COLLEGIATETIMES
june 26, 2008
what’s inside News.............2 Features ........4 0pinions........5 Sports ...........8 Classifieds ...11 Sudoku........11 105th year issue 64 blacksburg, va.
Blacksburg residents, students respond to rapidly rising gas prices BRAD SHAPIRO
ct staff writer Gasoline seems to be on everyone’s mind these days, with prices soaring to over $4 per gallon. Despite the increased costs, people still need to get around. According to the Energy Information Administration, demand for gasoline in the United States has declined from 9.591 million barrels per day to 9.251 million barrels per day. While there was a slight increase in demand at the end of May, it has been declining steadily since that time. People in the New River Valley and Virginia Tech students have been altering their lifestyles in order to adjust to the higher costs. Walking around on campus, one can see that the bicycle racks are full, many people are walking and there are some interesting smaller vehicles making an appearance. Motor scooters have become an increasingly popular form of transportation. They can keep up with traffic and get much better gas mileage. “This thing gets over 150 miles on a tank, and it only holds 1.6 gallons.” said local resident DJ Neace. “It just makes the most sense for me, and I look really cool.” Duncan Honda Motorsports confirms what the bike racks suggest — that the demand for these scooters has gone up dramatically in recent months. “I can’t even keep them on the floor,” said Daniel Kepple of Duncan Honda Motorsports. “Everybody wants one.” Other residents who live farther away have tried alternative transportation methods.
MATT BOONE/SPPS
Junior accounting major Mike Kording fills up at the Citgo on Glade Road before leaving town. “I tend to carpool and consolidate trips to Christiansburg,” Kording said in response to rising gas prices. Michael Blackwell, Assistant Director of University Honors lives 37 miles away. He has been trying to organize a carpool group since gas was $2.50 per gallon and hasn’t had a lot of luck.
“It’s a little frustrating. You’d think people would want to save a lot of money,” Blackwell said. The Office of Alternative Transportation has promoted several other options for faculty
Alcohol ads allowed in college publications
and staff. The “GoLoco” service helps people to quickly arrange ride sharing between friends, neighbors and colleagues according
Virginia Tech to build in Arlington JOANNE SNOW
ct staff writer JOANNE SNOW
ct staff writer In a ruling on June 19, the U.S. District court of Eastern Virginia in Richmond upheld a March 31 injuction that it was unconstitutional for the government to ban most alcohol-related advertisements in print and electronic media. Up until now, any collegeoriented publication, including the Collegiate Times, was prohibited to print prices, refer to specific brands
or include the term, “happy hour.” U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Hannah Lauck ruled that the regulations enforced by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which prevented the printing and selling of alcohol-related advertisements, violated the First Amendment. Because of the injunction, any student-run publication is now allowed to advertise specific alcoholic drinks, including margaritas, shots, mixed drinks and beers.
Along with the various drink specials, local restaurants may publicize their happy hour times or similar references to hour(s) when they charge a lower price for alcohol. The advertisements may also include the brand names of the alcohol maker, including the exact prices of different alcoholic drinks. “Being one of the older restaurants in Blacksburg, we have more of a history than some of the other
see ABC, page four
see GAS, page two
On June 19, Virginia Tech announced that it will be building a major research center in Ballston, Va. The building and the project itself is currently being led by Jim Bohland, executive director of the national capital region. The national capital region is a division of Tech that assists with the programs and other research challenges located in Northern Virginia. Numerous well-established Tech research centers, already located throughout the D.C. area, will transfer their locations to the new Ballston facility. The site will offer high performance
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information technology systems that address national security issues. Designing the center, in this location specifically hopes to enable Tech to further its research selection in a region that offers great opportunity for partnerships with corporate research entities and close proximity to government agencies and other public and private-sector organizations. “Virginia Tech exists to serve the people of Virginia; we have locations all across the state, so to be located right in the hub, particularly with the research, will help so much in becoming and strengthening being a leader in research
see BALLSTON, page three