diff --git a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/variantcontext/VariantContextTestProvider.java b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/variantcontext/VariantContextTestProvider.java
index 22ec66cd9..9b05bd30b 100644
--- a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/variantcontext/VariantContextTestProvider.java
+++ b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/variantcontext/VariantContextTestProvider.java
@@ -291,8 +291,6 @@ public class VariantContextTestProvider {
 
 
     private static void addGenotypes( final VariantContext site) {
-        final GenotypesContext gc = new GenotypesContext();
-
         // test ref/ref
         final Allele ref = site.getReference();
         final Allele alt1 = site.getNAlleles() > 1 ? site.getAlternateAllele(0) : null;
diff --git a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/variantcontext/writer/VariantContextWritersUnitTest.java b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/variantcontext/writer/VariantContextWritersUnitTest.java
index ce52d4869..9ecffe939 100644
--- a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/variantcontext/writer/VariantContextWritersUnitTest.java
+++ b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/variantcontext/writer/VariantContextWritersUnitTest.java
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ public class VariantContextWritersUnitTest extends BaseTest {
 
     @BeforeSuite
     public void before() throws IOException {
-        IndexedFastaSequenceFile seq = new CachingIndexedFastaSequenceFile(new File(b37KGReference));
+        final File source = new File(b37KGReference);
+        //final File source = new File("/Users/depristo/Desktop/broadLocal/localData/human_g1k_v37.fasta");
+        IndexedFastaSequenceFile seq = new CachingIndexedFastaSequenceFile(source);
+        //IndexedFastaSequenceFile seq = new CachingIndexedFastaSequenceFile(new File(b37KGReference));
         dictionary = seq.getSequenceDictionary();
         VariantContextTestProvider.initializeTests();
     }