Homepage

Colorful Mexican folk art creatures on display at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

WTVR CBS 6 Web Staff — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:34:35 GMT

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. Whimsical, brightly colored creatures have temporarily taken up residence among the plants at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Henrico County. Statues called alebrijes are now on display as part of an exhibit called Creatures of a Dreamworld. The larger-than-life sculptures are an iconic symbol of Mexican folk art and combine features from various animals into one-of-a-kind forms.

Known for their vivid colors, intricate patterns, and imaginative designs, the creatures are created using cartonera, a traditional Mexican art form featuring metal structures covered in papier-mch and brought to life with acrylic paint. Alebrijes originated in the 1930s with Mexico City artist Pedro Linares and have since become celebrated symbols of Mexican art and cultural expression. The exhibit showcases the work of four artisans Edgar Camargo Reyes, Alberto Moreno Fernndez, Alejandro Camacho Barrera, and Perla Miriam Salgado Zamorano.

This is the first time this collection has visited the East Coast and the first time these fantastical creatures have been displayed in a botanical garden. The exhibit is included with garden admission and is free for members. The creatures will be on display until Sept. 27. : CONNECT WITH US Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.

Dangerous heat and humidity hits Virginia; heat index 100+ this week

The Weather Authority — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:29:12 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. -- A large ridge of high pressure over the Tennessee Valley will strengthen and expand eastward over the next several days. A dangerous combination of heat and humidity is expected in Virginia as the high impacts the Commonwealth Wednesday through the holiday weekend.

Wednesday will be very hot and humid, with mid to upper 90s and heat index values up to 106. A Heat Advisory is in effect for roughly the northwest half of Virginia.

The hottest weather will occur Thursday through Saturday, but dangerous heat will continue Sunday.

Friday and Saturday have a good chance to go into the record books, with highs of 102 and 100 respectively.

The heat index will likely fall into the range of 106 to 110 both days.

An isolated afternoon shower or storm will be possible Saturday and Sunday.

More widespread showers and storms will be possible early next week.

A weak disturbance off the Mid-Atlantic coast has a very low chance of tropical storm development over the next few days.

Stay With CBS 6, The Weather Authority.

STORM TRACKING LINKS:

Download the new and improved CBS 6 Weather App for iPhone and Android.

Billy Fallen brings Billy Pie back to Richmond with new West End pizza shop

Scott Wise — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:00:00 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. Richmond baker, restaurateur and food entrepreneur Billy Fallen is returning to the brick-and-mortar restaurant business with the latest chapter of his Billy Pie brand. His new, compact pizza shop is scheduled to open this month in the Ridge Road Shopping Center in Henrico's West End. Fallen, whose career has spanned artisan bread, Lebanese cuisine, pastries, pasta and frozen pizza production, said the new 700-square-foot location will focus primarily on takeout but will also feature eight bar stools, a four-top table, outdoor seating, three beers on tap and wine service. The menu will include pizza, a couple of salads and antipasti. "Its perfect. Its small, its manageable, the neighborhood, the demographic, Fallen said during an interview for the Eat It, Virginia podcast. Its really, really great for what were going to do there. The pizzeria will use one of Fallens preferred Marra Forni ovens, a hand-built, 8,000-pound unit capable of reaching 870 degrees, with volcanic ash bricks sourced from Mount Vesuvius. According to Fallen, the oven can cook pizzas in about 110 seconds on its rotating floor. The West End shop marks a return to restaurant service for Fallen, who in recent years stepped back from daily kitchen work to concentrate on his wholesale frozen pizza business, also called Billy Pie. That venture, launched after he experimented with freezing pizzas during slow nights at his former brewery residency at Triple Crossing Beer, now produces nearly 1 million pizzas a year for distribution across six states. The frozen pies, including margherita, pepperoni, seasonal white pies and other varieties, are topped with ingredients Fallen sources in bulk from trusted producers. We can buy entire crops of tomatoes grown in Italy, he said. So I know Im going to be consistent through the year. The original Billy Pie gained traction through brewery kitchens and, in 2019, a standalone shop at Patterson and Three Chopt roads. Fallen closed that restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic, citing a need for more family time. You meet wonderful people, interesting, colorful people its nice to bring something like that to the community, he said of the social draw of restaurant work. Before becoming known for pizza, Fallen built a reputation with Billy Bread, a naturally fermented multigrain sourdough he began baking in the Fan in the 1990s after apprenticing with French bread legend Gerard Rubaud in Vermont. His bread, milled from rye, spelt and hard red winter wheat, was supplied to restaurants and grocery stores across Virginia, including Mamma Zu in Richmond, The Cheese Shop in Williamsburg and Kroger grocery stores. In 2008, Fallen and his mother, Rusty, opened Azizas on Main, a Shockoe Bottom restaurant named for his grandmother. The spot offered Lebanese specialties and Rustys famous cream puffs. Style Weekly named Azizas its 2013 Restaurant of the Year. The cream puffs, which developed a cult following, will return at the new West End Billy Pie, made once again by Rusty, now 83. She is so energetic and just on top of everything. Its beautiful, Fallen said. If you want them, Ill do them, he recalled her saying. Fallen, who grew up in Newport News, attributes his willingness to take professional risks to a long line of entrepreneurs in his family. He was voted Most Daring at Peninsula Catholic High School. The new Billy Pie is co-owned with Fallens friend James Schroeder, also in the pizza business. Fallen said they plan to open soon after the Fourth of July holiday. Updates will be shared on the restaurants Instagram and website. This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.