Collegiate Times

Correction: This story has been modified from its original version. — "Bars plan own initiatives to respect anniversary," (CT, April 15) was incorrect. Michele Minsterman was misspelled. The Collegiate Times regrets this error.

Questions have been raised about what would be appropriate concerning April 16 and alcohol in terms of respecting the Blacksburg community while people reflect and remember.

The Student Government Association, as part of its "Respect and Remember" campaign, has asked local businesses to end alcohol service at 11:45 p.m. tonight to take into consideration the feelings of fellow students, said Jennifer Vaziralli, co-director for community initiatives for SGA.

However, not everyone got the message. "As far as the initiative campaign the student government put forward, we had never been contacted," said Mike Soriano, owner of Champs and managing partner for Awful Arthur's. "We've heard about the initiative and we've tried to get in contact with them."

Soriano said that he e-mailed SGA President Adeel Khan and Vaziralli, but never got a reply, so he took matters into his own hands after not being asked to participate, and being incorrectly represented by the SGA on local news station WSLS, when they told the station that his business did not want to participate.

"We definitely support the candlelight vigil," Soriano said. "We actually have the Respect and Remembrance signs in the windows. We don't expect that many people to come in; we think most will go to the vigil."

Soriano will still leave his business open, but give back to the community in support.

"We do feel that if people do want to come out after, then we intend to be open and we're planning on donating 25 percent of our proceeds (to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund)."

Mike Whaley, owner of Top of the Stairs, has also joined Soriano and is participating in the same effort, along with the owners of Bogen's Steakhouse and Awful Arthur's. "If someone had taken the step to approach us, we would have participated," said Andrea Weddle, manager of Big Al's and Poor Billy's, who also did not receive a request to participate in the SGA initiative.

There were lots of rumors about closing the bars early, but no confirmation, she said. The information became confusing, so Weddle also decided to make her own plans.

Weddle said that the bar has made many donations to various organizations that have come forward and asked and has also donated gift cards to various silent auctions.

"We are going to be open at normal hours and display all of our Virginia Tech decorations," she said.

She also wants to encourage customers and the community to go to the vigil by making an announcement over the bar's speakers, reminding customers to attend. Stephanie Rogol, owner of Sharkey's, also never had anyone approach her about the initiative, but made her own plans. "We will be donating all of our profits (Wednesday) and it will be going to Hokies United," Rogol said. "Let's remember this day wisely and rejoice about how far we've come."

Rogol also thinks that a better effort to organize something should have been put forth. "We need to learn to communicate better," she said.

Vaziralli said that a number of businesses were contacted and several have entertained the idea, but the only one on board so far is The Cellar Restaurant.

"Our biggest concern is not to force establishments to lose money on that day, but we want to take the upper hand and to promote students to (watch) their behavior and attend the events of that night, and the event in the morning on the Drillfield," Vaziralli said. "If a bar chooses not to participate, we respect their decision."

Kevin Long, owner of The Cellar, said that Vaziralli initially approached them about the idea and found further information on the SGA Web site.

"What I would like is to close early on Tuesday, and I'm going to encourage our patrons and employees to go the Drillfield for the lighting of the candles," said Long. "And Wednesday we actually have an artist playing (Kat Mills), and she plans on dedicating her performance in memory of April 16."

A couple of businesses said that they do not have anything planned. "Just business as usual," said John Bissey, manager at the London Underground Pub.

When asked if April 16 came up about handling business on that day, Michele Minsterman, manager at PK's said that it did not.

"No, we didn't consider it, we plan on being very busy, so we didn't change anything for our customers," Minsterman said.