Taking notes

From 1941 to 1945, at least 6 million European Jews were deported, tortured, and murdered by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. In light of these evils, all symbols honoring or celebrating the Third Reich have been banned in Germany for decades—outside of museums, you’ll find no Nazi flags, swastikas, or statues of Adolf Hitler. Yet […]

Summer of love?

Virginia’s marijuana legalization law will go into effect on July 1, making the Old Dominion the 16th state in the nation and the first state in the South to legalize adult recreational cannabis use.    The state’s Democratic-controlled legislature passed an initial marijuana legalization bill in February, then sent it to Governor Ralph Northam for […]

This is our shot

After months of reporting on the local COVID-19 vaccine rollout, I finally received the email I had patiently been waiting for: I was eligible to get the shot. I  scheduled my appointment and headed over to the vaccination clinic inside the former JCPenney at Fashion Square Mall the next day. The long Moderna line moved […]

Lawyer up

As millions of people across the country struggle to get back on their feet, an eviction crisis rages alongside the coronavirus pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s nationwide ban on evictions has been extended until June 30, and states continue to offer rent relief options for struggling tenants—yet these protections have not been […]

In brief: UVA dedicates MEL

UVA remembers “I welcome you to join us and share in the experience as we memorialize, as we celebrate, as we commemorate and learn lessons of the contribution of people of color who were enslaved and yet helped to build this university community,” said Mount Zion First African Baptist Church Pastor Alvin Edwards at the […]

On the move

They gather by the dozens at the Jefferson School at 6am every Monday, Wed­nesday, and Friday: Black, brown, and white, women and men, old and young, united by the road ahead of them. Year-round, they run, jog, or walk a challenging route through the city. Members say the group has changed their lives for the […]

Running through it

An expansive Virginia pasture opens up alongside the third mile of this year’s Charlottesville half-marathon course. The path then drops down on to Clark Road, a snaky, tree-lined gravel road where the next hill—and there’s always another hill—is obscured by trees until you turn a corner and start climbing. Runners pass Our Lady of the […]

Goodbye, generals

For nearly a century, Charlottesville’s downtown statues of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson have stood as brutal emblems of white supremacy. Local Black activists have fought long and hard for the bronze eyesores to be taken down for good, but the city has faced a string of roadblocks over the past four […]

Rolling out the red carpet

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, local shelters have drastically expanded their efforts to house our most vulnerable community members. With support from the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless and People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry, those experiencing homelessness have been able to stay at hotels, where they receive daily meals, case […]

In brief

Slow train comin’ Last month, Governor Ralph Northam signed agreements with CSX railroad and other entities to complete a $3.7 billion investment in passenger rail in Virginia. The agreement will eventually add more train service to and from Charlottesville, but it will be at least a couple of years before passenger rail becomes available.  The […]