January 20, 2026

McCarey discusses plans, intentions for first term as City Council president McCarey discusses plans, intentions for first term as City Council president

Micah McCarey, the newly elected City Council President, summed up the first few weeks of his presidency with one word, “Rewarding,” McCarey said.

McCarey was first appointed to Athens City Council in June 2021, elected to his first term in November 2021 and reelected following that term. During both terms, he served as an at-large councilmember. His most recent term, which began Jan. 1, marked the start of his role as Council president.

McCarey said he first realized Council president could be the next step for him when former President Sam Crowl announced he was stepping down. Crowl then asked McCarey if he would consider pursuing the position.

“I reflected on the experience I had facilitating Council meetings as acting pro tem, and felt like it was a good match for my skill set as facilitator and someone who values transparent, quality organizational communication,” McCarey said. “It was a way to continue serving and supporting our city.”

One major focus for his first term is recognizing several new councilmembers in new seats and strengthening ongoing professional development efforts.

McCarey said there will also be an effort to implement new rules and procedures for Council meetings to “enhance the flow and help promote a respectful environment where people feel like they can come and share perspectives.”

McCarey also said he is committed to supporting the city’s volunteers who serve on boards, commissions and task forces, noting it is important to him to express appreciation and support for them.

voting on committee items unless, as explained by McCarey, there is a tie.

As Council president, McCarey is not a member of any committee but oversees them and serves as a tiebreaker when necessary.

“The presidency is a separate office, and I don’t have, for example, voting privileges,” McCarey said. “I don’t get to introduce legislation like I used to as an at-large member. I’m primarily a facilitator, and instead of serving on boards and commissions, I assign councilmembers to serve on those boards and commissions.”

Another responsibility of the Council president is acting as mayor when the mayor is unable to serve, such as when Mayor Steve Patterson is away or otherwise unavailable.

McCarey said he hopes residents understand Council does not have jurisdiction over the day-to-day operations of the city. He explained residents often attend Council meetings to raise concerns about issues like construction projects or potholes, which the Council cannot directly address.

Although Council does not manage those issues, McCarey emphasized part of its role is directing residents to the appropriate people or departments who can help.

He also hopes to encourage more community involvement, particularly from Ohio University students.

“I’m looking forward to hosting a convening of some of our boards and commissions to help them meet our new councilmembers and for assigning councilmembers to these boards and commissions as liaisons,” McCarey said. “There’s a lot that we can learn from one another.”

Within Council, there are several committees, including the Planning and Development Committee, Finance and Personnel Committee and the City and Safety Services Committee.

During the latest Council meeting Jan. 12, Councilmember Jessica Thomas said only the Council president refrains from

“I just had a student at the beginning of the week reach out to me with some interest in sustainability, and I’ve already hooked him up with an internship that’s going to help him support our city’s sustainability efforts,” McCarey said.

McCarey spent 17 years at OU and entered the role of Pride Center Director in 2019. He was let go in July 2025 when the Center was

sunsetted as a direct result of Senate Bill 1.

Another project McCarey said Council is addressing is a review of the Athens 2040 Comprehensive Plan, a plan designed to measure progress and allow Council to make refinements as needed.

“It’s my hope to see that be a process that involves a lot of intentional public input, not only from boards and commissions, but

EPA approves new insecticide, conservation groups sue

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently registered ten products containing an active insecticide, known as isocycloseram. According to an EPA press release from Nov. 20, the pesticide is aimed for use on turf and ornamental plants, commercial, industrial and domestic sites to help farmers manage and grow their crops.

Environmental organizations expressed concern that the EPA did not address the potential health effects of the insecticide, according to a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity.

Prior to isocycloseram’s approval, a risk assessment was conducted by the pesticide company, but findings were ignored by the EPA, according to the press release.

As a result, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for Food Safety joined together and filed a lawsuit against the EPA, according to the case file.

Nathan Donley, the environmental health science director at the Center for Biological Diversity, expressed concern the pesticide company has a vested interest in approving the product.

“All the studies on isocycloseram are done by the pesticide companies, which is worrisome as it is, because those companies have a biased interest toward the safety of their products, so this is just something inherently unfortunate about the pesticide approval process,” Donley said.

The assessment exposed rats to isocycloseram and discovered it causes reduced testicle size, reduced sperm count and harm to the liver in males. However, according to the EPA press release, “No human

members of the general public and key partners throughout the region to figure out how we can really continue to envision better things for Athens,” McCarey said.

McCarey said serving the public, accessibility to government officials, transparency and communication are central themes of his presidency.

FINN SMITH NEWS STAFF WRITER

KAITLIN HOGG NEWS STAFF WRITER

Police blotter: Cups of coffee thrown on cars, cat fight

MARIA SAUNDERS FOR THE POST

9 Fri ________________________

Drugs at the Kroger?

The store manager of Kroger contacted the Athens County Sheriff’s Office after locating what appeared to be a bag of drugs in the store.

The bag was collected and placed into evidence to be destroyed.

Coffee Car

Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Hamley Run Road in The Plains regarding a criminal damaging report.

The caller told deputies a woman drove by and threw a cup of coffee at his car. Photographs were collected as evidence, and when the media report was released, the case was still under investigation.

10 Sat _________________________

Gunshots

Deputies of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Church Street in Guysville after reports of gunshot sounds.

Deputies patrolled around the area, but nothing suspicious was found.

Stolen vehicle

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies looked into a stolen vehicle near Trimble Township.

No other information was given in the media report.

11 Sun ________________________

Criminal damaging

Athens County Sheriff’s Office

deputies responded to Chauncey after receiving a criminal damaging report.

A case was opened and at the time the media report was released, the case was under investigation.

Theft

Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s office were dispatched to Chauncey to speak with a woman about a theft complaint.

Deputies reviewed security footage, and the case was under investigation at the time the media report was released.

12 Mon________________________

Warrants of the week

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office has warrants of arrest out for Tyler Ball and Brandi Konkler.

Konkler is wanted for theft. Ball is wanted for theft, vandalism, breaking and entering, possession of drugs, as well as possession of criminal tools. Anyone with information on either individual is to contact the Sheriff’s Office as soon as possible.

Oh, it’s a literal cat fight

Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to May Avenue in Chauncy regarding a dispute over a cat.

Deputies on the scene spoke with both involved parties and determined the fight was in fact over who the cat belonged to.

An agreement was reached, and both individuals were given a warning for disorderly conduct.

13 Tue ________________________

Check out this car

Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to West Bailey Road in Nelsonville after receiving a report of a well-being check and a suspicious vehicle.

When deputies arrived on scene, the vehicle was gone.

Lost wheelchair

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded near South Plains Road in The Plains after a report of an abandoned wheelchair.

The wheelchair was not located.

14 Wed ________________________

Assault and vehicle theft?!

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Chase Road in Albany regarding an assault and a motor vehicle theft.

The vehicle was later found at the suspect’s house in a different county after deputies took a report. The suspect, however, was not located.

B&E

Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Roy Avenue in The Plains after receiving a breaking and entering complaint.

The caller believed that someone entered her residence.

15 Thur ________________________

Vandalism!

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to East First Street in The Plains regarding a vandalism complaint.

Once on the scene, deputies were told a car was damaged and vandalized. Stop Trespassing!

Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a trespassing complaint occurring in Chauncey.

Deputies spoke with the caller and took a report.

Protests, immigration shooting U.S. Weekly Headlines:

ELIZABETH TALAGA COPY CHIEF

12 Mon _________________________

DOJ subpoenaed central bank, criminal indictment threatened

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the Department of Justice served the central bank with subpoenas relating to Powell’s testimony to the Senate Banking Committee in June over the Fed’s $2.5 billion office building renovations, according to The Associated Press. The DOJ also threatened a criminal indictment.

“The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president,” Powell said.

President Donald Trump stated he was unaware of the investigations into Powell, according to the AP.

13 Tue

_________________________

Prosecutors quit, tensions rise in Minnesota amid protests

Demonstrations took place across Minneapolis on Tuesday as federal officers used tear gas and eye irritants against protestors, according to the AP.

At least five prosecutors resigned due to the U.S. Justice Department’s handling of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Good, according to the AP.

Students in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, staged a walkout to protest the Trump administration’s immigration sweeps, according to the AP. Another demonstration took place outside a Minneapolis hotel while officers stood inside.

14 Wed _________________________

Trump threatens to invoke Insurrection Act in Minneapolis

Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to Minneapolis as protests spread across the city, according to the AP.

The threat comes one week after Good was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and one day after a man was shot and wounded by an officer who was attacked with a shovel and a broom handle.

“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that

is taking place in that once great State,” Trump wrote on social media.

15 Thur _________________________

Trump presented with Nobel Peace Prize by Venezuelan opposition leader

Trump was presented with the Nobel Peace Prize by Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado after meeting at the White House, according to the AP.

Machado gave Trump the medal “as a recognition for his unique commitment to our freedom,” according to the AP.

“María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done,” Trump wrote on social media. “Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you María!”

The Nobel Institute stated that Machado could not award the prize to Trump.

16 Fri _________________________

US, Danish, Greenlandic officials meet to discuss Greenland

Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt met to discuss Trump’s goal to take control of Greenland, according to the AP.

The officials agreed to form a high-level working group to see if the countries can create a compromise. Løkke Rasmussen said the group will hold its first meeting “within a matter of weeks.”

Trump said the U.S. needs control of Greenland for its national security, justifying the need by claiming Russia and China have their own designs on Greenland, according to the AP.

18 Sun _________________________

Conservative influencer chased off by counterprotestors in Minneapolis

Conservative influencer Jake Lang was chased off by counterprotestors at his anti-Islam, anti-Somali and pro-ICE rally in Minneapolis, according to the AP.

Lang took to social media before the demonstration and said he would “burn a Quran” at City Hall, according to the AP. It was not clear if he carried out that plan. Hundreds of counterprotestors showed up at the rally, and Lang was seemingly injured when he left the scene, with bruises and scrapes.

health risks of concern were identified when isocycloseram is used according to the registered labels.”

Donley also mentioned the experiments on animal subjects were flawed because the rats were not exposed to anything but the insecticide.

“Another worry is that animal experiments looking at isocycloseram toxicity are done on healthy rats that were not exposed to anything else,” Donley said. “And in the real world, we’re all exposed to dozens of chemicals, often at the same time. We don’t have ideal diets. We’re all dealing with stress, and all these things can make us much more sensitive to the effects of chemicals.”

Donley said many international organizations and U.S. states have classified isocycloseram as a “forever chemical,” or PFAS, meaning it never breaks down.

“The major worry here is persistence,” Donley said. “PFAS don’t break down. What this means is the fluorinated part of the chemical is going to be around forever. What happens with isocycloserum is it’s going to, very slowly, over the course of probably decades, degrade down into a

acid.”

Donley said those who are most at risk are the people who spray isocycloseram occupationally, people whose diets consist of foods treated with isocycloseram,

pregnant women and children. Isocycloseram is aimed for usage on crops including apples, oranges, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, cucumbers, peaches, almonds, wheat and oats.

Ed Perkins, owner and operator of Sassafras Farm, an organic farm located in New Marshfield, discussed the possible dangers of forever chemicals like isocycloseram.

“Something that breaks down quickly into less harmful products might be acceptable,” Perkins said. “If this is more long-term, something that can build up, of course, that’s where you get the environmental damage. Something that can accumulate in the environment, and the bioaccumulation, too, within animals and plants.”

Donley commented on whether or not he thinks the chemical will be used by farmers across the country.

“When people spray these, they take on a calculated risk,” Donley said. “And to a lot of farmers, the ease of being able to spray a pesticide, that benefit outweighs the risks to them. And unfortunately, I think it’s just human nature to not really put a lot of weight on the risks that can happen 20-30 years down the line.”

GoBus to expand transportation services to 23 cities

ALEX PASSERO FOR THE POST

The bright neon green buses often spotted in front of Baker Center will be expanding their service by adding four new intercity routes.

GoBus, the bus program that connects Ohio University students and Athens residents to Columbus, Cleveland, Marietta, Parkersburg, Van Wert, Wooster and other cities in between, announced new routes Oct. 23.

According to GoBus manager and lead community outreach Rendell Stiles, GoBus is adding routes between Toledo to Cincinnati, Toledo to Columbus, Toledo to Ashtabula and Columbus to Pittsburgh. Stiles mentioned smaller community stops will have no smaller amount between urban stops.

“To summarize, we will be expanding from five routes to nine routes,” Stiles wrote in an email.

The expansion will extend routes to Western and Northern Ohio, including cities like Bowling Green, Fremont, Marion, Middletown, Oxford, Upper Sandusky and Yellow Springs.

The expansion is the result of a partnership between the HockingAthens-Perry Community Action Program, which administers the GoBus program as part of its Transportation Division, and the Ohio Department of Transportation.

According to a press release by ODOT, the GoBus expansion will “connect thousands more Ohioans to essential services, higher education and employment opportunities” through a bus service that connects 47 of Ohio’s 88 counties, with 32 university connections, 27 local transit connections and an estimated annual ridership of 153,000.

Stiles said GoBus is effectively doubling their service footprint.

The project will be funded primarily by

the federal Intercity Bus Program and administered by ODOT in collaboration with HAPCAP.

“It’s money that comes from the FTA to ODOT, which we then pass through to our subrecipient Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action, who then hires a contractor to provide the service there for that,” Alex Ewers, the federal grants manager at ODOT’s Office of Transit, said.

Local governments will also contribute funds to the project.

“That money is being matched with various sources of local and in-kind match … but it’s federal dollars that are allowing this to happen,” Ewers said.

While there is no official opening date yet for the routes, service will likely begin this spring, Ewers said.

Currently, GoBus directly connects Athens to Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, making 64% of Ohio’s population within 10 miles of a stop and

93% within 25 miles of any bus stop, including Greyhound and FlixBus.

GoBus serves as a lifeline for underserved communities around the state.

“GoBus serves to connect rural and underserved communities with larger urban centers (and vice-versa), and to create connections with the greater national Intercity Bus Network, further providing Ohioans accessibility to transit options reaching beyond Ohio,” Stiles wrote in an email. “Our schedules operate 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays, and our fares begin at under $10.”

The service is well-known in Athens and elsewhere in the state for its university connections, with stops at or near several college campuses statewide.

“College students account for a considerable portion of our total ridership, so being well-established in

A GoBus loads passengers and baggage at the close of the fall semester. This spring, four new GoBus routes will connect to Toledo, Pittsburgh, and several other cities.

college towns, such as Athens, is a top priority for us,” Stiles wrote in an email.

According to their website, all buses are wheelchair accessible and lower themselves at stops to make boarding easier. Drivers are trained to assist with boarding and de-boarding, including the use of the lift, wheeled mobility devices, including storing and handling, oxygen, respirators, medicine, personal care assistants and service animals.

Overall, the project will be an asset for all Ohioans along the routes, according to Ewers.

“I just think this will be a good thing here to expand service and allow more Ohioans the opportunity to travel here on the intercity bus service and serve more parts of the state with everything,” Ewers said. “So I think it’ll be a good thing to have this happen.”

smaller PFAS called TFA, or trifluoroacetic

The Ohio University golf course along the Hocking River, Jan. 18, 2026, in Athens.

(MEGAN VANVLACK | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

(ALEX PASSERO | FOR THE POST)

Chelsea’s Real Food delivers locally sourced, healthy meals

Every Monday, Chelsea Hindenach releases her weekly menu of glutenfree, locally sourced meals to her Facebook page. Customers place orders and pick up dinner from her Thursdays at Kindred Market. Saturdays, she parks her truck at the Athens Farmers Market, where the line starts forming before she’s even ready.

Hindenach has been in Athens since 2001, long enough to call it home. Now she runs Chelsea’s Real Food, a gluten and dairy-free food truck that serves sandwiches, baked goods and ready-to-eat meals from a full-service kitchen built into a mobile trailer. Everything from imitation butter to bread is made from scratch.

Hindenach said she grew up in Findlay with allergies and a family that let her experiment in the kitchen.

“I would make awful things, and then they would eat it anyway,” Hindenach said.

Hindenach said she also studied massage therapy, but her passion was always cooking with whole foods and locally sourced ingredients.

Hindenach worked at Crumbs Bakery and the Village Bakery in Athens, experimenting with gluten-free baking before she knew why it truly mattered to her.

It wasn’t until years later, she said, when working as a personal chef for a family with severe dietary restrictions, that she realized her own gluten intolerance was celiac-level, serious enough that working in a traditional kitchen had become impossible.

When that family moved away, Hindenach said she contemplated what was next. She couldn’t work in restaurants anymore, and she wanted to work for those who truly needed it.

“I just wanted to cook my food for nice people,” Hindenach said.

The local health department suggested looking into a mobile kitchen. She said the farmers’ market, where she already knew the farmers and loved the scenery, made sense for her business.

The Athens Farmers Market has been a regular spot for Hindenach since she moved to town, bringing her kids, feeding the farmers and building relationships with locals. She said when she started thinking about a mobile kitchen, sourcing her ingredients from the local market was the obvious choice.

“That was my first thought, if I had a mobile … I could make soup from the local food at the farmers market,” Hindenach said. “That would be amazing.”

She took the advice from the health department and developed a business plan, but hit a roadblock when banks showed no interest in the idea.

“The businesspeople said that it was a terrible idea,” Hindenach said. “It was too niche, and I shouldn’t bother doing it.”

Hindenach said she was not dissuaded; she turned to private

investors, five people who believed in her mission. In July 2013, Chelsea’s Real Food became official.

Hindenach is dedicated to sourcing all ingredients, including produce and protein, from local and clean farms, such as MoSo, Pasture Fowler, Sugar Butte, 9N and the OHIO Student Farm.

She said all of the animals used from those farms are pastured with non-GMO feed, producing clean and natural meat.

In alliance with her mission, everything on Hindenach’s menu, such as her sandwiches, soups and baked goods, makes for a transaction that stays in Athens with small farmers, not corporate distributors.

Hindenach’s trailer is not a typical food truck. She said most have a deep fryer and a couple burners, while hers is a full commercial kitchen with a full-size commercial freezer, a twodoor fridge, five sinks, a full-size convection oven, four burners and a steam tray.

During the pandemic, she said she added a prep kitchen and bakery space to her house, offering more capacity for her and her crew to cook.

In addition to her work at the truck, Hindenach still picks up massage therapy clients, keeps chickens and ducks and leads a fruitful family life.

She has seven employees who rotate through shifts, and one volunteer, Susan Gilfert, who helps prep during the week.

Gilfert volunteers every Wednesday morning, chopping vegetables and washing dishes. She said she began volunteering after seeing Hindenach’s help-wanted sign during COVID-19.

“I thought Chelsea has such a

wonderful mission,” Gilfert said. “She’s so supportive of local food and good food that is prepared in a thoughtful manner with the various support that she gives.”

Gilfert praised the way Hindenach actively seeks out local farmers, how everyone at the market knows each other and the network of support that includes organizations like Rural Action and ACEnet.

“Hooray for Rural Action, hooray for Chelsea’s Real Food, hooray for local business,” Gilfert said.

Robin Bowman, a long-time customer of Chelsea’s Real Food, said one of his favorite breakfast meals is Chelsea’s Deluxe Scrambled Eggs. He said Hindenach has a friendly demeanor.

“She’s very friendly, she’s someone that supports local food and makes very quality food … I’m a person that loves to support local businesses,” Bowman said.

Hindenach said her food costs are high due to the quality of her sourced ingredients. Sandwiches at the farmers’ market cost between $8 to $10. Full dinners for her Thursday meal service cost $18 to $19.

“It truly is an honor to me to get to feed all these wonderful people,” Hindenach said. “To have that trust of people to allow me to feed them really means a lot to me. I love that, and that’s what keeps us doing what we’re doing. We have the happiest customers that I know.”

AD937421@OHIO.EDU @AARONNDICK

AARON DICK | FOR THE POST

Rise and Grind opens new location on Stimson Avenue

KAITLIN HOGG NEWS STAFF WRITER

Rise and Grind, the bright blue coffee truck on the corner of Court and Union Streets, has expanded. The business now has a brick-and-mortar location at 23 E. Stimson Ave. that opened Jan. 8.

Owner Brandon Buckley said he originally had “zero interest” in expanding into a storefront, but the opportunity fell into his lap and was too good to pass up. Buckley also owns a pizza food truck, A-Town Pies and Fries.

“I didn’t have to do any plumbing or electric,” Buckley said. “Everything was already set up for a coffee shop, the bathrooms, the floor. We just had to do some cosmetic changes. I would have been dumb not to do the move.”

The Rise and Grind coffee truck has been around since 2023, meaning Buckley already had fans and supporters when he opened the storefront.

Angie and Chris Pyle, owners of Donkey Coffee on Washington Street, stopped by the shop to try out the pastries and bring flowers to celebrate the one-week milestone.

“I really like Brandon,” Angie Pyle said. “He’s been coming to Donkey for a long time. He’s very friendly. Anyone opening a small business is insane in a small town. I just like to support anyone who opens a small business.”

Angie and Chris Pyle also said the Stimson Avenue location is easier for them to access as Athens residents because it has a parking lot and indoor seating.

Buckley said prices at the store are comparable to prices at the truck, though drinks are roughly 25 cents more expensive. He said the slight increase accounts

for rent and rising costs, adding that the coffee tariffs are “really hurting us.”

“My normal coffee order per week was about $420 a week and now it’s $915 a week, so I’m trying to weather the storm a little bit, not really pass that on and try to keep people coming in,” Buckley said.

Buckley also highlighted the many local businesses and artists who contributed to the shop. Jackie O’s Bakeshop goods are served at the coffee shop, which Buckley described as “a good partner relationship without being in business together.”

Local artist and Ohio University student Ryan Steere created the space-themed art wall. The shop proudly serves Dirty Girl Coffee, uses milk from Memory Lane and features branding by Tim Martin, owner of Red Tail Design Company, who designed the logos, cups, signs and menus, and even branded the logos onto the tables.

The menu at the store is currently identical to the truck’s, but Buckley said new additions are coming.

“We’ll be doing frappés, different types of drip coffees, different roasts,” Buckley said. “Down here is definitely more of the hot lattes than it is uptown with the iced lattes.”

Buckley said his vision for the new location was to create a comfortable, relaxing space where people can work, stay and chat. Every piece of furniture was hand-picked, from the sofas to the large chairs by the fireplace.

There are also plans to build an outdoor patio this summer.

“One thing that Athens lacks is really good outdoor seating for coffee,” Buckley said.

The storefront is currently open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week, though Buckley said those hours

will be reevaluated in a few months.

“We might go to 6:30 in the morning,” Buckley said. “Evening time, we’re hoping to see a little bit of study groups come in later. I’ve had a lot of people tell me it’s nice that they don’t have to go uptown. Those hours could go later, they could go earlier, right now for the next couple months we’ll be 7:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m.”

The shop’s location makes it easy to access without navigating traffic on East State or Court Streets. Buckley said more additions are planned in the future, including online ordering.

“We hope that they succeed because we need more local businesses like this,” Chris Pyle said.

KH303123@OHIO.EDU

Seniors deem spring semester ‘exciting, but sad’

With less than four months left in the semester, graduation is fast approaching for Ohio University seniors.

“I don’t know if I’m ready yet,” Aidan Kirk, a senior studying business analytics and marketing, said. “After spring break hits, I’ll be in the mindset of ready to walk across the stage. But until then, I’m trying to not focus on that yet, so I can really just enjoy being here and be present in the moment.”

Kirk knew when he started his undergraduate degree he would only have three years in Athens. It was his goal to graduate one year early.

Kirk said there are certainly parts of OU he will miss next year, but there are other things he is ready to say goodbye to.

“I am just ready to be done with all of the homework assignments and get into the job aspect of stuff,” Kirk said.

Kirk said after graduation, he is starting his career as an executive team lead for Target in Cincinnati.

Andrew Clabaugh, a senior studying electrical engineering, is also looking forward to entering the working world, as he will start a career with Integrated Solutions for Systems doing embedded systems development after graduation.

“I definitely feel like I am ready to graduate,” Clabaugh said. “I don’t have all the credits yet, which is why I’ve got this last semester here, but I think there’s been a lot of things that have been lining up and being put in place. I got a job and I got a place to live, and so it seems like a lot of things are lined up for me … I’m excited to get on a predictable schedule of actually working.”

For senior Maddy Lucas, who is also graduating early, homework assignments will not end post-grad. Lucas is studying environmental and plant biology and applying for graduate school at OU.

“I feel sad because I really enjoyed undergrad,” Lucas said. “Mostly, I’m going to miss my friends that are going away … I’m glad to stay in Athens, it feels safe. If I wasn’t going to grad school, I would say I’m not ready (for graduation) at all, because I just have more to learn. But I’m feeling okay, I’ll be ready when it’s time.”

Even if Clabaugh is ready to get away from school work, it doesn’t mean he is ready to leave everything about OU’s campus behind.

“Honestly, I kind of like walking to class,” Clabaugh said. “I feel like I don’t get much exercise, especially on Christmas break. I was sitting at home on Christmas break, and I was all cooped up, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I gotta walk.’ So I’m gonna miss walking around between the different classes, even though the walks are kind of far.”

The experience of living in a highly walkable city with

a close-knit community is one of Kirk’s favorite things, too.

“I’m going to miss the community, I think,” Kirk said. “You don’t ever really get the opportunity to live in this kind of community once you graduate again. You have your nine-to-five job and your friends, but you don’t get to live right next to your friends and just be able to go, ‘Hey, you want to go to the dining hall?’ (or) ‘Hey, you want to go to Chipotle?’”

For most seniors, spring semester is the beginning of the end, and leaving behind friends is not easy.

“I think it’s bittersweet,” Kirk said. “I mean, I’m excited to go work my job after college, but also you’re never going to be in an environment where you’re two minutes away from all of your friends ever again.”

Other seniors have already come to terms with the fact that their time in Athens is finally coming to an end.

“I feel like the real weight for me was when I was coming out of the summer,” Clabaugh said. “I was like, ‘OK, here’s my last school year.’ That is where it really hit me, and so now I’m kind of at peace with a lot of things.”

Undergraduate seniors are walking across the stage on May 2 with more than just a diploma. The college experience has taught seniors several lessons both in and out of the classroom.

“I’ve heard people say in high school that college doesn’t necessarily teach you everything about academics; it also teaches you just how to be a person,” Lucas said. “I think it really just has taught me how to be an adult, more than anything.”

These seniors had experiences during their time in undergrad that taught them valuable lessons and built their confidence.

“Look back on the choices that you’ve made and realize … you made a lot of choices in the past that are really hard … and so, walk with peace that you’ve already made hard choices and that you can make these (hard) choices with confidence,” Claubaugh said.

MARIA SAUNDERS FOR THE POST

ABBY DOENCH ASST ART DIRECTOR

ALLIE STEVENS FOR THE POST

Tend Space Art Center showcases ‘Caretaker’ exhibit

The five artists featured in the exhibit are Ohio University graduates who reconnected over their passion for art and expression.

FIONA PETTICREW

HUMAN INTEREST STAFF WRITER

“Caretaker” is a group exhibit featuring pieces from artists Chloe Sampson, Zelda Thayer-Hansen, Ellie Dale, Julia Weber and Isabella DeRose. The artists, all of whom received undergraduate degrees from Ohio University, share the story of growing as individuals and learning self-care.

The group exhibition is in the Tend Space Art Center, at 48 Converse St. in Chauncey, and is on display until Saturday. The facilitator of the gallery is Selena “Len” Loomis, who also runs the campus galleries at OU’s School of Art + Design.

Loomis, an OU alumnus, lives in the back of Tend Space and tries to display an exhibition every month with the help of their landlord.

Loomis curated the first exhibit, called “Tending Space,” in September. For “Caretaker,” Loomis said they sent out an open call for artists to showcase their pieces, as they wanted to ensure artists in the area are being recognised and celebrated.

“I already knew many of these artists just by being at the university for so long, but I was really excited for a bunch of them to come back because they all have graduated and have moved on to bigger and brighter (things),” Loomis said.

Loomis also said they were drawn to the artists’ descriptions in the applications, describing the use of mediums as “disturbing” but also “soft and beautiful.”

Weber, a graduate student studying arts administration, contributed three ceramic pieces for “Caretaker.” She said all three pieces were created during undergrad.

“In addition to being a journalism major, I spent a lot of time in studio art classes,” Weber said. “All three of those pieces were born out of really beneficial classes that I took in the College of Fine Arts. (They) opened my eyes to what I want my art to sort of be thinking through and to be engaging with.”

Weber said she and the other artists were friends throughout school, and they often collaborated and connected through their art. She said they always spoke about wanting to do something as a group.

“A lot of what our work is concerned with, in different capacities, is this idea of caretaking and sort of one’s responsibility to others and to themselves,” Weber said.

Weber said her ceramic pieces are hand-built, and she used local clay she foraged as an officer for Club Clay last year for one of her pieces. Most of the other materials she works with are organic, such as beeswax and fabric

dye sourced from walnuts.

“The pieces in this exhibition (represent) me navigating and negotiating this idea of how … I present myself in the world, and how can I cultivate relationships in a way that is meaningful and responsible and true to who I want to be?” Weber said.

Sampson is a graduate student studying art education, and had one piece in the show titled “self portrait.”

Sampson thought the exhibit was a great way to reconnect with friends who are busy with grad school and other work.

“Most of my work is about nature and human connection to nature, but the piece that I put in doesn’t really reflect that,” Sampson said. “It’s more of a reflection of how I felt during my early years of womanhood, how I felt navigating certain relationships that I’ve been in.”

Sampson’s piece is a hanging sculpture made from raw fleece she sourced from Etsy. She said she often explores animal agriculture, and wanted to compare how we treat sheep to how a girl navigates the world.

“As a young woman entering the world, I’ve felt like a sacrificial lamb,” Sampson said. “I feel that my innocence has often been sought after or preyed upon, and I wanted to make something that reflected my feelings of that.”

Thayer-Hansen studied studio art with a concentration in sculpture during undergrad. Thayer-Hansen contributed pieces reflecting their transgender identity, including photographs of a performance piece where they “tattooed lines” onto their chest that “reflected lines on a wall” behind them.

“That whole piece focuses around a perpetual habit of assuming others’ perceptions of you as your own identity,” Thayer-Hansen said. “(It’s) relating to my trans identity and acceptance of it, and how I’ve related external ideas of queerness and brought them into my own body and mind, and how that tattooing of it brings it full circle into my system.”

Dale is currently a student at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, pursuing her Master of Arts in psychology. She said this was the first time she showcased her art outside of classes, and contributed three pieces to reflect her love for Athens and Pittsburgh.

One of Dale’s pieces is a limb from a tree in her dad’s backyard in Pittsburgh.

“I love Athens so much (and) moving to Pittsburgh, it’s been a very hard shift, since a lot of my friends remain in Athens,” Dale said. “It’s kind of like when you first move somewhere new, and all your friends stay where you

were, you feel alone in that way, and you feel it’s kind of a hard shift.”

Loomis said it is a responsibility and privilege to support local artists, and Athens and Chauncey need more third spaces for artists.

“I knew that people wanted more space to exhibit work, but also do

kind of quirky things that might not be accepted at some of the more established institutions,” Loomis said. “I think I’m trying to wiggle into that little niche spot.”

FP074825@OHIO.EDU

ART PIECES PART OF THE CARETAKER EXHIBIT INSIDE OF THE TEND SPACE ART CENTER IN CHAUNCEY, OHIO, JAN. 17, 2026. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)

Wrestling: Bobcats fall to SIUE in Harry Houska recognition match

JACKSON HUXEL FOR THE POST

Ohio (4-2, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) hosted Southern Indiana University Edgarsville (8-1, 1-0 MAC) for Coach Harry Houska recognition night, where SIUE defeated the Bobcats 25-11.

Harry Houska was a three-time MAC champion wrestler and claimed runnerup in 1963 at 177 pounds. In 1964, he gained 14 pounds to wrestle at 191, where he took home the title for the Bobcats. He finished his career with a 76-3 record, with all three losses coming to NCAA National Champions.

He came back to Athens to become the third wrestling coach in team history after winning a gold medal in the 1967 Winnipeg Pan-American Games and placing fourth in the World Championships.

Over his 30-year tenure in Athens, he led Ohio to 11 MAC titles, seven consecutively from 1970 to 1976, along with three national Top 10 finishes in 1970, 1973 and 1997. He coached two national champions, 13 all-Americans, 69 individual MAC champions and was a five-time MAC Coach of the Year.

“He won 11 MAC championships and was a five-time MAC Coach of the Year,” Coach Joel Greenlee said. “It’s one of those things where you really have to honor your tradition and the people who were here before.”

Ohio fell behind quickly during Friday’s match, going down 13-0 after an amazing performance from redshirt junior Paul Woo, where he fought until the final whistle in a close 1-0 decision.

The Bobcats responded back with their first win of the night from redshirt junior Derek Raike. SIUE’s Hayden Whidden took the lead early with an escape before Raike responded with an explosive takedown to end the period. He extended his lead in the second with a quick escape. He denied Whidden of a tying takedown with a flexible spinning dodge, cutting the Cougar deficit to 13-3.

Redshirt junior Jack Lledo lost in a true fall of 15-0 to Brock Woodcock. Redshirt senior Garrett Thompson picked up their second win of the night. Thompson made

“If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.”

— Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan (R) 40th Presdent of the United States

“[…] since this is the last speech that I will give as President, I think it’s fitting to leave one final thought, an observation about a country which I love. It was stated best in a letter I received not long ago. A man wrote me and said: ‘You can go to live in France, but you cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and become an American.’

the first move, slashing down Dominic Lopez early.

He picked up another takedown and back point to give him a 7-0 lead going into the second period. Thompson escaped early before putting Lopez back on his back with 30 seconds to go in the period, giving him an 11-0 lead going into the final period. Lopez got on the board with a takedown late. Thompson grabbed the second win of the night for the Bobcats with a major decision of 13-3, cutting the Cougar lead down to 18-7.

Zayne Lehman wrestled Nick Nosler in the 197-pound weight class, where he won the Bobcats’ third match of the night. Lehman grabbed the lead late in the first period with a big takedown to give him a 3-0 lead going into the second period.

He extended his lead with an early escape. Lehman capitalized with a sliding takedown, extending his lead to 7-0 headed into the final period. Lehman added his third takedown of the night with a sliding throwdown, granting the Bobcats their third win of the night by a 12-0 major decision, cutting the SIUE lead to 21-11.

The night ended with Wyatt Schmitt battling Bryson Buhk. Buhk grabbed an early lead with a speed takedown, giving him a 3-0 lead at the end of the first.

Buhk picked up an escape as he finished the period with a 4-0 lead, headed into the final period.

Buhk added his second takedown of the match, sliding around Schmitt to secure the win for the Cougars by a decision of 7-0, giving SIUE the win by a score of 25-11.

“You’ve got to send 10 guys out there that are ready to wrestle,” Greenlee said. “I hope we are a little bent out of shape … I tell the guys I’m not big into winning and losing, but when you sit down after the match and say, ‘I wrestled as hard as I could,’ then what more can you do?”

“Yes, the torch of Lady Liberty symbolizes our freedom and represents our heritage, the compact with our parents, our grandparents, and our ancestors. It is that lady who gives us our great and special place in the world. For it’s the great life force of each generation of new Americans that guarantees that America’s triumph shall continue unsurpassed into the next century and beyond. Other countries may seek to compete with us; but in one vital area, as a beacon of freedom and opportunity that draws the people of the world, no country on Earth comes close.

“This, I believe, is one of the most important sources of America’s greatness. We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people — our strength — from every country and every corner of the world. And by doing so we continuously renew and enrich our nation. While other countries cling to the stale past, here in America we breathe life into dreams. We create the future, and the world follows us into tomorrow. Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we’re a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier. This quality is vital to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.”

Ralph Nader’s father, Nathra, was a strong believer in free speech. In the small town where he ran a restaurant, people said that a nickel would buy you 10 minutes of talk about politics in addition to a cup of coffee. Sometimes, people advised Nathra that he could make more money if he didn’t talk about politics and his opinions so much. Nathra, who had immigrated to the United States from Lebanon at age 19, always replied, “When I sailed past the Statue of Liberty, I took it seriously.” Occasionally, a customer might take an “America: Love It or Leave It” approach. Nathra would then ask, “Do you love your country?” The answer would come back, “You’re damn right I do.” Nathra would then say, “Well, why don’t you spend time improving it?” Ralph’s mother, Rose, took the same approach with her children. For example, she would ask, “Ralph, do you love your country?” He would reply that he did. She would then say, “Well, I hope when you grow up, you’ll work hard to make it more lovable.”

Source: Ronald Reagan, “Remarks at the Presentation Ceremony for the Presidential Medal of Freedom.” 19 January 1989.

Source: Ralph Nader, The Seventeen Traditions (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2007), pp. 122-123, 126.

JH269721@OHIO.EDU

Ohio University’s Jordan Greer wrestling against Central Michigan, Feb. 2, 2025 at the Convo in Athens. (AMBERLEE GLADWELL | FOR THE POST) Advertisement paid for by David Bruce. Anecdote retold in his own

Ohio dominates Bowling Green, seniors show out in final home meet Swimming & Diving:

CAMERON CREGO FOR THE POST

In their final home meet of the season, Ohio (4-0 MidAmerican Conference) faced off against Bowling Green (2–1 MAC) on Friday, dominating the Falcons 244-56 and winning all 16 events while claiming 43 of 48 podium spots. The Bobcats were able to dominate Bowling Green, taking home a 244-56 win, winning all 16 events and claiming 43 of 48 podium spots.

As part of the meet, Ohio also honored its seven seniors, who played a significant role in the team’s win.

Casadie DiBetta, one of the recognized seniors, took home several first-place swims in the 100- and 200- yard breaststroke, and was also a part of the winning 200-yard medley relay, alongside Lily Baumgartner, the all-American Zita Szoke and Tori Wittenberg.

Emily Ellsworth, also a senior, was a key contributor Friday, finishing second to DiBetta in both breaststroke events and placing second in the 100-yard individual medley. Ellsworth was also part of the second-place medley relay team alongside fellow senior Allison Schrank, sophomore Jordan Claypoole of Parkersburg South and Katie Buroker.

Schrank finished fourth in the 100-yard backstroke and third in the 100-yard butterfly. Schrank competed in the 200-yard freestyle relay with fellow seniors Peyton Binns, Anna McGrath and Morgan Brown, where they finished fourth. McGrath took home a win in the 500-yard freestyle and a second-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle. Brown finished third in the 100-yard IM.

One Bobcats’ senior diver, Stephanie Balthaser, placed fourth and seventh, respectively, in the 1- and 3-meter diving.

The non-seniors also played a considerable role in the Bobcats’ big win. Astrid Pichardo, the junior diver, won the 3-meter competition and placed second in the 1-meter to Ohio’s Bella Basford, a junior from Cincinnati.

Szoke continued her dominance, winning all four of her events as she took home first place finishes in the 200-yard medley relay, 50- and 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle relay alongside Tori Wittenberg, Jordan Claypoole and Katie Buroker. Wittenberg finished in second behind Szoke in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle. Claypoole finished first in the 100-yard butterfly and third in the 50-yard freestyle. Buroker finished third in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle.

Ashley Sallows won the 1000-yard freestyle, Katrina Kollin won the 200-yard freestyle, Jana Macik won the 200-yard butterfly, Lily Baumgartner won the 100-yard butterfly, Juliana Slaninka won the 200-yard backstroke and Juliette Daigneault won the 100-yard IM.

While it was senior day, the plethora of swimmers that weren’t celebrated played a huge role in getting the dominant win over the Falcons in the home water.

With just one regular season meet remaining, Ohio sits at 4-0, including wins against MAC opponents Buffalo, Ball State and now Bowling Green. The wins are notable as they suggest the Bobcats will perform strongly at the upcoming MAC Championship and potentially claim their first MAC title since 2011.

The Bobcats will travel to Akron to face the reigning MAC champion Zips in a dual meet on Jan. 30 and 31. This meet will be their final regular season competition before the MAC Championship, Feb. 25-28.

At Akron - Jan 30 (5 p.m.) At Akron -Jan 31 (10 a.m.) At Mid American Confrence Championships -Feb 25 - Feb 28

At NCAA Zone C Diving Championships -March 11 - March 13

CSCAA National Invitational -swim only - March 13 - March 14

NCAA Championships - March 18 - March 21

TOP: The Ohio University swim team competes against Bowling Green on Jan. 16, 2026, at the Aquatic Center.

(MASON MARTINA | FOR THE POST)

TOP: Diver, Stephanie Balthaser, competes against Bowling Green on Jan. 16, 2026, at the Aquatic Center in Athens.

(MASON MARTINA | FOR THE POST)

Ohio climbs the MAC with win against Northern Illinois

Ohio Women’s Basketball (11-5, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) defeated Northern Illinois (3-14 overall, 1-5 MAC) by a score of 66-62. The game was sloppy on the Bobcats’ end, with the team shooting 13% in the first quarter. The team was able to power through with defense, as that side of the ball is what really stood out in this game for Ohio.

“I’m happy that we won. It was a game that we had to grind out,” Ohio head coach Bob Boldon said. “You have to try to create some energy.”

That energy was not there for Ohio’s offense in the first quarter. It was very rough for the Bobcats, as despite attempting 15 shots, only two of them went in. Out of those 15 shots, 12 of them were from three-point range.

Defense was what kept Ohio in this first quarter. The Bobcats were able to force numerous turnovers and prevent the Huskies from scoring too many points. Despite the poor shooting from Ohio, the first quarter ended with a score of 11-9, Northern Illinois in the lead.

“We agree to be more aggressive," Ohio sophomore Danni Scully said. “Like the past couple of games, we were struggling defensively, and that's one thing we pride ourselves on. Our offense is going to flow through our defense.”

The second quarter was much more potent for the Bobcats, as the offense truly came alive. The team didn’t live or die by the three-pointer and threw in a mix of shot attempts. Ohio freshman ReRe Jennings started to also come alive in this quarter, scoring a few layups and a three-pointer. The defense also didn’t let up, continuing to pressure Northern Illinois.

The culmination of all of this was an Ohio lead of 31-22 at halftime. In what was a major improvement for Ohio, they shot 60% from the field in this quarter, helped a lot by the immense amount of paint scores.

“I was just playing my game," Jennings said. “They think I’m going to go to the rack, but sometimes I’ll shoot a three.”

The third quarter was once again a struggle for Ohio. Many self-inflicted turnovers prevented Ohio from getting any momentum, and Northern Illinois suddenly found its shot. Northern Illinois canned 50% of its three pointers, keeping the score close for the entire quarter.

Ohio’s defense also started to tire out, and it was noticeable, as Northern Illinois was able to get its most shots in a quarter into the game. Northern Illinois quickly took what was a 9-point Ohio lead and turned it into a 1-point lead toward the latter end of the quarter. By the end of the quarter, Ohio only managed to hold onto a five-point lead, with the Northern Illinois offense starting to seem unstoppable.

“We were a little bit late on our switches," Boldon said. “Our communication wasn’t as good as it was in the first half.”

Despite a sloppy start to the second half, Ohio was able to rally and hold on. Bailey Tabeling started to heat up in this quarter, draining two early threes to help keep the Bobcat lead. Ohio’s defense continued to hold up in this quarter, forcing turnovers from Northern Illinois.

Ohio managed to hold around a 5-point lead for most of the quarter, and despite Northern Illinois hitting a late three and Ohio missing four free throws at the end, the Bobcats were able to hold on. Despite the win, Ohio committed 16 turnovers, continuing to show one of its biggest struggles.

“There's a negative side that you can just complain about turnovers, but the positive side is that we can fix the turnover situation,” Boldon said. “We can get five or six more shots a game.”

With this win against Northern Illinois, Ohio stays in fourth place in the MAC and will continue MAC play on the road against Bowling Green.

BG326422@OHIO.EDU

Defensive aggression led Ohio to a win over Northern Illinois

Ohio Women’s Basketball (11-5 overall, 5-1 MidAmerican Conference) strong defense paved the way for its close win over Northern Illinois (3-14 overall, 1-5 MAC), and can only be described with one word: aggressive.

The Bobcats played in their sixth conference game of the season Saturday, taking on the Huskies while trying to defend The Convo. Despite the Huskies keeping the game close for a while and even taking the lead at times, the Bobcats had momentum throughout most of the game.

Ohio slowly started the game offensively, shooting 2 for 15 from the field in the first quarter. These early shooting problems gave the Huskies an easy path to taking a big lead, but the Bobcats' defense stepped up to make sure the game didn’t get out of hand. Ohio forced seven turnovers and recorded four steals in the first quarter alone.

Due to these efforts from the defense, the Bobcats only trailed Northern Illinois 11-9 at the end of the first quarter.

“I think defensively, we’re able to keep ourselves in it and give ourselves a chance,” Bob Bolden, Ohio’s head coach, said when asked about the importance of his first-quarter defense.

After an offensive adjustment from Ohio, both sides of the ball started harmonizing. The defense forced another seven turnovers, had three steals and a block. On top of all of that, they only allowed 11 points in the second frame.

“We all agreed to be more aggressive,” Danni Scully, sophomore forward, said when asked about the defense's game plan. “The past couple of games, we were struggling defensively, and that’s one of the things we pride ourselves on.”

Ohio’s aggression led it to a phenomenal second quarter, ending the first half up by eight, 31-22

The second half saw Ohio’s defense slow down as the Huskies tried to mount a comeback. The defense only forced two turnovers and one steal. It didn’t help that Northern Illinois was making every shot.

One of the few struggles for the defense this season is their inability to get defensive rebounds.

The Bobcats have struggled with it all season; however, Dani Scully played with aggression on the boards to get much-needed defensive rebounds to help her defense. She recorded six defensive rebounds, which helped give her defense a lot of much-needed momentum. “Yesterday, Coach Bolden showed us film, and one thing I needed to work on was defensive rebounds,” Scully said. “So that was one thing I was really aggressive on.”

The Bobcats' defense closed out the final quarter well by forcing five turnovers to go along with three steals and a block.

The defense had a rough stretch to start the second half, but their ability to recover and close out the game strongly is what makes them so special. They ended the game with 11 steals, two blocks and forced 24 turnovers in the 66-62 win over Northern Illinois.

LD415422@OHIO.EDU

BRANDON GROSS SPORTS STAFF WRITER

LONDON DEMARCO FOR THE POST

Guard Bella Ranallo (3) during the Bobcats game against UIC, Dec. 5, 2025. The Bobcats beat

The Convo. (JOHN FOUSS | FOR THE POST)

New generation of actors reach audiences in novel way

RUBY JOHNSON FOR THE POST

With awards season in full force, new faces have appeared in nomination lineups. Many of these celebrities are younger, offering more relatable role models while giving viewers breathtaking performances.

In 2025 Owen Cooper, the 15-year-old star of Netflix’s “Adolescence,” made headlines for his performance in the limited series. His performance has reflected this year’s awards season, as he has already won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Male Actor. The show has been lauded creatively for it’s one-shot, nearly hour-long episodes. Cooper’s acting shone throughout.

Most notable was a scene between Cooper’s character, Jamie Miller, and a psychologist, Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty). In the scene, tensions rise when Miller is questioned about his involvement in the murder of a young girl. Miller begins to scream at Ariston and has to be dragged out of the room. Once he’s gone the attention is placed on Ariston, hyperventilating and trying to compose herself.

“It’s so intense,” Doherty said in an interview with Netflix. “But also, to really like, provoke that in someone else is a big ask.”

Though both actors made this scene remarkable, Cooper’s powerful portrayal of an angry, pent-up teenage boy who’s been accused of murder throughout the series is what stays with viewers.

“What a talent-natural, captivating, and truly remarkable,” one IMDB user wrote about Cooper’s performance. “An amazing start to what will hopefully be a long and successful career on screen.”

Cooper isn’t the only young actor making themself known right now. The 19-year-old actress McKenna Grace has been in the industry since 2013. Since then, she’s been credited in countless films and TV programs,

including “I, Tonya,” “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” and “Young Sheldon.”

Grace, although gaining more traction due to her upcoming role of Maysilee Donner in “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” has always been credited for her talent.

“Eleven-year-old Mckenna Grace demonstrates why she is one of the most frequently seen young actresses in the young role parts,” one IMDB’s review of “Gifted” reads.

Social media has been a driving source for Cooper and Grace’s rise to popularity. Many young actors are constantly online, either posting, commenting or engaging with fans.

Teen actors such as Grace and Walker Scobell, star of Disney’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” TV series, post consistently, promoting themselves, their work, behind-the-scenes content or their everyday lives.

In fact, a good portion of Grace’s TikTok account follows trends or includes humor built for younger generations. This authenticity keeps followers engaged and has kept Grace in the center of conversation and praise.

Social media users have sung the praise of many celebrities for their authenticity, many being vocal about their opinions. For example, Renee Rapp, who posted a carousel of pictures to her Instagram, captioned “her lack of media training is outrageous.”

Many users applaud her choice, but some older internet users say this is a lack of respect and rude.

“But I feel like you should want to have some level of professionalism … It feels like she’s trying way too hard to be ‘authentic’ in all of her interviews, but she sounds more like a wannabe edgy teenager,” one Reddit user wrote.

Some people even claim that this “act” points to her being insecure or even not actually caring about the industry.

We’re living in a moment where everything is fresh, discussed and broadcast, which may be why the world is invested in younger celebrities. Though some who grew up with differing societal norms may not be able to accept this as graciously as it seems Generation Z has.

This same phenomenon, new trends critiqued for being different, has been around for generations. When something new is introduced, there will be groups that love it and groups that hate it. In fact, stories we consider classics now, like Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” were pushed aside when they first came out.

“Just the omission of Jane Austen’s books alone would make a fairly good library out of a library that hadn’t had a book in it,” writer Mark Twain said regarding “Pride and Prejudice.”

Even with criticism, these actors and stars are rising in notoriety. The industry hasn’t always been kind to new faces, but it seems like this new generation has no issue with reshaping what the industry is defined as. It seems their careers will continue to blossom into something viewers enjoy.

Awards shows trailblaze 2026 fashion trends

NYLA GILBERT ASST. ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

With the 2026 Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards passed, it would seem that the first staples of 2026’s fashion trends have been shown. From molten gold and cobalt blue to deep colors and sleek, wave-like silhouettes accompanied by statement diamonds, these trends are taking over the award show fashion scene.

Achromatic fashion is back with a vengeance. One of the trends at this year’s Golden Globes was the colors black and white. Nearly half of this year’s most noticeable looks were a range of black, white and grays.

Zoey Deutch stunned in a long, modern 1920s-inspired flapper dress created by Prada. The low V-cut white dress was embroidered with black beading and sequins in a belt-like shape, featuring rows of sequins that dangled.

Teyana Taylor appeared elegantly powerful in a black draped dress created by Schiaparelli. The actor took home the Golden Globe for Best Female Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for “One Battle After Another,” wearing the stunning wrap dress.

The dress wrapped around her entire body, leading to a piece of fabric hanging from her neck, appearing as a dupatta. The back of the dress included a cutout at the top of her waist decorated with a blinged-out bow.

Taylor’s co-star, Chase Infiniti, attended the Golden Globes in a stunning, embellished silver and chrome corseted dress. The corset cinched the actor’s waist to flow out into an umbrella-like shape. The corset appears as a mirror mosaic piece, overhanging the actor’s waist, with the bottom of the dress being a black velvet fitand-flare skirt.

Infiniti’s outfit showcased another trend amongst fashionable red-carpet walkers: metallic colors.

“Molten Gold” should be on any fashion goer’s list of trending colors. Elle Fanning appeared at the Critics’

Choice Awards in a vintage Ralph Lauren Fall 2003 dress. The dress appears as an almost beaded chainmail material, giving it a shiny metallic finish.

“Fallout” and “The White Lotus” actor Walton Goggins got the hint of this latest color trend, wearing black dress pants and a jacket, with a molten gold shirt. Goggins was one of many male actors to spark fashion fire on the red carpet this award season.

“Heated Rivalry” co-stars

Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie made their Golden Globes debut in true heated fashion. Storrie looked sleek in a modern Ralph Lauren look with a classic black tux, white button-down and a silk black tie. The look all ties together with the incorporation of Tiffany & Co. accessories, including sunglasses and Tiffany’s “Bird on a Rock” brooch.

Williams coordinated with his co-star in a Giorgio Armani white lapel dinner jacket, white silk grosgraintrimmed shirt, black dress pants and a white grosgrain cummerband. Accessorising the outfit with jewels from Bulgari, including a diamond snake necklace.

Brooches are seemingly coming back into fashion, with many of this year’s award attendees sporting the fashion accessory. Patrick Schwarzenegger hopped on the brooch train wearing a double-breasted tuxedo, with a nipped-in waist by Dolce & Gabbana, matched with satin lapels and wide-legged dress pants. Included in this look is a gold-diamond-encrusted brooch also created by Dolce & Gabbana.

Those who didn’t join in on the achromatic fashion trend set the tone for wearing warmer, earthier colors. For those who love color analysis, 2026 is looking to a summer-fall color season. Bright oranges, dark greens, teals, oak-like browns and muted-pastel cool colors are all in rotation this award season, also including the occasional pastel and hot pink.

Patterns also made an appearance with the likes of Jennifer “J.Lo” Lopez, Zoe Kravitz, Jennifer Lawrence, EJAE, Poppy Liu and Sarah Snook, all stunned in floral and scalloped laces and embroidery.

This award season is expected to continue on its focus on molten metallics, “dazzling silvers,” feathers, achromatic scaling, deep V’s and brooches.

ALAINA DACKERMANN | DIRECTOR OF DESIGN

Disney’s live-action ‘Tangled’ is happening

EMILY FRANK FOR THE POST

After a lengthy search, Disney announced it has officially cast Teagan Croft as Rapunzel and Milo Manheim as Flynn Rider in the upcoming liveaction “Tangled” remake.

This is not Croft’s first time bringing a beloved purple-themed character to live action, as she played Rachel Roth, or Raven, in “Titans” (2018). The show put the Titans in a grittier environment, especially compared to the cartoon “Teen Titans Go!” The show premiered on the shortly-lived DC Universe streaming platform before moving to HBO Max.

Manheim, on the other hand, has been a Disney kid from the start. He is most known for starring as Zed Necrodopolis in Disney’s “Zombies” franchise; he also starred in the 2023 Disney film “Prom Pact” as well as the second season of “Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.” Manheim also currently plays Wally Clark on Paramount’s “School Spirits.” Season three of “School Spirits” is set to premiere Jan. 28.

However, “Tangled” is not complete without Mother Gothel. Despite rumors Kathryn Hahn is in talks to play the wicked stepmother figure, nothing has been confirmed yet.

The film will be directed by Michael Gracey, who is best known for directing “The Greatest Showman” (2017). He also directed “Better Man,” as well as the music video for Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten.”

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is in charge of revamping the original “Tangled” (2010) for the live-action production. Robinson’s most popular works include “Thor: Love and Thunder,” “Do Revenge” and “Someone Great.”

Although many fans seem excited about the casting, many aren’t. Of course, as with all announcements of Disney making live-action versions of their animated classics, people want to know why Disney feels the need to keep producing the same stories repeatedly instead of producing something new.

When Disney first announced production for a live-action retelling of “Cinderella” in 2013, the filmmakers pushed the narrative of wanting to “make

her stronger, less passive.” This became a pattern with its various live-action princess movies. “Tangled” never had that problem, so many fans are left wondering what new aspect of the story there is to tell.

There is also a group of fans who are upset about Croft’s eyes being blue instead of green because they feel there isn’t much green-eyed princess representation. This is especially interesting given the controversial, yet viral conversation in 2024 that Indian American actress Avantika would make a good Rapunzel.

Despite the casting not being real, this event seemed to rehash a lot of the conversations people had about Halle Bailey and her role in “The Little Mermaid” (2023). Some people were against the idea of a Black woman playing a character who was originally white. While others were really excited about the representation, some people didn’t care at all.

The biggest difference is Avantika was never even actually cast in the role of Rapunzel. She was just a fancast, yet extremely negative backlash was thrown her way.

Fancasting seems to be another reason people dislike Croft and Manheim’s casting. Fans had certain actors in mind to play the roles for so long that they felt let down when the casting was announced.

Some of the most common names thrown around by fans discussing their ideal Rapunzel are Florence Pugh, Ruby Rose Turner, Mckenna Grace and Manheim’s “Zombies” costar Meg Donnelly.

Meanwhile, besides Manheim, who actually was a pretty popular fancast for Flynn Rider, some of the other often mentioned names include Avan Jogia, Charlie Gillespie and some fans even wanted Ruby Cruz to play the role.

Other fans are just excited that Croft and Manheim are relatively fresh faces. Though there is no official release date yet, many fans are already getting excited to watch Rapunzel’s life begin again.

Tangled staring, Zachary Levi, Ron Perlman, Jeffrey Tambor, Richard Kiel, M.C. Gainey, Mandy Moore, Paul F. Tompkins, Brad Garrett, Donna Murphy. © 2026 Disney and its related entities.

Jack of All Takes | My Top 5 2026 NBA draft prospects

JACK MULDOWNEY FOR THE POST

This June, the NBA will welcome a talented crop of prospects. The 2026 draft class is filled with prospects from one of the most loaded college freshman classes in years. Each NBA team has different reasons for drafting players. While there is no official list of top-ranked players for the draft, rankings from ESPN, NBAdraft.net or Bleacher Report predict the same three prospects: Darryn Peterson from the University of Kansas, Duke University’s Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa from Brigham Young University. The most talented and who will be taken first out of these three is highly contested. I have struggled with ranking these three, but I understand it now and even have my own personal top five.

1: Darryn Peterson - 22.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game Peterson has “NBA star” written all over him. His pure shot-making ability from all over the court and pro-level poise that he possesses as a 6-foot-6inch guard are sure to translate to the NBA. While the other two of the “big three” prospects display weaknesses that concern scouts, Peterson has shown no holes in his game.

Lingering hamstring cramps have sidelined him from nine of Kansas’ 18 games, but he is nursing to full health, and the hamstring is no long-term worry. The game comes easily to Peterson, especially this past Friday against Baylor, when he scored 26 points in only 23 minutes while missing just two shots.

2: AJ Dybantsa - 22.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists per game.

BYU’s freshman forward Dybantsa has impressed on one of the nation’s top teams. His blend of size, skill and high-level playmaking on both offense and defense is pro-caliber. However, Dybantsa’s 3-point shot is inconsistent, and that has been an issue at times, making his game feel slightly incomplete.

The potential is always on full display for Dybantsa, and I am sure he will become a star; however, the way he uses his 6-foot-10-inch frame to bully college defenders and get easy baskets around the rim will not translate to the NBA as easily as Peterson’s playstyle will. That is what bumped Dybantsa to #2 for me.

3: Cameron Boozer - 23.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists per game.

Boozer, Duke’s anchor, is the nation’s third leading scorer and also ranks in the top 20 in rebounding. He

stands at just 6-feet-9-inches, but his constant physicality and drive make him look like the biggest guy on the court at all times. Boozer’s low-post presence attracts so much gravity from defenses, and that has led to him showing how skilled and willing a passer he is. That blend of scoring prowess with the ability to create for others makes Boozer a winner and a very safe draft pick.

Boozer falls at the bottom of the big three because of his lack of versatility compared to both Peterson and Dybantsa. That’s no knock on him; it simply means that their upsides are higher due to their abilities to score off the dribble at a higher rate, a skill that is rampant throughout the NBA.

4: Caleb Wilson: 19.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists per game.

Wilson has been the heart of the North Carolina Tar Heels this season. His athleticism is almost unheard of, with several highlight reel dunks already this season. He is a highenergy defender who blocks 1.4 shots per game, deterring opponents from even testing him around the rim.

The offense is a work in progress, but Wilson is a confident player who finishes at the rim efficiently and rebounds with a passion. Wilson is a consistent jump shot away from entering top-three conversations, and

I believe he can be very productive at the next level.

5: Kingston Flemings: 15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists per game.

The Houston Cougars point guard, Flemings, is wise beyond his years for a freshman. He is an extremely calm player who makes big-time shots nightly. He scored 23 points earlier this season in a big-time win against #14-ranked Texas Tech while leading the charge late-game. Flemings can score from anywhere on the court and is also a high-level playmaker for his teammates.

He is a capable 3-point shooter, but I would love to see him take more attempts from there as the season progresses. A fully-developed 3-point shot will make Flemings nearly unstoppable.

It has been five years since we have had a legit NBA prospect here at Ohio University, when the great Jason Preston led the Bobcats to a March Madness berth before being selected 33rd overall in the 2021 draft. How awesome would it be to have another star prospect on campus?

We can hope that one of our guys, like Jackson Paveletzke, can replicate that and earn a draft selection, but the 2026 NBA draft will be one for the ages, especially with these top players.

Pen to the Point | Stop adding caffeine to everything

DREW HOFFMASTER FOR THE POST

Sixty milligrams of caffeine.

This is the amount of caffeine in Spylt, a caffeine and protein milk that is sold on Amazon and in thousands of grocery stores.

Whenever I go to pick up an energy boost, I always grab an espresso drink, soda or energy drink; milk has never been on my list. It makes no sense to add caffeine to milk because the drink is mainly viewed for kids.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, too much caffeine consumption can lead to negative effects, such as increased heart rate, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, insomnia, anxiety, jitters, upset stomach, nausea and headaches. The FDA classifies 400 milligrams as too much caffeine.

As an educated, adult caffeine consumer, I make sure not to surpass this amount in a day and try to stay around 200 milligrams max. However, most children and teenagers who consume caffeine do not even consider this risk or number.

This is why the advertisements behind these products, especially the items that unnecessarily add caffeine, are problematic. According to a report from Innova Market Insights, energy drinks try to appeal

to people by marketing more than just energy. Often these caffeinated drinks are paired with brain support, performance enhancements, increased hydration and increasing beauty.

To a younger audience, these benefits sound particularly enticing. They did to me when I was younger. I first started drinking caffeine because I was going through a rough time mentally, starting to work out and feeling like I needed more energy. My first highly caffeinated drink was Charged Lemonade. It seemed appealing to me because it was able to provide the energy I felt I needed at the time.

Since my first introduction to caffeine, more and more products are including caffeine in items that don’t need it. Gatorade has introduced energy chews, Liquid Death and Arizona added energy drinks. I believe all of these products and more do not need to have caffeine in them.

More and more beverages include unnecessary caffeine, and their marketing methods are geared toward younger audiences. This highlights the problem our society is experiencing with high caffeine usage among kids.

A report by The OUTLIVE Lab found if products use colorful and eye-catching images, it attracts children. This is because it seems fun and emotionally appealing to them.

Looking at Spylt’s Strawberry Milk, for example, the can is bright pink with smooth, curvy letters. This design falls in line with what is appealing to children, according to OUTLIVE.

In addition, most caffeinated products have warning labels or caffeine amounts included; however, they are usually placed out of the way or purposely made to be tiny, making it tougher for kids to see. For example, Ghost Energy places its warning label near the top of the can in a tiny box that can be easily missed.

According to a report from the Center of Disease Control, 30 to 50% of adolescents are reported to consume energy drinks. In my opinion, all of these marketing tactics are where this number comes from. The influx of younger users of caffeine is also why many products are beginning to add unnecessary amounts of the stimulant to their products. If younger audiences are buying more caffeine, adding unnecessary amounts is just another untapped way of making more money.

A summary from Grand View Research valued the energy drink industry at $79.39 billion and expects it to grow to $125.11 billion by 2030. There is a lot of money in this industry and a large number of young consumers to target. It makes sense that these multimillion-dollar companies are trying to take a slice

of the pie. They just want to grow like every other company.

I am a consumer of energy drinks, especially Ghost Energy and Monster Energy, who both acknowledge the possible health effects; however, by putting caffeine into too many products, it increases the likelihood of people experiencing these consequences. As big-name companies begin to market more toward younger audiences, it increases their exposure to these effects.

Caffeine truly does help the world wake up every morning and is not the problem. The way it is being disguised and the reason why it is in everything is. Companies may see it as another revenue source, but not every source is the right move.

So, I encourage people to still drink caffeine but avoid drinks such as Spylt, Gatorade, Liquid Death, Arizona, Starbucks Refreshers and others with unnecessary caffeination. The only way these companies will listen is if we hit their wallets. Also, we can do our best to persuade younger generations away from these beverages and educate them about the potential health impacts caffeine may cause.

The way our stores and society end up depends on us. Caffeine should be giving us clarity, not corporate greed.

The Post Editorial

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Anti-ICE pins demonstrate celebrity advocacy

THE POST EDITORIAL BOARD

Celebrities at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards wore anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement pins on the red carpet and the ballroom in tribute to Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman fatally shot by an ICE officer, and Keith Porter, who was killed by an off-duty ICE officer in Los Angeles.

The Jan. 11 ceremony honored excellence in film and American television in 2025. There were 1,400 guests in attendance at this year’s awards, but only five wore pins in protest.

Mark Ruffalo, Wanda Skyes, Natasha Lyonne, Jean Smart and Ariana Grande wore the black and white pins that displayed slogans such as “BE GOOD” and “ICE OUT.” The Associated Press described this action as “introducing a political angle into the awards show after last year’s relatively apolitical ceremony.”

In previous years, the Golden Globes were known for its politically charged award acceptance speeches, but in recent years has showcased more neutral, nonpolitical discussion from celebrities. Part of the rise in activism this year comes from on-carpet testimony from celebrities. Ruffalo is one in particular who didn’t hold back at this year’s Globes.

“This is for her, this is for the people in the United States who are terrorized and scared today,” Ruffalo said to USA Today on the carpet. “I know I’m one of them. I love this country. And what I’m seeing here happening is not America.”

Celebrities who attend these events hold power and a strong voice on platforms larger than most political public figures. Nelini Stamp of Working Families Power, one of the organizers for the anti-ICE pins, said, “We need our artists. We need our entertainers. We need the folks who reflect society.”

The pins worn on the carpet have followed over 1,000 events occured throughout the country as part of the ICE Out For Good movement, initiated by the American Civil Liberties Union. The campaign led by the ACLU and

Originally published Jan. 15

other organizations morphed into a coordinated “ICE Out For Good Weekend of Action,” beginning Jan. 10 until Jan. 11. Over 1,000 events were anticipated nationwide. Stars who appear at ceremonies have pushed toward self-expression, advocacy and visibility using their platform to speak out on issues that matter to the American people. This year’s activism movement had less participation than at the Globes in 2018, but the celebrities who expressed their outrage at the current ICE situation in America sent a message.

Reese Witherspoon designed them with over 300 Hollywood women leading the initiative. A letter was published in The New York Times to announce the movement before the 2018 award show.

The moment of activism at the Globes in 2018 was met with less participation in this year’s rendition, but spirited determination from celebrities who expressed their outrage at the current ICE situation in America.

“We need to speak up and shut this rogue government down,” Sykes, one of the stars wearing a pin, said to Variety on the carpet. “It’s awful what they’re doing to people.”

California has remained a large hub of anti-ICE movements, where crowds are met with the local law enforcement and the National Guard. Stars have expressed frustration about ICE raids around the country, even before the Golden Globes; however it’s bravery that doesn’t prevail each time.

Although only five stars wore the pins at the recent Golden Globes, there is still a push for advocacy and justice. It’s a positive statement by powerful and influential people on one of the biggest stages for media.

The Post editorials are reflective of the publication’s editorial board. The Post can be reached via editor@ thepostathens.com.

OU identified as school affected by NCAA basketball scandal

JACKSON MCCOY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ohio University was identified as a school affected by a federal indictment against 20 people, including 15 former National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men’s basketball players, over alleged game fixing. The prosecutors claim the people indicted created a betting scheme to fix games in the NCAA and the Chinese Basketball Association in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.

The 15 basketball players indicted played as recently as the 2024-25 season, while prosecutors claim the other

five men indicted were described by authorities as fixers.

Investigators identified several Mid-American Conference teams as being affected. Western Michigan University, Buffalo and Kent State were affected alongside OU, according to the indictment. No people working for OU or players on Ohio teams were identified in the current indictment.

According to the indictment, the betting scheme started in September 2022, later evolving to include college basketball players. The players were paid anywhere from $10,000-$30,000 to intentionally compromise games for sports betting purposes.

The indictment follows increased investigations into illegal sports betting and game fixing from the NCAA. In the past several months, the NCAA has given 10 players lifetime bans for bets that sometimes involved their own teams and performances. The NCAA has said that at least 30 players have been investigated over gambling allegations.

This is a developing story and may be updated as additional information becomes available.

Soph’s Soapbox

Golden Globes production, snubs disappoint audiences

Awards season is one of the most anticipated times for actors, producers, directors and musicians alike. The Golden Globes always kick off awards season in January, celebrating the best films and television shows of the year.

This year, the Golden Globes took place Jan. 11 and lasted approximately three hours. The full runtime of the event came with some shocking production decisions that left onlookers, including myself, confused.

The nominees were truly some of the most outstanding actors and actresses this season. However, production chose not to highlight their abilities with clips from their performances; instead, each announcement came with an odd crowdlocating gimmick.

As nominees were being mentioned, the broadcast panned the crowd and pinpointed them with a Google Maps-style icon above their seats. The images were muddled on screen and did very little for viewers, taking away a chance to showcase the nominees’ performances.

Getting to see small clips of the highlighted nominations is always my favorite part of awards shows. Seeing stars’ performances as they are being highlighted at a major award show demonstrates why the nominees were chosen in the first place. Those small clips celebrate each nominee’s hard work and their nomination for the category. Instead of celebration, viewers were met with strange pans of the seating chart, as if stars were on Find My Friends.

Another puzzling moment of the night came with the announcement of each award. Usually, as winners are announced, a voice overhead shares how many nominations and wins each awardee received. However, at the Golden Globes, viewers were met with jumbled gameday-like commentary.

comedy show than a professional ceremony, instead of sharing details about the winner.

ABBY DOENCH ASST. ART DIRECTOR

After Teyana Taylor’s win, commentators discussed how she wished to meet Julia Roberts and how she calls Leonardo DiCaprio “pops.” It was a lot of unnecessary information about any winning performance, turning the Globes into more of a

Unsurprisingly, another horror film was snubbed despite phenomenal ratings from critics. Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” earned a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.5/10 on IMDb. However, the film only scored two awards during the ceremony, and not all of the awards they won were broadcast.

First, “Sinners” won Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. The award was introduced at the 2024 Golden Globes. It is designed to give space for popular films that had high global and cultural reach, which are not always recognized at awards shows.

However, I find that this award feels more like a participation trophy for movies that deserved to be awarded just as much as any other award show bait film. “Sinners” presented audiences with important messages and themes throughout the film, leaving a lasting impression on viewers across the globe. However, the film’s power was underscored by the Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award.

“Sinners” also took home the award for Best Score, giving composer Ludwig Göransson his flowers. However, this was the only award not broadcast as a way to save time.

Not only is this disappointing for “Sinners,” but it is also upsetting for all composers. These musicians work hard to achieve success, and the fact that the award was completely overlooked is disheartening.

Overall, the Golden Globes’ confusing moments leave a lot of questions about what other surprises audiences will receive this awards season. While there are always some controversial moments during awards shows, some of these listed are disappointing and hard to get past.

Sophia Anness is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Sophia about her column? Email/tweet them at sa425522@ ohio.edu or @AnnessSoph0415.

SOPHIA ANNESS ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

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Letter from the Editor

MLK’s legacy is upheld by student action

ALEXANDRA HOPKINS COMMUNITY STANDARDS EDITOR

Monday morning, over 100 Ohio University students, faculty and staff gathered at Galbreath Chapel to commemorate the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Members of The Post joined the Celebration Silent March led by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Celebratory Brunch held by OU’s Center for Student Engagement & Leadership to remember and honor Dr. King’s contribution to upholding the freedoms upon which our newsroom is built: speech and press.

Dr. King was the most influential and prominent leader of the American Civil Rights Movement. He led nonviolent rallies across the nation in protest of Jim Crow laws, including the March on Washington, where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream Speech.”

In 1959, King visited OU for the 18th Ecumenical Student Conference on the Christian World Mission, where he was a featured speaker. He spoke to thousands of students about racial tensions in America, drawing from his experience as a Baptist pastor.

Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis and left behind a lasting legacy. In 1971, states began to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and in 1986, it was observed as a federal holiday.

He was an active proponent of the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment, which often acted as the basis for his speeches, including his last on April 3, 1968.

Known as “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” King spoke in support of Memphis’ sanitation workers, who had been prohibited from rallying by the city. This denial, King said, was a violation of America’s unique commitment to the First Amendment and citizen rights.

“But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly,” Dr. King said. “Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of the press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right. And so just as I say, we aren’t going to let any injunction turn us around. We are going on.”

And we continue to go on. Student leaders across campus criticize the administration and take on the responsibilities vacated as a result of Senate Bill 1. Protestors march against Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis. Millions demonstrate against international violence in the Middle East, Venezuela and Gaza.

Free speech and press allow these protests, rallies and criticisms to occur. Yet, the past year has also brought the reach of these freedoms into question.

Each of these events shorten the rope the First Amendment extends American citizens, bringing them in closer to government control: Indiana University’s

censorship and closure of its student newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student; an FBI raid of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson’s home; defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; the White House barring the Associated Press from certain events due to its refusal to adopt “Gulf of America” and its creation of a site titled “Media Offenders” to “expose” journalists.

Despite these roadblocks that seem like blatant violations of free speech and the press, we are reminded of what Dr. King preached. Following the silent march, Nancy Edwards-Grady, assistant director of OU Career Services, opened the Celebratory Brunch with a critical reminder of Dr. King’s lessons.

“Dr. King taught us that justice requires us to act out loud, to speak when it would be easier to remain quiet, to show up when it would be easier to step back and to remain committed, even when progress feels uncertain,” Grady said.

Following Dr. King’s assassination, thousands of college students memorialized his legacy and protested against discrimination in his honor through walk-outs, sit-ins and rallies. Today, college students continue to mobilize against injustice, even when progress feels uncertain.

In 1960, the New York Times published “Heed Their Rising Voices,” a fullpage ad criticizing police officers in Montgomery, for their harsh treatment of protestors and calling for donations to defend Dr. King in court. However, the advertisement included “several minor factual inaccuracies.” Montgomery Public Safety Commissioner, L.B. Sullivan, requested that the NYT retract this information. When the publication refused, Sullivan filed a libel suit.

Four years later, the Supreme Court reached a unanimous decision in support of the NYT, ruling that public officials are required to prove a libelous statement was made “with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.”

Without fear of libel, media coverage of the civil rights movement expanded. King utilized the press to his advantage and worked with journalists to showcase the nonviolent nature of the civil rights movement protests.

Similarly, The Post works to ensure OU students and Athens residents are represented by our newspaper. Our newspaper will continue to cover this cause and pressure OU by challenging the official truth and the power of authority. In fact, this effort would not be possible without Dr. King’s work.

On MLK Jr. Day, we reflect on the hopes in which America was created, read King’s words and honor his legacy. We owe our success and our freedom to his work and recognize that, without his legacy, students would remain voiceless.

Movies, Crafts and Games

CAITLYN VANCE FOR THE POST

TUESDAY, JAN. 20

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ping Recreation Center, on 82 S. Green Drive, hosts the Spring Campus & Community Involvement Fair. Open to all students, this event features campus organizations and involvement opportunities.

Admission: Free

The Athena Cinema, on 20 S. Court St., begins its new film series, “Enter the Kingdom: A Retrospective of Stephen King Film Adaptations.” At 7 p.m., the 1976 film “Carrie” will be shown in celebration of its 50th anniversary.

Admission: $8

A Latin Dance Class will take take from 6-7 p.m. on West Green by Irvine Hall.

Admission: Free

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21

The Side Bar, on 24 ½ E. State St., hosts live jazz music performed by Play The Spaces at 7 p.m.

Admission: Free

Ohio Women’s Basketball plays at Bowling Green State University at 7 p.m.

Admission: $9

THURSDAY, JAN. 22

Beginning at 6 p.m., The Side Bar hosts game night open to all. On 24 ½ E. State St, there will be retro game consoles, tabletop games and more.

Admission: Free

Marti & Stewie Craft Night is held in the West 82 food court in Baker University Center on 1 Park Place. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. Be sure to arrive by 9 p.m. to have enough time to complete your project. All students are

welcome; Bobcat ID is scanned upon entry.

Admission: Free

FRIDAY, JAN. 23

Ohio Hockey (18-3) faces Stony Brook University at Bird Ice Arena, on 102 Oxbow Trail, at 7 p.m. Tickets are available online.

Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children and OU students

Ohio Men’s Basketball faces Akron at 8 p.m. in The Convo on 95 Richland Ave.

Admission: $12-56

SATURDAY, JAN. 24

The Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery, on 67 Columbus Road, hosts Make It - Take It Day from 10 a.m. to noon. Participants will work with Wren Hankins of the National Alliance on Mental Health to create calm-down jars as well as cards describing breathing exercises. These crafts will be given to caregivers to help kids.

Admission: Free Ohio Women’s Basketball (11-5, 5-1 MidAmerican Conference) plays Toledo (8-7, 3-2 MAC) in The Convo at 1 p.m. The Bobcats look to extend their lead in the MAC over the Rockets in the upcoming game.

Admission: $3-34

SUNDAY, JAN. 25

At Serenity Roots, on 8950 Lavelle Road, Athens KTC Buddhist Center offers meditation and book study from 10-11 a.m.

Admission: Free

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

SPRING DRAG SHOW WELCOMES STUDENTS BACK

DREW HOFFMASTER FOR THE POST

HUNTER GILLISPIE FOR THE POST

ON FRIDAY, THE UNIVERSITY PROGRAM COUNCIL HOSTED A SPRING DRAG SHOW IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ATHENS DRAG COLLECTIVE IN BAKER BALLROOM.