Boar'd Stiff

 Dear Ace: Is there was any connection between Charlottesville’s Boar’s Head Inn and the Boar’s Head Brand of delicatessen meats and cheeses? And if not, just what is it about the head of a boar that makes me feel so danged refined?—Glazed-and-Confused-in-Charlottesville To answer your first question: Nope. And even less so now, since Boar’s […]

UVA changes JPJ door policy after Morgan

The John Paul Jones Arena, an entertainment venue owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia, deals with questions concerning revenue, ticket sales during an economic downturn, and whether Lady Gaga could fill its seats to capacity if she brought her act to Charlottesville. Now, arena staff may be acknowledging that public safety is an even higher […]

Better, Faster, Stronger

 Dear Ace: I had no idea Google had a dietary branch, but if what I’m hearing around town is correct, they’ve come up with something called “Google Fiber,” and the city and county want to bring it to Charlottesville! What’s up with that? And will it obstruct my ability to purchase digestion-assisting whole grains, flax […]

Local politicians weigh in on the role of God in government

 If you’re looking for a living example of the kind of extreme religious rhetoric, uttered in the name of policy-making, that would make the Founding Fathers cringe, you need look no further than Virginia’s own Bob Marshall.  The 13th District (Prince William County) conservative delegate, who is the state’s leading voice in the war against […]

State "not really pushing" to plan Biscuit Run park

 How long does it take to construct a state park? Look no further than Middle Peninsula State Park in Gloucester County. The 438-acre parkland was purchased in 2005 by the Commonwealth of Virginia, with money from a $119 million bond created in 2002 for land conservation and parkland acquisition. Nearly five years later, and the […]

The healthcare war may be over, but the battle has just begun

 For anyone who thought that last week’s climactic vote on the healthcare reform bill would reduce the toxic levels of partisan rancor in Washington, think again! If anything, President Obama’s hard-fought victory has only served to blow the lid off the Republican party’s boiling cauldron of rage, releasing a vast cloud of crazy that seems […]