Burrow Blueprint tackles mental health in Appalachia
FINN SMITH NEWS STAFF WRITER
The Joe Burrow Foundation recently partnered with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to develop the Burrow Blueprint, a program that aims to provide and support mental health treatment within schools in Appalachian Ohio.
The Joe Burrow Foundation is a nonprofit established by NFL Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and Athens native Joe Burrow, and his parents, Jimmy and Robin Burrow. The foundation is built on two main missions: hunger relief and supporting youth mental health.
Robin Burrow, Joe Burrow’s mother and secretary-treasurer and director of program development for the foundation, taught in Athens City Schools before working as a principal in Meigs County. She said in the past 15-20 years while she worked in schools, she noticed performance and behavioral issues in the classrooms.
Robin Burrow said the rise of technology and the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to the rise in students suffering from mental health problems, and those issues often cause challenges in the classroom that disrupt student learning.
Christine Suniti Bhat, professor of counseling education at Ohio University, is a licensed professional counselor and school counselor who previously served as president of the American Counseling Association. Bhat said students suffering from mental health issues are often not able to perform to the best of their ability.
“They may feel this sense of guilt that they’re not doing enough,” Bhat said. “So it definitely compromises the learning environment and would affect students’ learning, because a student that’s struggling with depression or anxiety would find it very hard to concentrate on their schoolwork.”
Robin Burrow said children in rural schools often have difficulty getting an appointment with medical professionals to address mental health issues.
“The wait times for our students to get in to see a professional were months,” Robin Burrow said. “I mean, four months, six months, eight months, sometimes a year to get in to see a child psychiatrist.”
According to the National Rural Health Association, the rural physician population is aging and will see more difficulty retaining physicians, with a projected 23% decline in rural physicians by 2030, due to retirements. Rural counties in Ohio have a lower
percentage of primary care, dental and mental health providers per capita than the state average, according to the Health Policy Institute of Ohio.
Dr. Bhat said the issue can be tied to a lack of funding, as well as the difficulty in finding the resources that already exist.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital has been working to remedy the issue for over 10 years, and began with a pilot program that established school-based clinics to serve students and families of the surrounding community.
The school-based clinics were found to be extremely beneficial for local communities; however, many physicians felt unqualified to treat mental health issues. Mary Kay Irwin, senior director of school-based health at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, said some providers feel unprepared despite having the necessary qualifications.
“When somebody goes through training to become a primary care provider, it’s within the scope of their license that they are allowed to do primary care mental health,” Irwin said.
“A lot of the primary care providers say, ‘I just am not comfortable. Even though my license technically allows me to do it, I don’t feel like I have the expertise to do it.’”
Nationwide approached the Joe Burrow Foundation and proposed a collaborative effort to develop learning modules to help school-based clinicians feel more comfortable diagnosing and treating mental health issues.
The Joe Burrow Foundation chose to fund the program, allowing Nationwide to hire an E-Learning developer to create nine virtual modules of mental health resources and content. Irwin discussed how these modules equip clinicians with the knowledge to diagnose and treat mental illness within school systems.
“We also teach them how to do this embedded in a school system,” Irwin said. “So how do you work with the teachers and the school nurses and the school social workers. So they funded that.”
Each module is under 60 minutes long, and Nationwide recommends the physicians meet with Nationwide staff every two modules to discuss the content and take part in case discussions.
The Joe Burrow Foundation funded the development of the learning modules and the implementation of the program into school-based clinics. The amount of funding is undisclosed, but it covers the cost for schools and physicians.
Dr. Bhat expressed her excitement regarding the Burrow Blueprint.
“I think it’s a game changer for rural Appalachia, because in addition to the mental health services, they are looking at an integrated care model so that medical, physical health and medical services are also available to students with whatever primary health care needs that they might have,” Bhat said.
Nationwide and the Joe Burrow
Foundation announced the Burrow Blueprint on Aug. 12, and started with 20 school districts in the Appalachian region. As of Nov. 6, Robin said the number has increased to now 37 Appalachian schools.
Irwin said Nationwide is currently putting the cohorts together, and people are just getting started. She said the process will take months to ensure physicians fully understand the material.
Jimmy Burrow, Joe Burrow’s father, said the Burrow Blueprint ties back into the foundation’s overall mission, which is to battle food insecurity and mental health issues in the Southeast Ohio region.
“The whole thing started with the Joe Burrow Foundation because of Joe’s speech at the Heisman when there were about 31 seconds where he devoted to food insecurity in Southeast Ohio, and Joe realized he had a platform to make a difference,” Jimmy Burrow said. “Then our family, Robin and I, realized that we could all have this platform to make a difference. There’s a lot of food insecurity in Southeast Ohio, and a lot of times that leads to children’s mental health issues, so it really was full circle for us.”
The Joe Burrow Foundation has already begun implementing the Burrow Blueprint program in Baton Rouge and is planning to do the same in Cincinnati.
Left: The front of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 29, 2025. (JACK TATHAM | FOR THE POST)
Right: The Burrow Bluprint Logo
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Police blotter: Loose dogs, goats, well-being checks, arrests
KAITLIN HOGG NEWS STAFF WRITER
7 Fri ________________________
Didn’t Nancy Reagan tell you to “Just Say No”?
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to Union Lane in The Plains after reports of drug paraphernalia.
Once deputies arrived on the scene, they collected the drugs as evidence.
Can you help? Oh, wait, never mind.
Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office received a call to assist the Glouster Police Department in a vehicle pursuit, but while deputies were responding to assist, the call for help was canceled as the car being chased had crashed and assistance was no longer warranted.
8 Sat _________________________
I’m walkin’ here!
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to state Route 56 after a report of a suspicious individual walking in the area.
Deputies made contact with the individual, who said he was walking home from the store. Patrol resumed.
Well-being check
Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Salem Road in Athens regarding a wellbeing check, but on the scene, deputies were not able to make any contact.
9 Sun ________________________
Who keeps letting the dogs out?
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies patrolled the area near Braun Street in Glouster after receiving reports of two dogs running loose. The dogs were not located.
Criminal damaging arrest
Deputies of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Glouster area after a receiving complaint of criminal damage.
Deputies spoke with all involved parties on the scene and arrested the suspect.
10 Mon________________________ Goat on the run
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call from East Third Street in The Plains regarding a loose goat.
Once deputies arrived on the scene, they called the Athens County Humane Society to collect the goat.
Warrants of the week
The Athens County Sheriff’s Office has warrants of arrest out for Jeremy Skinner and Jonathon Cogdill. Skinner is wanted for having weapons while under disability and for possession of drugs. Cogdill is wanted for identity fraud and two counts of theft. Anyone
who has information on either individual is to contact the Sheriff’s Office immediately.
11 Tue ________________________
Arrest made
Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office located Beckie J. McCune, 41, who had a warrant out for her arrest. She was arrested by deputies and taken to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.
Gunshots
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies received reports of gunshots coming from a vehicle in Lodi Township.
When deputies arrived on the scene, they found shell casings near the roadway and collected the evidence. No one was harmed, and the only description of the vehicle is it is a sedan with loud exhaust.
At the time the media report was released, the case was under investigation
12 Wed ________________________
Here you go!
Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office went to Matheny Road in Nelsonville to tell a woman her lost wallet had been located and was at the Logan Police Department.
Stop it!
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to state Route 550 in Athens after a complaint of harassment.
On the scene, deputies learned a person had called the complainant and made comments of a lewd nature. Deputies took a report, and the complainant was told to block the individual’s number.
30 Thur ________________________
Is this yours?
A man contacted the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, who said his wife found a purse on the street.
Deputies made contact with the owner and told her her purse had been found. The items inside the purse had been logged as evidence, and deputies will be making arrangements with the owner.
Hang-up call
Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Featherstone Road in Stewart in regards to a 911 hang-up call. While deputies were on the way to the scene, they got in contact with the caller and found it was accidental and there was no emergency.
U.S. Weekly Headlines: Government shutdown ends, Trump plans to provide
$2,000 for
every American
10 Mon _________________________
Trump administration demands states undo full SNAP payouts
Trump administration demands states undo full SNAP payouts
The Trump administration demanded states that previously paid out Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits under prior judicial orders to undo their payments after the U.S. Supreme Court stayed those rulings, according to the Associated Press.
The AP reported Nonprofits and Democratic attorneys general sued and won legal battles to force SNAP payouts during the government shutdown.
Following the Supreme Court decision to pause rulings for SNAP disbursements, the Department of Agriculture stated full payouts were “unauthorized.”
Governors and lawmakers across the country pushed back against this decision, indicating potential legal battles due to the “catastrophic impact” that could be seen if SNAP benefits are not given to their residents, according to the AP.
11 Tue _________________________
Legal battles continue over future of wrongfully deported man
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident, was mistakenly deported by the Trump administration earlier this year to his home country of El Salvador, where he was placed in prison.
According to the AP, Abrego Garcia illegally immigrated to the U.S. in his teens, but has since obtained citizenship. An immigration judge previously ruled he would be protected from deportation due to the danger he would face in El Salvador.
The U.S. government is now in legal battles with Abrego Garcia’s lawyers on where he will be deported to, the AP reported. The U.S argued to deport him to Liberia, while his lawyers are moving for Costa Rica.
12 Wed _________________________
Trump plans to provide $2,000 tariff dividend to Americans
Following continued concerns regarding the high cost of living and the state of the economy, President Donald Trump announced a $2,000 dividend would be given to every American, not including high-income people, the AP reported.
Trump argued his aggressive tariff policies have greatly supported the economy and brought in enough money to make this decision. The announcement was made on Truth Social and has caused a flurry of concerns from economists who argue the revenue gained from Trump’s tariffs cannot fully support the cost of the dividend.
The Trump tariffs are also under legal fire, with the U.S. Supreme Court set to rule on Trump’s use of a “national emergency” to justify setting tariffs,
according to the AP.
13 Thur _________________________
Funding bill signed, ending record government shutdown
According to the AP, Trump signed a government funding bill Wednesday night that ended the record 43-day shutdown.
The funding bill was passed due to eight Democratic Senators who broke party ranks after realizing Republicans would not comply with using the funding bill to extend health care tax credits like Democrats wished.
The bill reverses the job terminations the Trump administration made during the government shutdown. It also increases the funding given to security for Supreme Court justices and lawmakers, the AP reported.
14 Fri _________________________
Shutdown ends, government works to fully reopen
Although the government officially ended the 43-day shutdown on Wednesday, the government will take longer to fully reopen and solve the issues that arose, according to the AP.
All federal workers who were unpaid during the shutdown are expected to receive the money owed to them by Nov. 19, in four separate portions, the AP reported. State officials claim full monthly SNAP benefits should be issued to recipients beginning Thursday, but the process could take a week.
All furloughed and terminated federal employees have been reinstated.
According to the AP, once safety metrics improve, the Federal Aviation Administration will remove its order to limit flights. This will resume normal operations quickly after the safety metrics improve.
16 Sun _________________________
South Carolina abortion bill would be most restrictive in the country
A South Carolina abortion bill is being considered and contains the most restrictive measures on pregnant women ever seen in the country, according to the AP. The legislation would ban all abortions unless the mother’s life is at risk, and get rid of rape and incest exceptions for up to 12 weeks.
The AP also reported under the legislation, any woman who receives an abortion, and anyone who assists them, could face up to 30 years in prison. It would make providing information about abortions illegal, as well as ban IUDs and limit IVF.
Although a similar bill last year did not progress due to Republicans being happy with the current legislation, many are concerned because nine Republican lawmakers were elected after the current law was passed.
The measure is up for a second hearing Tuesday, Nov. 18.
FINN SMITH | NEWS STAFF WRITER
Athens Local Drive Thru combats food insecurity
FIONA PETTICREW FOR THE POST
Food insecurity in Athens County has intensified following a recent lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. According to the Athens County Foundation, 16% of Athens residents lost their primary food source during the lapse. An estimated 9,800 residents are food insecure, and 63% of the county is eligible for SNAP.
In response, community donations to food banks, pantries and mutual aid efforts have increased. The Athens Local Drive Thru, located at 748 E. State St., has added a free community refrigerator offering donated perishable food to anyone who needs it.
The drive-thru, which sells milk, alcoholic beverages, nicotine products, snacks and firewood, now keeps the fridge near its register. It is stocked with milk, eggs, vegetables and other perishable items, with a sign at the top noting all food inside is free and donations are welcome.
Kevin Mann, the drive-thru’s frontof-house manager, said the project began because a customer and friend of Mann’s, described as “Athens’ Jack Sparrow,” frequently brought in food he did not want to go to waste.
As more people began taking the items, the drive-thru needed a designated space to store the food. One day, when a local meat supplier fell through, the staff repurposed the empty refrigerator for a food drop box.
“I kind of talked with ownership, and I was like, ‘Why don’t we do something for the community? I’ll take on cleaning it up, organizing stuff,’” Mann said. “We can do something that is really helpful to the community and serve the residents that you know support us.”
Mann started the fridge about a month ago, and has received quite a lot of attention from it. He created a post on Facebook on Nov. 3 about the fridge, which received over 200 likes and many comments from people interested in donating. Everyday customers seem to love the initiative, and often donate what they can.
Mann said the setup allows residents to pick up food discreetly by driving through in their car. It also makes it more accessible for people with mobility concerns. If one does not own a car, they can visit the front of the drive-thru where staff will assist anyone who walks up.
Mann said the fridge is not intended to discourage anyone from donating to local blessing boxes or food pantries and described the fridge as an extra
resource for those who may need it.
“We had a lot of community, outpouring of response and that’s been great,” Mann said. “Athens is an incredibly supportive community, and it’s been beautiful to see the love that people have been showing.”
Customers have contributed consistently, including purchasing milk specifically for the fridge. Melissa Bailes-Jewell, a friend of Mann’s and customer of Athens Drive Thru, has been making complete meal kits, with recipes and all items needed to make a hearty meal for themselves.
Bailes-Jewell said the meal kits were her daughter’s idea after seeing similar kits on TikTok. Bailes-Jewell posted in her Athens women’s group on Facebook asking for help putting together meals. With their help, Bailes-Jewell and
others were able to put together 69 meals in five days.
“Avery, my daughter, she has a kind soul,” Bailes-Jewell said. “She had sent me a video of a lady off of Tiktok who does Dollar Tree dinners. All the items to cook it are in that baggy and then you take them to blessing boxes or wherever.”
Bailes-Jewell’s family showed up to help out, and she was able to purchase 20 more meals with donations from a friend.
For those interested in supporting the community fridge, the Athens Drive Thru welcomes donations every day from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
FP074825@OHIO.EDU
Cars drive by the Athens Local Drive Thru on East State Street, Nov. 17, 2025. (Megan VanVlack | Director of Photography)
Growth of data centers poses environmental threat to Southeast Ohio
FINN SMITH | NEWS STAFF WRITER
Ohio has recently seen a massive growth in the construction of data centers. There are currently 194 data centers in Ohio, the fifth most of any state in the country, trailing only Virginia, Texas, California and Illinois, according to the Data Center Map.
According to International Business Machines Corporation, a data center is “a physical room, building or facility that houses IT infrastructure for building, running and delivering applications and services. It also stores and manages the data associated with those applications and services.”
In Ohio, the majority of data centers are located within the Central Ohio region, with 121 of the facilities located in Columbus. These data centers are mostly owned by large name-brand companies such as AWS, Meta and Google.
A major concern regarding these data centers is the amount of water necessary for production. According to a report from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, a large data center can use up to 5 million gallons per day, which is about 1.8 billion gallons annually.
Another common environmental issue cited concerning data centers is the amount of power they require. According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, about 56% of all data centers are powered by fossil fuels.
In Ohio, many have raised concerns about the environmental impact that will be seen as a result of growing fracking sites. Fracking is a deep-earth drilling method that fractures rocks to release and collect trapped oil and gas.
Resident of Harrison County, Randi Pokladnik, has her Ph.D. in environmental studies, and recently wrote a commentary article in the Ohio Capital Journal, which discussed how the boom in data centers is impacting, and will continue to impact, the environment across the state.
Pokladnik said the statehouse has passed multiple bills that effectively block solar and wind energy production across the state. She cited Senate Bill 52, which gave county commissioners the power to restrict the development of wind and solar energy in designated areas.
Pokladnik said legislation such as SB52 will only further the fracking of natural gas for powering data centers.
Cathy Cowan Becker, board president of Save Ohio Parks, said the oil and gas industry is in the pockets of many state politicians.
“The oil and gas industry provides a lot of campaign donations for a lot of politicians in the state house, and it’s documented, for example, on the carbon capture and storage bill,” Cowan Becker said. “The oil and gas industry basically wrote that bill, and basically wrote amendments to that bill.”
Cowan Becker said the burden of these fracking initiatives will be felt most in the Southeast region because the shale gas, trapped gas obtained through fracking, is found underneath the area of the state.
“There are two main, what they call shale plates, where the gas and some oil, but mainly gas, is,” Cowan Becker said. “One is the Marcellus, which is largely in Pennsylvania but comes into Ohio, and then also either on top or underneath that, is the Utica Shale, which is largely Eastern Ohio, and most of the fracking nominations and projects I have seen are in the Utica Shale, and that’s across Appalachian Ohio.”
A growing issue for many residents of Southeast Ohio is compulsory unitization. Cowan Becker discussed how homeowners can be forced into allowing fracking under their property if a majority of the land area owners agree to it.
“If there is a particular land area that they want to frack, and 65% of the owners of that land agree, that could be just one or two large owners, and they say ‘yeah, you can frack it,’ then everyone else is what’s called unitized, or forced, pulled in,” Cowan Becker
said. “The fracking is forced under their property, whether they want it or not.”
Pokladnik had compulsory unitization occur under her land in Harrison County. According to Pokladnik, natural gas company Encino Energy had been petitioning for leases from homeowners in Harrison County until they received a majority.
“If they found anybody who did not sign the lease, then we got a notification in the mail, and we got, I think it was in January, two years ago, that we were involved in forced pulling,” Pokladnik said. “They had the name of the well and they had the name of the company, Encino, and they told us the time of the zoom hearing … once we got on the hearing, I got on the phone and the guy in the ODNR, who does this, he made it quite clear that he did not want to hear anything about environmental stuff, only involving economic stuff.”
Proponents of data centers cite job and economic growth to be the benefits. According to a study released by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation, over 95,000 jobs were supported in 2024 due to data centers. Additionally, the study claims data centers contributed $11.8 billion to the gross domestic product and $6.9 billion to labor income.
Pokladnik commented on the long-term effects the increase in fracking could have on the southeast region, specifically due to the history of coal mining and strip mining.
“I’m 70 years old, and I’m old enough to remember whenever they strip mined this area, Belmont County, Harrison, Jefferson,” Pokladnik said. “And when we were kids, we used to go out and fish in the strip pits, which were just areas where they had stripped and water filled up, or a stream fed into that area, and it never looked the same. And a lot of times it wasn’t reclaimed, but you can’t reclaim the damage that’s being done right now.”
@FINNSMITH06 FS227223@OHIO.EDU
on Oct. 7, 2024.
Athens ADA compliance concerns continue
KAITLYN
Athens City Commission on Disabilities Chair Davey McNelly said the city is failing to meet federal accessibility requirements, an allegation city officials dispute.
“The city of Athens is currently egregiously out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act,” McNelly wrote in an email.
However, his statement contradicts that of Athens Law Director Lisa Eliason.
“To the best of my knowledge, the City is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act,” Eliason wrote in an email.
The ADA, signed into law in 1990, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and requires local governments to ensure accessible facilities, programs and public spaces.
Athens established its Commission on Disabilities through Athens City Code 3.07,70. The commission, appointed by the mayor with approval from the Athens City Council, reviews city policies, consults with officials and residents and makes accessibility recommendations.
According to the commission’s mission statement, the group also acts as a liaison between the community and the city and responds to accessibility concerns.
McNelly, who has spinal muscular atrophy and uses a power wheelchair, said accessibility problems uptown remain severe.
“People with mobility disabilities in particular do not go uptown because it is not safe for them,” McNelly wrote in an email. “People have fallen out of their wheelchairs, gotten stuck and gotten injured. The reason why we focus on uptown so much is because this is where our city buildings and county buildings are. It is important to make this accessible.”
The commission’s Walk, Talk and Roll event showcases those challenges. During the event’s Court Street Challenge, participants use a manual wheelchair to cross East State Street and Court Street. Out of the 40 people who attempted the challenge, not a single one was able to cross the street within the allotted time.
“People are not able to cross the street due to various issues, including the bricks being out of alignment, the curb cuts not being to code and potholes being in the crosswalk,” McNelly wrote in an email. “We have gone before the City Council and talked to the mayor numerous times to ask that the major improvements needed for Uptown be accomplished.”
A project was in the works to replace the bricks at the intersection of Court Street and Union Street with concrete, but the project has not yet been finished.
According to a previous report by The Post, Deputy Service-Safety Director Andrew Chiki said completion of the pavement was set in late summer or early fall 2024.
McNelly said uneven attention across the city contributes to the problem. Although he described parts of East State Street as “in compliance,” he said the city’s core areas remain inaccessible.
The city is currently developing an ADA transition plan. McNelly said the mayor previously indicated the plan would be completed this year, but after meeting with consultants, he does not believe that will happen on schedule.
“What we do hope for is a good plan which includes ways to fund the needed and necessary improvements,” McNelly wrote in an email.
McNelly also raised concerns about how city commissions can communicate on official platforms. During the Oct. 29 Student Senate meeting, McNelly said the city removed the disability commission’s ability to leave comments on Athens’ official Facebook posts.
“The city decided that all social media accounts will be controlled by the city instead of people on the commissions,” McNelly wrote in an email. “This may have had to do with a post one of our Commission members made about a curb cut that was redone on court in Washington, which was left inaccessible for over two weeks.”
McNelly added the commission is seeking new members and larger community involvement. He encouraged residents and students interested in accessibility work to join the commission or its committees.
$300,000,000 LAUNCHPAD + $30,000,000 WINGMAN + $100,000,000 U-81
=$430,000,000 TOTAL COST
Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame has three yachts. His main yacht, the 387-foot megayacht LAUNCHPAD, cost $300,000,000. His support yacht WINGMAN cost $30,000,000. His other, newer support yacht, U-81, cost $100,000,000. Total cost: $430,000,000.
This is only the cost of the vessels. This figure does not include salaries of crew and servants, maintenance, and operating costs.
According to Wikipedia, “Support yachts are normally intended to carry the ‘toys’ of the super rich, whether they be a rigid inflatable boat, a fishing boat, luxury yacht tender, jet-ski or submersible [submarine].”
Total cost: $50
(plus a stamp, or donate electronically)
According to the charity Seva Foundation: “Since 1978, Seva has provided sight-saving surgeries, eyeglasses, medicine, and other eye care services to 72 million people in under-served communities. “You can free someone from blindness for only $50!”
Also: “Restoring sight is one of the most cost-effective health interventions to reduce poverty. Your $50 donation provides sight-saving surgery to someone in need. With clear vision, those you have helped can return to work and school and live fulfilling lives free from blindness.”
Seva Foundation. 1786 Fifth Street. Berkeley, CA 94710 Seva Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization. https://www.seva.org/
For $30 million, 600,000 people could have their eyesight restored and could be put on a path out of poverty.
According to the World Health Organization article “Blindness and Vision Impairment” (10 August 2023):
Globally, at least 2.2 billion people have a near or distance vision impairment. In at least 1 billion of these, vision impairment could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed.
The leading causes of vision impairment and blindness at a global level are refractive errors and cataracts.
It is estimated that globally only 36% of people with a distance vision impairment due to refractive error and only 17% of people with vision impairment due to cataract have received access to an appropriate intervention.
Vision impairment poses an enormous global financial burden, with the annual global cost of productivity estimated to be US$ 411 billion.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visualimpairment
In Zuckerberg’s defense, lots of workers made money building the superyachts, and lots of people are making money operating and maintaining the super-yachts and working as servants on the super-yachts. Also, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have pledged to give away much of their wealth during their lifetime. Still, we can ask why so many people are blind when they don’t have to be.
HOGG NEWS STAFF WRITER
People crossing the intersection at West Union and Court Street in front of College Green at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio
(JENNA SLYMAN | FOR THE POST)
OU School of Dance presents Senior Capstone Dance Concert
MARY KATE MCNAMEE | FOR THE POST
Senior dance students premiered the Senior Capstone Dance Concert Thursday at 7 p.m. and concluded their final showing Saturday evening. Seven new routines were performed and choreographed by seniors earning their bachelor’s in fine arts.
Tickets were free for OU students, and general admission tickets were $10. Students and guests shuffled into the Shirley Wimmer Dance Theater in Putnam Hall on 96 E. Union St. to watch the performances.
The concert ran for one hour, allowing viewers to soak in each dance. Although performances only lasted for a few minutes, choreographers and dancers have spent months practicing, refining and perfecting each routine.
Annabelle Coleman, a senior studying dance performance and choreography, said dancers have been preparing for this concert since their freshman year.
“We’ve been taking composition classes every single semester for choreography and learning how to choreograph set work on people,” Coleman said. “And then last year, we did junior projects as kind of more of a step up to put something on stage.”
Routines included “The Light You Give” choreographed by Lainey Harbert, “The Secret of the Waterfall” choreographed by Chloe Stocksett, “In their Wake” choreographed by Coleman and dancers, “The Shape of Absence // The Weight of Return” choreographed by Aliya Abeid, “House, not a Home” choreographed by Hallee Cremeans, “01271945” choreographed by Josephine Forrest and “As if by Wings” choreographed by Gwendolyn Cardimen.
Choreographers began building their routines at the start of this semester, but brainstorming began even earlier.
“As far as the concepts for this concert, we started preparing for those in April,” Harbert, a senior studying dance performance and choreography, said. “Basically, right after the junior projects that we showed, we immediately started to create new ideas and start thinking about how and what we can develop into a dance.”
Throughout the semester, rehearsals were held twice a week for two hours. The choreographers poured their heart and soul into the routines; every dance had a personal touch.
“For all the seniors, we each have our own piece, so it’s very collaborative in the sense that we all have to put on the concert together, but it’s individual in the sense that we each choreograph our own piece by ourselves,” Cardimen, a senior studying dance performance and choreography, said.
Stocksett, a senior studying dance performance and choreography and psychology, said all dances followed a similar genre.
“There will be seven new works by the dance majors, the senior class, and it’s more of a modernbased program,” Stocksett said. “So most of the dances are modern. They all explore different themes … so there’s one solo and six large group pieces.”
Stocksett said the artistic process of choreographing a dance can be challenging and she experienced creative blocks.
“For a while, I didn’t really know exactly what I wanted my piece to convey … and then that’s really hard for the dancers too … figuring that out, exactly what I wanted, because it’s difficult if you have a lot of ideas,” Stocksett said.
Alyson Thorngate, a sophomore double majoring in dance and choreography and early childhood education, performed in Coleman’s dance and said she prepared for weeks.
“The rehearsal process can be very demanding, but
also very intricate with my fellow dancers because not only does it help us connect to the piece, but it also helps us connect to each other,” Thorngate said. After weeks, months and years of preparations, the senior dance capstone concert came and went in one weekend, yet the skills, experience and learning are imperishable.
“(This experience) has taught me a lot, especially a lot of patience,” Stocksett said. “With the program, you learn all of these choreographic skills, but it is the first time I’ve been able to apply them to a large group of people. It was difficult and challenging but it taught me how to approach things differently.”
MM336621@OHIO.EDU
Rhapsody Restaurant prepares culinary students for future careers
FIONA PETTICREW
HUMAN INTEREST STAFF WRITER
For Nelsonville locals and hungry people everywhere, the Rhapsody Restaurant is waiting with a variety of appetizers and dishes. The restaurant is not only popular for its seasonal menus and occasional live music, but also for the students from Hocking College’s culinary arts program, who have been making the food and serving customers for years.
Students from Hocking College get hands-on experience while studying culinary arts, baking and hospitality and events management. At Rhapsody Restaurant, located at 18 Public Square in Nelsonville, students learn how to work in casual dining, specifically focusing on pastry, grill and other areas of the kitchen and restaurant. Dishes range from $5 sides to $45 entrees.
Through the culinary arts program, some classes require lab experiences, which means students will spend their time at either Rhapsody, The Lodge at Hocking College or their food truck, all operated by students. Eladio Vassell, the dean of workplace enforcement, oversees many programs through Hocking College, including the culinary programs. Vassell said there are 20 students at Rhapsody, who are rotated throughout the schedule. He said everything in the kitchen is done by students and is overseen by the executive chef. Vassell said the executive chef is there to ensure every student gets to learn from all the areas in the kitchen in their 16week period.
“I think it’s a part of our inclusiveness of learning,”
Vassell said. “I want to get the students involved in it as much as possible. What you find is the quality of product that they produce. It becomes phenomenal.”
One project for the students during their program at Rhapsody is to create a dish, prepare it and allow the director of food and beverage, Jennifer Yanity, and others to taste test the meal. The individual who receives the highest score gets to see their dish featured on the next menu.
Vassell said this experience at Rhapsody not only prepares students for the industry and gives them the basic skills, but it also gives students the work experience employers are looking for right out of college. He said the college often gets called by companies that wish to employ students from their culinary program.
“When a culinary student or hospitality student is graduating from Hocking College, approximately two, three months before they graduate they have at least 2.5 job offers,” Vassell said.
On the menu, there is something for any occasion
and mood, as it has a range of dishes including vegetarian options, steak, seafood, chicken, pasta and burgers, available with sides and add-ons. Vassell said the executive chef, a former student of Hocking College, is Jamaican, and infuses a lot of the American food with a Caribbean flair.
“You’ll find a really nice jerk meatloaf, but you’ll also find a nice Bang Bang chicken, you’ll find black salmon, you’ll find steak strips,” Vassell said. “So we try to ensure that there’s a balance of everything on our menu that is not only appealing just to the general public, but our students who want to dine at Hocking College.”
The restaurant is very popular, and was named the number one restaurant in the Hocking Hills area last year by TripAdvisor, according to Vassell.
Rhapsody Restaurant impressed two locals from Grandview on Friday night, Angie and John Anderson. They enjoyed their time so much they returned Saturday night. John Anderson said they were going to see the Sam Bush Band at Stuart’s Opera House, a short distance away from the restaurant.
“I love the idea of this being a place for the students to practice their culinary skills, and the food is delicious,” John Anderson said. “We had great meals both nights.”
Angie Anderson said she enjoyed her pasta and salmon, and said the beignets melted in their mouths. The pair enjoyed some coffee and Jackie O’s brown ale, as well as wine.
“It’s just a nice atmosphere,” Angie Anderson said. “I love the decor. We had really great service tonight.”
(MEGAN VANVLACK | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)
ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST
Holiday Shoppe blends handmade gifts, spirit of giving
The Athens Art Guild hosted its 17th annual Holiday Shoppe on Saturday and Sunday, transforming the Athens Community Center into a bustling marketplace of regional creativity.
More than 40 local artisans filled the gym with rows of handcrafted jewelry, woodwork, textiles and holiday gifts, while the smell of kettle corn drifted in from the food trucks outside and live music echoed through the building.
Visitors browsed, weaving between tables as local singers, the Cherry Blossoms String Duo and the Athens Recorder Consort Quartet, performed. Outside, food trucks from Asian Fusion Cuisine, LoveBites Nelsonville and Grandpa’s Old Fashioned Kettle Corn added to the holiday celebrations.
This year’s shoppe also featured a raffle, with artisans contributing handmade items. Visitors dropped tickets into small bags at each table for a chance to win.
Among the weekend’s many vendors was Anthony Massie, owner of Traveling Toad’s Workshop LLC and a woodworker from McConnelsville, Ohio.
Massie creates wooden toys inspired
by Appalachian traditions including puzzle boxes, spinning tops and push toys made from natural, unstained wood.
“My dad was a carpenter, so I had a little experience there,” Massie said. “I always had interest in it, but never really committed myself until this.”
Massie said what keeps him committed now is the material itself.
“You’re taking a tree and you’re transforming it into a whole different thing,” Massie said. “I find that brilliant.”
Across the gym, Kathy Abfall, owner of Mockingbird Ridge, showcased alcohol ink artwork and jewelry. Abfall, a former quilter, said her journey unfolded unexpectedly.
“I’ve always been a quilter and I used a fabric called batik,” Abfall said.
Batik, as described by Yanmao, is an “art of wax, color and time” where wax and dye meet and form patterns.
“I wanted to put that kind of look onto metal and into earrings,” Abfall said. “It morphed into pendants and then painting, and it took on a life of its own.”
Abfall said this year marked her final Holiday Shoppe as a vendor.
“It’s been a great adventure, but 20
years is enough,” Abfall said. “I’m over 70 now, so this is not what I want to do with the rest of my life. It doesn’t mean I’m going to stop this, but I won’t be selling.”
Abfall, who is a longtime member of the Athens Art Guild, donated all of her proceeds from the weekend to the Athens Food Pantry.
“We all have a creative side, and it’s something that I hope everybody tries to look at sometime in their life,” Abfall said. “You never know what you can do until you try.”
At another table, Bill and Louise Goebel of Renaissance Farms displayed their silk ecoprinted clothing including scarves, tops and fabric pieces imprinted with leaves and flowers from their 40-acre farm in McArthur.
“The way we do it is (by) using heat, pressure and mordants, which are natural chemicals you can use to help lock the fiber in,” Bill Goebel said. “What we’re trying to do is lock molecules of the color of the plant material and bind it with the materials of the fiber itself.”
Bill Goebel said he and Louise Goebel were in the alpaca business, reading, showing and processing their fibers, before shifting to ecoprinting.
“We needed something to do in the
summer,” Bill Goebel said. “I had never seen (ecoprinting) before and I was fascinated by it, because we have a 40-acre farm filled with trees and plants of all types.”
The couple has been part of the Athens Art Guild for several years and said the organization plays a significant role in supporting both artisans and the wider region of Southern Ohio.
“The opportunities that this affords in terms of learning … but also to make some money is what we find through this group,” Bill Goebel said. “Southern Ohio is a nice cultural oasis. That’s right up our alley because we like doing stuff that’s environmentally friendly, soul satisfying and beautiful.”
As the Holiday Shoppe concluded Sunday afternoon, artisans packed up their tables and visitors carried bags of handmade gifts, evidence of a local tradition that continues to grow.
Massie said the Shoppe allows him to share his craft with a variety of people.
“I enjoy sharing the history of the toys,” Massie said. “I really enjoy being part of the community and introducing people to these toys (and) newer generations who never grew up with them.”
AD937421@OHIO.EDU
AARON DICK | FOR THE POST
Everything to know for Football’s final home game vs. UMass
OWEN LIPSTREU ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Ohio (6-4 overall, 4-2 Mid-American Conference) takes on UMass (0-10 overall, 0-6 MAC) in its final home game of the 2025 season with a lot on the line. The winless Minutemen look to break the Bobcats’ 12-game winning streak at Peden Stadium, the secondlongest in the country. The Bobcats are playing with everything on the line as they hope to win and keep their hopes alive to return to Detroit and defend last year’s MAC title win. Ohio, coming off a crushing loss at Western Michigan, looks to rebound, and it will start with graduate student Parker Navarro and the offense. They were shut down in last week’s game, only scoring 13 points. Navarro was heavily pressured, and, as a result, he had his worst statistical week of the season through the air with only 70 yards and an interception.
The running game for the Bobcats has still been strong, having over 200 last Tuesday night. The run game can’t do it all. Ohio head coach Brian Smith preached about being able to play complementary football and having success in all three aspects of the game, and even though UMass may be winless, they can still put up a fight, and Ohio will need to be ready for another thrilling week of MACtion. Now, let’s take a look at UMass.
HEAD COACH
The Minutemen returned to the MAC after a 10-year absence this season, and with that came a change at the head coach position as well.
Joe Harasymiak, who has 17 years of experience coaching football, was brought in to run the show. His long history has included tenures at two FBS programs: Minnesota and, most recently, Rutgers.
Harasymiak was the defensive coordinator for both of these Big 10 programs. In 2022 and 2023, he received a nomination for the Broyles award, which is given to the nation’s best assistant coach annually. Harasymiak has also been a head
coach prior to coming to UMass. He coached at Maine, which plays in the FCS and had a record of 20-15.
QUARTERBACKS
UMass has had a bit of a quarterback carousel to this point in 2025. This is not uncommon for a team struggling to find consistency, but it could cause a bit of trouble for Ohio as they see multiple guys take snaps Tuesday night.
The main man for the Minutemen is freshman AJ Hairston. He has had a solid season to this point with 957 yards and four touchdown passes, but he has also thrown four interceptions, something Ohio’s defense should hope to capitalize on.
RUNNINGBACK
The backfield for UMass is also led by a freshman. Brandon Hood has led the way for this group that has struggled to find the endzone this year. Hood has scored two of UMass’s six ground scores. The bright spot for him is that he is averaging just under four yards a carry, and his legs could help Hairston and the other quarterbacks spread out the Ohio defensive pressure.
WIDE RECEIVER
The passing game for the Minutemen has gone through ups and downs throughout the year, and a quarterback change can certainly have an impact on that. Junior wide receiver Jacquon Gibson has been a reliable target no matter who has been throwing him the ball. He has 457 yards on the season, which is over 200 more than anyone else, despite Gibson missing a couple of games.
DEFENSE
The Minutemen have struggled on defense this year. They have allowed just under 38 points per game, which is good for third-worst in the nation. They have seen some players step up, including senior defensive lineman Marques White, who has five sacks. They also have linebackers Timmy Hinspeter and Tyler Martin, who lead in tackles with 41 and 38, respectively, as well as having an interception apiece.
Defense pushes Ohio to win against Maryville
ANNABELLE GRACE FOR THE POST
The Bobcats (15-1) sat atop the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s D1 rankings last week and in second this week. Outstanding defence has fueled their way to the top. Not only did all three goalies post some of the best save percentages in the league, but the entire team also consistently prioritized defense. As far as stats are concerned, the Bobcats’ defense is unmatched.
“Through my whole hockey career, these guys are the best squad I’ve ever had in front of me,” senior goaltender Garrett Alderman said. “It makes my job easier.” Alderman tallied 676 saves so far in his 4-year career. His reliable talent earned him starts every season.
Even though Ohio’s offense has cooled against stronger opponents, it still holds one of the league’s best goal differentials, having allowed only 18 goals, the secondfewest in the ACHA this season.
The excellent defense is partially due to the strong offense. The Bobcats control the puck, racking up impressive offensive possession times. When their opponents finally find a scoring opportunity, Alderman and senior Matt Zazon, Ohio’s other primary goalie, are always at the ready.
Airtight defence was especially crucial in this weekend’s series against Maryville University (5-8). Maryville, ranked No. 10 in the country, was known as a physical, chippy team.
In Friday’s game, Alderman made three
beautiful glove saves, and 29 in total. Maryville earned multiple minute-plus offensive pressures, putting Ohio’s defense to the test. Intercepting passes, blocked shots and effective transitions assisted Alderman in protecting the net.
Tied 1-1, the final minutes of the third period were tense. Alderman made a key diving save. The Bobcats took it up the ice and scored the game-winning goal.
Zazon, who started in net Saturday, has the highest save percentage out of all goalies who played four or more games at 96.4%. He already had two shutouts. Unlike the night before, both teams drew four penalties. Zazon led Ohio to a successful kill-each-man-down situation.
Zazon played for Ohio’s D2 team the previous first three seasons, making 795 saves in his sophomore and junior seasons. Both Alderman and Zazon grew up in Columbus and played for two of the best hockey high schools in the city.
Tthe Bobcats travel to the Chicago Showcase next week to play Jamestown (10-8-1), University of Nevada-Las Vegas (9-4) and Drury University (14-0). The matchup against Drury will be a defensive battle. Neck and neck for most points out of the independent teams in ACHA, Ohio and Drury are also tied in goals against with the league best 18.
“Every start, every team, no matter if it’s the number one team in the country, or number 50, I have the same mindset every single game,” Alderman said. “Just make myself comfortable and play well for the guys in front of me.”
Ohio forward Hollander Thompson (25) fights for the puck against Grand Valley State at Bird Arena in Athens, Oct. 17, 2025. Thompson had two assists in the Bobcats 7-2 win against the Lakers. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)
Offense puts up major fight against No. 12 Louisville
CHARLIE FADEL SPORTS EDITOR
Ohio (1-3 overall) suffered its second straight non-conference loss on the road Saturday afternoon against No. 12 Louisville (4-0). The Bobcats took another loss in their grueling opening slate, but showed real offensive ability against a premier team in the process, putting up 81 points in a 106-81 loss.
The one thing that was certain for Ohio coming into the year was that the non-conference schedule was an absolute grind. The opening slate of games for the Bobcats was daunting, starting with two high-level midmajor teams in Arkansas State and Illinois State.
The offense and scoring ability of Ohio were on full display against Arkansas State in the opener as they put up 85 points in a tight game, losing 89-85.
The next game was another solid showing as Ohio was able to score 72 points on Illinois State despite Dior Conners making the only three of the night for Ohio. The Bobcats showed their ability to get into the paint and score, especially with big men like Javan Simmons and Jalen Breath.
Ohio then took a trip to Saint Mary’s, losing 90-60 after a tough shooting night from everyone not named Jackson Paveletzke, and with a top 15 team in Louisville next up on the schedule, it showed the scoring ability of the team on a national stage.
Ohio delivered all day, as the offense was efficient and aggressive, finishing the game shooting 44% from the floor while shooting 34% from deep and 76% from the line.
The day started with Paveletzke draining a three to follow up on an early post hook from Javan Simmons. The offense was good to start, but Louisville’s Isaac McKneely started even better, knocking down two threes in a row to give the Cardinals an early lead.
One thing Ohio was able to do all game was get to the foul line, and players like Paveletzke and Aidan Hadaway were able to get downhill and get looks at the rim that led to fouls.
“I thought we did a good job,” Ohio head coach Jeff Boals said. “We moved the basketball. When we did move the basketball, we were trying to get the ball in the paint.”
Paveletzke had another amazing game, this one coming off the back of leading Ohio in scoring in the Saint Mary’s loss. He tied his career high Saturday, putting up 28 points on 8/14 shooting from the floor while knocking down three of his four threes and making 90% of his free throws.
“I thought Jackson was the best player on the floor a lot of times today,” Boals said. “We ask him to do a lot and to handle the pressure that (Louisville) gives you … He drew 10 fouls, and he does a great job of putting the defense under duress by
getting to the paint a lot.”
The senior guard from Wisconsin has been hitting his stride at an important time early in the season with Elijah Elliott nursing an injury, and Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey noticed.
“I think their point guard is a really, really good player,” Kelsey said of Paveletzke.
A player that wasn’t projected to score coming into the matchup was freshman JJ Kelly. He made an immediate impact in his first four games as a college basketball player, flashing elite athleticism and defense, two things Ohio needs.
The one thing he hasn’t shown yet was the ability to score, but against Louisville, he set his career high with 11 after going 4/5 from the floor and knocking down his first two threes of his career.
“JJ is gonna be really good,” Boals said. “He’s a true freshman. (He’s) just very, very athletic. (He) made some good defensive plays, and he’s going to continue to grow. I thought he made some great offensive plays as well, and he’s just going to get better and better the more minutes he plays.”
Despite the loss, 81 points against one of the country’s best teams is a great sign for what could come, especially when looking at the performances of Paveletzke and Kelly.
Forward Javan Simmons (1) during the Bobcats game against Louisville, Nov. 15, 2025. The Bobcats lost to Louisville 81-106. (JOHN FOUSS | FOR THE POST)
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Wrestling: Olszko, Perrine and Lehman shine in Wisconsin loss
JUDE HANNAHS SPORTS STAFF WRITER
If Ohio’s (1-1) 27-10 loss to Wisconsin (2-0) proved anything, it’s how stark the difference can be between Big Ten wrestling and Mid-American Conference wrestling. Although the Badgers came away with far more power, a few of the Bobcats’ wrestlers were able to hold their own.
Those few wrestlers include redshirt sophomore Jeremy Olszko, redshirt seniors Sal Perrine and Zayne Lehman. Out of the ten weight classes performed, they were the ones who reigned victorious over their opponents from up north.
Before Olszko performed in the 174-pound weight class, all of Ohio’s starters were either neck and neck with Wisconsin’s wrestlers or getting completely outclassed by them. For Ohio head coach Joel Greenlee, the opportunity for the Bobcats to compete against the Badgers is a testament to how tough his wrestlers are.
“I think there are probably two matches that we could have fought in a little bit longer,” Greenlee said. “But other than that, we had a great crowd tonight, and I told our guys that we just wanted to go out there and fight as hard as we can for seven minutes.”
Speaking of which, the crowd for this dual was nothing short of incredible. An exact headcount isn’t available, but this was by far one of the highest attended wrestling matches for Ohio in The Convo.
The energy of the crowd slowly rose and eventually erupted after Olszko was able to defeat Wisconsin’s redshirt senior Luke Mechler. Unlike previous duels from his teammates, Olszko took charge early against Mechler.
For context, a lot of the Badgers’ wrestlers often were to make the Bobcats’ wrestlers feel uncomfortable, and that led to Wisconsin scoring a lot of points early in each of the three periods.
Olszko did not let that happen to him. He made sure he was the one to be feared on the mat, and that ultimately resulted in an 8-1 decision win for him and his team overall.
“I know he didn’t feel the best tonight, but he still got us going,” Greenlee said. “He really dominated from start to finish.”
In the 184-pound weight class, Perrine continued a streak of success for the home team. Like his teammate Olszko, Perrine knew when and where to strike versus his opponent. Representing Wisconsin in this duel was redshirt senior Cale Anderson, and he tried to do what Perrine mastered.
Perrine was patient and understood not to act flamboyant or try to attack when he easily could’ve been taken down by Anderson. With this tactic, Perrine was able to gather a win by an 11-2 major decision.
“He’s got a huge gas tank in the sport from all different positions,” Greenlee said. “That’s what he did tonight.”
After Perrine was Lehman, who performed in the 197-pound weight class. Out of the three duels, this was the one where either side could’ve been the victor. The first period showed a slap match and arm wrestle, if anything, between Lehman and the Badgers’ redshirt freshman Wyatt Ingham.
In the second period, Lehman took control over Ingham. At the end of the third period, Lehman took the win by a 7-0 decision against Ingham. This was Ohio’s last score of the contest.
Again, even with the loss to Wisconsin, all of Ohio’s wrestlers still obtained great one-on-one experience with some of the best wrestling competition in the country.
“Big Ten wrestling is probably the gold standard,” Greenlee said. “Those guys are pretty good at it, and maybe we need to step up a bit. Or, go back to the drawing board and work on some things. But, as far as I know, I think we are going in the right direction.”
The Bobcats don’t perform in The Convo again until January, and they close out the rest of November by participating in the Appalachian State Invitational in Boone, N.C.
Ohio University sophomore Mason Brugh pins a George Mason wrestler at The Convo at Ohio University in Athens Ohio, Jan. 19, 2024. (AMBERLEE GLADWELL | FOR THE POST)
First look at Michael Jackson biopic released in teaser trailer
The world finally got a glimpse of the upcoming music sensation’s film in a clip that’s already breaking records and priming the world for a comprehensive look at the King of Pop’s legendary life.
as Diana Ross and Larenz Tate as Motown founder Berry Gordy.
On Nov. 7, the teaser trailer for “Michael,” an upcoming Michael Jackson biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua, was released, giving the world its first glimpse of the film. Originally, the film was supposed to be released this fall, but had to be pushed back due to extensive reshoots. Now, the film is set to release April 24.
Online, the teaser has already amassed millions of views, likes and attention. In just 24 hours the teaser accumulated over 116.2 million views, making it the most viewed biopic trailer in history and the biggest teaser debut in Lionsgate’s history.
The Michael Jackson estate’s X account’s teaser post stands at 276,000 likes and 52 million views. The Michael Jackson estate’s Instagram post has 3 million likes, while the Instagram account for the movie has 370,000 likes on the post. These numbers for a biopic are impressive and far surpass past biopics of acclaimed artists and public figures.
Though the teaser only clocks in at a mere minute and 13 seconds, we get to see how the biopic plans to approach many eras of Jackson’s life. One clip includes Jackson 5 era Michael Jackson, portrayed by Juliano Valdi, but all other eras will be portrayed by Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson. The teaser also gives a look at the late Quincy Jones, who will be played by Kendrick Sampson, and John Branca, played by Miles Teller.
The film will also star Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Kat Graham
There were rumors the film would be split into two parts for a number of reasons ranging from legal issues, to a lengthy runtime. Chair of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, Adam Fogelson addressed this saying they were unprepared to confirm plans for a follow-up film. Speculation around this is still high considering the teaser seemed to only portray Jackson’s childhood all the way up until his late ‘80s stardom.
Fuqua, known for “Training Day,” “The Equalizer” and “Southpaw,” also addressed the contents of the biopic in a 2023 interview with the Associated Press. “Just the facts, really as we know them from, you know, his discovery all the way up through Wimbledon, through the allegations, all that,” Fuqua said.
The official synopsis gives more insight on the film: “Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins,” the synopsis reads.
There are other biopics about Jackson’s life, such as the 1992 “The Jacksons: An American Dream” TV mini series, the 2004 TV movie “Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story” and the 2017 TV movie “Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland.” “Michael” is the first Jackson biopic with a theatrical release and big-budget production.
DB948724@OHIO.EDU
ALAINA DACKERMANN | DIRECTOR OF DESIGN
‘Predator: Badlands’ proves Dan Trachtenberg is perfect to direct
Most popular film franchises can do one of two things: have more content and begin to fizzle out in acclaim, or find new life under the right supervision and creativity.
Filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg is an example of how to take a franchise in a direction that is refreshing, and his latest, “Predator: Badlands” (2025), continues his hot streak of directing quality “Predator” films. Previously, Trachtenberg directed “Prey” (2022) and co-directed “Predator: Killer of Killers” (2025) with Joshua Wassung. Both films were met with financial success and critical praise.
“Predator: Badlands” follows Dek (Dimitrius Koloamatangi), a young Predator who journeys to the treacherous planet Genna to hunt and kill a beast known as the Kalisk to prove his worth to his clan. While there, he forms an unlikely alliance with a damaged synthetic android named Thia (Elle Fanning), and with her guidance, the two are able to navigate and survive the dangerous environment around them.
The first thing that stands out about the film is that it’s told from the perspective of the Predator and not of a regular human character like prior films. Already, this provides an interesting contrast to what fans are familiar with. Plus, it gives nuance to what the Predators are and what their culture is. In the case of Dek, he’s not just a mindless killing machine. He’s actually given a nice arc, and it heavily reflects the theme of the film with what happens to his brother Kwei (Mike Homik) at the beginning. The work done on the Predators and all of the other alien creatures on the planet Genna is exceptionally well done.
ABBY DOENCH ASST . DESIGN DIRECTOR
Dek, Kwei and the other Predators were brought to life using a mixture of practical suits and computergenerated imagery. Like Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” (1993), this film knows how to make its effects work together and not oppose one another.
The world of Genna and all of its inhabitants could have easily been overlooked by the production crew, but instead is given a lot of great detail. Although it isn’t a real location, it feels real based on how welldeveloped it is and how the creatures interact when Dek is on the hunt.
It was fun to see a Predator out of his element, and actually acting as more of the prey in certain cases and not the apex predator. It’s a clever change by Trachtenberg and the writing crew.
Dek’s relationship with Thia is at first questionable, but they eventually find their footing as their bond grows because of what they go through. Fanning as Thia is a casting decision that worked superbly, and it’s noticeable how much fun she had in the role.
Fanning was last seen in Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” (2025) playing Rachel Kemp, and last December she was Sylvie Russo to Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown” (2024). In both of those roles, Fanning played a more serious part. As Thia, she plays around with the character in a film that is far different from her two previous roles.
Where her performance can be a bit much is the overreliance on humor. There are parts in the film where the comedy does land; however, there are many instances where it doesn’t. The “Predator” films are all relatively serious in their approach to telling the story, and the writers of “Predator: Badlands” should’ve stuck with that same tone.
Despite Fanning’s good performance, the inclusion of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation into a world where Predators and Xenomorphs from the “Alien” franchise co-exist does not work to the film’s benefit.
By no means does this ruin the film either. It just would have been great if the enemy in the third act wasn’t a bunch of mindless synthetics that really hold no threat to Dek or Thia. Even with these criticisms, “Predator: Badlands” is definitely worth a viewing for devoted fans of the franchise and for those who adore science fiction and action movies.
Rating: 3/5
DAWNELLE BLAKE FOR THE POST
JUDE HANNAHS | SPORTS STAFF WRITER
Minecraft’s popularity returns in a new light
Everyone calls it a comeback, but Minecraft never went away. The truth is Minecraft has been consistently popular over the decades since its debut.
What people are calling a resurgence is a renewed interest in the game that has always been a top charter. With its millions of daily players and updates, it never dipped into irrelevance; it simply endures.
One of the most evident signs Minecraft never ceased in relevance is its player count. In 2025, it was reported there were more than 204 million monthly active users, a staggering number to consider for a game released in 2011.
After 14 years, it remains popular among gamers. This kind of longevity is not accidental. Minecraft has maintained a stable foundation that keeps players coming back, even for those who have created numerous worlds in game and play regularly.
The latest update for Minecraft Bedrock Edition, which allows cross-platform play, was released Oct. 28 as version 1.21.120.
Minecraft has remained popular thanks to its steady stream of updates. Unlike some games that may slow down after a few years, Minecraft continues to evolve and improve. Mojang, the studio which developed the sandbox game, adds new mobs, blocks and packs regularly, giving players something to return to.
These updates don’t just add content; they restart waves of creativity. Builders create new worlds, while content creators begin new series and build more multiplayer servers. Minecraft consistently rejuvenates itself, making each playthrough feel like a new game.
Minecraft gaming content has maintained a
consistent presence on platforms like YouTube and Twitch. Although it seems more popular on YouTube, with over 1 trillion views, it remains a very popular category on Twitch, averaging 86.7k viewers daily and over 14.5 million hours watched. Things like mega-builds and storytelling series never stopped being produced; they just cycle in and out of attention. Minecraft content adapts to trends and remains visible even when it’s not at the center of gaming discourse.
Another major part of Minecraft comes from the classic playthrough styles. Videos that have dominated YouTube for years, like Minecraft ASMR, player versus player commentary and survival let’s plays.
Minecraft ASMR helps relax audiences and reduce stress. These videos feature soft background sounds that create a peaceful atmosphere for the audience, including audio of natural sounds such as wildlife, stone being mined and chopping wood. These videos have gone viral on TikTok and YouTube Shorts due to their simple and cozy nature, making them perfect for background noise.
These are suddenly trending again with millions of views. These formats never entirely disappeared, but creators have changed them for today’s audiences. TikTok user @paignadine posted a video expressing the flow state or relaxing vibe of playing Minecraft. “When it’s 1 a.m. and you’re making a build in Minecraft, eating food and listening to a fire playlist so you start genuinely entering a flow state,” @paignadine said in a TikTok.
PvP is a popular Minecraft subgenre that has gained popularity in gaming content again. The content style emphasizes high-level skills and strategies that can be intense and very competitive. The game has various servers and different models. This appeals to viewers who enjoy similar gameplays and watching the skill and strategy involved.
Traditional survival playthroughs are also resurging. These videos often trend when creators start new seasons or set goals for challenge videos. When searching this on TikTok, one can find various styles of videos offering multiple tips and tricks for survival.
TikTok user @aapricat gives a step-by-step guide on different Minecraft tips and tricks for one’s survival world.
All of these together have revived play styles and show Minecraft content never went away. Creators are blending all formats into new content with a modern editing style, making videos shorter to enjoy, while simultaneously tapping into nostalgia for old fans.
Calling Minecraft’s renewed popularity a comeback does not get the whole picture. Minecraft never went away; it simply shifted through different waves, updates, new content creators and social media trends.
Minecraft offers a creative universe that will forever evolve, inviting new generations to rediscover it again and again.
JW091622@OHIO.EDU
5 Seconds of Summer delivers most cohesive album yet
In 2011, the Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer, comprising lead guitarists Michael Clifford and Luke Hemmings, bassist Calum Hood and drummer Ashton Irwin, was formed.
In its early days, the band was labeled as a boy band, but it rejected that label, expressing how the label posed the question: “How are we ever going to grow up?”
On Nov. 14, the band released its sixth studio album titled “EVERYONE’S A STAR!” where the band comes to embrace the boy band label, coming full circle from its debut.
The band reunites after a three-year hiatus, during which each member released their own solo projects. On this latest album, the band discusses what being labeled a boy band has done to the member’s careers and personal lives.
The album blends the band’s previous sounds, like an 80s synth sound similar to the one used in “Youngblood,” and, of course, a modern rock sound mixed with pop.
The album starts with the title track “Everyone’s A Star!” This track immediately grabs the listener’s attention, setting the tone for the album. The song discusses the challenges of being yourself in a world that prioritizes fame, with one of the opening lines being, “That’s the story we’ll tell.”
The entire album explores the challenges that come with fame, as the next track, “NOT OK,” lends itself to a more self-reflective song. The band members ask themselves, “Where did the good boy go?” and reflect on how much fame changed them for the worse in their younger years.
Track three, “Telephone Busy,” features the vocals of drummer Irwin, who, until more recent albums, did not sing often on the band’s songs. The upbeat dance song centers on romantic relationships and how they are harder to maintain with fame.
“Boyband” directly addresses the challenges of being a boy band, including the parasocial relationships and the lack of recognition of musicality that comes with the stigma of the label. The band directly critiques the world’s obsession with the boy band image.
“No. 1 Obession” builds off of the commentary of “Boyband” with lyrics such as, “I’m dying for a little bit of your affection.” Although the band does not like the pervasive boundaries that come with parasocial relationships with fans, it needs the attention to thrive.
The album slows down with the track “I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep Again,” a song that focuses more on learning within relationships. The song is similar to the writings and sounds of Matty Healy of The 1975. Although the album is filled with pop dance songs, “I’m Scared I’ll Never Sleep Again” and “Ghost” are beautifully written ballads about self-destructive tendencies in relationships.
In between these two tracks is “istillfeelthesame,” following the theme of anxious love. The main theme throughout these three tracks, which explore love and relationships, blends well with the challenges of fame by focusing on how fame impacts relationships.
“Sick of Myself” reminds the listener of old 5SOS songs with the pop-rock sound that makes people want to dance, leading listeners into the final three songs of the album, which lean more into the synth sound.
“Evolve” has a chorus and a message that gets stuck
in one’s head. “Evolve” explores how male artists in Hollywood “do not grow up” and continue to act as if they are teenagers. “The Rocks” showcases the poppunk sound the band always wanted to create while also commenting on the loneliness of fame.
“Jawbreaker” is the perfect way to wrap up the album. Most of the album has been reflective on the band’s younger life, but “Jawbreaker” discusses the present and how it has found something in life to help it persevere through the challenges.
The album is arguably the band’s most cohesive piece of work, with a consistent theme that runs throughout. 5SOS is going on a world tour starting in March, and the setlist will feature both its classics and its newer hits. The band is continuing to grow and challenge itself to be better both in the member’s solo and band work.
CB086021@OHIO.EDU
CASSIE DYE | DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA
JORDYN WILSON | FOR THE POST
ALAINA DACKERMANN | DIRECTOR OF DESIGN
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Chase on the Case Extremists don’t represent American politics
CHASE BORLAND | FOR THE POST
American politics has become increasingly polarized over the last decade. From the presidential debate stage to social media to news outlets, the two ends of the American political spectrum seem never to get along. With the most recent 43-daylong government shutdown, it appears this is more true than ever.
However, the loud, polarizing extremists on either side of the American political spectrum don’t necessarily represent the majority of American voters.
Moderate candidates who want to incorporate mixed beliefs shouldn’t be accused of giving in to the other side. They should be awarded for being willing to work together as politicians to represent Americans, not just the radical liberals or reactionary conservatives. The ideal of a representative republic is to represent all constituents, not just your own extremist ideologies.
Nowadays, it seems everyone has to be a progressive or a conservative. When it comes down to it, especially on the national stage, the moderates seem to pull through. This is due in part to the majority of voters wanting someone willing to work across the aisle.
According to a 2024 Gallup poll, 37% of Americans consider themselves conservative or very conservative, 34% consider themselves moderate and 25% liberal or very liberal. Once broken down, only 10% consider themselves very conservative and 9% consider themselves very liberal. These lower minorities are the ones you hear from the most, however.
Although political content online has not been found to change people’s beliefs, it does introduce more radicalized content. The longer a person remains within their own political bubble on social media, the more an algorithm continues to feed into their ideology. This creates the polarization of political parties online.
Chris Bail, founder of the Polarization Lab at Duke University, says a large majority of political content is created by a small minority of political content creators. The minority consists of people who are disproportionately at the far ends of the political spectrum. This creates an image of everyone being on the far ends, skewing the reality of the political spectrum.
These online outlets, however, don’t reflect the politicians often elected into office. When it comes to the U.S. Senate and House seats, the majority of officials, historically, often cross the aisle to compromise. These compromises are supposed to reflect the mixed beliefs and ideologies of the majority of Americans. This creates the representative
republic the U.S. government was built on. Athens County is often considered a liberal outlier in Ohio elections, but when taking a deeper look, the elections are closer than they appear. In the 2024 presidential election, Kamala Harris received 54% of the votes and Donald Trump received 43% in Athens County; in the state of Ohio, Trump received 55% of the votes and Harris received 43%. The national popular vote came out to be 49.8% Trump and 48.3% Harris. This goes to show even the most recent election is not as disproportionately skewed as some online think.
Political extremism is dangerous for the majority of Americans. People start to disengage from politics when they feel unrepresented. Neither extreme side is representative of Americans. Electing politicians who represent the middle-ground is how compromisable policies are enacted, which mirror true American beliefs.
However, we have entered into an age where politicians want to go further left or further right, thinking it is better for primary elections. This becomes an ever dangerous game going into the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential election. Moderates are not people willing to sit around doing nothing; they are people trying to incorporate the mixed political beliefs of Americans.
Extremist policies sound ideal in a primary run against other Democrats or Republicans, but listening to the moderate candidates willing to work for all Americans is important. As unfortunate as others may say it is, we live in a country with both liberals and conservatives. Understanding candidates who are willing to work for both is a quality our government should encourage. This was the platform former President Joe Biden ran on in 2020. He stood for being a president to all Americans, regardless of whom they supported in the election.
Taking time away from extremist propaganda on social media helps people understand how politicians should work as a whole. Remaining in your own political bubble is how radicalization worsens on either end of the spectrum.
An extremist is someone who refuses to compromise in how we as a country are in such a polarized divide. To work toward political progress as Americans, we first need to work toward coming together in understanding.
Chase Borland is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. The views and opinions of this columnist do not necessarily reflect those of The Post. If you have any thoughts, questions or concerns then you can contact him at cb297222@ ohio.edu.
Oh Well
Jack of All Takes Going home for the holidays is challenging OU Men’s Basketball needs identity
CASSIDY MCCLURG FOR THE POST
The holiday season is upon us, and while some welcome the extra time off, others may struggle to decide who to spend the holidays with. For some, going home is difficult, and there should be no pressure to spend the holidays with your family. Instead, the season should be about being with the people closest to you, whether they’re relatives or the friends and community you choose.
Family dynamics are complicated. I have found celebrating with friends is very rewarding and there are many fun ways to celebrate together, from friendgivings, to gift exchanges and other mini do it yourself parties. Friends can bring a welcoming and comfortable environment, unlike what a third cousin’s house party may bring.
For some, family might mean a tumultuous relationship, and spending time with family with whom students don’t have a great relationship can correlate to a decline in mental health. Students may not want to return home after a stressful time of exams and discovery at their chosen university. Sometimes friends can be more comforting than family during a break. Jill Miller, a freshman studying energy engineering, says she plans to spend a lot of the holiday breaks with friends back home, even though she also has family plans.
“I was talking with my sister and my other friend from home, we were thinking of going out and gigging for Christmas time … ” Miller said.
Having free time with loved ones over the holidays also means being able to do activities and hobbies that might have been put aside when leaving for university.
Excitement about being home for the holidays can come from a place of overwhelming change. Like Miller, many students are eager to see those they have connected with over many years but had to depart from for university. After being
away from home for a semester, adjusting to being back may be hard for some, regardless of family relationships.
“I miss my family so much, and they come up for the games and stuff, because I’m in the 110,” Miller said. “But it’s different being in my home with them.”
Some people are spending time with their romantic partner and their partner’s family. If overwhelmed with your bloodrelated family, spending the holidays with your partner’s family can give you a peek into spending holiday after holiday with them. The cheeriness, to combat the stress of the season, is a great test for a relationship, too.
Miller said she is eager to spend time with her long-distance girlfriend.
“I’m in a long-distance relationship with my girlfriend, and so it’s definitely tough … it’s nice (I’m) going to be able to go see her.”
Students are already planning to see family, friends, partners and the hobbies they left behind. However, there can be tension outside of those things that might be in hometowns.
If it’s not family causing the hesitation of going home, it can be old friends or those you have a history with. It can be awkward to run into them, and going back home means seeing people in public spaces you might not want to see. It may be hard to avoid them, but depending on your hometown, it could be easy to navigate safe zones.
Old wounds can be reopened over the holiday season, so it is vital to spend time in spaces and with people whom you love, allowing you to avoid a tense break.
If you have no plans with your family or are trying to avoid them, that is OK. For college students who are heading home, remember you are a growing adult and your family should support that. If family plans are set in stone, you still have other days during breaks to see friends. Oh well, taking care of yourself is the most important thing during the holidays.
JACK MULDOWNEY FOR THE POST
Good teams need identities. Whether it’s the defensive stalwarts that suffocate opponents to win games or the teams filled with future NBA stars, every winning team has a clear identity.
Ohio’s Mid-American Conference rivals have shown their identities. Akron University has mastered the small-ball system and earned national respect last season during its NCAA tournament berth, and Kent State University’s electric offense is now keeping pace with that of Power 5 teams.
This year’s OU team lacks an identity and needs to capitalize on its strengths before this season goes down the drain. Struggles on defense and in the rebounding department have headlined the team’s slow start. The home loss on opening night exposed OU’s deficiencies, as they let up 89 points and were outrebounded 41-25, giving up 13 offensive rebounds to Arkansas State.
AJ Brown, who was last season’s thirdleading scorer and seemingly the future of the program, decided over the summer to transfer to the defending national champion, the University of Florida. This action threw a wrench into the team’s plans this season, but also losing both the big man AJ Clayton and all-around guard Shereef Mitchell to graduation made the offseason even tougher.
Head coach Jeff Boals tried to compensate for the offseason losses and rebuild a competitive roster by hitting the transfer portal and acquiring four new players, three of whom have played meaningful roles on the team thus far.
Transfer guard Dior Conners from Appalachian State University has been an efficient three-point shooter off the bench, and forward Jalen Breath from the University of North Carolina Greensboro has been a reliable scorer. However, no transfer has been able to replicate the services of Brown or Mitchell.
Javan Simmons from the University of
Toledo was brought in by Boals and his staff with high hopes he could provide a low-post presence and be an effective rebounder with Clayton out the door. He has provided an impressive scoring punch, but averaging just three rebounds per game does not align with that offseason vision. From the beginning, though, Boals was wrong to think a 6-foot-7-inch forward could play center full-time.
The rebounding issues do not fall solely on Simmons; the team as a whole lacks size and simply can not clear rebounds effectively. OU is the fifth-worst rebounding team in the entire country right now, pulling down south of 30 rebounds per game, and opponents are out-rebounding them by nine on average. Although they bounced back from the opening night loss with an encouraging win over Illinois State University, the lack of defensive fight put on display by the Bobcats against both Saint Mary’s College and Louisville University was discouraging. OU was certainly the heavy underdog and not expected to win in either game, but giving up 90 and 106 points in back-to-back games clearly displays this team’s defensive inability. KenPom, a college basketball analytics site, ranks OU as the 177th overall team in the country. Their 109 defensive rating falls 223rd in the country. This rating shows OU allows 109 points for every 100 of their opponents’ offensive possessions. OU’s opponent points per game is also near the bottom of the entire country, ranking 301st of 350 Division I teams in that statistic.
Rebounding and defense are two staples of team success in the game of basketball, and if OU isn’t able to mend its deficiencies in those categories, it must find a niche elsewhere and commit to that. This team has loads of talent and is capable of winning, but the glaring issues need to be addressed early and often if the Bobcats want to even compete in the MAC this season.
Soph’s Soapbox | Pyjama Man threatens celebrities’ privacy
rushed the group, grabbing Grande and jumping when he successfully reached her.
Imagine leaving the house and always having to be on the lookout for someone trying to invade your personal space for publicity. In recent years, more and more celebrities have had to be more aware of their surroundings. One man has been known to do this across different events, targeting multiple musicians and artists.
Johnson Wen, known as Pyjama Man on various social media platforms, is notorious for storming different concerts or public events to get a chance to meet celebrities. However, this has become a safety issue for those affected.
At the Nov. 13 Singapore premiere of “Wicked: For Good,” the cast of the film, including Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum, walked hand-in-hand down the yellow carpet. Though they were surrounded by security, Wen hopped the barrier and
Erivo immediately jumped into action, coming between Grande and Wen as security grabbed Wen and escorted him off the carpet. Grande continued walking down the carpet after the scare with the rest of the cast despite being visibly shaken up from the event.
Following Wen’s release from jail, he posted about the attack on social media, displaying no remorse for his actions.
“Dear Ariana Grande, Thank You for letting me jump on the Yellow Carpet with you,” Wen said in an Instagram caption.
This isn’t the first time Wen has broken through barriers and stormed stages. He has run up on stage at various concerts, such as those of Katy Perry, The Weeknd and The Chainsmokers. Wen also ran on the field during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and attempted to invade a
track event during the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Although Wen has never stated why he keeps doing this, it’s clear he believes what he is doing is OK, despite the fines and jail time he has accumulated.
People often forget celebrities are people, too. Although celebrities are naturally in the public eye, this does not invite people to invade their personal lives and push their boundaries.
Because of this lack of respect, some people take their fandom to the extreme, developing parasocial relationships. These are one-sided relationships with a celebrity, influencer or fictional character. With the rise of social media, it has become increasingly easier for people to develop these relationships.
People like Wen need to be stopped. He has a clear pattern of attacking celebrities, and does not appear to be stopping anytime soon. To prevent this type of harassment, Wen should be
blacklisted from attending these events for the safety of the celebrities.
As quite the fangirl myself, I also enjoy engaging with celebrities on social media. Commenting and reposting on my favorite celebrities’ posts have become some of my favorite things to do online. However, even something as simple as this could cause these parasocial relationships to develop.
There are apps that allow people to have fake conversations with celebrities and characters using artificial intelligence. Character.ai is just one of many apps used to develop false relationships with celebrities.
These are just a few of the dangers out there, and it’s clear something needs to be done to keep celebrities safe. Increasing security at concerts and taking initiative to ban these offenders from attending future events could build a safer environment for celebrities.
SOPHIA ANNESS ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
CROSSWORD
SUDOKU
THE POST EDITORIAL BOARD
On Nov. 12, the United States Mint produced the final batch of the onecent coin, the penny. The currency was first minted in 1793 and bears the face of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, on one side. After 232 years, the one-cent coin has been discontinued.
“God bless America, and we’re going to save the taxpayers $56 million,” Treasurer Brandon Beach said at the Mint before pressing the button to end the manufacturing of the penny.
Beach, who is a President Donald Trump appointee, credited Trump’s “commonsense agenda” for eliminating the coin.
The U.S. government has attempted to rid the nation of the penny since 1989. Now 36 years later, the penny is finally facing its demise.
The reason for eliminating the coin lies in the elimination of unnecessary government spending. Producing the one-cent coin costs the Mint $192 billion annually, which accounts for 4% of the Mint’s annual budget.
Production of pennies has been winding down since February, when Trump ordered Beach to halt production. Trump has centered his decision on the production of pennies as wasteful for the U.S.
“For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Let’s rip the waste out of our great nation’s budget, even if it’s a penny at a time.”
Maybe it’s the nostalgia of being young and using a penny to purchase candy or to add to a piggy bank, or maybe it’s the appreciation of the very coin’s history, but the removal of the penny feels like a dismal goodbye to part of everyday life for Americans.
However, pennies are not disappearing overnight and will be around for a bit longer. There are still 250 million in circulation across the country. Although the Mint has halted production, businesses, banks and citizens will still have access to the coins until there are none left. In the meantime, pennies are
still legal tender and can be used to buy goods or services.
The banking industry strongly encourages people to utilize the remaining pennies they have, whether in piggy banks or floating around in back pockets. Utilizing remaining pennies helps to ease the slowdown and can aid the transition toward a penny-less country.
However, the disappearance of pennies is already impacting retailers and banks across the country. Many report that without pennies, retailers have begun rounding cash transactions down, costing cents each time, a small amount in the moment, but likely to grow in costs as pennies grow more scarce. While the lack of pennies will continue to challenge retailers, consumers will also see the effects as prices are expected to be rounded to the nearest five cents, keeping purchases simple without the penny. Despite these changes, there remains no clear guidance from the federal government on how businesses or banks should navigate a penny-less nation.
Despite the concerns from retailers and consumers, the long-term question of who will actually eliminate the pennies remains unsolved. It’s unclear whether Trump has the power to end the use of the penny. If, in the future, it becomes a consideration, Congress holds the power, including making decisions regarding currency speculations, including the size and metal content of coins.
In 1857, Congress discontinued the halfcent coin, which was the last time a U.S. coin’s production was ended. The coin was seen as unpopular, and the high cost of copper made large cents and halfcents expensive to produce. Today, the penny is facing a similar fate.
Whether history will repeat itself remains up to Congress, but the economic pressures continue to push the penny toward the same fate as the halfcent coin. If the penny does officially fade out, its legacy will live on in jars, couch cushions and the familiar saying: “a penny for your thoughts,” a reminder of the coin that served more value in nostalgia and sentiment than in spending.
The Post editorials are independent of the publication’s news coverage. The Post can be reached via editor@thepostathens.com.
The Weekender
Football, card-making and theater
TUESDAY, NOV. 18
THRIVE is hosting a Creative Coping Café event from 11 a.m. to noon in Lindley Hall, room 052 at 79 S. Court St. Students can drop in at their convenience and connect with peers while learning coping strategies. The event focuses on music, art and writing.
Admission: Free
Ohio University Football faces the University of Massachusetts at Peden Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Live coverage will be streamed on CBS Sports.
Admission: Free for OU students, $12-56 for others.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 19
Athens locals and students can purchase locally grown cheeses, meats and vegetables at the Athens Community Center Farmer’s Market. Members of the Athens Art Guild sells hand-crafted items for purchase. The market begins at 9 a.m. and ends at noon. SNAP/EBT is accepted.
Admission: Free
Ohio University Men’s Basketball plays Bethune Cookman University at 7 p.m. in The Convo.
Admission: Free for OU students, $12-34 for others.
The Union Bar is hosting its rescheduled hip-hop shop night, featuring performances by Venomen and Saff at 18 W. Union St. Sign-ups for other performers begin at 8 p.m., and anyone interested should bring a 15-minute set on a flash drive.
Admission: Free
THURSDAY, NOV. 20
Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, THRIVE is hosting a card-making event from 1-3 p.m. in the Baker University Center third-floor atrium. All are invited to write a letter to themselves or a loved one; all supplies will be provided.
Admission: Free
The Patton College of Education is hosting a Uni-Tea event at 100 E. Union St. Education students, alumni and staff are invited to share refreshments and connect with other educators. The event begins in the third-floor lobby at 4 p.m. and ends at 5 p.m.
Admission: Free
FRIDAY, NOV. 21
The OHIO Thrift Market Pop-Up is set up on College Green from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Shoppers can purchase home decor and clothing, featuring items from UpCycle Ohio and Goodwill.
Admission: Free
Ohio University Hockey faces the University of Jamestown at 6 p.m. EST in Illinois. The match is part of its Chicago showcase, and one of three games the team will play throughout the weekend. The game will be streamed on FloHockey.
Housing and Residence Life is hosting a Thanksgivingthemed craft night at the Living Learning Center on 111 S. Green Dr. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. Participants can make hand turkeys, color festive sheets and write gratitude cards. All supplies will be provided.
Admission: Free
The Union Bar is hosting night one of Benefest 2025, an event featuring local Athens bands and fundraising for local non-profits, Stuart’s Opera House Afterschool Music Program and The Gathering Place. Laughing Chimes, Rylee Bapst Band and others are playing at the event at 18 W. Union St. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Admission: $12.51 for online advance tickets
SATURDAY, NOV. 22
Lost Flamingo Theatre Company opens its weekend showings of “The Outsiders” at 7 p.m. at Arts West, 132 W. State St. Tickets are sold at the door.
Admission: $5, cash only
Casa Nueva hosts night two of Benefest 2025 at 6 W. State St. with doors opening at 9:30 p.m. Blush, Hourglass and other local musicians will be featured.
Admission: $12.51 online in advance
SUNDAY, NOV. 23
Women’s Volleyball will play at the Mid-American Conference Tournament in Bowling Green at 4 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN.
@CAITLYNVANCE_ CV592923@OHIO.EDU
James Carville
Join James Carville with Mark Turner for a discussion on his life and career as a longtime political strategist and campaign manager, featuring clips from “Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid”
Monday, Nov. 17, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Baker Center Theatre
Open to the public; reception to follow
NO REGISTRATION required.
Seating available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
A recording of the event will be available on the Scripps College YouTube channel after the event. Questions may be directed to Erin Roberts at roberte1@ohio.edu
Scripps College of Communication
CAITLYN VANCE | FOR THE POST
Podcast hosts Eli Maistros, Grace Schmidt and Joshua Jacob debate random hot topics and discuss recent book-to-movie adaptations.