Who says that living among the beautiful mountains means you can’t enjoy all the culinary delights of the sea: fresh shrimp, lobster, halibut, salmon, and tuna? Certainly not Jayson Johnson, and he opened Crozet Seafood Supply to prove it.
As soon as you walk into the store in the Clover Lawn Shopping Center across from Harris Teeter, that clean briny smell lets you know this is the real thing. On your left is the glass case of filets, laid out on ice surrounded by fresh kale. Next to that is the display of raw and cooked shellfish and the freshly prepared seafood salads, with a smiling staffer ready to offer you an Old Bay-infused Ritz cracker and a sample; try a favorite, the lobster pasta salad with sun-dried tomato and dill. And among the shelves of seafood paraphernalia—sauces, spices, rubs, marinades, crackers, pasta, rice—Johnson is strolling, ready with information and advice.
Johnson moved to Crozet 12 years ago to work as a neonatal respiratory therapist at UVA. After the stressful times going through COVID at the hospital, he says, “I thought about what I’d want to do for the next 15 years—it seemed a good time to make a change.”
A childhood friend, Joe Skinner, owns Bon Air Seafood in Richmond, and Johnson, a self-described foodie who had owned several small businesses in the past, decided to dive in with Skinner as partner. “I wanted [to start] something local, so I could live and work here, and I wanted to offer the community something sustainable.”
Crozet Seafood Supply was launched in March 2024, and Johnson says the response has been strong. On the Wednesday morning that I visit (“usually a slow time”), traffic is steady. Several customers are clearly regulars. A new customer has stopped by because he’s looking for calamari—“If we don’t have what you’re looking for, let us know—we’ll try to get it for you,” says Johnson. Then a couple comes in, first-timers taking a look. It helps that Johnson is active on social media, promoting the arrival of seasonal delicacies like softshell crabs, as well as the specials on goodies ranging from homemade Andalusian gazpacho to the ever-popular Bon Air cheese balls featuring shrimp or crab.
Both freshness and environmental impact are key for Johnson. “Our prices are a little higher,” he says, “but that’s because we want to offer the best quality and the most sustainable varieties.” Everything is delivered by refrigerated truck straight from the docks at Hampton or in Maryland; that way, Johnson says, he can offer fresh catch from an area ranging from Iceland to Florida. The fresh Scottish salmon is flown into Hampton—it’s farm-raised, he says, but the “farm” is in a loch open to the ocean, so the fish are eating what they would in the wild. There are also frozen options: the Chilean sea bass, for example, is flash-frozen as soon as it’s caught.
Johnson has also developed local partnerships. The store’s lobster rolls (“it’s our most popular offering, hot or cold”) and other sandwiches are served on bread from Praha Bohemian Bakery & Cafe in Crozet, and the supplemental foods, sauces, and rubs are from small specialty companies like Stonewall Kitchen, Firehook Bakery, and Lynchburg’s Scratch Pasta. And since the store just got its ABC license, Johnson will be offering a range of local beverages as well.
An added asset for the cooking-challenged: Right by the door is a display case of recipe cards for the fish and shellfish on offer, including complete instructions and a list of ingredients, all of which are available right there in the store. Johnson says their market research shows “people like seafood, but they are worried about cooking it properly.” So, one less thing to worry about!
For years, Crozet celebrated July 4 with fireworks at Claudius Crozet Park, but new homes built in the debris field means a new location is necessary. Photo by Jim Duncan.
Unlike Scottsville, Crozet is not a town, and decisions about land use are up to the six-member Board of Supervisors. The unincorporated community is in Albemarle’s White Hall District, and last year, incumbent Supervisor Ann Mallek narrowly defeated challenger Brad Rykal.
Rykal’s campaign argued Albemarle has focused too much development into Crozet without providing the necessary infrastructure. Even after losing by just 500 votes, Rykal and his campaign formed the group Crozet United and have continued to oppose new homes, such as the 122-unit Montclair development on Route 240.
This week, the Crozet Community Advisory Committee will take up a special use permit that is only indirectly related to residential growth. King Family Vineyards wants permission to hold the annual Independence Day celebration this year and into the future.
“The fireworks celebration has previously been held at Claudius Crozet Park,” reads the application for the permit. “However, after recent housing development encroaching on the park, fireworks can no longer be launched without endangering inhabited dwellings nearby.”
The 22.81 acre Claudius Crozet Park is privately owned by a nonprofit organization right in the middle of one of Albemarle’s designated growth areas. However, Albemarle’s fire marshal will no longer permit displays of fireworks due to the presence of new homes.
As of April 1, Albemarle’s Community Development Department lists 1,482 approved residential units in Crozet that have not yet been built, though that figure largely refers to 1,078 units still allowed at Old Trail Village, which is some distance away from the park.
The U.S. Census Bureau designates Crozet as a place, and lists the population as having grown from 5,565 in 2010 to 9,224 in 2020. The application for the special use permit suggests that a permanent home for Crozet’s Independence Day celebration will help create the future.
“It is a wonderful event that brings people together, both young and old alike,” reads the narrative. “It is an opportunity for people that have lived in Crozet for their entire lives and those who may have just moved to the area to share a common space and make memories together.”
The Crozet Community Advisory Committee meets at 7pm Wednesday in the Crozet Library.
Jim Duncan is a member of the CAC and realtor who has written about Crozet issues for years. He said that while he is glad King Family Vineyards wants to be the new venue for Independence Day celebrations, he laments the change of venue from Claudius Crozet Park.
“That was such an important part of life in Crozet for decades,” Duncan said. “So many were able to walk to the fireworks and see them from their homes and be part of the community in that way.”
Officials with Crozet United declined to provide comment for this story.
The tasting room at White Hall Vineyards features a cozy fire and a cool view-from-above of the winemaking room. Photo: Stephen Barling
Back when I had a side hustle as a winery tour driver, customers sometimes asked me to choose our next place to visit on the fly. If we were near Crozet, I invariably headed to White Hall Vineyards, which is out of the way and offers a feeling of discovery. You approach on a gravel driveway that threads through some of the 48 acres of vines under cultivation, pass through an opening in the hedge, and enter a compound shaded by tall oaks. The Italianate building has a luminous burnt sienna coloring. Along the front,
a wide green canopy of wisteria tops a sturdy pergola.
It reminds me of places I’ve visited in Napa Valley, which may be intentional. In the early ’90s, before Tony and Edie Champ bought the property, they scouted California wine country, and perhaps took some aesthetic cues for White Hall, which opened in 1994. Around that time, California wines bore a big, fruit-forward style, and many of White Hall’s wines also fit this profile. The vineyard won the Virginia Governor’s Cup competition in 1997 and 1998, with a 1995 vintage cabernet sauvignon and a 1997 gewürztraminer, respectively. After you enter the front doors, and the wide-plank wood floors convey you into the tasting room, you will notice many bottles with medals hung around their necks.
Good winemaking requires high-quality grapes, of course, and the 800-foot elevation and mountain breezes at White Hall present fine growing conditions, moderating Virginia’s withering summer heat. According to Tony and Edie’s daughter, Lisa Champ, the 2019 harvest produced a bumper crop of chardonnay and an impressive haul of petit verdot. The vineyard’s chardonnays I’ve tasted are deep and round, like the so-called “buttery” ones from California. The petit verdot, blended with a little merlot and cabernet franc, is also full-bodied and well-structured.
White Hall Vineyards takes a little extra effort to find, but after visiting, who knows, you might even recommend it to other wine lovers.
Baloo is the name of this classic panel truck, which is also a kegerator—now serving at Old Trail Golf Club in Crozet. Photo: Aaron Watson
Get your goat
Next Tuesday Caromont Farm, the craft goat-cheese haven, invites you to stop by, take a tour, and enjoy a nosh with your fall weather. While you’re sure to see some of the crazy-eyed critters who make the cheese possible, the real attraction is the chance to meet owner and culinary sage Gail Hobbs-Page and sample some of her creamy creations paired with charcuterie and homemade jams and spreads. October 29, $44, 11am-3pm, Esmont, see facebook.com/caromontfarm for tickets
Foam fight!
Mudhouse Coffee Roasters in Crozet is inviting amateur and professional baristas to show off their latte skills in a benefit for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Contestants buy in for $5 each, and the most artful topping takes all. DJ Thomas Dean will be spinning, and a raffle for prizes from local businesses will benefit the food bank. October 24, registration deadline 6pm; first pour 6:30pm, Crozet, 823-2240, mudhouse.com
Salt and smoke
The wood-fired cooking wizards at Little Star are teaming up with the briny bunch from Public Fish & Oyster for a fall feast of smoked pork ribs, pork sandwiches, grilled corn, vegetarian chili, raw oysters, and—okay, we have to stop now, we’re hungry! October 27, pay as you graze, 11am-7pm, 420 W. Main St., 252-2502, littlestarrestaurant.com
Pints on the green
Crozet’s Restoration restaurant at Old Trail Golf Club is pouring pints from a 1942 Ford F3 panel truck outfitted as a mobile kegerator with six taps. Gaze at the mountains, get a burger and a beer, cozy up to the fire pit after dark—and be sure to practice your Caddyshack jokes, so you’ll have that going for you, which is nice. Through November 1, 11am-9pm Tuesday-Saturday; 10am-2pm Sunday, 823-1841, restorationcrozet.com
The rooftop deck at Camp Ten Four, at The Graduate Charlottesville, opens up a panoramic view of the city (which covers 10.4 square miles). Photo: Ron Blunt
Whether you’re kicking back with a cocktail or tucking into a hearty meal, a great view always enhances the moment. You may be on a patio in the country, gazing at a distant mountain ridge, or on a cozy porch in the city, surrounded by strings of sparkling party lights. Whatever your vantage point, there’s a reason the phrase “drinking in the view” was invented. Here are just a few places where the outlook is always bright.
Camp Ten Four is delightfully, um, campy. Photo: Roy Blunt
1. Camp Ten Four at The Graduate Charlottesville
The view: Camp Ten Four is named for the 10.4 square miles that make up Charlottesville proper. Nine floors up, the rooftop restaurant’s view stretches from West Main Street all the way the Blue Ridge Mountains. On a recent visit, one guest was overheard saying, “This is the spot.” Sounds about right.
The vibe: The restaurant offers casual fare in a laid-back setting, not surprising for a place with camp in its name. String lights, picnic tables, and rocking chairs all contribute to the atmosphere, as does the aural backdrop of a lively playlist at just the right volume. Indoor and outdoor seating are available.
The menu: Sharables and sandwiches dominate the menu. A highlight is the crispy chicken sandwich, served with a honey hot sauce and piled high with a spicy slaw. Sides are a la carte, and both food and drink are ordered at the bar. The rotating drink menu is playful, with three varieties of Boozed Capri—think an adult Capri Sun—and a spicy pineapple mule among the selections.
Vitals: 1309 W. Main St. 295-4333. graduatehotels.com
Early Mountain, in Madison, offers broad views of the vineyard and the peaks beyond, but what you’ll see inside is equally delicious. Photo: Tom McGovern
2. Early Mountain Vineyards
The view: The atmosphere at Early Mountain Vineyards is well worth the drive out to Madison. The property certainly doesn’t lack beautiful things to ogle, with green rolling hills, mountains, vineyards, and two historic barns all on site. “One of the most important things about the view is that it’s here no matter the weather, with the way the vineyard is situated,” says Aileen Sevier, director of marketing.
The vibe: Guests can choose from a number of different experiences in the expansive setting, including a traditional tasting, flights, or a picnic on the back lawn with a bottle of wine. The winery hosts a number of festivals throughout the year, including its bi-annual Oyster Fest and Solstice Sundown event. (Ed. note:
The menu: A bestseller here is the ever-evolving cheese and charcuterie board, featuring cured meats, local cheeses, housemade pickles, and a creamed honey so good that one visitor purchases containers of it in bulk. The grilled cheese isn’t too shabby, either. “I’ve had so many people write in and say this is the best grilled cheese they’ve ever had in their life,” Sevier says.
The balcony at Michael’s Bistro and Tap House overlooks The Corner, where the city and UVA meet and mingle—but you may be forgiven for shortening your focus to take in the beautiful food. Photo: Tom McGovern
3. Michael’s Bistro and Tap House
The view: Owner Laura Spetz’s preferred table on the balcony at Michael’s Bistro is just outside in the right-hand corner. From there, she can look down along the Corner and watch the comings and goings of a quintessential Charlottesville place, or shift her gaze to UVA’s iconic Rotunda. The outdoor space is small, with only four two-top tables (that’s part of what makes it special),
The vibe: Word has it that several regulars visit Michael’s Bistro almost every single day the restaurant is open. It’s no surprise, given how comfortable and inviting it is. Outside, the open-air space shows off with string lights and flickering lamps, a calm oasis above the madding crowd on University Avenue.
The menu: A patron’s impression of Michael’s Bistro might shift depending on which menu she chooses to focus on. The list of nightly drink specials showcases deals on rails and pitchers that no doubt cater to UVA students, but the beer and craft-cocktail menus both have a more universal appeal. The food menu is just the right size, with enough entrée and small-plate options to please every palate without inducing decision fatigue. The fried green tomato small plate served with a housemade pimento cheese sauce is a delicious way to start your meal.
Vitals: 1427 University Ave. 977-3697. michaelsbistro.com
The Rooftop, in Crozet, is known for its food, by chef Justin van der Linde, but the view is also undeniably good. Photo: Jack Looney
4. The Rooftop
The view: The Rooftop delivers sprawling mountain views worthy of the restaurant’s name. Even diners facing inward can enjoy the scenery, captured in the reflection on the glass wall that separates the interior and exterior of the space.
The vibe: It’s hard to be in a bad mood when you’re on any rooftop, and almost impossible if that rooftop is this one. The breeze hits just right, the service is warm and welcoming, and the experience is chill at this classy yet casual space. Fair warning: The Rooftop can be tricky to find. Enter through Smoked Kitchen and Tap, head down the hallway, and get in the elevator to find your way upstairs.
The menu: Launched by chef Justin van der Linde, of Smoked barbcue-truck fame, and partner Kelley Tripp, formerly of The Fitzroy, the restaurant offers options suited for both celebratory occasions and a Friday night out. Truffle fries, served with aged Parmesan, white truffle, fresh herbs, and a garlic aioli for dipping are a crowd favorite. Other popular selections are the mussels simmered in Bold Rock cider and the hanger steak.
Dining outdoors at The Southern Crescent Galley and Bar offers the look, feel, and flavors of New Orleans, right in the middle of Belmont. Photo: Tom McGovern
5. The Southern Crescent Galley and Bar
The view: An evening at The Southern Crescent could easily be mistaken for a friend’s party at a house with a great outdoor space—in this case, a pleasantly worn Victorian with a porch and patio. Deliberately evoking the Big Easy, the Crescent—named for the Amtrak train that round-trips between New York and New Orleans—prompts a sigh of relief like the one you experience at the start of a vacation. Through twinkling lights and sweeping trees, visitors will see the character and homes that make up the Belmont neighborhood.
The vibe: This charming spot claims no pretenses, and its quirkiness is exactly what makes the restaurant so inviting. The concept was born from the experiences owner and executive chef Lucinda Ewell had growing up in New Orleans, and that inspiration comes through in touches, like fleur-de-lis floor tiles, potted tropical plants with big, broad leaves, and brightly painted furniture nestled in the lush gardens.
The menu: Among the drink selections is the Vieux Carré cocktail first made at New Orleans’ famous Carousel Bar. The menu features a raw bar, gumbo that’ll make your mind travel to the bayou, and entrées like smothered catfish. A variety of po’ boys are also available, made on fresh Leidenheimer Bread shipped from Louisiana. “Aside from the bread, everything we do is made from scratch—including our beignets, which some people say are better than the ones at Café Du Monde,” Ewell says.
A combination of jogging while picking up trash—who wouldn’t want to go plogging? Easter Sunday, from 1 to 5pm, is your chance.
“Instead of hunting for Easter eggs, we’re hunting for litter,” says organizer and self-proclaimed tree-hugger Brady Earnhart. He’s never been plogging, but was immediately intrigued when he read about the European craze in The New Yorker.
Earnhart says his event will probably be more of a stroll than a jog, and will start and end at Rapture on the Downtown Mall. “Get some exercise
while you’re making Charlottesville a prettier place, and hang out with a crowd who feels the way you do about it,” he says.
Participants will break into smaller groups and collect as much garbage as they can from the designated zones, which can be found on a map on the Facebook event page, “Easter Plogging: A Holiday Litter Hunt.”
Bring your smartphone and plastic grocery bags (for collecting) if you’ve got ’em, says Earnhart.
And if you’re in the mood for more environmentally-friendly (and plogging!) events, here are just a few options:
Plog with the prez
Join UVA President Jim Ryan on April 19 at 7am at Madison Hall for running and litter pickup, one of more than 20 university-sponsored Earth Week events. A full schedule can be found at sustainability.virginia.edu.
Break out your bike helmet
Piedmont Environmental Council and other groups are leading a casual ride April 19 at 5:30pm through neighborhood streets, along bike lanes,
and greenways, with an optional social hour and advocacy brainstorming session to follow. Meet at Peloton Station.
Lace up your hiking boots
Join Wild Virginia on a guided two- to three-mile hike at Montpelier April 27 from 10am to noon. The cost is $10 with a $5 recommended donation to Wild Virginia, and those interested can sign up by searching “Nature Exploration Hike at Montpelier” on Eventbrite.
Quote of the week
“[Discriminatory symbols] certainly include Confederate imagery, which evokes a time when black people were enslaved, sold, beaten, and even killed at the whim of their masters.”—Educator/activist Walt Heinecke to the Albemarle School Board April 11
In brief
Don’t go
A petition started by UVA alumna Lacey Kohlmoos asks the men’s basketball team not to visit the White House in the wake of their NCAA championship win, and at press time, the online document had 10,900 of the 11,000 requested John Hancocks. But here’s the catch: While the winner may traditionally be extended an invitation to the president’s abode, as of yet, the Cavaliers have not been invited.
Rebel students
Since Albemarle Superintendent Matt Haas banned white supremacist and Nazi imagery on clothing as disruptive, six students have been counseled, Haas told the school board April 11. The first, reported as wearing a hat with Confederate imagery, also had on a Confederate T-shirt. That student spent several days at home.
Eze Amos
Riot free
Charlottesville police reported minimal mayhem as Hoos celebrated UVA’s national basketball championship into the wee hours of April 9. Police made three misdemeanor arrests for drunk in public, trespassing, and assault. UVA police reported three calls for vandalism, and fire and rescue responded to seven burned sofas/bonfires.
Crozet express
JAUNT is planning to launch a new bus service from Crozet to UVA and Sentara Martha Jefferson starting August 5, with other stops to allow riders to connect with transit options, according to the Progress. JAUNT, which is still seeking input, aims to keep the ride to no more than 45 minutes and will charge $2 each way.
Good pork
Virginia’s U.S. senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine get $43 million in federal funding from HUD for affordable housing in Virginia, including $875,000 for Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority.
Ryan’s run
UVA prez Jim Ryan ran his ninth Boston Marathon April 15 in honor of 26 teachers, one for every mile. Donors contributed $260 to get an educator who had made a difference listed on Ryan’s shirt.
Boylan Heights goes nuts March 30 as UVA takes down Purdue to advance to its first Final Four since 1984.
Martyn Kyle
Buzzer beater
UVA heads to the Final Four in Minneapolis April 6 after a heart-stopping 80-75 win over Purdue’s Boilermakers, thanks to a last second bucket by Mamadi Diakite to put the Cavs into overtime. The win marks Virginia’s first appearance in the Final Four since 1984, coach Tony Bennett’s 10th year leading the Hoos, and redemption for last year’s first-round loss to a No. 16 seed.
Guilty plea in CHS threat
Albemarle High senior Joao Pedro Souza Ribeiro, 17, pleaded guilty March 27 to making a racist threat online that shut down Charlottesville city schools for two days last month. The Daily Progress reports Ribeiro told a juvenile court judge that he was “bored” in study hall and posted the threat as a joke. He’ll be sentenced April 24. Another Albemarle teen was charged with a felony for a shooting threat to Albemarle High, but police have not released his name.
Suing Alex Jones
Federal Judge Norman Moon ruled that Clean Virginia exec Brennan Gilmore’s defamation lawsuit against Infowars, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and others of his ilk can proceed. Gilmore videoed James Fields plowing into protesters August 12, 2017, and he alleges the defendants spread false information about him, resulting in death threats against him and his family. Jones is also being sued by Sandy Hook parents for claiming the mass murder of children was staged.
One train, two deaths
A Buckingham Branch train struck Sebastian Herrera, 39, of Waynesboro, around noon March 31 in Crozet, and then hours later killed an unidentified man in Waynesboro. Herrera, the third person to die on the train tracks in Crozet since 2015, was killed near Lanetown Road, close to where a Time-Disposal employee died last year.
Orange hotbed
The gated community Lake of the Woods has been the scene of alleged criminal activity recently. Ryan Chamblin, 36, was indicted on 161 counts of possession of child porn March 25. He’d previously been charged with five counts and two of failure to register as a sex offender. That same day, Stafford resident Roy C. Mayberry, 46, was indicted for embezzling more than $450,000 from the Lake of the Woods Association.
Quote of the week
“It’s clear that you would lynch me if you could so I’m never concerned with your thoughts.” —Mayor Nikuyah Walkerin a Facebook comment to Justin Beights, who sarcastically said her negativity is inspiring.
Crime pays—a little into government coffers
Cash-strapped localities have been known to use speed traps to plug their budget holes (ahem, Greene County), and after the Department of Justice found that law enforcement in Ferguson, Missouri, had effectively been acting as tax collectors (bringing 23 percent of the town’s revenue in fines and fees), a 2017 report said that a number of other municipalities were doing the same thing. But it’s not the case in Charlottesville and Albemarle.
“CPD does not use ‘speed traps,’” says Charlottesville police spokesperson Tyler Hawn. “We use traffic enforcement to ensure drivers are following the posted speed limits and rules of the road for everyone’s safety.”
As City Council finalizes its 2020 budget, it voted April 1 to up the local meals and lodging taxes (and seems likely to not raise the real estate tax, after “finding” another $850,000). With all that cash, citizen criminal activities make a small revenue contribution to the proposed $188 million budget. Albemarle County also gets revenue from convictions, a .1% pittance in its $487 million budget.
Here’s how some of the numbers stack up in the proposed fiscal year 2020 budget.
A craft distillery is coming to the former Clock Shop space on Water Street. Rendering: Sage Designs LLC
A newly formed company—so new that it hasn’t gone public with its name yet—is looking to get into the spirits business with a craft distillery in the former Clock Shop building at 201 W. Water St. The working title for the project is Vodka House, according to Clark Gathright, the civil engineer and site planner who ushered the building’s new design through the Board of Architectural Review approval process. The initial idea had been to create a distillery and tasting room similar to Vitae Spirits, on Henry Street, and even to offer outdoor seating.
“We started out with that in mind,” Gathright says. “But we got smacked down.” Evidently, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau was not enamored of the tasting room idea.
Gathright says the distillery project is moving ahead, though he’s unsure what form it will ultimately take. Black Bear Properties LLC, which bought the building in 2016 and has ties to big-bucks developer Hunter Craig, had previously proposed to demolish it and build an eight-story luxury apartment building. The Charlottesville Planning Commission nixed that use of the site in November 2017.
In other news…
Potbelly Sandwich Shop, which has more than 500 locations in the United States and abroad, has opened at 853 W. Main St., in The Standard at Charlottesville apartment building…The Crozet Trolley Co. is up and running, ferrying tippling tourists to the area’s wineries, breweries, and distilleries in an old-timey looking bus. Tour prices start at $39 per person…Waynesboro-based Blue Ridge Bucha is touting its use of reusable bottles as evidence of its commitment to sustainability. “Since 2010, more than 933,750 bottles have been saved by customers choosing to refill their Bucha bottles on draft,” a recent company blog post stated…On March 31 at Junction, chef Laura Fonner of Duner’s joins Junction chef Melissa Close-Hart to create a four-course meal, benefiting the Sexual Assault Resource Agency. Cost is $40 per person; $55 with wine pairing. For more info, call 465-6131.
Gee Whiz! A Potbelly Sandwich Shop (home of the cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz sammie) is open for business on West Main Street. Supplied photo
Reporters know one of the greatest tools for keeping the public informed is FOIA—the Freedom of Information Act. As Virginia Code notes: “The affairs of government are not intended to be conducted in an atmosphere of secrecy since at all times the public is to be the beneficiary of any action taken at any level of government.” Federal and state FOIA laws ensure that public meetings and information are truly available to the public.
Sunshine Week, an annual event to promote freedom of information and open government, falls around father-of-the-Constitution James Madison’s March 16 birthday. Smart Cville and the Virginia Coalition for Open Government hosted a FOIA panel March 25 for people appointed to boards and commissions, and we figured it’s never too late to share some FOIA highlights.
“We organized this event because we value transparency and knew others, within government and outside, have similar values,” says Smart Cville founder Lucas Ames. “If we’re truly committed to transparency and openness, it’s important that we take steps to promote those ideals, including educating local citizens who sit on boards and commissions that fall under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.”
Megan Rhyne, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, regularly fields FOIA questions, and ran down a few of the most common.
1. How to request: A FOIA request doesn’t have to be written, but it’s a good idea. An email can read: Under the Freedom of Information Act, I’m requesting all records from DATE to DATE that deal with X. Please provide an estimate to fulfill this request.
2. Fees: People aren’t always aware that they can be charged for copies of documents, particularly those that involve a lot of staff time to pull together. Government bodies can give you an estimate—but you have to ask for it, says Rhyne.
3. Response: A government body has five days to reply. Typical exemptions to FOIA: police investigative files, personnel records, working papers.
4. Not exempt: Messages dealing with public business on personal devices and in personal accounts. Government employees’ salaries must be disclosed.
5. Meetings: FOIA also mandates that the public be notified of meetings of elected and appointed officials, and these meetings are supposed to be open to the public. But the law does not require public comment, which surprises a lot of citizens, says Rhyne. Public notice of a meeting is required, except for staff meetings. Three or more members of an elected or appointed body cannot meet for coffee to talk about public business unless the public is notified.
Quote of the week
“In Charlottesville and around the globe, we stand firmly in stating: There are not very fine people on both sides of this issue.”—Charlottesville Police Chief RaShall Brackney on the racist threat that closed city schools
In brief
Albemarle ditched
Last spring, Governor Ralph Northam was here to tout construction software company CoConstruct’s $485,000 investment that would create 69 new jobs in Albemarle County. On March 22, CoConstruct announced it was moving to downtown Charlottesville and will lease 40,000 square feet in the five-story office building under construction on Garrett Street. 3TWENTY3 bought the property from Oliver Kuttner for $5.4 million in October.
Crozet crash
Jack Looney
The National Transportation Safety Board released its 1,600-page report on the January 31, 2018, collision of an Amtrak train and a Time Disposal garbage truck. The NTSB concluded the truck went around downed crossing arms and driver Dana Naylor, who was acquitted of criminal charges last month, was impaired by marijuana and gabapentin, a drug used to control seizures or relieve nerve pain, for which he didn’t have a prescription.
Farm scuttled
Developer Justin Shimp’s plans to build the controversial Hogwaller Farm, an apartment complex and urban farm concept that would straddle Charlottesville and Albemarle, were put on hold when City Council voted 3-2 to deny a rezoning request necessary to build an on-site greenhouse. Shimp says he’s planning to pursue a similar opportunity on the property, according to Charlottesville Tomorrow.
Equity loans
Charlottesville launched its Business Equity Loan program earlier in March for existing businesses whose owners are socially disadvantaged either by race, ethnicity, or gender. The city allocated $100,000 to the Wes Bellamy initiative, and applicants who have been in business for at least six months can apply for loans from up to $25,000, according to Hollie Lee, an economic development specialist.
Wine in a can may seem déclassé, but it’s “practical on the golf course!" says winemaker Matthieu Finot. Photo: Max March
Sommeliers may take offense, but canned wine is a booming business. In January, Crozet’s King Family Vineyards popped the top on this trend by rolling out its first cases of canned Crosé, its popular rosé wine.
As winemaker Matthieu Finot explains, King’s been making a dry, fruit-forward rosé since 2003, and now harvests Merlot grapes specifically for the Crosé. After the crush, the juice rests briefly on the red grapes’ skins, resulting in a pale-pink wine with “less alcohol and more freshness,” Finot says. The King Family website describes “notes of grapefruit, lime, watermelon, and a light grassiness on the nose…and flavors of bitter cherry, peach, and rose petal” on the palate.
“We went from producing 100 cases [of bottles] in the first year to over 4,000 cases in 2018,” Finot says. “The demand for [Crosé] keeps increasing, along with the rosé consumption in the United States.” So it made sense to King and Finot to capitalize on the rising popularity of canned wine, especially among younger drinkers.
After all, wine and portability generally don’t mix. If you want to savor a glass of grape on the go, you’ll need to lug around a heavy glass bottle, a corkscrew, and glasses (unless you want to swig straight from the bottle). And once you’ve opened a bottle, you’ll need to finish it promptly to keep the wine from losing its freshness—a strategy more advisable at home than while you’re out and about. Each can of Crosé, in contrast, is roughly the size of a generous glass of wine, and a four-pack has the same volume as a bottle at the same price.
“Also, canning is better for the environment,” says Finot—lighter, more recyclable, and with less waste. King canned its first 500 cases of 2018 Crosé the same week it bottled the rest of the vintage, with help from a mobile canning company that came to the vineyard.
Cans are sold exclusively at the vineyard, and Finot says they’re planning on more cases of cans for the 2019 vintage to meet the rising demand. “Most of the customers like the convenience of it,” Finot says.
And what would Finot say to wine snobs who can’t bear the thought of aluminum-clad vino? “They can still buy Crosé in bottles,” he says, “but it is less practical on the golf course!”
King Family Vineyards, 6550 Roseland Farm, Crozet; 823-7800; kingfamilyvineyards.com
