Payback time

By Courteney Stuart and Lisa Provence After nearly three days of deliberations, the jury in Sines v. Kessler found that the white nationalists accused of conspiring to commit racially motivated violence at the Unite the Right rally are liable for $26 million in damages.  Despite the high-dollar award, the plaintiffs were deprived of complete victory […]

In brief: Newspapers threatened, anti-vaxers out

Vultures circle Virginia newspapers A feature story in The Atlantic last month dubbed Alden Global Capital “the hedge fund killing newspapers.” On Monday, Alden announced that it’s hoping to acquire Lee Enterprises, which owns 13 newspapers in Virginia, including The Daily Progress, Richmond Times-Dispatch, and The Roanoke Times. The acquisition should set off alarm bells […]

Pick: Mark Nizer

Lasers, comedy, action!: Entertaining family the day after Thanksgiving can be hard, so let Mark Nizer do it for you at a live show like no other. The immersive one-man performance is a sensory extravaganza of world-class juggling (anything from bowling balls to a burning propane tank), lasers, movement, and music. Nizer delivers original comedy […]

Pick: Winter Wander

Starry night: Festive cheer fills the air and twinkling lights blanket the landscape at Winter Wander, an illuminated stroll around Heritage Lake. Walk through a 35-foot holiday tree to begin your journey, and be transported to a world of wonder at Big Boar Ridge, where a massive mama boar is looking for her babies, Sun […]

Pick: It’s a Wonderful Life

Holiday FM: Four County Players return to performing in front of an audience for the first time in two years with It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. This twist on the classic, adapted by Joe Landry, reimagines the family favorite as a live 1940s radio broadcast. An ensemble cast tells the tale of […]

Take your pick

By Chris Martin With serious supply shortages and shipping delays slowing everything down, holiday cooking staples from bacon to flour to peppercorns and more have suddenly become hard to come by. But fear not—the humble squash is here to save the day. More than just funky fall porch decor, the squash is an often-overlooked veggie […]

Sweet cycle

By Carrie Meslar A jar of honey seems like a simple thing. One ingredient, most often drizzled or spooned out in those hazy first hours of the day. Yet, to bring that honey to the table is an involved year-long process that offers little rest for those who decide to take up the challenge. For […]

Easy as local, fresh-baked pie

By Chris Martin With the holidays fast approaching, bakeries are sifting through 50-pound bags of flour faster than you can open a can of cranberry sauce, and pie is cooling around every corner. Local pie maker and young entrepreneur Megan Adams is facing down another holiday baking season. Adams sells sumptuous apple hand pies, mini […]

Pick: When the Rain Stops Falling

Climate stage: Andrew Bovell’s When the Rain Stops Falling is an intimate play with a vast setting. It’s 2039, and a catastrophic flood is coming that will end all life on Earth. Interweaving stories from four generations across two continents, the play showcases the lasting impacts of climate change and the damaging legacy left behind […]

Pick: Fran Lebowitz

Tales of the city: Social commentator and cultural satirist Fran Lebowitz has an impressive resume of books, essays, and films. Her New Yorker flair won her a spot on Vanity Fair’s Best Dressed Hall of Fame list, and she’s the subject of Martin Scorsese’s recent Emmy-nominated, limited documentary series “Pretend It’s a City.” Lebowitz appears […]