Tomas Rahal, who favored an underpass instead of a bridge, took over the former Spudnuts building in 2017 after the donut shop shuttered in 2016. Photo by Eze Amos.
Both Project Gait-Way and the Belmont Vortex created ways for planners to dream up ideas for the urban landscape around Avon Street. Since 2011, there have been many transformations while the new bridge and street layout awaited construction.
In December 2014, what had previously been used as a hair salon and then a small grocery store became one of the area’s most sought-after restaurants: Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria. The previous June, the owners of Lampo had used a crane to lower a three-ton oven from Naples into their space at 205 Monticello Rd.
At least one exhibition on potential options was held next door in the space formerly occupied by the Bridge Performing Arts Initiative. The creative center moved to the Downtown Mall last year after Lightning Properties, the real estate umbrella of Lampo and Bar Baleno, bought both properties for $800,000 in April 2022 to allow for expansion.
Lampo reopened after the pandemic in August 2022 while construction of the bridge was underway.
“Finally feels like things are back to normal,” says Lampo co-owner Loren Mendosa. “The bridge was certainly a pain, but now that it’s done we’ve noticed a bit of an uptick.”
In 2016, Charlottesville said goodbye to Spudnuts, a beloved purveyor of potato-flour donuts at 309 Avon St. that had been in business since 1969. Tomas Rahal, a former chef at Mas Tapas, took over the space in 2017 with Quality Pie. During construction of the bridge, Rahal took the city to task for not doing enough to support local businesses in the face of the disruption. He preferred the underpass option.
“The roadway, not a bridge at all, serves as a visual scar across our viewscape, instead of healing the rift between north Downtown and Belmont,” Rahal says. “They have cleaned up most of their mess, [but] the damage to us was deep, persistent, long-lasting.”
Located one block to the north at 403 Avon St., Fox’s Cafe closed during the pandemic, and the building and two adjacent lots were purchased for $1.4 million in February 2023. There are currently no plans filed to redevelop the site except for an application for a building permit for a new alcove. Daddy Mack’s Grub Shack food truck currently operates from the site.
Across the street at 405 Avon St. and 405 Levy Ave., the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority continues to operate its maintenance division on 1.1 acres now owned by the City of Charlottesville. The CRHA adopted a master plan in the summer of 2010 that called for the former auto service station to become a new apartment building with affordable units. That never happened—in part because of opposition from Belmont residents. The nonprofit Community Bikes occupied the site for many years before the CRHA began to use the property.
Earlier this year, several Belmont residents also opposed the notion of the city purchasing the property for a potential homeless shelter, while others welcomed that possibility. In January, City Manager Sam Sanders recommended that $4 million in leftover federal COVID-relief funds be used to buy the land and to allow CRHA to remain as a tenant while determining the property’s potential future. Afton Schneider, the city’s communications director, said there are no plans that can be shared with the public at this time.
There are also no redevelopment plans filed for 310 Avon St., a property under the single ownership of Avon Court LLC, which formerly housed the original location of Better Living and an old lumber supply warehouse. That building was demolished in late 2009, leaving other commercial properties on the site. One of them was the original home of Champion Brewing Company, which opened in the fall of 2012 and closed at the end of June 2023.
The construction of the bridge created new ways to get to 100 and 110 Avon St. just to the south of Lampo. The building at 100 Avon St. changed hands in December 2020 for $4.5 million, and the new owner renovated the existing structure to add several apartments. A site plan for an additional four-story building has been approved, but the units have not yet been built.
Brookville Biscuit & Brunch returned in early June with a bountiful lineup of biscuit sandwiches.
Supplied photo.
By Sarah Golibart Gorman
It’s the last call for the inaugural Virginia Cocktail Games, hosted by the Virginia Spirits Board. In this boozy, stateside version of the summer Olympics, 25 bartenders from five regions across the commonwealth compete to create the best cocktail. The two-round competition begins July 26 with a round of online voting running through August 11, culminating in a live mixology battle at Virginia Distilled on September 14. Mix your own and follow along at virginiaspirits.org.
Biscuits are back
Following a vandalism incident that forced a months-long closure, Ace Biscuit and Barbecue has returned to serving its beloved biscuits and barbecue. On July 11, the restaurant posted pics of the recently renovated loo, proudly announcing, “Our bathrooms are back in action and ready to handle all your … business.” Swing by 600 Concord Ave. to ‘cue up.
Also making a comeback is Brookville Biscuit & Brunch, which returned in early June after three years of online-only ordering through Multiverse Kitchens. Located at 1747 Allied St., Brookville is upgrading its patio and restaurant to offer a dining experience reminiscent of its original Downtown Mall roots. The biscuits are anything but basic, featuring delights like the fried pork chop with cream cheese and pepper jelly, chicken-fried oyster mushroom, and The Mother Clucker—fried chicken thigh topped with pickle, lettuce, and a proprietary Fowl Mouthed herb sauce.
Fair play
So you think you can bake? If your pie plate is the first dish cleared at the potluck, it’s time to up your game and let the experts decide. Gardeners, brewers, bakers, beekeepers, viticulturists, and artists are invited to enter the 2024 Albemarle County Fair’s annual home arts competition. Applications are accepted through July 30 and the fair begins on August 1 at James Monroe’s Highland. Begin your blue ribbon quest at albemarlecountyfair.com.
Rosé, you say?
Raise a glass of bubbly to toast Rosemont Vineyards’ sparkling success! The winery’s Extra Brut Sparkling Rosé has clinched the crown as Rosé Wine of the Year at the Sommeliers Choice Awards. Flavors of strawberries, grapefruit, and cranberries make for great summer sipping. This rosé is Brut Nature, or “Zero Dosage,” keeping it pure with no added sugar during fermentation.
Big dill
BYO dill to savor the final weeks of National Pickle Month this July at Bold Rock in Nellysford. The cidery’s concocted a limited release Dill Pickle Cider, pouring exclusively on draught in its Virginia and North Carolina taprooms. Drinkers are weighing in with mixed reviews, describing it as sweet and vinegary with just a hint of dill, while others are craving more dill to really zing their taste buds. Find out for yourself if this cider is your dill-ightful match!
New bites
Rumi’s Famous Kebab: Dive into Afghani flavors at Rumi’s, open on Emmet Street since late June. Enjoy kebab platters, saffron rice, naan, spiced chickpeas, and more in a vibrant setting. @rumiscville
Tangerines Kitchen: Tangerines Kitchen, from the owner of Monsoon Siam and four other local Thai spots, made a zesty entrance with a soft opening on July 3, offering omelets, benedicts, pancakes, and a decadent French toast drizzled with pandan coconut sauce. Don’t miss the authentic Thai favorites for dinner. Located at 32 Mill Creek Dr. #102. @tangerineskitchen
Althea Bread: Althea Bread has risen to the occasion with a brick and mortar opening in Charlottesville this May. Grab a cup at neighboring Mudhouse Coffee Roasters and enjoy it alongside Althea’s sourdough bread and pastries, lovingly crafted with stone-ground local heirloom and ancient grains. Find it at 120 10th St. NW. altheabread.com
Charges have been dropped against UVA professor Noah Salomon. Photo by Eze Amos.
Termination trend
Theta Chi’s Fraternal Organization Agreement has been terminated by the Office of Student Affairs at the University of Virginia. The decision affirms that a hazing incident from March violates Adam’s Law, a piece of Virginia anti-hazing legislation from July 2022. Per the Hazing Misconduct Report published on July 2, Theta Chi may not seek re-establishment until the 2028-29 academic year, provided that it halt all public and private “underground” operations. The report found that Theta Chi engaged in hazing, including coerced servitude and other embarrassing or harmful acts.
Charges dropped
Trespassing charges have been dropped against Islamic Studies Associate Professor Dr. Noah Salomon, who was arrested by Virginia State Police as they forcibly dissolved a pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Virginia in May. Salomon acted as an unofficial facilitator between students and UVA police prior to the escalation. He is the sixth person of the 25 people arrested for trespassing to have his case dismissed. “May [the] dismissal of my case be an occasion for us all to demand that the University of Virginia and all universities never again summon a small army to suppress peaceful student protest,” he told CBS19.
Humane hope
Habitat For Humanity of Greater Charlottesville is hustling to put together a bid for the Carlton Mobile Home Park after a $7 million offer was made by an unknown source. Residents have a 60-day window, which ends on August 6, to counter the initial offer. Carlton residents have collectively signed a petition that allows Habitat to make an offer on behalf of the park. Signatures have exceeded the 25 percent quota of households required by the Virginia Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act, but the status of the counter offer remains uncertain.
Grab your ogre ears, green glow sticks, and Lord Farquaad cape for the Shrek Rave. If you let out a hoot and holler for the Shrek 5 movie announcement, this party is for you and your fellow swamp-dwellers. Be the shooting star that breaks the mold in a glittering set with DJ mixes that allow you to unleash all of the Shrek jargon bouncing around in your brain (to the beat of Shreksophone). “It’s dumb just come have fun!”
Friday 7/26. Day-of $27, 9pm. The Jefferson Theater, 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. jeffersontheater.com.
A 3D rendering of the latest version of a redevelopment project at 1193 Seminole Trail in Albemarle County. The Hibachi Grill property is within city limits and is slated for a four-story building with a proposed 250 units.
Image via WSG Architecture.
What happens when you build a pair of apartment buildings with hundreds of residents each on the busiest highway in the Charlottesville area? The community will find out in a couple of years if two proposed developments make their way through the process.
On July 16, the Albemarle Planning Commission held a public hearing on a rezoning for up to 165 units and two retail buildings at 1193 Seminole Trail. The site is currently home to the C’ville Oriental grocery store and two former automotive repair businesses that have recently closed.
Meanwhile, Charlottesville planners continue to review a proposal to redevelop 1185 Seminole Trail, the site of Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet. Keane Enterprises of Ashburn, Virginia, has submitted a site plan for 250 apartment units on a four-acre lot.
The projects’ proximity provides a unique test of the cooperation called for in the Comprehensive Plans for both jurisdictions. It is not often two parcels across the border redevelop simultaneously.
“The City and County coordinate on planning efforts, both at the staff level and through decision-making bodies,” reads the city’s plan.
Yet the Albemarle and Charlottesville planning commissions have not held a joint meeting for more than five years, a period in which both localities have been updating their respective development rules.
Albemarle Supervisors last updated their plan in 2015, and it makes several references to cooperation with the city, such as “affordable housing that is connected to community amenities, parks, trails, and services in the City,” as reads one strategy in the document.
Both projects are proceeding under older requirements to restrict rents for a certain percentage of units to make sure they are affordable to households with lower incomes. Thesis Living, the developer of the Albemarle parcel, filed their plans before Albemarle increased the number of units from 15 percent to 20 percent.
The Keane site plan was turned in to Charlottesville’s Department of Neighborhood Services before the effective date of the city’s new zoning. Those rules require 10 percent of units to be made available to households with less than 60 percent of the area median income.
The two buildings would be four stories-tall and would be sited on either side of the border between the two localities, with driveways extending onto a 10-lane section of U.S. 29. Neither application acknowledges the role the other might play in addressing mutual issues such as transportation or stormwater management.
Children living in the Thesis Living complex would go to Albemarle schools and those in the Keane property would go to city schools, requiring two different sets of buses. Residents of 1185 Seminole Trail would be amid an island of commercial uses but might soon have new neighbors if one anticipated major redevelopment happens. Great Eastern Management Company, a local company with residential complexes such as Barclay Place and commercial shopping centers, has filed a site plan to redevelop the vacant Giant grocery store in Seminole Square Shopping Center with 350 units.
In one sign of the benefits of mutual planning, a pedestrian bridge across U.S. 29 at Zan Road will be finished in fall of 2025. This was one of several projects called for in a joint master plan for the overall area.
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 thriller The 39 Steps, based on John Buchan’s 1915 novel, brought the director international recognition and launched his Hollywood career with its themes of love, death, and crime intertwining in a frenzied plot that moves at the speed of a bullet train. Heritage Theatre’s production of the hilariously suspenseful whodunit will leave audiences gripping their seats as four actors play more than 150 characters to tell the story of Richard Hannay’s vacation to London, hijacked when he meets an ill-fated spy and is falsely accused of murder.
Through 8/4. $15-40. Ruth Caplin Theatre, 109 Culbreth Rd. virginiatheatrefestival.org.
President Joe Biden was first elected to public office in 1970. File photo.
In an unprecedented move, President Joe Biden announced on July 21 that he is ending his bid for reelection. The president has endorsed his former running mate and current Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination, but much is still up in the air ahead of the Democratic National Convention next month.
Since entering the Senate more than 50 years ago, Biden’s political and personal careers have been defined by his perseverance.
“I thought that his mentality was, ‘Okay. I could get through this just like I got through everything else in the last 50 years,’” says Miles Coleman, associate editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia. “He was obviously talked out of that.”
While doubts about Biden’s candidacy have plagued the entirety of his 2024 bid for reelection, it was the June 27 debate against Donald Trump that likely shifted the Democratic Party’s calculations, according to Coleman.
“You could very plausibly argue that that is the most consequential presidential debate in our history,” he says. “The coalition of voters he had, I would argue, wasn’t as much of a pro-Biden coalition as it was anti-Trump. I think that was part of it. He was thinking, ‘Okay, well, am I the one who can best beat Trump?’ … I think one of the big favors he did was right off the bat he endorsed Harris.”
A recent article from Sabato’s Crystal Ball—published on July 18, three days before Biden’s announcement—details the president’s declining polling numbers and increasingly “grim electoral future for Democrats.”
In the article, Coleman and Crystal Ball managing editor Kyle Kondik assert that increasingly shaky polling around Biden, especially in crucial swing states Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona, makes the gamble of switching to Harris more attractive.
“Harris, to me, is a little untested in terms of being on the national stage and having to actually win votes,” says Coleman. “I’m really not sure if she is going to play in the Midwest, which, in my mind, that’s probably going to be the region that’s going to decide the election.”
Existing polling on Harris shows the vice president slightly outperforming Biden with Democratic core groups, specifically women and minorities. Her numbers are slightly lower with men, but the aforementioned core groups have the real potential to make or break Democrats’ bid for the presidency, according to Coleman.
While another member of the party could mount a rapid campaign against her for the position, the vast majority of the Democratic establishment has quickly gotten behind Harris.
A number of state and local Charlottesville Democrats have expressed their support for Harris and respect for Biden, including Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Mark Warner, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, state Sen. Creigh Deeds, and Del. Amy Laufer.
“As I have been saying for weeks, President Biden is a patriotic American who has always put the needs of our country ahead of himself. … His decision today reflects the same patriotism that George Washington and Teddy Roosevelt demonstrated when they selflessly put their country above their own political ambitions,” shared Kaine in an official statement shortly after Biden’s announcement. “I’m looking forward to working with my friend Kamala Harris and a great ticket mate to keep Virginia blue so that we can continue to build on our progress.”
Vice President Kamala Harris broke the all-time single-day fundraising record, garnering $81 million for her campaign. File photo.
With Harris now the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, the question of her running mate remains. At press time, a formal selection for the Vice President spot on the ticket has not been made, but a few names and trends have emerged.
“Something that we talk about often when it comes to picking the vice president is the idea of balance,” says Coleman. “At this point, I think it would be a big shock if [Harris] doesn’t end up picking another white male to replace Biden.”
Among the most likely contenders for the job are North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly. All four are white men with good electoral track records in politically purple states.
Cooper has quickly emerged as a potential frontrunner for the VP pick, having won twice in a state that went for Trump in 2016 and 2020. The governor is also at the end of his eligibility, presently serving his second consecutive term in office, which removes pressure to keep him in his current role to oppose state-level Republican efforts.
Moving to Kentucky, Beshear stands out as a younger contender for the running mate position. The 46-year-old won his bid for reelection to the governorship last year, winning 52.5 percent of the vote against Republican challenger Daniel Cameron.
Beshear also has local ties, having earned his law degree from UVA in 2003.
In Pennsylvania, Shapiro recently came into the national spotlight in the wake of the failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump at an outdoor rally. “He won some bipartisan praise about how he handled the assassination attempt on Trump last week, at least how he set the tone for the aftermath of the assassination attempt,” says Coleman.
Republicans and Democrats praised Shapiro for his quick response, intentional and prompt release of information, conversations with state representatives, and call to the family of Corey Comperatore in the aftermath of the assassination attempt. Comperatore was killed in the shooting, sitting in the section immediately behind Trump.
Cooper, Beshear, and Shapiro have all served as state attorney general at some point in their careers, something the three share with Harris. Coleman highlighted that Democrats could potentially use a ticket with two former attorneys general on it to push back against Republican law and order appeals.
Kelly is also a potential contender for the VP spot but a less likely pick compared to the aforementioned governors. While he could help turn out voters given his popularity in his home state, Kelly is also only in his first term as a senator.
Looking more locally, Coleman says it’s unlikely either Virginia senator will be named as Harris’ running mate. “The biggest strike against Kaine (or Warner) is that Youngkin would appoint a replacement,” he says. “A Virginia pick is just a lot less attractive to Democrats this time around compared to 2016.”
Regardless of who ends up as Harris’ running mate, Coleman speculates that the election is still going to be close. “To me at least, in terms of the electoral map, the Democrats are going to have to win those three midwestern states (Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin).”
Though switching to Harris might be a gamble this late in the election cycle, the move and its timing have several potential upsides for Democrats.
“For much of this year, the Trump campaign had been preparing to run against Biden, and now that’s kind of shuffled up,” says Coleman. “Had Biden announced this time last year that he wasn’t running, then this whole last year the Republicans would have turned their fire on Harris. I’m sure they are going to still very much be going after her now, but they only have four months.”
“One of the biggest criticisms of Biden, not just from Republicans, but from Democrats as well, is his age,” says Coleman. “Now the oldest person to ever run in a presidential general election is going to be Donald Trump because he’s older right now than Biden was in 2020.”
Trump’s recently announced running mate J.D. Vance was also selected with a Biden ticket in mind. Rather than choosing a more moderate VP candidate or someone with different potential selling points, Trump “doubled down and went for Vance.”
Looking ahead, the next month will be especially crucial for Democrats. A divided Democratic Party come August would spell disaster, says Coleman, but that seems increasingly unlikely. “At least theoretically, [Harris’] biggest contenders for the nomination would have been people like Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer; they’ve kind of ruled that out,” he says.
“In terms of getting names on ballots … the point of no [return] is going to be more like late August, early September,” says Coleman. “That’s when the first few states start to print their ballots. There are some states, like Virginia, that give people 40 plus days to go vote early.”
Early voting for the November general election starts on September 20, 2024.
Richmond-based alt-indie rock and pop performer Deau Eyes has made a name for herself, winning awards like the Newlin Music Prize for best album. The foundation of her success is rooted in a Southern upbringing and an exploration of country music that’s prodded cross-genre experimentation within her discography. Emerging from the same scene as Boygenius co-founder and Richmond pal Lucy Dacus, it’s clear why Deau Eyes’ blissfully raw sound landed her on NPR’s Slingshot list of up-and-coming musicians to watch.
Friday 7/26. Free, 5:30pm. Ting Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. tingpavilion.com.
The highly anticipated 2024 Paris Olympics kicks off July 26, with opening ceremonies officially starting at 1:30pm eastern daylight time. While the actual competition is an ocean away, Charlottesvillians will see several familiar faces representing Team USA and other countries on their small screens.
Equestrian
Local equestrian Will Coleman is returning to the games for the first time since his original appearance in 2012.
Coleman started riding—on a Shetland pony named TJ—after moving to Charlottesville at 6 years old.
After graduating from UVA in 2007, Coleman returned to competition and founded Will Coleman Equestrian, which he runs with his wife Katie Coleman. The business is based in Gordonsville, Virginia, and Ocala, Florida.
The equestrian has been named to the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team and will compete with his horse Off the Record. Eventing, also called Three Day Eventing, is split into three parts consisting of dressage, cross country, and show jumping.
Rowing
After competing in the Paralympics, Sky Dahl will return to Grounds, where she competes on the ACC Team. Photo via virginiasports.com.
Across the pond, alumna and former UVA Rowing captain Heidi Long will compete for Great Britain in the women’s eight. The 2024 games are her first Olympic appearance.
“Every day I’m trying to keep focused on rowing and what we are trying to achieve, but I also want to enjoy and feel the excitement of all these special moments,” Long told online magazine British Rowing. “Knowing that my friends and family will be in Paris to support the whole team will hopefully inspire and encourage us to have the best time of our lives.”
In the Paralympics, Sky Dahl will compete in Para Rowing 3 mixed four with coxswain. The PR3 category includes athletes with residual function in the legs and those with vision impairment.
Soccer
Stepping onto the pitch, Cavalier alum Emily Sonnett will play on the U.S. women’s soccer—or, as it’s listed on the Olympic website, football—team.
Since graduating from Virginia, Sonnett has had an action-packed professional soccer career. She is a member of the U.S. national team and was part of the squad that won the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Sonnett is already an Olympic medalist, winning bronze with Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Swimming
The Charlottesville area will be well-represented in the pool this Olympics. University of Virginia Head Coach Todd DeSorbo is leading the American women’s team, which boasts an impressive five Cavalier competitors. Local highschooler Thomas Heilman will also be swimming for Team USA and is the youngest swimmer to make the men’s Olympic team since Michael Phelps in 2000.
Breaststroke
In her first ever Olympic appearance, UVA’s Emma Weber will represent Team USA in the 100-meter breaststroke event. Weber’s personal-best time of 1:06.02 is unlikely to get her to the podium, but anything is possible in this event, which online publication SwimSwam said is “proven to be unpredictable.”
Kate Douglass—whose image was displayed across the outside of the U.S. Olympic Trials arena—is among the favorites to take gold in the 200-meter breaststroke. Her biggest competition is expected to be defending winner Tatjana Smith of South Africa.
Butterfly
Walsh will make another appearance for Team USA in the women’s 100-meter butterfly and is likely to take gold after setting a new world record in the event at Olympic Trials this June. “Making the team was the biggest goal, but getting a world record was absolute insanity,” she told NBC Sports poolside at the Trials. “I couldn’t ask for a better first event of the meet.”
On the men’s side of the pool, Western Albemarle High School student Thomas Heilman will represent the U.S. in both the 100- and 200-meter butterfly. The 17-year-old is the youngest person on the American Olympic swim squad and made major waves when he qualified for two events at his first Olympic trials in June.
The up-and-comer faces steep competition in both of his events, with Kristóf Milák of Hungary expected to win the 100- and 200-meter races. Heilman’s personal best times in both events put him in the running for a spot on the podium, with a higher likelihood that he places top three in the 200-meter butterfly final.
Freestyle
Sprinting the 50-meter free is up-and-comer Gretchen Walsh, who made a major splash at the NCAA Championships and Olympic Trials earlier this year. The UVA fourth year is on the shortlist to make the podium in the event, though Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström is expected to comfortably take gold.
Walsh will also be swimming in the 100-meter race and is among a handful of serious contenders for the podium in that event.
UVA alum Paige Madden is the one to watch for the longer distance freestyle events, competing in the 400- and 800-meters. Madden has posted impressive times in both races and will represent the U.S. alongside living legend Katie Ledecky, who holds the world record in the 800.
Madden will be swimming an uphill battle to medal in both events amid a crowded competitive field.
In the relay pool, the U.S. has a truly stacked lineup: Walsh and swimming superstar Kate Douglass, another UVA alum, will race on the 4 x 100-meter women’s freestyle relay, while Madden and Ledecky will lead the 4 x 200-meter women’s freestyle relay.
The U.S.-Australian rivalry in the pool will be on full display in the relay events, with Australia favored to take gold in the events. The Aussie roster for the women’s 4 x 200-meter free relay includes the two fastest women in the world in the event, Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan. China and Canada are also expected to have a good showing in the race.
In the international field, Aimee Canny will be competing on behalf of South Africa in the women’s 200-meter freestyle event. A current UVA student, Canny was part of the record-breaking 2023-24 women’s NCAA team. Canny will need to fight to pull off an upset, with Australia expected to sweep gold and silver in the race and Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey favored to win bronze.
Individual Medley
Following an incredibly competitive race at Olympic trials, UVA swimmers Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh (pictured) will represent Team USA in the 200-meter individual medley event. Photo via UVA Athletics Communications.
After an incredibly competitive race at Olympic trials, Douglass and Alex Walsh will represent Team USA in the 200-meter individual medley event in Paris.
Touching in just behind Douglass in the final, Alex Walsh not only earned a spot on her second Olympic team, but achieved a lifelong dream of making Team USA alongside her sister Gretchen at the Olympic trials.
“To have a sibling duo that is this elite … both going for the same Olympic dream is so rare,” Alex said ahead of Olympic trials. “We’re proud of each other no matter what.”
The 200-meter IM is a major toss-up, with both Douglass and Alex among the shortlist to take home the gold. Alex and Douglass won silver and bronze, respectively, in the event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Team USA has not officially announced the roster for the women’s medley relay, but Douglass and Gretchen Walsh are both highly anticipated to swim the breaststroke and butterfly legs of the event, respectively. Whatever combination of swimmers the U.S. puts forward, the Americans are expected to sprint away with the gold in the relay.
UVA Swimmers could also appear in the mixed medley relay, but there has been no official information released about the makeup of that team. The U.S. has dominated the event in international competitions recently, with Douglass swimming on the gold-medal team that won top prize at this year’s World Aquatics Championships.
Tennis
Twenty-three-year-old Emma Navarro is riding a career-high rank of 15th in the world going into the Olympics. Photo via UVA Athletics Communications.
On the courts, Charlottesville will recognize Danielle Collins and Emma Navarro on Team USA. Both Hoos will play in the singles field, with Collins pulling double duty on the doubles roster.
Navarro—who left UVA to go pro after her second year—has reached new heights after upsetting tennis star Coco Gauff in the fourth round at Wimbledon. While she was knocked out in the quarterfinal by Jasmine Paolini of Italy, the 23-year-old is riding a career-high rank of 15th in the world going into the Olympics.
Also competing in singles, Collins had a strong showing at Wimbledon and is one to watch in Paris. The 2016 alum is currently ranked ninth in the world in singles by the Women’s Tennis Association and was previously ranked seventh in 2022, with the Olympics set to be her last major competition before retiring later this year.
In the doubles arena, Collins is ranked lower, currently positioned at 154th internally by WTA. She will compete alongside Desirae Krawczyk, who is 12th in the world.
As of press time, preliminary brackets for Olympic tennis events have not been released.
Track and Field
Former Cavalier Bridget Williams will represent Team USA in the women’s pole vault. Photo via UVA Athletics Communications.
In the track and field arena (or, as it’s labeled on the Olympics’ website, Athletics) several Virginia alumni will be competing—but only one for Team USA.
On the American team, former Cavalier Bridget Williams, née Guy, will represent Team USA in the women’s pole vault following her win at U.S. Olympic trials.
“Being a first time Olympian is a huge honor that I will never take for granted,” Williams told Virginia Sports. “The United States consistently [boasts] the top athletes in the world, and I am grateful I get to be a part of this year’s team.”
On the Jamaican team, Hoos Andrenette Knight and Jordan Scott are both making their first Olympic appearances at 27 years old.
A world-class athlete in the 400-meter hurdle and flat events, Knight has been named as an alternate and is among the relay pool. Jamaica’s track and field team are among, if not outright, the best in the world, so qualifying for the team is extremely competitive even for top-ranked athletes.
Knight is currently ranked seventh in the world in the 400-meter hurdle event and finished fourth in the race at the Jamaican Olympic trials earlier this summer. She holds the school record in the event at UVA, which she set during her final year of NCAA eligibility in 2021.
Leaping into action, Scott will compete in the men’s long jump and triple jump for Jamaica. During his time at Virginia, Scott set school records which still stand today in both events.
“Coming from Jamaica, with such a rich history in the sport, I’ve grown to see how much these athletes were admired and cherished by my country and it is still surreal that I’ve finally achieved this goal and am receiving the same level of admiration as the individuals I once looked up to,” Scott told Virginia Sports.
Competing for Grenada, Halle Hazzard will sprint the women’s 100-meter dash at her first Olympic Games. She is one of only four athletes on the Grenada Olympic track and field team, with the Carribbean nation sending six competitors total to Paris this summer.
Hazzard currently holds the UVA record in the 100-meter dash at 11.20 seconds, set in 2019.
Virginia law student Ashley Anumba is also making her Olympic debut in Paris, representing Nigeria in the women’s discus throw.
Ranked 35th in the world in her event, Anumba competed for University of Pennsylvania as an undergrad, then the Hoos during her first two years as a law student. After the Olympics, she is set to return to Charlottesville for her final year of law school.
Also throwing his hat in the ring this Olympics, alum Filip Mihaljević will make his third Olympic appearance for Team Croatia in the men’s shot put.
Post-grad, Mihaljević has risen through the ranks to become one of the top shot put athletes in the world, currently ranked seventh internationally. He previously competed in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics and has placed progressively higher in his event at each Olympic Games.
Goalball
Competing on the American Goalball team, Matt Simpson is making his third Olympic appearance, vying for another medal after taking home silver in 2016 and coming just short of the podium in 2020. The sport is specifically made for visually impaired athletes, with competitors throwing balls with bells inside them into goals. Simpson graduated from UVA Law in 2020 and is a practicing attorney.
Exhibiting artist Kori Price in front of two panels of “Walking Dualities” at The Paramount Theater Third Street box office.
Photo by Alyssa Solares/The Paramount Theater.
On the 60th anniversary of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Paramount Theater launched a new exhibition series to draw attention to a painful period in United States history. The Third Street Box Office Project connects the theater to the work of acceptance, acknowledgment, and education around the legacy of racism and segregation in the city of Charlottesville, the South, and our nation as a whole.
“The goal of the Third Street Box Office Project [is] to reimagine the space in a way that allows our community to take pause and understand the magnitude of the history of this space,” says the theater’s Executive Director Julie Montross. “To reflect on the past injustices that the Civil Rights Act was meant to address and to look forward and consider the tremendous amount of work that still needs to be done. Our goal was also to invite the community to take an active role in this exercise.”
The theater opened in 1931 as a segregated building that required Black patrons to use a separate entrance on Third Street, restricting them to balcony seating with access to concessions and restrooms separate from white patrons, who entered the theater with convenience from Main Street.
Now, three local artists have been invited to mount work that initiates dialogue and fosters conversations around the past, present, and future of racial equality in our community. Each exhibition will run for three weeks, with Kori Price’s “Walking Dualities” on view from July 2–23, Tobiah Mundt’s “Shadows of the Past” from July 30–August 20, and Nick Brinen’s “Ascending Light” from August 27–September 17.
“I think the most important thing that I want to relate to people who come to visit the exhibition is the immediacy of the past and of history,” says Price. “It’s important that we keep around certain historical places and objects—like the Third Street box office—so that we can continue to bear witness to our city and country’s past of discrimination and inequality and understand that we have so much more work left to do.”
Unfortunately, an act of vandalism targeting Price’s artwork that occurred overnight between July 6 and 7 left “Walking Dualities” temporarily asunder. But the artist acted quickly, and in an inspired maneuver, she was able to reinstall the three photographic banners that comprise the exhibition with a nod to art history. In a social media post shared by the Paramount, Price explains, “It was important to me to repair and re-install my art as soon as possible and make sure that I didn’t hide the damage that had been done.” Inspired by the Japanese ceramic art tradition of Kintsugi, a method of repairing broken ceramics with lacquer and gold or silver dust, Price applied gold leafing to the damaged areas, creating “a metaphor for resiliency, fortitude, and healing.”
The gold accents that now adorn “Walking Dualities” weave in notions of value, soft strength, and the beauty within perceived imperfections. Their contrast with the black and white images create points of focus without distraction. They acknowledge violence but rise above it. Price’s exhibition is as much an occupation of space as a reclamation of one. The figures in her photographs are in motion but remain unmoved. The artistic techniques of trompe l’oeil and forced perspective utilized by the artist to place these figures in situ invite viewers to see themselves in relation to the bodies within Price’s banners. Here, the artwork puts the onus of understanding into a corporeal state, where mind and body reconcile meaning.
To help facilitate its commitment to showcasing the visual arts, the Paramount consulted with its neighbor, the nonprofit organization New City Arts. Executive Director Maureen Brondyke says her organization helped with the “nuts and bolts” of putting together the open call for exhibition proposals for the Third Street Box Office Project, including collaborating on the timeline and logistics of the call to ensure support for artists who might apply. NCA and the Paramount also encouraged applicants to consider how to honor the legacies of Black patrons forced to use the Third Street entrance and what capacities the historic landmark holds for “truth-telling” and “reimagining.”
The arts afford us opportunities to contextualize, recontextualize, and perform history in ways that break down barriers and connect individuals and communities across time and space. They allow us to be aspirational, reflective, and reflexive. The arts enable us to both effect and be affected—emotionally, spiritually, intellectually. These facets are at the heart of endeavors like the Third Street Box Office Project. As Brondyke affirms, “We believe that a vibrant community includes an abundance of arts and culture spaces, and that collaboration between these spaces creates a network of support needed for local artists to thrive and move our community toward a more just, beautiful future.”
