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Hokies march for their lives

District of Columbia, March 24 – FIGHT FOR CHANGE: Colleen Cassidy listens to a student speaker on stage. “I almost feel like a fraud. When I say a shooting happened here, I feel tied to it even though I wasn’t there. It’s like you didn’t have to go through it, and you still feel responsibility and that’s what being a Hokie is all about at the end of the day,” Cassidy said. Photo: Ricky Lam.

by Ricky Lam–

Two Hokies holding paper signs marched with hundreds of people on Pennsylvania Avenue, demanding a better future for the children of America.

“It was very powerful,” said Chyna Murphy, a sophomore at Virginia Tech. “Just feeling that many people there and looking to your left and seeing people crying and everyone’s so emotional from everything. That was definitely amazing.”

“March for Our Lives” occurred on March 24th, 2018 in the District of Columbia with 800 sibling events throughout the nation and across the world. Two months after the Parkland shootings, the protest was organized by students for more gun control legislation.

“I feel like our generation especially is so desensitized to hearing about massive shootings now because they happen all the time. Seeing someone who’s experienced it and hearing their story just makes you want to take action that much more,” said Colleen Cassidy, a junior at Virginia Tech.

With constant news reports on gun shootings in schools, many people from those afflicted areas showed up, including Hokies like Cassidy and Murphy who traveled four hours up to the nation’s capital. The Virginia Tech representation and student speeches were the highlights of both of their days.

“Just knowing that past Hokies had to go through exactly what the students speakers had to go through was heartbreaking,” Cassidy said. “I saw so many people wearing Virginia Tech clothing that it was like, we all kind of had the same goal here. We all are such a tight-knit community and I think that what happened only brought the Virginia Tech community closer.”

“As a Hokie, I really went out to show my support for stopping gun violence and I kind of felt at home,” Murphy said. “To know that so many people were feeling the same way that I feel about the topic and just being able to hear the speeches of so many people that were 18 and under.”

According to Vox, the rallies gathered at least 1.2 million people across the nation with the D.C. march accumulating anywhere between 200,000 to 800,000 people. USA Today estimates that the march is one of the largest single-day protests in D.C.

Cassidy believes that participating in the march could spark better change and end the number of fatalities across the nation.

“You still have the presence kind of lingering on campus and when you talk about it in classes or you pass the memorial, you just realize that it happened here. You want to take responsibility for what happened and have other Hokies’ backs,” Cassidy said.

Click the image to see the full version of the infographic.

News Feed Special: Paid to Play?

In this special talk show edition of The News Feed, we revisit the topic of whether college athletes should be paid to play.

What’s next for W. Va. teachers?

by Rachel Anderson–

Screen Shot 2018-03-18 at 2.58.30 PM.png — Bluefield, WV – WALKOUT: West Virginia teachers gathered on the side of the road with signs protesting low pay and poor treatment.

Schools were closed for a total of nine days in each of the 55 counties in West Virginia as teachers participated in a statewide walkout. As a result, teachers will receive a 5 percent increase in salary.

Mercer County Teacher Faith Workman said, “It makes me so proud that my state, little ol’ West Virginia, stood for change peacefully and proved that through persistence and unity, positive results are possible.”

The teachers were taking a stand against the state legislature which controls all state workers’ salaries. According to Workman however, it was more than just better pay that they wanted. They wanted to be taken more seriously and teach the classes that they were trained to teach.

According to a New Yorker article by Benjamin Wallace-Wells, a bill had been proposed in WV to actually lower teacher-certification standards in order to fill vacancies in schools. Teachers felt as if this was proof that the legislature didn’t hold public education to a very high standard.

Jameson Jones, a kindergarten teacher in West Virginia, said, “Some teachers are saying they could have demanded more. Even though this raise looks large on paper, some support staff will see less than $50 additional on their paychecks.”

Jones also said that many West Virginia teachers believe that better benefits and higher pay would be more appealing to licensed teachers and correct the teacher shortage issue in the state.

The biggest issue, according to Workman, is the rising cost of insurance premiums. She said she works a summer job and her friends work part-time after school just to make ends meet. This issue is the next big obstacle for the teacher’s unions.

A new Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) task force is about to be introduced to the public education issues in West Virginia. According to Brad McElhinny, in an article on the West Virginia Education Association website, “the end will come months from now… ‘you have to know what it is before you know what you’re fixing'”.

This new task force is aiming to correct healthcare, insurance and economics, but several issues must be taken into account and no matter what changes are made, it will cost money.

“I am very proud of my colleagues. However, we also think there are many other issues that deserve attention,” Jones said.

The West Virginia walkout was potentially the beginning of an even bigger battle for educators in the state, but thanks to the success in West Virginia, other states in the country are following suit. A complete public education revolution could be just around the corner.

Screen Shot 2018-03-18 at 4.27.41 PM — For an interactive infographic experience, click on the image

Motor Mile Speedway changes course, looks to future

29340068_10160169075685494_636313281941733376_o — Fairlawn, Va., March 14 – **Motor Mile Speedway** – The inside wall on the front stretch is emblazoned with the logo of Shelor Motor Mile, whose owner is a part owner of the track. Photo: Ryan Dye

by Ryan Dye–

Motor Mile Speedway in Fairlawn, Va. knew something had to change. With attendance down – a trend that currently plagues more than just the small-town short track racing scene – ownership decided to try something new.

The track announced in November their plans to cut their ties with NASCAR, choosing not to renew their NASCAR sanction for the 2018 season. A NASCAR sanction means the track was on the schedule for a NASCAR sanctioned event. Without renewing the sanction, the track will no longer have weekly points-paying oval races.

“Track ownership made the decision,” said Public Relations Manager JW Martin. “A lot went into it…and it was ultimately decided that the racing aspect of our program was unsustainable moving forward.”

In its place, the track released a seven-event schedule running from April through September consisting of special one-off events. Of those events, the annual monster truck show – which according to Martin sold nearly 7,500 tickets alone last year – will make its return along with two demolition derbies.

While the cost of the sanction itself played a role, the speedway also didn’t want to raise their prices to the fans of the track.

“In a way, the tracks and the race teams, they cannibalize one another (for sponsorship money) or you pass that along to your race fans,” Martin said. “You begin to up-charge them for concessions and tickets, and we did not do that.”

In 2017, the track announced that they would discontinue bracket racing at the drag strip situated just behind the backstretch in favor of more emphasis on the Friday Night Fury drag racing that allows amateurs to race their street vehicles.

A controversial decision at first, Martin noted that attendance actually increased last season, which led to the track choosing to bring back standard bracket racing for the 2018 season.

While Martin doesn’t know if that success will be replaced on the oval track, it was still something ownership had to try.

“The track ownership, their position on it is every year is a new year. They are always revisiting the business model and I think anything is possible for 2019.”

Snow in Blacksburg requires administrative attention

**Blacksburg, Va., March 13 – Snow at Virginia Tech:** The Virginia Tech campus was covered in snow, which resulted in a snow day on March 12. Photo: Lauren Farrar

by Lauren Farrar–

Virginia Tech closed the campus Monday, March 12 due to snow. The university must follow an internal process before canceling classes during situations of inclement weather.

“We look at the current weather forecast, the National Weather Service, the condition of major roadways in the region, the condition of primary roads on campus, the condition of sidewalks and parking lots on campus and around facilities that Virginia Tech uses in Blacksburg that may not be owned by the university but that we use for classes, and the operational status of public transportation such as the Blacksburg Transit,” said Kayla Smith, special assistant to Vice President for Operations Sherwood Wilson.

While March 12 was the first day of the year the university called for a snow day, Blacksburg has seen snow since early December. According to Virginia Tech’s Policy on Authorized Closings, Wilson is responsible for closing all university operations on the Blacksburg campus.

The Blacksburg Transit makes its own operational decisions during inclement weather, but it also considers the university’s decision on whether or not to close the campus.

“(The decision’s) going to completely depend on road conditions, and is it safe for us to operate,” said Fiona Rhodes, communications and customer support specialist for the Blacksburg Transit.

The Transit remained on its normal full-service schedule during the March 12 snow day, even though Virginia Tech canceled classes.

“Our staff is making the decisions for ourselves, and then Virginia Tech is making the decision themselves, and we come back together,” Rhodes said. “So that’s why you saw us continue to operate, and Virginia Tech had a different decision.”

The Virginia Tech Police Shift Commander assists with the process by initiating internal procedures. The Virginia Tech Police Department is also responsible for sending out VT Alerts, which is the university’s emergency notification system during inclement weather.

“Weather advisory: Blacksburg campuses now closed today. All classes and activities canceled,” reads the VT Alert notifying students of the campus’ closure on March 12.

“If it is a potential snow day, (the Virginia Tech Police) are responsible for contacting (Wilson) by a specific time in the morning so that we can start that decision process, and if it’s during the day, then they are supposed to contact him when they receive word that conditions are deteriorating in a way that would potentially affect safety,” Smith said.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Virginia’s average amount of precipitation in February 2018 was 4.27 inches, an increase from February 2017’s average of 0.86 inches. Snow remains on the March forecast in Blacksburg.

Culture Show continues 30 years of tradition

IMG_2880 (2) — BLACKSBURG, Va., March 14 – The acting cast, who also wrote the script for Culture Show, have a final rehearsal before full dress rehearsals. Photo: Kat Schneider

by Kat Schneider–

Students who belong to the Filipino American Student Association, or FASA, come together to put on a show that has been running longer than any of the current members have been alive.

“We have a story to tell – a story to tell about where we come from and a story that gives us great pride to be here on campus,” said AJ Campanilla, a senior BIT major who both directed and performed in this year’s Culture Show.

FASA and Virginia Tech alumna Kimberly Cenzon describes the annual event as a showcase of the Filipino culture through traditional dances, songs, a fashion show that incorporates traditional Filipino clothing and a script that encompasses a different theme each year. According to the event’s official Facebook page, “The 30th Annual Culture Show: Isang Kapamilya, Isang Pag-ibig: One Family, One Love” highlights the true meaning of friendship, family and love throughout the production. The theme is shown in different scenes interwoven with the performances to form a play.

Thirty years ago, the show came from humble beginnings. Cenzon explains that it started as a small showcase that included a couple of dances. The show was held in a much smaller room on campus rather than the Burruss Hall auditorium where it has been the past decade or so.

“Just looking back at the past shows, the whole Culture Show culture itself has changed to be more light-hearted and comedic than serious and simply showcasing the culture through dance,” said Campanilla. He believes that it is this change that has enabled the show to continue on for thirty years, something not many cultural groups can say they have done.

The growth of the performance mirrors the growth of the club itself. Just in the past four years, participation in Culture Show has increased from about 80 students to over 110 students. Members of FASA can be performers in the various acts or work behind the scenes on committees such as Costuming, Technical and Stage Design.

“I think Culture Show continues on the same way the Filipino culture does – it gets passed down and eventually becomes tradition,” said Campanilla.

According to its official website, FASA at Virginia Tech was founded in 1988 to develop relationships between Filipinos on campus with other students, faculty and staff through cultural, educational and social activities. While most of the members are Filipino, the club welcomes members from all races and backgrounds. The only requirement is a willingness to explore the Filipino culture and its people.

“At the end of the day, it comes down to the passion and love for the organization and for our culture that keeps the show continuing every year,” said Cenzon.

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 14 – Piled Up: It takes bolts of various fabrics to make and repair costumes for the show. Most costumes are reused from previous culture shows. Photo: Kat Schneider

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 14 – Fancy Footwork: The most challenging dance performed is the national dance of the Philippines: Tinikling. The dance involves participants jumping over and under bamboo sticks as well as in between as they are opened and closed to the beat. Photo: Kat Schneider

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 14 – Sing Out: FASA’s own acapella group performs at Culture Show, singing songs in both English and Tagalog. Photo: Kat Schneider

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 14 – Authentic Costumes: The freshmen in FASA are responsible for performing the traditional dance of the native Igorot people. Costumes are meant to be as accurate as possible while being inexpensive to make. Photo: Kat Schneider

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 14 – All Hands On Deck: Because Culture Show is entirely student-run, many students work behind the scenes as well as perform on stage. Photo: Kat Schneider

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 14 – Modern Culture: The show also features modern dancing to demonstrate Filipino dancing of today. Photo: Kat Schneider

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 14 – Sketch It: People of all talents can participate in Culture Show. Artists draw the backdrops for the scenes. Photo: Kat Schneider

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 14 – Final Prep: AJ Campanilla teaches the curtain call dance at the final rehearsal, which lasted five hours. Photo: Kat Schneider

BLACKSBURG, Va., March 17 – Showtime!: FASA members perform the folk dance Pasikat na Baso with glasses for the final performance in Burruss Hall. Photo: Kat Schneider

Digital News Delivery: App tournament challenge

: Photo credit: GoonSquadSarah on Foter.com / CC BY-ND

by Jake Thompson, Regan Magarity–

The second week in March signifies the unofficial start of a month-long college basketball holiday known as “March Madness.” Beginning with Selection Sunday, sports fans from across the globe will spend days crunching numbers, studying analytics, and performing nonsensical acts in order to construct the perfect bracket.

In years past, fans were forced to print countless paper copies of their masterpiece which not only hurt the environment, but also became a mess when the bracket was inevitably busted.

ESPN, often regarded as the worldwide leader in sports, intervened with a user-friendly online interface called ESPN Tournament Challenge. The challenge can be accessed online via ESPN.com or can be downloaded for free on the App Store.

ESPN TC allows fans to build more than 20 different brackets, create and join groups with friends and celebrities, and offers luxury programs such as winning a free car to those who reign supreme and pick the perfect bracket.

ESPN offers fans data from each team’s season to date and how teams compare before an impending match up. Stats range from points per game and rebounds to conference record and Rating Power Index.

In this week’s vodcast, we take a look at the ESPN Tournament Challenge and how you can take advantage of its features to create the perfect March Madness bracket.

“Red Sparrow”: Disturbing, disorganized and disappointing

Blog post image — **San Diego, C.a., July 9, 2015 – Comic Con:** Jennifer Lawrence stars as Dominika Egorova in “Red Sparrow.” Source: Wikimedia Commons.

by Cody Davis—

In the wake of the Mueller investigation and the #MeToo movement, a film about Russian intelligence operatives using their seduction skills to extract information from American targets had the potential to be an iconic production. However, the film adaptation of Jason Matthews’ novel of the same name produces too many creepy, cringe-worthy scenes to achieve such acclaim.

“Red Sparrow” follows ballerina Dominika Egorova (played by Jennifer Lawrence) after being forced into Russia intelligence’s “Sparrow” program, a group of operatives who manipulate their targets through seduction. Acting as a Sparrow in order to protect her mother, she quickly finds herself in the middle of an intelligence war between the United States and Russia, with little chance of surviving the operation. Egorova must choose her loyalties in order to save her mother’s life, if it’s not already too late.

In a botched attempt to recreate an acclaimed novel into an acclaimed film, Francis Lawrence and his team deliver an unnecessarily lengthy movie filled with over-the-top violence and sex. What could have been a huge influence in the #MeToo movement, the film’s reliance on such graphic, disturbing scenes leaves audiences little reason to believe “Red Sparrow” has a positive impact in the national discussion around sexual assault. In fact, it’s safe to say that “Red Sparrow” completely missed the mark on this subject.

The film’s intriguing storyline and impressive cinematography are overshadowed by its ambiguous introduction and controversial content. While the sexual and violent themes are no doubt central pieces to the story, these themes more or less dictate the entire movie, conveying the writing team’s apparent laziness. Opting to dial back on the sex and violence in favor of richer dialogue would have made for a much better movie-going experience.

Jennifer Lawrence is the film’s saving grace, delivering an excellent performance that carries the entire picture. Her accent, demeanor, appearance and mannerisms give an authentic interpretation of Matthews’ character, and prove she has matured from her cardboard-acting days of the “Hunger Games” franchise.

Anthony Lane of The New Yorker examines the production perfectly, calling its delivery “world-class clunkiness” and bringing attention to the director’s misuse of an excellent cast. It is disappointing to see a film with great potential turn out to be such a huge disappointment.

The near impossible: Finding a parking spot at Virginia Tech

by Samantha Smith, Ian Andrews–

Photo by *Pasha* on Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Whether you are a Virginia Tech student, faculty member, or staff, finding a spot on campus can turn out to be one of the most challenging tasks of the day.

Some attribute this to the high number of faculty/staff parking spots versus the low number of spots attributed to students, while others say that it is due to Virginia Tech Parking and Transportation issuing too many parking permits.

According to the commuters we spoke with outside of the Squires Student Center, while the causes of this parking problem differ, the solution is simple – build another parking garage.

According to the Master Plan released by Virginia Tech in 2017, the university hopes to remove the Squires parking lot and the Duck Pond parking lot and add vertical parking solutions, such as parking garages.

Student manages new cafe in downtown Blacksburg

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 26 – A NEW BUSINESS: Foamo opened its doors on February 17 with many customers lining up from the cash register to out the doors in order to try the items offered. Photo: Ricky Lam.

by Ricky Lam–

A new business has surfaced in downtown Blacksburg run completely by an undergraduate student and his brother.

“I was on my way back home and as I’m passing by the Blacksburg roundabout, I see a ‘for rent’ sign. I checked out the place, called my mother and had a serious conversation about potentially opening up a business here. I spent the entire first semester of junior year coming up with a business plan on what I wanted to do,” said Youssef Rhanime.

Rhanime, an undergraduate student at Virginia Tech, is the co-owner of Foamo, a cafe that serves coffee, crepes and rolled ice cream. While some may think Rhanime is young to run a business, according to a Forbes article, the best age to start a business depends on the maturity of the industry as well as the stage of one’s maturity. As both a student and business owner, Rhanime spends his time constantly switching between two worlds.

“It’s been tough because obviously double majoring and trying to build a business from scratch means you have no time for other things. But my family is super supportive and my friends are the best so they’ve eased the process,” Rhanime said. “I definitely have a hard time showing up to class, but I do well enough that I can show up for the exams and still do well at the end of the semester.”

Along with Rhanime, his older brother moved from Orlando to Blacksburg in order to help him construct and run the business. Rhanime’s wife, Hafsa Malik Rhanime, also helped develop the marketing plan and branding for the business.

“How I found out was a surprise. He randomly called me because he wanted to show me something one night. It was pretty late and I remember pulling into the parking lot with my best friend and Youssef like, ‘Where are we going? Mill Mountain is closed,’” Malik Rhanime said. “That’s when he walked us into the empty, destructed space — where Foamo would soon be constructed, and shared his whole vision: floor plans everywhere with lots of questions, excitement and surprise. That’s when all the remarks he made in the past about starting a business clicked in my head.”

While Foamo might seem like a regular cafe, Rhanime hopes the business supports his endeavors in giving back to the community. Eventually, Rhanime wants to donate a percentage of his profits to aiding the Roanoke Refugee Partnership. According to a Roanoke Times article, over 800 refugees have been accepted into Roanoke since 2011 where 21 are Syrian.

“I love Blacksburg and I have a passion for service so the goal is to work for the community and those in need to make sure I’m doing everything I can to share the wealth,” Rhanime said. “A huge part of me not wanting a nine-to-five [job] is so that I have the time to work with impoverished populations without the worry of not being financially secure.”

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 26 – CREPE IN STYLE: A worker prepares a crepe. While Turner’s place offers crepes, Youssef Rhanime hopes that his focus on quality brings in more customers. Photo: Ricky Lam.

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 26 – PREPARE THE BATTER: A worker prepares to make rolled ice cream for a customer. Originating from Thailand, the desert consists of a heavy cream, milk, salt and sugar batter. Photo: Ricky Lam.

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 26 – STUDY AESTHETIC: A group of friends are drinking coffee and eating crepes. With free wifi access, Foamo offers a new spot to do work in the Blacksburg area. Photo: Ricky Lam.

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 26 – INDUSTRIAL INFLUENCED: Jason Ratliff’s artwork hangs on the walls at the cafe. An industrial aesthetic was implemented because Youssef Rhanime wanted an interior unlike any other business in Blacksburg. Photo: Ricky Lam.

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 26 – FROZEN: Youssef Rhanime teaches a worker how to properly make rolled ice cream. The below freezing pan flattens and solidifies the batter, creating the same texture as regular ice cream. Photo: Ricky Lam.

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 26 – CORE INGREDIENTS: Foamo offers a plethora of rolled ice cream toppings. These ingredients are chopped into the batter, blended together and placed onto a below freezing metal pan. Photo: Ricky Lam.

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 26 – ROLL THEM UP: A worker finishes the rolled ice cream process. Using metal spatulas, the ice cream is scrapped off vertically to form a rolled look. Photo: Ricky Lam.

Blacksburg, Va., Feb. 26 – STIR-FRIED: Foamo offers a variety of different ice cream flavors, including fruity pebbles. Youssef Rhanime hopes that the rolled ice cream trend brings in more customers due to its visible hands-on process and visual presentation. Photo: Ricky Lam.