The full Montpelier: Madison’s mansion gets its day in the sun

Making the invisible visible  In the 1970s, Rebecca Gilmore Coleman’s father took her for a drive down Route 20, headed south through Orange County towards Montpelier. “After arriving near the main gate of Montpelier, he pointed to the right and said, ‘That’s where I was born,’” recalled Coleman. Coleman’s great-grandfather was George Gilmore, a slave of […]

Deadlock in Richmond leaves local drug court judgeless

The General Assembly’s political dogfight over the state’s budget is threatening to neuter Charlottesville’s drug court. The Medicaid expansion stalemate in Richmond has left Charlottesville’s 16th Circuit Court without a designated judge to oversee the city’s drug court for the first time since it was created 16 years ago. “The longer it goes on, the […]

Health issue 2014: UVA studies impact of concussions in young athletes

This story is part of our 2014 health issue, which also includes articles on mammography, rhabdomyolysis, and gluten intolerance. Helmet? Check. Shoulder pads? Check. Tiny biometric brain injury sensor? Check. You won’t see the quarter-sized computerized devices tucked behind their ears, but more than 100 local high school and college athletes are donning the sensors […]

The next food fight: Local church focuses on education instead of can drive

Canned ravioli, instant cups of soup, and microwaveable chicken dinners are a fixture in the kitchens of people who can’t afford to buy food. They’re free from food banks and charity distribution programs, because they’re easy to prepare and don’t go bad. But they’re not the most nutritious meals, and their sugar content and preservatives […]

Amahl and the Night Visitors sets the course for local opera careers

At 11 years old, Kate Tamarkin sat in a dark Laguna Beach, California theater, her mouth gaping, flabbergasted at the boisterous sounds produced by the singers in a performance of Amahl and the Night Visitors. “I had not ever heard opera before,” said Tamarkin, who 40 years later is now the director of the Charlottesville & […]