COLLEGIATETIMES
thursday october 9, 2008 blacksburg, va.
www.collegiatetimes.com
news VA POWERSHIFT CONFERENCE BEGINS THIS FRIDAY The Virginia Power Shift environmental coalition summit will be held at Virginia Tech this weekend, Oct. 10-12. Registration begins at 3 p.m. inside the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown. Events kick off Friday evening at 7 p.m. inside Burruss Hall Auditorium with keynote speakers Jessy Tolkan and Mike Tidwell. There will be a sustainability fair Saturday inside the Dominion Room in the Graduate Life Center. Saturday night will feature a concert by three environmentally conscience bands including Trees on Fire, Sunking and The Never.
CLASSES CANCELLED FOR FALL BREAK Friday, Oct. 10, classes will be cancelled for fall break. The Collegiate Times will not be publishing.
Montgomery County to build new courthouse ZACH CRIZER
ct news reporter Ten years after Montgomery County Courthouse was first deemed overcrowded, a plan is in place to build a new facility. Thompson and Litton has finalized plans for the new courthouse, which will be built on Pepper Street in Christiansburg — the same block that currently hosts the existing facility. Montgomery County Public Information Director Ruth Richey said overcrowding has been an issue since 1998, but plans for a new structure did not materialize quickly. “The current courthouse only has
three courtrooms and the courts have outgrown that space,” Richey said. “That’s been a number of years since the judge identified there was a crowding issue.” Thompson and Litton project manager Jack Murphy said his main focus was creating a successful work environment for the future. “I’d have to say that the main thing about the courthouse is making it a more secure, efficient building,” Murphy said. “The existing courthouse is about 58,000 square feet. The new courthouse is going to be just under 100,000 square feet.” The courthouse will be 98,500 square feet, with more courtrooms for the three courts that are housed in the
building. “The most significant difference is the current courthouse is three courtrooms, and the new one will have nine courtrooms,” Murphy said. “That is three for each court, Circuit, General District and Juvenile.” Security is also a focus of the new courthouse. A tunnel will be built from the county jail to the new courthouse. “There will be a connection underground from the existing jail to a secure holding area,” Murphy said. “The only challenge is that we’re working around existing properties that are privately owned.” Murphy said his firm is the third
see COURTHOUSE, page two
COURTESY OF THOMPSON AND LITTON
An architectural drawing of the new Montgomery County courthouse.
Economic crisis hits home
Hokie Tonk STUDENTS DON’T NEED TO TRAVEL TO L.A. OR NEW YORK TO FULFILL THEIR MUSICAL DREAMS. VIRGINIA TECH HAS ITS OWN RECORDING STUDIO HERE IN BLACKSBURG.
A
n independent acoustic singersongwriter from Manassas, Va., Craig Harmon has been heavily
CANDACE SIPOS
involved in the local music scene since
politics editor
his teenage years after picking up the
sports
guitar at age 12. After performing with a number of bands around the area
WOMEN’S SOCCER FACES VIRGINIA TONIGHT
such as The Wrong Reasons, Three
The Tech women’s soccer team will host No. 8 Virginia tonight at 7 p.m. The Cavaliers are currently 10-1-1 and unbeaten in four ACC games this season.
to solely perform acoustic sets. His
WASHINGTON TO PLAY IN ISRAEL
ration from song to song.
Former Tech basketball player Deron Washington has signed to play for Hapoel Holon in Israel. Washington was a second round pick in the 2008 NBA WASHINGTON Draft by the Detroit Pistons.
of Bob Dylan to urbane time signa-
weather
Years My Junior, and Underlined, he recently broke away from group work
music can be described in one word as “honest,” as different sounds and genres bridge the gap of musical explo-
From the counterculture swagger
tures of Minus the Bear, capturing the emotional impact of delivery and strengthened vibrancy with stateof-the-art resources was something Harmon had always been interested in. Little did he know that the Virginia Tech Department of Music has always been a leader and pioneer in technology-based music study. see TECHNOLOGY, page three
PARTLY SUNNY
MICHAEL MCDERMOTT/SPPS
During a session in the Virginia Tech recording studio, Eddie “EZ” McClain of Hopehop prepares for another run at one of his hip-hop tracks.
—by Jonathan Yi
high 76, low 51
The nation’s economic crisis has taken its toll on Virginia Tech. The $1 billion Campaign for Virginia Tech, the university’s loftiest fundraising goal in its history, has seen a slowdown. “I think they’re some folks out there who have been affected by the economy, both our donors and perspective donors,” Vice President for Development and University Relations Betsy Flanagan said. Flanagan added that some donors will see how the stock market changes before donating. “We’ve gone through stock market fluctuations in the past,” Flanagan said. “I think everyone’s just waiting it out.” Flanagan explained that Tech has an endowment portfolio full of stocks and bonds that fluctuates with the stock market. She said she couldn’t give an exact number that the university has lost so far because of the fickle nature of the market. “Every minute is a different story,” Flanagan said. “At any particular moment, it is a different value. It will eventually come back up, at least that’s what history has told us. Right now, the whole economy has got to stabilize in some shape or form.” Flanagan said she has hopes that the economy will improve after the elections when the country’s leadership is determined. She is confident the campaign will reach its goal by the 2010 completion deadline. “Our campaign has two plus years to go,” Flanagan said. “I would certainly hope that our economy will improve between now and 2010.” For students who are financing college through a commercial loan and have already taken out the loan with a fixed interest rate, the economy’s woes will not matter, said Hans Haller, head of the economics department. However, future loans will be more expensive. Further, employment opportunities have been damaged. “The other effect is that employment opportunities will go down in some areas,” Haller said. “If you are a senior who’s graduating, your job prospects might not be as good as they have been recently.” Donna Cassell Ratcliffe, director of Career Services, said that as of now, companies seem to be looking for
see ECONOMY, page two
corrections If you see something in today’s paper that needs to be corrected, please e-mail our public editor at publiceditor@collegiatetimes.com, or call 540.231.9865.
coming up TUESDAY’S CT Get the latest on former president Bill Clinton’s Sunday visit to Roanoke. Listen to what our sports junkies are talking about on the CT’s weekly sports podcast.
index News.....................2 Features................3 0pinions................4
Classifieds.............8 Sports....................6 Sudoku..................8
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 105th year issue 92
Hokie wideout’s career goes a Mile High BRIAN WRIGHT
ct sports editor NFL Draft experts pinned Eddie Royal as a player who was too small to be a wide receiver in the professional ranks. They thought that the 5’10”, 182pound Virginia Tech graduate was more suited to be a punt returner because of his quickness. “I didn’t want to be labeled as just a return guy,” the second round selection said. “I knew I was more than that.” Through just five games, Royal is making the experts and opposing secondaries look foolish. He already has accumulated 321 receiving yards, averaged 10.7 yards a reception and hauled in 30 catches — none bigger than the two he made in his second NFL start. It was the Broncos’ home opener in the altitude-friendly confines of Invesco Field at Mile High, which turned into a high-scoring affair with the San Diego Chargers. Down 38-31, the Broncos reached the one-yard line with under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter. Their fortunes seemed to fade as quarterback Jay Cutler coughed up the ball to an opposing Chargers defender, but referee Ed
Hochuli erroneously and, moments later, admittedly blew the play dead. It was a disastrous call for the Chargers and a blessing for the Broncos — especially for Royal. Two plays after the controversial sequence, Cutler found Royal in the middle of the end zone for a four-yard touchdown with just 29 seconds left. That made the score 38-37 in favor of San Diego. Head coach Mike Shanahan immediately held up two fingers. Despite needing just a simple extra point to tie the game and more than likely send it to overtime, Denver instead attempted a two-point conversion that would ultimately determine the outcome. The decision surprised most, but not Royal and his team. “I wasn’t shocked that we went for two,” he said. “That was our mindset. We wanted to go for two. We talked about that even before we got the ball. I was prepared for that.” Royal ran the same route, and the play ended with the same result. Cutler’s pass split three San Diego defenders, landing in Royal’s hands to give Denver a 39-38 lead. “It was a play that we had practiced a lot,” Royal said. “We had been going over that play and that situation, and it just so happened to work.” They would hold that lead for the remaining time and advance to 2-0 on the young season. Although Royal’s dramatic catch against the Bolts may be his most memorable moment of 2008, it certainly wasn’t the best performance of
his already stellar rookie campaign. That came in his regular season debut on Monday Night Football on the road against the AFC West rival Oakland Raiders. The Broncos’ top wide receiver, Brandon Marshall, was suspended for violating the league’s code of conduct — expanding Royal’s role even greater. But the magnitude of the moment didn’t faze him. “I don’t really get nervous before a game,” Royal said. “It’s more of an anxious feeling. I’m ready to get out there and play.” And as his performance indicated, he stepped in and stepped up nicely as Cutler’s main target in Denver’s 41-14 rout of the Raiders. Royal was utilized early, touching the ball three times — twice on running plays — in the first four plays from scrimmage. To cap off the opening drive, he produced the first score of the Broncos’ season and the first of his career. Cutler rolled out on third down and threw to Royal in the right side of the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown. “The coaches did a good job getting the ball into my hands and letting me make plays,” he said. “It was a good game plan that we had for Oakland; I just wanted to come out and be successful in my first game.” Royal caught three more passes on a Broncos scoring drive in the second quarter, one that ended in a touchdown run by running back Michael Pittman. He also drew a pair of unnecessary roughness penalties from fifth-year
cornerback and fellow Hokie-alum DeAngelo Hall, who was defending Royal for a majority of the evening. The rookie, howe ver, maintained his composure. “We’ve got a lot of confidence in Eddie,” Shanahan said. “I don’t look at him as a rookie … He’s been doing it very consistently in practice, so that’s why he got the opportunity to do it in the game … He handles himself like he’s a five-year vet.” Royal finished the game with nine catches for 146 yards, a week one high. It was the best premiere by a Broncos rookie wide out since Rick Upchurch garnered 153 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1975. His performance also nabbed him the Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week award. Not bad for a guy who was the fifth receiver taken in the 2008 NFL Draft. Royal’s rise from relative anonymity to opening week eye-opener surprised many observers, but not the Broncos. Denver was on the clock with the 42nd selection, and the team had little indecision on who they were taking. “As soon as we saw Eddie, we knew there was something special here,” said Broncos wide receiver coach Jedd Fisch, who was in the draft room with team personnel. “We were all extremely excited to have him. There was no ques-
tion that he would be an asset to our team.” Royal’s name was soon called, and he then received a call from his new head coach. “I couldn’t MARK R remember half of EIS/M it because my mom CT was screaming so much in the background,” Royal said. “He congratulated me and told me that he had a lot of faith in me and that he was looking forward to having me come in and make an impact on the team. I just thanked him and told him I wouldn’t let him down.”
PAUL PLATZ/SPPS
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see ROYAL, page seven