Sharp's Island

What’s it like to grow up inside politics… and then step away to critique it from the outside?

In this episode, we sit down with Jon, who has experienced government from three completely different angles—growing up in the governor’s mansion, working inside city government, and now analyzing it from the outside. From behind-the-scenes stories of life as a governor’s son to the realities of public service, this conversation pulls back the curtain on politics in a way you don’t often hear. We dive into what it was really like living in the Virginia Governor’s Mansion as a teenager, how politics shaped (and didn’t shape) his worldview, and what changed once he stepped into public office himself. There are also some surprising insights about how local government actually works—and why it’s not as impossible as people think.

If you’re interested in politics, leadership, or just hearing a unique life story with humor and perspective, this one’s worth your time.

JON BALILES ON SUBSTACK - RVA 5X5 https://rva5x5.substack.com/

⏱️ Key Moments:

0:00 – Intro: From Governor’s Mansion to Political Critic

0:34 – Why Jon Prefers Critiquing Politics Over Being In It

1:34 – Growing Up in the Governor’s Mansion

3:03 – 80s Life Inside the Mansion (MTV, Pop Culture & More)

6:16 – Did Life in the Mansion Ever Feel Normal?

9:18 – Political Rivalries & Respect Across Parties

11:12 – Is Politics About Power or Service?

16:16 – Jon Wins City Council by Just 20 Votes

INTERESTED IN STAYING AT SHARP'S ISLAND? https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/893378644257716500

CHECK OUT MORE FROM SHARP'S ISLAND - WINTER CAMPING on SHARP'S ISLAND https://youtu.be/A8C3mEjEWlo

Sharp's Island Road Trip! Take the (Cold) Plunge and Hop in a Sauna with the Rivanna River Company https://youtu.be/gvIZIWqXZXY

National Geographic Explorer, Photographer Katie Orlinsky Stops By for Hot Cocoa and a Chat https://youtu.be/SfG1Se_Kc7E

ANDREW ALLI - JAMES RIVER PARK SUPERINTENDENT / BLUES MUSICIAN - FULL EPISODE https://youtu.be/6zO1sL9c7XM SHARPSFEST 2025 - https://youtu.be/BbSJ4MLflpE

SHARP'S ISLAND on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharpsislandrva

PRODUCED BY: @nodderly https://www.instagram.com/nodderly

We sit down with the organizers behind the Richmond Ren Faire to explore how this grassroots nonprofit grew from a small fundraiser into a full-scale, two-day immersive experience happening April 18–19 at Dorey Park. From blacksmithing and illuminated manuscripts to historic European and East Asian martial arts, real jousting on horseback, live improv storytelling, and multicultural food vendors — this fair is about much more than costumes.

This conversation covers:

What actually happens when you walk through the gates of a Renaissance Fair

Preserving historic trades in a modern, automated world

Building a Richmond-specific narrative (no kings and queens required)

A multicultural approach to Renaissance history

Supporting local artisans, makers, educators, and performers

Community-building, slow culture, and hands-on creativity

The long-term vision for a permanent historic trades facility in Richmond

📅 Richmond Renaissance Fair: April 18–19

📍 Dorey Park, Henrico County, VA

If you care about local culture, history, creativity, and community, this one’s for you. #SharpsIsland #RichmondRenaissanceFair #RichmondVA #RenFaire #LocalArtisans #HistoricTrades #CommunityBuilding #RichmondCulture #MedievalFestival #RVAEvents #Jousting #Blacksmithing #SlowCulture #DIYCulture

CHECK OUT MORE FROM SHARP'S ISLAND

Sharp's Island Road Trip! Take the (Cold) Plunge and Hop in a Sauna with the Rivanna River Company https://youtu.be/gvIZIWqXZXY

RIVANNA RIVER COMPANY in Charlottesville, Virginia! https://rivannarivercompany.com/

National Geographic Explorer, Photographer Katie Orlinsky Stops By for Hot Cocoa and a Chat https://youtu.be/SfG1Se_Kc7E

ANDREW ALLI - JAMES RIVER PARK SUPERINTENDENT / BLUES MUSICIAN - FULL EPISODE https://youtu.be/6zO1sL9c7XM

SHARPSFEST 2025 - https://youtu.be/BbSJ4MLflpE SHARP'S ISLAND on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharpsislandrva

INTERESTED IN STAYING AT SHARP'S ISLAND? https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/893378644257716500

PRODUCED BY: @nodderly https://www.instagram.com/nodderly

What does it mean to feel at home outdoors?

In this episode of Sharp’s Island, we welcome Brian Bell, founder of Keep Virginia Cozy, to a tiny island in the James River for a wide-ranging conversation about litter, land stewardship and community. Brian shares the origin story of Keep Virginia Cozy, how a small grassroots cleanup effort grew into a million-plus pounds of trash removed from Virginia’s outdoor spaces, and why “cozy” is the perfect word for environmental work.

Along the way, we talk about:

Discovering ruins, flood debris, and hidden history along the James River

The realities of river cleanup and how trash travels downstream Starting a nonprofit by accident—and sustaining it for nearly a decade

Corporate cleanups, community buy-in, and low-barrier volunteering

Outdoor access, belonging, and making nature feel welcoming

Favorite Virginia trails, camping spots, and hidden corners of the state

Why leaving a place better than you found it matters more than credit

This episode is part river hang, part environmental philosophy, and part love letter to Virginia’s wild places—and the people who show up for them.

Learn more about Keep Virginia Cozy: Follow @keepvirginiacozy on Instagram to find upcoming cleanups, volunteer opportunities, and ways to get involved.

If you enjoy conversations about the James River, Richmond outdoors, conservation, and community-led action, be sure to like, subscribe, and share this episode.

CHECK OUT MORE FROM SHARP'S ISLAND

Sharp's Island Road Trip! Take the (Cold) Plunge and Hop in a Sauna with the Rivanna River Company https://youtu.be/gvIZIWqXZXY

RIVANNA RIVER COMPANY in Charlottesville, Virginia! https://rivannarivercompany.com/ @rivannarivercompany - instagram

National Geographic Explorer, Photographer Katie Orlinsky Stops By for Hot Cocoa and a Chat https://youtu.be/SfG1Se_Kc7E

MAEVE JONES - THE POE MUSEUM - FULL EPISODE https://youtu.be/ni9968n4EAg https://poemuseum.org/

ANDREW ALLI - JAMES RIVER PARK SUPERINTENDENT / BLUES MUSICIAN - FULL EPISODE https://youtu.be/6zO1sL9c7XM

SHARPSFEST 2025 - https://youtu.be/BbSJ4MLflpE

SHARP'S ISLAND on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharpsislandrva

INTERESTED IN STAYING AT SHARP'S ISLAND? https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/893378644257716500

PRODUCED BY: @nodderly https://www.instagram.com/nodderly

What does it mean to feel at home outdoors?

In this episode of Sharp’s Island, we welcome Brian Bell, founder of Keep Virginia Cozy, to a tiny island in the James River for a wide-ranging conversation about litter, land stewardship and community. Brian shares the origin story of Keep Virginia Cozy, how a small grassroots cleanup effort grew into a million-plus pounds of trash removed from Virginia’s outdoor spaces, and why “cozy” is the perfect word for environmental work.

Along the way, we talk about:

Discovering ruins, flood debris, and hidden history along the James River

The realities of river cleanup and how trash travels downstream

Starting a nonprofit by accident—and sustaining it for nearly a decade

Corporate cleanups, community buy-in, and low-barrier volunteering

Outdoor access, belonging, and making nature feel welcoming Favorite Virginia trails, camping spots, and hidden corners of the state

Why leaving a place better than you found it matters more than credit

This episode is part river hang, part environmental philosophy, and part love letter to Virginia’s wild places—and the people who show up for them.

Learn more about Keep Virginia Cozy: Follow @keepvirginiacozy on Instagram to find upcoming cleanups, volunteer opportunities, and ways to get involved.

If you enjoy conversations about the James River, Richmond outdoors, conservation, and community-led action, be sure to like, subscribe, and share this episode.

CHECK OUT MORE FROM SHARP'S ISLAND

Sharp's Island Road Trip! Take the (Cold) Plunge and Hop in a Sauna with the Rivanna River Company https://youtu.be/gvIZIWqXZXY RIVANNA RIVER COMPANY in Charlottesville, Virginia!

https://rivannarivercompany.com/ @rivannarivercompany - instagram

National Geographic Explorer, Photographer Katie Orlinsky Stops By for Hot Cocoa and a Chat https://youtu.be/SfG1Se_Kc7E MAEVE JONES -

THE POE MUSEUM - FULL EPISODE https://youtu.be/ni9968n4EAg https://poemuseum.org/

ANDREW ALLI - JAMES RIVER PARK SUPERINTENDENT / BLUES MUSICIAN - FULL EPISODE https://youtu.be/6zO1sL9c7XM

SHARPSFEST 2025 - https://youtu.be/BbSJ4MLflpE

SHARP'S ISLAND on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharpsislandrva

INTERESTED IN STAYING AT SHARP'S ISLAND? https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/893378644257716500

PRODUCED BY: @nodderly https://www.instagram.com/nodderly

Join Andy as he paddles with Jeff Katz of Newsradio WRVA 96.1 FM across the James River, they discuss Jeff's path to Richmond, Newsradio, drunk racoons and other local stories.

#SharpsIsland #JamesRiver #RichmondVA #WRVA #JeffKatz #RVAHistory #RiverLife

Jeff Katz

Newsradio WRVA 96.1 FM, 1140 AM, and audacy.com

https://www.thejeffkatzshow.com/

CHECK OUT MORE FROM SHARP'S ISLAND -

Sharp's Island Road Trip! Take the (Cold) Plunge and Hop in a Sauna with the Rivanna River Company

https://youtu.be/gvIZIWqXZXY

National Geographic Explorer, Photographer Katie Orlinsky Stops By for Hot Cocoa and a Chat

https://youtu.be/SfG1Se_Kc7E

MAEVE JONES - THE POE MUSEUM - FULL EPISODE

https://youtu.be/ni9968n4EAg

https://poemuseum.org/

ANDREW ALLI - JAMES RIVER PARK SUPERINTENDENT / BLUES MUSICIAN - FULL EPISODE

https://youtu.be/6zO1sL9c7XM

https://jamesriverpark.org/a-familiar-face-in-a-new-role/

SHARPSFEST 2025 -

https://youtu.be/BbSJ4MLflpE

SHARP'S ISLAND on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/sharpsislandrva

INTERESTED IN STAYING AT SHARP'S ISLAND?

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/893378644257716500

PRODUCED BY: @nodderly

https://www.instagram.com/nodderly

In this second and final part of our two-part series with Rivanna River Company, we dive deep into the origins, challenges, and community impact of one of Charlottesville’s most transformative outdoor businesses.

From dreaming of a “river center” while living in Richmond… to launching a river outfitter beside a noisy auto body shop… to building a beloved hub of recreation, conservation, and culture — this episode captures the full journey.

Join us as we explore:

• How a simple idea to connect people with the river became a 10-year movement

• Why Charlottesville once overlooked the Rivanna — and how that perception changed

• The early struggles (crashed cars, weird bridge launches, skeptical landowners)

• The moment the community rallied to protect the riverfront

• The explosive growth of tubing, kayaking, and paddling in the city

• How small business, local advocacy, and outdoor culture strengthened an entire community

You’ll also hear stories about:

🛶 The founding vision behind Rivanna River Company

🌳 The role of small businesses in conservation

🚣‍♀️ The rise in recreational river use—customers AND non-customers

🌉 Free Bridge history and the unique character of this stretch of the Rivanna

🎶 RRC’s concerts, festivals, and community gatherings that transformed the riverfront into a cultural anchor

💥 The development threat that nearly ended everything—and how the city responded

🌿 Why this exact spot on the river means everything to thousands of local families

CHECK OUT - PART ONE

Sharp's Island Road Trip! Take the (Cold) Plunge and Hop in a Sauna with the Rivanna River Company

https://youtu.be/gvIZIWqXZXY

RIVANNA RIVER COMPANY in Charlottesville, Virginia!

https://rivannarivercompany.com/

@rivannarivercompany - instagram

MORE FROM SHARP'S ISLAND -

National Geographic Explorer, Photographer Katie Orlinsky Stops By for Hot Cocoa and a Chat

https://youtu.be/SfG1Se_Kc7E

MAEVE JONES - THE POE MUSEUM - FULL EPISODE

https://youtu.be/ni9968n4EAg

https://poemuseum.org/

ANDREW ALLI - JAMES RIVER PARK SUPERINTENDENT / BLUES MUSICIAN - FULL EPISODE

https://youtu.be/6zO1sL9c7XM

SHARPSFEST 2025 -

https://youtu.be/BbSJ4MLflpE

SHARP'S ISLAND on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/sharpsislandrva

INTERESTED IN STAYING AT SHARP'S ISLAND?

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/893378644257716500

PRODUCED BY: @nodderly

https://www.instagram.com/nodderly

Join us on a unique adventure on the Rivanna River in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Gabe and Sonya Silver have established more than just a river company. This travel video highlights their efforts to create a space where adventure, community, and conservation converge, making it one of the best places to visit.

CHECK OUT RIVANNA RIVER COMPANY in Charlottesville, Virginia!

https://rivannarivercompany.com/

@rivannarivercompany - instagram

CHECK OUT MORE FROM SHARP'S ISLAND -

National Geographic Explorer, Photographer Katie Orlinsky Stops By for Hot Cocoa and a Chat

https://youtu.be/SfG1Se_Kc7E

MAEVE JONES - THE POE MUSEUM - FULL EPISODE

https://youtu.be/ni9968n4EAg

https://poemuseum.org/

ANDREW ALLI - JAMES RIVER PARK SUPERINTENDENT / BLUES MUSICIAN - FULL EPISODE

https://youtu.be/6zO1sL9c7XM

https://jamesriverpark.org/a-familiar-face-in-a-new-role/

SHARPSFEST 2025 -

https://youtu.be/BbSJ4MLflpE

SHARP'S ISLAND on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/sharpsislandrva

INTERESTED IN STAYING AT SHARP'S ISLAND?

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/893378644257716500

PRODUCED BY: @nodderly

https://www.instagram.com/nodderly

Discover the forgotten history of Sharp’s Island and the remarkable, almost unbelievable story of Henry Tensor — the man who bought a James River island for $2,000 and attempted to build one of the strangest architectural structures Richmond has ever seen.

In this episode, we explore the hidden past of the James River islands — from granite quarries and commercial fishing operations to party spots, home sites, and lost communities. Henry Tensor shares how he first spotted the island from his daily commute, tracked down the owner at the courthouse, and purchased the island in the late 1960s from the Sharp family, who had owned it for more than a century.

Henry recounts:

• Life on the island before his purchase
• The 1895 two-story house destroyed by Hurricane Camille
• Receiving permission from the City of Richmond to burn the house down
• What remained after the fire
• His incredible plan to build a prefabricated steel-cube and plexiglass dome structure
• How he and his friends transported 8-foot steel cubes across the river using lashed-together jon boats
• The heartbreak of Hurricane Agnes wiping out the nearly completed project
• Reflections on luck, timing, creativity, community, and the spirit of the James River

This conversation is a rare look into Richmond’s hidden river history, human resilience, architectural imagination, and the wild stories behind the places we pass by every day without realizing what once happened there.

If you love Richmond history, James River stories, architecture, lost structures, or old-school DIY river life, this episode is for you.

CHECK OUT MORE FROM SHARP'S ISLAND -

National Geographic Explorer, Photographer Katie Orlinsky Stops By for Hot Cocoa and a Chat

 • National Geographic Explorer, Photographer...  

MAEVE JONES - THE POE MUSEUM - FULL EPISODE

 • Poe Museum Director, Maeve Jones,  Shares ...  

https://poemuseum.org/

ANDREW ALLI - JAMES RIVER PARK SUPERINTENDENT / BLUES MUSICIAN - FULL EPISODE

 • 'Mayor of RVA Outdoors', Blues Musician An...  

https://jamesriverpark.org/a-familiar...

SHARPSFEST 2025 -

 • Sharp's Fest 2025 - Food, Fun and Live Mus...  

SHARP'S ISLAND on Instagram

 / sharpsislandrva  

INTERESTED IN STAYING AT SHARP'S ISLAND?

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/89337864...

PRODUCED BY: @nodderly

 / nodderly  

Andy shares Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate with National Geographic photographer and explorer Katie Orlinsky

https://www.instagram.com/katieorlinsky

https://www.katieorlinskyphoto.com/

CHECK OUT MORE FROM SHARP'S ISLAND -

MAEVE JONES - THE POE MUSEUM - FULL EPISODE

https://youtu.be/ni9968n4EAg

https://poemuseum.org/

ANDREW ALLI - JAMES RIVER PARK SUPERINTENDENT / BLUES MUSICIAN - FULL EPISODE

https://youtu.be/6zO1sL9c7XM

https://jamesriverpark.org/a-familiar-face-in-a-new-role/

SHARPSFEST 2025 -

https://youtu.be/BbSJ4MLflpE

SHARP'S ISLAND on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/sharpsislandrva

INTERESTED IN STAYING AT SHARP'S ISLAND?

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/893378644257716500

PRODUCED BY: @nodderly

https://www.instagram.com/nodderly

In this episode of Sharp’s Island Podcast, we sit down with Tim Barry, legendary Richmond musician and former frontman of Avail, to talk about punk rock roots, storytelling, fatherhood, and what keeps him grounded by the James River.

From his days touring the world in sweaty punk clubs to his stripped-down solo sets at hometown favorites like The Camel, Tim opens up about connection, fear, performance, and raising daughters who now sing beside him on stage. We also talk about the history of the river, creative endurance, and how Richmond’s spirit keeps pulling him back home.

📍Recorded on Sharp’s Island, a real island in the middle of the James River — this is more than a podcast. It’s a threshold between city and nature, noise and silence, past and present.

🎶 Topics in this episode:

- Growing up in Richmond’s 90s punk scene

- Life after Avail and the evolution of his songwriting

- Recording a new album with Spacebomb Studios

- Balancing touring, fatherhood, and creativity

- The power of live shows and small-room connection

- Stories from the river and the roots of Richmond’s music history

Website: https://timbarryrva.com

Instagram: @timbarryrva

CHECK OUT OTHER FULL EPISODES FROM SHARP'S ISLAND -

Bestselling Richmond Historical Fiction Author Talks About Her Craft, New Novel Out This Summer

https://youtu.be/MYAWXnj8YfE

'Mayor of RVA Outdoors', Blues Musician

Andrew Alli Paddles Over, Puts on a Show

https://youtu.be/6zO1sL9c7XM

SHARPSFEST 2025 -

https://youtu.be/BbSJ4MLflpE

SHARP'S ISLAND on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/sharpsislandrva

INTERESTED IN STAYING AT SHARP'S ISLAND?

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/893378644257716500

PRODUCED BY: @nodderly

https://www.instagram.com/nodderly