The Miscellany News October 1, 2020
miscellanynews.org
Vassar College’s student newspaper of record since 1866 Volume 154 | Issue 5
In New York State, close races abound Carolyn Patterson Guest Reporter
A
fter a “blue wave” in 2018, Republicans are seeking to regain control of the House. Seven of New York’s 27 Congressional districts are considered to be competitive, including the 18th and 19th districts that represent Dutchess County. The 18th District, which includes Vassar’s campus, is currently represented by Democrat
Sean Patrick Maloney. Maloney took office in 2012 after defeating incumbent Republican Nan Hayworth with 52 percent of the vote. President Donald Trump won the 18th district by a 1.9 point margin in 2016, making Maloney’s seat one of 30 Democratic-held House districts that Clinton lost. In November, Maloney will face Republican challenger See New York on page 4
County judge seat challenged Tiana Headley
A
News Editor
s an up and coming female prosecutor, Jessica Segal knew she had to be the most prepared person in the room. Now, after 20 years as a prosecutor, civil litigator and defense attorney, the 47-yearold Democrat is running for Dutchess County Court Judge. Segal could be the second woman in history to hold the position. Only two justices sit on the
county bench. Segal’s win would be historic, but she says her gender should not be the only factor driving your vote for her: “We need someone who represents the people in Dutchess County beyond just the male perspective. I’m not suggesting people vote for me because I’m a woman, but I have the background and experience. I already have the skill.” The former Senior Assistant See Judge on page 5
Clockwise: 18th district Representative Sean Patrick Maloney, 18th district Republican nominee Chele Farley, Dutchess County Court Judge Peter Forman, Dutchess County Court Judge Democratic nominee Jessica Segal. Via Wikimedia Commons, Ballotpedia, Ballotpedia and Hudson Valley Press. Graphic courtesy of Juliette Pope.
New coffee shop may serve as campus hub Taylor Stewart
A
Senior Editor
nna Guttman-McCabe ’22 and Xan Wolstenholme-Britt ’22 were both baristas in high school. As we talked, one of the first things I noticed was their enthusiasm for beans and milk and, preeminently, the socializing effects of espresso. Guttman-McCabe and Wolstenholme-Britt had been tossing around the idea of a stu-
dent-run campus coffee bar for a while now. I sat with them in the Sculpture Garden adjacent to the Loeb—this is where they plan to set up the bar, which they’ve christened, to my delight, The Vassar Brew Coffee Bar. We found a table, crossed our legs and shielded our eyes from the sun, and I imagined cradling a coffee between my palms. Xan related the origin story of the Vassar Brew (“the Brew” for short). He pointed to the roofed
patio space on the side of the museum building, miming the moment of inspiration: “I asked, ‘Wait, Anna, how cool would it be if there was a coffee shop out here?’” He walked over to the little alcove and continued, “And we talked over here saying, ‘What if this was here?’ and ‘What if this was here?’ And I was like, ‘Wait, are you joking?’ And she was like, ‘No, I’m serious,’ and I was like, ‘Me too.’” He repeated this last phrase with dead seriousness and
an air of finality. The idea was not unprecedented. Wellesley College, for example, has two student-run coffee shops, and Vassar has its own rich history of student- and independently-run coffee retail. From 1974 to 1986, Noyes House’s multipurpose room was known as the Epicurean East Coffeehouse, then as the West End Coffeehouse, a nonprofit that also served as an entertain-
Inside this issue
10 HUMOR
Our new comic strip builds on the concept of a Bread Cat.
See THE BREW on page 8
13
Senior captains endure Jackie Molloy
Assistant Sports Editor
T
Julian Aguilar/The Miscellany News.
he first practice for any new senior team captain is a little nerve-wracking. That isn’t to say they’re not confident— after all, they are walking into their fourth year as true seasoned veterans. They know the plays, their coaches’ habits, even the dips of the field. Yet, donning that captain band requires not only enough physical and mental energy to carry them through the sweat, the callouses, the heartache, but also the responsibility of carrying the rest of their team. Top all of that off with trying to navigate practices during a pandemic and the reality of losing their last chance to compete as college athletes, and this year’s senior captains of Vassar athletic teams have much to bear. When the possibility of losing this fall season was raised, ath-
letes were not surprised, but the actual confirmation prompted a flood of bittersweet emotions. “When I first heard that our season would be canceled, I was honestly relieved. I was nervous about what the season would have looked like, but more importantly how we would have kept ourselves and the Vassar community safe,” expressed women’s soccer senior captain Ally Thayer ’21 via email. She also acknowledged the personal sorrow of losing the Fall 2020 season: “Soccer has been a huge part of my life, and this would have been the final season of my career. I definitely had to process that.” Co-captain Fiona Walsh ’21 shared her own disappointments, describing via email, “You work your whole life with the goal of being [able] to play in college. Hours and hours. And then you get here, right? See Captains on page 15
OPINIONS
A look down the ballot: writer identifies important races for Democrats to keep an eye on.
3
NEWS
Check out our guide to voting at Vassar, both in and out of state.