“We are treated like animals, and are told that we have no rights, and we sure feel like we don’t,” reads the final paragraph of the letter. “I have great concern for the safety of myself and others here at [the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail].” The handwriting, in pencil, is large, legible, soft; the paper’s rounded corners and jagged left edge hint that it was ripped from a composition book. The letter details the jail’s cleaning procedures, or lack thereof. “All inmates in lockdown blocks share one shower. …The green cleaning rags are washed with dirty mopheads. …You have to eat, s ..read more

City gets a new manager After more than 15 hours of emergency closed meetings, Charlottesville City Council announced last Thursday that it had selected a new city manager: Chip Boyles, executive director of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission. John Blair, who has served as interim city manager for nearly three months, is leaving Charlottesville to become Staunton’s city attorney. His last day as acting city manager is February 12. Before moving to Charlottesville in 2014, Boyles served as assistant city manager and city manager in three cities, including Clemson, South Carolina ..read more

Two weeks ago, the far-right riot at the U.S. Capitol—fueled by President Donald Trump’s false claims that he won the election—shocked people across the world. But for many, it was a familiar scene. As the country looks ahead to a new administration and beyond, Charlottesville’s leaders and activists have hard-won advice for President Joe Biden. “[The January 6 siege] is the same horrific play we’ve seen over and over again in this country,” says community activist Don Gathers, who was at the infamous 2017 Unite the Right rally. “So much of the opening act of that play looked just like Charlot ..read more

Chuck Pinnell found his calling right out of high school, when his love of art and crafting drew him to leather as a medium. After learning the trade in a harness shop in Colonial Williamsburg during the Bicentennial, he later moved to Middleburg to take over a tack repair business, mending saddles and other pieces for horse riders. Pinnell faced a steep learning curve. Until then, he’d only joined pieces by hand. “They gave me a huge pile of horse blankets to repair and said, ‘Here is the sewing machine, and by the way it’s broken so you’ll have to fix it first,’ so I had to jump in the deep ..read more

In an ongoing effort to support local dining establishments during the pandemic, our writers have been enjoying a variety of takeout meals from some of their favorite restaurants. Contribute to this ongoing series by sending your own delicious experiences to living@c-ville.com. Ivy Inn Restaurant The essence of fine dining lies just as much in the experience and the presentation as it does in the cooking methodology—which is why I’d been wary of opting for takeout when it comes to elevated cuisine. But after an anxiety-ridden week, I decided that a bit of indulgence was in order. I turned to I ..read more

Ridiculous history: Before there was Spamalot, there was Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The British comedy film crossed the pond in 1975 to become a box office hit in the U.S., while entering ridiculous quotes (“It’s just a flesh wound”) into the pop culture lexicon. The wacky retelling of King Arthur’s tale launched the Monty Python comedy troupe to international fame and ingrained them as legends in the English heritage they built a career poking fun at. Saturday 1/23, $10, 7:30pm. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 5th Street Station. 326-5056. The post PICK: Mounty Python and the Holy Grail appear ..read more

Burning love: Since 1801 the life of poet Robert Burns has been celebrated with an annual meal on or near his January 25 birthday. Deemed a Burns Supper, the dinner consists of haggis (sheep or calf offal seasoned, and boiled in a bag made from the animal’s stomach), tatties (mashed potatoes), and neeps (mashed rutabaga). Chef Jason Crickenberger keeps with tradition by having the haggis played in by a bagpiper, followed by a reading of “Address to a Haggis” and the delivery of a sweet, liquory Scottish trifle to finish. Sunday 1/24, $20, 4pm. The Pub at Lake Monticello, 51 Bunker Blvd., Palmy ..read more

Count to three: There’s never been a better time for a magic show. (Please Wes Iseli, make it disappear!) Iseli, a consultant for “The Carbonaro Effect” on truTV, has been wowing audiences with his magic since age 7, and gained local fame through his 24-hour fundraising shows. In Virtual Magic Show, he promises to teach us a few of his tricks, pull a rabbit out of a hat, and entertain with Vegas-style illusions. The event is a fundraiser for the Woodbrook and Agnor-Hurt elementary school PTOs. Friday 1/22, $5 -25, 7pm. facebook.com/AgnorHurt ElementaryPto. The post PICK: Virtual Magic Show app ..read more

Cullen Wade considers himself a guest in the house of hip-hop. And he’s trying to make the most of his visit. Going by the name of Fellowman, the Charlottesville emcee recently dropped a new LP and performed it in its entirety during a late December Facebook livestream. The 12-track collection, Death of the Author, is an ambitious concept album from a rapper and producer who’s made only one other full-length project. “It’s the most personal thing I’ve done,” Fellowman says. “I think it’s the first time when I haven’t been trying to impress anybody. Being a rapper is competitive…A lot of what I ..read more

Cheesy goodness: In the intro to her cookbook Hot Cheese: Over 50 Gooey, Oozy, Melty Recipes, Polina Chesnakova writes: “…something happens when you apply heat to curds: a setting of the stage. A bubbling pot of fondue, a half wheel of raclette as it blisters and caramelizes under a grill.” To salivate even more, break out the brie and tune in to the Virginia Festival of the Book’s Shelf Life series, which features Chesnakova in conversation with cheese expert Sara Adduci (formerly of Feast!). Thursday 1/14, Free, noon. Facebook Live. facebook.com/vabookfest. The post PICK: Hot Cheese appeared ..read more