UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
The Highlander
VOL. 75, ISSUE 00
For the week of Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Bannockburn Village will be demolished to support university growth
est. 1954
“The Odyssey” is a retelling fit for the gods IAN PALMA Managing Editor
KASSANDRA AGUIRRE News Editor
ALEX WONG / THE HIGH-
On Feb. 2, all tenants of Bannockburn Village- 3637 Canyon Crest Dr.- were notified that the complex would be closed for demolition by June. The University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) Housing Services cited the central motivation for the decision as rising cost of maintenance. Since announcing the news, they have begun to consider plans for renovation that could aid the university in reaching infrastructure and communal goals. Bannockburn Village was originally built in 1968 and consisted of 22 buildings atop 6.5 acres of land. The area offered 243 apartment complexes as well as some commercial and office space. Concern about the complex’s age led to a call for its removal when necessary maintenance and renovations including ventilation, plumbing and electrical among others had mounted to nearly $20 million. Regarding the decision, Associate Vice Chancellor of Auxiliary Services Heidi Scribner told the university’s newsletter Inside UCR, “The upkeep and maintenance is costing us more and more. We’re now at a point where the amount of investment needed is just too extensive.” ► SEE BYE BYE BANNOCKBURN ON PAGE 7
Lothian closes early ahead of renovations
PHOTO COURTESY OF UCR DINING
ANDREW HAGLER Assistant News Editor
This summer, Lothian Dining Hall has closed ahead of schedule preceding its first renovations in 11 years. Serving up to 1,400 students a day with several dining options, the renovations will expand the dining hall to accommodate a greater number of guests, update its services and provide a fresh look. The renovations will increase the dining hall’s student capacity from 340 to around 400 with accommodations including bar seating and additional community tables. The pizza and desert stations will also be reworked and made “more prominent.” In addition, the renovations will aim to update the appearance of the space by installing lighting, paint and wood flooring as well as replacing the furniture with more modern tables and chairs. Alongside expanding capacity, the entrance will be updated for a new look and feel and staff will be provided with new tools such as a modernized cashier stand, eco-friendly dishwashers which consume less electricity and water and a new hand washing station. Cedric Martin, director of residential dining for Dining ► SEE LOTHIAN DINING ON PAGE 5
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES
**This Review Contains Spoilers** Director Christopher Nolan’s switch up from making complex, technological cinematic opuses to retelling one of Western civilization’s most prominent legends chock-filled with swords and sorcery was certainly not on anyone’s 2026 list. Despite Nolan’s credentials when it comes to making large-scale, critically acclaimed films such as “Oppenheimer” and “The Dark Knight,” the responsibility of adapting is just as monumental and daunting as slaying Polyphemus the cyclops himself. With the tagline, “Defy the Gods,” Christopher Nolan was just as ready to defy audience expectations by delivering a grandiose and powerful adaptation on par with spectacular epics such as “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Doctor Zhivago.” Christopher Nolan goes where few, if any, directors of the current decade go by bringing back bombastic battles, magnificent set pieces, mythological creatures and overall sword-andsandal action akin to films such as “Jason and the Argonauts” and “Clash of the Titans.” Nolan’s dedication to the genre has gotten to the point where obvious yet equally terrifying practical effects for the cyclops, which would undoubtedly make Ray Harryhausen proud, have been utilized. ► SEE THE ODYSSEY ON PAGE18
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