‘Most people won’t know what happened here’: stories of loss and uncertainty emerge after Free Bridge encampment clearing
While the clearing of the Free Bridge encampment may have appeared orderly, residents reported stolen belongings and some lost everything they owned in a fire.
Rural Virginia communities face real and lingering consequences from labor and delivery unit closures
Mothers and their children are at greater risk for negative health outcomes as their access to care shrinks in central Virginia and across the country.

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From the newsroom
You can now place your public notice with Charlottesville Tomorrow
Here’s how to submit a notice for Charlottesville City or Albemarle County.
Ever wonder how an idea becomes a published article? Check out this guide.
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More local news
Charlottesville resident creates a new view of food infrastructure
The searchable map includes farmers markets, food pantries, community fridges, free meal sites, community gardens and other resources across the Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia.
Town more than doubles this year’s funding for two Orange food pantries as need grows
“Right now, the high cost of food, the high cost of gas, living expenses — everything has contributed because now we have more people depending on us to feed their families,” Good Samaritan Program Director Valencia Bailey said.
Free Bridge encampment residents say they’re still in the dark as city’s Sept. 1 deadline nears
With two weeks to go, Charlottesville does not yet have a clear path for opening an emergency shelter space for the unhoused people who will be displaced.
The Big Stories
For Fifeville residents, the fight over a seven-story luxury student housing complex isn’t over yet
After finding out that there is no legal mechanism for City Council to re-vote on The Mark, Fifeville residents are exploring their options to continue to advocate for the future of their neighborhood.
No way out: How Virginia law fails vulnerable renters
Floods, roaches, rats, mold — this is Charlottesville Tomorrow’s investigation into how Virginia law often offers few options for renters in dangerous living conditions.
More than a month after Zamma Corporation’s sudden closure, many former employees are still without jobs — or answers
The Orange-based vinyl and laminate molding plant shut down without warning on March 2, leaving workers struggling to adapt to the abrupt transition in a difficult job market.
How Virginia’s re-entry system fails formerly incarcerated women — even when they do everything right
Jessica Cook, a single mother from Charlottesville, did everything the court asked. Her life shows how fragile “success” can be after incarceration for women.
FIRST PERSON
From housing to small businesses to vibrant culture, here’s what Richard Aguilar wants you to know about his community
The stories of Southwood, of thriving Latino-owned businesses and vibrant festivals, are not just isolated victories, writes Aguilar.
She spent 18 years in central Virginia prisons — and wants the world to know that incarcerated mothers matter
Candace Williams tells her story of being a woman in prison and the challenges of getting out.
With the season’s first snow came hateful speech for this Charlottesville resident
Brianna Patten writes about why she doesn’t trust the institutions meant to protect us — and what she worries about for the future.
The first step to creating our shared future is imagining it.
For Charlottesville Tomorrow’s 20th anniversary, we invited central Virginians to share their visions for the next 20 years.

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