Arts & Entertainment

Watercolor artist finds healing through painting

Road biking and watercolor art might seem like disparate hobbies, but Charlie Frances couples the two passions in a complementary way. Two years ago, Frances did a cross-state bike trip from his home of Virginia Beach to Galax for the grand reveal of his mural at a Walmart. Last week, Frances was on a biking journey from Virginia Beach to Manassas for an event hosted by the Virginia Watercolor Society, but made a pit-stop in Louisa County, spending part of May 4 and May 5 at the Dunnlora Inn in Mineral.

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All-aboard!

On April 26, 2026, the Virginia Scenic Railway ran their first eastbound passenger excursion train from Louisa on the last passenger train route of Amtrak’s James Whitcomb Riley, which was discontinued in 1977. The Doswell Special departed Louisa at 10 a.m. for a roundtrip to Doswell then to Gordonsville and back to a 4:00 p.m. arrival at Louisa. This special excursion train included many members of the Washington DC Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society along with the general public.

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Furry friend on Main Street

J.H. Rivers Antiques on Main Street has a new friend. Susanne Davino, the owner of the shop, believes their new visitor is a Steiff bear, a renowned German manufacturer of collectible teddy bears and high-quality plush toys. FAO Schwarz, one of the oldest toy retailers in the United States, used to have large examples of their stuffed animals in display windows for advertising purposes; Davino speculates that their new friend used to live in a display window of a major metropolitan area, possibly New York City. Currently, they are looking for an umbrella and cane to complete the outfit. The hat was donated by the Whistle Stop Bed and Breakfast.

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