Volume 54, Issue 14

The Captain’s Log

STUDENTS

CNU Stands for Richneck and Beats Rivals

GRACE GRILES

GRACE.GRILES.20@CNU.EDU

This past Saturday, the Captains and the rest of the Newport News community stood in solidarity with Richneck Elementary as they opened up for the first time since the shooting this Monday. About six hours before the game started, CNU Men’s Basketball posted on Instagram that everyone in the stands should wear green to show support for Richneck Elementary. All of the CNU Men’s Basketball players

wore green, and the majority of the crowd did as well.

The energy in the stadium was electric due to the fact that the Captains were going against their rivals Salisbury Sea Gulls that afternoon. An email from Francis Tommasino, Senior Athletic Director, that was sent the day before the game highlighted this fact.

The email read:

“Calling All Captains!

“The Christopher Newport men’s basketball team

is 17-3 and ranked 4th in the nation...Saturday we host our longtime rivals, Salisbury University, in a 4 p.m. game at the Freeman Center.

All CNU students with current ID are admitted free... let’s rock the Freeman Center and cheer the Captains on to victory.

Also, wear green as we support our friends in the Richneck Elementary School community.

GO CAPTAINS!”

All Captains knew this was a must go-to game, and it showed because the student section was completely full. The first quarter was full of excitement. The Captains were ahead for the majority of the game, but towards the end of the first quarter everyone became a little nervous. Salisbury was two points ahead, and there were only two minutes left in the period.

(continued on page 8)

What’s Inside News Snapshot Sports Lifestyle A&E

Newport News communitychangedemands

My journey with Ernie: lessons I learned from a turkey dog

Eagles rout 49ers, advance to Super Bowl

Australian Open recap

The reiamagining of Velma Panic at the Disco! disbands

Phineas and Ferb is back!

Podcast for Captains Cups and claws cat cafe

WECARE CNU

Scenic shots

All photos taken by Wyatt Mile, Staff Photographer

Editor and CLog Staff

Contact Information

Editor in Chief

Grace Griles grace.griles.20@cnu.edu

Business Manager

Justin Heller justin.heller.21@cnu.edu

News Editor

Evelyn Davidson evelyn.davison.20@cnu.edu

Sports Editor

Trey Greenwell trajan.greenwell.21@cnu.edu

A&E Editor

Fiona Sullivan fiona.sullivan.20@cnu.edu

Lifestyle Editor

Savannah Dunn savannah.dunn.21@cnu.edu

Photography Editor Savannah Dunn savannah.dunn.20@cnu.edu

Head of CNUTV

Allison Silverman allison.silverman.21@cnu.edu

Check out our website and social medias!

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@cnucaptainslog

Feeling Blue

by Melissa Downs

I’m feeling azure blue

—Not sad, or heartbroken— A different kind of hue

That I see in dreams.

A rich color that fills the world

And holds the stars, Or one that’s in the waters, waving like a sheet drying in the wind.

It’s a deepness, That depth of longing to know,

And to be, and to voyage

Up to that seagreen surface. A longing to stay there

At that edge between the paper and my pencil

Editor of the Week

Staff Writer of the Week

Cameron Tomaino

So that I can articulate and perfectly encapsulate All the images that clog my mind.

They refuse to go, And depending on the day Can seem like shimmering gold in the sand ready to be recovered Or strings of floating plastic I know will never leave.

Instead, like a sunken navy ship, I fall into that navy blue Where light comes and flickers, But never stays for long, So ideas never last And neither do dreams.

Cameron Tomaino joined The Captain’s Log in Fall 2022. He started off writing for News and has been consistent ever since. Recently he has offered to be a copy editor for The Captain’s Log. The Captain’s Log appreciates your hard work Tomaino!

Margaret (Maggie) Gammons is the Social Media Manager for The Captain’s Log. Gammons is a huge part of CLog’s success due to her being the woman behind the cool graphics on our social media. However, this week she did something extra special. She cleaned the newsroom! For that and all the hard work she puts into our website and social media, CLog says thank you!

US History Crossword

Answers will be posted on our Instagram @cnucaptainslog!

(all past crossword answers are in our Instagram highlights)

Galentine’s Day

Staff writer discusses Valentine’s Day and the alternative holiday

Galentine’s

ADA CHICAS ADA.CHICAS.20@CNU.EDU

The time is slowly creeping upon us when stores begin to sell big boxes of heart chocolates, teddy bears with I love yous written in the middle, and the two aisles in the stores are filled with Valentine’s day treats. For those with significant others, this time of year is exciting, somewhat stressful and romantic. Some receive flowers while other begin to plan for dinners and make reservations for the big day.

However not everyone likes Valentine’s Day.

However not everyone likes Valentine’s Day. Some dislike it so much that they would rather skip the day. Personally I don’t believe it should be be disliked holiday because its a day for everyone and I’ll tell you why.

Many tend to forget that Valentines Day is not only for those in love, in fact Valentine’s Day is for everyone who loves! It’s a day for those who you appreciate and love the most, not just romantically but platonically. Best friend, friends, co-workers, and parents. Anyone you appreciate can receive a small box of chocolates or a card. A better word for it is Galentines.

What is galentines?

What is galentines? It is a day to celebrate with your best gal’s doing fun activities and spending it with the people you love and adore most. Valentine’s day doesn’t have to be sad and lonely, in fact you can have fun with your friends while doing small activities for each other. Cooking dinner is one of the best way to spend time together with your friends. This can

be just as fun and romantic as it can be with a significant other. A fantastic and easy to make dinner recipe is chicken alfredo pasta! Everyone loves pasta.

As much as Valentine’s day can be deemed as terrible if you’re single, you can always find fun and exciting ways to celebrate. Even if it’s celebrating by yourself, baking has never hurt anyone! In fact, baking a cake or cookie can cure anything!

Galentine’s day is about being able to celebrate with the people closest to you

Galentine’s day is about being able to celebrate with the people closest to you, and making one of those cheesy Valentine’s day cards can make anyone’s day. There are plenty of activities that can be done with friends, like dinner, baking, arts and crafts, going out for brunch, etc,.

So instead of being upset that Valentine’s day is coming up and not having a date. Catch up with some friends, plan a pink Galentine’s day theme party with all your favorite sweet treats and enjoy the day!

Having homemade chocolate covered strawberries is much better than none at all!

“The Captain’s Log is free to write anything it pleases and CNU fully respects the Freedom of the Press.”

CNU Chancellor PAUL TRIBLE

Photo from Unsplash

Photo from Unsplash

What is Wrong with the Wifi? 8 Great Horror Authors Not NamedKingStephen

TREY GREENWELL TRAJAN.GREENWELL.21@CNU.EDU

While the Internet on campus has always been slow and frustrating, it has become worse than anyone could have imagined. In some areas of the campus such as library study rooms and the Freeman Center, the WiFi is incredibly inconsistent.

This is incredibly frustrating for me because when I am doing schoolwork and my laptop turns off, my tabs always freeze. The tabs then say that they are not connected to the Internet even though my computer will say it is on our Wi-Fi network, Eduroam. As a result, I have to restart my laptop and spend more time finding all of my lost tabs due to our spotty Wi-Fi.

This same problem happens when I am on my phone. I could be on FaceTime calling my family and the video will suddenly freeze, forcing me to hang up. As a result, I have to use most of my cellular data to do the things I want to do without any interruption. While this issue with our Wi-Fi may have been a problem throughout the school year, It feels like it has only exacerbated over the past couple of months.

This new problem has caused trouble for everyone on campus. The Internet randomly deciding to disconnect from people’s devices at the most inconvenient times has become more prevalent than ever. This can happen when someone is taking notes in class, sending emails for a club, or doing any other leisure activity that depends on dependable Wi-Fi.

Personally, I believe that our old Wi-Fi network was steadier and more reliable than what we use now. It may not have been the fastest but it did not disconnect as easily as our current Wi-Fi network does. Before the switch to Eduroam, I only had to restart my electronic devices when a system update was happening. Now, I have to restart my computer at least once a day due to the issues with our Wi-Fi.

In my opinion, the only way to combat the strangeness of Eduroam is to use the library computers. Those do not freeze as much and they do not need to restart as much as your personal devices may need to. If you are on your cell phone, you may need to resort to a good phone plan because a hefty amount of cellular data will be needed for you to accomplish the everyday tasks that need to be done in a day.

JARRETT CONNOLLY JARRETT.CONNOLLY.20@CNU.EDU

Are you looking for a good horror book but want to branch out from the usual top authors like Stephen King? The good news is that there is a vast world of talented horror writers out there that’s scaring audiences and here are eight that have published some truly great, and terrifying, books.

1.Paul Tremblay

Paul Tremblay has seen a wave of success in recent years. He builds his stories with incredible characters and mind bending and thought provoking plotlines and you’ll be glued to every last word. He can fill you with heartbreak for his character’s suffering and dread at the oncoming horror in the same page. His bibliography includes A Head Full of Ghosts, Survivor Song, and The Cabin At The End Of The World (which will be adapted into the film Knock at The Cabin this year). His newest book The Pallbearer’s Club just hit shelves back in July.

2. J. W. Ocker

Whether you want to be terrified with bizarre and fascinating fiction, read The Black Slide and Death and Douglas. If you want to learn something spooky, read The United States of Cryptids and A Season with The Witch. J.W. Ocker has been able to write great fiction and nonfiction books with his unique style. His intricate knowledge of American folklore and horror makes him an excellent author to read.

3. Joe Hil

Joe Hill’s success doesn’t just come from being the son of Stephen King (Hill’s real name is Joseph Hill King). His success comes from his body of work of terrifying supernatural horror. His short story collection 20th Century Ghosts won a Bram Stoker Award. His other books include The Fireman, Heart Shaped Box, Horns, and the Locke and Key comic book series. Hill’s short story The Black Phone was recently adapted and became a box office hit.

4. Victor LaVelle

LaVelle can blend social criticism, fantasy, and horror incredibly well. He’s been able to bring classic stories like Horror at Red Hook and Frankenstein into the literary sphere again with his works. His work has earned him several literary awards. His books include Ballad of Black Tom, Destroyer, and The Changeling

5. Junji Ito

Junji Ito is more than an accomplished horror manga writer and artist, he’s an international phenomenon. The Japanese writer’s created bone chilling works such as Uzumaki, Tomie, and The Hanging Balloons. The stories, which range from psychological to cosmic horror, mixed with his heavily detailed art will stick with you for years after you first read them.

6. Stephen Graham

Stepehen Graham Jones’ brand of horror is hard to give just one title. This indigenous author has been able to instill fear through any avenue of horror. He can use his craft to write something so deeply disturbing but still be able to work his way into your mind to get you hooked on his books. Jones’ books include The Only Good Indians, My Heart is a Chainsaw, and Mongrels

7. Alma KatsuJones

One of the most important parts of any spooky tale is the setting, Alma Katsu excels at building a setting for her stories. She’s blended horror with real life historical events like the Donner Party and the sinking of Titanic. The intense attention to detail she gives to her setting, characters, and plot makes it ten times scarier. Her books include The Taker trilogy, The Fervor, and The Deep

8. Grady Hendrix

This eccentric author from Charleston has been taking the horror world by storm lately. His dark sense of humor and creative ways to create horror blend into just super great reads. His vast, PhD level knowledge of the genre allows him to confidently try everything. His books include The Final Girls Support Group, Horrorstör, and My Best Friend’s Exorcism (which became a film last fall). His newest book, How To Sell A Haunted House, hit shelves on January 17th.

Newport News Community Demands Change Superintendent Fired in Wake of Richneck School Shooting

JARRETT CONNOLLY JARRETT.CONNOLLY.20@CNU.EDU

The shooting of teacher Abby Zwerner at Richneck Elementary School by one of her first grade students on Jan. 6 of this year has had the eyes of the world on the city of Newport News. As Newport News Public Schools reopened Richneck on Jan. 30, the issues of school safety, gun violence, and discipline have all come to the surface in the wake of this horrific incident. Many parents and concerned citizens are demanding a change in leadership. (WAVY)

Richneck was the third school shooting in Newport News in the past 16 months. In September 2021, two students were injured when a 15 year old student opened fire at Heritage High School.

Three months later, 17 year old Justice Dunham was murdered in the Menchville High School parking lot after a basketball game. Parents, teachers, and local organizations called for Superintendent Dr. George Parker III to either step down or be removed from office. Many came to the meetings to call for Parker’s removal.

The Newport News School Board convened the night of Jan. 25 and voted 5-1 to fire Parker. Parker will be replaced in the interim by Dr. Michelle Martin. While most citizens seemed to support removing Parker, this is only a

temporary fix.

Mike Dunham, father of Justice Dunham, told WAVY, “... it’s not just the school, it’s our whole city. Our whole city needs to move in a direction away from gun violence.”

Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones released a statement on his Instagram stating, “Over the last four years, Dr. George Parker led Newport News Public Schools with a dedication to educating our children, and we thank him for his service to this community. My colleagues on City Council and I support the Newport News School Board as they seek to hire a dynamic, new leader for our public school system… While the last few weeks have been extremely difficult, Newport News schools and communities remain strong.”

On the same day as the School Board meeting, Abby Zwener’s attorney, Dianne Toscano, told a press conference that she would be filing a lawsuit on Zwerner’s behalf. Toscano said that Zwerner and other school staff had reported concerns about the child having a gun to school administration three times on the day of the shooting, such reports were ignored or dismissed.

“This should have never happened and it was preventable. Thank God Abby is alive. But had administrators acted Abby would not have sustained a gunshot wound to her chest,” Toscano told WAVY. Zwerner is recovering but the bullet remains in her chest.

Many in the community are still trying to find a way to deal with the tragedy. Local activist group BLM 757 announced on their Instagram that they would hold a teddy bear drive between Jan. 24 and 29 in support of traumatized children.

The GoFundMe for Abby Zwerner remains active and has exceeded $245,000. As far as the investigation goes, NNPD told WAVY that the investigation is ongoing and did not say if negligence charges would be pursued against the student’s parents or school staff. Richneck’s principal and assistant principal resigned over the past week according to WAVY.

School bus photo from Unsplash

Richneck was the third school shooting in Newport News in the past 16 months

“My colleagues on City Council and I support the Newport News School Board as they seek to hire a dynamic, new leader for our public school system...”

Screenshot of Zwerner’s GoFundMe page

Signs in front of Richneck Elementary School, photos from lawandcrime.com

My Journey With Ernie: Lessons From a Turkey Dog

“Heidi thought things would calm down after the elaborate rescue mission that covered two continents, four states, and five thousand miles to save the Turkey Dog. She was wrong. Within his first week in America, Ernie Bert committed a felony, became a social media star, and turned his human’s world upside down. Along with Heidi’s eccentric mother and a host of other colorful characters, the self-proclaimed perfectionist quickly lost control of the life she had so carefully planned.”

When asked whether or not rescuing Ernie Bert was last minute or planned out, Speece responded that, “...It was planned out, I saw a news story about these dogs called ‘Turkey Dogs’ who roam the streets in Istanbul and I have always wanted a golden retriever.”

She then went on to say that “...there

loveable and we had so many adventures together that I thought it would be a really fun story to write about, as well as helping to promote pet adoptions.”

CLAIRE HALL CLAIRE.HALL.22@CNU.EDU

There are a lot of professors at CNU who are not only teaching students on a day-today basis, but are also involved in their own research or publications outside of their university work.

The Captain’s Log interviewed one professor, Heidi Speece, on the publication of her own book, “My Journey With Ernie: Lessons From a Turkey Dog.”

On her website, heidihspeece.com, it says that Speece received her Masters from the University of Pittsburgh and teaches high school English. At CNU, she teaches public speaking in the Department of Communication.

In her book, Speece talks about the adventures of rescuing Ernie Bert. The book description on her website says, “In a sleepy town in Virginia, Heidi Speece was a high school teacher in search of something new. The overachiever with a penchant for “to do” lists had grown bored with life. She knew she needed a change, and she found it when she rescued Ernie Bert — a mischievous golden retriever living on the streets of Istanbul, Turkey.

were a number of golden retrievers who were in Turkey and I found a rescue in Northern Virginia that adopted and brought these dogs over here. It was planned but it did take about four months before we could get him over here.”

Some may wonder when her passion for wanting to rescue dogs began. When asked if she had wanted any pets growing up, Speece explained that her dad was a veterinarian and so she had always grown up around animals and that her family adopted most of them.

When she had rescued Ernie, he had originally just been named Ernie; however, Speece said that she had added Bert to his name because, “...I loved Sesame Street as a kid so he was named after Bert and Ernie.”

According to her book, Ernie Bert is quite the character, as he has done so many astonishing things within his lifetime.

“Ernie has done a lot of cool things… he has stolen a pizza from Santa Claus, he almost stole a football from the homecoming football team, and he has appeared on national television before,” Speece exclaimed.

She also added, “I definitely would adopt again… the story of the Turkey Dogs had touched my heart and I think any dog up for adoption would be amazing to rescue.”

Not only does Speece share the wild and wonderful story of her dog, but she also explains what the experience of writing and publishing a book was like for her.

When asked why she wanted to write her book, she explained that, “I loved writing to begin with and I always wanted to write a book. When I first adopted Ernie, he was so mischievous and so

Speece then talked about how nervous she was about the feedback her book could receive after it was published, “I think any author would be nervous about negative feedback, but people have been really lovely and kind and it’s helped raise awareness and I was really excited by that.”

The writing process for Speece’s book took about three years.

“It started out as a draft then after a year, it went through an editing process which took about another year, and then I had to choose the cover art and work with publishing,” she said.

Lastly, when asked if she was planning on writing more books in the future, she said, “I would love to write another book. I have a couple ideas in my mind… some are fiction, some are nonfiction…[I] just have to settle on the right one.”

Speece’s book, a 2022 Webster Award Finalist, is available on Amazon as a paperback and digital on the Amazon Kindle. A majority of the proceeds will be donated to animal shelters and rescues.

Professor Heidi Speece discusses her published book about a rescue dog named, Ernie

“...there were a number of golden retrievers who were in Turkey and I found a rescue in Northern Virginia that adopted and brought these dogs over here.

When I first adopted Ernie, he was so mischievous and so loveable and we had so many adventures together that I thought it would be a really fun story to write about...”

Speece and Ernie, photo from heidihspeece.com

Ernie, photo from heidihspeece.com

Eagles Rout 49ers, Advance to Super Bowl

A 31-7 Victory puts the Eagles in Super Bowl 57

TREY GREENWELL TRAJAN.GREENWELL.21@CNU.EDU

Entering the NFC Championship Game, both the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers were in for a battle. This game was going to be very physical and dominated by the defenses.

The Eagles defense controlled most of this game. After San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy exited the game on the sixth play, the 49ers looked lost. Purdy then reentered the game when fourth-string quarterback Josh Johnson suffered a concussion. The sudden changes affected the 49ers offense throughout the game and they could not cope with it, falling 31-7 to the Eagles.

The Eagles started the game with the football. Two thirddown conversions and a successful fourth down conversion put the Eagles at the goal line. A six-yard run from running back

Miles Sanders gave the Eagles an early lead.

On the 49ers first offensive possession, they tried to match the Eagles potent passing game; However, a hit from Eagles pass-rusher Haason Reddick on Purdy made the ball come loose, resulting in a fumble recovered by the Eagles at their own 44 yard line.

When Purdy’s replacement, Josh Johnson entered the game, he became the third-oldest quarterback (36 years, 259 days) in the Super Bowl era. Two completions to running back Christian McCaffery put the 49ers in the red zone. A rushing touchdown by McCaffrey tied the game at 7.

On the Eagles next possession, they were stopped on a third down try. However, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts converted a fourth down to keep the drive alive. A defensive pass interference committed by San Francisco on another

third down gave the Eagles another first down. This 17 play, 67 yard drive was capped off with a rushing touchdown from Miles Sanders. A 49ers turnover gave the Eagles a short field, resulting in another touchdown that gave the Eagles a 21-7 lead.

In the third quarter, the 49ers badly needed a touchdown to keep the game close. However, a hit from Eagles defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh on Johnson resulted in a concussion check and forced Johnson out of the game.

When Purdy re-entered the game despite getting injured earlier, the 49ers had a very slim chance of winning. A punt followed by another Eagles touchdown made it 28-7. The 49ers had rushes by George Kittle, Deebo Samuel,

Australian Open Recap

A Thrilling Two Weeks of Tennis

Over the last two weeks, Melbourne, Australia hosted the first tournament of the year’s four Grand Slam tennis events, following the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. Played in Melbourne Park, the event saw new stars rising and old ones triumphing. The tournament format is bracket style, starting with a random draw for round one.

One of the biggest upsets was Rafael Nadal losing to Mackenzie McDonald in the second round. McDonald beat the defending champion and twenty-two-time Grand Slam winner in three straight sets. Nadal suffered a hip injury in their second set, which harmed his abilities allowing McDonald to advance to round three. At the end of round two, Nadal received a medical timeout and returned to the court to finish the third set. Despite the brave effort, he could not force a fourth set. This defeat was one of the most surprising and was Nadal’s earliest exit from the event since 2016.

On the women’s side, Ons Jabeur saw an early exit from the Australian Open after a defeat in the second round. Jabeur was ranked second entering the tournament and was considered a favorite to win the Grand Slam. Czech player Marketa Vondrousova knocked out Jabeur. This was her first win over Jabeur in five meetings. Vondrousova progressed to the third round, facing fellow Czech player Linda Fruhvirtova. Fruhivrtova was the youngest to compete in the Australian Open at just 17 years old. In her Australian Open debut, she made it to the round of 16, where she lost to Donna Vekic.

Another rising star this year’s Open saw was 20-year-old Ben Shelton. Shelton made his debut just months prior at the U.S. Open. On his first trip outside the United States, the left-hander won his first five Grand Slams. Shelton climbed to the final eight,

only to be eliminated after four sets to Tommy Paul in his first major quarterfinal. In a post-match interview, Shelton stated that he “definitely exceeded my expectations. Not just tennis-wise but physically being able to get through as many three-out-of-five-set matches as I did.”

The Men’s Final of the Australian Open saw two incredible players; Novack Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas. This was a redemption tournament for Djokovic after being forced to withdraw from the 2022 Australian Open due to his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccines. Novack Djokovic

is the number one tennis player in the world, a title he has held for the last 374 weeks. Stefanos Tsitsipas, a Greek professional tennis player, ranked number three globally, making him the highest-ranked Greek player alongside Maria Sakkari. These two men had something to prove as they stepped onto the court.

The match only lasted three sets to the typical five, after Djokovic won the first three. Tsitsipas never seemed to threaten Djokovic, as he kept a calm and severe demeanor throughout the match. After the third set finished 7-6, Novack

and Christian McCaffrey on their next possession due to Purdy’s inability to throw the ball deep. A failed 4th down rushing attempt from Deebo Samuel gave the Eagles the football in 49ers territory. A made field goal from kicker Jake Elliott extended the lead to 31-7 and secured the Eagles spot in Super Bowl 57.

Djokovic claimed his 10th win at the Australian Open and his 22nd Grand Slam title. At 35 years of age, Djokovic has no plans of slowing down and continues to dominate the tennis world.

The Women’s Final was quite a showdown, played by Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.

Belarusian-born Aryna Sabalenka was looking to claim her first Grand Slam Championship. She was also the first player to win a tournament under a neutral flag. With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, tournament organizer Tennis Australia required Russian and Belarusian players to compete as neutrals. The thrilling final was played in three sets, the first going to Rybakina. After being outplayed in the first set, Sabalenka recovered to defeat the reigning Wimbledon champion in an exceptional end to the Australian Open.

After two exciting weeks of tennis, two new cham-

pions have been crowded, Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka. The next Grand Slam will be hosted in Paris, France, to showcase the Roland-Garros or the French Open. This tournament will occur during the last week of May and the first week of June.

MAGGIE GAMMONS MARGARET.GAMMONS.21@CNU.EDU

Philadelphia Eagles logo taken from Flickr.

Australian Open logo taken from Daily Trojan.

CNU Stands for Richneck and Beats Rivals

GRACE GRILES GRACE.GRILES.20@CNU.EDU

The Captains managed to take the lead when Senior guard Ian Anderson took a chance on a loose ball and drove it all the way for a slam dunk the last few seconds of the second quarter. A few minutes into the second quarter, the Captains were back on top again thanks to Fifth Year Senior Matthew Brodie driving the ball for another slam dunk which put the score at 50-49. However, Salisbury continued to give the Captains a run for their money. The game was always close enough that the audience was on the edge of their seat, but after Fifth Year Senior Brandon Edmond scored a threepointer making the score 62-58 all the Captains in the stands rested easily. The rest of the game was carried by Edmond scoring another three-pointer

and a slam dunk as well as Junior Jahn Hines’ hustle. The final score was an 8474 Captains win.

Here’s What You Missed!

Headlines from the Wacky World of Sports....

1) Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is not named an All-Star starter.

2) Miami Marlins center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the cover athlete for MLB The Show 23.

Coming soon in CNU Sports:

*Games listed are happening at CNU

February 1st

Women’s Basketball

CNU v. Universiy of Mary Washington Location: Fredericksburg, VA Time: 7:00pm

February 3rd

Men’s & Women’s Track & Field

CNU v. Camel City Location: Winston-Salem, NC Time: TBA

February 4th

*Women’s Basketball

CNU v. Regent University Location: Newport News, VA

Time: 2:00 PM

*Men’s Tennis

CNU v. Virginia Wesleyan University Location: Newport News, VA Time: 2:30 PM

To look at events off campus and for future weeks, visit cnusports.com

All photos taken by Wyatt Miles, Staff Photgrpaher

The Reimagining of Velma

How an adult cartoon of Scooby Doo completely forgot the beloved franchise

FIONA SULLIVAN FIONA.SULLIVAN.20@CNU.EDU

HBOMax attempted to reinvent the classic cartoon known as Scooby Doo but failed to remember one key player: Scooby Doo himself. Now this most likely wouldn’t be a problem if the characters stayed true to their personalities that made audiences fall in love with them since the late 60s, but this is sadly not the case. Instead, the rated R cartoon is considered a complete disgrace by many viewers, so much so that it became the worst rated animated show on IMDb.

Produced and starring Mindy Kaling, Velma sounds like a great idea on paper. It is essentially a pre-Mystery Inc prequel that stars the sleuths in high school and includes racial diversity with not just Velma being South Asian but Shaggy (going by his real name Norville in the show) as Black and Daphne as Asian.

The central mystery is intriguing at first too with a popular cheerleader being found dead in Velma’s locker with her brain cut out, thus framing Velma for the murder. Not only that, but it does explore the sexuality of Velma which has always been a hot topic for decades as many people support her as a lesbian.

This all sounds great, right? Well where previous iterations have been successful, Velma falls short by having extremely different motivations and characteristics that make them virtually unrecognizable.

Daphne is a violent bully, Fred is a self absorbed jerk who lacks any real charm or smidge of intelligence, Shaggy sells drugs and a kidney on the black market, and Velma can be just as cruel and judgemental as Daphne. This could all be acceptable if there was character development but there’s virtually none and it’s insulting to the classic, beloved detectives that people grew up in.

The audience can’t love these characters because there’s nothing to root for. Furthermore, the overwhelming amount of nudity, violence, and plot holes ultimately make no sense and can leave the viewer with a sour taste in his mouth.

Now, there is nothing wrong with there being an adult version of Scooby Doo but HBOMax’s Velma takes it too far. Honestly, this show could be enjoyable and compelling if it centered around an original plot

and characters because at many times, it felt like I was watching a completely different cartoon.

However, because these characters are so special to many people of all ages, it doesn’t seem to work well. I could barely make it through the first episode due to how cringeworthy the material is, nostalgia aside. The jokes fall flat and can be extremely shallow and the timeline is confusing as well. However, it is possible to make mature versions of cartoons that are not only popular but make sense.

HBOMax actually has one of its own, Harley Quinn, which is a fun and camp interpretation of the villain and DC Universe that still has violence a woman’s journey of self discovery. However, the show stays true to its original source material and fanbase unlike Velma.

If you truly are searching for a mature version of Scooby Doo, the Cartoon Network Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated series is an excellent adaptation that has relevant pop culture moments and fun references to previous iterations but stays true to the characters quirks while also delving deeper into their identities and relationships with each other.

Additionally, it has an overarching plot woven throughout the two seasons that makes sense but also keeps the audience on their toes with the amount of plot twists and terror that’s present.

Ultimately, when networks decide to reinvent a well known show, there is a fine line to obey. No reboot should be an exact copy of its original but it also shouldn’t completely reject it as well.

Poster of Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated from IMDb

Poster of HBOMax’s Velma from IMDb

Panic! At the Disco Disbands

A new horror movie for the Halloween season

JARRETT CONNELLY JARRETT.CONNELLY.20@CNU.EDU

JARRETT CONNELLY JARRETT.CONNELLY.20@CNU.EDU

On January 24th, Brendon Urie, the sole remaining member of Panic! At The Disco, announced that the project would be ending after 19 years following a final tour of Europe. Urie’s reasoning was the upcoming birth of his first child and a desire to be with his family.

The band was formed in 2004 by drummer Spencer Smith and guitarist Ryan Ross in the suburbs of Las Vegas as a blink-182 cover band. The band was joined by bassist Brent Wilson and lead vocalist Brendon Urie.

Once they started developing their own original they reached out to Fall Out Boy guitarist Pete Wentz, who was so impressed with the group he began promoting them and got them to signed to a label, Fueled by Ramen.

The group’s debut album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, and its top single “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” was a major success. The group rode the wave of the rise of emo rock music that was popular at the time but also kept its own unique sound and a vaudeville persona.

With new bassist Jon Walker, the group released their second

Brendon Urie to focus on his family

album Pretty. Odd in 2008 and climbed the charts, the group’s concerts became bigger and more theatrical. In 2009, Ross and Walker left the band, due to creative differences. Smith and Urie, joined by Dallon Weekes, embarked on a successful co headlining tour with blink-182 and released the third album Vices and Virtues, another success and the single “New Perspective” for the film Jennifer’s Body

The band’s fourth album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! hit number two on the Billboard 200 in 2013. Smith left the band due to his struggle with alcoholism shortly after, with Weekes stepping down as an official member as well.Panic! At The Disco became a solo project headed by Brendon Urie, and the band’s sound went fully into a pop rock direction.

Urie released three albums, Death of a Bachelor, Pray for The Wicked, and Viva Las Vengeance, under the Panic! at The Disco moniker. “High Hopes” from Pray for The Wicked became the project’s most successful single, hitting number 4 on Billboard.

The band leaves behind an interesting legacy. One as a mem-

ber of the “Emo Trinity” of successful emo rock bands, alongside Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance. The band had successful sales for every album and have been streamed and bought millions of time.

While the Panic!’s later work had a lukewarm reaction from fans and many fans feel that Urie “retiring” Panic! is redundant since it stopped being a band years ago. Their body of work and exciting live shows is undeniably successful and they had legions of loyal fans. The retirement of Panic! at the Disco marks the end of an era and a chapter closed in music history.

Your Favorite Cartoon Is Back!

MAGGIE GAMMONS MARGARET.GAMMONS.21@CNU.EDU

IThe long-loved TV show returns for two more seasons after an eight-year hiatus. Phineas and Ferb was an early 2000’s kids’ school show and a family favorite in most households with young kids. Telling the story of two young brothers’ who build increasingly complex projects while their older sister tries to bust them during the summer.

The show is known for its catchy phrases such as; “Hey, where’s perry?” or ““Ferb, I know what we’re gonna do today!”. The repetitive nature of the shows progress is what grew its popularity and why it has become a shared experience of 2000’s kids.

The show aired in 2008 and quickly built a fanbase, whether

your favorite part of the show was Phineas and Ferb’s pet platypus, Special Agent P, or the unrequited love between Isabella and an unknowing Phineas. Even after eight years, buzz of the show is still around including voice actor and producer Dan Povenmire. Povenmire voiced the infamous Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, the evil scientist and arch nemesis of Agent P.

Dan Povenmire has accumulated quite the following on TikTok, with 6.3 million followers. He announced the Phineas and Ferb reboot on January 13th in a TikTok, saying, “my evil plan is working… it’s functioning properly”.

His content revolves around his other projects, including, Hamster and Gretal, and responding to followers in the

voice of Doofenshmirtz.

The announcement stated they would make 40 more episodes split into two seasons. Fans hope to see the return of Vincent Martella, the voice of Phineas, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ferb, and Ashley Tisdale, the voice of Candance.

The cast has yet to be announced, but there are rumors of Co-Creator Jeff “Swampy” Marsh to return to the project. Dan Povenmire will also return as a producer and continue to voice Dr. Doofenshmirtz. .

The last episode of Phineas and Ferb was released on March 5, 2015. The episode was set 10 years in the future; a teen named

Phineas must choose between two colleges while realizing that Isabella has had a crush on him since they were children. As the last episode was set 10 years into the future, people invested in the show have speculated a release date sometime in 2025 so that the last episode will align with the reboot’s first episode.

The official release date has yet to be announced. Disney Branded Television, a corporation branch whose shows now air on Disney Channel, Disney Plus, Disney Junior, and Disney XD, will now produce Phineas and Ferb. When the nostalgic show is released, fans can access it through one of these streaming providers.

Poster of Phineas and Ferb from IMDb

Phineas and Ferb is back for more

Photo of Panic! At the Disco performing from NPR

A Podcast For Captains

A podcast to teach prospective students all there is to know

The Office of Communications and Public Relations (OCPR) is always working to find new ways to connect with prospective students. CNU On The Lawn is a podcast hosted by three students where they discuss all there is to know about being a student at Christopher Newport University.

Seniors Abbey Balance, Sarah Roller, and Michelle Valich are interns in the OCPR and each week sit down together to film the podcast. The 10-15 minute episodes are spent with the girls sharing their experiences from their time at CNU.

Interim Chief Communications Officer Bruce Bronstein said, “When we brought the interns together and talked about the responsibilities of the department, we looked for opportunities to align the department’s goals with those of the interns.” The podcast then came as a result from this brainstorming session. “I’m thrilled and incredibly proud of the work the team has put into the program.”

Through the weekly podcast, prospective students and families can learn in detail all there is to being a student at CNU. At the time of print there are currently eight episodes out, each covering a different aspect of student life.

Valich said, “The podcast is really fun and I hope that once we graduate the podcast can continue to grow and flourish over the years!”

“CNU on The Lawn gives me a strong connection to my school. I feel like I have meaning in the work I am doing and it is so easy for me to just sit and talk about what life is like here at CNU,” Roller said.

Balance said, “It is so

interesting to me to hear more about what CNU has been like for Sarah and Michelle, because we have all had drastically different experiences.” Although they have all been on the same campus and doing a lot of the same things, their experiences at CNU have been vastly different. “I think that is in part one of the fascinating things about CNU on the Lawn, because we put all of those differences on the table and openly discuss them.”

Listeners don’t have to worry about the podcast being censored by the university because Balance, Roller, and Valich make sure to give their authentic

and true experiences. “This is exemplified in our episode about dining halls and I talked about how I hate them,” Valich said. “We have the freedom to share our own experiences and stories, so I want the audience to know that we are being real.”

Roller said, “We are completely honest with everything we talk about because we want our audience to know the reality of student life here at Christopher Newport.”

Bronstein is fully supportive of the creative freedom given to Balance, Roller, and Valich. “Let’s be clear, I legitimately love

this place - CNU is more than a job to me - but I know it’s not perfect, and I know CNU is not for everyone. But, if you are a prospective student, and you listen to the podcast, you’ll be entertained AND get a good idea of what it’s really like to be a student here,” he said.

Balance said, “CNU on the Lawn wants to give voice to the highs and lows, good and bad, and pretty and ugly of CNU and college, as a whole.”

Bronstein also said, “I love the podcast and am a huge fan of Michelle, Sarah, and Abbey.” Bronstein looks forward to their meetings collaborating on new ideas. “Truly it’s less of a collaboration, and more just sit back and watch ‘em go. I love their passion and excitement.”

The podcast has already sparked attention, not just from prospective families, but current students as well. In Episode 8 titled “Daily Life & Time Management,” they mention that some of their fellow Captains recognize them from the podcast. Roller said, “It gives me a sense of importance when we are being advertised on the school’s social media and my peers and professors will see it and reference it in conversation.”

“I hope that our podcast shows future students that college looks different for everyone and that is A-OK,” Balance said. Everyone involved is excited to see where this podcast will go and believes it is a new great way to reach out to prospective students.

Bronstein concludes with, “We need to create, distribute and promote our own media highlighting our incredible students and faculty if we want to remain competitive and relevant to our prospective

students, prospective faculty, alumni and the Hampton Roads community. Podcasts are just one way we can expand our reach and celebrate the people and programs that make this place special.”

Balance wants listeners to know, “If anyone has any topics they would like us to discuss, please let us know via CNU’s instagram.” You can listen to CNU On The Lawn through Spotify and other podcast streaming platforms.

Top: CNU On The Lawn poster courtesy of CNU OCPR

Bottom: CNU On The Lawn Spotify link

SAVANNAH DUNN SAVANNAH.DUNN.21@CNU.EDU

Cups and Claws Cat Cafe Local business helps students de-stress

KATHERINE ZICKEL KATHERINE.ZICKEL.22@CNU.EDU

Looking for somewhere to relax and destress after class, or interested in adopting a furry friend?

You’re in luck because The Cups and Claws Cat Cafe has both. Located right off Warwick Boulevard and only about 10 minutes away from campus, The Cat Cafe is the perfect place for students to visit. I went on a rainy Sunday and was amazed at how clean and well decorated the room was. With couches, a record player, colorful paintings on every wall, and of course lots of cats, the entire atmosphere looked incredibly inviting.

The Cat Cafe partners with local animal shelters to provide a place where cats of all ages, types, and sizes can become more socialized and possibly go to their forever home. There is a $10 admission fee per person, which according to the Cups and Claws website, is for “Continuing to care for the cats, the facility, and support the community.”

However, college students who show IDs are eligible for a discount!

Included with your entrance fee besides getting to pet and play with cats, is access to the ping pong table, listening and changing the radio and record player songs, and a complimentary drink. Tea, soda, and coffee from Column 15, a popular coffee shop in Williamsburg, Virginia, are also available to purchase (with free refills!!)

If you’re a prospective cat adopter, this is the perfect place to get to know the cat that’s the right fit for you. If you do happen to find a cat you may be interested in taking home, you simply fill out an application, and once approved by the rescue shelter, the cafe will contact you for a pickup time. Adoption fees range depending on the age of the cat, but all fees include vaccines, spay/neuter, and additional treatments if needed (such as fleas and parasites.)

For someone who is missing their cat from home, this was a great way to be able to interact with cats while also supporting a

WECARE CNU

LINDSAY DEYTON LINDSAY.DEYTON.22@CNU.EDU

WECARE is a club created by and for women all across the globe. WECARE stands for Women Empowerment through Collaboration Awareness through Resources and Education.

local business that helps out the animal shelters. I will definitely be returning with friends when I need a break from school.

Cups and Claws also hosts a variety of different catthemed activities,

including cat yoga, a 21+ single social with cats, painting, and a feline first aid & CPCR class. For more information, visit https://www.cupsandclaws. com/

Top: cat crosses suspension bridge in the cat cafe

Bottom: a basket of kittens waiting to be adopted Photos taken by Maggie Gammons

As I sat down with the President of WECARE, Sri Gopal, Senior and majoring in Cellular, Molecular, and Physiological Biology, and 2 other members, Sarah Trachtenberg, Senior and majoring in Psychology and Leadership, and Gwenyth Pattarini, Junior, majoring in Marketing, to discuss this powerful club and the impact it has made on their everyday lives. WECARE participates in many movements that impact women’s lives not only in their backyard, but places that go beyond North America, such as India. The club actively keeps the importance of women’s education and women’s health all together the prime center of their focus. WECARE strives to spread awareness about many topics that concern women, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and various other holidays throughout the year while also collabing with various other clubs and organizations associated inside and outside of CNU.

WECARE was founded in the fall of 2020 by Gopal, when at the time the club was completely virtual their first year, only becoming an in-person club in 2022.

“I think the hardship of the first year was definitely COVID and navigating how to start a club when everything was virtual and we had to do a lot of our campaigning through social media and not in person….I’ve only been used to doing things in person.”

When asked why Gopal founded WECARE, she said, “One of the biggest missions in WECARE is specifically our partnership with ‘Veernie,’...a nonprofit organization that sends girls in India to a boarding school where they receive free education, and so they are able to have free housing, access to healthcare, access to any sort of amenities that they need.”

Trachtenberg expressed that one hardship she has through WECARE is taking on the role of Marketing Coordinator and “the day to day management of people can be difficult just in terms of finding meeting times, but it’s been very helpful that I have learned how to navigate that and sort of like learn those skills, and we’ve managed to get through situations.”

With the many great roles

Trachtenberg takes on in WECARE, she expresses the bright future she hopes to see in the blossoming club.

“A big one (accomplishment hope to be seen in the near future) that Sri and I kind of touched on is longevity, ‘cause a lot of us are seniors or juniors, and so there is that fear that after we graduate, the club might not have a future, but I think that’s really proving to not be the case as we’re getting new members of all different years, and just keeping the mission going.“

Pattarini, a veteran member of the WECARE club, expresses how she came to find WECARE and why she stuck around. “I found WECARE on the compass because I wrote down any club that I was remotely interested in, and the name just stuck out to me. It caught my eye, and it’s the only club that I have stuck with. I’m a junior now.”

Seeing that Pattarini has stuck with WECARE for a few years and will be the future president of the club in the 2023-2024 school year, she says what she hopes to see the club accomplish in the near future.

“I hope they (the general public) see that even if these issues that we’re raising awareness for, that it is more than just us here right now, it’s all over the world. We have to do our part, as women in America.”

SNAPSHOT Scenic Shots

All photos taken and edited by Wyatt Miles

grace.griles.20@cnu.edu