February 10, 2022

Page 1

Fest Season preparations are underway PG 6

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022

Navigating dietary restrictions in quarantine, isolation dorms PG 14 Where you can watch Joe Burrow in the Super Bowl PG 18

Untangling hair care challenges in Athens


FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Obtaining public records from OU shouldn’t be an excessive waiting game

ABBY MILLER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

One-hundred-and-nineteen days. That’s how long The Post has been waiting on data to create our third annual salary guide. For the past two academic years, The Post has published a university-wide salary guide with the goal of making that financial information more readily accessible to the university community. Additionally, we believe our readers deserve to know what the salaries of those working at Ohio University look like while the university navigates a period of financial instability. Under Ohio Revised Code, the Open Records Law gives any individual a right to the salaries we requested. Records, as defined by Ohio Revised Code, are “any document, device, or item, regardless of physical form or characteristic, including an electronic record, . . . created or received by . . . any public office of the state or its political subdivisions, which serves to document the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the office.” Under the statute, copies of public records are supposed to be made “within a reasonable period of time.” There is some court precedence that gives context to what “prompt” and “reasonable” timing is,

but I’d be surprised to find an interpretation of “a reasonable period of time” that justifies 119 days. The request for the name, title, academic title, organization and salary of all university employees for the past fiscal year was filed Oct. 12, 2021, and was acknowledged Oct. 13 of that same year. Since then, I have personally asked for multiple updates on the status of the request via email and during virtual Teams meetings Post editors have with those in University Communications and Marketing on a monthly basis. We were told during one of those meetings in 2021 that the salary guide information would not be prepared until after the new year. Then, on Wednesday, some of The Post’s executive and news editors were told the university will be releasing salaries on its own website. We were told we would get a link to the web page in return for our request. Carly Leatherwood, a university spokesperson, also informed us the university’s salary website will have an option for viewers to download the data themselves. Later Wednesday, Leatherwood said she was unsure if the data presented on OU’s salary webpage will be reflective of the academic, fiscal or calendar year. She also said

the webpage will be published in early March. So, if the university web page showcases data that is not from the fiscal year, it would be different from what was originally requested by The Post, leaving our request still unfulfilled. While Leatherwood did confirm hours after the meeting between UCM and The Post that we will obtain a set of all university salaries ahead of OU’s web page going live, it’s worth noting we were only told this after I called Leatherwood and asked a few questions about the decision in preparation for writing my Editor’s Desk column. Without calling out the curious decisions surrounding this web page in my column, I’m unsure if we would have been given the courtesy of receiving the data we requested so long ago. While I applaud the university for making salary data more accessible, records still need to be accessible to journalists within a reasonable timeframe. Abby Miller is a senior studying journalism and political science at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Have questions? Email Abby at am166317@ohio.edu or tweet her @abblawrence.

COVER ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Abby Miller MANAGING EDITOR Bre Offenberger DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Geiger

POST

EDITORIAL NEWS EDITORS Emma Skidmore, Ryan Maxin ASST. NEWS EDITOR Molly Wilson PROJECTS EDITOR Taylor Burnette SPORTS EDITOR Jack Gleckler ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Ashley Beach CULTURE EDITOR Riley Runnells ASST. CULTURE EDITOR Kayla Bennett OPINION EDITOR Mikayla Rochelle ASST. OPINION EDITOR Hannah Campbell THE BEAT EDITOR Madyson Lewellyn ASST. THE BEAT EDITOR Emma Dollenmayer COPY CHIEF Anna Garnai SLOT EDITORS Anastasia Carter, Will Cunningham, Bekah Bostick, Isabel Nissley

ISSUE 19, VOLUME 112

ART ART DIRECTOR Mary Berger ASST. ART DIRECTOR Olivia Juenger DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Nate Swanson PHOTO EDITOR Jesse Jarrold-Grapes DIGITAL WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Brianna Lender AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Jack Hiltner ASST. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Claire Schiopota DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA Noah DeSantis BUSINESS DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Andrea Lewis MEDIA SALES Grace Vannan, Jamyson Butler 2 / FEB. 10, 2022

THE

ONLINE thepostathens.com FACEBOOK thepostathens TWITTER @ThePost INSTAGRAM @thepostathens

Send us your letters Do you ever find something in The Post thoughtprovoking, questionable or even infuriating? Let us know! We are always interested in hearing about the way our readers respond to our content every day.

Your opinion is welcome. Letters should be fewer than 500 words. Longer submissions will be considered as guest commentaries, but space is limited. All letters must be signed by at least one individual; anonymous letters will not be accepted. The Post does not accept letters soliciting donations or news releases. Please include your year and major if you are a student. Letters can be submitted online at www.thepostathens. com, by email at editor@thepostathens.com or at The Post’s front desk in the media wing on the third floor of Baker University Center. We reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, vulgarity and Associated Press Style.

IN PERSON Baker Center, Room 325 ONLINE thepostathens.com/letters BY EMAIL letters@thepostathens.com

The Post is an independent media outlet run by Ohio University students. We distribute the paper free of charge in Athens, Ohio, when classes are in session. Editorial page material represents the opinions of the editors, columnists and letter writers. Opinions expressed are independent of Ohio University and our printer.

FRONT DESK HOURS 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Closed Saturday and Sunday. 1 Park Place Baker University Center, Room 325 Athens, OH 45701 (740) 593-4010

Advertisement Policies The Post will not print advertising that violates local, state or federal laws. The Post will not run advertisements that violate the Fair Housing Act, or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission policies. The Post reserves the right to reject advertising deemed to adversely affect the integrity and credibility of the publication or be in conflict with the educational mission of the university or community it serves. The Post retains the right, at its discretion, to approve or reject an advertisement that negatively affects the relationship with our readers or that promotes content, services, or activities

that violate our advertising policy. If an error occurs, and an advertisement is published not as ordered, please notify The Post by the end of the business day following publication, a corrected advertisement will run without charge in the next print edition. Cancellation requests for advertising must be received and acknowledged by staff no later than 2:00 pm on Wednesday for the Thursday print edition. Refunds will not be given for ads that have been printed. These advertising policy rules can be changed at any time without prior notification.


OU students in quarantine, isolation charged for meals when out of meal swipes DONOVAN HUNT FOR THE POST Ohio University is charging students in COVID-19 quarantine and isolation housing for meals when they run out of swipes on their meal plans. On-campus students are given 10, 14 or 20 meal swipes per week depending on what plan they purchased. Those swipes can be used for going to a dining hall and can be used for $6.75 at a campus market if they have a flex plan. Swipes are also used when a student orders a meal from OU’s Culinary Services in quarantine or isolation. Students who run out of swipes or do not have a valid meal plan are charged $12.85 for lunch and brunch meals and $16.60 for dinner, according to OU’s COVID Housing Information sheet. Students quarantining and isolating on campus are able to order meals through the university. Students who are out of meal swipes or do not have a meal plan will be charged to their student account balances. However, Gwynn Scott, associ-

ate vice president for auxiliaries, said that happens very rarely. Scott also said students are able to get food from delivery services like DoorDash and drop-offs from friends and family.

@DONOVANHUNT9 DH322621@OHIO.EDU

Students entering Nelson Dining Hall tap their student ID to spend one meal swipe. (ZOE CRANFILL / FOR THE POST)

KENNEDY LECTURE SERIES Presents

Dr. Alex Dehgan CEO & Co-Founder of Conservation X Labs

MARCH 1, 2022 | Lecture begins at 7:30pm. | Baker Center Ballroom Doors open at 6:30pm | Event will be livestreamed at www.ohio.edu/kennedylecture

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 3


NEWS BRIEFS

City council may extend masking requirement, Faculty Senate passes resolution regarding instructional faculty multi-year contracts SOPHIE YOUNG STAFF WRITER Athens City Council discusses extending city mask mandate City Council discussed the potential to extend the city’s masking requirement beyond its Feb. 28 expiration date on Monday. The new ordinance, introduced by Councilwoman Sarah Grace, D-At Large, would extend the mandate to May 31. This would require citizens to continue wearing masks in businesses; city-operated buildings and facilities; public transportation and outdoor spaces where it is not possible to social distance. Council decided to wait until the next meeting to vote on the extension in order to monitor case data further. Councilman Jeffrey Risner, D-2nd Ward, said he feels mid-February is too soon to determine whether an extension is needed. Councilman Sam Crowl, D-3rd Ward, advocated for

the idea, saying Council can always revoke the mandate if it feels necessary in the future. Councilwoman Solveig Spjeldness, D-1st Ward, expressed her uncertainty at whether extending the mask mandate would be effective. She pointed to whether the city has the capability to enforce the requirement for those who do not wish to follow it. OU Faculty Senate passes instructional faculty multi-year contract resolution OU Faculty Senate met Monday evening, passing a resolution regarding faculty management and hearing updates from OU President Hugh Sherman and Executive Vice President and Provost Elizabeth Sayrs. Alternate Senator Kyle Butler introduced a resolution that would allow the offering of five-year renewable contracts to instructional faculty and associate professors, with the option for negotiation of length. The legislation aims to stabilize and recruit faculty in the wake of recent layoffs and retirements.

Zanesville Campus Senator Susan Dowell, however, expressed concern about the possibility for negotiation, arguing that it may continue the same issues current instructional faculty have with the lack of contracts offered. The resolution passed and is set to appear before the provost, who will decide whether to sign the motion into effect. Senate also heard updates from Sherman and Sayrs, who mentioned the university’s recent award of prestigious Research 1 Certification. During questions, Senator Jacqueline Wolf asked the administrators about the university’s lack of enforcement of its vaccination requirement for students and faculty. Sherman responded that the university’s intent was not to prevent students from taking classes at OU but to encourage vaccination and raise the overall percentage of vaccinated individuals. @SOPHIELISEY SY951319@OHIO.EDU

POLICE BLOTTER

Dog attack reported; ID, bank statement stolen from mailbox MOLLY WILSON ASST. NEWS EDITOR Back and forth Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Dixon Road in Coolville on report of a suspicious vehicle. The caller said a vehicle was driving back and forth on Dixon Road and was worried the driver was looking to steal items. Deputies patrolled the area but made no contact with the vehicle. Stolen account The sheriff’s office was contacted by an Amesville resident who reported his bank account had been hacked. The resident said a large amount of money was taken from the account. The case is currently under investigation.

Car on fire Deputies from the sheriff’s office responded to State Route 550 in Amesville on report of a damaged vehicle. The person who reported the incident said his car was damaged when someone lit a cardboard box on fire and put it in his vehicle. Mailbox theft A resident of Cooper Road in Athens reported someone stole his ID and bank statement from his mailbox, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies took a report and provided the man with options for how to prevent mail from being stolen in the future. Unconscious people Deputies from the sheriff’s office received a report of an unconscious man and woman in a vehicle in Millfield. When deputies arrived, it was determined the man had a warrant out for his arrest. He was subsequently arrested.

Dog fight The sheriff’s office received a report from a resident on Five Points Road in New Marshfield who said her dog was attacked by a “neighboring” dog. Deputies responded to the scene and noticed the dog had injuries from the attack. The owner of the neighboring dog was unreachable at the time. The Dog Warden will be continuing the investigation. That’s not your car The sheriff’s office received a report of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The caller explained she had let a man use her car who had since been arrested. She alleged the man’s girlfriend was driving a vehicle without permission. Deputies made contact with all involved parties and the vehicle was returned to the owner. @MOLLYWMARIE MW542219@OHIO.EDU

3,000 copies of THIS newspaper were distributed in 75 locations in Athens ...TODAY (13 on campus; 62 in the community) 4 / FEB. 10, 2022


Ohio Supreme Court strikes down revised redistricting maps LYDIA COLVIN FOR THE POST T he Ohio Supreme Cour t r uled the rev ised Ohio House and Senate maps are unconstitutional in a 4-3 decision Monday. In the court’s decision, the majority opinion stated the revised maps were unconstitutional because the maps were only changed slightly from the original maps and still showed partisan bias. Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor joined Justices Michael Donnelly, Jennifer Brunner and Melody Stewart in concurring with the majority opinion. The majority decision of the Court said the commission adopted the plan knowing the House districts that were drawn to favor Republicans are safe districts. The districts that were drawn in favor of Democrats could likely result in Republican seats, according to the majority decision. “As in the original plan that this court invalidated, there is evidence that the revised plan has a high degree of partisan asymmetry,” the majority opinion stated. “We invalidate the revised plan in its entirety.” Justices Sharon Kennedy and R. Patrick DeWine dissented with an opinion, saying the court has exceeded its authority by striking down the legislative maps. Justice Patrick F. Fischer also dissented but with a separate opinion. “In today’s astonishing order, the majority compels the commission to design districts that guarantee Democratic victories,” Kenned and DeWine’s dissenting opinion states. The objections against the revised maps were fi led Jan. 25 by the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, of Ohio, the national ACLU and Covington & Burling LLP, a law fi rm, on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, the A. Philip Randolph Institute and several individuals, according to a release from the ACLU of Ohio. The new maps would have g iven Republicans a 57–42 advantage in the House and a 20–13 advantage in the Senate. However, the objection stated there are more “toss up” Democratic districts, and the maps could easily result in around 62 Republican House seats. “The Ohio House and Senate maps as well as the congressional maps that

have been adopted are disrespectful of Ohio voters and the Ohio constitution,” Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, said. “The lines are drawn to split communities up and to secure unfair partisan advantage for some candidates.” The Ohio Redistricting Commission is given until Feb. 17 to draw up a third round of maps, which the Court will then review. “The public officials entrusted to draw our legislative maps again disregarded their sacred duty to follow our Constitution, and the Ohio Supreme Court again struck the maps,” Freda Levenson, legal director for the ACLU of Ohio, said in a statement. “Now, hopefully, in their third attempt to draw these maps, the commission will take

seriously the Court’s admonition to follow the law. Based on past election results, the proportion of Republican- and Democratic-leaning districts should closely correspond with 54% and 46% percent of districts, respectively, according to another objection. The court previously struck down the original maps Jan. 12, and the Ohio Redistricting Commission adopted the revised maps Jan. 22. The revised plan was passed by the Ohio Redistricting Commission along party lines with five Republicans voting “yes” to two Democrats voting “no.” Since there was not bipartisan support, if the maps are ruled constitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court, they will only be in effect for four years instead of 10.

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER However, because midterms tend to shift back to the party that didn’t win the presidency, State Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, believes Democrats won’t want those maps only in effect for four years. “I think the Democrats are going to look back and say, ‘You know, I wish we had those maps for 10 years’ because, in four years, I think the proportionality is going to be way more favorable (to Republicans),” Edwards said.

@COLVIN_LYDIA LC844519@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 5


Athens, OU officials, students prepare for 2022 fest season KENDALL WRIGHT FOR THE POST

rules. Ohio University Police Lt. Tim Ryan said OUPD and the Athens Police Department will be working closely together to address what he calls “unsanctioned events,” and that safety is their top priority. APD Chief Tom Pyle said the department works with not only OUPD to monitor the fests, but also outside units, such as the Ohio Investigative Unit, or OIU. OIU sends out “plainclothes” officers, what most people know as undercovers, to monitor safety from the inside, checking out the area and preventing any bigger issues, like fights or underage drinking. APD isn’t expecting typical fest numbers this year because of COVID-19 and the hiatus resulting from it. Because the events are outdoor gatherings, they are not breaking any COVID-19 related laws. Despite that, Pyle said the department expects to see a rise in COVID-19 numbers after the fests, though he hopes that because vaccination

rates are high, herd immunity will keep them a bit lower than expected. The departments still plan on policing the fests and will continue to be firm when it comes to the enforcement of regulations and laws. They will make sure that fests end by nightfall on the days they fall on, Pyle said. “We’re just dusting off the playbook that we’ve had in place for the probably last 10 years,” Pyle said. Pyle suggested that in order to maximize the length and success of parties, people should keep the parties in backyards, keep trash picked up, not allow urination on and outside of houses, prevent fist fights and not carry alcoholic drinks outside of the party area. “There’s a point of control that’s just at some points lost … because of the volume of people, the violations that occur and the consumption of alcohol,” Pyle said. “Those three things together just make it impossible for these things to continue without being in direct violation of the law.”

After two years, fest season is back. Since COVID-19 first hit the United States in 2020, the large parties known as “fests” were halted due to public mandates preventing mass gatherings. When students tried to continue fest season by themselves in 2021, the city of Athens and Ohio University were focused on deterring parties or gatherings. The fests are coordinated by a group of students known as Brick Life Entertainment, which was founded in 2016 with the goal of creating engaging events for the OU community. “I like to call us a group of creative students who all have a love for the music and entertainment industry,” Matthew Fischer, a senior studying music production and the record@KENDALLKWRIGHT ing industry, said. KW229520@OHIO.EDU As a member of Brick Life, Fischer also said its goal is to better the social life of Athens with all of the group’s talents put together, such as DJs, photographers, digital designers and more. On Jan. 27, the 2022 fest schedule was released on the organization’s Instagram page. The post got over 1,500 likes, and multiple students voiced their excitement in the comments. Fischer said the fests are exciting for students and bring a sense of unity to OU, though he feels the school has lost some of the party spirit over the past few years. For seniors, the fests haven’t been around since their freshman year, so the fests’ return will be a new experience for the majority of students. “This is something that we can give students to look forward to and be happy about,” Fischer said. While COVID-19 is still looming with the omicron variant in Athens, questions are being raised about how it will impact the parties. As far as Brick Life is concerned, Fischer suggested everyone follows the Athens City COVID-19 protocols, even though he hasn’t officially heard anything from the city yet. The city doesn’t currently prevent outdoor gatherings, which means Nick Powell (left), Jake Butler (middle) and Paula Stevens (right) hold up peace signs during a Mill Fest party on Saturday, March 2, the fests aren’t breaking city 2019, in Athens, Ohio. (ANTHONY WARNER | FOR THE POST) 6 / FEB. 10, 2022


GAMES

Love

Lines

$5 all day 2.14.22

@ThePostAthens @ThePost

+ in print 2 .17 .22

scan to submit your message Love Lines is a paid promotion that will be featured on Instagram @thepostathens and Twitter @ThePost throughout the day on Monday February 14th and printed in the weekly newspaper on Thursday the 17th. The cost to participate in this promotion is $5 per message, payment must be received prior to 12:01 am on February 13 to be included in the promotion. *Special rules and conditions apply see order form THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 7


OU continues to use telehealth to provide mental, medical health services ADDIE HEDGES FOR THE POST Ohio University’s Counseling and Psychological Services, or CPS, and OhioHealth’s Campus Care, located in the Hudson Health Center, continue to utilize telehealth appointments to avoid possible COVID-19 exposures. Through OU’s partnership with OhioHealth, the Campus Care service provides urgent care as well as a primary care clinic. OU provides $660,000 yearly in funds collected from general fees, tuition dollars, state allocations and other revenue, Jim Sabin, a university spokesperson, said. OhioHealth pays for Zoom for Healthcare, a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA-compliant program, used to provide telehealth appointments to OU students, Jane Balbo, a family physician at OhioHealth Campus Care at OU and assistant professor of family medicine at the OU Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, said. The utilization of telehealth services by medical and mental health professionals accelerated during the pandemic, Randall Longenecker, a professor emeritus of family medicine at the OU Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, said. Depending on a patient’s reason for scheduling an appointment with a medical professional, the appointment may be offered over Zoom for Healthcare, Balbo said. David Spielman, an undecided freshman, had a virtual visit with Campus Care during the Fall Semester. Spielman said he was unaware that in-person appointments were available. If a patient feels they may have COVID-19 or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, they are encouraged to stay home and engage in a telehealth visit. However, the patient still has the option

ILLUSTRATION BY MARY BERGER to have an in-person examination, Balbo said. In-person examinations are typically the most reliable and efficient ways for a physician to determine a diagnosis, Longenecker said. “Telehealth is an excellent tool, but it is very limited,” Longenecker said. “People think that because they’ve had a telehealth visit, it’s the same (as an in-person visit), and it’s not.” Medical insurance companies can also determine whether a telehealth visit is an option for patients. Typically, annual wellness visits must be conducted in person to be covered by insurance, Balbo said. “There are some (instances in which) insurance requirements mean that the

patient has to have an in-person visit. For example, that would be your annual adult health exam or your well-exam, pap test, prescription of birth control,” Balbo said. “It has to do with how insurance is billed for those preventive visits, and medical insurance companies do not allow providers to do telehealth visits for well-visits.” For students visiting Campus Care, it is recommended to know whether their health insurance covers telehealth visits or not, Balbo said. Balbo, like many other health care providers, requires a yearly in-person visit for her patients using controlled substances, such as ADHD medication and testosterone. “I can still bring people into the office.

It’s my judgment as a provider … but I require that my patients have at least one in-person visit per year and so do many other providers,” Balbo said. Telehealth is also used by CPS to offer psychiatry services, group therapy sessions, individual therapy sessions, consultations, referrals, crisis interventions and the Coping Clinic to OU students, Paul Castelino, director of CPS, said. However, in-person sessions can be requested by the student or suggested by the CPS provider. “Not all mental health concerns are clinically appropriate for Telehealth services,” Castelino said in an email. “Telehealth is not appropriate when having a crisis, acute psychosis, or suicidal or homicidal thoughts.” Spielman said he has used CPS services through telehealth. He has found clear advantages and disadvantages to the virtual forms of therapy sessions. “In terms of the individual counseling, that was totally fine, but one time, I did the Coping Clinic, which was over Zoom, and it was really hard to hear, and it felt very disconnected,” Spielman said. Finding confidential spaces to talk to a CPS provider was also difficult to find, Spielman said. “One time my roommate was sleeping, and I had nowhere to go, so I was scrambling around,” Spielman said. “I ended up going for a walk somewhere really far away and sitting outside.” Despite its challenges, telehealth, in general, works to make health care more accessible, Longenecker said. “I do think it is a necessary resource,” he said.

more than 7,000 users read content created by THIS newspaper online ThePostAthens.com ...THIS WEEK 8 / FEB. 10, 2022

@ADDIEHEDGES AH766719@OHIO.EDU


Age-Friendly Athens County invests in older adults, future for county ABBY NEFF FOR THE POST Age-Friendly Athens County, or AFAC, is a program that was created in 2020 with the goal of providing resources and establishing places where older adults can age gracefully and with dignity. The program, which was born out of the “Aging in our Community” initiative created in 2018 by the College of Health Sciences and Professions at Ohio University, or CHSP, is working toward getting Athens County certified as an “age-friendly” community, as recognized by AARP and the World Health Organization, or WHO. Rebecca Robison-Miller, the senior director of community relations for CHSP, is also the director of AFAC. She said the initiative comprises 80 individuals and organizations with support from the city and county leadership. “The thing that I love about this project is that it’s a 100% community-driven and a 100% community-informed, so we establish goals and community development ideas and projects based on what is important to the community,” she said. AFAC presented its five-year plan in November 2020, describing the eight domains the WHO identifies as essential to be considered an age-friendly community: outdoor spaces and public places, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, work and civic engagement, communication and information and community and health services. The program for Athens added a ninth domain for sustainability and climate resilience. It is still too early to determine funding resources, but Robison-Miller said there could be opportunities through fundraising by subcommittees and collaboration on projects with city recreation like the Bailey’s Trail System. Within AFAC, there are chairs for each domain. Ruth Dudding, a certified health education specialist and the director of community health and engagement at the Athens City-County Health Department, is the co-chair of the community health services subcommittee. Although she is from northern Ohio, Dudding said she hopes to stay as she ages. “I live out in the country, and I’m getting older,” she said. “And so I’m thinking that I really want to be able to stay here and continue to grow and learn and enjoy all the things I love about the region now when I’m even older.” AFAC utilizes what it calls “experience

The Athens City Building against the nearing sunset in Athens, Ohio. (ASHLYNN MCKEE | FOR THE POST) experts,” who are older adults who can contribute their knowledge to determine what the city of Athens and Athens County must do to create an environment conducive to aging gracefully. There’s what people need and what people want. I think both of those things are important,” Dudding said. “I think people, as they age, want the same opportunities as families and empty-nesters.” Dudding said Athens has already established programs at the senior centers to promote active living. UpBEAT, a program through OhioHealth that supports older adults in Southeastern Ohio, is an example of such engagement. “They want to keep learning. They want access to entertainment,” she said. “They want to be able to gather together and enjoy

each other’s company.” AFAC conducted a community needs assessment within the city and county in the summer of 2021, though Robison-Miller said there were roadblocks to get the word out. “We didn’t get the type of response on the survey that we hoped, so we kept it open later than we anticipated,” she said. “We had a lot of response online, but we didn’t have as much response to the paper surveys that we mailed out.” Robison-Miller said AFAC was hoping to get more paper surveys because the responses would be more representative of varying demographics across the county, especially if some residents didn’t have access to the internet. “Nonetheless, we hope to gain more information and probably more accurate

information by doing some more of those community conversations,” she said. “So, we’ll go out to the different communities in Athens and facilitate some conversations there.” Although there are age-friendly towns that collaborate with local universities, AFAC is the first age-friendly program of its kind in Southeastern Ohio. Robison-Miller said she hopes AFAC is able to provide resources for families who don’t have access to things like assisted-living. “If it’s more of a norm for an older adult to go live with a child or another family member as opposed to going to an assisted living facility, what resources can we build to help that happen for people?” she said.

@_ABBYNEFF AN251818@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9


ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER

OU’s funding resources offer students, faculty the opportunity to propel their research forward LAUREN SERGE STAFF WRITER At Ohio University, there are numerous funding resources available to students, faculty and staff to offer them financial support through the research and projects in which they take part. Many of these resources have existed at the university for decades now, providing necessary financial assistance to those who applied. One of these possible funds is the Ohio University Research Committee, or OURC, which is a competitive award of up to $8,000 granted specifically to faculty and staff who are pursuing their own research project. Ronan Carroll, associate professor of biological sciences, is currently on the board that oversees the applications, but he has also been a recipient of the OURC award himself. 10 / FEB. 10, 2022

Carroll’s research began after hiring a researcher into his lab who specialized in interactions between two bacteria that were common in patients with cystic fibrosis. The two put their heads together to combine their knowledge of these respective types of bacteria to understand how their interactions would impact cystic fibrosis patients. Carroll said the grant money helped to enlighten the pattern they were recognizing. “We got the money from OURC as a little bit of starter money to get us involved in this and try to tease apart a little bit more information in detail about what exactly was going on with this unusual interaction between these bacteria,” Carroll said. Chao-Yang Lee, associate professor of communication sciences and disorders, was one of four recipients awarded

the OURC funding for spring 2021, and he was awarded $7,991 for his research project titled “Can Dumplings Interfere with Sleep in a Cocktail Party? Processing Multi-Talker Speech in Auditory Word Recognition.” Lee said his research focused on the way in which human listeners process spoken information, particularly through Mandarin Chinese. The language, Lee said, is special because it utilizes melodies to distinguish word meanings. With slight variations in tone, a completely different word has been spoken. The word for “dumplings” and “sleep” in Mandarin, Lee said, contain similar consonants and vowels, with slight changes in the melody with which it is spoken. “Our research question is, ‘As a speaker of Mandarin, how do you actually process this melodic information, which we call fundamental frequency information

when you are dealing with (something like) a cocktail party speech, where you have a lot of speakers talking at the same time?’” Lee said. “So, what we’re trying to do here is to manipulate these two kinds of information systematically so that we can get a sense of how Mandarin listeners process this fundamental frequency formation.” Aside from prior existing research funding options like OURC, in the last year, a brand new funding resource was created called the undergraduate summer internship. Roxanne Male-Brune, director of grant developments and projects, said this newly developed funding resource was inspired by the financial needs students have due to COVID-19. “During COVID, a lot of undergraduates did not have the opportunity to go and do research and creative activity, and this was a huge problem,” MaleBrune said. “So, what we wanted to do was to create an opportunity where they could do summer internships and sort of catch up.” While the grant began as a way for students to “catch up” with their research, Male-Brune said the purpose for the grant shifted as students’ needs changed, which caused the funding team to create this one-time-only program. “What we found is that there was a real need for student stipends, especially for some of our students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds,” Male-Brune said. “So, it will pay students to do summer internships with faculty on campus, and it can cover the traditional scientific research ... and the funding will be prioritized for people who have financial need as determined by Pell eligibility.” Lee said the inclusion of funding resources like the one he received at the university are significant in that they allow important research to persist. “In order to do research, we need to get research funding to buy equipment, to pay participants, to hire students to work with us,” Lee said. “So, I think these university internal funding sources are very important to get the project started.” Male-Brune said these funds enable students to pursue research and creative activities in the fields they have chosen and expand their experience to real-world application. “Students need to be able to apply what they learn in the classroom,” MaleBrune said. “I think it just gives them a more well-rounded experience … and I just think it’s a great way for students to grow.”

@LAURENESERGE LS351117@OHIO.EDU


Food Not Bombs spreads food awareness, peace TRE SPENCER FOR THE POST Food Not Bombs is a national organization that promotes peace and community partnership over war and food insecurity. Members of the organization identify as leftists who cherish people over power. At Ohio University, the chapter of Food Not Bombs started having meetings for volunteers in November 2021 led by students who were looking for better ways to serve the community in Athens. Charlie Vieregge, a local tattoo artist, said as one of the members who came to the first meeting, Vieregge found comfort within the organization and its mission of helping people in the community. “For me, personally, it’s been incredible to be around others who are passionate about the movement,” Vieregge said in an email. “I’ve always known that things aren’t generally accessible in this country and people don’t have access to what they need, but being in (Food Not Bombs) where we can talk and learn about these things and do something about it in a radical way that doesn’t

cause more harm or abide by the horrific system, it gives me hope for change.” Julian Earley, a sophomore studying creative writing and history, said the OU chapter of Food Not Bombs was started to help the community regardless of social status or circumstance. “Food Not Bombs is a volunteer movement; it’s what it’s considered because it’s not a charity,” Earley said. “It’s a volunteer movement that has been around since the ‘80s that’s basically about feeding anybody who needs it, no questions asked. It’s particularly geared towards (homeless) people or anybody with food insecurity.” Earley also added information for new members who are looking to join and attend any upcoming meetings. “We have meetings every other week; but they change depending on the week,” Earley said. “And normally, Mondays, Tuesdays, (and) Wednesdays have been one of those days. But we do have on our Instagram: we always announce what day it is, and then through Instagram, we’ve got links in our bio that you can join our Slack group chat.” Self-described as a politically charged

It’s a volunteer movement that has been around since the ‘80s that’s basically about feeding anybody who needs it, no questions asked. It’s particularly geared towards (homeless) people or anybody with food insecurity.” - Julian Earley, a sophomore studying creative writing and history

cial change because we recognize that the government’s priorities do not currently align with keeping people fed, housed (and) alive, especially as we’re in a global pandemic,” Pazol said. “We see the federal military budget increasing by billions of dollars, where social programs are being cut.” Pazol emphasized that with food insecurity being a pressing issue in the Athens area and in Appalachia, Food Not Bombs is looking to expand in the near future and work with partners in the community. “(It would) be great if we could get to doing monthly food handouts,” Pazol said. “We’re currently working on figuring out logistics and supplies and everything. We’re gonna hopefully get the first one of those started in a couple months, especially when it gets warmer.

@TRERSPENCER1 TS582119@OHIO.EDU

organization, OU’s chapter focuses on “feeding hungry people; homeless or housed, stoned or stober” according to its Instagram page. Students looking to join the group can come to meetings over Zoom or to its community space, which is located at 54 Morris Ave. in Athens. Jordan Pazol, an alum of OU who studied environmental studies and biology and uses they/them pronouns, noted that Food Not Bombs is also polticially motivated and criticized the government’s response toward hunger. “We’re also committed to nonviolent so-

THE POINTE on Mill Street starting at

3&4 $475 bedroom units

per person /month

2 bathrooms off-street parking Full-Time Maintenance close to campus & uptown

100

$

SIGNING BONUS

per unit unit/ for limited time

740.594.9098

ourentals.com THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 11


Braiding hair, uplifting community Past and present Black OU students, faculty fight to find Afro-textured hair care resources and services ALYSSA CRUZ FOR THE POST Being able to easily buy shampoo isn’t a given for every Ohio University student. Athens is home to a plethora of businesses tailored to the needs of OU students. From restaurants to pharmacies, OU students have the ability to access many resources while still staying close to campus. Despite all the positive assets of the community, there is a severe lack of services and products for people with Afro-textured hair. Black students and faculty often have to alter their hair styles and routines to the limited supply of products and services Athens offers. Ohio University alumna @ohiouniversityhairbraider on Instagram is a 2019 graduate who learned to braid after having to wear headscarves and other protective hairstyles to avoid the hassle of traveling all the way to Columbus for services during her time at OU. “It’s something … very frustrating when I went to school here,” she said about the lack of access to braiders and stylists in Athens. Although relatively new to braiding, she was able to hone her craft while in Athens and now works at a salon thanks to her initiative to learn how to braid. She still services people in Athens and offers box braids, faux locs, passion twists and Sengalese twists. Just like @ohiouniversityhairbraider, London Greer is one of many Black students at OU who have adapted to the absence of resources and services. Greer, a fifth year studying chemical engineering, also learned how to braid during her time in Athens. She knew the seniors she relied on were graduating, and she said she felt she needed to fill that place. Greer learned from her predecessors to ensure the services would continue to be available. Experimentation was key for Greer when it came to learning how to take care of coarse hair without the access to traditional products. Greer and some others sought out alternative resources that were easier to obtain, like foods from the dining hall. “We experimented with deep con12 / FEB. 10, 2022

ditioning, putting Walmart bags on our heads because we don’t have the hooded dryer (and) getting more familiar with making concoctions in our room for a hair mask,” Greer said. “If you went to the dining hall that day, and they had avocado or something like that, we took the avocado and made a mask with it. It taught me to be more versatile with how I take care of my hair. That definitely was my first inclination that I need to learn how to do my own hair.” Although Greer can do all types of braids, she usually does box braids and twists. Both styles can be good for hair health and are relatively easy to maintain. She braids for all genders and said it is common for males to seek twists if they are growing out an afro. Greer said she likes to think of her skills as a service rather than a business. “I take payment in multiple different ways,” Greer said. “For instance, if my friend just wants two French braids going back, I’m like, ‘hey, just grab me sushi one day.’ I’m not going to make you send me $40 when I’m going to spend it on sushi anyway … I try to be flexible with who my clients are and who I’m servicing because I know we’re in college. And that was the point of offering up my services … to make it accessible to college students.” Both Greer and @ohiouniversityhairbraider have used their skills to make protective styles more accessible to the community, but many key products are still missing from the shelves of Athens. “It was disheartening to go to Sally’s and not see anything for people of color,” Greer said, referencing Sally Beauty, a chain beauty store located on East State Street. Chaise Brown, a freshman studying psychology, agrees with Greer. Brown buys most of her products from Walmart, but the chain often falls short when it comes to providing hair care products for people with curly, coarse or coiled hair. “I’m lucky because I use the most basic ethnic hair care ever, Cantu, so I can find that,” Brown said. “But half the time they don’t even have the one thing I need … I’m not going to use a hair mask everyday.” Greer believes that in order to mend the problem, the Athens community needs

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER to focus on being more welcoming and encouraging to local Black-owned businesses. “I say that because it’s really on the Black business owner to come down to Athens,” Greer said. “Just because Athens may not look as diverse doesn’t mean that there isn’t diversity in the student population.” Students are not the only ones who have had to adapt. Just like the people they teach and interact with, staff and faculty also have a limited supply of products that dictate their hair routine and style. Tamika Williams, the assistant director for career and diversity, equity and inclusion, has lived in the Athens area for five years and has made sacrifices when it comes to taking care of her hair. She has leaned on the services of students in the past in addition to making the drive to Toledo to get her hair braided. “I would drive three and a half hours to go up, sit for another three hours, and then travel back,” Williams said. “I’m sitting down for 12 hours a day just to get my hair done.” Williams said she is appreciative of the opening of Sally’s on East State Street, as well as the products available. “Sally Beauty was a really good addition,” Williams said. “Prior to Sally’s, I would stock up when I went home.” Williams said she is able to opt for

products that are more available, when necessary. “I can get away with using products that can be considered more traditional white hair care products,” Williams said. She is unable to experiment with dyeing her hair as well. Students have the option to rely on each other when it comes to seeking services like braiding or flat ironing, but some faculty do not have the same options. Vanessa Morgan is the assistant director for diversity and inclusion programs at OU, and she has experienced disappointment regarding the resources available in Athens, as well. “There’s literally no one to do my kind of hair for me,” Morgan said. “I have tried before. I went to a salon on Court Street … and I left with my hair in a big afro because they just don’t know how to blow dry my hair … I had an event, imagine that. So I had to quickly get back home and … figure out what I had to do to my hair if I went to my event. There is no one who can really do anything professionally for you.” Morgan runs the Being Black in College Program, a program that connects Black students to resources on campus and in Athens. She realized that many students of color don’t have access to the hair care products they need, so Morgan and the organization created a drive for hygiene products and hair care products in early


June 2021. “We just ask people to bring the donations that are specific to people of color,” Morgan said. “We put it out there before Juneteenth last year and we advertised it and asked people to bring a donation to the events and people were amazing and they brought stuff.” The donation station is still available in the Office of Multicultural Success and Retention, located on 31 S. Court St. Students may come and go as they please and take what they need free of charge. Navigating a lack of access is nothing new for Black students and residents in and around Athens. Marcquis Parham, the interim assistant director of the Career and Leadership Development Center, came to OU in 2002 as a football player. “When I came to Athens, I learned how to manage and maintenance my own hair,” Parham said. “There were no barbers at the time when I got here.” Parham said there were two typical options people had to choose between to care for their hair: either care for it yourself, or drive long distances to get proper care and products. However, Parham chose another option. “I just stopped cutting my hair altogether, which did not alleviate the problem,” Parham said. Five decades prior to Parham, students were also facing issues with accessing hair care. Past Black students also had to adapt to limited supplies and services. Soulful Bobcats: Experiences of African American Students at Ohio University, 1950-1960, by Carl H. Walker and Betty Hollow, features 18 autobiographical excerpts written by Black students and alumni. The accounts present a time in Athens history when the Black community was small, but students banded together

to support one another. Throughout the decade, many Black students experienced varying degrees of prejudice, sometimes resulting in physical violence. The Black students of the ‘50s and ‘60s broke down many barriers. They were the first Black students in OU history to be awarded athletic scholarships, the first to organize Black sectors of Greek Life and the first to star in theatrical productions. As Black students began to enroll at OU at a steadier rate, there was an increasing demand for someone who could cut curly and coily hair. Although there was a wellknown Black barber in Athens at the time, he refused to cut Black students’ hair until

the shop closed. Ohio University President from 19451961, John C. Baker, arranged for a barber to be made available to Black students. Unfortunately for those students, the barber was a car ride away in The Plains. “When I wanted a haircut, I was told by some other colored students that in order to get our hair cut, we had to go to Mr. Thompson’s house out in The Plains,” Lester Nelson Carney, an OU student from 1952-1953 and 1957-1959, wrote in Soulful Bobcats. Alice Jones Rush graduated in 1957 with a teaching degree, but while at OU, she had to navigate doing her hair herself while living in student housing. “Being a black young lady in the dormitory was difficult at times because it was hard to keep our hair neat, clean, and straightened. During those days, black women used straightening combs. We would roll up wet towels at the door of our rooms so that the odor of ‘hair frying’ would not permeate the hall,” she wrote in Soulful Bobcats. A year below Rush, Ejaye Johnson Tracey also spoke on the efforts Black students would take to style their hair, and she said Black women who lived in the dorms hid their straightening combs from their white dorm mates. The testimonies from former OU students are reflective of the time period they lived in. However, present-day OU students face a similar barrier today. Students like Greer and employees like Williams are still making the drive to access hair care resources and services because the community they live in does not pro-

vide them. Access to hair care is a privilege, and many Black residents still have to fight for that privilege. According to Parham, little accessibility to essential hair care products and services is just one of the factors that leads to lower retention rates in the Athens community for both students and professionals. He said there is a lack of needs being met at the fundamental level. Although mending these complex problems takes time, Parham believes there is a step the university can take when it comes to making Athens a more appealing place to live for people of color. “I believe as an educator and as a stakeholder here at the university that there is no reason why we have not had the discussions around creating a cosmetology program,” he said. Parham said hopefully graduates from a program would feel inclined to stay in Athens and open their own business to create a long-standing measure that would help make services more accessible. Although the barrier of students not being able to find suitable shampoo may seem simple, it is rooted in a deeper problem. Many Black students and faculty, past and present, feel Athens and OU need to better serve the needs of people who make up the minority. Parham said the obligation of providing services and resources should not fall on the individual, but rather the community as a whole. “They definitely have a responsibility to create fundamental change from the top down,” Parham said.

@ALYSSADANCCRUZ AC974320@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13


Students with dietary restrictions detail meal experiences in COVID-19 dorms LAUREN SERGE STAFF WRITER While Ohio University students with dietary restrictions have reported difficulties when attempting to find meals that accommodate their needs at campus dining halls due to COVID-19, students in the quarantine and isolation dorms are also experiencing issues finding adequate foods. The dorms, True House and Dougan House, are designated buildings for on-campus students afflicted with COVID-19, awaiting test results for COVID-19 or who have been exposed and are not vaccinated or have not yet been boosted. For those students who must reside in the COVID-19 housing, Angela Bohyer, university culinary dietician, said there is a food system set in place where students can select their meals. “We have a robust set of offerings that are rotated through every two weeks,” Bohyer said in an email. “The menu can be accessed through housing and culinary has created a menu of student favorites to meet the needs of those in quarantine.” If any students have dietary restrictions, either by choice or due to health reasons, Bohyer said they must also inform the culinary staff of their specific requirements. “All dietary preferences and allergies are accommodated,” Bohyer said in an email. “Students are able to request specific foods if they have food allergies or special diet needs.” Regan Magee, a sophomore studying chemical engineering, was in the COVID-19 dorms earlier this spring semester. Magee, who is vegan, said she was dissatisfied with the options provided to her in the dorms.

“I think one of my meals was vegan chicken, and then I had a fruit cup and some vegetables,” Magee said. “And it basically just looks like a toddler meal.” With the system set in place, Magee said meal orders must be placed by 10 a.m., which places a strain on individuals who may arrive at a later time to acquire proper meals. “The first day I was there, I didn’t get there until after 10 a.m., so I couldn’t order food,” Magee said. “And they give you a little bag when you get in there with chicken noodle soup in it which, obviously, I can’t have, so the first day I didn’t eat until probably 8 p.m., and I had to DoorDash.” Joelle Wernick, a senior studying premed biological sciences, has been to the COVID-19 dorms on three separate occasions. Wernick said many of her issues with the meal options at the COVID-19 dorms stemmed from the fact that she does not have a meal plan, which posed an obstacle for her to obtain foods that accommodate her vegetarian and lactose-intolerant diet. “If I were to get food, I would either have to bring it or order it or have my friends bring it to me,” Wernick said. “So, I mostly had to order, which is pretty difficult as a vegetarian because not a lot of places around here have a whole bunch of vegetarian options. Especially when I’m lactose intolerant, there’s not a whole lot of options.” Due to Wernick not having a meal plan, she had to order food often that, she said, placed a financial burden on top of an already difficult situation. “I can’t order all the time because I don’t have the money to spend all this stuff to order out every single time,” Wernick said. “The last time I was in there, I was only supposed to be in there for five days. And because of the delays, I was in there for seven days … but (restaurant vegetari-

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER an options are) a little bit more expensive than I can afford to buy seven times.” For those in similar boats to her, Wernick wishes the meal system was altered to allow students without meal plans to still access meals through the university while in the dorms. “It’s frustrating because I’m already in this dorm that I don’t want to be in, and now, I can’t even have good food,” Wernick said. “I feel like even if people don’t have a meal plan, if they’re sent to isolation, maybe they should offer food to them instead of just being like, ‘Deal with it.’” Ultimately, Magee said she feels the circumstances individuals in the COVID-19 dorms face are not up to par. But, in par-

ticular, for individuals like herself who have a dietary restriction, she emphasized that their available nutrition is especially lacking. “It’s kind of funny now, but it was a nightmare,” Magee said. “I think the whole meal situation in the COVID dorms in general is a little bit rough but, especially for people with dietary restrictions, it’s especially tough to get a good meal.”

@LAURENESERGE LS351117@OHIO.EDU

more than 500,000 users engaged with THIS newspaper on social media ...THIS MONTH @ThePost @ThePostAthens thepostathens 14 / FEB. 10, 2022


Athens business owners, employees continue to combat worker shortage COLE PATTERSON FOR THE POST Over the past year, many businesses have been suffering from an ongoing issue. A worker shortage has caused complications for both business owners and their employees, from across the country to Athens. Kenadi Sours is a sophomore studying commercial photography who holds a job in Athens at Taco Bell, 978 E. State St. “We’ve been pretty short-staffed recently,” Sours said. “When it’s busy, it’s a lot harder to keep our drive thru times up and get orders out quickly. It’s really hard to manage taking orders, taking money and getting everything out the window in a timely fashion because I don’t have any help with me.” High turnover rates and numerous call-offs are just a few of the problems causing headaches at Sours’ place of employment. There are many contributing factors to the ongoing worker shortage. Retirement plays a large role in the reduction of Americans participating in the workforce. As of November 2021, 61.8% of Americans either held active jobs or were seeking jobs. This number stood at 63.3% in February 2020, according to CNN Business. Retirement is far from the only cause of this problem. “I think people are sick of working for $8 to $10 an hour, especially by these huge corporations that can certainly afford to pay more,” Chris Pyle, co-owner of Donkey Coffee, 17 ½ W. Washington St., said. “I think that when you work for a little pay, then it’s a horrible work environment as well.” Jerry DePizzo serves as the owner and operator of Big Mamma’s Burritos, 10 S. Court St. DePizzo works hard to create a culture where employees feel good going to work and where they genuinely enjoy going to work. “We owe a great deal of our success and what we’ve been able to accomplish these past 18 months to our team members and how passionately and diligently they’ve worked with Big Mamma’s,” DePizzo said. “That being said, it’s certainly a lot more tight this year than in years past. It really came down to a real tight knit group of our team members banding together and working extremely hard to keep Big Mamma’s open.” Although many Athens businesses are in dire need of worker help, others have been fortunate enough to have plenty of employees.

“We probably get seven to 10 applications a week,” Pyle said. “We haven’t had a shortage of staff at all. We’ve been able to hire people whenever we needed.” This wasn’t always the case for Donkey Coffee. During the spring and summer of 2020, Pyle had to cut down on employees significantly, as he was facing much slower business than usual during these months. “It wasn’t a worker shortage,” Pyle said. “Like every business owner in the country, I woke up with knots in my stomach, I couldn’t sleep, and had high anxiety.”

Pyle has since been able to offer all employees who were let go their job back, and though some returned, others had already found new positions. However, creating a healthy environment has proved successful in combating the worker shortage for both Pyle and DePizzo’s businesses. “What we tried to do is just listen to the needs of our team members and try to fulfill them as best we can while keeping our model healthy,” DePizzo said. “Every day we take a temperature of the business to see whether it’s healthy that day or if it’s sick and we need to adjust. As long as the model is healthy, we try to put as much opportunity as we can within our team members and culture.”

@COLEPATT0717 CP676419@OHIO.EDU

“Now hiring” is posted on the front entrance of Fusion Noodle Co. on Union Street. (RYAN GRYZBOWSKI | FOR THE POST)

OUR audience may be your next client.

ADVERTISE inTHE POST PostAdvertising@ohio.edu

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR RATES

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 15


MEN’S BASKETBALL

Ohio succumbs to fatigue in loss to Toledo JACK GLECKLER SPORTS EDITOR TOLEDO — Ohio learned the hard way who the team to beat in the Mid-American Conference is. Toledo gave it a crash course. The Bobcats were chomping at the bit for a rematch with the Rockets. They’d been humiliated when the Rockets dismantled them in The Convo in late January. After suffering their first loss in the MAC, the Bobcats rebuilt and steamrolled through a grueling three-game, five-day schedule to retake their spot at the top of the conference standings. But time — and fatigue — came knocking. Ohio fizzled out and didn’t have enough energy to power through a 77-62 loss to Toledo inside Savage Arena on Tuesday night. “Everyone’s got a tough matchup,” Ohio coach Jeff Boals said. “They do some things different than everyone else does. They switch everything. They’ve got pretty good length and size. We’ve got to be better. I think game four in eight days had a lot to do with it, but give them credit.” The Rockets seemed destined to pull ahead. They’ve done so in every regular season matchup for the past six years. The Bobcats have finagled upsets in the postseason, sure, but wins in the MAC Tournament don’t offer much respite in early February. The Bobcats hadn’t easily fallen behind, though. They stayed in lockstep with the Rockets out of the gate, trading field goals and even pulling into the lead twice after Jason Carter and Mark Sears each sank a 3-pointer. For the first 10 minutes, Ohio showed it could go blow-for-blow with one of the most versatile offenses in the MAC. It wasn’t meant to last. Ohio was worn out, and its shooting percentage dropped off a cliff. It went 11-of-38 from the field and couldn’t couldn’t string together more than two consecutive field goals after halftime. Easy layups failed to follow through, and 3s bounced off the rim. Ohio even flubbed at the free throw line, and Toledo took advantage of its poor shooting. Ohio was out-rebounded 47-26, and its mistakes only added to its growing deficit. “I don’t know how many layups we missed, but it was a lot,” Boals said. “When you miss those free throws and 16 / FEB. 10, 2022

those layups and they turn them into easy baskets, that’s where you get in trouble.” The few attempts to rally didn’t bring Ohio any closer to regaining the lead. Toledo closed the first half with an 18-4 run, and Ohio worked after halftime to dig itself out of a double-digit hole. Tommy Schmock, who led Ohio with 17 points, narrowed the gap after scoring eight points in two minutes, but the Bobcats whiffed on their final seven field goal attempts of the night. “This isn’t a team you want to go trade buckets with,” Schmock said. “They are the best scoring team. They score 80 a night, so we just need to get stops and get on built runs. I don’t think we ever really got a run. We were just playing even, and then it kind of got down.” Ohio is back to where it started twoand-a-half weeks ago. Toledo blew apart

its five-game win streak and pulled it back down to second place in the MAC standings. It was only a matter of time. Ohio’s played four games in eight days, and it was bound to crash. Ohio dominated every other conference opponent this season, but it has been stumped twice by Toledo. Its biggest roadblock has been a team it hasn’t beaten in the regular season since 2016. Its schedule isn’t lightening up, either. It still has two more games in the next five days. With the regular season winding down and the MAC Tournament looming on the horizon, Ohio doesn’t have much time to step back and reflect on Tuesday’s loss. But now it knows who the team to beat is.

@THEJACKGLECKLER JG011517@OHIO.EDU

Ohio foward Jason Carter (30) dribbles the ball down the baseline in The Convo on Feb. 5, 2021,. (ALAINA DACKERMANN | FOR THE POST)


Bulldogs prevail on senior night, continue win streak ALEX IMWALLE FOR THE POST Athens (6-12, 5-5 Tri-Valley Conference) was up by double digits when coach Mickey Cozart sent all four seniors into the game with two minutes to go. As the clock wound down to one minute left, he made one final substitution call. He sent in a mix of juniors and sophomores to express his gratitude to the oldest members and leaders of the team as well as to the future of Bulldogs basketball. The Bulldogs honored seniors Clay Boeninger, Derrick Welsh, Jake Goldsberry and Sam Goldsberry in more ways than one Tuesday night. After the balloons left center court, the Bulldogs earned their final conference win at home, a 58-36 victory over River Valley (3-12, 2-5 TVC). “It’s important to win on senior night,” Cozart said. “I don’t think we’ve lost on senior night yet since I’ve taken over.” The Bulldogs outshone the Raiders with the help of shooting guard Landon Wheatley, who was a weapon in the paint and at the 3-point line. He recorded a season-high 27 points and single-handedly

Derrick Welsh (14) goes in for the shot while being guarded by Kade Alderman (21) and Jance Lamert (1) at Athens High School on Feb. 8, 2022. (ALIZA DUTT / FOR THE POST)

outscored River Valley in the first quarter. Another trick up Athens’ sleeve was Welsh. The center was a scoring threat early and totaled 14 points, but he also was an asset defensively. He recovered multiple rebounds and disrupted countless shots in the paint. “Derrick’s been a force all year,” Cozart

said. “He averages a double-double … and the kid can’t come out. We don’t have another big (man) to send in the game ... We ask a lot out of him.” After a dominant first half, the Bulldogs led the Raiders 33-15. However, the Bulldogs’ stellar gameplay stalled out at the beginning of the second half.

River Valley opened the second half with an 8-0 run. Athens suffered from poor ball handling, and its quick, deliberate passing game from the first half began to deteriorate as a result. Athens was beginning to cower. “We had a lapse there in the third (quarter),” Cozart said. “Instead of being aggressive, we were trying to pass through things, and we should have been attacking.” Despite the Bulldogs’ difficulties in the third quarter, the Raiders’ success mostly came by capitalizing off turnovers. The Bulldogs’ defense remained strong, and, as the game entered the fourth quarter, they were making smarter decisions with the ball and retaining possession once again. With the victory, Athens adds one more conference win to its resume and solidifies a three-game winning streak — the only winning streak of its season. “We’ve been playing pretty well,” Cozart said. “This team’s been a different squad since (winter) break. It just took us longer to get to where we need to be.”

@ALEXIMWALLE AI687120@OHIO.EDU

NOW LEASING for 2022-23 CLOSE TO CAMPUS & UPTOWN

APARTMENTS, TOWNHOMES & HOUSES

← ← ← ← ← ← IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD

$

199

37 N Court Street

2 Bedroom UPTOWN . $450*

DEPOSIT

67 Stewart St

3 Bedroom . $525*

64 W Carpenter St 2 Bedroom . $475*

129 W Washington St. 1-2 Bedroom $ ENTIRE UNIT

650

98 W State Street 3-4 Bedroom . $450* $ DEPOSIT

63 N Congress St 2 Bedroom . $525*

99

740.594.9098 OUrentals.com

*Security deposits are per person, monthly rates are per person/per month

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17


Here’s how to watch the Super Bowl in Athens CONNOR CHOMICKI FOR THE POST Super Bowl LVI isn’t just any regular Super Bowl. This year, it’s different. Not only is it the Cincinnati Bengals’ third shot at winning American football’s highest honor but also Athens’ hometown hero Joe Burrow’s first run at the title. While this is an exciting season for all Ohioans, it means a little extra to this town. So, for the students who call Athens home, here are four ways to make sure you don’t miss out on the championship game this Sunday, even if you don’t have cable TV:

Bars

Not everyone has the money to pay for cable TV, but do you know who does? Every bar on Court Street that has a television. Every weekend (and even weekdays on numerous occasions) Ohio University students throw enough money at these liquor-selling establishments to fund a cable subscription that allows for sporting events to be viewed while alcohol is being enjoyed. That being the case, sports bars such as

18 / FEB. 10, 2022

Lucky’s Sports Bar, Courtside Pizza, Broney’s Alumni Grill, The Red Brick Tavern, The Pigskin Bar and Grill and other establishments are sure to have the game on for every eager barfly’s entertainment. Chances are, as smart businesses, these bars will probably have deals on things like pitchers to entice avid football watchers to pick their bar over others, which is another good reason to make an appearance (if you are of age according to at least one form of ID).

Peacock/NBC

This year, NBC has the privilege of broadcasting the Super Bowl. It was supposed to cover the game in 2021 but decided to swap years with CBS in order to cover both the Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl at the same time. If a lack of television is your main problem to view this championship game, NBC’s website will offer it for free. All that is required is the username and password to your cable provider, which can be given to you by a fortunate soul (maybe your parents, if you’re lucky enough).

Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, will also be covering the Super Bowl for its premium members, and free trials are also available in case one has the urge to suddenly try out Peacock’s streaming service for only a couple hours this upcoming Sunday.

Free trials (Hulu, Sling, Fubo, YouTube TV)

Speaking of taking advantage of free trials, Peacock isn’t the only streaming service that will be showing the game. Platforms such as Hulu, Sling, YouTube TV and DIRECTV will be premiering the Super Bowl and offer easy ways to sign up for their free trials if you aren’t already a premium member. It’s a legal loophole in the system that is completely full-proof, especially for students who don’t have room for expenses such as a premium account. Just don’t forget to cancel your “subscription” afterwards.

Sports-oriented restaurants

Finally, for those who are not of age to enjoy the Super Bowl inside of Court Street’s many bars, there are other restaurants who

will also be showing the game. Restaurants such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee’s and Jackie’s O’s Brewpub are establishments that focus more on food and allow for underage viewers to grab a table with their friends, as opposed to standing in a crowded bar. Similar to other business establishments, these restaurants will most likely have deals on items like wings or appetizers for this special occasion. All eyes are on Joe Burrow this weekend, so make sure yours will be as well. Even if you don’t own a TV or have cable, there are still ways to get your football fix. With all sorts of streaming services that will be featuring this game as well as the bars and restaurants, there’s no excuse not to tune in — unless you have an exam Monday and, even then, that’s hardly an excuse. Go Bengals!

@CHOMICKI_11 CC142520@OHIO.EDU


TRE’S TAKES

OU should acknowledge diversity, inclusion when dispersing scholarships TRE SPENCER is a sophomore studying photojournalism at Ohio University College students, including myself, simply don’t have the luxury of being able to afford college without scholarships and grants, given the grievances of taking out loans. With loans that must be repaid, college students who attend public universities borrow an average of $30,030 each to obtain a four-year degree. With an average number this high, Ohio University should consider giving out more scholarships — not merit-based but diversity and inclusion-based for underrepresented minority groups here on campus who cannot afford our tuition rates. With minority students struggling to afford higher education, the premise of more scholarship opportunities would also diversify the university and potentially increase enrollment rates, which have steadily decreased 15.6% from fall of 2014 to 2020 and 18.3% from spring 2015 to 2021.

According to Ohio University’s Diversity Dashboard, with a total enrollment of 28,770 for fall 2021, the diversity distribution was 79.2% to a whopping 15.1% of minority students. Historically, with a campus that is largely white, in order to increase its diversity, the university should focus on giving more scholarships to minority students, which could help boost enrollment rates. Minority students must also balance working and family responsibilities alongside getting their degrees to pay for their schooling. With these obligations, Black students often must drop out of school because of debt and expenses. While 69% of African Americans who enrolled in college but did not finish said they left college because of high student loan debt, only 43% of white students cited the same reason. As a current minority undergraduate student, I often wonder how fortunate I was to be accepted into OU despite my financial woes. Out of the scholarships I was offered, only one was granted to me based on my status as a minority, and I’m still covering out-of-pocket tuition and expenses because of the lack of aid I was granted by OU. On top of the thousands of dollars I’ll have to pay the government back for loans, I still owe the university upwardsof

$2,000 a semester because of extra fees, housing and my meal plan. I work about four days a week, along with being a full-time college student, just to pay my balance every semester with little support from my family. My family had always expressed to me that I had to go to school and acquire a better education because, for people of color, this is deemed a necessity. However, when college is outrageously expensive for students of color and Black students, it seems like yet another setback. The university should consider the hardships that many of their students — specifically, minority students — must face to get through school when their families preach higher education. Tre Spencer is a sophomore studying photojournalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Tre know by tweeting him @trerspencer1.

HOT TAKES WITH TATE

OU not enforcing vaccine mandate is disrespectful

TATE RAUB

is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University Punxsutawney Phil has emerged from his tree stump home and told us that there would be six more weeks of winter, but I don’t think even he could have predicted how poorly Ohio University is currently following through on its vaccine mandate. On Aug. 31, 2021, OU announced it would be requiring all students, faculty and staff at all OHIO locations to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 15, 2021. Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and vaccines on the World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing would all be accepted, and readily available opportunities to get vaccinated were shared with students, faculty and staff. As people received their vaccines, they were instructed to upload documentation of their vaccination status via the Testing Pathway Program. An exemption from getting vaccinated for medical, religious, moral and ethical reasons was made available but required approval from the university. According to a Feb. 1 public health update from OU, 88.5% of all students, faculty and staff are vaccinated across all campuses. The Athens campus has the highest overall vaccination rate at 91%. A Nov. 16, 2021, university report celebrating the high vaccination rate across all campuses stated that only about 9% of OU students and faculty had not received an approved exemption or submitted proof of their vaccination. At the time, the report said the overall vaccination rate at the time was 83.6%. 9% may seem like a very small number of people not

in compliance, but when the numbers are actually broken down, it’s a significant number of people. As of Jan. 26, 56 students who live on campus and 188 students who live off campus don’t have an approved exemption, according to a previous Post report. The first laboratory-confirmed outbreak of COVID-19 occurred because at least 41 reportedly tested positive; 244 students — a number almost six times as many as that — who are not vaccinated and without exemptions are currently attending classes and participating in campus life. Not only does this put each other at risk for getting COVID-19 but still puts those who are vaccinated and even got the booster shot for getting sick. OU could have chosen reasonable consequences for those who did follow the rules of the mandate to suffer. Oh, wait, it did. They just weren’t enforced. In the initial statement from OU President Hugh Sherman announcing the vaccine mandate, he wrote, “All students must be vaccinated or granted an exemption in order to participate in any spring semester in-person activities, including face-to-face instruction and residence life, at any location.” Considering the amount of effort that was put into ensuring students were able to be in accordance with the vaccine mandate, one would think there would be more follow-through on the consequences laid out for those who did not follow the rules. Instead, the university opted to require non-compliant students to be tested for COVID-19 every week. While the same is also required of all others living in on-campus housing, students’ health is still being put at risk. As previously mentioned, even students who are vaccinated or have gotten a booster shot can still contract

COVID-19. Symptoms are typically mild in those cases. However, there is a lot of anxiety around getting COVID-19 because of having to quarantine. There is also the remaining fear from before vaccines were available to lessen the likelihood of having severe symptoms or even death. It’s already frustrating enough that misinformation has been spread to the point that it has deterred people from getting vaccinated, but the pandemic is never going to end if there are no consequences for not complying with a mandate that was meant to give people a sense of relief and safety. Announcing the vaccine mandate when the university did was smart. Other universities were announcing similar mandates, and it felt like a step in the direction of the pandemic ending because it meant that so many people would be protected against COVID-19. With the emergence of the omicron variant at the end of 2021 leading to high numbers of cases, non-compliant students should not have been permitted back on campus. It’s disappointing to see how OU chickened out of sticking to its word and instead supplied Bobcats with unnecessary stress in a matter of protecting both their physical and mental well-being. They shouldn’t have to get sick or stress themselves out over possibly getting sick because of others’ actions. OU needs to practice what it preaches and actually “Make Respect Visible.” Tate Raub is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Tate know by tweeting her @tatertot1310.

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 19


$

UPTOWN

starting at

HOUSES

steps from Uptown

4•5•6

Off Street Parking hardwood floors basement storage

bedrooms FEATURED

450

*

& HUGE PORCHES

HOUSES

151 E. State Street

99 W. State Street

$

99

deposit per person

53 E. State Street

45 Mill Street

*security deposit and monthly rates are per person/per month

view more properties at

OUrentals.com

CALL TO SCHEDULE A VIEWING TODAY!

740.594.9098

20 / FEB. 10, 2022

6 ways to spend Valentine’s Day in Athens CAROLINE KAMMERER STAFF WRITER Athens isn’t exactly known for having a ton of things to do. While the bars on Court Street may be satisfactory for many, it’s not exactly the best place to spend a romantic night with your significant other. Since Valentine’s Day is right after the Super Bowl this year, a Valentine’s-themed bar crawl might not sound too appealing after a day that is basically dedicated to beer and football. This can make it difficult when it comes to making plans for the most romantic day of the year. However, Athens actually has plenty of things to do that can be very romantic. You just have to look for them and get creative. Here is a list of tips, tricks and date ideas for your Valentine’s Day in Athens: Dinner and a movie There is not a more classic date than this for Valentine’s Day. Athens has many fantastic restaurants to offer at different price points for everyone. There are more upscale restaurants like Ciro, but there are also more casual places like Ginger Asian Kitchen. Feel out your vibe. If you’re in the mood for some pasta and wine, Ciro is your destination. Likewise, if you would rather grab sushi to-go and eat while enjoying a rom-com, we suggest Ginger. Whichever you prefer, there is something for everyone. Unfortunately, the Athena Cinema on Court Street is closed on Mondays. However, the Athena Grand on East State Street will be open and showing movies like Marry Me, Scream, Jackass Forever and Death on the Nile. Even better, adult tickets are only $5! Hiking road trip One of the best things about Athens is the variety of parks and hiking trails that are so close to campus. Going on a mini road trip to all of the different parks nearby is a wonderful way to spend the day if you and your partner love to be outside and adventurous. You can make this trip as long or as short as you want. You could make the 45-minute drive out to Hocking Hills or stay a little bit closer to town and explore around The Ridges. If you just feel like going on a romantic stroll, walking on the Hocking Adena Bikeway along the river is another great option. Go to a local winery There are a handful of wineries fewer than 20 minutes from Athens, such as Pleasant Hill Vineyards or Shade Winery. Shade will be offering its chef’s menu

ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN ADAMS all of Valentine’s Day week, including fresh calamari, baked brie, house-made chicken pot pie and creme brule. Athens Uncorked on Station Street will be offering a four-course Valentine’s dinner meal for two, which includes an appetizer, salad, chicken caprese pasta, a pesto cavatappi pasta, dessert and two glasses of champagne for $70. You can share a cheese board and enjoy a bottle of wine with your partner at any of these locations. Kennedy Museum of Art If you and your partner love the arts, a visit to the Kennedy Museum of Art is a perfect way to spend the day. This museum is located at The Ridges with different exhibits such as “The Van Gogh Affect” and “LACUNA.” Admission to the museum is free, but donations are appreciated. Athens Farmers Market If you and your partner don’t feel like going out for Valentine’s Day, a night in is still a great option. The Farmers Market is only open on Saturdays and Wednesdays, but if you and your partner went Saturday, you could possibly find some ingredients to make dinner together Monday! During the wintertime, the Farmers Market is moved inside of the mall on East State Street. Galentine’s Night Out cardio dance class If you are spending Feb. 14 with your Galentine’s, this Valentine’s Day-themed class at Ping Recreation Center is a fun way to exercise and hang out with your friends. The class is free to attend, and you can register at this link.

@CAROLINEKAM12 CK603020@OHIO.EDU


ILLUSTRATION BY KATIE BANECK

Here’s your OU 2022 fest outfit guide EMMA DOLLENMAYER ASST. BEAT EDITOR Ohio University’s notorious fest season is upon us for the first time since 2019. So, Bobcats, it’s time to go big or go home. To make up for lost time, everyone is sure to be dressed to the nines this year in funky, flashy fits. As most know, fest season is the time to be unapologetically crazy, and outfits are no exception. If you’re one who feels the need to step out in something new, trendy and fitting for all of the fests — or even just one of them — look no further. Here are five fest fit suggestions for this year’s raging season:

Patterned and printed pants

It seems as if plain jeans simply will no longer suffice. To elevate any basic tee or crop top you already have in your closet to another level, try swapping your typical denim for a more unique pair of pants or sweats. Edikted is currently having a winter

sale where everything offered is up to 80% off, and trust us on this one: the site has some of the most unique and fun pairs of pants perfect for fests.

Matching sets

Sweat sets are going to be the new and improved 2022 version of the 2018 jersey at this year’s fest season. Both cute and comfy, sets like this Arabella Set ($64) from Princess Polly are sure to be popular. Not only are they perfect for a whole lot of day drinking, but they are also ideal and easy outfits to accessorize by the simple addition of a trucker or bucket hat and a hip pair of shades.

Trucker hats

Accessories are what make fest outfits fun. From the hats to the sunglasses to the head scarfs, accessories complete every fit. Regardless of what you choose to wear, you should consider accessorizing the look with a piece that may typically be outside of your

comfort zone, like a trucker hat. Trucker hats look good with just about anything, given that they are able to be dressed up or down, regardless of if you’re wearing a dress or sweats. TruckerHatUSA has a hat for every design one could ever want at an affordable price. Buy yours today!

Asymmetric tops and dresses

colors. They complement each other very nicely and will have anyone who wears them looking like the fresh breath of spring we are all in need of.

@EMMADOLLENMAYER ED569918@OHIO.EDU

If you’re looking to wear something a little dressier for fests, take the route of an asymmetrical top to pair with fun patterned pants or a casual bright-colored asymmetrical dress. Besides, with a dress, you won’t have the added stress of having to pick out a top and bottom to match and will look chic while doing so.

Burnt orange, blue, green

As for what colors everyone will be wearing, we’ll be seeing a lot of burnt orange, blue and green colored garments. Though it may seem a little audacious, try piecing together an outfit that incorporates all three of these THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 21


the weekender ‘Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Meanings, Morals and Messages’ brings clarity to childhood fairy tales ALEX IMWALLE FOR THE POST

To many, fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood and Rumpelstiltskin have been left as only memories. However, Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Meanings, Morals and Messages brings these stories back to the surface and gives them a new meaning, as Eric Brown, regional campus career coach, dives deep into the history and origins behind the childhood classics. This is Brown’s second time putting on this event after its premiere last year. It will be held virtually Friday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will include readings of several different fairy tales followed by an in-depth analysis of their original meanings and historical context. “It will be sort of a dramatic reading,” Brown said. “There’ll be some voices and some sound effects, so that’ll be pretty cool.” Brown said the event is meant to be fun and entertaining rather than just being a lecture on the history of fairy tales. With the exception of some original illustrations, it will be presented in an audio-only format to give the event the casual style and feeling of a podcast. “This should be something that people can watch that’s just fun,” Brown said. “It’s something to just relax (and) have that time to chill and listen to a couple of stories.” Brown has a master’s degree in creative writing and is currently working to get a master’s degree in English, but he said his interest in fairy tales sparked long before receiving his degree. “I grew up reading Fables by Bill Willingham,” Brown said. “I’ve always been interested in that, and I just really became intrigued by oral storytelling traditions and how they came to be.” Shannon Frazee, a junior studying middle childhood education, attended the event virtually last year when it was 22 / FEB. 10, 2022

created. She said she enjoyed it because it captured the essence and inspiration of each story in its entirety. “It’s really interesting to see a comic opened up into a different perspective and from an adult perspective,” Frazee said. She said the event is valuable because it offers a break from the boring, repetitive nature of the school week and provides students with a way to learn new and interesting ideas in a casual way. “It’s just a nice little break in the day from everything that’s going on,” Frazee said. Though engagement in university events has declined with COVID-19, Frazee said she believes these types of events are special even in a virtual format because it is an opportunity to engage in something that does not have to be taken too seriously, unlike most other aspects of college life. Alex Cannon, a freshman studying business, said he is happy to see the event being held virtually since the university lost a lot of creative opportunities like this one. “It’s good that they’re opening up more alleys for people to explore what they didn’t really want to explore before, but now, they have the option to online,” Cannon said. Cannon said the idea of revisiting and going deeper into the original meanings of fairy tales is so interesting because it’s an opportunity to look into your past and see what you may have missed. “Childhood stories are always nostalgic,” Cannon said. “As you’re a child, you don’t really think about a deeper meaning.” Ultimately, Brown said he believes the event is a unique experience to learn about the origin of the stories of which most people have only heard the modernized versions. “Now, of course, we put our own spin and interpretation on (fairy tales),”

Brown said. “I think it’s interesting to know what it could have meant for the people who were telling it at the time.”

@ALEXIMWALLE AI687120@OHIO.EDU

IF YOU GO WHAT: ‘Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Meanings, Morals and Messages’ WHERE: Virtual via Microsoft Teams WHEN: Friday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ADMISSION: Free


WHAT’S GOING ON? Jam to covers to support the Athens Humane Society; take a chilly hike

MAGGIE PALMA FOR THE POST

SATURDAY, FEB. 12 BRRRRR Oak Annual Winter Hike at Burr Oak State Park Lodge, 10660 Burr Oak Lodge Road, for a fun day of hiking. There will be staggered hiking times for COVID-19 safety: 8 miles at 9 a.m., 5 miles at 9:30 a.m., 3 miles at 10 a.m. and 1 mile at 10:30 a.m. The park offers free bean soup and cornbread following the hike. Admission: Free The Biggest Cover-Up night two at The Union. The Union will host the annual fundraiser to benefit the Athens County Humane Society. Four local bands will play covers from their favorite artists, including King Crimson, Taylor Swift, Tom Waits and Neutral Milk Hotel. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and the show will start at 8 p.m. Admission: $8 for 21 and over, $10 for under 21

80s Night Poster Show and Sale at Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. Casa will host a reception to feature ‘80s night posters designed by Emily Beveridge, and ‘80s music will be provided by Steve Zarate. Free Casa Nueva appetizers will be provided.

Admission: Free

Admission: Free

The Biggest Cover-Up (night one) at The Union, 18 W. Union St. The Union will host the annual fundraiser to benefit the Athens County Humane Society. Four local bands will play covers from their favorite bands, including Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, Led Zeppelin and Weezer. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and the show will start at 8 p.m.

Valentine’s Prints, Plants and Pots sale starting at 10 a.m. at ARTS/West, 132 W. State St. ARTS/West will host its Valentine’s edition of the Prints, Plants and Pots sale. There will be handmade artwork, live plants and ceramics created and grown by local artists or horticulturalists.

Nirvana Unplugged at Donkey Coffee, 17 W. Washington St. Donkey Coffee is hosting a free showing of the taped concert at Sony Music Studios in New York City for MTV Unplugged. The showing will begin at 8 p.m. Admission: Free Susie Q Band will perform for the first time in Athens at the Smiling Skull Saloon, 108 W. Union St. The band’s music includes rock, country, blues and “oldies.” The Susie Q Band will play from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Admission: Free

OPEN STAGE

Various locations

Baker Center • Theater Lounge

Baker Center • 4th floor

The need is constant, the need is urgent, sign up and give today.

Join us on the second floor of Baker Center and test your knowledge each week.

AT THE FRONT ROOM

BLOOD DRIVE

Thursday, Feb. 10 7-9 pm

th

The Latino Student Union are proud to bring back this event. Doors open at 7 pm

Friday, Feb. 11th 6-8 pm

Free & Open to the Public

visit the Red Cross online. Enter your zip code to search for an available drive. Times availble each week

scan to schedule your donation

The Market on State ATHENS FARMERS & ART MARKET Locally grown and raised meats, cheeses, vegetables, fruits, prepared foods, , traditional and specialty bread, coffee, wine and cider, shelf stable canned goods, sweets, plants and seeds. Plus locally made artistic goods Find us in the front parking lot and inside the Market on State Mall

Saturdays 9 am - Noon

Admission: Free

Alden Library • 4th floor

@MAGGIEPALMA01 MP359120@OHIO.EDU

TRIVIA NIGHT OPEN MIC NIGHT

Free & Open to the Public

SUNDAY, FEB. 13

FRIDAY, FEB. 11 Open Mic Night at The Front Room Coffee House in Baker University Center. Grab a coffee from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and join the coffeehouse in either performing or enjoying the performances.

Admission: $8 for 21 and over, $10 for under 21

w

NEVERTHELESS, SHE PERSISTED THROUGH TIME Exhibit of items entirely selected and described by students in the Margaret Boyd Scholars Program Freshman Seminar, delayed since spring 2020. This student-curated exhibit features materials from various collections in the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, and that address questions and issues of relevance to all students around gender, sexuality, societal expectations, rights, and so on.

on view through February 10th Free & Open to the Public

ArtsWest • 132 W Union

PRINTS, PLANTS & POTS SALE:

FRIDAY NIGHT 6PM: BILL FOLEY SATURDAY NIGHT: STEVE ZARATE The perfect place to gather ANY NIGHT OF THE WEEK! we have 32 Beers on Tap & Don’t Miss Tuesday night trivia. PLUS ▼▼▼▼▼

DRAG SHOW AND MASQUERADE BALL hosted by SEORA upstairs

VALENTINE’S EDITION Join us for the Valentine’s edition of the Prints, Plants & Pots Sale to be held in the performance space and lower gallery of Arts West! At this truly unique shopping experience, the focus will be on handmade artwork, live plants, and ceramic work, all created or grown by local artists or horticulturalists.

Sat. Feb. 12th 10-6 Sun. Feb. 13th 10-5 Free & Open to the Public

@ARTSWest

Saturday 6PM

This is a ticketed event, so be sure to secure your entry by arriving early or purchasing tickets on the event page. Formal attire and masquerade masks are highly encouraged

@EclipseBeerHall Open to All

Southeast OH History Center 24 W State Street THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF BRIAN BLAUSER: A CAREER RETROSPECTIVE

promote

YOUR NEXT EVENT HERE

because it’s an affordable (cheap) way to expose art, music, theater, films, exhibitions, and non-profit events and happenings

TO

THOUSANDS OF READERS for as low as

$15 per week! send us an email

This exhibit of Blauser’s postadvertising@ohio.edu black-and-white photographs Semester pricing and from 1960s and ‘70s discounts are available. Appalachian Ohio is enhanced with artifacts Space is limited from the origins of StewartMacDonald Mfg., the Dairy Barn’s Quilt National, and 1980s local TV program For more “45701.” Music, Arts, and Events on view through scan February 17th http://MyACPL.org Free & Open to the Public

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 23


Give it. Get it. Make Respect Visible.


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.