Virginia Living: The Big Picture... online!

Honk your horns with glee!  

Virginia Living Magazine has posted my cover feature on Virginia's surviving drive-in theaters.

The story begins:

A short row of cars is lined up at the entrance to Hull’s Drive-In Theatre, which sits just off Route 11 in Lexington, not far from a fireworks vendor and a truck stop. The warm late-April Sunday is turning brisk as the sun lowers and longtime Hull’s ticket taker Sam Newcomer stands outside the rickety ticket booth nursing a cough. 

“Fridays and Saturdays are busier. Sundays are usually the slow night,” he tells me after he collects $7 for admission from a man and his Shih Tzu in a late model truck.

The sounds of “At The Hop” are echoing off the mostly empty drive-in movie lot, and the smell of popcorn is in the air. Hull’s opened in 1950 as the Lee Drive-In Theatre and, unlike many open-air cinemas constructed during that time, is still doing business today. When longtime owner Sebert W. Hull passed away 15 years ago, a group of Lexingtonians formed the Hull’s Angels and rallied to save it, boxy metal speakers and all. Today, Hull’s is the only community-owned, nonprofit drive-in theater in the U.S.

 Click here to read "The Big Picture."

Photo by the mighty Cade Martin!

Hampton Roads Magazine: Sexuality in Service

My latest feature for Hampton Roads Magazine, "Sexuality in Service," takes a look at the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, and the immediate after-effects of allowing gay soldiers to serve openly. It begins:

It was the lip lock felt ’round the world.

When the U.S.S. Oak Hill came home to Virginia Beach on Dec. 21, 2011 after a long deployment, Petty Officer 2nd class Marissa Gaeta kissed her girlfriend, Citlalic Snell, to commemorate the dock landing ship’s ceremonial first kiss. Gaeta, like many of the sailors on board, had purchased several $1 tickets in the Oak Hill’s raffle in order to compete for the opportunity.

The act was much publicized and discussed. It was the first time in the naval homecoming tradition that a gay serviceperson had done the honors and embraced a person of the same sex. 

With no advance hoopla or protests—the ship’s commanding officer, David Bauer, called it a “non-event”—this simple gesture was seen as a symbol that President Barack Obama’s then-recent signing of a repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, a controversial initiative that asked gay soldiers to keep their sexuality hidden, was being accepted by a majority within the ranks.

You can find the article in HR's September issue. Or you can click here to read the rest of "Sexuality in Service."

 

The Washington Post: Now Showing at Drive-Ins

It looks like I'm the designated "drive-in guy" this Summer.

Take a gander at my Sunday feature in today's Washington Post. The article is about the Family Drive-In (near Winchester) and the state of the outdoor movie experience.

In a few hours, cars will roll into the Family Drive-In Theatre and settle into neat lines next to row upon row of waist-high speaker poles. For tonight at least, that is just as it was during the first show in 1956.

“These speakers and posts are getting harder to deal with because there’s only one manufacturer that still makes the parts,” says James Kopp, manager of the Stephens City, Va., theater. “It’s in Kansas City.”

Click here and read, "Now Showing..." 

And don't forget to read the sidebar, about the history of the drive-in.

Virginia Living: The Big Picture

"Let's All Go to the Movies!" 

Pick up the July/Aug. issue of Virginia Living Magazine and read "The Big Picture," my cover feature on the surviving drive-in theaters of Virginia. You'll also learn why many drive-ins across the country may go dark next year, even as the popularity of outdoor viewing would appear to be on the rise.

The article is not online but you should get the printed edition anyway as the VL art department did its usual superlative job in presenting the piece. Speaking of which, I'd like to extend a special thanks to the folks at the Goochland Drive-In for helping out with the special period-style photo shoot. For more on that, the fine folks at Virginia Living have a special slideshow available that showcases the many vintage autos that were used "on location." The photos are by the mighty Meredith West, who did an excellent job. Check that out right here! 

To whet your appetite for the article, listen to this Open Source RVA podcast and hear my interview with Goochland Drive-in owner John Heidel.

And, again, the management would like to thank you for replacing the speaker on the post before exiting the theater. You drove off with the dang thing last time and those poles are near-impossible to replace.

Richmond Magazine: Out in the Open

My feature article on the state of Richmond's public art funding, "Out in the Open," is now available for your perusal at the Richmond Magazine website. It begins:

News flash: Richmond’s Public Art Commission will receive $2.8 million next year. That’s about three times what Richmond has allotted for public art in the entire 22-year history of the commission.

“We’ve been so under the radar, mostly dealing with budgets of $25,000 to $35,000, that this is coming as kind of shock to people,” says longtime commission member and artist Paul DiPasquale, who has created such indelible (if privately funded) public art pieces as Richmond’s Arthur Ashe statue and the likeness of King Neptune in Virginia Beach.

“It’s not a wish any longer, it’s reality.” 

Click here to read the rest of "Out in the Open."

Photo by the mighty Isaac Harrell!

Top Doc: Put Me Down Easy

My life as a talking head.

When Jon Lohman of the Virginia Folklife Program came up to WRIR 97.3 FM for his Open Source RVA interview -- you can listen to that show by clicking right here --- he also interviewed me for his new documentary on Hampton soulman-turned-preacher, Charlie McClendon.

The film, Put Me Down Easy, is a work in progress but you can check it out here:

  

... and for more on the Virginia Folklife Program's special project on Charlie McClendon, including expanded audio excerpts and bonus footage, go right here.

Open Source RVA: The Complete Episode Guide

Have you missed an episode or three of Richmond's audio news digest? See the complete link list below to download previous editions of Open Source RVA.

June 7 -   Interview with Virginia State Folklorist Jon Lohman, plus we introduce VOX RVA
May 31 - Restauranteur Kendra Feather, plus where is Virginia superintendent Patricia Wright?
May 24 - Artist Thomas Van Auken, RVAplaylist.com and our panel dishes on the city identity crisis
May 17 - Richmond Triangle Players, Martha Mullen on the Doswell burial of the Boston bomber
May 10 - Louis Salmonsky and Jim Hester on historic tax credits, interview with Charles Samuels
May 3 -  The Goochland Drive-In Theatre, progressive education at Sabot at Stony Point.
Apr. 26 - Interview with Chris Hilbert, plus William and Mary's new Hip-Hop Archive
Apr. 19 - Politics of minor league baseball, the retirement of schools superintendent Yvonne Brandon
Apr. 12 - Jim Bland, Marty Key and more on Record Store Day, our political pundits talk truth & lies
Apr. 5 -   A panel discussion on gay marriage, a new plan for artist live/work spaces in Richmond
Mar. 29 - Dale Brumfield on the unsolved murder of poet Rik Davis, interview with Lisa Taranto
Mar. 22 - School truancy, interview w/ Peter and Francoise Kirkpatrick of the French Film Festival
Special -  OSRVA Extra! The Richmond School Board budget is scrutinized.
Mar. 15 - Andy Stefanovich & more on TEDX, Jon Baliles and Doug Dunlap on public art funding
Mar. 8 -  School segregation, artist Ed Trask and RVA Mag's Anthony Harris on public art funding 
Mar. 1 -  Del. Jennifer McClellan and bike safety laws, Rick Tatnall of Replenish Richmond
Feb. 22 - Interview with Michelle Mosby, Persistence of Poe, James River Filmmakers Forum
Feb. 15 - State of the City roundtable, Richmond Macabre 2
Feb. 8 - Carol Piersol and the Firehouse Theatre controversy, Carl Hamm and "Yeh Yeh Pop"
Feb. 1 - Public school truancy, VACLAA and Norberto Gomez Jr., Stuff Redux
Jan. 25 - Interview with Jon Baliles, Susan Worsham's "Bittersweet on Bostwick Lane"
Jan. 18 - The Tea Party and Hanover public schools, activist Scott Burger
Jan. 11 - Arts and culture in 2012 (Kollatz, Griset, Lehman-Rios, Necci)
Jan. 4 -   The year end wrap up on Richmond politics (Goldman, Diradour, Williamson)
Dec. 21 - Arming teachers, filmmaker Rick Alverson, Lewis Ginter Gardenfest of Lights
Dec. 14 - Preservationists and Rt. 5, the RVA Beard League
Dec. 7 -   Richmond's tattoos, Social Services scandal, more Wingnuts
Nov. 30 - Redskins vs. schools, lady arm wrestlers, Henley Street Theatre
Nov. 23 - Wingnuts vs. Police, new youth hostel, Gigi Amateau pt. 2
Nov. 16 - Interview with Parker Agelasto, Keepers of the Flame.
Nov. 9 -  The election, Richmond's new school board, Rock 'n' Roll Hotel
Nov. 2 -  The life of Gabriel, voting trends, Ukefest
Oct. 26 - Spiritualism, horror films, ghost hunting - the Halloweek installment
Oct. 19 - School expulsions, Yes! Dance Invitational and political fact-checking
Oct. 12 - Richmond Symphony contract dispute, mountaintop coal mining
Oct. 5 -   Regional cooperation, windowless apartments
Sept. 28 - Co-Housing, SOL scores, Richmond's musical history
Sept. 21 - Richmond Folk Festival, abortion clinics pt. 2
Sept. 14 - Abortion clinics pt. 1, open government, Mayoral candidate Michael Ryan

Sept. 7 -  The Route 5 controversy

Aug. 31 - A.V. Norrell's reopening, Richmond's Head Start program

Aug. 24 - Regional transportation, water rates Pt. 2, the Art Deco Society

Aug. 17 - Bike safety, water rates pt. 1, baseball in the Bottom
Aug. 10 - Richmond's waysigning program, Paul Goldman on the VP choice
Aug. 3 -  Our debut! City chickens, the state of Richmond public schools

Open Source RVA is broadcast every Friday at 4PM on 97.3 FM and http://wrir.org. You can also get breaking news and special reports at http://rvaopensource.com.