Thursday, November 21, 2013 An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES 110th year, issue 57
News, page 2
Rita’s Ice closes its doors
Lifestyles, page 5
Opinions, page 3
Sports, page 6
Study Break, page 4
Mayor Rordam and his town Rordam champions transparency and the importance of personal relationships as essential ways to find a balance between a small town and a big campus. BY DEAN SEAL | news editor
M
ayor Ron Rordam wants a restaurant downtown without a television set. He wants gigabit wireless Internet that reaches every corner of Blacksburg’s 16 blocks. And he won’t hesitate to tell you — he wants a Trader Joe’s. But amidst his desires for expansion, there’s one thing he won’t sacrifice — the small town feel that resonates through the streets of Blacksburg. Rordam, who ran uncontested and was re-elected as mayor of Blacksburg three weeks ago, has seen and felt a great deal of prosperity and heartbreak in his mayoral tenure since 2006. But between every ribbon-cutting and tragedy in the town’s dynamic recent past, Rordam’s resolve has not faltered — from the opening of the Center for the Arts to the April 16 massacre. With a combination of openness to his community and emphasis on the relationships he builds, Rordam has come to understand a lot; how to work for the changes he believes are vital, and accept what he can’t control.
DEAN SEAL news editor
The Rita’s on College Avenue will officially be closing its doors for good on Nov. 24. Jim Hagan, owner of Rita’s, confirmed that the store’s closing would not be seasonal, as it has been in the past, but permanent. “We’re just going out of business,” Hagan said. Hagan cited a general lack of business and sales for the closure. “The last two years have been — not good,” Hagan said. “It’s probably 10 different reasons.” The closure was simply a matter of time, according to Hagan. “My lease is up in November,” Hagan said. “If my lease was up in October, I would have ended it in October.” Rita’s opened downtown on May 22, 2009. It saw considerable success at the onset, but couldn’t be sustained, according to Hagan. “It is what it is,” Hagan resigned with a shrug. “Unfortunately, it’s just one of those things.”
A far cry from New Orleans Rordam came to Blacksburg from his native New Orleans when he was 22. see MAYOR / page two
@JDeanSeal
Incoming Squires eatery Burger 37 under construction MELISSA DRAUDT news reporter
A faint outline of the neon Sbarro sign, exposed insulation and a sawdust-covered tile floor are concealed behind the green wall in Squires Student Center, where construction has officially begun on Tech’s newest dining option. Burger ‘37, named for the year Squires opened, will serve as an “homage to the building,” according to Associate Director of Dining Services Brian Grove. Dining services developed the concept for the burger joint based on designs inspired by restaurants located in Washington, D.C. “It’s our own brand,” Grove
said. “It was a niche that we didn’t have filled.” The general contractor, Thor Inc., has 90 days to complete the remodeling, according to the contract signed about a week ago. With that set, Burger ‘37 is expected to open in mid-February — though it’s not a guarantee. “We don’t know what kind of issues there may be,” Grove said, explaining the main structural challenges with the project. The most difficult part of the project is the installation of ducts above the soon-tobe restaurant — necessary for ventilation — because it will require some invasion of the Commonwealth Ballroom on the second floor.
According to Grove, the main construction involving the ballroom will take place during winter break, to avoid being a disruption and interfering with any events. The remodeling of the space from the Sbarro layout into a more modern and accessible design will cost Dining Services approximately $500,000. “Remodeling is the cost-efficient way to go,” Grove said. Luther Moseley, assistant director of Dining Services for Squires and the Graduate Life Center who was also involved in the remodeling of Dietrick Hall in 2004, agreed with Grove. ABBY JETMUNDSEN / SPPS see BURGER / page two
Workers prepare for the construction of Burger 37 inside Squires Student Center in place of Sbarro.
Local charities harvest food for the hungry year round MICHELLE STARK lifestyles staff writer
NCIK SMIRNIOTOPOLOUS / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Volunteers at the YMCA-Hale Community Garden grow a variety of plants to harvest and donate the surplus to local food pantries.
NEWS
As Thanksgiving draws near, many people have their minds on roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. With these thoughts of feasting in mind, it may be hard to remember that there is still hunger in Blacksburg even during the holidays. In an effort to reduce hunger in the area, the YMCA at Virginia Tech has created a variety of programs that grow or donate food to charities. One of the YMCA volunteers, Brenda Springer, has
LIFESTYLES
Read more about Blacksburg Mayor Ron Rordam’s plans for developing downtown. see page 2
he she
SAID
see page 5
been able to donate a plethora of apples through her program, Neighborhood Harvest. Springer said she noticed there were fruit trees in Blacksburg that weren’t being picked and decided that she could prevent food waste through this program. “It just needed a little bit of effort to get it from a mess in somebody’s yard that does nothing but attract bugs to something that’s really productive,” Springer said. “We can get hundreds of pounds of apples from a single tree.” She contacts fruit tree owners who do not want to pick their trees and sends several
volunteers to harvest the fruit. After a tree is picked, the homeowner and volunteers are both offered one-third of the fruit that is picked. Whatever fruit that’s leftover, which Springer said is close to 90 percent, is donated to charity. A majority of the apples are donated to the Interfaith Food Pantry. Fruit is also given to Plenty, a nonprofit organization in Floyd that delivers food to people who may not have the ability or transportation necessary to purchase food. “Th is program has been running for four years now.
SPORTS Wonder what our writers think of Thanksgiving? Find out inside.
see YMCA/ page five
ONLINE The womens soccer team won their first NCAA tournament game. Find out how they’re preparing for their next game on Friday.
see page 3
For the four years total, we have picked 5,102 pounds of good apples,” Springer said. “Th is year we picked over 1,500 pounds and that’s good apples.” Apples picked that are not high enough quality are donated to Rolling Fork Farm, where they are used as animal feed for pigs. While the program currently only picks from pear and apple trees, Springer said she is not opposed to branching out. She said she will consider picking other types of trees or gardens if given the chance.
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