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Worst week for the Western 29 bypass: The Washington Post's Robert McCartney slams the project in his June 15 column, "Wasteful Charlottesville highway highlights problem with Bob McDonnell’s road plans," and notes that the controversial $245-million, six-mile road inspired John Grisham's new novel, The Activist. read full story

By Retired Brigadier General David R. IrvineThe Convention Against Torture, which President Reagan signed 25 years ago, states "[n]o exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture." Reagan would be disappointed that many Americans reject that view. read full story

Hi, Carolyn:      Our 24-year-old daughter, "Mary," is getting married this August. My mother is 84, a hard-core feminist and atheist. She views religion as an oppressor of females, and hates anything to do with church. My two daughters are somewhat religious, and the groom and his family are Protestants. read full story

Three days after the election, city council candidate Wes Bellamy— who tied with Bob Fenwick and eventually lost by a handful of votes— converses with media following the count. ~Commentator Bill Emory puts up a new photo nearly every day at  billemory.com/blog. read full story

While most of us know someone who can score killer designer duds at stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army, and the SPCA Rummage Store on Preston Avenue, successful thrift shopping can be a hit-or-miss endeavor, requiring regular visits, eagle eyes and a fashionista's knowledge of brands if you want to find the gems tucked among the junk. read full story

Three days after the June 11 Democratic primary and an unprecedented tie for one of two City Council nominations, Wes Bellamy and Bob Fenwick learned who will join incumbent Kristin Szakos on the ticket in November. The results came down to provisional-ballot casters, who broke the 1,088-vote tie and put Fenwick ahead by five.   read full story

As a nurse anesthetist, Sharlene McNeish frees people from experiencing pain, but in a new side venture as pizza maker she hopes to deliver the pleasure that comes from eating authentic Neapolitan pizza. About a year ago she bought an outdoor wood-fired oven for her home in Troy, Virginia, wanting to bake fresh bread for her family. She even took bread making classes. She eventually began roasting vegetables, chicken, and making pizzas in the oven, and the compliments from friends and family started rolling in. read full story

 Dear Tom and Ray: read full story

Area: Lewis MountainSchools: Venable, Walker & Buford, CharlottesvillePrice Range: $440,000-$1,895,000Pros: proximity to amenities, especially UVACons: potential traffic tie-ups on home football days read full story

Normally the light-turnout primary race for City Council would have been decided Tuesday night shortly after the polls closed at 7pm. Instead, an unprecedented tie for second place has candidates Wes Bellamy and Bob Fenwick still unsure who will be on the Democratic ticket in the fall, and they may not know until noon Friday.   read full story

Giant photos in trees on the Downtown Mall signal the Look3 Festival of the Photograph, which starts June 12. Photographer Tim Laman captured a male red bird of paradise in Batanta Island, Indonesia. The male's downward position is part of the mating ritual, in which his tail feathers form a perfect arc. read full story

Gregory Allen Rosson, 21, lay dead in a yard along U.S. 250 on Afton Mountain for about nine hours after he was shot early June 8 by Albemarle police, according to a witness. "They didn't have to kill that man," says the resident, in whose front yard the shooting took place. Albemarle police responded to a 911 call about a domestic disturbance at 2:16am Saturday, June 8, according to a release from Virginia State Police, which is investigating the incident, the second county police shooting in two weeks. read full story

As a Charlottesville voter, I just wanted to say thank you for this cover story about the Virginia Democratic primary [May 30, "Dem duke-out: Candidate face off in June primary"]. It's surprisingly hard to find information on the internet about the elections, specifically the candidates and their platforms, but also simple things like the dates. Your story has been very helpful in making up my mind about who to vote for, when I wasn't going to vote at all before. read full story

By Richard Roeper The first few scenes of Now You See Me deliver the promise of the best film about magic since the release of two meticulously crafted and thoroughly entertaining 2006 films: The Prestige and The Illusionist.     read full story

Dear Tom and Ray:        read full story

Juan Cervantes was cleaning up from a Memorial Day cookout at his house on Birdwood Court when he heard people "yelling and screaming at each other," he says. He approached the street from his yard. "Someone said, 'I'm going to shoot you,'" recounts Cervantes, and then there was one shot. He called 911. Birdwood Court is a quiet Charlottesville neighborhood of attractive duplexes off the U.S. 250 bypass near McIntire Road. Cervantes, who's lived there nine years, said his son rode his scooter on the street and saw a police car— an Albemarle County police cruiser. read full story

Just days after Chris Dumler fended off a petition to remove him from the Albemarle Board of Supervisors and vowed to continue representing the Scottsville District, the defiant supe resigned from the board at its June 5 meeting, effective immediately.   Related stories Dumler stays, fires back: Judge says not enough evidence to remove read full story

Last summer, the tanned and outspoken hedge fund billionaire and UVA alum Paul Tudor Jones caused a stir by penning an op/ed supporting UVA Rector Helen Dragas' attempt to oust UVA President Teresa Sullivan, a failed coup that knowledgeable sources say he may have even helped orchestrate. read full story

In his May 23 Essay, "Barnum's Beaming: The greatest bypass on Earth!", Randy Salzman is incensed with the "bait and switch" tactics employed by the Skanska-Branch Corp. and VDOT in the "design/build" process for constructing the Western Bypass. He should be. So am I. To initially accept an obviously inferior, low-ball proposal, then turn around and modify it without an open competition is outrageous. But, to translate this outrage into an excuse to not build the Western Bypass at all makes no sense. read full story