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Mooyah shakes things up in Tribe Square

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The College of William and Mary Real Estate Foundation announced Friday that the hamburger restaurant Mooyah will round out Tribe Square’s roster, taking up the fourth and final space in the mixed-use space alongside The Crust, Pita Pit and Subway Café.

The menu at Mooyah is simple: burgers, fries and milkshakes.

“With its focus on burgers and fries, Mooyah is a wonderful complement to the restaurants already scheduled to be part of Tribe Square,” William and Mary Real Estate Foundation Executive Director Nancy Buchanan said. “We think the students and the rest of the community will really enjoy having all of these new late-night dining options in town.”

Students say the location is convenient.

“It will be great to have another late-night dining option so close to campus,” Will Hanes ’13 said.

Others say they are pleased with the announcement, but wish for more diversity among Tribe Square restaurants.

“I saw the name, it was funny. It’s like a burger place,” Steven Linett ’12 said. “[But] I wish we had a locally-owned business with more sustainable business practices.”

Mooyah’s hamburgers are made to order, and the buns and fries are made in-house daily.

“What really sets us apart is that we bake our buns— white and wheat — in house every few hours,” Tribe Square Mooyah franchisee P2 Sandhu said. “Because of that, we feel like we offer more healthful options.”

For those looking to branch out from the typical hamburger, Mooyah offers both turkey and veggie burger options.

Customers will be very involved in the cooking process, Sandhu said.

“You can walk down the kitchen line and watch your food being prepared — literally right in front of you,” he said.
Customers also have the option to place their orders online or via text message.

“I’m excited about the idea of texting in my order, it’s cool to see a company so in touch with our wireless generation,” Gareth Bromser-Kloeden ’13 said.

As with the other Tribe Square restaurants, Mooyah sports prices for the college student on a budget, although William and Mary students will not be able to use flex points on their purchase.

“These restaurants will not be part of the meal plan — so that will not include flex — but we are encouraging the restaurants to be part of the William and Mary express card,” Buchanan said.

The Tribe Square location is both the first college-based Mooyah restaurant and the first in the Virginia, Maryland and District of Columbia area for the Texas-based chain.

As per its lease agreement, Mooyah will be open until 1 a.m. or later, as will the rest of its Tribe Square neighbors.

The William and Mary Real Estate Foundation will hold a dedication of the building Thursday, October 20 at 6:15 p.m.

Mooyah is scheduled to open in January or February of next year, Buchanan said.

The Crust, a subsidiary of The Baker’s Crust, opened its doors Monday, serving students wood-fired pizza and microbrews, along with other menu items. Subway Café is scheduled to open in mid-November, while the Pita Pit is slated for a December/January timeframe.

Tribe Square was completed this summer and is home to four retail spaces on the ground floor with student residences located on the second and third. The 56-bed, suite-style living space was filled when it opened this August.

Student arrested after alleged rape in dormitory

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The College of William and Mary Police arrested and charged Jeffery Weaver ’13 with one count of rape Monday.

Weaver was arrested after a female student reported the incident, which allegedly occurred early Saturday morning. Weaver is a 27-year-old undergraduate student at the College who lives off campus.

“According to the student’s account, the incident occurred inside a residence hall during the morning hours of Saturday,” Director of University Relations Brian Whitson said. “The student went to the hospital for a medical examination; William and Mary police were notified and began an investigation.”

Weaver was taken to the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail Monday morning, where he remained without bail as of Monday night. He will face an arraignment hearing Tuesday in order to determine bail and whether he will need an attorney.

Whitson said the College Police are continuing an investigation, but he could not speak about the College’s judicial proceedings concerning the case. According to the 2011 Campus Safety Report, a student found responsible for violating sexual misconduct policy will face sanctions including contingent or permanent dismissal from the College.

“Any violation of local, state and national law can trigger campus disciplinary procedures,” Whitson said.

In response to the incident, Vice President of Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ’88, Ph.D ’06 sent an email to the student body Monday urging campus community members to support each other. She included a reminder that there are a number of campus resources for students affected by sexual assault.

“We are certainly making sure that all of our services and all of our resources are available,” Whitson said.

Student organizations including Health Outreach Peer Educators, One-in-Four and Every Two Minutes provide educational information about sexual assault. Vice President for the Office of Public Health for HOPE Danielle Noriega ’13 believes the incident will encourage others to come forward.

“Just reading it, I can tell that it was definitely a difficult decision for the person to come forward, just because I know there are many instances on campus where people don’t come forth,” Noriega said. “I think this brings to light the fact that sexual assault is something that happens on campus.”

There have been 37 forcible sex offenses reported on campus over the past nine years, according to the College’s annual crime statistics, and 26 of them occurred in residence halls. The College’s new sexual assault prevention specialist, Eric Marlowe Garrison ’94, said that healthy campus relationships are essential to reducing the number of assaults that occur.

“It’s a time to think and regroup, to look ahead toward that community where healthy relationships are the norm and where we remind ourselves that men and women and transgender students are responsible for creating that culture,” he said.

Garrison emphasized that stereotypes can be detrimental to efforts to prevent sexual assault.

“Women are not the sole victims, and men are not the sole perpetrators,” he said. “Little things make a big difference. Every time we refer to a woman as a girl and a man as a boy, we’re setting ourselves back by disrespecting ourselves as sexual beings. Every time we blame someone for choice of clothes, choice of alcohol consumption, choices in friends and other associations, we take a step back, and it’s not just the responsibility of one director, one office, or one student organization. Everyone who wears the green and gold or everyone whose life touches this campus needs to be part of the town-gown relationship for a healthier William and Mary.”

Small plane crashes in High Street

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A single-engine plane crash-landed at the High Street shopping center on Richmond Road Monday.

“There was an emergency landing as a small plane lost power,” Williamsburg Police Sergeant Michelle Anaya said. “The pilot and passenger were unharmed.”

The pilot, Hans Kopper, 81, and a passenger took off from the Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport around 10 a.m. Kopper’s plane, a 1973 Cessna, experienced engine trouble after about an hour in the air.

As the plane began to lose power, Kopper started to look for a suitable place to land the plane. He reportedly wanted to land in an open field behind the High Street complex, but he overshot the landing.

Kopper managed to land the plane safely in an adjacent parking lot behind a mixed-use development. During the landing, the plane’s back wing clipped a light pole. The wing was severely damaged, but the rest of the plane remained intact. Neither Kopper nor his passenger was hurt during the crash, and no fuel spilled during the accident.

Tuning the dials

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Every week, WCWM will bring you the best from today’s indie music scene in the form of this feature. Some of our juiciest, albums will be awaiting your perusal every Tuesday either in print or online. For more musical discoveries, tune in to WCWM, hosted by your own classmates and possibly even you, or come to our listening meetings, which are every Friday at 4 p.m. at the station in the basement of the Campus Center. Now read on for this week’s freshest records.

Ryan Adams-Ashes & Fire:
Yes, it is another Ryan Adams album. But come on, it is Ryan Adams. The guy has serious songwriting talent, and it is undeniable that he has his own unique sound, whether you love it or hate it. In this album Adams seems to have finally dropped the falsetto he’s been playing with for so long in what appeared to be an attempt to sound like Neil Young. The album is more stripped down and folkish than the country rock of Cold Roses albums. Good for a drive through the country or for drinking a couple of brews with that special someone near a roaring fire.
Release Date: October 11, 2011
Interesting Information: Adams had to completely relearn music after being inflicted with a painful inner-ear disease called Meniere’s. Ashes and Fire is his first album since taking a break from music in 2009.

Loney Dear-Hall Music:
Ever heard of Sigur Ros? No? Go listen to Sigur Ros. Not just one album, all of it. Trust me, you won’t regret it. After that you’ll be ready for Loney Dear. Basically the Swedish equivalent of the aforementioned band, Loney Dear also has that beautiful atmospheric post-rock that makes you happy about life and want to go dance in a forest. Or meadow, I’m not prejudiced. Except against tundra, worst biome ever. Emil Svanängen is the clear leader of the band, with his vocals playing an important part in the music. The songs are significantly shorter than their Icelandic counterparts, so I like to think of them as Sigur Ros Lite or Sigur-Ros-When-I-Don’t-Want-to-Listen-to-Post-Rock-for-13-Minutes-Straight.
Release Date: October 4, 2011.
Interesting Information: It’s his sixth album.

Caged Animal-Eat Their Own:
Surf rock-synth pop. Try saying that three times fast. Ok fine, it isn’t that hard, but this band rocks hard. They’re relative newcomers to the music scene, having only been around for a year, and are just starting to break ground in terms of popularity. And they’ve earned it: You can tell that they have honed a sound that, while reminiscent of The Wavves, is unique in its hybridization of the two genres it emulates. And you gotta love the track titles: “Teenagers In Heat,” “Teflon Heart” (get better Rick Ross), and “Lips That Turn the Light to Fire” show that the band can be funny, creative and downright pretty. This album was definitely my favorite for the week.
Release Date: September 26, 2011
Interesting Information: The album was lead singer, Vincent Cacchione, debut album with Caged Animals.

Jonti – Twirligig
This guy is Australian and sounds like the Beach Boys if they were influenced less by the beach and more by an intergalactic space party somehow happening in the land Down Under. Jonti unfortunately doesn’t sound like Men At Work or kangaroos and doesn’t even feature a didgeridoo solo, but I’d still recommend the album. Obviously the number one concern you’re having right now is whether you have to be Australian or at the very least have eaten at an Outback Steakhouse to enjoy Jonti. This is a very valid concern. But even if you’ve never even seen a real boomerang before or hung out at an authentic Australian family’s place (I believe they call them “opera houses”) I’m sure you’ll find something to like about Twirligig.
Release Date: August 23, 2011
Interesting Information: Twirligig is Jonti’s debut album, though he has recorded with Mark Ronson, Santigold, Sean Lennon and the Dap-Kings.

Real Estate – Days
Perfect music to listen to while buying a new home, but listening to the album outside of that context works well, too. Listen to Real Estate while doing your taxes. Listen to Real Estate while purchasing antiques. Listen to Real Estate while listening to other music. Really, all contexts work. I first saw them in a concert in New York City a few years back where I talked to a student from California who wasn’t sure if Washington D.C. was north or south of New York City. Even listening to Real Estate while your brain secretly facepalms works.
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Interesting Information: The band members are childhood friends from Ridgewood, New Jersey who reunited after their college graduations elsewhere.

That awkward moment when you say, “hurdy gurdy”

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Hearing the word “hurdy gurdy” doesn’t exactly bring thoughts of an elegant musical performance to mind. However, Tomas Lozano proved to those present at his Ewell Hall concert that these two concepts can mix very easily.

Singer and scholar Lozano started the College’s Ewell Concert Series on a high note last Saturday, performing his Spanish ballads in front of an audience made up of college students and Williamsburg residents of all ages. The cultural and musical event was sponsored by the Wendy and Emery Reves Center for International Studies, William and Mary Middle Eastern Music Ensemble, Medieval and Renaissance Studies program, Hispanic Studies program and the Music in America Culture Series.

Lozano was born in Barcelona, Spain and entered the United States permanently halfway through his life. He is currently a permanent member of the musical groups Viva la Pepa, Trio Lococó and Daily Bread. In addition to performing, Lozano gives lecture presentations to students at colleges and universities across America, has published multiple articles and books, and makes his own instruments in his spare time.

“I presented [Lozano’s new book and CD] to the Ewell Concert Series Committee, and we were impressed with what Tomas was offering, and with his extensive knowledge,” said Judy Zwelling, manager of the Ewell Concert Series. “He’s a musician, scholar and writer.”

Lozano’s songs were all performed in Spanish, but the feelings behind them were easy to understand with the soft sounds of his acoustic guitar and smooth voice. Before each piece, he also gave the audience a brief account of the story the lyrics told, and with almost every song came a love story.

“Yo Me Levantara Madre” told the tale of a man searching for his lost love, never quite finding her and still searching by the end of the song. “La Doncella Guerrera” revealed a story many may recognize from childhood movies, that of a daughter taking her father’s place to fight in the ongoing war. In the first half of his performance, Lozano switched between his acoustic guitar and a hurdy gurdy, an instrument that uses a crank and sounds similar to a violin.

“It was truly a once in a lifetime experience,” Morrison Mast ’12 said. “The instrumentation was really unique, and Lozano’s performance reflected a deep understanding of and connection with the music, not to mention incredible musicianship.”

During the second half of the concert, musician Clancy Clements joined Lozano onstage to accompany him with the Galician and Renaissance bagpipes. These new instruments added a far more upbeat element to the performance.

Although she helped manage and promote the event, Zwelling was able to soundly enjoy the performance. “I thought the concert was wonderful,” she said. “Haunting in the first half with just Tomas playing the guitar and hurdy gurdy and singing, and lively and delightful in the second, with Clements adding bagpipes and caña to the mix.”

Clements is a Professor of Linguistics, Spanish, and Portuguese at Indiana University, Bloomington. In his spare time, however, he is a world music enthusiast, and has learned to play a variety of different instruments. He has most recently been receiving instruction on playing the bagpipes from instructors straight out of Galicia, Spain.

Zwelling asserts that concerts such as Lozano’s are important for students to attend, because they give them a greater appreciation for other cultures. “I think students learn about other musical idioms, styles and cultures by hearing musicians from all over the world,” she said. “Lozano played and sang medieval, Renaissance, and Sephardic Spanish ballads, and he and Clements played instruments many haven’t ever heard live: hurdy gurdy, three types of bagpipes and the caña.”

Lozano provided students and visitors with a cultural experience they’re not soon to forget. As Mass put it, “How often do you get to see a professional hurdy gurdy player?”

Foot in mouth

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It’s happened to all of us — we are sitting in the back of our least favorite 8 a.m. class we are taking solely to fulfill a GER, counting the ceiling tiles, waiting for class to end ­— and then it happens. The professor, who has been droning on about the merits of sedimentary rocks, suddenly slips in a word he shouldn’t have said. He may not have meant it in an offensive manner, but it jars the classroom, and there are always a few awkward moments in which everyone silently judges that professor, right or wrong.

As a result of situations like these, the Student Assembly is advocating for the administration to combat the problem of professors saying the word “retarded” in class. After Stephanie Cohen, undersecretary of Disability Services, discussed concerns students have about their professors using the offensive word with the administration, an email was sent to professors about using offensive language in the classroom. This is a wise move on the part of the College, as the R-word is derogatory slang and, when used as such, has no place in an academic setting.

Admittedly, there is always the ever-changing debate over political correctness — what is politically correct, and what is not? It seems that the idea of politically correct words changes so frequently that one can never keep up with the times, but there are some words that are simply common sense, and the R-word is one of them.

We hold the faculty at the College to the same high standards to which we hold ourselves. As students, we have the right to stand up to professors when they are out of line. Just because they have a doctorate and tenure doesn’t mean they are shielded from changing perspectives on behavior and words. The word may not have carried the same stigma when they were going to school, but that is irrelevant. Presently, the word is offensive; this is what matters. We do not want offensive words used in our college community.

While we don’t believe it is appropriate to use the words in such negative ways, we also understand context is key. In William Faulkner’s “The Sound and The Fury,” the R-word is used multiple times. We certainly do not advocate the word be censored, deleted, or even replaced when recited within that text. What is needed is an understanding of what it meant then as opposed to what it means now.

Sending an email was the right thing to do, and although the action could be considered too politically correct, the truth is, it isn’t. We are all part of this community, and we have the right to call out offensive behavior when we see it or hear it. The R-word should not be used in the classroom in a negative way to say something or someone is stupid. If we allow this word to be used in the classroom, then we might as well let homophobic, religious and racial slurs to be used as well. But that’s ridiculous. The use of the R-word is, too.
People with intellectual disabilities are often forgotten within our society. This is extremely disheartening, and we believe we should stand up and make their voices heard. This starts with standing up against the use of the R-word.

Packing heat on college campus: New restriction on guns unnecessary

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It is well known that the College of William and Mary has recently taken steps toward implementing rules banning guns on campus and in campus buildings, regardless of permit. This new policy is part of a campaing for stricter gun policies at Virginia state universities. It was announced Oct. 10 that protests against these new policies are being planned at both the College and at Old Dominion University, although no specific date has been set. The new regulations would enact restrictions that are similar to those now in place at George Mason University, and which have been upheld by the Supreme Court. Despite this ruling, I believe that such extreme measures are unnecessary.

The issues that groups for and against gun restirctions have are very similar, and both bring up the issue of the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007. Groups that are advocating for more stringent gun policies on college campuses argue that if there were firmer regulations and enforcement, events like the shooting at Tech wouldn’t happen. Guns rights groups argue that if students passed concealed carry permit classes and were trained to use their guns, they should have the right to carry them on campus because they would be able to protect themselves and other students if a shooting ever happened on a campus again.

Issues of campus safety are very important to students and faculty at the College, especially after the a student was recently robbed. While more rigorous enforcement of current gun laws should take place, like keeping up with what students have gun permits and actually carry guns on campus, I don’t believe that there is any need for further restrictions on carrying guns on campus, because it has not been a problem here as it might be at a larger school. Gun rights groups advocate that a training program should be implemented on campuses where students want to learn how to carry a gun safely, with a permit, and want to learn how to defend themselves in the case of a violent situation.

I agree with the idea of having training classes for students who wish to learn more about gun safety. Even though there is not a lot of violence on this campus, it does happen occasionally, and being able to defend oneself would definitely be useful if the situation ever arose. Training classes would ensure that students would know how to handle guns correctly, and the danger of accidental firing would decrease because of extra training. Stricter enforcement of gun laws should be implemented on any college campus, especially if violence toward students — whether it’s from fellow students or members of the outside community — is common in the area, but further restrictions may not be necessary.

Teach for America offers fulfilling future

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After I graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2005, I spent two years teaching a group of 150 seventh and eighth grade students in North Philadelphia. Most of their teachers were either fellow Teach For America corps members or part of the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows program. On my first day, the students completed a project in which they shared their life goals. It was clear that they were intelligent, creative and full of dreams, like any group of children. They planned to go to college to become doctors, lawyers and entrepreneurs.

However, it quickly became apparent that most of the students weren’t on a life trajectory that would allow them to realize those dreams. They struggled to read Dr. Seuss books and couldn’t multiply and divide without a calculator — skills that should be mastered in early elementary school. Without major intervention, most of my students would not graduate from high school.

My students’ story is all too common among children growing up in low-income communities. When kids growing up in poverty enter kindergarten, they are already academically behind their wealthier peers. This gap in educational opportunity only widens over time. By the fourth grade, they are three grade levels behind, and half of them won’t graduate from high school. Only one in 10 will attend college and for those lacking a college degree, many doors are shut firmly.

As a senior, I had a lot of ideas about how I might spend my first years out of college. Like most students at the College, I had engaged deeply in service and I wanted a job with purpose. I met with a recruiter and started to develop a conviction that I must do something about this injustice. I had enjoyed a first-class college education while millions of children across our country were denied access to something similar simply because of their zip code.

My students went on to make extraordinary academic gains throughout middle school. Over the course of two years, three times as many students passed their standardized tests and their reading and math levels went up three to four grade levels on average. Instead of struggling through Dr. Seuss books and basic math, they were gliding through chapter books and algebra. Over 50 of our students applied and were admitted to competitive magnet high schools. Only two had achieved this feat in the previous year.

As my students entered high school, I went on to join Teach For America’s staff, working to increase the number of leaders committed to educational equity. Last June, I traveled to Philadelphia to watch many of my students graduate from high school. It was emotional to join my students and their families to celebrate this milestone and to know the role I played in realizing it. As I left the graduation, I reflected on my own decision to join Teach For America so many years ago. People told me working as a corps member would be difficult, at times nearly impossible. They were right. My fellow teachers and I fought hard to change the life trajectories of our students and it was exhausting, emotional and, at times, very frustrating. Every second was worth it, because our students now have a chance to attend college and realize their dreams.

As you consider how you’ll spend your energy in college or after graduation, ask yourself what kind of impact you wish to have. If you share my outrage about our public schools continuing to deny millions of American children a chance to pursue their dreams, I urge you to get involved in this issue. Tutor kids in local schools that serve low-income populations. Apply for the Breakthrough Collaborative program this summer. Join Teach For America and commit to impacting the lives of your own students somewhere in our country.

Laugh Riot: Conversational cracks tickle students

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It started out with a bang: “Every closet is a walk-in closet. A closet that isn’t walk-in is a wall.” Alma Mater Productions played host to renowned comedian Paul Varghese, and those in Lodge One saw quite the show Saturday night.

For such a small venue, Lodge One packed in a whole lot of students. A Facebook event and a couple of fliers scattered around campus brought in quite a crowd, but hopefully AMP can rev up a little more student interest for their next event. Most students only wandered into the show because they “had nothing better to do” or because “it was free.”

Although his television credits include NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and Comedy Central’s “Live At Gotham,” AMP sifted through a list of comedians before selecting Varghese to perform. After watching some of his YouTube clips, they decided he was the right choice. Hailing from Dallas, Texas, Varghese has been doing stand-up since 2001. He enrolled in a writing course immediately after college and has stuck with the thread of creativity ever since. Although he loves his work, Varghese feels that his constant travel over the last 10 years sometimes gets a little annoying. He finds it very validating to see himself perform on television.

Varghese began his routine with what he called a three-joke test: Minimally offensive quips about black men, midgets and Jehovah’s Witnesses. They proved to be an effective warmup to his cop jokes, which evoked a lot of laughs. His dry sense of humor transitioned to a commentary about his life and experiences: “Every ceiling fan in every apartment I’ve ever had has three settings: low, medium, epileptic seizure,” he said to a round of laughter.

Varghese covered the basic topics: religion, politics and culture. He never strayed too far from the latter, often making comments about his own Indian heritage. Varghese was funny without going overboard: “On this day in history Barack Obama bought a ShamWow;” the few times he did, the audience responded accordingly.

His entire routine had a lot of laughs, but he had the most success in academic cracks: “We all know that AP stands for Asian People.” He also did a great job relating to the students. He incorporated very relevant topics such as parental habits and limited budgets: “Rich people wine and dine, I juice and seduce.” AMP definitely made a smart decision in selecting a comedian who understands the triumphs and trials of youth.

The at-ease attitude with which he approached his audience made for an interesting show. Calm, cool and collected, Varghese merely had a conversation with his audience — albeit a very funny one. If any of his jokes extracted a lesser response, he commented on it, laughed, and moved on. His low-key approach made his audience very comfortable.

If he started out with a bang, then he ended with an explosion: “You know what’s weird about the word ‘nonchalantly’? No one ever uses the word ‘chalantly’ unless you’re black, in the ghetto. Yo, Chalantly!” The show itself drew a very favorable response from the students. Kristin Giordano ‘14 said it was a lot better than she expected, and Scott Kline ‘15 called it “an excellent show.” It seems that Varghese leaves the College with our stamp of approval.

Alma Mater Productions promises more acts in the future. Be sure to catch the third “Comedy Brew” student competition coming up in November with Colin Jost, writer for Saturday Night Live. Paul Varghese opened the season with a well-done introductory performance that will lead the way to more laughs.

Plane crashes at High Street

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A single-engine plane had a crash landing at the High Street shopping center on Richmond Road Monday.

There was no reported injury or fuel spill.

Check back for more information on this developing story.

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