Inspector gadget: CVEC deploys its first survey drones

By Jonathan Haynes This year’s transmission line inspection from the Central Virginia Electric Cooperative was decidedly more low-key than in previous efforts, when the company used a piloted helicopter to make the rounds. In fact, local residents likely have no idea the weeks-long process was taking place, as CVEC deployed an unmanned aerial system to […]

The Pet Issue: Let me tell you ’bout my best friend

For many of us, the relationship we have with our pet is the best one we’ve ever had. He never gets moody, he listens when you talk and he’s still interested in cuddles despite having seen you naked so many thousands of times. This issue takes into account the good, bad and furry side of […]

ARTS Pick: Camp Howard shows its range

In a glut of similar indie-rock groups, Camp Howard is most memorable for its range. The four-piece from Richmond doesn’t stick to one sound as many comparable bands tend to do, instead it jumps from inoffensive, beachy jams to harder-edged, punk-influenced tracks in the style of Wavves and Cloud Nothings. Stray Fossa, Sweet Tooth and Films […]

ARTS Pick: Eilen Jewell easily shifts from jazz to folk

Eilen Jewell’s music wouldn’t be out of place in a smoky nightclub, but it would sound just as natural in a barn full of slow-dancing Southerners. Her tunes have an interesting dichotomy that’s equal parts Billie Holiday and Loretta Lynn, shifting effortlessly from jazz to folk, often within the same track, and surprising listeners with […]

Living Picks: Week of July 11-17

Nonprofit CASPCA benefit Thursday, July 12 Dining out can benefit more than your stomach: Mention Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA on July 12, and 10 percent of your check at Bonefish Grill will go to animals-in-need. Price varies, 11am-10pm. Bonefish Grill, 269 Connor Dr. 975-3474. Food & Drink Anniversary party Saturday, July 14 Albemarle CiderWorks is hosting a […]

Virginia craft beer pioneer focuses on the people

By Jenny Gardiner and Sashank Sankar It seems that thinking small is the key for Charlottesville native Mark Thompson and his wife, Gina, who recently opened Brewing Tree Beer Company on the Brew Ridge Trail, in Nelson County. Thompson, who co-founded Starr Hill Brewery (the second-oldest craft brewery in the state) nearly 20 years ago […]

ARTS Pick: Cry-Baby: The Musical

Imagine Romeo and Juliet in an urban, 1950s setting. You’re probably thinking of West Side Story—now replace that play’s tragic elements with absurdist comedy the way only John Waters could write it, and you get Cry-Baby: The Musical, a stage adaptation of the Waters rom-com. Featuring the classic star-crossed lovers plot with some subversive twists, […]

ARTS Pick: Harvey is a hare-brained tale

Harvey gained notoriety through the 1950 Jimmy Stewart film, but the unusual comedy was originally written and performed as a Broadway play. Elwood P. Dowd is the protagonist, whose best friend is also the title character—a 6’3″ rabbit that only he can see. Dowd’s overbearing sister Veta attempts to cure her sibling of his apparent […]