C-VILLE Weekly | April 8 - 14, 2026

May Day Strong organizers say: No work. No school. No shopping P. 9

County supervisors approve more than 700 units for North Pointe P. 11

Remembering Chris Munson, a beloved local music man P. 29

Baby scares

Conflicting guidance—on everything from Tylenol to vaccines— is leaving local parents anxious, overwhelmed, and unsure who to trust

SUMMER CAMP Guide

U ASK, UVA ANSWERS

Join us on the second Sunday of each month at the Central Library for a free, public speaker series showcasing UVA Research.

JMRL Central Library 201 E. Market Street Swanson Case Courtroom, 3 Floor rd

12 2

HIV Research and Health Policies to Help End the Epidemic Kathleen McManus, School of Medicine

Events will resume in the fall.

SCULPT TO RESULTS

Hello, Charlottesville.

Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.

I was pregnant during the pandemic. With more privilege than many, my husband and I took in those first couple of weeks in isolation like we were on an extended vacation, working on baby-related projects like painting her dresser and figuring out the right spot for two adorable hand-drawn bird decals I’d found on Etsy (funny, looking back, what felt urgent as the world unraveled).

Then my mom—four states away and by herself in lockdown— learned her cancer had spread. Then came the restrictions: How many people could be in the room during a prenatal checkup and, eventually, how many could be in the room for delivery.

And suddenly what we were desperately trying to reframe as a tranquil parental leave turned into an anxious mess.

I thought that was stressful—but at least the uncertainty had edges. We were all navigating the same crisis, pulling from the same information, even as it changed.

What feels different now, made clear in this week’s cover story (p.18) that looks at how conflicting health guidance is reshaping pregnancy and early parenting decisions, is how scattered it all is. The anxiety is still there; the shared framework is not. Now, the guidance doesn’t just evolve, it diverges. Trusted institutions don’t always align. And parents are left to sort it out alone.

What comes through in these stories isn’t recklessness. It’s overwhelm; a “field of lostness,” as one mother says.

The stakes feel impossibly high, and there’s no way to wait for clarity. You just have to decide. Maybe the thread between then and now is the quiet question underneath it all: Am I doing the right thing?

This week’s contributors

C-VILLE shoots, it scores!

Our first donor-matched campaign—in which a generous anonymous donor pledged to match gifts up to $5,000—was a success, bringing in $5,408 in just one week. Many thanks to those who contributed, and a reminder that it’s not too late: If you value the work we do, head to savethefreeword.c-ville.com to set up a one-time or recurring donation any time.

Anne Bergamesca

Anne Wolf

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Caroline Beeman

Carolyn Merrick

Cynthia Neff

David Calhoun

Deborah Little

Deborah Strong

Dennis OConnor

Donna Goings

Doug Horwitz

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Jan Russell

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John Whitlow

Karen Goertler

Kathy Heiner

Kenneth Webster

Kevin Richardson

Mark O’Hara

Michael Moriarty

Michael Pantano

Pat Allinson

Paul Merrel

Prue Thorner

Rose Trapnell

Sara Myers

Stephen Whitman

Stots Reele

Susan Uland

Teresa Koeppel

Terrell Mellen

Tim Michel

Tom Ferrell

Uffe Schlein

William Harvey

BOOK SALE

Friends of JMRL BOOK SALE

2nd-10th

10am-7pm each day 1/2 price days: April 11 &

300 Albemarle Square Shopping Center Charlottesville (at the old Northside Library location)

IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURE

How area parents are navigating conflicting health-care guidance.

NEWS 9

9 May Day Strong: Just say no.

11 Coach Mox out at UVA; more units approved for North Pointe.

13 Real Estate: GEMC has until 2031 to build Little High apartments.

CULTURE

29 In Memoriam: Paying tribute to Chris Munson

Critical Condition: UVA’s Digitalis Electronic Music Festival.

ED I TORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Caite Hamilton editor@c-ville.com

ART DIRECTOR

Max March max@c-ville.com

CULTURE EDITOR

Tami Keaveny tami@c-ville.com

SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Nathan Alderman news@c-ville.com

NEWS REPORTER

Catie Ratliff reporter@c-ville.com

NEWS CONTRIBUTOR

Sean Tubbs

ASSOCIATE CULTURE EDITOR

CM Turner arts@c-ville.com

COPY EDITOR

Susan Sorensen

DIGITAL EDITOR

Tristan Williams

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Brezsny, Dave Cantor, Carol Diggs, Shea Gibbs, Andrew Hollins, Erika Howsare, Matt Jones, Sarah Lawson, Lisa Provence, Sarah Sargent, Kristie Smeltzer, Jen Sorensen, Julia Stumbaugh, Jake Solyst, Paul Ting, Eric Williamson

Big Picture Correction In last week’s C-VILLE, the photo of Albemarle High School on page 18 was misidentified as Western Albemarle High School.

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APRIL 19:

Lake Street Dive with Carrtoons

MAY 7: Ole 60 with the Jack Wharff Band and Rob Langdon

JUNE 20:

WNRN Presents: The String Cheese Incident Just Keep Spinning Tour 2026

JULY 18:

Alison Krauss & Union

Station ft. Jerry Douglas with Special Guest Theo Lawrence

JULY 26: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Benefiting the Charlottesville Free Clinic

SEPT 5: WNRN Presents: Charley Crockett

Age of the Ram Tour with Nat Myers

SEPTEMBER 8:

Sierra Ferrell A WNRN 30th Anniversary show Heavy Petal Tour

SEPTEMBER 22:

Rainbow Kitten Surprise

***Just Announced***

SEPTEMBER 24:

Sam Barber

On Sale Friday, April 17 at 10am

FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE Kicks Off April 17

Straight talk about the vote on April 21st

FIRST: Trump demanded that Texas Republicans pass a new map to add up to five new GOP seats. They obliged, without consulting voters.

THEN: Missouri, Ohio, and North Carolina quickly followed, without voter consent.

NOW: Virginia lawmakers have put a constitutional amendment on the ballot, asking everyday Virginians to vote to temporarily redraw districts, in effect until the 2030 census.

VOTE YES!

by April 21st to preserve the power of your vote and fight GOP efforts to rig the election.

GOODRICH, GOGGIN, & LILLE 04-11| BILLIE MARTEN WITH SQUIRREL FLOWER PRESENTED BY WNRN 04-17| J. RODDY WALSTON AND THE AUTOMATIC BAND WITH JESSE'S HOUSE

04-18| JAY WEBB

04-19| FANTASTIC CAT WITH JILETTE JOHNSON

04-21| MARIS WITH YSA

04-24| NO BS! BRASS BAND

04-25| AN EVENING WITH MARTIN SEXTON LIVE WIDE OPEN TOUR

04-28| ARTS FISHING CLUB & HARVEY STREET

04-30| YARN

05-01| DEAU EYES, JUNE BABY & CHLOË ESTER WITH VALENTIN PRINCE

05-02| MELT

To help Albemarle County Democrats defend fair elections, scan this QR code!

University of Virginia Chamber Music Series Faculty Chamber Ensembles

Ayn Balija, Viola

Adam Carter, Cello

Jiyeon Choi, Clarinet

Nathaniel Lee, Trombone

Kelly Peral, Oboe

Elizabeth Roberts, Bassoon

David Sariti, Violin

Jeremy Ulm, Horn

Sunday, April 12th 3:30pm | Old Cabell Hall

Department of Music

The shift to a plant-based diet is one of the most compelling choices you can make for your health, the environment, and the animals... simultaneously. The aim of Cville Veg Ed (CVE) is to deliver science-backed education for a more sustainable community. We are proud to provide the very first ever ....

On the 18th, you’ll hear from several MD’s, RN’s, RD’s & CEO’s here to teach us how to take back control of our health. WE CAN reverse chronic diseases, lose weight for good, enjoy clearer thinking & lots more energy for all our wonderful future years ahead. April 18th 11-4pm

Who do you know with health issues of acne • allergies

blood pressure

autoimmune

No Kings organizers want to help Charlottesville build strength for a general strike BY NATHAN

ALDERMAN

NEWS POLITICS

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 few other nos, if only for the day: No work. No school. No shopping.

May Day Strong, a nationwide initiative to celebrate workers, decry billionaires, and protest the Trump regime, was publicly announced at the third No Kings protest at the end of last month. In Charlottesville, volunteers with Indivisible and the Democratic Socialists of America circulated May Day Strong flyers among the throngs of attendees.

“I was in the No Kings crowd going around talking about May Day, and was absolutely blown away by how enthusiastic the response was,” says Kathryn Laughon, a board member for Indivisible Charlottesville. “It was overwhelmingly positive. People had practical questions, but I did not get … the thing where you go through a crowd, you talk to people, and people are polite but not interested, or wave you off.”

The May 1 effort is modeled after the January 23 general strike in Minneapolis, where an estimated 50,000 citizens marched in subzero temperatures to protest federal immigration enforcement officials’ militarized occupation of the city.

Organizers are urging interested citizens to take as many actions as they reasonably can on May 1: Call in sick or take a vacation day from work, skip school yourself or allow your kids to have the day off, and avoid buying anything. Rather than stay at home, Charlottesville May Day celebrants are encouraged to join organizers at noon that day at the Free Speech Wall on the Downtown Mall. Protesters will march from there to a big public party—featuring free food, music, and kids’ activities—at Booker T. Washington Park, a little more than a mile away.

Terry Rephann, a regional economist at the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, says a one-day event won’t make much of an economic dent. “It would have to be pretty large and pretty long, maintained over a long period of time, to have any real disruptive impact,” he says.

But organizers describe the May Day protest as an opportunity to build the kind of community and organizing muscle that a sustained general strike might require.

“One day is not the end of what we’re doing,” Laughon says. “One day is an opportunity to show our power. It is an opportunity to find out what we need to do better if we need to do this again in the future.”

“We understand that some people may not necessarily be able to take part in the protest part of it and the celebration part of it,” says co-organizer Sandrina Da Cruz of Indivisible Charlottesville, “but we know

that they’re going to be able to do things that are within their means, such as no shopping.”

During the Minneapolis single-day strike, numerous Twin Cities businesses voluntarily closed their doors—something Charlottesville organizers hope to recreate on May Day.

“Local businesses are an integral part of our strike coalition,” says family nurse practitioner Catherine Muller, part of the fourperson local team handling business outreach.

“We are striking to disrupt the billionaire class that is making it hard to survive as a small business. … From our business partners, we gain a commitment to close on May 1, or to give workers the day off, or to donate a percentage of profits. Businesses are also publicly supporting us with storefront flyers in a meaningful display of solidarity.” In return, Muller says, the group plans to encourage citizens to support those shops and restaurants the day before and after May 1.

IN BRIEF

All the news you missed last week (in one sentence or less)

Planning has been under way since midFebruary, with dozens of area citizens taking part in decentralized preparations.

“Every time we create a team, we bring more people into our organizing,” Laughon says. “All of those are wins along the way, and I think on May 1, our win will be that we get people involved and learn our lessons from it.”

Events like No Kings and the organizing around them do seem to be building the muscle that the movement’s hoping for, drawing in people who hadn’t previously been involved with activism.

“I had joined No Kings protests in 2025 with my family, and during that time I learned about Indivisible Charlottesville[‘s] People’s Activist series,” says Da Cruz, a longtime humanitarian worker. “That’s how I got to understand how to take concrete action and get meaningfully involved.”

Organizing team member Ted Mills and his husband joined up with the organizing movement around May Day through the local DSA chapter. “[We] got to know a lot of people who are really committed politically to making some real positive change,” he says. “And getting to know those people inspired us to get involved.”

Organizers say they’re in this for more than one day. “Any place in the United States or in the world that has effectively used general strikes,” Laughon says, “has required long-term planning, long-term organizing, and a series of targeted actions like this.”

“We can take this one day of action,” Da Cruz says, “and we can prepare for a more sustained strike-ready force as needed, depending on what this government decides to do.”

More information on May Day Strong and the People’s Activist Series can be found at indivisiblecharlottesville.org.

SRO no Diverse coalition of Charlottesville residents urges city school board to reconsider its decision to put police officers back in public schools; board appears disinclined. Junk mail Race-baiting, misleading “vote no” mailers for April 21 redistricting referendum traced to a group funded by Trump-loving, democracy-loathing billionaire Peter Thiel. Shocking New report from Clean Virginia finds Dominion Energy bills rising faster than inflation. Questionable judgment Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, of “if the President does it, it isn’t illegal” fame, to receive Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal from Monticello April 14. Kirk out Turning Point USA head Erika Kirk cancels plans to speak at Western Albemarle High School after new school board rules confine most speakers to afterschool hours, lowering potential audience turnout. Welcome back Speakers at UVA’s commencement this year will include former university president Jim Ryan, who will headline the school’s valedictory exercises May 15. Get out Albemarle police evacuate Regal Stonefield April 6 after reports of an armed suspect; no threats or weapons found. Main mains Charlottesville announces long-term project, starting this summer, to replace aging water pipes along West Main, University Avenue, and nearby streets. Pedal mettle Next round of Charlottesville’s e-bike voucher lottery now open for applicants through April 30 at connect.charlottesville.gov.

Out of bounds

The University of Virginia is once again searching for a new women’s basketball coach. Despite a historic season for the Cavs, former head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton was released from her contract—a year before its expiration—on April 4.

The firing of Agugua-Hamilton, also known as Coach Mox, marks a dour end to an exciting season for the Hoos, who made history as the first team to ever go from the First Four to the Sweet 16 in the women’s NCAA Tournament. Following her exit, at least three players, including Charlottesville native Kymora Johnson, have reportedly entered the transfer portal.

While UVA Athletics’ official statement did not give a reason for Agugua-Hamilton’s firing, an April 5 USA TODAY report broke news of an internal investigation into staff abuse and mistreatment, supported by four sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. Neither UVA nor Agugua-Hamilton have commented on the situation.—Catie Ratliff

Brighter days

Charlottesville City Schools and the City of Charlottesville entered a 25-year solar power purchase agreement with Madison Energy Infrastructure on April 3, marking a major investment in renewable energy by the city.

Under the terms of the PPA, MEI will install a solar system at Charlottesville High School. MEI will also own and operate the energy system, which is expected to offset roughly 59 percent of the high school’s annual electricity usage and save the district about $2.3 million over the span of the agreement.—CR

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Numbers game

Albemarle supervisors approve more than 700 additional units at North Pointe BY SEAN TUBBS

“We’re providing much-needed ... mid-level housing, not the single-family homes that are [at North Pointe] now, but townhomes, apartments, and condos,” said David Mitchell, Great Eastern Management Company’s construction manager, of the 707 additional units that county supervisors approved on April 1.

The Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia projects that Albemarle’s population will climb to 124,560 by 2030, up from just over 118,000 in 2025, as estimated by the U.S. Census.

Whether those numbers turn out to be accurate, there is nonetheless a building boom underway in what Albemarle County considers the Places29-North planning area.

On April 1, the Board of Supervisors approved a request from the Great Eastern Management Company to increase the number of units at North Pointe, a planned development originally rezoned in 2006 for a total of 893 homes.

“It is 707 additional units and also to make adjustments to the commercial areas to reduce the amount of commercial space to 250,000 square feet,” said Rebecca Ragsdale with Albemarle’s Department of Community Development.

David Mitchell, construction manager for GEMC, said the amended version of North Pointe will better fit Albemarle’s needs.

“We’re providing much-needed ... midlevel housing, not the single-family homes that are there now, but townhomes, apartments, and condos,” Mitchell said.

The 2006 rezoning included three signalized intersections from North Pointe onto U.S. 29, but since then the Virginia Department of Transportation has adopted policies to discourage further traffic lights on the major highway. People who want to head south from North Pointe have to use what’s known as a restricted crossing U-Turn to do so.

As part of the amendment, GEMC requested to eliminate an internal road that would have connected to Lewis and Clark Drive due to topography challenges and cost.

Mitchell said the reduction of commercial space lowered traffic forecasts.

According to Ragsdale, VDOT and county staff supported that change.

“The widened road would be built in the floodplain,” said Director of Planning Michael Barnes, who added that a stream called Flat Branch would be impacted.

When the change went before the Planning Commission in March, several people who live at North Pointe requested that the roadway be built anyway. However, none of them appeared at the Board’s public hearing. The only speaker was a man who said Albemarle is approving too many developments.

“We have a lot of units under construction right now in the county, so I just ask that that be taken into consideration also,” said Greg Delaney, a resident of the Jack Jouett District.

Finding out how many units are approved to be built and how many are under consideration is currently more difficult since a cybersecurity incident against Albemarle last June meant the county’s Development Dashboard has not been updated since April 2025.

Supervisor Bea LaPisto-Kirtley said more homes are being concentrated in places like Hollymead because the Board had made a decision not to expand the development area.

“When you do that, you have to also put in the infrastructure, water and sewer, which costs a ton of money,” LaPisto-Kirtley said.

Supervisor Sally Duncan said this was the right place for more people to live with proximity to jobs and businesses.

“My only complaint is that the buildings are not taller and there’s not more housing,” Duncan said.

The vote to approve the amendment was unanimous.

REAL ESTATE NEWS

Vested project

Great Eastern Management Company has until 2031 to build apartment building in Little High neighborhood BY

While staff in the City of Charlottesville’s Department of Neighborhood Development Services continue to process land-use applications under a new set of zoning rules, there are still many projects approved under the old rules waiting to be built.

One of them is an apartment building that would be constructed close to downtown, where a pediatrician’s office currently stands, in the Little High neighborhood.

City Council voted 3-2 in July 2017 to approve a special use permit to allow up to 127 residential units on the 1.4 acre site. Under the rules at the time, only four of the apartments were required to be designated as affordable.

Many members of the surrounding neighborhood had waged a major campaign to stop the project, arguing the building would be out of character with single-family homes nearby. Without the permit, the Great Eastern Management Company could only have built around two dozen units.

The Little High Neighborhood Association sued the city in the summer of 2018, and Charlottesville Circuit Court records show the suit is still technically active.

Every quarter, Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders provides written responses to anonymous questions posed by members of various neighborhood associations. The latest edition features comments from someone still angry that the project was approved.

“The 1011 East Jefferson project [is] one of the biggest deceptions of all time,” reads

SEAN TUBBS

the question. “Why not scrap the 2017 deal, which was made in bad faith (and the developer has done nothing with the property since)?”

While the project has not gone to construction, GEMC filed a site plan for it in the summer of 2024, and NDS granted final approval this January.

“The Final Site Plan shall be valid for a period of five (5) years from the date of approval or until January 6, 2031,” reads the city’s response. “The applicant must meet several additional requirements prior to the issuance of a land disturbance permit.”

Under the new development code adopted by City Council in December 2023, the property is zoned Corridor Mixed Use 5, which would allow a building to be as high as seven stories with no cap on residential density. However, the project would require 10 percent of the units to be designated as affordable to households making less than 60 percent of the area median income.

David Mitchell, construction manager at GEMC, said the company will construct the apartment building by 2031. But he said it company would not pursue a project under the new inclusionary zoning measures because it is not financially feasible to do so.

“That is something that is becoming evident in the fact no real projects have come forward under the new code and the city staff and City Council at least are starting to recognize that,” Mitchell said.

GEMC also has a site plan approved under the previous zoning to convert a portion of the Seminole Square Shopping Center into an apartment complex.

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How conflicting health guidance on everything from the use of Tylenol to childhood vaccines is frustrating both parents and providers

hardae Johnson might have a little third-trimester brain fog, but she knows one thing for taking Tylenol for her aches and pains like she did while pregnant with her firstborn.

“I’ve been steering clear of it just because I really don’t know what to believe,” says Johnson, 28. “Honestly, there’s a lot of information and a lot of it’s misinformation. So I haven’t taken it. That’s my stand. I

She’s less resolute on what vaccines the new baby,

“I can’t lie,” says Johnson, who lives in Louisa with her husband, Brennan, and their 3-year-old son, I’m okay getting vaccines, but I’m not sure about how I feel about babies getting vaccines. I know they’re saying that vaccines give children autism, so that’s what makes me a little scared . . . I do think that when they do the bulk vaccines at once, that’s a little bit too much for babies. I’m more interested in doing them a bit more spread out, especially if they think the vaccine is highly recommended.

“But, I don’t know,” Johnson sighs, rubbing the round of her belly. “It’s like a field of lostness. It’s too much information.”

‘Things we thought were a given’

It’s a brave new world for new and expectant parents who, amid shifting health guidelines on everything from Tylenol use during pregnancy to childhood vaccine schedules, are navigating a widening sea of options and opinions coming in from every direction. Many are conflicted. While nearly two-thirds of Americans say they are “highly confident” that childhood vaccines effectively prevent serious illness, just over half think they’ve been adequately safetyand schedule-tested. Many follow their providers’ advice on what vaccination schedule to follow, but some, like Johnson, are mulling over a

Oh, baby

BY CHRISTINE PHELAN KUETER

decision to space the full complement of shots out—or even eschew them altogether.

It’s why Denise Young, an obstetrician and gynecologist for more than 30 years, spends a lot more time explaining and defending well-established standards of care, such as the shot of vitamin K that newborns get that helps the blood clot, RhoGAM, administered to moms with Rh-negative blood, and the hepatitis B vaccine, which Young recommends in the first 24 hours but which growing numbers of parents are choosing to delay, after Trump officials said, without evidence, that the shots were linked to autism.

“Everybody’s got more questions about things we thought were a given, until recently,” says Young, who offers pre- and post-natal care each Thursday at the Central Virginia Health Services clinic in Louisa. “The misinformation that’s being spread leaves moms very unsure about what their options are, and what the real data is behind what we’re recommending.”

Hepatitis B’s a case in point. According to the Mayo Clinic, which “strongly recommends the vaccine for newborns,” the virus can spur dangerous liver infections that start when they’re passed from infected parents to their children during birth. In the U.S. alone, more than 1,800 people die of hepatitis B infections each year, a mortality rate that scientists say may be grossly undercounted.

Before 1991, when newborns were routinely inoculated against it, roughly 20,000 babies got hepatitis B infections each year. About half contracted the virus from their mother during birth while the other half got it through contact with household objects, like toothbrushes, razors, or combs used by an infected person. After the hepatitis B vaccine was integrated into the childhood vaccine schedule in the 1990s, the number of infected newborns declined by more than two-thirds in the first decade alone.

But today? Parents are suspicious, Young says, as they wade through a cacophony of health advice that has lately pitted established government agencies against professional health care associations.

That was the case in January when the Centers for Disease Control announced changes to its recommended vaccine schedule for infants and children, reducing the number of vaccines from 17 to 11. Three weeks later, the American Academy of Pediatrics released its own vaccine schedule, which calls for kids to be vaccinated against 18 diseases, including several that the CDC recommends be administered only to certain high-risk

baby

populations, including RSV, hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, and meningococcal disease.

The groups are also at odds about whether kids should receive flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Currently, the AAP recommends the shots for babies six months and older, while the CDC has maintained since January 2026 that the shots should be given only when physicians and parents decide together.

The changing federal guidelines give Young pause.

“It’s a kind of vilification of the systems, and the professionals within that system,” she says. “It’s really frustrating to work really hard to do the best care you can provide and have random comments by people undermine everything you do. And put moms’ health, and babies’ health, in jeopardy a lot.”

‘Hard-core quarantine’

Denise Young, who’s has been an OBGYN for 30 years, says that these days she spends a lot more time explaining and defending well-established standards of care.

Last December, Cass Girvin, 38, bookmarked Arizona’s measles tracker.

He and his wife, Carter, 36, were headed to Arizona for a marathon—she’s trying to qualify for the Olympic trials—and opted to bring their 4-month-old baby, Margot, along, leaving their 2-year-old twin sons behind with grandparents. They wanted to be careful, though, given that Margot was still too young to be inoculated against measles, which, in 2026, has been reported in 20 states, including Virginia.

After reassurances from their pediatrician, the Girvins strategized to minimize the risks. They got direct flights from Dulles International Airport, instead of from Charlottesville. They masked on the plane and Carter nursed Margot throughout the nearly five-hour flight with the hope that, “being confined against mom’s body would somewhat limit the deluge of random air particles.” Once in Phoenix, they hunkered down in their hotel room as much as possible, rather than venturing out to shops and restaurants as they normally might.

And they monitored a measles outbreak just 100 miles away.

“I was literally checking the measles page daily on the Arizona Department of Public Health, including on the day of our flight and on our flight back out,” says Girvin, a Western Albemarle High School teacher and coach. “It was in a really, really small town, and the numbers peaked, and then they went back down. It was unnerving: this horrible, horrible disease we’ve eradicated, and now we’ve un-eradicated it.”

Others, like Andrew Burgdorf, his wife, Megan McVey, and 3-week-old daughter, Josephine, aren’t leaving home and won’t yet accept visitors, a self-imposed isolation that’s bred some hurt and confusion among relatives.

“I have some more conservative extended family,” says Burgdorf, 39, a cybersecurity business analyst, “and I think some of them have been a little confused as to why we’re not having more people meet the baby, or taking her out more. Everyone’s been respectful of our perspectives, but, for me, I’m almost kind of avoiding the discussions.”

McVey’s more blunt.

“I’m very happy to say that we’re hard-core trying to keep her quarantined until she’s able to get more vaccines,” says McVey, 42, a user experience designer. “I don’t feel bad doing that. You have to do what makes you feel comfortable, both as a parent and as a couple. But it’s hard when you have other people saying, ‘What’s wrong with you?’”

In another month, once Josephine has had more of her shots (the family is following the American Academy of Pediatrics’ schedule, as recommended by their UVA Health doctors and nurses), the couple will introduce the baby, but only to visitors with updated COVID, flu, and Tdap (that’s the three-in-one tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, also known as whooping cough) vaccines.

“To each their own,” McVey says, “but, for us, it’s like, ‘What does science say? What do our health care professionals say? What does the peer-reviewed research say?’

CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

UVA MUSIC EVENTS

Date/Time/Place

Friday, 4/10, 5:00pm

Friday, 4/10, 8:00pm

Saturday, 4/11, 8:00pm

Sunday, 4/12, 1:00pm

Sunday, 4/12, 3:30pm

Tuesday, 4/14, 7:30pm

All artists, programs, and venues are subject to change. Office: 434.924.3052; music@virginia.edu; https://music.virginia.edu

Office: 434.924.3376, artsboxoffice.virginia.edu

Subscribe to our music email: music.virginia.edu/events Subscribe to “Music at UVA”: music.virginia.edu/subscribe

“What makes me nervous is certain things being taken off the market or being delayed, like hepatitis B, which is being changed ... We were very, very fortunate because our baby was born in August, which meant she got the previous recommendations. But some people will be in a different boat, and that’s unnerving.” CASS GIRVIN

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

“It’s confusing as hell,” McVey adds. “I don’t think we realized what it was like until you’re in it, so to also have layered in the confusion around the health piece, and the political environment right now, it’s really challenging. I have a lot of empathy, regardless of where you are on the spectrum, trying to keep your family safe, keep your own sanity, and make it through the fourth trimester. It’s a lot.”

‘Slowly, gently, work it into the agenda’

Getting “crunchy topics” like childhood shots out in the open, says special education teacher Jenny

Ward, 34—in the third trimester of her third pregnancy—is key.

When Ward’s first pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage, the difficulty was magnified because she hadn’t told anyone she was pregnant, an experience that made her “a much bigger advocate for myself and other moms.”

It also sharpened her appetite for broaching difficult topics, especially with other moms.

“I like talking about these things that are uncomfortable, potentially, to friends who I know think differently than me,” says Ward, 34, whose 2 1/2-yearold son has gotten the full course of vaccines now endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Her strategy? Start with common ground.

“I remember my husband’s skepticism, his saying, ‘Why did it push through so quickly?’” says Ward. “All of us are COVID-vaccinated now, but my hus-

band initially had that pause. So, when we think about other vaccinations, I bring that up to be like an olive branch to be like, ‘I get it. I’ve been there. This was my husband’s pause, too.’”

Chatting about vaccine hesitancy is second nature to Child Health Partnership nurses like Teri Lamb, who’s part of a team that fans out across Albemarle, Fluvanna, and Louisa counties to do home visits with income-eligible families.

“In the past, the CDC recommendations always aligned with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations, and it was always something I could just fall back on,” says Lamb, a public health nurse for nearly 30 years. “Now, it’s like, ‘whoa. It’s changed our practice.’”

While she’s not getting a lot of questions, Lamb isn’t waiting for families to ask about vaccinations to talk them up. She brings pictures of people suffering from vaccine-preventable diseases to home visits, offers reassurance about vaccines’ efficacy and safety, and praises parents who tote kids to their well-child visits and vaccinate—but when they’re ready.

They’re in it, says Lamb, for the long haul, sticking with families through pregnancy and birth and up to kids’ 7th birthdays.

“Even if we have a strong opinion as providers— we know vaccines are awesome and we want our families to have them—we’re working with families long-term,” explains Becka Richman, the organization’s nursing supervisor. “We can come from a place of curiosity. ‘Tell me a little more about why you’re deciding not to vaccinate? What have you heard? What did your parents do with vaccines? What did your sister, who just had a baby, do about vaccines?’”

“I think it’s a time of a lot of confusion,” she adds. “When we have these moments in public health where there’s a lot of conflicting evidence, what it trickles down to is just people not knowing who they can trust.”

Compounding parental decision-making is the fact that some federal guidelines make sense to some, like Burgdorf: limiting sugar intake and removing dyes and additives from foods, for example, which was part of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ new dietary guidelines.

“There are these tidbits of crumbs of scientific data sprinkled into the new guidelines, but it just creates more confusion,” Burgdorf says. “‘Do I actually listen to that advice, or is that even less important because everything else is so politically motivated?’”

It’s hard to sort out. Jenna Warshall, 33—a middle school English teacher turned stay-at-home mom who delivered her second son earlier this month— calls it a battle of head versus heart.

“So even though I 100 percent trust doctors and science, I don’t necessarily trust things that seem to be politically motivated; it still just puts that nagging feeling in the back of your head,” says Warshall, who gets nightly migraines but won’t take Tylenol, even though she’s confident science says it’s safe. “We’re human. We can’t ignore that.”

A Festival About the Future of Community

COMMUNITY PARTNER PROGRAM

ALL WEEK | Multiple Venues

Discover Charlottesville’s rich community resources as our partners host a range of activities. They’ll take you into public parks, local jails, galleries, theaters, nature preserves and more—telling the story of Charlottesville as only they can.

CROWDFUNDED PITCH NIGHT

WED April 22 | CODE Building

Get inspired as local entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a live audience willing to pledge funds to their favorite contestant.

TOMORROW GALA

THUR April 23 | The Bradbury & Vault Virginia

Raise a glass with the artists, speakers, and innovators who make Tom Tom possible. Expect live music, DJs, and the chance to meet the people behind the ideas.

HEADLINER: JOHN GRISHAM & DEIRDRE ENRIGHT

WED April 22 | The Paramount Theater Justice advocate and author John Grisham and Deirdre Enright of the UVA Innocence Project explore the realities for people imprisoned for crimes they did not commit.

DOWNTOWN MALL BLOCK PARTY

FRI April 24 - SAT April 25

Celebrate 50 years of Charlottesville’s iconic Downtown Mall while strolling the bricks and soaking in the scene. Multiple music stages, family programs, performers and more transform the mall for two days of celebration!

PROM PROM DANCE PARTY

SAT April 25 | Common House

Big beats. Electric vibes. This is the prom you actually wanted, where everyone is the main character and you shine like only you can. See you there.

PORCHELLA

SUN April 26 | Belmont

Stroll the streets of the charming Belmont neighborhood to enjoy free acoustic front porch concerts and jam sessions to close out the Tom Tom Festival.

2026 SUMMITS

Civic Futures Summit

Housing Education Democracy

Economic Vitality Storytelling

Workforce Development

WED April 22

Power up for good! Join forces with hundreds of changemakers who are dreaming courageously and tackling issues that matter. Toyosi Ogunseye launches this one-day Summit with a keynote going to the heart of why civics matters more than ever.

Innovation Summit

AI & Data Entrepreneurship

Energy & Climate Technology

Biotech Startups Investment

THUR April 23 + FRI April 24

Connect with founders, entrepreneurs, & investors who are leading the way through courageous innovation. Keynotes include LÄRABAR Founder Lara Merriken on building a values-driven brand in a high-growth world and Senator Mark Warner on AI and the workforce.

Downtown Mall Passport

Support the Block Party by making a donation and grabbing a Block Party Passport! Enjoy amazing special offers at local businesses throughout the event and beyond, and help keep the Block Party going. Get yours early online or stop by a Passport and ID station during the event.

Bebedero | Brightside Pub | Christians Pizza Citizen Burger Bar | Corner Juice | Hamiltons’ at First and Main | Iron Paffles and Coffee | Kilwins Lucky’s Cheesesteak | Mudhouse Coffee OTTO | Popitos Pizza | Sal’s Caffe Italia Tilman’s Wine Bar & Cafe | Agents In Style Boutique DarlingxDashing Boutique | Ma Nah Ma Nah Pawprints Boutique | Tuel Jewelers | 2nd Act Books

Cville Escape Room | Hot Yoga Charlottesville | Skooma

Civic Futures Summit

Innovation Summit Technology. Entrepreneurship. Investment.

Downtown Mall Block Party

Community Partner Programs Multi-genre & Multi-format Community-hosted Events. Various times. Tomorrow Gala

Downtown Mall Block Party

John Grisham & Deirdre Enright Porchella Crowdfunded Pitch Night

PROM Dance Party

200 + EVENTS AND PERFORMANCES | 90 + FREE OR PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN

Check out the full schedule of music, art, and ideas, including over 60 programs directly programmed by the Charlottesville community.

SCHEDULE

&

MOBILE APP ARE LIVE

Search for “Tom Tom 2026” to download our mobile app! Browse all events and create your personalized schedule.

Saturday, April 18 • 7:30pm Old Cabell Hall Sunday, April 19 • 3:30pm Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing

Concert Sponsors: Lamplight Design Studios, David and Rosalyn Preston, Stewart and Mary Buckle Searle Daniel Sender’s appearance is made possible by The Angus Macaulay Visiting Artists Fund. Program

Gubaidulina – Fairytale Poem Sibelius – Finlandia Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade

Daniel Sender, violin

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY 4/8

EGO TRIP

Driven by bold lyricism and an emotive, competent voice, Cameron Whitcomb brings his Fragile Egos Tour to town. The British Columbia native left home at the tender age of 17, took a job on a pipeline, and realized he’d rather be making music. He explores a softer side in his country-folk stylings, leaning more toward acoustic ballads than electrified holler-filled anthems. With both grit and vulnerability, Whitcomb confronts the demons of addiction and self doubt, while forging a new path forward through his confession-laden lyrics. $44.85, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

CULTURE TO-DO LIST

Wednesday 4/8

music

Cameron Whitcomb: Fragile Egos Tour. A rare artist with the courage to uncover his most uncomfortable truths through country music. $44, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Holly’s Open Mic Night. Mic check to all musicians, poets, and everyone in between. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St.

The Wavelength with Gary Green. The harmonica wiz joins the band for your mid-week music boost. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com

Yung & Walko Acoustic Duo. Chris Yung of the Inclinators is joined by Oregon-based acoustic guitar whiz and human jukebox Dave Walko. Free, 5:30pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

dance

Weekly Swing Dance. Beginner-friendly swing dance lessons teach the Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, and blues. No partner needed. Stay for social dancing after the class. $10, 7pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com

stage

Jeff Dunham: Artificial Intelligence. Comedy gold delivered with the aid of dummies. $42–78, 7pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 295 Massie Rd. johnpauljonesarena.com

classes

Recording Your Voice Like a Pro. Learn the essential techniques behind clean, professional-quality voice recording in this RMC & WTJU workshop. Free, 4pm. Robertson Media Center, 164 McCormick Rd. cal.lib.virginia.edu

Studio to Gallery: Technical Skills for Presentation & Transport. A professional practice workshop for emerging and mid-career artists focuses on how preparation and presentation impact how work is received by galleries, curators, and jurors. $40–50, 5:30pm. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE. secondstreetgallery.org

Watercolor Card Making Workshop. No experience necessary, all materials included. $30-36, 6pm. Blue Ridge Brushes Studio, 1110 E. Market St. #13h. blueridgebrushes.com

FRIDAY 4/10

PULPIT PLAY

etc.

Dürty Karaoke. Consistently voted Charlottesville’s best karaoke. Free, 8:30pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

Rapture Karaoke Night. Hosted by Thunder Music. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Thursday 4/9

music

Batesville Open Mic Night. Music, singing, poetry, spoken word—everyone is welcome to participate. Hosted by Jordan Redifer and Mark Douglas. Free, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Beleza Duo. Funkalicious samba soul—music that moves you from the inside out—with Madeline Holly-Sales on vocals and keys and Berto Sales on guitar, voice, and loops. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Berto and Vincent. A night of wild flamenco rumba and Latin guitar. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Liz Marion. Accomplished pianist performs classical, modern popular, inspirational, and nostalgic favorites from the ’60s and ’70s. Free, 6pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

stage

A Bold Stroke for a Husband. A witty whirlwind of scheming lovers, clever women, and social satire, set in Madrid, Spain. $35–75, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. american shakespearecenter.com

Bent Theatre Comedy Night. Fast-paced, offthe-cuff improv comedy, with plenty of surprises. Free, 7pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

One Mic Stand. Enjoy a mix of spoken word works at this spoken word open mic night. Free, 7pm. Piedmont Virginia Community College, V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. pvcc.edu words

51st Annual Llewellyn G. Hoxton Lecture. The UVA physics department hosts speaker Xiangdong Ji from the University of Maryland, lecturing on the search for dark matter. Free, 6pm. Gilmer Hall, 485 McCormick Rd. phys.virginia.edu

In a jubilant gospel comedy exploring faith and divine intervention, Hypocrite The Musical shares a riotous and riveting story of redemption. Written by Richmonder Glennis Crosby, the play launched the theatrical career of “American Idol” season 20 contestant and real-life preacher Tyler Allen. Through soul-stirring melodies and sidesplitting laughter, the story of spirited street folks who become unexpected saviors of a dilapidated church unfolds. $50.25, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Artist Talk: Staging Theatrical Jazz and Queer South(s). Performing artists Omi Osun Joni L. Jones and Sharon Bridgforth discuss their creative processes and current works, rooted in traditions of theatrical jazz aesthetics. Free, 3:30pm. Wilson Hall, Rm. 142. ihgc.as.virginia.edu

Book Talk: Atlas of Green Energy Transitions. A dive into the revealing stories of contestation, exploitation, and complication within the landscapes upon which the world’s green energy transition depends. Free, 5pm. Campbell Hall, Van Lengen Lobby, 110 Bayly Dr. arch.virginia.edu

classes

Paint + Sip: Shenandoah Springtime. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary. All materials and first drink included. Free, 6pm. Pro Re Nata Farm Brewery, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpk., Crozet. blueridgebrushes.com

etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. An escape room meets a pub crawl. Visit the Preston Avenue breweries, crack codes, unravel riddles, and sample Charlottesville’s best brews. Players get $1 off pints at each brewery. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. Like an escape room but at a winery. Crack codes and unravel riddles while sampling Charlottesville’s best wine, beer, and cider. Play when you want and go at your own pace. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Friday 4/10

music

America250: A Choral Celebration—University Singers Spring 2026 Concert. A special concert celebrating America’s 250th traces key moments in the nation’s history through musical narrative. $5–15, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. music.virginia.edu

Eli Cook Band. Blues-infused roots-rock. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Full Moon Fever: Tom Petty Tribute. A group of Richmond area musicians with a love and penchant for learning and performing the music of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. With Jonathan Brown. $15, 7pm. Pro Re Nata, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. prnbrewery.com

Homecoming with The Honey Dewdrops. Highlighting the power and intimacy of two voices and two instruments through experimental folk sounds. $25–30, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

Katie Franke Trombone Masterclass. Previously selected students will perform during this masterclass, offering attendees the opportunity to observe a dynamic learning environment focused on trombone performance and technique. Free, 5pm. Old Cabell Hall 107. music.virginia.edu

Kurt Crandall and True Story. Featuring Crandall, Steve Riggs, and Ian Gilliam. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Mark Schatz & Bryan McDowell. Multi-generational duo presents a broad spectrum of American acoustic music. $20–25, 8pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com

Midnight Buzz. Folk-rock duo plays covers and B-sides. Free, 5pm. Bottle House, 608 W. Main St. bottlehouse.net

Old 97’s. A veteran band more attuned than ever to the raw and reckless energy of truly timeless rock ‘n’ roll. $38, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

SGGL. Through 35+ years together, Speidel, Goodrich, Goggin & Lille have maintained successful recording and touring careers while balancing solo projects. Free, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

The Greenhorns. A new seven-piece band from C’ville blends New Orleans funk, jump blues, R&B, and a little jazz. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. stage

A Bold Stroke for a Husband See listing for Thursday, April 9. $35–75, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. american shakespearecenter.com

Entre voces y escenas. The world premiere of a new Spanish-language play by acclaimed independent Argentine playwright Rubén Mosquera. Free, 7pm. Ruth Caplin Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. drama. virginia.edu

Hypocrite the Musical A jubilant gospel comedy that tells the remarkable tale of spirited street folks who become unexpected saviors for a dilapidated church in need of redemption. $50, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

IN MEMORIAM CULTURE

words

Author Event: Soham Patel. Patel reads from their new book, The Daughter Industry. A conversation with Hodges Adams follows. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. ndbookshop.com

Dawn of Consciousness with Artist Asa Jackson. Multidisciplinary artist Jackson discusses his work Daybreak (Dawn of Consciousness 2), on display in the Contemplative Commons. Free, 11am. The Contemplative Commons at UVA, 403 Emmet St. S. csc.virginia.edu

etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, April 9. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, April 9. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Saturday 4/11

music

AF2K: A Farewell to Kings. A tribute to the iconic Canadian band, Rush. $20–25, 7pm. Pro Re Nata, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. prnbrewery.com

Billie Marten US Tour 2026. Lyrical indie folk by a British singer-songwriter. $32, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Boxed Lunch. High-energy indie pop-rock sounds with killer harmonies. Free, 1pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Jimmy O. Unique takes on classic rock and oldies, with a rockin’ country mix. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Josh Mayo. A one-of-a-kind voice and beautiful music to cure whatever ails you. Free, 9:30pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Kat & The Travelers. Backroads takes on the timeless compositions of America’s roots music. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Paxton Henderson. Modern bluegrass and singer-songwriter stylings. Free, 2:30pm. Fallen Tree Vineyard and Farm, 4593 Clark Rd., Crozet. fallentreevineyard.com

Porch Dogs. Come bark with the dogs. Free, 12:30pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

The Pollocks. Awesome acoustic music. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

UVA Percussion Ensemble: A Night of Percussion. A diverse repertoire that bridges deep philosophical inquiry with rhythmic celebration, centered on Edgard Varèse’s Ionisation (1931). Featuring guest artist Eric Willie. $5–10, 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. music.virginia.edu stage

Entre voces y escenas. See listing for Friday, April 10. Free, 2pm. Ruth Caplin Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. drama.virginia.edu

SPICMACAY’s Indian Classical Night 2026. A showcase and celebration of Indian classical music and dance, presented by artists at UVA, to UVA, and the general Charlottesville community. Free, 6pm. UVA Chemistry Building, Rm. 402, 409 McCormick Rd. spicmacayuva.org

The Hound of the Baskervilles When Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead on the moors with a look of terror on his face and paw prints by his body, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are called to unravel the curse of the hound. $35–75, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Remembering Chris Munson

Charlottesville music scene mourns passing of patriarch BY SHEA GIBBS

Johnny Sportcoat & The Casuals finished soundcheck at the Carolinian in Nags Head, North Carolina, and headed to their dressing room to relax. The Charlottesville-based rock quintet left behind their sound man, Chris Munson, to make a few more adjustments.

While Munson set to work, the club’s PA system remained on, and that spelled trouble at the Carolinian. Once a crown jewel of the Outer Banks, the venue was—to put it mildly—in disrepair by the time The Casuals arrived to play it in the mid-1980s.

“The Carolinian was a fucking dive. It was horrible,” says Bob Girard, otherwise known as Johnny Sportcoat. “But it was the biggest bar down there, so when you played there, you had a good crowd.”

With few in the room other than Munson and idling staff, one of the Carolinian’s speakers burst into flames. Munson grabbed the nearest thing he could find to put the fire out—a pitcher of beer. He doused the blaze and averted a full-blown disaster. “The good news is he solved the problem,” Girard says. “But there was no saving that speaker.”

It was classic Munson. The University of Virginia philosophy major improvised throughout his career, moving on from college to learn sound design and fashion himself into one of the most important figures in the Charlottesville music scene over the decades to come.

The sound man, show promoter, band manager, and booking agent, proprietor of multiple successful music agencies, died of natural causes on March 5 at age 65. He leaves behind a wife and an adult daughter.

Munson, who grew up in Northern Virginia, came to UVA with a deep love of music. When he arrived in his dorm, he dropped his bag and told his unsuspecting roommate he was going to see the Grateful Dead. He said he’d be back in a couple days.

“His roommate said, ‘but we have orientation,’” says Susan Munson, a local musician and Chris’ beloved wife of nearly 30 years. “The Grateful Dead was a big part of his life. The lyrics of so many of their songs meant so much to him.”

Munson eventually made it back to Grounds. In 1981, he joined the struggling PK German student club, responsible for booking campus music venues. Munson, along with lifelong collaborator Al Hinton, became the club’s co-chairman in 1982. That fall, the pair would spearhead PK German’s biggest

get—bringing the Grateful Dead and more than 7,000 deadheads to University Hall.

“It sold out at 6,500 seats, but unfortunately the ushers at U-Hall were not great. I think another 1,000 people snuck in,” Hinton says. “That was towards the end of our reign at PK German, but we passed it off into very capable hands.”

Munson and Hinton formed Rising Tide Productions in 1983. Along with managing bands like The Casuals, Rising Tide operated The Mineshaft, a 500-seat nightclub that would be the epicenter of Charlottesville’s music scene for seven years. Before closing in 1990, the venue hosted Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Neville Brothers, Gregg Allman Band, John Lee Hooker, Buckwheat Zydeco, and Emmylou Harris, among many others.

Hinton says he and Munson went their separate ways after the club’s closure, with the former heading east for a straight job and the latter staying in Charlottesville to continue his work as a production manager and audio engineer. Through the late ’90s, Munson worked with venues from Trax locally to The Floodzone in Richmond and with artists Delbert McClinton and Michelle Shocked. He ran festivals for Red Light Management and managed production and booked bands for Starr Hill Music Hall.

“Before I was in the music industry, I looked at what he was doing and thought, ‘he’s really finding a path,’” says Kirby Hutto, former Pavilion general manager and a

UVA friend of Munson’s. “When I started doing Fridays After Five in the early ’90s, Chris was a mentor to me. He had all the relationships. He went from being a friend to a mentor to a colleague.”

Hinton—much like Munson after a few days on the road with the Dead—eventually found his way back to Charlottesville. The old collaborators reestablished their agency in 1998, this time as 20 South Productions. The firm has booked talent and promoted and produced events in Charlottesville and beyond ever since.

“He was just a pillar of Charlottesville music, and he did most of it behind the scenes,” Hutto says. “Most people didn’t know who Chris was, but he was making the connections and making it all happen. In my world, Chris is right up there on the Mount Rushmore of Charlottesville music.”

It is Munson’s carefree spirit, generous nature, and ready smile that the people closest to him will remember. He never missed an opportunity to pass on his industry knowledge to others, hold a benefit concert for a struggling friend, or to be in the front row of a local show, tapping his foot along with the tunes.

“When he decided to become a promoter, he did it because he enjoyed it. He wasn’t like, ‘I’m gonna do this and move to L.A.,’” Girard says. “In a way, it’s the same ethos that guides so many local bands. We want to have fun, and we want people to come and have fun with us.”

CULTURE TO-DO LIST

Saturday 4/11

Twelfth Night, or What You Will. Shipwrecked and alone, Viola disguises herself as a man and stumbles into Shakespeare’s most tangled love triangle. $35-75, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. american shakespearecenter.com

words

Author Event: Alice Martin. Martin reads from her debut novel, Westward Women, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. Free, 4pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com

Character, Service, and the American Experiment. A conversation between General Jim Mattis and David M. Rubenstein opens discussion of leadership, service, democracy, and Jeffersonian

ideals. $10–15, 4pm. Monticello, 1050 Monticello Lp. monticello.org

New Dominion Storytime. Featuring readings from recent storybooks and the classics kids know and love. Rain or shine. All ages welcome. Free, 11am. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominion bookshop.com

classes

Mosaic 201: Pretty Planter. Challenge your skills and creativity with shaping, placement, and intentional design making a personal and unique garden planter pot for your home with outdoor-proof materials. Ages 12+. $65, 10:30am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, April 9. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

FRIDAY 4/10 THROUGH SUNDAY 4/26

EXAMINING INJUSTICE

Directed by Leslie M. Scott Jones, Blood at the Root is a potent ensemble drama that shines a light on racial double standards in the justice system. Taking its title from the lyrics of “Strange Fruit,” written and composed by Abel Meeropol and made famous by Billie Holiday, and drawing inspiration from the real-life events surrounding the case of the Jena Six, Dominique Morisseau’s play follows six Black students charged with attempted murder after being provoked into a schoolyard fight. $28–30, times vary. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. livearts.org

Fourth Annual Harambee for Makindu feat. Mighty Joshua. An all-day festival brings people together through live music, dance, food, kids’ activities, and a shared mission to support the Makindu Children’s Program. Free until 8pm. $35 for concert ticket. 12pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, April 9. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Sunday 4/12 music

Bad Suns: ACCELERATOUR USA 2026. Los Angeles trio takes stock of everything they’ve been through together as a band and pushes into a bright future with a renewed sense of purpose. $33, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Breabach. Double bagpipes, fiddle, whistle, stepdance and song with energetic double bass and guitar accompaniment. $30, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraft cider.com

Brian Franke. Independent award-winning singersongwriter and cover artist. Free, 1pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com

Greg Ward. Groovy reggae tunes and positive vibes. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Jonathan Schakel: Harpsichord Recital. Featuring music by Frescobaldi, Scarlatti, Buxtehude, and Bach. Free, 4pm. Grace Episcopal Church, 5607 Gordonsville Rd., Keswick. gracekeswick.org

Mixed Chamber Ensembles: UVA Chamber Music Series #6. A rich and varied program spanning the 19th and 21st centuries, highlighting both well-known and lesser-performed works. $15, 3:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. music.virginia.edu

Second Sunday Bluegrass Jam. Musicians gather in a circle to jam and the audience watches from the perimeter. Show up with instruments if you got ’em. Otherwise, just show up. Free, 2pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com

UVA Flute Ensemble Spring 2026 Recital. Featuring the world premiere of In the Theatre of Air, composed by Judith Shatin. Free, 1pm. University of Virginia Rotunda Dome Room, 1826 University Ave. rotunda.virginia.edu

William Matheny & Kai Crowe-Getty: SingerSongwriter Showcase. Songwriters from Morgantown, West Virginia and Nelson County combine forces. $20–25, 7pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com

WTJU Vinyl Takeover. Five full hours of tracks on wax to keep you grooving and relaxing all day long. Free, 12pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

stage

A Bold Stroke for a Husband. See listing for Thursday, April 9. $35–75, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespeare center.com

classes

Macrame Plant Holders. A fun and creative workshop designing and making a macramé plant hanger using soft cotton rope, natural wooden beads, and sturdy wooden rings. $45, 2pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

Oil Painting for Everybody: Still Life Edition. Learn oil painting in an approachable and organized format painting a still life composition. Open to all levels. Ages 14+. $45, 2pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com

CRITICAL CONDITION CULTURE

etc.

Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, April 9. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com

Jefferson’s Birthday Celebration and Annual Wreath Ceremony. Commemorate Jefferson’s 283rd birthday as the U.S. Army places the presidential wreath at his grave, accompanied by performances from the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps. Free, 1pm. Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. monticello.org

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, April 9. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Monday 4/13

classes

Monthly Maker Mondays. Bind a small journal with the pamphlet stitch to fill with favorite nature finds. All materials provided. Ages 11+. Free, 4:30pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org

Tuesday 4/14

music

BRIMS. A Blue Ridge Irish Music School open jam of traditional Irish music. Free, 6:30pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellys charlottesville.com

Digitalis Electronic Music Festival 2026. An annual concert of experimental work for sound and visual media featuring premieres by undergraduate and graduate students in Composition and Computer Technologies. Free, 7:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. music.virginia.edu

Hannibal Buress. A true warrior in the world of entertainment. $50-68, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jefferson theater.com

Tuesday Jazz. A cast of great players joins jazz guitar virtuoso Jeff Massanari. Free, 6:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapture restaurant.com

stage

Queer South(s) 2026 Presents: Sittin’ in a Saucer Live performance with artist in residence Omi Osun Joni L. Jones and company. Free, 7pm. Ruth Caplin Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. drama.virginia.edu

words

2026 Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medalist in Architecture Public Talk: Jeanne Gang. Architect and founding partner of Studio Gang delivers remarks as the 2026 recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Architecture. Free, 3:30pm. Newcomb Hall Theater, Newcomb Hall. arch.virginia.edu

Plot Twisters Teen Book Club. Avid teen readers ages 11–18 are invited to read a book of choice on a monthly theme or genre, and then meet to discuss. do crafts, and enjoy snacks. Registration required. Free, 5pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org

etc.

Cville Great Mother Fest. One joyful day of music, art, wellness, and community as Charlottesville welcomes the Great Mother Marchers, honoring Mother Earth and the power of community. Free, 12pm. IX Art Park, 522 Second St. SE. ixartpark.com Geeks Who Drink Trivia. Good trivia, good times. Teams of two to six people compete to win prizes like gift certificates and pint glasses, plus bragging rights. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. firefly cville.com

Digitalis Electronic Music Festival 2026

For a few years now, the UVA music department has taken to highlighting the works of its most progressive and conceptually minded students at the Digitalis Electronic Music Festival each spring. As a loose genre name, electronic music can be confounding to wrap your head around—the classification is broad, and never really reveals what you’re in for.

A 12-hour rave of hardcore techno by dueling DJs? An older musician hunched over metal boxes employing a theremin in search of a melodic line? An outraged group of 18-year-olds kicking a vintage computer while they fuel unease by screaming in distortion? It could be any and all of the above.

This year’s Digitalis comes in secrecy. That is to say, UVA hasn’t shared the program as of press time, so there’s no saying what the audience is in for this go-around.

If previous iterations are anything to go by—and maybe they’re not, but if they are—the meanings to be conveyed in the pieces presented stand to be

heady, the sounds novel, and the musicianship often rooted in classical fundamental dexterity. Two years ago, performers were exploring topics ranging from the history of whale killings, plastic accumulation in the oceans, and Canadian air quality, to the data of U.S. maternal mortality and the consequences of nuclear power.

As far as the electronics go, It’s likely not straight-up sine waves and synthesizers as much as an encyclopedia of digitally edited sounds. In the recent past, more than one student played sounds built off of rocks, sticks, and leaves; some used their voice to sing through multi-effects to change the overall impact; others played shaped white noise or field recordings of rivers.

UVA’S OLD CABELL HALL

Tuesday 4/14

Whatever Digitalis holds for 2026, there’s a good chance the audience will witness surprising results and uncommon sound sources rather than block rockin’ beats. Then again, who can be sure? It’s 90 minutes long and you don’t have to camp out, but it is, after all, an electronic music festival.—CM Gorey

CAUTION: The writer’s unrestrained cynicism, and unresolved issues shape the writing of this column. Views are his own and results may vary.

Sabre D&D Summer Camp for Kids!

ABOUT

Sabre is pleased to offer D&D summer camp for all kids, ages 10-17.

Sessions at Sabre will run from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. of the week selected.

Our In StoreDungeon Master will teach your kids all about D&D and help them build characters to take on epic adventures!

Read all about it on our website, and see you here adventurer!

6th-10th

SUMMER CAMP WEEKS:

June 1-5 • June 8-12

June 15-19 • June 22-26

June 29-July 3

July 6-July 10 • July 13-July 17

July 20-July 24 • July 27-July 31

August 3-August 7

Art Camps for Teens

M–F 9AM-12:30

Camp 1 June 1– 5

Camp 2 June 8–12

Camp 3 August 3– 7

Register at Skaftedesign.com

$340/week includes materials taught by Jane Skafte CLAY Camps with Rebekah Wostrel

Mud Masterpieces (ages 8-16)

June 1-5, June 8-12, June 22-26, July 6-10

info & registration: rawostrel@gmail.com www.rebekahwostrel.com

Camp Planning Checklist

Spring

• Review Expectations and Values of Camp

• Seek Recommendations from Friends

• Consult Faith Communities, Community Centers

• Attend Camp Fairs

• Find ACA Local Offices

• Find an ACA Camp Summer

• Visit and Interview Camps

• Assess Your Child’s Camp Readiness Fall

• Get on Camp Mailing Lists

• Seek Recommendations from Friends

• Secure Application Deadlines

• Review Camp Prospects with Your Child

• Find an ACA Camp Winter

• Attend Camp Fairs

• Apply to Camp

• Read and Talk with Your Child to Prepare

• Schedule Camp Physical for Spring

• Arrange Travel to and from Camp

• Inventory Gear and Make List for Spring Shopping

• Tips on Packing and Gear Express Lane to Camp

• Visit Camps via Telephone, Web, Video, and In Person

• Apply and Gear Up

• Schedule Camp Physical

• Talk and Read with Your Child About Camp

• Arrange Travel to and from Camp

Reprinted by permission of the American Camp Association.

©2026, American Camping Association, Inc.

About American Camp Association

The American Camp Association® (ACA) is a national organization serving the more than 20,000 yearround and summer camps in the US who annually serve 26 million campers. ACA is committed to collaborating with those who believe in quality camp and outdoor experiences for children, youth, and adults. ACA provides advocacy, evidence-based education, and professional development, and is the only independent national accrediting body for the organized camp experience.

ACA accreditation provides public evidence of a camp’s voluntary commitment to the health, safety, risk management, and overall well-being of campers and staff. For more information, visit ACAcamps.org or call 800-428-2267.

This comprehensive summer camp checklist covers everything your child will need for health, wellness, and safety, so they can enjoy their time away with peace of mind.

Limited spots available

Scan the QR code to learn more & enroll

AUGUST 3-7 • AGES 5-13

9 am - 3 pm (Pre and After Care Available)

Location: Sojourners, 1017 Elliott Ave, Charlottesville

Irish Music, Dance, Singing, Crafts and More!

No Previous Experience Needed! Registration and more information at brimstunes.org

FOR FUN PUZZLES

Mammoth features

Fish eggs

Do equations and receive a perfect score? 36. “Super food” berry

Seven, in Spanish

Roof overhang 40. Squishy place to see Benjamin Franklin? 43. Through

Authorization 45. Time to access some parks

46. Edit

48. Valueless

50. Confidentiality contract, for short

51. Army of skeletons?

57. Finnish DJ best known for 1999’s “Sandstorm”

59. Await

60. The Cars lead singer Ric

61. Monogram ltr

62. St. intersector

63. Gave up

64. Empty spaces

65. Like sashimi DOWN

1. Somewhat

2. ___ jump

3. Dermatological focus

4. Impor t taxes

5. Lendl and Reitman, e.g.

6. Cod cousin

7. “See ya”

8. NHL Hall of Fame locale

9. Take on liability from another company

10. “To be,” for Caesar

11. Protrude

12. ___-Locka, Fla.

15. Carpenter’s groove

17. Merle Haggard’s “___ From Muskogee”

20. “Better luck next time”

23. Pastureland

24. Cold-weather drink

25. Like kale and spinach

26. Without any prior information

27. Beauty brand owned by Estee Lauder

29. Fend (off)

30. “Dogma” director Smith

31. Golfing legend Sam

34. Beavers’ sch.

By Rob Brezsny

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): The current phase of your destiny could disturb you if you’re not super patient. Life seems to be teasing you with promises that then go into hiding. You’ve been having to master the art of living on the edge between the Big Red Yes and the Gray Murky No. My advice: Imagine your predicament as an intriguing riddle, not a frustrating ambiguity. See if you can figure out how to grow wiser and stronger in response to the evasive mysteriousness. My prediction: You will grow wiser and stronger.

Gemini

(May 21-June 20): Why it’s always triple-great to be a Gemini, drawing on an abundance of mercurial wisdom: 1. You excel at the art of translation and are skilled at finding common ground between different realms. You can oscillate and flow between the lyrical and the pragmatic, the insightful and the comic, the detailed focus and the big picture. 2. You know that consistency is overrated. Your capacity to harbor multiple perspectives is a superpower. 3. You get to be both the question and the answer, proving that wholeness includes all the fragments. All the aptitudes I just named should be your featured approaches in the coming weeks.

Cancer

(June 21-July 22): The saga of Troy is one of the most renowned tales from ancient Greece. Yet the fabled setting of Homer’s epic tale, the Iliad, was a settlement of just seven acres. Let that detail resound for you in the coming weeks. It’s an apt metaphor for what’s taking shape in your life. A seemingly modest situation could become the stage for a mythic turning point. An experience that starts small may grow into a story of immense and lasting significance.

Leo

(July 23-Aug. 22): Many people have a favorite number they regard as lucky. Some choose it because it showed up at a major turning point in their life. Others derive it from their birthday or from the numerology of their name. Plenty are drawn to “master numbers” like 33, 77, or 99. Personally, I give three numbers my special love: 555, the square root of -2, and 1.61803, also known as the golden ratio in Fibonacci-related patterns. I hope this nudges your imagination, Leo. Your fortunes are shifting now in the direction of an unusual kind of luck, so it’s a potent moment to select a new lucky number. I suggest that you also choose a new guiding animal, a fresh initiation name, and a charged symbol to serve as your personal emblem.

Virgo

(Aug. 22-Sept. 22): Do you know what ignorance is causing you to suffer? Is there a teacher or teaching that could provide an antidote? I suspect you are very close to

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR FUN

(March 21-April 19): Unexpected deliverance? Lucky rides? Beginner’s grace? Dreamy, gleaming replacements? To the untrained eye, it may look like you are bending cosmic law in your favor. In truth, you’re simply redeeming the backlog of blessings you earned in the past—acts of quiet generosity and unselfish hardship that never got their proper reward. Serendipitous leaps? Divine detours? Shortcuts to victory? Welcome the uncanny gifts, Aries, even if they’re not what you expected.

attracting or stumbling upon the guidance you need to escape the fog: maybe a therapist who can help you undo a hurtful pattern, a mentor to inspire your quest to do work you long to do, or a spiritual friend who reminds you that you’re not merely your latest drama. Your task in the coming weeks is not to obsess on fixing everything at once, but to seek one or two sources of wisdom that illuminate your blind spots and educate your heart.

Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’m an honorary Libra, with three planets and my lunar north node in your sign. So I speak with authority when I declare that fostering harmony, which is a Libran gift, is only superficially about smoothing away friction and asymmetry. More importantly, it’s about rearranging reality so that beauty is a central feature. The goal is to accomplish practical wonders by stimulating grace and fluency. When I’m best expressing my Libra qualities, I don’t ask how I can please everyone, but rather, how I can serve maximum goodness and intelligence. Here’s another tip to being a potent Libra: Know that your enchanting charm is a lubricant for the truth, not mere decoration. Here’s your homework: Beautify one system you use every day so it serves you with less friction and more pleasure.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You are potentially an expert in creative destruction. You have a knack for eliminating what’s unnecessary and even obstructive. What has outlived its usefulness? You’re prone to home in on energy drains and unleash transformative energy. And yes, this intensity of yours may unnerve people who prefer comfortable

numbness—but not me. I love you to exult in your talent for locating beauty and truth that are too complicated for others. I applaud you when you descend into the darkness to retrieve dicey treasures. PS: You’re not shadowy or negative. You’re a specialist in the authentic love that refuses to enable delusion or sanction decay.

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): My Sagittarian friend Artemisia bemoans “the scarcity of collective delight.” She wishes there were more public acclaim for stories about breakthrough joys, miraculous marvels, and surprising healings. Why are we so riveted by reports of misery, malaise, and muck, yet so loath to recognize and celebrate everything that’s working really well? She also mourns the odd habit among some educated folks to mistake cynicism for brilliance. If you don’t mind, Sagittarius, I’m assigning you to be an antidote in the coming weeks. Your task is to gather an overflowing harvest of lavish pleasure, fun epiphanies, and richly meaningful plot twists. Don’t hoard any of it. Spread it around to everyone you encounter.

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Id is a psychoanalytic term. It’s the part of the psyche where basic instincts, needs, and drives reside. On the one hand, the id supplies a huge charge of psychic energy. On the other hand, it mostly operates outside conscious awareness. Consider the implications: The fierce, pulsing center of your life force is largely hidden from you. Most of the time, that veil is protective. Encountering the id directly can be overwhelming or unsettling. But in the coming weeks, you Capricorns are poised to cultivate a more

interesting and righteous relationship with your high-voltage core. Do you dare? Treat your id as a brilliant but untamed creature. Extend a careful, curious invitation for it to show you more about itself.

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In architecture, a “clerestory” is a high window that brings light into a space without compromising privacy. It illuminates without exposing. I suggest that you find metaphorical equivalents for clerestories, Aquarius. Look for ways to let spaciousness and brightness into your world without disturbing your boundaries. Your assignment is to avoid swinging between total lockdown and overexposure. The best option: strategic vulnerability and selective transparency. Allow people to see selected parts of you without giving them access to everything. Be both open and discriminating.

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): In 1903, the Wright brothers flew a primitive model of the first airplane. How did they prepare the way for their spectacular milestone? Their workshop was a bicycle shop, not a high-tech, state-of-the-art lab. By building and fixing bikes, they learned key insights about flying machines. The lesson for you, Pisces, is that mastery in one area may be transferable to breakthroughs in another. With this in mind, I invite you to evaluate how your current skills, including those you take for granted, might be repurposed. Methods you developed in one context could solve problems in another. You shouldn’t underestimate the value of what you already know.

Expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text message horoscopes: RealAstrology.com, (877) 873-4888

CLASSIFIEDS

Legals

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Utility Easement

Pursuant to Va. Code Ann., Sec. 15.2-1800(B), Notice is hereby given that the Charlottesville City Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 20, 2026, at its Business Meeting, beginning at 6:30 p.m., to hear public comment on a request from Dominion Energy for the City of Charlottesville, Virginia (“City”), to convey an Easement to Dominion Energy to provide electrical service to an upgraded bathroom facility located at Darden-Towe Park that is jointly owned by the City and Albemarle County, Virginia.

Any person may appear at the Public Hearing to present their views regarding the proposed conveyance of this Easement. Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangement to participate in the Public Meeting may call (434) 987-1267 or submit a request via email to ada@charlottesville.gov. The City requests forty-eight (48) hours’ notice so that proper arrangements may be made. A copy of the full text of the proposed electric utility easement is also available for review online (at least five [5] days prior to the Business Meeting) at www.charlottesville.gov/ agenda, and in the Clerk of Council’s Office.

ORDER OF PUBLICATION Case No. CJJ-37, 315-08, 09 VA. CODE § 1-211.1; 8.01-316, -317, 20-104

Charlottesville Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court

Charlottesville Dept. of Social Services v. Kieonna Hawkins & Mohipul Rairoop

The object of this suit is to terminate the residual parental rights of Kieonna Hawkins & Mohipul Rairoop of a male child M.R. born to Kieonna Hawkins on 6/4/2014.

It is ORDERED that Kieonna Hawkins & Mohipul Rairoop, appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before July 14, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.

3/23/26

Areshini Pather

DATE JUDGE

ESTATE OF CHARLOTTE DING GRAY

NOTICE OF TAKING OF DEBTS AND DEMANDS

At the request of the Administrator, I appoint Tuesday, April 22, 2026, at 11 :00 a.m., as the time and my office at 420 Park Street, Charlottesville, Virginia, as the place for receiving proof of debts and demands against the decedent or her estate.

Edward H. Bain, Jr.

Assistant Commissioner of Accounts Circuit Court for Albemarle County, VA

P.S. THE BIG PICTURE

Saturday night live

More than 60,000 country-music fans packed Scott Stadium on Saturday, April 4, for Luke Combs’ My Kind of Saturday Night Tour. The evening, which also featured Dierks Bentley, Ty Myers, Jake Worthington, and Thelma & James, was the first concert at the University of Virginia football stadium since 2017’s A Concert for Charlottesville, when Dave Matthews, Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, Justin Timberlake, Chris Stapleton, and others performed in support of the city after the violent Unite the Right rally.

MAY 2

2-3:30 p.m.

Ticket required

Celebrate 250 years of Jefferson’s Declaration at Pen to Paper, an afternoon of conversation, music, poetry, and theater, honoring our most shared piece of history.

Monticello’s West Lawn SIGNATURE EVENT

Dr. Maggie Blackhawk Professor at NYU and prize-winning scholar

Dr. Andrew Davenport Vice President for Research and Saunders Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies

Carly Fiorina National Honorary Chair of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250)

Ted Gioia Program & Development Director, Arion Press

monticello.org/pen2paper

Dr. Jane Kamensky President and CEO of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello