When I first looked at today’s Virginia Gazette, I didn’t find an immediate hook for today’s article. But then I realized that it was the very mundaneness (is that a word?) of these three front-page stories that makes them good examples of the reach and significance of local newspapers.
I had never heard of Buc-ee’s until about a week ago, when one of my former students (now a Facebook friend) reported with glee that Buc-ee’s was arriving in the region. Her Facebook post didn’t tell me much about Buc-ee’s. I wasn’t even curious enough to google it. I just concluded that it was some sort of fast food or coffee chain that she was excited about. She’s young and I have learned that young people often get excited about things I don’t understand. Today’s article helped me understand her excitement – sort of.
Buc-ee’s is a travel center. I still couldn’t figure out why that would generate excitement, but the article gave me enough information to understand this. The first Buc-ee’s opened in Texas in 1982. The article quotes the company’s claims to be “a 24-hour family-focused travel center featuring a wide range of freshly prepared foods including home-crafted barbecue, custom made sandwiches, fresh salads and fruits, baked goods, and sweets as well as a unique collection of gifts, housewares, clothing, and weekend getaway gear.” Okay. The company, which claims to have “the cleanest restrooms and friendliest staff to be found anywhere,” operates more than 50 locations in the United States – mostly in Texas. The closest to Virginia is off Route 95 near Florence, South Carolina. The New Kent Buck-ee’s, slated to open in 2027, will be the first in Virginia.
New Kent County is one of the oldest counties in Virginia – I have ancestors that lived in this county in the middle of the 17th century – but its location on Interstate 64 (between Richmond and Norfolk) has made it a prime development location in the region. The Buck-ee’s will spur that development. It’s about 35 miles from my house in Williamsburg.
This secondary story illustrates the impact that the College of William and Mary has on my town. It features a lecture presented on Friday, March 3, at the college’s Reves Center for International Studies, by Erika Fabian as part of the Ampersand International Arts Festival. Febian is the Reves Center’s artist-in-residence. In her lecture, titled “Surviving Hitler and Stalin: One Woman’s Account,” Fabian talked about when the Nazis arrived, taking her father away and forcing her family to move from their own apartment to a new home with a yellow star on the front. She has recently published a book, Liar’s Paradise, which gives a fictionalized account of her life, including her years living under Adolf Hitler’s and Joseph Stalin’s regimes. After much travail, her family was rescued with the assistance of a relative – Frank Shatz, now a Virginia Gazette columnist. (I wrote about him in my January 18 essay if you want to know more about him).
NOTE: My public library doesn’t have any copies of Liar’s Paradise, so far as I have been able to determine. It’s not available on Amazon either. I have submitted a recommendation to the library that they acquire this book. If they do, I’ll be the first person on the list to get it. Both Tim and I have gotten access to new books by asking the library to buy them. Easy peasy.
And of course, I had to check it out – what is the Ampersand Arts Festival anyway? A little sleuthing revealed the answer: it is a rebranding of the W&M Global Film Festival, which for 16 years has “brought the William & Mary and Williamsburg communities together for an annual celebration of film and live performances.” According to its website, “the festival takes place annually at the Kimball Theatre and other local venues and brings world cultures to Williamsburg through film and live performance. The AIAF is a five-day event featuring screenings of international, student, and alumni-produced films, live performances, presentations, guest filmmakers, and receptions. All festival events are open to the public.” It goes on to say that “the festival’s ultimate goal is to inspire discovery, learning, and conversation while supporting the cultural appreciation of a regional audience.”
I couldn’t find anything that explained why this is specifically the “Ampersand” festival. My only thought is that the origins of this festival were in the college’s Film & Media Arts Program or in the college’s name – William & Mary. I still have one question: I have lived in Williamsburg throughout the years this festival has been offered. Why haven’t I heard of it?
And finally – a story about donuts. Who doesn’t like donuts? Why is this relegated to the bottom of the page?
The story features a new regional business, No Nuts Donuts, that sells doughnuts online and at a farmers market in Toano (just outside of Williamsburg. My doctor’s office is in Toano). By the way, just reading the article makes me want doughnuts and I don’t usually crave sweets. I’m more of a savory kind of gal.
The article focuses on the intersection between business development and nutrition. The business owner, Catie Baharg, knew that she was going to be a professional chef when she was 10 years old; she formed the plan while she was a brain cancer patient who hated hospital food. Fast-forward two decades, and she discovered that her infant son has multiple life-threatening food allergies. She wanted him to enjoy the same delicious goodies as other children – particularly doughnuts. So she started baking. Now four years old, her son Isaiah is her food taster and critic.
Her products are vegan and made without dairy, eggs, nuts, or gluten. She makes more than 15 flavors of cake and yeast doughnuts at her James City County home. Here’s a link to her Facebook page (I couldn’t find a website but the FB page provides contact information). https://www.facebook.com/nonutsdonutsva/
This story is attractive to readers with food allergies as well as to people who just like to explore new food options. No Nuts Donuts will be at the Toano Farmers’ Market on March 18 – the first Market of the new season.
I am frankly hesitant about recommending No Nuts Donuts to you, Dear Readers, without performing a first-hand quality control experiment. I plan to go to the Farmer’s Market next week (in the spirit of research only, you understand) to assess the quality of the product. I’ll give you an after-action report.
Having lived in Texas for 20 years, I gotta tell ya’all, Buc-ee’s is a VERY BIG Deal!! It’s everything Buc-ee’s says it is and MORE! Win is right. Prepare for the traffic jams! And Karen, try a glazed donut or two, for me! 😎
Buck'ees must have a great PR team. The Richmond news channels have carried stories three nights this week! I am hoping for Texas-style brisket. But perhaps you Williamsburgers should be ware of the coming traffic jams caused by Richmonders flocking to try Buck'ees fare.
And, speaking of food .... please try a yeast donut for me! Chocolate frosting optional, but appreciated.
No comment on Ampersand (well, it seems a bit silly ...) unless they serve Global food.