NOAH FLEISCHMAN
Contributing Writer
Men’s Soccer split its two-game schedule last week as it faced The University of Akron at home and traveled to Philadelphia to face Atlantic-10 foe La Salle University. Despite an overtime loss against Akron, the Rams bounced back and defeated conference rivals La Salle.
See MEN’S SOCCER on page 7
Monroe Park Conservancy held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday for the grand reopening of Monroe Park after a 22-month wait due to renovations and weather delays.
Despite another rainy day, the ceremony went on as planned. Monroe Park Conservancy President Alice Massie, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and VCU President Michael Rao spoke at the event.
Massie said it seemed to her and many others that Monroe Park would never open, but that all changed when the fences finally came down Sept. 24.
Story on page 9
“For more than a decade we’ve worked together with the city, VCU and the community to make this dream a reality,” Massie said. “And now that we’re here, it feels awesome. It’s amazing.”
half of the project’s $6.3 million price tag; the rest came from the conservancy’s fundraising efforts.
“We much appreciate VCU’s support, their leadership and especially their vision for the future in taking care of the park,” Massie said.
Despite the park’s new technological improvements, Stoney said the premise of Monroe Park has stayed the same since 1851.
“There really is not an angle from this park that does not look at Virginia Commonwealth University, and therefore, we are recipients of a lot of this beauty,” Rao said. “And for that, we are very, very grateful.”
Massie said Rao and the VCU senior leadership team have supported and advocated for the park’s renovations since the beginning of the project’s conception. Monroe Park Conservancy helmed the renovation project in partnership with the city — Richmond agreed to front approximately
“The leaders at the time recognized the importance of providing a place in the center of our city where residents can relax, kick back, take a stroll, be with their families and enjoy what this urban greenspace has to offer,” Stoney said. “That idea is just as important today as it was back then.”
Rao said he has looked forward to seeing the completion of the park’s renovations and that the facility will be beneficial to VCU students.
When sunny weather rolled around to Richmond Friday, Monroe Park was filled with students and other community members. VCU junior Gina Cutler was one of many upperclassmen who had to wait almost two years for the renovations to finish. She said while the renovations are an improvement to the park, the long wait for it to reopen was detrimental to VCU students.
“It was a plain park, but now it feels more lively,” Cutler said. “It was still a good place for students to have so it’s a shame it took so long for them to rebuild it.”
See MONROE PARK on page 2
Now it’s open and free to the public and I feel like it’s a good environment for people to just chill out.”Raatib Rahman, VCU student
national: The Senate will vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court by Friday, pending the conclusion of an FBI investigation into his sexual assault allegations after Thursday’s hearing. international: Palu, Indonesia and surrounding areas are recovering after an earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck the archipelago nation Friday, causing a death toll of over 1,300.
Contributing Writer
A panel of five medical and bioethics expeA panel of five medical and bioethics experts assembled Tuesday at the Library of Virginia to raise awareness of a woman responsible for massive advancements in biomedical research, but largely unknown for decades.
Henrietta Lacks — a black woman from Roanoke, Virginia — was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951. After a biopsy, her doctors kept and studied her cancer cells without her consent — ultimately creating the first immortalized line of cells that are still studied today. Her family was unaware of her cells’ use until 1975, never receiving any form of compensation.
The son of Henrietta Lacks and panelist David Lacks Jr. described the revelation as a “complete shock.”
“My aunt had dinner with a friend of hers, whose husband happened to be a doctor, and he recognized the last name and asked, ‘Are you related to Henrietta Lacks?’” David Lacks said. “[The family] from there tried to learn as much as they could, but the institution just blocked them.”
Lacks ultimately succumbed to her cancer in October 1951. However, due to an unnaturally high production rate, her cells were the first samples to respond to preservative treatments conducted by cell biologist George Gey. These cells — labeled the HeLa cell line — went on to directly assist medical research, spurring massive amounts of advancements in the fields of AIDS, cancer and other pressing health issues.
The newly-assembled Henrietta Lacks Commission — pushed by Gov. Ralph Northam and signed into law during the 2018 General Assembly session — is tasked with the creation of a Henrietta Lacks Life Science Center in Halifax County. The center will serve as a cancer research institute to provide customized treatments to underserved areas of rural southern Virginia, according to Senate Bill 171.
Northam also proclaimed “Henrietta Lacks Legacy Week” to take place the week of Sept. 23-29, with the panel being one of the featured events.
“Henrietta Lacks was a remarkable African-American woman, a native Virginian and a hero to us all, whose world-changing legacy has benefitted untold millions around the globe,” Northam wrote in his
proclamation. “Henrietta Lacks’ loving spirit continues through her descendants, whose mission is to extend the legacy of her miraculous gift and the unparalleled reach of her cell line.”
Lacks Jr. sat among a panel of four others which included the VCU Vice President for Health Sciences and Health System CEO Dr. Marsha Rappley, associate professor of kinesiology and health sciences Ronald Evans, Virginia Union University Vice President Corey Walker and Director of the Hampton University Cancer Research Center Luisel Ricks-Santi.
An overarching theme of black mistrust
circulated throughout the conversation, creating space for topics such as racial medical treatment disparities, the need for hospital ethics reform and, in Walker’s words, “the politics of life” itself.
“I want to look at how our systems — our institutions, our regimes of science — are designed to dehumanize,” Walker said. “And that design is inherent in what happened in the Henrietta Lacks case, and how we have to deal with a culture of science that instrumentalizes the human body.”
Continued from front page
Cutler also said there was anger among upperclassmen when the park’s opening was continuously delayed.
“It was annoying waiting for it to be rebuilt,” Cutler said.
VCU freshman Raatib Rahman said that, so far, he likes the park.
“It’s a lot better coming from class-toclass because sometimes I have to walk all
the way to [T. Edward Temple Building]. Before, I’d just go around. Now, I can just cut through the park,” Rahman said. “Overall, I’m really glad that it’s open, because for the longest time it’s just been under construction. But now it’s open and free to the public and I feel like it’s a good environment for people to just chill out.”
Rahman said the landscaping of the park is nice, but the 22-month renovation period was too long for what the park has offered
in its opening week. While walking his dog through Monroe Park, he said he feels a dog park is the biggest thing missing in the green space.
“You have a lot of people walking their dogs here and — if they had 22 months and they knew that people would want to walk their dogs here — they could have at least built a fence,” Rahman said.
Rahman said he sees himself coming to Monroe Park a lot while he’s on campus.
“My dorm building is right there, so it’s just a nice walk across,” Rahman said. “If I lived somewhere else, I’d still be coming here. It’s just a nice place to relax.”
Even though the park is open, several new additions are still under construction. The Dominion Energy pavilion, VCU Police substation and a coffee shop will open in the coming weeks.
I want to look at how our systems — our institutions, our regimes of science — are designed to dehumanize. And that design is inherent in what happened in the Henrietta Lacks case.”
Corey Walker, Virginia Union University vice presidentMembers of the Richmond and VCU communities enjoyed the amenities provided by the renovated park, like the decorative piano and seating. Photo by Tatyana Bailey MONROE PARK
The Virginia Department of Corrections announced it will enforce a ban on tampons and menstrual cups worn by visitors to Virginia correctional facilities, beginning Oct. 6.
Advocacy and lobbying group Prison Reform Movement broke the news Sept. 22 on its Twitter page, posting a picture of a letter from Nottoway Correctional Center Warden David Call — in which Call wrote that the use of tampons or menstrual cups are considered “an ideal way to conceal contraband.”
The ban has since been suspended after public backlash by individuals in the Commonwealth and other lobbying groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union.
“I have no idea why there was a change,” said Bill Farrar, Strategic Communications Director for ACLU of Virginia. “My understanding is that all people incarcerated in DOC facilities undergo a cavity check following any visitation — which would, presumably, catch any contraband that was being brought in and identify who brought it. So, I don’t even see what the purpose of the policy is. What will it accomplish?”
I understand DOC’s precautionary steps to detect the rising threat of contraband, overdoses and even deaths among our offender population.
Brian Moran,Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran said in a series of tweets Sept. 25 that the issue would be looked into in the meantime.
“I understand DOC’s precautionary steps to detect the rising threat of contraband, overdoses and even deaths among our offender population,” Moran tweeted. “I feel it appropriate to immediately suspend the newly developed policy until a more thorough review of its implementation and potential consequences are considered.”
I came all the way from Texas for this visit — cost me hundreds of dollars to travel. All of this started because of a freaking tampon.”
JacqueeJacquee Oakes is a resident of Texas and a member of Facebook advocacy and support group The Original Virginia Prison Wives. Oakes’ husband has served time in Greensville Correctional Center in Greensville County, and is now in the lower security Coffeewood Correctional Center in
Culpeper County.
Oakes said an experience in March reflects what happens when women on their periods are expected to be concealing contraband — long before the ban was introduced.
“Humiliation and embarrassment was all I had left on me,” Oakes said. “They had me pull out my tampon, bend over — like spread open everything to make sure there was nothing still up there — squat, cough, all of that.”
Oakes was told that, as long as she underwent a strip search, she would be allowed to have a contact visit with her husband. However, after her strip and cavity search, the sergeant present determined she would no longer be able to go through with the visit that day.
“I was like, ‘Well wait, what do you mean?’ You told me that, as long as I go through with the strip search, I would still continue my visitation,’” Oakes said. “[The sergeant] said that any time they pull somebody out of line, they automatically lose their contact visit.”
According to the DOC Operating Procedure on Visiting Privileges, “if, after the initial search, it is believed that an additional search is necessary, a further consensual search, i.e. strip search or body cavity search, may be conducted … If no contraband is found, the offender visitor will be limited to and provided a non-contact visit.”
The sergeant allowed Oakes a one-hour video chat visit with her husband. When she eventually accepted the offer, she said she came to discover the video service was not working that day — so she walked out of Greensville unable to see her husband. According to subsequent phone conversations with her husband, Oakes alleged that inmates can sometimes face flack after false suspicions are raised that their loved ones were trying to smuggle in contraband, which only added to her anxiety and disappointment over the situation.
“If you choose to leave, [the correctional
officers] harass the inmate and shake their cells because they still think you were trying to bring something in,” Oakes said. “I came all the way from Texas for this visit — cost me hundreds of dollars to travel. All of this started because of a freaking tampon.”
Then, to show up while you’re on your period only to be told you have to remove your tampon and wear a pad? — going to a prison facility to visit my dad is uncomfortable enough.”
AlyssaVCU junior Alyssa Bernier, who visits her father at Deerfield Correctional Center in Southampton County, said this measure taken by the VADOC is offensive and will only further complicate the visitation process.
“In order to get visitation granted, you have to go through a semi-complicated application online and it takes weeks to get back to you,” Bernier said. “Then, to show up while you’re on your period only to be told you have to remove your tampon and wear a pad? — going to a prison facility to visit my dad is uncomfortable enough.”
Bernier also criticized the way the VADOC seems to limit how people can dress, along with limits on physical contact with whom they are visiting.
The VADOC enforces an extensive dress code in their visitation policy — from the types of clothing and shoes visitors can wear, down to “appropriate underwear.”
“The prison system has very strict rules on dress code and hugging [and] touching
for people visiting loved ones,” Bernier said.
Farrar, the Virginia ACLU strategic communications director, also made a point that, from tampons to complicated policies, the VADOC seems to have many restrictions in place that could deter some people from visiting family and friends in prison.
“Generally, the department’s policies go a long way to discourage people from visiting their loved ones who are being housed in Virginia prisons,” Farrar said, “and that’s very harmful because we know that maintaining contact with friends and family in the community is really important to being rehabilitated and being able to have a successful reentry [to the outside world].”
As of the publishing date, it is still unclear whether the tampon and menstrual cup ban will remain in place past Oct. 6. Lisa Kinney, director of communications, and Greg Carter, community relations coordinator, from the VADOC have not responded to requests for comment as of publication.
In the meantime, Oakes playfully suggested a way to protest the ban among her Virginia prison wives group.
“I think we should all band together and all go in there on days that we all are menstruating, and then just make a biohazard out of their visitor room,” Oakes said. “They want to give people flimsy, crappy pads that have us leaking all over the place — let’s just leak all over the furniture if that’s what they want.”
a Sept.
Bernier, VCU studentIn 26 article, “Women’s Soccer topples conference foes; Men conquer No. 20 Monarchs,” sophomore midfielder Samantha Jerabek’s name was misspelled as “Jerabeck.” Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security
Members of VCU’s veteran community will have the opportunity to share their experiences through storytelling thanks to the efforts of a professor in VCU’s Department of Focused Inquiry.
The anti-abortion group Center for Bio-Ethical Reform (CBR) made its first appearance of the school year near the Compass Monday, putting up graphic displays depicting what the group considered images of genocide and mutilated fetuses.
The group — whose “Genocide Awareness Project” travels to college campuses across the country — previously came to VCU in fall 2016, sparking a similar debate between anti-abortion and abortion-rights activists.
VCU freshman Molly Bryant was frustrated by the images.
“This pisses me off, and I understand it’s freedom of speech, but to use those pictures is messed up,” Bryant said. “I’m very angry that they would put all those pictures up.”
CBR Southeast Regional Director Fletcher Armstrong said the pictures used for the display were legitimate, despite some claims from students that the images were fake.
“The pictures are from us and, depending on the statistic, we cite different sources,” Armstrong said. “We use the Guttmacher Institute, which uses Planned Parenthood statistics.”
When the demonstrators first set up, a few Planned Parenthood advocates gathered to protest the scene.
“I think it’s disrespectful and shameful to produce this display,” said Planned Parenthood Generation Action at VCU Historian Delaney Joras. “I think it’s just to shame people and to make them uncomfortable.”
After the demonstration, the Young Democratic Socialists at VCU held a meeting Monday night to plan a counterprotest. They were joined near the Compass Tuesday morning by Planned Parenthood at VCU and Queer and Trans People of Color Collective.
YDSA member Eli Nachison said the timing of this demonstration was poor, considering the Brett Kavanaugh hearing that took place last week, sparking debate surrounding women’s rights.
“I think it especially stings coming off of a week where the integrity of women was definitely under the spotlight and was a very difficult time for a lot of people,” Nachison said. “I’m very displeased that people seek to spread that information on campus, and I extend my condolences to people that had their days
ruined by those people.”
Returning Tuesday, Planned Parenthood at VCU members sported abortion-rights signs and attempted to form a barrier around the anti-abortion demonstration. Other individuals joined the crowd to voice their opinions.
“This is a space that allows any movement to gather and to express their views,” said Peter Jenkins, a Ph.D. student who participated in the counterprotest. “So, we wanted to express our views as well.”
CBR demonstrators reserved the space through the university. The Compass is a public space and can be used by any group, said Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs Reuban Rodriguez.
“The university, because we are a public university, has to allocate a designated area on campus for expressive activity,” Rodriguez said. “This is primarily for groups that are not affiliated in any way with the university, meaning any staff or students.”
Rodriguez said using the space does not require payment, but groups must adhere to campus policy.
Political science professor John Aughenbaugh said, as long as no party was harmed, the university did what the constitution allows it to do — facilitate free speech according to 1989 Supreme Court case Ward v. Rock Against Racism.
“The government may regulate the time, place, and manner of speech if the government regulation is content-neutral, narrowly tailored to serve a significant governmental interest, and leaves open alternative channels of communication,” Aughenbaugh said.
In allowing the demonstration, VCU was merely adhering to federal policy based on Supreme Court precedent, he said.
“What VCU did was allow the demonstration [about] abortion, while giving a space for the counter-protesters and did so in a location [and] manner that minimized physical harm for either party,” Aughenbaugh said.
Maggie Eger, CBR project director, responded to the counter-protestors with enthusiasm, saying it shows students care about the issue.
“Seeing apathy among college students is very concerning to me,” Eger said. “So to see a lot of these people out here willing to sacrifice their time when they could be doing other things. So, that’s encouraging at least.”
Through “More Than War,” Carver Weakley plans to gather a group of VCU students with a military background and, through a series of several workshops, help participants craft stories of their experiences — including combat, returning home, transition, family and navigating life as a veteran. Storytellers are invited to speak for five to seven minutes.
Weakley’s friend, who currently serves in the military, inspired the idea for the project. Air Force Technical Sgt. Swift Moon showed her a 2013 article published in The Washington Post written by author, journalist and filmmaker Sebastian Junger titled “U.S. veterans need to share the moral burden of war.”
“It was a very powerful article and it got me thinking about how our society has compartmentalized the work that service members do overseas and the burdens they carry both abroad and when they return home,” Weakley said. “It is our responsibility, those of us here at home, to invite our friends and loved ones with combat experience to share with us so that we can help them carry that load.”
Moon — who is about to leave on his eighth combat deployment — has served in the Air Force for 17 years as an explosives ordnance disposal technician, and was candid about Weakley’s project.
“Everything I did over there stuck with me and it sunk into this idea of a shared
moral responsibility for war,” Moon said. “Besides, everyone who has served has some either amazing or hilarious stories about their service.”
It is our responsibility, those of us here at home, to invite our friends and loved ones with combat experience to share with us so that we can help them carry that load.”
Carver Weakley, professor, Focused Inquiry DepartmentAfter thinking it over, Weakley came up with a way for student veterans to unload and share their burdens. She forged a partnership with the Department of Focused Inquiry and Military Student Services, planning for a storytelling event to happen in late November.
Weakley said VCU students are encouraged to attend to further their understanding of the veteran experience.
Interested veterans and students can submit story ideas to Weakley via email at weakleyac@vcu.edu by Oct. 29. Selected participants will be notified no later than Nov. 2 and information about the workshops taking place before the event will be shared at that time. A final date and location for “More Than War” has not been decided, but will be announced soon.
ADVERTISEMENT
Women’s Cross Country placed fifth out of 43 teams at the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Sept. 29. Men’s Cross Country placed 27th out of 44 at the Invitational.
Contributing
WriterWomen’s Soccer stretched its winning streak to six after defeating conference foes Duquesne University and the University of Dayton.
Coming off four consecutive saves by their goalkeeper, the Dukes found a break in the Black and Gold’s defense. On a long drive down midfield, Duquesne ran the ball down one on one. Senior goalkeeper Audrey Sanderson attempted to block the shot to the bottom left corner but missed, allowing Abbey Losco to score the first point for Duquesne. The Dukes gained a 1-0 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the first half.
Head coach Lindsey Martin was aware of what her team was going up against, but was not phased by Duquesne goalkeeper Kyra Murphy.
“[Murphy]’s good, she’s a veteran, she’s a senior, she’s had a really good career, but our game plan has more to do with us than it does to do with any team we play,” Martin said. “We just talk about always being us, and if we can be us, which is consistent performance, attacking and defending, that’s all that we ask out of each other and I think that’s all we need.”
Sophomore forward CiCi Fox showed respect for her opponent as well, noting that she did not let anything by with ease.
“She saved a lot of our shots,” Fox said. “It was pretty tough to get any on frame. In the first ten seconds of the game, we definitely could have scored, but she made a great save. But I think she’s still beatable, like any other keeper in conference.”
With an assist from Fox and junior defender Sarah Gibson, senior forward Kelly
Graves scored the first goal for VCU with seven minutes remaining in the second half, sending the match to overtime.
The game remained tied throughout the first overtime and late into the second. VCU scored the winning goal when Fox made a header from the six-yard box and took home the win.
NILE MCNAIR Contributing WriterComing off a five-game winning streak after defeating St. Francis University 1-0, the Rams’ run was snapped by Bucknell University in a back-and-forth affair that ended 3-2 in favor of the Bison.
This road matchup for VCU was higher-scoring than the previous game against St. Francis. VCU started fast and scored the first goal of the game.
Senior forward Emily McNamara scored from a penalty corner after receiving a great pass from freshman defender Litiana Field. McNamara’s score put VCU up 1-0 early in the first half.
The Bison responded in a big way during the first half. After VCU’s first goal, the Bison struck back with three unanswered goals. Lexi Quick scored off a penalty corner of her own.
Bucknell’s next score came from the team’s leading scorer Brittany Willwerth. A penalty stroke goal about twenty minutes into the game gave Willwerth her seventh of the season.
The final goal of the first half came from Bucknell’s Nicole Rupnik — a deflected shot that found its way into the net. Rupnik’s goal gave the Bison a 3-1 lead heading into halftime.
Midway through the second half, the Rams scored for the second time. This goal came from freshman defender Janne Wetzel,
“I think we need to start with more aggression,” Fox said. “I think our focus was a little off coming into the game. It took us a while to switch on, it took us a whole half to be down. I think we definitely need to start stronger so we don’t end in predicaments like that again.”
The Rams played conference rival Dayton Sept. 27 and routed the Flyers to push their winning streak to five.
Sophomore midfielder Samantha Jerabek started the game off, scoring the first goal in the 13th minute — her eighth this season.
Junior midfielder Alyssa Tallent proceeded to tack on two more goals, with Graves adding another. Graves’ score in the 57th minute marked her third goal of the season while Tallent gained her second and third in the 53rd and 83rd minutes, respectively.
In the end, the Black and Gold squad proved too much for Dayton, shutting the Flyers out on the road in the 4-0 win. VCU held the advantages, outdoing Dayton 12-9 in shots and 6-2 in shots on goal.
The Rams continue their stay at home, going up against A-10 opponents Davidson College Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. Then, they will travel to St. Joseph’s University Oct. 7.
with Field converting her second assist of the game.
With Wetzel’s goal, VCU was able to close the deficit to one point, but they were unable to complete the comeback. Neither team scored the rest of the game, and the Rams lost 3-2, snapping their five-game winning streak.
Looking to continue its four-game winning streak, VCU went on the road to play against the St. Francis Red Flash. A defensive struggle prevailed throughout the game as neither team scored in either half.
Both teams had opportunities during the first and second half. The Red Flash finished with seven total shots, while the Rams finished with eight. VCU racked up six of its eight shots during the second half.
VCU freshman goalkeeper Sasha Elliott pitched a shutout, including a save in overtime.
In overtime, sophomore midfielder Maite Sturm took it upon herself to finish the game, scoring an unassisted goal in the seventy-fifth minute to end the contest. Sturm’s goal was the breakthrough VCU needed to secure the win and extend its win streak to five games.
The 1-0 win over St. Francis pushed VCU to 6-3 and 3-0 in A-10 play.
VCU will continue its stay at home against Rider University Oct. 3 at 11 a.m. and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Oct. 7 at 1 p.m.
Seattle basketball has been a lost entity since the Seattle SuperSonics left to become the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008. The SuperSonics were very successful during their time in Seattle, producing Hall of Fame players including Gary Payton, Ray Allen and Spencer Haywood. Shawn Kemp, one of the most exciting players of all time, was also a SuperSonic during his career.
The culture of Seattle basketball is still present in the NBA despite the city lacking a team. Jamal Crawford, Isaiah Thomas, Jason Terry, Marvin Williams, Avery Bradley and Dejounte Murray are all current players who call Seattle home.
Since it doesn’t appear that a NBA team will relocate anytime soon, Seattle should be on the short list of cities if the
NBA decides to expand again. The city of Seattle has a dedicated fan base that is desperate to have a NBA team back.
But the Seattle Storm is keeping Seattle basketball alive and well. Led by future Hall of Famer Sue Bird and former No. 1 overall pick Breanna Stewart, the Storm won the WNBA title in 2018. Averaging 25 points per game during the WNBA Finals, Stewart went on to win Finals MVP. The Storm’s run to a championship brought much-needed attention to the WNBA and Seattle basketball.
Current and former NBA players such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Isaiah Thomas all showed love to Bird and the Storm.
“[Sue Bird], you’re a MONSTER!!!” James tweeted.
Thomas, a Seattle native, has been pushing for recognition of the Storm,
Seattle basketball and women’s basketball throughout the WNBA playoffs. He even went to the extent of writing an article for The Players’ Tribune about the Storm and women’s basketball.
In a powerful moment from Thomas’ piece, he wrote, “To put it really simple: If you don’t respect women’s basketball, you’re a joke.”
The WNBA playoffs were exciting, with buzzer beaters and great performances from the likes of Bird and Diana Taurasi highlighting the action. But there is one prevailing issue that has yet to be addressed surrounding the WNBA: women who play in the WNBA have been speaking out about the clear disparity in pay compared to that of the NBA.
In the WNBA, the highest salary a player can make in one season is $110,000. Compared to the NBA, where Stephen Curry — the league’s highest
The Chesapeake native established himself as an active Rams player last season, appearing in all 19 games and tallying the first assist of his career in a win against George Mason University. The upperclassman has taken on a larger role in the VCU midfield this season. The CT sat down with Cooke to discuss his progress on and off the field.
What do you believe kickstarted your passion for soccer?
Success on the field at a young age. The game came so natural to me and when something comes naturally to someone, they begin to really enjoy it.
What made you want to play soccer at VCU?
JARON NUTTERContributing
WriterJunior midfielder Travis Cooke kicked off his third season with VCU by collecting his first goal of the season and of his collegiate career against The University of Akron Sept. 26.
I chose VCU amongst other schools because it seemed like the best road I could take on the journey to playing professionally. For almost a decade, VCU has played soccer the way it should be — the beautiful way, connecting many passes in order to tire out the other team to essentially walk their way to goal. That’s the way I love to play.
Another reason I chose VCU was because of what the coaches told me I should expect being a VCU player. They said I had a very high ceiling in regard to my potential as a player and that they would push
to develop me in order to reach that mark. As a senior in high school with a dream of playing at the next level, all I wanted was to be able to play the game within a system that plays a dominant brand of soccer while continuing to improve and test my limits.
-paid player — earned nearly $35 million during the 2017-18 season.
Many WNBA players have to play overseas if they ever want to make more than six figures playing basketball. Fixing this issue won’t be easy — the WNBA must find a way to generate more revenue into the league so they can pay their players more. They don’t have to draw in the $7 billion the NBA does, but it must be higher than the roughly $52 million they generate now. Grabbing fans’ attention is the best way to create revenue — but a lack of interest in women’s sports makes this a challenge.
WNBA all-star Skylar Diggins-Smith went as far as calling out players and networks for the lack of attention the league receives.
“ESPN will go into everything that Lebron ate before they show a highlight of a WNBA game,” Diggins-Smith said.
What is your favorite soccer team?
Manchester United and has been ever since I started watching soccer at a young age. Who is your favorite soccer player?
Cristiano Ronaldo.
Do you model your game after him?
I don’t model my game after Ronaldo. I like to model my game to Mario Mandzukic, a Croatian international who plays for Juventus in Italy. He reminds me a lot of myself physically as well as positionally. He is [a] tall, slender player as well, [who] is very good at using his size to his advantage. What separates him from a lot of players is how technical he is. Most players of his size don’t have the ability he possesses and I kind of see myself like that as well.
What is your favorite moment from your VCU career?
Beating No. 9 Maryland 3-0 at College Park. That was a huge game for us because it would help us later on in the season when we secured a top 16 seed for the national tournament. It also was a huge statement game showing that VCU is a team you should keep an eye on.
How do you want to be remembered after you graduate?
I want to be remembered as a player that contributed to the program moving down the road as we continue to rise in the national rankings.
I want to be remembered as a player that contributed to the program moving down the road as we continue to rise in the national rankings.”
Travis Cooke, junior midfielderIllustration by Summer McClure Before enrolling at VCU in January 2016, Cooke was a member of the Richmond United Academy Team where he scored eight goals in fall 2015. Photo by Shayla Bailey
Continued from front page
The Rams kicked off A-10 play on the road at La Salle where they defeated the Explorers 2-0 Saturday night, marking the A-10 conference opener for VCU.
It did not take long for the Rams to get on the board as junior midfielder Siad Haji scored on a deep strike to the right side of the goal in the second minute of the match. The tally was Haji’s third goal of the season.
Haji’s goal was the first of only two shots in the first half for the Black and Gold.
Junior midfielder Fortia Munts recorded the second goal for the Rams on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute. The goal was Munts’ first of the season and third of his career at VCU.
Sophomore goalkeeper Mario Sequeira recorded one save in the shutout for the Black and Gold. The shutout was Sequeira’s fifth of the season and 13th of his career.
“I’m very proud of our professional performance tonight,” VCU Men’s Soccer Head Coach Dave Giffard said to VCU Athletics. “For me, this is one of the toughest places in the country to go and get a result. The combination of the field, style of play and toughness by La Salle makes getting a result here a real challenge. After giving [away] so much to the game Wednesday night, this was an excellent result and display of mental toughness.”
The Explorers outshot VCU 6-3, but the Rams held the 3-1 advantage in shots on goal. The Rams also had the advantage in corner kicks, 2-1.
The contest was physical as both teams combined for 22 fouls — the Rams responsible for 13 of them.
In their final non-conference game of the season, the Rams fell to Akron in sudden death overtime, 4-3, Sept. 26 at a rainy
Sports Backers Stadium.
“It was a tough one tonight,” Giffard told VCU Athletics. “Our focus has been continuing to grow and develop day-today and week-to-week. If you look at the performance in those terms, you have to be pleased with the growth we have made and the progress with the group. Obviously, the emotion of the game makes those lessons tough to process at this moment, but it has to be our focus as we enter A-10 play.”
The match got off to a slow start as the Zips and Rams tested each other defensively. In the eighth minute, Akron forward David Egbo collided with Sequeira as the Rams’ keeper tried to make the save. The foul was charged to the Zips and both players returned to the match.
Sophomore forward Jared Greene put the Rams on top early as he controlled a long midfield pass from sophomore midfielder Simon Fitch to place the ball past the Akron goalkeeper as he came out to cut the angle in the 27th minute. The tally marks Greene’s fourth goal of the season and third in two games.
Akron tied the game in the 40th minute as Marco Milanese scored off a corner kick from Colin Biros.
The Rams answered quickly as junior midfielder Travis Cooke scored from a shot on the edge of the 18-yard box to the bottom right of the goal in the 41st minute. Cooke’s goal was the first of his career with the Rams.
VCU had three shots in the first half, two of which were on goal. Akron had eight shots with two on goal.
During the halftime break, the game entered a lightning delay that lasted one hour and 34 minutes.
Akron came out of the long break firing as Egbo rocketed a free kick off the crossbar from just outside the 18-yard box.
The Zips had two yellow cards within the 57th minute, received by Milanese and Egbo.
Akron’s Diogo Pacheco had a memorable 68th minute as he recorded two goals within ten seconds of one another. The first goal came off a corner kick and the second came as Pacheco took advantage of a bad pass by the Rams.
Redshirt-senior Peter Pearson found the back of the net in the 89th minute as he shot off a deflection from a Haji free kick to tie the match at three apiece. The goal is Pearson’s first for the Rams in his second season wearing the Black and Gold, as he transferred from the University of Virginia, where he was a three-year letter winner.
Pacheco scored the game-winning goal in the 94th minute of the match to complete a hat trick. He only took three shots in the contest — all of which found the back of the net.
Akron had the advantage in corner kicks, 11-3, including eight in the first half. The Zips used two of those opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net, which decided the match
Sequeira had two saves of the six shots on goal faced from the Zips.
The Rams return home to go up against the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. followed by another home game against Duquesne University Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
and topped Dayton 3-1, only giving up one set in the two conference games.
The Rams improved to 9-7 with the victory over Dayton Sept. 30, sweeping the final three sets after the Flyers took the first. VCU snapped the Flyers’ streak of 34 consecutive home wins against league opponents, with junior middle blocker Jasmin Sneed tallying 13 kills, seven blocks and a service ace. Sneed hit .476 in the match.
Junior opposite Gina Tuzzolo and senior outside hitter Julia Adler contributed double-digit kills and at least three blocks each as the team’s offense hit .210 overall. Junior setters Dajah Ard and Tyler Sroufe combined for 40 assists. Sroufe also racked up 11 digs, as did freshman libero Alyna Draper.
St. Louis University Billikens — over the weekend, winning both away matches in
and
raising its Atlantic-10
to 20 straight matches. The Black and Gold shut out the Billikens 3-0
The Rams out-blocked Dayton and served nine aces while Tuzzolo sent VCU on a 7-0 run in the third set, willing the Black and Gold to a win in that set. Tuzzolo also set the Rams up for the clinching victory in the fourth match, adding a kill and a block during a 4-0 run.
The win marked the Rams’ 20th straight victory against A-10 opponents.
Friday’s match against St. Louis resulted in a shutout in favor of the Rams. Junior outside hitter Vicky Giommarini hit .227 and tallied eight kills, eight digs and four aces.
Five Black and Gold roster members — including Sneed, Adler, Giommarini, Tuzzolo and sophomore outside hitter Paula Neciporuka — recorded at least five kills. Tuzzolo knocked down four kills and swatted two blocks to go along with three aces.
Sneed entered Friday night ranked seventh in the country in blocks per set, adding six blocks and five kills. Neciporuka hit .333 and tallied seven kills.
VCU outhit the Billikens .263 to .121, with the Rams airing out 11 aces.
The Black and Gold will take on the Davidson College Wildcats in an away match on Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. The Rams will then get a six-day break until they begin a two-game homestand against George Mason University and George Washington University the following weekend.
Former scribe for The Commonwealth Times Gabe Hauari, now a VCU alumnus, has been making major professional strides since his 2017 graduation.
A sports writer for the publication until December of last year, Hauari reflected on covering the NCAA basketball tournament in 2016 and 2017, which he considers one of his favorite memories from his time at the paper.
“It was a really good experience and I learned a lot,” Hauari said.
However, Hauari — along with several other members of VCU’s sports media — were put through the wringer in 2017 during that same tournament.
After VCU’s first-round tournament loss to St. Mary’s College of California, Hauari and others from the CT and WVCW Radio decided to head home early — but they were sorted onto different flights and wound up spending six hours at John F.Kennedy International Airport. While they eventually made their way home via a flight to Washington, D.C. and a subsequent early-morning Uber ride, Hauari did not have fond memories of that experience.
“It was definitely memorable, but not exactly in a good way,” Hauari said. “Not the Commonwealth Times’ fault, it was kind of all on us.”
After his departure from VCU, Hauari traveled to Louisville, Kentucky to intern at
the Courier-Journal. He trained as a digital producer, learning about search engine optimization — also known as SEO — and how to optimize information for social media and the web.
Hauari also covered major sporting events during his three-month tenure in the Bluegrass State.
“I covered the Kentucky Derby and a PGA Tour event they had in a nearby town,” Hauari said. “[I also] covered recruit-
Contributing Writer
VCU Golf traveled to Malvern, Pennsylvania to compete in the Wildcat Fall Invitational Sept. 28-30. The event was hosted by Villanova University, with other competing schools including Seton Hall University, Georgetown University, St. John’s University, Appalachian State University and the University of Delaware.
The Invitational consisted of three rounds — round 1 on the 28th, round two the 29th, followed by round 3 on the 30th.
VCU placed fourth out of seven teams with a total score of 875, +23 to par. Appalachian State won the invitational with a score of 773, +9 to par followed by Delaware in second with a score of 780, +12 to par.
Junior Alston Newsom from Chesapeake, Virginia had a solid outing in the first round. Newsom had five birdies on holes 5 and 8 on the front end and 10, 11 and 16 on the back end. Sachin Kumar had an eagle on 17, also in the first round. The Rams had a total score of 299 in round one.
In the second round, Newsom, along with freshmen Adrian Vagberg and Clifford Foster, all had four birdies. Vagberg, from Sollentuna, Sweden, had birdies on 5 and 9 on the front end and 17 and 18 on
the back end. Newsom’s birdies came on 7 and 8 on the front end and 17 and 18 on the back end.
Ian Peng, a freshman from Chang Hua, Taiwan, had three birdies in round 2. Foster had a birdie on 3 on the front end and on 10, 11 and 17 on the back end. VCU had a total score of 287 in round 2.
ing, media days, and now I’m working parttime at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.”
Richmond Times-Dispatch sports editor Michael Phillips reached out to Hauari prior to his internship at the Courier-Journal, but Hauari fulfilled that commitment before returning to the offer from Phillips.
Hauari is currently a part-time sports producer at the newspaper, where he started the week after returning from Louisville in August.
“It’s been kind of a whirlwind summer-fall, but it’s been worth it,” Hauari said.
While at the Richmond publication, Hauari has had the ability to cover the Washington Redskins and college football. Now, he has his sights set on more opportunities. He covered the Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour women’s bowling championship in late September at Richmond Raceway. He has applied to be the University of Virginia beat writer at The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, having been a fan of Cavalier athletics since a young age.
“I’m hoping that pans out because I can’t think of a job I’d want more than that one,” Hauari said.
He has also been in talks with Gannett, the media company that owns USA Today. The Courier-Journal is a USA Today paper, and Hauari’s boss — who worked in Wisconsin for 12 years — informed Hauari that a job covering the Green Bay Packers may be in his future.
“I also applied for a producer role in Wisconsin, as well,” Hauari said. “I’m just applying, throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks.”
Despite the whirlwind of applications, positions and locations that have surrounded Hauari the past several months, he stays focused on his passion for writing and love for sports.
“I’m trying to keep myself busy and trying to stay writing,” Hauari said.
Newsom, Kumar and Peng all had four birdies in round 3. Both Kumar and Peng had a very nice stretch from holes 6 through 8 on the front end, getting a birdie in each one. Virginia Beach freshman Cam Barackman also had birdies in rounds 7 and 8. The Rams had a total score of 289 in round three.
The Black and Gold will compete in the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate in Jonesborough, Tennessee Oct. 12-14. They will go up against Pennsylvania State University, the University of Tennessee and Coastal Carolina University, among others.
On this day
Contributing Writer
Hosted by tattoo artists Jesse Smith and Kenny Brown, the 26th annual Richmond Tattoo & Arts Festival rounded up artists and vendors from all over the world Sept. 28-30 — as well as some local favorites — for three days of entertainment, competition and a charity auction.
The convention also gave attendees the opportunity to get acquainted with local artists.
Smith — who tattoos at Loose Screw Tattoo in Carytown — has been practicing since 1998. He competed on the tattoo competition show “Ink Master” and runs the Richmond Tattoo & Arts Festival every year.
Smith attended VCU after serving in the army. While he was always interested in art, he wasn’t sure what career path he wanted to follow. He pursued tattooing after meeting gifted caricaturist Biff Marshall while working as a caricature artist himself at Busch Gardens.
“Tattooing came to me,” Smith said. “Everything always comes to me. I just put out positive energy and it comes to me. I just push really hard in all directions and eventually things start coming to me.”
As Richmond’s tattoo scene continues to grow, Smith’s passion for tattooing has allowed him to make a name for himself.
Chris Jenkins works alongside Smith at Loose Screw Tattoo and has attended the festival since Smith and Brown took it over three years ago.
Before becoming a tattoo artist, Jenkins
was a high school physical education teacher. He started as a client at Smith’s shop and has since grown into a flourishing “new school” tattoo artist.
Originating in the 1970s, new school tattoos feature vivid colors and large outlines.
“When I was first getting into tattooing, Loose Screw [Tattoo] was the epitome of new school tattooing for me,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins has been invited to international festivals and hopes to keep growing in the industry.
Duffy Fortner, a tattoo artist from Prince Frederick, Maryland, was one of the most successful artists to come from the tattoo competition show “Ink Master.” She has regularly attended the Richmond event since 2006.
“Conventions are nice because it’s a change of pace and it puts you with so many other artists that you don’t really have the op-
portunity to be with otherwise,” Fortner said.
Growing up around a tattoo shop owned by her family, Fortner followed in her mother’s footsteps and started tattooing at age 16.
10 years. He has attended between 15 and 20 conventions in his career and enjoys the fast-paced environment of the Richmond festival.
Canter’s style stands out in the Richmond community because of his focus on photorealism.
“I like the Richmond scene because I stick out like a sore thumb,” he said. “For the people who aren’t looking for traditional stuff, I get to swoop in. For ten years now, it’s been really good to me so I’ve stayed in Richmond.”
The festival didn’t only feature tattoo artists — local flash artist Jared Gaines exhibited his work at the event. Gaines has recently turned to flash art to commemorate some of the most iconic punk and hardcore bands such as Descendents, Social Distortion and Misfits. Fans of his work turn his drawings into tattoos, and his collection has expanded to include prints, t-shirts and pins for those who share his musical interests.
For future tattoo festivals, Smith said he and his team have several exciting, fresh plans — but they aren’t plausible without funding. In order to facilitate some of these projects, Smith started a nonprofit called Giving Arts Foundation. The festival also hosts a live charity auction to raise funds for ART 180, a local nonprofit that creates and provides art-related programs for young people living in troubling situations.
Mitchell Canter, an artist at Heroes and Ghosts Tattoo, has been tattooing for
More information on the Richmond Tattoo & Arts Festival can be found at rvatattooarts.com.
ANDREW RINGLE
Contributing Writer
As the sun beamed down onto the streets of Shockoe Bottom, volunteers carefully placed small bowls of water on the sidewalks with the most tree coverage. Others equipped themselves with pooper-scoopers and plenty of small plastic trash bags. They were preparing for the thousands of families and friends who later streamed into the area, led by their eager four-legged companions.
The Enrichmond Foundation and 17th Street Farmers Market hosted the Inaugural Richmond Dog Festival Sept. 29. More than 35 vendors attended, offering goods for owners and pets alike, ranging from frozen lemonades to handmade dog treats.
“This is a festival for dog owners, dog lovers and dogs themselves,” said Enrichmond Event Manager Liza Newell.
Although the festival is new to the city, about 1,000 guests could be seen strolling through at any time on Saturday. While many were accompanied by dogs, others, like VCU student Kristin Metzger, were there with friends to simply enjoy the atmosphere.
“Sometimes dogs would come up to us and other times I would see a cutie across the street and go out of my way to engage with their owner,” Metzger said. “I really
think interacting with these dogs for just a few minutes helped with mindfulness. I didn’t end up spending any money, and I just felt very calm when we left.”
The festival kicked off on the event stage at 12:30 p.m. with a training seminar led by 2SpeakDog, a local company specializing in classes for dogs of all ages. Kasey Herrera, a certified trainer and owner of 2SpeakDog, led the presentation.
“It’s really important to be your dog’s advocate,” Herrera said. “Events like this are great because it gives dogs a chance to socialize, which is crucial for development.”
Herrera trained the audience on how to introduce their dogs to others and how to maintain a relaxed and respectful relationship at home and elsewhere.
An hour later, the Richmond Police Department K-9 Unit gave a demonstration
on the event stage. Police dogs showed off their ability to sniff out a small amount of marijuana which was purposely hidden by officers in a volunteer’s pocket. Then, an officer dressed in protective gear pretended to flee, showing how the dogs are trained to attack.
Richmond-based blues group Andrew Alli and The Mainline performed at 2 p.m. The music added to an already lively atmosphere, while guests found seats on hay bales in front of the stage or perused the wide selection of food trucks in the nearby parking lot.
After the performance, Holiday Barn Pet Resorts gave a demonstration on training techniques. The presenters taught guests how to properly walk a dog, including tips on holding the leash and keeping dogs at the walker’s side.
To wrap up, the event stage was taken over by the Doggie Fashion Show, presented by FETCH a Cure. The Richmond nonprofit filled the stage with costumed dogs, some of which were seeking a new home. Guests had the opportunity to adopt from FETCH a Cure, along with Richmond Animal Care and Control, Richmond SPCA and Richmond Animal League.
Those interested in future events from The Enrichmond Foundation can find more information at enrichmond.org.
Conventions are nice because it’s a change of pace and it puts you with so many other artists that you don’t really have the opportunity to be with otherwise.”Duffy Fortner, tattoo artist, Red Octopus Tattoos
Spectrum Editor
Orlando-based band SALES made their way from the Sunshine State to a gloomy, rainy Richmond Sept. 27 for the ninth show of their U.S. tour. Released in July, their newest album — titled “forever & ever” — includes 10 guitar-based pop songs about love, loss and longing.
Performing at Strange Matter, the show opened with Abby Huston, a local singer, songwriter and VCU student. She performed tracks from her album “Rich,” ending her set with a slow, sensual cover of Jorja Smith’s “On My Mind.” Huston’s soothing, dreamy voice was an appropriate precursor to SALES.
Sporting a T-shirt, shorts and a baseball cap, lead singer and guitarist Lauren Morgan took to the stage with guitarist Jordan Shih and touring drummer Malcolm Martin. The three dove into the new album and
sprinkled in some old fan favorites.
Every time SALES began playing the first notes of a song, the crowd erupted. The majority of the audience could tell what song the band was about to perform within five seconds of one song ending and another beginning.
An independent band, SALES self-releases all their music — they released their first single, “renee” in 2013, followed by another song that they did not release until Jan. 31, 2014, appropriately titled “chinese new year.” Typically, fans come across SALES randomly in some obscure way. New music from the band is always highly anticipated.
Before playing “renee,” Shih thanked the audience for supporting the band’s music. He introduced the song as “the reason we’re all here,” which for longtime fans made the song even more special to hear live.
Morgan entertained the crowd with goofy dance moves, frequently turning her back to
the crowd and swaying back and forth in a very ironic — and obviously sarcastic — “sexy” way. She drew cheers from the audience every time she moved away from her microphone stand and began dancing.
Mosh pits ensued after the band adjusted some of their songs to be more fast-paced than the originals. Morgan also frequently delivered some of the lyrics in more of a yelling-and-singing style, which isn’t how they appear on the tracks. She emphasized certain lyrics and the crowd sang along, joining Morgan in delivering more powerfully.
SALES put on a show that was worth the years-long wait many fans endured. They played every truly important track and tailored the show to fit what the crowd wanted — a chance to sing and sway, and then mosh.
SALES has five more shows left on this tour — all of which are in Florida — ending in their hometown of Orlando.
LANDON ROBERTS
Contributing Writer
When the trailer for “Night School” dropped earlier this year, it looked like Kevin Hart, paired with the hilarious Tiffany Haddish, could make for an entertaining comedy duo. This pairing might have seemed destined for greatness, but the final product presented in “Night School” was an annoying, unbearable test of how many times these actors could make the same joke in different ways.
After losing his job, Hart’s Teddy Walker — a high school dropout — is forced to attend night school, taught by Haddish’s eclectic Carrie, in order to earn his GED diploma. Meanwhile, Teddy has to balance his crumbling engagement and his challenge with learning disorders, such as dyslexia.
“Night School” portrays dyslexia surprisingly well, showing how it affects a person’s learning process while also presenting how one can overcome this disorder. While the sentiment is quite inspiring, it is the only thing the film truly succeeds at.
The rest of the supporting cast of night school attendees is made up of famous comedians, including Rob Riggle and Al Madrigal. These characters are completely dull and rely heavily on stereotypical humor that is borderline offensive and nonsensical.
Madrigal portrays Luis, a Mexican immigrant. And whether it be one-liners about “illegal immigration” or poking fun at his accent and pronunciation of certain words, the film constantly makes jokes at his expense and about immigrants as a whole.
These are not the only jokes that don’t land. The film might be a comedy, but the comical moments are so bland and unoriginal that the humor becomes predictable and boring. The runtime drags on, emphasizing
how lazy and formulaic the story is.
In a nutshell, the humor in “Night School” can be described as a Haddish-Hart improv, made up of unpleasant noises and jokes emphasizing Hart’s height. With similar comedic styles, the pair’s improvised moments become a nonstop repetition of the same jokes over and over again. The repeated jokes lead to a chemistry that feels unnatural and unrealistic, which keeps the story from moving forward due to the film’s heavy reliance on the interactions between Hart and Haddish.
Slapstick riddles this film as well and it can become incredibly ridiculous — at times, it walks the line of being cartoonish. For example, a scene where Hart accidentally blows up his workplace while inside and leaves unscathed plays out like a skit from Looney
Tunes. The creators could have turned these moments into solid punchlines — if they had been aware of them. Instead, they rely on Hart’s high-pitched gibberish.
Most comedies starring Kevin Hart boil down to short jokes and loud, obnoxious humor. Even with this persistent comedic style, I have found some sort of entertainment through his chemistry with other actors, such as Dwayne Johnson in “Central Intelligence” or Ice Cube in the “Ride Along” series.
“Night School” takes all of Hart’s typical joke setups and combines them with Haddish’s similar comedic style, condensing them in the dullest way possible. With the lousy chemistry, monotonous characters and humor that never lands, “Night School” is a genuine drag and not worth anyone’s time.
WED. 10/3
The ICA Sessions Featuring Yeni Nostalji
The Institute for Contemporary Art is partnering with Carlos Chafin of In Your Ear Studios to launch The ICA Sessions, which highlight different musicians. This week, local group Yeni Nostalji will perform a “haunting, intimate, alluring and playful” set that will last roughly for an hour. A happy hour will run from 6-7 p.m. followed by the set from 7:15-8 p.m. Enjoy free snacks and a cash bar at the Ellwood Thompson’s Cafe. Free.
6-8 p.m., ICA (601 W. Broad St.)
FRI. 10/5
One Vote Documentary
“One Vote” is a documentary filmed on Election Day in 2016 that captures the stories of a diverse array of American voters. The ICA will show the documentary and hold a conversation with the film’s director, Christine Woodhouse, after the showing. Attendees will also be able to check their voter registration status or register to vote at the event. Free snacks and a cash bar will be available at the ICA’s Ellwood Thompson’s Cafe after the event.
6-8 p.m. ICA Auditorium (601 W. Broad St.)
FRI. 10/5
College Radio Day — Karaoke in the Compass
Join WVCW radio in celebrating College Radio Day by singing karaoke in the Compass. Sing a song of your choice for a chance to win prizes.
12-1 p.m., VCU Compass
FRI. 10/5
Global Cafe
The Global Education Office invites members of the VCU community to its monthly Global Cafe event. This student-centered program aims to increase awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity at VCU and allows participants to meet and mingle with other students from around the world.
1-2 p.m., West Grace North Residence Hall, room 1030J (830 W. Grace St.)
FRI. 10/5
RVA First Fridays Art Walk
Join numerous local shops, galleries and venues in celebrating the creative cultural of the Richmond community with the monthly First Fridays event. Locations typically start events around 5 p.m. and the walk takes place primarily on Broad Street between Monroe and 7th streets. Some events are also held off Broad street, on Marshall, Grace, Franklin and Leigh streets. For a specific list of places and events, like and follow RVA First Fridays on Facebook.
Times vary, Broad Street
SAT. 10/6
RVA MakerFest
More than 80 makers around Richmond will display their work and teach attendees about their craft. There will be opportunities to participate in activities for both adults and children and purchase work from artists.
12-5 p.m., Science Museum of Virginia (2500 W. Broad St.)
“Sometimes I had too many beers. I liked beer. I still like beer. But I never drank beer to the point of blacking out, and I never sexually assaulted anyone.”
— supreme court nominee, judge brett kavanaugh
CAITLIN BARBIERI Opinions Editor
As a self-proclaimed “foodie town,” Richmond knows its cuisine — Richmonders love their restaurants and restaurant owners love Richmonders, but not all of them.
Restaurant owners all over the city struggle with the dilemma of people experiencing homelessness coming into their businesses. Some just want water or need to use the restroom, but others heckle customers for food or try to use the private restroom as a shower.
Regardless of why they come into a restaurant, it is crucial for business owners to have a policy in place for interacting with all kinds of people in need. This policy needs to lay out clear employee guidelines that respect the humanity of these individuals while also valuing customer and employee experiences.
This is not an easy conversation to have. The issue of people experiencing homelessness coming into restaurants is delicate because it makes people who have homes uncomfortable. Individuals not experiencing homelessness feel uneasy when they sit on a restaurant patio and a panhandler comes by asking for food or money. Similarly, restaurant employees feel uncomfortable when a person experiencing homelessness comes in asking for water and then sits in the foyer drinking the water, continually asking for more.
It is perfectly understandable not wanting people experiencing homelessness in your place of business, but you have to be prepared for when they inevitably come in. If a business is unwilling to offer services to these people in need, it needs to be able to inform those people of where they can go to receive those services.
If they want a glass of water, give them a to-go cup and politely ask them to enjoy water outside the restaurant. If they want to use the bathroom but restrooms are for customers only, be prepared with a piece of paper informing them of where the nearest public restrooms are.
That handout should also have information and directions for local facilities offering resources for people experiencing homelessness.
As a hostess, I understand it is difficult to tell a person experiencing homelessness “no” or to ask them to leave. However, instead of sending them away, give them resources. Even if they already know about those resources, it is important that a restaurant be prepared to help in any way they can.
According to data collected in January 2018 by Homeward — a regional planning and support organization that works to end the city’s homelessness — approximately 600 people are experiencing homelessness in Richmond. These people are part of the Richmond community, just like anyone else.
THey don’t have to be accommodated at the expense of a restaurant’s employee or guest, but they should be respected.
No one wants to end up like the former manager at Mellow Mushroom, who was caught on camera asking a panhandler to leave the restaurant after a customer bought him food. That incident occurred because the manager was frustrated with panhandlers heckling customers. When customers buy food for panhandlers, it causes the panhandlers to continue visiting the restaurant in hopes that someone else will buy them food.
While buying food for someone in need is a respectable and gracious act, it has a negative impact on the business. Once one panhandler starts to frequent a business, more
panhandlers will follow suit very quickly.
This became such a problem at Carytown’s Mellow Mushroom that the manager got frustrated and started asking the homeless to leave. However, she did so in the middle of a hail storm, and that was why she received so much public ridicule.
When a customer buys food for a panhandler, a manager should request the order be made to-go so the panhandler does not think of heckling as a completely successful venture.
This issue is sensitive and it can cause great frustration for business owners and managers. If a business has policies and protocols in place that are respectful they can avoid public ridicule and be a positive part of the community.
in on nostalgia with little respect for the original work.
Spider-Man is a great example of the brand flanderization with not just one, but two movie series spinoffs in the last decade, including “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” These films followed the trend of having gritty, dark-themed superhero movies, contrasting greatly from the original movie’s light-hearted tone.
As David Sims of The Atlantic put it in his review of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” it was “over-stuffed with plot and consequently struggles to invest the audience in any of it, since there’s so much to get through and so many future films and spinoffs to set up.”
cessful franchise was hurt in the long run due to studio intervention for monetary gains. The Spider-Man franchise is on the rise once again, but movie studios aren’t the only media companies trying to cash in on nostalgia through reboots and renewals.
Television networks have also followed this “revival” trend by renewing TV shows with lackluster efforts. As a fan of fantastical shows, “Heroes” was a personal favorite, but many fans agreed that over the course of its four seasons, the show’s quality decreased dramatically. So not only was the 2015 renewal a surprise, it was a disappointment that fans of the original series struggled to get through.
MARLON MCKAYContributing
WriterMany TV networks and movie studios are renewing and reviving old television shows and movies. While plenty of these revivals are popular with new and old fans alike, some of these attempts are nothing more than studios and networks cashing
That was Marvel’s mentality — make a franchise, don’t worry about the story. The studio just wanted to make quick cash off its product. Some plot points — such as the true origins of Peter Parker’s parents — are brought up but overshadowed to the point you might forget about them by time they resurface.
What could have potentially been a suc-
Hal Boedeker of the Orlando Sentinel put it perfectly — “If you loved ‘Heroes,’ this is a stinging disappointment.”
When a series has run its course, it is better to leave it alone rather than try to revive it and cause an uproar.
Even prior to its release, the CW reboot of “Charmed” is generating controversy. It has received backlash from both fans and its original actress, Holly Marie Combs, for lacking any correlation to the original show.
The creators plan to completely change the show’s mythology with entirely new characters and powers — the only conceptual connection to the original will be its focus on the lives of three sister witches. While some of these changes are for the better — such as a more diverse cast — it starts to feel like a completely different show. Other renewals and reboots do have a chance to succeed, like in the case of “Will & Grace,” “Twin Peaks” and “The X-Files” — but they were given delicate care. The success of these shows comes from casting the same actors from the original shows, having the same people behind the scenes working on the creation, and actually having support from both the original and new fans for the show to return. Now those aren’t a guarantee that the project will be a success — sometimes a concept should just be put to rest, and there should be careful consideration before rebooting an old show or movie other than to follow a trend and make money from the nostalgia of it. It should respect the original product and make sure it is not tarnished in the revival process.
THE CT STAFF
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Zach Joachim joachimz@commonwealthtimes.org
MANAGING EDITOR
Georgia Geen geengr@commonwealthtimes.org
NEWS EDITOR
Nia Tariq news@commonwealthtimes.org
SPORTS EDITOR
Jessica Wetzler sports@commonwealthtimes.org
SPECTRUM EDITOR
Katie Bashista spectrum@commonwealthtimes.org
OPINIONS EDITOR
Caitlin Barbieri opinions@commonwealthtimes.org
COPY EDITOR Saffeya Ahmed ahmeds@commonwealthtimes.org
MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR
Erin Edgerton photography@commonwealthtimes.org
ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR
Steck Von illustrations@commonwealthtimes.org
ONLINE EDITOR
Kayleigh Fitzpatrick fitzpatrickk@commonwealthtimes.org
SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR
Fadel Allassan allassanfg@commonwealthtimes.org
STAFF WRITERS
Logan Reardon, News reardonlj@vcu.edu
Adam Cheek, Sports cheekan@vcu.edu
Sam Goodrich, Spectrum goodrichs@commonwealthtimes.org
STAFF COLUMNISTS
Shaun Jackson, Opinions jacksonsk@commonwealthtimes.org
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
Shayla Bailey baileysl4@vcu.edu
STAFF ILLUSTRATORS
Summer McClure mccluresl@vcu.edu
Sammy Newman ymmas97@gmail.com
VCU STUDENT MEDIA CENTER
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Ryan Rich Mai-Phuong Bui
Jeffrey Pohanka
Andy Caress designers@vcustudentmedia.com
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES
Gabbi Bernardo
Dana Cantor advertising@vcustudentmedia.com (804) 828-6629
WEBMASTER
Chrislin Hearn webmaster@vcustudentmedia.com
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Kayleigh Conway distribution@vcustudentmedia.com
DIRECTOR Allison Bennett Dyche abdyche@vcu.edu (804) 827-1975
CREATIVE MEDIA MANAGER
Mark Jeffries mjeffries@vcu.edu
BUSINESS MANAGER
Jacob McFadden mcfaddenjc@vcu.edu
ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER
Andrew Salsbury smc_assistant@vcustudentmedia.com
ABOUT THE CT
The Commonwealth Times is the award-winning independent student newspaper at VCU, since 1969. The CT staff maintains all editorial and operations discretion. There is absolutely no prior review by the public, university or VCU Student Media Center administration or staff. The Executive Editor writes and manages the Operations Budget.
ADD YOUR VOICE
