Owner James Luck says, earlier this year, Jefferson Coin had to employ a velvet rope to stem the crowds of sellers.
REED ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING AWARD
2026 VIRGINIA FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK EVENT
Christian Cooper FEATURED SPEAKER
Catherine Coleman Flowers BOOK AWARD WINNER
You’re invited to join SELC, in person or virtually, as we celebrate our 2026 Reed Environmental Writing Award winners as part of the Virginia Festival of the Book. Don’t miss your chance to hear from author and two-time book winner, Catherine Coleman Flowers, and journalism winner Garden & Gun staff writer Lindsey Liles, as they share reflections on their award-winning work.
Christian Cooper, an Emmy Award-winning host and the NY Times bestselling author of Better Living Through Birding, joins the award ceremony as our special guest speaker.
The first 400 event registrants receive a FREE copy of Holy Ground: On Activism, Environmental Justice, and Finding Hope by Catherine Coleman Flowers.
Lindsey Liles JOURNALISM AWARD WINNER
March 20, 2026 at 5:00 pm CODE Building 225 West Water Street Charlottesville, VA 22902
Register for the in person or virtual event by scanning the QR code or visit selc.org/reed-award-registration/
JOHN LABBÉ
SCULPT TO RESULTS
Hello, Charlottesville.
Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.
2.25.26
When I called my dad—a goldsmith in Harrisonburg—to ask for some extra insight into this week’s cover story (p.19), a look at the record-breaking prices of precious metals, he launched (as dads are wont to do) into a lecture about global markets, supply and demand, and the long arc of monetary history.
“Gold is a commodity for two reasons: jewelry and computers, where it’s used in different components for its conductivity and the fact that it doesn’t corrode,” he told me. “But it’s also a commodity because, in times of global uncertainty, it’s used as an insurance policy. If I don’t trust banks, or governments, or currencies, I buy gold.”
Gold (and silver, which as of this writing is at $94.99 an ounce), he said, appeals to us because it endures. Funny, I thought, since most of what’s important in life actually doesn’t.
Over the weekend I attended C-VILLE’s first event of the year: a live taping of the “SongWriter” podcast, during which bestselling local author Bruce Holsinger read aloud a new, hysterical short story he’d written about a rotten cat named Toby, and musical supergroup The Golden Hours performed a never-before-heard song in response. The moment was magic. Unrepeatable. It will never happen that way again. If gold endures because it doesn’t rust, nights like that endure because they do. They rust in memory. They become more precious simply because they cannot be reproduced or traded or stored away as insurance against an uncertain future. We buy gold when we’re looking for stability. We gather in rooms together when we’re willing to risk something—attention, vulnerability, delight—less permanent.
This week’s contributors
Christine Phelan Kueter, a native Midwesterner, has worked in book publishing, as a newspaper reporter and columnist, and as a writer and editor in higher education. A correspondent for WVTF/Radio IQ since 2020, her monthly series, “Meet Virginia,” aired on Virginia Public Radio in 2024. Read her work on page 19.
Smeltzer is a writer, writing coach, and teacher. Her fiction has been published by Scribes*MICRO* Fiction, MonkeyBicycle, and Atticus Review. Smeltzer earned her MFA in creative writing at the University of Central Florida. Read her work on page 31.
Hey, thanks! These generous benefactors of C-VILLE have supported our work through our (now tax-deductible!) Save the Free Word campaign. To contribute, follow the QR code.
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TUESDAY, MARCH 10TH WILSON
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FEATURE
the Basics of Watercolor Introduction to
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NEWS
CULTURE 27
Correction In last week’s C-VILLE, we should have said that language in the HB1263 substitute excludes all higher education employees from collective bargaining units through its definition of “state agencies.”
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SERENITY RIDGE RETREAT CENTER
Ancient Tibetan Buddhist Teachings for Modern Times
Join us in the serene foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and in Charlottesville!
April 9–12, 2026
Spring Wellness Retreat with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche Rest. Nourish. Renew.
April 10–12, 2026
Calm Breath, Calm Mind: A Meditation Retreat with Geshe Yongdong Losar
Ancient Tibetan breath practices to calm the mind and reduce stress.
April 14–19, 2026
Five Elements Certification Program:
Healing Ourselves, Healing the World with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Balance and heal through the five elements.
Join us for Serenity Ridge Sundays: Open Community Gatherings
Check our website for more information and additional programs.___________________
LIGMINCHA CHARLOTTESVILLE MONTHLY PRACTICE
Location: Jefferson Memorial Regional Library, Downtown Charlottesville
Date: February 25, 2026 | Time: 6:30-8:00 PM
Up and coming
Multimillion money matters, bargain bands, and flying forward— a look at the latest in Albemarle County BY CATIE RATLIFF
NEWS ALBEMARLE
In an ever-changing national political climate, it can be easy to miss the latest local goings-on. So rather than a look at what’s happening nationally, this week’s C-VILLE dives into the “state of the union” in Albemarle County, from money matters to flight paths.
Assessments
Per the county’s 2026 reassessment, property values are up across the board in Albemarle. The overall tax base rose 6.17 percent compared to last year—a substantial but not unprecedented jump in county property values. At the low end, commercial properties saw an average taxable assessment increase of 3 percent. Residential properties up to 20 acres had the largest increase of any property type, with an average increase of 8.1 percent. Reevaluations also varied significantly by magisterial district, ranging from a 3.6 percent in-
crease in the Rivanna District to 9.8 percent in Samuel Miller.
County staff assessed more than 16,000 properties this round. Owners can appeal their property’s evaluation through March 2.
Among those affected by the increased property evaluations is Albemarle Board of Supervisors newcomer Sally Duncan. Though Duncan empathizes with citizens’ frustration over heightened property assessments, especially as tax season creeps closer, she still sees the 2026 assessments as a sign of growth to come.
“I know people are upset that their assessments went up. You know, mine went up like 15 percent and I’m a renter, so I don’t even get to sort of enjoy the fruits of increased property values,” says Duncan. “But we need to build more housing. We are still in a housing crisis, and so I am very excited about the possibility of more housing, of more community, more neighbors. Making space for the people who work here to finally be able to live here.”
Budget
Peak budget season is also fast approaching, and with it questions about what will—and won’t—make the cut.
At press time, Albemarle hasn’t released the county executive’s draft budget ahead of the February 25 presentation to the Board of Supervisors.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how the county executive has laid out the schools in the budget,” says Duncan. “It is such a large part of the budget.”
Based on previous years’ spending, the largest expenditure category for FY27 will likely be schools, which accounted for 54 percent of the $638,093,637 expenditures in the FY26 budget.
This year, Albemarle County Public Schools’ draft budget request totals $311,317,157—$27 million more than the FY26 budget. Per a February 16 press release, ACPS’s budget request is balanced around an anticipated 7.2 percent increase in local tax revenue and a 16.5 percent increase in state revenue.
Collective bargaining
Roughly $11.8 million of the proposed ACPS budget will fund compensation increases negotiated by the Albemarle Education Association, which ratified its bargaining contract on February 12 after more than four years of organizing.
“Most bargaining campaigns that last this long do not succeed, so simply reaching this point is a major accomplishment,” said Mary McIntyre, AEA President, to the Albemarle School Board ahead of the vote on the agreement. “We now have the second-highest membership density in Virginia. For the second year in a row, we have the highest membership growth in the entire [Virginia Education Association]. … You don’t just have a unionized workplace. You have one of the strongest
public sector unionized workforces in Virginia, and that is something that we should all be proud of.”
After adopting the agreement, the AEA met its end-of-school-year membership goals early, adding more than 50 percent of licensed staff and more than 25 percent of education support personnel to its ranks. As of February 23, 1,075 ACPS employees have joined the union.
Growth
The U.S. census estimates Albemarle’s population at 117,313 people as of July 1, 2024, a 4.3 percent increase compared to 2020 data. With that population uptick in mind, both the Virginia Department of Transportation and Charlottesville Albemarle Airport are working to better travel in and to Albemarle County.
On the ground, VDOT wants to improve the span of U.S. 29 between the I-64 interchange at exit 118 and the interchange at Fontaine Avenue. A November 2025 Project Pipeline survey found the greatest community support for reintroducing the US 29 South ramp onto I-64 East, removing the loop ramp from I-64 East onto 29 North, and combining the I-61 East traffic onto 29 North and South into a ramp with a signalized intersection.
Up in the air, CvilleBioHub is partnering with CHO to explore potential for direct flights to and from Boston. The first stakeholder meeting is set for February 27 at North Fork Town Center Four at 11am.
Duncan sees potential for development in the county with both the transportation movements. While the proposed Route 29 changes could more tangibly help to increase housing density, the direct flights present an opportunity to expand Albemarle’s tourism economy.
“Anything that’s sort of related to economic development and tourism, I am very supportive of because I think we need to diversify our economic base even more and really grow those sectors,” says Duncan.
Boston calling: Work and leisure travelers may soon be able to fly direct between CHO and BOS.
Full strength
The University of Virginia Board of Visitors met February 20 and elected Carlos Brown and Victoria Harker as rector and vice rector, respectively. The Board now has no leadership vacancies.
The rector and vice rector positions remained unfilled for more than a month following the abrupt departure of Rachel Sheridan and Porter Wilkinson at the end of former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s term. Brown and Harker will serve out the remainder of Sheridan and Wilkinson’s terms, which expire June 30, 2027.
While they were among the 10 appointees named to the UVA Board by Gov. Abigail Spanberger in January, neither Brown nor Harker is new to the BOV.
Originally appointed by Democratic former Gov. Ralph Northam, Brown served a single term on the Board from 2021 to 2025. He was named vice rector in 2023, and remained in the role until the end of his appointment.
“I love this institution and I know firsthand the incredible impact UVA has on the lives of the people who live, learn and work here,” said Brown. “I am eager to get to work alongside my fellow board members and looking forward to what we can achieve together.”
Harker also previously served a single term on the Board, and was appointed by Republican former Gov. Bob McDonnell in 2012. During her time on the BOV, and later as a member of the public, she served on UVA’s Health System Board.
The Board of Visitors next meeting is March 5, and will be a single-day session, according to UVAToday.—Catie Ratliff
Adding up
Piedmont Housing Alliance purchases MACAA site and prepares for construction BY
SEAN TUBBS
When Sunshine Mathon took the helm as executive director of the Piedmont Housing Alliance in August 2017, the entity managed about 350 affordable units.
Since then, PHA has doubled that number through projects such as the redevelopment of Friendship Court into Kindlewood and construction of affordable rental units at the redeveloped Southwood Village.
And there’s more to come.
“We have another 800 or so in the pipeline over the next five to six years,” Mathon said in an email.
Just over a hundred of those new units will be built at two projects on Park Street, north of the U.S. 250 Bypass. On February 9, a PHA entity paid the Monticello Area Community Action Agency nearly $4 million for its Park Street property, which will be developed for a range of incomes.
Charlottesville City Council rezoned the property in January 2022 to allow for the development. It also agreed to provide $3.77 million in cash to help finance the project. Other sources include funds from the Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development and the National Housing Trust Fund. Work will begin in the fall.
“Although we will get final construction pricing closer to the start of construction, we expect to be able to start construction with the existing funding,” Mathon said.
Mathon said there will be 66 rental units funded through low-income housing tax credits that will be reserved for households making between 30 and 60 percent of area median income. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville will build 20 afford-
able homes to sell to participants of their program. Greenwood Homes will construct eight units to be sold at market rate.
“Every development we are working on is a function of partnership—with the residents at Kindlewood, with private developers, with neighborhood associations, with churches, and others,” Mathon said.
The MACAA project is a few blocks south of another PHA project that would see units built on the property of the Park Street Christian Church. City Council has also contributed to that project.
In addition, planning is underway for PHA’s portion of a project at Premier Circle off of Seminole Trail in Albemarle County. Construction is ongoing for 80 units of SupportWorks Housing, but PHA has applied for tax credits for another 60 units at an adjacent development that does not currently have a name.
IN BRIEF
All the news you missed last week (in one sentence or less)
“Our hope is to share some resident services resources between the two projects,” Mathon said.
PHA is also partnering with Habitat on the eventual redevelopment of the Carlton Mobile Home Park. City Council agreed in August 2024 to provide an $8.7 million forgivable loan for the two nonprofits to purchase the land and prevent displacement of existing residents.
Other projects include a partnership with Woodard Properties for a mixed-use project at 501 Cherry Ave. and with the University of Virginia to build affordable units off of Fontaine Avenue.
“We have made remarkable progress during incredibly turbulent times—the pandemic, federal administration changes, massive cost escalations, and interest rate increases,” Mathon said.
Her turn National Dems tapped Gov. Abigail Spanberger to give the official response to President Donald Trump’s February 24 State of the Union address. Later, crater If you spot a dent in the road, report it to the city for fixing in its Pothole Blitz by calling 970-3830. Short changed Little-seen VA-5 Congressman John McGuire stops by Charlottesville for a meet-and-greet with constituents. Found cause Swords Into Plowshares selects three prominent design studios as finalists for its project to repurpose the two tons of bronze ingots formerly known as Charlottesville’s Robert E. Lee statue. Gate crasher University Police seek a suspect who stole a golf cart from Scott Stadium around 5am on February 15, ramming it through a security gate before abandoning it elsewhere in town. Bad sign Another wayward driver—not in a golf cart—was hospitalized after veering into the opposite lane, obliterating the roadside Shannon Library sign, and hitting a brick wall at University and Rugby avenues on February 17.
The project at the MACAA site, as well as another on Park Street, will comprise just over 100 affordable housing units.
Carlos Brown
“Jordan
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My name is Jordan Hague and I created Equity Saver USA in 2008 to offer a better, more affordable service to disrupt and challenge what I personally experienced to be an outdated and flawed approach to Realtor compensation at the expense of sellers and buyers.
be an outdated and flawed sation at the expense of sellers
In 2024 the National Association of Realtors settled a billion dollar lawsuit related to inflated Realtor commission practices. This monumental settlement opens the door for true free market competition and innovation to thrive. I’ve successfully sold homes using a 1% model for nearly 2 decades proving the old “6% legacy” commission model is a waste of money and does nothing to help promote affordable housing. Contact me direct to arrange a no obligation meeting to learn more.
In 2024 the National Association of Realtors settled a billion dollar lawsuit related to inflated Realtor commission practices. This monumental settlement opens the door for true free market competition and innovation to thrive. I’ve successfully sold homes using a 1% model for nearly 2 decades proving the old “6% legacy” commission model is a waste of money and does nothing to help promote affordable housing. Contact me direct to arrange a no obligation meeting to learn more.
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REAL ESTATE NEWS
Code of conduct
City Council agrees to minor zoning code changes, while some want major reform
BY SEAN TUBBS
When Charlottesville City Council adopted a new zoning code in December 2023, the intent was to streamline the development process to make it easier for new construction to get built.
“As expected with any framework, we identified areas that need a refinement and over the past year, staff and the Planning Commission has worked to address these issues through a tiered approach,” said Matt Alfele, the city’s development planning manager.
The first set of changes are minor in nature and went before Council on February 17. These were highly technical changes and nothing jumped out to City Councilor Lloyd Snook.
“That’s the sort of thing that I’ve always relied on the Planning Commission to get right,” Snook said. “They spend more time with the details than the Council does.”
The Legal Aid Justice Center helped push for the new zoning code as part of the overall Cville Plans Together initiative, which also created a new housing policy and a Comprehensive Plan that encouraged more residential density across the entire city. Development is only restricted on sections of Cherry and Preston avenues.
However, organizer Emily Dreyfus said the changes before Council were not relevant to most people and called on Council to immediately amend the zoning to extend “core neighborhood” protections to prevent buildings higher than five stories adjacent to neighborhoods like 10th and Page.
“We don’t need studies or lengthy engagement processes because we did that from 2019 to 2023,” Dreyfus said. “Core neighborhood residents should not have massive new developments overshadowing and isolating them and eroding their communities.”
Dreyfus was joined by several others who expressed disappointment that projects such as an 11-story building at 843 W. Main St. and a seven-story building in Fifeville continue to move forward with no work underway to reduce property rights created by the new zoning.
“Why is the planning department not engaging a little bit more with the community that these changes that you’re making are
going to affect us?” asked Joy Johnson, a long-time Westhaven resident and chair of the Public Housing Association of Residents.
City Councilor Michael Payne claimed he had nothing against the minor changes being made, but said he would cast a protest vote to encourage at least two of his colleagues to direct staff to study further reform.
“City Council has to adjust and acknowledge we made a mistake,” Payne said.
The old code required a special use permit for additional height on West Main Street but the new zoning dropped that step. Snook said he wanted to keep the permit in place during deliberations but did not have enough support.
“Because we’ve got a couple new members of Council now that we didn’t have at that time, maybe there would be a change in the numbers, that would be fine,” Snook said.
Council is next scheduled to check in on the zoning code at an April 20 work session.
As for the two developments, Neighborhood Development Services staff denied a site plan last August for LV Collective’s proposed building on West Main Street and a new version has not yet been submitted. In December, the Board of Architectural Review denied a necessary approval for the proposed Mark building on Seventh Street SW in Fifeville. Developer LCD Acquisitions has appealed to Council.
Annie Gould Gallery
DuoAyn Balija, Viola I-Jen Fang, Percussion Sunday, March 15, 2026 Old Cabell Hall | 3:30pm
City Councilor Michael Payne cast a protest vote, urging further reforms to the city’s zoning code.
Very nice Townhouse in convenient River Run. New roof and gutter leaf filters. Well maintained. Easy access to town and Penn Park. Easy walking distance to the Community pool.82
Prices peak and trough— and locals are
BY CHRISTINE PHELAN KUETER
Shine & tarnish
cashing in their candlesticks and carats
After
a 20-year love affair, Melanie Schaefer decided to branch out: to copper, brass, and bronze, that is.
Silver, she says, has become too pricey for artistic monogamy.
“In the last year, the price of the metal that I use has tripled, plus some,” explains Schaefer, a jewelry maker who, until 2026, has worked almost exclusively in sterling silver. “It’s been pretty scary. I’ve had a good year of business, because I have great customers, and a nice product, and I’m grateful, but I did not raise my prices fast enough with the rise of the price of metal to profit as much as I usually do. So, I have some serious evaluation going on.”
In 2026, Schaefer’s galvanizing for change: the incorporation of different, less expensive metals—the aforementioned copper, brass, and bronze—as she fashions new earrings, pendants, and necklaces to sell. All new printed promotional materials that hint at her creations beyond silver. Taking time to hand-hew silver sheets fashioned from the
scrap that litters the studio floor (everything from tiny silver filings to the trimmed corners and wire end bits she sheds as she creates), instead of buying them, to save on materials costs.
And, inevitably, she sighs, higher prices.
So Schaefer’s silver disc earrings that sport delicate, stamped mushrooms on a hammered pebble ground that were $48? They’ll likely cost $60 in 2026—or, possibly, more.
“The jeweler in me is freaking out a little bit, because it’s a little earth-shattering when the price of your raw materials goes up so fast, and by so much,” says Schaefer, who trained as a painter. “I’m going to have to use my creativity in new ways. It’s going to force me out of my box—probably a good thing after 20 years.”
Metals’ mettle
It’s a moment for precious metals.
“Gold and silver have always served as ‘safe haven’ assets,” explains Marc Santugini,
a UVA economics professor. “When people worry about the dollar losing value, inflation, or general economic uncertainty, they tend to flock to precious metals as a store of value.”
Last October, gold hit $4,000 an ounce for the first time in history. Just 10 weeks later, it struck $5,000 an ounce.
Silver’s movements have been even more dramatic. After a previous highs of $50 an ounce in 1980 and then again in 2011, silver retreated, fetching between $20 to $25 per ounce for years. In 2024, the average perounce price of silver reached $28.27. By 2025, it fetched $40 an ounce. So far in 2026, silver’s struck both a record-breaking high of $121 an ounce and its biggest single-day decline in history just a day later when it melted back to $83 an ounce.
At press time, gold had returned to more than $5,000 an ounce, and silver was going for $94.99 an ounce.
“The recent surge (gold is up over 60 percent in 2025!) has been driven by a combination of geopolitical tensions, Central Bank buying, tariff uncertainty, and concerns about currency stability,” Santugini says. “Dips often happen when some of that uncertainty temporarily eases, or when investors take profits.”
That recently happened after President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve— a sign, economists said, of a strengthening U.S. dollar and economic stability. That day,
gold and silver (and the stock market) took a nosedive, losing more than 10 percent and 30 percent, respectively—in a single day.
Amid the pricing chaos, coin dealers and jewelry shops have flung open their doors to buy customers’ stashes of everything from silver candlesticks to ornate tea services and gold and silver jewelry. In mid-January, a reporter’s small pile of unmated silver earrings, several sterling bracelets, a sterling brooch, two tarnished chains, and an antique silver creamer and sugar container fetched more than $600.
A fellow seller—who’d expected his modest cache to get “a couple hundred dollars maybe”—came out $900 richer.
At Jefferson Coin in Albemarle Square, staffers employed a velvet rope to keep turntaking orderly as people lined up, many of them clutching flatware. Once a gift for newlyweds, silver forks, knives, and spoons are, today, getting scooped up for cash, says James Luck, who owns and operates the shop with his family.
Sellers say, “‘No one in my family wants it, none of my kids or grandkids want to inherit it, and no one wants sterling silver flatware sets anymore,’” Luck explains. “They don’t want to polish it, or take care of it. You can’t put it in the dishwasher, and, with silver at an all-time high, they see it as a great time to cash it in.”
It’s something of a turnaround for silver, which has often lived in gold’s shadow.
Jewelry maker Melanie Schaefer says that, because of the rising price of metals, she’s planning to add less costly brass, copper, and bronze pieces to her line this year.
At Jefferson Coin, owner James Luck purchases gold and silver pieces from customers and sends the items to a refinery.
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
“Silver’s been this investment that people kind of stared at, kicked, and, for about a decade, said, ‘Do something,’” laughs Luck. “‘Are you going to move? Or stay between $20 and $30 and not go anywhere?’”
With the exception of a couple of weeks in early February when sterling sellers needed an appointment at Jefferson Coin—the result of backups at refineries nationwide that were taking in items to melt down and purify into bullion, Luck explains—the shop “never slowed down on buying.”
“Now silver is starting to run and get to alltime highs and it’s got a lot of people excited about the silver market because they see it actually can move,” he says.
Of course, these metals are for more than just adornment. Beyond their luster, both gold and silver are durable, efficiently conduct electrical current, and never corrode. Silver is used in the creation of electric vehicle batteries, for AI components, and in solar panels, high-performance computer chips, and semiconductors. A thin veneer of gold plates electronics from circuit boards to transistors, and is even used to make specialized surgical equipment.
But investing in precious metals isn’t for the faint of heart. Buying silver and gold requires a stomach for risk and volatility, investors say, some of whom urge caution or reconsideration.
“Moving away from precious metals,” says Rodney Lake, director of the George Washington University Investment Institute, a business professor, and vice dean, “and toward the general economy and equities is preferred.”
Pricing paroxysm
For Charlottesville jewelry maker Jason McLeod, gold and silver price volatility has made pricing and estimates endlessly “tricky.” He checks market prices at least daily—sometimes multiple times a day.
“You pretty much have to,” McLeod says. “When we finish a piece, we put it into our production inventory, the weight of the gold and silver gets recorded, and I determine the price that day.”
For already-made items listed for sale on his website, he’s updated prices a few times since last fall, particularly for items, like silver chains, that he doesn’t make but sells.
But custom orders—which comprise a lot of his work—can be ticklish, because “the price I quote is based on what it [the metals’ price] was that day, but then the final price is based on the day when I actually buy those materials for their piece,” which usually take eight to 10 weeks to make.
A lot can happen in those weeks, McLeod says.
“These last couple of years, I have to tell people that I’m going to do a 50 percent deposit based on the estimate, but, sometimes, because it takes that amount of time [to complete a piece], the balance is sometimes higher than what we thought it was going to be.”
Rising metals prices occasionally work in customers’ favor, though, especially when they bring McLeod their old gold and silver to “go toward” something new.
“I’ve had a couple of people get checks back,” McLeod says. “They made a deposit, and I said to them, ‘This is what I think it’s worth,’ then we made their piece, but then the amount of the gold meant that they got their piece back and a check.”
Fork in the road
McLeod eyeballs the tarnished silver fork on his cluttered worktable, which sits in a litter of silver and gold scraps, half dollar-sized capsules with winking colored gemstones, a hulking manual metal press, and a Crock-Pot filled with “pickle juice” (a warm acid bath McLeod uses to clean silver jewelry after it’s been soldered).
“It’s a trip,” McLeod laughs, dangling the fork from his hand. “We’ve been using this for years to grab a thermoplastic that’s in boiling water, used for setting stone. This is worth a couple of hundred bucks now. Crazy.”
McLeod has made statement jewelry for more than 20 years. He uses a range of gemstones—tanzanite, black opals, diamonds, topaz, you name it—and almost exclusively silver and gold to set them. While he’s not interested in expanding his metals repertoire—“I’ve worked with copper and bronze, but they’re not what compels me,” he says— flux in the metals market has made him think hard about formulating new work, what stones and metals make the most economic sense to mate, and price points that are, increasingly, ticking up.
But silver will remain Melanie Schaefer’s go-to.
“I’m always going to be a silversmith, because I love working with it,” she says. “I love wearing silver, and I’ll always have silver. But the price of all the silver stuff I offer is going to go up considerably this year. And in an effort to keep myself relevant and offer nice, quality products at a lower price point I’m going to incorporate new metals, probably more copper, more brass, bronze. So, yeah, branching out.”
Her shifting 2026 business strategy will also include new design work, like enameling, something she’s been meaning to learn and try for years. While silver’s rise in price has been unsettling, it hasn’t clouded her outlook.
“I vend outside a lot, and I can’t control the weather,” says Schaefer, who regularly sells at the Farmers’ Market at IX and often opens her Singers Glen, Virginia, studio, which is a 1780s log cabin that sits atop an underground spring. “I used to get irritated, because it directly affects how much money I make, because nobody comes out for a show when it’s raining, for example, and I’ve spent hundreds of dollars to be at [it] for the weekend.”
“Like the weather, I cannot control the metal market, so I’m trying not to let it personally get to me,” she adds. “And jewelry’s fun. Because there’s 20 rabbit holes you can go down, teach yourself a new technique, and you can keep going. I’m not going to let it derail me. But it requires a shift from what I’ve been doing.”
“Anyway, it’s good to grow,” she laughs, before adding, “A little forced growth.”
Because the prices change so quickly, Jason McLeod checks the market daily—sometimes multiple times a day.
TRISTAN WILLIAMS
Innocence, Justice, and the Courage to Confront a Broken System : A Conversation with John Grisham and Deirdre Enright
Wed 4/22 - The Paramount Theater
Join bestselling author John Grisham and Deirdre Enright, founder of the UVA Innocence Project, for a powerful conversation on justice, wrongful conviction, and the moral courage required to confront systemic failure.
This one-day summit returns, bringing multi-sector changemakers and leaders together to spark ideas, drive action, and shape our region’s future.
AI & Data Entrepreneurship Energy & Climate Biotech Technology Startups Investment Innovation Summit
This two-day summit brings together entrepreneurs, investors and innovators from across the nation to explore the trends shaping the future of industry.
Upcoming Tomorrow Talks :
From Equal to Effective: Reexamining the Way We Fund Public Education with Price Thomas, Executive Director of City of Promise. FEB 25th - 6:30PM
The Courage to Lead: Building Brave Workplace Cultures with Jim Detert, Author and Professor at UVA’s Darden School of Business. MAR 3rd - 6:30PM
The Courage to Repair: An Introduction to Restorative Justice Practices with Erin Campbell of Central Virginia Community Justice. MAR 10th - 6:30PM
Event Sponsors: Pam & Frank Edmonds
Sponsors: Donna Plasket & David Breneman
Sponsor: The FUNd at CACF
Sponsors: Virginia Cenedella, The Dalton Family, Bank of The James
CULTURE
WEDNESDAY 2/25
STEP IN TIME
Celebrating three decades of fusing Irish and global dance, Grammy-winning music, and stunning stage shows, Riverdance 30: The New Generation rejuvenates the original show with innovative choreography and costumes. Act 1, “A Primitive & Powerful World,” deals with ancestral peoples coming to terms with the world and with themselves through negotiations with elemental powers. In Act 2, “We Learned to Belong to the World,” war, famine, and slavery have shattered the bonds between people and place. While exploring Irish emigration, this act weaves in creative elements from other cultures, including the melting pot of the United States. $39.95, 7:30pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 295 Massie Rd. johnpauljonesarena.com
CULTURE TO-DO LIST
Wednesday 2/25
music
Laundry Day: The Time of Your Life Tour. American pop rock band from Manhattan, New York. $25, 8pm. The Southern Cafe & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com
Mood Ring: Queer and Trans Open Mic Night. Share your original music. Mic, speakers, and keyboard provided, please bring your other instruments. Free, 7pm. Firefly, 1304 E. Market St. fireflycville.com
Open Mic Night. Mic check to all musicians, poets, and everyone in between. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St.
STS9: Human Dream Tour 2026. An instrumental five-piece channels the primordial and celestial, producing a cutting-edge sound that has forged a path for multiple generations of electronic dance music. $50–160, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com
The Wavelength. Vintage rock, blues, and original tunes for your mid-week music boost. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com
dance
Riverdance 30: The New Generation Since its debut, Riverdance’s fusion of Irish and global dance, Grammy-winning music, and stunning shows has wowed millions worldwide. $39.95, 7:30pm. John Paul Jones Arena, 295 Massie Rd. johnpauljonesarena.com
THROUGH MAY 3
LOVE AND CLOCK BITS
Shakespeare’s most tangled love triangle comes to the stage with Twelfth Night, or What You Will. In a narrative where nothing is quite as it seems, shipwrecked noblewoman Viola dons drag and finds herself at the center of amorous shenanigans. Mistaken identities, wild parties, forged love letters, and yellow stockings feature prominently in this performance, which is set within a retro-futuristic clockpunk aesthetic. Director Nana Dakin notes, the play asks audiences, “How can we learn to see ourselves and others more honestly? How can grief and longing transform into fulfillment and joy?” $35–75, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com
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
words
An Evening with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi & Robert Costa. Center for Politics Director Larry J. Sabato and Robert Costajoin in conversation with former House speaker Nancy Pelosi. Free, 7pm. Culbreth Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. drama.virginia.edu
Book Club: Dragons, Werewolves, and Droids, Oh My! A speculative fiction book club for fans of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. This month: Uprooted by Naomi Novik. Free, 6:30pm. Northside Library, 705 W. Rio Rd. jmrl.org classes
Paint + Sip: Winter Forest. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $40, 6pm. Patch Brewing Co., 10271 Gordon Ave., Gordonsville. blueridgebrushes.com etc.
Rapture Karaoke. Hosted by Thunder Music. Free, 9pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com
The Fralin Downtown Film Series: See Memory. A hand-painted documentary created from over 30,000 painted frames brings art and neuroscience into rare dialogue. $11–13, 7pm. Violet Crown Charlottesville, 200 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. charlottesville.violetcrown.com
Thursday 2/26 music
Adam Larrabee Quartet. A rich, genre-blurring musical experience filled with soulful melodies and righteous grooves. $10, 7:30pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com
Berto Sales & Vincent Zorn. Lively flamenco rumba and Latin guitar. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com
Canción Franklin. Traveling wailsman. Free, 8pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellys charlottesville.com
Kendall Street Company. Genre-fluid, eclectic rock ensemble brings elements of crowd participation, off-the-cuff comedic bits, haphazard choreography, and musical improvisation to the stage. $25, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com
Rumours ATL: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute. Step into a world where the legend of Fleetwood Mac comes alive once more. $26–32, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com
stage
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
words
An Evening with Lorissa Rinehart & Tara Setmayer. Rinehart is a celebrated women’s historian, author, and public speaker. Her writing explores the powerful intersections of women’s history, politics, war, and peace. Free, 6:30pm. The Center for Politics, 655 Leonard Sandridge Rd. centerforpolitics.org
classes
Paint + Sip: Lovers Cave. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials and first drink included. $44, 6pm. Pro Re Nata Farm Brewery, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpk., Crozet. blueridgebrushes.com
Tots & Dots. A visual-literacy program for early learners ages 6 months to 4 years. Registration required. Free, 10am. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA, 400 Worrell Dr. kluge-ruhe.org 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
Trivia Night with Mike & Miranda. Play alone, or bring a team of up to six for five rounds of brain-teasing fun, and let the good times roll. Free, 6:15pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.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 2/27
music
Bob Bennetta Trio. Live jazz. Free, 6:30pm. Afghan Kabob House, 200 Market St. afghankabobhouse.com
Chickenhead Blues Band. New Orleans boogiewoogie, upbeat, and rhythm and blues sounds. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com
Erin Lunsford Trio. Beloved local singer-songwriter presents an intimate set with fiddle and three-part harmonies. $20–25, 8pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com
Exit 118 Band. A high-energy night of classic rock, ’90s alternative, and modern indie favorites. Expect danceable grooves, big sing-along choruses, and a rock-forward set. Free, 10:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com
From Shore to Valley: An Evening with Virginia Women in Americana. Virginia country artists Rebecca Porter, Emily Woodhull, and Annie Stokes honor June Carter, Patsy Cline, and other trailblazers with an evening of original songs. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com
Full Moon Fever: Tom Petty Tribute. Members of Goldrush, Long Arms, Horsehead, and several other musical projects in the RVA area come together to give props and love to one of America’s greatest bands. $22, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com
Jake Owen: Dreams to Dream Tour. Country music mainstay with a career boasting a collection of gold and platinum records, 10 No.1 singles, and more than 2.5 billion U.S. on-demand streams. $58136, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Matthew O’Donnell. A modern energy to traditional drinking songs, sea shanties, Irish jigs and reels, timeless folk favorites, and original songs. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com
Michael Tice. Classically trained guitarist, singersongwriter, and composer with an expansive acoustic-blues-swing-rooted repertoire. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com
Stone Temple Pilots Projekt: Tribute To STP. A high-energy tribute to one of the most iconic rock bands of the 1990s. $15–20, 7pm. Pro Re Nata, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. prnbrewery.com
Sue Harlow. Americana-folk singer-songwriter whose haunting vocals delve into the depths of what makes people real. Free, 5:30pm. Hardware Hills Vineyard, 5199 W. River Rd., Scottsville. hardwarehills.com
The Gladstones. Straight up, old-school rock ‘n’ roll. Free, 8pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com
dance
Heated Rivalry Rave. Dance to HR edits all night alongside soundtrack, Queer, and pop throwback anthems. $29, 9pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com
stage
The Hound of the Baskervilles See listing for Thursday, February 26. $35–75, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. american shakespearecenter.com
words
Author Event: Rebecca Kauffman. Kauffman reads from her new novel, The Reservation. A conversation with scholar Siân White follows. Free, 7pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com
classes
Paint + Sip: Winter Cardinals. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $40, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com etc.
Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, February 26. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com
Pokémon Day Movie. Enjoy a screening of Detective Pikachu and popcorn. Costumes and Pokémonthemed attire encouraged. Free, 3pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, February 26. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com
Saturday 2/28
music
Aly & AJ: Places To Run Tour 2026. The Michalka sisters have captivated audiences around the world with their stirring harmonies, relatable lyrics, and distinctive blend of pop and indie-rock influences. $38–246, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com
Gone Country. Neo-traditional country music from RVA. $10, 7pm. Pro Re Nata, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. prnbrewery.com
Jimmy O. Guitarist with an unique style of classic rock, oldies, and a rockin’ country mix. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com
Joe Pug. American singer-songwriter from Greenbelt, Maryland. $32, 7pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com
LockJaw. Up-beat music to dance to. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com
Moontower Band. A collective of musicians from the foothills of Virginia specializing in jamming classic blues covers with a modern rock vibe. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com
Speidel, Goodrich, & Friends. A fun collection of Charlottesville musicians guarantees a night of classic songs, good singing, solid musicianship, and a great time. $10, 7pm. The Batesville Market, 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. batesvillemarket.com
The Wavelength. Vintage rock, blues, originals, and more. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarle ciderworks.com
Ty Burkhardt. Fingerstyle guitarist does more than just strum—he creates the sound of an entire band by hitting, tapping, slapping, and thumping his instrument. Free, 12:30pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com
dance
February Ballroom Dance. This month: Salsa, taught by Phillip Fusaro of Dance Together Virginia. Beginners welcome, no partner needed. Come for the class and stay for the social dance. Pay at the door: cash, checks, or Venmo. $5–15, 7pm. The Center at Belvedere, 540 Belvedere Blvd. thecentercville.org
stage
Stand Up For Palestine! Comedy by Stratton Salidis and a special guest, as well as poetry and personal storytelling in support of the people of Palestine. Free, 8pm. Visible Records, 1740 Broadway St. visible-records.com
The Hound of the Baskervilles. See listing for Thursday, February 26. $35–75, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. american shakespearecenter.com
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, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St. Staunton. americanshakespeare center.com
words
Author Event: Domnica Radulescu. Radulescu reads from her new novel, My Father’s Orchards An audience Q&A follows. Free, 4pm. New Dominion Bookshop, 404 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. newdominionbookshop.com
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. newdominionbookshop.com
classes
Color Mixing with Confidence in Watercolor: Working with Neutrals. Demystify the essential elements of color theory as applied to watercolors and equip yourself with the ability to use these principles confidently in your own painting. Ages 15+. $40, 1pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com
Make a Mini-Zine with Jess. Local artist and zine-maker Jess Walters leads an interactive workshop exploring a variety of examples and techniques related to zines. Ages 16+. Suggested price $10. Free, 10am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com
Mending Workshop: Repairing Holes. Learn techniques for mending holes with visible or invisible patching. Ages 15+. $20, 10am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com
CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
FEEDBACK CULTURE
Power of persistence
Joe Pug hones his musical craft among peers BY
JEDD FERRIS
Joe Pug takes the craft of songwriting seriously. That’s heard in his catalog—now seven albums and two EPs deep—filled with thoughtprovoking lyrics but also gleaned throughout the 300plus episodes of his podcast, “The Working Songwriter.” On the interview-based show, Pug largely avoids artistic pretense and romance—instead he dives deep into the labor of being an independent tunesmith via conversations with contemporaries like John Moreland, Hayes Carll, and Charlottesville local David Wax, as well as predecessors like country bard Steve Earle, cowpunk hero Alejandro Escovedo, and Brandon Flowers of the Killers.
In the show’s intro, Pug jokes that the podcast is “an ironclad excuse to put off actually writing,” but he makes each episode a useful procrastination tool, filled with candid shop talk about what it takes to make a living as a musician—road rigors, studio tips, and the smallbusiness hustle of a folk singer in the roots underground.
Pug’s own career had a scrappy start. In the mid 2000s, he dropped out of the University of North Carolina, where he was studying playwriting, and moved to Chicago. He worked construction by day to pay the bills, and played music by night, eventually poaching some off-hours studio time to record his 2008 debut EP Nation of Heat. He handed out sampler CDs of the self-released effort to anyone who would listen, and it gradually gained critical momentum, earning Pug a slot opening an entire tour for Earle, and eventually making him a pivotal voice in the burgeoning Americana and indie folk movements of the time.
The songs on Nation of Heat are barebones stunners, with fast-fingered acoustic fret work, wailing harmonica, and literary-influenced verses full of the insurgent wit of a blue-collar scholar. Standouts like “Hymn #35” and “I Do My Father’s Drugs” have the stark aesthetic of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, but with subsequent releases Pug has proven he’s not interested in one-dimensional homage.
On his first full-length album, 2010’s Messenger, he added backing musicians and em-
braced the gritty, soulful style of John Hiatt; while “Stronger Than the World,” a standout track from follow-up The Great Despiser, is a foray into full-throttle heartland rock. And throughout the scaled-back 2024 album Sketch of a Promised Departure, Pug offers lean, universal truths with the clever wisdom of John Prine.
After years of honing his songwriting and dissecting the work with his peers, Pug made a bold move in 2022 and decided to reimagine the release that first earned him a fanbase.
On Nation of Heat Revisited, he set out to recreate his debut’s seven tracks with a full backing band and new arrangements. Pug didn’t want the look back to be a typical reissue. As he told Paste, “This needed to be an entirely new thing.”
To give the songs’ arrangements fresh color, Pug added electric instruments and asked artists he’s met on the side of the stage and across the podcast mic to make guest appearances. Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket plays plaintive pedal steel on the slowburning ballad “Call It What You Will,” and Flowers sings along on a galloping countryrock version of Pug’s signature song, “Hymn #101.” For an evolving songwriter in an everchanging music landscape, the work continues, and there’s no shame in asking for a little help along the way.
Joe Pug performs at The Southern Café & Music Hall on February 28.
THURSDAY, MARCH 5 . 6 p.m. Free Admission
CULTURE TO-DO LIST
Saturday 2/28
etc.
Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, February 26. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com
Daughters of the Dust Screening and Discussion. A languid, impressionistic story of three generations of Gullah women living on the South Carolina Sea Islands in 1902. A discussion with professor Claundrena Harold follows. Free, 4pm. Light House Studio: Vinegar Hill Theatre, 220 W. Market St. lighthousestudio.org
Paramount On Screen: You Got Gold: A Celebration of John Prine A star-studded tribute to the legendary songwriter, filmed in October 2022 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. $13–20, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, February 26. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com
Sunday 3/1 music
Ben Mason. Local singer-songwriter with an expansive repertoire of originals and covers alike.
Joe Troop & the Truth Machine. Bluegrass for social justice and activism. $20–25, 7pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com
Michael Dill. Singer-songwriter known for blending evocative lyrics with traditional and modern musical styles, including indie country, pop, and rock. Free, 1pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com
Tara Mills Band. A Cider & Strings event featuring a blend of folk, bluegrass, and Americana music. Free, 2pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com
stage
Bent Theatre Improv. Stop in for off-the-cuff laughs supplied by the improv group voted Charlottesville’s Best Performance Troupe. Free, 6pm. Decipher Brewing, 1740 Broadway St. decipher brewingco.com
Twelfth Night, or What You Will See listing for Saturday, February 28. $35–75, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. american shakespearecenter.com
words
Book Talk: The American Revolution and the Fate of the World. A conversation with author Richard Bell about his new and timely book, as
SATURDAY 2/28
PRINE TIME
A star-studded tribute, You Got Gold: A Celebration of John Prine marries behind-the-scenes stories and interviews with performances of classic songs to honor the late legendary singer-songwriter. Filmed in 2022 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, the concert event portion of the documentary features icons of the Americana scene paying their respects, including Brandi Carlile, Tyler Childers, Jason Isbell, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Weir, Lucinda Williams, and Dwight Yoakam, to name a few. Tapping into the energy and ethos of Prine’s music, the film reminds viewers that you are what you are and you ain’t what you ain’t. $13.75–20.50, 7pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
part of Highland’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday. Free, 1pm. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org classes
Crochet for Beginners. Learn the basics of crochet. Leave with a crochet hook and a small crocheted washcloth. Ages 12+. $25, 11am. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com
Oil Painting for Everybody: Still Life Edition. Learn oil painting in an approachable and organized format rendering a still life composition of pomegranates. Beginner-focused, but all levels welcome. Ages 14+. $45, 2pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com
Paint + Sip: Fiery Blue Ridge Sunset. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $40, 2pm. Hazy Mountain Vineyard & Brewery, 240 Hazy Mountain Ln., Afton. blueridgebrushes.com etc.
Brewery Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, February 26. $15, noon. Starr Hill Brewery, Dairy Market. puzzledbee.com
Paramount On Screen: Beauty and the Beast
An arrogant young prince and his castle’s servants fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress, who turns him into the hideous Beast—until he learns to love and be loved in return. $9–11, 2pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Silent Book Club. Read in quiet camaraderie. No assigned reading, no obligations. Bring your own book of choice. Free, 12:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarleciderworks.com
Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, February 26. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com
Monday 3/2
words
Historic Preservation Lecture Series: Preserving Black History in Rural Virginia. Architect Jody Lahendro presents several of his projects and discusses how these buildings fit within the broader cultural histories of Black education and religion. Free, 6pm. Trinity Episcopal Church, 1118 Preston Ave. albemarlehistory.org
Tuesday 3/3
music
BRIMS. Blue Ridge Irish Music School leads an open jam of traditional Irish music. Free, 6:30pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellys charlottesville.com
Open Mic Night. Test the waters, showcase what you’re working on, or just do what you love. Hosted by The Open Mic Music Exchange/Nicole Giordano. Free, 9:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com
The Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell. Grammy Award-winning violinist Bell is one of the most celebrated artists of our time. As the Music Director of London’s ASMF, Bell’s player-led approach empowers the orchestra. $58–265, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Tuesday Jazz with Jeff Massanari. A cast of great players joins jazz guitar virtuoso Jeff Massanari. Free, 6:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com etc.
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. fireflycville.com
TRIED IT IN C'VILLE CULTURE
Like no one’s watching
Every time a period film comes on, I bemoan that community dances are no longer a thing. I love dancing and find there are not enough opportunities to dance in the company of others (especially now that I’ve entered my midlife renaissance). While clubs were fun back in the day, I recently sought a different kind of collective dance experience.—Kristie Smeltzer
What
Attend a Cville Dance Co-Op event.
Why
Because opportunities to dance freely are rare—and therefore precious.
How it went
I left with a fuller heart.
Upon arrival, I found myself whispering calming nothings to the butterflies moshing in my gut. Choosing to dance with a room full of strangers is a vulnerable—and exciting— decision. Everyone I met inside de-escalated my anxiety as they went out of their way to make me feel welcome and oriented.
I learned that the co-op’s dances occur shoeless, but indoor shoes are permitted for folks who need added support. I shucked my sneakers and made the suggested donation, which goes toward covering the venue expenses. The organization is completely volunteer-run.
People trickled in as the start time neared. Some stretched while others set up little base camps at the dance floor’s periphery, particularly families with small children. We took our places, seated on the floor, for the opening circle. The volunteer who created the playlist for the dance shared some context for her intentions while making it and hopes for how it would move us during our time together.
Noting several new faces in the bunch, organizers talked about guidelines for the dance, including the consent norms. During co-op dances, there is no talking. Participants are welcome to dance together (if everyone involved consents, of course) and contact improv is common. Two experienced members of the group modeled how to seek and grant consent wordlessly. They highlighted the importance of establishing eye contact, giving clear nonverbal body language, and respectfully nudging an arm with an elbow if the moment presented itself.
and dancing. I’m not gonna lie: It felt really good to move my body and stretch like that.
participants move organically—in response to the music, others, and the energy in the room—as an act of meditation. For me, the experience was extremely liberating and fulfilling. My inner child had me twirling like a ballerina at times. Other songs prompted me to move like I never had before, doing whatever weird, wonderful expressive movement with my body that felt right in the moment. The freedom from judgment that is essential to the co-op’s culture made the experience enjoyable and cathartic.
Then it was time to dance. Session playlists provide structure to the dance’s flow, curated for tempo and vibe. Matching the music’s energy, we moved slowly at first. Some continued stretching through the first songs while others did a combination of stretching
As we warmed up, so did the tunes. People moved in all sorts of ways. I won’t detail the movement styles, because ecstatic dances are apparently like Vegas in that “what happens there stays there.” Some folks, like me, danced solo the entire time. Others partnered with various people. With no dance style requirements or coordinated choreography,
During the time when the music felt most energetic, I had the urge to rest a moment. I lay down on my back on the floor with my arms and legs splayed, essentially assuming “corpse pose.” The beat of the music and the rhythmic thumping of dancers’ feet sent vibrations through me. I listened to my heartbeat and experienced deep gratitude that music and dance can unite a room full of strangers so well.
The Cville Dance Co-Op hosts public events on Thursdays and Sundays. Dancers of all styles, comfort levels, and abilities are welcome.
FOR FUN PUZZLES
SUDOKU
#1
CROSSWORD BY MATT JONES
ACROSS
1. Reach half a century (which yours truly will do in March!)
10. SI unit named for a Serb 15. Differently 16. How some bras are available for order, color-wise 17. Fuel that can be made from soybeans
Yarn 19. Shady character?
Seafood restaurant item
Pixelated image, on old computer displays
26. Major label broken up in 2012
27. ___ Pacific University (Christian institution near L.A.)
30. Doctor (Richard Dreyfuss) antagonized by Bob (Bill Murray) in “What About Bob?”
32. White Stripes album named after a Dutch art movement
34. Not raw
35. Fair
36. Hill crest, in England (or “sack” lead-in)
37. Diversion using parts of speech
40. Low-cost carrier based in Kuala Lumpur
44. The current record for one is 275.97 knots
47. Time ser ved
48. System that reads credit cards
49. Rolled snack?
51. “Let There Be ___ ... Ruff Ryders’ First Lady” (1999 debut rap album)
52. Piz Bernina and Schreckhorn, for two
54. Live dangerously
56. Miss Piggy tagline
57. Tale of Troy that doesn’t get to the Trojan Horse
59. Misleadingly named little pet
61. Ours in Tours
62. Area affected by plantar fasciitis
63. Promotional link
64. Enterprise is its flagship
DOWN
1. Words after “Good” or “Born”
2. Draw on
3. Diamond figure
4. Australian bushranger Kelly
5. “Looney Tunes” animator Freleng
6. “___ my sunglasses at night” (Corey Hart lyric)
7. Regarding money
8. Sleeping sickness vector
9. Summon loudly
10. Contracted agreement
11. They’ll check your head
12. Ski town near Montpelier, on envelopes
13. Wyoming’s only university town (so their website says)
14. “You pick which one”
21. Mocha resident
25. Detection systems
28. Snatched
An Evening with Lorissa Rinehart & Tara Setmayer
To register for either event, please scan the QR code or type the URL into a web browser
bit.ly/4qDHMDS
Thursday, February 26th | 6:30 p - 8:00 p
Center for Politics | 655 Leonard Sandridge Road, Charlottesville, Virginia
An Evening with Presidential Advisors Jean Becker & Tom Collamore
Tuesday, March 10th | 6:30 p - 8:00 p
Center for Politics | 655 Leonard Sandridge Road, Charlottesville, Virginia
For more information contact Glenn Crossman at GAC4t@virginia.edu
By Rob Brezsny
Aries
(March 21-April 19): In woodworking, “spalting” occurs when fungi colonize wood, creating dark lines and patterns that make the wood more valuable, not less. The decay creates beauty as long as it isn’t allowed to progress too far. Here’s the metaphorical moral of the story for you, Aries: What feels like a deteriorating situation might actually be spalting, Aries. Are you experiencing the breakdown of a routine, a certainty, or a plan? It could be creating a pattern that makes your story even more interesting and heroic. So keep in mind that an apparent decomposition may be transforming ordinary into extraordinary beauty. My advice is to play along with the spalting.
Taurus
(April 20-May 20): I suspect you will soon be invited to explore novel feelings and unfamiliar states of awareness. As you wander in the psychological frontiers, you might experience mysterious phenomena like the following. 1. An overflow of reverence and awe. 2. Blissful surprise in the face of the sublime. 3. Sudden glimmers of eternity in fleeting moments. 4. A soft, golden resonance that arises when you hear arousing truths. 5. Amazingly useful questions that could tantalize and feed your imagination for months and even years to come.
Gemini
(May 21-June 20): If I were your mentor, I’d lead you up an ascending trail to a high peak where your vision is clear and vast. If I were your leader, I’d give you a medal for all the ways you’ve been brave when no one was looking, then send you on an all-expensespaid sabbatical to a beautiful sanctuary to rest and remember yourself. If I were your therapist, I’d guide you through a 90-minute meditation on your entire life story up until now. But since I’m just your companion for this brief oracle, I will instead advise you to slip out of any silken snares of comfort that dull your spirit, cast off perks and privileges that keep you small, and commune with influences that remind you of how deeply you treasure being alive.
Cancer
(June 21-July 22): Biologist Barbara McClintock won the Nobel Prize by developing what she called “a feeling for the organism.” She cultivated an intimate, almost empathic relationship with the corn plants she studied. She didn’t impose theories on her subjects. She listened to them until she could sense their hidden patterns from the inside. When you’re not lost in self-protection, you Cancerians excel at this quality of attention. Here’s what I see as your task in the coming weeks: Transfer your empathic genius away from people who drain you and toward projects, places, or problems that deserve your devotion and give you blessings in return.
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR FUN
(Feb. 19-March 20): Sufi mystics tell us that the heart has “seven levels of depth,” each one bearing progressively more profound wisdom. You access these depths by feeling deeper, not thinking harder. Let’s apply this perspective to you, Pisces. Right now, you’re being called to descend past surface emotions (irritation, worry, mild contentment) into the layers beneath: primal wonder, the wild joy you’re sometimes too cautious to express, and the sacred longing that can lead you to glory. This dive might feel risky. That’s good! It means you’re going deep enough. What you discover down there will reorganize everything above it for the better.
Leo
(July 23-Aug. 22): Sufi writers describe heartbreak, grief, and longing as portals through which divine love enters. They say that a highly defended ego and a hardened heart can’t engage with such profound and potent love. In this view, suffering that makes the heart ache strips away illusions and fixations, allowing greater receptivity, humility, and tenderness toward all beings. I’m not expecting you to get blasted by an influx of poignancy in the near future, Leo, but I’m very sure you have experienced such blasts in the past. And now is an excellent time to process those old breakthroughs disguised as breakdowns. You are likely to finally be able to harvest the full power they offered you.
Virgo
(Aug. 22-Sept. 22): In traditional Balinese culture, Tri Hita Karana is a concept that means there are three causes of well-being: harmony with God, harmony with people, and harmony with nature. When one is out of balance, all suffer. I’m wondering if you would benefit from meditating on this theme now, Virgo. Have you been focused on one dimension at the expense of the others? Are you, perhaps, spiritually nourished but socially isolated? Or maybe you’re maintaining relationships but ignoring your body’s connection to the earth? Here’s your assignment: Do a Tri Hita Karana audit. Which harmony is most neglected? Add to your altar, call a friend, or go walk in the great outdoors— whichever one you’ve been shortchanging.
Libra
(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You are a diplomat in the struggle between beauty and inelegance.
Your aptitude for creating harmony is a great asset that others might underestimate or miss completely. I hope you will always trust your hunger for classiness even if others dismiss it as superficial. One of your key reasons for being here on earth is to keep insisting on loveliness in a world too quick to settle for ugliness. These qualities of yours are especially needed right now. Please be gracefully insistent on expressing them wherever you go.
Scorpio
(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The bad news: You underestimate how much joy and pleasure you deserve—and how much you’re capable of experiencing. This artificially low expectation has sometimes cheated you out of your rightful share of bliss and fulfillment. The good news: Life is now ready to conspire with you to raise your happiness levels. I hope you will cooperate eagerly. The more intensely you insist on feeling good, the more cosmic assistance you will garner. Here’s a smart way to launch this holy campaign: Renounce a certain lackluster thrill that diverts you from more lavish excitements.
Sagittarius
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In classical music, a “rest” isn’t the absence of music. It’s a specific notation that creates space, tension, and meaning. The silence is as much a part of the composition as the sound. I suggest you think of your current pause this way, Sagittarius. You’re not waiting for your real life to resume. You’re in a rest, and the rest is an essential part of the process you’re following. It’s creating the conditions for what comes next. So instead of
anxiously filling every moment with productivity or distraction, try honoring the pause. Be deliberately quiet. Let the silence accumulate. When the next movement begins, you’ll understand exactly why the rest was necessary.
Capricorn
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Interesting temptations are wandering into your orbit. You may be surprised to find yourself drawn toward entertaining gambles and tricky adventures. How should you respond? Should you say “Yes! Now! I’m ready!”? Or is open-minded caution a wiser approach? Conditions are too slippery for me to arrive at definitive conclusions. What I can tell you is this: Merely considering and ruminating on these invitations will awaken uplifting and inspiring lessons. P.S.: To get the fullness of the blessings you want from other people, you must first give them to yourself.
Aquarius
(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The engineer Nikola Tesla said he envisioned his inventions in intricate detail before building them. He didn’t need literal prototypes because his mental pictures were so vivid. I suspect you Aquarians now have extra access to this power. What scenarios are you dreaming of? What are you incubating in your imagination? I urge you to boldly trust your thought experiments. Your mental prototypes may be unusually accurate. The visions you’re testing internally are reconnaissance missions to futures that you have the power to build. Regard your imagination as a laboratory.
Expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text message horoscopes: RealAstrology.com, (877) 873-4888
CLASSIFIEDS
PRICING
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville is accepting proposals from qualified contractors for vertical construction for 25 residential units in Village 3 of the redeveloped Southwood community. The contract award will be based on several factors, including experience, schedule, and price. Equal opportunity employer and female/minority owner businesses are encouraged to apply, as well as protected groups such as those covered in Section3. Proposal packages are available by request.
To obtain a proposal package including the final site plan, drawings, and HFHGC specification manual please contact:
Employment
Noah Gaylor
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville 1801 Broadway Street, Charlottesville, VA, 22902 By phone at (434) 293-9066 Or email at ngaylor@cvillehabitat.org
Notice is hereby given that Prolux Medical Transport LLC, 80 Glacier Ave, Barboursville, Virginia 22923, has filed an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity that would authorize: 1. Passenger transportation as a Common Carrier over Irregular Routes, providing service in the Cities of Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Lynchburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro, Virginia, and the Counties of Albemarle, Amherst, Augusta, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Rockbridge, and Rockingham, Virginia and; 2. The transportation of Medicaid recipients throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia as a Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Carrier as defined in Section 46.2-2000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia.
Any person who desires to protest the application and be a party to the matter must submit a signed and dated written request setting forth (1) a precise statement of the party’s interest and how the party could be aggrieved if the application was granted; (2) a full and clear statement of the facts that the person is prepared to provide by competent evidence; (3) a statement of the specific relief sought; (4) the name of the applicant and case number assigned to the application; and (5) a certification that a copy of the protest was sent to the applicant. The case number assigned to this application is MC2600032BW.
Written protests must be mailed to DMV Motor Carrier Services, Attn: Operating Authority, P. O. Box 27412, Richmond, VA 23269-0001 and must be postmarked on or before February 24, 2026. Any protest filed with competent evidence will be carefully considered by DMV, however, DMV will have full discretion as to whether a hearing is warranted based on the merits of the protest filed.
STATEWIDE CLASSIFIED AD NETWORK
AUCTIONS
ATTN. AUCTIONEERS: Promote your upcoming auctions statewide! Affordable Print and Digital Solutions reaching your target audience. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-5217576, HYPERLINK “mailto:landonc@vpa.net” landonc@vpa.net
FISH/FARMS
Live Fish for stocking ponds! Many varieties available. Low to Free Delivery to your pond. Call Zetts Fish Farm & Hatchery for information & free catalogue. 304-995-9202, Cell 304-820-6986.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
WINDOWS, SIDING & ROOFING — THE TIME TO BUY IS NOW!!! Free Estimates. 100% Financing Available. Licensed & Insured. Call 540497-8567 or visit PremierRemodelers.com today!
Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 7-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-844-947-1479 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.
No more cleaning out gutters. Guaranteed! Leaf Filter is backed by a no-clog guarantee and lifetime transferrable warranty. Call today 1-877-614-6667 to schedule a FREE inspection and no obligation estimate. Get 15% off your entire order. Plus, Military & Seniors get an additional 10% off. Limited time only. Restrictions apply, see representative for warranty and offer details.
Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-877-591-9950
The bathroom of your dreams in as little as 1 day. Limited Time Offer - $1000 off or No Payments and No Interest for 18 months for customers who qualify. BCI Bath & Shower. Many options available. Quality materials & professional installation. Senior & Military Discounts Available. Call Today! 1-844-945-1631
SERVICES
DIVORCE-Uncontested, $475+$86 court cost. WILLS-$295.00. No court appearance. Estimated completion time twenty-one days. Hilton Oliver, Attorney (Facebook). 757-490-0126. Se Habla Espanol. BBB Member. HYPERLINK “https://hiltonoliverattorneyva.com” https:// hiltonoliverattorneyva.com.
Portable Oxygen Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 888-608-4974
We Buy Houses for Cash AS IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-844-216-5028
Switch and save up to $250/year on your talk, text and data. No contract and no hidden fees. Unlimited talk and text with flexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service. For more information, call 1-855-262-5564
P.S. THE BIG PICTURE
In his court
The University of Virginia dedicated the John Paul Jones Arena court to former men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett during a pre-game ceremony on Saturday, February 21. In his 15 years at the helm, Bennett led the Hoos to the 2019 national championship, two ACC tournament titles, six regular-season conference championships, and 10 NCAA tournament appearances. Among the Cavalier hoops standouts who returned to the JPJ to honor Bennett were Malcolm Brogdon, Joe Harris, Anthony Gill, London Perrantes, and Jay Huff. Following the dedication, Bennett, who retired before the start of the 2024-25 season as Virginia’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach, watched the No. 11 Cavs defeat the Miami Hurricanes 86-83.
OPEN HOUSE
Sat, march 14, 11a - 3p
206 w market st. Charlottesville, va
We’re throwing the doors open—come see what Common House is all about. Join a tour (every 30 minutes) to get the low-down on membership perks, private events, weekly programming, our culinary program and more.
