The Commonwealth Times; January 21, 2025

MADAM GOVERNOR

TAKES OFFICE

Spanberger sprints to remake college boards, curb ICE cooperation, address affordability

HECIEL NIEVES BONILLA News Editor

ANDREW KERLEY Executive Editor

Abigail Spanberger was sworn-in Saturday afternoon as the first female governor in Virginia’s over 400-year-old history during a rainy inauguration ceremony in Richmond.

The inauguration saw thousands of Virginians crowd downtown Capitol Square and was bookended by Spanberger signing 10 executive orders to address affordability issues, revamp university boards of visitors and rescind Immigration and Customs Enforcement cooperation established under former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, among other issues.

Joining Spanberger, newly sworn-in Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi is the first Muslim and Asian American to hold statewide office anywhere in the U.S., and Attorney General Jay Jones is the first Black Virginian to hold his position.

Rams and Squirrels part ways?

VCU is not clear on playing at

JENNY ALLEN Staff Writer

The Richmond Flying Squirrels released a statement on Jan. 9 saying negotiations with VCU over the use of the new CarMax Park have ended.

VCU and the Flying Squirrels minor-league baseball team have shared The Diamond baseball stadium since 2010, claiming its ground as a Richmond landmark.

The Diamond has housed VCU since 1985, with its first game being a 16-9 win over Virginia Tech. It was also the home stadium for the Richmond Braves until 2008, and most recently the Richmond Flying Squirrels until 2025.

The Diamond is operated by the Richmond Metropolitan Authority and leased by VCU. It has provided VCU players one of the best home-field advantages in all of college baseball.

VCU baseball has compiled an impressive 439-198-1 record at The Diamond, a winning percentage of nearly 70% since the 1998 season.

The Rams set a school record with 22 straight home victories spanning the end of the 2000 season through the

“I stand before those who made it possible for women to also participate in that peaceful transfer of power and take that oath,” Spanberger said during her inaugural speech. “It is with a profound sense of duty to all Virginians that I assume the governorship, and pledge myself to work tirelessly on behalf of our Commonwealth."

Executive orders on affordability, university boards, immigration and more

Spanberger’s first order of business as the 75th governor of Virginia was to order her secretaries and all executive branch agencies to submit reports within 90 days identifying immediate, actionable budgetary, regulatory or policy changes that would reduce costs for Virginians. The order specifically named housing, healthcare, energy, education, childcare and everyday living expenses like [...]

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CarMax Park

start of the 2001 campaign, according to VCU Athletics.

CarMax Park was announced to replace the aging Diamond in September 2024. The project was set with verbal agreements during construction, but VCU had not signed a final contract stipulating terms.

This comes as the Rams continue negotiations over how much they would have to pay to use CarMax Park. The majority of CarMax Park sits on property

owned by the city, however a portion of the land currently holds the VCU-owned Sports Backers stadium. The negotiation also included how much VCU would sell Sports Backers Stadium for.

Members from all three parties — the city, VCU and the Squirrels — signed a memo of understanding to finalize the terms in October.

Bringing 2006 into 2026

Where can you find a neon green Furby dragon, a cheetah print high heel-shaped chair and a Leon Kennedy cardboard cutout in the same place? If you answered Hiss Off — you would be surprisingly right.

Stories of the week

national: The Department of Justice has said it will not investigate the shooting death of Renee Good at the hands of ICE officer Jonathan Ross, which has sparked outrage and national attention on other ICE shootings since last January.

international: French President Emmanuel Macron has warned of a “world without rules” in response to U.S. intentions to “own” Greenland and increasing use of force by great powers, according to BBC.

VCU quietly axes furniture design

program amid consolidation

housed in the DePillars Building — into one Department of Fine Arts.

BRYER HAYWOOD

Contributing Writer

VCUarts has paused accepting students for its furniture design graduate program for the 2026-27 school year, and did not renew the contract for the only full-time woodworking professor in the fine arts program.

The decisions, which come amid the implementation of VCU’s academic repositioning initiative, have sparked concerns from students and faculty about the disappearance of niche, hands-on fields of study.

The VCU Board of Visitors voted last March to combine the Department of Craft and Material studies, Department of Painting and Printmaking and Department of Sculpture and Extended Media — all

“The proposed organizational change will not alter or change any existing degree programs in the School of the Arts,” a brief of the passed resolution read. “No changes will be made to the other departments in the school as a result of the reorganization of the three existing departments to establish one department.”

The resolution also stated faculty would see “limited change” as a result of the realignment.

Annie Evelyn, the sole professor teaching the department’s furniture design graduate program and head of the wood program, was told at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year her contract would not be renewed. She noted that university administration was not very communicative with her about the future of the program afterwards.

groceries as areas to tackle — in theme with Spanberger’s speech and the campaign she ran for governor.

Four of Spanberger’s orders directed her administration, state agencies or new task forces to create plans that would strengthen health care infrastructure, streamline housing construction and respond to federal workforce layoffs under the Trump administration by protecting programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program NAP and Medicaid.

Another order sought to improve literacy and mathematics scores for K-12 students. It directed state leaders to support local school divisions through clear guidance, actionable data, technical assistance and policies that promote accessibility, prevent discrimination, close opportunity gaps and support student well-being.

Spanberger’s order, with perhaps the highest chance to impact VCU, directed the Virginia Department of Education to review and evaluate the process for appointing members to boards of visitors — the highest governing bodies at public universities in Virginia.

Throughout 2025, Virginia Democrats heavily scrutinized the boards of visitors at George Mason University, Virginia Military Institute and the University of Virginia for failing to protect their schools from President Donald Trump’s threats to university leaders and crackdowns on diversity initiatives.

Hours after the inauguration festivities, Spanberger appointed large swaths of new members to the boards of GMU, VMI and UVA — flipping control of the schools on day one of her administration.

A member of Spanberger’s transition team previously indicated VCU or other schools are unlikely to receive the same treatment.

The order requires a report with recommendations to the governor on potential legislative or policy changes to terms, reappointments, start dates and the evaluation process for appointees.

Spanberger signed two orders giving executive authority to the governor’s chief of staff — for her, Bonnie KrenzSchnurman — when they are unreachable, unattainable or incapacitated. One allows for the declaration of a state of emergency and the summoning of

“Defunding the wood program not only affects the program, but the entire field of craft and material studies — it’s shortsighted,” Evelyn said.

Evelyn said the university should have worked with her and other faculty members to try to keep the program.

“VCU has such a long, rich history in the arts and crafts and it feels like this administration doesn’t care about that,” Evelyn said.

Kristin Caskey, acting chair of Craft and Material Studies, said undergraduate programs would not be affected by the pause on the furniture design graduate program.

“Under the department are five subject areas: Metals, Clay, Glass, Wood and Fibers. Each of these areas offer courses which students can elect to take, and all these areas will continue to be taught to our undergrads by full time and part time faculty,” Caskey stated.

At the same time, there is not a full time faculty member in line to replace Evelyn, according to Caskey.

“The fall courses are just being organized,” Caskey stated. “In all the arts programs at VCUarts we hire excellent designers, makers and artisans as adjuncts.”

VCUarts dean Carmenita Higginbotham and interim provost Arturo Saavedra did not respond by the date of publication to a request by The CT, asking to clarify if there would be a full time

faculty member to replace Evelyn, and if there are plans to bring back the furniture design graduate program in the 2027-28 school year.

The Board of Visitors voted in March to combine the Department of Theatre and the Department of Dance and Choreography into a Department of Theatre and Dance.

Justin Cockrell, a fifth-year craft and material studies student focusing on fiber and wood, spoke to the importance of the program.

“VCU craft, as it stands, is one of the only craft programs left in the country. It’s the last bastion of craft in the academy,” Cockrell said. “The wood program is meaningful to a lot of people.”

Nathaniel Newcomb, a second year M.F.A. candidate in craft and material studies, discussed the sidelining of crafts at the university level.

“Craft is something that should be measured qualitatively, not quantitatively. So a lot of universities’ metrics seem to not understand, or care, how important of a field it is,” Newcomb stated.

Newcomb decried VCUarts’ decision to part with Evelyn.

“I think every student who goes through the program and now won’t be able to take a class with Annie Evelyn is missing out. She is a talented artist, an amazing educator and VCU was lucky to have her as a professor,” Newcomb stated.

the Virginia National Guard. The other gives planning, budgetary, personnel and administrative authority.

Another order established a policy across state agencies prohibiting discrimination in employment, appointments, procurement and public services. It requires ongoing review and updates of state policies to ensure compliance, with disciplinary consequences for violations.

Lastly, Spanberger rescinded a directive by former Republican Gov. Youngkin that required all state and local law enforcement agencies to cooperate and assist with ICE operations.

A new chapter for Virginia

Inauguration attendee Mark Carter said he came to the ceremony to witness the historic firsts brought about by Spanberger’s, Hashmi’s and Jones’ swearing-in.

“2025 was a divisive year for our country and the commonwealth, so I’m hoping she has a message of unity, a message of toughness — that they’re going to fight back against the bad things coming from Washington — and just a vision for the future,” Carter said.

Spanberger’s rise to power came during a tumultuous time in Virginia — one marred by federal job losses, a rising cost of living and statewide disapproval with the Trump administration’s actions on the economy and immigration.

Spanberger made no direct references to Trump in her speech, but did not mince words. She emphasized serving “everyday Virginians, not kings or aristocrats or oligarchs.”

“You are worried about an

administration that is gilding buildings while schools crumble, breaking the social safety net and sowing fear across our communities — betraying the values of who we are as Americans, the very values we celebrate here on these steps,” Spanberger said.

Spanberger made frequent note of Virginia’s role in America and world history. She referenced the Revolutionary War, civil rights struggles and Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1960 speech in Richmond.

“Today, I find myself thinking about

Dr. King’s pilgrimage of prayer … such a powerful phrase,” Spanberger said. “And it gives me cause to reflect on what our path forward must be … not a pilgrimage of politics, certainly not a pilgrimage of partisanship… but rather a pilgrimage of promise, progress and prosperity.

The Governor referenced multiple governors in Virginia history, all the way from founding fathers Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson to living history and VCU governor school namesake Douglas Wilder — who attended the ceremony on

his 95th birthday.

Spanberger is entering her term amid deep tensions as Trump enters the second year of his second term.

“My fellow Virginians, as we set an example for the country, the world, and most importantly, our children, let us choose to stand united,” Spanberger said, closing out her address. “Choose to serve one another. Choose to act together. As we continue forward, let us be united for Virginia’s future.”

VCU hones in on teaching AI skills, literacy university-wide

SAL ORLANDO Assistant News Editor

VCU announced in November that the university would be partnering with AI Ready RVA to promote artificial intelligence education, research and innovation throughout Richmond.

The collaboration aims to explore research, talent development and community- based innovation to set Richmond as “a model for inclusive and human-centered AI literacy,” according to VCU News.

“AI literacy is the ability to understand what artificial intelligence is, how it works at a high level, how it is being used in everyday tools, and how to use it responsibly, ethically, and effectively,” William Willis, chair of the board of directors for AI Ready RVA stated in an email.

Willis defines AI literacy as workforce readiness, civic readiness, and economic readiness. He believes that AI Ready RVA’s collaboration with VCU will prepare students to take leadership as AI evolves. AI Ready RVA is an organization with the mission of establishinginstituting Richmond into a leading AI-ready city, according to their website.

Following the announcement of the partnership, the Virginia Chamber Foundation released a report projecting that one in three jobs in the country could be affected by AI, with Virginia jobs even more vulnerable.

“AI will change jobs more than it will eliminate them,” Willis stated. “Some tasks will be automated, many roles will be augmented, and entirely new jobs will be created.”

VCU announced nearly two years that

the university would be offering a minor in artificial intelligence beginning in Fall 2024, according to VCU News.

“Although an AI course is not required for graduation, VCU encourages students at all levels to enroll in one if possible,” David Slipher, director of cCommunications for VCU University College said. “And VCU faculty are integrating AI throughout their courses to ensure that students have broad exposure and preparation in their disciplines.”

James Fritz, associate professor of philosophy, teaches the course “Ethics of Artificial Intelligence,” and believes that people need to determine what roles AI plays in both public and private life.

“I want students to think clearly and

carefully about what matters most, about what lives are most worth living, and about what sort of society we should aim to build together,” Fritz stated in an email. “Especially because AI’s role in our lives and societies is still developing and shifting, and it stands to have such profound effects on all of us, discussions about AI give us an elegant way to have pointed conversations about those timeless ethical questions.”

Mike Ableson, Professor of Focused Inquiry, utilizes AI within his classroom to help students exercise critical thinking, information fluency and communicative fluency. He believes that if universities want to promote the study of new knowledge, the study of AI should too be promoted.

Abelson utilizes AI to help him flesh out ideas he has, not to complete sophisticated tasks, and compares it to Microsoft Excel as a tool for efficiency.

“I think it would be very difficult for somebody who wasn’t an experienced teacher to use AI to be a good teacher,” Abelson said.

Abelson understands the moral concerns about AI from his students, but tries top make his classroom an ethical place to experiment with AI.

Last March, former Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed House Bill 2094, which would have put regulations on AI developers to ensure transparency, and minimize the risks of algorithmic discrimination.

VCU crosses $524 million in research spending

SKYE HATHAWAY

Contributing Writer

VCU spent over $524 million on research in the 2024 fiscal year, ranking No. 46 nationally in research productivity, with about half the money going to medical research.

VCU earned the ranking from the National Science Foundation’s Herd Survey, which measures research productivity through research expenditures, according to David Oglethorpe, the director of communications at VCU’s research and innovation office.

Research expenditures, or the dollar amount the university spent on research, have doubled over the past five years due to a growing focus on research, Oglethorpe said. Medical research receives the largest amount of external funding.

VCU receives funding from sponsors who commit their money to research through grants — which are primarily funded by federal, institutional and state investors.

Federal funding makes up half of VCU’s research funding, according to Oglethorpe. Some federal grants have been cancelled within the past year, which the university says it will continue to monitor.

VCU is continuing to look for more federal funding opportunities and will pursue new methods to win federal awards, Oglethorpe said.

VCU’s research is largely focused on “team science grants” and larger institutional grants, Oglethorpe said. They allow faculty from different fields to work together on research projects that address societal issues.

VCU recently released its research strategy for fiscal year 2026, which divides the goals of this interdisciplinary effort into 16 “research clusters.” They are designed to encourage faculty members to collaborate on research projects, according to Oglethorpe.

The four pillars of the plan are optimizing health, supporting sustainable energy and environments, enriching the human experience and advancing societal well-being.

Focusing on specific research allows VCU to expand their internal investments, which permits faculty to apply for internal grants, Oglethorpe said. The grants allow less-funded fields, such as the arts, humanities and social sciences, to continue

their research.

Internal funding supported 41 projects, with 21 of them being supported by the Quest Fund, according to a press release. The Quest Fund was established in 2014 and finances transdisciplinary work led by faculty. Their research last year included cancer therapy, opioid studies and creating artificial wetlands to improve sewage systems in cities.

Undergraduate students at VCU can become involved in research through a program called Every Ram’s a Researcher. Over 5,000 students participated in the research program last year, according to Herb Hill, assistant vice provost for undergraduate research and creative inquiry.

The program’s current plan focuses on engaging students in research through their general education courses, Hill said. It allows undergraduate students to participate in research at the beginning of their education.

Every Ram’s a Researcher also helps fund research programs that students can engage in without registering for a course, or having to pay, Hill said. Around 1,000

students take part in the funded, noncredit research offered by the program.

Undergraduate research has not been offered to students who were not in Ivy League schools, until recently, Hill said. A small number of students could participate in research at schools like VCU, making research non-inclusive for most.

Hill created the original undergraduate research program in 2010 to give all VCU students that opportunity.

“Our whole approach and value system around undergraduate research at VCU is focused on inclusivity, you know, making sure that students have access to these high-impact practices so that those success outcomes are spread out among as many students as possible,” Hill said.

Students can engage in over a dozen programs through the undergraduate initiative, Hill said. They involve research in clinical trials for cancer, mathematics, arts, pharmaceutical engineering, biomedical engineering, behavioral sciences and magnetics.

Students can apply for the program by visiting the VCU Office of Undergraduate Research website.

Virginia Democrats are moving fast Lawmakers march toward constitutional amendments, Spanberger’s ‘affordability agenda

HECIEL NIEVES BONILLA News Editor

The Virginia General Assembly kicked off its 2026 session on Jan. 14 with a deep Democratic majority that has moved quickly to pass four constitutional amendments and the “affordability agenda” Gov. Abigail Spanberger ran on.

Democrats left the statewide election in November with the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general under their belts — winning by higher margins than anticipated. Many downballot races saw double-digit swings away from Republicans, according to a previous

report by The CT.

Democrats now hold a 64-36 majority in the House of Delegates, the strongest position they have held in decades.

The victory was large enough to oust longtime legislators, such as Del. Bobby Orrock, R-Spotsylvania, who had won his previous 36 years of elections by double digits.

His opponent, now-Del. Nicole Cole, is one of several Democratic women who defeated Republican incumbents in the same year Virginia got its first female governor. There are now more female Democrats in the House than there are total Republicans in the same chamber.

What are the constitutional amendments?

The 164th General Assembly kicked off with the passage in both the State Senate and House of Delegates of four separate constitutional amendment proposals — which must be passed twice and then decided by voter referendum. They were already passed during last year’s session — and during a special session in October. They will now be passed off to voters later this year.

Three of the amendments would add new rights to the Virginia Constitution: the rights to abortion and other kinds of reproductive care, to same-sex marriage and — for people with felony convictions — to vote, without specific action by the governor.

The amendment on abortion would establish a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom” in Virginia. It would prevent the state from punishing doctors, nurses or patients for reproductive health decisions, while still allowing for thirdtrimester restrictions on abortion, except for when the patient’s life or physical or mental health is at risk, or the pregnancy cannot survive,” according to the bill’s summary.

The second would require the equal treatment of any marriage between adults by the state regardless of the sex, gender or race of such persons.” The affirmative right to marriage would accompany an explicit revocation of any law banning same-sex marriage in Virginia.

Same-sex marriage is legal nationwide by Supreme Court statute. However,

Virginia retains a ban in its state constitution from 2006, which the new amendment seeks to revoke, as previously reported by The CT. The amendment’s passage would prevent any return to a ban should the United States Supreme Court revisit Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that established same-sex marriage as a federal right.

The amendment on voter rights for felons would hold that people released from incarceration automatically have their right to vote restored.

Former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam previously opened a path to voting rights to all people not thenincarcerated during his tenure, but once former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin took office, the number of people whose rights were restored dropped every year as he began requiring all restorations go through his office individually.

Virginians this year will be able to vote whether to cement automatic restoration into the state constitution.

The General Assembly also approved a fourth amendment: one to allow Democrats’ mid-decade redistricting plan. These three amendments will go to Virginia voters in November, and if approved, will become law. However, the GA also approved a fourth: one to send the Democrats’ redistricting plan to a statewide vote.

Normally, Virginia only redraws its congressional district lines to fit the population once every decade, and the process is run by a nonpartisan commission. After President Donald Trump began

pressuring other states last year to redraw their lines to help Republicans, Virginia Democrats called a special session in October to redraw lines in favor of Democrats, according to a previous report by The CT.

Democrats have said the referendum to approve the plan will take place in April, seven months before the November elections. If approved, the 2026 midterm elections will take place under a new map, which leaders have teased to possibly be 10-1 districts favoring Democrats.

What Spanberger’s ‘affordability agenda’ entails

The large Democratic majority in the General Assembly leaves the party free to legislate with less risk of a governor’s veto, which Youngkin set a record for doing the most throughout his tenure.

Many bills Democrats plan to pass are in keeping with their overarching “affordability agenda,” including pre-filed bills to curb rent gouging, extend energy bill assistance programs and confirm a minimum wage increase to $15 by 2028, with regular increases tied to the Consumer Price Index thereafter.

[Heciel add one graph here summarizing in a list some more details of the afforbailoity agenda, think housing and healthcare. I forwarded you her full speeh ]

Spanberger plans to sign legislation establishing a licensed retail market for marijuana, which passed last year but was vetoed by Youngkin. That proposal would include recommendations from the commission on the subject last year.

Another Democratic priority is a proposed assault weapons ban. HB 217, patronized by Fairfax delegate Dan Helmer, would ban the “importation, sale and manufacture” of assault weapons, as defined by Virginia’s existing code, and ban their use for those under 21.

One pre-filed bill faces an uphill battle despite the Democratic majority: a repeal of Virginia’s right-to-work law, which Spanberger did not support during her campaign.

When a Virginia college grad can’t afford to live near their job, they’re going to move to Maryland or Georgia or Texas.”

Abigail Spanberger, Virginia governor

Spanberger said during her address to the General Assembly on Monday.

The General Assembly is expected to adjourn in March. The final deadline for the governor to sign or veto any legislation is May 25.

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Z I E A B I F A R I N

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JAN 2026

Sports

Stat of the week

Third-year forward Michael Belle had a career-night in the win over Saint Joseph’s University with 20 points, three steals, two blocks and five rebounds.

Men’s basketball hunt Hawks 79-72 in hard fought game

BEN MARTINDALE Staff Writer

VCU took the court against the Saint Joseph’s University Hawks on Monday, building off its win against the University of Rhode Island last week.

The sold-out Siegel Center was electric as fans poured in on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to watch Rams basketball.

Both teams knocked down three pointers on their first possession but it was VCU’s defensive effort that helped it jump out to an early 7-3 lead.

The Hawks quickly responded, going on a 9-0 run, which forced the first Rams timeout of the game.

VCU leaned on its defense early, forcing five turnovers and a block in the first six minutes of play.

The game was knotted up at 14 with just over 11 minutes to play in the first half. VCU was excellent on the defensive end and St. Joe’s did not miss from three, shooting at 80%.

Three minutes later, the two teams remained deadlocked as both created opportunities with their defense.

Back-to-back threes from second-year guards Terrence Hill Jr. and Brandon Jennings gave VCU a three-point-lead with two and a half minutes to go in the first period.

The Rams led going into the half 34-29.

A textbook up-and-under layup from Jennings got VCU on the board to start the second half, 36-32 Rams.

VCU — which struggled mightily from the three-point range in the first half — picked up right where it left off in the

Rams and Squirrels part ways?

VCU is not clear on playing at CarMax Park

second half, clanking three open threes to start. The Rams shot just 6-21 from three point range so far.

The Hawks took advantage of the Rams shooting woes and turned the tables, jumping out to a 46-39 lead.

Then third-year forward Michael Belle caught fire. First he finished inside with an impressive spinning layup to cut the lead to five. He then rattled off five more points in rapid succession to increase his total on the day to 16 on an impressive 7-9 shooting. Belle’s scoring barrage cut the Hawks’ lead to just three with 12 minutes remaining.

A big three from third-year guard Tyrell Ward and a pair of free throws from firstyear guard Nyk Lewis tied the game at 55 halfway through the second half.

After trailing for almost the entire second half a massive put back slam from third-year forward Lazar Djokovic finally gave the Rams the lead with eight minutes to go.

“At half time we were talking, we knew we needed a lift,” Jennings said. “Coach emphasized that we needed to come out with an edge but we didn’t do that. He talked to us, chewed us out, and got us back on track.”

Belle continued his stellar play, using his size advantage to power inside for two and extend the Rams’ lead to 66-61 with three and a half minutes remaining in the half.

Belle had a monster night on both sides of the court — posting a career high 20 points and five boards to go along with five combined steals and blocks.

Every fan was on their feet as VCU inbounded the ball with a minute and a half left. After a deflection caused players

on both sides to dive on the floor, Jennings cleared the pack and finished a contested layup to extend VCU’s lead to four.

VCU, which struggled with free throws throughout, was clutch down the stretch — knocking down all of their free throws in the final minute to secure the victory.

After a hard fought game, the Rams won 79-72.

“It’s about finding a way to win,” said coach Phil Martelli Jr. after the game. “When shots weren't falling, when things weren’t going how we want them to go, we got down seven in the second half, we just found a way, we just found a way to grind it out.”

Continued from front page

VCU was set to pay the city $410,000 a year in rent on the new stadium, and an additional $300,000 to the Squirrels. The Economic Development Association would then pay $25 million to VCU for the land Sports Backers Stadium rests on, according to reports in Richmond BizSense and the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

VCU will play its next game on the road at Davidson College on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 5 p.m.

The original plan was for VCU to begin its season in February at the Diamond, then transfer to CarMax Park once the stadium was complete in April. However, the stalled negotiations leave that in limbo. Whether VCU will be allowed to finish out the season at The Diamond if no agreement is reached remains undetermined. VCU President Michael Rao and Richmond Mayor Danny Avula

issued a joint press release emphasizing their hopes of finding a solution.

“We are optimistic about bringing to closure the final details and are committed to doing so because our partnership with the other players on this project is important,” Rao wrote, according to The Richmonder.

VCU holds leverage due to its possession of the site, however holding out would risk it standing in the way of the Diamond

District’s full construction.

If a deal is not reached, VCU will have to plan on where to finish the season, according to The Richmonder. Stadium lights have already been transferred over to CarMax Park, but VCU will likely be able to continue at the Diamond for this season if need be.

VCU Athletics declined requests for comment by The Commonwealth Times.

BOX Sincaraz again? Australian Open predictions

DJOKOVIC IS FADING

With the past eight tennis majors won by either Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner, it is expected to be another “Sincaraz” meeting in the finals at the Australian Open.

The Italian world No. 2, Sinner, won the two previous Australian Opens and is looking for his third, while the Spanish world No. 1, Alcaraz, is attempting to complete his career grand slam, winning all four majors within his career. I expect Alcaraz to finally make it to the finals in Australia and defeat Sinner.

Sinner has dominated in the Australian Open, beating Alexander Zverev in three sets last year, and coming back down two sets the year prior against Daniil Medvedev. The Italian won the last four hard court majors, and is often the favorite on the surface.

However, losing to Alcaraz in the French Open last year after having three championship points, and losing on a surface he previously dominated on in the U.S. Open last year, Sinner historically displayed he can not always bring it home when he is in a comfortable position.

Alcaraz has been on an upward trajectory, beating his rival in the U.S. Open in September and obtaining ATP rank No. 1. He also beat Sinner in 10 of their 16 matchups, seven of which were on hardcourt.

Though he lost to 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals last year, Djokovic’s age has been catching up to him. Meanwhile, Alcaraz proved he too can thrive on hard courts against players who dominate the surface like Sinner and Djokovic.

“I lost three out of four slams in semis against these guys,” Djokovic told reporters last year following his three set U.S. Open loss to Alcaraz. “They’re just too good, playing on a really high level.”

The Australian Open is known to be Djokovic’s most dominant tournament, with him being the all time leader in Australian Open championships. However at 38 years old, Djokovic isn’t able to perform at the highest level anymore.

Djokovic has not been in a major final since Wimbledon in 2024, where he lost in three sets to Alcaraz and had not won a major since 2023.

However, if there is any tournament Djokovic can win, the Australian Open is his best bet. Djokovic made it to the semifinals against Zverev in last year’s tournament, but retired after one set due to suffering a muscle tear in his left hamstring during his match prior.

If Djokovic is able to stay healthy and perform at a top level in his most comfortable tournament, he may be able to upset a possible final major title.

PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR

All eyes are on Sinner and Alcaraz coming into the tournament, but there are still some players who can prove something in Australia.

After beating Alcaraz in the Laver Cup, American world No. 9, Taylor Fritz showed he is able to compete with top end talent.

In the final two majors of the year, Fritz was able to make it to the semifinals in Wimbledon and quarterfinals in the U.S. Open, and I expect to see him make it deep again.

Andrey Rublev, the Russian world No. 15, was bounced early in the first round of last year's Australian Open, but has appeared in three of the last five quarterfinals.

Rublev’s biggest enemy in the past has been himself, with him often having outbursts on the court due to frustration. With Rublev being open about his mental health struggles, but claiming to be in a better place now, I believe he can show he can still compete at the highest level.

Spectrum Avoid cabin fever

Five ways to stay sane in the cold, dark winter

MAEVE BAUER Spectrum Editor

As we wrap up the second week of spring semester, come off the euphoric feeling of winter break, turn our radiators up and prepare for these next six or so weeks of winter, depending on what the groundhog says, the overall vibes on campus are down.

Though not all students may experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, or its very fitting abbreviation SAD, a lot of students feel a wave of doom and gloom, which is not hard to feel when you look outside and it is doomy and gloomy. So, as a follow-up to The CT’s list of ways to touch grass, we humbly present: The CT’s tips and tricks to staying sane in the winter.

1. SAMPLE DIFFERENT COFFEE SHOPS

If there is one thing Richmond is bountiful in, it is its locally-owned, unique cafes. With one on almost every street, it is the perfect place to escape the windy roads with a toasty cup of joe in hand.

Just surrounding VCU, there’s Harrison Street Cafe. If you are vegan, vegetarian or veg-curious this is the perfect spot. There’s also Abi’s Books and Brews, which hosts different events and is right around the corner from Cabell Library. While you are in the Fan, go ahead and check out Greenbriar Cafe and Coffeehouse.

Greenbriar is owned and operated by Meredith Temple and her husband Julius Green, both of whom graduated from VCU.

The majority of the menu items at Greenbriar are named after Richmond streets and the owners family members, according Temple.

“The Nancy Bagel, which is actually named after my mom, she also went to VCU in the 70s when there was a bagel cart and that’s the bagel she used to get,” Temple said.

The bagel consists of avocado, tomato, cucumber, onion, cream cheese or humus if you want it vegan.

The rest of the menu can be found on their Instagram, @greenbriarcafeandcoffeehouse.

Temple and Green have been running Greenbriar for the past 12 years. Both have previous connections to the location, according to Temple. With Temple using the fromer shop as her study spot during the 90s when it was known as Puddin’ Heads and Green worked there as a chef under former owners.

Along Broad St. you will find The Lab by Alchemy, a self-described third wave coffee shop — meaning they focus on the artisanal craft of coffee and high-quality, single-sourced beans, according to Alchemy’s General Manager Trey Shiflett.

“We wanna make sure that it tastes right for our customers,” Shiflett said. “We’re always willing to kind of make that an open conversation and make it to where you know anybody that comes in. Whether they’re a coffee nerd or don’t really have any knowledge on coffee at all, we do try to make sure that when they’re on their way out they’re pleased with the drink that they have.”

Alchemy works in tandem with Recluse Roasting Project to ensure their beans are ethical.

If you keep walking eastward, you will hit Mudhouse, Lift and Urban Hang Suite (one of my personal favorites.)

Another honorable mention is Stella’s Market — a small chain of Greek grocery stores that started in Richmond after the success of Stella’s, opened by Stella Dikos, a Greek immigrant who opened the iconic Village Cafe after moving to Richmond.

2. VISIT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY

Though a good percentage of VCU’s student body is made of people who were born and raised in Richmond and its surrounding areas, the rest is people from all over (mainly NoVa).

Public libraries supply so much to the community, from knowledge to events and resources. Just around VCU’s Monroe Park Campus there are three bus-able locations all under a half hour and there are nine total branches within the Richmond Library network. Events happening this winter can be found on their RVAlibrary.org. Explore each floor, appreciate the architecture and open up a library card so when you need a book for class and it is already gone at Cabell you can go grab it at any Richmond Library location!

3. WALK AROUND RICHMOND’S ART DISTRICT

Richmond’s art scene is evergrowing, there are art galleries throughout the city, you will find the highest concentration of them along

Broad St., only two pulse stops down from VCU’s station. Though they differ slightly throughout location, most galleries are open from the hours of 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

If you are looking to engage with your community, go during First Fridays, with gallery openings and live music happening up and down the street.

4. GO TO THE WORKSHOP

Festering under the Starbucks at James Cabell Library is a thriving ecosystem of podcasters, textile artists and photographers. That is The Workshop.

Sported with recording studios, 3.D. printers, sewing machines, cameras, video cameras, microphones and honestly so much more, the world is your oyster. Have you and your friends threatened to start a podcast before? Wanted to have a professional photoshoot on a budget? Pick up a new craft? Start vlogging? All can be done with resources provided to students through VCU.

“I love the equipment that we have for students, like stuff ranging from cameras to video games,” said Hannah Nguyen, an employee at the Workshop. “A lot of of students don’t really know we have Playstaion, Xbox and Switch games. I like borrowing those to play with my friends over the weekend.”

Nguyen is a sophomore in graphic design student, she says the scanners there are great for different zines and print projects.

Though most students are aware of the Workshop, Nguyen feels it is underutilized by most students and encourages people to check out the orientation tab on library.vcu.edu/spaces-tech/the-workshop/ and start learning about everything they have to offer.

And, if you are a crafty person and are looking for new activities, stop by the Student Media Center at Cary and Belvidere, 301 W. Cary St., where you can find the CT’s Paper Mache Library. Instead of sending our old issues straight to recycling centers come stop by and collect some materials for craft night!

5. MAKE A SWEET TREAT

Sweat treats can not only provide happiness in the moment, but they can also be used as a tool to combat seasonal depression.

Three foods that can improve your mood are dark chocolate, berries and nuts. The big three of sweet treats. Combine them all, or enjoy them in a recipe separately and it will not only be a fun activity you can enjoy, but a fun activity you and your brain can enjoy.

Bringing 2006 into 2026

Carytown’s new store for Y2K, mcbling, Harajuku and goth enthusiasts

Pusha T takes stage at Spanberger’s

inauguration festival

CORA PERKINS

Assistant Spectrum Editor

ANDREW KERLEY

Executive Editor

Gov. Abigail Spanberger rang in her inauguration weekend to the flow of Virginia Beach rapper Pusha T — along with over 40 local artisans, small business, food vendors and other musicians who bridged the 757 to the 804 for a “Made in Virginia Market.”

Spanberger — who was sworn-in Saturday as the first female Governor of one of the oldest governments in the western hemisphere — danced along to a mixture of old bangers and new hits by the five-time Grammy-nominated rapper.

The governor won the November election by over 15 percentage points, the largest Democratic win in the Old Dominion since 1961. She first teased Pusha’s performance during a 4 p.m. speech, which she walked out to while “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled played.

“They wouldn’t let me use that one until we actually won,” Spanberger joked to the crowd.

Spanberger’s team’s vision was to celebrate the inaugural weekend by celebrating all the places and people that make Virginia unique, she said. It was not about any one person, but rather all Virginians.

All the different vendors being present gave the community an opportunity to shop with and get to know business owners, according to Natalie Accilien, owner of Jadore Jolie Boutique.

“Whatever you like, you will

Continued from front page

Hiss Off, a vintage store located in a second-story nook of Cary Court Shopping Center in Carytown, opened July 1 and has been a viral hit since. However, back in 2018, the store was only a small account under the name MADLADZ on Depop, according to owner Sophie Smith.

Smith sold clothes on the app throughout their four years at Radford University. Once they graduated and got a corporate job in graphic design, they realized that fashion was more than just a hobby for them.

“I just always felt compelled to go back to what I really enjoyed and that was the clothes, the fashion, the modeling, the organizing and all that stuff,” Smith said. “So I decided it was time to do something that I had a true passion for.”

Hiss Off has received major support from the Richmond community since its opening, according to Smith. First-time visitors will come in and immediately gasp in excitement at the store’s items and overall aesthetic.

“Before they opened, I was hesitant to really develop my own style since I didn’t know where I could find affordable alternative clothing other than on the internet. It’s quickly become my #1 favorite local storefront,” customer and first year art foundations major Ava Bisharat stated.

While the store has heavy influences from emo, goth, Harajuku and other vintage fashion, it’s also Y2K themed, according to the website.

Early 2000s fashion has been widely popularized in recent years, especially in Richmond. The reason for this is unknown, but Y2K lover and DJ Maeve Hickey thinks it has to do with nostalgia.

“A lot of people [here] are 20, they were born in Y2K,” Hickey said. “I’m personally 2004 and most of my friends are born in the early 2000s. So, so much of it I think is nostalgic.”

Hiss Off not only sells second-hand clothes and accessories but also local artists’ pieces, according to their website.

Artist Guttermoth said they first started selling their prints and stickers at the store after they commented on their Instagram about the store’s flag of gamer CaseOh, as Smith immediately messaged them asking Guttermoth to sell their art at Hiss Off.

“It’s clear that she's meant to do this; she is just beaming every time she’s in there,” Guttermoth said. “I think it’s a great community space for alt people and queer people.”

Smith’s hope is that people come into Hiss Off and have a whimsical, childlike experience.

“I just want people to get excited, to have an experience that is not like a usual shopping experience and sort of get to feel like, it's kind of corny, but that whimsy you got to feel as a kid going somewhere for the first time and it being a whole experience,” Smith said.

Hiss Off is open on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays from noon- 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1-5 p.m.

find something that’s tailored to you,” Accilien said.

The festival was rife with dancing and laughter from the afternoon to far past sunset as the clock ticked until Pusha’s performance.

Other artists primed the stage, including Hampton Roads hip-hop talent TeezySoDope, all-female Chesapeake band SynHERgi, Richmond jazz band ELONCE and Richmond folk band Høly River.

Spanberger came out again at 7:30 p.m. and wasted no time introducing Pusha. He was backed by Yoo Q, the DJ for him and his brother Malice’s duo Clipse. The two were discovered by legendary 757 producermegastar Pharrell Williams during the 1990s.

“We’re here to celebrate history,” Pusha told the crowd. “We’re here to congratulate governor elect Abigail Spanberger.”

Virginians from across the state flooded 17th Street Market to catch a glimpse of the performance — many of them rapping along to the beat.

“It’s so good to see everybody out here,” Pusha said. “Everybody’s so enthusiastic about the change man. We love it.”

The rapper floated through older Clipse tracks like “Grindin,” early 2010s collabs like Kanye West’s “Mercy” as well as songs from Clipse’s critically acclaimed 2025 comeback album “Let God Sort Em Out.”

At one point Pusha rapped the expanded, remixed version of Chief Keef’s “I Don’t Like” — which Spanberger seemed to really enjoy — before it was cut short about 45 seconds later. Spanberger hugged Pusha tightly before and after he went on stage.

PUSHA T’S FULL SETLIST

1. “Grindin’” — Clipse (2002)

2. “Popular Demand (Popeyes)” — Clipse (2009)

3. “If You Know You Know” — Pusha T (2018)

4. “Chains & Whips” — Clipse (2025)

5. “Ace Trumpets” — Clipse (2025)

6. “So Be It” — Clipse (2025)

7. “Mercy” — Kanye West (2012)

8. “I Don’t Like” — Chief Keef (2012)

9. “So Appalled” — Kanye West (2010)

“I’m here for the vibes,” said excitedly smiling VCU student Chandler Golden. “Like it’s really nice. I’m glad that he’s supporting this too.”

Richmond native Nick Carter came out to the show because he wanted to see Pusha, though he said it was cool to see Spanberger too.

“I’m not the most political person, but I like Spanberger,” Carter said.

Carter thinks Spanberger — who touted her agenda to lower the cost of living, housing, healthcare and energy — will be good for Richmond. He hopes for more funding for public schools in the city. Spanberger is set to be inaugurated at Capitol Square in downtown Richmond. As she put it: “Tomorrow is gonna be a new day.”

VCU students stay booked and busy being their own bosses

RACHEL NICHOLAS Staff Writer

College is known to be a time of selfdiscovery and finding one’s path forward in the world by themselves.

For some students, that means providing for themselves financially, many choosing to start their own businesses — honing their passions into profitable skills like travel photographer Kaitlyn Burdette.

“I felt like I always knew how to take pictures,” said Burdette. “So I wanted to get a degree that would help me gain more experience that could help me grow in my business.”

Burdette, a fourth-year communications major, cites the start of her photography career as her freshman year of high school.

From graduations to weddings, Burdette captures it all as she juggles her business and classes.

“Honestly, it’s really hard,” said Burdette, “A lot of my work is destinationbased so I had to be transparent with all my professors that there would be days where I would not even be in the country. But all of them are very supportive and accommodating.”

To further support her business, Burdette has chosen primarily online classes — allowing her to travel all over the world while maintaining her education.

Additionally, Burdette is responsible for her living expenses while her parents cover

her tuition. More of her work can be found on her website.

While financial responsibility plays a major role in balancing school and work , the lessons gained through these experiences extend beyond money, according to third-year business student Marcus Johnson.

“I kind of knew I always wanted to study business, or entrepreneurship, in college,” Johnson said. “Being in the VCU area, I’ve learned a lot and how it’s not about making money, but also about telling a story.”

Johnson is the founder and designer of Passion. With. Purpose., a clothing brand with a mission that focuses on fulfilling goals with intention and direction.

Johnson’s father, an entrepreneur in his own right, serves as an example for him on managing work and day-to-day life balance.

“I like to make sure all of my activities and school work are done by around six o’clock,” Johnson said. “After that, I just sit down and draw up new ideas for content or new pieces. It’s all about prioritizing my education first, and then making sure I pour into my brand.”

Although some students create their businesses inspired by passion, some have done it as a way to make extra money on the side while completing their degree.

“I pretty much only do hair for my friends and my family,” said first-year business student Balima Yakubu. “I never

really felt the need to do it professionally, but it helps if I want to gain some money pretty quickly.”

Doing hair long before her first year at VCU, Yakubu keeps a closed clientele list of her choosing. Operating between those

Whether it be to fuel a

or to fuel the

there are businesses all across campus keeping students afloat as they enter the “real world.”

Calling all trinket lovers! Virginia Antique Expo hits this weekend

CACERES MENDOZA

ALESSANDRA

Contributing Writer

Over 75 vendors will be traveling to Richmond to set up shop at this year’s Virginia Antiques Exposition from Jan. 23-24 at the Richmond Raceway Complex.

Ticketholders can expect antique dealers and artisans from states up and down the Eastern Seaboard selling pieces from the 17th century and above, including ceramics, jewelry, furniture and more.

According to the host’s website, East Coast Expositions, each show celebrates heritage through the investment of antiques and artwork varying in item origin and historic value.

Kipton Currier, owner of ECE, said that there are many opportunities offered by this expo and antiquing in general.

“Anyone can go to an antique mall and just look around and see things,” Currier said, “But we have all of these dealers that specialize in buying and selling antiques.”

In curating an educational

experience for attendees, they will learn through these historical pieces and community interactions.

Currier explained that dealers often have decades worth of expertise, making them qualified to sell quality items.

Antiques also have a connection to Richmond history given the volume of popular said she admires the Valentine Museum, one of the exposition’s donees, for displaying this beautifully.

“It’s an appreciation of where we’ve come from, and looking forward to where we’re going,”

Currier said.

Another incentive to attend is the environmental aspect.

Currier said new things are more disposable and about comfort, less about uniqueness.

According to the U.S. Environmental Agency, 12.1 million tons of furniture were thrown away, with the bulk ending up in landfills.

Since antiques came before the mass production era, they

were made with great attention to detail and high-quality material.

VCU alum

Michael MillardLowe sells 17th19th century French and continental pieces at his Norfolk, Virginia store. He is adamant on

resilient specimens, having survived many generations.

Although browsing parents worry, not even reckless kids in his store could ruin their extravagance.

“I have to tell [their parents] that these pieces have survived kids before and lived to tell the tale,” Millard-Lowe said. “Unless they have gasoline and matches, all the bets are off.”

ECE has also partnered with Quirk Hotel Richmond to provide ticketholding newcomers with a 20% discount during their stay.

Uphold enjoys how the two companies’ vibes compliment and uplift one another, as their clientele consists of those with similar interests.

“We like the mix of old and new ideas coming together,” Uphold said. “An antique expo brings together people who do a little of both.”

According to Uphold, January is one of the hotel’s slower months, and the exposition weekend will bring in a wave of customers.

The hotel’s director of sales marketing, Tracy Uphold, said this is the first time an event of this scale has reached out to them.

ECE is offering VCU students a $10 discount off of the $20 door price with a

Full details and schedules of each day of the event are available on the ECE instagram page.

Opinions

Quote of the week

“It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.” — Andre Gide, ‘Autumn Leaves’

The Democratic Party is ruining its reputation with the trans community

LAUREL BOWEN

Contributing Writer

The transgender community is under threat from both Republicans and Democrats — yet it hasn’t been painted as such.

It is often the opinion of Democratic editorialists, voters and cisgender allies that transgender people simply must vote for the Democrats and they will be safe.

It is preached that if we don’t vote for them, the Republicans will annihilate us — they will rip away every right we have won.

The truth of the matter, unfortunately, is not so. Even during Democratic presidencies such as the Biden administration, the Republican Party continued to attack us. In the midst of those attacks, the Democratic Party only became a bastion of indifference and hostility — both with the wholesale abandonment of efforts to protect transgender people and with some politicians even actively working against us.

For example, Rep. Thomas Souzzi, D-New York, stated, “I don’t want to discriminate against anybody, but I don’t think biological boys should be playing in girls’ sports.”

The use of “biological boys” itself is an act of de-legitimization of trans women who do participate in these sports. It also erases the existence of transgender men by not acknowledging them. The transgender community does not — in any meaningful way — exist to Souzzi, a man our siblings in New York “need” us to vote for and put our faith in.

Let’s look to the current darling of the Democratic Party — California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Within his party, Newsom has been working against bills protecting transgender individuals. He tried to prevent the LGBTQ+ Caucus of his party from passing protective legislation. The Caucus responded by breaking party lines and trying to pass it regardless.

In one instance, the California governor vetoed a bill that would require a judge to

take the gender identity of a child into consideration during custody disputes. In effect — transgender children cannot be guaranteed their safety should a parent or guardian be transphobic. Newsom, despite being a part of the party allegedly fighting for trans rights, clearly does not actually care to uphold laws that maintain the safety of trans people.

Even the new governor of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger, is not exempt from this issue. She represents indifferent negligence to the worst degree.

Spanberger’s solution to the “issue” of transgender women in sports and bathrooms is to return to the old system where the county decides on a case-by-case basis with the discretion of parents and local school boards.

This means that in rural counties, with school boards packed by Republicans, transgender women will continue to be left unprotected. Again, the focus is only on transgender women, with no mention is made of transgender men, completely

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erasing them. A large portion of the community does not exist to these people.

While not all of the Democratic Party has succumbed to this trend, the fact that any of them have these ideals is a clear signal they cannot be relied upon.

The fact that we are told time and time again that these people are supposed to protect us — that if we don’t vote for them, we will be destroyed — is a sick joke, minimizing any actual benefit for trans people to vote for Democrats.

Democrats as a whole need to stop relying upon the idea that Republican threats to trans existence is enough to get us to vote for them. They do not protect us from anything. They actively work against protecting us with the policies they put forward, and the moderate voices among them only perpetrate their harmful ideologies.

I often hear the trans community is under threat unless we vote blue. But when they do not support us and wage war against us, what does voting blue actually do?

No climate for old men

The problem with the Dominion Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center

BENJAMIN UTTENWEILER

Contributing Writer

Northern Virginia-based AI data center growth has Dominion Energy scrambling to meet demand. They must increase their capacity to generate power, and they want the rest of Virginia to foot the bill.

Dominion proposed a series of small methane plants that could be turned on to meet spikes in demand. The site of the coalfired Chesterfield Power Station already has the infrastructure to accommodate the first such plant, The Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center (CERC).

I attended a public hearing on the Department of Environmental Quality’s decision regarding the CERC’s Air Pollution Permit. After notable politicians, like Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi, spoke against the CERC, and slick, reptilian lawyer-types from Dominion argued for it, the floor opened for public comment.

Despite the droll reputation of local politics, the comments were highly entertaining, albeit in the voyeuristic, repulsed-yet-enthralling way a video of a pimple being popped is.

The CEO of Columbia Gas was in attendance, and he actually had the gall to give a folksy speech posing as a local homeowner going on about what a good neighbor Dominion is. There were a number of elderly, uniformly white men who spoke in favor of the plant in impassioned tirades — one such old man shouted “what is your alternative?” at other attendees when the mediator asked those in opposition to the CERC to stand up.

Interspersed were the environmentally-

minded, speaking about the questionable legality of the plant and mourning its future contributions to climate change.

Dominion must transition to zerocarbon energy by 2045 under the Clean Economy Act, which makes their decision to build not just one new methane plant, but potentially the first of eight, perplexing. Methane is far from the only way to generate reliable power, and it is certainly not the easiest for us to live next to.

Dominion has had great success integrating into communities in the past — the area around their Lake Anna reactor is so nice that the parts of its shores that aren't a state park are lined with vacation homes. They are not hurting for new clean power options: there are plans for the world’s first commercial fusion reactor and the largest offshore wind farm in US history to be built in Virginia. If we must allow data centers unlimited, immediate access to our grid, it can be done without a toxic methane plant in our backyard.

Even after dodging over a billion dollars in Virginia taxes, few of the generative AI ventures that data centers facilitate have turned a profit. The CERC would have the Richmond area suffer higher electricity bills, greater air pollution and accelerated global climate change, in service of a technology with few applications beyond being a vehicle for market speculation.

Dominion receives reimbursement (in the form of higher rates) for new construction, but not for repairs. This incentivises such reckless expansion as a methane plant with

a sub-20-year shelf life. Even the CERC’s most redeeming feature — that it would at times be turned off — is a ploy to increase energy bills: its designation as a “peakerplant” allows Dominion to charge higher rates whenever it’s fired up.

One striking feature of the hearing was that VCU students were largely absent. Maybe 15 attendees were in college and the rest were in college when the Berlin Wall was still up. I don’t mean to disparage senior citizens here; I draw attention to the advanced age of the crowd because I am shocked these people had the energy to show up in such numbers and speak with such intensity when our college-aged cohort did not.

The fact of the matter is this: 20-yearolds have a lot more on the line for

environmental issues like this than 70-year-olds. The effects of climate change are often years or decades delayed.

It will be the younger generations like us that have to live through the worst of it — yet we are outnumbered ten to one at these meetings.

Though permits for the CERC have been granted, the issue of it and the other methane plants isn’t settled. There is litigation in progress over the zoning approval the CERC needs, and each subsequent plant Dominion builds will require public comment on its DEQ air pollution permits and its SCC certificates of public convenience.

A baby boomer and an oil executive worked to influence the future of the climate today, will you?

Why is dialogue in today’s television and film unbearable?

JENA SALEM

Contributing Writer

There has been a drastic shift in the quality of screenwriting in the past few years. Whenever I bring myself to tune into the latest hit show or critically-acclaimed movie, it ends with me switching off the television. It has left me wondering — what happened?

I put together a list of popular shows currently airing and another with beloved

programs that premiered decades ago. After rewatching them all, the former shared one common denominator — quality dialogue.

Compared to their predecessors, listening to the conversations written in modern-day television and film is insufferable. Each show falls under the two extremes of a spectrum.

On one end, there are the overcompensating “intellectuals.” Every line out of a character’s mouth is pretentious,

as if they’re competing over who can sound the smartest. Nothing about what they say depicts realistic, digestible discussions.

It becomes tiresome for an audience to sit through, and eventually, we lose interest. A telltale sign of poorly-written dialogue is when the literary pendulum swings too hard in one direction. In other words, if an author feels the need to exaggerate how people talk to each other, this industry is the wrong fit.

Screenwriters should be able to understand how real people interact with each other and replicate that visually. After that is achieved, factor in the characters’ demeanors. Think about how they could blend into, or clash against, one another. On-screen interactions that are convincing stay with the audience. Any writer that can’t follow this formula should consider another medium for their creativity.

Several films fall into this category, “Saltburn” and “Honey, Don’t!” being two that come to mind. Both are masterclasses in depicting abstract concepts that translate terribly onto paper. The dialogue is like a riddle we’re supposed to solve, and once deconstructed, the answer is often so boring that it leaves us unsatisfied.

The other end is the stark opposite. In this category, we have the oversimplistic trendhoppers. These projects rely heavily on vulgarity and incorporating teenage slang to come off as hip and relatable.

A heavy hitter with this issue is “Euphoria” — especially season two. It’s hard to deny the drastic tone shift. Once well-rounded, sympathetic characters suddenly became shells of who they were

before. Every interesting aspect was stripped away in favor of molding them into the superficial personality types popularized online. It doesn’t help that they can’t get past one sentence without using crass or suggestive language.

I hate to say it, but these characters are on the fast track to flanderization. That occurs when a character’s defining traits are oversimplified to the point where they become caricatures of their former selves.

There isn’t anything inherently wrong with either of these forms of dialogue — in small doses, that is. Sometimes, both are appropriate in the context of a project’s main theme.

The mistake is making them your bread and butter. Of course, no one is claiming that every show has to be the next “Mad Men,” or that each movie must hold a candle to “Reservoir Dogs.” Just fill the writer’s room with employees that can string together a sentence without using obscenities or inappropriate slang.

If an aspiring scriptwriter comes across this piece, take this into consideration before picking up a pen. It’s true that film is supposed to provoke thought and reflect the viewer. However, you must go about it in a particular way. Dialogue that paints characters as snobbish or “too on the nose” alienates whoever is watching.

Media of this nature should be digestible — but also sustainable. To maintain relevance writing must stand the test of time. With the current standard of quality, modern-day media seems destined for a legacy of mediocrity.

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Puzzles

THE ROAD TO SELF-DISCOVERY

By Samuel A. Donaldson

Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle

THE ROAD TO SELF-DISCOVERY

By Samuel A. Donaldson

Edited by Patti Varol

Los Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Patti Varol

Angeles Times Sunday Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Patti Varol

Bassist Weymouth of Talking Heads