SPORTS Soccer teams notch pair of wins at home
OPINION
Final conjuring film falls short of big expectations
Upward Bound faces sudden cut
Enyedi announces TRIO cancellation from federal govt.
BY MICHAEL PURTELL EDITOR IN CHIEF
A beloved 60 year old program on Plattsburgh State’s campus has unexpectedly gotten the axe.
SUNY Plattsburgh has received notice of a cancellation of its TRIO Upward Bound grant, according to an email from Plattsburgh State President Dr. Alexander Enyedi. The Trump administration’s proposed budget for 2026 does
not include any funding for TRIO federal grant programs placing the future status of programs across the nation in question.
Upward Bound is a program which aims to help prospective college students from all financial backgrounds make it to college campuses with academic and personal support. Platts-
burgh’s grant serves more than 200 students annually, according to the email from Enyedi.
According to a release from SUNY Plattsburgh Director of TRIO Upward Bound Brian Post, the program received notice of the Sept. 30 cancellation Tuesday, Sept. 12. Post stated the reason given was that the program was “no longer in the best interest of the Federal Government.”
Enyedi and Post both wrote that the school has submitted a formal request for reconsid-
eration to the Department of Education.
“While we are disappointed at the cancellation of this grant, SUNY Plattsburgh remains steadfast in our commitment to support students and advance upward mobility to help ensure New Yorkers are able to achieve their dreams and prosper,” Enyedi wrote.
As the end of September approaches, Post encouraged UB families and students to contact the U.S Congressional Representative for NY’s 21st district
Seminar shares portfolio, skills
BY SOPHIE ALBERTIE Opinion Editor
The demand for ambitious young scientists to help save the environment has increased by tenfold.
Justin King, 2006 alum and Environmental practice leader at TRC Companies Inc, has returned to SUNY Plattsburgh to educate students on his environmental experience.
King has been consulting for 17 years and is pleased to be back at SUNY Plattsburgh, a place that has played an important role in shaping his career. King held a seminar on environmental consulting in Hudson Hall on Friday, Sept 12, as part of the weekly CEES seminar series provided by the SUNY Plattsburgh Center for Earth and Environmental Science. He has been consulting for 17 years and is pleased to be back at SUNY Plattsburgh, a place that has played an important role in shaping his own career.
“Be open to something different. It will always lead to an opportunity,” King said.
King delayed his graduation from SUNY Plattsburgh by a year so he could study at the William Miner Agricultural Institute before receiving his bachelor’s degree in environmental science. He now preaches being an environmental expert for the purpose of helping his clients achieve environmental health through protecting both humans and nature.
“Laws and regulations govern everything we do as consultants. We must promote sustainable
practices while minimizing environmental impact,” King said.
The Portfolio of Petroleum Spill Sites is one of the most significant projects King has worked on with around 50 gas stations located throughout lower New York. This project is what King said he considers “the cornerstone of his career.”
“That field experience became a guide to me, as it formed my ability to lead,” King said.
In terms of interns and future employees for his company, King said that he looks for technical knowledge in all forms including technical writing skills and technical conversation skills. He encourages students to come readily equipped for a job in this field.
“Utilize your university, that is the reason why I am here today,” King said.
For the experienced scientist, his journey has not come without setbacks. King recalls the peak of his burnout when he first started managing projects for his company. He said he blames both his obsessive work ethic and the number of projects he took on. The
small size of the workforce and the much bigger number of projects contributed to the changes he finally decided to make in his career to address his struggles.
“Know your boundaries, that’s what became important to me,” King said.
Ultimately, his goal is to encourage as many aspiring young scientists as possible to care about the environment from a perspective of research and safety to help build a sustainable future.
“Being here with you all is special for me because this is where my journey with environmental consulting began,” King said. “It’s an honor to share those experiences with you and hopefully the next generation of environmental consulting professionals.”
Elise Stefanik through her email or office phone to “let her know that the cancellation of TRIO Upward Bound at SUNY Plattsburgh is not only illegal, but will also have serious and lasting impacts on the futures of the students of the North Country.”
September 19
An investigation is pending regarding graffiti found on the river walk trail.
September 15
An investigation is pending regarding a case of criminal mischief by the College Pond.
September 14
University Police made an adult arrest in an ABC violation case at Macdonough Hall.
September 13
UP investigated a domestic incident at the House of Prayer. The case was closed by investigation.
UP made an adult arrest on Rugar St. in a DWI case.
Graphic by MICHAEL PURTELL
ALEXANDER ENYEDI
Provided by the Center for Earth & Environmental Science
Travel ban deters international students
BY MAKIYA SEMINERA Associated Press
With the Taliban barring women from college in her native Afghanistan, Bahara Saghari set her sights on pursuing higher education in the United States.
Saghari, 21, practiced English up to eight hours per day for several years, eventually winning an offer to study business administration at a private liberal arts college in Illinois. She was hoping to arrive this fall, but her plans were derailed again, this time by President Donald Trump’s travel ban.
“You think that finally you are going to your dream, and then something came up and like, everything’s just gone,” Saghari said.
Thousands of students are among the people affected by the Trump administration’s travel ban and restrictions on citizens from 19 countries, including many who now feel stranded after investing considerable time and money to come to the U.S.
Some would-be international students are not showing up on American campuses this fall despite offers of admission because of logjams with visa applications, which the Trump administration slowed this summer while it rolled out additional vetting. Others have had second thoughts because of the administration’s wider immigration crackdown and the abrupt termination of some students’ legal status.
But none face bigger obstacles than the students hit with travel bans. Last year, the State Department issued more than 5,700 F-1 and J-1 visas — which are used by foreign students and researchers — to people in the 19 travel ban-affected countries between May and September. Citizens of Iran and Myanmar were issued more than half of the approved visas.
The US is still the first choice for many students
Pouya Karami, a 17-year-old student from Shiraz, Iran, focused his college search entirely on the U.S. No other country
offers the same research opportunities in science, he said. He was planning to study polymer chemistry this fall at Pittsburg State University in Kansas, but he had to shelve those plans because of the travel ban.
Karami deferred admission until next year and is holding out hope. He is still preparing for his embassy interview and reaching out to U.S. politicians to reconsider the travel ban’s restrictions on students.
“I’m doing everything I can about it,” he said.
The full travel ban affects citizens from 12 countries spanning Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean. It blocks most people from obtaining new visas, although some citizens from the banned countries are exempt, such as green card holders, dual citizens and some athletes. Seven other countries have tighter restrictions that also apply to student visas.
When Trump announced the travel ban in June, he cited high visa overstay rates and national security threats from unstable or adversarial foreign governments as reasons for putting countries on the list. He has called some of the countries’ screening processes “deficient” and said he plans to keep the ban in place until “identified inadequacies” are addressed.
Hopes of extended families ride on students
In Myanmar, the family of one 18-year-old student made his education their top priority, saving paychecks for him to go abroad for college. They risked their stability so he could have the chance to live a better life, said the student, who asked to be identified by only his nickname, Gu Gu, because he is worried about being targeted by the Myanmar or U.S. government for expressing criticism.
When he shared a screenshot
of his acceptance letter to the University of South Florida in a family group chat, it exploded with celebratory emojis, Gu Gu said. He had been waiting for visa appointments to be announced when one night, his mother woke him to ask about news of a U.S. travel ban. In an instant, his plans to study at USF this fall were ruined.
Many students his age in Myanmar have been drafted into the military or joined resistance groups since the military ousted the elected civilian government in 2021. While a civil war rages, he had been looking forward to simple freedoms in the U.S. like walking to school by himself or playing sports again.
“I was all in for U.S., so this kind of breaks my heart,” said Gu Gu, who was unable to defer his acceptance.
With the U.S.’s door closed, students are looking elsewhere Saghari, the Afghani student,
postponed her July visa interview appointment in Pakistan to August after learning of the travel ban, but ultimately canceled it. Knox College denied her request to defer her admission. She later applied to schools in Europe but encountered issues with the admissions process. A German university told Saghari she would need to take another English proficiency test because an earlier score had expired, but taking the test the first time was already a challenge in Afghanistan’s political climate.
She has been accepted to a Polish university on the condition she pay her tuition up front. She said her application is under review as the school validates her high school degree.
Amir, a 28-year-old Iranian graduate who declined to provide his last name for fear of being targeted, wasn’t able to travel to the U.S. to take a position as a visiting scholar. Instead, he has continued to work as a researcher in Tehran, saying it was difficult to focus after missing out on a fully funded opportunity to conduct research at the University of Pennsylvania.
His professor at Penn postponed his research appointment until next year, but Amir said it feels like “a shot in the dark.”
He’s been looking at research opportunities in Europe, which would require more time spent on applications and potentially learning a new language. He still would prefer to be in U.S., he said, but he isn’t optimistic that the country’s foreign policy is going to change.
“You lose this idealistic view of the world. Like you think, if I work hard, if I’m talented, if I contribute, I have a place somewhere else, basically somewhere you want to be,” he said. “And then you learn that, no, maybe people don’t want you there. That’s kind of hard to deal with it.”
Beekmantown teacher suspended after social media posts about Charlie Kirk
BY CARLY NEWTON PRESS REPUBLICAN
A teacher at Beekmantown Central School District has been placed on administrative leave after a social media post he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death earlier this week went viral. Kirk, known for his rightwing views and use of the Christian faith in political debate, was shot and killed Wednesday at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Kirk was on campus as part of his conservative political advocate company, Turning Point USA’s “The American Comeback Tour.”
At these campus events, Kirk debates students on a variety of societal and political issues.
While he was answering a question from a student Wednesday, Sept 10, Kirk was shot in front of hundreds of students in attendance.
After the news of Kirk’s death was made public, Jeremy Hoy, a math teacher at Beekmantown High School, shared a photo of Kirk on his personal Facebook account with an expletive-filled message about Kirk’s public comments against women and the LGBTQ+ and Black communities. Screenshots of the post were shared across Facebook Thursday, Sept. 11.
Asked the same evening if the district was planning on pursuing any disciplinary action for Hoy, Superintendent of Schools Dustin Relation said an educator had been placed
on administrative leave.
As a follow-up, the PressRepublican asked Relation to confirm Hoy was the teacher placed on administrative leave. Relation responded, “At this time, I am unable to provide further information and ask that you refer back to the statement that I provided.”
As of Friday, Sept. 12 the post could no longer be found, along with Hoy’s Facebook account. According to Hoy’s LinkedIn profile, he has taught at Beekmantown since 2005.
“Earlier today, we became aware of comments made by a Beekmantown Central School District employee regarding the tragic death of Charlie Kirk in Utah,” the original statement from the district noted. “These remarks, posted
Student Association
Contact Editor in Chief Michael Purtell at
Terwilliger at Gterw002@plattsburgh.edu for more info.
on a social platform, were inappropriate and insensitive, and do not reflect the values of our school community.
“We have heard from a large number of parents, students, and community members who voiced their disappointment and concerns. We are grateful to be part of a community that values compassion, respect, and thoughtful dialogue, and we recognize the importance of reflecting those values in everything we do as educators.
“The District is reviewing this matter and will follow established policies and procedures to address it. While this process is underway, the employee has been placed on administrative leave.
“Because this involves a personnel issue, we are not
able to provide additional details at this time, but please know that we take this matter seriously and remain committed to maintaining a respectful, supportive environment for all students and families. We share your commitment to kindness, empathy, and respect, and affirm that these are core values we must uphold and model for our students.”
TIA DUFOUR via Creative Commons
President Donald J. Trump waves to the press after a flight in 2019.
This week in Plattsburgh Athletics
ANYA KERN/Cardinal Points
Goalie Matthew D’lppolito making an athletic save at the Cardinals home game Sept. 13.
ANYA KERN/Cardinal Points
Matthias Lauvau competes in the SUNYAC preview Sept. 13.
ANYA KERN/Cardinal Points Jake McGowan collides with opposing player in a header.
ANYA KERN/Cardinal Points
Hannah Meyers boxes out the competition Sept. 13.
ANYA KERN/Cardinal Points
Sophie Miller, 17, takes possession of the ball past opposing defense.
ANYA KERN/Cardinal Points Alexis Patrick stepping into possession.
ANYA KERN/Cardinal Points Robbie Kapovic shoots from the sideline.
Unbeaten Cards rout Union
BY KAMIKO CHAMBLE
Sports Editor
The Plattsburgh State men’s soccer team is undefeated in seven games so far this season. The latest highlight was the 1-0 win against Union College at the Field House Lacrosse Complex on Sept. 12.
The Men’s soccer team remains undefeated against Union College after playing them three years in a row, all on their home turf. From the opening whistle the team controlled the temperature, applying intense offensive pressure to temper Union’s defense.
Sophomore goal keeper Matthew D’lppolito stopped all three of the shots he faced, gaining his fourth clean sheet of the season, and his first since Sept. 3.
Women’s Soccer
Reach our editors at cp@cardinalpointsonline.com.
BY KAMIKO CHAMBLE
Sports Editor
The Plattsburgh State women’s soccer team had their first encounter with Norwich University since 2014 and defeated them 2-0.
The win put Plattsburgh back in a good standing after losing its last two games in a row on Sept. 17.
Plattsburgh State was sharp from the start of the game. Senior defender Alexis Patrick opened the scoring in the first ten minutes, earning her first goal of the season. Continuing directly after that, sophomore forward Bailee Lafountain doubled the Plattsburgh lead, putting Plattsburgh up 2-0. Lafountain’s follow up and Patrick’s goal demonstrated great build up play, quick movement and finishing from the young team.
Plattsburgh showed dominance against Norwich. Seven of Plattsburgh’s 19 attempts were on goal, compared to one of three for Norwich. Plattsburgh’s offense created many opportunities while still playing calm defense.
Junior midfielder Sydney Myers had five shots during the game,
In the first half of the game the Cards recorded 10 shots, while Union only put up two. The score was tied despite their difference in offensive output. Xavier Kamba broke the impasse in the 85th minute of the game. Kamba, who ended the game with seven shots, hit a strike from the top of the box off of a pass from senior midfielder Santiago Vargas which broke the deadlock and gave Plattsburgh State the first and last lead of the game. In order to maintain the clean sheet, Plattsburgh strengthened their defense in the last minutes after being motivated by their last
goal, and earned the 1-0 victory. Junior forward Tristan Laundree and 1st year forward Robbie Kapovic had two shots each during the game, while Vargas, Guevara, Siegel, Murphy all had one shot. There were four yellow flags picked up over the course of the game with two of them being given to Jake McGowen and Robbie Kapovic. The game was chippy and hard fought, the refs weren’t scared to blow the whistle. Both teams tallied 11 fouls each by the end of the game for a total of 22.
Email KAMIKO CHAMBLE cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Cards earn win before SUNYAC
sophomore midfielder Bailee Lafountain and senior forward Claire Bottjer both had three shots, senior midfielder Kelly Licata and junior forward Lilley Keyser had two shots and first year forward Alana DeLaCruz, junior defender Lia Parker, and senior midfielders Hannah Meyers and Alexis Patrick all had one shot throughout the game. Goal keepers sophomore Desiree DuBois and junior Brook Lynn DaSilva split the shift, each recording 45 minutes of play time.
Plattsburgh handled all of the threats that came their way. The Cardinals made great use of their bench, letting fresh legs take the field for the second half of the game to keep the momentum going. This game showed Plattsburgh’s ability to build up big wins, especially at an opponents field against a team they haven’t played in over ten years.
Email KAMIKO CHAMBLE cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Men’s Soccer
XAVIER KAMBA
ALEXIS PATRICK
ANYA KERN/Cardinal Points
Cardinal Xavier Kamba outstretches his leg to inturrupt an opponent’s dribble in the home game against Union College on Sept. 12.
ANYA KERN/Cardinal Points
The Cardinals Women’s Soccer team huddles on the home pitch midgame. The team defeated Norwich 2-0 Sept. 17.
Final Conjuring fails to deliver
BY SOPHIE ALBERTIE Opinions Editor
The Conjuring: Last Rites marks the end of an era, but the beginning of many questions. Enough questions to make a viewer wonder: Am I missing something?
Featuring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as the infamous Lorraine and Ed Warren, the final chapter in this iconic horror franchise pits the creeped out couple against their final, most terrifying case. The rest of the 135 minute runtime involves the Smurl family, the unrelenting faith of the two ghostbusting warrens and a demonic mirror that connects both of the previous plot devices.
In this film, diehard fans get mountains of backstory and a riveting cast of beloved characters to fight for. The plot dives into the birth and origin of Judy Warren, and her pronounced psychic abilities, which she inherits from her mother. Fans also get to see her grown up and meet her husband, Tony Spera, played by Ben Hardy. Spera becomes the unsung hero to his investigative in-laws, and cements his place in the family by helping them battle the demons haunting the Smurl family.
Director Michael Chaves, who has only directed two out of seven of the films set in the universe of The Conjuring, has a knack for revving up the tension before audience members even start eating their popcorn. Almost instantly, viewers are launched into the gory true story retelling of the Warren’s hardest case to crack. Legendary screen cred aside, if you are tired of the cliche angel vs devil, good vs bad, christianity vs satanism cliche in horror movies, this one may not be for you. In fact, skip any film adaptation of the classic Conjuring story, period. If the real life story the franchise is based upon involves God, the dramatized retelling will surely exaggerate that sentiment.
This might have been the film’s singular downfall, one that narrows down the movie to a snooze fest. The final installment relies too heavily on its religious themes to deliver any conclusion of real substance, focusing on the wholesome heartfelt God first narrative, and less on actually scaring people. This is to be expected with its monumental reputation as one of the classic horror franchises of the 21st century, but it is also why the film doesn’t stand alone very well.
Then again, it may be unfair to expect seven movies worth of content to be wrapped up perfectly in such a short amount of time, and it’s important for any end to hold sentimental value.
This movie could’ve benefited from better writers who were able
to ride along with the full story of the Warrens since the first movie released in 2013. For a series finale, it rang anticlimactic. Despite the post credits photo… if you know, you know.
At the end of the day, it’s apparent this film was created with true conjuringheads in mind. If I had been one of these, chances are the story would have had more of an emotional impact on me. One thing is for certain, the scariest moments of this movie remain the parts I felt utterly underwhelmed by.
Jupe, Mary and Joseph
BY SOPHIE ALBERTIE Opinions Editor
Christians, clutch your crosses tighter and alert the townsfolk. Hollywood is coming for Jesus- and it has Nicolas Cage at the forefront.
Let me explain further: Nicolas Cage is starring in a horror movie about Jesus. Director and writer, Lofty Nathan, has Cage playing “The Carpenter.” Singer/songwriter FKA Twigs is playing “The carpenter’s wife,” Better known as Mary. The Virgin Mary.
But who’s playing Jesus? Try Noah Jupe, famous for his roles in “A Quiet Place,” and Shia Leboeuf’s memoir “Honeyboy.”
For non-religious moviegoers, the entirety of the bible could probably work really well as material for the next great horror flick. There are so many recognizable and interesting stories to work with, and a vast array of morally grey characters to choose from. That being said, let me be the first to state as an avid horror movie fan that this is a terrible idea.
Across every corner of the internet, disciples could not be more vehemently displeased. It’s hard to blame them, God has always held an important role as a moral compass and symbol of good in horror movies with religious themes. Now, the turns have tabled in a way no one could possibly see coming. This creative choice is leaving christians everywhere asking: “really? right in front of my judeo-christian salad?”
Email SOPHIE ALBERTIE
cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Video Music Awards forgets music
BY NORA BOWLER Contributor
From the Golden Globes to the Emmys, it’s always nice to see a favorite piece of media from an award ceremony win. For this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, this aspect of the show was far from enjoyable.
The winners of the MTV VMAs are decided by fan votes. Besides technical awards, which are decided by a panel of judges.
This aspect of the show ensures there won’t be any major upsets, and fans can show their love to their favorite musical artists. In recent years, the VMAs have become more about performances than the actual awards that are being given out.
Despite more than 20 awards being given out last Sunday, only seven were announced live. For an awards show with a three-hour run time, most would think they’d make time for the actual awards. Instead, there were sixteen performances.
Winner of This year’s best new artist, Alex Warren, found out he won while on the red carpet. Past winners of this monumental award include Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo, and Doja Cat, all of whom are now household names and have made huge impressions on the music industry.
Wouldn’t you think that such an important award would be given some spotlight instead of being announced while the winner is still on the red carpet? Who decides which awards get to be announced live? And why did only seven awards make the cut? Video of the Year, Best Pop Video, Album of the Year, Best Pop Artist, Song of the Year, Best New Artist and Best Collaboration were announced live on air. All
other genres and technical awards were announced online instead of at the event. Why are these awards not celebrated in the same capacity? Did creatives not work as hard as those who won the seven awards that were announced live? Don’t you think some of those winners would’ve liked to make a speech? Publicly thank all those who helped them to win?
A minute-long thank-you speech means Mariah Carey can only perform a six-song medley rather than seven. The award I was most interested in was the best group. I voted for my favorite band every time MTV had the poll up on their Instagram story. I watched the show all night, waiting to see who was going to win, but the show ended without revealing who won. I had to read through Instagram comments just to find out who won, and it wasn’t even the group I voted for. In the future, the MTV VMAs
should actually announce the awards live rather than focusing only on the title of each award. This gives time back to the people who worked hard on making the music that people have listened to all year. While I understand the musical performances are there to highlight the artists, every winner deserves to have a spotlight on them. Every genre deserves to be praised just as much as pop. Every technical award deserves to be appreciated just as much as the musical awards. The MTV VMAs should be about celebrating every aspect of music and music videos, not just a couple of awards.
Email NORA BOWLER cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
This movie will definitely be the one that paints organized religion as scary. Which is true, but the artistic liberties exercised here have a very high chance of crashing and burning. Nathan could’ve just made another cult movie based on a religion that isn’t as socially accepted. People go crazy for those stories.
That way, Jupe and Twigs wouldn’t have their careers tainted by this movie if things end up going south with critics. I’m not particularly worried about Nicolas Cage, even his proudest fans know he agrees to pretty much anything.
Needless to say, the concept of “The Carpenters Son” is offending me even before hitting the big screen, only for the high probability of the film not giving what it needs to give. If you think I will be seated in my nearest regal cinema with a small blue raspberry slushie and a medium buttered popcorn on Oct 30, you are surely correct.
by
Graphic
KOLIN KRINER
Graphic by KOLIN KRINER
SOPHIE ALBERTIE
Image via ADOBE STOCK
