Other News We Heard Last Week
Friday, May 12
Daughtry’s “American Idol” dis breaks our collective heart
The Style Section of The Washington Post today can’t say enough about how the American public failed to do its duty and vote to keep rocker Chris Daughtry on the show. Both Robin Givhan’s Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion column and Lisa de Moraes’ TV column chronicle the exit of the Fluvanna native, who was widely favored to win the wildly popular karaoke competition.
“Daughtry glared. He glowered. He did the rock-star growl during which he looked to be at risk of popping his jugular,” wrote Givhan. “He wore cool shades. Oh sure, he was cocky. But he should have been. He was the best. America, have you no soul?”
Reports that Daughtry has been offered the job of lead singer for has-been ’90s rock band Fuel came as little consolation to his idolizing fans.
Christine Lynn is Opinionated
“Three soldiers killed.” But oil prices keep going up, and so the early-morning TV news will switch to prices at the pump. Dogs must be fed and phones answered.
The Tale of Pearl and Edmond, Luka Bloom and Nextwave
Live Arts: The Teen Theater Team consists of directors Daria Okugawa and John Gibson, producer Geri Schirmer, and 11 local teens who made a long-term commitment to study various aspects of theater craft. The Tale of Pearl and Edmond, a lavish, intricate, unpredictable concoction inspired by the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, and written by the teens themselves, is the culmination of months of hard work. The cast takes turns reading the story, while the others bring the dialogue and details to life.
GALLERIES AND EXHIBITIONS
Abundant Life 201 E. Main St., Suite Q (Above Zocalo). Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9-11am; Monday and Thursday, 1-5pm; Tuesday and Wednesday, 1-6pm. 979-5433. Through May 31: Drawings by Laura Lee Gulledge.
You gotta fight…
Last week we brought you news of Southern Culture’s new stewards, Christian Kelly and Peter Castiglione (formerly of the Clifton Inn and Zocalo, respectively). They’re set to reopen Southern, with a different name, later this year. This week, we shuffle over to Southern’s next-door neighbor, Blue Bird Café, which-hough it certainly hasn’t closedâis nonetheless shaking things up a bit. In a bid to re-energize, owners Brent Pye and Chuck Hancher have hired a new chef, Roderick Lee, and are planning some menu changes.
What is affordable housing?
“The inherent problem is the dirt, and the dirt is too expensive. Unless the government owns the dirt we have a problem.” The comment from local developer Dan Walters sparked some chuckles and quite a few nods of agreement from the 100 or so people crammed into the upstairs chamber at Baja Bean for Left of Center’s monthly meeting. On Tuesday, May 9, the new youth-centric Democratic group took on the topic of affordable housingâone of the most severe issues facing the City of Charlottesville as it deals with continued growth and inflated real estate costs.
Hard times for College radio?
Chuck Taylor started at WTJU-91.1 in 1979, when he volunteered to DJ for Charlottesville’s first FM station. Just a few years later, he got involved in the station’s management (still as a volunteer), and in 1993 was hired full-time as WTJU’s general manager, although he continued to host a radio show until 1997. Born in the ’50s, Taylor has spent his adult life watching college radio’s rise.
Dems hope to build on local success
An old political adage says that every election is either about “keeping a good thing going” or “throwing the bums out.” Dems hope that a handful of victories in the Commonwealth\’s May elections signals that voters are leaning towards the latter choice.
Feds aim to track barnyard animals
We still can\’t find Osama, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to track the movements of every barnyard animal in the nation.