By Deirdre Crimmins When a documentary falls flat, it can be hard to pinpoint the weak link in its cinematic chain. Is it a boring subject, unengaging speakers, poor editing, or an entirely different set of missteps? The Hidden Life of Trees is not an outright failure, but its shortcomings in direction and assembly add […]
By Danny O’Dea All along Route 151, breweries and wineries dot the sides of the road. This beautiful, hilly stretch of Nelson County highway is known around the state for its picturesque watering holes. Take a turn down the more residential Dick Woods Road, however, and you’ll see signs with bold letters that read “NO […]
By Carrie Meslar Bar seats around Charlottesville are filling up again, which means area bartenders are finally able to put pouches and to-go cups behind them and offer patrons in-person crafted cocktails. While making use of the abundance of locally produced spirits and ingredients is not new to our bartending scene, the opportunity to delight […]
High roller: Boutique dispensary opens downtown The future of pot has arrived in Charlottesville. And it looks like an Apple store. Skooma, the town’s newest CBD dispensary, opened on the Downtown Mall earlier this month. For the moment, the slick operation is offering the weed-adjacent products that are currently widely available in Virginia—edibles and plants […]
Smile! On July 1, over 750,000 adult Virginians became eligible for dental coverage under the state’s expanded Medicaid dental plan. Previously, only children and pregnant Medicaid recipients were eligible for coverage. “Oral health is an integral part of overall health, well-being, and quality of life,” said Governor Ralph Northam in a press release. “This historic […]
By Danny O’Dea All along Route 151, breweries and wineries dot the sides of the road. This beautiful, hilly stretch of Nelson County highway is known around the state for its picturesque watering holes. Take a turn down the more residential Dick Woods Road, however, and you’ll see signs with bold letters that read “NO […]
Orange we lucky: A chance encounter in a music store in Orange, Virginia, was the setting for acoustic duo Scuffletown’s auspicious start. The group’s name comes from a long-lost Orange County town, and for the past quarter century, the duo has traveled the country at large. Their signature blend of roots, jazz, world, and bluegrass […]
Backing it up: The Detroit record label Motown produced more hits than The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, and Elvis Presley combined. And much of that success had to do with its backing band, The Funk Brothers. From 1959 to 1972, the group of session musicians provided the distinctive sound for The Temptations, […]
Hit me with your best shot: No ’80s playlist is complete without songs by Madonna, Elton John, Sinead O’Connor, Bruce Springsteen, Janet Jackson, and The Pet Shop Boys. Yet while their sing-along hits were dominating the airwaves, each of these artists recorded lesser-known tracks to bring attention to the HIV/AIDS epidemic that was largely ignored […]
By Julia Stumbaugh In December 2020, a group of local youth took their case to a virtual City Council meeting. The goal: Keep the Charlottesville Skate Park open. The city had issued a release earlier that month warning that the park could be shut down if mask-wearing and social distancing regulations weren’t followed. In response […]