Trump executive order poses critical threats to Wayne National Forest
President Donald Trump signed an executive order March 1, titled “Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production.” The order calls on the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior to increase logging across the country by 25%.
According to a map released by the U.S. Forest Service that outlines lands across the country viable for timber production, all 3 units of the Wayne National Forest were identified as sites for logging, which include the Athens Unit, the Marietta Unit and the Ironton Unit.
The Wayne National Forest is the only national forest in Ohio, covering 244,000 acres of land across the southeastern region.
The Trump administration cited increasing jobs for the logging industry and wildfire management as reasons for the initiative. According to the executive order, the increased logging will help manage forests, protecting Americans from disasters. The executive order also claims timber production is vital for construction and energy production.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Secretary Brooke Rollins released a memo following the directive, promising a prompt response to the order. The memo calls on the U.S. Forest Service to increase its timber outputs, removing restrictions in the National Environmental Policy Act.
NEPA restrictions are in place to ensure federal agencies properly assess the environmental impact of their decisions, according to a press release from the USDA.
Forest cover across Ohio has dramatically shifted in the past 200 years. When European settlers came to the state, it is estimated there was around 95% forest cover. The settlers engaged in massive deforestation efforts, bringing the forest cover down to 10% by the 1910s, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
The forests were then able to regrow due to conservation efforts and regulations set in place by the Ohio Division of Forestry.
Vice President of the Athens Conservancy Kate Kelley owns a tree farm with her husband and discussed
the nature of this regrowth based on her own personal opinions, describing herself as “disappointed,” based on the federal executive order.
“The Wayne symbolizes the resilience and ability of nature to come back after it has been scraped bare by various resource extraction,” Kelley said. “And the Wayne is really a celebration of the fact that nature can recover to some degree.”
According to the Wayne National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan released in 2006, 161,752 acres of the forest are suitable for timber management. The forest currently auctions off small parcels of the land for logging, but this remains relatively minor, according to OU professor of Environmental and Plant Biology Glenn Matlack.
Matlack worked at Wayne National Forest as the chairman of a professional citizen group that helped rewrite the forest management plan.
Matlack stated the regrowth of forest cover in the state is heavily related to the collapse of the agriculture industry in the early 20th century. Increased mechanization and consolidation of farming practices forced many in the Midwest to cease working on farms, according to a 1950 report from the U.S. Census Bureau.
“As a result, we have massive regrowth of forest in the eastern United States,” Matlack said. “It's not a forest that has held over from the pre-European times; it's not a forest that was intentionally planted. It's not the forest that was protected. Economic decline is the greatest conservation movement we have in the United States.”
Matlack expressed worries that increased logging could further exacerbate flash floods, an issue already common across Ohio.
“Our signature natural disaster is flooding,” Matlack said. “And if water falls on trees and tree roots, a lot of it is either held back or is actually sucked up by the trees and pumped into the air rather than going down the stream. However, if the tree isn't there, the water falls on the ground, goes directly into the stream, and you get a flash flood. What they're doing by proposing extensive clear-cutting is increasing the risk of flooding.”
Kelley expressed her concerns that increased logging could harm local wildlife species.
“So there are two endangered species that are known to be in Wayne, there is the timber rattlesnake and the Indiana bat,” Kelley said. “Either of those could be significantly affected by logging. Their populations could be diminished.”
Kelley stated her worries for these species are due to the fact the executive order allows contractors to bypass NEPA and other environmental protection acts.
Matlack discussed the benefits of biodiversity that stretch beyond providing habitats, food and aesthetics. He noted that biodiverse areas are a major source of new medicines, referencing the discovery of penicillin as an example. He said biodiversity is a library of genes helpful for crop breeding.
Matlack went on to discuss the benefit that Wayne National Forest has on the local economy.
“People come here to do recreation, to do fishing, to do camping, hunting and they bring money,” Matlack said. “They put gas in their cars, they buy food, they stay in motels, and they're not going to come and look at a clear-cut. They want to come and be in forest … that influx of money is really important to the local economy.”
Matlack expressed the long-term effects extensive logging could have on the future growth of the forest.
“Once you make this wound in the forest, it's going to take at least 30 years before you have a canopy over the forest, and it's going to take probably 60 or 80 years before they're commercially viable again,” Matlack said.
FINN SMITH | NEWS STAFF WRITER
Police blotter: Pig in the road, counterfeit money
KAITLIN HOGG NEWS STAFF WRITER
3 Fri _________________________
What is suspicious?
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call from Nurad Road in Athens regarding suspicious activity, but on the scene, deputies did not find anything suspicious.
Protection order violation
Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from Carbondale Road in Nelsonville regarding a protection order violation.
Deputies spoke with the caller, and at the time the police report was released, the case was still under investigation.
4 Sat _________________________
(Fake) dollar bills, yo!
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to The Plains Community Park after reports of a woman passing out counterfeit money. The bills were collected, and the criminal charges were sent to the prosecutor’s office.
Time for you to go
Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from Ayers Road in Albany after a caller reported they were left feeling uncomfortable after seeing a car sitting in a parking lot for at least 20 minutes with its lights on.
The area was patrolled, but deputies did not find the car.
5 Sun ________________________
Somebody call(ed) 911 Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call from Amesville regarding an open 911 line. Once deputies arrived on the scene, they spoke with all involved parties and determined there was no emergency.
Lost and found
Deputies of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office reported to Ruth Road in Athens after receiving a missing persons report.
Deputies on the scene spoke with the caller and took a report, but shortly after leaving the scene, deputies received another call saying the individual had been found.
6 Mon________________________
Warrants of the week
The Athens County Sheriff’s Office has warrants of arrest out for John White and Tony Intessimone. White is wanted for failure to register as a sex offender, and Intessimone is wanted for burglary. Anyone with information on either man is to contact the Athens County Sheriff’s Office immediately.
Not breaking in!
While Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies were on patrol in New Marshfield, they saw two individuals
go into the basement of a rental residence.
Deputies learned, upon making contact with the individuals, they were there to retrieve cats and kittens from the basement and had the landlord’s permission to do so.
7 Tue ________________________ Fireworks!
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call from state Route 329 in Guysville after reports of gunshots in the area.
Deputies were told upon arrival that fireworks had been shot off in the area, but the exact location was not known. The area was patrolled, but deputies did not find either the fireworks or the gunshots.
Sound the alarm
Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to an alarm at Wayne National Forest Headquarters.
On the scene, deputies determined the building was secure. Patrol resumed upon leaving the headquarters.
8 Wed ________________________
Dogs on the loose Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies dispatched to Carbondale after an animal complaint.
Deputies received a report of a juvenile bit by several stray dogs. A report was taken, and at the time the police report was written, an investigation was pending with the dog warden.
Pig in the road!
Deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Luhrig Road after a report of a pig in the road.
The pig, Porky, was located by deputies, then corralled until his owners arrived. After Porky was picked up, deputies resumed patrol.
9 Thur ________________________
Paintball battle
Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the car wash after an individual reported his car had been shot with paintballs.
Deputies at the scene took a report for criminal mischief.
Safely returned
Deputies of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from the Athens area in order to help a lost elderly woman.
Deputies made contact and escorted the woman back.
U.S. Weekly Headlines: Airport delays, shutdown negotiations
6 Mon _________________________
Immigration enforcement presence intensifies in Chicago
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal immigration agents have become increasingly violent and forceful in their latest operation in Chicago.
Agents arrived in unmarked trucks and helicopters and surrounded an apartment building in the largely Black South Shore neighborhood, according to the Associated Press. The Department of Homeland Security said 37 migrants were arrested in this operation.
In addition to helicopters and unmarked trucks, the use of chemical agents has increased, according to the AP.
Protests outside an immigration processing center in the village of Broadview, a Chicago suburb, have become sights of almost daily arrests, and city officials have filed a federal lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order and removal of an 8-foot fence put up around the facility, according to the AP.
7 Tue _________________________
Trump willing to negotiate health care, government must reopen first President Donald Trump told reporters Republicans had a negotiation going on with Democrats that “could lead to very good things” regarding health care, according to the AP.
Afterward, Trump proposed a stipulation: the government must reopen for negotiations to take place.
Trump took to Truth Social to urge Democrats to reopen the government, according to the AP.
“I am happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to reopen,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “In fact, they should re-open our Government tonight!”
Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, both Democrats, denied there were any negotiations with Trump.
8 Wed _________________________
More delayed flights, staffing shortages amid government shutdown
As the government shutdown reached its seventh day, staffing shortages at airports across the country led to delayed flights and disruptions, according to the AP.
Staffing shortages were reported by the Federal Aviation Administration at Nashville, Dallas, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago airports, according to the AP. Staffing issues were also reported at air
traffic control centers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Atlanta and Houston.
Union leaders for air traffic controllers and airport security screeners cautioned the situation is likely to get worse as the shutdown continues.
9 Thur _________________________
Senate Republicans vote against legislation to check Trump’s powers
Senate Republicans voted against legislation to check Trump’s power to use military force against drug cartels, according to the AP.
The legislation would have required Trump to get approval from Congress before instructing military force against cartels.
The Trump administration justified its military use against drug cartels by claiming the cartels are armed and threatening the U.S., according to AP.
10 Fri _________________________
Trump passed over for Nobel Peace Prize
Despite Trump’s vocal campaign for his deservingness, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, according to the AP.
Machado called Trump after being awarded the prize and told Trump she was accepting it in his honor.
Trump suggested he did not receive the prize because the Feb. 1 deadline nomination recognized achievements from 2024 when he was running for office, according to the AP.
11 Sun _________________________
Trump says inflation is ‘defeated’ despite high prices
Trump told the General Assembly in September that prices for groceries and mortgage rates are down and “inflation has been defeated,” according to the AP. Despite this proclamation, inflation has risen in three of the past four months, according to AP, and in August, there was a 2.9% increase in consumer prices from a year earlier. Many Fed officials are concerned inflation is too high, but cut their key interest rate to lessen the risk of worsening the unemployment rate.
The September inflation report is expected to be released Wednesday, but may be delayed due to the shutdown.
ET029322@OHIO.EDU
ELIZABETH TALAGA | COPY CHIEF
Athens, OU fuel green energy, strive for carbon neutrality
The city of Athens is leading an initiative to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. Ohio University is also following a strict sustainability plan aimed at being carbon neutral by 2050.
FINN SMITH | NEWS STAFF WRITER
The city of Athens is leading a project to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. In February 2020, the Athens City Council passed a resolution that declared a climate emergency and expressed the city’s intention of limiting carbon emissions and becoming more energy conscious.
Since passing the initiative, Athens has made many steps to increase solar energy usage. The city established a 2.1 megawatt solar array next to the Athens Community Center, powering 100% of the swimming pool, 50% of the wastewater treatment plant and a large portion of the community center itself.
Athens City Mayor Steve Patterson said the city uses solar power at the Athens Armory, and both solar and geothermal energy at the Athens Fire Department Station on East Stimson Avenue. The city was able to implement geothermal energy at the fire station by utilizing the heat from the earth, due to its location on the Hocking River.
The city also encourages homeowners to install solar panels on their houses. Patterson said Athens was recognized by SolSmart, an organization aimed at supporting the expansion of solar energy within local governments.
The recognition allowed the city to have a streamlined process for citizens to apply for and obtain solar energy.
“They can do it online, and they can typically get their permit within 24 hours if everything checks out fine for their property, which is going to accelerate residential solar in the city of Athens, which again, will be a private property owner initiative,” Patterson said.
This year, Athens earned the SolSmart Platinum designation, an honor that highlights local governments for contributions to solar energy usage. Athens is the first community in Ohio to receive the platinum designation.
Another program the city has pioneered offers residents of Athens the opportunity to trade in their two-stroke engine lawnmower, weed whacker and leaf blower, in exchange for a rebate.
“If someone purchases an electric lawnmower, demonstrates via video or photo that they’re using that new lawnmower, and turns their two-stroke fossil-fueled lawn mower into the city’s service garage for disposal … they get a check for $250 rebate,” Patterson said.
The program provides smaller rebates for weed whackers and leaf blowers. Patterson said it has been very successful so far and garnered much interest with residents of the city.
Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council provided a grant of around $9,000 for the project.
Athens has also worked closely with the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council during its process of expanding solar energy. The organization recently proposed a carbon fee that passed via ballot initiative in 2018, which went into effect in 2020. The initiative produces about $110,000 per year.
“In 2018, there was a ballot initiative that was put before the electorate here in the city of Athens to add 0.2 cents per kilowatt hour onto their electric bill,” Patterson said. “That money, as it accumulates, could only go toward city government, mercantile accounts and electric accounts.”
The initiative passed with 76.34% of the vote. Patterson cited this majority vote as a testament that
Athens residents find carbon neutrality extremely important.
The carbon fee is used to offset the cost of some of the city’s renewable energy projects. Athens also receives yearly grants from the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council and has received grant money from Kokosing Solar.
Though Ohio University is in collaboration with Athens on this mission, the university is leading its own initiative to fuel clean energy usage. OU passed the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan in 2021, which outlines the university’s plan for environmentally friendly initiatives in the coming years.
Director of Sustainability at OU, Sam Crowl, commented on the university’s goals for carbon emissions.
“The university has signed an international pledge to be carbon neutral by 2050, and in our plan, the Ohio University sustainability and climate action plan, we have goals for the reduction of our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030,” Crowl said.
Crowl also discussed OU’s wish to increase the purchasing of local foods for the culinary division. He said the university currently purchases 10% of its food from local producers but hopes to increase that amount to 14% within the next 5 years.
The plan also includes the intention to reduce carbon emissions from transportation by providing more options to and from campus and increasing hybrid vehicles in the campus fleet.
Patterson said he is confident Athens will be able to meet its goal, stating it could even strive to reduce carbon emissions by 75% by 2030.
“We need to step up and save the planet,” Patterson said. “It’s important because my generation screwed this planet over, and it’s a reckoning. It’s time for us to step up and do what we need to do to protect the planet for the generations to come.”
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Solar pannels are protected by metal fencing as they sit across from the Athens Water Treatment Center, Oct. 12, 2025. (ALAINA DACKERMANN | DIRECTOR OF DESIGN)
SNAP overhaul reduces benefits, tightens access for students
President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed July 4, bringing changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The OBBBA shifts SNAP payment to states, eliminates and modifies how benefits are determined, changes who qualifies for SNAP and revises exemptions for work requirements, according to the bill summary.
In the 2024 fiscal year, 41.7 million Americans utilized SNAP benefits, with an average monthly payout of $187.20, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. In Athens County, 8,519 people (13.73% of the population) received SNAP benefits, according to a SNAP data map.
Valerie Stillson, the public relations coordinator for Hocking-Athens Perry Community Action, said SNAP is one of the nation’s most effective tools for addressing hunger.
“Currently, for every one meal that the network of food banks and food pantries provides, SNAP provides nine,” Stillson said in an email. “SNAP helps working families, older adults and disabled Americans weather tough times by allowing them to choose the fresh, healthy food that works best for their families.”
The Congressional Budget Office predicted May 22 the bill would cause the program’s participation to be reduced by 3.2 million people on average every month from 2025-34.
Starting in the 2028 fiscal year, state-matching funds will be required for allotments. The match amount will be determined from the state’s SNAP payment error rates, which are determined from the accuracy of benefit distribution. In addition, 25% administrative costs are placed on the federal government, while states are responsible for 75%.
“I would hope that no state takes what I would view as the extreme option of just sort of ending their participation and SNAP altogether,” Paul Shafer, an associate professor and co-director of the Medicaid Policy Lab at the Boston University School of Public Health, said. “I think the more progressive states will find a way, whether it’s through increasing taxes or making cuts elsewhere. I think it’s just going to be hard.”
Exemptions to the Able-Body Adult Work Requirements will now be made for parents who have children under seven years old, which previously was made for having children under 18 years old, and those under age 65 must work to meet those requirements.
Recipients of SNAP have also been limited to U.S. residents and immigrants who have a citizenship status of Cuban and Haitian entrants. People from the Oceania region of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau are now eligible to receive SNAP benefits.
In a paper published by Shafer and six other authors, it was found the risk of food insecurity had increased by 5% since the end of the COVID-19 emergency allotments.
“Obviously, a lot of the economic stimulus efforts … that happened during the COVID-19 pandemic started to unwind around 2023 when the public health emergency was ended,” Shafer said. “We’ve also seen rising inflation, particularly in food prices, which has made groceries pretty expensive and sort of a struggle point for families.” It is tough for college students to qualify for SNAP benefits. According to the Government Accountability Office, 3.8 million college students experienced food insecurity in 2020, and 59% of SNAP-eligible students did not receive benefits.
“People are coming from different circumstances and different levels of family support,” Shafer said. “If you can’t afford a generous meal plan, especially living in either isolated college campus areas where there isn’t easy access to a supermarket or if you live in an urban area where there might be access but costs might be higher, you can see why college students might have a harder time.”
According to Michelle Gorman, a campus community health worker, Cats Cupboard, Ohio University’s food pantry, has seen approximately 3,000 total visits since Jan. 1. The pantry is open to all students, does not take SNAP benefits and requires no income verification. The university also assists students with determining their eligibility for receiving SNAP, and Jefferson Marketplace accepts SNAP benefits.
“Ohio University is committed to supporting students facing food insecurity and financial hardship through a variety of resources designed to meet both immediate and ongoing needs,” Sam Pelham, a university spokesperson, said in an email.
Shafer said to further help with food insecurity, universities offer meal swipe donation programs; however, he said schools often fail to publicize them.
“Even though overcoming the stigma as a student, electing to receive those, I think there’s more work that can be done there,” Shafer said.
OU trees expose historical roots, green future
MAIA LECLAIR | SLOT EDITOR
For nine years, Ohio University has been recognized as a “Tree Campus USA,” a national recognition program by the Arbor Day Foundation, which supports colleges and universities in planting and celebrating trees, recognized Ohio University as a “Tree Campus USA” for the ninth consecutive year. This award might come as no surprise, for the cherry blossom trees along the Hocking River always bring crowds excited to take pictures of the spring blossoms.
However, the main draw for Bobcats and locals are the trees on college green. In the winter, the barren trees lay a stark landscape against grey, snowy skies. In the fall, they glimmer with oranges and yellows, leaving crushed brown leaves underfoot.
For Travis Post, assistant director of facilities at OU, who is also a certified arborist, maintaining the health of the trees across campus is a top priority. This can include prescribed pruning, protecting trees when construction occurs and keeping tabs on possible pests.
“The trees on the campus green is what makes it iconic, in my opinion,” Post said. “Without those trees, it wouldn’t have the same effect as it does for our community.”
Between all the different species of trees on the College Green, such as the sycamores and the ash trees, new elms are also starting to be reintroduced. Post said he helped to plant one behind Cutler Hall and American elm trees used to be the main botanical attraction to the green.
William Holmes McGuffey, president of OU from 1839-43, helped plant a row of 17 elm trees, according to a previous Post report housed in the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections. Considered famous for their beauty and grand size, the trees lasted 117 years before being struck by the Dutch elm disease.
The report said only four of these trees remained that year while the rest had been cut down to slow the spread of the disease. Nearly all American elms were affected by the Dutch elm disease, which is a “lethal fungal disease” imported from European diseased logs in the 1930s, according to the
Department of Agriculture.
Today, only 1,000 American elms have survived and been reported to the American Elm Survivor Database.
With McGuffey’s first movement to create a more centralized, purposeful planning of a college green came the idea of curating a park for everyone to enjoy. Glenn Matlack, professor of environmental and plant biology at OU, has done research on urban forests and focuses specifically on eastern deciduous forest ecology.
Although College Green isn’t technically an urban forest, Matlack said most people have a general perception that trees managed in a city setting don’t change much, which is false.
“The problem with the management of the urban forest is that we think of it on the span of human memory, which is notoriously bad and really short,” Matlack said. “What we need to do is think of it in terms of the memory of the trees, which can potentially live hundreds of years.”
Some of the largest trees on the green are decades old, he said, and have a potential to last another 100 years. The trees, while not affected too much by foot traffic, are subjected to other ecological challenges.
One of the main challenges urban forests face is the enthusiasm from people to continue upholding and planting trees.
“You get these bursts, these cohorts of trees planted, and you’ll be able to recognize them as you walk around the town,” Matlack said. “They’re not continuously replanted. The structure of this forest is simply a history of human enthusiasm for planting. What you’ll see recently is that there was a phase of enthusiasm for planting in the 1990s and 2000s and then we forgot about them for 20 years.”
However, Matlack said the climate is changing and only getting hotter. Athens itself has been suffering from a drought and recently had the driest August on record, states the National Integrated Drought Information System.
“The cheapest, easiest way to protect the population of Athens is to plant trees,” Matlack said. “They produce shade … and they have a really big impact on the environment at the level at which humans are
experiencing it. This is emergency equipment. It is not about aesthetics, it’s not about philosophy and it’s not about tree huggers. It’s about maintaining the health of people.”
The Athens Shade Tree Commission is a governmental organization which looks to promote Athens’ urban forest. It helps provide tree resources, care guides, recommendations to the types of trees planted on city streets or parks, a climate change tree atlas and much more.
Under Title 33, the commission also works with the service-safety director to help plan for planting or preservation of shade trees when a new city project, such as building a new street, is put into action.
The commission meets at 6 p.m. the second Thursday of every month. Recently, there have been some questions as to the future outlook of the commission.
During Thursday’s meeting, the chair of the commission, Tristan Kinnison, said there has been a refusal by the mayor to appoint or reappoint any new members to the commission. Meaning, if the commission doesn’t have four members, making a quorum, it can’t operate. The potential lack of a functioning commission could also remove Athens’ designation as a Tree City USA.
Gene Deubler, a member of the commission, closed Thursday’s meeting with some thoughts on the commission’s approval authority for new projects. A code change by the city council, which will be discussed at the planning commission meeting Wednesday at noon, proposes landscape plans be approved by the planning commission and not the tree commission.
“We know our city’s canopy is in decline,” Deubler said. “We should be strengthening our tree canopy management tools and not weakening them. This is a step in the wrong direction.”
It is evident the trees on College Green and the general management of an urban forest require multiple levels of maintaining wellness, whether it’s looking back on past challenges or plans, or looking forward to preservation amid climate, weather or political changes.
The trees on College Green, Oct. 1, 2025, in Athens. (TALITHA MALOY | PHOTO EDITOR)
Bobcats express fall break frustration, relaxation
Fall has officially arrived at Ohio University and around town, squirrels can be seen riffling through piles of leaves, while students take advantage of the sweater weather to combat the slight October chill. Luckily for Bobcats, with fall came a break from classes and a long weekend.
An extra day to kick-start the weekend provided opportunities for students to rest and have fun.
Although some students took the time to travel home, do schoolwork and relax with friends, others made their way to Court Street to enjoy the nightlife. Events such as The Lost Flamingo Company’s annual “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and deals at Court Street hotspots were just a few of the activities Bobcats participated in.
Ben Breedlove, a sophomore studying political science and pre-law, said he planned to make his Fall Break worth it by enjoying a relaxing night with his girlfriend back home in Columbus.
“I’m going to go on a date with my girlfriend,” he said. “We’re gonna make pumpkin brioche French toast. She sent me a recipe.”
Oli Borke, a sophomore studying social work, said they hoped to work all weekend at Athens Scream Park, a haunted attraction on 11950 Black Rd, in Glouster, Ohio. Borke said the park opens Oct. 17 and setting everything up requires dedication.
“I’m just gonna be spending my entire break just working and getting everything in place, so we can have the best scares of all time in Athens County,” they said.
Madelyn McKelvy, a sophomore studying communications, visited her friend at The Ohio State University on Thursday and Friday. Some universities, including OSU, have a longer fall break, giving students both Thursday and Friday off.
during the break.
“I feel like ours is so short, it just feels like a regular weekend, and I’m literally skipping my Thursday classes so that I could go home early, so I feel like it needs to be longer,” McKelvy said.
Due to the short break, McKelvy split time between friends and family and traveled home Saturday and Sunday.
Despite some students’ grief, Borke said they understand why the university only offers one day off. Borke said Thanksgiving break is just around the corner and the break, Nov. 26 through Nov. 30, is five days long.
“I would love to have maybe just one more day off,
but I understand why,” Borke said. “Winter break is like a month and a half long. So we have a really big break already.”
Breedlove feels two extra days would be adequate, as it gives students who are traveling home and other places time to enjoy themselves, as well as make the trip back.
“I feel like if you’re going to give us a ‘Fall Break,’ it should be at least an extra day,” he said. “At least Friday through Monday is what I would say is fair because that gives us at least Monday to come back.” Despite differing opinions about the length of the break, Bobcats still had an extra day to do as they pleased and sleep in Friday without the stress of early-morning classes.
‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ celebrates 50 years of thrills
A long line of excited, chattering people gathered along Union Street, dressed to the nines, laughing and complimenting one another. It was hard to miss the leather, colorful makeup and ripped tights, and curious onlookers couldn’t help but ask what the occasion was.
The iconic “Rocky Horror Picture Show” returned to Athens.
The Lost Flamingo Theater company brought its shadow cast to the Union Bar and Grill Wednesday through Saturday. The crowd included first time show-goers, referred to as “Rocky virgins” and longtime fans, both of which anticipated the night of thrilling entertainment.
The “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” starring Tim Curry, was released in 1975 based on the 1973 musical by Richard O’Brien. The show follows a newly
engaged, prudish couple, Brad and Janet, as they seek help “over at the Frankenstein place,” when their car breaks down. They meet Dr. Frank N’ Furter, a mad scientist who succeeds in creating a muscular man, Rocky himself.
Anna Martin, a junior studying hearing speech and language sciences, was the director of this year’s Rocky. 2025 marked Rocky’s 50th anniversary and LFC’s 22nd year performing the show at The Union.
Previously stage manager, Martin said after first seeing the show her freshman year, she was immediately hooked.
“I’d never seen Rocky before, until I got the role, and so I sat down and watched the movie, and was in utter shock,” Martin said. “Nobody liked the film when it first came out, and then now it has become such a big part of the culture.”
LFC welcomed cast members to new roles this year: Evan Green as Dr. Frank N’ Furter, Elle Mitsch as Columbia, Matt Feitt as Dr. Scott and Max Mingay as The Criminologist. Martin said rehearsals started in the beginning of September.
Peyton Smith, a junior studying marketing and strategic leadership and management, has been in the ensemble “The Whorus” for two years.
Smith said the audience participation brought attendees together and enjoyed the call-outs during the song “Rose Tint My World.”
“There’s just something about specifically doing ‘Rocky Horror’ that’s different from any other show I’ve done, mainly just because of the atmosphere and the environment,” Smith said.
Smith said before the show, cast members could be heard lip syncing popular songs by Sabrina Carpenter and Ginuwine. The Virgin Games commenced soon after, which involved the cast members pulling Rocky virgins to the stage to compete in challenges, including a twerk off.
The original “Rocky Horror” was projected behind the actors on stage, as is customary in a shadowcast production. Each cast member strived to embody their role and bring the energy. To say the crowd was entertained with both the “whoreography” and dedicated acting may be an understatement.
Attendees only add to the expressive and closeknit Rocky community. Trent Hoge, Ohio University alumni pursuing a masters in public administration, said their Rocky obsession started at 14 years old. Hoge said they created a shadow cast for Rocky shortly after the pandemic. They also performed in Rocky multiple times as Columbia, Janet and Dr. Frank.
“Frank is this person who in a world, especially at the time where people said ‘you cannot be queer, you cannot have any power, you cannot have any agency,’” Hoge said. “He was allowed to be complicated and angry and take power back, even if it was in a violent and morally reprehensible way.”
It is safe to say Bobcats and locals planning to attend next year’s show are in for the performance of a lifetime.
McKelvy said she was excited about her plans, but wished she had more time to travel, work and relax
FIONA PETTICREW | FOR THE POST
Cars line Court Street, in Athens, Oct. 12, 2025. (ALAINA DACKERMANN | DIRECTOR OF DESIGN)
The cast of Lost Flamingo Company’s Rocky Horror Picture Show poses for a portrait, Sept. 23, 2025, in Athens. (MEGAN VANVLACK | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)
FIONA
POST
Miss Crimson ignites female-fronted rock in Athens
MARIA SAUNDERS FOR THE POST
It is no secret bands should always practice before their first performance – but every rule has its exceptions.
Miss Crimson, a new band on Ohio University’s campus formed by five members, met each other in person for the first time at The Union Bar before walking on stage.
The band made its debut Aug. 21, the Friday of move-in weekend when The Union was hosting an open-mic night.
“We were all like, ‘Hey, let’s go watch this and check out what this place is going to be like, because we hope to perform there at some point,’” Jordan Hara, a freshman studying music production and recording industry, said.
Hara is the band’s lead guitarist.
“Then we were just watching all the people playing and we were like, ‘You know what sounds really cool right now, performing live all together, what if we just did it,’” Hara said.
After retrieving their instruments from their dorms, the five musicians spent nearly 20 minutes going back and forth about what song to sing. Ella Frantz, a freshman studying acting, is the band’s lead singer and said one song they kept coming back to was “Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones.
After settling on the song, the group ran through it on the patio – no amps, no mics, no drumset.
Without ever having had a formal rehearsal, the group took the stage by storm. Despite the lack of practice, the members said they didn’t have many jitters.
“You feel nervous until the music starts
playing,” Izzy Rempe, a freshman studying music production and recording industry, and Miss Crimson guitarist, said.
“That stage is our home, and we are most ourselves when we’re up there,”
Hara said. “As soon as that first note hit, we were all just in the groove of things.”
The itch to perform, spurring their first performance, was not a one-time occurrence.
“We’ll just get this craving to play every time we see someone else,” Hara said.
“Twelve o’clock, one in the morning, we’ll just go out to Paw Print Park, drag all of our amps (and play).”
Frantz said they all seem to live and breathe music and cannot get enough of performing.
“I absolutely just love the way that music brings so many people together,” Frantz said. “There’s just this bond between the artist and their audience.”
There is a bond within the band, too. Hara said chemistry is something impossible to teach, but luckily for Miss Crimson, connections came naturally.
“You can just see how much we genuinely enjoy playing with one another,” Hara said. “We’re together 24/7 … we got super, super lucky.”
Miss Crimson members said they value more than just making music and finding community. Hara said it is deeper for them as women in the music industry, especially in rock music.
“There aren’t as many female voices in rock that are amplified,” Hara said.
In 1986, the first class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions included no women artists out of 15 inductees. Since then, only about 8.4% of inductees have been women, states Far Out. This statistic
plays a role in why Miss Crimson is proud of its female-fronted identity.
“It’s super important to us that, as a female-fronted band, that is at the forefront of it,” Hara said. “Oftentimes, the female voices in this industry are not the ones that have the main platforms. So it was really important to us that that is at the forefront of, not just our music, but of our brand as a band, almost.”
Myles Kuhn, a freshman studying music production and recording industry, is the band’s drummer and only man.
For Miss Crimson, part of having a voice in the industry means taking up a responsibility to be the inspiration they saw when they were younger. Morgan Killmeyer, a freshman studying political science, is the band’s backup guitarist and saxophonist, and said it is important to be
a role model for younger musicians.
“There’s someone watching you there that wants to do that,” Killmeyer said. “They’re looking at you thinking, ‘Oh, I want to be that someday.’”
Even if women’s voices aren’t the loudest in the industry, rock music still gives bands like Miss Crimson a chance to express themselves.
“Young women were given so few opportunities to have safe spaces like this, where you can just go crazy,” Frantz said. “When we’re on stage, that’s our time to let go. We can be loud, we can be big, we can flail around and stuff. That’s our time to mosh. So it’s our safe space too.”
Being in the band, Frantz said, means “being present, being loud and taking up space.”
Delivery services offer convenience, local restaurants prevail
bottle of Malibu Pineapple Rum costs $16.99.
Delivery services, including Snag and DoorDash, may offer busy students a convenience that cannot be underestimated.
Snag, created by University of California, Santa Barbara students, was invented with convenience in mind, offering speedy delivery.
Kaiden Artman, a junior studying finance and accounting, is the store manager for Athen’s Snag on West Stimson Avenue. Snag operates daily, from noon to midnight.
Artman said Snag’s busiest nights are Friday and Saturday, from 8 p.m. to midnight, and staff may receive orders every couple of seconds. Snag staff deliver items via electric scooters or bikes to easily maneuver the college campus and provide a quick delivery service to customers.
“We’re owned and operated by college students, so they (customers) get delivered to by their peers,” Artman said. The delivery service sells a variety of goods from snacks and alcohol to household items. These items are stocked in the Snag warehouse and range in price. A three-ounce bag of Cheez-Its sells for $3.39, a four-ounce bottle of Crest toothpaste costs $8.69 and a 750 milliliter
“Because we have a little bit of everything, we don’t specialize in anything,” Artman said. “We have anything in our warehouse you could ask for, and we’re just the convenience factor. If they (customers) want to go to Busy Day, they can, but they choose us for convenience.”
Similar to many delivery services, Snag has a delivery fee of $2.99 and offers users the option to tip their drivers. Customers can upgrade to Snag Plus for $7.99 a month and avoid any delivery fees.
“What we focus on the most is marketing — we are college students, it’s your peers delivering your orders,” Artman said. “You’re not going to have some random forty-year-old man come and deliver it. So it’s a very safe environment.”
A student whose pockets are plummeting but wants the convenience of delivery may be better off ordering from Snag. Walmart delivery prices range between $19.95 for express, $14.95 for three hours or less and $9.99 for other time reservations.
As Snag’s popularity rises among students, other local businesses and restaurants welcome delivery services too. Grace Corbin, vice president board of directors for Casa Nueva, spoke about the
restaurant’s approach to delivery.
“I think we remain pretty steady, so I can’t say for sure whether I think (delivery services) have had an impact on business volume, but I know that it’s expensive and we really strive to keep our food really affordable,” Corbin said. “We do a lot of takeout.”
Although the Mexican restaurant offered delivery for two years during COVID-19, it no longer does. Corbin said Casa has always said no to services like DoorDash due to their administrative operations.
“We know the administration side of DoorDash; they keep a big chunk of the sales you do through them, and that’s why delivery fees are all over the place because some businesses have a better time handling that percentage,” Corbin said.
Although Snag and DoorDash may be convenient, Corbin said these services lack human connections, and local businesses offer a variety of positive experiences.
“Personal touch, atmosphere and an inclusive space with friendly faces,” Corbin said. “DoorDash doesn’t even knock on your door anymore. They just leave it on your doorstep.”
Like Corbin, Gregg Burlovich, manager of The SideBar, said the restaurant does not currently deliver but provides takeout. Burlovich said the convenience
of these delivery services can cause local businesses to be overlooked.
“It is convenient to be able to have your food delivered directly to you, and I think a lot of people nowadays are so strapped or tied to that,” Burlovich said. “I know even now a lot of people who never set foot in some of these local restaurants, but who have food just due to DoorDash or ingredients.”
Local businesses like Casa and SideBar can offer Athens residents and students an unforgettable experience; however, the convenience of delivery services may be hard to beat.
For people looking to leave the house and explore Athens’ hotspots, SideBar, on 24 E. State St., is open Monday through Saturday from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. Casa is open Sunday and Monday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closed Tuesdays.
“The delivery fees are passed onto the customer,” Corbin said. “We didn’t want to be like, ‘Here is your $14 burrito and you owe us five bucks.’ But, I do think the convenience can’t be understated … delivery is not going anywhere.”
MARY KATE MCNAMEE FOR THE POST
Miss Crimson performs at the Women’s Open Mic Night at The Union in Athens, Ohio, Sep. 24, 2025. Miss Crimson is a newly formed band consisting of all freshman students at Ohio University. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)
Everything, including the MAC title, is in front of Ohio
CHARLIE FADEL SPORTS EDITOR
After a disastrous game on the road against Ball State last week, where Ohio blew a 14-0 halftime lead and lost its first road Mid-American Conference game of the year, the mood in Athens was certainly dampened. There was good reason for the mood to be down considering how success-filled the last season and a half has been for the Bobcats.
With Parker Navarro back at quarterback coming off a MAC championship, expectations were already high for offensive coordinator turned first-year head coach Brian Smith. After the first five weeks of the 2025 season, those expectations were raised after great performances against Rutgers, West Virginia and Bowling Green. Even with the success early on this year, it was clear Ohio had flaws, especially when it came to taking care of the ball and special teams, and both of those issues flared up again in Muncie against Ball State.
Ohio’s opening drive ended with a missed field goal from kicker David Dellenbach. Chase Hendricks opted not to field a punt downed at the one by Ball State, leading to a safety after Navarro was unable to secure the snap from center Nick Marinaro.
That safety ended up being the true turning point for what is easily the worst loss of Ohio’s season so far, and one of the biggest upsets of the year in the MAC.
Despite all of the bad things and reactions that came from the game, Ohio is still firmly in the thick of the MAC title race, especially after another week of college football.
1:
The bye week came at the perfect time for an Ohio team that has dealt with injuries and poor execution. It gave the team an extra week to fix those things up. While the Bobcats were home resting, things were as chaotic as ever in the MAC, with preseason favorites Toledo blowing its own lead to its rival Bowling Green. The Falcons came back from down 21-0 in the second quarter to give the Rockets their second MAC loss of the season already.
That game was huge for the path to the MAC championship for Ohio. It holds the tie-breaker of Bowling Green, having beaten them head-to-head already this season, and two losses for Toledo could already be spelling doom for its MAC title hopes.
Ohio returns from the bye this week and plays its homecoming game against Northern Illinois, a team that has struggled mightily to start the year. The Huskies are currently 1-5 with the second-worst scoring offense in the country, only putting up 11 points per game.
The Huskies have already made a quarterback change this season, and have not put up over 19 points in a single game so far.
If there is ever a get-right game for Ohio, this is week considering the opponent and the fact that Ohio has won 10-straight games at home. This gives the team one of the best home-field advantages in the country. Although there are certainly questions coming out of the game against Ball State, the MAC title and a fourthstraight 10-win season are still on the table for an Ohio team with the talent to do it.
@CHARLIEFADEL CF111322@OHIO.EDU
and Michael
after an
against Bowling Green, Sept. 27, 2025, at Peden Stadium, in Athens.
Photos by JOHN FOUSS & MIA LUCAS
Wide receiver Chase Hendricks (7) during the Bobcats game against Ohio State, Sept. 13, 2025. The Bobcats lost to Ohio State 37-9 in Ohio Stadium.
2: Linebackers Cameron Hollobaugh (24)
Molnar (25)
interception during the Bobcats game against West Virginia, Sept. 6, 2025. The Bobcats defeated West Virginia 17-10 in Peden Stadium.
3: Tight end Mason Williams (85) runs with the ball at the game
Ohio wins two in a row against Miami
BRANDON GROSS SPORTS STAFF WRITER
In this weekend’s most recent iteration of the Battle of the Bricks, Ohio (5-14, 3-4 Mid-American Conference) defeated Miami (9-10, 3-4 MAC) in what may be a turnaround for Ohio’s season. Ohio has won its past three games and looks to continue the march toward the MAC tournament. These wins are also meaningful to the team, as the rivalry with Miami fueled the amazing play from the Bobcats.
Coming off of its first win in a month against Kent State, Ohio returned to The Convo to face off against Miami. The Bobcats put on a show right away, taking a 5-1 lead with kills from freshman Mady Long, freshman Bailey Blair and junior Emily Waddell. Miami was able to get the game to 20-19 in favor of Ohio. Ohio was able to rattle off 5 unanswered points to take the set.
“I’ve never lost a set to Miami since I’ve been here,” Waddell said. “We take that seriously.”
Ohio captured the second set with an even bigger lead. Miami scored first, but Ohio answered with 4 straight points. Miami tried to get back in the game numerous times, but Ohio’s defense didn’t allow any scoring from the Redhawks while on offense. The huge scoring runs early in the set paid off as Ohio would take the second set with a score of 25-18.
“I think right now, our defensive lineup is pretty spectacular and hard to beat,” Ohio head coach Kenzie Brinkman said. “Blocking stats don’t mean anything as long as we are blocking up and in a really good position so our defense can play.”
Ohio opened the third set trading points with Miami until it ripped off a four-score run to take a 7-3 lead early in the set. The offense continued to trade points until the score was 20-19.
Ohio answered with five straight kills to close out the set, courtesy of Blair, Waddell and junior Gentry Brown.
“The girls talked about the importance of this game and the history of the rivalry with Miami,” Brinkman said. “It just feels good to win in general, and if I’m being honest with you, that’s obviously extra special against Miami.”
Saturday’s game against Miami was the first time Ohio played the same team back-to-back this season. The Bobcats didn’t let this statistic affect them, though, as they won this game, completing the sweep of Miami. Ohio did lose one set, but it quickly cleaned up the mistakes it made and was able to secure the game.
The first set was Ohio’s most dominant set against Miami, as it won with a ninepoint lead. There were a lot of points traded until once again, Ohio was able to put up a few scoring runs to pull away.
With the score being 21-16 in favor of the Bobcats, a few of their players made big plays to secure the win. Junior Torre Kildow had two kills, and sophomore Sierra Evans had a block and a kill to put away Miami in the first set and get the win with a score of 25-16.
The second set in this game was the only set Ohio lost against Miami. It became an extended set thanks to Miami’s great play, along with mistakes made by Ohio late into the set. Miami was able to stop and keep up with Ohio’s offensive output until the final moments of the second set.
With the score being 24-22, Miami was able to score 3 points to bring the score to 25-24, forcing the extended set, in which Ohio made numerous errors that would lead to Miami winning with a score of 27-25, evening the match to one set apiece.
“A lot of that second set was our errors,” Brinkman said. “We just shortened up things that we can control on our side.”
Despite losing the second set, Ohio came out of the locker room and dominated. Miami was able to keep it close, but Ohio pulled away and the defense completely stifled Miami towards the end of the set.
Brinkman overcame numerous challenges, bolstering Ohio’s momentum even further. Also, Miami’s coach was handed a red card, which fired up Ohio.
Following the red card, back-to-back kills from Blair helped seal the set for Ohio with a final score of 25-17.
“I think that the challenges tonight were pretty obvious challenges, ones that I could hear audibly,” Brinkman said. “It’s always fun when you win a challenge and my team gets riled up for me since I haven’t won a lot.”
Ohio closed out the game with another dominant showing in the fourth set, opening the game with 3 straight points.
Ohio’s Darbi Ricketts had back-to-back service aces, and Miami started to make some sloppy plays, further adding to Ohio’s point total. Ohio comfortably took the set with a score of 25-17 and won the game, three sets to one.
“This entire season is a journey, it’s not a sprint,” Brinkman said. “We’ve done a really good job of staying in the moment, taking it one day at a time. I think that’s really shown and it’s obviously nice to see a couple of dubs on the scoreboard.”
Brian Sicknick: Fallen Hero
On January 6, 2021, rioters broke past police barriers and entered the US Capitol.
They were seeking to overturn the election of Joe Biden and make Donald Trump president. Four people died that day, one police officer died the following day, and four police officers committed suicide after the riot. Over 100 police officers were injured.
Julian Khater pepper-sprayed three police officers, including Brian Sicknick, who were using bike racks as a barricade to keep rioters out of the Capitol Building. The rioters forced back the police officers, and the rioters gained entry.
Court documents state, “Just before approximately 10:00 p.m., Officer Sicknick began slurring his speech while talking to fellow officers. He slumped backwards and lost consciousness, and emergency medical technicians were summoned for assistance. He was transported to the George Washington University Hospital where he remained on life support for nearly 24 hours and was pronounced dead at 8:51 p.m. the following day.”
Khater pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to 80 months behind bars and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and $2,000 in restitution.
George Tanios, who had brought the pepper spray to the riot, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and entering and remaining in a restricted building. He was sentenced to time served and one year of supervised release. He had spent more than five months behind bars.
Sicknick’s partner, Sandra Garza, wanted the maximum sentence for both men. She wrote in her statement to the judge, “I realize it will not bring back Brian, nor give him peace in his last moments on earth, but it will give some sense of justice in my universe.”
Sicknick’s brother, Kenneth, wrote in his statement to the judge, “The only thing that surpasses my anger is my sadness. Sadness that the only time I can communicate with Brian is to speak into the nothingness and hope that he is listening.”
President Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal to Brian Sicknick. His mother, Gladys Sicknick, accepted the award for him.
On January 20, 2025, the first day of Donald Trump’s second presidency, he pardoned all January 6 rioters, including Khater and Tanios.
Nearly 1,600 people received clemency. Over 600 rioters had been convicted of or pleaded guilty to assault of or obstructing law enforcement officers; in addition, 170 rioters had been convicted of or pleaded guilty to using a deadly weapon.
According to President Trump, “This proclamation [announcing the pardons] ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation.”
Trump has called January 6 a “day of love,” and he has called the January 6 rioters “patriots.”
Sicknick’s family called the pardons an “undoing of justice.”
Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumentha said, “These mass pardons are sickening — the ultimate disrespect for police officers who were assaulted brutally by criminal rioters, suffering lasting injuries and death in some cases. Giving a blanket pass to cop killers and other insurrectionists, convicted by juries of everyday Americans, discredits justice and law enforcement.”
Soccer breaks scoreless streak in tie with Toledo
JACKSON HUXEL FOR THE POST
Ohio (3-7-5 overall, 1-3-4 Mid-American Conference) traveled to Paul Hotmer Field to take on Toledo (3-4-6 overall, 0-3-4 MAC), tying the Rockets 1-1.
The Bobcats came out of the gate hot with a shot from junior Jaimason Brooker that Rockets goalkeeper Agnes Stenlund knocked away in the third minute. Three minutes later, Ohio sophomore Iro Fakinou fired a bottom-center shot that was saved by Senlund.
In the 13th minute, Stenlund picked up her third straight save on a top shot off the foot of Brooker. Three minutes later, senior Scout Murray broke free, firing a bottom-right shot knocked away by Stenlund. Ohio kept attacking, and in the 21st minute, Brooker sent her third shot over the goal. Toledo answered back four minutes later as senior goalkeeper Celeste Sloma made back-to-back saves, and 30 seconds later, Murray fired her second shot of the half that was saved by Stenlund.
Late in the 26th minute, the Bobcats finally broke through the Rocket defense with a goal off the foot of graduate student Quintin Tostevin, giving the Bobcats an early 1-0 lead. Brooker continued to find open holes in the Rocket defense, firing her fourth shot that just missed the left side of the net.
After a few substitutions for Toledo, Sloma picked up her third save of the half on a bottom-right shot from freshman Hailee Maynard. In the 39th minute, the Bobcats responded with a shot from junior Anna Burchett and another in the 44th from junior Rylee Mensel before heading into the half leading 1-0.
Burchett fired in her second shot of the game in the 55th minute, which flew right of the goal. Two minutes
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later, senior Maia Soulis placed a shot off the top post, leading to a corner kick. After several substitutions from both sides, Toledo’s Ella Zoerhoff sent in a shot that missed wide left in the 72nd minute. Zoerhoff tied the game for the Rockets with back-to-back shots in the 80th minute after scoring on a rebounded save by Sloma.
The Bobcats responded right back with a shot of their own from junior Kate Robinson that was saved by Stenlund. Three minutes later, the Bobcats marched back into Toledo territory with a top left shot from senior Maia Kaufman that was batted away by Stenlund.
Zoerhoff continued to find open space in the Bobcat defense, placing her fourth shot in the half that missed
wide left in the 85th minute before the final whistle blew with both teams tied at 1-1. The Bobcats finished the game outshooting the Rockets 15-7.
As Brooker led the team with four shots, Murray and Burchett followed not too far behind with two of their own, while Tostevin picked up her second goal of the season, assisted by Robinson, who picked up her first assist of the season.
Sloma had a great game for the Bobcats with four saves on seven shots. The Bobcats look to continue their offensive success as Buffalo comes to Chessa Field on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m.
JH269721@OHIO.EDU
Field Hockey shuts out Ball State
Ohio (4-9, 2-3 Mid-American Conference) took home its second conference win of the year by defeating Ball State (3-11, 1-4 MAC) 1-0 on Friday.
Both teams entered this game with struggles on offense. Ohio only scored two goals in its last two games, while Ball State was shut out in each of its last three games. However, this game started out differently.
Ball State had its first chance on offense about three minutes in, but Ohio goalkeeper Ash Stephenson turned away a shot by forward Emily Kate Covert. Ohio got moving on offense not long after, but two Bobcat shots went wide. Ball State got a penalty corner saved by Stephenson, keeping both teams off the scoreboard after the first period.
“As the organized attempts to censor materials in libraries persist, we must continue to unite and protect the freedom to read and support our library workers, especially at a time when our nation’s libraries are facing threats to funding and library professionals are facing threats to their livelihood.”
— ALA President Cindy Hohl
“What I tell kids is, Don’t get mad, get even. Don’t spend time waving signs or carrying petitions around the neighborhood. Instead, run, don’t walk, to the nearest non-school library or to the local bookstore and get whatever it was that they banned. Read whatever they’re trying to keep out of your eyes and your brain, because that’s exactly what you need to know.”
The second quarter was much more of a defensive battle. A Bobcat penalty corner one minute in was ultimately sent wide, which accounted for their only shot of the quarter. Covert got Ball State’s only shot of the period five minutes later, but it too was sent wide, and the score remained 0-0 at halftime as both teams searched for answers offensively.
The offensive shortage would not last long, as the Bobcats came out of the break with quite the adjustment. Tiana Nhamoinesu scored her first goal of the season to put the Bobcats up 1-0 just 13 seconds into the half.
— Stephen King
“Read the books they don’t want you to. That’s where the good stuff is.”
— LeVar Burton
“We really just got together as a group and talked about what we wanted to continue doing and what we should take into the half,” Nhamoinesu said. “We knew Ball State would come out really hard, they’re known for being a team to come back, so we just wanted to get that head start.”
The defensive intensity picked right back up after the goal, with both defenses and goalkeepers remaining
strong for the rest of the third quarter, and both teams having multiple chances but ultimately being unable to find the back of the net, as Ohio held the 1-0 lead.
The fourth began, and the offenses remained quiet once again. Nhamoinesu tried for her second goal of the game and season a minute into the period, but Ball State goalkeeper Carleigh Hofelich came up for the save.
Both teams went back and forth on defense for the remainder of the game. Neither team registered a shot in the final 13 minutes, keeping the score unchanged and securing the 1-0 win for the Bobcats on their home field.
This game marked another strong defensive performance for the Bobcats, as their defense only allowed one goal in their last three games. This execution is pivotal in the coming weeks. MAC play intensifies and playoff eligibility looms for the hungry Bobcats.
“We’re just executing really well defensively,” Ohio head coach Ali Johnstone said. “It takes a lot of discipline to play defense, and they’re doing really well.” Ohio is now 2-3 in MAC play, putting them in fifth place. The top six teams in the MAC make the postseason tournament, and its next opponent, Kent State, currently ranks sixth. Ohio’s upcoming matchup has significant postseason implications.
The Bobcats head North to face the Golden Flashes on Friday, Oct. 17; then return home Sunday, Oct. 19, to face Longwood.
Ohio University sophomore Ellie Greenwell (31) and Valparaiso freshman Ashlyn Cohen (29) race to kick the ball at the game at Chessa Field, Sept. 1, 2024. (MEGAN VANVLACK | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)
David Bruce paid for this ad.
Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco tie the knot
Actress, singer and Rare Beauty founder Selena Gomez said “I Do” to music producer Benny Blanco in Santa Barbara, California on Sept. 27, blending old Hollywood romance with coastal California ease. The couple has been together for almost two years, but has known each other for nearly a decade. Blanco produced two of Gomez’s hits in 2015 and 2016.
The couple made their engagement public in December 2024, just one year after dating. Blanco thoughtfully created Gomez’s engagement ring by working with two jewelers to create a lifelong dream for the famous Disney star.
Gomez’s ring is a marquise-cut diamond with vintage sparkle and a raised setting.
This design allows the engagement ring and wedding band to nest perfectly together, a symbolic reflection of the couple’s creative harmony.
Their wedding consisted of a threeday-long celebration with many familiar faces and family. Guests who attended include Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Gomez’s “Wizards of Waverly Place” co-star David Henrie and Paris Hilton. Rather than a high-profile production, the festivities were filled with warmth, music and a few playful surprises.
The ceremony took place at a private vineyard called Sea Crest Nursery. TMZ captured photos of the venue, which is nestled in vast greenery and white tents for privacy.
Gomez’s small bouquet consisted of Lilly
of the Valley flowers as she walked down the aisle in a Ralph Lauren gown. This silk gown featured embroidered florals floating throughout the tulle. Her veil, long and light, caught the soft glow of the late-afternoon sun. Gomez also wore stunning accessories like her Tiffany & Co. diamond earrings.
On the big day, Blanco wore a black three-piece suit from Ralph Lauren as well. Details in the outfit provided a mature and sophisticated style. Sewn-in cufflinks and studs can be seen in the couple’s wedding photos on social media.
At the couple’s reception, guests enjoyed a champagne toast with their singletiered heart-shaped cake. Guests had a wide variety of food, such as Nobu sushi bar, steaks and BBQ.
Fans came together, supporting the couple’s marriage, as many created edits of their wedding photos on TikTok. Frans praised her for her aesthetic and taste, noting many of their details will be added to mood boards. On Instagram, fans congratulated the newly married couple and marveled at the friendships Gomez holds close.
The night ended with authenticity for the two lovebirds. As most of their lives have been spent in the public eye, love found them in the quiet moments: in laughter, in music and in shared dreams. September now officially marks a new fairytale for the two.
Music evolves, changes the way people listen
Music is often referred to as the universal language. As a driving force for many creative media, it has united people globally in dance, celebration and culture. The way in which people consume music has changed drastically over the past century. In the 1970s, vinyl records and 8-track players dominated the music medium. In the 1980s, it was cassette tapes and boomboxes. The 1990s saw the mass production of CDs, Walkmans and music channels like MTV.
From record players to streaming services, people have seen the way in which they interact with music change. Music became more accessible with the transition from physical media to streaming, but streaming may be contributing to a new problem: lost media. Some argue the ability to globalize music even further is a wonderful opportunity, while others argue it is a deficit to creatives and consumers in the music industry. Streaming allows for an easier listening experience. With streaming, people have access to millions of songs and can listen to a full album or make a playlist of their favorites. With media like vinyl records or cassettes, there is a need for dedication to listening to the complete album.
On a vinyl, one has to pick up the needle on the turntable and move it directly to the next song on the record. Cassette tapes don’t have a traditional skip option; people have to fast-forward until they reach the next song.
Listening to albums is a longer, definite process. It’s a more focused experience, since it is not easily stoppable. Many argue physical media like vinyls sound better, grittier and give a closer recording of what the music sounded like in the studio. Digital processors can’t read analog sound waves like record and cassette players.
According to Dustin Miraglia, a writer for Unison, analog can pick up environmental noises while digital “requires binary coding that accurately transmits data.” There are missing sounds from digital versions.
The creation of iTunes in the early 2000s shifted the market from physical media to digital files. iPods held
thousands of music files and allowed people to store thousands of songs without ever owning a single CD. iTunes allowed users to buy individual songs for $0.99, instead of full albums.
This was unheard of during the era of burning CDs, as programs like RealJukebox, Windows Media Player and MusicMatch forced users to pay to burn CDs fast and get high-quality playbacks. iTunes introduced the personalization of music; users could now create custom playlists for every mood and occasion. However, music became much more transactional.
Streaming and digital access removed the need to go to a record store, stand in line for a CD release or even download a file. There is no guaranteed money or listening investment involved with the modern listening experience.
While sharing CDs, listening parties and music recommendations at record stores were once ways people discovered new music, algorithms have replaced the social sharing aspect of music discovery. Algorithms now push music based on the preferences of music users. Artificial intelligence has started to pick up this role, creating AIgenerated playlists and tools meant to push recommendations based on your mood and interests.
The social interaction of sharing music has started to come back. Album listening parties are becoming more frequent. The intimacy of music sharing has largely moved online, with friends or algorithms sharing playlists.
While streaming allows listeners to pick up and move through a global digital music environment, the ability to own and collect favorite music is erased. The identity aspect of music collection has also seemingly been pushed aside, with music trends taking the brunt of the work. Music is a lot more passive in the way in which trends come and go.
The story of how people listen to music is also a story of how technology reshapes culture. From vinyl records, CDs, iTunes downloads and streaming, each evolution in technology has reshaped society’s relationship with the art of music.
The transition from ownership to accessing music has both liberated and limited music listeners. Music, which
ABBY DOENCH ASST ART DIRECTOR
was once centered around possession, has transitioned to being about participation. Focusing on becoming a shared medium once more, people are seeing music become revitalized.
Technology changes how we hear music, but not the move and experience of engaging with it.
JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR: AMERICA HAS NO KINGS POWER BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE SATURDAY, OCT 18TH | 1-2 PM
Along East State Street in front of the Athens Commnity Center (no speakers this time; bring signs and water)
Also on Oct. 18th in Athens, Ohio: 10 am OU Homecoming Parade • 3:30 pm OU Football Game
NYLA GILBERT | FOR THE POST
ANNA HANES | FOR THE POST
EA bought in $55 billion purchase, creating uncertainty
MICAH FENNER FOR THE POST
On Sep. 29, video game company Electronic Arts announced in a press release it had agreed to an allcash acquisition deal valued at $55 billion. According to the release, EA is to be acquired by a consortium of three investment firms consisting of Silver Lake, Public Investment Fund and Affinity Partners.
Since the founding of EA in 1982, the company has developed and published dozens of popular games such as “EA Sports,” “Burnout,” “Dragon Age,” “Mass Effect” and “The Sims.”
EA has faced backlash from the gaming community for many years over its use of predatory business models such as microtransactions, live-service models and loot boxes in its games. Adding in a community consensus of a general lack of innovation in its products, many are not fond of the company, going as far as to vote it in as the fifth most hated company in America back in 2018.
Despite this discontent with the company, games made by EA continue to be wildly popular. For example, “The Sims 4,” one of EA’s most popular games, had a player count of 85 million players and a total revenue of $1 billion as of May 2024.
The acquisition of EA marks the end of the company’s 36-year stint as a publicly owned business. Some see this as a good opportunity for the company to try and be more creative with their games without having to meet quarterly goals, while others are concerned this deal could lead to censorship, job cuts and more predatory business strategies.
To understand why censorship is a concern, you need to understand two of EA’s new owners, PIF and
Affinity Partners. PIF is an investment firm created for and by the Saudi Arabia government to expand the country’s economy and influence globally. The firm has been involved in the gaming scene for years now, owning small amounts of stock in many large gaming companies.
Affinity Partners was founded in 2021 by Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former white house advisor. Affinity primarily invests in American and Israeli businesses, although a large portion of its funds come from PIF. The firm was under investigation by Congress in 2024 over a lack of
‘Tron: Ares’ gives fans little to believe in
Disney
has
finally released the third installment of the Tron franchise, but
it fails to live up to fan expectations.
MICAH FENNER | FOR THE POST
In the science fiction cult classic “Tron,” released in 1982, two characters share a brief yet prophetic exchange about the future of technology, discussing that computers will be thinking for themselves one day. Now, 43 years later, that future comes to pass in the third film in the franchise, “Tron: Ares.”
Set 15 years after the events of 2010’s “Tron: Legacy,” this new film follows the titular character Ares (Jared Leto), an advanced security program created by Jullian Dillinger (Evan Peters), who was brought into the real world. The series had previously always followed humans entering the digital world, otherwise known as the grid. Now, “Ares” flips the formula on its head, and with it, introduces new problems to overcome.
Although humans can stay in the digital world indefinitely, digital constructs can only stay in the real world for upwards of 29 minutes before disintegrating. This leads two rival tech companies, ENCOM and Dillinger Manufacturing, to race against each other to find the key to keeping digital creations in this world. After ENCOM discovers this permanence code, Ares is sent to steal the code, leading him on a two-hour-long journey of self-discovery.
For the first act of the film, Ares plays the role of the villain to the secondary protagonist and ENCOM CEO Eve Kim (Greta Lee). After discovering more about Kim via some cyber stalking, Ares switches sides, deciding to aid her with the promise she would provide him with the permanence code so he could live in the real world. The first act does a good job of drawing the audience in, with a somewhat interesting premise and characters that have room for development. The visuals of the few scenes in The Grid are captivatingly beautiful, and the cyberpunk rock style soundtrack crafted by Nine Inch Nails serves as a perfect backing to every scene.
Unfortunately, after the first act, the movie begins to show its cracks. The character that once had potential for growth quickly falls into bad stereotypes of the most basic tropes.
Kim, a character motivated by the death of her younger sister, is meant to act as the human connection that drives Ares to change. However, other than her grief for her sister, Kim has staggeringly little personality, and the little she did have failed to connect the audience to her.
Ares is a little better. Playing the role of a philosophical tech ninja with a random love for ‘80s British pop, he changes throughout the film, albeit without much reason. His desire to become human is vaguely implied to have started because Dillinger sees him as expendable, but the film moves so fast it’s not shown to an extent that his quick shift makes any logical sense.
The plot of the film also comes with its own slew of issues, namely being its unoriginality. “Tron: Ares” manages to hit nearly every plot trope of movies about artificial intelligence, including but not limited to AI going rogue, AI having a Pinocchio complex and AI wreaking havoc on humanity. Although hitting common plot points is not necessarily a bad thing, the film hits them in a fashion that is irritatingly predictable.
“Tron: Ares” has an issue with ignoring previous installments of the franchise, especially “Tron: Legacy.” The first five minutes of “Ares” are used to explain why the main characters of “Legacy” are not going to appear in this film, and then proceed to act as if much of the film did not happen, going as far as to retcon the design of the grid that appears in “Legacy.”
“Ares” faces one of its biggest issues by choosing to have 80% of the movie take place outside of the grid. The stunning neon-lit cityscapes of the grid serve
returns to investors and concerning deals with foreign governments.
The concern about censorship arises from the level of influence the Saudi Arabian Government will have over EA. As a country with laws that have resulted in copious amounts of human rights violations, some players are concerned certain aspects of games like “The Sims” may be removed in an attempt to adhere closer to Saudi Arabian beliefs. “The Sims” built its fanbase around allowing players to experience hundreds of walks of life regardless of race, gender, ability or sexual orientation, leaving players concerned these perspectives will become limited with this new purchase.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson has stated the deal will not change the company’s beliefs, although many remain sceptical.
The next two issues come from the nature of the acquisition. The deal was a leveraged buyout, meaning an ample amount of the money used for the purchase was borrowed. This borrowed money will leave EA $20 billion in debt.
Business insiders believe in order to pay off this massive debt, EA will most likely have to begin cutting off unnecessary baggage, selling less profitable pieces of intellectual property, game studios and cutting jobs to save money where they can. Some predict EA may end up having to cut all but its most profitable IPs, leaving only “The Sims,” “EA Sports” and “Battlefield.” The acquisition is set to be completed in the first fiscal quarter of 2027. With the looming possibility of censorship and $20 billion to pay off, fans are rightfully cautious about the next steps EA takes.
as one of the most entrancing aspects of the “Tron” franchise. Spending most of the movie in the grey and beige real world takes away heavily from the visual spectacle the franchise has thrived on.
If one were to only look at the soundtrack and some of the visuals, “Tron: Ares” could be mistaken for a good movie. The lack of compelling characters, the formulaic plot and attachment to the real world drag the movie down to being mediocre at best.
XANDER STAUFFER | FOR THE POST
PROVIDED BY WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES
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Sports Staff Writers | Brandon Gross, Jude Hannahs
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Objectivity in American journalism has changed
ALEXANDRA HOPKINS
COMMUNITY STANDARDS EDITOR
Objectivity is a tenet of journalistic ethics. It’s taught at Ohio University from the moment a first-year journalist steps into JOUR 1010 and is reiterated again and again throughout college. Objectivity, however, has changed.
Objectivity is, on its face, a simple concept: report on the facts without revealing any bias. It’s nonpartisan, fair and factual. It doesn’t leave room for opinion or editorializing. It is one of the core values of journalistic ethics.
Yet, there are no correct answers or hard-set rules when it comes to ethics; there are only standards for what is societally acceptable. Society has changed, and so has journalistic objectivity.
In fact, objectivity only became a phenomenon in the last century.
Yellow journalism, a type of reporting that relied on sensationalism, appeared in the late 19th century. It was defined by ostentatious headlines and crude call-to-actions, which garnered a large audience and “influenc(ed) public reaction to international events,” according to the Office of the Historian.
Newspapers forwent facts and accuracy in favor of attention and public influence. This type of reporting, built on exaggeration, was motivated by profit.
The shift to objectivity did not occur until the early 1900s, as a result of “newspaper mergers and closings (which) meant each city had fewer papers, and the surviving papers had to appeal to a broader swath of the public,” according to Time Magazine.
For 60 years, facts and science-based evidence have become the new norm. However, a major social and cultural upheaval in the 1960s, spurred by the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy, turned the newly established ideal of objectivity on its head.
In the face of an uncertain political and social climate, when the government did not represent the voice of the people, reporters questioned why they would report on facts but forgo explaining what it meant. They questioned why both sides should be given equal weight when only one is supported by science and fact.
True objectivity, journalists argued, didn’t represent the reality of living in America or the truth of facts. Today, I argue, reporters face the same dilemma.
In a world where living standards are intrinsically intertwined with the political and social climate, everyone is impacted by the events reported on in the news. No reporter can be completely unbiased because they experience the ebbs and flows of an uneasy country.
However, journalists should report accurately. Accurate information is key in a modern age defined by misinformation and clickbait. Internal biases cannot impact factual reporting. While journalists have a right to maintain personal beliefs, there is a fine line between today’s definition of objectivity and outright opinion.
To find a balance in reporting facts while still acknowledging reality, context becomes key to maintaining an equitable news source.
Neutrality and detachment can misrepresent underrepresented people and places. An objective stance may obscure systematic issues or fail to hold responsible parties and institutions accountable. Context, in these cases, explains why injustice has occurred while maintaining an objective standpoint.
The portrayal of real stories of real people in real situations provides the context needed to showcase reality. Objectivity, then, cannot be questioned because there is nothing more impartial than the human experience.
While reporters should remain informed on both sides, they should not give equal weight to a side informed by fact and evidence and a side not. Prioritization should be given to facts and to helping an audience understand the implications of those facts on daily life.
Reporters can report on the facts, they can share accurate information and inform the masses. Reporters can do their job, but they can’t be expected to remain objective in the traditional sense. Instead, reporters must take into account the world that surrounds them and adapt to audience expectations.
This is why the rise in artificial intelligence in journalism is concerning. Humans can adapt and uphold AI’s bias, as found by Lucía Vicente and Helena Matute in 2023. Even an AI, built to be objective and fact-based, still reflects the bias of its human creators. This argues both that AI should remain outside of journalism, and if used, at the very least, should be clearly stated in the article. Objectivity can be influenced by bias but, unlike an AI, a human can at least recognize when they have gone too far.
Objectivity has changed, but this shift has made news stronger, human-centered and increasingly accurate.
Alexandra Hopkins is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Alexandra? Email her at ah875121@ohio.edu.
Heidi’s Hot Takes Fiona’s Finds
Once a Bobcat, always a Bobcat Taylor Swift, it’s time to retire
HEIDI BARTOLONE FOR THE POST
Each fall, Ohio University transforms. Court Street bursts with green and white as alumni pour in with nostalgia. Homecoming is not another college weekend; it’s the soul of OU. Beneath the parade floats and elaborate tailgates, there’s the reminder of why this campus feels like home in the first place.
The 2025 OU Homecoming week takes place Oct. 13-18 with a packed schedule. Alumni are welcomed back to OU with friendly competitions like Paint the Town Green and countless attractions such as photo booths and yard games.
OU is hosting traditional events such as the annual alumni awards ceremony and the Bobcat family tent. Students and alumni look forward to coming together every year on Homecoming weekend to partake in these events.
Let’s be honest, college can feel short-lived. People come and go, the semesters blur together, and every week seems to introduce a new wave of faces at the dining hall. However, Homecoming breaks the rhythm.
It’s the one weekend where past and present collide in the best ways. You see alumni on Court Street reliving their glory days, while freshmen stare wideeyed at the same bricks they will one day be missing. The line between student and graduate fades, and what’s left is pure Bobcat pride.
That’s the thing: Homecoming is less about football and more about belonging. Sure, the game gives everyone a reason to paint themselves green and go to Peden Stadium, but it’s what happens off the field that makes it magical. It’s the walk through College Green as the Marching 110 plays. It’s the parade confetti that sticks to the bottom of your sneakers. It’s running into someone you haven’t seen since orientation and realizing how far you’ve both come since the first weekend you shared at OU.
There is something powerful about a tradition that draws so many different kinds of people back year after year. Many schools have a homecoming,
but OU’s version is different; it’s more intimate. Each alum who returns does so not out of obligation, but because Athens showed them something that has stuck with them. The red bricks and the music echoing down Court Street, those memories don’t fade; they become the best kind of nostalgia.
Still, Homecoming also forces us to confront the passage of time. For seniors, it’s a bittersweet preview of the goodbye that is coming too fast. For alumni, it is a mirror held up to their younger selves. For underclassmen, it’s a promise you’re building something now you’ll want to cherish forever.
In that way, Homecoming is a lesson disguised as a party. It teaches students to believe in a community that doesn’t end when graduation comes along; it just changes form.
Yes, the Homecoming traditions can be loud and maybe even overwhelming. But Homecoming weekend is one of the few weekends out of the school year when everyone, students, staff, alumni and even locals seem to share the same heartbeat. For 48 hours, Athens stops feeling like just a college town and starts feeling like a living memory.
As the 110 comes down Court Street, the bars fill and the bricks echo with laughter, remember Homecoming is not only about reliving the past. It’s about realizing you’re part of something that will always call you back, no matter how far you go. The phrase, “Once a Bobcat, always a Bobcat,” rings through everyone who comes back, and Homecoming is proof of that.
Heidi Bartolone is a sophomore studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Heidi about her column? Email her at hb963023@ohio.edu or message her on Instagram @ heidibartolone
FIONA PETTICREW FOR THE POST
Taylor Swift’s been in the music industry since she was 14 years old, and has been a great success, with her “Eras Tour” grossing $2 billion in sales and selling over 10 million tickets. Now pushing 40, she has simply lost her touch with the majority of her fans, no longer appealing to the average life of a teenage girl.
Swift is one of the most successful women in the music industry, and the richest woman artist with a net worth of $1.6 billion. Her success shows in her actions and most recent album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
Swift’s new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” had fans ecstatic when it was announced on Jason and Travis Kelce’s podcast, “New Heights,” on Aug. 13. Then, 13 days later, Travis Kelce and Swift publicized their engagement on her Instagram. The timing of this album’s announcement was calculated, with Swift introducing her album on her NFL-boyfriend’s podcast and announcing her engagement with him 13 days later, Swift’s lucky number.
The main goal of Swift’s new album release was profit. Her lyrics lacked effort and depth and came across as out of touch and insensitive. In her song “CANCELLED!” for instance, the lyric “Did you girlboss too close to the sun” is not only cringe, but also not a clever metaphor nor a play on words. Artists referencing pop culture in their music make you completely disassociate and come across as a millennial trying to fit in with the popular Generation Z crowd.
Later in the song, Swift sings, “Good thing I like my friends cancelled,” which seems to be an accurate statement, as Swift has been known to be in cohorts with Make America Great Again supporters such as Brittany Mahomes and the hosts from the football podcast “Bussin’ With The Boys,” Will Compton and Taylor Lewan. Swift knows her fans buy her merchandise, vinyl records and tickets no matter what she does, who she is seen with or how lazy her new music is.
Swift has endorsed Democratic candidates in the past, primarily Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024. President Donald Trump posted on Truth
Social Aug. 4, calling Swift “woke” and “no longer hot.” However, once Trump heard about Swift and Kelce’s engagement, he told a reporter he “wished them a lot of luck,” raising questions about a possible planned endorsement or possibly an opportunistic marketing scheme.
Life is hard for millions of Americans right now with tariffs introducing higher prices for goods and services, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement tearing families apart and surging prices in healthcare, among other issues. Swift has not spoken out about any of these hardships and has also been silent on the genocide occurring in Palestine. Her endorsement of previous Democratic candidates was merely a way for her to get by without the anger from Democratic voters.
Swift doesn’t want to lose a large portion of her fans for her personal opinions. Her silence on issues directly affecting her fans, such as her status as one of the top celebrity polluters due to her private jet, is concerning and offensive to say the least. Swift is focused on her image more than the well-being of her fans.
One can be a successful musician and speak out about policies and issues they care about. For example, Zach Bryan is currently facing backlash after releasing a snippet of a new song, “Bad News,” on his Instagram, criticizing ICE, and saying they’re “gonna come bust down your door.”
Swift recently told BBC about her fears of her music drying up if she was finally “happy and free” and nurtured in a relationship. It seems like the time has come when her music has dried up, and she no longer relates to love-sick teenagers.
Swift is not a young girl anymore. She’s a 35-year-old woman who is capitalizing on the loyalty of her fans and continuing to push the narrative she’s like one of us, a woman who goes through heartbreak and struggles, finding ways to overcome it. The truth is, she can no longer hide her extreme privilege stemming from the fact she is a white, rich pop-star who never had to struggle a day in her life.
Off the Deep End | Selling out the MSG venue is easy
New York City’s Madison Square Garden is one of the most iconic venues in the history of American performing arts. As the reputation of the venue is so high, artists often treat a sold-out show at MSG as a massive career milestone. While being able to play to that many fans at all is, of course, an indication of great success, selling out MSG is actually easier than many fans and even artists realize.
MSG is primarily a sports arena for the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Large-scale arenas, home to one or both hockey or basketball teams, exist in most cities around the nation. For entertainers, these are the basis of an arena tour, which is one of the most frequent choices for A-list pop stars when taking music on the road.
A lot of these arenas have a similar capacity. For example, in Ohio, the Cleveland Rocket Arena seats 20,000, the Columbus Nationwide Arena seats 20,000 and the Cincinnati Heritage Bank Center holds roughly 17,000 fans. Despite being more famous than all of these, MSG sits at a comfortable 19,500 fans, very similar to what we have here in the Midwest.
With a population of roughly 7.9 million people, New York City is by far the largest city in America. The majority of fans head to the nearest venue for a show, making it a lot clearer why MSG is a higher seller than other arenas. The city has a greater population than Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati combined by fourfold. Therefore, the larger New York City population has to fit in an area that doesn’t scale properly to its population size. With this in mind,
it’s no wonder bands can sell out MSG but can’t anywhere else.
This insane demand can be seen when comparing MSG shows to other stops on the same artists’ tours. For example, on Ticketmaster, the lowest price for one ticket for Tate McRae’s Miss Possessive Tour at MSG is $431, before fees. Compare that to McRae’s same show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where her cheapest tickets are $248. There’s less than a 1,000-person difference in seating capacity between the PPG Paints Arena and MSG; meanwhile, New York City’s population is 26 times the size of Pittsburgh’s.
This is true for most of the big tours coming to MGS this fall. Two tickets for Sabrina Carpenter at MSG are $363, while the same two people can see Carpenter in Pittsburgh for $221. Cardi
B’s tickets are $116 a piece, a price that’s nearly halved if you opt to see her in Cincinnati.
If you’re an Ohioan, just imagine for every one Carpenter fan you know, there are dozens in New York. The constant MSG sell outs are just a simple case of supply and demand. That’s not to say selling out any area is easy by any means. However, I hope artists start posting their sold-out shows in Cleveland, as they’re much more impressive than The Big Apple.
Nicholas is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Nicholas about his column? Email him at nk696121@ ohio.edu.
NICHOLAS KOBE | FOR THE POST
Live Laugh Lily
The rise of anti-intellectualism and AI
of academics, painting them as silly, and supports willful ignorance.
In an era defined by instant information and digital convenience, the value of deep thinking and informed expertise is becoming alarmingly absent. Generative artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving into a powerful tool, capable of generating knowledge, twisting truths and shaping global landscapes. The convergence of these two forces poses a threat to truth, education and human autonomy.
AI is becoming increasingly common in day to day lives. Among college students, 86% report they use AI in their studies and 56% of that use it weekly. This transition did not appear overnight, it has been slowly growing and immersing itself in our culture. From Chat GPT and Snapchat’s MyAI to AI overviews on every Google search, people are slowly becoming acclimatized to this ever present digital companion.
AI like ChatGPT is capable of mimicking the superficial characteristics of human language, structure and knowledge, but lacks the intricate stream of consciousness that defines human thought. AI only follows patterns from data and algorithms compiled over time. It can only go as far as its creator and programming allow. What it lacks is our greatest advantage, authentic human emotions, creativity and lived experience.
ChatGPT might be able to learn how to mimic these things, but the human mind is unpredictable and ever changing. We experience new things every day, struck with new ideas through genius or random frustrations and often time, mistakes. Unlike lines of code and data, humans can experience creativity and thoughtfulness that produces new ideas far beyond comprehension of AI.
The reliance on such technologies spawns from a resurgence of antiintellectualism. Anti-intellectualism refers to a skepticism or disdain for intellectual thought and those who embody intellect. Oftentimes this manifests as a belief that educated individuals and those who advertise academia are out of touch. Historically, prevalence of this phenomenon fluctuates, specifically in politically and socially trying times, when people seek simple answers for complex problems
It functions less as a school of thought and more of a cultural response; a way to uphold certain ideas and systems those in power may be pushing. It’s used as a way to stop the acquisition of knowledge that may dismantle the groups with power and privilege. It undermines the words
Richard Hofstadter states “Intelligence will seize the immediate meaning in a situation and evaluate it. Intellect evaluates evaluations, and looks for meanings of situations as a whole.”
Hofstader also details the pursuit of truth, the true quest of an intellectual. A never ending and never satisfied need for the next uncertainty to be turned upside down and every which way. This pursuit of truth is what seems to be awfully lacking.
ChatGPT only gives an illusion of this intellect. It replicates superficial qualities of human language and thought, not an understanding of these ideas. For students especially, it delivers a dangerous temptation. You do yourself major disservice by taking away opportunities to wrestle with ideas or to understand nuances. You are copying a machine telling you an answer that sounds right and denying yourself the opportunity of thought and critical thinking.
In recent years intellect has been branded as unnecessary or even pretentious, but this could not be farther from the truth. At its core, intellectualism drives progress and provides space to challenge norms that impede on our freedoms. It is important for us to provoke our brains constantly to break patterns of passive minds.
We must reclaim our commitment to truth, curiosity and courage to think deeply. Value questions just as much as answers, recognize learning is not elitism but empowerment. Read often and widely, become comfortable with not knowing everything and more importantly being wrong. Immerse yourself in the idea of changing your mind. That is where growth begins. Question everything, ignore nothing. In an age where misinformation thrives and convenience tempts us to stop our questioning, resist and clutch onto passion for knowledge.
The path forward is not to reject complexity, but to embrace it. Turn each classroom discussion, new discoveries and essays into an act of resistance against apathy. When we defend our intellect, we defend the best of what humanity can be.
Lily is a Sophomore studying integrated language arts at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Lily about their column? Email them at lm054424@ohio.edu.
JACKSON PENNINGTON | FOR THE POST
LILLY MILLER | FOR THE POST
LANE TANNISH | FOR THE POST
HALF CREDIT “Fire Alarm”
The Weekender
Homecoming, football and theater
ETHAN HERX FOR THE POST
TUESDAY, OCT. 14
The Union Bar, 18 W. Union St., is hosting its weekly game night. The downstairs bar opens at 4 p.m., bingo runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and trivia begins at 9 p.m.
Admission: Free
Housing and Residence Life is hosting “All Hallows East” from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the East Green lawn. Activities will include a haunted house, pumpkin carving, crafts, movies and snacks.
Admission: Free
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15
The Ohio Alumni Association is hosting a Pack the Pantry event at Konneker Alumni Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All donations will go to the Athens County Food Pantry and Cat’s Cupboard.
Admission: Free
The Athena Cinema, 20 S. Court St., is screening “Edge of Hope” as part of its Sustainability film series. The film begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free, but tickets are required and can be obtained online.
Admission: Free
HRL is hosting its first iteration of Battle of the Greens from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on College Green. Bands wishing to perform can sign up via the Google Form. In case of rain, it will be held on the second floor of Baker University Center.
Admission: Free
THURSDAY, OCT. 16
Donkey Coffee hosts its weekly open mic night at 8 p.m. Locals and students are invited to sign up and share their talents with the audience.
Admission: Free
Ohio Volleyball plays Eastern Michigan in The Convo at 6 p.m.
Admission: Free for students, $3-12 otherwise
Tara Zahra University of Chicago
Tara Zahra is Hanna Holborn Gray Professor of East European History at the University of Chicago. She is the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant (2014) and the author of Against the World: Anti-Globalism and Mass Politics Between the World Wars (2023).
Ohio Soccer plays Buffalo at Chessa Field at 4 p.m.
Admission: Free
The alumni association is hosting the annual Yell like Hell pep rally for Homecoming at the Scripps Amphitheater from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Admission: Free
Vibrancy Theater is hosting its performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Elizabeth Evans Baker Theater in Kantner Hall. The production runs at 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Admission: $5 for students, $7 for seniors and non-students.
FRIDAY, OCT. 17
The Marketing Services Center is hosting a homecoming pop-up shop in the lobby of Grosvenor Hall from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission: Free
SATURDAY, OCT. 18
The Athens Art Guild will host an art market at the Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St. from 9 a.m. to noon. Local artisans will be selling handmade arts and crafts.
Admission: Free Ohio Football plays its homecoming game against Northern Illinois at Peden Stadium at 3:30 p.m.
Admission: Free for students, $23-140 otherwise
The Homecoming parade will traverse through uptown Athens from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Admission: Free
SUNDAY, OCT. 19
Ohio Soccer plays Northern Illinois at Chessa Field at 1 p.m.
Admission: Free
The Post’s favorite videos from the week
OCT. 7-13 | SCAN THE QR CODES TO WATCH!
ROCKY HORROR 22ND ANNIVERSARY
By: Ranjini Shank & Hayley Mitchell
The Lost Flamingo Company stepped into the spotlight once again, timewarping audiences with their annual “Rocky Horror” production, which ran from Oct. 8-11. With fishnets, flashlights and a lot of flair, performers brought the cult classic to life in true Flamingo fashion: delightfully chaotic, unapologetically bold and dripping with midnight-movie magic.
LITTLE FISH BREWING HOSTS OKTOBERFISH
By: Lilly Marinski & Michael Dorwaldt
Little Fish Brewing transformed into a lively slice of Bavaria for its annual “Oktoberfish” celebration On Saturday. The event featured a festive blend of German and European flavors, toetapping music and cheerful games that filled the autumn air with laughter and the clink of beer steins.
SJP PROTEST, OU PROFESSOR ABDUCTED BY ISRAELI MILITARY
By: Ranjini Shank
On October 4, Students for Justice in Palestine organized a rally and march in solidarity with the people of Palestine. The demonstration took on a deeper sense of urgency as Ohio University professor Thomas Hayes was abducted by the Israeli military while participating in one of the Freedom Flotillas bound for Gaza. Hayes has since been released by the Israeli military and returned to the United States.
47TH ANNUAL ENDOWED COSTA LECTURE
Democracies, dictatorships, empires, colonies, and governments. The revolt against globalization transformed the way millions of people traveled, ate, and lived. While the global economy ultimately recovered, that legacy offers both a warning and a guide for our own anti-Global moment.
Thursday, October 23, 2025 7:30pm • Walter Hall 135