Tuesday, Apr 14, 2026

Students grapple with pollen as Richmond among worst cities for allergies 

April 8, 2026

Sal Orlando, Assistant News Editor Across VCU campus and Richmond, pollen is coating cars, windows, walkways and the nostrils of students — as Richmond was recently ranked in the top 20 most challenging places in America to live in with a pollen allergy. The city’s tree coverage and global climate change contribute to its allergenic status. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America released a report this year classifying Richmond as the 14th harshest place for people with pollen allergies. The report claims climate change may be a reason for pollen spikes across the nation. “Richmond is at a climatic intersection between north and south, and for that reason we have a number of different tree species that are contributing to the pollen count,” said VCU ecology professor Chris Gough. “The pollen count is particularly high at this time of the year because we have a number of different flowering plants.” Last year, the AAFA ranked the city as the eighth most challenging city in the country to live in with a pollen allergy. Gough said the only solution that can alleviate the pollen in the Richmond area is eliminating tree canopy, which he does not think is a good

Spanberger to decide on bill preventing partisanship on boards of visitors

April 8, 2026

Skye Hathaway, Contributing Writer The Virginia General Assembly passed a bill that would reform how university boards of visitors operate with the goal of making them less partisan. It is awaiting a signature from Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who called for the changes upon entering office. Under the legislation, board members’ terms would increase from four to six years. Members would be required to wait two years after their six-year term before being reappointed. The measure would prevent any one governor from fully packing the boards with their appointees. Boards of visitors consist of 16 members. After the governor appoints members, they are confirmed by the General Assembly. The boards hold the power to budget, hire and fire presidents, shape university policy and approve course curricula. The governor currently gets to appoint four board members each year, meaning the boards consist entirely of the governor’s appointees by the end of their term. The bill would also require the General Assembly to confirm or reject the governor’s appointees as soon as “practicable.” Currently, the General Assembly confirms or rejects appointees within the first 30 days of the following session — meaning there are often months-long gaps between appointments and confirmation. Proposal would

The American dream is a fallacy — human connection is the answer

April 8, 2026

Kylie Grunsfeld, Staff Columnist In America we are encouraged to work toward a six-figure salary, marriage, a few kids and a nice house in a suburban neighborhood — all protected by a white picket fence to keep our family in and others out.  This country is built to isolate us as we age and we are not taught how to cope with that loneliness. Instead, we are taught how to earn, spend and save money. But it is on the individual to develop a support system, and nothing — not our work or school schedules, nor our cities’ infrastructures — are created with this in mind.  For example — our culture considers a car an extremely aspirational asset. People save up for years to purchase one; some even give their vehicles more attention than their children. But since the invention and popularization of cars, there’s been a decline in walkable cities and, consequentially, an increase in isolation.  If everything we needed was constructed within a reasonable distance — the grocery store, work, school — we could abandon cars and walk to our destinations. This one lifestyle change would open thousands of new doors for fostering connections with those around us.

Richmond is tracking all of us. We should be more concerned.

April 8, 2026

Reed Baldwin, Contributing Writer I like feeling safe — we all do. Safety allows us to have fun, relax and enjoy the world around us. Safety fills a void where uncertainty and anxiety would otherwise be present. I also like privacy. I enjoy those secluded, personal moments with friends, family or on my own — moments where we can be our truest selves without the worry of embarrassment or unwanted attention. Privacy allows us a space to retreat and escape the world’s perception.  So, we all like privacy and safety. But would you sacrifice one for the other? Would you give up your privacy to protect your safety? Would you risk your safety to maintain your privacy?  But most importantly, do you trust your local government to make that decision for you? If you live in Richmond, or any of the thousands of other cities across the country, then they already have.  Over the past year, the city of Richmond has received significant backlash for its ongoing contract — and its recent renewal of that contract — with Flock Safety. The Atlanta-based security company offers several products, including gunshot detectors, automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, security cameras and “first

Students advocate for disability accessibility, awareness through art, prom event 

April 8, 2026

Fakeha Naeem, Contributing Writer    VCU’s first Disability Advocacy Week occurred from March 30 to April 4 and saw students collaborate with organizations on and off campus with the goal of raising awareness for students with disabilities and the challenges they face every day. The VCU Student Government’s Disability Advocacy and Accessibility Caucus put on a week’s slate of printing, socializing and film viewing that culminated in a “Disability Prom” in the Commons Ballroom.  Fourth-year student Xavier McDaniel designed two disability focused tote bags in collaboration with Studio Two Three, along with t-shirts and posters for those who participated in the event.  “I went through archives with protest and disability signs and imagery, pulling out phrases such as ‘To Exist is to Resist’ and ‘Accessibility benefits everyone,’” McDaniel said. March 31 saw the launch of an exhibition at the Cabell Library where the works of 20 disabled artists at VCU were featured — ranging from sculpture, craft, paper, video and digital media.  “VCUarts is so big, specifically pulling off the Uncommon brand, we do push our diversity in the art brand but we do not talk about disabled artists so my idea was to talk about all the uncommon,” McDaniel said.

Third All About Palestine brings rich culture, conversation

April 8, 2026

Lelia Contee, Contributing Writer  The third annual All About Palestine event invited Richmonders to experience Palestinian culture through joy, community and resistance at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on April 4.  Inspired by Mahmoud Darwish’s poem “On this land,” this year’s theme centered on resilience and appreciating the beauty, power and steadfastness of Palestinian culture. The event featured Palestinian art and literature, authentic cuisine, vendors and educational booths. Two panels were on the schedule — during the first, “Health Under Occupation: Mind, Body and Resilience,” panelists discussed the mental and physical toll of resisting genocide, and the resilience that sustains communities from Washington, D.C. to Gaza.  In the second panel — “Culture as Resistance,” panelists discussed how culture sustains Palestinian identity, memory and belonging across generations.  “We hope that it gets people excited about learning more about our culture, the history and the deep roots that we have to our indigenous land because we’re the indigenous people of the Levant,” said Fairouz Foty, co-founder of Malikat Al Dabke. Malikat Al Dabke, or Queens of Dabke, is the first all-women’s dabke troupe that specializes in Palestinian, Lebanese and Iraqi dance styles in the Washington region, according to their website.  Dabke is

Men’s tennis flames out against No. 60 Liberty

April 10, 2026

Drew Thompson, Sports Editor VCU men’s tennis failed to capitalize against nationally ranked No. 60 Liberty University on April 9, losing 6-1.  Liberty opened the day with a 6-2 win in the first doubles match over VCU first-year Patrik Petera and second-year Leon Zaorski. VCU brought it back even after second-years Erwann Bouchet and Gevorg Mnatsakanyan won their set 6-3. However, a 6-4 Liberty win on the second court secured the doubles point for the Flames.  The Rams brought the fight to the singles matches; however, the results stayed the same as they failed to capitalize.  VCU second-year Mats Bredschneijder lost in two sets after sending the first set to extras. A similar story followed fourth-year Alfred Almasi, who took the first set to extras before losing in the second, shooting Liberty out to an early 3-0 lead. Bouchet breathed some much-needed life back into a faltering VCU side after a hard-fought three set victory. Bouchet went down 4-6 in the first, before dominating the next two sets 6-2 and 6-1, giving VCU its first point.  The Rams attempted to carry that momentum into the closing matches but came up short each time. Zaorski lost in two sets on court

Martelli aims to retain core players prior to transfer portal

April 8, 2026

Jenny Allen, Staff Writer VCU men’s basketball’s standards have increased as they earned a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season title and the conference tournament championship for its second straight season.  VCU secured its spot at the NCAA Tournament, where it faced off against No. 6 University of North Carolina.  The Rams won a thrilling 19-point comeback before eventually losing to No. 3 University of Illinois in the round of 32.  Despite the Rams’ loss in the second round, the astonishing upset against UNC left VCU ready to use the offseason to its advantage.  However, with the rise of the transfer portal, VCU’s team roster remains in question.  Head coach Phil Martelli Jr. believes that one of the most crucial aspects of college basketball is player consistency. Backing his belief, Martelli has agreed to a contract extension through the 2031-32 season, demonstrating his commitment and gratitude towards VCU.  “VCU is built to compete at the highest level and we have to continue to push that forward,” Martelli said in a post-game press conference. “I talk a lot about the people that came before us and what they’ve done to build this legacy, but it’s really now it’s the people

PRESS BOX: Is NIL ruining March Madness?

April 8, 2026

Hayden Braun, Staff Writer March Madness is supposed to be pure, unfiltered chaos where any school has a chance, no matter how big the opponent is.  The idea that a small program like Siena University can go toe-to-toe with a blue blood like Duke University is what makes the tournament so special. But with the turnout of last year’s and this year’s tournaments, that unpredictability feels like it’s fading.  Fans don’t want to see all top seeds battling it out in the Final Four like in recent tournaments. They want Cinderella stories, buzzer-beaters and the chaos that made March Madness what it is. Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) is the legal right of college athletes to profit off their fame. It was introduced in 2021 and since then college sports have changed as we know it — and so has March Madness.  One of the last true Cinderella runs came in 2022, when Saint Peter’s University shocked the country. Saint Peter’s became the first team in tournament history to reach the Elite Eight as a No. 15 seed, defeating powerhouse programs like the University of Kentucky and Purdue University along the way.  Runs like that are what make the NCAA

APRIL 8 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

April 8, 2026

Christa Anderson, Contributing Writer Lacrosse vs. Elon University  VCU women’s lacrosse lost to Elon 13-8. The Rams scored their first three points early in the game, but the Phoenixes made up the points quickly and pulled ahead. Third-year attacker Rachel Koeneke led the Rams with three goals scored and two assists. This home game matchup brought VCU’s record to 8-3.  Baseball vs. Longwood University VCU defeated Longwood 6-1 to take its fourth straight win. While the game started off close, the Rams forged ahead and second-year catcher Jacob Lee hit his sixth home run of the season. This brings VCU’s season record to 17-11 and 8-1 in Atlantic 10 conference games.  Women’s tennis at the University of Delaware  The Rams played the Blue Hens in doubles and singles matches, losing 2-4. Third-year Tania Isabel Andrade Sabando clinched points for the Rams in singles matchups following a straight-set win by VCU second-year Sofia Jane Thorne. This brings the Rams’ record to an even 9-9. Lacrosse vs. Duquesne University VCU hosted Duquesne in a home matchup, securing a major win. The Rams started off strong, racking up 15 points before the Dukes’ first goal. The game ended in a VCU victory, 19-6.

Lacrosse victory secures winningest season in program history

April 5, 2026

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer CORRECTION: The original version of this story made an error. It reported that the VCU lacrosse head coach’s name was Nina Flores, when in actuality it is Nicole Flores. This story has been updated with the correct information. The CT regrets the mistake. VCU won 19-6 against Duquesne University following the tough loss to Elon University earlier in the week. The Rams took control as soon as the game began, led by third-year attacker Sam Palmer who scored to get VCU on the board first less than one minute into the game. VCU graduate student attacker Molly O’Keefe was next to get in on the action, scoring just over a minute later to extend the VCU lead to two. The Rams used swarming defense to force Dukes mistakes and capitalized offensively, running up a 6-0 lead halfway through the first quarter. VCU’s O’Keefe was electric early, posting a hat trick in the first quarter alone. At the end of the quarter the Rams sat on the winning end of a lopsided 9-0 lead. VCU’s lead swelled to 11 to begin the second quarter thanks to goals from midfielders second-year Annika Bennett and first-year Maya Gipson.  The

Students grapple with pollen as Richmond among worst cities for allergies 

April 8, 2026

Sal Orlando, Assistant News Editor Across VCU campus and Richmond, pollen is coating cars, windows, walkways and the nostrils of students — as Richmond was recently ranked in the top 20 most challenging places in America to live in with a pollen allergy. The city’s tree coverage and global climate change contribute to its allergenic status. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America released a report this year classifying Richmond as the 14th harshest place for people with pollen allergies. The report claims climate change may be a reason for pollen spikes across the nation. “Richmond is at a climatic intersection between north and south, and for that reason we have a number of different tree species that are contributing to the pollen count,” said VCU ecology professor Chris Gough. “The pollen count is particularly high at this time of the year because we have a number of different flowering plants.” Last year, the AAFA ranked the city as the eighth most challenging city in the country to live in with a pollen allergy. Gough said the only solution that can alleviate the pollen in the Richmond area is eliminating tree canopy, which he does not think is a good

Spanberger to decide on bill preventing partisanship on boards of visitors

April 8, 2026

Skye Hathaway, Contributing Writer The Virginia General Assembly passed a bill that would reform how university boards of visitors operate with the goal of making them less partisan. It is awaiting a signature from Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who called for the changes upon entering office. Under the legislation, board members’ terms would increase from four to six years. Members would be required to wait two years after their six-year term before being reappointed. The measure would prevent any one governor from fully packing the boards with their appointees. Boards of visitors consist of 16 members. After the governor appoints members, they are confirmed by the General Assembly. The boards hold the power to budget, hire and fire presidents, shape university policy and approve course curricula. The governor currently gets to appoint four board members each year, meaning the boards consist entirely of the governor’s appointees by the end of their term. The bill would also require the General Assembly to confirm or reject the governor’s appointees as soon as “practicable.” Currently, the General Assembly confirms or rejects appointees within the first 30 days of the following session — meaning there are often months-long gaps between appointments and confirmation. Proposal would

Opinion

The American dream is a fallacy — human connection is the answer

April 8, 2026

Kylie Grunsfeld, Staff Columnist In America we are encouraged to work toward a six-figure salary, marriage, a few kids and a nice house in a suburban neighborhood — all protected by a white picket fence to keep our family in and others out.  This country is built to isolate us as we age and we are not taught how to cope with that loneliness. Instead, we are taught how to earn, spend and save money. But it is on the individual to develop a support system, and nothing — not our work or school schedules, nor our cities’ infrastructures — are created with this in mind.  For example — our culture considers a car an extremely aspirational asset. People save up for years to purchase one; some even give their vehicles more attention than their children. But since the invention and popularization of cars, there’s been a decline in walkable cities and, consequentially, an increase in isolation.  If everything we needed was constructed within a reasonable distance — the grocery store, work, school — we could abandon cars and walk to our destinations. This one lifestyle change would open thousands of new doors for fostering connections with those around us.

Richmond is tracking all of us. We should be more concerned.

April 8, 2026

Reed Baldwin, Contributing Writer I like feeling safe — we all do. Safety allows us to have fun, relax and enjoy the world around us. Safety fills a void where uncertainty and anxiety would otherwise be present. I also like privacy. I enjoy those secluded, personal moments with friends, family or on my own — moments where we can be our truest selves without the worry of embarrassment or unwanted attention. Privacy allows us a space to retreat and escape the world’s perception.  So, we all like privacy and safety. But would you sacrifice one for the other? Would you give up your privacy to protect your safety? Would you risk your safety to maintain your privacy?  But most importantly, do you trust your local government to make that decision for you? If you live in Richmond, or any of the thousands of other cities across the country, then they already have.  Over the past year, the city of Richmond has received significant backlash for its ongoing contract — and its recent renewal of that contract — with Flock Safety. The Atlanta-based security company offers several products, including gunshot detectors, automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, security cameras and “first

The Rundown

Spectrum

Students advocate for disability accessibility, awareness through art, prom event 

April 8, 2026

Fakeha Naeem, Contributing Writer    VCU’s first Disability Advocacy Week occurred from March 30 to April 4 and saw students collaborate with organizations on and off campus with the goal of raising awareness for students with disabilities and the challenges they face every day. The VCU Student Government’s Disability Advocacy and Accessibility Caucus put on a week’s slate of printing, socializing and film viewing that culminated in a “Disability Prom” in the Commons Ballroom.  Fourth-year student Xavier McDaniel designed two disability focused tote bags in collaboration with Studio Two Three, along with t-shirts and posters for those who participated in the event.  “I went through archives with protest and disability signs and imagery, pulling out phrases such as ‘To Exist is to Resist’ and ‘Accessibility benefits everyone,’” McDaniel said. March 31 saw the launch of an exhibition at the Cabell Library where the works of 20 disabled artists at VCU were featured — ranging from sculpture, craft, paper, video and digital media.  “VCUarts is so big, specifically pulling off the Uncommon brand, we do push our diversity in the art brand but we do not talk about disabled artists so my idea was to talk about all the uncommon,” McDaniel said.

Third All About Palestine brings rich culture, conversation

April 8, 2026

Lelia Contee, Contributing Writer  The third annual All About Palestine event invited Richmonders to experience Palestinian culture through joy, community and resistance at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on April 4.  Inspired by Mahmoud Darwish’s poem “On this land,” this year’s theme centered on resilience and appreciating the beauty, power and steadfastness of Palestinian culture. The event featured Palestinian art and literature, authentic cuisine, vendors and educational booths. Two panels were on the schedule — during the first, “Health Under Occupation: Mind, Body and Resilience,” panelists discussed the mental and physical toll of resisting genocide, and the resilience that sustains communities from Washington, D.C. to Gaza.  In the second panel — “Culture as Resistance,” panelists discussed how culture sustains Palestinian identity, memory and belonging across generations.  “We hope that it gets people excited about learning more about our culture, the history and the deep roots that we have to our indigenous land because we’re the indigenous people of the Levant,” said Fairouz Foty, co-founder of Malikat Al Dabke. Malikat Al Dabke, or Queens of Dabke, is the first all-women’s dabke troupe that specializes in Palestinian, Lebanese and Iraqi dance styles in the Washington region, according to their website.  Dabke is

Sports

Men’s tennis flames out against No. 60 Liberty

April 10, 2026

Drew Thompson, Sports Editor VCU men’s tennis failed to capitalize against nationally ranked No. 60 Liberty University on April 9, losing 6-1.  Liberty opened the day with a 6-2 win in the first doubles match over VCU first-year Patrik Petera and second-year Leon Zaorski. VCU brought it back even after second-years Erwann Bouchet and Gevorg Mnatsakanyan won their set 6-3. However, a 6-4 Liberty win on the second court secured the doubles point for the Flames.  The Rams brought the fight to the singles matches; however, the results stayed the same as they failed to capitalize.  VCU second-year Mats Bredschneijder lost in two sets after sending the first set to extras. A similar story followed fourth-year Alfred Almasi, who took the first set to extras before losing in the second, shooting Liberty out to an early 3-0 lead. Bouchet breathed some much-needed life back into a faltering VCU side after a hard-fought three set victory. Bouchet went down 4-6 in the first, before dominating the next two sets 6-2 and 6-1, giving VCU its first point.  The Rams attempted to carry that momentum into the closing matches but came up short each time. Zaorski lost in two sets on court

Martelli aims to retain core players prior to transfer portal

April 8, 2026

Jenny Allen, Staff Writer VCU men’s basketball’s standards have increased as they earned a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season title and the conference tournament championship for its second straight season.  VCU secured its spot at the NCAA Tournament, where it faced off against No. 6 University of North Carolina.  The Rams won a thrilling 19-point comeback before eventually losing to No. 3 University of Illinois in the round of 32.  Despite the Rams’ loss in the second round, the astonishing upset against UNC left VCU ready to use the offseason to its advantage.  However, with the rise of the transfer portal, VCU’s team roster remains in question.  Head coach Phil Martelli Jr. believes that one of the most crucial aspects of college basketball is player consistency. Backing his belief, Martelli has agreed to a contract extension through the 2031-32 season, demonstrating his commitment and gratitude towards VCU.  “VCU is built to compete at the highest level and we have to continue to push that forward,” Martelli said in a post-game press conference. “I talk a lot about the people that came before us and what they’ve done to build this legacy, but it’s really now it’s the people

PRESS BOX: Is NIL ruining March Madness?

April 8, 2026

Hayden Braun, Staff Writer March Madness is supposed to be pure, unfiltered chaos where any school has a chance, no matter how big the opponent is.  The idea that a small program like Siena University can go toe-to-toe with a blue blood like Duke University is what makes the tournament so special. But with the turnout of last year’s and this year’s tournaments, that unpredictability feels like it’s fading.  Fans don’t want to see all top seeds battling it out in the Final Four like in recent tournaments. They want Cinderella stories, buzzer-beaters and the chaos that made March Madness what it is. Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) is the legal right of college athletes to profit off their fame. It was introduced in 2021 and since then college sports have changed as we know it — and so has March Madness.  One of the last true Cinderella runs came in 2022, when Saint Peter’s University shocked the country. Saint Peter’s became the first team in tournament history to reach the Elite Eight as a No. 15 seed, defeating powerhouse programs like the University of Kentucky and Purdue University along the way.  Runs like that are what make the NCAA

APRIL 8 RECAP: How every VCU team did this week

April 8, 2026

Christa Anderson, Contributing Writer Lacrosse vs. Elon University  VCU women’s lacrosse lost to Elon 13-8. The Rams scored their first three points early in the game, but the Phoenixes made up the points quickly and pulled ahead. Third-year attacker Rachel Koeneke led the Rams with three goals scored and two assists. This home game matchup brought VCU’s record to 8-3.  Baseball vs. Longwood University VCU defeated Longwood 6-1 to take its fourth straight win. While the game started off close, the Rams forged ahead and second-year catcher Jacob Lee hit his sixth home run of the season. This brings VCU’s season record to 17-11 and 8-1 in Atlantic 10 conference games.  Women’s tennis at the University of Delaware  The Rams played the Blue Hens in doubles and singles matches, losing 2-4. Third-year Tania Isabel Andrade Sabando clinched points for the Rams in singles matchups following a straight-set win by VCU second-year Sofia Jane Thorne. This brings the Rams’ record to an even 9-9. Lacrosse vs. Duquesne University VCU hosted Duquesne in a home matchup, securing a major win. The Rams started off strong, racking up 15 points before the Dukes’ first goal. The game ended in a VCU victory, 19-6.

Lacrosse victory secures winningest season in program history

April 5, 2026

Ben Martindale, Staff Writer CORRECTION: The original version of this story made an error. It reported that the VCU lacrosse head coach’s name was Nina Flores, when in actuality it is Nicole Flores. This story has been updated with the correct information. The CT regrets the mistake. VCU won 19-6 against Duquesne University following the tough loss to Elon University earlier in the week. The Rams took control as soon as the game began, led by third-year attacker Sam Palmer who scored to get VCU on the board first less than one minute into the game. VCU graduate student attacker Molly O’Keefe was next to get in on the action, scoring just over a minute later to extend the VCU lead to two. The Rams used swarming defense to force Dukes mistakes and capitalized offensively, running up a 6-0 lead halfway through the first quarter. VCU’s O’Keefe was electric early, posting a hat trick in the first quarter alone. At the end of the quarter the Rams sat on the winning end of a lopsided 9-0 lead. VCU’s lead swelled to 11 to begin the second quarter thanks to goals from midfielders second-year Annika Bennett and first-year Maya Gipson.  The

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