A fire at the Rivanna Trail encampment costs one man his shelter
In the afternoon sun along the Rivanna River Trail, Joshua Ballou paced the edges of the burnt-black patch of public land that used to be his home. The Charlottesville Fire […]
Charlottesville-founded Common House receives a second set of walking papers in Richmond
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information since its original publication. Two weeks after Common House Charlottesville suddenly shut its doors, the social club’s Richmond landlords handed […]
Local farms deal with crop loss after a sudden freeze
For five days in mid-April, Charlottesville simmered unseasonably, with highs reaching a record 92 degrees on April 15. But as April 20 rolled into the 21st, the temperature plunged to […]
Disputes between founders-turned-landlords and new owners abruptly close the downtown social club
In early 2016, when Common House Charlottesville was under construction at 206 W. Market St., its roof caved in. Snow dumped by a massive winter storm buckled the structure, threatening […]
No Kings organizers want to help Charlottesville build strength for a general strike
An estimated 12,000 people lined US 29 North around The Shops at Stonefield on March 28 to say, “No Kings.” On May 1, organizers hope attendees will agree to a […]
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 […]
Sculpture of the president and Jeffrey Epstein appears briefly on the Downtown Mall
Jeffrey Epstein arrived first. On a bright morning, with temperatures just above freezing, the notorious late pedophile lay face down on the bricks paving Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall, one knee bent […]
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 […]
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, […]
How local government and institutions are preparing—or not—to protect us from ICE
By now, you’ve likely seen them: videos of people in homes like ours, on streets like ours, sobbing, screaming, or silent. Dragged from their cars, their homes, their lives by […]