VILLE Weekly is looking for an Operations and Sales Team Manager

Local-owned Publishing/Media Group with brands established over 30+ years and monthly revenue exceeding six figures seeks an operations and sales manager to help write the next chapter as we confirm our investment in the future.

Digital orientation, creativity, leadership experience, budgeting skills and a passion for local journalism could propel you into a top position here. This position would be handling the day to day company business, responsible for ensuring that a high-quality weekly newspaper and our portfolio of magazines hits the stands on time along with managing the sales team and company budget.

This key position will work with a dynamic team of smart, imaginative people, and will always have their finger on the pulse of what’s happening in town. Fluid office arrangement and great company perks provided.

Duties:

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the media company

• Provide leadership and guidance to the sales team

• Manage a list of key clients

• Collaborate with editorial, design and accounting teams to drive operational excellence

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation

Experience:

• Proven experience in operations management, sales management or business development

• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills

• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects and priorities

• Strong leadership and team-building abilities

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills

Job Type: Full-time, hybrid position

PART-TIME HELPER WANTED flexible hours, some weekend hours. Mother of two adult women with disabilities needs a female helper for morning or afternoon driving and other duties.

Please respond to barbara.whary@ gmail.com

Community & MISC. Notices

Group Psychotherapy

Salary: $45,000.00

• $55,000.00 starting salary plus bonuses and benefits

Please email your resume and optional cover letter to Anna Harrison, Publisher: anna@c-ville.com

Groups may be the way to go in trying to deal with the challenges and cost of finding someone for psychotherapy. Groups are affordable. They place you with a trained professional therapist. Groups provide best friends who you only see in group. They will join with you struggling with intimate personal issues. People are surprised how comfortable they are and able to share.

Dr. Lewis Weber and Associates 434 963–0324 ext 2 weberpsychotherapy.com

Observatory, Charlottesville, VA. Apply at http://jobs.jobvite.com/ nrao/jobs Ref# 4833. No calls/ recruiters/visa sponsorship.

PDAP’s in Stuarts Draft. 40 flavors of HERSHEY’S ice cream!

What’s your favorite (local) cold treat?

@splendyscville of course!!

@ALLOYWORKSHOP/INSTAGRAM

@moothru at @dairymarketcville.

Chaps!

Margarita from Brazos Tacos.

Chaps, Chaps, anything Chaps!

Local peach ice cream from Chaps on the DT mall.

The Daily Grind! @dailygrindcville.

Splendora’s Gelato sammies!

Peach ice cream from Chiles Orchard.

Flor Michoacana paletas and homemade ice cream.

Crozet Creamery—the friendliest of staff, a community staple, and amazing flavors! Free sprinkles too!

Affogato from Splendora’s Gelato.

Fall AHEAD.

STAY ON TRACK OR GET STARTED WITH EARNING YOUR DEGREE

• PREPARE TO TRANSFER TO A FOUR-YEAR SCHOOL

• SKILL UP FOR YOUR CAREER