COLLEGIATETIMES
August 5, 2010
what’s inside News .............2 Features ....... 6 0pinions ........5 Sports .........10 Classifieds ...11 Sudoku ........11 107th year issue 71 blacksburg, va.
New center makes a splash REBECCA FRAENKEL/SPPS
The Christiansburg Aquatic Center on North Franklin Street features competition pools, a three-platform diving tower and a two-story, triple-loop water slide.
AQUATIC CENTER PRODUCT OF PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN UNIVERSITY AND CHRISTIANSBURG CLAIRE SANDERSON managing editor After years of planning and construction, the Christiansburg Aquatic Center on North Franklin Street is finally a reality. “It’s going to be fantastic for our athletes, it’s going to be fantastic for the future of Virginia Tech swimming and diving, and it’s going to be fantastic for the community,” said Ron Piemonte, Tech head diving coach.
The $18 million aquatic center — the product of a collaboration between Tech and the town of Christiansburg — is expected to be beneficial to the region as well as to the university. “It’s a very unique setup between Virginia Tech and the town of Christiansburg,” said Ned Skinner, Tech head swim coach. “Virginia Tech wouldn’t have been able to have a pool like this and neither would the town of
Christiansburg. It’s going to serve a lot of groups.” At its grand opening July 18, Christiansburg Mayor Richard Ballengee officially cut the ribbon amid performances by Tech swimmers and divers, and the screams and splashes of children trying out the two-story, tripleloop water slide. According to Skinner, the aquatic center, which boasts a 50-meter competition pool, platforms for 1- and 3-meter springboards, and a diving tower with 5-, 7.5- and 10-meter platforms, will be a landmark on the East Coast.
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He said that in the ACC, only Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech can now claim such a state-of-theart facility. “It’s something we’ve been very excited about for the last six years,” Skinner said. “It’s been a process, but they have really done it first class.” Christiansburg had originally planned a much smaller pool, but collaboration with Tech allowed it to become a true competition facility, Skinner said. Tech has a contract with the town of Christiansburg for the facility. According to Terry
Virginia Tech wouldn’t have been able to have a pool like this and neither would the town of Christiansburg NED SKINNER HEAD SWIM COACH
Caldwell, the center’s director of aquatics, Tech will pay $250,000 per year for 20 years to use the pool, though its lease to use the facility lasts 25 years. “We have a 25-year extended lease, which includes the locker room and our office,” explained see AQUATIC / page three
Steppin’ Out celebrates 30 years in Blacksburg ASHLEY HAMILTON news staff writer The 30th annual Steppin’ Out is descending upon Blacksburg, with vendors and community members making the final preparations for the event. Steppin’ Out is an annual event that features live music and more than 100 vendors and activities for all ages. Planning for the event begins as early as December when mailings are sent out to past vendors and potential new vendors. The festival will take place Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. “Many people come to make connections with friends and reunite with people they haven’t seen in
a while. It is a way to connect at the end of summer,” said Laureen Blakemore, director of special events for Downtown Blacksburg, Inc. During the event, people can walk around to booths of vendors and attend live performances. These performances take place at the Main Stage on College Avenue, the Acoustic Stage on Main and Lee streets, and the Community Stage on Roanoke Street. There will also be a children’s area located at the Community Stage. Steppin’ Out works in collaboration with the town of Blacksburg because the center of town is closed down to accommodate the festival. “It is a long process, but it’s so well known now that it flows really nicely,” Blakemore said.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of this event, the Community Art Information Office is sponsoring an exhibit dedicated to Steppin’ Out. There will also be a raffle, with a grand prize of a quilt made up of all 30 Steppin’ Out T-shirts from years past. The Steppin’ Out T-shirts are used as funds for the festival, along with the vendors’ fees. “Our biggest expense is the entertainment, which costs somewhere around $18,000. The event is free to guests, and they can buy things from the vendors,” Blakemore said. Hundreds of vendors come from various places around the country to take part in Steppin’ Out. A local shop, Bike Barn, is participating in the festival for the third time.
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Check out page two for a full schedule of live music during Steppin’ Out.
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“This festival gets people to think about taking up cycling if they hadn’t considered it before. It gets the word out. It also nurtures our relationship with our customers,” said Yusef Messallam, owner of Bike Barn. The Bike Barn booth consists of test-riding bicycles as well as a cycle that makes smoothies. Bike Barn began planning for the festival three months in advance, because it needed a safety permit in order to run the booth. It also set up fliers and posters about the event that will catch people’s eye when they are walking
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through the town. On Friday, Bike Barn will start setting up test riding bikes a few hours before the festival begins. “We have to make sure things look good for customers and tenants,” Messallam said. Other vendors who take part in the festival feel that while the festival may provide some exposure, their businesses aren’t heavily affected by it. Lia’s Hair Styling does no preparation for the event other than setting up a few shampoos and conditioners an hour before the festival starts. “It does not really increase business. We occasionally get one or two more clients, but usually people at Steppin’ Out are just coming to visit,” said Lia Deoliveira, owner of Lia’s Hair Styling.
collegiatetimes.com August 5, 2010
2010 SCHEDULE
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STEPPIN’ OUT
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FRIDAY
SOURCE: DOWNTOWN BLACKSBURG, INC.
MAIN STAGE
ACOUSTIC STAGE
2:10 PM - Downpour 3:30 PM - Ash Devine & Friends 4:50 PM - Butch Robbins Imagicnation 6:10 PM - Jay Pun & Morwenna Lasko 7:30 PM - My Radio 8:50 PM - The Old Ceremony
12 PM - Jason Byrd 1:20 PM - The Craig Family Trio 2:40 PM - Appalachian Roots 4:00 PM - Al Hawanim 5:20 PM - Joe Rathbone 6:40 PM - Farewell Drifters
COMMUNITY STAGE 2:30 PM - Jazzercise Demonstration 3:00 PM - Floyd Music School Performance 4:00 PM - Youth Experiencing Science Presentations 5:00 PM - Rockers All Star Cheerleading
SATURDAY
Fraternity brothers bike for disabilities SARAH WATSON news reporter
MAIN STAGE
ACOUSTIC STAGE
COMMUNITY STAGE
11:30 AM - Blacksburg Community Band 12:50 PM - Pan Jammers & Island Pan 2:10 PM - Savannah Shoulders 3:30 PM - Ministers of Soul 4:50 PM - Josh Charles 6:10 PM - 3 Minute Lovin’ 7:30 PM - Sol & Funk Root 8:50 PM - The Lee Boys
12 PM - Acoustic Impressions 1:20 PM - David Simpkins & Friends 2:40 PM - Kat Mills 4:00 PM - The Acoustic Kind 5:20 PM - Windfall 6:40 PM - Crossties
10:20 AM - Mountain Dream Cloggers 11:00 AM - SVSDS (SW VA Social Dance Society) 12:00PM - Abbott’s Tae Kwon Do America 1:00 PM - Dance Tech Performing Arts Studio 2:00 PM - Hoopdance & Poi ball dance workshop 3:00 PM - Sapphire Ballroom & Dance Center 4:00 PM - Blacksburg Center for Martial Arts 5:00 PM - VA Techniques Gymnastics KELLY HARRIGAN/COLLEGIATE TIMES
Virginia Tech students Fred Angel and Kenneth Lewis are biking across America to raise money for persons with disabilities. Angel and Lewis are participating in the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s bike ride, Journey for Hope, which stops at locations across the country to meet with organizations that help people with disabilities. Journey for Hope is the annual bike ride for Push America, Pi Kappa Phi’s national philanthropy since 1977. “The main focus and purpose is to raise money and awareness for people with disabilities,” said Joey Haynes, spokesman for Push America. Angel joined Pi Kappa Phi for Push America because he saw it as something that could be beneficial to both him and others. “The most rewarding part is seeing the smiles on the people’s faces at the friendship visits,” Angel said. Journey for Hope began in 1988 to raise money for Push America. Those involved with the philanthropy try to find sponsors for participants so the money can go to Push America to benefit organizations helping persons with disabilities. “I was able to see people’s abilities and not just their disabilities,” Haynes said. Each year, Journey for Hope raises $500,000 for Push America. Cyclists bike an average of 75 miles per day, with the longest day lasting 125 miles. According to Angel, they wake up around 5 a.m. and bike for approximately six hours each day. “The day in and day out grind is the hardest part,” Angel said. Journey of Hope consists of three teams made up of approximately 30 cyclists and crewmembers. Angel and Lewis are part of the TransAmerica Team, which started in Seattle. The event began on June 9 and will conclude on Aug. 14. As the men travel across America, they will stop in cities and towns to visit organizations that support persons with disabilities. At these stops, the men will go on “friendship visits.” On these visits, they present grants to organizations so they can buy supplies and other necessities. A memorable experience took place in Denver while visiting the Paralyzed Veterans Association. “I saw that their challenges are 10 times are hard as what I go through on a daily basis,” Angel said. Angel, Lewis and the rest of the TransAmerica Team will arrive in Blacksburg on Aug. 6 at approximately 3 p.m. The team will circle the Drillfield and also make an appearance at Steppin’ Out.
LINDSEY JEFFREYS news staff writer
REBECCA FRAENKEL/SPPS
Both the Virginia Tech swimming and diving teams will be taking advantage of the new aquatic center for the next 25 years. from page one
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COURTESY OF EMILY PUZEY
Last year’s participants talk about Tech history around a campfire. ships for school,” said Alec Morris, an incoming freshman. Once students have arrived, they are put into building groups. There are 25 small groups. Five of these small groups form a color group. The color groups participate in team building activities together. Heaton recalls seeing students around campus this past school year who participated in past Hokie Camps with their color group’s bandana attached to their backpacks. Hokie Camp building groups continue to meet during the fall semester. The directors do this so that relationships have a chance to grow even if students aren’t in the same hall or classes. There can be 320 people in each session. Currently, 635 students have signed up, and session three is full. Even though more students than have ever signed up, camp directors have
a goal of 750. With more people, the opportunity for students to get the close group of friends they are looking for is even better. Although Hokie Camp is presented as the best thing to do before freshmen year at Tech, families must consider the $195 cost. However, Hokie Camp directors have already thought of this. “Financial aid is available for students who cannot afford it. Also, they can be sponsored,” Puzey said. Regardless of the opportunities presented with Hokie Camp, some incoming freshmen do not plan on going. “I don’t really want to go because it’s my last weeks of summer before I go to college. ... Although, to be fair, I’m supposed to be making new friends,” said Victoria Zigadlo, an incoming freshman.
TERRY CALDWELL DIRECTOR OF AQUATICS ence,” he said. And while the pool will benefit Tech in many ways, it will also be a benefit to Christiansburg and the surrounding area. “I know that it will definitely be a revenue boost for the town of Christiansburg,” Caldwell said. “When you host these kinds of meets you have all these swimmers and their families coming to Christiansburg, staying in our hotels and eating at our restaurants.” The aquatic center recently hosted the age group and senior championship swim meets, and plans to host more in coming years. According to Skinner, the aquatic center will host the 2012 ACC swim meet. “I’m going to get into the rotation of hosting the NCAA zone diving competitions,” said Piemonte. “It’s a separate meet that’s just diving, and it’s how divers qualify to go to the NCAAs.” “The town of Christiansburg and Terry Caldwell have been magnificent and great to work with. It’s going to be a really great relationship,” Skinner said.
collegiatetimes.com August 5, 2010
Skinner. “We pay them per year and have access to the pool for the next 25 years.” Skinner said that the swim team plans to practice there about 60 percent of the time. The team currently uses the facilities at War Memorial and McComas halls. One significant difference the team will see is an increase in practice space. The new aquatic center can accommodate 22 lanes even with diving practice going on in the diving well, Piemonte said. “It’s going to make such a difference in the way we train our student athletes. It’s going to open the door for more individualized coaching,” Skinner said. “The other thing that will be a huge advantage for us is the recruiting part of it.” Piemonte said the diving team would also see the benefits of the new facility, calling it “incomparable” to War Memorial Hall. He said he plans to have the diving team practicing there at least five days per week. “Everything is state-of-the-art,” Piemonte said. “Having the equipment is great, and I finally have a platform.” Like Skinner, Piemonte said having the new facility would improve swimming and diving at Tech. “It’s going to be a huge, huge benefit to the program. It’s hard to get a diver to come and dive in a facility that’s one of the worst in the confer-
When you host these kinds of meets you have all these swimmers and their families coming to Christiansburg, staying in our hotels and eating at our restaurants
Smith Mountain Lake will soon be filled with new freshmen participating in the third annual Hokie Camp. “(Hokie Camp) is the best way for new students to come in with a new and strong group of friends. It makes the transition to college better,” said Matt Heaton, Hokie Camp co-director and Virginia Tech student. While at Hokie Camp, students participate in a variety of games like flag football, dodge ball, a dance, a low ropes course, field games and a cookout. Having this many activities allows all students the chance to participate in something they enjoy. The camp is located at the W.E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center at Smith Mountain Lake, which has a partnership with the university. Hokie Camp helps new students get used to Tech traditions and experiences in an off-campus environment. “It’s more comfortable than orientation. The laid-back atmosphere created by the counselors helps students to open up and form strong relationships before they actually get to school,” said Emily Puzey, Hokie Camp co-director and Tech student. Three different sessions are available for new students between Aug. 9 and Aug. 18. Having the sessions just before move-in allows freshmen to enter the school year with a group of friends. “It’s nice to be able to meet lots of great people and keep the friend-
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Aquatic: Center to Hokie Camp teaches traditions benefit Tech, town
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Historic house to become restaurant
Emergency exit
CHRIS ROMAN news staff writer
DANIEL LIN/SPPS
collegiatetimes.com August 5, 2010
Members from Blacksburg Rescue Squad carry a simulated critical condition patient out of an overturned school bus during a training exercise.
After more than a year, the dispute over the historical Taylor House on Main Street has finally been resolved. Daniel Riley, a Blacksburg native who moved to Beverley Hills to pursue a banking career, purchased the Taylor House for approximately $375,000. The Taylor House, which was faced with potential demolition in January 2011, will become The Blacksburg Tavern, the planned name for Riley’s new restaurant. Another familiar face to Blacksburg natives, Jud Flynn, who was senior executive chef at Virginia Tech from 1996 to 2005, will be serving as the tavern’s executive chef. Flynn is one of only about 100 “master” chefs in America and his previous accolades include a silver medal at the 2000 IKA Culinary Olympics in Germany and the American Culinary Federation Chef of the Year Award in 2000. Although construction has not yet begun on the Taylor House, many of the restaurant’s new accommodations have already been planned out. “Right now there is a plan to take two back additions off so that it can be raised to work underneath it and do necessary maintenance,” said Cathy Cook, town building official. “They
also plan to extend the back in order to add a kitchen.” Although certain small changes are being made to the historical building, Riley intends to modernize the house rather than change its physical structure. General renovations are being made to allow for better accessibility and safety. Riley has already received a permit for new security surveillance throughout the property and there are plans to build a large patio for outside dining and various amenities allowing handicap access. While an actual menu will not be established until the restaurant begins to take clearer shape, Flynn is planning on cooking high quality cuisine for the price of a medium quality meal in order to satisfy all of Blacksburg’s demographics. “We will appeal to the grandmother, the young kid, the college student, and the sophisticated professor with our variety of cuisines,” Flynn said. “We want to throw a broader fishnet in order to catch more clients.” Although there is not yet a definite timeline for renovations, the town has avoided demolishing a historic building while potentially gaining a new restaurant in the process. “Anytime we can save a building downtown, it’s a great thing,” Cook said.
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W
e are approaching the final days of this summer session, and it has certainly been a busy time for those who have spent part of their summer here at Virginia Tech. While the campus has been the home for summer school students, it has also played host to a wide variety of people, from guests of all ages participating in summer conference groups to the new incoming freshman & transfer students and their families. In addition, there is a group of students (both Tech and non-Tech) that have spent their summer working in various research labs across the campus. This summer has proven to be an invaluable opportunity for these students, who have gotten hands-on experience in the lab or field, been mentored by a faculty member, and have had the opportunity for additional training such as GRE preparation. If you were to take a closer look, you would find that there are a number of summer research internships that take place here on campus, but these often go unnoticed. These programs include the USDA Summer Scholars Program, theMcNairSummerScholarsProgram, the MAOP Summer Internship and other programs that would fall under the category of summer research experiences for undergraduates (REUs). Two such programs culminated a few days ago at the annual McNair and MAOP Summer Research Symposium. While distinct, both programs focus on skill building for undergraduate students so that they can prepare themselves for graduate work. The ultimate goal is that these students will use the experience to further their pursuit of graduate school, and that they will consider Tech as part of that effort. The main focus is on the academic experience, but there is a community aspect as well. These students must interact and live with a group of peers that share the same experience. At the symposium, the students presented oral presentations and showcased their work through posters. It was amazing to see the wide variety of projects that took place. Research topics included analysis of bacteria found in the fecal matter of red salamanders, analysis of proteins to help test a possible cure for lupus, understanding how temperatures impact ducklings, and uncovering an oral history of New Town, among other interesting topics. Several of these student researchers were not undergraduates from Tech, so for them, this summer was also about experiencing the campus and the surrounding community. These students spanned the whole country, from schools such as the University of
Illinois, Northern Kentucky University, Hampton University, University of Maryland- Baltimore County, Florida A&M, University of Virginia, NC A&T, Elizabeth City State, University of California-Berkeley, Concord University, University of Memphis and the University of Puerto Rico. It was certainly a diverse group of students, with different majors and different interests. As a moderator in one of the rooms at the symposium, one could see the faculty mentors and their lab colleagues beaming with pride as their particular student would go up and present their research project to the audience. You could sense the student’s nervousness as they tried to explain complex scientific concepts in layman terms. These students were clearly transformed over the period of 10 weeks. One of the main tenants of the Virginia Tech Strategic Plan is this concept of learning, discovery and engagement — and among these is the notion of undergraduate research. Whether it is the Undergraduate Research Institute through the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, the undergraduate research of the Honors program, or undergraduate research symposiums sponsored by individual departments and colleges, there is opportunities all throughout campus. In addition, Tech is an active participant in the ACC Meeting of the Minds and other regional efforts that focus on undergraduate research. We often talk about the importance of undergraduate research, but there remain hindrances to its growth. Some of these are hesitancy among faculty to serve as mentors for students, or the lack of a clear definition for what undergraduate research is, and a lack of awareness among the undergraduate students themselves. Some programs don’t get filled to capacity due to the lack of applications, as well as the increasing competitive market for students. Students can be unsure about how to go about the process and who to talk to about such opportunities. As we prepare for the new academic year, let’s do a better job of spotlighting the efforts of these undergraduate researchers, the impact that these programs make and also focus on ways to encourage students to become actively engaged in more of these opportunities in the future.
RAY PLAZA -faculty member
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MCT CAMPUS
Keeping of exotic pets must be illegal A
n Indiana boy and his dog were injured last week by the family’s pet monkey — who had been locked in a cage for years because of “aggression” — after he escaped and ran amok. You’d think that after a Connecticut woman’s face was ripped off by her friend’s pet chimpanzee last year — or after a toddler was strangled to death by her family’s python, or a Texas teenager was mauled to death by her stepfather’s tiger — that lawmakers would step in to put an end to the carnage. But there’s still no federal law prohibiting people from breeding, selling or acquiring exotic and dangerous animals to keep as pets. Why? The journey for many of these animals begins in places such as Asia and Africa and in the jungles of Central and South America. Many are imported legally in the billion-dollar-a-year exotic-animal industry. Others are jammed into trunks or suitcases or not infrequently, strapped or taped to the smuggler’s body. Such was the case with a Mexican man who was recently caught with 18 dead and dying monkeys stuffed into a girdle. What few laws and penalties exist hardly dissuade dealers when compared to the kind of money to be made from smuggling: Prices on animals’ heads can range from a few thousand dollars for a jungle snake to tens of thousands of dollars for a hyacinth macaw. Closer to home, countless tigers, primates and other exotic species are bred specifically to be sold as pets. Babies are removed from their frantic mothers (who sometimes have to be sedated) so that the infants can be acclimated to human contact. Traumatized and terrified, these young animals don’t stand a chance
of ever living as nature intended. Primates are diapered and often have their canine teeth yanked out. Within weeks, tiger cubs outgrow their ramshackle backyard pens and spend the rest of their lives pacing and yearning for something that they want and need but will never get: their freedom. Buying an animal on a whim or because one wants to be “different” almost inevitably leads to buyer’s remorse. Because dealers market these animals as little more trouble than stuffed toys, most people are inevitably shocked by the responsibility and expense of specialized food, space and veterinary requirements of exotics. When the novelty wears off and reality sets in, some try to unload their highmaintenance pets at zoos, which are unlikely to accept such animals. Jack Cover, a curator at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, says, “We’d have to have two or three warehouses to handle the (animals) we get calls on.” Others simply abandon animals in woods, swamps or along rural roads — but since the animals’ wild instincts have been irrevocably corrupted, many starve to death or fall victim to the elements or predators. Some species, such as pythons dumped in the Florida Everglades, thrive and wreck havoc on entire ecosystems. Too many animals — and in far too many tragic cases, people — pay with their lives in this cruel cycle. The time is long overdue for federal lawmakers to put a stop to it once and for all.
LISA WATHNE -People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals specialist -mcclatchy newspapers
collegiatetimes.com August 5, 2010
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Summer research opportunities essential for future
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FEATURES
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Farmers market berries complement pancakes After you make a Saturday morning trip to the farmers market, and return with a glorious haul of berries, honeys, jams and eggs, what better way to celebrate than with pancakes? Here’s my homemade pancake recipe that’s sure to please. It’s easy, quick, and you can use some of what you’ve grabbed at the market in your breakfast.
ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tablespoon white sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 1 egg 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the liquid ones in another. Mix them up well in their respective bowls, then add the dry ingredients into the wet ones and whisk. Heat the stove to medium, add a little oil or nonstick spray, and wait for it to get warm. When you mix up the batter, I find little clumps make for better pancakes. When the pancake gets bubbling on the first side, it’s time to flip it over. Just keep an eye on each one, because they can burn pretty quickly if you aren’t watching. I’m a firm believer that no two pancakes should ever look the same — different sizes, shapes, and colors give pancakes character. For my pancakes, I used butter, strawberries, blueberries, honey and whipped cream. One of my roommates was boring and just had maple syrup. You can even use jams. Since I’m a big fan of the market anyway, I like to use fresh produce from there. To each his own, as they say.
collegiatetimes.com August 5, 2010
DEBRA HOUCHINS -features editor -senior -English, psychology major
DEBRA HOUCHINS/COLLEGIATE TIMES
Vendors enrich Blacksburg with local produce features editor For some college students, Saturday mornings are spent sleeping off wild Friday nights or recovering from long weeks filled with classes, papers and exams. But for me, Saturday mornings are for a special kind of retail therapy. There’s nothing more relaxing or healing than the warmth of an early summer morning as I stroll through the Blacksburg farmers market, where there are always signs for free kittens and dogs to be pet. Between free samples and stimulating conversation, the few hours I spend at the market are some of the most enjoyable of my whole week. On Saturdays, the market is open 8 a.m., until 2 p.m. It’s located on the corner of Draper and Roanoke, just a short walk from campus (or for me, from Gillie’s where I always start my Saturday morning farmers market adventure). Check out next week when I’ll be profiling several more vendors of the many who make the market possible. Between the farmers, beekeepers and preteen-entrepreneurs, the Blacksburg farmers market can be described of nothing short of interesting. GREENSTAR FARM Run by Lauren Cooper and her husband since 1991, Greenstar Farms is one of Blacksburg’s only certified organic farms. Selling predominately certified organic produce and herbal remedies, about 90 percent of what the Coopers grow is sold at the farmers market. “We grow all of our produce and herbs according to strict standards,” said Lauren Cooper. The farm is inspected once a year in order for its products to meet the organic certification. For growing their products, the Coopers use a lot of natural fertilizers, including their own composts and manure from local livestock.
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Greenstar employees unload fresh produce at the start of a market. What makes Greenstar stand out from other vendors at the market is its herbal apothecary, which consists of teas, extracts, topical salves, lotions and soaps. The Coopers offer natural alternatives to over the counter medicines, and have treatments for almost any ailment, including coughs, sore throats, skin problems and infections. They also sell immune supporting and nutrition formulas — Cooper said one of her best sellers is the insomnia formula. The business has only grown since its beginning. For the last 15 years, they have been able to support their family of four. Furthermore, the farm has become a family affair, and serves as an integral part of the children’s home school education. Even after 20 years of business at the Market, Cooper said they still have some of their original costumers.
This will be their seventh year at the Blacksburg farmers market. Since their first year, Hamilton said the market has not only grown in size, but also in quality. There has also been an increase in student attendance over the past several years. At the stand, Stonecrop sells a variety of
products and produce, including organic vegetables, herbs and flowers. The couple has also recently begun to raise chickens for meat. Their variety of vegetables includes garlic and onions and tomatoes, as well as lots of greens such as salad mix and lettuce. They also sell a lot herb bunches for cooking. Flower bouquets have recently been a growing part of the business. “It’s great to see people, they just start to smile when they come up the flowers,” said Hamilton. “It’s nice to take that good feeling home.” Stonecrop sells mainly zinnias, and people often comment that the flowers remind them of parents, grandparents or other special people in their lives. The farm itself is approximately four acres and includes an apple orchard and multiple berry patches. “My husband and I farm full time,” said Laura. Their six year old daughter also helps out.
“We moved here to do a CSA, but started at the market to figure out what we could grow,” said Hamilton, but they loved the market so much they changed their mind. “The costumers are very appreciated and loyal.” Hamilton describes the support from the community as “amazing,” and said the new location is perfect for children and the market’s community.
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DEBRA HOUCHINS
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STONECROP FARM Owned and operated by married couple Gwynn Hamilton and Robert Webster, Stonecrop Farm is located in Newport about 30 minutes outside of Blacksburg.
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FEATURES
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Arcade Fire’s latest emphasizes lost art of album making I
n “We Used to Wait,” a restlessly mutating song deep in the recesses of the Arcade Fire’s ambitious new album, “The Suburbs,” Win Butler sings about a time when handwritten letters were the norm, and we waited for correspondences to wend their way through the postal system. But Butler, the lead singer and principal lyricist, isn’t nostalgic by practice. “By the time we met,” he admits, “the times had already changed. So I never wrote a letter. I never took my true heart. I never wrote it down.” Later he says he will do these things, but it’s safe to file that under “the broken promises we make to ourselves in the instant gratification age.” Sure, and less time on Facebook as well, right? One promise that the Arcade Fire keeps is an old-fashioned, back-tofront exploration of one topic. In this case, it’s suburbia, the album’s most immediate symbol of complacency. But Arcade Fire’s third album doesn’t
seek to condemn; the band knows that whether in a city or a subdivision, we’re all grasping for meaning. We’re searching in the shadows of the shopping malls that singer and multi-instrumentalist Regine Chassagne observes endlessly rising in “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains).” Claiming seven members, Arcade Fire first gained recognition in indie circles with its 2004 debut, “Funeral,” which established its talent for combining the symphonic with a certain wiry punk agility. By the time its follow-up, “Neon Bible,” landed in 2007, Arcade Fire was headlining venues such as the Hollywood Bowl. Arcade Fire tends to cleave to singular concepts, wrenching elaborate but intimate orchestrations from both the big strokes and nuances, but on its previous efforts, the results were sometimes too pristinely chilled on art-rock ice. Occasionally, the band gets trapped
in the same frost on “The Suburbs,” but the moments when it strikes warmth are some of the best of its career. “Modern Man” is an impeccable showcase, a mature, controlled song that features a vision of the so-called Modern Man waiting in line, going nowhere, bothered by some ineffable sense of opportunity unfulfilled. It’s underscored by rough, cottony guitars that almost occlude the song’s chillier synth effects. In one of the record’s many wonders of sequencing — a lost art in the download age resurrected on “The Suburbs” — “Modern Man” is followed by “Rococo,” a resplendent epic wound up by near-hysterical strings that encases one of the album’s trickiest sentiments: Making fun of the modern kids. It’s hard to tell if Butler was once one of them. Is it a swipe at what he knows too well, or is he simply casting disparagements? Either way, Butler sounds angry. He nearly spits out “rococo,” as if the fanciful living rooms of old — picture the Draper household in “Mad Men” — will explode into flames from his very force. A kind of meta-commentary is used to brilliant effect throughout the album. As much as “The Suburbs” seems to be a stubborn reinforcement of the pleasures of a complete, multi-song work of art, it also critiques the very impatience that resulted in listeners abandoning the album format. In “We Used to Wait,” he sings, “we used to wait for it, now we’re screaming, ‘sing the chorus again.’” In “Suburban War,” Butler laments that “music divides us into tribes,” though his band, first
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crowned by cool-arbiter Pitchfork for its debut, has benefited from such tribalization as much as anyone. Beyond the lyrics, the musical inspiration suggests a certain amount of nostalgia as well. There are Springsteen and Neil Young, but they mine the ’80s and ’90s as well, shuffling in the synths and pulsing dance beats of New Order and Depeche Mode. The album inevitably sprawls too far; a few songs could have been sacrificed without losing the central conceit. “Sprawl I” is uncomfortably maudlin,
and “The Suburbs (continued)” only unmoors the complicated emotional balance of the title track. All the same, “The Suburbs” is an accomplished love letter that radiates affection as much as bitterness. Don’t forget the album, they seem to urge, the slow read, the long stretch of night uninterrupted by e-mail or text messages. In doing so, Arcade Fire offers “hope that something pure can last.”
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[Saturday, August 7] What: Steppin’ Out Street Fair Where: Downtown Blacksburg When: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Cost: Free Note: Check out DowntownBlacksburg.com for a list of events and vendors What: Music — Ryan Tuchler Where: Gillie’s When: 7 p.m. Cost: Free What: Music — The Former Champions Where: Attitudes Bar & Cafe When: 9 p.m. Cost: $5 Note: 18 and up with valid ID
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SPORTS
10
Making a title team: What Tech must do in 2010 1. BE THE TURNOVER KING Being the turnover king is nothing new to the Hokies. Last season, Virginia Tech led the Atlantic Coast Conference with a plus-nine turnover ratio. Winning the turnover battle was much of the reason Tech won some of the games it did in 2009. In a 16-3 victory over East Carolina, two forced fumbles when the Pirates were in Tech territory and a late interception sealed the deal on a day the Hokies’ offense sputtered. In a 16-15 win over Nebraska, an interception by Kam Chancellor at the beginning of the third quarter halted a Huskers drive inside Tech territory when Nebraska threatened to go up two scores. But, just like the turnover category helped the Hokies win games, it also aided losses. In Tech’s opening game, two fumbles led to two Alabama field goals at inopportune times in a shoot out in Atlanta. One of those miscues, with 12 minutes remaining in a tie-game, took all the air out of the Hokies and gave it right back to Alabama, helping them get the win. All Hokie fans remember, though they probably don’t want to, Ryan Williams’ fumble with two minutes remaining in Tech’s 20-17 loss to North Carolina. Williams’ gaffe at the Tech 24-yard line set up a game-winning kick, ruining Tech’s run at an ACC title repeat. This season, Tech returns just four starters on the defensive side of the ball. Critics and fans alike agree that the Hokies’ strength now lies on offense, and not on defense.
Without the services of Cody Grimm and Jason Worilds, amongst others, Tech’s defense will struggle to maintain its dominance in stopping the run. As a result, it’s more than probable that the Hokies will give up more yards than they did last season. Where games will be won, and hopefully not lost, is in the turnover battle. The more Tech’s defense can put the ball in the hands of its offense, the better the Hokies’ offense will be positioned to score. The less the Tech offense loses the ball, on the other hand, the less pressure will be put on a less-talented defense. All of this sounds elementary, but it will truly make-or-break the destiny of a team that head coach Frank Beamer says is one of “two or three” teams he’s coached capable of reaching the BCS National Championship. 2. EMBRACE AN OFFENSIVE IDENTITY With a less talented defense, the Hokies will have a hard time pulling off close wins in low-scoring games as they have in years past. While just four starters return on the defensive side of the ball, eight return on the offensive side — including at every skill position except tight end. Starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor enters this season in a luxurious position. After the snap, Taylor can choose to hand the ball off to one of two former Sporting News freshman All-American running backs in Williams and Darren Evans, or he can drop throw to either of his returning starting wide receivers in Danny Coale and Jarrett Boykin. Tech is the only team in the country
returning two receivers that had 30 or more catches last season and averaged more than 20 yards per catch. Along the offensive line, Taylor’s protection shouldn’t miss a beat. The team will miss Ed Wang protecting Taylor’s blind side, but if history means anything, offensive line coach Curt Newsome will find a way to fill that void before the season starts. The pieces are in place for the Hokies to have one the most electric offensive attacks in years. But, for Tech to win the conference and possibly make a trip to the BCS National Championship game, its offense will have to produce game in and game out. Too often last season, the Hokies’ offense proved sporadic and unreliable. In the opening game against Alabama, the Hokies led after three quarters. However, when the time came to seal the deal, the team’s offense was nowhere to be found. Taylor and the Hokies were shut down on four out of five possessions in the fourth quarter in Atlanta, while the Crimson Tide scored at will. When its defense made a huge stop after three successful Alabama drives with nearly three minutes remaining in the game, the Hokies couldn’t even manage more than a yard before turning the ball over on downs despite still having a slim chance. Against Georgia Tech, a slow-start ended up killing the Hokies’ chances at winning. The Hokies entered halftime down 7-3 in that game, thanks to two Taylor interceptions near midfield. In the first half, the Hokies gained just 115
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Safety Antone Exum reaches for an interception in April’s spring game. yards on six possessions. In the second, Tech gained 204 yards on five possessions — but it wasn’t enough. When it wants to, the Hokies’ offense can dominate. In all but two games last year, the Hokies scored 17 or more points in one of the two halves. Consistency, through 60 minutes, will be key this season if the team hopes for a championship run. 3. DON’T MISS A BEAT ON SPECIAL TEAMS Finally, Beamer’s boys on special teams face a tough challenge this season. The team will have a new place kicker and a new punter, who will both probably face more pressure than most at those positions in years past. Chris Hazley is the frontrunner to take over kicking duties from the departed Matt Waldron, while Brian Saunders looks to take over for former punter
Brent Bowden. Both Hazley and Saunders have huge shoes to fill. Waldron ended last year with the second-most field goals made in the ACC, and converted 48 of 48 extra points. Bowden led the conference by far in punting, averaging 43.8 yards per kick. While everyone knows that Beamer can assemble a top-notch punt block team in his sleep, making a top-notch kicker out of a walk-on and replacing one of Tech’s best punters ever is a different story. But if anyone can do it, Beamer can.
ALEX JACKSON -sports editor -senior -communication major
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SPORTS
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30 days before Boise State, position battles loom JOSH PARCELL sports staff writer Two weeks ago, the media chose the Virginia Tech football team as the allaround favorite in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. That doesn’t mean the Hokies don’t have their fair share of kinks to work out before they hit the road on Sept. 6 to play Boise State in the nation’s
capital. The Hokies’ open practice Friday, Aug. 6 with several unanswered questions at various positions. BACKUP QUARTERBACK This battle has the biggest long-term impact on the program. Redshirt sophomore Ju-Ju Clayton and redshirt freshman Logan Thomas appear neck-and-neck for the right to back up
starter Tyrod Taylor. Both Clayton and Thomas had flashes of brilliance in the spring, but neither performed well enough to separate themselves as the man for the job. That didn’t cause head coach Frank Beamer to lose faith in either one of them. “We’ve got the right kind of people there to be quarterbacks. They are leaders, good kids with good talents,”
Beamer said. Thomas, a former five-star recruit as an “athlete” by Rivals.com, figures to also get some repetitions as an H-back during camp. The 6-6, 240-pound goliath has too much talent for offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring to keep him off the field. “You’d like to have a guy like him on the field,” Beamer said. “The other side of it though, is you think he’s going to be a really good quarterback.” As for whether Thomas would move positions permanently if Clayton wins the job, Beamer was not ready to commit to such an idea. “Let’s solve (the backup QB situation) before we worry about that,” Beamer said. WHIP LINEBACKER There are several schools across the country that lost seemingly irreplaceable players to graduation. Florida is without quarterback Tim Tebow, Clemson lost running back C.J. Spiller, and Texas must move on without its star quarterback Colt McCoy. Former Tech linebacker Cody Grimm might not have been quite as valuable to the Hokies last season as those guys, but he was pretty darn close. Grimm was a stat sheet-stuffer in 2009. He led the Hokies in tackles (106), tackles for loss (12.5) and forced fumbles (seven). Against NC State last season, Grimm tied the NCAA record for forced fumbles in a game, recording three within the Wolfpack’s first four offensive plays. It will be up to either Jeron GouveiaWinslow or Alonzo Tweedy, both redshirt sophomores, to fill the gargantuan void left by Grimm. Gouveia-Winslow emerged from spring practice as No. 1 on the depth chart, but he’ll have to continue to improve if he wants to hold off Tweedy, who (like Grimm, it should be noted)
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made a name for himself last season as a special teams demon. Tweedy led the Hokies with 24 special teams tackles, which was also 14th most on the team overall. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster calls upon the whips to do a lot throughout a game, so the continued development of this pair of players is a crucial point of emphasis during camp. BACKUP TIGHT END When you think about key cogs to an offense, backup tight end does not typically come to mind, but that was the first spot Beamer mentioned during ACC media days as a position of concern. “The competition at tight end is unsettled, from second (on the depth chart) on down,” Beamer said. Redshirt senior Andre Smith has a firm grip on the starting spot, but the man who will spell him is anyone’s guess. The name to keep an eye on is Jerome Lewis, a true freshman from Rochester, New York. Rivals.com listed Lewis as the third-best overall prospect in the state for his class, and the Tech coaching staff hopes he has all the physical tools to be the best passcatching tight end for the Hokies since Jeff King. He’ll battle primarily with Randall Dunn, a redshirt sophomore who moved from wide receiver last season. Dunn is listed at 6 feet 2 inches, weighing in at 245 pounds, with a solid frame for a tight end, but the coaches are very concerned with his ability to block at the position. Lewis is the more natural fit at the position, but Dunn has a couple years of college football under his belt. It’ll be an interesting battle, as the winner will in all likelihood, step into the starting role in 2011. FIELD CORNER Jayron Hosely wasted no time making an impact as a true freshman in 2009, when he returned a punt for a touchdown against Marshall in the season’s second week. He saw limited action as a cornerback however, making just 11 tackles all season. He’s the favorite to start opposite All-ACC caliber corner Rashad Carmichael, but he’ll have to outplay redshirt junior Cris Hill during camp. Hill has been on the cusp of earning a starting job for two years now, but too many mental errors have kept him off the field. His natural athleticism warrants plenty of playing time, but it’s the aspect of the game that goes on between the ears that has been his biggest detriment. The Hokies enter fall camp with plenty of optimism, but as always, it will take an arduous month of practice to mold every piece into place just the right way. Those 30 days between the first practice and the date with the Broncos will go by fast.