Good morning, Charlottesville.

The 17th annual community event will give free backpacks to elementary and middle school students ahead of the new school year - a tradition supporting local families during back-to-school time.

Authorities evacuated UVA's Observatory Hill Dining Hall Friday morning after a gas leak was detected at 525 McCormick Rd, and police and fire crews advised locals to avoid the area with no injuries reported.

The Better Business Bureau warns consumers about scams from Ridgewell Retail's online store after receiving over 1,200 complaints in 30 days (customers are advised to use the BBB's Scam Tracker tool to verify credibility before buying).

UPC announced singer Malcolm Todd will headline the free Wahoo Welcome Concert for University students at John Paul Jones Arena on Aug.

22. The event will feature interactive LED wristbands, exclusive t-shirt and plushie tosses, and surprise giveaways.

UVA launched its Master of Change degree through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies to give professionals new skills in change management.

The program was announced recently and will soon accept new students in Charlottesville.

The UVA School of Data Science launched an assured enrollment pilot program for the 2026-2027 year (it aims to ease the application process for data science majors) to reduce student burden.

Drivers passing through downtown should prepare for lane closures on West Main Street next week as utility workers install fiber cables between 4th and Ridge Streets and Ridge and Water Streets, with altered traffic patterns (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) daily until the work ends Aug.

13.

Beginning next week, utility work on West Main Street — between 4th Street NW and Ridge Street and Water Street — will cause lane closures and altered traffic from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily until Aug.

13.

A child psychologist at UVA Health Children’s said back-to-school anxiety is common if children experience trouble sleeping, stomachaches, headaches, and mood shifts, and she invites parents to register for a support event on Aug.

11 in Charlottesville (additional sessions are held monthly).

A child psychologist at UVA Health Children’s said children may show back-to-school anxiety with trouble sleeping, stomachaches, and headaches and advised parents to validate feelings and build coping confidence.

She will host a parent event on Aug. 11 to offer more tips.

A local cook shares a summer recipe that features peach and tomato towers layered with crisp bacon and mint medley pesto.

She gathered fresh ingredients from the *local farmers market* to create a colorful side dish that highlights Charlottesville’s seasonal harvest.

The CAAR Q2 Housing Report shows closed home sales in the region rose 14% with Fluvanna up 20.8% and Louisa up 28.6% — median prices stayed steady as lower interest rates spurred buyer demand.