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Regularity is important in a publication, but there's a certain uncertainty that comes with material created by Town Crier Productions. The goal is for the podcast editions to come out on Fridays, but there are times when that will shift. The reasons for these occasional deviations are not to be written out, but if you listen to the recording perhaps I will explain more. I'm Sean Tubbs and this is my best attempt at suspense.In this edition:* The Free Enterprise Forum holds a campaign forum for the two candidates for the Jack Jouett District (learn more)* The Free Enterprise Forum also held one for the three people running for two Democratic slots for City Council on the ballot this fall (podcast-only preview!)* The governing body of the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority gets an update and adopts a budget for FY2026 (learn more)* There will be a public hearing before Charlottesville City Council on June 2 for utility rate increases (learn more)* Albemarle County on track to exceed revenue forecast for FY2025 (learn more)Join the dozens of people who have signed up this week! The next edition comes out tomorrow and will give a preview of upcoming government meetings!First shout out: Charlottesville E-bike Lending LibraryIt's the last day of Charlottesville Bike Month. The rolling topography of the Charlottesville area might keep some people away from choosing cycling as an option to get around. Perhaps an e-bike is in order?That's where Charlottesville's eBike Lending Library comes in! E-bikes are a great way to get around the community but there are many brands and styles to choose from. Because many e-bikes are sold online, it can be a challenge to try an e-bike before buying one.The Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library is a free, not-for-profit service working to expand access to e-bikes in the area. They have a small collection of e-bikes that they lend out to community members for up to a week, for free. You can experience your daily commute, go grocery shopping, or even bike your kids to school, and decide whether e-bikes are right for you. Check out this service at https://www.ebikelibrarycville.org!Program announcements for May 31, 2025As I said above, the podcast versions usually come out on Fridays but there are often times that does not happen. There's a radio version that airs on WTJU at 6 a.m. and it has to be 29 minutes long at least. I'm visiting family this week so things aren't quite as efficient. I was up until 10 p.m. last night writing and producing the City Council segment and uploading it to YouTube.The written version may go out on Information Charlottesville tomorrow but it will definitely be in the Monday edition of the newsletter. I'm deciding against posting new text content on Saturday because this is usually the day I try not to work if I can help it.But it's also the day I look at all of the jurisdictions in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District to get ready for the meeting previews I'll post on Fifth District Community Engagement throughout the week ahead. Later on today I'll scope out tomorrow's Week Ahead and possibly will try to start my second story for the next C-Ville Weekly.You may think this doesn't sound like a day off. But organization is the way I'm able to get all of this work done on a steady basis. And I listen to music throughout the day! Right now, I'm listening to the new Sparks album, MAD! There's a lot to dislike about these times, but access to music connects me to humanity. It makes me feel like I'm living to hear something new for the first time.I'm really procrastinating now as I wait for the last song on the album to stop. This feels like a very important album and I've just heard it for the first time.I have to record the continuity for the podcast. That's the opening, the shout-outs, and the end piece. I have a template I use each time and I have a whole series of sounds I use as interstitials to break up the segments. All of the segments are produced separately and in an ideal world I'd record the narration before I post them to Charlottesville Community Engagement.Okay the album ended, and I conclude this procrastinatory text by wanting to express my gratitude to my father, Joseph Tubbs, for providing me an example of how to be productive and how to use your passion to fuel your career. It's his birthday today and I'm about to go celebrate with him and my mother.I leave you with two videos.`Second shout-out: Charlottesville Community BikesIn today's second subscriber supported shout-out, Charlottesville Community Bikes strives to provide wheels to anyone who needs a ride. That includes:* There's a Kid's Bike program for people under the age of 12 (learn more)* Several social services organizations refer people to Charlottesville Community Bikes for access to reliable transportation (learn more)* Keep an eye on their calendar for the next mobile repair clinic (learn more)* There's also a workforce development program that “blends mentorship and comprehensive training in bicycle mechanics” (learn more)Visit the Charlottesville Community Bikes website today to learn more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Brace yourselves now for another sonic edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement with audio versions of stories that have already gone out in this feed. These podcasts also appear in radio form on WTJU on Saturday morning at 6 a.m. but you can decide when you to listen the podcast. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I could decide to wait to produce it, but then everything would go stale.In this edition:* The executives in charge of Albemarle, Charlottesville, and the University of Virginia talk collaboration and innovation at the Tom Tom Festival (learn more)* City Council votes 3-1 to approve special use permit for commercial lodging at 401 Ridge Street (learn more)* Charlottesville City Council holds first reading on pass-through grant for police technology (learn more)* Charlottesville City Council also votes to approve a new lease for the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial Foundation for their memorial in McIntire Park (story not online yet)First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
CCE-850ALast week I asked listeners of the podcast to let me know if they were tuning in, and sure enough, several of you did reach out! So, perhaps this Friday edition of the newsletter going out as a podcast will continue. Today's edition doesn't have any new information but instead is an audio summary of some of what has been going on with voices from some of the decision-makers.I'm Sean Tubbs, and this one's a bit of a puzzle to put together. In the print edition below you'll see new versions of a couple of the stories as I had to develop a new script. I have not included the images, but these podcasts will now have normal shout-outs. No more house ads!Two stories in this edition, both about Charlottesville's budget for FY2026:* City Council makes last minute decisions at final work session before tonight's vote on $265M budget* Council adopts $265.2 million budget after another conversation about transit fundingFirst shout-out: Plant Virginia NativesSpring is here and there's still time to plan for upgrades to your outdoors. You can take some time to get ready for spring! Check out Plant Virginia Natives!Plant Virginia Natives is part of a partnership with ten regional campaigns for ten different ecosystems across Virginia, from the Northern Piedmont to the Eastern Shore. Take a look at the full map below for the campaign for native species where you are in the Commonwealth. For the Charlottesville area, download a free copy of the handbook: Piedmont Native Plants: A Guide for Landscapes and Gardens.Plant Northern Piedmont Natives is for anyone who works with native plants, whether you are a property owner, private consultant, landscape designer, nursery operator, conservation group, or local government.(image)A summary of the April 10, 2025 Charlottesville City Council budget work sessionOne of the challenges of doing a podcast version at the end of a week is that I may have to rearrange two previous stories in order for the audio edition to make sense. That's the case this week with Charlottesville City Council's adoption of a $265.2 million budget for fiscal year 2026. That happened on April 14 at a special meeting.But before we get to that, we have to go back to the work session held on April 10.In Charlottesville, the budget process never really stops. In fact, it keeps on going up to the last minute of adoption. New items were added at the work session that had not previously come up.At the beginning of the April 10 work session, they learned about additional spending that can happen because new funding has been found since the beginning of the budget process in March.“We do have supplemental revenue over and above the proposed budget of $774,263,” said Krisy Hammill, the city's budget director.The driver of that change was an additional $700,000 increase in Business and Professional Licenses that had not been factored in.There were many numbers thrown around during the final work session. Before Council signed off on how to spend that money, City Manager Sam Sanders went through how $915,620 in “Council Discretionary Funds” would be spent to leave a balance of $440,406 to spend.“Kind of thinking that with all the volatility that we have in DC, there could very easily be a series of moments that come up and that this would give you the flexibility to make some decisions and how we could support gaps in what could happen based on decisions and how it actually lands in the community,” Sanders said.Staff codified a list of what Council had already decided to spend over the course of four budget work sessions.* $250,000 to the Blue Ridge Coalition for the Homeless to cover the costs of a federal grant not obtained because there was an error related to a recent leadership transition.* $162,000 to the Piedmont Housing Alliance to pay for the cost of staff who work on eviction prevention.* $50,000 in cash to the Piedmont Housing Alliance related to eviction prevention.* An additional $43,150 to the Boys and Girls Club for a total of $116,000 in the FY26 budget.* An additional $28,800 to Lighthouse Studios to fund two programs for a total funding of $40,000 in the FY26 budget.* An additional $6,000 to Loaves and Fishes to bring their total funding to $50,000 for FY26.* An additional $1,200 to Piedmont CASA for a total of $10,000.* An additional $6,600 to Live Arts for a total of $16,000.* An additional $7,100 to Legal Aid Justice Center for a total of $40,000* An additional $1,500 to SARA for a total of $25,000.* A total of $104,261 in capital improvement program funds will be redirected to the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial. Read this story for more information.At the meeting, Hammill handed out a spreadsheet that provided more details about other programs that were added to the list such as an annual payment to the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center. This was initially left out of the budget because the organization did not fill out an application through a portal called Zoom Grants.The payment to the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center was $228,993 in FY2024 and $246,993 in FY2025. The organization is considered fundamental which means it no longer has to compete for funding through the Vibrant Community Fund process . The payment for FY2026 will be $228,200.“By not submitting through Zoom Grants, they didn't appear on the list, but they didn't know that they had to still submit through Zoom Grants,” Sanders said. “So we have some course corrections that we need to do there and making sure that everyone understands what they have to do still, even though they're in a non competitive round.”Sanders said there was a similar error with the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. That government body is considered “fundamental” but also sought additional funding.“We have to have a conversation with them about their pursuits of funding going forward to your point they could be here and in the competitive rounds,” Sanders said. “I don't particularly care for that. I think that makes it double dipping.”Sanders said Deputy City Manager James Freas and the Office of Community Solutions are currently performing an audit of CRHA as a way of building a better working relationship.City Councilor Michael Payne, a member of the CRHA Board, called for a joint work session to plan for the likelihood of reduced federal funding for public housing units.At one point in the conversation, Council initially signaled a willingness to add an additional $16,000 to the United Way for their Prosper program. Deputy City Manager Ashley Marshall made a pitch for the program at the April 10 meeting. The program had previously been called the Financial Resiliency Task Force.Another last minute item is $30,000 for the Tonsler League headed by former City Councilor and current CRHA Chair Wes Bellamy. The organization had expected that the City of Charlottesville would have received an additional $250,000 from the state government for operations, but Governor Glenn Youngkin recently vetoed that from the budget.“He received a $250,000 grant for this current year that ends in June,” Sanders said. “I am planning to check with him to see if. If he will expend all of that and avoid the risk of having to send anything back.”Council supported giving the Tonsler League $30,000.At half an hour into the final budget work session held three days after the final public hearing, Sanders asked Council if there was any other item they might want to fund and gave them the current balance.“The question that we are really posing at this point is, is there anything else that you all have been pondering?” Sanders asked. “Because we try to remind you that this is the end of the road and we are truly down to $394,000 that today, right now at this moment, is your Council Strategic Initiatives Fund.”That prompted Councilor Lloyd Snook to express a concern.“So we haven't even gotten to the fiscal year and we've already cut it down?” Snook asked.“That's correct,” Sanders said.Snook said he felt the process was not appropriate.“I find myself trying to figure out what possible process we're advancing here,” Snook said. “And the answer is it's still back to whatever anybody throws up against the wall at Council at the last minute. I just think that's a terrible way to do business.”Sanders said he understood Snook's concern.“I understand and appreciate the last minute nature of it and I'm not a fan of always doing that and I think in these, this, these two moments specifically, we can identify a way to bring you critical information so that you can have that presented to you and then you can make that determination on if you believe the item is ready to go forward,” Sanders said, adding that both Marshall and Bellamy could appear before Council to formally make a pitch.There were at least three Councilors who supported funding for Tonsler, but not yet for the Prosper Program.There was also a long discussion about increasing the number of transit drivers to 82 in order to restore service to pre-pandemic levels. This comment from Sanders finishes off that discussion and sets up a conversation for the future.“I think what I heard was that you are not going to attempt to unpack the budget at this late stage and find a way to make 82 drivers a reality,” Sanders said. “But what you are indicating is that you support the desire for added drivers and that you're looking to have us revisit that with you at some point in the future later in 2025 for the possible consideration of the use of one time funds for the bridge that would be required to get us to the next budget where we will realize the true cost.”Sanders also said he still wants to hold on to the $22.4 million surplus from FY2024 in case federal programs are cut.“The conversations that are being had in regards to SNAP and Medicaid are real in that they're big,” Sanders said. “And if those cuts were to occur, we will see a number of our constituency impacted directly by that.”Sanders said that while the city is blessed to have a large surplus, it will go very quickly if the local government picks up what had been a federal program.Tonight's meeting to adopt is not the end of the process. Because of a second advertising error, Council still has to hold a public hearing on the tax rates and that will take place at the next regular meeting on April 21. By law, Council cannot adopt those tax rates at that meeting and must wait at least three days. A second special meeting will be held on April 24.I had hoped to tell you more about the next three items by going back to the audio, but I've got to get to the next set of stories:* Sanders had an update on a potential low-barrier shelter. The General Assembly's version of the budget had $1.5 million going to the City of Charlottesville for this purpose, and Youngkin cut this in half. The budget has not yet been finalized and Sanders said Senator Creigh Deeds is still trying to make the case to restore the funding.* Sanders said he believes the city would need to provide operating funds to any grocery that sets up at 501 Cherry Avenue.* There is still a possibility that the city might provide funding for UVA's affordable housing project at 10th and Wertland. They will be asked to submit a request as part of the next funding cycle this fall.Second shout-out: Piedmont Master Gardeners seek items for Green Elephant SaleIf you are cleaning out your garage or basement this winter and have garden implements or yard ornaments you no longer need, the Piedmont Master Gardeners will take them off your handsThe Piedmont Master Gardeners are seeking donations of new and used garden tools, hoses, decorative items, outdoor furniture, and virtually anything else that can be used to maintain or enjoy a home landscape. From February 1 through April 30, these "Green Elephant" donations may be dropped off at 402 Albemarle Square between 10 a.m. and noon on Wednesdays or Saturdays. The Master Gardeners are not able to accept plastic pots or opened chemicals.The Green Elephants will be offered for sale to the public during PMG's Spring Plant Sale, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at Albemarle Square Shopping Center. Proceeds will support the many free and low-cost horticulture education programs the Piedmont Master Gardeners offer to the community.To arrange a pickup of large items or for more information, contact the Piedmont Master Gardeners at greenelephant@piedmontmastergardeners.org.(image)Council adopts $265.2 million budget after another conversation about transit fundingCharlottesville City Council adopted a $265.2 million budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1 at a special meeting on April 14 but not before another review and summary from City Manager Sam Sanders. He had introduced a $264,474,183 budget on March 4.“Things have changed a little bit, as it always does, from the proposed date to your adoption date,” Sander saidThere have been five budget work sessions and two public hearings on the document itself, but yet to come is a public hearing on the tax rates for 2025.“What I'll point out to you just in basic highlights, is that the revenue expenditure at this time has now risen to $265,248,446,” Sanders said.The tax rates have not changed for 2025, but another year of growth in assessments has resulted in more revenue. The assessor's office reported an average of a 7.74 percent increase in late January.One spending change in the budget is an additional $600,000 for Charlottesville Area Transit which partially came out of a push for local advocates.“We added a transit mechanic to help with operations,” Sanders said. “We are also maintaining fare free service across the system and absorbing the absence of the flexible federal funds because those funds are now not available to us as they have been.”Other highlights:* There's $5.4 million over the next five years for sidewalk repair and construction* There's $12.7 million in spending on affordable housing initiatives in FY26* The FY26 budget is the first to apply to a fourth collective bargaining unitCity Councilor Michael Payne asked about the status of a $22.4 million surplus from FY2024. Sanders made the decision to keep the amount in reserve and Council has so far agreed. The idea is to keep the money available while a new era for the federal government continues to settle in. He also said he has been meeting with nonprofit groups who have been making presentations on funding they have lost from the federal government.“So they are first trying to recoup what they've spent and hope that they might actually get some continuation,” Sanders said. “So that is beginning to build. We're beginning to see that finally the city organization itself has not incurred a loss. But we still continue to monitor just believing that it's just a matter of time. It's not a matter of if, it is actually a matter of when.”A generally-held practice in municipal budgeting is to not use one-time money such as surpluses to hire staffing.“Something like staffing is not ideal because we can't guarantee that funding to occur year to year,” said City Councilor Natalie Oschrin.The conversation went back to transit. The City of Charlottesville owns Charlottesville Area Transit and has full control of its operations. Albemarle County and Charlottesville have entered into an entity called the Charlottesville Albemarle Regional Transit Authority but so far that is entirely about planning for transit operations.Albemarle Supervisors vote to join Regional Transit Authority, December 15, 2024Charlottesville joins regional transit authority; Council holds first reading on federal transit allocations, December 28, 2024Charlottesville Area Transit has no independent board of directors which makes Council the sole authority over its operations. There had once been an advisory body made up of citizens but that was eliminated sometime during the pandemic.An advocacy group called IMPACT made up of various churches has been pressuring Albemarle and Charlottesville to increase the amount they spent on transit to hire additional drivers. Their specific number has been 82, a number believed to enable Charlottesville Area Transit to increase service.“The solution to long wait times is very straightforward: we need more bus drivers,” reads their website. “Right now, Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) has budgeted 67 drivers. Getting to wait times of half an hour will require at least 80.”In Virginia, cities and counties are completely independent of each other. There are regional services such as that provided by the Rivanna Water and Service Authority, but localities have to adopt budgets independently.IMPACT's public event was held on April 8, over a month into the budget process for Charlottesville and about six weeks after Albemarle County Executive Jeffrey Richardson introduced that locality's budget.At their work session on April 10, City Council indicated they wanted to support IMPACT's request but the timing is not right for the existing budget. They agreed to hold conversations about how to get there shortly after the budget is adopted.Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston and Charlottesville City Council were the two members of Council who went to hear from IMPACT at what they call the Nehemiah Action.“The commitment that the two of us made was to try to get something for this coming the fiscal year that we're working on now, which means some sort of amendment or whatever,” said City Councilor Brian Pinkston.Several members of the group were in attendance at the meeting and Pinkston addressed them directly from the dais and encouraged them to get involved earlier in the budget process.“I want people to know that this is not the end,” Pinkston said. “We heard you last week, we're working on it. And what you're hearing now is the sort of public outworking of the conversations that need to happen.”For over four years of reporting on transit issues, take a look at this tab on Information Charlottesville.Council adopted the budget after a final explanation of last minute changes such as $30,000 for the Tonsler League to help keep it going after Governor Youngkin vetoed an anticipated $250,000 from Virginia's budget.Council will hold a public hearing on the tax rate for 2025 on April 21 and then will hold a special meeting on April 24.Postscript for #850AToday's edition was intended to have additional audio but I ran out of time. Also the podcast edition can be less than half an hour long. The version that airs on WTJU has to be at least 29 minutes long. There was no radio version last week so I'm going to put another story or two in that version from #846-A. Behind the scenes I have quite a bit of organization that allows me to seemingly produce more content than entities with budgets that are much larger than mine. One day there will be more of everything. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
If you read yesterday's edition of the Charlottesville Community Engagement newsletter and really liked it, why not take a listen to today's? For some reason, Fridays are for audio production for both a podcast version and a version that will air on WTJU tomorrow at 6 a.m. I'm Sean Tubbs and what you're about to hear are several stories that all come from the April 2 meeting of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors. This is another experiment in providing you with the tools to better know your community.In today's installment:* There are three budget town halls left in Albemarle County before public hearings begin later this month (learn more)* A nonprofit that raises funds for the Shenandoah National Park is sharing information about how federal cuts are affecting operations (learn more)* There's a relatively new art gallery in Scottsville (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors recognize Dark Sky Week coming up April 21 through April 28 (learn more)* April is Financial Literacy Month (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors continue to discuss growth as part of the long and winding road that is the county's Comprehensive Plan review (learn more)* The show wraps up with an update from the Virginia Department of Transportation (this is not the story but it is close enough)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts.Advertising on Information Charlottesville could be a great way to keep my business going while also growing yours. I think there are new ways to do advertising, but I don't know what they are until I'm allowed to continue testing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
In the early days of Charlottesville Community Engagement, each edition was a newsletter as well as a podcast. In early 2024, this tradition was severed so I could make sure I could get a radio version on WTJU for Saturday morning 6 a.m. That's the case with this March 28, 2025 edition which is being produced in an odd week with slightly less productivity due to seasonal allergies. I'm Sean Tubbs and next week may see further experimentation.* Albemarle Supervisors briefed on climate funding, pay increases, and future direction for FY2027 (learn more)* EPA climate resilience grant for community nonprofits rescinded (learn more)* Supervisors also learn about the county's plans to add $4.2 million to a housing fund as well as a potential pause in federal housing vouchers (written story out tomorrow)* Charlottesville City Council holds first reading of allocations for affordable housing projects (learn more)* City Council enters into new agreement with CRHA for Sixth Street redevelopment (learn more)* Solar panels atop Ivy Landfill move closer to reality (Read this story on C-Ville Weekly)* Local projects left out of recent Continuing Resolution for federal budget (learn more)First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts.Advertising on Information Charlottesville could be a great way to keep my business going while also growing yours. I think there are new ways to do advertising, but I don't know what they are until I'm allowed to continue testing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
A main purpose of this newsletter is to write about what's happening with local government. Everyone in the United States of America lives within some sort of locality, either a city or a county. This newsletter is sometimes a podcast as is this case with this edition which provides potential listeners with stories about the budget formation in Albemarle County and Charlottesville.Your budget. You are part of your local budget. And if you are a resident of either jurisdiction aforementioned, you can take a listen now to the early part of a development process that is still going on. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I encourage you to go ahead and hit play for this bit of the historical record.A very nice plug on Reddit last night has resulted in hundreds of new subscribers. Welcome! Everything in today's audio edition has already been posted in the newsletter. On Friday I put together the audio version for this podcast and for a radio version that airs on WTJU 91.1 FM at 6 a.m. on Saturdays. My first professional gig was an intern for WVTF Public Radio in Roanoke back in 1995. This is a throwback to that and provides me a chance to reset for the next set of stories.In this edition:* Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders presents City Council with FY26 budget based on no new taxes (learn more)* Many people weigh in on Albemarle's recommended budget at first public hearing (learn more)* An account of Albemarle County's first work session on the FY2026 budget (learn more)* Albemarle budget staff provide broad overview of where $480.5 million in spending will go in FY26 (learn more)* Albemarle's police chief and fire chief explain why they need additional funds (learn more)First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!There are a lot of stories each week that go out through this newsletter, but no one information outlet can put together the entire picture. That's why each regular edition ends with a section called Reading Material.Charlottesville is fortunate to have a media landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Now more than ever, journalism is needed. To be a citizen of a democracy, you must seek information from multiple sources. Consume only one and you are at risk of becoming a zombie!Second shout-out: Advertise on Information CharlottesvilleLong-time readers may know that most of the stories posted through this newsletter are also posted to Information Charlottesville. Sometimes the stories go there first! Both this newsletter and that website are part of the same information gathering operation, an operation I hope to continue to grow!There are multiple ways to contribute to Town Crier Productions.One new one is to place an advertisement on Information Charlottesville. I'm in the early days of experimenting with visual ways for organizations to get their message across to a growing audience. I've not yet put together a media kit, but I'm ready to offer a special for March. What's the special? More details in the audio version of the podcasts.Advertising on Information Charlottesville could be a great way to keep my business going while also growing yours. I think there are new ways to do advertising, but I don't know what they are until I'm allowed to continue testing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
When written in numbers, today's full date has four twos, a zero, and a five. Put them all together in the right way and it's February 22, 2025, and I will not play a similar puzzle with the name of the show which begins with two C-words and an E. I'm Sean Tubbs, the producer of Charlottesville Community Engagement which is made up of the audio versions of stories about local and regional government in the Central Virginia listening area. Let's get to it.Today's audio versions of stories already published in written form:* A round-up of the landscape of local elections as the spring comes closer* Charlottesville School Superintendent Gurley presents budget request to City Council (learn more)* A look at the City of Charlottesville's finances before the next budget comes out (learn more)* Two members of City Council pay tribute to the late Charlottesville Mayor Satyendra Huja (learn more)* The Buildings and Grounds Committee of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors endorses the design for new student residences planned for the intersection of Ivy Road and Copeley Road (learn more)* The University of Virginia's Board of Visitors has the first of two emergency meetings to discuss the future of gender-affirming care at the UVA Health System (learn more)Every so often there's a podcast version which may also have something worth reading in the text. It's up to you to decide. First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!In today's first shout-out in the form of a house ad, I want to make sure everyone knows that every edition of the regular newsletter (not the podcast ones) ends with a section called Reading Material. Charlottesville Community Engagement is just one offering in a landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Show notes for 817A: Why this one and not another one?In this particular edition of the newsletter that carries the podcast, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how things get made. For the past year now, audio production has shifted as I began doing a radio version for WTJU. The show airs at 6 a.m. so the audience may be low, but I'm grateful to have a regular place in the airwaves.This week was another where I didn't have a lot of audio because most of the stories this week were ones that didn't originate from a meeting. Take a look at the table below the second shout-out to see what I've been up for the past two weeks. By the time I get to Saturday morning, I'm ready to get to the new set of stories.I spent Friday putting together the audio versions, a process that takes a lot longer than it used to because the audio can't be terrible. It could be terrible when this was just a podcast. On Friday morning I wasn't sure how I was going to pull off putting together a 29 minute piece, but somehow it happened.One of the ideas was to take two of the Election 2025 stories and put them together as the show's opener. I almost never read new copy for WTJU but this time it made sense to eat up time in the show by giving listeners a little more information.I also added about a minute to the piece on members of City Council paying tribute to the late Satyendra Huja by including a clip from his 2007 interview with Charlottesville Tomorrow. I was able to grab that from his cvillepedia entry and imagine my surprise when I heard my voice as the interviewer! I forgot I had done that.In any case, that's this set of stories. I'm going to leave the text for the script for the election round-up.Election round-up: Information on Jack Jouett District race in Albemarle and Charlottesville School BoardThere are 254 days until the general election on November 4. Virginians will go to the polls to elect a new Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. They'll also select a member of the House of Delegates as all 100 seats are up.There are also local elections across the area.For the first time in six years, there will be a contested race for the Democratic nomination for a seat on the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.In January, Supervisor Diantha McKeel announced she would not seek re-election to another term for the seat she has held since 2015. Two candidates have expressed interest in replacing her as the Democrat on the ballot for the Jack Jouett District.Sally Duncan of Earlysville, a history teacher, has filed paperwork with the Virginia Department of Elections to run as a Democrat for the seat.Earlier this month, historian David Shreve told members of the Albemarle Democratic Party that he would also be seeking the nomination.The two as well any other candidates who emerge will be on the ballot of the June 17, 2025 Democratic Primary unless the local party decides to pick another nomination process.Duncan received an undergraduate degree in American Studies from the University of Virginia in 2020 and earned a graduate degree in Religious Studies in 2023. She's currently a high school history teacher and has a total of five children.Duncan will formally announce her candidacy at the County Office Building on February 25 at 11 a.m.Shreve has served as a member of the Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee as well as the Albemarle County Economic Development Authority. He has also served as co-chair of the Jack Jouett District Albemarle Democratic Party Committee. Shreve has also been involved with several non-profit groups including a board member at the group Advocates for a Sustainable Albemarle Population.In his professional capacity, Shreve has worked for the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia and spent one year working for the National Governors Association. He recently started a job as a senior economist for the Center for the Advancement of a Steady State Economy.This year in Albemarle, both Rio District Supervisor Ned Gallaway and Samuel Miller District Supervisor Jim Andrews are up for election. Neither has yet revealed their plans.There will also be a contested race for the Charlottesville City School Board. Last time around there were four seats open, and four candidates emerged. This time the seats held by Emily Dooley, Lisa Torres, and Dom Morse are all up for election.Both Dooley and Torres have stated they will seek reelection. So far, I've not heard from Morse but both Dashad Cooper and Zyahna Bryant have filed their paperwork to run for the seats.More in the future.Learn more:* Two Democrats have announced for Jack Jouett seat on Albemarle Board of Supervisors* Zyahna Bryant enters the race for Charlottesville School BoardSecond shout-out: Town Crier ProductionsI created Town Crier Productions in the summer of 2020 as a way of getting back to the business of journalism. Whether you are listening or reading this newsletter, it's part of a venture based on a pretty simple idea: I will continue to spend my time researching and reporting and will provide ways for people who want to pay for the material to be produced!In 2025 I'm seeking ways to solidify the business, and here are some ways you can support the work.* Sign up for a paid subscription through Substack. There is not much premium content because my primary aim is to get information out to as many people as possible. I'm long overdue on December 2024 transactions, for instance, and that's what I'll do as soon as this is posted!* Contribute through Patreon. A major goal this year is to replace this with a way to make a tax-deductible donation, but that's not set up yet. If I had more time, I'd make more audio programs through Patreon. Maybe today I'll do something weird.* Send in a check made out to Town Crier Productions at PO Box 1754, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902. This will be used as a replacement for Substack.* Ask me about advertising opportunities! I am testing out advertising on Information Charlottesville and I'm enjoying the experiment. Reach out if you'd like to get in on an introductory deal!* Volunteer for cvillepedia, a great way to become a fact checker and to bolster your research skills! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
At some point I said I would be getting podcasts out on Mondays, but last week's came out on a Tuesday. I could have easily followed suit and posted this one tomorrow, but that would take away from the time it will take to write the stories for the January 21, 2025 regular edition of the Charlottesville Community Engagement. This particular podcast includes several stories that aired last Saturday on WTJU as well as two stories that will air next Saturday. Is this madness? Is there a method? I'm Sean Tubbs, and I'm not even sure if I know anymore.In this edition:* Albemarle Supervisors recognize MLK Day and award proclamation to Riverview Farm (learn more)* Property assessments in Albemarle are up an average of 5.1 percent in 2025 (learn more)* Only one Albemarle project recommended for funding in Smart Scale's sixth round (learn more)* Fluvanna and Louisa both retain leadership slate for 2025 (learn more)* Nelson Supervisors select Reed for chair, Ligon as vice chair (learn more)* Catalano selected as Greene Supervisor chair for 2025 in divided vote (learn more)* Missel to remain chair of Albemarle Planning Commission (learn more)* Fluvanna Supervisors signal interest in pursuit of meals tax (learn more)* Albemarle residents ask for more scrutiny on the spread of sewage sludge in the county (learn more)All of the stories above have already been in the print version of the newsletter, but these are the audio versions! Sign up to get both. Pay, if you like!First-shout: Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on January 26 at Mount Zion First African Baptist ChurchMark your calendar for January 26 at 5 p.m. when the Mount Zion First African Baptist Church will host the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration. Since 1985, the Celebration has been held to honor people who have served the community starting with Drewary Brown who received the first award that year.Since then, the event has honored 35 other members of the Charlottesville area for their commitment to Dr. King's ideals. During its anniversary year, the program will honor 40 years of past award winners. With leaders from Piedmont Virginia Community College, UVA, local government, and the community, the group will look forward to the future!The program will feature musical selections from the MLK, Jr. Community Choir, a Children's Choir, and Youth and Young Adults Choir. Leaders from a variety of faith traditions will participate in the event, which will feature former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney.Prior to the program beginning at 5, a special musical and reading prelude will occur at 4 in the church. Parking for the event is at Mt Zion, 105 Lankford Ave.The current snapshot of the story spreadsheet:Second shout-out: Supporting the Keswick Heritage Fund's Love Better ProjectThe Keswick Heritage Fund is a partnership of several churches in Albemarle County that provides education support and opportunities for professional development. One of their outreach programs is the Love Better Project, which provides scholarships to Black students in the Keswick area. The fund was created soon after the inaugural scholarship was awarded in 2020.Grace Episcopal Church, Union Grove Baptist, Union Run Baptist, Zion Hill Baptist and St. John Church are united for growth through community partnership and education. To learn more about the fund, the scholarships, and the churches themselves, visit their website at keswickheritagefund.com. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
More than 30 years have now passed since I began work as an intern for WVTF Public Radio, beginning a professional career that has at times included the production of audio stories. When Town Crier Productions first began putting out the Charlottesville Quarantine Report in March 2020, I finally returned back to having a sonic element as part of my work routine.The first 650 editions of this newsletter were all podcasts as well, but I made a change last February that has meant there's only one of these a week. That's because I produce a version for WTJU that airs Saturdays at 6 a.m. The idea is to produce a podcast version too, but the holidays were particularly grueling.Today's edition is produced as a reminder that audio is an aspiration, and perhaps the first time many new subscribers realize this occasional benefit. Everything you hear has already been in print and you can find the written articles over on Information Charlottesville.In this edition: * Democrats retain control of the Virginia General Assembly after three special elections on January 7 (learn more)* The General Assembly convened briefly on January 8 and recessed until Monday due to Richmond water crisis (learn more)* Governor Glenn Youngkin delivered the State of the Commonwealth address when they got back to work (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors retain leadership for what is described as a challenging year (learn more)* A look at School Board races in Charlottesville so far (learn more)* Reids Super Save Market to close as Twice as Nice thrift store to purchase building (learn more)* Albemarle Planning Commissioners request different designations of for different kinds of rural land (learn more)* BAR members suggest changes to planned affordable housing building on Wertland Street (learn more)Sometimes there are podcast editions and this is one of them. Sign up to get them all! First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!In today's first shout-out in the form of a house ad, I want to make sure everyone knows that every edition of the regular newsletter (not the podcast ones) ends with a section called Reading Material. Charlottesville Community Engagement is just one offering in a landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Second shout-out:What you are reading or listening to at Charlottesville Community Engagement is part of a business-venture that's based on a pretty simple idea. I will spend my time researching and reporting and will provide ways for people who want to pay for the material to be produced!bI've been a journalist for a long while now, and this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Charlottesville Podcasting Network. While that website doesn't have new content, it's part of how I demonstrate my dedication to this community. In 2025 I'm seeking ways to solidify the business, and here are some ways you can support the work.* Sign up for a paid subscription through Substack. There is not much premium content because my primary aim is to get information out to as many people as possible.* Contribute through Patreon. A major goal this year is to replace this with a way to make a tax-deductible donation, but that's not set up yet. If I had more time, I'd make more audio programs through Patreon.* Send in a check made out to Town Crier Productions at PO Box 1754, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902. This will be used as a replacement for Substack.* Ask me about advertising opportunities! Later this month, advertising will begin to appear on Information Charlottesville and I'm hoping it can have the same style as the shout-outs. Introductory pricing will be low!* Tell friends about the work!* Volunteer to design some logos because I'm very bad at graphics! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
As promised four weeks ago, this is the fifth Saturday of November. Or at least, this podcast edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement is being produced on November 30. Every week I write over two dozen stories but only some of them are converted into audio versions both for this feed and for WTJU-FM. Most of those stories also end up being added to Information Charlottesville, the archival companion to this Substack feed. I'm Sean Tubbs, and I put this together for many reasons but a love of audio production is at the top of the list.Here's what's in the edition for the final Saturday of this month:* Albemarle Supervisors briefed on potential revenue gap in five-year financial work session (learn more)* The UVA Foundation seeks firms to build 600 units of mixed-income housing at North Fork (learn more)* Albemarle Planning Commission recommends denial of a “public garage” in Keene (learn more)* Charlottesville's Board of Architectural Review wants a different design for a proposed hotel for 218 W. Market Street (learn more)* The director of the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority RSWA director briefs officials on some of the challenges facing the disposal industry including a dwindling amount of landfill space (learn more)* Charlottesville using ranked-choice voting to select name for holiday tree (learn more)First shout-out: Shout-outs on Town Crier Productions!When I went back to journalism in 2020, I started a Patreon account as one way to figure out how to pay my bills. For years I had the idea of producing something that sounded like a public radio show, and I decided to offer “shout-outs” to those who were in the $25 a month tier.That's why you read or hear brief spots for WTJU, the Rivanna Conservation Alliance, Plant Virginia Natives, and other entities that opted for that tier. Over the years I've expanded this and those who pay more than $200 a year through Substack also get a shout-out.In 2025, I plan to shake up the system a little as I try to bring in more revenue to help grow Town Crier Productions as a business. I don't have anything to offer just yet, but I'm interested in hearing from businesses and organizations that might want to help support the work and reach a growing audience. So, drop me a line and let's build the community together!Second shout-out: Cvillepedia!Cvillepedia is an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit, and this second shout-out today is to provide a little bit about what I know. I helped create the website back in the late 2000's as a way of keeping track of all of the stories being written for the nonprofit news organization I worked for at the time.Now Cvillepedia is hosted by the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library under the stewardship of the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society. There are over 6,500 articles and we need volunteers to help keep it up to date and to capture more of this community's history, present, and future.One of those articles is November 30 and there's a list of some things that happened today:* 1897 – Charlottesville City Council holds a special meeting to discuss supplementing the area's water supply and they agreed to sell $35,000 worth of bonds to finance improvements. [1]* 1899 – The last Thanksgiving of the century was held on the final day of the month. [2]* 1903 – A special meeting of the Charlottesville City Council takes place and City Engineer C.L. DeMott comments that the city is run by the street railway company. Mayor J. Samuel McCue said that might have been true of a different Council. [3]* 1905 – President Theodore Roosevelt traveled through Charlottesville on his way to Pine Knot. [4]* 1925 – Planning continues for the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with Charlottesville hoping to take the lead. [5]* 2010 – Kick-off meeting for Belmont Bridge replacement at CitySpace. [6][7]There's so much more to had and so many sources to cite. If you're interested in helping out, drop me a line and I'll put you in touch with someone at the ACHS. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Different human beings have different ways of receiving and processing information. Charlottesville Community Engagement is able to provide narratives of civic happenings using text as well as audio. This particular edition for October 23, 2024 is a podcast version with several recent stories. Why do two versions? In the words Bill Siemering wrote to breathe life into National Public Radio, my aim every single day is to “encourage a sense of active constructive participation, rather than apathetic helplessness.” In this audio edition:* Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders announces several upcoming “community interventions” (learn more)* Charlottesville now pays the private Charlottesville Parking Center $1.8 million a year to rent the Water Street Parking Garage (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors discuss growth management policy at AC44 work session (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors also lay out their legislative priorities for 2025 General Assembly (learn more)* Beloved UVA men's basketball Coach Tony Bennett explains his sudden retirement (learn more)This is an audio version but the next one will be a text version. There are no video versions planned as the camera keeps breaking.First-shout: WTJU's Offbeat Roadhouse features Jeff Massanari Trio this week Every Friday night at 8 p.m, Offbeat Roadhouse on WTJU invites a different musical group into your home for an hour long concert live from WTJU's performance space. Each week there will be Blues, Folk, Jazz, and Roots acts from around the globe. This Friday, the Jeff Massanari Trio will pull into the Offbeat Roadhouse for a concert which will also be broadcast on WTJU. The Jazz guitar master will be joined by Tom Harbeck on bass, and drummer David Drubin.This is a free event, open to all. You can also listen to Offbeat Roadhouse on the radio (91.1 FM) or on-line, and even video stream it at WTJU's Facebook page or YouTube channel. But concerts always sound better with you as part of the studio audience. WTJU is located at 2244 Ivy Rd in Charlottesville, right next door to Vivace. Want to see the live event and plan to see more? Check out more on WTJU's Events Calendar!Second shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!In today's second shout-out in the form of a house ad, I want to make sure everyone knows that every edition of the regular newsletter (not the podcast ones) ends with a section called Reading Material. Charlottesville Community Engagement is just one offering in a landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.You are listening to Charlottesville Community Engagement for October 23, 2024, a super-sized edition. That's one story from Albemarle. Let's hear another, take a break, and then hear a final story from the athletic world. Third shout-out: Podcasts are cool Perhaps the podcast versions are a bit of an indulgence, but there are at least 200 people who listen each time. Maybe that number is small, and maybe it is not commercially defensible. Yet, audio production is intricately woven into how I do my research. My first ever professional work was an internship at WVTF Public Radio nearly 30 years ago, and this is an extension of that work. But this podcast is not the only way to hear the stories! There's also a Soundcloud page and each of those is appended to the bottom of stories on Information Charlottesville. As long as I keep publishing Charlottesville Community Engagement, there will be an audio component. Any ideas? Want to get involved? Drop me a line! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Before I can write the new set of stories, I must first process all of the ones written in the past week or so. That means producing the audio for the WTJU radio version of Charlottesville Community Engagement which airs every Saturday at 6 a.m. as well as posting as many as possible to the Information Charlottesville website. These are habits that have emerged from the last four years of being an independent journalist seeking to build audience as I can. I'm Sean Tubbs and I am the host of Charlottesville Community Engagement and these are the audio versions of six pieces of information that have previously gone out in the written newsletter.And no, Jerry, you don't have to pay attention to this one. There's no material except for whatever commentary and other sonic mayhem may appear in the audio version.But if you want to check out the stories: * Charlottesville budget staff brief Council on development of FY26 budget (learn more)* Albemarle County's Places29-North group gets updates on the High School Center II and new elementary school (learn more)* Albemarle staff continues work on Comprehensive Plan update (learn more)* UVA fundraising continues to set new records and the School of Data Science gets a $10 million gift for scholarships (learn more)* A new director hired in Charlottesville to oversee planning and zoning while a legal challenge to the new zoning code remains pending (learn more)* UVA Office of Sustainability briefs Board of Visitors' panel (learn more)It looks like Fridays may be the days in which the podcast comes out. Sign up to see if that's what happens in seven days. First shout-out: Celebrating the community's other information organizations!In today's first shout-out in the form of a house ad, I want to make sure everyone knows that every edition of the regular newsletter (not the podcast ones) ends with a section called Reading Material. Charlottesville Community Engagement is just one offering in a landscape that includes the Charlottesville Daily Progress, C-Ville Weekly, Charlottesville Tomorrow, and Cville Right Now, I curate links from these sources because I believe a truly informed community needs multiple perspectives.There's also the Cavalier Daily, Vinegar Hill Magazine, the Fluvanna Review, the Crozet Gazette, NBC29, CBS19, and other sources. But if you look every day, you'll find links to articles in national publications, all linked to give you more perspectives on some of the issues of our times.Today's second shout-out: Town Crier ProductionsIn today's second shout-out, once again I'm taking the owner's prerogative to state a little about the business that operates Charlottesville Community Engagement as well as Information Charlottesville. I am cutting and pasting this because I'm really ready to be done with the work week. But, also maybe you're new and you're seeing this for the first time. Town Crier Productions was created in 2020 after I felt a calling to return to local journalism. I've been able to cobble together a living for over 1,500 days in this manner, and I'm still learning how to create this entity.I am in the process of re-evaluating some of the previous ways things have worked and I'm starting with these shout-outs. The system you see is one that is wholly improvised and one that can be improved over time. In the weeks to come I will be asking readers and businesses questions about shout-outs, sponsorships, advertising, underwriting, and other ways to put information out in front of an audience that receives about 3,000 views per newsletter. Town Crier Productions is not a non-profit and so far lacks a dedicated operations team. But, there is at least one dedicated reporter determined to build an organization that will support the community's information needs for time to come. Questions? Send them my way, and stay tuned as we all find out how some of these stories turn out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Today is day three of the Local Independent Online News publisher's sustainability summit in Chicago. I've taken a few days off to learn more about the business end of providing information to the public and meeting so many other people who are passionate about their work. However, I can't clear all of the deadlines I have and one of them is the weekly radio show on WTJU that airs at 6 a.m. This week I decided to re-use the podcast version of the June 11, 2024 edition of this newsletter taken from the last time I traveled to Illinois. And I figured three days without a new post is way too long, so I thought I'd share it with the Substack audience as well. The Week Ahead for the next will be out sometime tomorrow, and then I'll be back to regular programming likely on Tuesday. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
We are at the last day of August for 2024, and there are 335 days until the next time we call the current month after that particular Roman emperor. Fans of adulation toward long-gone dictators shouldn't fret, though. There are 304 days until July 1, a factual statement that should also please Canadians. This is the final audio podcast of Charlottesville Community Engagement for this month, the sixth in an effort to make sure there's a chance for people to hear the people quoted in the stories. I'm Sean Tubbs, grateful for the listeners! In this edition: * Albemarle Supervisors agree to a tax rebate arrangement with Home Depot worth three quarters of a million dollars (written version coming Monday)* Albemarle Supervisors have also approved a rezoning for Granger property in Albemarle's southwest urban ring (learn more)* Traffic fatalities in Virginia are up while total number of crashes has slightly decreased (learn more) * Speed-camera enforcement to begin in October for Hydraulic Road school zones (learn more) * Transit partnership votes to transition to Regional Transit Authority (learn more)First shout-out: Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library In today's first Patreon-fueled shout-out: The rolling topography of the Charlottesville area keeps some people away from choosing cycling as an option to get around. Perhaps an e-bike is in order? That's where Charlottesville's eBike Lending Library comes in! E-bikes are a great way to get around the community but there are many brands and styles to choose from. Because many e-bikes are sold online, it can be a challenge to try an e-bike before buying one.The Charlottesville E-bike Lending Library is a free, not-for-profit service working to expand access to e-bikes in the area. They have a small collection of e-bikes that they lend out to community members for up to a week, for free. You can experience your daily commute, go grocery shopping, or even bike your kids to school, and decide whether e-bikes are right for you. Check out this service at https://www.ebikelibrarycville.org!Behind the scenes note to anyone readingThis is a podcast only edition which usually means there is nothing original. This time around, though, there is one story that will go out in written form in Monday's edition of the regular newsletter. So if you really want to know more about Albemarle County's $750,000 tax rebate deal with the Home Depot, you can listen to a six minute story I produced yesterday to fill time for today's radio program that went out on WTJU. My professional history in journalism began in 1995 with an internship at WVTF Public Radio. I love producing in sound and even in a long period of time where I produced very few audio stories (roughly 2007 to 2020) I still produced all of my print stories by going through recordings. So now I get to present information in both ways, and my production calendar has matured to be able to help me sort out what stage every single story is in. Today that means an advance audio version of a print story, something I don't expect to happen often.But who knows? If it's not on the spreadsheet, I'm not sure when I'll be able to really wonder. There's a lot to do, and I'm grateful to paid subscribers and other contributors who help me keep this business going. Is this part spoken in the podcast? Are there secrets and easter eggs? Is there room in this community for odd audio collage? Will I be brave enough to try something new? You'll just have to listen and find out! Second-shout: Gazpacho in the Garden at MorvenIn today's second subscriber-supported shout-out: The Morven Sustainability Lab invites you to celebrate the new semester on Friday, September 6 for the annual Gazpacho in the Garden event at 5 p.m. There will be a summer meal harvested from a garden that's all run by students at the University of Virginia. There will be family-friendly music, lawn games, and tours of the garden where you can learn something. There will be limited seating so do come prepared with picnic blankets and chairs. For ticket information, visit the appropriate page on EventBrite. Behind the scenes notes for #CCE-724AMuch of the music in the podcast comes from Wraki and that's another reason to listen! The bits in between the segments are odd concoctions I make. The opening music is from P.J. Sykes, as I commissioned him more than seventeen years ago for a podcast product that didn't work out. Until now! Thanks for listening or for reading to this point. I'm glad to have been able to make a steady living after all this work trying to prove myself. Thank you to paid subscribers, and if you'd like to become one, please remember Ting will match your initial payment. This is an incredibly generous sponsorship, and if you sign up for service and you are within Ting's service area, enter the promo code COMMUNITY you're going to get:* Free installation* A second month for free* A $75 gift card to the Downtown Mall This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
She Wrote Plays reimagines forgotten works by women playwrights as audio dramas. Produced by WTJU and UVA Drama. Link: https://www.shewroteplays.com/ RSS Feed: https://pinecast.com/feed/she-wrote-plays
Good morning and welcome to another edition of the audio version of Charlottesville Community Engagement this time for August 17, 2024. This particular edition of the podcast originally aired on WTJU this morning at 6 a.m. This is the 230th day of the year meaning we are 62.8 percent of the way to 2025. A lot will happen between now and then, but here is some of what has happened in the last two weeks or so. I'm Sean Tubbs of Town Crier Productions, and written versions of these stories appear at infocville.com: In this sonic edition:* Council wants District Avenue roundabout to offer full access to Meadows neighborhood (learn more)* City Council approves three acquisitions for parkland and trails (learn more)* A brief land use update from the University of Virginia (learn more)* Herrick named as Albemarle's interim county attorney (learn more)* Area convention and visitors bureau has moved to a new location (learn more)* Albemarle Supervisors briefed on procurement mechanism for Eastern Avenue (learn more) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Pliable. Stretchable. Bendabe. Malleable. Whippy. These are all synonyms for flexible, a word that describes the production nature of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter and occasional podcast that for most of the past four years was both at the same time. Over time, though, it was necessary to become more limber, plastic, elastic, and workable. For this August 3, 2024 podcast edition, audio versions of several stories from the last three print editions. I'm Sean Tubbs, glad to be able to still be doing the sonic version.In this edition: * Charlottesville City Council to vote Monday on salary increase (learn more)* Albemarle moving ahead with update of economic development strategic plan (learn more)* City of Charlottesville updates retail vacancy report (learn more)* Six townhouses planned for single-family house on Alderman Road (learn more)* State Senator John McGuire will be the Republican nominee for the Fifth District Congressional Race this fall after a recount affirmed his victory in the primary * The Albemarle Board of Supervisors gets a briefing from Albemarle staff on changes to the structure of the next Comprehensive Plan (learn more)This time it is a podcast. Next time it will be a summary of what's coming up at government meetings next week. After that? Sign up and see for yourself! Sponsored message: Buy Local Buying locally supports our neighbors and community members and makes a big impact for our local economy. Local businesses are more likely to reinvest in our community and their goods and services contribute to the unique character of our community.Learn more about how you can support local business at ShowLocalLove.org and on social media:* Instagram* Facebook* The website formerly known as TwitterAn explanation of shout-outsIn a typical edition, I use this space to provide a “shout-out” to subscribers and Patreon supporters who have qualified for a particular perk. Most of these editions are written as scripts for a podcast as my early journalistic dream was to be a public radio producer. I love the way that public service announcements sound and I love that in three years I've been able to use this space to promote items that I think most of you would be interested in. In this shout-out, I want to salute anyone who has learned something new from these shout-outs. I also want to thank those individuals and organizations that have supported me in the past. (image) Town Crier ProductionsThoughts on 713A and the ending of the work weekAt 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon I am so happy to stop working and to pick it all up again tomorrow. So I will just say that if you have not listened to one of these before, this would be a good one to start. The secret has always been that this was intended to be an audio product as that's what I've always wanted to do. January will mark the 30th anniversary of an internship I had at a public radio station. The AC44 version aired on WTJU this morning, as I have an obligation to fill 30 minutes a week. Knowing I had to make a new deadline every week, I restructured a lot of my internal processes to be able to make sure I could do it.This is not that version. I could have just posted that here and taken a day off, but I felt I owe the hundreds of people who do listen to the podcast. I really enjoyed doing this work today while I watched the Olympics in Paris, something I did not expect I would be doing nine days ago.Watching people compete and be their best is inspirational to me. I've worked hard to get good at writing about this stuff, and the podcasts sound pretty good, too. Take a listen, though this one is not soundbite-heavy. I run audio of myself quoting from reports through a filter, which is a very cheap way to try to make it sound interesting. I much prefer people hearing to the voices of people I quote, and that is in the final segment which has already aired on the radio first.What would me from 1984 think about being able to produce this information and grow an audience? I'm not sure, but I know I'm glad I put this together today. Producing audio is my favorite thing to do. If you listen, thank you!One more thing to do before going offline for the night. I want to post the WTJU version to the because I put the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisor discussions on the Comprehensive Plan in one podcast. Just another way to document things that may slip past without being published somewhere. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Good morning and welcome to the July 27, 2024 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. Today is the National Day of the Cowboy, something officially sanctioned by the General Assembly in 2015. Nothing in this edition pertains to that, but somehow this ended up in the show notes anyway.In this edition: * Habitat for Humanity will make a counter-offer of at least $7 million to purchase the Carlton Mobile Home Park in Charlottesville* The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission agrees to pursue another round of funding for rural housing presentation * The Albemarle Planning Commission recommends approval of a rezoning for up to 165 units at 1193 Seminole Trail just north of the Charlottesville border* Elected bodies in both Albemarle and Charlottesville are briefed on changes to the budget process that funds nonprofit agencies who provide services to help humans in need * New legislation now allows some appointed bodies in Virginia to meet virtually more often* The TJDPC also receives additional funding from Virginia for broadband expansion * A local store that specializes in the creative reuse of art supplies joins a regional collective to promote the practiceShow notes for CCE-710AIf you listen carefully, this is the show that went out on WTJU this morning at 6 a.m. Ordinarily I would swap out the introduction, but I really want to take a break from audio production after yesterday. Sometimes this will happen. This is the 19th edition of the podcast that has aired on WTJU and since that time I've made a lot of changes to my process. But this is not one of the days I want to write about it extensively as there's other things I want to do today. So, thanks for listening if you did, and if you didn't, I recommend it. My career had an early start in public radio and I opted to go a different route and here we are. Now it is time to get to work on the new set of stories! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
The opening sentences of every single edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement are intended to be a script that opens up a podcast that contains several stories about items happening in order to engage the community of Charlottesville. In recent months, the podcast and the written newsletter are out of production sync but efforts are being made to restore this functionality. I'm Sean Tubbs, and hoping that those who read this and have not yet listened will hit play today. In this edition: * The primary results are in and the 5th District Republican nomination is too close to call, while Gloria Tinsley Witt wins handily over two fellow Democrats (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors commemorated Juneteenth earlier this month with a proclamation (read the story)* The UVA Buildings and Grounds panel approves the Major Capital Plan, including planning studies for Fifeville properties and another look at a study to get off of coal (read the story)* The Albemarle Fire Department recommends switching out mulch landscaping for rocks to prevent fire risk (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors think the Broadway area should remain available for industrial use (read the story)* That elected body also endorses eight Smart Scale applications (read the story)Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.First shout-out: Charlottesville Community Bikes' Tour de Gluten on June 23On Sunday, June 23, Charlottesville Community Bikes invites you to come along at noon with dozens of riders for the Tour de Gluten, a no-drop, social bike ride featuring stops at our talented bakery neighbors in Rose Hill/Preston/Downtown!They have two ticket options:* Ticket with Baked Goods: Covers highlighted items (baker's choice!) from each participating bakery. Registration closes one week before the ride so we can place pre-orders for the whole group, which we will pick up when we bike to each bakery.* Ride-Only Registration: For those who want to join the bike ride but don't plan to purchase baked goods.Bakery stops include:* Althea Bread* Baker No Bakery (at Grit Coffee downtown)* Cumbre Coffee & Bakery* Cou Cou Rachou* Marie Bette Cafe & Bakery (on Rose Hill Dr.)Second shout-out: Charlottesville Jazz SocietyIn today's second subscriber supported public service announcement, the Charlottesville Jazz Society wants you to know that once a month they hold the Local Jazz Spotlight Series at Miller's on the Downtown Mall. Coming up on Sunday, June 30, the spotlight will shine on the Jamal Milner Trio featuring Daniel Richardson. This takes place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the event is free. Maybe I'll see you there as I've been wanting to go see one of these for months! If you can't wait until then but need to go see some live music, the Charles Owens Quarter will play their 2022 album Golden Moments at the Vault on Thursday, June 20. The event is co-sponsored by the Charlottesville Jazz Society. Tickets But that's just one of many great events coming up that you can learn about on the event calendar at cvillejazz.com. Notes for #692AI wanted to be a public radio journalist and worked hard at a station for many years but there was never a job for me. Over those years, there was also less room in the schedule for me to sell stories as a freelancer. I created the Charlottesville Podcasting Network in 2005 out of frustration that local public radio at the time refused to put content out online. The experience of going independent back then was exhilarating, but I did not have the reporting chops to do much. When I went to work at Charlottesville Tomorrow, management had no interest in audio except as a way to bring long meetings to people. Yet, every story I produced in my eleven years was written as if it was a public radio story as my primary reporting technique is to harvest audio. I'm not sure if I'll get back to every single edition being a podcast, as there are many items that simply don't sound good. For a while, I would run my voice through a sound filter to read sound-bites, but I've stopped doing that as much since stories now also run on WTJU at 6 a.m. on Saturdays.I'd like to grow the audience for the audio version, and I'll continue to explore this. All I know is that I want to keep going with this work for a very long time, constantly refining the way I do things and never resting on my laurels. I'm allergic to them, anyway. As I already did a pitch for paid subscriptions today, as well as the Ting advertisement, I'll just leave it there with a thank you. And an image of the current snapshot of the spreadsheet that does all the real work of organization. I'm setting up to do this for a very long as there are subscribers willing to pay me to do the work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
An introspective introductionFor most of the history of this newsletter, the print version has served as the script for the audio version. Both went out at the same time. In the past few months, the two products have diverged but it is my hope to return back to more frequent audio. This particular edition is almost the exact same as the June 11, 2024 newsletter. That's the one that went out late Tuesday about a single topic. That and the 33 minute podcast version are the result of my trip to Champaign-Urbana to follow the Charlottesville City Council on their visit to the Mass Transit District. I've also cross-posted the full article to Information Charlottesville which serves as an archive site for most of the work I do. I estimate this edition took about forty hours of my time not counting the travel time out to Champaign-Urbana. I decided to take the trip because I wanted to go back to Illinois, a place where I spent time as a child. I'd not been back in a very long time and along the way I had an interesting journey that's not germane to Charlottesville Community Engagement. Yet the trip to Champaign-Urbana was very much part of what I've always wanted to do in my time as a journalist. I don't do enough reporting from the field, and I forgot a lot of necessary tricks for audio production, such as make sure you grab enough tone to make it seem like the narration is coming from the scene. This also could have used another edit, but as a one-person operation sometimes you just have to move on. Yesterday I spent about four or five hours or so doing the audio version so I'd have something to air this morning on WTJU. I was glad to spend that much time on something complicated so that doing smaller stories will seem more manageable. A house shout-out: A Thank You to Patreon SupportersIn today's first shout-out, I am shouting out the dozens of people who support Town Crier Productions through Patreon. Over four years ago, I wanted to get back to journalism but did not have deep pockets or a large bank account. I had an idea of what I wanted to do, and decided to put out a digital hat to support my community journalism!And since then, Patreon supporters have provided the bedrock of my finances so that I can continue to go forward in the telling of stories intended to help members of the community understand where we are in a turbulent era of history. This summer I'll be rethinking the various tiers and what people get, but for now I want to encourage others who may not be Patreon supporters to consider doing so. This summer I hope to get the podcast back in line with the newsletter because audio production is a core component of what I hope Town Crier Productions will continue to do. There's a link in the newsletter if you want to sign up! And double thanks to all of those who double-dip with Patreon and Substack support.This one ends as #687AThe only way I can pull off all of this work is to organize as best I can. Or at least pretend to be. Over the years I've added internal numbering to everything I do. I have to keep track of the shout-outs and make sure all stories get from the newsletter to Information Charlottesville. In addition to Patreon, there are hundreds of people who have subscribed here on Substack. Part of today's work is going to be thanking recent subscribers for making the decision to help fund this work. I may also get a good jump start on the Week Ahead and see if I can publish that earlier in the day as I'm doing with the newsletter.I'm grateful to get to keep experimenting and covering as much as I can. I also want to continue exploring different parts of the country and writing about them. There is a lot to learn from similar communities across America and the world and every now and then I'll do something like this edition. Subscribers make it happen, and I appreciate it. If you become a paid subscriber through Substack, Ting will match your initial subscription. That can be at the $5 a month level, the $50 a year level, or the $200 a year level. If you have any questions, drop me a line.Ting can help you with your high speed Internet needs. If service is available in your area and you sign up for service, enter the promo code COMMUNITY and you will get:* Free installation* A second month for free* A $75 gift card to the Downtown Mall This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Some time has passed since there was a sonic version of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter that is now only sometimes a podcast, the podcast you are now listening to. That time could be anytime after May 25, 2024 when this edition was updated away from the WTJU Radio Version to something for Substack subscribers who want to hear these stories! I'm Sean Tubbs, and I do, too. In this edition:* Charlottesville transportation planners are seeking to rebuild public trust (learn more)* Transportation planning manager updates Charlottesville City Council on existing projects (learn more)* Charlottesville Area Transit seeks input on a new strategic plan intended to make the service more attractive (learn more)* Regional planners want you to identify unsafe intersections in the region (learn more)* Virginia Breeze to launch new east-west service through Charlottesville (learn more)* UVA is seeking firms who want to partner on building up to 2,000 beds as part of an initiative to require second-year students to live on Grounds (learn more)First shout out: ReLeaf Cville In today's first subscriber supported public service announcement: ReLeaf Cville exists to reverse a worrying trend. Since 2004, Charlottesville's Tree Canopy has declined from 50 percent to 38 percent. Two-thirds of the city's neighborhoods are below 40 percent. ReLeaf Cville aims to change that through a series of tree plantings, preservation efforts, and education campaigns. ReLeaf is a public / private partnership between the city tree Commission, the Nature Conservancy, City of Promise, Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, and the Van Yahres Tree Company. Their efforts are funded through donations so consider making yours today!Sponsored message: Buy Local Buying locally supports our neighbors and community members and makes a big impact for our local economy. Local businesses are more likely to reinvest in our community and their goods and services contribute to the unique character of our community.Learn more about how you can support local business at ShowLocalLove.org and on social media:* Instagram* Facebook* The website formerly known as TwitterNotes on #681AIt's now been three and a half months since I agreed to do a radio version for WTJU, a decision that forced me to rethink how I do a lot of things. As soon as I agreed to volunteer my time to produce a version for them, I knew I needed to create a way to manage all of the stories. At the beginning of this newsletter back in July 2020, I wasn't tracking any of this. I wasn't even sure what I would be putting together. The first one dates back to July 13, 2020 if you want to hear it. For the first year or so, all I did was put them together and move on. At some point, I began cross-posting stories to the Information Charlottesville website but until I began using this spreadsheet, I wasn't really keeping track of my progress. Up until episode 650 or so, all of these were podcasts. That stopped when I knew I had to better consider the sound quality as some of what I was using sounded awful over the radio. I also realized that sometimes the extra hour of production to create a radio version delayed information I wanted to get out quickly.I miss that twinned era, but I don't think it's going to be coming back anytime soon. I'd like to know what you think of this, though. Please drop me a line, or leave a comment. I want to hear from podcast listeners. There's at least 300 of you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Welcome to Charlottesville Community Engagement for May 4, 2024, a program that unfortunately has nothing to do with the fictional Star Wars universe and is less about a long time ago far far away and more about what's going on right now in the area in and around Charlottesville, Virginia. I'm Sean Tubbs, a local journalist who operates a fledgling information outlet called Town Crier Productions. What you're about to hear are some of the stories from just a little while ago. In today's edition:* Greene County Supervisors approve a two-cent decrease in the real estate tax rate and a three percent increase in the lodging tax rate (learn more)* Before adopting a budget, Louisa County Supervisors pull funding for Piedmont Virginia Community College due to the screening of a film on Palestinian independence (learn more)* A rezoning and special use permit that Albemarle County is seeking for its own property will go before the Planning Commission on May 14, less than two months after the application was filed (learn more)* Half of Charlottesville's Board of Architectural Review weigh in on a proposal for a hotel at 218 West Market Street in Downtown (learn more)* The University of Virginia wants to improve child care for its employees and seek a single firm to manage its four facilities plus a fifth that opens later this year (learn more)Early voting in the June 18 Virginia primary has begun (learn more)A word about the podcastThis newsletter got its start as a podcast. My career began at WVTF Public Radio back in 1995 as an intern. Back then, the news department produced a 15-minute local newscast with stories from municipalities across the listening area, combined with national stories read by the local announcer. That's gone now and has been for years. But back then, I learned how a news department put together enough resources to pull off a regular series of bulletins to inform the audience. I would go on to freelance for WVTF Public Radio and I created the Charlottesville Podcasting Network in 2005 to experiment with long-form audio. I stopped producing audio pieces around the time I went to work for Charlottesville Tomorrow in April 2007. I instead was directed to write articles about government issues. I still continued to work like a radio reporter, editing my stories in Audition but not actually producing them. I left Charlottesville Tomorrow in June 2018 when management changed, and I had an opportunity to try something different. I thought I would be able to continue to write at my new job, that didn't really turn out to the case. In January 2019, I experimented for a few weeks trying to see if I could pull together a daily newscast. I really wanted to get back to journalism as an independent reporter, but I needed a product. I didn't want to rely on freelance work, but wanted to create a way to get information out to people. These are all archived on Information Charlottesville, which had a different name when I initially experimenting. Go back and listen to the first one from January 1, 2019. There's no soundbites, and it's not the most interesting. Also notice there's no text, but I just found the script which ends with this quote:“I became a journalist to help bring people information about what they need to make their own decisions. That's a core value, and one that's helped me build trust with people throughout my career. I hope as you listen to this, you'll learn a lot more about the world around you. Thanks for listening. “ The podcast has been on hiatus due to a series of factors, the most important of which is that I'm focused on making sure I can get a version to WTJU 91.1 FM for Saturday morning. I also lost confidence in my recording set-up and am still trying to figure out how to engineer that back into the work flow. I view all of this as an experiment, an experiment funded by those who want to keep it going. I am a one-person information outlet capable of covering a great deal of things. Thanks to Patreon supporters and over 600 paid Substack subscribers, I'm able to constantly move forward in the hopes of creating more journalism. For now, the podcast will still be a separate product from the newsletter. Yet, I'm going to try to get two podcasts out a week. To make that more likely, perhaps I can find a sponsor? To make that more likely, perhaps I can find more volunteers who would like to learn audio production and journalism? Drop me a line if you have interest in either. Thanks for reading this bit that isn't in the podcast today. Also, tell people about it!To keep the experiment going, the audience needs to grow. Help that happen by telling people about it today! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
For the past six weeks, a version of the podcast has aired on WTJU 91.1 FM at 6 a.m. For most of this week, I've only posted print editions because I need to more time now to make sure the audio is produced correctly. I spent a good chunk of Friday getting this ready for the airwaves and this Saturday morning all of my energy wants to turn to the next set of stories rather than create a new edition.Town Crier Productions is an experiment in the practice of journalism and this is the latest iteration. There are many more readers than listeners to the podcast, but audio production has been at the heart of my reporting for the past four years. Anyway, take a listen. What's coming up next? There's a Week Ahead tomorrow. After that, stay tuned. And if you want to know more about the production schedule, follow me on Substack Notes. Sometimes it's a print newsletter. Sometimes it's a podcast. Charlottesville Community Engagement always seeks to inform. In this edition:* Charlottesville's City Attorney has filed three motions seeking to dismiss a lawsuit that claims the city's new zoning code is invalid (read the story)* The City of Charlottesville is seeking a new member of the Planning Commission after one member resigned publicly in protest (read the story)* A UVA geriatrician wants you to get a COVID vaccination if you're over the age of 65 and especially over the age of 75 (read the story) * Albemarle Supervisors agree to advertise increases in personal property tax, lodging tax (read the story)* Albemarle Supervisors learn that funding is in place to get more of Biscuit Run Park under construction (read the story)* Albemarle budget officials provide more information about payments that University of Virginia related pay to the county (read the story)* Albemarle County Police have released an annual report with statistics on crime and the make-up for the force (read the story)Fun fact: I had two minutes remaining in the program so I opted to do a preview of the Week Ahead for next week. If you want to get that information, you'll have to take a listen! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Since I first began this newsletter in July 2020, I've published almost all of the regular newsletters concurrently with the podcast version. The Charlottesville Quarantine Report was something I started on March 15, 2020 as an experiment on a day when I wasn't a journalist as the world was about to change. In 1995, my first professional work was as an intern at WVTF Public Radio.I've always worked like a radio reporter. I love to work with sound, and even in the days I was at Charlottesville Tomorrow, I used audio software to do my work. I had always wanted to experiment with sonic versions of stories, but I was not in charge.Now, I'm the sole proprietor of a company I set up to do this work. At the base of it, I want to write up as much as I can about what's happening so more people might have an understanding and an account of decision-making processes. Since the beginning, the podcast and the newsletter have been published together.Since beginning to do a radio version that airs Saturday morning at 6 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM, I've realized that I'm taking the podcast version for granted. I've been using a lot of filters to do the hard work of editing for me, and as a result the sound quality suffered. Working with my colleague at WTJU, I've realized I have to begin producing the sonic version with more aural scrutiny. At the same time, I've been having a weird audio glitch on my primary narration recording computer, one that cost me valuable time. Most people read the newsletter rather than listen to the audio. But, yet, I know there are many of you who listen to the podcast. I would like more people who just read to listen, because I think what I do rivals anyone else doing local radio. I say that as a friendly competitor, because I really just want people to know things. In any case, it's time now to post this and get ready for the new set of stories. This podcast covers what I classify internally as CCE-649 and CCE-650 and carries the working title “Brain Breaking Necessary Decision” because a person who works by themselves depends on in-jokes to keep morale up.In this edition:* Albemarle County Board of Supervisors interrupt a meeting on the Comprehensive Plan to declare a state of emergency related to over a dozen wildfires, and evacuation orders have been issued for some parts of Albemarle and Louisa* Charlottesville City Schools appoint a new principal for Charlottesville High School* Charlottesville City Council goes through changes in revenues and spending in City Manager Sam Sanders' FY25 budget* The city's finance director briefs Council on the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds with an eye toward shifting unspent funds to other projects * Charlottesville City Council gets some follow-up answers to some budget questions I am looking for feedback. This and every other Town Crier Productions production is an experiment and I depend on those who have come to appreciate the work to tell me what they think. Charlottesville Community Engagement is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
Now we march into the third month of the year, having leapt to our heart's content in the previous 24 hour period. This is the March 1, 2024 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement, a newsletter and podcast that now can also be heard on the radio every Saturday morning at 6 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM in Charlottesville. I'm Sean Tubbs, glad to be able to do this. On today's show:* There's another delay in the completion of the $38 million Belmont Bridge* Several speakers ask for adjustments in Albemarle County's fiscal year 25 budget* A group of University of Virginia students suggest reform of the way Charlottesville uses one pot of federal funding This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
On this episode of Pause to Go, host Bree Luck introduces the fourth season of the podcast, which will focus on midlife concerns and adventures, particularly perimenopause and menopause. Bree explains that she started the podcast to better understand what was happening in her own body and brain, and to explore the societal aspects of being a woman in midlife. Throughout the season, listeners can expect to hear heartfelt conversations, personal stories, and expert insights on making the most of life's transitions. Join Bree as she cycles back to where it all began, explores the ups and downs of midlife, and lists the top 34 side effects of perimenopause. *** [00:01:30] Midlife transitions. [00:07:31] Redoing puberty in midlife. [00:09:17] Hot flashes vs. cold flashes. [00:13:21] Perimenopause and the 34 most common side effects [00:21:38] Cold flashes. [00:22:23] Midlife can be great. If you liked this episode, check these out next! "What Fresh Hell is This? Perimenopause, Menopause, Other Indignities, and You" with Author Heather Corinna https://open.spotify.com/episode/2aonZKgjANRCde6ISaRDhL?si=E5fjxNsgSYGYKsiLqbSR4w From Princess to Queen, A Maven's Journey Through a Healthy Perimenopause with Dominique Cocuzza https://open.spotify.com/episode/09kK18v6GUHksiZ7GCS1PV?si=T7IjrWP7R_Oqm4Wy-KvdHA Did you like this episode? Here are three things that you can do next: Leave a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! (Every 5-star review helps to spread the news about having a healthy midlife!) Subscribe or follow this podcast wherever you like to catch your episodes! Leave me a message at HTTP://www.pausetogopodcast.com Special thanks to Codebase CoWorking and WTJU radio for their support! This has been an Awkward Sage Production. Transcript of Episode: (Please note that this transcript was generated by a bot, and has not been edited by a sentient human. Any errors are a reminder of how incredible humans are!) [00:00:00] Where is the manual for that y'all? Where is the what to expect when that baby grows up and has their own ideas and ventures out into the world and you're left to create a new identity while also rooting for your kid and releasing all expectations about them? That's the book that I want to read. [00:00:22] Welcome to Pause To Go, the podcast that's all about making the most of life's transitions from middle school through menopause. I'm your host, Bree Luck joining you as we embark on a journey of self-discovery. And questionable decisions. Get ready for heartfelt conversations, expert insights and personal stories that'll have you laughing, crying, and saying, thank goodness I'm not alone. [00:00:50] If you've lost your midlife crisis survival kit, we've got you covered. So join me, won't you, and together we can pause to go. [00:01:05] So we are now beginning season four of the Pause To Go podcast, and in this season I am actually going to, excuse the pun, cycle back to where we began, and that is with perimenopause and menopause and all the other midlife concerns and foibles and adventures and breakdowns and advantages throughout the season. [00:01:30] You see, I started. Pause to go talking about perimenopause and menopause because it kept coming up with my clients and in my community. And also, frankly, I had just turned 48 then, and I really, really, really wanted to have a better understanding of what the heck was going on in my body and in my brain. [00:01:51] And how I could make sense of that. And I was also really interested in exploring the societal aspects of being. For me, being a woman in midlife, I'm gonna try not to use gendered language as much in the exploration this season. I probably will sometimes, but we know that lots of people with ovaries, lots of people. [00:02:17] Who are going through menopause do not identify as women. So, There we go. So I'm gonna try to do a better job of being more representative this season in my imperfect, but what is it? Ambitious way. So, lemme go back a little bit. In the first season of Pause To Go, we had all sorts of people come on to talk about perimenopause and menopause, from sexuality to career changes to health concerns. [00:02:48] We talked about hot flashes and invisibility and how to find a spark in your relationship, and you all sent so much great feedback about it. I still get messages about those episodes and then at the end of that season, We moved on to two more seasons that we're looking at different aspects of transitions. [00:03:10] So season two was all about creative change makers, and season three was about time, and I love those seasons too. But when I send out questions or requests for topics that listeners wanna hear on social media, what I hear the most is. Hey, can you gimme more stories about perimenopause and menopause? And so here we are and I'm turning 50 this summer. [00:03:40] It's exciting. There's so much going on. My kids are both gonna be out of the house soon. My older daughter just graduated from college. My younger daughter just graduated from high school last week, and the younger daughter, it's not like she's heading to college an hour or so away. No, she's moving off to Ireland in September. [00:04:01] I mean, that's far. I live in Virginia, for those of you who don't know, and I'm really feeling this transition. Most of that is about the emotional impact of midlife transitions. I'm caught up in the family changes that are happening. I've lost some family members and friends who were very, very dear to me in the last year. [00:04:25] So I'm just acutely aware of endings and beginnings and shifting relationships and all that stuff. And speaking of which, I'm super excited because I'm gonna have a marvelous new friend of mine. Carol Michigan on to talk about how to use our language to cultivate new relationships with our adult children. [00:04:51] Like where's the manual for that y'all? Where is the what to expect when that baby grows up and has their own ideas and ventures out into the world and you're left to create a new identity while also rooting for your kid and releasing all expectations about them? That's the book that I want to read. [00:05:09] But instead, I'll host this podcast and bring on people who can help us navigate those relationships to time and self and our bodies that are shifting, and our children help us muddle through that mess. I know that we learn the most when we can attach facts or concepts to story. And so as we return to perimenopause and menopause with our midlife concerns, we will talk to experts, but we're really gonna focus on real life stories, stories of people with ovaries and uteruses who have been through or are going through perimenopause or menopause. [00:05:55] Uh, I'll tell stories. Guests will share their experiences, and I want you to share your stories too. I also. Recently took my younger daughter, the one who just graduated, and we went to see the new film based on the classic Tweenage book. Are you there? God, it's me, Margaret. I just wanna say thank you, Judy Bloom. [00:06:18] Oh gosh. I'll be honest. I really just balled the hallway through the film. I thought about my childhood best friend Margaret, and our first experiences when we got our periods. The first time we used tampons, I think it was in a department store. Oh my gosh, Margaret, I'm sorry. I won't, I won't talk about your period, but I'm so glad that we went through getting our periods together, that we went through the beginning of puberty together and all of its complications. [00:06:52] It was so important to have someone to share in our awkward adolescent way what we were going through, and so my hope is that this podcast will do the same for you because in many ways, Perimenopause is a lot like puberty. We're having all of these major hormonal shifts. The world is seeing us differently. [00:07:17] Our whole bodies and brains are earthquake and we are just trying to like hang in there and figure out who we are in this new stage. For me, doing this perimenopause, Exploration is a little bit like a chance to redo puberty, like reparenting myself, giving myself the gift of doing puberty again in the way that I would want to do it for myself. [00:07:53] And my hope is that if you're going through these massive changes, that you take some comfort in having a friend. Our friends to share your journey with. And so that's where we are. And I'm actually gonna start by telling a, a little bit of a personal experience, which is that I feel so weird. This is a recurring thing. [00:08:18] This is, this is not new that I feel weird. I generally embrace being my weird ass self, but this feeling. Of feeling like I'm different from other people in ways that are sometimes uncomfortable. It happened in puberty too, right? It's a feeling of I feel like what I'm going through is what nobody else is going through. [00:08:46] And then you get on the internet and you may find something about it, but nobody's really talking about it, right? And there are also hot buttoned things that people do talk about that get a lot of attention, which is great because it probably means that a lot of people are experiencing them. But then if you have a side effect of, let's say, perimenopause that other people don't experience, it can make you feel even more alienated. [00:09:17] For example, hot flashes are the big thing. All the jokes are about hot flashes, even though it's not really funny. It's something that we've chosen to laugh about. I mean, I get that gallows humor. I get it. I sort of feel like it's okay for people who have hot flashes to joke about hot flashes, but if you don't have hot flashes, it ain't your joke to tell because sometimes it feels like we're laughing at instead of laughing with, and that's something I'd really like to shift. [00:09:45] I digress. So many people have these hot flashes, but I don't have them. I have something else entirely. What I have are cold flashes. I get cold, I get like shivers to my spine, like I can't get warm, and it seems to happen a lot like hot flashes happen for other people. I'm still having a cycle, a menstrual cycle, and it typically happens in the eight to 10 days before menstruation begins. [00:10:17] So I get waves of being freezing cold no matter what. Actually, my wonderful stepmother, Leslie, thank you, Leslie gave me this device that I've been covering for a long, long time, which is called the Bon Charge Sauna Blanket. There's no kickback for this. I do not have an affiliate with bond charge. But I have their sauna blanket. [00:10:45] It's kind of amazing. And I get in that thing. Even now, it's summertime, so it's June, and I get in that thing and it is awesome. I love it. If you like saunas, it's a great way to get that heat at home. It's portable. You can take it with you if you're going on a road trip somewhere, and you can really get that feeling of getting warm to the core. [00:11:12] If you're a cold person like I am, you know what I mean? So I'll be in this sauna of blanket and I'll have it heated up to 164 degrees Fahrenheit, and I'll be feeling good. And then all of a sudden I'll just start shivering. I'm, I'm cold. So cold. And. It's not just nervous, shivering, it's cold, and no matter how warm the blanket is, my body just can't get warm for a little while. [00:11:43] Typically, that lasts for just a few minutes at a time. It happens in waves, but I just wanted to let you all know that because I don't know anybody else who has cold flashes. But I thought it was kind of cool. So I looked it up to see if cold flashes might be, you know, a thing. And when I was looking it up, I started to compile all of the side effects of perimenopause. [00:12:13] This is not a comprehensive list, but it's a lot. And some of them were ones that I didn't know, so take a listen. And if you are feeling any of these or experiencing any of these, just know that we will probably be covering it at some point on this podcast. And if you have. Um, menopause experience or a perimenopause experience that I have not listed here, let me know because I wanna keep adding to this list. [00:12:50] I want to add to it so that people don't feel alone. If you have. Any side effects of perimenopause. I don't want you to feel lonely in your experience. Let us get into the side effects of perimenopause, number one, irregular periods. I mean, that seems pretty obvious, right? Most people are technically in menopause. [00:13:17] At the point of 12 months after their final menstruation. So I say most people because some people have a sudden onset of menopause because of something like removal of the uterus and ovaries or some kind of trauma or medical intervention. But in general, people who menstruate go through a period of five to 10 years when our periods get irregular. [00:13:43] It can be as much as 15. I don't wanna scare you, and I'm sure some people are under five, but in general, we're looking at five to 10 years. When we are experiencing some irregularity in our periods now, I used to think that that meant that our periods just sort of got further and further apart, but for some people it doesn't have to mean that some people have heavier periods or more frequent periods. [00:14:09] For a while, I had a period that lasted for 28 days during a time of really high stress, and then it completely went back to regular. Periods are telling y'all. I will say this though, if you have reached menopause. Meaning you've gone for a year without menstruating and then you start bleeding again. Get that checked out please. [00:14:34] I am not a doctor. I'm just a know-it-all, but I do know that that is an abnormal sign that requires attention. Number two, hot flashes. About 75% of perimenopausal people experience hot flashes. They are immensely uncomfortable and disturbing to so many people related to hot flashes, night sweats, that's when you have hot flashes at night, and that often is part of number four sleep disturbances. [00:15:08] Now sleep disturbances don't just have to be night sweats. The insomnia is pretty frequent for a lot of people in midlife that can be having a harder time falling asleep or staying asleep or just not getting quality sleep or waking up too early. Number five, mood changes and irritability. Y'all, you are not crazy. [00:15:33] And I would love to eliminate the shame spiral around emotional liability in general, but especially in midlife. Our hormones are surging. Our culture is judging us, ignoring us. Our brains are completely restructuring. We are going through some stuff. We know that adolescents are gonna get moody and we accept that and try to support them through that process. [00:16:04] Let's do the same for ourselves. Number six, vaginal dryness, which often goes hand in hand with number seven, decreased libido. But I will say for some people, para menopause. There is also number eight, increased libido, and often it can vary greatly because of hormone surges and dips. So you may have. A time where you have a very high libido and a period of time when you have a very low libido, all part of the process. [00:16:40] Number nine, difficulty concentrating. 60% of people impair menopause report having. Enough trouble concentrating that it has an effect on their work. And although this number is scary, I want you to know that for most people, this, like so many other side effects of this massive restructuring does get better after menopause. [00:17:06] Number 10, memory lapses and brain fog again, it does get better after menopause for most folks. Number 11, bone loss or osteoporosis. That does not get better after menopause, but there are medical interventions to help with this. We'll talk about that another time. Number 12, skin changes. Some people get a resurgence of acne impair menopause, which feels like a double whammy. [00:17:37] When you compare that with the loss of collagen and elastin, that makes our skin more supple and luminous, it happens. Number 13, weight gain. Number 14, bloating. Number 15, breast soreness. Especially for people who have breast soreness as a symptom of P M s, they're more likely to experience it impair menopause as well. [00:18:02] Number 16, itchiness in specific areas like the face or the neck or genitals. I'm really itchy right now. I can't tell if it's one of those things. I don't know if any of you had lice as a kid, but now if I even think about. Lice. It makes my head itch. And that's what this, that's what talking about this particular side effect does to me. [00:18:27] It's making my neck itch like crazy. Number 17, tingling or crawling sensations in your extremities. Some people also experience this in their arms, and it can feel like something is crawling under your skin. Pretty weird. It's called paraesthesia. Number 18, dental problems. Oh gosh. You know what? I still have a baby tooth. [00:18:53] It was meant to last for about eight years, maybe. It bodes well for the rest of me, but it's still in there. It's gonna come out at some point, and I'm like, oh man. Para menopause is gonna be the time. It's gonna be the time that that thing comes out. I'll keep you posted. Number 19, joint pain number 20, muscle tension and aches. [00:19:15] Number 21, burning mouth syndrome. Like you've taken a sip of McDonald's coffee when it's still scalding hot, but you haven't. Number 22 Electric shock Sensations. Uh, they say that's like having a rubber band snapped across your arm and these sensations, the burning mouth syndrome and the electric shock sensations are probably neurological and often fly under the radar. [00:19:44] People don't talk about them. Number 23. Thinning hair. Number 24, brittle nails, number 25, digestive changes, which can include constipation, loose stools, more gas, more indigestion. You know, I think a lot of us actually have digestive discomfort throughout our adult lives that we never discuss. Well, let's start now. [00:20:12] Let's not be uncomfortable anymore than we have to be. How about that 26 irregular heartbeat. Sometimes that can also come with dizziness. Number 27, headaches and Migraines. I have such a distinct childhood memory of my grandmother, Mimi, who has been referenced in many episodes of Pause to Go of her getting migraines. [00:20:39] She was definitely in para menopause at that time and she had terrible migraines, and she would go to bed for a couple of days and I will say this. They got better. She got better. She had a long, wonderful life and was not plagued by migraines for all of it. Number 28, new allergies. Isn't that fun? Number 29. [00:21:05] Loss of bladder control or incontinence affects the majority of people with vaginas. 30 a change in body odor. 31, fatigue or chronic exhaustion, 32 depression, 33, anxiety or panic disorder. I mean, after hearing all of these potential side effects, that totally makes sense to me. And then y'all, I found it cold flashes. [00:21:40] So I'm not alone. So why do I share all of these? Well, because these are the things that people are writing about and finally researching. And we usually hear about weight gain, dry badges, hot flashes, and irritability. But if you are experiencing the other side effects, you are not alone. And there are so many things we can do to mitigate or alleviate some of these discomforts. [00:22:10] I also really wanna say this. It's not all bad. It sounds so bad. I'm feeling guilty bringing up all of these side effects in this one episode. Let me start with the worst stuff, but I can also say that midlife is great for me so far. I cry at pretty much anything, but I'm also finding fresh ways of relating to the world and to myself, new ways that are wonderful for my career, for my friendships, for my family, and for me. [00:22:45] Also, the majority of people that I have talked to who have gone through this. Say something to the effect of, there were some hard times in there, but it gets better, so let's pause to go and make the most of our midlife adventures. Oh, also, if you know anyone who is going through the change or is struggling with midlife or maybe. [00:23:17] Isn't struggling and you feel like these episodes or this podcast would be good to share with them. Please do. This is all about connecting with folks, and the best way to do that is to share our stories. Here's my call to action for this episode. That's what they call it when I'm trying to get you. To do something, I want you to do something, and that is to share your story. [00:23:43] So if you would like to share an experience of your midlife, delights, agony, or just plain humor, you can leave me a voice memo on my new website, pause to Go podcast.com. There's a tab on the right side of the website that says something like, leave me a voice memo, and you can. You can just record a voice memo for me right there, and I'll get it. [00:24:06] And if you feel comfortable having me share your voice on the pod, then I can share that with everyone. It's so nice to hear other people's voices, but if you don't feel comfortable having me share your voice, I can just anonymously share your story. It'll be great to have your stories on the Pause To Go podcast. [00:24:30] All right. Stay curious y'all. Thank you for listening to the Pause to Go podcast. Special thanks to code-based co-working and W T J U Radio for their support. This has been an awkward sage production.
Content Warning : Mentions of Domestic Violence and Childhood Poverty Today's episode features a conversation with our show founder and host, Dr. Jim Coan! In addition to hosting Circle of Willis, Jim is a Professor of Psychology at UVa, where he directs the Virginia Affective Neuroscience Lab. He is also the principal of Brown Residential College. Circle of Willis is about to undergo a lot of developmental changes as we adapt our production over the next several months. It seemed like a perfect time to interview Jim to cap off the initial phase of this show! His story is one of struggle and triumph, and is a rarity in upper academia. Hopefully you are intrigued and inspired just as much as we are by this conversation with Jim Coan - as well as the greater context clips of his younger sister Sandra provides. CircleOfWillisPodcast.com Check us out on Twitter and Instagram for more content. Circle of Willis is a production of the Virginia Audio Collective at WTJU 91.1 FM and Brown Residential College at the University of Virginia. Find out more at http://circleofwillispodcast.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.
Bree talks about her childhood experiences at Tweetsie Railroad and the science of why time flies when you're driving a train....She talks about:* The History of Tweetsie Railroad* The Rehearsal Room (Apply now!)* The science of Why Time Flies When you're having fun* The benefits of volunteeringShare your favorite volunteer experiences on Speakpipe and get a shoutout on Instagram!Leave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !****ONE MORE THING!Did you love this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or send a quick voicemail to let me know what you think!And if you'd like to work with me to maximize your moments, find greater fulfillment in your career, and clear away societal expectations to make room for YOUR dreams, visit me at www.thelovelyunbecoming.com/work-with-meStay curious, y'all!xoBreeP.S. All of these episodes are possible thanks to:Codebase Coworkingas well as my dear friends over at WTJU Charlottesville!
Today's episode features a recent conversation with physicist and writer Alan Lightman during his visit to Brown College at the University of Virginia in October 2022. Dr. Lightman's prominent work in both science and the humanities challenges the divide between fields and he discusses his approach of both disciplines through a creative lens. Eventually, we get a little taste of what he does best - demonstrating the innate poetry of what we know, and don't know, about our universe. Are scientific and artistic pursuits really so different in their motivation? Alan Lightman presently serves as Professor of the Practice of the Humanities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His new docu-series Searching: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science will premiere on January 7th, 2023 on public television stations and stream online at PBS.org. CircleOfWillisPodcast.com Check us out on Twitter and Instagram for more content. Circle of Willis is a production of the Virginia Audio Collective at WTJU 91.1 FM and Brown Residential College at the University of Virginia. Find out more at http://circleofwillispodcast.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.
Anne Hodnett, AKA "Mimi", shares her perspective on time as she reflects on the relationships, hardships, and power moves that she has experienced over the last 98 years.**Content Warning: In this episode, we discuss losing a child, our experiences of 9/11, and the impact of economic hardship and poverty.In this episode, we also discuss:* Bree's newest program The Rehearsal Room. (Apply Today!!!)* Why Mimi's recipes are so hard to follow* Why Time is NOT Money* Why Mimi thinks that some men ought to be a little more patient.* Why Working for the government helped Mimi find a purpose after losing her son, Kelly.* The restorative powers of walking on the beach and fussin' at God.* Why Mimi picks up pennies, no matter where she is* Mimi's top advice for making your way through hard timesSpecial thanks to Mimi for being such an extraordinary guide, grandmother, and friend.Leave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !****ONE MORE THING!Did you love this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or send a quick voicemail to let me know what you think!And if you'd like to work with me to maximize your moments, find greater fulfillment in your career, and clear away societal expectations to make room for YOUR dreams, visit me at www.thelovelyunbecoming.com/work-with-meStay curious, y'all!xoBreeP.S. All of these episodes are possible thanks to:Codebase Coworkingas well as my dear friends over at WTJU Charlottesville!
Bree figures out why she's been late more often since she started this series on Time -- and outlines 5 strategies for tackling tardiness!In this episode, I discuss:* The Rehearsal Room -- starting in January, but sign up now for an early bird rate.* Why am I always late, of late?* Personality Types and punctuality* Five strategies for getting there on timeReferences:https://www.simplypsychology.org/personality-a.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/chronic-lateness-tips/2021/08/13/0faeb85e-fa16-11eb-943a-c5cf30d50e6a_story.htmlLeave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !****ONE MORE THING!Did you love this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or send a quick voicemail to let me know what you think!And if you'd like to work with me to maximize your moments, find greater fulfillment in your career, and clear away societal expectations to make room for YOUR dreams, visit me at www.thelovelyunbecoming.com/work-with-meStay curious, y'all!xoBreeP.S. All of these episodes are possible thanks to:Codebase Coworkingas well as my dear friends over at WTJU Charlottesville!
Today's episode features a conversation with psychologist and author Sarah Rose Cavanagh. What role do emotions play in the classroom and what can teachers do better to effect learning outcomes for the better? What can we learn about seemingly cognitive activities from affective strategies and analysis? Sarah Rose Cavanagh is presently an associate professor of Psychology at Assumption College. CircleOfWillisPodcast.com Check us out on Twitter and Instagram for more content. Circle of Willis is a production of the Virginia Audio Collective at WTJU 91.1 FM and Brown Residential College at the University of Virginia. Find out more at http://circleofwillispodcast.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.
Photographer and mentor Bianca Morra discusses the potential for using photography to connect more deeply in a moment, allowing us to embrace our Nostalgia Now.In the episode we discuss:* Bree's insomnia and late-night obsession with RummiKub* How Bianca's teenage existential crisis guided her to a career in photography* The power of nothingness in life, death, art, and time management* Why you should embrace your blurry photos and your melancholic moments, and how to make the most of both* How to take non-performative photographs* How to mix media, embrace surrealism, and turn midnight ramblings into WORKS OF ART!Connect with Bianca:https://www.biancaleamorra.com/https://www.instagram.com/biancaleamorra/Leave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !****ONE MORE THING!Did you love this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or send a quick voicemail to let me know what you think!And if you'd like to work with me to maximize your moments, find greater fulfillment in your career, and clear away societal expectations to make room for YOUR dreams, visit me at www.thelovelyunbecoming.com/work-with-meStay curious, y'all!xoBreeP.S. All of these episodes are possible thanks to:Codebase Coworkingas well as my dear friends over at WTJU Charlottesville!
“I have only lived where white folks have allowed me to live.” Historically racist patterns in the housing market are built upon and replicated by new climate resiliency plans in Norfolk, VA. This episode takes us from an early hub for Black community in Norfolk to a white neighborhood on the outskirts of town, hostile to Black newcomers. We'll hear how Norfolk's Vision2100 document reinforces the dangers that Black residents have endured through de facto and de jure segregation. And, how the government has worked hand in hand with the free market to shore up harmful patterns of segregation. Quote above from Paul Riddick. www.Twotitans.org @therepairlab on Twitter (for now!) Featuring original research by The Repair Lab. Learn more about what went down in Coronado at the interactive storymap that details the events here. Featured at the beginning of this episode, “In Their Own Interests” by Earl Lewis is a great history of Black community in Norfolk, VA. Alease Balmar Brickers's interview selection is from Duke University's “Behind the Veil” Oral History Project. Johnny Finn's project “Living Together/Living Apart” provides a rich multimedia window into the past and present of racial segregation in the Hampton Roads area. Explore HOLC's redlining maps firsthand through the University of Richmond's “Mapping Inequality” project here. “Mapping Inequality” was co-created by Ladale Winling, who fact-checked the redlining part of this episode. This episode features the voices of: Eric Hollaway (Earl Lewis, “In Their Own Interests”); Alease Balmar Brickers; Barbara Faison (as the voice of the Journal and Guide); Paul Riddick, former Norfolk City Council member; Johnny Finn, CNU; Cassandra Newby-Alexander, NSU; Kim Sudderth, Practitioner-in-Residence and Norfolk Planning Commissioner; Andria McClellan, Norfolk City Council Member; Jackie Glass, Virginia State Delegate With support from The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Music Theory Studios in downtown Norfolk, WTJU, the UVA Race, Religion and Democracy Lab, and the Karsh Institute of Democracy. Find out more at http://www.coaldustkills.com
Bree takes us through her strategies to make the most of our time and energy.Topics include: Bree is giving away five free sessions in December.Why so many people are struggling to focus these daysStrategies for minimizing distractions and maximizing your energyLeave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !****ONE MORE THING!Did you love this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or send a quick voicemail to let me know what you think!And if you'd like to work with me to maximize your moments, find greater fulfillment in your career, and clear away societal expectations to make room for YOUR dreams, visit me at www.thelovelyunbecoming.com/work-with-meStay curious, y'all!xoBreeP.S. All of these episodes are possible thanks to:Codebase Coworkingas well as my dear friends over at WTJU Charlottesville!
Today's episode features a conversation with developmental and comparative psychologist Felix Warneken. When do humans develop the ability to help one another and how does that differ from the behavior of our closest evolutionary relatives? If everything we do is ultimately self preservation on a biological level, how does altruism fit into our understanding of our own psychology? Felix Warneken is presently a professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan. CircleOfWillisPodcast.com Check us out on Twitter and Instagram for more content. Circle of Willis is a production of the Virginia Audio Collective at WTJU 91.1 FM and Brown Residential College at the University of Virginia. Find out more at http://circleofwillispodcast.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.
Cycle Syncing Coach Briana Villegas shares useful strategies for using the menstrual cycle to maximize our moments all month long!In this conversation we discuss:The stages of the menstrual cycle and how we can make the most of each phase at work and home!The connection between the phases of the moon and the menstrual cycleThe stigma around PMS — and how we can break the pattern!How to give yourself the support you need to make the most of your time! Briana Villegas is a Cycle Syncing Coach who, when diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), applied her previous academic research training to find actionable solutions. After experiencing the transformation of cyclical living, she is committed to helping other women learn to harness their menstrual cycle so they can create the life they crave & feel good living. She is on a mission to bring the conversation around periods out of the menstrual health space into the day-to-day because when you align your life with your cycle everything gets easier. Linkswebsite: www.brianavillegas.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/brianavillegascoaching/Freebie: https://brianavillegas.com/freetracker Leave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !****ONE MORE THING!Did you love this episode? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or send a quick voicemail to let me know what you think!And if you'd like to work with me to maximize your moments, find greater fulfillment in your career, and clear away societal expectations to make room for YOUR dreams, visit me at www.thelovelyunbecoming.com/work-with-meStay curious, y'all!xoBreeP.S. All of these episodes are possible thanks to:Codebase Coworkingas well as my dear friends over at WTJU Charlottesville!
On this episode, Michael is joined by CNalysis' Chaz Nuttycombe, as well as Nathan Moore and Alana Bittner from WTJU's Bold Dominion podcast, to discuss the upcoming midterm elections in November. From Congressional races to local elections, Virginia could be a bellwether--are we in store for a Red Wave or the Democrats holding control? Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMediaSponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia
In this episode, Bree talks about why we can't own time and shares information about two upcoming workshops. One is a Podcasting from Scratch at Codebase Coworking and the other is the The Life Mapping Challenge: 5 Days to Jumpstart a Fabulous Career starting November 10.Also in this episode we discuss:* The luxury and agony of 2 "found" hours* "Time is Money" and " Lost Time can never be Found"* Why Benjamin Franklin might be accused of Quiet Quitting in this day and age.* The Story of the Fisherman and the Businessman (via the storytelling of Paulo Coelho!)* Leaning into what we value and releasing the need to "own" our time* Wise words from a 17 year old* Tips for the weekReferences: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/04/picture-of-the-day-benjamin-franklins-daily-schedule/237615/https://paulocoelhoblog.com/2015/09/04/the-fisherman-and-the-businessman/Links to Workshops:Podcasting from Scratch: https://docs.google.com/.../1krmnBf9sqzgDVYi1.../viewform...The Life Mapping Workshophttps://www.breeluck.com/life-mapping-challenge-22Leave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !
In this episode, I talk about how to make a key lime pie, why we have 24 hours in a day, and when time matters.Specifically, we examine the questions:* Why is time measured by a duodecimal system of 12?* Why are there 24 hours in a day?* Why were ancient Egyptians better at counting on their fingers than we are?* How did we come up with hours and minutes?* What the heck is a millisecond?* How can you get your hands on my favorite recipe for Crabmeat Louisianne?Also, here are my references for this episode:https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/11/15/3364432.htm#:~:text=Our%2024%2Dhour%20day%20comes,on%20the%20observations%20of%20stars.https://medium.com/@jothibasuofficial/why-there-are-24-hours-in-a-day-and-60-minutes-in-an-hour-b670879cbe99Leave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !
Make sure to listen to Part 1 first! Today's episode continues our conversation with Peter Sterling about allostasis and how the human body adapts to environment. In Part 2, we follow these concepts to their inevitable conclusions about the way we work and live. Peter Sterling is a Professor of Neuroscience at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a lifelong activist and advocate for progressive change in society as well as the field of neuroscience. CircleOfWillisPodcast.com Check us out on Twitter and Instagram for more content. Circle of Willis is a production of the Virginia Audio Collective at WTJU 91.1 FM and Brown Residential College at the University of Virginia. Find out more at http://circleofwillispodcast.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.
Bree brings in the expert on making complex ideas accessible and invites her daughter's former 6th-grade science teacher, Dr. Lauren Cabrera, on the show to hold her hand and make sure that Bree's not totally butchering the laws of physics as she unpacks the Arrow Of Time.Special thanks to Dr. Lauren Cabrera for joining me on the podcast, and for reminding me just how incredible teachers are.Leave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !
In which Bree explains her obsession with time, talks about the class she (kind of) failed at MIT, and begins to explore Time through the lens of physics.Why Time?The Challenge of understanding TimeWhat the heck is Quantum PhysicsHow Dolly Parton inspires me to do math (sort of)References:All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony DoerrSean CarrollCarlo RavelliMIT OpenCoursewareLeave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !
It's about timeThis is a mini-episode, Um, actually like a micro episode just to introduce the new season of Pause to Go. We've been through two seasons and now we are actually starting season three. I can't even believe it. Time flies. And actually, that is the subject of this new season of Pause to Go. Time. There are studies that show that more than 58% of Americans feel that they do not have enough time in the day to do the things that they want to do. And what's interesting about that is that the researchers who conducted this study said that actually, they felt that that number was underrepresenting how people truly felt because it only represented the people who took the time to fill out the study. I know that when I check in with my clients or my community on social media or I hear back from you all, the questions that I hear the most are about time management. And I got to tell you, I hate the words, "time management." Because I don't want to manage anything else in my life. I don't want to manage people. I don't want to manage time. I want to have a relationship. So in this season, we're going to work on cultivating a relationship with time that is healthy. That has strong boundaries. That is respectful. And that is intentional. And we're going to do that by looking at time from many perspectives. We're going to look at it culturally. We're going to look at it philosophically. We're going to look at it spiritually. We're going to look at it scientifically. We're going to look at it metaphysically. And we're going to look at it practically because I know that we all want practical tools. To help us harness time in a way that serves us best. So that's what this upcoming season is going to be. And for the most part. The episodes will be shorter than you may be used to. And that's really because. Well, Time is of the essence. So thank you for pausing to go with me. And join me on Thursday for the first episode of Pause to Go, Season 3. It's about time. Leave a voice message HERE!Follow us on Instagram!Schedule a chat with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupThanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !
Episode Notes Today's episode features Peter Sterling, a stand-out in the field of neuroscience. In Part 1 of this conversation, Peter explains the concept of allostasis and how the human body is constantly responding to external stresses. Peter Sterling is a Professor of Neuroscience at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a lifelong activist and advocate for progressive change in society as well as the field of neuroscience. Stay tuned for Part 2, when the conversation expands in terms of implications for individual health and social organization. CircleOfWillisPodcast.com Check us out on Twitter and Instagram for more content. Circle of Willis is a production of the Virginia Audio Collective at WTJU 91.1 FM and Brown Residential College at the University of Virginia. Find out more at http://circleofwillispodcast.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.
Matthew Reynolds discusses learning from the past, cultivating unconditional belonging in (and beyond) our classrooms, crafting our equity lens, and the nerve-wracking excitement of publishing his new book, "BIGGEST, FULLEST, BRIGHTEST: Shifting the Consciousness of Humanity". We explore: Why the past is our education, and how we can learn from our past selvesHow do we make friends with our shadow selves? We talk about Matthew's effort to use unconditional love to foster unconditional BelongingHow do we expand as we grow?How much of your thinking is your thinking?How can we find joy within the Work of crafting our equity lens?How to engage our bodies in our process of expanding our selves.Matthew's evolving views on Cancel CultureBree is giving a copy of this book to every Visionary in Progress 1:1 client in the next year. About Matthew:Matthew Reynolds has over 35 years of experience as a performer and instructor in the Theater Arts and Dance. Matthew helped create the Crater Renaissance Academy of Arts and Sciences in Southern Oregon right out of his Masters of Arts Teaching program. He spent 12 years in the classroom where he built equity in his program, with his students, guided by the mission of "Creating Community through the Arts." Matthew now finds himself advocating for equity within the arts and education spaces. He looks forward to helping others craft their equity lens so that they may live their biggest, fullest, and brightest lives. About Matthew Reynolds Consulting, LLCMatthew Reynolds Consulting, LLC offers a range of services designed to enhance community relations, improve intra-organizational communications and awareness, and enrich lives through engagement, education, workshops, and presentations. Previous partnerships include Culturally Responsive Teaching with Professors at Southern Oregon University, Equity Building with Live Arts theater, and Building Equity through Community with Southern Oregon Education Support District. Crafting Your Equity Lens is a tool that, when utilized consistently, grows into being a person's “truth vision.” It has integrity, accountability, authenticity, vulnerability, self-worth, and unconditional love at its core. It is Building Belonging. It is a Call to Action. As people continue to heed the call to action and begin to build belonging, equity and justice will lead us into the new normal. A world that has our own ideas of community and belonging in it - helping each other to grow, experience joy, celebrate each other's humanity - and allows each person to know for themselves what living their biggest, fullest, and brightest means. Contact Matthew: https://www.mrrconsulting.org/contact Order the book! https://www.boldenfBook a Call with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupLeave a voice message HERE!Follow us @ Instagram!Thanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !
Gina Ostarly (This is 50) is a long time fitness trainer, writer, model, health coach, mother of three, and now, in a major turn of events, she's started a new career as an insurance agent. In this interview, Gina discusses:How getting laid off from her previous position led to her new career pathWhy Faith has played such an important role for Gina in taking action and conquering fearThe importance of feeling a sense of purpose at workWhy Gina believes that we need to give ourselves the grace to experience -- and learn from -- the full spectrum of our emotionsHow Gina is learning to tap into her intuitionWhy life is like a barstoolYou can find Gina on Instagram, Facebook, or at her website: https://ginaostarly.com/Book a Call with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupLeave a voice message HERE!Follow us @ Instagram!Thanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !
Neuroscientist Barbara Lipska shares her powerful story of learning about schizophrenia, the very condition she studied, not only from a scientific perspective, but from her first hand experience with the disease. Lipska was diagnosed early in 2015 with metastatic melanoma in her brain's frontal lobe. As the cancer progressed and throughout treatment , she experienced behavioral and cognitive symptoms connected to a range of mental disorders, including schizophrenia and mania. Miraculously, Lipska returned to normal functioning and wrote a book “The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind: My Tale of Madness and Recovery” about the experience. In this episode, we discuss:* What it means to lose your mind* Barbara Lipska's story of mental illness* The stigma around mental illness and mental health* Why Lipska asserts that mental illness a physical issue*What we can learn from brushes with insanity* Lipska's advice for people who are experiencing mental illness -- or the loved ones who care for them If you are experiencing mental illness, visit https://www.samhsa.gov/ to find facilities and programs in the United States or U.S. Territories for mental and substance use disorders.Learn more about Barbara Lipska: https://www.barbaralipska.com/bioRead the book, The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind! Book a Call with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupLeave a voice message HERE!Follow us @ Instagram!Thanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !
Episode Notes Today's episode features John Allen, an old colleague of Jim's from the University of Arizona. They discuss the complexity of Frontal EEG Asymmetry, the development of scientific tech during their careers, and the winding path of research. John Allen is a Distinguished Professor in the University of Arizona's Psychology Department specializing in Clinical and Cognition Neural Systems where he is the director of the Psychophysiology Lab and the Depression Risk Lab. CircleOfWillisPodcast.com Check us out on Twitter and Instagram for more content. Circle of Willis is a production of the Virginia Audio Collective at WTJU 91.1 FM and Brown Residential College at the University of Virginia. Find out more at http://circleofwillispodcast.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.
Dr. Orlena Kerek shares how a move to Spain and a wee identity crisis paved the way for a new career, explains her four pillars of health, and offers useful steps for cultivating a healthier life on your own terms. Dr. Orlena is a health coach who helps ambitious mums have bucket loads of energy and overcome the frustration of not losing weight by teaching them to eat and be healthy, to look after themselves and feel fit and fabulous.You can find Dr. Orlena at the following links:Website: https://www.drorlena.com FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/healthydrorlena Free video: https://www.drorlena.com/eliminate-emotional-eating-trainingBook a Call with Bree @ The Lovely UnbecomingJoin the Pause to Go Discussion GroupLeave a voice message HERE!Follow us @ Instagram!Thanks to our Sponsor! https://codebasecoworking.com/ Special thanks to WTJU 91.1 FM & The Virginia Audio Collective for the support and the space to record! Did you love this episode? Leave us a review !