Last Tuesday, UVA hospital’s ICU director Taison Bell became one of the first people in Charlottesville to receive the newly approved coronavirus vaccine. It was a moment of “mixed emotions,” says Bell, who has worked with COVID patients throughout the crisis. “It was definitely a good feeling to finally have something that can potentially protect […]
While the coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately impacted communities of color this year, Black people have been dealing with “a pandemic of racism” in the United States for centuries, as Black mental health advocate Myra Anderson told C-VILLE over the summer. When Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes […]
In a year where many of us followed guidelines to stay at home, the skies of downtown Charlottesville were marked by cranes building new spaces for the 21st century. In their shadow, projects to provide more affordable units moved through the bureaucratic process required to keep them below-market. Before the clock strikes 2021, let’s look […]
Holiday hope COVID-19, like the Grinch, has threatened to stop Christmas. But Dr. Alvin Edwards, senior pastor at Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church, says, “We decided early on we weren’t going to let this crisis drive us, we were going to make it work.” Jonathan Spivey, Mt. Zion’s minister of music worship, agreed. Back […]
By Mary Jane Gore On one side of Preston Avenue, heading up the hill from Washington Park, there’s a row of tightly packed, eclectic houses. On the other side, the road is bordered by an ivy-covered embankment. Residents of the area are concerned about a planned bike lane, which would run up Preston on the […]
Congressman Denver Riggleman’s new book, Bigfoot…It’s Complicated, begins with a chapter called “A Discussion on Simian Genitalia.” In other words, Riggleman, who was accused of enjoying “Bigfoot erotica” during his 2018 congressional campaign, is leaning in. Riggleman defeated Democrat Leslie Cockburn in 2018 despite the Bigfoot story, but will leave Washington having served just one […]
In October, leaders at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlottesville penned a blog post accusing the Charlottesville Police Department of racial profiling. According to the clergy, CPD unnecessarily detained and intimidated a Black congregant as he was walking to church. On December 10, Charlottesville Police Chief RaShall Brackney held a press conference during which she […]
In brief Fellini’s closing Yet another Charlottesville business has been shuttered by the coronavirus. Last week, the owners of downtown Italian restaurant and music venue Fellini’s announced that December 19 would be the spot’s final day. “We literally tried EVERYTHING,” reads a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page. The owners report that they asked the […]
If you’re anxious about trying CBD for anxiety, you’ve got reasons to chill. One, there’s now sky-high piles of evidence that the stuff works. Two, the governor’s on your side. Ralph Northam announced on November 16 that he supports legalizing marijuana—and CBD, a less potent derivative, has been federally legal since 2018. A quick primer […]
For many, an IV drip connotes extreme sickness. The treatment is primarily associated with hospitals, and the image of fluids being fed directly into someone’s veins often implies a serious health issue. At the very least, IVs tend to make people squeamish. Megan Kingdon hopes to change these perceptions. In June, she opened Well Room, […]
While Congress continues to debate a much-needed coronavirus relief package—almost nine months after the first one was passed—nearly 40 million renters nationwide might soon be forced out of their homes, as the Centers for Disease Control’s ban on evictions approaches its expiration date. On December 31, the CDC’s eviction moratorium will end, and the supplemental […]
Have you ever spotted the peacocks on the Downtown Mall? Once you know where to look, you can’t miss them. They’re staring down from tiles near the second-floor windows above Snooky’s Pawn Shop, their teal tail feathers splayed in semicircles. The storefront once belonged to Levy’s department store, which is why the façade is clad […]
There’s no question that the pandemic has spiked everyone’s stress level. Millions of people have lost jobs. Parents are struggling to balance work lives with kids’ remote learning. Many have been stuck inside their homes for months, away from loved ones. And on top of all of that, coronavirus cases and deaths continue to increase […]
Grinding to a halt Last week, a final warning was issued to all skaters: If more than 25 people were seen gathered at the Charlottesville Skate Park—or other city parks and recreation areas—over the weekend, the city would consider shutting down all of its outdoor facilities until the declaration of emergency is lifted. Officials stopped […]
By Caroline Challe Mountains of reading, devilish final exams, finding your way into adulthood—college can be stressful under the best of circumstances. This year, coronavirus turned UVA’s public spaces into ghost towns, and rendered many college students’ traditional methods of de-stressing impossible, or at least unwise. (Although it’s true that some students made their way […]
It’s 11am on Thursday, November 19. The U.S. has reached an all-time high for COVID-19 infections in a single day. Colleges have reported record-high numbers as well, contributing to around 2 percent of national infections, according to the New York Times. And UVA President Jim Ryan has declared victory. In a video posted to the […]
For Shelby Marie Edwards, serving her community comes naturally. Edwards grew up watching her mother, Holly Edwards, advocate for low-income residents as a parish nurse for the Jefferson Area Board for Aging and as program coordinator for the Public Housing Association of Residents. Now the younger Edwards is following in those footsteps as PHAR’s new […]
This week, our arts and living columnists share the culture that has helped them survive the pandemic. Something with soul Music has always been cathartic for me—as a child, I’d entertain myself (and anyone who would listen) for hours, singing off-key versions of Fleetwood Mac and Janis Joplin classics into my sparkly purple hairbrush. In college, […]