Spring 2023 Issue 42-43

BTV6 no more; merges with CSB to form new club

The clubs have formed the Film and Production Society, moving into BTV6’s old studio.

Melissa Cosovic assistant news editor

Ending its 41-year history as a club at Binghamton University, Binghamton Television 6 (BTV6) has merged with the Cinema Society of Binghamton (CSB).

For the past two months, BTV6, a student-produced television network on Channel 6 and Student Association (SA) chartered club, and CSB, a club for students interested in film and cinema, have been working on merging into the Film and Production Society of Binghamton (FPS). FPS will have

Battle of the Bands

a unified executive and creative board — with the goal of providing workshops, freelance events, master classes and resources pertaining to film, cinema and film production.

The idea of the merger can be credited to Samson Nesser — former BTV6 president and a senior majoring in cinema — who is now a co-president of FPS. BTV6 has been a club at BU since 1982, but Nesser says the organization has struggled to maintain members and viewers of their network due to years of mismanagement.

Since becoming president two years ago, Nesser said he has been working on completely rebranding the club, with the final step being the merge with CSB.

page 3

Men’s basketball ends season at AE semifinals

Falko and Gibson score 19 and 16, respectively. BU ends season in semifinal round for second year straight.

Aidan Jennings and Johnny Yang assistant sports editor

Last Tuesday, the Binghamton men’s basketball team traveled to Burlington, Vermont looking to advance to the America East (AE) Championship final and overcome the regular season’s top seeded squad. The Bearcats looked to get their revenge and flip the script against the Catamounts

after being defeated 74-42 in last year’s AE semifinals, as well as dropping both regular season contests to them this year. However, Binghamton would fall short as UVM cruised to a 79-57 victory, ultimately ending BU’s season.

“I thought we had a good game plan, especially defensively,” said

Binghamton head coach Levell Sanders. “I thought we were going to be able to guard [Vermont]. We had an emphasis on taking away their 3-pointers, and I know [Vermont senior guard Dylan Penn] hit 3-pointers, but that wasn’t his strong suit. He hasn’t done that all year, so his threes are not

something that we thought hurt us that bad. They only made, as a team, five threes and in all of their losses they had five threes or less, so we thought if we held them to that number we’ll be good.”

PULSE writes ‘Letters to Incarcerated Women’

Korean studies. She emphasized the racial implications of social injustice within the legal system and the obstacles put in place to prevent people from corresponding with those incarcerated in Broome County.

Powerful United Ladies Striving to Elevate (PULSE) held a letter writing event in support of incarcerated women.

On Tuesday, March 7, PULSE — a community organization that works to empower women with a focus on intersectionality — hosted “Letters to Incarcerated Women” in the Binghamton University Union.

Participants had the opportunity to write messages to women currently incarcerated in Broome County in order to “remind incarcerated women of their value and encourage them to look forward to life outside the system,” according to an Instagram post by the organization. This event was part of their larger PULSE month initiative, which aims to “empower women of color” throughout March — International Women’s Month.

The event began with a speech from Karen Alburquerque, the vice president of PULSE and a senior double-majoring in biology and

“Broome County itself has the highest incarceration rate in New York state with its disproportionate outcomes affecting the Black community and other communities of color including women,” Alburquerque said. “The institution of Broome County’s carceral system has left us unable to send letters to these women without jumping through hoops, so we hope to work with an organization in the area that works with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women from the prison system.”

In 2021, The Vera Institute — a nonprofit that researches solutions to end mass incarceration — released a report on the size and demographics of Broome County’s jail population. The report stated that, in 2020, “among New York City and the 57 counties outside the city, Broome County had the second highest incarceration rate.

event was a part of PULSE’s programming throughout International Women’s Month.

BTV6 and CSB combine to form new club

1

“They weren’t a chartered club, they were just a group of students who were interested in film, and they had a decent amount of people who were interested in cinema and stuff like that,” Nesser said. “So, I reached out to their president. Her name is Nan [Lin], and we for the past two months have been working on a merger of clubs.”

Lin, the former CSB president, is the current FPS co-president and a sophomore majoring in business administration.

Lin said merging into FPS offered an easy solution to the weaknesses of both

pulse from page

The document also stated that, in June of 2020, Black residents made up 42 percent of those in jail in Broome County, despite comprising about 6.2 percent of its population.

According to Alburquerque, women with intersectional identities are most impacted by inequality and prejudice within the justice system.

“Women of color’s presence in the prison system [has] increased heavily in recent years affecting the likes of Black women, Indigenous women, trans women and much more,” Alburquerque wrote. “The intersections of their identities have left them most vulnerable.”

On March 1, The Prison Policy Initiative, a thinktank that advocates against mass incarceration, released a report on women’s incarceration in 2023. The report cited a 2017 study that demonstrated inconsistencies in the sentencing of women who identify as lesbian or bisexual, with such women being more likely to receive longer sentences and more likely to be placed in solitary confinement than those who identify as heterosexual.

The report acknowledged the overrepresentation of Black and Indigenous women in prisons and jails. Based on this data,

BTV6 and CSB. After Nesser graduates this May, Lin will become the club’s sole president.

According to Lin, FPS will have both an executive board and a creative board, or “C-Board.”

“The [E-Board] will plan events and workshops and negotiate freelance opportunities for members, while the creative board will be focused on helping members produce their films of interest and learn more about a specific role (cinematographer, editor, etc.),” Lin wrote in an email.

“Essentially, in addition to cool events, we will have lots of resources to make your film idea a reality!”

A major goal in redesigning, according to Nesser, was to transition BTV6 from a television production club to a club that offers a host of resources for producing and filming.

This includes helping other clubs on campus in creating commercials and advertisements, as well as offering master classes on multiple production skills, Nesser explained.

FPS will be taking over the former BTV6 office and studio located in the Union Undergrounds. Office and studio renovations will continue, Nesser explained, which will include getting new couches and equipment, and getting rid

of technology that does not work. FPS has also written a completely new constitution and is working on requesting an SA grant in hopes of updating the office for production events, as well as film events.

“People … just enjoy film in general, so we’ll have movie nights and movie screenings in our new studio space,” Nesser said. “We’ll have couches and beanbag chairs and a projector. So we’ll be able to do movie screenings and stuff like that. If you just want to come and hang out in our studio and watch a movie in the middle of the day, you can do that.”

FPS has multiple projects in preproduction, including a local food show where members will discuss the history of local Binghamton food shops, and an episodic drama comedy titled “The Johnny Charisma Show.”

Along with their preproduction projects, FPS has already begun hosting campus events. Lin shared a few of the upcoming events that members and non-members can look forward to participating in, including a student film festival on March 18.

With many of the current board members due to graduate this May, Zagham Shah, the FPS

production manager and a senior double-majoring in physics and cinema, shared his optimism for the future success of FPS.

“It is my hope that the leadership of FPS can build on this year’s struggles so that the organization can continue to grow well past their departure,” Shah wrote in an email. “I know the club has a history of fizzling away every few years, but I think that this E-Board and the new C-Board can successfully revive the club once more!”

the Initiative concluded that “while we are a long way from having data on intersectional impacts of sexuality and race or ethnicity on women’s likelihood of incarceration, it is clear that Black and lesbian or bisexual women and girls are disproportionately subject to incarceration.”

After participants had written their letters, they read positive affirmations together. The meeting was then concluded with a quote from Leslie Littlejohn, executive director of Girls on the Run of Central Oklahoma, who said, “fix another woman’s crown without telling the world that it is crooked.”

Alburquerque said a future goal of PULSE is to work with “Walk With Me,” a program that provides critical services to those leaving Broome County Jail — such as housing, support groups, peer advocacy and mentoring. She explained the importance of reaching out and encouraging women who are or have been incarcerated.

“We hope to share that their reality cannot be defined by a system that was meant to disservice them as that is not their story,” Alburquerque wrote in an email. “Though the fight still remains a long road ahead, mass incarceration is not something that can continue if the situation

and systems around it are destroyed. But until that happens they need to remember to stay headstrong and education and elevation are the only way to uplift themselves and others in their situation whether that be incarcerated or formerly incarcerated.”

Genesis Hernandez, the treasurer of PULSE and a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, described the effect she hopes her letter has.

“Writing letters to incarcerated women allowed me to give other women words of encouragement that often gave me solace

in times of adversity and hardship,” Hernandez wrote. “I hope that these words stick with them and have an impact on them as much as it did me!”

intersectionality and feminism, empowering women of color and women in STEM. Along with these meetings, collaborations and community service and fundraising projects, PULSE will be highlighting revolutionary women in history on their Instagram.

Attendees at the event took part

Local battery manufacturers seek $700m boost

Local manufacturer iM3NY is looking for a federal loan to increase production of batteries.

iM3NY utilizes battery

technology developed by Shailesh Upreti, the chairman of the board of iM3NY and founder of C4V, and Stanley Whittingham, a distinguished professor of chemistry at Binghamton University and an inventor of the lithium-ion battery. C4V, as stated by their website, is an “intellectual property company,” with the expertise of maintaining the

patented discovery of lithiumion batteries.

Last year, iM3NY started producing batteries inside a former IBM facility located on the Huron campus. The manufacturer recently submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Energy for a $700 million loan to build a new facility 12 times bigger than its current space.

If iM3NY are chosen, this loan could have large impacts on battery technology and industry, Upreti emphasized, including through building iM3NY’s brand reputation with “strategic customers.”

“It would help with efficient scale as a function of time,” Upreti wrote in an email. “We have a limited window to capture certain market verticals, and having such a friendly loan line available to us would allow us to go after high-growth verticals rapidly and capture market share.

While we scale new technology, our customers downstream also look into the supplier capabilities and scale planning so they can accordingly make investment decisions.”

The loan is being issued by New York Senator Chuck Schumer. BU has already begun using the $100 million that Schumer delivered for its New Energy New York battery hub. Schumer said manufacturing is the appropriate next step, according to WIVT news. The batteries are specifically intended for use in large commercial vehicles, as well as home energy storage.

Upreti explained the significance of chemical advances on the growth and success of the industry.

“We see affordability and

safety becoming key choices for selection by end users, which would push nontraditional and phosphate-based chemistry among the top choices for vehicle manufacturers in future,” Upreti wrote. “In addition, due to several federal programs incentivizing manufacturers as well as consumers, there is a strong drive to build a local supply chain ecosystem. Which means we would not only see new technologies being adopted but also manufactured here in the [United States].”

Upreti previously said that as iM3NY continues to develop these growing markets, the company may expand into passenger EV’s and energy storage for offshore wind or solar arrays. However, C4V — which focuses mainly on the research and development aspects of this industry — has only 45 people employed compared to iM3NY’s over 70 workers. This giga factory has the potential to employ between 2,500 and 3,000 workers.

Whittingham explained why the demand for some of this technology is so high.

“There is lots of interest in the phosphate technology that iM3NY plans to use because it contains none of the expensive metals such as cobalt and nickel,” Whittingham said. “It

is also safer than the NMC oxide technology.”

According to WIVT, the overall cost of the project will be around $1.2 billion — with any remaining funding coming from other banks and private equity investors. Upreti said that, after the new giga factory is completed, the preexisting smaller one will be converted into a giga lab, where different processes and advancements may be tested.

Shelby Pappas, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, explained why she feels lithium-ion batteries should be manufactured around Binghamton.

“The lithium batteries originated here and it would be cool if they continued to be produced here,” Pappas said. “Plus, it would be beneficial for the Binghamton economy.”

Victoria Ziccardi, a freshman majoring in environmental science, agreed that the loan could benefit the economy in Binghamton and surrounding areas.

“I think it would be great for the Binghamton economy to develop these batteries here,” Ziccardi said. “It would be environmentally beneficial to keep the batteries being made here, where they originated.”

TedX looks to ‘Unleash Radiance’ next Sunday

agenda that is related to religion, politics or commercial purposes and have 18 minutes to speak on idea-focused topics.

Paige Bagley, the director of content for TEDxBU and a sophomore majoring in English, explained the reasoning behind the name of the event.

TEDxBinghamtonUniversity

recently announced their 2023 speaker lineup alongside a new theme — ”Unleash Radiance.”

BU has invited five professional speakers and one undergraduate student from across the United States and BU’s campus to present their ideas at this year’s TEDx. TEDx — an expansion of nonprofit organization TED — is “a local gathering where live TED-like talks and performances are shared with the community,” according to the TED website. TEDx differs from TED talks in that those involved have TED licenses to instead create selfreliant events.

The event is independently planned and coordinated by communities, so the content and design of each are unique. Called “Unleash Radiance,” TEDx will be on Sunday, March 19, at the Osterhout Concert Theater in the Anderson Center.

According to TED, The TEDx format is built to spark conversation. Each speaker is barred from promoting any

“Despite our speaker lineup spanning vastly different fields, we found that each of our speakers are unleashing the full potential behind their communities and making whatever it is that they know best, even better,” Bagley said.

“Whether that be making efforts to make our patriarchal culture more inclusive, making tech spaces more diverse or discovering new ways to make traditional cultural dishes more sustainable, they are leaders in their respective communities in the way they challenge the status quo and make improvements for the people who come after them in a way that honors those that came before.”

TEDx was first established at BU in 2010 as TEDxBU, and since then, has had 12 annual conferences with five to seven speakers each year.

Bagley explained that the event-planning process began in the late spring semester of 2022, when the current director team was finalized. The team would

meet regularly over the summer, fall and spring to put together and assemble the TEDx event. She expressed excitement about presenting what they all had put together.

The five professional speakers who will participate are Sherrell Dorsey, an entrepreneur and journalist, Priyanka Naik, a sustainability chef, Cornelia Brandfield-Harvey, a Title IX litigator and Jason Richberg, a member of the Suffolk county Legislature. The alumni speaker will be Shantay Carter, a nurse and mentor who graduated in 2000. The undergraduate student speaker will be Caitlyn Archibald, a freshman doublemajoring in biochemistry and history.

Bagley shared how speakers were chosen for the event.

“We worked hard in curating a harmonious and complementary speaker lineup,” Bagley said. “This consisted of a two-part process of each director finding speakers we liked, pitching them to the team [and] voting on sending them an invitation or not. Then, we began our student speaker search, which took place in two stages — first, a written application, followed by an in-person pitch and interview.”

Isabella Lennon, a freshman majoring in psychology, reacted

positively when learning of the event.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Lennon said. “I think it’s a good place for students to talk about their passions and see how you can pursue them.”

Devan Bade, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering, didn’t know much about TEDx, but hoped to see the event return in future years.

“I think we should continue doing [TEDxBU] if it’s a popular

thing,” Devan said. Tickets cost $10 and can be bought at the University Union, Tillman Lobby from Monday to Thursday at 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., through Thursday, March 24.

The event will be hosted on Sunday, March 19 in the Anderson Center’s Osterhout Concert Theater.

sourced from im3ny.com

The loan

also aid iM3NY with the expansion of their current facility, which is located in a former IBM building in Endicott.

LOCAL BUSINESS ISSUE

Johnson City receives $10 million DRI grant

The grant was announced as part of Gov. Hochul’s executive budget.

Brandon Ng news intern

Johnson City will receive $10 million from New York state to strengthen and reinvigorate its downtown area.

The money was received through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), a program launched in 2016 and led by the New York Department of State. Localities submit applications to Regional Economic Development Councils (REDC) — economic representative bodies in each of New York state’s 10 regions — who then evaluate the pool and nominate one community to receive funding. The goal, according to the DRI website, is to “[transform] downtown neighborhoods into vibrant centers that offer a high quality of life and are magnets for redevelopment, business, job creation and economic and housing diversity.”

Johnson City’s application outlined existing developments, including the new 15-acre Binghamton University Health Sciences campus, the growth of UHS Wilson Medical Center and the transformation of the former Endicott-Johnson Victory building into over 140 new residential apartments. In the published vision statement, Johnson City anticipates a future economy grounded

in health care and higher education, while “preserving and restoring its many historic assets and celebrating its ethnic and cultural diversity.”

Martin Meaney, the mayor of Johnson City, contextualized the new state funding within current progress.

“The investment that the state is making in awarding Johnson City the DRI will have a major impact,” Meaney wrote in an email. “Since the expansion of BU, there has been over $420 million invested in the downtown area. These were large projects, but [because of the DRI] the opportunity for smaller projects to come to fruition will occur sooner.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the DRI grant, as well as other Southern Tier investments, in a Feb. 22 address at the Schorr Family Firehouse Stage in Johnson City — part of a statewide tour outlining her executive budget. Alongside her were local elected officials, including New York State Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, who expressed gratitude for the budgeted proposals.

“The timing for [Johnson City] is ideal, as the downtown has reached a significant turning point,” Lupardo wrote in an email. “New energy and investments will accelerate plans for the Main Street area, increasing housing and foot traffic.”

Johnson City’s application listed “transformative project opportunities” that the grant

funding would affect. This include remodeling historic buildings into residential and commercial spaces, supporting local restaurants and breweries, enhancing the walkability of Main Street, building more pedestrian and bike infrastructure, constructing more public parking and electric vehicle charging stations, and renovations of culturally significant properties. According to a press release from Hochul’s office, Johnson City’s ability to identify and quickly execute projects in need of funding contributed to the awarding of the DRI grant.

BU students responded positively to the revitalization efforts in downtown Johnson

City. Chance Fiorisi, president of the College Democrats and a sophomore majoring in political science, expressed optimism about the future of the region.

“Hochul’s investment in Johnson City represents the Democratic Party’s priorities by supporting the economy from the ground up as opposed to the top down,” Fiorisi wrote in an email. “Places like Johnson City see the effects of postindustrial America [as] housing is scarce, and the economy is in shambles from industries leaving. I am happy to see more attention being spent here in the Southern Tier [because this] region is the next major hub of economic development for the state and more funding can

only accelerate that statement into reality.”

Nathan Slisher, a sophomore majoring in environmental science, described the positive impacts planned projects can have.

“As someone living in Johnson City next year, I think that the plans to make the downtown more walkable and bikeable [are] a great idea,” Slisher said. “When cities build more people-friendly infrastructure, it encourages good health, both physical and mental. Reducing the need for cars is essential for building a sustainable future and will make Johnson City a better place to live.”

The last section of the DRI

application contained letters of support from the broader community, including local officials, the private sector and educational leadership — including BU administration. A letter from BU President Harvey Stenger specifically praised the relationship between the University and Johnson City — a sentiment shared by Meaney.

“The students and the University have a major impact on our economy and are a major driving force,” Meaney wrote. “I feel that most BU students take pride in the community that they may call home for only four years, and I think that is awesome.”

The small businesses run by BU students

A list of student-run businesses found throughout the University.

Binghamton University is home to a variety of student-run businesses that help keep the community unique. Bearcat student entrepreneurs have incorporated their artistic

talents into business to create a multitude of local shops where customers can purchase items from clothing to cosmetics.

Smily StreetWear Ari Gurvitch, a sophomore majoring in cinema, joined Smily in 2020 after his hometown friend had the idea to start a business. Soon, more of his friends joined, and the group worked together

to produce the colorful Smily sweaters, t-shirts and hats — which feature the rainbow Smily logo designed by Gurvitch’s friend. Gurvitch’s favorite item is the Smily squidward tee, which can be found on the business’ Instagram page, @smilystreetwear. Gurvitch expressed appreciation for the recent Student Flea Market hosted by the Student Association Programming Board

(SAPB).

“The biggest challenge of running a business would have to be exposing the brand itself,” Gurvitch said. “It’s really hard to get a brand out there and make it popular when there are so many these days. That’s why I was so excited when they announced the Binghamton flea market.”

Love Laura Nicole Love Laura Nicole earring boutique was created “in a spur of the moment” in January 2022 by Laura Zibbon, a junior majoring in business administration, who was inspired by a love for “art and design” and an Etsy advertisement for polymer clay earrings. Zibbon’s earrings were initially created as a hobby, which took off and eventually led Love Laura Nicole to become an Etsy shop of its own. All the earrings are created by Zibbon herself, who hand-makes the jewelry with “mini cookie cutters,” of which she claims to own around 500. The designs that can be found on Love Laura Nicole’s Instagram, Facebook and TikTok pages, all with the username, @ love.lauranicole. Zibbon gave her advice for students interested in starting a small business of their own.

“When you first start a business, don’t expect tons of people to know your business exists,” Zibbon wrote in an email. “When I first started, a lot of my sales came from friends and family. It wasn’t until a month or two after I started that I got my first

order from a stranger. Keep working if it is something that you enjoy doing because the more and more you promote on social media and at events, the more people will know about your business.”

Beauty by Abena.I

Isabel Owusu, a secondyear graduate student pursuing a doctorate in pharmacy, began Beauty by Abena.I in August 2021 to incorporate her love for makeup into business. As featured on the business’ social media pages, Owusu creates an array of makeup styles that are made possible by her makeup line. The most difficult part of running her business, according to Owusu, has been balancing her work time with pharmacy school. One product sold is an eyeshadow palette, “Shades of Africa,” which includes 20 different shades displayed on an Africashaped palette. “Shades of Africa,” along with other products, can be found on TikTok and Instagram @ beautybyabena.i.

ADarling Jewelry

Anna Darling, a sophomore majoring in psychology, began her jewelry business, ADarling Jewelry, in May of 2020. Darling discovered her love for creating jewelry during the COVID-19 shutdown, and creates her jewelry because she finds it “quite soothing.” She began selling her products on Etsy after “making a sizable amount of jewelry,” and moved her business

to Instagram only after beginning school at BU. Her favorite item is the “wirewrapped sun necklaces,” which can be found on her shop’s Instagram page, @ adarlingjewlery.

The Neon Closet

The Neon Closet began about a year ago, when Matthew Larocchia, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, turned his focus from selling miscellaneous items to clothing — vintagestyle clothing in particular. Larocchia creates all of The Neon Closet’s clothing designs — seen on eBay and social media — himself, claiming he “[tries] to stick with the ‘neon light’ motif” that coordinates with his store’s title. Larrochia described the school-work balance as his greatest challenge with the running of his business.

“One piece of advice would be to make sure your business is something you actually have a real interest in,” Larocchia said. “Back when I was selling random things just for the money it felt like a chore, but now that my business is based around something that I enjoy looking for and collecting, it feels a lot less like work.”

Many student-run businesses can be found at SAPB’s Student Flea Markets, which feature businesses run by BU students. The next Student Flea Market will be held on March 21 in room 102 of the University Union from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Hallie Milligan assistant news editor

michael golann photography editor

The money will be used to renovate and repurpose historic buildings, build more pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure and support local businesses.

LOCAL BUSINESS ISSUE

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Tom’s Coffee Cards & Gifts is a community pillar

The store was founded in 1982 by art enthusiast Tom Kelleher.

Stargiotti

contributors

Of all the buildings on Binghamton’s Main Street, one of them certainly sticks out. Tom’s Coffee Cards & Gifts, with its eccentric pink and blue exterior, is one of a kind. The store’s interior only further entices those who choose to enter, with its unconventional styling and colorful decorations. The smell of coffee and handcrafted soap fill the air as you wander through endless aisles of diverse varieties. From glass-blown figurines to unique jewelry, comical pins, delicious sweet treats and beautiful prom gowns — there is something for anyone and everyone.

The cozy and eccentric feel of the shop is unique and a reflection of both Binghamton and the shop’s owner, Tom Kelleher, who opened the store in 1982.

Kelleher’s entrepreneurial spirit shone through at a young age, as he involved himself in antiquing and reselling at the age of 9. Following this path, Kelleher opened the gift shop when he was just 25 years old.

“I like form, design and color — and that’s what my store really is,” Kelleher said.

This inclination toward artistic design is clear from the eclectic collection of jewelry and interesting pottery lining the shelves, the unique socks and even the creations that Kelleher finds from his travels around the country. More than just a

gift shop, Tom’s is a museum in itself, showing off a myriad of spectacularly unorthodox designs and giving people a chance to support talented American artists.

Kelleher’s initial vision for the shop was to include a variety of gourmet coffee and crafts, a concept ahead of its time.

“Gourmet coffees were way ahead of the curve,” Kelleher said. “There were no Starbucks. There were no gourmet coffee stores.”

While the shop today is stocked with a vast variety of artistic and unique items

Tom’s customers know and love, they are considerably different from its initial stages 41 years ago. At the time, Tom’s only sold work from three craftspeople, along with teas, spices, and some lotions and soaps. Still, the overall idea of the store remains the same as it was over four decades ago.

When describing his original store, Kelleher gestured around, stating “the whole store was about this size,” in reference to his small back office — less than a quarter of the size of the store now.

The idea for a distinctive, one-of-a-kind shop was there — Kelleher just needed to create a sturdy foundation for growth. There have been some personal touches and changes encouraged by the community that has made Tom’s what it is today. Not only was the shop smaller when Kelleher started out, with fewer varieties of items, but it had a different name entirely, starting off as the Main Street Coffee, Tea and Spice Shop.

It wasn’t long before the shop became known as Tom’s by word of mouth, since the

original name didn’t stick. Calling the shop Tom’s was not Kelleher’s initial intention.

“I didn’t really like that because it seems a little egotistical to me to name a store after yourself,” Kelleher said.

A few years into owning the store, however, Kelleher decided to get an awning installed and realized that, at $5 a letter, the shop’s initial name was way too long. In an effort to save money, and stay true to the community, the store was officially renamed. This change was certainly embraced by his customers, who had been referring to the shop as “Tom’s” since its

conception simply because Kelleher and his whimsical shop were such prominent structures within their community. The renaming of the shop is only one example of the shop’s larger, overarching theme of community engagement and connection. Kelleher knows all of the artists that provide their oneof-a-kind designs for his shop personally, having sought out craftspeople to work with and maintaining personal relationships with them over the years. Some of the crafts in the shop are made by local artists in Broome County, others are made by people out in Tucson, Arizona or

Washington, D.C. Some of the artists, whose vibrant and intriguing creations are on display, have been working with Kelleher since the 1980s — when the shop first opened.

Kelleher emphasized the importance of the community in the development of his shop as well. He explained that customer reactions and behavior have informed how he stocks his shop. More than just a reflection of Kelleher’s own appreciation for interesting artwork, Tom’s mirrors its customers’ interests and preferences.

“Our connection to the community here is essential to our business and essential

to my life,” Kelleher said. “It’s just who I am.”

This shop is a little piece of artwork in and of itself, and it certainly reflects Binghamton’s residents’ appreciation for creativity and the hard work of craftspeople. From the warm lighting of the sun passing through glass creations to the small jokes on the socks on the store’s shelves, there is something for everyone in this cozy shop. Located just a short drive from Binghamton University’s campus, a visit is certainly worth the hours one can spend just wandering the bends of the small slice of paradise that is Tom’s.

Happy Pappi showcases Venezuelan cuisine

The owner of Happy Pappi, Luis Carrillo, offers arepas with authentic stuffing.

Happy Pappi Arepas Bar has been adding a new flavor to

the Binghamton area since its opening in October.

Luis Carrillo began serving arepas in his food cart on Collier Street near the Broome County Courthouse, as well as in the Broome County Regional Farmers Market. He noticed the business’ growth and decided to take his business to Chenango Street in a promising new Venezuelan cuisine bar, Happy Pappi

Arepas Bar.

“Everybody knows us from the food cart,” Carrillo said. “All of a sudden we realized that we had outgrown the little cart and needed something else.”

Carrillo was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He said he traveled throughout his life, living in Brazil, England, Peru and the United States, but spent most of his time in Venezuela — where he was

brought up on arepas.

“Everybody has arepas in Venezuela,” Carillo said. “It could be for breakfast, it could be for lunch or it could be for dinner.”

Carrillo serves traditional Venezuelan dishes and uses authentic stuffing for the arepas. Some of the stuffing specials include Perico, Chorizo, La Pelua with shredded beef, La Catira

with chicken, peppers and onion, and Reina Pepiada — a Venezuelan chicken salad with avocado.

“If you keep on coming and you change the stuffing, you’ll see that they all are different,” Carrillo said. “My stuffings are traditional.”

Carrillo said he began working in the food industry as the food and beverage director of hotel corporations such as Wyndham, Sheraton and InterContinental, where he managed multiple restaurants and bars.

“I had to oversee five restaurants and five bars plus room service plus weddings — that’s how I learned food and beverage,” Carillo said.

All of the food served at the restaurant is prepared by Carrillo. The three arepas sauce options were each uniquely flavorful. The Guasacaca sauce had a blend of avocado, cilantro and peppers, the Mojito sauce had a flare of spice to it with habanero red peppers and the Besitos de Alba sauce was sweet and fresh with mango and hot chili.

Carrillo described his experience in the Binghamton area and his beginnings as a food vendor. He said that — at first — he didn’t believe people when they complimented his food.

“Venezuelans have come here and said that I have the ‘real deal,’ that I have really

good arepas,” Carrillo said. “When I first started, I thought people were just being kind to me saying ‘your food is so good.’”

In Binghamton, Carrillo’s Happy Pappi brand has flourished and grown over five years. Carrillo said that he came to the area to be with his wife, co-owner of Happy Pappi Arepas Bar, Dawne Adams. He said he enjoys living in upstate New York and has a good impression of Binghamton.

“I’ve always told [Adams] that if I had moved from Tallahassee to [New York], stayed upstate, I would have never left.”

Carrillo also spoke about the restaurant industry in New York. He said that it is best to go into the industry early on and to persevere through the hardships and gave advice for aspiring students.

“In New York state it’s very difficult,” Carrillo said. “You have to know what you’re doing, you have to have some background and you definitely have to persevere cause it’s not something that comes overnight. If [students] have a good product and something that nobody else has, people are going to show up.”

Happy Pappi Arepas Bar will be featured for the first time in Restaurant Week from March 21 through March 30. It will be serving appetizers, arepas and a specialty Venezuelan dessert.

Victoria

and Molly Rudden arts & culture

Victoria Stargiotti and Molly Rudden arts & culture contributors

michael golann photography editor

Tom’s Coffee Cards & Gifts has been a pillar in the Binghamton community since its opening in 1982.

michael golann photography editor

Happy Pappi Arepas Bar expanded from the popular food cart on Collier Street.

11 performers compete in battle of the bands

This year’s Battle of the Bands was one for the books. With a great turnout and a killer setlist of student performers, Binghamton University students experienced a night they won’t soon forget.

Battle of the Bands took place at the Undergrounds on Thursday, March 9 — organized by BU’s Student Association Programming Board (SAPB) and Binghamton Underground Music Presents (BUMP). All student musicians taking part in the competition were vying for a chance to perform at this year’s Spring Fling, and they did not disappoint.

A total of 11 student performers were featured at this year’s Battle of the Bands, including a mix of independent singers and bands — ranging from rock to indie, and even DJs. Each performance was given roughly 15 to 20 minutes to perform their sets. All 11 performances were jam-packed with a myriad of original songs — from covers to mixes — and the crowd enjoyed every single one of them, with the room was filled to capacity with excited audience members.

Angela Chen, an undeclared sophomore, gushed about how much she enjoyed the event and the variety of performances.

“Every band did an amazing job,” Chen said. “The energy was insane!”

Starting the night, the band Husband Material played a set compromised of iconic covers — from Rihanna’s “Umbrella” to Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” — to the absolute delight of the crowd.

The bands 80% and Happy

to Be Here were huge fan favorites. 80% performed a mixture of covers, including its original song “Rat on a Thursday,” which was a huge success among students — eliciting chuckles and whoops from the crowd. Happy to Be Here performed a killer set of songs, including a funk song that took the crowd by surprise with the killer vocals and energy, as well as the mixture of bass and drums playing in the background.

The first of the three DJs performing that night was NICO. NICO performed a mix of songs that briefly transformed the room into a club for his set, and Dylanborghini’s set

included a mix of rap songs that had the whole crowd dancing, including Soulja Boy’s song “Crank That” and Kelis’ “Milkshake.”

AKONG took the crowd back to their childhoods, turning many old favorites — such as old-school Rihanna songs to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin” — into pumped-up remixes that had the crowd dancing.

Eginhard Jean-Philippe performed a set of original songs that had the crowd singing and dancing for the nearly 20 minutes that they were on stage.

Limby and From the Bronx were definite crowd favorites, with students in the audience

holding up makeshift signs made from cardboard boxes — and notes on their phones — to showcase their appreciation for the musicians. Limby performed a set of hardcore rock songs that had the crowd jumping for nearly twenty minutes. From the Bronx performed a set of songs that ranged from jazz to soft rock, and the crowd dancing and screaming for their whole set.

Ending the night with the last two performances, Dreamboy DZY and BUG performed energetically and to their fullest potential despite the late hour. Dreamboy DZY rapped the night away, performing a set of original songs that had the

crowd singing along. Last but certainly not least, BUG’s setlist was a mix of original songs and covers that showcased the lead singer’s stunning vocals, accompanied by a strong bass in the background. They ended the night with a bang with their rendition of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” which had the whole crowd scream-singing the lyrics.

Noah Delafuente, a junior majoring in psychology, had many positive things to say about the event.

“This was the most fun open-door event that I had been to in the last two years at being at [BU],” Delafuente said. “Overall I think the event shone

because of 80% and From the Bronx.”

From the Bronx was the most energetic performance of the night, and it showed, as the room was filled to the brim with students chanting “From the Bronx!” over and over again, even once their set ended.

By the end of the night, the crowd was pleased to hear that From the Bronx had won the spot to perform at this year’s Spring Fling. Fans of the band can see From the Bronx open for the yet-to-be-announced headliner at SAPB’s biggest event in several weeks.

Three perfectly proportioned Pi Day recipes

Celebrate Pi Day with these pies.

Engler

March 14 marks Pi Day, a celebration of the mathematical constant pi, which relates a circle’s circumference to its diameter. The holiday is often celebrated with pie itself. There are many different kinds of pie — from savory pies like shepherd’s pie and pizza, to sweet pies like apple pie and key lime pie. Here are three pie recipes to make for pie day, ranging from beginner to advanced.

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Ingredients:

1 box Oreos

4 tbsp unsalted butter

3 cups milk

1 large box of instant

chocolate pudding mix

Whipped cream or Cool

Whip Directions:

1. Blend 25 Oreos in a blender into a fine powder.

2. Melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter.

3. Mix melted butter with Oreo powder until it has a wet sand consistency.

4. Pour the Oreo and butter mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.

5. Use your hands to spread the crust evenly throughout the pie plate and up the sides.

5. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press down the crust to even it out.

6. Refrigerate or freeze the pie plate for 10-20 minutes before filling.

7. Prepare large pudding mix (3 cups) as directed.

8. Pour pudding into the pie

plate before it sets.

9. Refrigerate until set.

10. Serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip.

Pi Day Pizza

Ingredients:

2¼ cups warm water

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp salt

5 cups bread flour

1 can tomato puree

Salt, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, sugar, olive oil

½ lb mozzarella cheese

Mini pepperoni

Directions:

1. Add 2¼ cups warm water, 1 tablespoon yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar to a large mixing bowl and let sit for a few minutes to ensure the yeast

goes foamy.

3. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt and 5 cups bread flour to the mixture.

4. Mix with a spoon until just combined.

5. Knead the dough and add flour as needed to achieve desired pizza dough consistency.

6. Stop kneading after at least 10 minutes and you should be able to see light pass through the dough when stretched without tearing.

8. Divide dough into 4 balls and smooth out each ball into a nice sphere.

9. Pour a small amount of olive oil into four medium bowls.

10. Dip each dough ball in their respective bowl and spread the oil around to evenly coat both the bowl and the ball.

11. Cover each bowl with

press-and-seal and let dough balls rise in the fridge for 1-4 days.

12. Make the sauce by first emptying one 29 oz can of tomato puree into a small mixing bowl.

13. Then add roughly one tablespoon each of salt, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper.

14. Then add about two tablespoons each of sugar and olive oil to the sauce.

15. Mix the sauce with a spoon or whisk until homogenous.

16. Refrigerate or freeze the sauce until ready to use.

17. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

18. Shred or thinly slice ½ lb mozzarella cheese (for four pizzas).

19. Lightly flour the cutting board to prevent dough from sticking to it.

20. Roll out pizza dough using a rolling pin or shape it by hand to desired thickness.

21. Add sauce, cheese and use mini pepperoni to make a pi symbol on the pizza.

22. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.

Key Lime Pie

Ingredients:

1 box of graham crackers

6 tbsp unsalted butter

Salt

Brown sugar

Cinnamon

4 limes

5 eggs

2 cans of sweetened condensed milk

Whipped cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Use a blender to blend 175 grams of graham crackers into fine crumbs.

3. Melt 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter.

4. In a 9-inch pie plate, mix the graham crackers, unsalted butter, a pinch of salt, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and 80 grams brown sugar to form a crust.

5. Use your hands to pat the crust into a pie shape, including the base and the sides.

6. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to pound the crust into an even thickness on the bottom and the corners.

7. Blind bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

8. Let the crust cool completely to room temperature.

9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

10. Zest 3 limes.

11. Juice roughly 4 limes to get ¾ cup lime juice.

12. Whisk 5 egg yolks and 2 14 oz cans of sweetened condensed milk in a small mixing bowl.

13. Add the zest of 3 limes and ¾ cup lime juice to the bowl and whisk to homogenize.

14. Pour the custard into the cooled pie crust.

15. Bake the pie for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, it should have a tiny amount of wobble left when pulled out of the oven.

16. Serve with whipped cream.

Eli

assistant arts & culture editor

kai depalma photo intern

‘From the Bronx’ will perform at Spring Fling.

Emily Maca arts & culture contributor

Gracie Abrams takes heartbreak to the next level

It’s been a long time coming, but singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams has finally released her first full-length album, “Good Riddance.” The 23-year-old has been quietly building a devoted fan base since the release of her debut EP in the summer of 2020, followed by a second EP the next year. On each track, Abrams worked closely with The National’s Aaron Dessner, who she first collaborated with on her previous EP, “This Is What It Feels Like.” Together, the two have created a quiet, intimate record that sees Abrams in the trenches of heartbreak. Her whispered vocals float over folksy acoustic melodies on some tracks and are punctuated by steady electrical beats on others, and while the album can feel monotonous at times, Abrams and Dessner clearly display natural musical chemistry. With “Good Riddance,” Abrams has cemented herself as one of the strongest members of the latest cycle of young singersongwriters, with a gorgeous sense of melody and a soft yet raw sound.

“Best” Abrams’ opening track “Best” sets the vulnerable tone that flows throughout the rest of her album. The soothing instrumentals in combination with Abrams’ soft vocals give off a lullaby-esque feel to the song. The repetitive chorus of “I never was the best to you,” evokes Abrams’ raw truth that she was

not the best person to be in a relationship. Abrams’ heart spills out on the song’s bridge as she reveals a level of wounded honesty and self-hate. The lyrics “and I destroyed every silver linin’ you had in your head / all of your feelings, I played with them” are a sliver into Abram’s overarching theme of selfguilt that she openly explores throughout the album.

“I know it won’t work”

“I know it won’t work” continues Abrams’ theme of vulnerability as she reflects on a badly ended relationship that she is unable to let go of. The vulnerability in this track stems from Abrams’ ability to admit she still wants someone who she shouldn’t. She can’t help but remain stuck on this individual. Abrams’ drawn-out vocals accompanied by somber instrumentals give the song an air of longing. The lyric “I know we cut all the ties, but you’re never really leavin” highlights the extent to which this individual lingers in Abrams’ mind and how a part of them will always be with her.

“Where do we go now?”

The second single off of “Good Riddance,” “Where do we go now?” offers a mixture of a delicate ballad sound along with synth-pop elements. Abrams effortlessly expresses what it feels like to be in a relationship that should have ended. As the song beautifully swells to the chorus, which reiterates the question “where do we go now?” Abrams evokes the heartbreaking desperation for the other individual to answer the state of their relationship as she knows that it is over between the two of them.

“Will you cry?”

“Will you cry?” is a fantastic, heart-wrenching track. Abrams’ lyricism, which can be understated to a fault at times, is at some of its strongest here, as she is not only honest but sharp in the way she crafts this exploration of a dying relationship. The bridge in particular is entrancing, with Abrams’ repeating the same lyrics over and, the instrumentation building in turn.

“Difficult”

Abrams puts her insecurities on full display in this intense track. With mentions of drinking to temporarily subside

her feelings of self-hatred and the constant want to go unnoticed, Abrams fearlessly admits the darkest parts of herself, which are what makes her lyricism so utterly raw and truthful. As the song heightens in sound, so does Abrams’ angst and continuous frustration with herself.

“This is what drugs are for”

“This is what the drugs are for” is one of the strongest cases of Abrams’ and Dessner’s partnership on the album. Abrams’ husky, often whispered vocals can in some moments on the album feel underwhelming, but they perfectly suit this

track’s gorgeous, brisk melody and melancholic feel.

“The blue”

“The blue” is the first moment on the album that departs from the subject of broken relationships and heartbreak. Instead, Abrams is in awe of a new love that has arisen seemingly out of nowhere. It’s a simple line, but the way she delivers the lyric “what are you doing to me now?” conveys the warring fear and amazement that comes with falling in love profoundly well. Dessner’s production is also masterful, with a dreamy instrumentation that swells

with the addition of strings at the song’s climax.

Overall, “Good Riddance” is a masterful debut. Abrams showcases her vulnerability in a deeply personal way that is often not seen in today’s artists. Her emotional yet truthful lyrics and the production of the album itself capture the through line of Abrams’ perspective of her fractured relationship and the turmoil alongside it. More than that, Abrams also highlights how this relationship has impacted her in all aspects of her life and eventually, how she came out on the other side.

A review of Netflix’s movie ‘We Have a Ghost’

Christopher

The horror-comedy “We Have a Ghost” is the latest trending Netflix original movie to hit streaming.

Directed by Christopher Landon from “Happy Death Day,” the movie boasts an impressive cast of A-list stars, including David Harbour, Jennifer Coolidge and Anthony Mackie.

The movie follows the Presley family, who move into their new house, which they later find out is haunted by a friendly and torn ghost named Ernest. In a modern tale of paranormal activity, the family begins to profit from the ghost’s popularity on social media, but things take a turn when the CIA gets involved with their spirit friend. With the help of a neighbor named Joy, the family sets out to uncover the truth about Ernest’s past and help him find peace. The movie is

a mix of comedy, horror and mystery featuring a heartwarming storyline about family, friendship and redemption.

What would you do if you found a friendly ghost in your attic? Would you pull out your phone and share it with the world or help the spectral being find peace? This premise alone is very interesting as we get to see how the family — and society — respond to a ghost’s first appearance. Throughout the movie, there is a torn relationship

between the father and son, Frank and Kevin. Frank wants to make millions off their discovery, while his son Kevin wants to do the right thing and help Ernest. This theme is heartfelt and shows a great lesson for younger audiences to follow.

The performances in the film are one of its strong suits, with all actors putting on a commendable performance. Young actor Jahi Di’Allo Winston, who plays Kevin, particularly shines in the emotional

scenes, showcasing his impressive range and depth.

While “Stranger Things” star David Harbour’s portrayal of the main ghost, Ernest, is skillfully executed, it is definitely a disappointment that he does not have any dialogue. The film is most enjoyable through the delivery of its most creative ghostly moments. The special effects team puts on a show for our amusement and the cinematography is very well done for a family movie. Although there are some standout moments in the film, the central idea that made it intriguing becomes diluted due to a web of subplots and meaningless conversations. The comedic dialogue, which is central to its tone, is very ineffective as it relies on pushing a woke cultural agenda rather than actually making an audience laugh. Since the original concept is not thoroughly

explored and the comedy is ineffective, the film doesn’t seem to have much for the audience to be intrigued by other than the visuals.

For the family and younger audience the movie is going for, “We Have a Ghost” will likely appeal to many people through its strong performances and heartwarming themes. Outside of this, it falls flat in developing an interesting dialogue or a clear plot that is satisfying for the average viewer. Even if you aim to turn off your brain and simply savor the heartwarming ghost tale, the uninspired direction might make you want to shut off the screens along with it. If you are looking for a feel-good supernatural movie to escape in for two hours, I would recommend the movie. All else, “We Have a Ghost” is a skippable Netflix original that doesn’t bring much to the table.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

The singersongwriter released her debut album.

Samra Ashe and Revati Gelda arts & culture interns

Landon’s new family film lacks appeal.

Brandon Desvernine arts & culture contributor

sourced by pitchfork

Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams climbs the charts with her debut album’s expressive, heartfelt lyrics. .

sourced by empire online

The cinematography in “We Have a Ghost” is diluted by mediocre narratives and comedy.

Men’s lacrosse downs Fairfield on the road

balls and getting possessions. I thought offensively we played well and shared the ball well.

The Binghamton men’s lacrosse team traveled to Fairfield on Saturday for its last nonconference game of the season. The visitors had a solid first half, scoring nine goals and holding a five-goal lead over the Stags, and after trading goals back-and-forth with the hosts throughout the second half, the Bearcats emerged with a 14-9 win.

“I’m proud of the way we played across the board,” said Binghamton head coach Kevin McKeown. “We really wanted to focus on scrapping for ground

[Sophomore attack Matthew Keegan], [senior midfielder Quinn O’Hara], [and redshirt junior midfielder Thomas Greenblatt] all had a big game for us. It was nice to see those guys step up. The face-off unit played really well. [Sophomore goalie Connor Winters] came up with some really big saves on a few key opportunities for Fairfield.”

Binghamton (4-2) started off the game strong, with a goal by Keegan four minutes in. However, Fairfield (2-5) knotted the game at 1-1 with a score soon after Keegan. The Bearcats responded with a goal from junior midfielder Ethan Insinga and another from Keegan, putting them up 3-1. After a barrage of shots on Winters over

the course of the first quarter, the Stags netted two more goals to knot the score at 3-3. However, Greenblatt rifled a shot from 15 yards out into the bottom of the net and gave BU a 4-3 lead going into the second quarter.

“[Greenblatt]’s the pace setter out there,” McKeown said. “He’s got a great feel for the game, when we should go fast or be more patient. He also does a good job of figuring out how the defense is playing him, whether it’s time for him to shoot or pass, and obviously he found a bunch of passing opportunities today with the four assists he had.”

The Bearcats opened up the second quarter with goals from Keegan and senior defender Declan Ferris to expand to a 6-3 lead. The Stags responded to make the score 6-4, but that

would be their only goal of the quarter. The visitors finished the second period on a 3-0 run with two goals from O’Hara and another by Keegan, entering the break with a 9-4 lead after outshooting Fairfield 29-14.

“[Keegan’s] a guy who takes lacrosse seriously and puts in a lot of time on his own outside of practice over the summer and winter break,” McKeown said. “A lot of hours with the stick in his hands, so it’s nice to see that paying off for him.”

Both teams stifled each other defensively in the third frame, adding just one goal each. In the fourth quarter, however, the teams matched their scoring efforts at four goals each, allowing for the 14-9 win. Greenblatt, Keegan and O’Hara added multiple goals to their tallies, with Keegan leading the Bearcats with six

goals. Greenblatt notched four assists in addition to netting two goals.

“I thought we got a little casual,” McKeown said. “There were a few shots that we took that were maybe a little bit outside our range, or we didn’t quite shoot with the power we had in the first half there. Credit to [Fairfield’s] guys too. They made a couple of saves. They had some good possessions I thought too in the third quarter. That’s when I thought Winters had a couple of good saves. He had six in that third quarter, so I think he did a great job of being able to keep them at an arm’s length still.”

The Bearcats dominated the Stags in the offensive half of the field, finishing the game with 48 shots compared to Fairfield’s 37. Winter’s made 11 saves for Binghamton while

the Stag’s goalie finished with 14. Binghamton turned the ball over 17 times compared to the hosts’ 12, but led the Stags in ground balls with a tally of 3725.

“I think just taking another step forward and getting better,” McKeown said. “I think there’s plenty of room for improvement being about halfway through the season now. We know we’re going to see a lot of quality teams in our conference and Merrimack will definitely be one of those. It’ll be a big challenge, and we’ll have to be on our game to do well.”

Binghamton will begin their America East conference schedule next Saturday, March 18 when they travel to take on Merrimack. First faceoff is set for 1 p.m. at the Duane Stadium in North Andover, Massachusetts.

michael golann photo editor

Sophomore attack Matthew Keegan scored six goals in Binghamton’s 14-9 win over Fairfield on Saturday.

BU enters conference play with 4-2 record, its best start since 2017 season.

Jared Castro sports contributor

Softball splits series versus George Mason

Binghamton drops

first two, sweeps Patriots on Sunday.

Over the weekend, the Binghamton softball team looked to continue its strong start to the 2023 season during a four game series against George Mason in Virginia. Despite entering the series on a six game win-streak, BU dropped its double-header on Saturday but bounced back on Sunday with a two-game sweep of its own. The Bearcats exited the weekend with an even 2-2 record versus GMU.

“This weekend was a good test for us as we were playing the same team four times,” wrote Binghamton head coach Jess Bump. “We took a lot out of the weekend as a whole, as the set up of the games [are] similar to what our America East slate will look like. Overall, it’s easy to say it’s tough coming home 2-2 as we should’ve come home 4-0, but I think it was an eye-opening weekend, and we learned a lot about ourselves.”

The Bearcats (11-7) kicked off the scoring for the weekend in the first contest, plating a first-inning run after redshirt sophomore utility Lindsey

Walter scored on a fielding error from the Patriots (11-7). BU took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, courtesy of an RBI double from junior catcher Hailey Ehlers. Although this finished up the scoring on the visitor’s side, freshman pitcher Brianna Roberts held George Mason scoreless over the first six innings. GMU’s drought ended in the seventh, however, as the hosts posted a three-run inning and won the game 3-2 in walk-off fashion.

“[Ehlers] has been working through a lot of things in her swing and the last two weekends has continued to look better every at bat,” Bump wrote. “She has a confident presence, and is swinging free right now, which obviously has really helped her results. She also did a great job behind the plate this weekend, and held George Mason — who has 57 stolen bases on the year — to none.”

Game two of the series began in a similar fashion as the first, with the Bearcats posting the opening runs early. Ehlers added her second RBI double on the weekend, this time plating three runs in the second inning as Binghamton grabbed a 3-0 lead. The Patriots posted their response in the fourth inning with a three-run frame of their own, knotting

up the score. BU was unable to strike back, however, as the hosts held it scoreless for the remainder of the contest.

George Mason added the winning run in the sixth as the Bearcats dropped the second game 4-3.

“Saturday were tough losses as we were up in both of them late in the game,” Bump wrote. “We talked a lot about how we can’t get complacent and have to continue to score runs throughout games. [George] Mason took advantage of some of our pitchers’ misses, which resulted in some runs late.”

Binghamton kicked off Sunday’s action with another hot start in game one, posting a first inning 2-0 lead courtesy of a two RBI single from redshirt sophomore outfielder Brianna Santos. GMU quickly responded in the bottom of the inning with a three-run outing of its own to take the lead. Despite this, BU remained competitive and regained the lead in the second inning, plating four runs as freshman infielder Akira Kopec and sophomore outfielder Sarah Rende each hit RBI doubles, giving the visitors a 6-3 lead. The Patriots added just one more run in the contest as Roberts earned the win in the 6-4 effort.

In the final game of

the weekend, Binghamton struggled to score early and George Mason took a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Santos continued her strong performance on the weekend, however, assisting in a BU comeback with a two-run triple in the third followed by another two-RBI hit in the fifth as the visitors trailed 5-4 heading into the penultimate inning.

In the sixth, the Bearcats blew the game open, plating eight runs to leave GMU out of reach. Ehlers led off the frame with a solo homer, and soon after

graduate student infielder Alli Richmond drove in three runs with a double.

Finally, after batting around the order, Ehlers capped off the inning with a two-run triple.

Binghamton added its final run in the seventh and took the weekend’s final contest 13-5. Graduate student pitcher Sophia Pappas was awarded the win after entering for relief and allowing no runs in two innings pitched.

“The two wins [Sunday] were really gritty, and wins like that make us better,” Bump

wrote. “We have the ability to score a lot of runs when we get momentum. We were much better with runners in scoring positions all day today, which is what we lacked day one.” BU will return to action on Saturday, March 18 for the Penn State Tournament, its final tournament before the start of conference play. First pitch is set for 9 a.m. against Cornell at the Beard Field at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Michael Carbone and Aidan Jennings

assistant sports editors

Junior catcher Hailey Ehlers hit two doubles, a triple and a home run during BU’s series against GMU over the weekend.

Men’s basketball falls short at Vermont

basketball from page 1

In the opening half of the semifinal matchup, both the Bearcats (13-18, 8-8 AE) and the Catamounts (22-10, 14-2 AE) began competitively as BU remained close despite being unable to grab a lead. A pair of 3-pointers from senior guard Jacob Falko and junior guard Armon Harried kept Binghamton in pursuit, despite a two-fornine shooting start with six turnovers in the opening 10 minutes, leaving the visitors trailing 12-10.

As first half play continued, Vermont found an opportunity to grow its lead over BU and didn’t let up. An 18-4 run, one which left Binghamton scoreless for five minutes, saw UVM catapult ahead to a 30-14 lead. The Bearcats found their shooting form again before halftime through efforts from senior guard Dan Petcash and graduate student forward Miles Gibson, but with the half being called shortly after, the visitors still trailed the Catamounts 39-18.

“The one thing that I thought we would have issues with was scoring,” Sanders said. “And that’s just because we’re not a great shooting team, and so what a lot of teams do to us is they clog the paint, and they force us to shoot from outside. And when we don’t have an opportunity to score in the paint, we struggle to score just because we don’t shoot that well from outside — nine-[for]-21 from three — Definitely disappointed

that we didn’t get a chance to win the game and play a little bit better, but I thought we fought and we did as much as we could to get a W.”

Coming out of halftime, Binghamton got on the board first. Falko was sent to the line and drilled two free throws, making the score 39-20. Despite being down big, the Bearcats began to trade baskets with Vermont. Although Binghamton struggled to cut into the hosts’ lead and gain any significant momentum, the visitors began to move the ball and hit some shots.

Halfway through the period, the Bearcats found themselves down 59-36 as they were unable to make a significant dent in Vermont’s lead. Both teams exchanged baskets for the rest of the half as the Bearcats could not find a way to go on any significant runs. Despite shooting nearly 54 percent from the field and shooting 7-13 from beyond the arc in the second half, Binghamton could not stop Vermont’s offense as the Catamounts made 64 percent of their field goals and outscored BU 40-39 in the period.

“I just think that Vermont [is] a really good first half team, and when you’re up by 20, you kind of lose a little focus,” Sanders said. “I thought we made some baskets late, it was 3940 in the second half, but a lot of our baskets came late. [Falko] had a lot of late threes, so that number can be a little bit deceiving. I

thought we had some shots that we didn’t take — when you play against a good team and you have shots, you’ve gotta take them and we didn’t do that. And I thought we became hesitant, a little passive.”

Binghamton finished the season 8-8 in conference play — the program’s best conference win percentage since the 2009-10 season. Despite enduring the

same outcome in the AE semifinals against Vermont for the second year straight, Sanders feels that the program is heading in a successful direction.

“I thought our season was kind of up and down,” Sanders said. “I thought in the first part — the nonconference season — adding the new guys that we added, I felt that we were trying to find a rhythm.

And then I thought once conference season came around, we kind of tweaked some things and found a lineup. We started playing small-ball and found a lineup that really worked for us. I thought that really kind of gave us the opportunity to play some better basketball. We ended the season losing four games in a row, two games went into overtime. So overall, we’ve had eight

conference wins, finished 500 in the league, which we haven’t done in a long time. We had 13 wins overall, so I think overall the program is on a good trajectory … I think we’re going in the right direction and if we keep with this pace, we’re going to become a really dangerous team and will be competing for championships in years to come.”

Baseball defeats GW in three-game series

continued their winning ways, taking two out of three games from the Colonials.

Over the weekend, the Binghamton baseball team traveled to Arlington, Virginia for a three-game series against George Washington University. After winning their first series of the season against Norfolk State, the Bearcats

“Winning a series on the road is a successful weekend,” wrote Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki. “But we still have a ways to go to be the team we want to be.”

In game one, BU (57) got on the board first in the top of the first inning to take an early lead over the Colonials (4-

12). Sophomore outfielder Logan Haskell scored the first run of the series after taking advantage of a GW error. Binghamton added three more runs to its tally in the third after capitalizing on three errors, including a wild pitch that scored junior outfielder Mike Gunning. The Colonials were held scoreless until the sixth inning, during which they put up two runs. GW added two more to its total in the

seventh but could not catch up to the Bearcats, who added one more run in the top of the inning.

Binghamton responded with runs in the final two innings, securing the win 7-4. Senior pitcher Thomas Babalis earned the win, pitching 5.1 innings while allowing only two earned runs. GW struggled defensively with five errors compared to BU’s zero, which ultimately made the difference.

“Lots of work to do in every area,” Sinicki wrote. “It’s good that we’ve won the last two series we played without playing the kind of baseball I think we’re capable of playing. Being stuck inside practicing certainly isn’t helping matters.”

The second game of the series saw a much tighter contest. Once again, the Bearcats got on the board first, courtesy of a sacrifice fly out by senior infielder Kevin Gsell which scored senior outfielder Cavan Tully. Binghamton made it 2-0 in the fourth after an RBI single by sophomore infielder Devan Bade, which plated Gsell. GW responded with a run of its own in the fourth, cutting the deficit to one. In the sixth, the Colonials tied things up at two with an RBI single.

The action subsided until the top of the ninth, when Gsell put a solo homer over the left field fence to give the Bearcats a 3-2 lead. However, GW did not go down without a fight, racking up a chain of hits against senior pitcher Jack Collins and knotting the score at three. Not long after, Collins let up a single to center field, which lifted GW to a walk off 4-3 victory as the home team evened up the series.

In the rubber match of the series, Binghamton came out of the gates hot, putting up a 12 spot in the top of the first, and secured a comfortable lead.

The Colonials were held scoreless until the fifth, when they managed to plate one run. GW would go on to add to its total in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings, putting up two, four and one run on the board, respectively. However, the Bearcats early rally was too immense to overcome for the Colonials as they cruised to a 17-8 victory.

“The 12-run first [inning] was great to see because we didn’t hang our heads and feel sorry for ourselves after a toss loss yesterday,” Sinicki wrote.

In the end, senior pitcher Ryan Bryggman secured the win. The Bearcat went 5.1 innings while giving up only three earned runs. Offensively, sophomore infielder Nick Roselli went two-for-three and led Binghamton with seven RBIs in the game, including a home run. In addition, every single Bearcat in the starting lineup scored at least one run in the victory.

“More excited for [playing at home] than I am for the weather forecast,” Sinicki wrote. “We’re hoping the snow predicted for the next few days is minimal so that we can play on our home turf this coming weekend.”

Binghamton will head home for its long-awaited home opening series against Lafayette on Friday, March 17. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Bearcats Baseball Complex in Vestal, New York.

infielder Nick Roselli secured

name position

Senior guard Jacob Falko secured 19 points with five three-pointers made in BU’s season-ending defeat against Vermont in the AE semifinals on Tuesday.

Johnny Yang sports editor