Table of contents
COVER
Tow woes
An enjoyable evening out with friends turned ugly for one man who says a towing incident escalated into a showdown with a gun-wielding man. The other side says they were just protecting life and property. When is it okay to draw a weapon?
MOVIE
Pi in the sky
A boy and a tiger trapped on a life boat is the unlikely premise of Ang Lee's latest film, Life of Pi, based on the best-selling novel. Roger Ebert calls it a "miraculous achievement" and a "landmark of visual mastery." This is one movie to see on the big screen. Do we have any of those in town?
FUNSTUFF
The weather may be chilly, but events around town this week will warm you right up. From Parachute at the Jefferson to a step-dance competition to holiday gift bazaars, this truly may be the most wonderful time of the year.
ESSAY
Surviving Sandy
The superstorm that struck the northeast also struck fear into the heart of a Charlottesville woman– and offered a reminder of the need to appreciate loved ones before they're gone.
On the cover (of this 40-page issue):
At the edge of the defunct gas station where his ordeal began, Nicholas Rigterink holds the type of sign he wishes had been posted. The actual signs– which he says he didn't see until it was too late– face out from inside the glassy office behind him.
–photo by Courteney Stuart