The Commonwealth Times; February 9, 2012

BRIEFS

Local & VCU National & International

Senate passes crackdown on texting while driving

The Virginia Senate Tuesday passed a bill that would allow police officers to pull over motorists observed to be texting while driving.

The vote on Senate Bill 219, sponsored by Sen. George Barker, D-Fairfax, was 28-12. The bill had passed by the Senate Courts of Justice Committee and Senate Transportation Committee.

Under current law, violations for texting while driving can only be issued after a motorist has been pulled over for another violation. The bill would make texting a primary offense.

It now heads to the House of Delegates.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Huguely jury pool set as attorneys brace for longerthan-expected trial

The most anticipated murder trial to come to Central Virginia in recent history is already behind schedule after just two days in Charlottesville Circuit Court.

Counsel on both sides of the case against George Huguely of Chevy Chase, Md., had anticipated selecting a jury, and possibly even delivering opening statements, by the end of the day Tuesday. Lawyers agreed on the 28-person jury pool, but did not select the 12 jurors and three alternates who will determine Huguely’s fate.

In light of the trial’s already slow pace, lawyers discussed the possibility of having to extend the trial an additional day. They decided that potential jurors should be available to serve on Feb. 18, a Saturday, if the case is still undecided at the conclusion of the allotted two weeks.

Court will resume this morning after 9 a.m.. After a jury is selected, both sides will give opening statements. Yeardley Love’s mother, Sharon Love, will be the first witness to testify. Lexie Love, Yeardley’s sister, will be the second person to take the stand.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Richmond store robbery investigated for links to other crimes

Police are investigating the armed robbery of a South Richmond women’s clothing store to see if it may be linked to other robberies in the city and neighboring Chesterfield County.

There were no shots fired and no one was injured in Monday’s 8:30 p.m. robbery of the Cato store in the 2500 block of Sheila Lane, in a small strip mall across from a Lowe’s home improvement warehouse.

Richmond police Capt. Yvonne Crowder said the robbery was similar to others in the city and Chesterfield because the suspect ordered the employees to the rear of the store and told them to wait for five minutes before calling police.

The description of Monday night’s suspect also was similar to earlier robberies: a black male, about 5 feet, 5 inches tall, dressed in all black clothing, including a black hooded sweatshirt that he uses to partially cover his face.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (804) 780-1000.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

U.S. job openings jump to nearly 3-year high

The number of available jobs in the United States jumped in December to near a three-year high, supporting other data that show a brighter outlook for hiring.

The Labor Department says companies and governments posted 3.38 million jobs in December. That’s up from the 3.12 million advertised in the previous month and nearly matches the three-year high reached in September.

The report on job openings follows Friday’s optimistic employment figures. Those showed employers added 243,000 net jobs in January, and the unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent.

Even with the gains, 13.1 million people were unemployed in December. That means an average of 3.9 people competed for each open job that month, the first time in four years that ratio was below 4 to 1.

Brief by the Associated Press

Jamaica government destroys 2,000 guns in furnace

Roughly 2,000 firearms were melted down in a blazing furnace Tuesday as part of an effort designed to combat gun trafficking and corruption in Jamaica while reducing violent crime.

Police, government and U.N. officials destroyed pistols and revolvers by pitching them into a kiln glowing bright orange at a cement factory in the capital of Kingston. Most of the guns were decommissioned or seized in police operations over the years.

National Security Minister Peter Bunting, who has been in office for just over a month, said the destruction of the weapons is an important first step toward managing the sizable stockpiles of guns in Jamaica and reducing the risk of theft.

“The removal will help to reduce the risks of these weapons being possibly diverted back into the illicit trade,” Bunting said at the Jamaica Constabulary Force armory.

William Godnick, a coordinator with the U.N. Regional Center for Peace Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, said the destruction of the guns “is the beginning of a long process in which we hope to destroy a much larger quantity.”

The primary goal is “to prevent theft and loss,” Godnick said.

Brief by the Associated Press

Drug gang banners in Mexico ahead of Pope visit

A drug gang unfurled banners in a Mexican city that Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to visit next month, telling rival traffickers to keep out and keep the peace during the papal visit.

One of the banners was signed by The Knights Templar, a violent, pseudo-religious cartel from the neighboring state of Michoacan. The cloth banners with hand-painted messages were found and quickly removed on Tuesday, a few weeks after the local Roman Catholic archdiocese had issued a public plea to drug gangs not to mar the Pope’s visit with violence.

“We just want to warn that we do not want more groups in the state of Guanajuato. Confrontations will be inevitable. You have been warned, New Generation, we want Guanajuato in Peace, so don’t think about moving in and much less causing violence, precisely at this time when His Holiness Benedict XVI is coming,” according to the sign.

Brief by the Associated Press

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817 W. Broad St., P.O. Box 842010 Richmond, VA 23284-2010

VCU freshmen Briante Weber and Treveon Graham celebrate after their victory vs. Towson Wednesday night at the Siegel Center.

Photo by Zach Gibson

In this section:

Student employees receive two TelegRAMs • 4 MCV concert to benefit sickle cell research • 4 Crime log • 5

Senate votes to repeal gun purchase limit

Gun Transactions in Virginia, 1990-2011

Alex Wiggins Capital News Service

Virginians soon may be able to purchase more guns than they can carry, all in one buy – for the first time in almost two decades.

With the exception of law enforcement officials and some concealedweapon permit holders, a state law passed in 1993 has prohibited the purchase of more than one handgun every 30 days. On Monday, the Senate passed a bill to revoke this law; the House approved a similar measure last week.

Former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, the namesake of VCU’s School of Government and Public Affairs, signed the one-gun-a-month limit into law nearly two decades ago.

Sen. Bill Carrico, the chief patron of Senate Bill 323 and a long-time advocate for the right to bear arms, called the existing law “unnecessary and outdated.” He said Monday’s 21-19 vote was a victory for the Second Amendment.

Carrico, a Republican from Galax in the southwestern tip of Virginia, said that technology negates the need for the state’s limit on gun purchases and that

law-abiding citizens will benefit from such a change.

“Advanced technologies like instant background checks have made gun restrictions like this counter-productive,” said Carrico, a retired state trooper. “Over the years, it has become obvious that ‘one gun a month’ only affected responsible gun owners and didn’t deter criminals from obtaining handguns.”

Critics of lifting the limit on buying guns in Virginia said the change would create problems not only in the commonwealth but in other states as well.

A 2010 report by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a group founded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, ranked Virginia among the top suppliers of guns linked to crimes in New York.

“We’ve learned in the past that making it real easy to purchase guns has led Virginia guns to be used inordinately in crimes in New York City,” said Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria. He added that he hopes “the ability to purchase more than 12 guns per year,” if passed, does not affect crime rates in or out of state.

“I am very disappointed in the General Assembly’s actions toward repeal

of one of Gov. Doug Wilder’s signature achievements,” said Tim Kaine, another previous governor. Kaine is now the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate.

He called on the current governor, Republican Bob McDonnell, to reject bills to repeal the one-gun-a-month rule.

“I strongly urge Gov. McDonnell to veto this legislation and urge all of Virginia’s leaders in Richmond to renew their commitment to a focus on jobs and the economy,” Kaine said.

McDonnell has indicated that he would sign the repeal measure.

The 40 senators are evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. Nineteen Republicans and two Democrats – Sens. Creigh Deeds of Bath County and John Edwards of Roanoke – voted in favor of SB 323.

The remaining 18 Democrats were joined by one Republican, Sen. Thomas Norment of Williamsburg, in voting against the bill.

Carrico’s bill was co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Richard Black of Sterling, Thomas Garrett of Bumpass and Bryce Reeves of Fredericksburg.

Deeds said he voted for the bill on

constitutional grounds.

“I don’t see the reason why someone would need to own a gun a month,” Deeds said. “I don’t think there’s any reason for a person to have to buy a gun a year, but the fact is the Second Amendment guarantees people have a right to own and possess firearms unless they’re disqualified somehow.

“I think the limit by the government is arbitrary. I voted against it in ’93. ... Anybody that has studied my voting record or studied what I’ve said about the issue knew exactly how I was going to vote.”

SB 323 now goes to the House for consideration.

Second Amendment issues are just a few of the issues coming to a head in the largely Republican legislature this year, and it's not just for statewide policies.

House Bill 91, for example, would ban policies by public institutions of higher education that prohibit full-time faculty members with Virginia concealed handgun permits from carrying weapons on campus. CT

In 1993, Virginia prohibited the purchase of more than one handgun every 30 days. In the year after the limit, gun sales spiked at 228,745.

Multiple TelegRAMs affect student employees, some staff

Shannon Wood Contributing Writer

On any given night, VCU students up at 2 a.m. can halt their studying to read the most up-to-date news of campus happenings, courtesy of the VCU TelegRAM.

Recently though, the electronic newsletter has been filling some student inboxes twice as quickly.

According to Marie Scott, director of email services for VCU Technology Services, students who receive the faculty/ staff version of the TelegRAM as well as the student version do so because they are employed by the university. Students in this category would be graduate assistants, teaching staff or hourly workers.

Full-time employees who are also part-time students receive both the faculty/staff and student TelegRAMs, Scott said.

The daily message, published by the Office of Communications and Public Relations, contains information about events happening in the VCU community, including seminars, scholarship

and research opportunities, as well as athletic, extracurricular and academic events.

All events, groups and organizations posted in the TelegRAM are required to be university-affiliated.

Despite its practicality, many students report they didn’t read the single TelegRAM they used to receive, and have no intention of reading both versions.

“I rarely read TelegRAMS,” said sophomore Justin Garrett. “If I do open them, I feel the information isn’t important.”

Garrett isn’t the only student around campus who feels this way. Many students compare the daily email to spam.

“I don’t read TelegRAMS,” said sophomore Christina Diep. “I just delete them.”

Others believe it is a good source of information on proceedings around campus. CT

Students who have wrongly received both TelegRAMs should send an email to dnotes@ vcu.edu.

MCV announces concert to benefit sickle cell research

Mechelle Hankerson News Editor

The VCU Health System and 99.3/105.7 KISS FM will host the second-annual “A Party for the People 2” at the Hat Factory this Saturday.

The event will feature Chuck Brown and Richmond-based funk group “Plunky and Oneness.”

The event is organized by the VCU Center on Health Disparities and their Florence Neal Cooper-Smith Initiative for Sickle Cell Research. The initiative seeks to raise money for sickle cell anemia research.

According to VCU public relations specialist Eric Peters, the event is held in February to bring awareness to Black History Month.

Peters said the two awareness events were combined, since sickle cell anemia is generally concentrated among the African-American population, but the initiative’s website says those of Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Greek descent are also affected.

The event was last held in 2010.

The Florence Neal Cooper-Smith Initiative for Sickle Cell Research began in 1972 under the direction of MCV graduate Florence Neal Cooper-Smith.

Cooper-Smith developed a program for sickle cell screening, counseling, research and public education, and according to Wally Smith, medical director of the VCU Center on Health Disparities, her efforts helped create the programs VCU now offers to help sickle cell patients.

The VCU Center on Health Disparities was created in 2005 and studies the differences in health due to disadvantages. The center focuses on three aspects to achieve their goals: training and research training, research and community engagement. CT

Tickets are available through the Hat Factory’s box office and their website, http:// www.hatfactoryva.com/, for $25 in advance, $20 for a limited number of VCU Health System Employees and Kiss Cash Card Holders, and $30 at the door.

CRIME LOG 2/3 –2/6

Friday, Feb. 3

Alcohol violation At the corner of West Franklin and North Henry streets – A male visitor was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Drug offense Cary and Belvidere Dorms, 301 W. Cary St. – A male student was arrested for possession of marijuana.

Saturday, Feb. 4

Alcohol violation Department of Psychology, 612 N. Lombardy St. – A male visitor was arrested for possession of an open container of alcohol.

Alcohol violation I-95 and North Belvidere Street – A female visitor was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Drug offense At the corner of South Laurel and West Main streets – A male student was arrested for possession of marijuana.

Fire Oliver Hall, 1001 W. Main St. – A male employee advised that a chemical reaction caused a fire at this location.

Alcohol violation At the corner of West Broad and SouthLaurel streets – A female visitor was arrested for underage possession/consumption of alcohol.

Burglary Gladding Residence Center, 711 W. Main St.– A female student advised that an unknown person(s) removed an item from a secured location.

Petit larceny Grace Harris Hall, 1015 Floyd Ave. - A male employee advised that an unknown person(s) removed an item from a secured location.

Theft from motor vehicle 1109 W. Main St. – A female victim advised an unknown person(s) removed an item from a secured location.

Alcohol violation At the corner of West Franklin and North Henry streets – A male visitor was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Drug offense Cary and Belvidere Dorms, 301 W. Cary St. – A male student was arrested for possession of marijuana.

Sunday, Feb. 5

Alcohol violation GRTC Bus Stop, 1200 block of West Broad Street – Three male visitors were arrested for drinking in public.

Drug offense 900 block of West Grace Street – A male visitor was arrested for possession of marijuana.

Alcohol violation At the corner of North Harrison Street and Grove Avenue – A male visitor was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Larceny Barnes and Noble, 1111 W. Broad St. – A male visitor was arrested for concealing merchandise and petit larceny.

Alcohol violation Gladding Residence Center, 711 W. Main St. - A male visitor was arrested for underage consumption/ possession of alcohol.

Alcohol violation Broad and Belvidere Dorm, 700 W. Broad St. – A female student was arrested for underage consumption/possession of alcohol.

Alcohol violation 500 Ryland Ave (West Alley) – A male student was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and refusal of breath/blood test.

Assault offense At the corner of Shafer and West Broad streets – A male visitor was arrested for simple assault.

Disorderly conduct School of the Arts, 1000 W. Broad St. – A male visitor was arrested for disorderly conduct.

Trespassing Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. – A male visitor was arrested for trespassing.

Alcohol violation BP Gas Station, 1600 W. Broad St. – A male visitor was arrested for possession of an open container of alcohol in public.

Monday, Feb. 6

Petit larceny/obscene material Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. – A female student advised that an unknown person(s) removed an item from an unsecured location and used the item to send obscene material.

Alcohol violation Siegel Center, 1200 W. Broad St. – A male visitor was arrested for being drunk in public.

Compiled from VCU Police reports

SPORTS

In this section:

66 43 vs.

Photos by Zach Gibson

Jim Swing Sports Editor

Bradford Burgess was one of the first players to exit the floor a little more than midway through the second half. With the game well in hand and just less than eight and a half minutes remaining on the clock, VCU’s lone senior was done for the night.

Yet, after the final buzzer had sounded on the Rams 66-43 win over Towson Wednesday night, Burgess was the last player to leave the court.

He stuck around to give fans highfives as he neared his way down the wide-open tunnel on the way to the locker room. Burgess had just gone 8-of15 from the field and 6-for-11 from deep for 22 points, shaking off an exhausting shooting slump that lasted nearly an entire month.

“It felt good,” said Burgess sitting in the postgame press conference. “It feels good to be back in here. It just felt good. It was a good night.”

Prior to Wednesday night’s game, Burgess had missed 53 of his last 76 shots dating back to Jan. 12. The same guy who was No. 1 on every opponent’s scouting report was seemingly becoming a non-factor scoring-wise, yet the Rams were on their second lengthy winning streak of the season.

“He's a team guy to the core, and he's all about winning,” VCU head coach Shaka Smart said. “But at the same time, anyone that takes themselves serious as a player is not going to be completely happy when they're not playing their best, and I think it's bothered Brad some when he's not been able to shoot the ball as well or play quite as well as he wants to play.”

Against Towson, Burgess’ jumper had a different swagger to it. He stepped into his shot and used his legs more than in previous games, where his shot appeared lackadaisical and effortless.

“Probably just shot preparation,” Burgess said. “I was not being ready enough my other games with my shots and not getting enough legs into it and just staying aggressive.”

In one sense, Burgess took over in place of junior marksman Troy Daniels, the Rams foremost three-point shooter. Daniels went 0-for-4 from long range while Burgess stepped in and shot just over 54 percent from deep.

Perhaps it was his teammates that sparked Burgess into one of his hottest shooting night in over two months. Point guard Darius Theus continually preached in his absence at press conferences that Burgess would get on a roll sooner rather than later.

“Every game they were just staying in my ear telling me to just stay aggressive and keep shooting,” Burgess said. “And like we said, one day it's going to come, and I guess today was the day.”

Burgess’ 22-point output at the expense of Towson was just his third 20-point effort of the season. He’s been long-regarded as one of the better shooters to don a VCU jersey and now, with the clock ticking down on his college career and just two games left to play in the comfy Siegel Center confines, Burgess is heating up at the most opportune time.

“Games are counting down. I don't have many left playing in here,” Burgess said. “I don't have many opportunities left in a VCU uniform so I'm just trying to take advantage of every moment.” CT

Prior to Wednesday night, Bradford Burgess had missed 53 of his last 76 field goal attempts. Against Towson he was 8-of-15.

Rams throw a steal party against Towson • 7 Smart weighs in on the CAA's at-large chances • 8 Photo essay: Towson vs. VCU • 9

Rout of Towson turns into a steal party for Rams

Quinn Casteel Assistant Sports Editor

VCU committed what is the basketball equivalent of grand larceny on Wednesday night, pickpocketing the ball away from Towson 19 times with at least one steal by 11 different players.

“(David) Hinton’s got to get his act together,” joked Shaka Smart after the game.

Hinton was the only healthy player on the roster not to record a steal, but Smart won’t be holding that against him.

“I think it’s a testament to our guys buying in to our style of play and everyone doing their job,” said Smart on the onslaught of steals. “We want to deny passes, we want to pressure the basketball and we want to do a good job on traps. If we can force 28 turnovers, it’s going to be a good night for the Rams.”

As Smart noted, VCU forced 28 Towson turnovers, which ties a school record set earlier this season against UNC Wilmington. Appropriately enough, the Seahawks are the only team that has lost to Towson this season.

“Coach had a goal for us: It’s 25 (turnovers) a game, 25-plus,” said senior Bradford Burgess. “That was our main focus, and we used it in the game tonight.”

It was a good night for all the Rams, but particularly DJ Haley. The sopho-

more from Palmdale, Calif. recorded his first double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, but most importantly he had what may have been the highlight play of his young career. With 13 minutes remaining and the game already well in hand, the seven-footer Haley picked Towson’s Robert Nwankwo and lumbered the length of the court for a breakaway slam. From that point, the party was on.

“It felt like I was in high school again,” said Haley. “That was the first time I’ve dribbled that far in a while, but it definitely felt good.”

VCU played statistically its most dominant defensive game of the season on Wednesday night. In addition to the 19 steals, the Rams had nine blocks and allowed Towson to get off only 39 shots in comparison to VCU’s 63 field goal attempts.

As several high-profile teams saw in last year’s NCAA Tournament, it's an extremely difficult task to beat VCU with a six- or seven-man rotation. Smart makes substitutions the same way a hockey coach makes line changes, with entire lineups coming on and off the court at once. This keeps his team fresh, and the opposing team gasping for air.

“It makes the game a lot of fun,” said Haley. “We just get after it and put pressure on them.” CT

VCU's 267 steals ranks first in the nation, 18 ahead of Syracuse, which ranks second.

Photos by Zach Gibson

Shaka Smart weighs in on CAA's at-large chances

Jim Swing Sports Editor

Until recently, the conventional wisdom was that the Colonial Athletic Association was having a down year, or, if it wasn't, it at least wasn't living up to the year prior.

Because of that, the conference was seemingly divinely ordained by many to be a one-bid league for the NCAA Tournament. But now, three-quarters of the way through the year, talks of an at-large, or even two, are beginning to surface.

“It remains to be seen,” said VCU head coach Shaka Smart. “I think there's a lot of time wasted on prognostication on NCAA bids, and I know it's become an industry all in itself with Joe Lunardi and Jerry Palm and all the guys that make those projections, but there's so much basketball to be played it's ridiculous.”

VCU has the second-best RPI in the CAA behind Drexel and arguably the best shot at an at-large bid.

Yet up to this point, no team in the conference has beaten a team in the top 50 of the RPI rankings. VCU has wins over two top 100 teams in South Florida (78) and Akron (54) with a BracketBusters game against Northern Iowa (52) on the way. Delaware, Georgia State and Hofstra each have wins over two top 100 teams and George Mason and Old Dominion have one apiece.

But with the conference not as strong as it was a year ago, one potential slip up heading down the final stretch could be detrimental to any team’s resume.

“There's so many regular season games that can go one way or go another way,” Smart said. “And then with the conference tournaments, there's so much that can happen: just look at last year, what happened in the last week or so of the regular season and conference tournament time.”

Smart was referring to his team’s win over Wichita State in the BracketBusters matchup before taking down Drexel and George Mason in the CAA Tournament. The Rams went on to receive an at-large bid with help from wins over seven top 100 teams and the rest was history.

Six teams in the CAA finished the season in the top 100 of the RPI rankings in 2011, and three received at-large bids. This season, Drexel and VCU stand alone in representing the CAA in that territory.

“I don't spend too much time on it, and I know everyone in our league is trying to win as many games as they can to put themselves in position for the conference tournament,” Smart said. "And teams that have a chance to win the regular season obviously want to do that.” CT

VCU head coach Shaka Smart stated, "It remains to be seen" whether the CAA can gain more than one bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Photo Essay

VCU notched its 16th consecutive sellout Wednesday night in a 66-43 win over Towson. The sellout piles on to an already ongoing school and CAA alltime record.

Zach Gibson Staff Photographer

SPECTRUM

In this section: Music faculty recital adds visual art and video to the mix • 10 Interesting People: ‘I want someone to go to the buffet with me with boxes’ • 12 Film review: ‘Chronicle’ saved by ‘Ziggy Stardust’ cameo • 13

Theater preview | Sideshow attraction subject of theatreVCU's Mainstage

Michael Todd Staff Writer

Through their production of “The Elephant Man,” opening this Friday, Feb. 10, theatreVCU seeks to take audience members back to 1880s Victorian London, during a time of freak shows and decadence, in order to ask what it really means to be normal –and what is the cost?

Directed by Casey Biggs, this Tony award-winning play, based on true events, centers around the gruesomely deformed John Merrick, known also as the Elephant Man, and Dr. Federick Treves, the surgeon who saves him from his life as a sideshow attraction and seeks to integrate him into society, with hopes that he may lead a “normal” life. However, as the play moves forward, both Treves and Merrick are brought to question the ideas of normality as well as humanity and what it really means to be accepted.

“One of the main themes is empathy,” said actor Alex Ireys, who plays Lord John. “You can compare it to pop stars. What happens when all the hype is over? Fads come and go; if that interest is in a human being, what

happens?”

The original script, written by Bernard Pomerance, was meant for a cast much smaller than VCU’s 18 or so performers, featuring actors from freshmen through seniors. “(The number of performers) is really a lot for any production, be it college or off Broadway,” Ireys said.

It was largely agreed upon that the overall success of the production – as well as any other taken on by theatreVCU – extends largely beyond the talent of the performers breathing life into the script and their respective characters. A great deal of attention has been paid to setting the scene and to the tiniest of details from props to lighting, all the way to period accurate costumes.

“The amount of detail that has gone into costumes really blew my mind,” Ireys said. “I had this one costume, but we realized it’s not the season for that color. Literally (the next day), I had a new costume.

Isabela Tavares, the main costume designer for “The Elephant Man,” started designing for the show as early as September and was developing patterns in November. She made trips

Feb. 10, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 11, 7:30 pm

Feb. 12, 3 p.m.

Feb. 16 - 18, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 19, 3 p.m.

High School Matinees

Feb. 14, 15 - 10 a.m.

to New York City for fabric and, by the end of first semester, had performers doing fittings for their costumes.

“There’s a lot more to fitting than one would expect,” said Gloria Kim, assistant costume designer. “Everything is down to the half inch. You have to consider the neck, the sleeve, chest, waist and more – and that’s just for the men.”

Overall, about 30 people total are responsible for every stitch of clothing worn by the performers, right down to Miss Kindle’s period-accurate undergarments. According to Neno Russell, the costume shop manager, one dress had as many as nine to 10 layers in the construction.

While some of the costumes were pulled from VCU’s stock, many were rented and perhaps even more were built. The costumes of the Duchess, Countess, Princess and Miss Kindle were all designed by Tavares and constructed from scratch by undergraduate students here in the costume shop here at VCU. In addition to this, any piece of furniture that was not already found in storage was constructed especially for the production by VCU students.

$25 general admission

$10 student with valid VCU ID

$20 seniors, VCU faculty and staff 804-828-6026 or vcutheatre.showclix.com

One of the greatest challenges of this production, Ireys said, has been setting the tone and the arch of the show.

“It’s a sad story,” he said, “but you don’t want the audience hating that they came to see it. It’s about creating the right aesthetic, drawing the audience in gently and making sure we aren’t forceful with this story.

Other issues faced by the cast include mastering the dialects of the time, portraying a culture that is so obviously not their own, and playing ages beyond their own years.

“I have to play a middle-aged man,” Hall said, “but at the age of 21.”

“I’m proud of it, and I really hope the message gets across,” said Bryan Hall who, aside from playing Ross and understudying for Treves, acts as the assistant director. “Especially for … (any) youth who are out there struggling. It will give you the history, how long this type of discrimination – be it based upon religion, sexuality, physical appearances – has been going on, how important it is to fight by going on living, by being you.” CT

Dr. Treves helps Merrick bathe rinsing away the smells of freak show life during one of his first days in the hospital, welcoming him to his first real home. “The Elephant Man” premieres this Friday, Feb. 10.

Music faculty concert heightens experience with art across disciplines

Alexandra Trihias

Contributing Writer

The Atlantic Chamber Ensemble –featuring VCU’s own Susanna Klein, assistant professor of violin in the VCU department of music – broke from the traditional classical-music concert Monday night in the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall of the W.E. Singleton Center for Performing Arts.

A striking addition to the concert –accompanying works by Bach, Ysaye, Faure and Dohnanyi – was video footage, artwork and photography designed by Brooklyn-based artist William Lamson.

Klein said originally she wanted to collaborate with a faculty artist to provide the concert’s visuals but changed her mind after coming across Lamson’s works during a late-night web crawl.

Klein described Lamson’s artwork as “walking into a process that is unfolding, not static,” which she compared to the “experiment” that is Atlantic Chamber Ensemble. ACE’s website describes their goal as “(to) reinvent the concert experience.” Klein herself describes it as “making classical music relevant” and making a “meaningful and surprising experience” for the audience.

“(The ensemble wants to) break the scripted feel and connect to the audience in a non-academic way,” Klein said. For example, one ACE performance based itself on the idea of “audience choice”: The audience looked at a “menu” of music and told the ensemble what they wanted to hear.

The purpose of the display of artwork and video at Monday night’s concert, according to Klein, was to give the audience a focal point that isn’t the musician.

“When often we see a performer, we tend to focus on what they are doing and don’t focus on what the music sounds like,” Klein said. She also said the artwork was “a form of nonverbal program notes.”

Ernst Dohnanyi’s serenade, Op. 10, for string trio was the centerpiece of the concert, for which Klein was joined by violist Kimberly Spaar and cellist Jason McComb, fellow ACE members.

“When you talk about a string trio, that’s what they want to play,” Klein said, calling it “very romantic, visually fun and (something that) just grabs people.”

Klein has been a member of the Atlantic Chamber Ensemble (ACE) since May of 2011, when the group was first formed. There are 11 total members in the group, which is assembled of many different musicians with a common idea of making a small ensemble as a side project.

The next performance by the Atlantic Chamber Ensemble, “MOVE(D),” will take place on Feb. 19, featuring a piece accompanied by film. Susanna Klein’s next performance with the ensemble is April 7 at Gallery 5. CT For more information on upcoming performances, visit the Atlantic Chamber Ensemble’s website at www.acensemble.org under the “concerts” tab.

Interesting People

Valentine’s edition

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For this edition of Interesting People, intrepid CT reporters asked VCU students about, in a perfect world, their ideal Valentine’s Day date.

If you happen to still be dateless for this Valentine’s Day, remember – there’s still time to sign up for the CT Love Connection. One happy couple will be chosen to meet the soon-to-be love of their life and also enjoy a free fancy dinner and thrilling after-dinner activity. (See the back page ad for details.)

My dream date would be to go to a little café and talk for a while, then go for a walk around Richmond. I just like to talk and get to know people.

My girlfriend lives in Maryland, and I’d like to go to Ellicot City. There’s this old Shakespeare troupe and you walk around to follow the play.

My favorite date so far was going out on Sleeter Lake in Round Hill, Va. in my canoe. We were just fishing and chilling.

It’s a scavenger hunt. He’ll leave little notes outside my door, and I’ll have to travel around Richmond, and then we’ll have a romantic meal.

We go to a really good Italian dinner with a bottle of wine. There would have to be wine. It would have to be nice outside, so something outside and with alcohol. Or, if we’re going out for the first time, we go and try a bunch of different beers, and I think that if we didn’t have similar beer tastes, it wouldn’t work.

Movie and dinner is perfect for me. Keep it simple.

We hang out and watch movies, then go out and have lunch at a deli. We talk about things we enjoy and primarily things we hate because that’s what really gets people together. I don’t care about the specifics, unless we’re doing something I hate, like playing with dolls.

Someone who I can hold a conversation with, that isn’t DTF all the time.

Somebody smart who doesn’t mind doing adventurous things all the time.

I want someone to go to the buffet with me with boxes.

Senior

Someone who is morally conscious and anti-social. I’m not into sluts. I don’t like people who follow heterosexual norms or are materialistic. I like polyamorous people.

We’re completely sloshed after the club, there are 30 girls all around, and there’s a giant orgy brawl. I wake up, covered in a blanket of women, not knowing any of their names, but they all know mine, and they never forget it.

I took my ex-girlfriend out for our oneyear anniversary. We went still water kayaking and we had a picnic on the beach. We ended up kayaking around. It was a wonderful spring day. We went to dinner at P.F. Changs, which was expensive as f---. Then we went back to my place and watched movies.

Samantha Foster Staff Writer

Mary Boltz, Psychology and anthropology Freshman

Allie Payne, Pre-nursing Freshman

Michael Anderson, Engineering Sophomore

Olivier Lemaitre, Chemistry Sophomore

Julie Ward, English Junior

Jarvia Hardley, Mass Communications Junior

Alessandro Gildner, Pre-nursing Freshman

Daniel Speed, Crime Scene Investigation Freshman

Caroline Zemp, AFO Freshman

Ebonee Crosby, Early Elementary Education Freshman

Joseph Knoble, Philosophy

Tim Haggerty, Environmental studies Sophomore

Ryan Teunis, Music Education Sophomore

Film review | ‘Chronicle’ a victim of its own clichés

Connor Burke

Contributing Writer

“Chronicle,” from first-time director Josh Trank, is a sci-fi film about three high school friends that gain the power to move objects through telekinesis after finding a supernatural glowing rock inside of an isolated hole in the ground. Though the first half of “Chronicle” masquerades as a charming coming-ofage tale about three teens that bond over their supernatural abilities, the film takes a dark and dramatic turn into a merciless and thrilleresque tale of revenge.

While watching the film, you can subconsciously convince yourself to look past some of the high school clichés in the first half of the movie –but whenever the drastic plot change occurs, you realize that the movie is just badly written.

“Chronicle” suffers from an overall

“While watching the film, you can subconsciously convince yourself to look past some of the high school clichés in the first half of the movie – but whenever the drastic plot change occurs, you realize that the movie is just badly written.”

lack of character development, especially in the case of its protagonist, Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan), with whom we sympathize in the beginning of the movie. Andrew’s mother is dying of cancer, and his father is an alcoholic former firefighter. Throughout most of “Chronicle,” the parents just seem to be “there,” and their presence seems disjointed and stagnant. However, during the third act of the film, the parents’ flaws drive the entire plot.

Although “Chronicle” does get some points for its interesting topic of teenage telekinesis, the film’s writer, Max Landis, manages to butcher this concept through the use of abundant Hollywood clichés, special effects and deus ex machina.

Like “Paranormal Activity” or “Cloverfield,” “Chronicle” is filmed in a found-footage style from Andrew’s perspective, through his video camera that he just so happens to have on him

in order to film every important event in his life. Even in action-packed scenes in the film when Andrew is unable to hold the camera, there always seems to be an explanation for why a camera is filming him at that moment. While there is nothing inherently wrong with the mockumentary/found-footage style of filming, it has come to be associated with gimmicky Hollywood marketing in the last few years.

The film’s stronger points, conversely, are its acting, special effects, and music. The three lead actors – Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell and Michael B. Jordan –all did a superb job playing convincing teenagers. All of them, especially DeHaan, have proven themselves worthy as actors and will more than likely appear in more Hollywood blockbusters to come.

The special effects were, to choose a term, pretty badass. With explosions, flying, floating, shattering and

architectural destruction, a good chunk of the movie probably required some intricate green screen shots and very precise framing, especially given the degree of camera movement.

Although an orchestral score was absent from the film (which makes sense, due to the nature of the style of filming) there was a wide array of random background music from David Bowie to Crystal Castles. The audience may find it impossible not to bob heads a little when Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” comes on.

Sadly, “Chronicle” isn’t the type of thriller or sci-fi movie that is the least bit thought-provoking. The audience probably won’t feel any different leaving the theater. However, it might be a good flick to see with a group of friends, if special effects happen to satisfy your visual appetite. CT

OPINION

In this section: Mayor’s food shuttle lacks necessary efficiency • 14

Mayor’s foodprogram promises hard to fulfill

Katherine Johnson Columnist

In his recent State of the City address, Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones announced a new program that would give the poor better food options and combat �food deserts.�

The program would provide a monthly shuttle service for Richmond residents to local grocery stores.

Residents that live in areas without quality food options are said to live in “food deserts.” According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “nearly 11 percent of all U.S. households have trouble accessing groceries from established grocers.”

Because of this, much of their food is either purchased from convenience stores or fast food restaurants. Being isolated from grocery stores is a problem because it leads to residents paying for unhealthy and often overpriced foods.

But while the plan has good intentions and helps people extend their food options, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will pick healthier foods or have the money to afford them. The city is on the right track by providing transportation to healthier options, but they can’t control what will happen when residents make their purchases.

Unfortunately, economics do not favor the health of the poor. Healthy food options are more expensive than junk food, no matter where you shop. Families that are already struggling will want to buy the most food that they can at the cheapest price possible, meaning that eating healthy may not be their top priority.

I remember watching “Food Inc.,” in which a family of four lived on fast food, simply because they couldn’t afford the healthier options offered at a grocery store. One of the daughters began to struggle with obesity, and the dad had diabetes. The family felt the negative effects of the food, but decided it was

more important to feed their children food than necessarily the right kinds of food.

Those that have access to grocery stores fail to eat healthy, so what makes this case an exception?

Residents will probably look forward to the lower prices of food at a grocery chain instead of an convenience store. Unless the city is going to enforce what the residents buy, it’s not guaranteed that they will choose healthier options like fruits and vegetables.

Instead, the city should help them with purchasing groceries that they approve of or educate them on the

benefits of eating healthy. If shoppers don’t see the positives of eating better, they will continue to try to get the most food for their money. They should be given an incentive to make healthier choices, possibly by lowering the cost of fresh or healthy foods or providing food vouchers for certain foods.

Another alternative to taking residents to the store would be bringing the food to them. This way, the city can provide residents with a variety of food choices that should be included in a nutritious diet. The food could be acquired through donations and be run like Operation Blessing, an organization

that focuses on hunger relief by providing food with good nutrition to children. If the city chooses to take a similar action, they could substitute the kind of food they ask for in donations and distribute the items to families.

Mayor Jones’ plan has positive intentions. His goal of having a healthier city would be possible if residents were not only given access to grocery stores, but chose to eat healthy. The only loophole to his plan is that, ultimately, the residents will choose how to spend their money, which doesn’t guarantee a healthier lifestyle. CT

“

If shoppers don’t see the positives of eating better, they will continue to try to get the most food for their money. ”

Reaffirming Black History Month as American history • 15

Don’t celebrate black history this month

Shane Wade Opinion Editor

I’m more excited about being able to buy Girl Scout cookies this month than it being Black History Month.

Ever since elementary school, I never felt comfortable with Black History Month. Morning disc jockeys would shoot out fast facts for me to later forget; all the posters in the classroom would be substituted with black historial figures; the morning announcements would be accompanied by a rhythmic drumming and another fact about a little-known AfricanAmerican. It all felt artificial, forced and even oppressive.

Black History Month is a fading relic. Its foundation by Carter Woodson (as just a week) in 1926 was born out of a justified fear that the history of AfricanAmericans and contributions of slaves would be forgotten by students. But now, we should question its relevance.

The argument in favor of a Black History Month draws back to the origins of its foundations. It predicates on the fear that if black history were integrated into American history, it would become abbreviated and dishonestly told.

But that fear doesn’t recognize the awkward offense left in the mouths of black schoolchildren when a teacher casts a side-glance at them when asking about a black inventor. It ignores the token aftertaste of spoon-fed facts about obscure African-Americans.

Furthermore, that legitimate fear hasn’t grown to recognize the emerging fact

that all of American history is becoming inappropriately abbreviated.

Our public school systems are, and historically have been, inefficient at educating students to levels of proficiency in history. An NPR article from June of last year recounts how a news story appears every 10 years demarking American students for their poor performance in history class. The most recent report found that a “federal test revealed only 20 percent of fourth graders were ‘proficient’ in history.�

By definition, black history is American history. Without Blacks, there would be no America. Black slaves literally and figuratively built America, economically and structurally. To separate the two histories would be akin to re-dividing a nation and misremembering an ugly history that involved the worst kind of human suffering.

It is nonsense to devote a separate month to a conjoined history. The best method of teaching history is to teach it as a chronological, inclusive story, not as segmented parts, divisible for monthly discussion.

Pandering and paternalistic observances like Black History Month don’t help to end racism or repair the racial rifts still apparent in America; instead they perpetuate and give breath to a dying history. It awkwardly reminds us of our “differences” and rarely brings about discussions that positively work to improve race relations in America. It’s debatable whether ignoring issues of race will improve racial tensions, but constant reminders weaken the ties

we build. There’s more to me than the color of my skin, and I don’t need to be reminded of it in order to remember my ancestral history.

Emphasizing the remarkable and praiseworthy accomplishments of African-Americans should not be limited to a month. That leads to us becoming lax in our treatment of the subject once the month is over.

I would have the celebratory month not ended, but rather extended and better incorporated into current public school curriculum. Just as every student must learn about every war America has fought, every economic crisis, every Constitutional amendment, so must they learn about the other side of American history.

Teach them about the Tulsa Race Riots. Educate them about how inventions by Black Americans supplemented industries. Tell them of how men and women struggled, sacrificed and died for the inalienable rights given to them by a Creator, but denied to them by a government.

Just like Dr. King, Black History Month’s founder Carter G. Woodson had a dream: He hoped that “the history of African-Americans would become an integral part of American history and would be observed throughout the year.” His dream has been forestalled long enough. I don’t want to be put on a special pedestal once a year; I just want to be on the same level as everyone else, year-round.

Girl Scout cookies come once a year; celebrating the history of Black Americans shouldn’t. CT

Opinions expressed are those of individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Commonwealth Times or Virginia Commonwealth University. Unsigned editorials represent the institutional opinion of The CT.

Add Your Voice

“Imagination”

by Rachel Maves

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ADAM STERN Executive Editor

SHANE WADE Opinion Editor