Chuck Pinnell found his calling right out of high school, when his love of art and crafting drew him to leather as a medium. After learning the trade in a harness shop in Colonial Williamsburg during the Bicentennial, he later moved to Middleburg to take over a tack repair business, mending saddles and other pieces […]
2020 will be a prosperous time for area job-seekers, says Juandiego Wade, coordinator of Albemarle County’s Career Center, thanks to a low 2.5 percent unemployment rate propelled by strong local business growth. “If you’re looking for a job and you have skills, you have buying power right now.” But where to start? A job search […]
An entrepreneur with deep roots in the local community, Albemarle Countertop Company’s founder and owner Wes Carter has set his business apart by forging connections and honing his craft. After working for (and eventually running) his mother’s bathtub repair company at an early age, Carter became fascinated with stone and trained himself to become “a […]
Each time Stephanie Carter searches for a skilled tradesperson to repair or rebuild something in her home, she’s reminded of why CATEC is important. “We know there’s a nationwide trend that shows trade skills on the decline,” she says, “even as there’s so much work that needs those skills.” In her new role as director […]
Smart-tech companies Lime and Bird introduced dockless electric scooters to Charlottesville late last year, as new “micromobility” options have swept in to urban areas nationwide. Forty-six percent of vehicle trips in the U.S. are under three miles, and scooters are fast, green alternatives to climbing into the car. Smaller cities with university populations like Charlottesville […]
Producers of handmade or uniquely sourced goods often start with an idea, a shoestring budget, and word-of-mouth buzz to launch their dream. Whether scaling up or staying small, here are three who have made it work. Stephanie Williams started La Vache Microcreamery, her gourmet caramel enterprise, after the ‘08 downturn temporarily dried up her architecture […]
Jessica Maslaney remembers trying to navigate the complex maze of child care options before her first child was born. “It’s a confusing process where everything matters, from cost to educational environment to teacher qualifications, and you’re just scrambling to figure it all out.” After toting her baby son to work with her at the Piedmont […]
Back in 2005, Apple CEO Steve Jobs declared that podcasting was “the next generation of radio.” When the company began supporting podcasts on iTunes that same year (so users could easily download the audio shows onto an iPod, where the name originated), the medium gained steam, and lately podcast consumption has exploded. Last year Apple […]
Dedicated to a vision of Crozet as a town connected through greenways, the Crozet Trails Crew is all about forging community links. It’s work that makes them happy. “I love that outside my back door there are paths that follow streams, riparian zones, and wildlife,” says Terri Miyamoto, president of the all-volunteer CTC. “Our mission […]
Bill Mawyer often asks a question that few can answer: Do you know where your water comes from? “Frequently in our business, people are shocked by the amount of time and money it takes to maintain a reliable water system,” says Mawyer, executive director of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, the agency charged with […]