Issuu

Out of the woods?

As life in the Rivanna Trail encampments grows increasingly dangerous, the city prepares a long-awaited emergency shelter

New county rules give local streams a stronger line of defense P.7

UVA's affordable housing initiative is moving—just slowly P.11

A softer sound suits Erin Lunsford's latest solo effort P.23

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Hello, Charlottesville.

Thank you for reading C-VILLE Weekly.

I grew up with eight cats. We didn’t get them all at once, but a kitten here, a senior cat there, and before we knew it, we had four inside and four outside and my mom was developing an evening routine that included screaming “Here, Billie Billie Billie!” from the back porch like she was hollering for her lost dog on the prairie.

So when I found myself suddenly cat-less after the last of the brother-sister pair I’d adopted passed away, I was surprised that life without cats was actually … not half bad. No litter dust, no tumbleweeds of fur, nobody desperately meowing through the halls with a sock in his mouth after his owner goes to work (RIP Murray). I was even more surprised when, after many pleas from my daughter, I agreed to adopt two little black cats over the weekend. Pizza and Pickles have spent the past few days conducting an adorable survey of our house’s sleeping accommodations. The windowsill gets afternoon sun. A shelf in the coat closet is a strong contender. My keyboard has promise. They’ve begun settling in.

That instinct—to look for somewhere safe to rest—is about as basic as it gets. It’s also what brought us to the Rivanna River this week, where the conversation about the local unhoused population is reaching a tipping point.

Reporter Catie Ratliff spent time at the encampment talking with people who call it home, with city officials preparing to close it, and with the organizations trying to help. Her story (p.16) doesn’t pretend there’s a neat solution waiting around the corner. Instead, it asks readers to sit with the people at the center of one of Charlottesville’s most difficult conversations.

Home looks different for everyone. Around here, at least this week, it comes with two tiny black kittens who seem convinced they’ve found theirs. 7.29.26

Let’s take this online

Readers say the darndest things! Here are a few comments that caught our eye on our social media feeds this week. Join the conversation on Facebook (facebook.com/cville.weekly) and Instagram (@cvilleweekly).

On “La cuisine since 1976,” last week’s cover story on the C&O’s 50th

“When my partners and myself first visited Charlottesville in early 1988 looking at a brokerage firm we were considering purchasing, we asked some locals for the finest restaurant in Charlottesville. The consensus was the C&O. We went there for dinner and one of the partners, an oenophile, ordered a bottle of Chateau Latour. I don’t remember the exact kind, but it was almost $1,000 (in 1988!). While

we were perusing the menu, the chef came out of the kitchen and snatched the menus away from us. ‘Anybody who orders that bottle of wine deserves a meal built entirely around it,’ he explained. Regular participants of Manhattan fine dining, we experienced a most memorable and extraordinary dining experience. THAT was my introduction to the C&O.”

Roger Sager, Facebook

“In 1978 for our anniversary we had the most amazing dinner at

C&O. It was the first time we tried venison. It was the best we’ve had so far!”

Gail R. Williamson, Facebook

“Needs vegetarian options” @elizaloha, Instagram

On “Blank space,” a development story on Fifeville’s planned co-op grocery

“How can a site where a grocery store was previously located be declared unsuitable for a grocery store, tell me”

Al Minutolo, Facebook

“Perhaps people shouldn’t have shoplifted Reids to death. The fate would have been the same for this subsidized grocery store as well.”

Evan Pols, Facebook

“Ridiculous reason for not allowing it!! No loading dock and Estes was functioning with the dock in front of the store for decades... but they allow UVA to put up whatever they want, anywhere they want! This town is a joke!!”

Bessie Smith, Facebook

Matthew Stoss made his C-VILLE debut romanticizing hotel bars. He’s been a university magazine editor for a decade. He’s profiled an Oscar winner, an Olympic bobsledder, a National Book Award winner, a Batman artist, a Michelin-star chef, a submarine commander, and the Smithsonian secretary. Read his work on page 23.

CM Turner brings nearly 20 years of experience working in galleries, museums, studios, and schools to bear in his efforts to expand appreciation for and understanding of contemporary art and culture. His work has been published by AEQAI, Report Magazine, and Undermain. Read his work on page 25.

IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURE 16

Moving out

Rivanna

Trail encampments to be closed September 1.

NEWS 7

7 Protecting vegetation around bodies of water.

9 More regs on large-scale county poultry farms?

11 Real Estate: UVA’s still focused on affordable housing.

CULTURE 21

23 Feedback: Erin Lunsford’s second solo album

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

INTERNS

Claire Dodson, Nicolas Ratliff

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Brezsny, Dave Cantor, Carol Diggs, Shea Gibbs, Andrew Hollins, Sarah Lawson, Sarah Sargent, Kristie Smeltzer, Jen Sorensen, Julia Stumbaugh, Paul Ting, Eric Williamson

C-VILLE Weekly

Through

Charlottesville,

25 Last Looks: Lots of weird and wonderful works to see at McGuffey’s summer show.

FOR FUN 27

27 Sudoku

27 Crossword

28 Free Will Astrology

30 The Big Picture

ADVERTISING advertising@c-ville.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Bianca Johnson bianca@c-ville.com

REAL ESTATE & CLASSIFIED ACCOUNT MANAGER

Brian Hrozencik brian@c-ville.com

DIGITAL SALES MANAGER

Rob Davis rob@c-ville.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

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Anna Harrison anna@c-ville.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Debbie Miller debbie@c-ville.com

A/R SPECIALIST Nanci Winter accounting@c-ville.com

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Billy Dempsey circulation@c-ville.com

C-VILLE HOLDINGS, LLC

Bill Chapman, Blair Kelly

Aug 19: Dominic Fike

SEPT 5: WNRN Presents: Charley Crockett Age of the Ram Tour with Nat Myers

SEPTEMBER 8:

Sierra Ferrell

A WNRN 30th Anniversary show Support from The Brudi Brothers

SEPTEMBER 10:

WNRN Presents: Dark Star Orchestra

SEPTEMBER 22:

Rainbow Kitten Surprise with Cigarettes @ Sunset

SEPTEMBER 24:

Sam Barber with Josiah & the Bonnevilles and Wild Horses

October 4:

Whiskey Myers with Special Guests The Ransom Brothers

JULY 31

FRIDAYS AFTER FIVE: THE LONGWAY w/ THE MELLOW DRAMATICS 5:30-8:30 pm

Buffer up

Albemarle’s updated rules for riparian buffers could protect local ecosystems, water supply

BY NATHAN ALDERMAN

NEWS ENVIRONMENT

Asmall change to Albemarle’s rules governing protective barriers of plants and trees around the county’s streams could add up to healthier waterways, happier wildlife, and cleaner sources for our water supply.

At its June 17 board meeting, the four county supervisors in attendance voted unanimously to expand rules that protect vegetation around streams, creeks, and other bodies of water.

To understand why that matters, you need to know a little about the interconnected system that supplies our water. The water flowing from your tap comes to you, through a treatment plant, from one of several local reservoirs. And the water that fills those reservoirs comes largely from the land and the rivers around them.

Riparian buffers are thick bands of trees and vegetation that protect the streams and creeks that feed those reservoirs. Diane Frisbee, stream program manager for The Nature Conservancy Virginia, says these buffers offer abundant benefits for humans and animals. They filter and slow runoff into waterways, curb erosion, provide shade that lowers water temperatures, and offer food, shelter, and safe habitat corridors for wildlife.

On the county’s maps, a riparian buffer is a set area to either side of a body of water— usually around 100 feet. While ideal widths can vary depending on the site, Frisbee says that’s generally considered a good, healthy amount of buffer zone. “In general, the wider a buffer is, the more benefits it will provide,” she says.

Sometimes the county allows that buffer to shrink to 50 feet in the development area, as long as landowners first submit a plan to make up for any plants that get removed. And sometimes, in the rural area, the buffer extends as much as 200 feet from the edges of areas at known risk of flooding.

According to county staff, riparian buffers cover around 68,500 acres, or nearly 15 percent of the county. In the development area, these buffers span 1,668 acres, representing 7 percent of that land, while

the remaining 66,811 acres make up 15.2 percent of the rural area.

On June 17, the county officially moved the rules around riparian buffers from its water protection ordinance to its zoning ordinance. This change expands the number of places within these buffers where landowners and developers must follow rules to keep vegetation from being cut down or torn out.

Supervisor Ann Mallek says she’s been pushing for changes like these for years, aiming to return to the protections that area streams enjoyed in the 1980s. “Back then, disturbance of 2,500 square feet or more required a bond to the county to ensure project completion and return to permanent cover,” Mallek says. But changes in 2016 weakened those rules, exempting any development that disturbed less than 10,000 square feet from buffer protections, and allowing landowners to destroy trees and other plant life in existing buffers.

“In the new ordinance,” she says, “buffers are protected without any minimum disturbance trigger.” Unless you qualify for one of the county’s exceptions, you’re now expected to leave riparian buffers alone, in the most natural condition possible.

If you want to build within the outer 50 feet of a riparian buffer, you’ll need to submit a plan for the county’s approval showing how you’ll limit the damage by, among other things, planting twice as much vegetation as you remove, and doing so only with native species. The county can even require you to put up a bond before you start such a plan, to be repaid only after you’ve successfully replaced all the promised plant life.

Not all plants are welcome in those buffer zones. The new regulations target invasive species for removal. Native plants “survive the best and operate the best in our climate, in our environment, and in our soils,” says Bart Svoboda, Albemarle’s director of community de-

IN BRIEF

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

velopment. “So rather than have the invasives choke out those natives, which cause[s] other problems, it’s better to put the natives back.”

“Native plants also often have root systems that provide better stabilization along streambanks than those of invasive plants,” says Frisbee. “Invasive plants can also outcompete native plants and create monocultures that reduce diversity of habitats for native riparian animals.”

While the expanded rules oblige most property owners to preserve buffers, the county’s aforementioned exceptions include forestry and agriculture. In theory, farmers can uproot all the buffers they want for timber or cropland. That would seem to work against the county’s stated goal of fostering healthier streams. Svoboda says the issue isn’t as simple as it sounds.

“Farming is protected under the Right to Farm Act in the Virginia Code,” Svoboda says. Local governments have “only those powers expressly granted by the General Assembly. … If they don’t give us that express permission, then we can’t.” The Act forbids any local zoning regulations that “unreasonably restrict or regulate” farming or forestry in agricultural districts, he says.

Svoboda says farmers have their own incentives to protect riparian buffers. “Working farms can function as green infrastructure that help manage stormwater, reduce floods, support biodiversity, and strengthen food security within local economies,” he says. The Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District also notes that fencing off streams from livestock leads to healthier herds and more productive pastures. The agency offers farmers funding to build and maintain buffers on their land.

Even with agricultural exclusions, Svoboda says the altered rules will protect healthy streams from damage, help previously harmed areas start to heal, and hopefully encourage more people to appreciate the benefits of healthy, thriving waterways.

“We want folks to enjoy those things, so they also understand the value of those things,” he says. “We want to safeguard our waters from pollution.”

Bad apple? ACPS places another employee—Assistant Superintendent Patrick McLaughlin—on administrative leave after ACPS Family Council member Heidi Gilman Bennett and others allege that for years during staff meetings, McLaughlin mockingly displayed and commented on a photo of Bennett in her college dance-team uniform. Ballot time Early voting for the upcoming primary election runs through Saturday, August 1, with election day on Tuesday, August 4; find your voting site at elections.virginia.gov. Tear gas A Congressional report finds that since President Trump launched the Iran War February 28, Virginians have paid around $1.8 billion more for gasoline, or $573 per household, as a result—the sixth-highest per-family sum among all 50 states. Public eye With City Council’s approval, James Walker moves from acting to permanent director of Charlottesville’s Office of Police Civilian Oversight. Tumor terminator UVA researchers develop promising new attack on deadly brain cancer glioblastoma: smuggle treatments across the blood-brain barrier to switch off multiple genes that would otherwise help cancers thrive.

JACK LOONEY

Riparian buffers protect waterways by curbing erosion, filtering pollutants, and providing a healthier habitat for wildlife.

Under consideration

The Albemarle County School Board will hold a special meeting August 4 to discuss an independent investigation into the district’s handling of abuse allegations and staff misconduct. The meeting will be held at 10am in Room 241 of the Albemarle County Office Building.

Per a July 21 announcement, the meeting’s focus will be on the “scope, cost, and structure” of a potential independent investigation.

“This work will be defined in coordination with outside legal counsel to ensure it does not interfere with any active law enforcement investigation,” reads an excerpt from the announcement. “We know families want clarity, and we’re moving as quickly as we can while doing this responsibly.”

The first day of school for ACPS students is August 12.—Catie Ratliff

Upgrade

According to a July 22 release, the Elk Hill Charlottesville School and Family Center has purchased 321 Hillsdale Dr. for $3.4 million. The private day school for K-12 special education students plans to centralize the operations of three of its current locations to the new site prior to the start of the upcoming school year. The move will reportedly allow Elk Hill to increase its enrollment and house all of its communitybased programming under one roof.—CR

Silverware malfunction?

An Orange County man has been arrested in connection with a non-fatal stabbing that occurred near the University of Virginia’s O’Hill Dining Hall on July 23. Randall Fisher, 46, has been charged with malicious wounding and is currently in custody. His next court appearance is scheduled for 9:30am on August 27.—CR

CAFO info

Albemarle supervisors seek tighter regulation of concentrated agricultural feed operations BY

SEAN TUBBS

Anyone who wants to set up a large-scale poultry operation in Virginia has to get a permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to demonstrate how heavy amounts of waste will be prevented from getting into the watershed.

A growing number of voices in Albemarle are calling on county officials to adopt a higher standard of regulation for any future applications that may be filed. Several appeared before the Albemarle Board of Supervisors on July 15.

“Large volumes of animal waste contaminate groundwater with nitrates and antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” said Deirdre Casey Kerrigan, a physician and vice chair of the Scottsville Planning Commission. “Nitrate-contaminated drinking water has been associated with an increased risk of colorectal and gastric cancers.”

Kerrigan and others urged Albemarle to follow dozens of other Virginia localities that have rules above and beyond the DEQ’s. That would include larger buffer zones and setbacks to protect groundwater, given that most of the county relies on wells.

Scottsville District Supervisor Mike Pruitt said he felt Albemarle might be vulnerable to such operations and the county should listen to concerns and direct staff to study an ordinance.

“I don’t think it’s an inherently evil use, but I do worry that we are not providing the level of oversight that comparable agricultural communities are,” Pruitt said.

Pruitt suggested the work could be done as part of the ongoing modernization of the zoning code.

Samuel Miller District Supervisor Fred Missel said he wanted to expedite review.

Rivanna District Supervisor Bea LaPistoKirtley said she supported the study for an ordinance but she was concerned that overregulation might hurt small-scale farmers.

“There’s miscommunication, frankly. I don’t know who’s right or who’s wrong, but I do know that a lot of people are following the DEQ requirements, state requirements,” LaPisto-Kirtley said.

Supervisor Ann Mallek of the Samuel Miller District also sought quick preparation of an ordinance. She said Albemarle is becoming attractive to large-scale poultry farms because of the lack of tighter regulations.

“We also need to not be the place with the fewest requirements for business here,” Mallek said.

Supervisor Ned Gallaway said he would not vote on a motion that was not on the agenda because it would delay staff working on some other issue.

“I don’t want to be making the decision without understanding what it does because it’s not like it doesn’t have an impact on other things that are in motion already and I want to understand that.”

County Executive Jeffrey Richardson said staff would have to study an ordinance tailored for Albemarle and could not just copy those from other areas.

“There would have to be other things shifted because our Community Development Department is tasked with a lot of work,” Richardson said.

Deputy County Executive Ann Wall said there are currently 12 other “resolutions of intent” to direct staff to update county code with many of those caused by order of the General Assembly. There is a possibility of hiring a consultant to do work on the topic of confined animal feeding operations.

Pruitt said there is a sense of urgency.

“There is a sense of fear and anxiety that is quite intense in parts of the southern districts that I know [Missel] has also been hearing about,” Pruitt said.

A resolution of intent will be on the agenda of the supervisors’ next meeting on August 5, as well as a discussion of how studying animal feed operations might affect other aspects of the planning department’s work plan.

Albemarle residents are pressuring the Board of Supervisors to adopt stricter regulations for large-scale poultry operations in the county.

$3,295,000

REAL ESTATE NEWS

Housing hoops

UVA still committed to affordable housing initiative launched during Ryan administration BY SEAN TUBBS

Shortly before the pandemic in March 2020, former University of Virginia president Jim Ryan announced an initiative to contribute land for the development of up to 1,500 affordable housing units in Albemarle County and Charlottesville.

While none have yet been built, UVA officials remain committed to moving forward at three sites. Each is at a various point in the development process.

“Since the beginning of the affordable housing initiative, the university has been committed to contributing either university or UVA Foundation-owned land, with the idea that it will enable affordable housing to be built in areas that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive,” said UVA spokesperson Bethanie Glover.

Glover said the earliest any of the projects might go to construction is 2028.

UVA chose the group Preservation of Affordable Housing to develop a two-acre site at the corner of 1000 Wertland St. The group filed plans for a six-story building with 180 units all to be rented at below 60 percent of the area median income.

While the city’s Department of Neighborhood Services approved a preliminary development plan, the Board of Architectural Review declined to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness at a meeting in February 2025, asking for design revisions.

POAH also asked for $3 million in funding from the city, which Council declined to provide. Council directed staff to negotiate with UVA to see if it would provide a cash contribution.

UVA selected the Piedmont Housing Alliance to develop a 12.73-acre site off of

Fontaine Avenue that will go through Albemarle County’s permitting process. PHA filed a rezoning in December 2025 for 375 units but requested an indefinite deferral in March in order to respond to the first round of comments.

UVA’s official website on the initiative states that construction here may not start until 2031 due to the need to rezone and secure funding. PHA is one of the area’s most prolific nonprofit developers, with pending projects at 501 Cherry Ave., Park Street Christian Church, and the former MACAA property on Park Street.

The third location identified by UVA is the North Fork Discovery Park, owned by the UVA Foundation. The Albemarle Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning for a portion of that land in February 2024 that would allow up to 1,400 residential units. Bluestone Land LLC, a local company, has been hired as the development partner.

“North Fork is a very different site from the initial two properties in terms of size, scale, project phasing, and affordability mix,” reads the housing initiative’s website. “We anticipate market rate and workforce/middle-income housing in addition to affordable units at this site.”

Glover said the development process is complex and it takes many steps for a project to be ready to move forward.

“We know it will take a lot of creativity to make the financials on each project work, and we will work with development partners to think outside the box,” Glover said.

The City of Charlottesville did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

Annie Gould Gallery

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The affordable housing project at 1000 Wertland St. will include 170 units, reduced from 180 after the first round of changes from the Board of Architectural Review.

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to home Close

The city hopes a new emergency shelter at 2000 Holiday Dr. will ease a growing crisis around the Rivanna Trail

The situation at the Rivanna Trail encampments is reaching a boiling point, with a viral video of a man (who has since been identified as a white supremacist who believes Heather Heyer’s killer should be free) walking through the area. The video, along with the death of an unhoused man living at the site, a tent fire, an alleged sexual assault, and growing environmental concerns, have brought increased public attention to the encampments—and increased worries over the safety of encampment residents and community members.

STORY BY CATIE RATLIFF

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRISTAN WILLIAMS

After months of rising tensions, the City of Charlottesville announced the closure of the Free Bridge and 0 E. High St. encampments on September 1. Camping in the area will be banned after that date.

Official signage, posted July 23 while C-VILLE visited the sites, states that “a coordinated transition of all people and belongings from this encampment area is planned to begin on or around September 1” and that “trash, hazardous materials, and all remaining items will be removed.”

Plans for a low-barrier shelter at 2000 Holiday Dr. have long been in the works, but will not be completed in time for the September 1 encampment closures. With an urgent need for shelter, C-VILLE learned the Holiday Drive site will begin operating as an emergency shelter in the weeks to come. When exactly it will open, the cost, and who will operate the emergency shelter are yet to be determined.

How did we get here?

The two encampments reached a peak population of around 115 people earlier this summer. Current estimates suggest a full-time resident population closer to 50—with more data expected soon from the area’s first summer Point In Time count, completed on July 22 and 23.

The growth of the sites is the culmination of a shortage of shelter and permanent housing beds in Charlottesville amid ongoing housing and affordability crises.

In a May presentation to City Council, the Blue Ridge Area Coalition for the Homeless said it counted 703 people on its By-Name List between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026— up from 620 people last year. Compared to the Point In Time count, which tallies the unhoused population on a given date, the ByName List provides a more holistic view of everyone experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in a given year.

Department of Housing and Urban Development data from 2025 lists 419 total year-round beds in BRACH’s catchment area, which is composed of Charlottesville and Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson counties. That bed count includes 180 units of emergency, safe haven, and transitional housing, and 239 units of permanent housing.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina—which has a similar unhoused population to Charlottesville, based on census and HUD data—has 625 year-round beds, comprising 521 permanent units and 104 beds for emergency, safe haven, and transitional housing.

With local demand for shelter far outpacing current supply, particularly with no yearround low-barrier shelter currently available in the city, the encampments along the Rivanna Trail grew. Now, the city hopes those living along the trail will utilize the emergency shelter at 2000 Holiday Dr.

“The emergency shelter component has been a part of the conversation since this encampment began. We weren’t sure that we would be able to do it, because we did not feel as though we had an operator,” says City Manager Sam Sanders. “It has been on the list of things that we needed to do. The issue really grew out of the size of the encampment and some of the threats within and coming from outside the encampment.”

“We are planning to use the Holiday Drive [site] as an emergency shelter so that we can tell the individuals, ‘You know what?

This is not the best place for you, but we have a place for you to go,’” says Mayor Juandiego Wade.

Service providers and city officials say the emergency shelter won’t be a one-size-fitsall solution for those currently living in the encampments.

Transition in motion

At press time, city leaders and outreach professionals have more questions than answers CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

City Councilor Jen Fleisher, who has a background in emergency public health response, has led the city’s two-week outreach and assessment effort at the encampment sites.

about the Holiday Drive emergency shelter. The city has not yet confirmed who will run it, but is in the process of solidifying an agreement with a potential operator, according to multiple city leaders.

The shelter will not be operated by a local nonprofit, but organizations involved in the city’s low-barrier shelter workgroup (BRACH, People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry, The Haven, and others) will likely have a presence at the site.

“At this point, there are two primary questions remaining. One: [Is the potential operator] … ready to commit to it as something that they think is feasible, given the scale of it and the number of staff members they may need?” says City Councilor Michael Payne. “And then two: How is it funded?”

Sanders says the city can’t confirm an operator yet, or the exact cost of opening the emergency shelter so rapidly, but there should be more information within the “next two to three weeks.” He and Payne confirmed that local donors have expressed interest in supporting, and committed money toward, the preparation of the emergency shelter site.

“We know that it’ll be a few hundred thousand dollars to just get the building ready to be an emergency shelter,” Sanders says, noting that immediate changes would be simpler construction measures like removing walls to maximize the space’s utility as an emergency shelter. The longer financial forecast for the Holiday Drive project is in the multimillions. “The actual renovations … that is something that our philanthropic community has agreed to cover, as well as the significant upfit for the long-term operation.”

Renovations and construction to prepare the Holiday Drive site to serve as the lowbarrier shelter it was originally intended to be could occur while it is used as an emergency shelter, depending on the scope of renovations and how much space is required for the emergency shelter, which will be operated as a congregate shelter, divided by gender.

“A congregate shelter is one where there are beds that are spread out every few feet. Folks do not have their own privacy in terms of a door or anything under lock and key. … You don’t have your own personal room or space in a congregate shelter setting,” says BRACH Executive Director Shayla Washington. “That isn’t appealing for a lot of folks, understandably so.”

During a previous visit to the encampment, C-VILLE heard this exact sentiment from resident Jerry Gentry. “I like being by myself. I mean, a few people’s all right,” he said, “A homeless shelter type, yeah, I’d rather stay out here.”

Beyond a lack of personal space, emergency congregate shelters like the one in the works at Holiday Drive are not ideal for couples, people with pets, or people with limited mobility.

Washington says some current encampment residents are reportedly leaving ahead of September 1.

“Some folks are actually relocating to other sites because they’re worried about what’s going to come on September 1. They’re worried that there won’t be any op-

tion,” says Washington. “I don’t think they’ve stayed long enough to hear what the other options could be or other alternatives could be. …We also are pursuing a potential hotel or motel option for folks who cannot stay in a congregate shelter for whatever reason.”

According to Sanders, the city is also exploring alternative arrangements at the Holiday Drive site emergency shelter for those who cannot utilize a congregate shelter.

“We are working with the city to manage their expectations of closing the encampment by September 1, and whoever is able and willing to relocate to Holiday Drive, that will be set up as a 24/7 temporary emergency shelter,” Washington says. “I’ve been told that we can keep that designation for up to 18 months, as long as it’s a 24/7 designation, and someone is there on site all of those hours to ensure that there’s no fires because there’s no sprinklers currently in the building.”

BRACH does not currently have an outreach worker itself, but has been coordinating ongoing efforts at the encampment sites with City Councilor Jen Fleisher and her team.

Fleisher is leading a primarily volunteerrun assessment effort at the encampment sites, set to run through July 31. The assessment includes questions from HUD and the Department of Veterans Services, as well as general medical and wellbeing inquiries. Teams of two people, one interviewer and one scribe, spoke with willing participants in exchange for McDonald’s gift cards donated by a PACEM congregation.

“BRACH [had] a PIT count that was happening this summer, and PACEM wanted to do an assessment, and the city wanted to support those efforts to find out what residents needed top to tail,” says Fleisher. “We partnered with those two agencies—plus UVA Health, also trying to determine folks’ medical needs—to go out and talk to residents of the 0 East High and Free Bridge encampments now.”

The assessment team has evaluated roughly 38 people at press time, and is shifting its focus toward connecting participants with the appropriate resources.

“The experience so far has been very positive. Residents have been very generous with our assessment teams,” Fleisher adds. “We’ve gotten super information that can be really helpful, and now we’re combining all that information to come back to the residents and say, … ‘Here’s what you’re eligible for. Are you ready? Do you want to get connected to these services?’ As we work to build out Holiday Drive as an emergency shelter … and other direct-to-housing services, we’ll know who is ready and the best fit for either one of those, and anything else we can offer.”

While the response from some encampment residents to the Holiday Drive emergency shelter has been positive, Fleisher says the major theme at the sites is stress.

“It is very hot. It is very difficult to be in this situation. There are not enough readily available options that are easily accessible, and that compounds. And so, to come with another task—‘you have to move with a rapid deadline and without details’—is hard

to swallow,” she says. “Another thing that feeds stress and fuels fear is misinformation. So we want to make sure everyone has the right information, and again that we want the transition to be as smooth as possible.”

Building trust and relationships with residents has been further complicated by the city’s recent decision to install cameras at the sites. With the early July viral video of the encampment, residents are wary. When the city began installing cameras without giving the assessment team a heads-up, outreach efforts were paused for the day on July 23.

“Public safety has been down here with us all week and they’ve been helpful in delivering ice and water, which we can’t lug around as we’re talking to folks, so they have been a support in that way. There are other ways we’ve asked [them to] give us some space and distance,” says Fleisher. “It’s always a push-pull. You’re always battling engagement and trust with safety in that regard.”

Sanders confirmed the cameras are a temporary measure and were installed as part of a public safety plan for the area. “As you know, there have been violent matters that have occurred in the area. We’re very concerned about that, we’ve responded with our law enforcement and public safety teams on a regular basis,” he says. “It will go away. That is not something that we are attempting to begin—to put cameras on trails and things like that. Those are bigger decisions.”

Why now?

Everyone C-VILLE spoke with said the encampments were being dispersed, at least in part, for safety. The encampments’ locations in the floodplain makes them high risk for flash flooding that could prove catastrophic. Other environmental concerns are tied to the ongoing drought, with an elevated fire risk compounded by recent extreme heat.

“The encampment had reached a point where the risk to the folks who were living out in the encampment had become unacceptable in terms of recent deaths, fires, sexual violence, people going into the encampment to harass people—and in all those cases, the victims being those who are homeless and in the encampment,” says Payne.

Flash floods present a threat year-round. According to Payne, the specific September 1 date was selected as the earliest that everyone could prepare the emergency shelter for the closure of the encampments.

In addition to known incidents, Payne cited concern about unreported crimes, given the vulnerability of the residents.

“There are folks out there who are extremely vulnerable, who may not know or believe it’s worthwhile to report being a victim of certain crimes to police,” he says.“Personally, I think it far past reached the point in which allowing those conditions to continue without any structure or minimal rules was compassionate or helped lead to better outcomes for those who were homeless and living in the encampment, and that to me is the ultimate question: Has the existence of this large encampment improved outcomes for those who are homeless

Charlottesville City Council approved the purchase of 2000 Holiday Drive for use as a lowbarrier shelter in October 2025.

living here in Charlottesville? Has it made outcomes worse, or has it changed nothing? … With all the victims being those who are homeless and living in the encampment. … I just don’t think it’s improved anything. And we need to have a more compassionate and proactive approach.”

Other city leaders echoed Payne’s concerns.

“We can’t allow it along the trail anymore, because it’s just not safe. And we, as a community, can do better, and we want to be better as far as giving them a place to stay,” says Wade.

“My biggest fear is that we will have some weather event down here that will be catastrophic, and we’ll still have folks out here,” says Fleisher. “I just want to make sure that we have everyone onto safe, higher ground before the threat of that really bears down on us. And if it’s not flash floods, then it’s winter.”

Other service providers agree the city can do better and that the environmental risk is a factor in the move, but that there are other factors at play.

“I do think political pressure is a huge factor in this sudden movement. Some people want it to be moved, and when I say some people, I mean some community members want this encampment to be moved a lot faster. But there’s so many logistics involved with it, and these are human beings. Like, we can’t just herd them like cattle to a different site and expect everything to go smoothly,” says Washington. “Even six weeks feels like a very short time frame. We are trying to focus on getting a lot of the folks at the encampment document-ready for Vista 29 when those units come online in December or January. So we’re also thinking long-term about permanent housing solutions, recognizing

that an emergency shelter is not going to be the end goal for really anyone experiencing homelessness.”

Sanders reiterates that the environmental risks are the primary reason for the transition, but that he knows the September 1 date is a heavy lift for both city employees and community partners.

“It’s a push. Everyone has shared with me that I’m pushing really hard, so they feel it. The goal is that we are doing our best to make it possible,” he says. “I do believe that we are making considerable progress in a short period of time, and I feel good about us being able to know that things are going to fall in place in time.”

“Although we have lined up a lot of the ducks, we haven’t lined up everything,” says Wade. “We’re not going to let that prevent us from providing shelter to our brothers and sisters who are out there now.”

What now?

With just over a month left until the September 1 deadline, the city and community partners are working full steam ahead. Fleisher hopes that having more information in the weeks to come will help foster more trust with encampment residents.

“I understand, as someone who works in public health in particular and has done emergency services before … how frustrating it is to not know every detail, but we hope to get those clarified and simplified and out as soon as possible,” she says.

Sanders and Payne emphasized the importance of giving the assessment and outreach teams space to work during this transition.

“This is an all-community issue. It takes all of us to find ways to address it. Patience is something that everyone can find in this matter because … there’s no one single solu-

tion, therefore it’s not easy,” says Sanders.

“To those who are outside the encampment, agitating those who are in it is not an appropriate action. It does not help matters, especially when we’re in this posture of trying to work with them to figure out alternatives and to shut down the encampment.”

For Washington, the most important thing moving forward is that Charlottesville not overlook the residents of the encampments.

“These are human beings who have been outside for many months, if not many years, and they need a lot of supportive services to help transition them to a site that is no longer going to be considered their home,” says Washington. “We need to be mindful that these are human beings that deserve respect, and they deserve a home, more importantly. … We can’t just rush people into something that’s not already set up and isn’t really meaningfully thought out yet.” C

CULTURE

SUNDAY 8/2

PATTY TAKES

Two-time Grammy Award-winner Patty Griffin traffics in the personal and introspective, inviting audiences to shed outdated narratives and embrace living in the moment with a soulful blend of folk, Americana, and blues. Griffin shares intimate moments and universal emotions, while her stellar storytelling, evocative voice, and ability to produce rich and resonant melodies has kept her at the forefront of contemporary roots music for more than two decades. $56.85–68.40, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

CULTURE TO-DO LIST

Wednesday 7/29 music

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. Vintage rock, blues, originals, and more for your mid-week music boost. Free, 6:30pm. The Whiskey Jar, 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thewhiskeyjarcville.com stage

Our Town Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play is one of the most cherished works in American theater, not because of spectacle, but because of its simplicity. $40-75, 7:30am. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. american shakespearecenter.com

words

Summer Reading: Declaration Book Club. An in-person reading and discussion series exploring the enduring ideas, debates, and contradictions at the heart of the Declaration of Independence. $20–25, 5:30pm. Jefferson Vineyards, 1353 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. jeffersonvineyards.com

etc.

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

Teen Writers Club. Teens ages 14–18 are invited to the Teen Space for an hour of writing, collaborative editing, and optional writing challenges in the company of other creative, writerly teens. Snacks provided. Free, 4pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org

Thursday 7/30

music

Berto Sales & Vincent Zorn. Lively flamenco rumba. Free, 7pm. The Bebedero, 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. thebebedero.com

Drew Pace. Rock ‘n’ roll. Free, 7pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellys charlottesville.com

Erin Lunsford Rhinestones Release Party. Lunsford releases her sophomore record with a celebration featuring Sally Rose and Model House. $20, 6pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Ron Gentry. Solo acoustic singer-songwriter stylings. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Vinyl DJ Ryan Wood. Thursday rendezvous. Free, 4pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

stage

As You Like It. The noble Orlando wins a court wrestling match—and Rosalind’s heart—but before their love can take root, she’s banished from court. $40–75, 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

Shakespeare at the Ruins: Much Ado About Nothing. The beloved, nationally-acclaimed collaboration between Barboursville Vineyards and Central Virginia’s longest-running community theater returns. $25, 7:30pm. Historic Barboursville Ruins, Mansion Rd., Barboursville. fourcp.org classes

Paint + Sip: Sunflowery Day. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $39–44, 6pm. Virginia Wine Collective by Eastwood Farm and Winery, 1585 Avon St. Ext. blueridgebrushes.com

etc.

Albemarle County Fair. Three-day agricultural celebration features exhibits, home arts, family entertainment, live music, livestock, and fun and learning for all ages. $5, 4pm. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org

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 7/31

music

Andy Tichenor. Bluegrass, folk, rock, and improvisational jams. Free, 5pm. Bottle House, 608 W. Main St. bottlehouse.net

Bob Bennetta Trio. Live jazz. Free, 6:30pm. Afghan Kabob House, 200 Market St. afghankabob-house.com

Don’t Look Up. Americana music deeply rooted in the blues. Free, 6pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Fridays After Five: The Longway. Soulful rock from Andy Waldeck and Joe Lawlor. With The Mellow Dramatics. Free, 5:30pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St, Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com

Gina Sobel Duo. Award-winning songwriter and composer anchors the duo as a natural improviser. Free, 5:30pm. Potter’s Craft Cider, 1350 Arrowhead Valley Rd. potterscraftcider.com

Little Walter & the Convictions. A Friday sunset soirée featuring vintage ’60s rock and soul. Free, 6pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholm vineyards.com

Matt Horn’s Musical Suspects. Funk, R&B, and neo-soul. Free, 9:30pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com

Prabir Trio. Rock ‘n’ roll from RVA. Free, 8pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellys charlottesville.com

SATURDAY 8/1 & SUNDAY 8/2

WINTER IS COMING

In a first-time collaboration between Venture Stage Company and DMR Adventures, Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical storms to the stage. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, the production brings together professional performers and student actors to create the magical kingdom of Arendelle. The musical follows Princess Elsa, whose magical powers are exposed when she’s crowned queen. An endless winter descends upon the realm, and Elsa’s sister Anna sets out to save her sibling, who has fled into the mountains. $15.75–63.75, times vary. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. dmradventures.com

Shotguns N Roses: A Powerful Blast Of GNR. The most accurate and faithful Guns N Roses tribute experience you can get. $20–25, 7pm. Pro Re Nata, 6135 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. prnbrewery.com

The Barons. Various sounds ranging from heavyhitting indie rock to a lighter fair of introspective love songs. $19, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

The Lonesome Millies. Rappahannock-based acoustic trio plays a mix of folk, Americana, and light rock. Free, 5pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

stage

Our Town See listing for Wednesday, July 29. $40–75, 7:30am. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

Shakespeare at the Ruins: Much Ado About Nothing. See listing for Thursday, July 30. $25, 7:30pm. Historic Barboursville Ruins, Mansion Rd., Barboursville. fourcp.org

classes

Paint + Sip: Tropical Paradise. Paint the supplied design in a step-by-step format. No experience necessary, all materials included. $39–44, 6pm. Hazy Mountain Vineyard & Brewery, 240 Hazy Mountain Ln., Afton. blueridgebrushes.com

Watercolor Happy Hour. A relaxed evening of open-session painting. Uplevel your skills or simply experience the joy of painting and creativity for its own sake. Ages 15+. $25, 5:30pm. The Scrappy Elephant, 1745 Allied St. scrappyelephant.com etc.

Albemarle County Fair. See listing for Thursday, July 30. $5, 10am. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org

Fun Fridays. Teens ages 11–18 are invited to partake in fun new experiences. This week: book bedazzling. Registration required. Free, 2pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, July 30. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Saturday 8/1

music

Bailey Hayes. Local singer-songwriter with a set list containing an eclectic range of music. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

Garcia’s Birthday Bash with Sisters & Brothers. Celebrating Jer Bear’s bday by blending R&B, Motown, reggae, soul, funk, and rock with psychedelic touches. $19, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Goth Takeover. Goth DJs and bands bring spookiness galore. Free, 9pm. Holly’s Diner, 1221 E. Market St. Jackson, Pendergrass, & Townsend. Threepiece group plays original music in the jazz/blues tradition. Free, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwoodfarmandwinery.com

Jim Richardson. Singer-songwriter specializing in folk, country, and rock. Free, 12:30pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. eastwood farmandwinery.com

Melissa Hansen. A blend of blues, pop, country, and soul. Free, 2:30pm. Albemarle CiderWorks, 2545 Rural Ridge Ln., North Garden. albemarle ciderworks.com

Royce Campbell and Friends. Celebrated guitarist and jazz recording artist brings together a group of quality musicians. Free, 5pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Rumours ATL: A Fleetwood Mac Tribute. Proving to be the most authentic live recreation of Fleetwood Mac’s golden era. $33.20, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

Sue Harlow. Americana-folk singer-songwriter whose haunting vocals delve into the depths of what makes people real. Free, 2:30pm. Fallen Tree Vineyard and Farm, 4593 Clark Rd., Crozet. fallentreevineyard.com

The Legendary Ingramettes. Richmond’s “First Family of Gospel” shakes the stage with vibrant, soulful arrangements. $25–30, 5pm. The Front Porch, 221 E. Water St. frontporchcville.com dance

Midsummer Night Out. Thumping house beats for a celebration of summer, brought to you by DJ Dutchie. Free, 10pm. Rapture, 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. rapturerestaurant.com stage

As You Like It See listing for Thursday, July 30. $40–75, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

Disney’s Frozen. For the first time in forever, experience the musical phenomenon that has taken the world by storm, staged by DMR Adventures. $15–63, 2pm and 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

Our Town. See listing for Wednesday, July 29. $40–75, 7:30am. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

Shakespeare at the Ruins: Much Ado About Nothing. See listing for Thursday, July 30. $25, 7:30pm. Historic Barboursville Ruins, Mansion Rd., Barboursville. fourcp.org words

New Dominion Storytime. 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

Creative Arts: An Inclusive Art Class. Because creativity belongs to everyone, individuals with disabilities and the people who love them are invited to create beautiful art together in a fun and supportive environment. $15, 1pm. Mountainside Arts, 2413 Old Lynchburg Rd. mountainsideartscville.com etc.

Albemarle County Fair. See listing for Thursday, July 30. $5, 10am. James Monroe’s Highland, 2050 James Monroe Pkwy. highland.org Charlottesville City Market. Explore fresh produce, local foods, and handmade goods from 100+ area vendors. Free, 9am. Charlottesville City Market, 100 Water St. E. charlottesville.gov

Pool Movie Nights. Bring your floaties and enjoy the show. This week: The Incredibles. $10, 8:30pm. Town of Gordonsville Pool, 100 Allen St., Gordonsville. townoforangeva.gov

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, July 30. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Sunday 8/2

music

Hardcore Matinee. Hello Goodbye Records presents a hardcore and metal showcase featuring Coded, Remembrance, Hanahaki, and The Get Off. $16, 2pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Hokie Joe. Blues guitarist plays and sings a wide variety of relaxing and soulful music. Free, 2pm. DuCard Vineyards, 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. ducardvineyards.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

Second that

FEEDBACK CULTURE

Erin Lunsford shines on Rhinestones, her latest solo effort

BY MATTHEW STOSS

Of the 12 songs on Erin Lunsford’s second solo album Rhinestones, the Americana singer-songwriter and frontwoman for Erin & the Wildfire says she cried while writing four of them, especially “Watch Out For Deer.” That one’s stuck with her.

“I cry almost every time I play it if I’m with my family,” Lunsford says, “because it’s about Botetourt [County] and about my family, so if they’re in the audience, I cannot make eye contact.”

In the song’s chorus, when Lunsford gentles her big voice and sings, “One more hug, and say I love you in your ear / be safe and watch out for deer,” you can’t help but think about your mom.

“One thing that I’ve learned, among many, over the 20 years of my career, is that whatever serves the music is the best choice, not what serves me or what serves my ego,” says Lunsford, who grew up in Fincastle, an Appalachian ville just north of Roanoke. “That can mean a lot of different things; that can mean hitting a high C and being super wide open, loud as hell, or it can mean being reserved and leaving a lot of space.”

On Rhinestones, Lunsford’s particularly interested in space.

She hired the Los Angelesbased musician Jacob Ungerleider and his moody, atmospheric style to produce eight of the album’s tracks, including three that got Lunsford misty: “Watch Out For Deer,” “Crossing Belvidere” and “Floodwatch.” (Lunsford and assorted bandmates produced the record’s remaining four songs.)

Ungerleider has played with The Head and the Heart, Flock of Dimes, and Natalie Prass, and before going west in 2020, he spent six years in Richmond. That’s where he met Lunsford, a University of Virginia grad who’d moved to Richmond in 2018 after 10 years in Charlottesville.

“I was intrigued that she wanted to work with me,”

Ungerleider says of Lunsford, “because I was like: ‘Listen, I do one vibe—a very specific vibe, just me and my very limited setup with what I can do at home,’ but she trusted that, and I think she

wanted to see how much her sound would match with that.”

Rhinestones is Lunsford’s solo follow-up to 2020’s The Damsel, also an Americana to-do, crafted from her living, breathing stash of songs. She jots compulsively, starting with the chorus—“the most catchy, earworm part of the song,” she says—and albums emerge from the 993MB of raw writing (and set lists) in her iPhone Notes app.

Lunsford writes the music on her banjo and/or guitar, the latter she learned from her mom, Cheryl, a guitarist and guitar teacher who runs The Guitar Dojo in Fincastle.

“Personally—and this is kind of a theme on the album—I was trying to kick-start my solo career again,” says Lunsford, who coformed Erin & the Wildfire 15 years ago. “[I was] writing these songs, feeling like I’m spinning my wheels in Richmond and feeling like my career is endlessly local and wanting more than that, so feeling kind of frustrated with where I’m at, but also a ton of gratitude for being able to do what I do at all.”

Written while Lunsford was listening to a lot of Kacey Musgraves, Madison Cun-

ningham, Noah Kahan, Joni Mitchell, and Brandi Carlile, the songs on Rhinestones date back three or four years. Lunsford’s performed them ever since, and she says audience reaction influenced which songs made the record. The album, though, does not try to replicate Lunsford live.

“The stuff I was used to hearing from her was a very live, full-band sound, and my sound is not really that,” says Ungerleider, whose new album, Congratulations, features the delightful “7 Dollar Coffee.” “It’s like a sound that couldn’t necessarily exist just in a room, if that makes sense. It might be a few layers of each instrument, really soft, which then, together, creates this ghostly full effect.”

Ungerleider’s layered guitar tracks on “Crossing Belvidere,” a lament about car trouble, briefly baffled Lunsford’s guitarists, Ryan Lipps and Kim McMasters, as they started translating the intricate album version for a live show.

“It’s so nerdy that it feels like a puzzle,” says McMasters, who grew up playing indie and alt-rock and has collaborated with Lunsford for years. “It’s a super-challenging thing to do, and me, personally, I don’t have a lot of experience in bluegrass or Americana or any of these styles that Erin pulls from the most, so I’m learning that a little bit. That is part of the fun.”

Shannon Bielski’s fiddle adds aura to the choruses in “Crossing Belvidere” and tapestry throughout in “Watch Out For Deer.” Preceding it on the album is the 58-second fiddle interlude “Delphia’s Sunrise.” Listen to it with your eyes closed.

Backing Lunsford this summer is the non-Erin & the Wildfire band of McMasters (guitar/vocals), Garen Dorsey (keys), Pat Hayes (drums), Caroline Vain (fiddle), and Summer Valentine (bass).

Lunsford says Rhinestones’ softer sounds have been adapted with drums and electricity for the stage, while she herself is staying acoustic on her bright Bourgeois guitar. It was a 15th birthday present from her mom that, longtime Wildfire bandmate Ryan Lipps says, is “as much a part of her and her music as her voice is.”

Erin Lunsford will host a Rhinestones album release party on July 30 at Potter’s Craft Cider with Sally Rose and Model House.

LAST LOOKS CULTURE

Members only

McGuffey’s summer show offers plenty of the weird and wonderful BY CM TURNER

Presenting a broad survey of disciplines and conceptual concerns, McGuffey Art Center’s “All Member Summer Show” highlights the diverse output made by studio residents of Charlottesville’s downtown arts hub. From unexpected and eccentric assemblage and sculpture to alluring paintings in lush oil and vivid watercolor, the two-floor showcase offers an incredible amount of art to investigate and enjoy.

Parsing through the artworks on view, a snapshot of what McGuffey artists are currently exploring comes into focus. Sculpture and textile-based pieces are elevated into position alongside representative and abstract painting. Carved wood, hand-built ceramic, cast bronze, and mixed media compositions occupy pedestals that run down the center lines of the First and Second Floor galleries, balancing what’s on the walls with intricate expressions that invite closer inspection.

Alan Box Levine’s contributions stand out in a series of whimsical and bizarre bicyclebased sculptures featured throughout the show. Levine’s playful pieces anchor a selection of delightfully weird works—mostly executed in sculpture and mosaic—that often incorporate found objects and ephemera. Deborah Davis’ appropriately titled “A Strange

Atmosphere” combines shattered ceramic with found objects to evoke a surreal western landscape. Joe Vena’s “Sloth Prayers and Mop Dreams” presents a sculptural vignette of two uncanny little creatures that are endearingly odd—and a little unsettling—which are watched over by the somewhat stern

documentary. Free, 4pm. The Barn at Stony Brook, 3101 Old Blue Ridge Tpk., Syria. ducard vineyards.com

Jacob Paul Allen. A Sunday session featuring Appalachian Red Dirt country music. Free, 1pm. Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, 1135 Clan Chisholm Ln., Earlysville. chisholmvineyards.com

Jo and Ray Enke. Shenandoah Valley acoustic duo blends guitar, banjo, and smooth vocal harmonies into a warm Americana sound. Free, 2pm. Glass House Winery, 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. glasshousewinery.com

Patty Griffin. A quintessentially American singersongwriter whose wide-ranging canon incisively explores the intimate moments and universal emotions that bind us together. $56–68, 8pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com

stage

As You Like It. See listing for Thursday, July 30. $40–75, 2pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. americanshakespearecenter.com

Bent Theatre Improv. See Charlottesville’s “Best Performance Troupe” live in action. Free, 6pm. Decipher Brewing, 1740 Broadway St. benttheatre comedy.com

Disney’s Frozen See listing for Saturday, August 1. $15–63, 3pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net

etc.

Documentary Film Screening: Shenandoah

Featuring Virginia Public Media’s stunning new

Vineyard Puzzle Hunt. See listing for Thursday, July 30. $15, 5pm. Eastwood Farm and Winery, 2531 Scottsville Rd. puzzledbee.com

Monday 8/3

music

Ramona Martinez. Local favorite serenades with her signature mix of country western and mariachi. Free, 5:30pm. The Fitzroy, 120 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. thefitzroycville.com

portrait portrayed in “Mary’s Parakeet,” another of Davis’ mixed media mosaics.

Across media, portraiture and figurative subjects abound, illustrating the return to more “traditional” expressions following a protracted hot period for abstraction in the wider art world. Highlights of representative painting include Mary Jane Check’s ornate “Dare to Dream,” Michael Powers’ subversive “The Hunt,” and the nostalgiatinged “Army Man No. 3” by Michael Fitts, all of which employ a measure of the surreal.

Several pieces by landscape artist Giselle Gautreau carry the dreamlike quality of the aforementioned output in studies of the natural world, while Marcia Mitchell’s exacting watercolor rendering of floral forms in “Dahlias, Anemones, Goldenrod” captures the enduring allure of botanical plates in a beautifully rich and measured natural palette.

It can be difficult to design an exhibition featuring so many varied voices working in

etc.

Cretaceous Craft Crew. Make awesome dinothemed crafts and hang out with friends. This week: cupcake decorating. Ages 10–15. Registration required. Free, 4pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org

Tuesday 8/4

music

BRIMS. Blue Ridge Irish Music School offers an open jam featuring traditional Irish music. Free, 6:30pm. Dürty Nelly’s, 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. durtynellyscharlottesville.com

FRIDAY 7/31

NOBLE NOTES

diverse artistic media, but an obvious effort has been made to curate the exhibition into small cohesive collections and conversations. Intimate moments of curation elevate each piece within a particular instance of aesthetic connection. Pink hues are attuned in a grouping of paintings including Lisa Macchi’s affectively unbridled abstraction “Melting Light,” Andrea Echeverri-Gent’s gesturally fluid “The River Styx in Pink,” and Todd Daggett’s untitled sci-fi scene on the second floor.

Likewise, a quartet of works by Jane Skafte, Lauren Williams, and Claudia Cappelle on the first floor teases out peachy tones in Skafte’s botanical watercolor “Amherst,” Williams’ delicately handwoven textile diptych “Recto/ Verso,” and Cappelle’s “Summer Radiance,” a colorfield piece with patches of flower petals peaking through swaths of soft acrylic wash. These moments allow viewers to draw aesthetic—and, in some cases, emotional— connections between media, and realize how disparate expressions elevate and complement each other. When connections aren’t immediately apparent, it’s recommended that viewers take care to shift their vistas, to change their point of view to reveal new perspectives within the exhibition, both literally and figuratively.

Tuesday Jazz with Jeff Massanari. A cast of great players joins the guitar virtuoso. 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

Teen Space Tuesdays. Teens ages 11–18 are invited to discover a new craft or activity. This week: Nintendo Switch game-in. Free, 1pm. Central Library, 201 E. Market St. jmrl.org

The Barons bring rock sounds ranging from heavy-hitting indie to a lighter fare of introspective love songs to Charlottesville. Formed in 2016, the group consists of lead singer and guitarist Peyton Alley, drummer Mathes Glymph, lead guitarist Josiah Ragland, bassist Kirtland Gray, and saxophonist Jack Peacock. With a signature sound blending beauty and destruction, the Virginia natives have built a dedicated following by headlining at colleges and venues on the East Coast, and supporting well-known alternative acts including Judah & The Lion, The Aces, and Barns Courtney. $19.25, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com

Mary Jane Check’s “Dare to Dream,” on view in McGuffey Art Center’s “All Member Summer Show” through August 16.

•

Take

PUZZLES FOR FUN

CROSSWORD

BY MATT JONES

When they go lo

ACROSS

1. “Quiet!” 6. Chilled 10. “Say again?”

Kitchen appliance manufacturer

Drift around

Bug 17. Head snake?

19. School attended by Ian Fleming

20. Greater or Lesser islands 21. Large numbers 23. Rep.’s rival 24. Milk sugar

25. Incinerator debris

28. “Don’t do drugs” ad, e.g.

30. Employee of Santa

31. Zhou En-___

32. Objects

35. “Benevolent” lodge members

38. Keystone structure

40. Openly disobey

41. 2021 TimothÈe Chalamet movie

42. “Just Do It” company

43. Genetically doubled

45. Middling grade

46. Host Shapiro or Melber

48. Greek wedding shout

49. “Star Trek: TNG” first officer

51. “Game of Thrones” character who’s told that he knows nothing

54. Director Craven

55. Commonplace

56. “The Phantom Menace” designation

61. Velodrome vehicle

62. Vacation spot full of bees?

64. Judith of “Designing Women”

65. Reduce a sentence?

66. “SNL” alum Murphy

67. “Say Hey” Hall of Famer

68. Part

69. Scans in

DOWN

1. Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Hadid

2. Hacker’s exclamation of success (or so movies tell me)

3. It’s behind you

4. Behind closed doors

5. World’s ___ Thermometer (attraction in Baker, Calif.)

6. “Dies ___” (Latin hymn)

7. New England fishes

8. Genesis figure

9. Skin layer

10. Went to the mat

11. #1 songs that bring good fortune?

12. Lotion additives

13. All wound up

18. Shade tree

22. Royal flush card

24. ___ Beach (Orange County city)

25. “Beauty and the Beast” composer Menken

26. Madras wrap

27. Requirement to decode the jargon of a guy from the sticks?

28. Feather-filled item

On bended ___

Prognosticator

Letters on a bar?

TV chef Garten

Tristan’s operatic lover

“The Girl From Ipanema” composer

‘60s-’70s Twins star Tony

ANSWERS 7/22/26 No notes 29. Meddlesome sor t 33. Compound used in air conditioning to replace the more potent “chloro-” version 34. Sault ___ Marie, Ontario

Last questionnaire option, often

Console whose last games were released in 2020

Wicked

Comedian Holmes

Nihilistic ar t genre

Author Blyton

Monthly midpoint

Vow phrase

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY FOR FUN

By Rob Brezsny

Virgo

(Aug. 22-Sept. 22): Your assignment: Compose a vigorous prayer in which you ask life for something you fear you don’t deserve or are not supposed to want. What is the blessing, healing, or freedom that feels “too much,” “too selfish,” “too late,” or “too impossible” for you to yearn for? Name this prize and how you imagine it might allow you to give more, love more, or live more honestly. You could begin your appeal with these words: “Dear Great Mystery, I’m nervous about asking for this, but I will ask anyway,” and then let your heart speak without editing. Do this at least once every day for 10 days.

Libra

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In 1848, a Libra-born carpenter named James Marshall discovered a few glittering flakes of gold floating on the American River in California. His find ignited the Gold Rush, drawing hundreds of thousands of people westward. Alas, Marshall himself never became rich from the discovery, though many other people did. I’m hoping and predicting a different outcome when you locate treasure in the coming weeks, Libra. In this instance, you will share in the spoils.

Scorpio

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Lyrebirds can imitate almost any sound, including chainsaws, car alarms, camera shutters, and other birds’ songs. But they don’t just mimic sounds randomly. They compose elaborate performances, weaving a variety of imitations into complex acoustic tapestries. In a sense, they are remix artists. During the coming weeks, Scorpio, I hope you give yourself permission to resemble a lyrebird. Sample freely from everything you’ve absorbed. Weave your influences into new configurations. Express your imaginative concoctions of repurposed ideas and enchantments. The voice isn’t less yours because it borrows from other voices. Originality is in part about arrangement, not just source material.

Sagittarius

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Astronauts who have orbited Earth describe the “overview effect.” Viewing the entire globe from high above triggers rich epiphanies and cognitive shifts, providing a visceral sense of the planet’s fragility and unity. Borders dissolve. Conflicts seem absurd. I surmise you are ripe for a similar blessing, Sagittarius. You’ll be able to see your current dramas from expansive vantage points that make their true scale and significance obvious. Armed with these perspectives, you will naturally clarify your priorities and allow petty concerns to fade away.

Capricorn

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You are the result of an ancestral crowd: two parents, four grandparents, and eight great-grandparents. With-

(July 23-Aug.22): Neurologists say that when you vividly imagine performing an action like shooting a basketball or playing piano, your brain activates many of the same networks it uses in real practice. In other words, mental rehearsal can measurably improve your actual performance. Many athletes use this trick. But here’s an interesting twist: Such visualizations work for emotional and social skills too. We can enhance our resilience and better regulate our moods if we practice doing so in the privacy of our imaginations. I bring this to your attention, Leo, because you’re in a period when your fantasy life has extrarobust practical power. I invite you to rehearse being who you want to be in the theater of your mind.

out these 14 lives weaving together in the precise ways they did, your unique destiny would never have taken shape. Their choices and challenges helped sculpt your gifts and your rough edges, your cravings and your turn-offs. The coming weeks will be a ripe astrological moment to get more intimate with this lineage. As you delve into your family’s stories, you may uncover vital clues for refreshing your views on dilemmas that have dragged on for a while. Are you daring enough to let your sense of “where I come from” evolve—and, with it, your sense of what kind of future you want to create?

Aquarius

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): According to my investigations, there’s a place you need to go, but fear or timidity is holding you back. Where is it? Is it a physical location, a creative risk, a complicated conversation, or a spiritual threshold? Visualize it. Who would you be if you appeared there in your full glory? What do you worry might happen if you do? What interesting future might never bloom if you don’t? I hope you formulate a feisty plan. To begin, write these words: “If I decide to go there anyway, acknowledging my fear but not being controlled by it, what first step will I take and what help will I seek?”

Pisces

(Feb. 19-March 20): Professional athletes sometimes talk about “winning ugly.” That’s when they achieve a victory even though they haven’t played their very best. I foresee you using that phrase for yourself soon, after you notch a less-than-pretty but undeniably real

success. There’s another expression you might also exemplify, too: “ugly ripe.” Officially, it’s the name of luscious heirloom tomatoes whose lumpy, offbeat forms contrast with the smooth, bland specimens stacked in most supermarket bins. In the coming weeks, it will describe the nonstandard yet succulent flavor of your life.

Aries

(March 21-April 19): In honor of the intensive homecoming phase of your astrological cycle, I have homework for you. 1. Make a prediction about how old you will be when you know precisely who you are. 2. Forecast the day when you will look in the mirror and recognize your face as an intricate portrait of every experience you have ever loved. 3. Imagine the dawn when the boundary between your own longing and life’s longing will dissolve, revealing they’ve always been the same current. 4. Predict when your heart will be as wild and free and brave as you have always wanted it to be.

Taurus

(April 20-May 20): Ornithologists studying migration know that some birds don’t fly directly to their destination. They follow “leading lines.” These are geographical features like coastlines and mountain ranges that provide orientation. Even when this means taking a longer route, the certainty of having a guiding landmark outweighs the efficiency of a straight line across nondescript terrain. I recommend the birds’ approach to you in the coming weeks, Taurus. Follow your own leading lines: practices and

intuitions that provide lucid orientation even when they don’t offer shortcuts. The indirect path offers the surety you need.

Gemini

(May 21-June 21): What’s an important truth you keep forgetting about? Maybe it’s a promise you once made to yourself, or an understanding that your younger self knew, or a wisdom your body keeps trying to communicate while your mind ignores it. What truth returns again and again in different guises: through synchronicities, seemingly random comments from friends, recurring dreams, or the same lesson repeating in new situations? What crucial insights about life do you remember during crisis or ecstasy, only to abandon them once normalcy returns? Now is a favorable time to fully recover this lesson and install it firmly at the heart of your life.

Cancer

(June 21-July 22): Astronomers know that many stars don’t travel alone. Binary stars orbit each other for eons, their mutual gravity shaping each partner’s destiny. I propose we make this your featured metaphor in the coming months. It will be a favorable time to deemphasize the notion that strength and creative power require complete autonomy. I suspect that flexible, spirited interdependence will generate far better results than lonely self-sufficiency. Which alliances and relationships will expand your orbit rather than shrink it? Invest in them.

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

LEO

Good as gold

An evening celebrating the Best of C-VILLE winners and runners-up.

Good company, great food, flowing drinks, and just enough gilt to make the trophies feel at home.

INVITATIONS WILL BE SENT TO THIS YEAR’S HONOREES.

Saturday, August 29 (7-11pm)

INVITE ONLY (21+)

P.S. THE BIG PICTURE

Songs he sang in the shower

Thunder and lightning may have cut short Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s July 26 benefit concert for the Charlottesville Free Clinic, but the sudden storm couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the band or its fans. For more than an hour, Isbell and co. poured forth heartfelt hits like “24 Frames,” “Dress Blues,” and “If We Were Vampires,” along with older numbers from his Drive-By Truckers days— not to mention a killer cover of Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Let Me Roll It.”

This year, everyone's invited.

We're expanding Best of C-VILLE with the launch of Bestival—a brand-new community celebration of everything that makes Charlottesville the best. Spend the afternoon exploring local businesses, enjoying food and entertainment, and celebrating this year's winners before we cap off the day with our annual invite-only Best of C-VILLE party.