JAMES CITY — Jamestown Settlement is holding its annual Indigenous Arts Day on Saturday to honor the Virginia Indian tribal communities who have occupied the land for centuries.

Beginning at 11 a.m., the day will celebrate traditional and contemporary art forms by Indigenous artists, including special performances of music and dance. A full schedule is available at jyfmuseums.org/indigenous-arts-day.

Red Crooked Sky American Indian Dance Troupe will lead the day’s performances with Stoney Creek Singers on drum, along with Nottoway flutist Nathan Elliott and Lakota storyteller Felicity Meza-Luna.

A variety of Indigenous artists and craftspeople will display and demonstrate their work throughout the day, some of which will be available for purchase. In case of inclement weather, activities will move indoors.

Visitors to Jamestown Settlement can also learn about 17th-century Virginia Indian history and culture in the museum’s permanent gallery exhibits featuring artifacts, innovative films and interactives.

The settlement is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Special event activities are included with museum admission; $18.00 for adults and $9 for ages 6-12. Children ages 5 and under are free.

Citizens of Virginia Indian tribes receive free admission during Indigenous Arts Day. Residents of James City County, York County and Williamsburg, including William & Mary students, receive free admission with proof of residency.

For more information, visit jyfmuseums.org. Jamestown Settlement is located on Route 31 southwest of Williamsburg.

“As our energy demand increases, we’ll need to think of novel ways to generate supply, and programs like solar leasing and net metering help incentivise deployment where it’s needed most,” said Suhas Subramanyam, a member of the Virginia Senate.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), more than 50,000 Virginia homes have solar systems installed, and the market is expected to grow by nearly ten times in the next decade. In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), which mandated a goal of 100% zero carbon energy generation by 2050.

“As thousands of Virginia families consider their energy choices and install solar over the next decade, the solar and storage industry is taking steps to ensure every installation is safe, reliable, and meets customer expectations. SEIA will continue to advocate for policies that open the market for solar, put customers first, and strengthen Virginia’s energy economy,” said Caitlin Vincent, Southeast senior manager for the SEIA.

As of the end of 2023, Virginia boasted 4.84GW of installed solar capacity while it added 591.6MW in 2023, according to the SEIA, and solar met 6.56% of power demand in the state last year. Regarding solar installations, utility scale projects have accounted for the majority of additions since 2020, while residential solar installations have gained traction since 2020 as well. 

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) – Pro-Palestine protesters held a press conference at Virginia Tech after the University’s response to this past weekend’s protests and arrests.

“On that day at 5:30, [they] told us that the reason we were allowed to stay was in order for our voices to be heard, all the while, they came for the expressive reason of suppressing us and telling us to leave,” said Virginia Tech student Emon Green.

On Sunday, 82 protesters were arrested for protesting on campus grounds. That list includes 52 students and 5 professors.

Green believes the environment was safe and protestors were peaceful.

“The Vice President of Student Affairs came down to speak with us, but not for the open conversation,” said one Virginia Tech student. “We believe she was there for a while we explained our demands and why we had created the encampment. She replies by saying I am not here to discuss why you are here, but only to tell you that you have to leave.”

She recalls Sunday events describing the arrest as traumatic.

“Many arrestees reported numbness and loss of feeling in their hands. Due to the zip ties being overly tight to the point of cutting circulation,” she said.

VT Student Faatina Hameed added they are committed to their original demands; To Disclose, Divest, and Defend.

“On October 11, President Sands released a statement condemning the events of October 7 and the loss of civilian life in Israel, burst Hall was lit up in the color of the Israeli flag,” Hameed announced. “Our most immediate and critical ask was for Sands and the administration to release a statement equally recognizing the immense loss of life in Gaza as well as a result of the Israeli regime’s attacks.”

Some protesters say they were charged with trespassing and face student conduct charges.

One Virginia Tech professor requests the university drop all charges against the protesters.

“We additionally demand that they reinstate and that they protect students and faculty is a constitutional right to assembly, free speech and protest moving forward,” said Virginia Tech professor Desirée Poets.

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