How Turning Point USA’s spurring discussion—and division—at Western Albemarle High School

On March 12, the Albemarle County School Board met to vote on changes to its student activities policy, limiting when student groups could host outside speakers, governing how they raised money, and banning groups linked to hate or harassment. Noah Coffin, a Western Albemarle High School senior and president of the school’s conservative Club America, […]

How Virginia keeps your vote safe

Election season has come early to Virginia, with voting now open for the April 21 referendum on the state’s proposed plan for mid-decade redistricting. Nationally, President Donald Trump and Republican leaders are pushing for what they call stricter election security measures as this fall’s midterm elections approach. Amid all the ballot-box buzz, how safe is […]

The strange story of Stefan Friedman and his faltering feast

This story was updated March 27, 2026, to reflect new information. When the axe fell on Stefan Friedman’s restaurants, their sudden closures left staff and patrons surprised. Ace Biscuit & Barbecue, Omakase Obscura, The Wine Guild of Charlottesville, Vitae Spirits Distillery, and Old Metropolitan Hall—the entire once-bountiful table of Friedman’s company, A Moveable Feast—folded or changed […]

Local restaurateur Stefan Friedman’s moveable feast is suddenly picked clean

UPDATED 2/17/26: Behind the locked door of Ace Biscuit & Barbecue, ceiling fans spin above the empty dining room. At the former Omakase Obscura, the well-stocked bar shelves remain illuminated. Boxes crowd the Vitae Spirits distillery and the former Draft Taproom, some bearing address labels for other businesses under the now-closed umbrella of restaurateur Stefan […]

Charlottesville recharges its e-bike voucher program 

Charlottesville has updated and expanded last year’s voucher program to help city residents afford battery-powered e-bikes. Every quarter, the city will give away 12 vouchers in each of three tiers: $500 for any applicant (Tier 1); $1,000 for people earning less than or equal to 80 percent of the area median income (Tier 2); and […]