Books on Wheels brings bikes books and fun

A bunch of old bikes a pile of books and a painted school bus, these are key ingredients in a plan to bring free books bike repair and lots of fun to people who could use all three. If this sounds a little gonzo it should because the main inspiration for the Books on Wheels gang is the Muppets.

A graduate student at VCU’s school of social work has come up with her own form of community outreach by giving away free books and bike repair.

Shelley Briggs and Ward Tefft of Richmond say this is one of the best ideas dreamed up yet. It’s their organization called Books on Wheels. This community-focused group gives away books and repairs Bicycles for free.

Money vs. morals, Virginia retirement system indirectly supports genocide in Darfur

Picture this, your mother or father worked for the general public (i.e. state employee, educator, county/city/town employee) and now he/she has retired. They’re receiving pensions and benefits provided by a state agency whose sole interest is to simply provide the very best in benefits for retired public employees. No dilemma so far, actually sounds pretty reasonable right?

Now, this agency relies on stocks and investments for 75-80% of the return that provides benefits for mom and dad, the other 20-25% is our tax dollars. What if you found out the state agency providing those benefits, invests in the stocks of companies that operate in Sudan, Africa? Not just any part of Sudan, but in a region called Darfur. In 2003, President Bush and congress ruled an apparent genocide is underway in the region. Here in lies the problem.

S.A.V.E.S throws carnaval d’ amour

The student group Sexual Assault and Dating Violence Education by Students, also known as S.A.V.E.S, threw their second annual Carnaval d’ Amour in the commons. Their goal was to raise awareness about sexual assault on college campuses. The topic is one that traditionally raises concern, but the way S.A.V.E.S presented the information was as nontraditional as it gets.

Smoking ban dies, one group’s hope lives on

A House of Delegates subcommittee may killed any remaining chance of a smoking ban in Virginia for 2008, but one group  of advocates say the fight isn’t over. This year’s proposed legislation would’ve banned smoking in most public buildings, bars, and restaurants. Opponents of the ban say people should have the right to smoke where they want; supporters say second hand smoke is a killer.

Forty of those smoke-free advocates took party in this year’s Young Leaders Day at the Capitol.  The group featured teachers, physicians, high school and college students and citizens from across the state. With funding and assistance provided by the American Cancer Society, the group assembled at the Library of Virginia.

 

VCU Alert seeks to defuse campus disasters

School shooting are a reality. In the last year, the Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois shootings have taken the lives of 39 people, most of them college students.

To help prevent such a tragedy on its campus, Virginia Commonwealth University has implement the Emergency Alert System, also known as VCU Alert.  The system is designed to give student the information they need to know to stay safe in life threatening situations.

Your chance to dance

Every Friday, VCU’s Swing Club gets down. Free and open to the public the club usually draws in about 30 members ready to dance.  The club teaches different skill levels of swing, so everyone can learn something new.

Sara Reynolds is the vice president of the club and helps teach. She has been swing dancing for almost three years.  She even showed us a few moves; watch and you’ll see it’s really not that hard.

Rams make history on Senior Night

Senior Night could not have been sweeter for VCU’s Jamal Shuler (Jacksonville, N.C./Jacksonville), Michael Anderson (Virginia Beach/Landstown) and Wil Fameni (Douala, Cameroon/Amelia Academy). Not only did they get a 72-58 win in front of a crowd of 7,241 at the Stuart C. Siegel Center, they clinched the CAA regular season crown for the second consecutive season.

“We set out with that (the regular-season title) being a goal in the beginning of the year and to see it come to fruition today is a good feeling,” said VCU head coach Anthony Grant.

With the win, VCU is guaranteed a spot in the NIT if it were not to qualify to participate in the NCAA tournament.

VCU tailgate party had students Chillin’ N’ Grillin’

Virginia Commonwealth University is one of only a few state universities of its size without a football team, but that does not stop the school from celebrating Homecoming. 

Just before hundreds of VCU basketball fans took their places in the stands of the Siegel Center, beer and barbeque were on the menu at VCU’s annual Chill n’ Grill. 

Described by sponsors as a tailgate party in the middle of winter, the Chill n’ Grill took place in the school’s VV Parking Lot.  The party came at the end of VCU’s Homecoming Week, just before the men’s basketball game against Towson and the crowning of a new king and queen during half time.

Organizers say this years theme, “the last of the eighties babies,” was chosen since the current freshman class was mostly born in 1989: signaling the end of a generation of VCU students who remember when Zach Morris ran Bayside High School and “Too Legit to Quit” ruled the airwaves.  More than 400 frat brothers, sorority sisters and alumni made up the crowd’s majority – many dressed in full black and gold garb.  MC Hammer and LL Cool J blasted through the loudspeakers as students danced, drank and most certainly ate their hot dogs and hamburgers.

Recyclemania lets VCU score green points

Virginia Commonwealth University is home to the Rams and the well-known colors of black and gold.  But now V-C-U is trying to get students to go green.  A new game is encouraging campus residents to recycle.

V-C-U ‘s goal in this intercollegiate competition is to score points for the environment.  Recyclemania is a game that everyone on campus can play. But will they?

“I don’t know anything about Recyclmania,” said VCU student Sam Wood.

Steve Heinitz has been the school’s recycling coordinator for 7 years. Heintiz and his full time staff hope that the competition will raise awareness on campus.

Bogart’s: New location, same ingredients

Pictures lining the walls of Bogart’s tell a story spanning nearly four decades worth of memories. Recently though, some worried that Bogart’s would be moving out of the Fan forever.

Current owner, Joe Bacas, has found a new home nearby for his patrons and his pictures. He just won’t say where.

“The information, when it’s released, everyone will know where we’re going and that time’s coming up real soon,” said Bacas.

A location change can be a nightmare for business owners but Bacas is confident that regulars will find them.

“They said just let us know where you’re going and we’ll follow.”