Heavy topics: Parents call for reform in city schools

By age 6, children—and girls, especially—begin to express concerns about their weight, according to a widely referenced 2011 study by psychologist Linda Smolak. For this reason, one local mother says the practice of publicly weighing students during gym class should be banned. At press time, Christa Bennett’s petition to stop weigh-ins in Charlottesville City Schools […]

Lots To Do In Scenic Madison County

By Celeste M. Smucker – While perhaps best known for its spectacular scenery, Madison County also attracts tourists coming for special events like the upcoming Hops Festival, or passing through on their way to Charlottesville and points south who decide to stop for a meal or enjoy a night in one of the county’s gracious […]

The man who confronted white nationalists in Lee Park

The initial police officer on the scene at the May 13 Lee Park demonstration of Richard Spencer’s alt-right gang described between 100 and 150 people carrying tiki-style torches, some of whom were in an argument with a man who was yelling at them to “leave my town,” according to a Charlottesville Police release. That man […]

‘Mental health is health care’

  Senator Creigh Deeds celebrates a newly expanded space at The Women’s Initiative, which provides mental health services through a sliding scale walk-in clinic. The new space on East High Street includes a large room for physical activities that promote trauma healing and additional therapy offices designed for tech-assisted and live supervision for clinical training. […]

In brief: Killer drug epidemic, movie money and more

Killer drug epidemic More than 1,100 Virginians died in 2016 from the state’s opioid epidemic, with fentanyl, the drug that killed Prince, now racking up the most fatalities. And while the state hasn’t had much luck so far in slowing addiction, which often occurs after people are prescribed opioid-based meds for pain, it is a […]

Court conundrum: A failed referendum and a wish to avoid one

  The Board of Supervisors’ interest in relocating Albemarle County’s houses of justice from their current location on Court Square and into their own jurisdiction has been overshadowed with opposition, but county attorney Greg Kamptner thinks he may have found a way to circumvent the need for public approval. He told supervisors at their May […]

Living in a College Town: Just How Good We Have It

By Ken Wilson – “If you close your eyes and say, ‘What would Charlottesville-Albemarle be like if UVA were somewhere else?’, muses Timothy Hulbert, President of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, “I don’t think anybody can tell you.” He can say that again. The University of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson’s dream, is now ranked second […]

Smaller + Greener = Winner

By Marilyn Pribus – Statistics and reports reveal a definite move toward people building and buying smaller homes than a decade ago. “I think the trend really started with the recession,” declares REALTOR® Greg Slater, an associate broker with Nest Realty in Charlottesville. “Everyone started looking at building projects more closely.” According to the U. […]