January 19, 2023

Stretched Thin

A look back at fall, an update for spring

To all of our readers, be you Bobcats or Athens residents: we’re back!

The Spring Semester is upon us, and I couldn’t be happier to start the new year with you and all of the wonderful staffers we have at The Post. Here’s to 2023 being the best year yet.

I want to take a moment to reflect on some of the changes and improvements The Post underwent in the fall, with some recognition to boot.

vative ways. Stories with different languages and perspectives strengthen The Post’s reporting, and I’m excited to see new stories this semester.

RYAN MAXIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Cole Patterson, director of multimedia, and Donovan Hunt, assistant director of multimedia, completely changed the landscape of The Post’s Multimedia section, growing the staff to more than 10 times its size in years past. Throughout the Fall Semester, Multimedia has posted several videos and podcasts per week to add a visual, interactive element to The Post’s in-depth content. Several new podcast series were created, providing The Post’s audience with listening experiences in news, pop culture, music, true crime, video games and more.

Culture Editor Katie Millard and Assistant Culture Editor Alyssa Cruz have left their mark on The Post’s Culture section, ushering in a new era of multilingual journalism that has impressed and informed readers in inno-

The introduction of investigative stories in The Post has been a welcome development to our pages; it would not have been possible without Projects Editor Hannah Campbell and Investigative Editor Alex Imwalle. The investigation on pages 10 and 11 of this week’s paper is a testament to our writer’s potential.

Our entire staff worked incredibly hard last semester, and though I can’t name them all, I’m impressed with their work throughout the fall and I’m looking forward to more stellar work in the spring.

Though it’s nice to reminisce, I’m also excited to share some updates for the Spring Semester. My editorial team and I have some creative changes in the works, including new special editions of The Post. We are also planning incremental improvements to our website and print design that will allow you all to engage better with our content.

However, there is a slight drawback to our improvements this school year. Our editorial positions are paid, and due to the hiring of new positions to strengthen and support

The Post’s informative purpose, we will be reducing the number of pages in our print edition to approximately 16 or 20 pages as a cost-saving measure for the remainder of the academic year.

My team and I did not take this decision lightly. It’s unfortunate and not the news I wanted to share, but it also ensures The Post will continue to inform Ohio University faculty, staff and students and Athens residents, to the best of its ability. The reduction in pages is likely temporary, and I’m confident the change will allow my team and I to financially support everything our wonderful staffers do.

Thank you for always reading The Post. This semester, we will outdo ourselves from the Fall Semester, which means more content, more stories and more information for you.

Ryan Maxin is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Want to talk more with Ryan? Let him know on Twitter at @ryanmaxin, or email him at rm554219@ohio.edu

Editor-in-Chief | Ryan Maxin

Managing Editor | Kayla Bennett

Digital Director | Anastasia Carter

Equity Director | Alesha Davis

EDITORIAL

News Editors | Molly Wilson, Addie Hedges

Asst. News Editor | Maya Morita

Culture Editor | Katie Millard

Asst. Culture Editor | Alyssa Cruz

Sports Editor | Will Cunningham

Asst. Sports Editor | Ashley Beach

Opinion Editor | Tate Raub

Asst. Opinion Editor | Meg Diehl

The Beat Editor | Emma Dollenmayer

Asst. The Beat Editor | Grace Brezine

Projects Editor | Hannah Campbell

Investigative Editor | Alex Imwalle

Copy Chief | Aya Cathey

Slot Editors | Bekah Bostick, Katie Trott, Lauren Serge, Lydia Colvin

ART

Art Director | Trevor Brighton

Asst. Art Director | Lauren Adams

Director of Photography | Jesse Jarrold-Grapes

Photo Editor | Carrie Legg

DIGITAL

Audience Engagement Editor | Emma Erion

Director of Multimedia | Cole Patterson

Asst. Director of Multimedia | Donovan Hunt

BUSINESS

Media Sales | Grace Vannan, Gia Sammons

Director of Student Media | Andrea Lewis

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COVER PHOTO BY SOPHIE YOUNG HEADSHOT BY HANNAH CAMPBELL

FROM

Mystery person calls for help, burglar turns out to be trapped bird

KENDALL WRIGHT FOR THE POST

Bird Burglar

A burglary in progress at The Plains Fire Department was reported to the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.

Upon arrival, officers determined it to be a bird flying around inside the building.

Angry Dogs

Nelsonville Police Department requested the Sheriff’s Office deputies to assist in an incident involving several vicious dogs running loose.

Officers responded along with an assistant Athens County Dog Warden.

Mystery Caller

An unknown person called a business in Washington County and stated they needed help, deputies said. Deputies were requested for a well-being check on the individual.

The phone had last been registered to a resident in Dover Township and upon arrival, deputies found it to be abandoned.

Washington County was advised of the information at the time.

Gun Ghost

A report of multiple gunshot sounds was made on Five Points Road in Athens, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

While patrolling the area, deputies spoke with residents but were unable to locate the source of the gunshot noises. No noises were heard during the patrol.

I’m worried about you, Dear!

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Baker Road in Athens on a report of an injured deer.

Upon arrival, deputies found the injuries t be superficial and the deer appeared to be in good health. No further action was needed.

Get a better hiding spot

A reference to a suspicious vehicle on West Bailey Road in Millfield was reported to Sheriff’s Office deputies.

Once officers were on the scene, they discovered that the vehicle was stolen

from Nelsonville. Deputies contacted the owner, and officers returned to patrol after the owner arrived.

Know your limit

While patrolling the area of Grosvenor Street and Chestnut Street in Nelsonville, deputies noticed a male yelling and stumbling across the street.

After making contact with the male, deputies discovered the man was intoxicated and took him to a sober party at his residence.

Chump change

A reference to possible counterfeit currency was made to the Sheriff’s Office. The complainant believed she had received the money as change from a local business.

Deputies collected the currency and made a report.

Free tool hack

A resident of Chauncey reported their vehicle had been entered during the night and told deputies that several tools were

taken from the vehicle.

The report is under investigation.

Walk in the park

A report of a suspicious vehicle/person in Jacksonville Park was made to Sheriff’s Office deputies. The vehicle had been at the park for the past two days.

Deputies made contact with the individual and no criminal activity was identified, so they asked the man to move along.

Not allowed

Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a complaint of theft on Pancake Road.

Once officers arrived and made a report, they located and served the suspect with a trespassing complaint.

ORCA promotes recreation, connects Southeast Ohio

TRE SPENCER SENIOR WRITER

The Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia, or ORCA, is an organization that promotes outdoor recreation, sustainability and tourism in Appalachian Ohio. The Baileys Trail System is just one of the outdoor recreation projects it oversees.

As a council of governments that includes the city of Athens, the village of Chauncey, the village of Buchtel, the city of Nelsonville, Athens County and York Township, ORCA’s mission is to utilize Appalachian Ohio’s outdoor recreational space, diversify the regional economy and provide sustainable resources for Ohioans represented within the organization.

In a statement released by ORCA, Jessie Powers, the organization’s executive director, wrote that the need to diversify Appalachian Ohio’s regional economy had become critical, but those challenges opened new pathways for rural economic development.

“The critical need to diversify our local and regional economy has come into sharp focus in recent months, but these challenges open new possibilities and novel approaches to rural economic development,” Powers said in the statement.

ORCA also works in conjunction with Wayne National Forest coordinators to oversee improvement and expansion projects of the Baileys Trail System.

The Baileys Trail System is a multi-county project that consists of an 88-mile single-track system of trails that

accommodate mountain bikers, trail runners and hikers of various skill levels.

The trail system was suggested in 1993 by a group of outdoor recreational investors who recommended creating a 16-mile mountain biking trail leading to Wayne National Forest.

In May 2017, the Baileys Trail System was selected as the first National Forest conservation finance pilot project, and the initial plans were drawn. That led to its construction and continuing evolution as an outdoor attraction.

Peter Haverland, an Ohio University senior studying English, said he frequents the trail system. Haverland often enjoys runs with his ultimate frisbee teammates on the trails.

“Last time I went was probably a month ago and I went on a trail run with my teammates,” he said. “It was amazing … we drove there and we were running through the forest as the sun was rising—we ran for five miles, so it took us maybe 40 minutes.”

As one of ORCA’s board members, Athens Mayor Steve Patterson works directly alongside Powers. Patterson said most meetings typically lead with discussions about funding sources, land utilization and most recently, grant funding from the Appalachian Community Grant Program.

“We’ve been discussing a lot as to whether or not ORCA should apply for implementation money from the Appala-

chian Community Grant — which is the half a billion dollars that the state has set aside for Appalachian counties,” Patterson said.

Currently, ORCA receives its funding from investors, private and public corporations and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, or ODNR. It has also thrived by creating its pay-for-success model for interested donors.

“The way that pay-for-success works is that you look for investors who want to invest in something like outdoor recreation, but you have a sustainable way to ensure that the investors are going to see a proper return on their investment,” Patterson said.

For additional funding, the Athens City Council approved an annual expenditure of a $90,000 membership fee from the city’s transient guest tax to cover the costs associated with the trail system’s operation.

ORCA also has a partnership with OU’s Outdoor Pursuits, an educational program that presents opportunities for leadership, experiential learning and healthy outdoor recreation.

Cody Lennon, assistant director of Outdoor Pursuits, said its partnership with ORCA is primarily through its rental program, which allows students to access mountain bike equipment for a significantly lower price.

“What ORCA is doing, is just absolutely

incredible and we support it,” Lennon said. “What ORCA was able to do…(was) give us 15 bikes to rent out at Ping. This will be opened up in the spring so that students can rent $3,000 mountain bikes for $40.”

As for the future of ORCA, Patterson said the council is interested in opportunities to expand the organization outside of Athens County.

“I see us expanding into Washington County and to Morgan County, Perry County, Denton County (and) Meigs County,” Patterson said. “I (want) for us to all combine and have one central organization helping these surrounding counties and beyond, with some of the outdoor recreational assets that we know we have in Southeast Ohio.”

Keystone’s Mac Shack opens Athens location

HANNAH CAMPBELL PROJECTS EDITOR

With a line down Court Street, students cheered as the doors opened to the new late-night dining spot in Athens.

Athens is now home to a Keystone’s Mac Shack location, which held its grand opening Monday at 14 S. Court St.

The Athens location is an expansion of Cincinnati’s Keystone’s Mac Shack, located outside of the University of Cincinnati’s campus.

The new location is open from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays and Mondays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and until 4 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Originally set to open in October, according to a previous Post report, the restaurant’s opening was delayed due to construction and permitting.

The Mac Shack brand is an extension of Keystone Bar & Grill in Cincinnati. Managing partner and owner Dan Cronican said

the restaurant was created for the demographic of college students.

“It is kind of like Keystone’s cooler, younger brother,” Cronican said. “It was just a natural piece of the brand that we would be open late night.”

In addition to its late-night convenience, the restaurant is also known for its music-inspired dishes. Mac and cheese dish names include Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd.

The concept for the late-night business model was created when Cronican noticed Mondays received slower business, and the musical inspiration happened by accident, he said.

“We had mac and cheese as a side item,” Cronican said. “Myself and my chef sat down at a table and created four or five specialty mac and cheeses, and we just thought it was cool and fun to name it after rock bands.”

For regular size, prices for mac and cheese dishes range from $6.25 to $8.25. For a large, prices range from $9.50 to $13.

The restaurant also runs a “Mac Monday” promotional deal in which consumers receive half-priced large mac and cheese dishes with the purchase of a beverage.

Consumers can also customize their dishes with a variety of proteins, sauces and toppings.

Students lined up outside of the dining spot at 11:30 a.m. on opening day to try the unique dishes.

Reagan Mullikin, a junior studying sociology-criminology, and Clara Williams, a junior studying studio art, said they rushed to be the first in line to try the dishes.

“I love mac and cheese,” Mullikin said. “Our friend is from Cincinnati, which is where the other Mac Shack location was, and she saw it on socials and heard about it from there.”

Frank Janezic, a sophomore studying electrical engineering, learned about the restaurant on social media and did not know about the Cincinnati location.

“It’s a new place,” Janezic said. “I really wanted to try it out.”

Maureen Murray, the marketing manager for Four Entertainment Group’s Keystone division, which runs Keystone’s Mac Shack, said the proximity to Cincinnati and the nightlife culture are some of the reasons for opening an Athens location.

“To have that already set in stone out here is a fun thing to jump in on,” Murray said.

Cronican said he’s looking forward to being in Athens because of its beautiful campus and the surrounding community. Whether it’s from the bars or future fest season events, Cronican said he is excited to be open for business to students.

“We wanted (the restaurant) to be fun and a cool place to go, especially after you leave the bars and been partying all night,” Cronican said. “We want this to be that next step, that extension of the party.”

Mac Shack workers rush around to serve the line of people stretching to the Athena for the opening hour.

(ALL PHOTOS BY JESSE JARROLD-GRAPES | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

TOP:Reagan Mullikin waves at a friend passing by as she waits in line for the new Keystone Mac Shack to open on Court St. on Monday, Jan. 16, 2022.

BOTTOM: Eammon Bell takes noodles, or as many of the worker’s shirts refer to them,”noods,” out of boiling water to mix in toppings.

Provided by Dr. Kitty Consolo

Olympian among OU’s faculty

ALYSSA CRUZ ASST. CULTURE EDITOR

When students log on to Kitty Consolo’s class, they are met with a cheerful, vibrant professor who is passionate about teaching her students the importance of nutrition and physical and mental wellness. What the students may not know, however, is they are being taught by an accomplished runner and Olympian.

Born in Iowa City, Consolo is an associate professor of health sciences. She grew up in Granville, Ohio, where her father taught at Denison University. Consolo said her dad was known for his noteworthy and sometimes unconventional style of teaching English to his students. One of those students, Michael Eisner, would become an American businessman and former chairman and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company.

Eisner was so impacted by his former English professor that he encouraged Disney to make a movie about a vivacious college professor. When Al Pacino was not available to depict Consolo’s Italian father, Robin Williams was cast, thus creating “Dead Poets Society.” Although other members of the Disney team had a former teacher who influenced the making of the character of John Keating, Consolo said Eisner went on to donate $1.75 million to Denison University in Consolo’s father’s name.

“So, I have a lot to live up to with my dad, but I was thrilled,” Consolo said.

Consolo said her father’s origin from an immigrant family taught her family to value education. Many of her family members are teachers, and she proved herself in terms of

her skills and passion for teaching when she won the 2022 Ohio University Zanesville Outstanding Teacher Award.

“That award means more to me than anything because teaching is what I do and what I love,” Consolo said. “Running is too, but to know that those efforts have been recognized for students is really great.”

At Ohio University, Consolo teaches a variety of classes about an array of topics, including “Introduction to Public Health,” “Introduction to Health” and “Lifestyle Choices.” Consolo now teaches exclusively virtually, but her reputation at OU precedes her.

“Word of mouth means so much to me, especially now that we’re on Zoom,” Consolo said. “With 40 years in the classroom, and the last two virtual, I do try to make it feel like we’re together (like) one family.”

Consolo grew up with immune system issues and various severe allergies, preventing her from excelling at the various sports she attempted. However, during a sabbatical in England through her sophomore year, Consolo began running alongside the English Channel.

“I just fell in love with running,” she said. “That was the beginning of my athletic career. Sports were not anything I was great at until I found running.”

In 1975, Consolo enrolled at Wake Forest University and joined the women’s cross-country team. Because of Title IX, she ran on the men’s team, and she said that was when she began to take running seriously.

Although Consolo reflects on her early running career with fondness, she faced some adversities in the male-dominated sport. Something so trivial as clothing proved to be a challenge, but Consolo made do with what she had.

“Back then, they had no women’s running bras, so I wore my own little pink bikini bathing top because it was hot and humid in a 15-mile race,” she said. “So, there’s this picture of me winning this race in this little skimpy pink bathing top and yellow shorts, and it went across the nation and my uncle from California called (and said), ‘What the hell are you doing running half naked?’ but it got the attention of Nike shoes.”

While still at Wake Forest, Consolo said, she overestimated the significance of running with the men’s team. She said the team and public were very accepting; what seemed to be a bigger deal was there also being a Black runner on the team. Consolo said she did not think anything of it until they traveled to the South, where she witnessed discrimination against her teammate.

“We would be running down the street in Winston-Salem, and cars would literally drive up on the sidewalk to see a white female with an African American male running together,” she said. “It was just not heard of in 1975.”

Consolo was sponsored for the next 21 years. Her sponsorship made it possible for her to travel all over the country while still earning her master’s degree and Ph.D. As a graduate student at Kent State University, Consolo continued to travel.

“It was amazing,” she said. “I was on a plane all the time. We went to Bermuda and Barbados and all over the place. It was really fun.”

Consolo was honest, and she said there was no way she would have been able to travel if it were not for the Adidas National Team that she ran for.

“Here I am making $3,600 a year as a grad student, but I’m flying to Bermuda,” she said. “I was so poor, I used to take the little hotel soaps and shampoos and put them in my suitcase.”

Consolo said the runners were given $25 a day to eat out, but instead of going to a restaurant, she would go to the local grocery stores and bring the groceries home in her suitcase.

“It was so great to get free shoes in those years and free clothing and free travel,” she said. “It was really great – I loved getting to do that.”

After her education, Consolo qualified for the first women’s 1984 Olympic Marathon trials. Her participation in that event was historic because it was the first time there was a marathon for women.

“It was like making history getting to go there,” she said. “It was exciting.”

Although she did not come home with a medal, Consolo said the experience was extremely rewarding, especially being there with her parents.

Unfortunately, Consolo had to give up running marathons in 1998 due to her worsening asthma. Still, she continues to compete in 5k to 10k races, competing in the 10k Road Race at the National Senior Games in 2013.

Her regimen includes running 30 miles a week. In November, she finished her race season of eight races, winning her age group in six out of eight of the races, finishing as second female overall in two of the races. Consolo plans to enter into more competitive races, including the Columbus 10k in June.

It is one of the oldest 10k races in Ohio, and it will be during Consolo’s 48th year of racing. There will be awards for the top five in her 65-69 age group, and Consolo is confident she could snag one of them.

Although conscious of her health, Consolo takes necessary precautions and has no plans to stop running any time soon.

“I really hope I can run forever,” she said. “It’s how I start my day, and it’s who I am.”

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OU honors, remembers Martin Luther King Jr. with week of events

KATIE MILLARD CULTURE EDITOR

Martin Luther King Jr. would have turned 94 last Sunday had he not been assassinated in 1968 at 39 years old. In memory for all he accomplished and could have done, Ohio University celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year with a week of events.

The week-long celebration kicked off Monday with a silent march from Galbreath Chapel, 43 University Terrace, to Baker Center, starting at 10 a.m. A brunch followed the march in Baker Ballroom featuring vocal and dance performances and a keynote address by alumnus Timothy Brown, a ministry leader, author, educator and motivational speaker.

Tuesday marked movie day at the Athena Cinema, with a free screening at 3 p.m. of “Till,” the true story about Mamie Till-Mobley’s pursuit of justice for her son, Emmett Till. Till was brutally tortured and lynched in 1955 at 14 years old while visiting his cousins in Mississippi, an injustice that shined light on the brutality of Jim Crow segregation and became an early ignition to the Civil Rights movement.

Alex Kamody, director of the Athena, said the event was a collaboration between the cinema and Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week Committee. The event was sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which allowed the showing to be free and open to all.

“We really appreciate that generosity because then you get a more diverse audience of people of different ages and different backgrounds,” Kamody said.

She said “Till” was chosen to show in connection with other planned programming for the event series, specifically Tuesday night’s fireside chat with Reverend Wheeler Parker, the cousin and best friend of the late Emmett Till. He is also the last living witness to Till’s kidnapping. Parker wrote a memoir about the incident, “A Few Days Full of Trouble,” which was released last week and depicted his firsthand witness of the event.

“When anyone mostly talks about Emmett, there’s a couple things that stick out,” Parker said. “Fun, full of jokes, never had a dull day in his life. Never saw him out of character like that.”

Parker recalled running around with Till in his youth, playfully reenacting Till’s stutter, a lingering effect from a 1947 bout with polio. He chuckled when remembering Till’s insistence to join their school baseball competition, passionately losing the game for their team. Parker said Till was a personality and a force and that it was never a dull day with him.

Among the joyous memories were, of course, the tragic ones.

“If you didn’t live in the South during that time, you have no idea,” Parker said. “I don’t care how much you read– if you didn’t live it and experience it, you have no idea of what the atmosphere was like. You had no protection whatsoever under the law.”

Till traveled from Chicago to visit family in Mississippi, and Parker recalls the trip vividly. Parker said there were rules in the South for how one should act and interact, especially for Black men. Parker said he had grown up with the practices of the South ingrained in him, but Till had not had the same understanding.

He was present in the shop with Till where many accounts allege Till said something to Carolyn Bryant, the cashier, and he remembers clearly what happened within the store: nothing. Instead, Parker said any interaction occurred when Bryant, the wife and sister-in-law of Till’s later murderers, exited the store after Till and Parker had left and were standing outside.

“(Till) liked to be the center of attention, loved to make people laugh,” Parker said. “She (Bryant) comes out and he gives just this little wolf whistle. In Mississippi in 1955, that was a death sentence.”

The family sped away in their car, eventually hopping from the vehicle and running into the cotton field to be sure they weren’t being followed. Parker recalled dust flying everywhere and worrying until the car behind them passed by. He said once the coast was clear, Till said he did not want to be sent home, so they decided not to tell their grandfather.

Several days later, late at night, people knocked on the door asking about two boys from Chicago, specifically requesting the boy who had said something to Bryant. The intruders mentioned nothing about a whistle.

The men went through the house, bed-

room to bedroom. Parker said the men came into his room first, and he pretended to be asleep. The men had a pistol, and there were no lights on in the house, so when he snuck a peak, they were only illuminated by a flare they held. He began to pray.

“I’m shaking like a leaf on a tree because I’m going to die, and at 16 I was not trying to die,” Parker said. “It was pure terror.”

Parker recalled his grandmother begging them not to take his little cousin once they moved on to the next bedroom. He said she ran next door to a white family but they would not help. He said that was the last time they saw Till alive.

“Every family in the South has a story to tell,” Parker said. “One guy is talking about his cousin (being) killed because of a reckless eyeball. Normally nothing would have been said. Something about Till’s story, it went all over the world.”

Despite the mass conversations the story sparked, Parker said much of the media coverage and mass discussion about his cousin portrayed him unfairly. Parker had been 16 at the time but said he was not interviewed about the incident until 1985 –30 years later. For decades, he said, people talked about Till’s murder in the context of horrible misconstructions of Till’s character, even saying the 14-year-old “deserved” to be tortured and murdered. Parker said a lot of good legislatively and progressively came from the awful event, but he can never forget the price his cousin was forced to pay.

“Be patient,” Parker said. “I was at the signing of the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Bill with President Biden. You know who

else was there? Ida B. Well’s great-granddaughter. She said, ‘my great grandmother was here 100 years ago trying to get an anti-lynching bill.’ The wheels of justice grind, but they grind slow. Be patient, and persistent.”

The rest of the week will offer further events for anyone who was unable to attend the first few days of the celebration or who wish to participate more. Wednesday will hold a Black Excellence Panel with OU alumni. The event will start at 6 p.m. and take place via Microsoft Teams. Thursday sports a service fair in collaboration with the Center for Campus and Community Engagement in Baker room 240/242 from noon to 3 p.m.

The week will end with a comedy and variety show in Baker Theatre from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The program is a collaboration between the Black Student Cultural Programming Board, the Multicultural Center and Campus Involvement Center.

The week of events centers around the theme of compassion, chosen as one of King’s well-remembered traits. Parker reiterated the importance of compassion in justice.

“We come here to talk about the history, that’s all we can,” Parker said. “Hate has no place in the human race. Everybody’s gonna get an opportunity – make it good. Do what’s right, serve people. We’re here to serve one another, help one another. That’s the best, most important thing that any person can do.”

Brothers of the Alpha Phi Alpha lead the MLK Silent March after leaving Galbreath Memorial Chapel as the walk across College Green to Baker on Jan. 17, 2023. (RYAN GRZYBOWSKI | FOR THE POST)

Barstool reports: OU knows how to party

GRACE KOENNECKE FOR THE POST

On New Year’s Eve, rankings from Barstool, courtesy of Niche.com, placed Ohio University at number one as the top party school in Ohio. In-state favorites such as The Ohio State University and Miami University saw their demise as the small town of Athens, Ohio, reigned supreme, proving that the chill and friendly vibes of Court Street are simply unmatched.

While many from OU took to Instagram to post the ranking as proud students, there were other students not familiar with Athens and its special magic that wished to see their college campuses at the top of this year’s list.

Jack Dudas, a sophomore at OSU studying city and regional planning, is one of these individuals.

“Personally, I’m a Buckeye at heart, and I would just say I feel like Columbus is just this popping city and there’s just always energy,” Dudas said. “There’s so much fun and parties and bars, and it’s just really this electric, amazing experience.”

Dudas thinks that even though OSU has a lot of energy as a campus, he also sees why OU got the ranking it did.

“I think Ohio State could have been ranked higher just because I’d say there’s so much energy, but also OU is so fun and laid back,” Dudas said.

Similarly, Jack McInerney, a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati studying finance, agreed with the Barstool ranking, especially after hearing about the party atmosphere in Athens.

“I’ve heard great things about the party atmosphere at OU, but I’ve never indulged in it myself, so I think I’m alright with them at number one,” McInerney said. “Cincinnati at five I think makes a little bit of sense because really outside of a couple of street fests a couple of times a year there isn’t that much else going on besides just going out around town and stuff.”

McInerney’s only complaint about the rankings was how different the Cincinnati

and Athens locations are, which should’ve been considered more.

“I guess if you count being close to the city, Cincinnati has that for a party atmosphere,” McInerney said. “It’s like three minutes to downtown. OU is in the middle of nowhere.”

Yet, some students outside of OU were not happy with Barstool’s results, claiming their university had the ultimate party scene.

“We fill an entire street every single weekend, and OU just doesn’t have that,” Logan Miller, a sophomore at the Universi-

ty of Dayton studying communications, said. “They don’t have St. Patty’s Day, they just don’t celebrate like us. Maybe they have better bars, but we have more house parties and day drinks and we have Skyline Chili right next to campus.”

Miller says that OU is not considered a party school to those on Dayton’s campus.

“I think Dayton should have been ranked higher because you don’t hear anything about OU other than it’s just a party school, but what makes it a party school?” Miller said. “Dayton has day drinks every single

weekend.”

Dudas also agrees with this sentiment, saying that OSU has a bigger party scene for students with different interests.

“I just feel like it’s so big that there’s so many different parties going on, whatever your interests may be there’s going to be people partying for you, and it’s just always a vibe,” Dudas said. “There’s always something happening.”

People dance at the main stage of the block party while listening to ATLNTS + Cloudboi on Court St. on Oct. 29, 2022. (RYAN GRYZBOWSKI | FOR THE POST)

Athens Fire operates under pressure

When a call warrants a greater response team, other local fire departments send supporting staff and equipment. AFD has mutual aid agreements with every fire department in Athens County, allowing the department to receive assistance from nearby departments when needed and vice versa. The department gave or received 74 mutual aid responses in 2021, according to the 2021 annual report.

Despite the mutual aid agreement, it takes time for off-duty staff and other departments to respond to a situation, Athens Fire Chief Robert Rymer said. Rymer, an Athens native, has worked at the department for over 29 years, serving as chief since March 2014, and has been dealing with short-staffing ever since.

“If you don’t see any big pillars of smoke, we’re doing it right,” Rymer said. “Knock on wood, we’ve been lucky enough that nobody has died in the fires, whether it’s us or civilians. But it’s difficult.”

Spires echoed Rymer’s sentiment, saying the small team is responsible for all aspects of rescue, whereas larger departments normally have specially trained teams. A few firefighters who are first on the scene may be responsible for three roles at once.

“It’s unsafe,” Spires said. “We’ve been super fortunate that nobody has gotten hurt really bad. I think we tried to use caution, but you know, when there’s flames shooting out a window or something like that, you just do what you got to do.”

While AFD’s staffing may not have changed since the ‘70s and ‘80s, its coverage certainly has, Rymer said. Call volume has nearly tripled since 1993 and building space has increased from 10 million square feet to 22.2 million square feet today.

YOUNG FOR THE POST

Eight years ago, a devastating fire wreaked havoc on a row of uptown buildings, causing more than 60 firefighters from five nearby fire departments to rush to the scene. A concerned caller reported to 911 seeing flames from inside the store Kismet around 4 a.m., followed by a call from residents trapped on the roof of an apartment building above as flames licked the walls nearby.

What became known as the Union Street fire was a nearly 12-hour battle by first responders with the scorching blaze. It left nearly 40 university students displaced, eight responders injured and six businesses defaced. Though first responders evacuated the area relatively quickly with little to no harm, the fire was not declared fully extinguished until almost 3:30 p.m.

The Union Street fire tested the Athens Fire Department and surrounding departments’ capabilities, stretching staff and resources to their limits. The incident drew attention to the local department, which continues to be understaffed and underfund-

ed, and the extreme risk to life and property should a similar event happen again.

In addition to responding to fire and fire risks, the department responds to emergency calls and water rescues, engages in fire prevention education, helps inspect local businesses and maintains stations and equipment. With more than 6,400 households, 1,000 businesses and 24,000 residents within the Athens departments’ range, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, such responsibilities are no small feat for the 23-person staff.

However, within the cramped yet cozy stations resides a group of men dedicated to the community and each other.

Todd Spires, one of the firefighters who helped extinguish the Union Street blaze, has worked with AFD for 30 years. Originally from Lancaster, he said he applied for the job because of the excellent benefits and pension. This helped care for the family he started at age 18 with his high school girlfriend, now wife. However, he has found a second family within the department.

“I spend more time with these guys than I do my wife,” Spires said.

When the men aren’t responding to calls in the city or performing other required tasks, they do all the things one might expect in a second home. They clean the space they take pride in and sit around the community table talking about their wives and kids.

Some can be found watching the news on the flat screen in the living area while some of the newer academy graduates pour over maps of the city and university sprawled out on a table, memorizing every street in preparation for their exam.

The firefighters of Athens meet the demands of their job with commitment, but it is an occupation with an increasingly heavy burden.

Short staffing

AFD currently has two stations: the headquarters at Station 1 on Columbus Road and Station 2 on Richland Avenue. A minimum of two firefighters staff each station at one time, allowing the department to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards requiring two firefighters to enter a structure while two stand by outside when responding to a call.

As a result of the short-staffing, many Athens firefighters often work overtime. Spires said that one employee worked over 1,000 hours of overtime in 2022 and some worked multiple overtime shifts per pay period.

The department also handles tasks like checking all fire hydrants in the city and making sure businesses have adequate exit signs, fire extinguishers and more. Rymer explained firefighters test their own equipment, including 14,000 feet of hose from the trucks.

Rymer explained one of his men said he was concerned about getting all of the fire hydrants tested last year. After returning to the station one day, he said, “every time we go hook up to a hydrant, we start flowing water, boom, we get called out to an alarm … we have to shut the hydrant back down.”

Rymer said in an ideal situation, he would have 10 people on duty per day with a full roster of close to 45 firefighters. However, those numbers nearly double his current staff. He said he also hopes to one day hire someone in a designated inspector position who would be able to help complete inspec-

SOPHIA

Todd Spires, a now 30-year employee of the Athens Fire Department, helps extinguish the 2014 Union Street fire, which encompassed five buildings. The fire damaged six businesses and displaced nearly 40 university students. (Photo courtesy of Todd Spires)

tions without being called off.

Despite being stretched thin on resources, the department and firefighters still engage with the community through fire safety education and outreach. In late fall, men from both stations drove their massive red engines to meet a class of giggling young children at Blooming View Montessori Academy and talk about their jobs and what to do in case of a fire.

Tyler Wilson, a new probationary firefighter who graduated from the Ohio Fire Academy at the end of October, dressed in full gear boots-to-helmet gear in front of the class while Spires talked about equipment and fire safety practices.

Wilson wore a wide grin on his face as he took the equipment back off, displaying the rush of excitement he feels every time he gets into gear.

Ohio University calls

Another Friday night means another fire alarm set off in a freshman dorm.

With Ohio University comprising both a large portion of the population and buildings in Athens, a significant percentage of calls to the fire department originate from university property.

A 1996 study of the department by Fitzpatrick and Associates found 27.5% of calls were to the university. According to the 2021 annual department report, that number has grown to 34%, and Rymer attributed 40% of calls over the past five years to the university.

“We get that misconception– people say, ‘Oh, it’s a false alarm,’” Rymer said. “Well, yes and no. It depends on what you call a false alarm. Most of the time, it is a detector activation due to a reason.”

Various stimuli can set off alarms on campus with common ones, particularly in residence halls, being aerosol hair products, burnt food in a microwave, vaping or smoking and more. While a visible fire or immediate danger may not be present, the alarm is still triggered, signaling a response. Rymer said the age of the alarm systems in several older buildings on campus can contribute to more frequent alarms, though in recent years, some have been replaced.

When students are in Athens, some months average at least one call to campus per day. In September of 2017, a peak of 78 alarms went off in campus buildings, triggering AFD response.

Several of the firefighters routinely joke about what sets off the alarms in dorms on campus. Around 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights they expect, like clockwork, to visit a South Green dorm due to an alarm triggered by hairspray or heat tools like curling irons or straighteners as students get ready to go out. With every incoming freshman class, there is the inevitable microwave macaroni burnt because no water was added.

“I had one kid, it was his room (that triggered an alarm), standing there, and I said, ‘how did you think that macaroni was going to cook?” Spires said.

Jokes aside, regardless of the cause or immediate danger, AFD responds to every university call in minutes as if there could be a real emergency.

Should a serious fire occur on campus, it could require a massive response by the fire department.

The 2021 annual report referenced a 1997 staffing study recommending 24 firefighters respond to a dorm fire. The National Fire Protection Association standards recommend 15 firefighters on the scene in the first eight minutes of any two-story residential fire.

Since most students are not local taxpayers, little funding comes from a population heavily relying on the department. To help bridge the gap and expand the department’s capabilities, Rymer, in collaboration with the OU Student Senate, introduced the idea of a $50 fire safety fee for students in early 2022, according to a previous Post report.

The proposal was postponed due to an overhaul of the student senate in the early spring, but Rymer and the new senate are working to reintroduce the proposal in hopes of getting it approved in time for the 2023-24 school year.

A survey conducted in 1997 found 49 of 50 students polled to be supportive of the idea of a fire safety fee, while a similar poll in 2017 found 26 of 30 in favor, according to a previous Post report. Should OU approve the fee, it would be the first university in the northwestern territory to do so.

If 20,000 students were to pay a student fee for two semesters, generating $2 million, Rymer said he would be able to increase staffing by 10 personnel as well as introduce more fire safety education for new students to help reduce the number of runs caused by things like burnt macaroni.

Outdated Station

As the 45,600-pound trucks pull out of the station to respond to a call, AFD’s headquarters groans under pressure, pushing backward on the stilts holding it to the hill on Columbus Road. Built in 1965, the concrete base building has sustained cracks and wear over its 57-year lifespan.

In 2021, an independent engineer’s report assessed the HQ station on Columbus Road, recommending almost $50,000 in repairs to keep the building operational and total station replacement urgently in the next two to three years, according to the 2021 annual report. The station also underwent significant structural repairs in 2005 and 2008, costing more than half a million dollars.

Rymer presented these findings to the Athens City Council, eventually securing funding for the emergency repairs and urging along the process of relocating and rebuilding the station.

In May 2022, Athens voters passed a levy proposing a 0.1% tax increase to fund the construction of a new fire HQ. Design plans were approved in the summer. The Council also approved the issuance of bonds up to $9 million to fund the project.

The current HQ is 9,500 square feet, while the new station located off Stimson Avenue with all of its capacity upgrades will be 26,000 square feet.

“We’ve got trucks just jammed in everywhere, there are equipment trailers and stuff packed underneath, storage buildings for more equipment,” Rymer said. “We’ve grown out of this place. It was fine in 1965 when they built it, when they had two to three trucks here. We’ve expanded.”

In addition to increased space, the new station will offer features adhering to modern-day safety standards to protect the firefighters who are often exposed to harmful fumes from both fires and exhaust from

heavy machinery. Some training exercises will also be performed on-site rather than at an off-site location.

The new HQ, designed in the Georgian architectural style similar to the university, will be located just off the end of Stimson Avenue, near the roundabout, providing easier access to campus and more commercial areas on East State Street. Rymer said the estimated completion date is June 2024.

Repairs are being made to the foundation of Athens Fire Department Headquarters, originally built in 1965. Over $500,000 of repairs have been made to the station since 2005.

(Photo courtesy of Athens Fire Department)

Ohio loses rhythm in the second half, falls 68-57 to Western Michigan

BOBBY GORBETT FOR THE POST

Ohio (2-14, 0-5 Mid-American Conference) played with energy and physicality to take a lead into halftime, but as the game continued fatigue kicked in, and Western Michigan (8-8, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) made Ohio pay. Western Michigan left The Convo with a 68-57 win. The Bobcats and Broncos looked to be in a tussle early. The two teams combined for just 12 points through the game’s first five minutes. Yaya Felder and Jasmine Hale helped wake the Bobcats’ offensive attack with 3-pointers. All it took was a layup by Hale put the Bobcats on top 17-16 at the end of the first quarter.

Caitlyn Kroll added to the Bobcats’ 3-point barrage with back-to-back 3-pointers early in the second quarter. After the Broncos went on a 7-0 scoring run, Kroll answered with her third 3-pointer of the second quarter to put the Bobcats

back on top by two. The Bobcats’ offense couldn’t be stopped late in the second quarter when Ella Pope, Abby Garnett and Hale led the Bobcats on their own 7-0 scoring run. However, the Broncos scored the last five points of the first half to trim the Bobcats’ lead to one.

The Bobcats didn’t look like they had the energy to play with the same intensity they had in the first half, and the Broncos took advantage of them. After Garnett made a layup early in the third quarter, the Bobcats went over six minutes without scoring. The Bobcats played good enough defense to keep themselves in the game, but bad turnovers and missed shots loomed large.

“It was definitely a difference in energy,” Hale said. “I think we do a good job of staying up in the first half of keeping a good tempo, but it seems like when we’re not hitting shots, everything starts trickling down, our body language, our energy.”

The Bobcats’ scoring drought ended

when Hale made a layup, but the Broncos were still ahead by five. By the end of the third quarter, the Bobcats only managed to score four points in 10 minutes, and the Broncos took a seven-point advantage into the final quarter.

“I thought we had a little trouble reversing the ball in the second half,” Ohio coach Bob Boldon said. “And we kind of just got out of sync at the beginning of the third quarter and we didn’t really get back into it.”

Felder single-handedly kept the Bobcats afloat by scoring their first six points of the quarter. Hale later made a couple of key free throws to cut the Broncos’ lead to five, but the Broncos then scored 10 of the next 12 points. As the time dwindled down, any hope the Bobcats had was extinguished by Lauren Ross, who scored four straight points to give the Broncos a 13-point lead.

The Bobcats lost their 10th straight game, but despite the result, Boldon ap-

preciated the effort the Bobcats gave defensively.

“I thought the effort and energy was there,” Boldon said. “I just thought at times they were a bit better offensively than we were defensively.”

Felder again led the Bobcats with 17 points, while Hale and Kroll both got to double figures in points.Three of Kroll’s 3-pointers in the second quarter helped the Bobcats shoot an efficient 40% from beyond the arc.

Although their record may not show it, Garnett believes the Bobcats are improving.

“We just tried to take whatever it is , mistakes made, and move forward the next day,” Garnett said. “I think we’re getting better, we’re right there.”

@GORBETTBOBBY BG238320@OHIO.EDU

Ohio lives and dies by the three in loss to Western Michigan

ELI JUSTICE FOR THE POST

Ohio (2-14, 0-5 Mid-American Conference) took on Western Michigan (8-8, 3-2 MAC) Wednesday evening in a game where Ohio ran out of energy in the second half. Both teams shot 50% from three in the first half, but Western Michigan’s depth was too much for Ohio and it gained ground in the second half.

The first quarter had been a point of contention for Ohio this season, as it often starts slow and has to work back from a deficit. That was different Wednesday

as Ohio was leading Western Michigan after the first quarter, 17-16. A key to this first-quarter success was a balanced attack as six different Ohio players scored in the first half.

A key to Ohio’s game is the 3-point line, as when shooting well, Ohio can stick with any team in the MAC, which was evident in the first half. In the second half, Ohio and Western Michigan’s shooting percentages both fell back down to earth. The difference in success for the two teams was that Western Michigan could find interior scoring.

The Bobcats came out of halftime and

only scored four points in the third quarter. From there, they could never get the scoring back on track.

“We just got out of sync at the beginning of the third quarter,” head coach Bob Boldon said after the game. “And we didn’t really get back into things. We should have done a better job of getting the ball in different spots.”

Abby Garnett has played well since entering MAC play, and that continued Wednesday as she added nine points and six rebounds. Despite the result, she had many positive takeaways from Wednesday’s loss.

“I think out of every loss we’ve experienced this year, we are obviously right there,” Garnett said. “We just tried to take, whatever it is, mistakes made and move forward to the next day. We have got to move on and focus on the next game.”

Ohio came out with energy in the first half. Still, Western Michigan just kept pushing the pace and eventually overwhelmed Ohio, a story that has been all too familiar this season.

Yaya Felder (2) drives to the basket against Western Michigan at the Convo on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2022. (JESSE JARROLD-GRAPES | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

Get to know Olumide Adelodun

WILL CUNNINGHAM SPORTS EDITOR

Ohio is undergoing a serious youth movement this season with a roster full of freshmen and inexperienced players.

One of the more interesting parts of that movement is Olumide Adelodun, a sophomore from Calgary, Canada, who played in a decent number of Ohio’s Mid-American Conference games last year.

While he has been in and out of the rotation this season, he has already played almost twice as many minutes as he did last year and has shown some potential as a future role player for the Bobcats.

Before the Bobcats had their winter break, The Post talked to Adelodun about his favorite video games, Ohio’s summer trip to Spain and how it felt to finally get the season started after a long offseason.

The Post: The first thing I’ve been asking everybody is when you guys are on trips, what are three things that you always need to have?

Adelodun:I gotta have melatonin, because I don’t sleep that well, my computer and headphones.

TP: On your computer, what are you mostly doing?

Adelodun:Watching Netflix, YouTube, all that.

TP: And what are some shows you’ve been watching recently?

Adelodun: I just watched something called “The Watcher” on Netflix and that was really good. And then I just watch my favorite YouTubers, they play NBA2K and stuff.

TP: So, are you a big gamer?

Adelodun: Yeah, “2K” and “Madden” mostly.

TP: Do you play “2K” with your teammates?

Adelodun: Oh no, I’m in a different dorm than them, but if I played them, I’d beat them.

TP:So who’s your favorite team to use in “2K?”

Adelodun: The Lakers, because of LeBron (James).

TP: Are you a big LeBron fan?

Get to know Quinn Corna

ASHLEY BEACH ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Quinn Corna is one of Ohio’s walk-ons for the class of 2026. The freshman has seen time in four of Ohio’s games and contributed six points against UC-Clermont.

Corna came to Ohio from Upper Arlington High School in Columbus, Ohio, where he scored 1,051 career points. Corna was named the 2022 Ohio Capital Conference Co-player of the Year with Ajay Sheldon.

Before Winter Break, The Post chatted with Corna about his family, his dog and adjusting to college life.

The Post: What are three things you can’t live without?

Corna: No. 1 is my family because my parents do a lot for me and I have two siblings who I am pretty close with. They’re my main support system. No. 2 is basketball, obviously. It keeps me busy, it’s what I spend most of my day doing and I love the game. Then three is probably my dog. I love my dog.

TP: What kind of dog is it?

Corna: It’s a sheep dog, and it’s actually a COVID puppy. I’d never had a dog and then COVID hit and we decided to get one. We decided it was a good time to get one and

everyone was home. It got a lot of attention.

TP: Yeah, do you have a lot of land or sheep for your dog to herd or other animals?

Corna: No, not really, but she is outside most of the day. She likes to be outside, so we just let her really roam our whole yard. She’ll come inside occasionally.

TP: What’s your dog’s name?

Corna: So I actually named my dog. I naamed it Bean, which is Kobe’s middle name, Kobe Bean Bryant. My dog is a girl, so my mom and sister wanted it to be a little more girly so they added Willa. So it’s Willa Bean.

TP: You mentioned your sister, are your siblings older or younger?

Corna: She’s a senior at Miami (University).

TP: Oh wow.

Corna: Yeah, (laughs) the rival school, but she’s rooting for (Ohio University) this year.

TP: You’re from Columbus, right?

Corna: Yeah, Columbus, Ohio.

TP: So what’s your favorite part of Columbus?

Adelodun: Yeah.

TP: You mentioned your headphones, is that mostly to watch TV shows or do you listen to music or podcasts?

Adelodun: I listen to music all the time.

TP: What do you like to listen to?

Adelodun: Rap, and some R&B.

TP: Who’s your favorite artist?

Adelodun: Honestly, Lil’ Baby.

TP: Something I’ve talked to other guys about is their shoes. Obviously, you guys are Adidas here, but what are your favorite shoes to wear?

Adelodun: Any Kobes. I really wish we were Nike, any Kobe is perfect for me.

TP: You mentioned video games, but are there any other hobbies you have?

Adelodun: I love playing chess. I play against Coach (Jake) Ness sometimes, but I love playing chess.

Corna: I live in a pretty good location. I’m about 15 minutes from Ohio State, so I grew up biking to basketball and football games. I love the spot I’m in.

TP: Being a freshman, what’s one of the biggest adjustments you’ve had to make so far, going to college?

Corna: Just being independent, I mean, you’re kind of on your own once you get here. We have a good support system like our coaches keep us going and make sure we’re where we need to be and we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, but we still have to be independent at the same time. Our parents aren’t here to do stuff for us. I’ve learned a lot the few months I’ve been here.

TP: What was your first big ‘Holy cow I’m on my own’ moment?

Corna: I actually came down here early. I came down here on the 15 of June. When I first got here, we were the only guys on campus, along with maybe the football and volleyball team. You were just on a college campus by yourself. We were going to class in the summer too, we had two classes. That’s kind of really when it hit, when I first got here, I was like ‘This is the real deal.’

TP: Did it take you a while to kind of navigate Athens because it’s just a small group of you?

Corna: A little bit, but being with other guys

TP: Is that something that you’ve done for a long time?

Adelodun: Yeah, my whole life. I was at chess club when I was in grade eight, but it’s just something I do when I’m bored.

TP: You guys took a trip to Spain over the summer, what was your favorite part of that?

Adelodun: Just getting closer with everyone, because we had a pretty new team. That trip helped us all buy in.

TP: And what’s been your favorite part of finally getting the season started over the last few weeks?

Adelodun: Playing. Last year I didn’t get to play as much, but I’ve been getting to play now and that’s what I’ve been wanting to do.

@WILLOCUNNINGHAM WC425318@OHIO.EDU

helped. We all figured out different things and we were around each other all summer, so we figured it out pretty quickly.

TP: Do you have a favorite spot on campus?

Corna: The Sook Academic Center. That’s somewhere we can go to study. If we need to talk to someone, Sarah Hall is usually there. That’s a good resource for us as student athletes to be able to go.

TP: Yeah! So, what has been your favorite part about playing for Ohio so far?

Corna: The guys. At first, they welcomed me with open arms. We just have such a brotherhood here.

TP: Cool. You kind of had a big moment recently. You got your first points as a Bobcat. What did you feel in that moment, basketball aside, what was going through your head?

Corna: That was obviously a pretty cool moment. That’s something I’ve dreamed of as a little kid so it was cool. To get to do it at a place like Ohio University, both my parents are graduates from here, it was a cool moment. I think the coolest thing was to see how happy my teammates were for me. They went pretty crazy. Overall, great moment.

NCAA personnel limit change allows for liveable wages

ASHLEY BEACH

It’s no secret that there’s a coaching carousel in college sports. Coaches start as graduate assistants with one team, later become volunteer coaches with another team, then later become assistants elsewhere and so on and so forth.

On Jan. 11, the NCAA Division I Council approved actions submitted by the Division I Transformation committee to allow Division I baseball, softball and ice hockey programs four countable coaches rather than three and a volunteer.

Up until last week, it had to be that way in order for aspiring coaches to make a liveable wage because of the NCAA personnel limits. Often, the volunteer coaches were paid through means such as camp revenue and fundraising.

The fundraising aspect was not an issue

for Power 5 institutions, but it could prove problematic for smaller schools that don’t attract as much extra funding. Thus, every two years or so, the volunteer assistant would probably leave a smaller program for a higher-paid position elsewhere because they were being underpaid for their work.

According to The Post’s 2021 Salary Guide, Ohio University had three assistant baseball coaches on the payroll, assuming one was a volunteer. They each made $58,557, $19,790.24 and $6,646.60, respectively. That same year, OU had three assistant softball coaches on the payroll. Under the same assumption, they made $48,373.53, $29,611.86 and $12,267.58, respectively. OU does not have an NCAA ice hockey program.

Two of those coaches made less than they could as hourly minimum wage workers who

worked 40 hours a week before taxes in the year 2021. Those coaches presumably were the ones with volunteer designation in the eyes of the NCAA.

It’s natural to want to climb the ladder as a budding professional, but the previous personnel rules forced coaches to do so. The rules made it difficult to have tenure as a coach for these sports without moving around often or having multiple jobs.

The personnel changes might also allow less coaching turnover between seasons. Of those six assistant coaches that were on the 2021 payroll, only one is still at OU. The other five have pursued coaching positions elsewhere. That is not to say it was because of the pay, though.

The coaching carousel is normal, even at the head coach level. For various reasons,

there were 47 coaching changes in Division I baseball in 2023. However, those coaches weren’t relying on a youth camp for their pay.

Even though the committee vetoed adding a fifth paid coach, having a fourth is still a step in the right direction. When the rules take effect on July 1, it won’t be a visible change, but it will affect teams in the long run.

Ashley Beach is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University and the Asst. Sports editor at The Post. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Ashley know by emailing her at ab026319@ ohio.edu

Interested candidates can email a resume and cover letter to meyerh@ohio.edu OR drop it off at the front desk of the journalism suite on the 2nd floor of Schoonover Center. If you have questions, feel free to contact Dr. Meyer by email or call (740) 597-3084. The publishing board will invite a shortlist of candidates to present to the full board on Feb. 24.

How Jews Became Villains

HADASS GALILI

Stop me if this has happened to you: You’re sitting down to watch a movie. Let’s say you’re babysitting, and you put on a Disney film, a classic movie. As you watch, you see the princess and her family with their light, straight hair, button noses and slender bodies. They don’t look like you but that’s okay, it’s just a movie! And then, you see a character that does look like you. Let’s say it’s a female character, and she has dark, curly hair and a nose bump, and she looks rounder than the other characters. Here’s some representation! And then, it is revealed that this character is the antagonist, trying to take down the thin blonde princess and her family. You watch as the character that looks like you is revealed to be the villain. What does that say about you?

Not all representation is positive. More often than not, the representation of Jews in pop culture relies heavily on stereotypes. The token Jewish or Jewish-coded character is often a nerd or a villain. This is not a new phenomenon.

Last March, Hey Alma (which I used to work for!) wrote an article titled, “Why Do So Many Disney Villains Look Like Me?” The article asserts that all Disney villains are Jewish-coded. I want to take this a step further and point our attention to the fact that even live-action films

fall prey to this. When Netflix released “Do Revenge” in September, there was some discourse surrounding the character Max Broussard, who is ostensibly the villain in this teen-targeted film. Max is revealed to have been the mastermind antagonist in the third act of “Do Revenge.” While he explains his plot, a Star of David is visible on his chest. It is important to note that Max is the face of male privilege. He is the founding member and president of the asinine group “Cis Hetero Men Championing Women Identifying Students League.” His wealth and scheming nature might have been unremarkable if it weren’t for the six-pointed star dangling from his neck.

“Glass Onion,” the much-anticipated addition to the “Knives Out” universe, has a similar issue. The billionaire tech mogul, later revealed to be the mastermind murderer, is also Jewish-coded. Although he is not wearing a Jewish star like Max Broussard, nor does he have stereotypical Jewish physical features, he does have a Jewish name. Bron is an especially Jewish last name, and Miles is a popular name for Jewish men, although it is not specifically Jewish in nature. Like Max, though, his overt Jewishness is revealed in the film’s third act. He proclaims, “Mazel tov!,” the Hebrew phrase which is used to mean congratulations. The context of this is also an allusion to Jewish tradition, as the characters around him are breaking glass sculptures when he says this. In a Jewish wed-

ding, the groom steps on and breaks a glass cup before kissing the bride. Miles is alluding to this tradition and alluding to his Jewishness.

Jewish-coded villains arose out of the public’s fear of the other. Jews have long been “othered” in Western society, and making villains look and talk like stereotypical Jews is how that ostracization is conserved. This is especially important with children’s media. If children are taught from a young age that a villain looks and acts like a Jew, then the othering of Jews can be passed through generations without explicitly being taught.

The opposite side of the coin is true too. When Jews see themselves as villains, we feel ostracization. Coding villains as Jewish is a tactic that works to keep Jews on the outside, and its presence in pop culture doesn’t show signs of stopping.

Hadass Galili is a senior studying political science pre-law at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Tell Hadass by tweeting her at @HadassGalili.

5 easy, healthy recipes for college students

ALICIA SZCZESNIAK FOR THE POST

As we settle into a new year, many lose sight of their resolutions. A common one made every January is the promise to eat healthier. However, it’s hard. Committing to the resolution is difficult with the expense of healthy options and the convenience of unhealthy junk foods. It becomes even more difficult for college students, who often work with very small budgets and have the convenience of dining halls and fast food restaurants at their fingertips. However, with the right recipes and careful spending, students living in dorms and off-campus housing can eat healthy meals on a budget.

Salmon rice bowl

This simple recipe combines rice, salmon and vegetables for a nutritious meal. All you need is salmon, rice (commonly jasmine rice, but any will do) and vegetables of your choice. This recipe also recommends creating a sesame sauce from soy sauce, olive oil, minced garlic, sesame oil and chili garlic sauce, all of which can be found at your local grocery store.

Lemon-herb chicken

Chicken has one of the unique advantages of being extremely high in protein and nutrients while being low in cost, making it a great staple for college students. This recipe calls for lemon juice, pepper, oregano, salt and olive oil and a

15-minute prep time, making it a very cheap and quick meal.

Peanut butter banana English muffin

Sometimes you don’t want to wake up and make a big breakfast before your 9 a.m. class. Luckily, this easy recipe will give you the energy you need to power through without making you late or breaking the bank. Simply topping an English muffin with a sliced banana, peanut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon creates a quick breakfast that won’t hinder your commitment to living healthier.

Quesadillas

Don’t let the association with a fatty quesadilla from a fast food taco joint fool you into thinking that all quesadillas are un-

healthy. By lightening the amount of butter or oil you use in cooking it and adding vegetables, proteins, and cheese to the tortilla, you can create a healthy meal that won’t bust your budget.

Mediterranean flatbread pizza

Swap out a greasy pizza from the shop down the street with a much healthier option. Instead of heavy mozzarella and pepperoni, the recipe calls for goat cheese or feta, along with hummus, peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, artichoke hearts, and cherry tomatoes, making it a much better choice for health-conscious people.

ILLUSTRATION BY TREVOR BRIGHTON

the weekender

Protest against Artifacts Gallery planned for Saturday

KATIE MILLARD CULTURE EDITOR

At 2 W. State St. lies a familiar Athens business that is the subject of current controversy: Artifacts Gallery. Some social media posts encourage a boycott of Artifacts Gallery and its owner, Amy Mangano, for accusations of transphobia. A protest against Mangano and the shop is scheduled for Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

Rylee Lee, a junior studying music education, helped organize the protest and said it was sparked by social media posts about new signage on the door of Artifacts Gallery. From there, Lee joined forces with Kaycie Tillis, a sophomore studying psychology, to begin organizing a protest against the shop. The new signs and banners on the front door include messages like “humans can’t change sex” and “say no to men in women’s sports.”

Lee said the protest is important to support transgender individuals in Athens and to demonstrate Mangano’s verbiage is not something Lee and other protesters agree with.

“T is for trans,” Lee said. “You can’t have LGBT without the T. It’s quite literally in there.”

Mangano disagrees, also displaying a sign on her door that reads “LGB.”

While the protest and many social media posts regarding Mangano recently emerged on one Instagram account, @athensartifactsgallery, Lee said the true start of the movement against Artifacts Gallery’s owner began last May. The new account helped popularize the protest, having posted for the first time last week, but on May 8, 2022, the Instagram account @flower.power.60 posted regarding customer reviews of Mangano being transphobic, and Mangano’s reply confirmed her belief that trans women can pose a threat to women’s spaces.

“Convincing women to concede that men’s feelings are more important than their privacy, dignity and safety is sex-based discrimination and predatory rhetoric,” Mangano said in an email. “This isn’t saying all trans women are predators. This is saying that there are opportunistic people who will take advantage of this. Labeling concerned

citizens as ‘hateful bigots’ is a hostile authoritarian tactic meant to frighten people into compliance.”

Lee said the shop is also in violation of Athens City Municipal Code section 3.07.62 (b), which states, “It shall be unlawful for any proprietor or his/her employer, keeper or manager in a place of public accommodation to deny any person, except for reasons applicable alike to all persons, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.”

The @flower.power.60 Instagram account also reposted the code Lee referenced and sent the code to Athens City officials, posting a picture of an email appearing to be from Lacey Rogers, the DEIA/Training Coordinator for the City of Athens. The email stated city officials were aware of the situation and currently in consultations for an appropriate course of action.

“Taking offense because someone disagrees with one’s inner feelings is not synonymous with bigotry or oppression,” Mangano wrote in an email. “I claim my First Amendment right to be wary of sexual deviants taking advantage of self (identification) to gain access to vulnerable women and children.”

Other social media posts have included a list of alternative places to shop compiled by Alyssa Dumbra, a junior studying biology, who said the list was the result of a 30-minute Etsy deep dive.

WHAT’S GOING ON?

Cultural immersions, diverse art exhibits

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

Wild Gathered and Garden Grown: Appalachian Food and Foodways will take place at 30 Park Place in Alden Library’s 1951 Lounge. The exhibit will feature Appalachian cooking in three different formats including local recipes from campus staff and faculty, cookbooks showing regional cuisine and photographs documenting the history of cooking at Ohio University. The event lasts all day, and can also be experienced through Jan. 28.

Attendance: Free

CONVERSATIONS … by the College of Fine Arts will take place at the Kennedy Museum of Art from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located at 100 Ridges Circle, the art exhibit curated by student staff “begins with the notion that we often create individual meaning from simple visual connections between objects.”

Attendance: Free

‘80s Night with DJ Barticus returns to Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St., from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. The event will feature favorite ‘80s tunes and invites anyone to come dance all night.

Attendance: $5 for 21+, $7 for 18-20

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21

Centering Black Artists at the Kennedy Museum of Art highlights the work of black artists within the museum’s collections. Historical artists such as social realist Jacob Lawrence, color field painter Sam Gillian and abstractionist Martin Puryear will be featured on display. The event is located at 100 Ridges Circle from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Attendance: Free

Ohio men’s basketball is back for its 2023 season. The team will take on Central Michigan from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at The Convo, 95 Richland Avenue. The game will pay tribute to Morgan’s Message, an organization fo-

cused on combating student-athlete mental health.

Attendance: Free

Midnight Meltdown at Bird Arena is a late night ice-skating session open to the public. Located at 23 Oxbow Trail, Bird Arena staff will be present and the event is from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. after Ohio men’s hockey takes on Drexel at 7 p.m.

Attendance: Rec Skate fees apply

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22

Ohio vs. Cleveland State will see Ohio wrestle against Cleveland State at The Convo, 95 Richland Avenue. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., free T-shirts will be handed out to the first 100 fans. The event is a Turn It Gold match, recognizing the organization’s fight against pediatric cancer.

Attendance: Free

Gesture of the Still Image can be seen from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kennedy Museum of Art, 100 Ridges Circle. The exhibit is a selection of photographs and other mediums from the museum’s collections for their portrayal of the human body in a moment of movement.

Attendance: Free

Athens Ki-Aikido Open House will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 94 Columbus Rd. Any age groups interested in traditional Japanese Martial Arts with an added emphasis on mindfulness are encouraged to attend. The event serves as an opportunity to learn more about the sport and talk to instructors. The dojo requires face masks upon entrance.

Attendance: Free

GRACE KOENNECKE FOR THE POST

Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of famous rock singer Elvis Presley, passed away on Jan. 12, shortly after the Golden Globes, which she attended as a guest alongside actor Austin Butler. Lisa Marie had an astounding legacy in the music world, following in the footsteps of her father.

In honor of Presley’s life, here is a timeline of her career and success:

Feb. 1, 1968

Lisa Marie, the only daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, is born. In 1985, Priscilla published the book, “Elvis and Me,” reflecting on her daughter’s birth, saying, “The nurse brought her into my room and I cradled her in my arms. She was so tiny, so beautiful. Elvis came into the room and kissed me, thrilled that we had had a perfectly normal, healthy baby. Then he took us both in his arms and held us.”

Aug. 16, 1977

Elvis Presley died when Lisa Marie was nine years old. Her mother told PEOPLE in 2005 that “the rapport between Lisa Marie and her dad was very special” and “they connected on a very deep level.”

1993

After the deaths of Elvis’s father, mother and sister in 1979 and 1980, Lisa Marie was left as the sole inheritor of the rockstar’s estate, Graceland. 13 years after this inheritance, Lisa Marie formed The Elvis Presley Trust to “continue the successful management of the estate.”

March 8, 2003

Lisa Marie begins her musical career, making her Billboard chart debut with the single, “Lights Out.” The track entered the March 8, 2003 “Adult Pop Airplay” survey, reaching No. 18 and No. 34 on “Pop Airplay” just two months later.

April 8, 2003

Presley drops her first debut album, “To Whom It May Concern.” The album reached

No. 5 on the Billboard 200 that month. 10 years after its release, the singer told Extra that her father’s music is “probably embedded” in her, saying, “I could only hope that he would be proud.”

Billboard reviewed the album shortly before it received its ranking on their chart, saying, “There is some searing depth to rock ‘n’ roll’s most famous princess, and she has some estimable chops both as singer and songwriter. Musically, this is sultry, surly mainstream rock with a cutting, contemporary edge.”

April 5, 2005

Just two years after her first debut album, Presley released its follow-up, “Now What.” The album debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, with its single, “Dirty Laundry,” reaching No. 36 on the “Adult Contemporary” chart.

May 15, 2012

After watching over Graceland for years, Lisa Marie returned to the music scene seven years later with her third studio album, “Storm & Grace.” It hit No. 45 on the Billboard 200 and No. 21 on the “Top Rock Albums” chart.

Jan. 10, 2023

The singer’s last physical appearance was at the 80th Golden Globe Awards show. Presley was supporting the film dedicated to her father, Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 biopic “Elvis,” starring Austin Butler. That night, Butler won “Best Actor in a Drama, Motion Picture.”

Jan. 12, 2023

Lisa Marie was taken to the hospital after a suspected cardiac arrest and died that night. She was 54 years old. In a statement shortly after her death, her mother said, “She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known. We ask for privacy as we try to deal with this profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers.”

Will Wood, Fat Night, Los Campesinos!, Dom Fera

Artists with under one million Spotify listeners you should be listening to

ALICIA SZCZESNIAK FOR THE POST

It’s easy to become trapped in the cycle of listening to the same popular artists over and over again. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying popular artists, sometimes you need a palate refresher, and we’ve compiled a few of them here.

Will Wood

Will Wood can be described in only one word: eccentric. His music combines jazz, rock, pop and folk for a distinct sound. Songs like, “I/Me/Myself” wholeheartedly embraces this unconventional vibe, creating a style that is nearly rocky-horror-esque in how he depicts the balance of masculinity and femininity through the voice of an unhinged narrator. Other songs like “Cicada Days” or “Love me Normally” takes a more low-key approach, beginning softly before crescendoing into a dramatic, fast-paced, almost manic bridge. Still, others tackle heavy subjects like death in a nihilistic, somewhat

deranged way, as seen in songs like “Memento Mori: The Most Important Thing in the World.”

Most recommended track: “Cicada Days.”

Fat Night

Chicago based indie-soul band Fat Night embraces a smooth, warm style, perfect for summer days spent lazing in the sun. However, there is a distinct dichotomy in their songs, with some like “The Warmth” and “Sun Go Down” maintains a relaxed, loose vibe with slow keyboard and light guitar that feel like a day at the beach set to music. Others, however, such as “Question” adds a psychedelic touch to raw lyrics, creating an overall much more funky and 70’s-inspired sound.

Most recommended track: “Honest Man.”

Los Campesinos!

Combining grunge sounds with a slight-

ly poppier beat is Los Campesinos!. The British indie rock band emerged in the late 2000s and has been consistently putting out albums since then. The group’s instrumental style is marked by overdriven guitars, fast-paced drumming and an oft-faint yet still noticeable xylophone. The lyrics, on the other hand, are often angst-filled, whilst still embracing a slightly tongue-in-cheek approach. This is exemplified in songs like “Romance is Boring,” which while explaining the angst and frustration of a relationship gone stale, the blunt lyrics filled with sexual references and innuendo keep it a bit more light and palatable. This is furthered in “Straight in at 101,” which describes the end of a relationship in a way that is both extremely honest and extremely explicit in nature, creating an angsty self-awareness to their music.

Most recommended track: “Knee Deep at ATP.”

Dom Fera

Dom Fera is relatively new to the indie scene, only putting out music since 2018. However, he has already established himself as a versatile artist. His music varies wildly in style, with songs like “The Reckoning” is fast-paced and piano driven, giving it an almost Elton John-esque vibe. Others like “Anybody Else” has a heavier beat and a Halloween-y sound, which is embraced in the music video where Fera is seen dancing with a cartoonish sheet ghost. Still others like “Neighborhood” has the lyrics take center stage, explaining the feeling of being at a low point in life in a melancholic yet still somewhat optimistic way.

Most recommended track: “Neighborhood.”

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