New environmental club on campus
A new student organization has one message for the VCU community: reduce, reuse and recycle. Through diversity and teamwork, Green Unity’s coordinators hope to have an impact by producing a greener campus.
The organization encourages members to use their particular interests or goals to start sub-groups within the club and promote environmental ideas with their own projects.
Some students jump at chance to give blood, others wary
Students came out and donated blood in the Commons Wednesday for the Colonial Athletic Association’s “Have a Heart Blood Challenge.”
Part of a multiple-campus blood drive involving the schools within the CAA, the event has been running successfully at VCU since 2005.
What is Muscular Dystrophy?
The muscular dystrophies (MD) are a group of more than 30 genetic diseases, all of which are characterized by degeneration of the skeletal muscles.
The disorders differ in terms of the age of onset, distribution and extent of muscle weakness, rate of progression and pattern of inheritance.
Student dies in GRC
Painting and print-making major Brittany “Bree” Selz, of Rhoadesville, died in Gladding Residence Hall Monday. Selz, 19, had been living with muscular dystrophy, a disease that causes degeneration of skeletal muscles.
Kindal Evers met Selz 13 years ago at a Muscular Dystrophy Association camp.
VCU graduate named MacArthur Fellow
VCU School of the Arts graduate Tara Donovan, a sculptor, was named a winner of the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, becoming the third former VCU student to win the award in the last five years.
Donovan, who received her M.F.A. in sculpture at VCU in 1999, was one of 25 MacArthur Fellows named Tuesday.
Leak sends 7 to hospital for treatment
Seven people were treated at area hospitals after a gas leak at Richmond’s wastewater-treatment plant.
The leak occurred Sunday night at the plant, which treats up to 70 million gallons of wastewater a day. The leak involved sulfur dioxide gas, which can be deadly if inhaled in large quantities.
Questions raised over burial ground
A group of activists is raising questions about a state archaeological report on a historic blacks-only burial ground in Richmond.
The Defenders for Freedom, Justice and Equality is citing a report by a prominent scholar that contends the Department of Historic Resources report did not thoroughly investigate the footprint of the Burial Ground for Negroes.
Cheese spread recalled from Richmond-area shelves
A Richmond company is recalling a cheese spread because of the potential of salmonella contamination.
The recall involves Miss Bonnie’s Jalapeño Pepper Cheese Spread, distributed between Aug. 28 and Sept. 19 and with a sell-by date of Dec. 2, 2008. No illnesses have been associated with the recall.
James River Coal plans stock offering
Mine operator James River Coal Co. is planning to sell stock to repay debt.
The Richmond-based company says in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Tuesday it’s hoping to sell 1.5 million shares, with an over-allotment option to sell up to 225,000 additional shares, in a public offering.
U.S. soldiers accidentally kill Sunni leader in Iraq
American soldiers accidentally shot and killed the leader of a local U.S.-allied Sunni group Tuesday after coming under attack in a volatile area north of Baghdad, the military said.
The shooting comes a week before the Shiite-led Iraqi government begins to assume authority over the Sunni groups known as the Sons of Iraq, or Awakening Councils.