Local

Caroline Gilmore ~ Multimedia Editor

As the weather gets warmer, students are looking for more things to do, both on and off campus. And while there are a great many organizations planning events to take part in on-campus, like SAB’s Dellchella, and Weekend Programming’s Drive-In Movie Night. 

For those who want to spend some time off campus though, there are a lot of great options around town. Here we’ve compiled a list of attractions in multiple areas nearby.

Downtown Lynchburg

Mizumi & Moon Tea: Located at 1125 Main St, right next to the Lynchburg Community Market and close to multiple free parking sites, Mizumi & Moon Tea is a Japanese Bistro open seven days a week. Mizumi offers Japanese cuisine for pick-up or to eat on the balcony, while Moon Tea serves Boba/Bubble Tea, as well as slushes and other refreshing drinks.

Caroline Gilmore ~ Staff Writer

On Tuesday, April 12, Academy Center of the Arts welcomed Grammy-nominated hip-hop duo Black Violin. The stop was a part of the group’s “Impossible Tour” themed around their single “Impossible is Possible”. 

The duo is composed of violin player Kev Marcus and viola player Wil B. They were accompanied by a drummer, a synthesizer and a DJ. 

Throughout the set the duo performed a mixture of what they call the Classic Boom genre, a mix of classical and hip-hop music. Original Black Violin songs were performed as well as covers of hits by Dr. Dre, Imagine Dragons, and classical composers like Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Mozart.

Seymone Simmons ’22, said, “This concert was really great as I just did my Student Scholar Showcase presentation on contrafactum and parody, which is so similar to what Black Violin is playing and doing with classical music blended with hip hop.”

By William Masselli ~ Editor-in-Chief

The University of Lynchburg’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Chapter sponsored the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration and Walk for Unity in downtown Lynchburg this past weekend.

President of the NAACP’s chapter at the University of Lynchburg Tremaud Ware said, “In taking an active role in changing the narrative around student activism, I highly encourage our students to attend the unity walk. Not only should we show up, but also speak up, thus showing the greater Lynchburg community that my generation has a fighting spirit for advocacy and justice. We demand a better tomorrow! I look forward to this event, because of my passion for my black pride and my commitment to having a just society for future generations to come. In order for change to occur, students, staff, faculty, alumni and the Lynchburg community  must stand in unity!  

Alyssa Wilson ~ Assistant Editor 

On the second Saturday of every month, the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at University of Lynchburg hosts a service plunge for its students to go into the community and serve the chosen nonprofit organization that month. 

This month, CCE chose the service plunge to be at the Pierce Street Gateway, which includes the Pierce Street Community Garden and the Anne Spencer House; both of which were volunteer sites for students to choose from on Saturday, Feb. 12.  

Pierce Street, a historically black neighborhood in Lynchburg, is rich with history. 

Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer, one of the many aspects of the time, home has become a museum partially operated by her granddaughter Shaun Spencer-Hester, who led the volunteers who chose to serve at the museum. 

Caleb Adams, a freshman, volunteered at the Anne Spencer house. Adams said, “When we got to the Anne Spencer house, Mrs. Spencer-Hester said that the outside windows hadn’t been cleaned since 2020, and so she had us clean the windows in the back of the house.” 

By Chelsea Edwards ~ Guest Writer 

 The Adult and Career Center of Central Virginia (ACE) is looking for volunteers for their GED program.

ACE is a growing non-profit organization which provides free adult education classes in the region, specializing in English classes, reading and Math skills, college and career readiness courses, workforce preparation activities, integrated education training, in addition to test prep courses for the GED, NEDP, and VPT through one-on-one interaction and support. 

Luke Saechao, the regional program manager, said, “We’re all about moving people forward, whether it’s to improve basic literacy, learn English, get a high school equivalency, or prep for post-secondary education/training such as the community college or an industry-recognized certification program, to job placement. We want to help the adults that come through our programs to set and achieve their academic and career goals.”

By William Hayden DIetz

A large fire engulfed a historic downtown Cottage Stillroom business in a Candle Factory on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021. 

The fire was located on Cabell Street, near Rivermont, where the building that is host to a candle making business shot out grey plumes of smoke into the air. 

One person suffered burns to their arm, but according to fire officials the burns are not life threatening.

Flames decimated the candle shop, however the fire department was able to extinguish most of the active flames quickly.