Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026

News

‘A real second chance’ Restoration of voting rights on the ballot for formerly incarcerated people

September 2, 2026

Sal Orlando, News Editor “It makes you still feel like you have a scarlet letter in your head, like I’m less than, or that I’m not a full citizen,” Sam Harris, a Suffolk resident, said about previously losing his voting rights. Harris was granted his right to vote back by Gov. Abigail Spanberger last month, along with over 66,000 other people who were previously convicted of a felony, in her time in office. Under the Virginia Constitution, no person convicted of a felony is qualified to vote unless their civil rights are restored by the governor. The immediate reenfranchisement for over a quarter million people will be on the ballot this November in Virginia, the first time in 44 years. Reenfranchisement is the granting of rights back to people who had them taken away, according to Oxford Dictionary. Harris reflected on not voting in the 1993 gubernatorial election and former Gov. George Allen signing a bill abolishing parole. “That was in the 90s, and imagine me going to prison in 99, 2000 and being affected by something that the government came in and did,” Harris said.  Harris mentioned he regretted not voting prior to his incarceration, and would vote if

VCU Police survey shows 3% drop in campus safety perception

September 2, 2026

Contributing Writer, Olivia Rine Over 90% of VCU students, staff and faculty reported feeling “very safe or safe,” showing a 3% drop from last year, according to its annual Perception of Safety Survey. This is a 6% drop from the 2020 survey. This year, a quarter of respondents expressed concern with their safety at night, particularly on weekends.  On Aug. 30, around 9 p.m., an unidentified individual was found in a verbal dispute, which turned into a physical attack conducted by multiple people, according to ABC News 8. The victim’s injuries were considered minor. According to Clarence T. Hunter, VCU chief of police, robberies this year decreased by 42%, property theft went down 7% and sexual offenses went down 20%.  This year’s perception of safety survey dropped three points based on what people consider crime to be at VCU, Hunter said. “I have come to learn that in law enforcement, we battle two different things,” Hunter said. “One is perception of crime and one is actual crime.”  According to the poll, 57% of respondents were concerned about pedestrian safety.  Hunter and VCU’s police department have acted on resident concerns by changing the timing of lights and left-turn hardening structures in

Code Refresh Reshapes Richmond as VCU Students Struggle to Find Housing

September 2, 2026

Madeleine Biondi, Contributing Writer  Maddy Thurber, Contributing Writer  Richmond’s new proposed zoning code could expand development opportunities and reshape how much housing is available to VCU students in Richmond’s competitive market.  The city released the third and final draft of the zoning code on Aug. 17 which includes community insight from the Richmond Civic League meeting on July 21. Replacing a 50 year old zoning code, the overhaul alters lot restrictions, increases density along rapid transit lines and restricts non-conforming structures in efforts to expand housing. The code also imposes a complete ban on data center construction within the city. Lot changes will increase both the number and type of structures allowed per lot, providing opportunity for an accessory dwelling unit in addition to a primary home. Plans promote more compact lots by decreasing setbacks, which determine how far a building must be placed from a property line or street.  Changes in zoning aim to protect green space in addition to concentrating construction near transportation hubs to improve walkability. Development restrictions limit structure size and height in aim to promote better uniformity.  “The updated comprehensive plan covers future growth in the next 30 years of housing, transportation and urban life,”

Unionized workers at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden vote to prolong strike

September 1, 2026

Ellie Waltman, Managing Editor Union workers at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden voted to go on an Unfair Labor Practice strike on Tuesday, Sept. 1 after 80% of union members voted in favor. The strike vote comes after “two one-day strikes, a call for a boycott and increased public support as workers hold their ground for meaningful wage increases from the Garden,” LGBG Workers United stated in an Instagram post.   The union has raised $11,569 for their strike fund since the union’s GoFundMe creation on July 30. A petition supporting fair wages for the workers at LGBG has collected 1,153 signatures. Workers said that they want a first contract that makes LGBG a sustainable career rather than a job that the employees cannot afford to keep. The union remains ready to reach a fair agreement as they wait for a fair proposal from LGBG, according to the post.  Workers at the garden announced they rejected their employer’s “last, best and final offer” on Aug. 12 after nearly two years of unionizing for increased wages and benefits, according to a previous report from the Commonwealth Times.  The workers voted to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union in Nov.

VCU implements measures to address past cybersecurity threats

August 26, 2026

Olivia Rine, Contributing Writer VCU students raised concerns with campus online safety, following recent cyber attacks to VCU online systems.  Over 7,000 VCU students were sent phishing emails earlier this month from cybercriminals attempting to compromise their email accounts, according to VCU News. The scammers posed as “VCU IT Department,” threatening to remove students from their courses if they did not provide their login information. In late April, VCU students were met with ransom notes upon opening Canvas, according to ABC 8 News. The attack was a part of a national breach from hacking group ShinyHunters. After the initial Canvas hack, the platform faced another hack on the afternoon of May 7, where ransom notes appeared on the login pages of many universities, including VCU.  VCU’s chief information officer, Dan Han, acknowledged that as the use of technology rises, risks are predicted to rise as well. “Not only are we seeing a significant shortening of time between the disclosure of a vulnerability and the exploitation of such vulnerability, but the advancement of these adversarial technologies is also breaking down language barriers and allowing threat actors to rapidly create and deploy increasingly convincing scams intended to target our community,” Han stated

Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Receive $2.7 Million Grant, Among Other Changes

August 26, 2026

Kayla Muñecas, Assistant News Editor  The VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer center underwent several recent changes, including a A $2.7 million grant, new leadership and a new workspace.  The Worta McCaskill-Stevens Grant is meant to facilitate the “training of clinical scientists in community cancer prevention, screening, intervention, control, and treatment research,” specifically clinical scientists whose focus includes enhancing care for minorities, according to the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Monica Baskin, the center’s new director, said she intends to make the care Massey provides accessible to all Virginians, particularly those in rural communities.  “When someone receives that news of ‘you have cancer,’ I want Massey to be among those top cancer centers that immediately come to mind, ” Baskin said.  Baskin explained that Massey’s “community-to-bench model” allows the center to perform research that is relevant to surrounding communities, from Fredericksburg and Virginia Beach to the Northern Neck. “By performing robust research that is driven by the needs of our catchment area, enhancing our Community Outreach and Engagement efforts, and recruiting and retaining an unparalleled bench of cancer researchers and providers who will lead future clinical breakthroughs, I know we will get there,” Baskin said.  Baskin previously served as interim director but was

700 pedestrian focused installations announced for high risk intersections

August 26, 2026

Mad Biondi, Contributing Writer The Richmond Department of Transportation via press release announced a two-phase plan with 700 quick-build improvements targeting intersections identified as statistically dangerous for pedestrians. The installations include high-visibility crosswalks and the introduction of scramble intersections, allowing pedestrians from all sides to cross.  Speed tables, centerline hardening and turn hardening installations ensure more controlled turning and speed. Richmond announced 244 different locations for these solutions. Each phase consists of 350 installations, with Phase 1occurring in Fall 2026. Phase 2 is estimated to be completed in Fall 2027.  Pedestrian safety was the top concern in the 2026 VCU Perception of Safety Survey at 57%.  Richmonders boast some of the most daily driving in the city, with 2 million cars passing through campus per month.  “This is an open campus,” VCU Police Lt. Greer said, “This isn’t a campus where it’s enclosed, you’re going from class to class. You’re in the middle — the heart of the city. We doubled our traffic division because of that need.”  Lt. Greer said the number of contributors when planning, involving the city, VCU planners, RPD, VCUPD, and the DMV.  The RDOT uses data from the High Injury Network (HIN), an identification of

VCU expands transportation services for students with disabilities

August 26, 2026

Maddy Thurber, Contributing Writer VCU is expanding the universities transportation options, providing a new point-to-point service for students with disabilities. VCU now offers the RamsLink Paratransit Service for students, faculty and staff with temporary, permanent or long-term disabilities. RamsLink operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering direct point to point transit with advanced scheduling. Riders can order vehicles through the Ride Pingo app. “The ultimate goal of that is for disability to be taken into consideration prior to any program being enacted,” said Disability Advocacy and Accessibility Caucus Chair, Shady Habib. According to Virginia’s Public Media, 31 locations need improvements to make pedestrian infrastructure more accessible. Habib said that VCU’s integration with the surrounding city limits its control over the sidewalks students use. He noted that poor sidewalk conditions can create significant accessibility barriers and force some students to take much longer routes to get to and from class. “Another big thing that has been a barrier is actually the commercial scooter, like Lime and Bird, where students don’t necessarily park them in the most respectable sort of area and so they may block off an entire sidewalk where it becomes dangerous for a person who

‘A real second chance’ Restoration of voting rights on the ballot for formerly incarcerated people

September 2, 2026

Sal Orlando, News Editor “It makes you still feel like you have a scarlet letter in your head, like I’m less than, or that I’m not a full citizen,” Sam Harris, a Suffolk resident, said about previously losing his voting rights. Harris was granted his right to vote back by Gov. Abigail Spanberger last month, along with over 66,000 other people who were previously convicted of a felony, in her time in office. Under the Virginia Constitution, no person convicted of a felony is qualified to vote unless their civil rights are restored by the governor. The immediate reenfranchisement for over a quarter million people will be on the ballot this November in Virginia, the first time in 44 years. Reenfranchisement is the granting of rights back to people who had them taken away, according to Oxford Dictionary. Harris reflected on not voting in the 1993 gubernatorial election and former Gov. George Allen signing a bill abolishing parole. “That was in the 90s, and imagine me going to prison in 99, 2000 and being affected by something that the government came in and did,” Harris said.  Harris mentioned he regretted not voting prior to his incarceration, and would vote if he was ever given the opportunity. Harris was grateful for his pardon by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin, but felt it was contradictory that he was not also reenfranchised. Youngkin restored the rights of 9,563 people in his time as governor. King v. Youngkin was a class action lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia against the state for stripping the voting rights of every Virginian with a felony conviction. The decision reenfranchised Virginians whose voting rights were taken away for felony convictions that were common law felonies in 1870. “When you are denied things or saying you can’t do anything, it makes people see you in the worst light,” Harris said. Harris is the co-founder of Reentry and Recovery Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing reentry-focused support, according to their website. Sergio Hayes, a Newport News resident, said reenfranchising people empowers them and the current law is a relic of a “very ugly” past. He regained his voting rights last year. “I had to jump through 1,000 hoops to get my rights restored,” Hayes said. “Others who went through the same thing as me, they had to jump through 1,000 hoops. Wouldn’t it be great when

VCU Police survey shows 3% drop in campus safety perception

September 2, 2026

Contributing Writer, Olivia Rine Over 90% of VCU students, staff and faculty reported feeling “very safe or safe,” showing a 3% drop from last year, according to its annual Perception of Safety Survey. This is a 6% drop from the 2020 survey. This year, a quarter of respondents expressed concern with their safety at night, particularly on weekends.  On Aug. 30, around 9 p.m., an unidentified individual was found in a verbal dispute, which turned into a physical attack conducted by multiple people, according to ABC News 8. The victim’s injuries were considered minor. According to Clarence T. Hunter, VCU chief of police, robberies this year decreased by 42%, property theft went down 7% and sexual offenses went down 20%.  This year’s perception of safety survey dropped three points based on what people consider crime to be at VCU, Hunter said. “I have come to learn that in law enforcement, we battle two different things,” Hunter said. “One is perception of crime and one is actual crime.”  According to the poll, 57% of respondents were concerned about pedestrian safety.  Hunter and VCU’s police department have acted on resident concerns by changing the timing of lights and left-turn hardening structures in

Code Refresh Reshapes Richmond as VCU Students Struggle to Find Housing

September 2, 2026

Madeleine Biondi, Contributing Writer  Maddy Thurber, Contributing Writer  Richmond’s new proposed zoning code could expand development opportunities and reshape how much housing is available to VCU students in Richmond’s competitive market.  The city released the third and final draft of the zoning code on Aug. 17 which includes community insight from the Richmond Civic League meeting on July 21. Replacing a 50 year old zoning code, the overhaul alters lot restrictions, increases density along rapid transit lines and restricts non-conforming structures in efforts to expand housing. The code also imposes a complete ban on data center construction within the city. Lot changes will increase both the number and type of structures allowed per lot, providing opportunity for an accessory dwelling unit in addition to a primary home. Plans promote more compact lots by decreasing setbacks, which determine how far a building must be placed from a property line or street.  Changes in zoning aim to protect green space in addition to concentrating construction near transportation hubs to improve walkability. Development restrictions limit structure size and height in aim to promote better uniformity.  “The updated comprehensive plan covers future growth in the next 30 years of housing, transportation and urban life,”

Unionized workers at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden vote to prolong strike

September 1, 2026

Ellie Waltman, Managing Editor Union workers at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden voted to go on an Unfair Labor Practice strike on Tuesday, Sept. 1 after 80% of union members voted in favor. The strike vote comes after “two one-day strikes, a call for a boycott and increased public support as workers hold their ground for meaningful wage increases from the Garden,” LGBG Workers United stated in an Instagram post.   The union has raised $11,569 for their strike fund since the union’s GoFundMe creation on July 30. A petition supporting fair wages for the workers at LGBG has collected 1,153 signatures. Workers said that they want a first contract that makes LGBG a sustainable career rather than a job that the employees cannot afford to keep. The union remains ready to reach a fair agreement as they wait for a fair proposal from LGBG, according to the post.  Workers at the garden announced they rejected their employer’s “last, best and final offer” on Aug. 12 after nearly two years of unionizing for increased wages and benefits, according to a previous report from the Commonwealth Times.  The workers voted to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union in Nov.

VCU implements measures to address past cybersecurity threats

August 26, 2026

Olivia Rine, Contributing Writer VCU students raised concerns with campus online safety, following recent cyber attacks to VCU online systems.  Over 7,000 VCU students were sent phishing emails earlier this month from cybercriminals attempting to compromise their email accounts, according to VCU News. The scammers posed as “VCU IT Department,” threatening to remove students from their courses if they did not provide their login information. In late April, VCU students were met with ransom notes upon opening Canvas, according to ABC 8 News. The attack was a part of a national breach from hacking group ShinyHunters. After the initial Canvas hack, the platform faced another hack on the afternoon of May 7, where ransom notes appeared on the login pages of many universities, including VCU.  VCU’s chief information officer, Dan Han, acknowledged that as the use of technology rises, risks are predicted to rise as well. “Not only are we seeing a significant shortening of time between the disclosure of a vulnerability and the exploitation of such vulnerability, but the advancement of these adversarial technologies is also breaking down language barriers and allowing threat actors to rapidly create and deploy increasingly convincing scams intended to target our community,” Han stated

Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Receive $2.7 Million Grant, Among Other Changes

August 26, 2026

Kayla Muñecas, Assistant News Editor  The VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer center underwent several recent changes, including a A $2.7 million grant, new leadership and a new workspace.  The Worta McCaskill-Stevens Grant is meant to facilitate the “training of clinical scientists in community cancer prevention, screening, intervention, control, and treatment research,” specifically clinical scientists whose focus includes enhancing care for minorities, according to the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Monica Baskin, the center’s new director, said she intends to make the care Massey provides accessible to all Virginians, particularly those in rural communities.  “When someone receives that news of ‘you have cancer,’ I want Massey to be among those top cancer centers that immediately come to mind, ” Baskin said.  Baskin explained that Massey’s “community-to-bench model” allows the center to perform research that is relevant to surrounding communities, from Fredericksburg and Virginia Beach to the Northern Neck. “By performing robust research that is driven by the needs of our catchment area, enhancing our Community Outreach and Engagement efforts, and recruiting and retaining an unparalleled bench of cancer researchers and providers who will lead future clinical breakthroughs, I know we will get there,” Baskin said.  Baskin previously served as interim director but was

700 pedestrian focused installations announced for high risk intersections

August 26, 2026

Mad Biondi, Contributing Writer The Richmond Department of Transportation via press release announced a two-phase plan with 700 quick-build improvements targeting intersections identified as statistically dangerous for pedestrians. The installations include high-visibility crosswalks and the introduction of scramble intersections, allowing pedestrians from all sides to cross.  Speed tables, centerline hardening and turn hardening installations ensure more controlled turning and speed. Richmond announced 244 different locations for these solutions. Each phase consists of 350 installations, with Phase 1occurring in Fall 2026. Phase 2 is estimated to be completed in Fall 2027.  Pedestrian safety was the top concern in the 2026 VCU Perception of Safety Survey at 57%.  Richmonders boast some of the most daily driving in the city, with 2 million cars passing through campus per month.  “This is an open campus,” VCU Police Lt. Greer said, “This isn’t a campus where it’s enclosed, you’re going from class to class. You’re in the middle — the heart of the city. We doubled our traffic division because of that need.”  Lt. Greer said the number of contributors when planning, involving the city, VCU planners, RPD, VCUPD, and the DMV.  The RDOT uses data from the High Injury Network (HIN), an identification of

Meningitis threat

November 1, 2007

About 700 students have visited University Student Health Services since last Monday to receive an antibiotic pill in response to the death of a 19-year-old music major, VCU health officials said Tuesday. The antibiotic, a single dose taken orally, was distributed free of charge to prevent the spread of bacterial meningitis.

Obama taps crowd’s frustration at rally in Charlottesville

November 1, 2007

Sen. Barack Obama criticized the Bush Administration during a rally in Charlottesville Monday, voicing concern for its policies both in Iraq and at home. His message was received by a crowd of more than 4,200 people who gathered outside at the Charlottesville Pavilion.

Students carve for first place

November 1, 2007

Student Katie Connor sat on the second floor of Shafer Court Dining Center Wednesday energetically carving out an owl pattern that would score third place in the Pumpkin Carving Contest. Every year, VCU Dining Services sponsors a pumpkin-carving contest for students as a way for students to get more out of their dining experience than just food, said Louise Kapelewski, marketing manager for VCU Dining Services.

BRIEFS

October 29, 2007

WORLD

SIRTE, Libya – Negotiators lowered
expectations ahead of the opening
of the Darfur peace talks Saturday,
with almost no key rebel leaders
present to negotiate an agreement
with the Sudanese government.
The talks were announced in early
September by U.

‘Hell Block’ gets Halloween makeover

October 29, 2007

A fairy, the Black Plague and a pink lady straight from ’70s film “Grease” were among those who gave the 1100 block of West Grace Street a makeover Saturday. The environmental group, Student Sierra Coalition at VCU, and other volunteers wore their Halloween costumes to pick up cigarette butts, garbage and broken glass from the sidewalks of the mostly student-populated block, which is commonly referred to as “Hell Block.

School officials promote safety following student’s death

October 29, 2007

Following the death of a 19-year-old music major Wednesday afternoon from what might be meningitis, Linda Hancock, director of VCU’s Office of Health Promotion, said students with questions or concerns should go to University Student Health Services. “Bacterial meningitis is very rare, but it can have very serious consequences.