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THEPOSTATHENS.COM

JANUARY 13, 2026

VOLUME 116, ISSUE 18

Venezuela’s future stands unknown following US capture of Maduro FINN SMITH NEWS STAFF WRITER

he U.S. and Venezuela have been in the midst of an almost yearlong conflict surrounding alleged drug trafficking and illegal immigration from Venezuela into the U.S. Tensions have been high since the start of 2025, when an executive order signed by President Donald Trump allowed drug cartels, such as the Venezuelan transnational organized crime syndicate known as Tren de Aragua, to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations, according to The Associated Press. Since then, Trump has ordered numerous strikes on Venezuelan boats accused of smuggling drugs into the U.S., with the first attack occurring in September 2025. According to the AP, in total, the U.S. has carried out 35 known strikes on boats in South American waters supposedly carrying illegal drugs, killing at least 115 people. A recent Jan. 3 move of intervention in Venezuela, which the AP describes as dramatic, shows an increase in pressure. The U.S. forces conducted strikes in Caracas, detaining Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Both were flown to New York, where Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. Marco Osio, 55, a resident of Cambridge, Ohio, was born in Venezuela and moved to the U.S. when he was 11. Osio has conducted business in Venezuela and has family in the country, including those working in

military positions.

a restaurant, is such a disparity.”

Osio said he is extremely optimistic regarding the recent intervention by the Trump administration, stating the authoritarian regime has put many Venezuelans into poverty. Osio said the average salary for an engineer in Venezuela is $400 per month. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage for an engineer in the U.S. is $118,350.

Patrick Barr-Melej is a professor of history at Ohio University with a special focus on modern Latin American history. Barr-Melej was born in Venezuela but is of Chilean-American descent.

“The majority of the 33 million people that occupy Venezuela today, 90% of those people live below the poverty level, and not to say that there are not college graduates or

university graduates,” Osio said. “It’s just that their ability to make money in Venezuela, relative to what it costs to go to the grocery store, to

Barr-Melej said it is difficult to determine the stability of Venezuela at the moment, without knowing how the countries both plan to collaborate moving forward. “What happens in the near, medium and distant future is largely in the hands of U.S. policymakers in Washington, and would also depend on the responses of the current pro-Maduro regime in power still What in Venezuela, in the happens in absence of Maduro the near, himself,” Barr-Melej said. medium and

distant future is largely in the hands of U.S. policymakers in Washington, and would also depend on the responses of the current pro-Maduro regime in power still in Venezuela, in the absence of Maduro himself.” -Barr-Melej

Since the removal of Maduro, Delcy Rodríguez has assumed the role of acting president and recently released several opposition figures in a move to seek peace. Trump praised the Venezuelan

compliance under Rodríguez’s government. Barr-Melej discussed how the conflict might continue moving forward. “I think what’s left of the Maduro government now is quite concerned about its future, and it is very likely working with the United States behind the scenes on a plan that won’t necessarily be mutually beneficial, but will be largely beneficial to the U.S., not to that Maduro government,” BarrMelej said. Dan Pittman, senior director of communications at OU, commented on how the university is planning to support students during the current conflict. “OHIO’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) is committed to providing our entire international student community with the individual support and resources they need to succeed during their time at OHIO,” Pittman wrote in an email. “We encourage our international students who have specific questions or concerns to reach out directly to the ISSS team via phone (740.593.4330), via email or online.” Osio categorized the environment in Venezuela as “hostile,” describing the unsafe conditions for residents. He said individuals on motorcycles are roaming the cities, threatening, kidnapping and even killing Venezuelans who express joy over Maduro’s capture. “I think that’s the untold truth, that when people are out there protesting what happened, and we have free speech, this is one of the reasons why I love this country … feel free to do that, but at least give yourself the chance to hear the other side,” Osio said. “And the other side are people like me who absolutely know and have experienced and live that directly.” FS227223@OHIO.EDU @FINNSMITH06

NEWS

Police blotter: Stolen vehicles,

arrest warrants, new phone MARIA SAUNDERS FOR THE POST 2 Fri ________________________

You can’t be here! Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office received a report of trespassing at the New Story School in Albany. On the scene, deputies found a man who had a warrant out for his arrest. He was transported to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.

3 Sat _________________________

Out of the house Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to McDaniel Road in Amesville in regards to a well-being check. The deputies spoke to the family, who told them the man was not home at that time.

4 Sun ________________________

Whoops! Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Bean Road in The Plains following a 911 hangup call. Upon arrival, they determined the call had been a small juvenile playing on a phone and not an emergency. GTA (202)6 Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a stolen vehicle in Amesville. A BOLO for the vehicle was issued, and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office advised they had an involvement with the vehicle before the theft report. The matter is still under investigation. Retrieval operation After receiving a call about a dispute, Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Ohio Avenue in The Plains. On the scene, deputies made contact with the caller. The caller informed deputies they were trying to retrieve personal belongings, but the resident was refusing their return. Deputies retrieved the items from the resident and returned them to the caller. Both parties were advised to remain separate following the verbal dispute.

5 Mon________________________

No more fighting Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to West Second Street in The Plains in regards to a domestic dispute. Upon arrival, deputies spoke with the involved individuals and determined both parties had engaged in disorderly conduct. Both parties were issued citations for disorderly conduct and court summons. They were then separated. Restroom refuge Upon receiving a report of a suspicious man entering businesses

and spending long periods of time in the restroom, Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to Albany. On the scene, the man was identified, and it was found that there was an active warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and transported to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.

6 Tue ________________________

Disappearing act Deputies from Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a man and a child walking on Dowler Ridge Road. Upon arrival, they did not find either individual in the area. Technology troubles Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to North Coolville Ridge in Athens for a well-being check. On the scene, the complainant’s father told deputies he had gotten a new phone and was unsure how to use it. Units assisted the individual by showing him how to operate the device, and no further action was taken. Leave it where you found it Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Athens County EMS responded to Dollar Tree in The Plains regarding a woman who was feeling unwell after picking up a baggie of suspected narcotics off the floor. EMS treated her, and the deputies collected the suspected narcotics. A report was taken, and the baggie was placed in evidence at the office.

7 Wed ________________________

Lost and found Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Brister Road in Coolville regarding an abandoned vehicle in a field. On the scene, deputies determined the vehicle had been reported stolen from Washington County in November 2025. The vehicle’s owner was contacted and was advised to make a plan to get the vehicle.

8 Thur ________________________

Medication mix-up Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to North Plains Road in The Plains to file an incident report. The caller reported one of his neighbors had signed for his medication delivery but never actually given it to him. The case is still under investigation.

MS816224@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM

U.S. Weekly Headlines: US Headlines: ICE fatally shot woman, Maduro pleads not guilty SUZANNE PIPER REGIONAL AND NATIONAL NEWS EDITOR 6 Mon _________________________

Maduro pleads not guilty to drug trafficking charges Venezuela’s deposed leader Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges in front of a Manhattan courtroom after the Trump administration justified his removal as president, The Associated Press reported. The AP said Maduro is a criminal defendant in the nation’s system and will have the same rights as any U.S. citizen, with the right to a jury trial. Maduro and others are being accused of “massive-scale drug trafficking” to the U.S., according to a 25-page indictment. If convicted, they could face life in prison.

7 Tue _________________________

US takeover of Greenland would end NATO, Danish Prime Minister says President Donald Trump restated his call for Greenland to come under U.S. control, just after the U.S. captured Maduro, the AP reported. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the takeover would end NATO military alliances. “If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops,” Frederiksen told a Danish broadcaster, according to the AP. “That is, including our NATO and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War.” Trump has repeatedly called for U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland during his time in the White House and has not ruled out military force, the AP said.

8 Wed _________________________

Trump to withhold social safety net in five states The Trump administration said it is withholding federal funding for programs that support families with children in need in five democratic states: California, Colorado, New York, Illinois and Minnesota. With concerns over fraud, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the program, will require the states to submit extra documentation to receive the funding. According to the AP, the HHS claimed the five states “identified concerns that these benefits intended for American citizens and lawful residents may have been improperly provided to individuals who are not eligible under federal law.

9 Thur _________________________

House voted in a step to extend Affordable Care Act In a measure that overpowered House Speaker Mike Johnson, the House voted in a step to extend the Affordable Care

Act, after it expired last month. Four republican lawmakers joined the democrats to sign a petition that would force the vote. Last year’s 43-day government shutdown failed to resolve the issue, the petition said. Doing nothing was not an option, according to the AP. The Affordable Care Act lowered health care insurance costs for about 22 million people during the pandemic era, but it expired last month.

10 Fri _________________________

ICE agents wound two, fatally shoot another Federal Immigration Agents shot and wounded two people in Portland, Oregon, in a car outside a hospital, a day after an ICE agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, the AP reported. The AP reported the Department of Homeland Security said the vehicle’s passenger was “a Venezuelan illegal alien affiliated with the transnational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring.” The department said the driver tried to run over the ICE agents. After the occurrences in Portland and Minneapolis, video evidence has cast doubt on the administration’s immigration crackdown and its descriptions of what prompted the shootings.

11 Sun _________________________

Congress considers consequences to ICE after killings After ICE shot and killed Renée Good, a Minnesota woman, lawmakers are demanding action, including an investigation, policy changes and even an impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to the AP. “The situation that took place in Minnesota is a complete and total disgrace,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said, according to the AP. “And in the next few days, we will be having conversations about a strong and forceful and appropriate response by House Democrats.” Trump and Noem both said the ICE officer reacted in self-defense, while Democrats have urged people to watch the viral videos of the shooting. The killing of the Minnesota woman, Renee Good, marks the fifth known killing since the Trump administration launched its mass deportation campaign.

SP249021@OHIO.EDU

JAN. 13, 2026

NEWS

Animatronics come to life at OU through student initiative DREW HOFFMASTER FOR THE POST

mechanics that bring machines to life. “I just kind of went off to find my own, and I just kind of learned I like programming these things the most,” Klamfoth said. “That’s why I was like, ‘OK, I want to do computer science.’”

The first time Brock Klamfoth realized machines could feel alive was not in a classroom, it was on a movie screen and inside a darkened Disney ride. Watching “Star Wars” as a kid and later riding Disney World’s Haunted Mansion, Klamfoth became captivated by the way animatronics blurred the line between technology and storytelling. Years later, that childhood fascination has followed him to Ohio University, where the senior computer science major co-founded the Animatronic Digital Engineering Initiative, giving students the chance to build the same kinds of physical and digital creations that once inspired him.

The Animatronic Digital Engineering Initiative has successfully completed two projects, EVE-AI and Maxwell. A research team at Columbia University first developed EVA, a robotic head engineered to mimic human emotions, eye contact and engage in speech to allow people to interact with it. To put his own spin on the project, Klamfoth added artificial intelligence to EVA to allow it to have unscripted conversations with people. The next project, Maxwell, consists of a parrot constructed from a Bottango robot kit. The team enhanced the robot’s features by programming it to sing, move and imitate conversations. Additionally, a second bird was created to allow for two-person conversations to be mimicked.

When Klamfoth had the idea for the initiative, he talked to Kouree Chesser, the faculty member supervising the club BattleCats, who connected him with Scott Miller and Neil Littell, faculty members for the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, who helped bring it to life.

Currently, the team is developing Gizmo, a robotic incarnation of the character Gizmo from the film “Gremlins.” The robot will function similarly to Maxwell and EVA, but it will also have the ability to move.

“There are a vast majority of ways you can go with computer science,” Klamfoth said. “You can do cyber security, Internet of Things and robotics. However, it’s kind of hard to have courses that cover all that. This kind of covers as a way to really go into what I want to do as a career.”

Klamfoth said he makes an effort to avoid duplicating existing work and often checks the internet to see if someone else has already created it.

The team currently consists of eight people, with four students and four faculty members. Klamfoth said he is interested in seeing the team grow and urged anyone interested to join. Klamfoth said his interest in animatronics grew from his repeated visits to Disney World, where he found himself wondering how the attractions worked. Rides such as the Haunted Mansion, with its lifelike robotic ghosts, sparked his curiosity about the

“I might use some of these mechanisms if they’re open-sourced and they are allowed to be used by others,” Klamfoth said. “If they are not, then we’ll just make our own, either inspired by those things or just completely independent of those things.” In his spare time, Klamfoth is also engaged in various personal animatronic projects. To date, he

PROVIDED BY BROCK KLAMFOTH

has recreated the bomb used by the character Jinx from the video game “League of Legends” and has made a mask that resembles Springtrap from “Five Nights at Freddy’s.” Klamfoth said he donned the Springtrap mask for the December release of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” movie. “That’s the type of thing I like to see in my creations: not only satisfying my needs and being like, ‘OK, I made something really cool,’ but other people coming up to me and saying this is really cool,” Klamfoth said. The initiative is funded through the National Institute of Standards and Technology funding stream, the Air Force Research Lab grant and matching funds provided by the university. Currently, the Animatronic Digital Engineering Initiative is housed in the Digital Enterprise Collaboratory located in Stocker Center room 195. The space was formerly a computer lab but has since been renovated and equipped with tools, giving students the ability to complete all elements of engineering to help make the manufacturing process smoother, including virtual and augmented reality headsets, a light detection and ranging scanner and a variety of

digital programs. “Initiatives (in the DEC) broadly provide Ohio University students with unparalleled hands-on experiential learning that bridges the gap between classroom theory and industry standard competencies,” Christopher Quolke, the project manager for the DEC, said. “Students gain proficiency and digital thread tools ... which are critical for high wage careers in the microelectronics, gaming, emulation, simulation and defense sectors.” Quolke said Klamfoth is an example of a student who made the move to pursue his dream career after college. “Brock has been a fantastic student on this project, “ Quolke said. “He bubbles with passion around his project from EVA to Maxwell to Gizmo. He kind of has a very unique perspective from the engineering college on these things, these projects and these tools as we will envision them in the future.”

@DREWHJOURNALIST DH384223@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM

NEWS

Tablertown receives funding to restore abandoned mine, expand museum LAYNEE ESLICH FOR THE POST

community with few employment opportunities.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Mineral Resources Management, funded by the Abandoned Mine Lands Economic Revitalization program, is working to restore land affected by mine debris, according to the ODNR website. Approximately $1 million in combined state and federal funding has been awarded to the Tablertown People of Color Museum to support a coal mine cleanup project and establish a new museum and community resource center in Tablertown, according to Ohio University. “We hope to take an abandoned coal mine and land and turn it into something productive for our community, and when you apply for grants like the AMLER grant, you realize what other communities have that you don’t,” David Butcher, founder of Tablertown People of Color Museum, said.

Jennifer Bowman, director of environmental programs at OU, coordinates faculty and students who conduct chemical water quality analysis throughout the Appalachian Watershed. ODNR funds the projects, which allows the Voivinich School to identify waterways with high levels of acidity and metals and encourage reclamation efforts in those areas. Bowman said her background in environmental geochemistry includes testing water samples as an undergraduate through the OU geology department. While earning her master’s degree, she monitored Carbondale, a wetland affected by acid mine drainage. After writing her thesis on the area’s water quality, a doser was installed to neutralize the acidic drainage. Butcher said the water in Tablertown has long been polluted due to the abandoned mine.

Butcher said Tablertown lacks playgrounds, walking paths, fire departments and general stores due to decades of mining, job loss and a cyclone in 1937 that destroyed all but one and a half homes in the town.

“My wife’s grandmother, Nellie Singer Flowers, is 103 and she lives across the creek from Federal Creek across from Tablertown, and last year, she got tap water for the first time that she could drink,” Butcher said.

The project spans 1.79 acres of land, according to OU’s website.

The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, the first federal law requiring environmentally responsible mining and prohibiting the abandonment of mine land, was enacted in 1977, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

He said he is grateful to OU’s Voivonich School of Leadership and Public Service for helping his organization become a nonprofit and for supporting efforts to create jobs in a historically black

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In 2018, Butcher founded the Tablertown People of Color Museum in a pole barn on his property between Stewart and Tablertown. The museum highlights Appalachian diversity and the history of the town’s settlement. Butcher said recent federal funding restrictions have reduced visitor traffic. Institutions, such as OU and the Wayne National Forest, which once brought students from across the country to the museum, no longer receive approval to do so amid federal budget cuts. “We’ve been here since the 1830s,” Buchter said. “They’ve done everything in the world to try to get rid of us, and we’re still here and will be here when he (President Donald Trump) is long gone.” ALAINA DACKERMANN ART DIRECTOR

According to the museum’s website, Butcher learned much of the town’s history from his uncle Alvin Adams, a Scripps College of Communication graduate with Adams Hall named in his honor for his Civil Rights era reporting. “He is who planted the seed of preserving and keeping track of our family’s history the best we can,” Butcher

The White House unveiled a new website page dedicated to exposing biases, lies and other offenses the Trump Administration claims journalists and media organizations have made.

The site’s purpose is to combat the “baseless lies, purposely omitted context and outright left-wing lunacy of the Fake News Media,” according to a press release from the White House.

The page, titled “Media Offenders,” began weekly claims Nov. 28 and details the outlet, reporter, claim and category of offense that was committed. Possible offenses include bias, malpractice, lie, left-wing lunacy, omission of context, failure to report misrepresentation, mischaracterization and clickbait.

The White House also called for help from the general public by creating a “Media Offender Tipline,” where anyone can report biased or false articles they may find.

hours

Lotts

Tablertown was named after Michael Tabler, the son of a plantation owner who fell in love with his father’s enslaved woman, Hannah. Tabler, Butcher’s eighth great-grandfather, emancipated Hannah and their six children and moved them to Ohio around 1830 and purchased the land that later became Tablertown.

already face widespread abuse and threats.”

The Society of Professional Journalists sent a formal letter to Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, urging the administration to remove the page and engage in calmer dialogue with the media.

For m or ou ore infor m onlin r humanit ation ab e ou arian effor t the sto little r ts vis it us e wing r

“Once the museum is built, we hope to develop a place where you can bring your children, walk along Federal Creek and see where the mine used to be,” Buchter said. “You can see the train trestle that used to cross Federal Creek. We hope to develop Federal Creek, where kids can come fish and kayak.”

FINN SMITH NEWS STAFF WRITER

Since its release, the site has garnered disapproval from many journalists who argue it is an unnecessary and dangerous utilization of the White House’s power.

Tues - Fri 12pm - 5pm Sat 11 am - 5 pm ph. 740.331.0138

Buchter said state Route 329 was constructed above the coal mine, but a lack of structural support inside the mine caused the highway to begin slipping. To stabilize the road, the state and townships filled the mine with debris, effectively turning it into an unofficial landfill.

said.

White House launches ‘Media Offenders’ site, SPJ reacts

we can be found at the back of The Market on State mall (behind IHOP)

“There was no law in place, and those are the mines we still see today, leaving a legacy of impaired water quality and thus impaired waters and streams and rivers for people and for our aquatic organisms,” Bowman said.

Caroline Hendrie, the Headquarters Executive Director of the Society of Professional Journalists and the SPJ Foundation, called the new page inappropriate and dangerous. “There are established professional ways to challenge reporting, but that’s not name-calling and public shaming from the White House website,” Hendrie said. “It feels to us like this kind of government-backed targeting resembles online harassment, and that’s especially dangerous at a moment when journalists

“This is government use of official resources to attack journalists, and that undermines public confidence, and frankly, not just journalism, but also democratic institutions, the very government that’s frankly misusing resources,” Hendrie said. “I think this is a part of a broader campaign to undermine public trust in ethical journalism.” Many have argued that this is not a role the White House has. Lucy Riley, alumni relations coordinator of Ohio University SPJ and an OU senior studying journalism and political science, said journalists understand the importance of accountability. “Journalism is still as much as it is the fourth estate,” Riley said. “It is not a political opponent. You cannot address it as if it is a political opponent when it’s still just the press, it’s still just a freedom we have with this First Amendment to use our freedom of speech and to use our freedom of press to investigate and to look further into the truth.” Hendrie echoed these statements and

used one of the most recent offenses listed on the site as an example. The White House exposed a mistake where CNN lead Washington anchor Jake Tapper mistakenly referred to a Department of Justice suspect as a white man, even though he is a Black man. The mistake is displayed on the Media Offenders page, with CNN and Jake Tapper being identified as the offender of the week. “He was doing exactly what the SPJ Code of Ethics says that ethical journalists do, and we are very explicit about that,” Hendrie said. “When journalists correct mistakes transparently, they are following the rules, and government officials should not weaponize ethical behavior as evidence of wrongdoing. If corrections are punished, like with this kind of mistreatment, journalists are incentivized not to correct errors.” SPJ urged the White House to take down the page and engage in proper dialogue with media organizations and journalists. “SPJ has offered to meet with the White House to discuss a healthier democracy, strengthening path forward. It’s really needed, this is not coming out of nowhere,” Hendrie said. “It’s not happening in a vacuum, but it’s an example of a worsening denigration of democratic norms and historical context. We see that this is the way that authoritarian governments treat the media, and the United States should not model its treatment of journalists on that approach.”

JAN. 13, 2026

HUMAN INTEREST

Residents strive for sustainable living this winter EMMA SNYDER-LOVERA ASST. HUMAN INTEREST EDITOR

weatherization programs, there are several winterization upgrades that can be done within the home

ALAINA DACKERMANN DIRECTOR OF DESIGN

Living sustainably during the winter months can be challenging. Most American households significantly increase their waste production over the holidays and use more energy to keep their homes warm.

“We talk a lot about energy efficiency measures with windows,” Armold said. “Upgrade your windows if you can afford to do so. If you can’t, a lot of people reglaze windows or re-caulk around them. They can put up plastic to help keep some of that air transfer out. You can turn down your water heater temperature. One of the most important and often overlooked things that you could do is service your furnace.”

According to WifiTalents, holiday waste surged 25% during Christmas in 2025. “Just by nature, our society makes sustainability really pretty difficult,” Loraine McCosker, an Athens resident, said. “But it can be done, and certainly a lot of people have been doing it for a long time.” Using sustainable practices during the winter might be a challenge city residents are ready to tackle. “I think it’s really neat in Athens because we have a sort of local community that really highly values the environment and sustainability,” Sam Crowl, a former Athens city council president and director of sustainability at Ohio University, said. One of the larger challenges during the winter is reducing waste. To reduce waste, residents and locals can be conscious about food waste and recycling. According to the Food and Drug Administration, reducing food waste can be done by planning out meals to avoid over-purchasing, utilizing leftovers for creative recipes, growing foods and purchasing foods with longer shelf lives. Despite the variety of methods to reduce waste, Crowl said growing foods and supporting local agriculture can be particularly difficult over the winter months, as some warm-weather crops are out of season. “For those really trying to be sustainable who might have a garden in their backyard, it’s really important to get into canning and jarring vegetables

in the summertime so that you can continue to eat fresh, local, maybe from your own backyard throughout the wintertime,” Crowl said. Recycling after the holidays is also important. People might consider using wrapping paper free from glitter, foil and plastic coating, so it can be recycled successfully, according to Beyond Plastics. Residents can also donate excess wrapping paper to local thrift stores like the Community Makerspace and Thrift Store at 751 W. Union St. Live Christmas trees can also be recycled. The City of Athens recently announced a free Christmas tree curbside pickup Tuesdays and Fridays from Dec. 30 through Jan. 30. Residents can participate in this program by calling the yard waste pickup line at 740-592-3343 and should remove all decorations from the tree before scheduling for pickup.

over the winter months is reducing energy expenditures. According to the Energy Information Administration, homes in the Midwest will see a 12% increase in energy expenditures this winter if they use natural gas for heating. According to Ohio Energy Ratings, about 64% of homes in Ohio heat using natural gas. There are many things homeowners in Southeast Ohio can do to lower these energy costs. “Winterization is really important,” Jessica Armold, regional director for Southeast Ohio at the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council, said. Organizations like the Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development and Hocking Athens Perry Community Action offer the Home Weatherization Assistance Program, which provides eligible Ohioans with assistance to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and reduce their energy costs.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recommends people with live Christmas trees repurpose them to serve local animal habitats. People can cut down live trees and use them to spruce up ponds for fish that live there.

The COAD offers the Electric Partnership Program, which helps eligible Ohioans reduce electricity usage in their homes. Ohioans who need support with reducing their heating and electricity costs can look at the COAD and HAPCAP websites for eligibility information.

Another challenge to living sustainably

For those who cannot utilize

Armold said she also recommends turning lights off when leaving a room, unplugging unused appliances and lowering the thermostat to around 68 degrees. “That may also come with having a couple of comfy sweaters or some fluffy blankets to help cover up and stay a little warm at home, but it’s a lot cheaper than cranking your furnace up,” Armold said. Additionally, people might consider setting their ceiling fan to rotate clockwise to push warm air back down into the living space and checking and replacing their central heating filters. “I always wear a hat and (winter) clothes in the house, and that’s fine,” McCosker said. “We used to keep our heat at a maximum of 68, and right now 70.” Sustainability might be a challenge in the winter, but it is not impossible to achieve. The long-term benefits of sustainable practices such as reducing waste and making energy-efficient home upgrades might outweigh any upfront costs. “We can’t all be perfectly sustainable in every step that we take every day,” Crowl said. “We each kind of try to fit into what makes sense for us and our lives and our family.”

County wildlife diversifies during winter months MARIA SAUNDERS FOR THE POST As temperatures drop and snow falls, wildlife in Athens County moves for the winter. Birds fly south, some mammals turn in for a nap and many reptiles and amphibians burrow underground. Ryan Donnelly, a state wildlife officer in Athens with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said there are no long-term hibernators in Athens County. “Black bears are the (hibernator) that comes to mind,” Donnelly said. “We have a couple around, but typically people don’t even really see those to start with … I got a report of one in an adjacent county, over in Washington County, recently.” Donnelly said black bears are light hibernators. According to the National Park Service, as bears go into dormancy over the winter months, their heart rate and metabolism slow. However, their body temperature does not drop, which is a requirement for true hibernation. The midland painted turtle, a common

species in Athens County, finds deep water where it can burrow into mud and debris at the bottom as cold weather sets in. On a warm winter day, however, the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s reptile field guide says people might spot one basking in the sun on a log. Snakes, another cold-blooded reptile, go into a state called brumation, which is similar to hibernation. During brumation, their metabolism slows down, and they don’t eat anything. Instead, the NPS states they spend the cold months in hibernaculum, where many snakes often brumate together. The NPS also states the true hibernators — with decreased metabolism, body temperature and heart rate — are rodents. After squirrels drop their body temperature, they can stay dormant for a few weeks before they need to wake up and warm up before returning to hibernation. On campus, Donnelly said squirrels may get less skittish without students CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

ETHAN HERX FOR THE POST

HUMAN INTEREST

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 over winter break. “There’s still plenty of food for them to scavenge,” Donnelly said. “But they may get closer to buildings and things like that, where they typically wouldn’t if there is a lot of activity.” Another campus favorite species is the white-tailed deer. One positive of colder temperatures for the deer is related to Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease. EHD typically causes death within 72 hours after being transmitted by the midges that carry it, according to a previous report by The Post. Donnelly said these midges die after a couple “good frosts.” While the deer are not getting sick, they are also most easily spotted. Hikers and hunters can both benefit from a good snow if they are willing to brave the cold. “It’s a lot easier to locate deer if there’s snow on the ground if you’re out in the woods,” Donnelly said. “Deer coats kind of blend in with the natural kind of brown, so then when you get a layer

of snow out during the hunting season there, it makes them pop a little bit, and it makes (them) a little easier to identify and see with the eye.” Deer are not the only animals winter conditions make easier to spot. Karen Mammone, a professor of instruction in the biological sciences department at Ohio University, considers herself an avid birder who enjoys observing and studying birds in their natural habitats. “It is all I do in my spare time,” Mammone said. Birding in winter has its advantages, one being the ease in spotting the birds. “One reason they’re a little easier to spot is because the leaves are off the trees,” Mammone said. “I see a lot more (individual) birds in the winter, even though there’s more birds in the spring and summer, because they have leaves that cover the trees and a lot of them are hidden.” Athens County is home to many colorful birds during the spring and summer.

“Thirty plus different kinds of warblers who are tiny little song birds, like very colorful and beautiful … they’re not here now,” Melissa Wales, a member and former Southeast Ohio regional director of the Ohio Ornithological Society, said. “Your Orioles, your thrushes, your warblers, your vireos, they all are singing and around in the summer, but have gone back to their winter homes.” Even though many of the colorful songbirds migrate south for the winter, snowfall can still increase how many birds are seen. “If the fields are covered in snow and their natural food sources aren’t as available, then you’ll see a lot more coming into your feeders,” Wales said. “During a snowfall, you’ll have a rush of cardinals and sparrows and finches and things coming to your feeder.” Mammone said she suggests clearing your sidewalk and putting bird food down when it snows to really attract birds. “I call them walkway parties,” she said.

THEPOSTATHENS.COM of during the winter are all types of waterfowl. Ducks, swans and geese, among other species, come south to Athens County. “The colder it gets farther north, the more ducks and geese get pushed down,” Donnelly said. “When things start to ice up … (they) look for open waters, so they keep coming south until they get that.” Wales recommends going to Lake Snowden to look for these ducks that come down to Athens County in the winter. “When I see temperatures drop and ice is going to be forming, all I can think is, ‘Ducks are coming,’” Mammone said. Whether it is lying dormant or flying around seeking open water, there is plenty of wildlife to see in Athens County during the colder months. “It’s always exciting seeing a bobcat,” Donnelly said. “They are very, very elusive, they’re pretty smart creatures, and when I do see one out, that’s pretty cool.”

The main species people see more

Donkey Coffee’s mascot Sgt. Pepper charms Athens Sgt. Pepper is Donkey Coffee’s mascot and pet of co-owner Angie Pyle. Sgt. Pepper has visited the shop a couple times, greeting guests and locals with a curious and friendly demeanor FIONA PETTICREW HUMAN INTEREST STAFF WRITER For 23 years, Ohio University Bobcats and the residents of Athens have been congregating in the cozy atmosphere of Donkey Coffee. Every day, Donkey is bustling with music and conversations, along with focused students clicking on keyboards.

PROVIDED VIA DONKEY COFFEE

Donkey has been an iconic meeting spot since 2002 for its coffee, values and environment. “It’s like a really cool sort of community environment, where there’s a bunch of little events happening all the time, and small little things just come and go,” John Douglas, an employee at Donkey, said. “It’s a very, very nice place.” In May of 2025, co-owner Angie Pyle decided to introduce a new addition to her family and mascot for the coffee shop in the form of a saddle donkey named Sgt. Pepper. Sgt. Pepper is currently 9 months old. Pyle said he has a playful and affectionate personality. He and Sadie, the Pyles’ horse, are best friends. Sgt. Pepper visited Donkey on a couple of occasions and Pyle said his demeanor was calm and curious when interacting with others. “He is so unbelievably affectionate. He follows me around when I walk around with a wheelbarrow picking up manure … and kind of touches me with his nose to ask for attention and pets all the time,” Pyle said. “I can’t believe how calm he is. I brought him up the other day to Donkey, and it was his first time being in front of the shop, interacting with people, and he was so calm. There were people on both sides of him, petting him and stuff. And he was just so OK with it.” Pyle said Sadie needed a companion and she thought it would be perfect to get a donkey, not only to ride in a few years and enjoy the company of, but to also serve as advertising for the

coffee shop. She said it is possible for Sgt. Pepper to be a tax write-off in his advertising role for the business. Pyle said she tries to walk Sgt. Pepper somewhere interesting every day so his curious mind can be stimulated. “Last night, my husband’s band was practicing in the basement, and so we went over to the basement door and peeked inside so that he could hear the music and see the instruments,” Pyle said. “And then a couple bandmates came out and greeted him.” Pyle said Sgt. Pepper loves ear scratches, as well as a new adventure. Pyle said whenever Sgt. Pepper sees her and her husband, Donkey co-owner Chris Pyle, he is “gawking” at them, eagerly awaiting the next activity, as

opposed to Sadie, who focuses on eating her hay. Angie Pyle said she jokes Sgt. Pepper is the head of marketing for Donkey and likes to find ways to market her coffee with him, doing photoshoots with him alongside their seasonal drinks. Douglas met Sgt. Pepper at Angie Pyle’s barn to have a photoshoot to advertise Donkey’s cinnamon roll latte and cinnamon rolls, and said they were able to get good content out of the shoot as Sgt. Pepper did his thing while enjoying a whipped cream treat. The shoot took about 2 hours, but Douglas said it went by quickly, as attendees enjoyed hanging out with a donkey and finding ways for Sgt. Pepper to be more at ease.

“It’s a weird sort of mix between he really does like the attention, but he’s also very jumpy,” Douglas said. “He’s very shy about it. … He seemed to get more comfortable as we spent time with him.” Douglas, who joined the team in August, said Sgt. Pepper’s addition to the Donkey community is a cool way to show off the shop. “It’s fun to watch him also have so much fun, like learning new things and meeting people,” Angie Pyle said. “It’s so fulfilling to just bless people with the opportunity to see him and pet him and interact with him and to watch their smiles and laughs.” FP074825@OHIO.EDU @FIONAPETTICREW2

JAN. 13, 2026

SPORTS

Hockey: Ohio dominates Cincinnati in weekend sweep ANNABELLE GRACE FOR THE POST Ohio (18-3) ended the fall semester on a high note, earning the No. 1 rank for the second time this season. It maintained its stellar form in this weekend’s sweep of Cincinnati (11-3-1). Although the teams have similar stats, Ohio played seven more games and faced tougher opponents.

FRIDAY Riddled with penalties, the first game of the new year forced the Bobcats to fight hard. Still, they managed to defeat Cincinnati 7-1. ”With a four-week layoff, you never know what you’ll get,” head coach Barry Schutte said. “It was pretty sloppy tonight, as expected.” Barely a minute into the match, Cincinnati’s Matthew Bauman was called for tripping. Ohio jumped on the powerplay chance as senior captain Jack Glen scored, with assists from senior Hollander Thompson and alternate captain Noah Holt. Ohio kept the momentum going with junior forward Will Cohen, who put the puck away after passes from Holt and freshman Brady Gilbert. Cincinnati’s Jordan Winrod scored an unassisted goal, the team’s only goal of the game. It racked up four more penalties, but Ohio could not take advantage. In the second period, the Bobcats started hot. Thompson tallied their third goal ninety seconds after the puck drop. New linemate freshman Lance Mengel had the primary assist, while defenseman Donovan Burdette earned his second of the season. Freshman Nick Mahy also scored before taking a holding penalty. “I liked our transitions and our o-zone pressure,” Schutte said. The Bearcats were clearly flustered after two lackluster periods. A poor line change meant a penalty, and the game grew more physical as the period continued. During three-on-three play, Glen scored again due to a bout of roughing. Defender Blake Dustin and forward Mathieu Ovaert assisted. Halfway through, a major scrum broke out. Two players from each team received misconduct penalties. Neither team gained an advantage after that, even though Ohio fought through two penalty kills. To cap off the night, Thompson and senior Laker Aldridge each scored. From the scoreboard, the game seemed a clear success. However, the Bobcats needed to clean up their penalties.

Bearcats. Three players had a multigoal game, including junior right wing Barron Stibbe’s hat trick. Clean passes and constant offensive pressure were the keys to the win. “The goal was our sixth period on the weekend to be our best, and it showed,” Schutte said. “All four lines got involved … You can cut corners, cheat, but I thought we continued to play the right way.” In the first period, the Bobcats started off strong. They scored two quick goals. Stibbe scored off a broken play. Sophomores Kevin Kasper and Alex Mazzuca provided the assists. The Bearcats could not get a shot on net for the first five minutes. Yet, the Bobcats gained control seconds later. Aldridge charged the net. Mengel grabbed control and sent it back to Aldridge, who passed it to Thompson for the goal. During four-on-four play, Cincinnati took another penalty. Forward Nolan Abraham used the man advantage, scoring on a wrist shot. After three Ohio goals, the Cincinnati coaches pulled their goalie. Logan Givens finished the period but faced little action. Givens stayed on for the second period. The Bobcats’ offense appeared to cool off,f but the Bearcat goalies played sloppily. The Bobcats capitalized on these opportunities. Thompson earned his second goal of the night. A mishandled play from the goalie gave him the perfect scoring chance. Aldridge and Mahy recorded assists. Albers made up for his earlier penalty, shooting on another out-ofplace goalie. Ovaert and Glen earned their first points of the night on the assists. Aldridge earned a rare jailbreak assist on Stibbe’s second goal. Another Ohio penalty meant a power-play goal for Cincinnati. Connor Lemmerbrock, the team’s leading scorer, found the back of the net. “(Stibbe) can be a threat because he’s crafty,” Schutte said. “He got rewarded for playing a good 200-foot game all around. The Bobcats, up by five goals, did not quit in the third. They killed the remainder of Cohen’s penalty with ease. Senior forward Drake Albers stopped on a dime in front of the net and gave Ovaert the perfect set-up. This seventh goal was followed by Stibbe’s third goal, a hat trick, with assists from Kasper and junior Drake Nabozny. The Bobcats’ final point was Abraham’s breakaway where he shot the puck top shelf. The team dominated possession until the buzzer.

SATURDAY Ohio raised the bar with even more offensive pressure. A whopping 50 shots led to a 9-1 win over the

AC309223@OHIO.EDU

Ohio forward Hollander Thompson (25) fights for the puck against Grand Valley State at Bird Arena in Athens, Oct. 17, 2025. Thompson had two assists in the Bobcats 7-2 win against the Lakers. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)

THEPOSTATHENS.COM

SPORTS

The complete timeline of events in the Brian Smith saga CHARLIE FADEL SPORTS EDITOR On Dec. 1, 2025, Ohio athletics announced defensive coordinator John Hauser was named the interim head coach of the Bobcats football team after head coach Brian Smith was put on leave. The announcement came out of nowhere as Smith had just finished his first season at the helm of the Bobcats after leading them to a solid 8-4 record while coming just short of a MAC title game appearance. The position with Ohio was Smith’s first as a head coach, and he seemed primed to continue the success Ohio has enjoyed with past coaches Tim Albin and Frank Solich at the helm. That all came to a crashing halt with the Dec. 1 press release, and the weeks after led to the firing of Smith. A complete timeline of events that led to the firing of Brian Smith is below. Tuesday, July 29: Divorce proceedings begin between Liane and Brian Smith A complaint for divorce was filed by Liane Smith’s lawyer, Robert K. Toy, beginning the divorce process between the two parties. The divorce process involved the Smiths’ daughter and did not end until near the end of 2025.

Dec 12 Divorce proceedings Begin

November

Smith ends realtionship and is repremanded for alcohol use

August 2025: Brian Smith begins a relationship with an undergrad student In Ohio University President Lori Stewart Gonzalez’s letter to Brain Smith and his lawyer, Rex Elliott, she said Brian Smith participated in “extramarital affairs, one with an undergrad student.” In Elliott’s response letter, he stated Brian Smith dated the student for nearly four months before he ended the relationship in early November, midway through conference play in the team’s schedule. It is unclear when exactly the relationship started, but using the timeframe given by Elliott, we know it began sometime in August after Brian Smith met her at an unnamed establishment in Athens. November 2025: Brain Smith ends the relationship with the student and is reprimanded for alcohol use November was a busy month in this saga, and it is the final month Brian Smith was head coach of Ohio. The month had its highlights, like Ohio’s wins over Miami and Buffalo on the field, but it was off the field where the real lowlights occurred for Brian Smith. Brian Smith broke off the relationship with the student in early November, before he was reprimanded for his alcohol use in his office. It was in late November that the reprimand occurred, according to

Gonzalez sends a notice of intent to terminate employment to Smith and Elliott

July 29

Dec 17 Ohio fires Smith for cause

Dec 26 Hauser officially named head coach

Dec 1

Smith is placed on leave

August

Smith begins relationship with undergrad student

Elliott. Brian Smith was accused of drinking in his office after home victories with fellow coaches and staffers. He was also accused of having been intoxicated while making an appearance at a public event while representing the university as the head coach. Monday, Dec. 1: Brian Smith is placed on leave, Hauser named interim The bombshell news of Hauser’s promotion to interim head coach was announced in a release by Ohio Athletics at 5:19 p.m. Dec. 1. Ohio Athletics declined to give any further information on the situation after the release was made public. Friday, Dec. 12: President Gonzalez sends a notice of intent to terminate employment to Brian Smith and Elliott Gonzalez and the higher-ups at Ohio University made their decision to fire Brian Smith for cause Dec. 12, listing his relationship with a student and

Dec 16 Elliott responds to Gonzalez

alcohol use as grounds for firing. In the letter, Gonzalez gave Elliott four days to respond with a phone call or letter to be heard.

Tuesday, Dec. 23: Ohio defeats UNLV in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl with John Hauser as interim head coach

Tuesday, Dec. 16: Elliott responds to Gonzalez

Despite all of the noise around Brian Smith’s firing and the program, Ohio was able to pull off an upset on Mountain West runner-up UNLV in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl by a final score of 17-10.

Besides rebutting the claims made by Gonzalez that were used to fire Brian Smith for cause, Elliott pleads with Ohio to find a resolution to the situation that could result in Brian Smith being reinstated, or that protects Brian Smith and the university from “undue harm.” Wednesday, Dec. 17: Ohio fires Brian Smith for cause Ohio Athletics released its final statement on Brian Smith, firing him for cause. The release from the university says it was based on allegations that Brian Smith engaged in “serious professional misconduct and participating in activities that reflect unfavorably on the university.”

Hauser’s defensive unit shone in the game, holding one of the country’s best offenses to just 10 points in the game. After the game, safety and team captain DJ Walker, along with other members of the Ohio secondary, chanted “hire Hauser” at ESPN cameras during the on-field post game interview with Hauser. Friday, Dec. 26: Hauser officially named Ohio’s permanent head coach Hauser received a late holiday present as it was officially announced he had been hired as the permanent head coach of the Bobcats the day after Christmas.

JAN. 13, 2026

SPORTS

Ohio keeps winning streak going against Buffalo OWEN LIPSTREU ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Ohio (10-7 overall, 4-1 Mid-American Conference) won its fifth straight game after rallying from a doubledigit deficit in the first half to beat Buffalo 91-80 on Saturday. Ohio battled for 40 minutes, led by a 27-point performance from senior forward Aidan Hadaway. Ohio welcomed Buffalo into The Convo on Saturday afternoon and got to work quickly. Hadaway went straight to the paint for a couple of quick layups. The Bulls responded with a couple of buckets of their own. Ohio senior forward Javan Simmons got into the paint himself and finished through some physical contact for an and-one. Simmons’s effort gave the Bobcats an early 7-4 advantage. “We knew that Javan and I were going to have to get to our spots, knock shots down, draw fouls, and get them in foul trouble,” Hadaway said. “I just don’t think they could hold us tonight.” The teams went back and forth through the early minutes, but the driving force for the Bobcats was Hadaway. He made the best of a couple of misses, tipping in a couple of shots right around the rim to make the lead 15-12. Buffalo responded with an 8-2 run to grab the lead. A pair of three-point baskets was pivotal to this run, as the Bulls started to stretch the Ohio defense.

The Bobcats and Bulls kept fighting, with neither team being able to put together a consistent run of baskets. Buffalo finally found back-to-back baskets with a three-pointer and an emphatic putback dunk to quiet the fans in Athens. Buffalo’s 9-2 run put them up 31-24 with eight minutes to play in the first half. Out of the timeout, Buffalo went on a 5-2 run to pull away by double digits. The first half clock dwindled, and the Bobcats began to chip away slowly, taking the game into the half, trailing the Bulls by only three with a 47-44 score.

was a result of the stops we got,” Ohio head coach Jeff Boals said. “So, it’s good to get the stops into run outs, and that’s where we built our lead.” Ohio kept leaning on its starters for all 40 minutes. The bench did not have a field goal, but it did not matter because of Hadaway’s 27 points as Ohio took control of the game and never looked back, not even surrendering the double-digit lead again in the contest. The clock ran down, and Ohio won 91-80.

“I was proud of him,” Boals said of Hadaway. “Double-double, 27 and 10. We knew by the way they were going to guard the post that it was going to create some offense for us. (Javan) Simmons found him a couple of times on the double team, and obviously, when he hit those threes, it built confidence to see him hit those. He’s been struggling to shoot the ball, but he’s put in the time and effort into it.”

OL415422@OHIO.EDU

The Bulls started the half with a dunk, but that did not fluster the Bobcats, who turned it around and scored seven straight to take a slim two-point edge. This included five points from senior guard Jackson Paveletzke. “I just try and take what they give me,” Paveletzke said. “For me, it’s really about trying to stay aggressive and look for my shots.” Buffalo tried to slow the Bobcats, but they kept pushing the pace and put together a 9-2 run powered by two three-pointers from Hadaway. Ohio kept rolling behind another seven straight points from freshman guard JJ Kelly, who finished his solo run with a dunk through traffic for an and-one to put the Bobcats up 67-55. “That stretch in the second half, we got some transition buckets, and it

Guard Jackson Paveletzke (13) passes the ball during the Bobcats game against Maine, Dec. 3, 2025. The Bobcats beat Maine 79-57 in The Convo. (JOHN FOUSS | FOR THE POST)

Bobcats stay undefeated in MAC with Saturday’s win BRANDON GROSS SPORTS STAFF WRITER Ohio (10-4 overall, 4-0 Mid-American Conference) kept its dominant MAC start going with a comfortable 71-59 win on the road Saturday against Buffalo (2-13 Overall, 0-4 MAC). This win extended the Bobcats' winning streak to five and kept them at the top of the MAC standings with an early 4-0 start and a 10-4 overall record. The Bobcats are now only one of three teams undefeated in the MAC. Ohio is tied with Ball State and its rival, Miami, for first in the conference. This is the first 4-0 MAC start for Ohio since the 2015-16 season over a decade ago. The Bobcats finished 16-2 in that season. On Saturday, Ohio had a very dominant first quarter against Buffalo, and it outscored the Bulls by 12 with a score of 16-4. Junior guard Bailey Tabeling got Ohio on the board first with a three, the first of her 14 points on the day. The Bobcats' defense was very good this quarter. They played very aggressively, making Buffalo uncomfortable and leading to them turning over the ball and missing shots. Ohio forced six Buffalo turnovers early, locking in early on the defensive side of the ball. This dominant first quarter really set the tone for the rest of the game as Buffalo and Ohio were playing very close in the final three quarters, but the Bulls just weren’t able to recover from their poor

Upcoming Games quarter-one performance. The Bobcats scored just one more point than Buffalo in the second quarter, but still went into the break with a double-digit lead. The competitive play continued in the third quarter as the Bulls tied the Bobcats in the third frame. Ohio’s star Tabeling continued her strong season campaign as she recorded a team-high 14 points while shooting 6-9 from the floor and 2-4 from the three. She also tacked on four rebounds to that great offensive performance.

At Kent State 1/14 Vs Northers Illinois 1/17 At Bowling Green 1/21 Vs Toledo 1/24 Vs UMass 1/26 At Miami 1/31 Vs Western Michigan 2/4 Vs Old Dominion 2/7

At Toledo 2/10 Vs Kent State 2/14 At Akron 2/18 Vs Bowling Green 2/25 At Ball State 2/28 At Eastern Michigan 3/4 Vs Miami 3/7

The Bobcats' sophomore forward Danni Scully also had a very good game with almost identical stats to her star teammate Tabeling. Scully was able to record a team-high of 14 points while shooting six out of nine in the field. She also added four rebounds. This great Ohio tag team that combined for 28 points, and Ohio’s consistently aggressive and energetic defense, was more than enough to win them the game and keep their momentum rolling heavily throughout the game. The two were at their best in the fourth, as they helped Ohio shoot 8-11 from the field to close out the game on a high note. The Bobcats are back on the road this Wednesday, travelling up north to Kent to take on the 6-10 Golden Flashes, who are 1-4 in the MAC.

LD004224@OHIO.EDU

Guard Bella Ranallo (3) during the Bobcats game against UIC, Dec. 5, 2025. The Bobcats beat UIC 72-70 in The Convo. (JOHN FOUSS | FOR THE POST)

THEPOSTATHENS.COM

ENTERTAINMENT

‘Heated Rivalry’ puts LGBTQIA+ representation on ice ELIZABETH TALAGA COPY CHIEF

better than anything I could have imagined.”

Spoilers ahead for season 1 of “Heated Rivarly”

Arnaud spoke to Glamour about the weight on Hunter’s shoulders throughout episodes three and five and the implications of watching his teammates celebrate their championship win with their spouses.

The Crave original series “Heated Rivalry” found its home on HBO Max, bringing the drama of the Major League Hockey from author Rachel Reid’s “Game Changers” series to the U.S. The first season concluded Dec. 25, but the energy surrounding the LGBTQIAfocused show remains strong. The show follows Ilya Rozonov (Connor Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) through graphic, clandestine hookups between games as they navigate their first few years as professional hockey players while coming to terms with their relationship. Episode three follows hockey player Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) and smoothie barista Kip Grady (Robbie G.K.). The pair quickly fall for each other after Hunter comes in for a smoothie, but Hunter’s fear of being out as a gay hockey player forces the couple apart by the end of the episode. The fifth episode highlights Hunter’s MLH Cup win. As his teammates celebrate with their spouses, Hunter motions for Grady to come down from the stands and onto the ice. In a totally public display of affection, Hunter kisses Grady in front of his teammates and the world. As Hunter and Grady have their moment, Hollander and Rozonov are having their own moment of realization. Hunter’s public coming-out scene pushed Rozonov to take the leap and join Hollander at his cottage over the summer, solidifying their relationship and proving LGBTQIA+ representation really does matter. “When I first watched it, I was just giddy about it,” G.K. said of episode five to Variety. “I think this is the moment where all these storylines intersect. I’m glad it turned out as it did. It’s much

“I think there’s just something like, ‘Oh, I’m going to do this for me now,’” Arnaud said. “‘I’ve done enough. I’m going to do this.’” According to GLAAD, 80% of heterosexual, cisgender people who were exposed to LGBTQIA+ people in movies or TV shows said they were more supportive of equal LGBTQIA+ rights than those who were not. The representation in “Heated Rivalry” is making a similar impact on both its characters on-screen and real people off-screen. Williams made an appearance on “Andy Cohen Live” and shared that professional athletes who are not out have sent him and Reid messages after watching the show. “Those are the ones that really just kind of hit you and go, ‘Oh so this is a fun show, and it’s celebratory, but also sometimes it’s just hitting people right in the nerve,’” Williams said. Arnaud said he met agents who represent professional hockey players who told him “Heated Rivalry,” in all of its devastating glory, is something some of these players actually go through, and he hopes the show can inspire real change. “I hope that, yes, some people do connect the dots and maybe reflect on the locker room talk that is inadvertently toxic, that we’re taught to partake in,” Arnaud said to Glamour. “Not so long ago … the word ‘gay,’ for instance, in high school didn’t mean homosexual. It just meant weak and bad.”

Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams in Heated Rivalry. Photograph by Sabrina Lantos/HBO MaxOpen House, Dec. 4, 2025.

The NHL commented on “Heated Rivalry” briefly, but without a show of support for its potential LGBTQIA+ players. “There are so many ways to get hooked on hockey and, in the NHL’s 108-year history, this might be the most unique driver for creating new fans,” a league representative said to Hollywood Reporter. The sixth episode steps away from hockey and into the Canadian wilderness. However, before joining the once-hockey-rivals at the cottage, the audience is taken to an award ceremony where Hunter is giving a speech on the homophobic tendencies of the hockey world. Later at the cottage, Rozonov and Hollander finally admit they love each other and reflect on what being professional hockey players means for their relationship. At the end of the episode, Hollander’s dad comes to the cottage to borrow a phone charger and sees the couple making out. Hollander then comes out to both his parents, with Rozonov at his

side, and shares an emotional moment with his mom, telling her he tried not to fall in love with Rozonov, but also tried to not be gay. The season ends with Hollander’s parents’ love and support as Rozonov and Hollander drive off into the sunset, a whole new part of life awaiting them. Through the intertwined stories of Hollander and Rozonov and Hunter and Grady, the audience gets a front row seat to the LGBTQIA+ characters’ everyday challenges, but also to the unapologetic joy of falling in love. As “Heated Rivalry” follows the lives of LGBTQIA+ hockey players existing in a world that is not outwardly accepting, Jacob Tierney, the show’s creator, told Hollywood Reporter he was excited to see the audience’s reaction to the show’s overarching message. “The thing that we really don’t get as queer people is a happy f----ing ending, where we get to exist, f--- and smile at the same time,” Tierney said. “Usually it’s like, pick one. You get to have it all in this one.”

Absences in ‘SNL’ cast raise questions about show’s future RUBY JOHNSON FOR THE POST

compiled from behind the scenes of the show, Yang included a photo with Celeste Yim, a former “SNL” writer who left the show before the Season 51.

“It’s not the easiest place to work,” Nwodim said. “But you were such a huge gift, and I absolutely adore and love you. And I’m so grateful for that time.”

The show’s 50th anniversary was in 2025. It released a special, including a handful of well-known actors, such as Adam Sandler and Tom Hanks, and brought back some of the show’s more famous sketches, such as “Black Jeopardy” and “Debbie Downer.”

Yang’s last episode aired Dec. 20, with a sketch taking place in a Delta Lounge where Yang’s character was finally leaving his job after years of working, meeting people and building relationships with his patrons. Within the sketch, Yang, Ariana Grande and Cher sang a rendition of “Please Come Home For Christmas” by Charles Brown.

“I am so honored that we worked so hard there,” Gardner said in return. “We’re humans, so we have egos. We want things for ourselves. We want to succeed. And there weren’t a lot of times when we were able to, like, succeed in the way we wanted at the exact same time.”

However, in December 2025, beloved cast member Bowen Yang suddenly announced his separation from “SNL.” Yang joined the cast in the show’s 45th season back in 2019. After seven seasons at “SNL,” it seems that, though bittersweet, Yang’s time was well spent.

After a tearful farewell, many fans shared their grief over Yang’s departure from the show. However, Yang’s sudden mid-season departure has reminded many of last season’s sudden losses in the cast, most notably Heidi Gardner and, following in support, Ego Nwodim.

“I’m grateful for every minute of my time there,” Yang said in an Instagram post. “I learned about myself (bad with wigs). I learned about others (generous, vulnerable, hot). I learned that human error can be nothing but correct.”

Together, on Nwodim’s podcast “Thanks Dad,” Nwodim and Gardner discussed “SNL.” While bonding over their time from sharing a dressing room in their earlier years, the two remarked on the strong emotions that came from leaving the show.

“Saturday Night Live,” the long-running late-night sketch show that began in 1975, is waivering after multiple decades on air.

In a carousel of photos, mostly

It has not been revealed why Gardner left the show. Gardner made no remarks after leaving the show, nor was she given a send-off like Yang’s Delta sketch. Before Gardner’s release, Michael Longfellow announced he was not coming back on the show for his fourth season. “Wish I was but, so it goes,” Longfellow said. “It was the best three years of my life so far. I feel nothing but gratitude for the experience and everyone there.” Longfellow was at an airport when he got the call he was not returning for another season. Another cast member,

Emil Wakim, confirmed he was fired and it was not his choice. “I won’t be returning to snl next year,” Wakim said on Instagram. “It was a gut punch of a call to get but i’m so grateful for my time there.” “Here’s to making more art without compromise,” Wakim said at the end of his caption. Although most cast members left feeling empowered to continue to create art away from the show, Wakim implies ideas were constricted in the “SNL” environment. These cast changes came after the creator of “SNL,” Lorne Michaels, said he wanted to reinvent the show after the 50th anniversary. Though the cast members’ absences will hopefully be filled with new cast members, it is thought more favorites could be removed from the show. “The show has always brought people in from different ages and different generations,” Michaels said. “And it has to. It’s how it revives itself.”

JAN. 13, 2026

ENTERTAINMENT

‘Marty Supreme’ offers authentic look into competitor’s mind JUDE HANNAHS SPORTS STAFF WRITER At the 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, Timothée Chalamet won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown” (2024) and had quite the acceptance speech. “I know we’re in a subjective business, but the truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” Chalamet said. “I know people don’t usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats.” Public reaction to his comments sparked online discussion of whether or not Chalamet was being arrogant during his speech or simply announcing to the world what he wants to do with his career. Either way, at 30 years old, Chalamet has won quite a few awards for his young age. He is the type of performer who delicately chooses what he wants to star in, and his recent role as the ambitious table tennis prodigy Marty Mauser in Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme” (2025). Like Chalamet’s remarks at last year’s SAG Awards, Mauser is eager to be truly great at what he does. “Marty Supreme” follows 23-year-old Mauser, a shoe salesman who believes he’s destined to become a champion in table tennis. The film takes place in 1952 and is loosely based on real-life table tennis legend Marty Reisman, who was a famous player in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Marty wants to escape his family’s business and pursue his dream of winning the British Open, defeating the reigning Hungarian champion Béla Kletzi and bringing American attention to the sport. However, he must go through extreme lengths to achieve this, which includes lying and manipulating those close to him. Both Josh and Benny Safdie found themselves directing films about flawed athletes this year. In October 2025, Benny Safdie released“The Smashing Machine” starring Dwayne Johnson as former wrestler and mixed martial artist Mark Kerr.

That film was more a direct telling of the events of Kerr’s life through a cinematic scope, whereas Reisman was more a blueprint for Mauser’s character and not a replica. Between the two brothers, Josh Safdie has come away with a far better film with a more engaging story. “Marty Supreme” is cut from the same cloth as the Safdies’ “Good Time” (2017) and “Uncut Gems,” (2019) with its high-intensity scenarios and cautionary tales of someone who thinks they are invincible. Mauser’s aspiration to be the best of the best at table tennis is nothing short of commendable, but how he does it and who it negatively affects in the film is where the character mirrors so many great athletes. The sport becomes Mauser’s addiction. The same happens for Mauser and those around him. Mauser’s relationships with Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion), best friend Wally (Tyler, the Creator) and his own family are tested by his shenanigans and ultimately suffer in one way or another. Although Chalamet has one of the most notable performances, all of the other actors, such as A’zion and Tyler, the Creator, are beyond belief. Marty befriends famous fictional actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow) and her wealthy husband, Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary). Paltrow’s and O’Leary’s character portrayals are great, too. The only gripe about “Marty Supreme” is there are stories with secondary characters that do not feel complete. Marty’s story seems to flow right past them, which definitely could be a point Josh Safide is trying to make. However, a few more scenes could have been added to clear up those individual stories.

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“Marty Supreme” is in contention for being the best film of 2025. Not only that, but it has a case for being one of Chalamet’s career lead parts. The film makes for an effective viewing. Rating: 4.5/5 @JUDETHEDUDEHANNAHS JH825821@OHIO.EDU

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‘Stranger Things 5’ Vol. 2 turns franchise upside down JUDE HANNAHS SPORTS STAFF WRITER

Netflix’s “Stranger Things” (20162025) is in the same lane as “Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope” (1977) in execution. Initially, each started so strongly that they took the world by storm at their respective points in history. The first season of “Stranger Things” wasn’t just a national phenomenon; it was a global sensation. The year 2016 was already one with notable releases such as Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War,” director Barry Jenkins’ Best Picture-winning “Moonlight” and the first season of Netflix’s “The Crown,” yet “Stranger Things” outdid all of them in popularity. The show about a missing 12-yearold boy, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), in a town with some major supernatural secrets, was what everyone was talking about that summer. With the show’s early success, brothers Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, the show’s creators, decided to further the story with the characters established in Season One. “Stranger Things” went from a simple series set in Hawkins, Indiana, that evoked the same feeling of classic films of the 1980s, such as Steven Spielberg’s

“E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982) and Richard Donner’s “The Goonies” (1985), to a show that completely lost its identity. “Stranger Things” Season Five is an amalgamation of every wrong decision made by the Duffer Brothers and the rest of those in the writer’s room. The second volume picks up after Henry Creel, or Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), successfully captured a dozen children from Hawkins to use them as vessels to then merge planet Earth, the Upside Down and the Abyss all into one unique dimension. All of the heroes must use whatever wits they have to prevail over Vecna once and for all, without having one of their own perish amidst the chaos.

series finale. In the interview, the Duffers responded to some questions with clear, detailed answers, but their responses to many questions highlighted Season Five’s lazy writing. The brothers were asked about what happened to the military presence in Hawkins after the destruction of the Upside Down. “In that 18-month gap? I suppose there’s not much else to do,“ Ross Duffer said. “You can’t explore this other dimension. There’s no Eleven to chase anymore because she’s gone. So, my guess is they just sort of slowly dismantled operations and left town.”

The second season of “Stranger Things” was, while flawed, a story that still felt like it was within the same logic as Season One. The inclusion of the Mind Flayer left viewers with a heavy dose of intrigue, with the audience pondering many questions.

This is only one of many examples where the script felt like a first draft with no extra time or thought. The military base was led by Maj. Gen. Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton), who was built up to be a no-nonsense, cut-throat character that would do anything to get her hands on Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown).

However, that season was a telling of things to come for this show overall. Each season since the first has devolved in its creativity and writing. Recently, the Duffer Brothers sat down for an interview with Collider and answered questions left open after the

It makes no sense for Kay to let the heroes off scot-free with no mention of any sort of punishment for their disruption of the military’s mission and base. It isn’t just a lack of consideration for important details like these, but the lack of commitment to established

characters since Season One. Nearly all of the main cast have a thick layer of plot armor around them, and the repetitiveness of dialogue and scenes is what helped weaken Season Five. Writing is everything in film and television, and the Duffer Brothers’ quality storytelling in their writing, which made their show work in the first place, was not evident in Season Five. Even with the script issues in Season Five, the actors did their best with what they had. Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Bower as Vecna and, of course, Brown as Eleven were all highlights with their performances. The Duffers did manage to make a somewhat satisfying send-off come the show’s final episode, “The Rightside Up.” But, it’s painful to devoted fans who have loved this series since the beginning that the rest of Season Five was so underwhelming. After nine long years, Netflix’s “Stranger Things” finally concluded in what should have been a show with a better sense of direction. Rating: 1.5/5 JH825821@OHIO.EDU

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JAN. 13, 2026

The Post

Editor-in-Chief | Jackson McCoy Managing Editor | Sophia Rooksberry Community Standards Editor | Alexandra Hopkins Director of Business Strategy | Abby Waechter

EDITORIAL

Research topics drawn from recent U.S. News Ideas for researching current events David Bruce wrote this content and paid for its appearance in The Post Welcome back to Ohio University. Some of you will have to write term papers, so it’s good to decide on your topic well in advance. Know your topic early and you can read information about that topic. Having a head full of information makes writing much easier. Wikipedia can be a good place to find summary overviews of topics and links to primary sources. (Your teacher probably will not want you to list Wikipedia in your List of References. Teachers like primary sources, and so do you.)

Art Director | Alaina Dackermann Asst. Art Director | Abby Doench Director of Photography | Megan VanVlack Photo Editor | Talitha Maloy

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Sales Associates | Kennedy Barrell Business Office Associate | Vivian Hockenberry Director of Student Media | Andrea Lewis

Have you ever find something in The Post thought-provoking, questionable or even infuriating? Let us know! We are always interested in hearing about the way our readers respond to our content. Letters should be fewer than 500 words. 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. The Post reserves the right to reject submissions or edit submissions for clarity, vulgarity and Associated Press style. The Post is an editorially 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. IN PERSON Baker Center 325 BY EMAIL letters@thepostathens.com editor@thepostathens.com ONLINE thepostathens.com/letters

 muellershewrote.com/p/watch-the-60minutes-cecot-segment

The purpose of DOGE was to save the government money. But did it? Or did it just claim it did? Certainly, DOGE stopped many services that USAmericans found to be very valuable.

DOGE and the Trump Administration made drastic cuts to USAID. How many people have died as a result? Find stories of what parents did when they no longer had food to feed their children.

 impactcounter.com/ dashboard?view=table&sort=title&order=asc  propublica.org/article/trump-usaid-kenyahumanitarian-aid-starvation-families-children

Often, ICE and other Homeland Security officials wear masks. This has led to many instances of criminals impersonating immigration officials. This Wikipedia page has many links to primary sources. Can you make recommendations to stop this dangerous situation?

 wikipedia.org/wiki/Impersonations_of_ United_States_immigration_officials

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 theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/28/ cecot-el-salvador-venezuela-immigration

President Trump has been accused of many acts of sexual misconduct. Pick one woman who has claimed that he committed sexual misconduct and investigate the claim in detail. The total judgments against Trump related to E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuits total approximately $88.3 million, all of which he is currently appealing. Trump is old and seems to be ill health. If he dies, does that mean that E. Jean Carroll will get nothing?

Are immigrants in custody being sexually abused? Recent data may be hard to come by, but you can at least write about past allegations. Write recommendations about how to stop or prevent such abuse:

 theintercept.com/2018/04/11/immigrationdetention-sexual-abuse-ice-dhs/

 nytimes.com/2025/12/23/us/politics/dogemusk-trump-analysis.html

The USA has deported many people to a prison in El Salvador: The Terrorism Confinement Prison (CECOT). What are the conditions there? Have any official statements about those conditions been verified? Does torture occur? Perhaps write about Kilmar Ábrego García, who a judge had ordered not be returned to El Salvador out of concern for his safety. Were these prisoners given the right of due process? (See the 4th and 14th amendments.)

 wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_ Confinement_Center

In 2000 measles was declared eradicated in the USA. Now measles has made a big comeback. Kids have died. Why? What can the USA do to be able to declare measles eradicated again in a few years? In your paper, write about recommendations to prevent bad things happening and to make good things happen.

 cdc.gov/measles/

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 wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_ Immigration_and_Customs_Enforcement  wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_ detention_in_the_United_States

ICE spent 64 days in Chicago. Were ICE’s tactics legal? Were they ethical? Did ICE arrest the worst of the worst? Did ICE mistreat people, including children?

 chicagotribune.com/2025/12/28/chicagoimmigration-operation-midway-blitz2/?share=trh0hloiobide1yicogi  paulkrugman.substack.com/p/immigrantderangement-syndrome

10. Trump’s net worth has increased an additional $3

billion since he began his second term as President. Where did that wealth come from? Was the wealth earned legally and ethically?

 forbes.com/sites/ danalexander/2025/09/09/presidency-booststrumps-net-worth-by-3-billion-in-a-year/

11. How has Ohio University been affected by the War against Woke, compliments of Trump and Mike DeWine?

 wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump_ sexual_misconduct_allegations

 Check out Ohio’s Senate Bill 1. What happened to the Multicultural Center and the Women’s Center? Of course, use local media as sources.

Many of Donald Trump’s pardons have been controversial. Wikipedia has a page titled “List of people granted executive clemency in the second Trump presidency.” Some of the pardons include the Jan. rioters; Ross Ulbricht, who founded and operated Silk Road, and Trevor Milton, who was convicted of fraud. A Trump full pardon means that a person who was found guilty of defrauding people of much money does not have to pay that money back. Is Trump abusing the presidential right to pardon people?

Scan the QR code  for a clickable list of links referenced in this article.

 wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_ granted_executive_clemency_in_the_ second_Trump_presidency

Stay informed, use your right of free speech, AND VOTE!

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OPINION

Pen to the Point

Michael’s Mic Drop

New Year’s resolutions can be made any time

A new year, not a new me

DREW HOFFMASTER FOR THE POST “Next year will be” is a phrase gleaming with hope people use when describing what they aim to achieve with the upcoming year. With the start of the new year, phrases such as “next year will be different” and “new year, new me” become increasingly common. I have always associated New Year’s with hope and intentional goal setting, and I believe others also view the change in the calendar in the same light. A study from the Pew Research Center confirmed this belief, finding 30% of Americans made New Year’s resolutions in 2024. However, I have seen myself and many others create resolutions that seem to fizzle out and get forgotten in the blink of an eye. According to Forbes, these resolutions only last on average for 3.74 months, and researchers have even dubbed the second Friday of January as “Quitters Day” each year. The widespread and known failure of resolutions suggests there is a deeper reason why they often fail. To understand this, I feel it’s important to look at the history behind New Year’s resolutions. Such resolutions have been around for about 4,000 years since the ancient Babylonians. Resolutions even have religious roots, as ancient Babylonians and Romans used them to make promises to their gods and Christians did so by making prayers for the future. However, who we make these resolutions to have shifted from deities to ourselves, New Year’s is historically associated with goal setting and promises. I believe every time the clock hits midnight and we see the calendar flip over a year, it gives this grand feeling that we can achieve anything because we have a whole year ahead of us that we can conquer and make our own. The behavioral psychology term “fresh start effect” describes perfectly why we feel this way. Psychology Today describes this effect as when people use the start of a week, month, year or any other calendar beginning as inspiration to set goals

because it feels like a “blank slate.” An everyday example of this is when a person who wants to eat healthy says, “I’ll start eating better on Monday.” Because of this, I believe people feel the New Year brings upon the greatest “blank slate” of time, which people feel they have to occupy with dreams and goals. This is largely why close to 62% of people say they feel pressured to make a New Year’s resolution. Making goals and resolutions under any duress can lead to a person’s motivation being stifled and anxieties overwhelming the mind, according to Psychology Today. I’ve found when I attempt to complete something while feeling overwhelmed, I am more likely to abandon it and say, “Welp, I tried.” The added pressure of New Year’s and traditions around making resolutions can be overwhelming, making many people drop them before reaching completion. According to Knowledge at Wharton, experts found goals are most likely to succeed if they are launched at a “temporal landmark” that is most personal and meaningful to them. For some, this may be when a person starts a job or begins a semester in school. It’s important to note figuring out when the best time to start a new goal can depend on a person’s work style and motivational needs. Goals shouldn’t be set because of societal or mental pressures from the start of the new year; they should be set because it’s the right time for the person. If we have a sound mind, feel motivated and have a personal reason, goals are more likely to stick. If the correct time for you is New Year’s, then by all means, go ahead and make that resolution. But if that time is any other point of the year, don’t be afraid to use phrases like “next year will be,” “next year will be different” or “new year, new me” in the middle of the year. Who knows, maybe that “new year, new me” will happen this April, June or October. Only that person and time will know.

MICHAEL DORWALDT STAFF VIDEOGRAPHER Every January, my social media feeds flood with the same declaration: “New year, new me.” Many join in the ritual with fitness selfies, dietary promises and ambitious lists of goals, as if flipping a calendar page can magically transform who we are. As hopeful as that feels, the calendar itself doesn’t hold the keys to change. Real transformation rarely arrives with fireworks at midnight; it comes quietly, over time and often when we least expect it. The problem that keeps resurfacing with the “new me” mentality is it treats selfimprovement as a deadline, when in fact it is a journey. People assume when the clock strikes midnight Jan. 1, a better version of themselves emerges. Though becoming a healthier or smarter version of yourself can begin then, change often doesn’t obey a calendar. A long-term study of 200 people who made New Year’s resolutions, referenced by Psychology Today, concluded that while 77% of participants maintained their resolution after one week, just 19% considered themselves successful after two years. A second study published in the journal PLOS ONE, with more than 1,000 participants, found at the one-year benchmark, only 55% of respondents said they were successful in keeping their resolutions. This gap emerges between our midnight ambitions and day-to-day actions as soon as change is connected with a timeline. The backbone of real, lasting change is habits, and habits are rarely born from dramatic leaps. A systematic review cited by Psychology Today concluded from data across six studies that people who create routines and form habits are more likely to follow through with their goals. The research also suggests habits are more important in achieving goals than desire alone.

need to be forced by societal pressure or the timeline-driven hype of a new year. The new year mindset also tends to encourage sweeping, ambitious goals, such as losing 20 pounds, overhauling a diet, waking up at 5 a.m. and hitting the gym every day. While big aspirations can be motivating, they often ignore reality. That disconnect between aspiration and reality helps explain why so many resolutions fizz out early. A 2024 review published on the research archive arXiv argues external triggers, such as the new year, rarely create lasting motivation. People tend to abandon large, externally motivated goals long before they become habits. This is not a case for giving up on self-improvement; rather, it’s a call to reconsider how we change and when. Change grows from small, consistent decisions that develop into routines. Those routines form good habits, and from those habits comes real change, not forced, but natural. Instead of using New Year’s as a trigger for reinvention, we might treat it as a gentle nudge to reflect. We can use the time to reflect on what we actually want, rather than what social media trends tell us to. Real transformation doesn’t need a start date. Most of the time, you don’t even realize it’s happening. The changes I have made and kept are due to looking at my life from a different angle. Having choices that are not set in stone makes it easier for me to check myself and reflect on the path I decided to take. From there, it doesn’t seem as much of a resolution; it is more of a solution that will help me be the person I believe myself to be. Real change doesn’t announce itself at midnight or wait for permission from a calendar. It grows quietly through small, consistent choices that turn into habits over time. When that change finally becomes visible, it isn’t the result of a new year; it’s the result of showing up day after day.

This shows change works best when it is gradual, contextual and realistic. It does not

Oh Well | Being offline is a status symbol, not self-care CASSIDY MCCLURG FOR THE POST When I received my first phone, I remember being criticized for not being on my phone to answer texts promptly. Now as I have adapted to being almost constantly on my phone like 41% of people, according to Pew Research, I do not receive that criticism. My digital footprint is expansive, and I am often online even if I don’t want to be. Others are facing the same issue and planning to remove many habits our phones have created. Going into 2026, an online movement was created when Generation Z and millennials decided they were done with doomscrolling. They are replacing Spotify with iPods, streaming services with DVDs and switching to burner phones to cut out social media. This movement has gained traction for a few years, as many become more concerned about the mental health effects social media and phone usage have. However, the solutions are gaining popularity, with many agreeing to go analog in 2026. Going offline sounds trendy because of our phone addictions, and many are posting about how much better their lives are since dumbing down their modern phone and

cutting screen time. Essentially, to be offline has become a status symbol going into the new year. If you are offline, it shows others you are more connected with real-world activities rather than living vicariously through others online. Also, with the rise of “brainrot,” being offline proves you are smarter than more frequent phone users. Status symbol aside, going offline to battle doomscrolling can also stop consumers from buying into products and voters from catered campaigning. Since we all have our own algorithms, it’s much harder to get the information we need. This is the perfect movement to train our brains to research on our own by picking up newspapers, asking our friends and experiencing the world without an influencer telling us what to know. Online, information rushes at us. Gen Z and millennials are at the forefront of content, and they have a lot to say about the online political climate. With many feeling hopeful since Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win for New York, young people are taking action. Engaging in politics online keeps people on their phones. The trend of going analog could bring more people to use tech

intentionally as a tool for action. Such action worked for a major increase of 28% with young and first-time voters engaging in local elections in New York, according to Tufts University. Going offline and focusing on making change outside of the phone screen is a social movement greater than mental health. The conversation of selling online data has become scarier since the rise of artificial intelligence. Companies use online behavior and algorithms to sell consumers trends. Since many of America’s billionaires are those who created tech for consumers, it seems they and corporations are urging us to stay online so that we continue to be distracted and fund their status. The more online we are, the richer they get. Being online is a class indicator. If you are offline, you are cooler, smarter and wealthier. This is obvious when tech billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg are sending their children to tech-free private schools. If tech billionaires are selling tech but avoiding it in their own lives, there have to be negative effects to it. If you can afford to spend time offline, you’re living a more luxurious life. Owning the latest technology used to be a status symbol. Keeping up with trends was always

seen as for the wealthy and being offline is the new trend. Having time and money to experience life offline with trips, gym memberships and other hobbies is the new cool, and so is not posting. Internet personality Emma Chamberlain spoke about this on her podcast, specifically about her opinions on how being online is “cringe” now. Chamberlain says the curation for users is influencer-driven and exhausting to keep up with aesthetic posts. However, people are finding that posting less is cooler. This movement might be more than avoiding doom scrolling to keep us connected; it might be another piece to a puzzle, battling classism. If the new conclusion is staying on your phone distracts you from your world, new solutions have to follow. Analog tech, such as CDs and DVDS, is coming back to us, but there are still things many are reserving for their phones, like GPS. Moving forward, I think partaking in a technology detox is beneficial. I am inspired to connect more with my friends and the world around me. Getting into more offline activities and using social media less. So, oh well, it’s a personal choice on how much time you spend online anyway.

JAN. 13, 2026

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OPINION

Weekender

For the Record BSU calls out admin relationship with student body NYLA GILBERT ASST. ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR On Jan. 2, Ohio University’s Black Student Union posted a letter on its Instagram account addressed to university President Lori Gonzalez and Executive President and Provost Donald J. Leo. The letter, dated Nov. 26, 2025, expressed dissatisfaction with OU’s lack of support for students of color and multicultural organizations. The student leaders asked for the Multicultural Exposition budget to be reinstated, along with a 30-minute meeting to discuss the impacts of Senate Bill 1. The letter details how the Multicultural, Pride and Women’s Centers have become “unstaffed lounges without crisis navigation, advising or programming budgets,” and the negative emotional, social and financial impacts occurring to the students who depended on these former spaces. In the letter, the student leaders expressed the financial challenges when planning the annual Multicultural Exposition. The BSU executive board members had to “spend hundreds of dollars out of pocket” while relying on community support from black businesses, student organizations and alumni. The Exposition, which usually takes over $6,000 to fund, was dependent on the money of a few college students and donations from community members to ensure “the exposition would still exist.” While this letter focuses on the post-SB1 reality for multicultural organizations, OU isn’t supporting LGBTQIA+ or women-based identity organizations either, raising a new concern of OU’s hypocrisy. OU took away the visibility, space and support of the identities most frequently disrespected, showing the slogan, “Make Respect Visible,” it promotes like the Bible no longer holds weight. The university discontinued its support for all of these organizations, yet the programming budgets for these organizations virtually disappeared. We haven’t seen any visible changes in the student programming function to help alleviate the gaps created by SB1 and OU hasn’t communicated any actions to the student body. Yet, it has complied with SB1, as stated in the BSU letter to OU’s Administrators, “in the most restrictive way possible,” in a way “far from the respectfulness and visibility that have been emphasized in previous years.” The letter has yet to be responded to. The university was recently criticized for the lack of communication surrounding the firing of former OU football head coach Brian Smith. The

lack of communication between OU and its constituents remains not only irresponsible of an accredited university, but continues to be insulting and disheartening. OU’s lack of transparency has led to a spiral of doubt and negative assumptions. Fall 2025-26 was a test run for an OU without support for marginalized students, showing the university’s inability to create improved functional spaces. SB1 not only harmed the student body’s ability to operate but also inhibited the abilities of important student organizations on campus.

Music, scavenger hunts and hockey CAITLYN VANCE FOR THE POST

Admission: Free

TUESDAY, JAN. 13

FRIDAY, JAN. 16

A ramen bar is open to all students and the general public from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Baker Theatre Lounge in Baker University Center. Admission: Free From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Baker, there is a rubber duck hunt game and winners receive prizes. Admission: Free

Now that SB1 has been implemented statewide, the lack of student support spaces in Baker University Center, located in the heart of campus, has led to it being known as a ghost town, which screams of OU’s incompetence and inability to address student needs.

The Side Bar on 24 ½ W. State St. is hosting its weekly live music. Attendees can enjoy dinner and drinks while listening to local artists perform from 7-9 p.m. The event features half-price wine.

OU proceeded to create new spaces that feel like a mockery of its true legacy. A place that once stood for the radical change and progression of student rights, where student individuality thrived even amidst turmoil and “could exist without feeling judged,” no longer exists.

Donkey Coffee, 17 W. Washington St., is hosting its weekly Designated Space event. All interested in poetry can enjoy an open stage opportunity and entertainment. The event is a space to share ideas and spoken word art and begins at 9 p.m.

It’s reminding its students it is indeed an institution focused on economic gain, and it will lazily strip the voice from its students in the misguided goal of preserving student academic freedom. When student leaders on your campus say, “We, as student leaders, have lost faith and trust in Ohio University,” that means its constituents have seen their needs and concerns devalued in a way that causes irreparable damage to OU. The BSU is one of the most active student organizations on campus, with 245 registered members in GroupMe, and over 1,600 followers on Instagram. If some of the most involved student leaders on campus can’t even get a response to a letter requesting a 30-minute meeting with our administrators, then it becomes apparent that listening to the concerns of students is not a priority. While our administrators continue to make decisions and create empty spaces in the aftermath of SB1, the student body deals with the changed respect in which we view our administrators.

Admission: Free

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 14 Ohio University’s Eastern campus is hosting a spring welcome week Bobcat Hunt from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. Various origami bobcats will be placed around campus, and students can return any they find to Shannon Hall in exchange for a prize.

Families can bring children ages 18 months to 4 years old to Wee Wigglers at the Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St., to play and make friends from 11 a.m to noon. At this weekly event, there will be a bounce house, bikes and more. Admission: $5 Ohio hockey is facing the University of Pittsburgh in Bird Arena at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online. Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children 17 and under, $5 for OU students SATURDAY, JAN. 17 Families with kids ages 10 and older can visit the Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery, 67 Columbus Rd., for a Discovery Lab workshop from 9:3011:30 a.m. At this event, participants will explore the Micro-bit and the technology behind it. Online registration is required. Admission: $25 Ohio hockey faces Pittsburgh again in Bird Arena at 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online. Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children 17 and under, $5 for OU students Women’s basketball faces Northern Illinois in The Convo at 1 p.m.

Admission: Free

Admission: $3-34

Rhapsody Restaurant, 18 Public Sq. in Nelsonville, is hosting a Jazz Night from 6-8 p.m. Customers can enjoy music, drinks and dinner.

SUNDAY, JAN. 18

THURSDAY, JAN. 15 From 9:30-11:30 p.m., at Bird Arena on 102 Oxbow Trail, Bobcats can ice skate and enjoy Goodfellas pizza.

Serenity Roots at 8950 Lavelle Rd. and the Athens KTC Buddhist Center is hosting their weekly meditation event in the yoga studio. There is a quiet meditation session followed by a Buddhist teaching from 10-11 a.m. Admission: Free

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT SANTA LIGHTS UP COURT STREET

OU’s eagerness to strip the identities of its students makes us feel as if we are truly just statistics.

RANJINI SHANK ASST. MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

Nyla Gilbert is a junior studying Journalism Strategic Communication at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Nyla Gilbert about her column? Email her at ng972522@ohio.edu.

ON FRIDAY, DEC. 5 COURT STREET EXPLODED WITH HOLIDAY SPIRIT AS THEY LIT THEIR CHRISTMAS TREE.

HUNTER GILLISPIE FOR THE POST