March 17, 2026

US Headlines

Russia inactive in Iran conflict, SAVE America Act

FINN SMITH

FOR THE POST

9 Mon _________________

Russia remains inactive in the US-Iran war

As fighting intensifies in the war between the U.S., Israel and Iran, Russia has largely limited its response to criticism and calls for diplomacy, according to The Associated Press. President Vladimir Putin remains focused on the war in Ukraine, although Moscow condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Russia, however, is already benefiting from the surge in energy prices caused by disruptions to tanker traffic and damage to energy facilities in Gulf countries. Russia hopes conflict can provide both financial support for and a major distraction from the Russia-Ukraine war.

10 Tue __________________

FBI obtains 2020 election records from Arizona

The Republican leader of the Arizona state Senate officially handed over the 2020 presidential election records to the FBI, signaling President Donald Trump’s continued belief that he lost the 2020 election to former President Joe Biden.

The records were from Maricopa County, and mark the second time this year the FBI obtained records regarding the 2020 election from the most populous county in one of the battleground states Trump lost, the AP reported.

Some Republican lawmakers aligned themselves with the false belief the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, even hiring a private firm to investigate, coming up with nothing, the AP reported.

11 Wed __________________

Trump, Republicans disagree on plan to win midterms

At his golf course Monday, Trump explained a plan to Republicans who are concerned they might lose their congressional majority in the coming midterms, the AP reported.

His two-fold plan includes building on national voter identification laws to ban mail ballots and restrict transgender rights.

House Republicans released their plan shortly after, which deviated from Trump’s, not

3

Council says no to drones

LAYNEE

ESLICH FOR THE POST

Athens City Council voted 5-2 on Feb. 17 to not move a proposed drone technology grant for the Athens Police Department to regular session, according to a previous report by The Post.

The Ohio Department of Transportation offered the grant through DriveOhio, an initiative that supports technology aimed at improving safety and mobility across the state.

DriveOhio developed the grant, called the Drones for First Responders Pilot Program, in September and October 2025 under Ohio House Bill 96. The program is designed to allow law enforcement, fire departments and medical services to assess emergency scenes before ground units arrive.

Athens Police Chief Nick Magruder said drones could provide aerial imaging during

emergencies and improve response times.

For example, Magrudar said drones could help officials assess damage from a car crash, determine the needs for the situation and identify the fastest route for responders to reach the scene.

Though overall crime rates have remained steady, Magruder said car break-ins have become a more recent issue in the city.

“With our headlights on and someone’s breaking into cars, they usually kind of hide in between cars or get behind buildings,” Magruder said. “I mean, this (search) could have been up above where they would have never known it was there, and we could have been monitoring that, and that’s been a huge issue for residents and students lately.”

Talisa Lemke fuses coaching, artistry

SOPHIA ROOKSBERRY MANAGING EDITOR

Since she was a teenager, Talisa Lemke has pursued diving and the arts in equal measure. Lemke is a five-time Mid-American Conference Diving Champion, an actor in award-winning German films and the Ohio diving coach with the best MAC Championship results since 2013.

Lemke started her diving career while growing up in Berlin, Germany, in the early 2000s. At the age of six, her grandmother recommended she start taking diving lessons at the community pool to expend her excess energy.

“It was fun in the beginning to do it a couple times a week,” Lemke said. “I used to be scared of water, but I think the way they handled it made me not see it as something fearful anymore.”

continued pg 7

Athens public libraries sustain education

MARIA SAUNDERS FOR THE POST

Through shelves of stories and countless activities, Athens’ seven public libraries provide areas for residents to connect and communicate.

Although most Ohio University and Hocking College students are not in Athens year-round, Athens County Public Libraries view them as valuable members of the area, striving to create engaging events.

“Our libraries are for everybody in the community,” Myca Roberts, the branch

manager at the Plains Public Library, said. “(It) doesn’t matter if you’re here for life, if you’re here for four years, or here for two. Anyone who is here in the area, we want you to come in and to bring your ideas and tell us ways that we can make your experience in this community better, or help you learn things to further your own education or your own goals.”

ACPL’s outreach services manager, Sean Kidd, works to build the community collection in Athens.

Bobcats and Ballgowns creates magic across Athens

CAITLYN VANCE FOR THE POST

Since its formation last fall, Bobcats and Ballgowns is working to bring magic to Athens through princess performances.

According to its website, Bobcats and Ballgowns is a volunteer-based club striving to bring positivity to local children through community events and character visits.

“Our goal is to create magical experiences while promoting kindness, imagination and confidence in the children we meet,” the website states.

What began as a Snapchat post searching for interested students blossomed into a club with hopes to soon visit children in hospitals, decked in gowns and tiaras.

“I’m hoping to go to Nationwide (Children’s Hospital) in Columbus,”

Magdolyn Zajdel, a freshman studying social work and Bobcats and Ballgowns

president, said. “I feel like it’s just so much more valuable when you’re visiting kids who already are in such a hard time to show them happiness and just positivity for just a few minutes, I think that’s really impactful.”

Zajdel has experience with character performing and participated in events dressed as Elsa from Frozen, which sparked her interest.

When touring various colleges, she visited Indiana University. There, she was introduced to Royal Encounters, an organization of students who dress up as characters and make visits across the area.

“I really liked that idea … and where I went, I wanted to try to start something like that,” she said.

continued pg 3

Provided by Bobcats and Ballgowns

Lemke (right) coaching a member of the Ohio Swim and Dive team. Provided by Ohio Athletics | Alaina Dackermann

Bookshelves in Alden Library, located in Athens. Feb. 24, 2026. (JOHN FOUSS | FOR THE POST)

World’s largest natural gas generation facility planned for Ohio / pg. 2

Rough Patch band makes debut / pg. 8

Alden Library renovation highlights new spaces, rooftop lounge

KAITLIN HOGG NEWS STAFF WRITER

Plans to renovate Alden Library are moving forward with Ohio University’s selected architecture firm, Perkins Eastman.

On Feb. 24, Alden Library hosted an event in partnership with Perkins Eastman to showcase preliminary plans for each floor of the library.

The remodel was originally described as “seven floors, seven experiences,” but it is now referred to as “eight floors, eight experiences,” with updated plans now including a rooftop lounge with a terrace and patio.

Each floor of the library has been given a word by Perkins Eastman to describe its intended purpose and ambiance. Level 1 is called “Read” and features a majority of the library’s general collection.

Level 2, “Excel,” is designed for collaborative work.

Levels 3 and 4 are “Innovate” and “Learn,” respectively.

Level 3 includes recording and podcast studios, VR/AR/gaming and a maker studio, while Level 4 is planned as the new location for the cafe. Level 5, “Explore,” features library archives, displays and galleries.

Level 6, “Collaborate,” includes a reading room, study pods, study rooms and “Zoom Rooms.” Level 7, “Study,” is home to hush pods, egg chairs and silent study rooms.

Hester Lambright, a senior studying history, said she hopes the renovations will add more windows and seating.

“More places to sit … there’s not a lot of windows on a lot of the floors, and where there are windows, it’s still kind of giving dungeon,” Lambright said. “The sixth and seventh floors are very cramped.”

The Feb. 24 event also included a board with three sections labeled “love,” “dislike” and “missing,” where students could post their opinions to the categories.

Under “love,” students wrote they wanted fun chairs, additional seating and study spaces. Several comments also supported the addition of a rooftop patio and more windows.

Under “dislike,” multiple comments raised concerns about trees potentially being cut down near the fourth-floor entrance. Another comment said the design does not feel like a library, while another said the building’s air quality needs improvement.

The comments varied under the “missing” section, with students saying they hoped to keep the midcentury design and furnishings. Another comment said, “books are what libraries are for.” Several comments also called for more study spaces and outdoor seating.

Perkins Eastman also outlined “Big Ideas” for the renovation, including transforming book storage areas into inviting spaces for people, improving connections to the outdoors, creating a new, more welcoming and accessible front entrance, expanding areas for study and collaboration, designing grand and functional spaces that offer new capabilities for the library and enhancing the central communicating stair.

Alicia Sweeney, director of space planning at Ohio University, said there is currently no set timeline for construction because the renovation will occur in phases.

“We will not close the library in its entirety,” Sweeney said.

“Either (Floor) 2 or 4 will be open at any time.”

Sweeney said renovations could begin around 2030, when additional capital improvement funding is expected to become available.

Dean of Libraries Rob Ross outlined the project timeline so far.

“The University selected the architecture and design firm Perkins Eastman in 2025 to lead the master planning project, which is expected to run from August 2025 through June 2026 and result in conceptual designs, priorities and cost estimates for a phased renovation of the building,” Ross wrote in an email.

Greg Simmons, vice president

for university advancement, said the renovations are an exciting part of the library’s role.

“The master planning process will help shape an exciting new vision for the library and the role it plays in teaching, learning, and research,” Simmons said in an email. “While we are still in the early stages of this process, I am confident that philanthropy will play an important role in realizing that vision.”

Ross said the goal of the project is to update the library to better support modern learning styles, technology and welcoming spaces for students.

World’s largest natural gas generation facility planned for Ohio

The U.S. and Japan recently announced a plan to establish the largest natural gas generation facility in the world in Portsmouth as part of a recent trade deal between the nations.

While information regarding the site is limited, the U.S. Department of Commerce released a fact sheet Feb. 17, including a few details about the coming facility. According to the fact sheet, the facility will be operated by SB Energy, a subsidiary of the Tokyo-based SoftBank Group, and will generate 9.2 gigawatts of power, the largest in the world.

“The announcement of this plan is the biggest news we’ve had since the 1950s as you can imagine,” Lisa Carver, executive director of the Portsmouth Area Chamber of Commerce, said. “We are

a community of small manufacturers; our main industry is healthcare and government, those are our major employers, so this announcement is huge for us.”

The announcement marks a large-scale investment in the Southeast Ohio region, an area of the state that has been excluded from economic investment in the past.

According to Good Jobs First, a nonprofit national policy resource center, 88% of Opportunity Zone investment in Ohio between 2020 and 2023 went to five major cities, while rural and Appalachian Ohio received almost none of the investments.

“Southern Ohio, we feel kind of left out from major developments a lot of times in the rest of the state, because we’re not connected to the rest of the state by an interstate,” Carver said.

Justin Clark, chairman of the Board of Directors for the Scioto County Development Corporation, discussed how the group was established to support investment.

“Our community has been working to restructure how we do economic development in light of some of the things that have gone on in the last couple of years,” Clark said. “The city and the county, locally, in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and some of the larger employers, have founded a nonprofit organization called the Scioto County Development Corporation.”

Clark said the nonprofit was established after noticing surrounding counties in Appalachian Ohio, such as Pickaway County, Jackson County and Lawrence County, have similar public and private partnership arrangements aimed to advance economic investment and increase jobs.

Clark is hopeful the Scioto County Development Corporation can help facilitate local conversations with developers and the community to discuss community impact, community needs, workforce needs and workforce pipeline systems.

Scioto County commissioners were not aware of the plan until the public announcement by the Trump administration.

“We were shocked by the announcement,” Carver said.

“Our county commissioners did not even know when Trump announced this plan. No one

in our community had heard about it. I believe everyone was surprised.”

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick released a statement discussing the plan and detailing its purpose.

“First, in Ohio, together with Japan, we will develop the largest natural gas generation facility in history, generating 9.2 gigawatts of power,” Lutnick said in the statement. “We will strengthen grid reliability, expand baseload power and support American manufacturing with affordable energy.”

In addition to the Portsmouth gas facility, the U.S. is establishing a $2.1 billion deepwater crude oil export facility in the Gulf of Mexico and a $600 million high-pressure, high-temperature synthetic diamond grit facility in Georgia, according to the fact sheet.

Lutnick said Japan will be providing the capital to build all three of the sites. According to The Associated Press, the money is set to come from an October trade deal between Japan and the U.S. in which Japan pledged a $550 billion investment package.

The exact location of the site is currently unknown. However, the Department of Commerce said in a fact sheet that it will be in the “vicinity of Portsmouth, Ohio,” and many in the local community are speculating the facility will be built at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, also known as PORTS, located in Pike County.

According to a previous report by The Post, the PORTS diffusion plant previously produced enriched uranium but is now seeing cleanup and new investment. Carver said PORTS could have been a pull factor for the government’s choice to build the site in Portsmouth.

With increasing investment in the Southeast Ohio region, such as data centers and fracking facilities, many local communities have expressed concern regarding environmental impact.

“We are hungry for jobs around here, but that does not mean we want to sacrifice our safety or sacrifice the environment either,” Carver said. “Again, I don’t think any of us have complete details to know what kind of pollution that may be involved … I’m sure that will be in the discussion as we move forward, as more information comes out.”

Clark said the facility is expected to bring significant long-term and short-term jobs to the region.

With that impending influx of jobs, Carver said Portsmouth will have to tackle the housing issue, ensuring people have places to live. She said housing is a subject the city is addressing, but it is a top priority now that the facility is coming.

Investment talks between the U.S. and Japan are set to take place on March 19, the AP reported.

The outside of Alden Library in Athens,Ohio. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)

Businesses along 2nd Street in Portsmouth, Ohio. (ETHAN HERX | For The Post)

Drone/ continued from pg 1

Thermal cameras on the drones could also help assess fire emergencies and allow first responders to avoid dangerous areas of a building, Magruder said.

The Athens Police Department requested an application for the grant Nov. 3, 2025, and submitted its application by Nov. 21, 2025, according to Magruder.

In January, ODOT selected nine municipalities from 110 applicants, including Athens.

The DFR grant is a reimbursement grant, meaning the recipient initially covers costs and is reimbursed later by the state, according to Congress.gov.

Service-Safety Director Andy Stone sent a request for the funds to Councilmember Paul Isherwood’s committee to review the grant.

The request did not advance during its first reading before the council and again failed during the second reading.

During the first meeting in which the grant was discussed, Magruder said officers were searching for a runaway 16-year-old girl in the snow-covered woods between Hope Drive and Dow Lake. Magruder said a drone could have located the girl faster than the two hours it took officers to find her.

Council President Micah McCarey said the proposal raised concerns beyond the grant itself.

“We are now discussing (the DFR pilot program) in the committee of the whole because this has moved from just a discussion of a grant opportunity for a city safety resource, to one that has clearly had implications for concerns about privacy and civil liberties,” McCarey said.

Isherwood said the drone technology could help first responders respond more effectively to emergencies, and the city would be reimbursed for the cost within two years.

During the Feb. 17 meeting, McCarey discussed a proposed policy that would amend Athens City Code Title 3 to add a section on advanced technology and

including the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America Act, high on the priority list.

According to the AP, Republicans are only a few seats away from losing their majority and are attempting to emphasize lowering costs, a task difficult amidst outrage over increasing costs due to the U.S.-Iran war. The voting bill Trump is pushing reiterated his belief that he won the 2020 presidential election, even amidst dozens of court decisions saying otherwise.

12 Thur ________________________

Evidence points to US as culprit of strike on Iranian Elementary School

The military strike on an elementary school in Iran killed over 165 people during the start of the conflict and has been a focal point since then, according to the AP. The New York Times first reported a preliminary investigation into the matter found the U.S. to be responsible.

Trump initially denied the claims, blaming Iran, but has since said he is not sure and will accept the findings in the Pentagon investigation. The preliminary investigation suggests outdated U.S. intel led to the missile strike. Information continues to come out that points to the U.S. as the culprit of the attack, and dozens of Democratic Senators are demanding answers from the Trump Administration. The administration stated the investigation is still pending.

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civil liberties. The policy would require the police department to develop a comprehensive advanced technology usage policy for technology, such as drones, body-worn cameras and automated license plate readers.

Magruder said the drones would not begin recording until they reached an emergency scene and would include redaction tools built into the system.

“One thing that a lot of these programs had that we were looking at was a transparency portal that anytime that drone left the ground, it was documented,” Magruder said. “It showed where it went, how far it went, how high it was, how long it was up, and that was a public portal for people to see if they were interested in seeing why the drone was up.”

Brenda Searcy, an Athens resident, raised concerns about potential impacts on civil liberties if the program were implemented

Searcy referenced residents who are not U.S. citizens who may fear increased surveillance. She also referenced new recording technologies, including smart glasses developed by Meta, that have raised privacy concerns.

While holding a sign reading “NO DRONES” in red letters, Searcy also mentioned case law allowing law enforcement to use surveillance for identification and evidence.

“It’s not an unreasonable search if it’s subsequent to a lawful arrest,” Searcy said. “People who are not following those guardrails, that are far from the city of Athens, will have access to those (footage).”

Magruder said he and members of the department were disappointed by the Council’s decision.

“A lot of the officers really thought that a lot of the trust between us and the citizens was kind of not there, that we thought was there.”

@LAYNEEESLICH LE211424@OHIO.EDU

US Headlines/

Blotter: Filed reports, almost stolen bikes, warrants of the week

KAITLIN HOGG NEWS STAFF WRITER

6 Fri ________________________

File that report

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a call from a man who wanted to file a report about his neighbor.

The report was taken, and patrol resumed.

Active warrant out

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office asked deputies of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office to help locate an individual with an active warrant out for their arrest.

The suspect was not found. Patrol resumed.

7 Sat ________________________

Can you move?

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a call from Vore Ridge Road regarding a construction company blocking the road on a blind turn.

Deputies on the scene determined the vehicle was stuck. Once the vehicle was removed from the roadway, deputies returned to patrol.

Traffic complaints

Deputies of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Lemaster Road following a complaint of cars parked close to the road.

On the scene, deputies spoke with the owners of the cars, who said their cars were parked there during a driveway installation. The owners were informed they could not leave the cars anywhere where they would obstruct traffic. The vehicles were moved.

8 Sun ________________________

Attempted bicycle theft

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded near state Route 13 and Birge Drive after reports of a man on a bike yelling he was assaulted.

Deputies were able to make contact with the man, who told them someone had tried to take his bike. At the behest of the man, deputies patrolled the area.

Theft!

Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s office were dispatched near Perry Ridge Road after receiving a theft report.

Deputies on the scene spoke with the caller, who said their storage unit had been infiltrated. Photographs of the scene were taken, and deputies took a report.

9 Mon ________________________

Warrants of the week

The Athens County Sheriff’s Office has warrants of arrest out for Uriah Gregg and Tyler Smith. Both Smith and Gregg are wanted for possession of drugs. Anyone with information on either man is to contact the Athens County Sheriff’s Office immediately.

Shoplifter

Following a recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down Trump’s biggest tariffs, the administration is looking to find ways to replace the lost revenue, the AP reported.

Democrats in Congress are warning that if his measures pass, new import taxes could cost American households an average of $2,512 in 2026, up 44% from last year.

Now that the Supreme Court ruled Trump’s tariffs were illegal, the government has to provide refunds of around $175 billion to importers who paid them. Trump is quickly pivoting and attempting to initiate other tariffs on trade nations.

Deputies of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the Dollar General in The Plains following a complaint of shoplifting.

Deputies on the scene spoke with managers and tried to find the shoplifter.

10 Tue ________________________

A doggone complaint

Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Laurel Lane in Athens after receiving a complaint about a dog.

Deputies spoke with the individual who called and took a report.

Kids being kids

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to Dickson Road in Albany to conduct a well-being check on a juvenile.

Deputies at the scene made contact with both the juvenile and their parents and determined there were no problems.

11 Wed ________________________

Gunshot sounds

Deputies of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Coal Run Road, Nelsonville, to investigate after receiving reports of gunshots.

Deputies on the scene spoke with individuals and took a report.

Brush fire

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Radford Road in Athens regarding a brush fire.

Deputies on the scene determined a man started the brush fire that spread due to high winds. The incident will be further investigated as there is a burn ban in place in Athens.

Four-wheeling (on the street)

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Dickson Road in Albany regarding a noise complaint.

Deputies spoke with the individuals who were four-wheeling on their own property and advised them to stay on their property and off the roads.

12 Thur ________________________ Credit scam

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies took a call from a woman who wanted to file a report regarding a credit scam.

Deputies took her statement and filed an incident report.

Maybe a domestic issue?

Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s office were dispatched to South Fourth Street in Jacksonville regarding a potential domestic complaint.

Deputies on the scene spoke with the caller and filed a report.

Republicans are arguing it is necessary to ensure integrity in elections and have passed it through the House.

While a part of the bill shows a less divisive mandate to show photo ID, another part outlines the requirement to show documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, according to the AP.

Most forms of documentation come with caveats that require more information or supporting documents, and hold the biggest implications for married women, people of color and voters who live in rural areas, the AP reported. If passed by Congress, the mandate would go into effect immediately, in time for the coming Midterm elections.

An OUPD vehicle sits outside Baker Center at Ohio University in Athens, Feb. 14, 2026. (TALITHA MALOY | PHOTO EDITOR)

Editorial

Women have always led

The National Women’s History Alliance has named this year’s Women’s History Month with the theme “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.” This is because of “overlapping global challenges: climate change, economic insecurity, healthcare disparities and threats to democratic participation.” To celebrate women who have initiated change, this is a month to say “thank you” to the historical trailblazers who came before us.

Mia Mottley and Catherine McKenna are two prominent international figures who have led climate action and economic policy. Mottley, the eighth Prime Minister of Barbados, is the first woman to hold this position. McKenna, a former Canadian politician who served as minister of environment and climate change, is now advocating for global climate action.

“We’ve seen the power of women when we come together, we go further, faster,” McKenna said in a Women Leading on Climate news release. Mottley has worked to advocate and argue against developed nations, which are historically responsible for emissions, to assist financially at-risk small nations that face the biggest impacts of climate change.

The work these women have contributed to has recently opened doors to boardrooms where women were once not welcome. Climate conversations are “largely dressed up in technical language that is impenetrable,” in spaces where climate scientists are women, they’ve led the conversation with empathetic solutions to problems that aren’t actively helping marginalized communities and wildlife.

Economic insecurity is a highly prevalent issue in the United States, affecting almost half of households barely making ends meet. Jennifer Jones Austin is an influential woman working to end economic insecurity. She’s the CEO and executive director for the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, an anti-poverty, social policy and advocacy organization

the change we’ve needed

working to make the lives of New Yorkers better.

She chaired the New York City Racial Justice Commission, the first of its kind in the country, leading the development of proposals to amend NYCs charter to dismantle structural racism. The FWPA has been working to adopt a “true cost living measure,” working to “move away from outdated measures that undercount and misrepresent the realities of poverty …”

Jones Austin is also a cancer survivor and mother of two. Women have proven that it’s possible to be passionate, hard-working, empathetic and painstakingly motivated to seek change while remaining graceful through it all.

Healthcare disparities in Ohio can be significant, with Black Ohioans and residents in Appalachian counties, particularly the southeast region, having “dead zones,” according to the Ohio Capital Journal.

Karen Morrison is working to bridge healthcare gaps in central Ohio as the president of the OhioHealth Foundation, spending “over three decades expanding possibilities of community health …” according to OhioHealth. Morrison’s impact in healthcare was recognized by the Columbus CEO magazine’s 2025 Inspiring Women.

One of her priorities is decreasing infant mortality, and there has been a decrease in mortality rates since last year in the state. The Ohio Department of Children and Youth’s recent report shows that current infant mortality rates are down to 6.6 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Morrison has worked with OhioHealth’s Wellness on Wheels program to deploy mobile care, delivering primary care, women’s healthcare and prenatal care. It’s available to people seeking care in both central Ohio and southeast Ohio.

Ohio University’s very own Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Professor Elizabeth Beverly was selected as the president-elect of

Athens Public Library/continued from pg 1

The community collection allows locals and students to access library books without library cards. Current collections are at OhioHealth in Athens and Hocking, Athens and Perry Community Action in Glouster.

Another ACPL community collection was recently added to the fourth floor of Alden Library on OU’s campus in collaboration with the OU Libraries, HTC and the OHIO Honors Program.

“The target market was the HTC students because so much of their time is spent reading for academics,” Kidd said. “So this was the idea, that it offers an opportunity for them to engage in pleasure reading in a place that they already go because everybody’s already in Alden.”

The Friends of the Athens County Libraries, a non-profit organization separate from the ACPL, collects books for the collections. From the materials it collects for book sales, it sometimes sets aside books for the shelves.

Once the books are on the shelves, people can pick one to take home and read. After the book is finished, locals can return the book to where it was found with no library card required.

Aside from providing reading materials and accessibility, Kidd said the Alden’s community collection *is to help make college students aware of the resources available to them outside of the college itself.”

“I went to OU and I graduated from OU,” Kidd said. “It wasn’t until after I graduated that I started looking around the county and seeing it’s a big, wide world out here. There’s a lot of different things going on, and it’s a pretty interesting place. I think that this partnership is trying to touch on that and maybe get some college kids further engaged in the community.”

Amy Drayer, the branch manager at the Athens Public Library, also wants the college student age group to be aware of the programming at the ACPL branches and have the opportunities to get involved.

Some upcoming programming geared toward early adults at the Athens branch includes a series of Lego building nights from April 13 through April 16, where people can register to build the Boutique Hotel Lego set in a collaborative space.

“We are sincerely hoping that we get some of our early adults to come in and

The Post

health care and education for the American Diabetes Association.

“I look forward to elevating the needs and experiences of people with diabetes in rural and underserved communities, including Appalachian Ohio, while also celebrating the resilience and cultural richness that define this region,” Beverly said to OHIO Today. In 2023, she also received the OU Presidential Research Scholar Award for her work in diabetes.

On the national stage, women have also led political campaigns and made their voices heard through the work they have done.

Skye Perryman is an example of a leader taking democratic action, specifically expanding into communities affected by the landmark Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

She’s the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, a national legal organization promoting progress through policy education and litigation.

“We are in a generational-defining moment for women’s healthcare and we’ve seen generational setbacks that are going to take a long time to rebuild,” Perryman said to MS Now. She’s also stood up to speak about threats to U.S. elections, voter data and urged Americans to be concerned about President Donald Trump’s attempts to “subvert this [primary] election,” Perryman said on the MS Now “Morning Joe” show.

These women have worked to build rapport with their communities to push for issues deeply affecting us at global, national and state-wide scales. It’s beyond incredible to know women of all ages have been striving to mend the broken parts of our world, and we can do just as much as they have.

The Post editorials are independent of the publication’s news coverage. Have thoughts? The Post can be reached via editor@thepostathens.com.

Brief:

do that,” Drayer said. “We think that would be a great project for just a night out, where you’re not sitting at home or studying.”

Additionally, the Plains Branch has a Dungeons & Dragons group that meets on Tuesdays from 4-6 p.m.

Roberts said the Plains branch offers peer-led programming for those who have interests they want to see in programming and can help lead and organize an event using the library as a meeting space.

“We want to be a good community space that supports local arts, local talents, whether that’s speakers or great minds in our community that we can have come in to pass along information that we think the community might be interested in,” Drayer said.

The Athens County library branches provide the standard services with books and movies available to check out, but there are other, less common resources.

“One of the best ways to support public libraries is to simply use them,” Becca Lachman, communications officer for ACPL, wrote in an email.

“Get your library card, check out not only books, still the heart of libraries, but also tools and games and exercise equipment. Attend library events, get to know your local librarians.”

ACPL has online resources like Hoopla, Kanopy and Freading, which provide free access to movies, music, books and more. The library system also has a Library of Things and a Tool Library. With a library card, anything from a board game to a ghost hunting kit can be checked out from the Library of Things. In partnership with Rural Action and UpCycle Ohio’s Community Makerspace, saws, hammers, ladders and more can be checked out for up to two weeks using the Tool Library.

One goal of libraries is for anyone who comes through their doors (and let that sink in) to find the information they are looking for there, and to see their communities, interests, and themselves reflected in what’s on the shelves, in what programming is offered at the library, etc.,” Lachman wrote in an email. “The next person who comes in may have drastically different views, voting records, and life experiences, but the information they are looking for should be in that library, too.”

3 Ohio crew members died in aircraft crash in Iraq

SUZANNE PIPER | NEWS EDITOR

The six crew members on a refueling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq on Thursday are dead, according to The Associated Press. Three of the six crew members were part of the Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing.

The deaths mark at least 13 U.S. service members’ fatalities in President Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury, the AP reported. U.S. service member injuries are up to 140, the Pentagon said earlier this week.

The Pentagon identified the 6 men killed in the crash on Saturday morning. The service members were Maj. John Klinner, 33, of Alabama; Capt. Ariana Savino, 31, of Washington; Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Kentucky; Capt. Seth Koval, 38, of Indiana; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, of Ohio and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Ohio.

The Ohio Adjutant General’s Department wrote a press release regarding the three Ohio National Guard airmen, Angst, Simmons and Koval.

“Today we mourn the loss of three remarkable Airmen whose service and commitment embodied the very best of our Ohio National Guard,” Ohio adjutant general Maj. Gen. Matthew Woodruff wrote in a statement. “Their impact on their teammates and our mission will not be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends and fellow service members, and our entire Guard family stands with them as

we grieve together during this difficult time.”

Angst, originally from Wilmington in Clinton County, lived in Columbus and was a KC-135 pilot with 10 years of service.

Simmons, from Columbus and lived in Columbus, was a boom operator with eight years of service.

Koval, originally from Indiana, lived in Stoutsville, Fairfield County, and was an aircraft commander with 19 years of service.

“Maureen and I are praying for the family and loved ones of Capt. Seth R. Koval of Mooresville, who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our nation in uniform,” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in a post on X. “Capt. Koval answered the call to defend our freedoms, and his courage and service will never be forgotten.”

The refueling aircraft, KC-135, which crashed while supporting operations against Iran, has been in service for over 60 years and involved in many fatal accidents. The AP stated the aircraft does not always have parachutes.

Refueling aircrafts are used to refuel other military planes midair to ensure longer flight distances without landing and to transport wounded personnel for medical evaluations, the AP reported.

The last reported KC-135 fatal accident was in 2013 in Kyrgyzstan during the Afghanistan war.

The news section of The Post publishes campus, local, regional and national news stories that are relevant to Athens residents and Ohio University students. Scan the QR code to read more from our daily news content.

Abby’s Angle | Tanking isn’t a crisis in the NBA

ABBY SHRIVER FOR THE POST

The biggest topic of this NBA season is tanking, defined as “intentionally weakening a roster or prioritizing long-term development over shortterm wins to secure better draft lottery odds.” In the NBA, teams sometimes sit their star players or scale back late in the season to worsen their record. The 14 teams that miss the playoffs enter the draft lottery, where they compete for the No. 1 overall pick.

The first four picks are decided through a ping pong ball drawing, while picks 5-14 are ordered by regular season record: worst to best. The worse you are, the better your odds are for a top four pick, which this year’s draft could give you AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson, prospects that could transform an entire franchise

While tanking exists in many professional sports leagues, it’s different in basketball. NBA rosters are smaller, so teams often build around one key player. Landing a franchise player with a high draft pick, as the San Antonio Spurs did with former Rookie of the Year, Victor Wembanyama, can instantly change a team’s trajectory.

This season, teams like the Indiana Pacers and the Utah Jazz have been fined for

tanking. Such fines reach up to $500,000. During All-Star Weekend, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said tanking is the worst it’s been in recent years, and he plans to address it. Currently, a third of NBA teams are tanking. Silver said he is exploring “every possible remedy now to stop this behavior” because “what we’re doing, what we’re seeing right now is not working. There’s no question about it.”

However, tanking is not a crisis, but an inevitable part of the NBA. It might frustrate fans when teams trade away stars and endure ugly seasons, but it’s a necessary evil for the ebb and flow of basketball to keep the sport interesting in the long run. It isn’t pretty, but it gives teams control over their future and maintains a competitive balance in the league.

The NBA is a business, and tanking hurts the league by creating a losing culture, which hurts fan engagement. It also affects gambling by deterring fans from betting, meaning ‘“gambling companies’ wallets get lighter, which disrupts their partnerships with the NBA.”

Repetitive losing makes it harder for the league to encourage bettors, fans and business partners to participate.

But, what the NBA might not realize is that many fans will accept a tank if it means future success. Tanking signals that a team has a

Alexa Play

plan and gives fans hope that management is building toward something better. The only thing worse than tanking is staying stuck in the middle and making no real effort to improve.

The clear winners of tanking in recent years are the Oklahoma City Thunder, the 2025 NBA champions. They started their tank in 2020, and went “from the basement to the roof,” mostly after their successful 2022 draft. Once second-overall pick Chet Holmgren became healthy after missing his rookie season, the Thunder soared and eventually won the championship.

Watching their development was fun. Fans love underdog stories, and I’m sure Thunder fans are glad their few years of losing paid off.

Teams that haven’t embraced a tank yet, like the Atlanta Hawks, have sat at an uncomfortable standstill for the past five seasons. The Hawks finished last season at 40-42 and currently sit at 36-31. In the NBA, the worst place to be is right in the middle. Now, after tanking, the Hawks will sit at the 12th spot at the draft and pray a magical ping pong ball will transform their franchise.

Silver’s anti-tanking ideas would throw the entire league for a loop, like basing lottery odds on two-year records or to “flatten odds for all lottery teams.” These drastic changes would disrupt the league for years,

YikYak’s anonymity alters hookup culture

ALEXA SANDERS FOR THE POST

Seeking anonymous inperson sex is nothing new to the digital age: from Craigslist solicitation to Grindr, hookup culture and sex norms are constantly evolving. For those navigating a fear of rejection and fear of being single, the anonymous app YikYak offers avenues for physical intimacy.

The app allows for collegeaged students and older to post and chat in real time with their peers anonymously. Students take liberty within the anonymous app to post party fliers, vent about their feelings or even seek out sexual encounters. Individuals on YikYak can seek these types of encounters by simply posting “yookup?” If there’s no engagement on your yookup-seeking post, nobody knows it was you.

YikYak removes the pretenses usually found on dating apps. You aren’t publicly sharing any identifying factors like your name, age or pictures of yourself. You can enter into a private chat unaware of who’s on the other side.

Thomas Vander Ven, a sociology professor at Ohio University, recognizes the cycle of shame and sexual behavior.

“It’s interesting because it seems to me, the social appraisal of someone seeking intimacy, being judged and shamed for that, is the very thing that drives people into these anonymous posts,” Vander Ven said.

His observations of sexual behavior extend beyond social media and hookups. Vander Ven’s current research examines motivations behind women reading erotic literature, also known as smut. Of nearly 190 respondents to his research he said, was “early in the game,” at least half of the participants agreed with the

statement: “Sometimes it’s just easier to read smut than to pursue a real relationship.”

By aoiding in-person rejection, individuals seeking hookups exchange emotional risks for physical ones because of the barrier of remaining strictly online.

This anonymity, however, can subject individuals to targeted sexual violence, a risk for members of the LGBTQIA+ community already facing elevated rates of violence.

To better understand the true experiences behind yookups, I posted on YikYak asking individuals who have engaged in yookups to direct message me to answer a few questions about their experience. Two anonymous users messaged me on the app: a 20-year-old bisexual woman and a 22-year-old queer man.

The 20-year-old bisexual woman didn’t intentionally seek out intimacy. What began as a post to vent, a guy ended up messaging her, leading to a movie night and later hooking up.

“I was just looking for friendship,” she said, “But then we hung out and watched a movie so it just escalated from there and I was down for it.”

She said this ended up turning into a friends-withbenefits situation.

“Usually I have terrible hookup experiences,” she said, “So I was surprised YikYak connected me with someone I have similar interests in and actually like.”

The second respondent had a different interaction.

The 22-year-old queer man explained he typically uses Grindr for hookups.

“It’s more straightforward,” he said.

He said his one-time hookup from the app was fine because he didn’t have expectations going into it.

“Although I do feel a little

especially considering this season’s tanking surge is driven by the loaded upcoming draft. Ten teams weren’t tanking last year when Cooper Flagg was the only obvious star, creating a “perfect storm” this season. Eliminating the lottery system is a better solution. If only a couple of teams are tanking instead of a third of the league, it makes tanking more digestible. Without a “magical lottery” system to improve odds, fewer teams would have an incentive to tank, like in the NFL.

In recent years, whenever the NBA tries to fix a big issue, such as load management, the solution often fosters new problems.

Before the 2023-2024 season, the NBA created a rule saying players must play 65 out of 82 regularseason games to be eligible for awards and honors, “an incentive for elite players to perform more often, driven by prestige … .” Before, some players sat out big games with faked or exaggerated injuries to preserve their health.

The NBA’s load management rule has created significant controversy, as stars such as Nikola Jokić, Evan Mobley and Kawhi Leonard are all approaching the limit of 18 missed games under the league’s 65-game eligibility rule. Managing player workloads is important for protecting both shortand long-term health, but

the National Basketball Association is still a business. Fans are less likely to watch games, buy merchandise or place bets if the league’s biggest stars are sitting out and teams appear uninterested in winning.

Tanking raises a similar issue, and the changes proposed by Adam Silver may not solve the problem. One potential solution would be shortening the NBA’s 82-game season, which could address both tanking and load management by giving players more rest and making each game more meaningful. Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors, has advocated for a 72-game season, arguing that playing fewer games would create a “more competitive and healthier league.”

Tanking is an overdramatized issue that doesn’t deserve to be treated like a crisis, and drastic rule changes would be an overreaction. Tanking gives teams control, and sometimes a few ugly years are an appetizing price to building something incredible.

There are multiple great teams and storylines to watch headed into the playoffs; therefore, Silver needs to push tanking lower on his priority list and let it work itself out.

shame about the hookup because of the stigma with this app and sex,” he said. Both individuals had consensual hookup experiences. One with surprise of YikYak’s abilities, and one carrying forward shame. This isn’t shocking. If you read the comments under any sex-seeking post, there are numerous comments further extending shaming or mocking the original post encouraging them to “touch grass” or “just admit you don’t know ball.”

Janie Brauley, a freshman studying special education, said she sees yook-up seeking posts every time she checks the app, which is once a day. Although Brauley met her current partner online, she personally wouldn’t utilize YikYak to pursue an anonymous hookup. She said she sees the pile-on of trolling on the platform.

Brauley said people are uncomfortable with the idea of hooking up with strangers they met online, leading them to post negative comments on yook-up seeking posts. Brauley said users who post hateful comments often “use humor as a coping mechanism.”

When asked about potential motivations for anonymous hook-ups, she pointed to a fear of judgment from peers, as a dating app profile could appear online, but with YikYak, an identity is hidden.

Regardless of the platform, either an app exclusive to dating, or an app for anonymity for college-aged people, intimacy feels safer with lower stakes.

Before you troll underneath that yookup-seeking post, understand you are taking an active role in reinforcing shameful narratives and you might end up seeing a lot more of them as people discover an alternative avenue to pursue intimacy.

The Cost of War Is Measured in More Than Dollars

According to the Congressional Research Service, “Official PATRIOT system cost figures are not publicly available. According to a December 16, 2022, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) article, ‘Patriot to Ukraine: What Does it Mean?,’ a newly produced PATRIOT battery costs about $1.1 billion, including about $400 million for the system and about $690 million for the missiles.”

Source: Congressional Research Service via Congress.gov

On Feb. 28, 2026, a triple-tap missile strike hit Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab, Iran, killing between 150 and 180 people, most of them schoolgirls ages 7 to 12. The USA is likely responsible for the missile strike.

Sources: Reuters, March 6, 2026; The New York Times, March 5, 2026; CBS News, March 9, 2026.

NOTE: Every dollar spent on war is a dollar that cannot be spent on Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, vaccines, cancer research, FEMA, USAID, PBS, the Voice of America, SNAP, and school lunches.

Ohio’s season ends in disappointment with loss to Kent

CHARLIE FADEL SPORTS EDITOR

After an “up and down season,” as Ohio head coach Jeff Boals put it, the Bobcats seemed to have gained some momentum heading into the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament against Kent State.

That momentum came from a loss, albeit a nail-biting all-time classic loss against their rivals Miami (OH) in the final regular season game. Ohio lost in overtime against the undefeated RedHawks and played its best basketball of the season.

If there was any chance of Ohio making a run to the MAC title, it seemed like the Miami performance boosted those chances a bit.

Unfortunately for the Bobcats, the best performance of the season against Miami remained just that, as Ohio fell to Kent State by a final score of 86-75 after shooting just 22.5% from deep with senior forward Aidan Hadaway being ejected after picking up his 5th foul on a technical.

“You guys have seen every game, (this game was) almost a microcosm of our year,” Boals said, addressing the media. “When you play a really good team, our margin for error has not been big.”

The two teams started out slow on the offensive end, with Ohio’s bigs holding Kent State’s All-MAC forward Delrecco Gillespie in check to start the game, forcing some misses on the low block.

On the other end, the forward duo of Hadaway and Javan Simmons were the only Bobcats to show up for the first 10 minutes of the first half. Hadaway had a great start with two 3s and a couple of layups, while Simmons made his presence felt with a pair of and-1 layups.

Gillespie and the other Kent big man, Rob Whaley Jr., were able to settle in and get good looks following their slow start.

It was a true battle of the big men, as Hadaway and Simmons combined for 20 of the first 26 points for Ohio. Fellow Ohio big men Kiir Kuany and Jalen Breath had 4 of the other 6. Hadaway kept his hot streak rolling, driving to the hoop and putting some English on a wild layup that he got to fall. The next Ohio basket was another 3 for the senior forward, coming in the corner off a Jackson Paveletzke assist.

The fourth-year Bobcat left it all out on the floor in the first half, hitting a fourth 3 to beat the halftime buzzer and cut the Golden Flashes’ lead to 2 after a solid run from Kent.

It was evident that Hadaway and the rest of the seniors were playing with

some extra energy, as any game from here on out could be their last.

The big moment at the buzzer going into halftime for Ohio did not carry into the second half, however, as the Bobcats came out flat to start. The Flashes went on a 17-7 run over the first six minutes of the second half, as Ohio shot just 1-5 compared to Kent State’s 6-9 from the floor over that stretch.

The offense stalled, as Kent State sent help to Simmons and Hadway on the low post, forcing guards Ajay Sheldon and Paveletzke to make something happen, which they struggled to do, finishing the game combining for just 15 points.

Ohio received another big hit as Hadaway got into foul trouble, picking up his 4th of the game on an and1 from Gillespie and immediately getting a technical foul for arguing the call, which ended his night and career with Ohio.

“I failed him,” Boals said. “I didn’t do enough, holding him accountable.”

The technical foul against Kent State was Hadaway’s 6th of the year. Ohio is 3rd in the country with 15 technical fouls all season.

The Bobcats continued the cold stretch on offense, but they shot enough free throws to keep the game close. A transition 3 from Ajay Sheldon brought the lead back to single digits with just over five minutes remaining.

The momentum would keep building, as Simmons continued his hot night with another layup and some more free throws.

More free throws from Paveletzke would cut the lead to 5, one of the smallest deficits since coming out of the halftime break for Ohio.

Even with all of the work that went into cutting the lead and crawling back into the game without its top scorer on the night, the stops never came late in the game for the Bobcats, as Kent was able to go to the well of Gillespie and guard Morgan Safford, who made some tough shots and free throws.

The Flashes would go on to close out the game at the free-throw line, ending a tough season for Ohio that will certainly spark a change with the Bobcats.

“We’ve got to be better, and there’s going to be a reset,” Boals said. “This team won’t be the same team as it will (be) next year. We’re losing a lot of really good players, and we’ve got two kids signed right now, and we’re going to bring a lot more in.”

@CHARLIEFADEL CF111322@OHIO.EDU

Bobcats looking to regroup after early exit from MAC Tournament

OWEN LIPSTREU ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

It is no mystery that Ohio has experienced success under head coach Jeff Boals, who just finished his seventh season with the Bobcats. However, after Thursday night’s loss to Kent State in Cleveland, it marked back-to-back first-round exits in the Mid-American Conference Tournament for Ohio.

This season marked the first under Boals where Ohio went under .500. After an injury-ridden 2024-2025 season, Boals looked to regroup, but this group never really clicked, and he took full responsibility, claiming it needs to start at the top.

“Last year was a wash,” Boals said. “I think everyone knows how many injuries we had. We beat Miami at home, and I think (we were) the only team to beat Akron while down multiple people. So last year was a wash. I think this year I failed this team from an accountability standpoint.”

half points, but then the game got physical in the second half, and Hadaway fouled out on a technical foul with just under 10 minutes to play in the game. Losing his offensive ability was crucial, and it wore on Boals because technical fouls and emotional moments had been a consistent problem for Hadaway this season.

“There’s been something going on all year,” Boals said. “I failed his team. To do that multiple times, especially in the game, where it could be the last game, right? I failed him. I didn’t do enough to hold him accountable. This game was almost a microcosm of our year, and when you play a really good team, our margin for error has not been big, so you can’t lose a guy of his caliber with nine and a half minutes to go the way we lost him.”

Poor second-half play was something Ohio fans may have become accustomed to this year,

This season got off to a rocky start for the Bobcats. They had one of the hardest non-conference schedules in the MAC, hoping to draw national attention from marquee games and, hopefully, big wins, but the wins never materialized for Ohio, which will be back to the drawing board next year as it loses a handful of graduating players.

“Our non-commerce schedule was probably a little too difficult for the team,” Boals said. “I think next year we’ll try to do something different with that, but we have to be better. There is going to be a reset. This team won’t be the same as it will be next year. We’re losing a lot of really good players.”

The senior leaders were a big motivator for Boals to push this team this year. The big leaders were guard Jackson Paveletzke and forward Aidan Hadaway. These two seemed to always have a hand in the offensive production this season, but in the biggest moment, they both disappeared.

Paveletzke was the center of the Golden Flashes’ defensive plan, and it showed when he logged 12 points on two field goals. The games in which Paveletzke was quiet this season called for some offensive help, and this year it often took too long for Ohio to find another option to get rolling in close games.

Hadaway was the answer on Thursday night, having 20 first-

CAMPUS EVENTS

and the loss of Hadaway only made it harder. The Bobcats fell behind in the game due to coming out of the locker room flat, and it cost them more than a few times in the 2025-2026 season.

“The last four minutes (of the first half), I think we were outscored maybe 12-6, and then they came out and scored another 13 (to start the second half), or whatever it was in the first four, you have to have the grit right to get a stop,” Boals said. “I think we missed a layup to start the half, they hit a 15-foot baseline jump shot and when your offense isn’t going, you have to get the defense right. You can’t let one dictate the other.”

Boals, the staff and the players saw the season end earlier than they had hoped. This season will draw a lot of questions for this program moving forward, and Boals is ready to take on the challenge and bring about change to reset his program and get Ohio back to its winning ways.

“I think for us as a department, as a staff, as a university,” Boals said. “What do we want to do moving forward? So for me, I have to figure out where we’re going to be, where we want to go and kind of reset this program from a cultural standpoint. Do I like losing? No, I think last year was a wash. This year, I’ll take the hit on that.”

OL415422@OHIO.EDU

Social Engagement & Student Org Events

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Discover what’s happening across campus— concerts, guest speakers, club meetings, and more. The Student Org Events Calendar has something for everyone.

SCAN to see what’s happening this week

Forward, Javan Simmons (1) during the Bobcats game against Toledo, Feb. 28, 2026. The Bobcats lost to Toledo 79-67, in The Convo. (JOHN FOUSS | FOR THE POST).

Forward Aidan Hadaway (10) during the Bobcats game against Toledo, Feb. 28, 2026. The Bobcats lost to Toledo 79-67, in The Convo. (John Fouss | Director of Photography)

Talisa Lemke/ continued from pg 1

Since she was a teenager, Talisa Lemke has pursued diving and the arts in equal measure. Lemke is a five-time Mid-American Conference Diving Champion, an actor in award-winning German films and the Ohio diving coach with the best MAC Championship results since 2013.

Lemke started her diving career while growing up in Berlin, Germany, in the early 2000s. At the age of six, her grandmother recommended she start taking diving lessons at the community pool to expend her excess energy.

“It was fun in the beginning to do it a couple times a week,” Lemke said. “I used to be scared of water, but I think the way they handled it made me not see it as something fearful anymore.”

In Germany, the high school system is divided

into tracks, allowing students to pursue specializations at a young age. After diving became a consistent part of her life, Lemke committed to a Sportgymnasium (sports high school) where she trained for a professional career and competed for the junior national team.

Another difference between the American and German education systems is the lack of collegiate athlete programs in Germany. In her late teenage years, Lemke was not ready to give up diving, but she knew she wanted to pursue higher education. As she grappled with this decision, a member of her high school’s swimming team introduced her to the college athlete program at Bowling Green State University.

While attending BGSU as an accredited diver, Lemke earned her bachelor’s degree in communication

and a master’s degree in theater. These specializations stemmed from a different passion she discovered in high school when she was cast in “Stopped on Track” (2011), a Cannes Film Festival entrant and multi-award-winning film. She went on to act in other feature films and found her two passions intersecting while studying at BGSU.

“The body does not know the difference between the diving board and the stage,” Lemke said. “Basically, it felt the same. When I was still actively a student athlete, I think it helped me a lot to overcome any stress … I would have no fear about presentations.”

Lemke came to Ohio University in 2021 to earn another master’s degree in film. Upon her arrival, she approached the diving team to volunteer for the coaching staff.

“When I started helping out, I was like, ‘This does not feel like work,’” Lemke said. “I loved the environment (and) the coaching staff, and then when the opportunity came up that the (coaching) position was opening, I took it.”

Lemke still assists in the film department as a production coordinator, helping students organize the logistics of creating films and preparing them for their careers. She also continues to find ways to apply her artistic skillset to her coaching work.

“Art is all about showcasing what you can do, and I would consider diving at some points an art,” Lemke said. “If you’ve seen diving pictures, it is pretty artsy, and there are judges and a judge’s score. Sometimes, when I coach the athletes, I’m like, ‘OK, this is the technical aspect, but if you want to get a higher score on it, you have to

create that image.’”

The MAC Swimming & Diving Championships took place from Feb. 25-28 in Akron, resulting in a seventh-place finish from junior diver Astrid Pichardo. Lemke prepares her divers for these big events by competing throughout the year and by mentally training them in the weeks leading up to championships. However, once the meet begins, the results are out of her control.

“It’s a very confidencedriven sport, similar to gymnastics or figure skating,” Lemke said. “In the end, I have to just prepare them the best so when they’re alone on the board, they’re like, ‘Yeah, I know what to do.’”

Ohio’s season ends with a tough loss against Miami

he five-seeded

TOhio’s season ended heartbreakingly in the semi-finals of the MAC tournament against its rivals in top-seeded Miami (OH). This was only the second time ever that the Battle of the Bricks had met in the MAC tournament.

The first time was the 2008 MAC Championship game, which saw Miami (OH) cruise past Ohio to win the MAC. Friday’s game went very similarly, as the Redhawks held firm control early due to fantastic shooting, and they never let go of the control.

To go along with Miami’s very efficient offense was their smothering defense that forced 15 turnovers and caused very poor shooting from the Bobcats.

“They’re going to always be in the passing lanes, so we just need to be more patient,” Ohio head coach Bob Bolden said about Ohio’s turnovers. “You have to read screens and be willing to read the second cut.” Ohio’s only lead of the game came very early in the first quarter with an 8-7 lead. This came after redshirt sophomore guard Monica Williams banged back-to-back 3s to get her team going.

Williams led her team in scoring with 18 points in just her second start of the season.

“It felt great,” Williams said.

“Just getting back to what I used to do before my injury and trying to get my team involved.”

Not many things went right for the Bobcats after their short-lived lead. Ohio shot just 29% from the field in the first quarter and only 25% from the

arc. The RedHawks offense was the exact opposite as they shot 50% from the field and a great 54% from the 3. This would obviously lead Miami to have a very comfortable 24-13 lead over Ohio at the end of the first quarter.

After a very bad first quarter for Ohio, the second quarter was even worse. Quarter two saw Ohio’s poor shooting get even poorer, and Miami’s excellent shooting somehow get better.

The RedHawks would make over half of their 3s this quarter and end the game with 50% 3 shooting. Miami’s beyond-the-arc shooting

became a very big story today, as it made its second-most 3s in a game in program history.

“Really just being more efficient with getting on their shooters, and not reacting to stuff,” Williams said about preventing Miami’s 3s. “We just needed to try and take away their plays better.”

The Bobcats were able to shoot over 10 more shots than the Redhawks this quarter, including more 3s than them as well, but Miami would still make more shots than Ohio due to poor shooting. Out of Ohio’s 25 shots in the second quarter, they only made 5 of them.

Coach Bolden wanted his

team to keep shooting 3s, even with the struggles.

“We got here by shooting 3s,” Bolden said. “That’s who we are. That’s our identity.”

A few minutes into the second quarter, the Bobcats would force back-to-back turnovers and bring the score to within double digits.

Forcing turnovers was one of the only positives of the day for Ohio, as it was able to force 19 turnovers total.

The Bobcats struggled turning those turnovers into momentum, as they would only score off turnovers 30% of the time.

“We needed to stop watching the ball and go pursue the ball

Lemke is proud of the fact that the diving team scored higher than they have in years past, but more than that, she appreciates the teamwork the divers demonstrated while competing in the championship.

“They know how to help each other and know how to push each other, especially because we’re a pretty good team in terms of doing very similar dives and difficulties,” Lemke said. “So there’s also the competitive level at practice between each other, like, ‘I want to see my teammate do well, but at the same time, I need to do well so I don’t fall behind.’ I think that’s overall what I think worked well and made us more competitive.”

more after we get deflections,” Williams said about how Ohio could’ve done a better job of turning the turnovers into points.

Despite the third quarter being Ohio’s best quarter shooting-wise and defensewise, it was of no use. Miami would still outscore the Bobcats by 3 points this quarter.

Miami went into the fourth quarter up big with a 27-point lead at 66-39. Despite Ohio still fighting throughout the fourth quarter, it was no use. With just a few minutes left, both teams would pull their starters and bring out younger players.

This move by both teams would essentially end the game, as Miami would avenge their loss to Ohio from just six days ago and advance to the MAC Championship for the sixth time.

As for the Bobcats, their amazing season would end in heartbreak. Ohio finished second-to-last in the MAC just a year ago with a 6-23 record. The Bobcats were ranked 10th in the MAC going into this season. They were able to flip the script and finish 5th. They would also win a conference tournament game for the first time in five years.

With a great returning cast, tournament experience and fuel from this season’s heartbreaking end, the Bobcats and their fans should be very hopeful heading into next season.

LONDON DEMARCO FOR THE POST

Guard, Bailey Tabeling (21) during the Bobcats game against ODU, Feb. 7, 2026. The Bobcats lost to the Monarchs 84-76, in The Convo. (JOHN FOUSS | FOR THE POST)

Rough Patch band makes debut

FIONA PETTICREW | HUMAN INTEREST STAFF WRITER

Rough Patch is a local band consisting of five close friends who love creating music together. Its Feb. 28 debut performance, held in the backyard of one of the band members’ homes, drew dozens of attendees and supporters who packed closely together, cheering and jumping as Rough Patched launched into its set. The crowd embraced the band’s energy from the start, turning the backyard into an impromptu stage where people moved along to the music as the group jammed into the night. The band came together through Cayden Anthony, a senior studying electrical engineering, and the band’s drummer. After Anthony parted ways with a separate band, Less Marbles, at the beginning of the school year, he decided to take the situation as a learning experience and improve his drumming skills, which landed him in a band with his closest friends.

“They weren’t bad to me,” Anthony said. “It was just very obvious that they needed a drummer; I was a drummer, and they found a drummer that they preferred. When you’re making music, but you’re actually just hanging out with your friends, it’s a whole different ball game.”

Anthony said he was a very new drummer at the time, having only practiced with a full drum set for a month. His

music journey began in fifth grade, when he started playing trumpet, and eventually the xylophone. He started marching band further into middle school, which is where he concluded drumming was “stupid,” only practicing on his kit every two weeks.

“Then, this most recent summer, I’m sitting in a work meeting, scrolling on Facebook marketplace, and I see some dude who lives right next to my mom is offering a ride cymbal, a crash cymbal, a hi-hat, a double pedal and an assortment of drum heads and drumsticks for $120.”

Anthony said the entire kit held a value of $1,000, and he snatched the offer up and began practicing.

Anthony said he is close friends with bassist Connor Voltz, a senior studying electrical engineering, and lead guitarist Will Muskopf, a senior studying electrical engineering. After leaving Less Marbles at the beginning of the year, he recruited Voltz and Muskopf to practice with him, and called their original group Exoskeletal.

Muskopf said he did not start to learn guitar until his sophomore year, which is about when Voltz started to learn bass as well. The two said they were excited to play during their debut, even though they tend to focus on their small mishaps.

“We’re all self-conscious

Kansas Republicans pass law telling transgender people where they must go potty.

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All trans men, including this trans man, who was assigned the gender female at birth, must by law in Kansas use the public women’s bathroom in government-owned buildings. His name is Brian Michael Smith.

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The ‘child’ (unofficially adopted) of actress Margaret Rutherford was a transsexual who went from being a man to being a woman. A wonderful mother, Margaret said about her child, “We loved him as a man, and now we’ll love her as a woman.”

people about how we’re doing,” Muskopf said. “So we are our harshest critics. I guess it went as well as everyone thinks it went.”

During the band’s performance Feb. 28, the crowd was feeling the beat, bobbing their heads and singing along to the band’s catchy covers and originals. The bands Close My Eyes and Donkey Punch also played sets.

Rough Patch played “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin, “Mississippi Queen” by Mountain and “Breathe” by Pink Floyd. The two originals they performed were “Pusher Man” and “Coffee Table,” which was a crowd favorite.

After playing together for some time, the band acquired its rhythm guitarist, Dominic Hoiseth, and spent its free time playing in one of the members’ living rooms, gaining the skills and confidence needed for future performances.

“It was convenient for most of us, because we were all in the same classes, so we all kind of knew each other,” Voltz said. “So then we just started playing together. And Dom, the other guitarist, is a roommate of Cayden’s, so we were all just kind of friends. And so we started jamming together. The only problem was we didn’t have the singer.”

The vocalist, David Bebout,

met Anthony three separate times before he joined band practices, even though the two are neighbors. Anthony said they met over the summer, while he was learning guitar for the first time. Anthony said he would sit on his back porch and strum away, which caught the attention of Bebout.

Anthony said he had his gain “cranked to the max,” and began jamming with Bebout while he played his harmonica during their first meeting.

“I would call myself a beginner at this point of guitar, now,” Anthony said. “Back then, I wouldn’t even call myself able to play. So I’m just slapping the string, making this giant wave of nasty volumes.”

Over the course of three months, Anthony tried to catch Bebout to pitch his band and offer the role of lead vocalist to him. He spotted Bebout wearing a sombrero at a Halloween party while he was dressed as Woody from “Toy Story,” and got his

number, which he immediately lost.

Anthony finally recruited Bebout after catching him carrying his groceries into his house and secured the final piece of their band. Anthony said Bebout’s voice and pretty face are what really make them a band, as well as the “back mids” from Hoiseth’s rhythm guitar.

The group enjoys playing with one another and is looking forward to its improvement and future performances.

Rough Patch has many original songs in the works, and is excited to eventually share them with Athens.

Rough Patch’s next show is March 20 for Slabfest, named after the hosting house venue the Slab, where four other bands will play. The band is also toying with the idea of performing during Mill Fest, the first of Ohio University students’ fest season parties, and would call its performance “Metal Near Mill.”

SXSW Music Showcase in Review: All-American Rejects, Don Toliver

NYLA GILBERT ASST. ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

SXSW day one and two included some of the best and brightest in the music industry. With many amazing prospects, some long-time stars and some currently rising to the icon status gave shows that proved music truly never dies.

With electrifying performances, both the All-American Rejects and Don Toliver lit up Austin’s night life with extraordinary performances in preparation for both upcoming tours and new album releases.

Here are some of the highlights, critiques and Easter eggs from these amazing performances.

Day One: The All-American Rejects are still as vivacious as they were in the 2000s

Headlining the SXSW Music Opening Party, the AllAmerican Rejects showed how alive their fanbase and music truly are. The showcase itself highlighted four other music acts, including FEET, Grandma House and La Texana. The musical celebration took place at Stubb’s BBQ in Downtown Austin, Texas, which holds numerous concerts throughout the year in its backyard concert pavilion.

Opening with “Dirty Little Secret,” the All-American Rejects started the concert with an energetic bang that electrified the crowd. The crowd sang along loudly as lead singer, bassist and co-founder, Tyson Ritter, showed that the band, which started in 1999, has a fanbase as strong as ever. Ritter put on an amazing show, and acted out the lyrics in true rockstar fashion.

Although Ritter might be the main vocalist, he was not the only member of the band to shine during the showcase. All of the members put on quite the show. Nick Wheeler, the band’s backup vocalist, lead guitarist and co-founder, showed off his energetic and powerful cords, showing the years he’s spent honing his craft. Wheeler put on a spectacular show bouncing off of Ritter and fellow members Mike Kennerty and Chris Gaylor.

Kennerty is the rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist who joined the band in 2002 and served as a constant force.

He added a coherent, subtle element that helped maintain the rock band’s unique sound throughout each performance.

Adding to the band’s rock nature, Kennerty’s gentle dominance of the stage didn’t compete with his members but provided captivating support to their stage presence.

Gaylor, on the other hand, is a welcome spice to the mixed berry pie that makes up the All-American Rejects.

Gaylor’s surgical-like precision on the drums led the band’s energy throughout the entire performance. The power and dynamism of Gaylor’s musical abilities shined with every song, and made the audience feel like a kickstand was in their own chests.

Despite some technical difficulties, the concert was a rock master class.

The All-American Rejects start touring April 2, with their show at the Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan.

At the start of their performance, the Ritter also announced the band wrapped their fifth studio album just two days before coming to SXSW.

All-American Rejects fans can expect new music very soon.

RATING: 4.5/5

Day 2: Don Toliver gave SXSW a preview for his Octane tour. It is epic

Headlining Billboard’s THE STAGE at SXSW, presented by Intuit Turbo Tax, Don Toliver gave an hour and a half performance that showed fans what to expect on his upcoming OCTANE tour. The showcase also included multiple artists, including YAKIYN, sosocamo, Chase B and sets by DJ Cee Watts. Houston rapper Toliver returned to his home state to show fans the brilliance of his Trap-R&B, also referred to as “Trap&B,” meets the matrix music style.

Toliver started the show with “85E” and ignited the blacked out stage of the Moody Amphitheater with his Webcore aesthetic visuals and blaring lights. This show definitely was not for anyone with a sensitivity to lights, as shifting colors and pyrotechnics increased with every song’s beat drop.

As he transitioned from “85E,” Toliver graced fans with

“BODY.” The stage turned into a neon blue beacon only contrasted by the top of the Texas State capital building as it appeared over the top of the showcase stage. The contrast of the flames and cannons, with the neon blue lights during the song’s beat drops, made a visual spectacle for audience members. Partnered with Toliver’s animated dancing, and true rap-rockstar nature, The transition into “OPPOSITE” with the beat drop right before Toliver yelled the lyrics “Shawty keep droppin’ it, shawty keep poppin’ it, Southside choppin’ that (yee),” caused the crowd to go wild. Sparklers on stage shot high in the air, and geometric zigzag patterns and flickering lights flashed visuals. Toliver’s figure was projected on the screen in multiple warm colors, most noticeably red, as the song enters its chorus.

Also a part of the set list were flashbacks to his 2020 album “Heaven or Hell,” and he performed the song “Cardigan.” The stage background took a different, more industrial look. Toliver was placed in front of industrial fans and vent openings. He transitioned from his more mellow material, to another new release from the Octane album, “Gemstone.” “Gemstone” marked the half way mark of the concert, and kicked the performance back into gear, with a minor guitar led interlude that transitioned into “BANDIT,” which kept the concert’s high momentum.

The show displayed Toliver’s unique sound, and the range within the genre he created. While the show was highly visually entertaining, the pyrotechnics almost felt distracting at moments. The four men on stage, Toliver, his DJ, guitarist and electric pianist, left no gap in aura on the stage.

Toliver’s music is so theatrical it could easily pair with more theatrical elements like dancers, holograms or other visual elements that aren’t necessarily as blaring as constant lights and pyrotechnics.

Toliver’s “OCTANE” to3ur officially starts on Fri. May 8, at Rolling Loud in Orlando, Florida.

RATING: 4/5

PROVIDED BY ROUGH PATCH

Source of Anecdote: Mark Russell, editor, Out of Character (New York: Bantam Books, 1997), p. 102.

David Bruce paid for this ad.

Weekender

Global Arts Festival, Damar Hamlin, ‘Charlie & The Chocolate Factory’

ETHAN HERX FOR THE POST

Tuesday, March 17

Culinary Services is serving a St. Patrick’s Day menu at The District on West Green from 5-8 p.m.

Admission: Meal swipe or payment

Culinary Services is serving a St. Patrick’s Day-themed hot bar and desserts at West 82 in Baker University Center from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Admission: Payment, based on items

The Union Bar, 18 W. Union St., is hosting its weekly game night. The downstairs bar opens at 4 p.m. Bingo is from 6-8 p.m. Trivia begins at 9 p.m.

Admission: Free

The Athena Cinema is screening

Stephen King’s “Misery.” The film begins at 7 p.m.

Admission: $8

The Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts is hosting a production of “Napakō: A Coahuiltecan Creation Story” as part of the Global Arts Festival in the Baker Theater from 12-1:30 p.m.

Admission: Free

The College of Fine Arts is hosting an international fashion show as part of the Global Arts Festival in the Baker Theater from 7-9 p.m.

Admission: Free

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is speaking at the Baker Ballroom as part of the Kennedy Lecture Series at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Admission: Free

Wednesday, March 18

Ohio Softball plays against Dayton at the Softball Field at 5 p.m.

Admission: $3 - $7

The Center for Student Engagement & Leadership is hosting “Rufus Bingo” in the Walter Hall rotunda from 5-7 p.m.

Admission: Free

The College of Fine Arts is hosting a performance from the Azagu Steel Band as part of the Global Arts Festival in the Baker Theater from 12-1:30 p.m.

Admission: Free

The College of Fine Arts is hosting a music of South America performance as part of the Global Arts Festival in the Baker Theater from 7-9 p.m.

Admission: Free

Thursday, March 19

The College of Fine Arts is hosting a keynote speech by Ghanaian parliament member Abla Dzifa Gomashie as part of the Global Arts Festival in the Baker Theater from 11 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.

Admission: Free

The College of Fine Arts is hosting a performance from the Ohio University Steel Band as part of the Global Arts Festival at the West Portico on College Green from 12-1:30 p.m.

Admission: Free

The Kennedy Museum of Art is hosting a portrait sketching session led

by Mateo Galvano from 5:30-7 p.m. No prior experience is needed.

Admission: Free

The College of Fine Arts is hosting a world music and dance concert as part of the Global Arts Festival in the Baker Theater at 7:30 p.m.

Admission: $15

Ananke, Zappers and Jillian Kay are performing at The Union. Doors open at 8 p.m., and music begins at 9 p.m.

Admission: $11 for anyone under 21, $8 for 21+

Friday, March 20

“Charlie & The Chocolate Factory” opens at Stuart’s Opera House, 52 Public Square in Nelsonville, presented by the ABC Players and the NelsonvilleYork Drama Club. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show begins at 7:30 p.m. There is a performance on Saturday at the same time.

Admission: $9.79 - $17 for balcony and main seating

Ohio Softball plays against Northern Illinois at the Softball Field at 3 p.m.

Admission: $3 - $7

The Union is hosting the “Beautiful People” house music dance party. It includes sets by DJs B-Funk, suzi_evol, OK DJ and Muchi Nochi. Doors open at 8 p.m., and music begins at 9 p.m.

Admission: $11 for anyone under 21, $8 for 21+

The College of Fine Arts is hosting a performance of the music of Uganda by Haruna Walusimbi and Mark Stone at 1 p.m. in the Glidden Hall Rehearsal Hall.

Admission: Free

Saturday, March 21

Ohio Softball plays a doubleheader against Northern Illinois at the Softball Field. The first game is at 1 p.m.

Admission: $3 - $7

The Federal Valley Resource Center, 8225 State Route 329 in Stewart, is hosting a stained glass workshop, led by Adria Jerman of Sun Spots. No prior experience is required.

Admission: $75 - $100, though scholarships are available by emailing grantsfvrc@gmail.com

John Inghram Band is performing at The Union, joined by Rylee Bapst Band. Both bands are performing full sets as well as a tribute to The Grateful Dead that includes members from both bands. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and music begins at 8:30 p.m.

Admission: $12 in advance, $15 at the door.

Sunday, March 22

“Charlie & The Chocolate Factory” closes at Stuart’s Opera House. Doors open at 1 p.m. and the show begins at 2 p.m.

Admission: $9.79 - $17 for balcony and main seating

@ETHANHERXPHOTO EH481422@OHIO.EDU

ABBIE KINNEY | FOR THE POST

Ask Aleni

There is such a thing as ‘too much protein’

ALENI BENDER | FOR THE POST

We live in a trend-following world of domino effects. Ideas come and go, but the ones creating an impact typically become part of everyday life. When a movement shows signs of success, many retailers attempt to join in and follow as a way of self-promotion.

Protein-rich meals and products have always been important for some people, including high-performing athletes, fitness motivators and healthconscious individuals. Recently, it has become a trend everyone wants to take part in.

Billion-dollar companies have begun adding protein to their brand’s products, with Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts and General Mills’ Cheerios creating a protein line, and Starbucks and Chipotle adding entirely new protein menus. People have not only been accepting these new products, but raving about them, even at their markup pricing. Even candy can’t clear this protein epidemic.

Protein has had a significant impact on how consumers choose to buy products. This fad would have been a positive addition to some food items before it was taken too far.

Christopher Gardner, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, said Americans tend to have low levels of nutrients such as vitamin D and calcium, but protein has rarely ever made the list of what we’re short of.

Now, products are protein-packed and still lacking these other nourishments our bodies actually need.

This new “it” trend is turning out to be more harmful than healthy.

The body can’t store protein, so consuming an excess amount doesn’t exactly equal larger muscle mass. This is a common misconception, and any protein that overfulfills your daily needs is either used for energy or stored as fat. In some cases, eating too much protein can further contribute to cardiovascular and kidney issues.

The recommended daily protein intake, according to the new health guidelines, has nearly doubled. Originally, 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight was suggested. Now, it ranges from 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.

The most important part of this conversation is that adding protein to a food item doesn’t automatically make it “healthy,” and many people are falling for this gimmick. Protein bars themselves can be considered a dessert, with flavors such as Brownie Batter, Birthday Cake, Key Lime Pie and Caramel Choco Chip by Barebells.

While protein bars can be valuable for an on-the-go supply of nutrients, their contents lack in all other aspects. Ingredients you can’t pronounce pack

Ballgowns

the nutrition labels, and buyers often overlook the ingredients to receive the high-protein, low-calorie ratio. Meanwhile, the low-calorie content is a result of bioengineered ingredients and artificial sweeteners.

Excess protein also deprives your body of fiber. This further contributes to the majority of Americans not meeting the recommended daily intake of fiber. The consequences of this can be detrimental to the health and proper functioning of the human body. The body relies on fiber for digestion, gut health and it is often linked to lowering risk for heart disease.

Protein is advertised everywhere you look, and restricting a new diet trend can quickly dissipate when you are constantly surrounded by its presence. Viral obsessions can hook consumers, especially when well-known influencers and celebrities take part in something that may seem harmless. Happy Viking, created by Venus Williams, is a plant-based protein shake. The catch is that it is labeled as a meal replacement. Consuming a shake instead of a core meal for the day explains this issue very simply. The term “meal replacement” is never healthy for an individual looking to lead a balanced lifestyle. When an influential athlete such as Williams creates and promotes a product designed to replace meals, the message can quickly become misleading.

While this may result in individuals skipping multiple meals, it can also lead to an unhealthy dynamic with food. More importantly, this product goes against what athletes are supposed to do when not performing, which is to fuel their bodies with a variety of nutrients.

Khloud, created by Khloé Kardashian, is protein-packed popcorn, now sold on the shelves of many grocery stores. Even simple snacking turned into a macro check.

Without understanding the role protein plays in health and well-being, you can find yourself going down a misleading path you didn’t even realize you were on.

Though the world around us is grasping for anything labeled as “protein,” there are limits to how much we should be consuming. Doing research before kickstarting any trend is worthwhile, as it can save your health and even your spending habits.

Aleni Bender is a sophomore studying organizational communication at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Aleni about her column? Emai her at ab285023@ohio.edu.

/ continued from pg 1

After coming to Ohio University, she began the process of creating the club. This included finding a faculty advisor, forming an executive team and doing promotional work. After posting a flyer on an OU Snapchat story and forming a GroupMe, Zajdel looked for students interested in serving as board members.

“I joined the GroupMe because that was exactly something that I was very interested in,” Alexis Curtin, a freshman studying social work and psychology who serves as the club treasurer, said.

Curtin was involved in theater since high school and wanted to be part of an organization that lets her perform in a new way.

“It was a new opportunity to try something that I wanted to be a part of for a while,” she said.

As the club grows, Curtin looks forward to providing kids with a safe space, as she experienced as a kid when attending princess-themed events.

“When I was younger, I went to a high school princess event, and it was just girls in prom dresses, but it was the most magical experience,” she said.

“Just being able to give that to kids.”

Zajdel said the mission of Bobcats and Ballgowns is important to not only the children of Athens but also other residents, as it breaks down a divide between OU students and the city through connection at events.

“I feel like sometimes it can feel like it’s OU, and then outside, it’s just Athens,” Zajdel said. “It’s not really combined together. I think it’s cool to mesh those together.”

Madeline Walton, a sophomore studying nutrition science, is the organization’s social media manager

and works to create posts to welcome new members and obtain sponsorships.

“I feel like it’s really important for not only us to have sponsors, but the local businesses, too, because it shows that they’re involved in the community,” Walton said.

Bobcats and Ballgowns have a sponsorship with Friendly Paws Pet Supplies and Grooming, located at 940 E. State St. This collaboration and prospective ones will help fund costumes and activities for the group’s events.

“Sponsors can make a huge difference in our club because they can help be the difference between just a random green dress and a dress that actually resembles Tinker Bell,” Curtin said.

On April 5, the club plans to participate in Kidfest, a local annual event hosted by Athens County Children Services.

“It’s basically just a bunch of games and activities,” Curtin said. “Crafts, music, dancing for kids in the Athens area, and so we would just be there to interact with the kids.”

As the organization prepares for the event, Bobcats and Ballgowns is hosting character workshops for interested new members to learn how to perform.

“(It’s) going to be a workshop,” Zajdel said. “How to act like a princess, how to talk to kids, how to be on their level.”

Aside from dressing up, students can get involved by participating in all aspects of events, including planning, costume design and photography.

“We’re kind of welcome to anything,” Zajdel said. “If you have something that you like to do … you’re welcome to come in and we can figure out how to put that into the club.”

CLARA LEDER ASST. OPINION EDITOR

The Bobcats are back from break, and the birds are chirping songs of spring. This week, the spring equinox and a new moon conduct spiritual renewal for the signs.

On March 18, a new moon in Pisces asks us to dig through the guilt residing inside of us. During this time, avoid stubbornness, accept the hardships and take a leap of faith, forgive and keep moving.

Spring officially arrives on March 20 with the spring equinox. The sun will cross the equator from south to north, welcoming the season and brighter days ahead. Cultures worldwide observe and celebrate the spring equinox in a variety of ways and have done so for centuries. In astrology, it’s known as the beginning of a new year, as the sun returns to the first sign of the zodiac wheel, Aries. Hibernation season is officially over; a new positive chapter is beginning.

Aries (March 21–April 19):

Self-reflection is your greatest tool this week, especially as we head into your birthday season. Take the time to process emotions and clear up misunderstandings in relationships. This is a time when self-doubt is high for you, so do the inner work before you react to the outer. Spring is here, and you don’t want to carry all this baggage with you.

HOROSCOPE

Taurus (April 20–May 20):

This week, love will greet you in the little ways. Spring’s arrival begs you to slow down and spend time with those who bring you joy. Focus on meaningful connections in your life, and keep your feet right where they are. Your mind has been running too fast lately. Slow down.

Gemini (May 21–June 20):

Gemini, you mustn’t make rash decisions this week. New opportunities in your wealth and career are coming, but planning will be your key tool to success. This week, the new moon asks you to reconsider how you respond to others. Avoid taking the passive-aggressive route this week; communication is going to be extra difficult.

Cancer (June 21–July 22):

Now is a great time to reassess your long-term goals. Welcome the spring equinox with a genuine conversation with yourself. Where do you want to be in a year? You are quick to jump, Cancer, but remember, careful decision-making is your best friend. Expect heightened emotions this week; prioritize your own well-being.

Leo (July 23–Aug. 22):

Expect relationships to feel rocky this week, as intense discussions are likely and may just reveal what you’ve been anxiously awaiting. No matter

CROSSWORD

what, remain patient. Now is a good time to refocus your energy into your friendships. Socializing will be your number one recharge hack this week.

Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22):

The new moon, coupled with the spring equinox, means you need to protect your emotional boundaries. Reassess where your priorities lie, and take time to reflect on your own routine. How are you meeting your goals? Now is a time to restructure your daily life and explore learning opportunities.

Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22):

Expect to have a few deeply emotional conversations this week. Spring’s arrival will stir up once-silent grudges. This week encourages you to balance your social life and responsibilities. Libra, take the time to evaluate your relationships. Who is meant to be in your life, and who isn’t?

Scorpio (Oct. 23–Nov. 21):

Inner reflection is not something to run from, Scorpio. This week encourages you to shed your old skin, for you, that means moving forward with confidence. This can look like admitting your feelings or having hard conversations you’ve been avoiding. Now is the time to build up your emotional honesty; it will only continue to release tension in your life.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21):

This week, handle your emotions and communication carefully. Watch how you speak to others. Clearer

communication is the key to relieving anxieties. You already have a gift for reflection, use it this week for yourself and find ways to better communicate your emotions to yourself and others around you.

Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19):

This week is a stable one for you, Capricorn. There may be professional growth that occurs this week, an extra big tip or a job offer, but remember to keep your focus straight ahead. Keep refining your tools of self-discipline, your hard work and steady progress is going to pay off soon. Focus on stability and the goals you have made for yourself; you are nearing the finish line.

Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18):

This week brings difficult times in health and finances. You may experience minor health concerns this week or run into a financial burden. Your honesty and emotional maturity will guide you through the hard times. Pisces season encourages you to reflect on misunderstandings with honesty, even if that means inserting your own opinion.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20):

Emotions and intuition are especially strong this week, with a new moon in Pisces and the final days of the sun in your sign. Expect to experience many blessings this week, as well as continued progress on your own personal transformation. Note that this week may feel extra emotional, rely on your support system and ride the wave.

JACKSON PENNINGTON | FOR THE POST

Josh D’Amaro to take over for Bob Iger as CEO of Disney

EMILY FRANK FOR THE POST

After a near total of 19 years, Bob Iger will officially step down as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company and Josh D’Amaro, current chairman of Disney Experiences, will be taking over.

Iger’s time at Disney started with ABC. Iger started working at ABC in the mid 1970s, where he worked in various roles, and by the time the 1980s rolled around, Iger started to take on more executive roles. Disney bought out ABC and its previous parent company, Capital Cities, in 1995.

After being placed as chairman of ABC in 1996, Iger later received the responsibility of becoming president of Walt Disney International in 1999. In 2000, he would be promoted to president and COO, reporting directly to then CEO, Michael Eisner.

Despite leading what is considered the “Disney Renaissance” with Disney releasing films such as “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin” and “Mulan,” Eisner faced many internal business struggles in the early 2000s, with Walt Disney’s nephew, Roy E. Disney, being one of Eisner’s loudest critics. The initial failure of Disney’s California Adventure Park and conflicts with Pixar were the final nail in the coffin for Eisner’s Disney career.

Iger was named CEO in 2005. One of Iger’s first big moves as CEO was buying Pixar from Steve Jobs in 2006. This partnership with Jobs also allowed Disney to be one of the first companies to have full-length episodes on iTunes. Pixar was not the only company bought under Iger’s vision. He also bought Marvel in 2009, Lucasfilm in 2012, and 21st Century Fox in 2019, which also gave Disney stakes in Hulu. Iger also oversaw the creation of Disney’s very own streaming platform, with Disney+ being released to the public in late 2019.

After 15 years as CEO, Iger retired in 2020 and Bob Chapek took over as CEO. Chapek struggled during his time as CEO and was ultimately fired by the board due to multiple reasons, poor financial performance being one of them. In November 2022, Iger came out of retirement to take over as CEO once again.

Now, in 2026, Iger is handing the reins to D’Amaro. Currently, D’Amaro is chairman of Disney Experiences which includes all 12 theme parks, 57

resorts and eight cruises.

D’Amaro started working at Disneyland in a strategic role in 1998. Over his time at the company, he worked in multiple leadership roles in business strategy, marketing, creative development, finance and operations.

D’Amaro became president of Disneyland in February 2018. The day he officially started the job, a ceremony was held at Walt Disney’s apartment on Mainstreet, USA, above the firehouse. In 2019 he became president of Disney World.

D’Amaro took over as chairman of Disney Experiences in 2020.

Part of D’Amaro’s job as chairman of Disney Experiences is overseeing Walt Disney Imagineering. Through this job D’Amaro has had a large hand in the creation of places like Marvel’s Avengers Campus in Disneyland and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge which can be found in both Disneyland and Disney World.

D’Amaro has also played a huge role in the creation of rides such as Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and World of Frozen. One of the upcoming projects he is working on is the creation of a new Monsters, Inc.-themed land at Walt Disney World.

The Monsters, Inc.-themed land is already surrounded by some controversy since to make way for it Disney knocked out Muppets Courtyard to make room for it.

This includes the iconic Miss Piggy fountain, PizzeRizzo and, of course, MuppetVision 3D, the last Muppets project Muppets creator Jim Henson ever worked on.

Though the Muppets will not be completely evicted from the park, as the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, which is previously themed after Aerosmith, is set to be rethemed after them. Many Muppet fans are still upset and seem to think of the destruction of Muppets Courtyard as a disappointment to Henson’s legacy.

D’Amaro also heads Disney Consumer Products which handles licensing for Disney’s various merchandising including toys, clothing, and home goods. This also includes Disney’s partnership with Epic Games which allows Fortnite to use various Disney-owned characters.

D’Amaro will officially take over as CEO of The Walt Disney Company on March 18.

LEANNE ABEL FOR THE POST

A24 is giving the world a “Backrooms” movie. Near the end of February, the company released its first teaser trailer for the movie that is set to hit theaters May 29.

The film will center around the idea that two people find a mysterious door that leads them to a furniture showroom in a basement.

This new movie is adapting Kane Parsons’ YouTube series and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell and Avan Jogia. With Parsons directing the film, his atmospheric, first-personbased style is expected for the silver screen adaptation.

In 2022, Parsons, also known as Kane Pixels, created the first of the “Backrooms” short films inspired by the viral 4-chan post that introduced the horror legend to the internet. This series led him right into the directing role for the A24 movie. Parsons now stands as the company’s youngest director, as he was 17 when the film went into production.

The trailer only has a few voices and shows none of the actors.

“I found something … I found a place. It’s massive in there. It just goes on and on and on. All these rooms,” the faceless voice says in the trailer. “This place built them. Actually, more like it remembers them. And the more times it remembers something, the less it does.”

It also reveals a yellow house,

KENDALL DAVIS FOR THE POST

The trailer for the upcoming horror film “Hokum” was released Wednesday.

Ironically, “Hokum” follows the journey of a horror author, Ohm Bauman, as he travels to Ireland to scatter his parents’ ashes, where they had their honeymoon. Bauman discovers the remote inn is haunted by a witch.

According to the trailer, some of the unusual occurrences Bauman witnesses at the inn include odd strangers, a missing staff member and an eternally locked honeymoon suite, all of which escalate into seemingly demonic activity, which Bauman must face off against.

Directed by Damian McCarthy, “Hokum” seems to be a promising addition to the horror genre, as McCarthy is known for his past films “Caveat” and “Oddity.” Although these somewhat niche films may have flown under the radar, they were mostly critically well-received, boding well for the success of “Hokum.”

Interestingly, McCarthy is from Ireland, which could lend a uniquely authentic perspective to the Irish setting of the movie. This is especially true if he chooses to lean into some of the haunting folklore

which takes the viewers down multiple levels as a disembodied figure gliding through the floor. The vibe attempts to scare and intrigue viewers, showing that the new movie will look much like the original image and short film series.

Emerging from a 2003 photo released about the renovation of a HobbyTown store, the Backrooms have become a public image that many horror netizens know and fear. In 2011, the image made it to the public bulletin board 4chan. An eerie message about the image was written in 2019, unlocking a collective unsettlement and creativity in fans.

The viral 4chan is known as a creepypasta, or horror stories created on internet forums. The spookiness of the Backrooms is not just a never-ending labyrinth, but also the sense of dread

It has evolved from the original post, appearing in stories and posts written by people all over the internet. There is no official canon of the fictional Backrooms, and the movie will be the first to create a firm foundation for the story.

The Backrooms, in the new film, is an endless maze of empty rooms in an old office space illuminated by sickly yellow walls. The location is nonexistent, resembling purgatory in some ways. Although there are no humans inside these rooms, unseen entities make the viewer feel as though they are being followed.

The teaser trailer has a lot of fans excited.

“I actually really liked this

associated with Ireland, though that is unclear.

The trailer boasts that “Hokum” is produced by the same producer as “Weapons” and “Barbarian,” two extremely successful horror movies.

“Weapons,” in particular, rose to prominence as it was nominated for an Oscar award, which tends to be rare for horror films.

Playing the role of Bauman is actor Adam Scott, who is also likely to help publicize “Hokum.” Scott is primarily known for his role as Ben Wyatt in the NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” but he has recently become recognized as a more serious actor due to his role in the Apple TV original series “Severance.”

This type of complex role truly highlighted Scott’s dramatic acting prowess, with the show having won 10 Emmy awards across its two seasons. While “Hokum” will not be Scott’s first foray into the horror genre, with past credits including “Hellraiser: Bloodline” and “Krampus,” this will be his first major role in such a highly anticipated horror film.

Audiences are no strangers to the subgenre of haunted hotel horror, which “Hokum” falls into, with some of the most famous past examples including “The Shining” and

trailer. I think for the kind of movie that I’m assuming this is going to be, it fits in really well, and it does a really great job at showing, like … I’m not sure what the exact terminology is … I don’t want to say no-clipping, but I think it’s no-clipping. The degradation of the chair is so interesting. The window. The different details in the room,” TikTok creator @starring_ spencer reviewed in a TikTok video.

Other users tried to analyze the content.

“It seems like it can replicate the exact room over and over again with just like Control C - Control V accuracy, except there are minor differences because of the general warping of the complex itself. And I’m really glad he actually included that in the teaser. It really does seem like a metaphor for humans’ loss of control, somebody losing their mind and going insane. All of their memories slipping away until eventually it’s just nothing,” YouTuber @Broogli commented in a video.

Since the teaser trailer has so little content, it makes sense for fans to be excited but skeptical. Teaser trailers have likely been misleading before, and people will be on high alert until the end of May, when they can see the final product.

Hopefully, Parsons exceeds the expectations and sets people up for a future of new horror films. Mainstreaming the Backrooms content will send more people to the story and create a whole new world within the story.

“American Horror Story: Hotel.” In an already saturated trope like this, it will be interesting to see whether “Hokum” can break out into a unique take on the haunted hotel concept, or if it will trudge through unoriginal territory.

Aside from the haunted hotel subgenre, “Hokum” also falls into the tradition of witchbased horror. While this is less of a narrowly defined trope than that of the haunted hotel, it is also a common theme in horror films. While such a classic horror monster may seem cliché, there have been recent films that originally attempted the subgenre, such as “Hereditary,” “The Witch” or even the aforementioned “Weapons.”

While audiences may grow tired of overdone concepts in horror, if “Hokum” can take on such ideas in ways other films have not previously done, it will likely be capable of capturing the attention of audiences and critics.

Overall, audiences can look forward to seeing whether or not “Hokum” breaks genre norms, as well as Adam Scott’s step in a new direction.

“Hokum” will be released in theaters May 1.

David’s Thoughts | We must live Black history,

DAVID ASAMOAH FOR THE POST

Black history places us in a greater context in the world today, and serves not as mere parables, but powerful intel into the problems of our current world. We must live Black history, not just remember it.

To “live” history means to integrate its knowledge into our lives, to understand the gap between then and now, and to be empowered by taking action in our present day.

On Jan. 19, I participated in the Silent March on College Green led by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, held in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his life’s work, a pivotal figure in the American Civil Rights Movement.

This annual march is an important tradition to honor the legacy of King on MLK Day, and allows others to actively celebrate his legacy by walking in silence, arm in arm. The march was followed by a brunch, dance performances and speeches.

I found the service to be very striking. Those who attended didn’t just remember King’s life work: we actively participated and lived history by marching in remembrance of the principles that King spent his life preaching.

Participants marched like King, despite the blistering cold weather, because they understood that the truth of his life was more important than any inconvenience they might face.

Those who marched not only remembered history but actively incorporated its lessons into public advocacy for change in the present, understanding that the great questions King posed to America are questions still worth answering.

It was this moment, witnessing the number of people gathering in the cold weather willing to march for King’s ideals, that gave me a greater understanding of what it truly means to “live” history.

During the brunch, I was inspired to see fellow

undergraduate students older than me who spoke at the event, such as members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, an umbrella organization that includes nine historically Black fraternities and sororities. They advocated for unity, honoring the past and moving with love.

As evidenced by King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, he was grounded by an understanding of history that compelled him to take action against the social injustice of his time. In the second line of his speech, he said, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.”

This line is a clear allusion to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which was delivered after the Battle of Gettysburg, a key battle in the American Civil War that halted Confederate general Robert E. Lee’s invasion of the North. Lincoln offered this speech in dedication to Union soldiers who died in the battle. King’s speech mirrors this and demonstrates the role

not just remember it

that remembering history must take to live and remember those who came before us.

King’s understanding of American history not only made him an effective rhetorician but also showed the jarring incongruence between America’s promises of freedom and how America had failed to live up to its promises from its inception. He then challenged America to “Be true to what it said on paper” in his speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” and fought racialized segregation, not only remembering history, but like those who had come before him, actively fought against it in the Civil Rights Movement of his time.

The Civil Rights Movement combatted racial discrimination by challenging legal segregation across the United States, while advocating for civil rights that African Americans had been deprived of for centuries.

That is what “living” history requires: a willingness to incorporate history’s lessons into our daily lives and use

them not only as mandatory information to memorize out of goodwill, but also in a contemporary context to understand and tackle social issues. Maya Angelou wrote in her poem “On the Pulse of Morning,” “History despite its wrenching pain / Cannot be unlived, but if faced / With courage, need not be lived again.”

This line emphasizes that “living history” doesn’t mean we must relive the most traumatic parts of our history, but rather, when we face it with courage, we can begin to heal history’s wounds and take action in the present to improve our future. History is something we participate in, an ongoing conversation from the past to the present. It lives not only in museums and paintings, but in our willingness to participate in that conversation, and our courage to face it head-on. Although Black History Month has passed, it’s important not to let the remembrance and themes pass with the month.

CAREER SUCCESS DAY

Join us Monday, March 30, in Baker Center Ballroom from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for amazing Scripps alumni speakers, networking and career readiness advice.

This event will feature a keynote address from 2008 journalism alumnus and NBC4 anchor Matt Barnes, BSJ '08, alumni panels, free pizza and interactive o erings like resume critiques, workshops, free headshots, music and fun!

Monday, March 30TH 11 a.m. - 3 p.m