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 […]
coronavirus
In brief: New COVID regulations, legal weed, and more
Tighten it up On Sunday, with COVID-19 cases surging across the United States, Governor Ralph Northam announced a new set of stricter regulations for citizens and businesses in Virginia. The rules, which went into effect at midnight on November 15, limit gatherings to 25 individuals, instead of the previous 250. Restaurants are now required to […]
Quick change artists: Teachers deserve kudos for adapting on the fly
By Virginia Daugherty “We teachers stay in touch and try to keep up our morale.” “Children aren’t meant to sit in front of computers all day.” “I’m upping my skills daily.” “I didn’t sign up for this.” It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and this year our local educators deserve a special shout-out as they try their […]
Love in the time of corona: With their planned weddings on hold, three local couples are making lemonade from lemons
It’s to be expected that one’s wedding day will include a few stressors—the guest shuttle didn’t arrive on time, there’s a stain on the bride’s veil, the band left a crucial instrument behind. What’s less predictable: A global pandemic shuts down the wedding altogether. Here are three local [...]
Turning the tables: As dining moves to takeout, local restaurants face challenges
Standing in the Chimm dining room, Jay Pun felt a sense of unease. It was the weekend of March 7, and the tables were full of diners noshing on Thai and southeast Asian street food dishes. “This is really starting to freak me out,” said one of Pun’s employees, who was also surveying the scene. [...]
Holding the line
While most of us are staying home, some locals are still heading to work, to keep essential services running. Here are nine of their stories, in their own words. Allison Kirkner Lead nurse practitioner and manager, cardiothoracic ICU at UVA Hospital As told to Erin O’Hare Every single day is a [...]
High school seniors mourn loss of milestones
by Charlie Burns Ever since its emergence in the United States, the coronavirus has impacted people’s lives in distinct ways, and laid waste to societal norms as we know them. For high school seniors, this includes social and academic expectations for their final semester. Senior year has [...]
This week, 4/1
On Monday, Governor Ralph Northam ordered all Virginians to stay at home, turning the “suggestion” that we all keep our distance into an official command. While the announcement likely won’t change much in Charlottesville, where schools, universities, and most businesses are already operating [...]
Whiskey, guns, and SpongeBob: The University of Virginia goes digital
“I’m going to kill a fifth during this lecture,” announced one student, holding a bottle of whiskey aloft as his classmates tuned in for a Zoom meeting of a UVA data science class. “I can hear you,” the professor said back. As coronavirus has swept the nation, universities across the [...]
In brief: Stay home
Settle in “Our message today is very clear: That is to stay home,” said Governor Ralph Northam at the beginning of a March 30 press conference. On March 27, the governor issued Executive Order 53, which shut down schools for the rest of the year, closed all “non-essential” businesses, and asked [...]
Kuttner’s clock: Time running short for RV quarantine facility
Entrepreneur and inventor Oliver Kuttner has been known to step up in a crisis. In 2005, he loaded the Starlight Express, a Charlottesville-New York luxury bus service he co-founded, and headed south with supplies to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi. Now Kuttner has a plan to [...]
Ripple effect: Local restaurants connect creatively to survive the virus’ impact
As restaurants nationwide are forced to limit service in response to the coronavirus epidemic, workers and owners face economic as well as emotional uncertainty. Our gem of a food town is no exception. By the time Charlottesville announced its first case of COVID-19 on March 16, restaurants [...]
Taking covers: Your social distancing reading list
With the cancellation of the Virginia Festival of the Book, and recommendations to practice social distancing, there’s never been a better time to pick up some extra reading material. While we’re disappointed that we won’t get to hear from these authors in person, their work and words are still [...]
Hitting home: Coronavirus closings rattle Charlottesville
Virginia reported its first two coronavirus cases on March 9. By March 13, Charlottesville and Albemarle’s governments had each declared a local state of emergency and Governor Ralph Northam had ordered all public schools in Virginia to close for at least two weeks. Charlottesville’s first [...]
What’s happening…and what’s not
In an effort to contain the growing coronavirus/COVID-19 threat, a lot is shifting. Schools are closed, government proceedings are different, local venues are cancelling and postponing events, and local shops and restaurants are closing or pivoting to different business models. We’ll keep [...]
In it together: Life under quarantine in our Italian sister city
Just weeks ago, Caterina Martini was celebrating the first birthday of her daughter, surrounded by friends and family at a large gathering. Hugs and kisses passed freely from person to person. Life changed quickly for Martini and her family on March 10, when the Italian government issued a [...]