February 13, 2020

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

A SPIRITUAL

CONNECTION Gina Kruzel, a paranormal investigator, does everything from reading tarot cards to clearing homes to driving away negative energy

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Comparing fry prices on Court Street...P5

Valentine’s Day through the ages...P12

Amani Burke on and off the court...P14

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

With love, from The Post staff

ELLEN WAGNER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

for always being there. You’re better than O’Betty’s after a long night out :). I’m gonna love you for a long time, and I love you mostest.

The Post’s loved ones have put up with a lot between our late night hours, breaking news and everything else. Thank you for reading our stories every week, sharing our work and putting up with us talking about the news all the time.

The Post opens up this column every year to allow Posties to remind their family, friends, significant others and pets how much we love and appreciate them and their support. Here is what some from our staff has to say:

for always being my rocks. I love you both more than words!

Shelby Campbell, opinion editor To Morgan, Kristin, Luke and Raja, There’s no one in the world I’d rather love than you folks. You’re all always on my mind. Thanks for always listening to Steely Dan with me.

Keri Johnson, staff writer To Andrew, You are my rock and the most wonderful person I know. I’m so glad I get to love you. We’re two slow dancers, last ones out.

Ian McKenzie, assistant news editor To Riley, Thank you for being the person I can always count on. You’ve got a hold on my heart.

And I especially appreciate that you remind me to eat even when I don’t want to.

Bre Offenberger, copy chief To Riley, Thanks for making my days brighter and smiles wider. Alexa, play “You’ll Always Be My Best Friend” by Relient K. I love you forever!

Taylor Burnette, reporter To the person who loves me the most, Thank you for every good morning text and always picking up every phone call. You give the best hugs and the most thoughtful gifts. You’re my biggest supporter, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I love you, mom!

Rilee Lockhart, art director To Nathan, I wish I was better with words so that I could tell you what you mean to me. I’m so lucky to have fallen in love with my best friend and to have you by my side every day, and I look forward to all the days to come. I love you a billion plus one.

Mijana (Midge) Mazur, web development director To Andrew, Thanks for always being patient with me and

Ellen Wagner is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Have questions? Email Ellen at ew047615@ohio.edu or tweet her @ewagner19.

Riley Runnells, assistant culture editor To Bre and Ian, Bre, you’re my partner in crime and my absolute best friend. I love you forever. Ian, you’re the best person I’ve ever met, and you make me excited to wake up in the morning. Thank you both

Riley Scott, assistant art director To Adam Girmann, The first time I told you I loved you, it was by accident. So this is my formal apology for yelling “Wait, no, I didn’t mean that!” immediately after because I definitely did. And I’ve loved you more and more every day since.

Jela Latham, designer To Noah, I love when you kiss me. I love when you miss me. Just remember your heart is always safe with me.

COVER PHOTO BY NATE SWANSON

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLEN WAGNER DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Taylor Johnston

EDITORIAL

NEWS EDITORS Abby Miller, Nolan Simmons ASST. NEWS EDITOR Ian McKenzie LONG-FORM EDITOR Ashton Nichols SPORTS EDITORS Matt Parker, Anthony Poisal CULTURE EDITOR Baylee DeMuth ASST. CULTURE EDITOR Riley Runnells OPINION EDITOR Shelby Campbell ASST. OPINION EDITOR Noah Wright THE BEAT EDITOR Molly Schramm ASST. THE BEAT EDITOR Mady Lewellyn COPY CHIEF Bre Offenberger SLOT EDITORS Jack Gleckler, Avery Kreemer, Chloe Meyers, Kevin Pan

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Some Athens County residents set to lose SNAP benefits after federal adjustment to work requirements GEORGE SHILLCOCK FOR THE POST Around 350 to 400 residents of Athens County are set to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits once federal work requirements become stricter under new rules from the Trump administration.

The revised eligibility standards, which go into effect April 1, affects the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Employment and Training Program’s hourly work requirements. Previously, 42 of Ohio’s 88 counties were exempt from those hourly work requirements, but the new rules winnowed it down to 13, leaving out Athens County.

Jean Demosky, executive director of the Athens County Job and Family Services, or ACDJFS, said the estimated 350 to 400 able-bodied adults without dependents, or ABAWD, will now have to participate in a work program for 20 hours a week, or 80 hours a month.

ABAWDs who do not participate are prohibited from receiving more than

three months of benefits in a three-year period. That number makes up about 4% of SNAP recipients in Athens County out of what Demosky estimates to be just over 9,500 people.

“While assisting individuals to move toward self-sufficiency and into employment will always be an important part of our mission, we are never in favor of adding barriers to receiving benefits,” Demosky said in an email.

Athens County is one of the counties who ended up losing the ability to receive a waiver for work requirements because of an adjustment to U.S. Department of Agriculture policy based on a county’s unemployment rate, according to a media release from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Under current rules, counties with higher unemployment rates, like Athens, were able to apply for a waiver.

The only thing that changes for ACDJFS is they will now be required to track three of 36 months of SNAP eligibility under the Employment and Training program. That means after a job program participant fails

SNAP changes and how much it will affect the recipients Total amount of SNAP recipients

Amount of SNAP recipients affected*

700,000 350-400

9,516

Athens County

20,000

36,000,000 1, 300,000

Ohio

Nationally *Changes estimated to be put into effect April 1, 2020

to finish their three countable consecutive months of receiving SNAP benefits in a 36-month time period, they will lose their SNAP eligibility.

Demosky said there are ways to regain eligibility. To do this, they would have to complete one of the following within a 30day period: • 80 hours of work or a work program • 80 hours of SNAP Employment and Training Program activity.

• 80 hours of a combination of SNAP Employment and Training Program activities, work or work programs.

• Complete Work Experience Program compliance hours (based upon FLSA – SNAP allotment divided by

minimum wage) Chris Chmiel, Athens County commissioner, said the changes will probably put a burden on those affected but may lead to people changing the course of their lives and becoming more productive citizens.

“I’m hopeful that we can use it in a positive way because when something happens, you have to deal with it,” Chmiel said. “Federal money coming into the county is important, but I’m hoping we don’t have to stay the poorest county in the state forever.”

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Athens to get new solar panels TAYLOR BURNETTE FOR THE POST The city of Athens has begun the process of installing a new solar panel arrangement that is supposed to cost around $4 million.

The new installments will decrease the price of utilities for the city as well as move the city toward greater sustainability. The project’s approximate completion date is August 2021, Athens City Council President Chris Knisley said.

Although the exact location of the panels has yet to be determined, the goal is for the panels to be able to provide energy to city-operated buildings, like the community center and the wastewater treatment plant.

The city’s two largest energy-consuming buildings are the water treatment plant and the wastewater treatment plant, Athens Mayor Steve Patterson said. The community center is also a large consumer. This is why the tentative location for the solar panels is in close proximity to these locations.

“When we deployed our solar down at the water treatment plant … it was

almost right away we started realizing the savings that we’re having on our grid energy consumption,” Patterson said.

The city is hoping to qualify for federal tax credits to help pay for the project, Knisley said.

The carbon fee that Athens residents voted to be opted into in 2018 may also contribute to the costs of the project, Patterson said.

The city is looking for suggestions of locations from the company taking on the project.

There is a lot of space by the community center and the dog park, which are adjacent to the wastewater treatment plant, Patterson said.

Although the project is not directly associated with and was planned before the city’s climate emergency declaration, the project fits along the guidelines of improving the city’s sustainability.

Athens City Council unanimously passed a resolution declaring that the world is in a climate emergency, Sam Crowl, D-3rd Ward, said.

“I think it’s pretty clear to most of us that we are well behind what we need to do

“

The new panels will supply Athens’ wastewater treatment plant with more sustainable energy

I think it’s pretty clear to most of us that we are well behind what we need to do in order to keep the temperature from rising on the globe.”

-Sam Crowl, city councilman, D-3rd Ward ILLUSTRATION BY RILEE LOCKHART

in order to keep the temperature from rising on the globe,” Crowl said. “Every community has to do their own part. Renewable energy is one way to keep fossil fuels from

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Athens Fry Findings A look at french fry prices on and around Court Street TAYLOR BURNETTE FOR THE POST

C

ourt Street offers a wide variety of french fries, and with it comes an equally wide range in prices.

French fries can be purchased on Court Street from prices ranging from $1.69 to $5.99.

A variety of restaurants on Court Street and within the city of Athens serve french fries, including O’Betty’s, Fry’d Fries, Wendy’s, Larry’s Dawg House and Steak ‘n Shake.

Small, traditional french fry prices along Court Street vary, ranging from the most expensive at Fry’d Fries, costing $3.69, to the least-expensive at $1.69 at Wendy’s. In the middle of those prices is a small traditional fry from O’Betty’s, which costs $3.25.

Off Court Street, a traditional fry may cost less, with Larry’s Dawg House coming in cheapest overall at $1.50.

Myles Cutler, a senior studying sports management and marketing who is also the founder and CEO of Fry’d, said Fry’d fries its fries in beef tallow, which makes them a better product.

“For that reason, they’re a lot more flavorful, may come out crispier, and it’s a higher-quality fry than any other place near here, and maybe even a higher quality than any other place in the state of Ohio,” Cutler said.

A medium traditional fry will run those on Court Street between $1.99 at Wendy’s and $4.79 at Fry’d Fries. Many other businesses on Court Street do not offer a medium option. Some, like O’Betty’s, offer only a small and a large.

In other parts of town, like Larry’s Dawg House, you can get a medium fry for $2, or $1.99 at Steak ‘n Shake.

A large fry on Court Street is the most expensive but is available at more restaurants.

A large at Fry’d costs the highest at $5.99. A large fry at Wendy’s is only $2.29 by comparison. O’Betty’s once again ranks in between, with a large costing $4.25. Wendy’s large option, though, is cheaper than Larry’s Dawg House’s large, which comes in at $2.35.

O’Betty’s prices are based off the high-quality ingredients the restaurant uses, Tracy Duncan, general manager of O’Betty’s, said. The restaurant also uses Russet potatoes.

“Our french fries are fresh cut every day, soaked in water to remove the starches, and fried twice in 100% peanut oil,” Duncan said in an email.

For those looking for a more flavorful option, many restaurants in Athens offer additions to the traditional french fry. O’Betty’s offers a range of seasonings and toppings, including Cajun and cheese fries. Other restaurants, like Fry’d Fries and O’Betty’s, include sauces with their fries. Wendy’s also offers options with toppings. “(Fry’d is) also all about our sauce,” Cutler said. “There’s nobody who has our sauce, and for that reason, you can’t go anywhere else and get the experience at our place.”

O’Betty’s Cajun fries cost $3.25 for a small and $4.25 for a large. Off Court Street, Cajun fries can also be bought at Steak ‘n Shake for $2.08 for a small, $2.38 for a medium and $3.08 for a large. Larry’s Dawg House offers Cajun fries at $1.50 for a small, $2 for a medium and $2.35 for a large.

For those more interested in cheese fries, options include O’Betty’s and Steak ‘n Shake, with prices ranging from $3.75 to $4.75 at O’Betty’s and

GRAPHIC BY RILEE LOCKHART

$2.29 to $3.59 at Steak ‘n Shake.

Many businesses in the area pride themselves on their quality of fries.

“We have done a lot of research and although there are some fairly decent frozen fries out there, they do not even compare with fries that are fresh cut and fried every day,” Duncan said in an email. “We also find that peanut oil is far superior to vegetable oil which is a less expensive oil that a lot of other restaurants use.”

Cutler said Fry’d offers an experience unlike any other place in Athens offering fries on its menu.

“There’s nobody who has the type

of fry with the quality of ours,” Cutler said. “And we don’t only have fries.

With tater tots, potato fries, funnel cake fries … we have three things that almost no other place on Court Street has. We’re the only fry restaurant, to my knowledge, even in the state right now … We have a wider french fry variety than any other place in Athens, and I also think that our quality is a lot better.”

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NEWS BRIEFS

Walmart reopened after bomb threat; J bar sued for allegedly overserving hit-and-run drive EMMA SKIDMORE STAFF WRITER WALMART REOPENED AFTER BOMB THREAT CAUSES EVACUATION A bomb threat was repor ted to the Athens Police Depar tment on T uesday evening at Walmar t on St ate Street.

There are no known risks to the public. The store is open again, and a search of the building was completed.

Walmart, 929 E. State St., was evacuated and was searched with bomb-sniffing dogs from the Ohio University Police Department, Washing ton County Sheriff ’s Office and the State Fire Marshall’s Office, according to an APD news release.

There have been no injuries as a result of this, according to an APD news release.

APD got the call about the threat at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The case is still being investigated, according to an APD news release.

While the case is being investigated, more information will be provided when it becomes available, according to the news release.

J BAR SUED FOR ALLEGEDLY OVER-

SERVING ALCOHOLIC DRINKS TO HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER A lawsuit was filed against The J Bar on Jan. 30 from an Athens woman who claimed the man who drove into her while she was bicycling had been overserved drinks.

Julie T. Evanosky is suing the bar and its owner on counts of overserving and negligence in employee training, according to the lawsuit. Evanosky suffered life-threatening injuries, including a concussion and laceration in her head after being hit. Some injuries also required surgery, and she was f lown to a Columbus hospital. Due to Ohio’s Dram Shop Act, liquor permit holders are held accountable for injuries and deaths.

Security footage shows that Samuel David Conner, the perpetrator, had two shots and a beer in total, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit also cites how J Bar has a reputation for both underage and excessive drinking. A trial will be held to assess the damages.

CANDIDATE FOR ATHENS POET LAUREATE POSITION INTRODUCED A city poet laureate position was introduced to Athens City Council on Monday.

The position serves to promote the arts and literacy to community members. The poet laureate title includes a $2,000 stipend each year for the twoyear term. Wendy McVicker is up for the position and would be the third person to hold the position.

Bonnie Proudfoot, former associate professor at Hocking College, said Athens is lucky to have McVicker as an applicant due to her credentials and experience. McVicker has authored multiple poetry books, been a feature at the Power of Poetry Festival and a 20 year co-host of WOUB’s Conversation from Studio B. She said her ideas include planting “poetrees,” trees with poetry underneath them. McVicker said she believes tree planting is something the community would be interested in, and she can’t do it alone.

City Council also spoke about the funding for the Richland Avenue passageway project. While still unofficial, there would be $282,500 added in contingency funds. Sarah Grace, D-At Large, said that the project is important to pedestrian safety. In total, the project will cost $3.2 million with the city of Athens now responsible for 37% of funds and OU responsible for 16%.

Prior to this change, the city was responsible for about 43% and the university about 10%.

OU WRESTLER PLEADS NOT GUILTY ON 15 CHARGES An Ohio University wrestler pleaded not guilty on Monday to 15 charges, including criminal damaging, obstructing official business and resisting arrest.

Aaron Naples, 21, of Brunswick, was arrested by the Athens Police Department on Sunday for 13 charges of criminal damaging, one charge of obstructing official business and one charge of resisting arrest.

The athletics department has suspended Naples from the wrestling team and all team-related activities, Carly Leatherwood, OU spokesperson, said in an email.

Criminal damaging is a second-degree misdemeanor, according to the Ohio Revised Code. Resisting arrest and obstructing official business are also second-degree misdemeanors.

@E_SKIDMOREGS ES320518@OHIO.EDU

POLICE BLOTTER

Woman’s address mysteriously changed; man’s bank used for phone bill KIRSTEN THOMAS FOR THE POST YOU’VE GOT MAIL A deputy received a report from a Coolville resident on Friday regarding a changed address.

The woman who reported this said her address had been changed through the post office without her knowledge.

The post office said the complaint was forwarded to the Postal Inspector’s Office.

RUNNING AWAY WITH IT Deputies received a thef t repor t on Sunday, Feb. 9, from a man from The Plains.

6 / FEB. 13, 2020

He reported that someone used his bank account to pay a Sprint Bill.

People’s Bank is looking into the report, but he wanted to file a report to the Sheriff’s Office.

JUST THE ONE? A deputy responded to Industrial Avenue on Feb. 5 for a theft report.

A side mirror on a vehicle outside was taken. Some of the other vehicles on the lot had also been tampered with.

COME ON, DAD! Deputies responded to Nelsonville on Feb. 7 for a report from a woman who reported that her father had disconnected her power.

The account for her property was in her father’s name.

The father was told that once his daughter had her power restored, he could be charged for tampering with the electricity.

PLAYING HOOKY A deputy took a report on Feb. 7 of a child leaving school early.

The student was located at his house in Athens after the report.

IT’S GONE! WAIT …

Deputies were called to Union Lane in The Plains on Feb. 8 for a theft report.

The caller said someone had stolen his bike. Before deputies arrived, he

found the bike and told the deputies that he no longer needed their assistance.

DOG RESCUE Deputies were called by a man in Chauncey who had found a dog walking on State Route 550.

The man said he picked the dog up because he was afraid of it getting hit.

The dog’s owner’s information was found on the dog’s tag.

The deputy took the dog to the owner, and it was returned.

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Democratic congressional candidates make their case at voter forum GEORGE SHILLCOCK FOR THE POST The two Democratic candidates for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District faced questions about electability, infrastructure and their backstories from both the media and an audience of about 30 people at a voter forum Tuesday night in the Athens Community Center.

In the race for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District, Democratic candidates Daniel Kilgore and Joel Newby are trying to make their case for who is best suited to unseat incumbent Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Upper Arlington. The voter forum was hosted by the League of Women Voters and moderated by Athens City Councilwoman Beth Clodfelter, D-At-Large.

Both candidates, who are first-time politicians with little name recognition, had little daylight between them when answering questions based on policy but found their main differences in their background and whose story lends itself to being more electable in a district that covers large swaths of central and Southeast Ohio.

Kilgore, who grew up in Willard, now re-

Daniel Kilgore and Joel Newby introduced themselves to voters and explained why they are best suited to take on Steve Stivers to represent Ohio’s 15th Congressional District

sides in Columbus. He does acting and modeling work as a side job but has also worked as a volunteer for the Human Rights Campaign and as a campaign volunteer for Hillary Clinton in 2016.

“It’s time we actually get someone that’s a real person, not a career politician, that’s not lobbied in with the millionaires, the billionaires the big pharmaceutical companies, someone that actually understands what real America is like and comes from real American issues,” Kilgore said.

Kilgore billed himself as a candidate who not only has sympathy for people, but can directly relate to their struggles. Currently working a full-time job while campaigning, he grew up living with his grandparents and became homeless at one point in his life.

Newby, who is an Ohio University alumnus, made his argument based on his origin as well as citing how he grew up in Pickaway County, went to college in Athens County and now lives in Columbus working as a lawyer. He argued that his life experience of living throughout the different parts of the district lends him credibility and trust among its constituents.

“This county built me, and because I

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come from you, I will be able to go to Washington, D.C., and represent you,” Newby said.

Newby took an early focus on improving infrastructure through expanding rural broadband and transitioning to green energy, which can be a bipartisan effort. He said this includes pushing for green energy railways and establishing a green energy grid based on solar and wind farms.

“It is my opinion that you cannot build an economy unless you have the infrastructure to build an economy on,” Newby said.

Kilgore also wants to work to update electric grid and infrastructure but said it all depends on funding.

“We’re falling behind the rest of the world, and we’ve got to get caught up,” Kilgore said. “I will do everything in my power to make sure we are caught up, and hopefully, we can surpass other nations that we’re lagging behind.”

Kilgore and Newby both made arguments that they would be better suited to address issues like federal funding for small farms and the opioid crisis compared to Stivers, who has been in office since 2011.

Both candidates said the incumbent fails to represent areas of the district like Athens

and argued he pays more attention to the suburbs of Columbus.

“We all know this district was gerrymandered so Steve Stivers could live in Upper Arlington and never have to worry about Vinton, Athens or Hocking County,” Newby said. “I have so many connections through here that it is inconceivable to me that I would just go to Washington, D.C., and forget.”

Kilgore agreed and called Stivers a “phantom representative,” meaning he is never there. Kilgore said the first thing he’d do is become more accessible and establish an office in every county.

“Columbus has been the center of power for this district. It’s time we bring the power back to the counties, especially the southern ones,” Kilgore said.

The League of Women voters attempted to organize a forum between Stivers and his primary challenger, Shelby Hunt, but was unable to because neither were able to participate. Hunt will be at a different event organized by the league next Tuesday at Trimble High School, which includes Democratic candidates for the Athens County treasurer race and Republicans for Ohio’s 78th State House district.

Ohio’s primary takes place on March 17, and the deadline to register to vote is Feb. 18.

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HUMANS VS. ZOMBIES

Members of Humans vs. Zombies: Athens stand in formation as they prepare to defend themselves from a “zombie” on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. (CARRIE LEGG / FOR THE POST)

Members of the game battle it out for 14 years KERI JOHNSON STAFF WRITER If students ever see people running around campus with Nerf guns, they shouldn’t be afraid. Those people are just hunting zombies.

Humans vs. Zombies: Athens, referred to as HvZ, is part of Ohio University’s Urban Gaming League, a group that brings students together to play in large-scale, real-life, urban settings.

HvZ is a nationwide game played at college campuses. HvZ is a modified ver-

sion of tag: there is the zombie team and the human team. Players from the zombie team “infect” players from the human team. Humans are tagged via Nerf gun or a sock bomb, a balled-up sock covered in duct tape. Once all humans are tagged, the game is over.

HvZ is played 24/7, excluding safe zones.

Games have set start dates and end dates, Zack Kolumban, an HvZ administrator, said.

Games can last from one day to a week.

“We try to pace the game to last the set amount of time,” Kolumban, a senior studying media arts and studies, said. “As the turns are happening, we funnel the amount of turns to make sure the game lasts the entire time.”

Though HvZ is a game started by and for students, anybody can play. Local non-students play in HvZ: Athens, Kolumban said.

“There are people who just jump in and play with us, right off the street,” Kolumban said.

As well as letting passers-by in on the action, HvZ also communicates with the Athens Police Department and OU Police Department to let them know what to expect.

“I go into APD and OUPD and give them the dates and times and contact info,” Kolumban said. “They already know the drill.”

As an administrator, Kolumban is the go-to person for when something goes wrong. He’s there to help out in times of crisis, from last-minute change of plans to mediating conflicts.

“I monitor everything that’s going on,” Kolumban said. “I’m the first response in (the) event of an emergency — the first person who’s there to figure out what’s going on.”

The game has changed a lot over time, Jeremy Hayes, who has been with HvZ: Athens for about a decade, said. A combi-

nation of things have pushed evolution in the game.

“The Nerf blasters were much more inferior,” Hayes said. “It’s gone downhill in attendance.”

When Hayes first started playing HvZ, the group consisted of 200 to 300 people. His first game had 320 participants, he said.

“Everyone was coming out,” Hayes said. “People had a lot more fun being a zombie.”

Rob McMillan was one such child. He joined HvZ: Athens when he was only 9 years old. McMillan, now a junior studying sales, has noticed changes in HvZ, too.

Back then, everything was a bit more “real.”

“People got really into character,” McMillan said. “As a 9-year-old, as far as I was concerned, that was the apocalypse.”

For McMillian, Athens is an extraordinary place in general, but to play HvZ here is something totally special. By just recruiting people off the street and making friends, years of playing HvZ have made it into a very big part of his life.

“You haven’t played HvZ unless you’ve played an Athens game,” McMillan said.

For those who want to get involved with HvZ, stay up to date with the group’s Facebook page. The next event will be Feb. 28-29.

@_KERIJOHNSON KJ153517@OHIO.EDU

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Gina Kruzel: Ohio’s Ghostbuster Paranormal investigator rids clients of ghosts, curses LILY ROBY FOR THE POST

Kruzel translates the meaning behind the displayed tarot cards from her deck.

(NATE SWANSON / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

O

riginally from Cleveland, Kruzel got her start reading tarot cards in her mother’s metaphysical shop, Ambergram Metaphysical Boutique. Kruzel then met famous ghost whisperer Mary Ann Winkowski, who mentored her in the basics of ghostbusting and led her to transform it into a full-time career.

“In addition to reading cards, I clear houses of earthbound spirits,” Kruzel said, explaining that earthbound spirits are ghosts. “I also take negativity off of people, places and things. And, if you have weird problems, then I can help with that as well.”

Kruzel said her expertise ranges from aliens to nature spirits. The process begins when clients reach out over the phone.

If the client calls from a haunted house, Kruzel can immediately tell what’s going on.

“Energy does not matter to distance,” Kruzel said, adding that for haunted houses, the client must be in the haunted house when they call. “You get a vibe on the situation when you’re talking to a person in a (haunted) house. If they’re calling me from the grocery store, I can only talk about what’s in the grocery store, which would be crazy.”

Kruzel asks clients a number of questions at the start of her process, gathering as much information as possible about the strange experiences that clients have with the haunted houses she clears.

“99% of the time, if you’re living in a haunted house, it doesn’t matter if you’re spiritual or not because stuff happens,” Kruzel said, highlighting that weird noises and things disappearing can make even the most skeptical believe in the paranormal.

“Very rarely do people not know they’re in (a haunted house).”

Haunted houses can happen when people die but do not ‘go into the light.’ Kruzel said that the ‘light’ closes a few days after the last memorial service, trapping spirits on earth. Kruzel’s goal is to go back into the home, reopen the light and either free the ghost from earth or push it out of the house.

Ashley Eastman, an Athens resident who specializes in well10 / FEB. 13, 2020

Gina Kruzel is a fighter, a “hippie biker chick” with tattoos up her arms. The paranormal investigator has been serving Ohio and the surrounding area for over 38 years, driving away negative spirits. ness, has had to reach out to Kruzel a number of times about ghosts in her home.

“For (the first ghost), she came over to my house, and she cleared the space with sage, which makes ghosts go away,” Eastman said. “Once it dissipates, they come back often, unless you put up these barriers at all the entrances.”

The barriers Kruzel uses are specially blessed seeds, which she places above all doors and openings to trap spirits out or force them into the light.

Before contacting Kruzel, Eastman was unsure about the presence of a spirit in her home. She reached out to a woman who lived below her and was more than surprised by her response.

“This sounds crazy, but she said that one night, she woke up, and she saw blue fog coming out of her kitchen,” Eastman said. “She actually kind of thought she was losing her mind, and then she saw her cat looking at it, too. So it was really tearing me up. I was hyper about it. And then my boyfriend said, ‘Well, maybe you should call Gina.’”

Since then, Kruzel has worked with Eastman many times.

In one instance, Eastman heard a noise in the night and left a worried voicemail for Kruzel. Kruzel called her back the next morning, saying that she’d seen ‘something blue with stars on it’ while listening to the voicemail. Eastman thought for a moment before realizing that her comforter was blue with stars on it.

“And she was like, ‘That’s where it hangs out,’” Eastman said.

To make contact with a ghost, Kruzel said that you don’t need any kind of fancy equipment. Cameras easily pick up orbs, and Ouija boards can almost too easily make contact with spirits.

Kruzel can make contact and clear houses in a snap.

However, Kruzel insists that people with paranormal problems shouldn’t reach out to just any ghostbuster because a lot of them don’t know what they’re doing and can even make things worse. Kruzel won’t turn people down if they really need her help.

“Bad ghost hunters can come in and stir up the place,” Kruzel said. “I’ll deal with anyone that needs help for real. I’ll do anything … from exorcisms to negative energy to all kinds of unusual things.”

For an average price of $250, Kruzel will clear and protect houses, close portals, release spirits, put protective seeds up and leave extra seeds for the clients. Sometimes, however, it isn’t just that easy.

“Sometimes people are cursed,” Kruzel said. “There’s different ways you can get negative energy on you, but once in a while, someone is cursed.”

Rosario Martin, an Athens resident, had to reach out to Kruzel after he was cursed. Martin said he came back from Hawaii and instantly began losing weight and having terrible luck. Kruzel met up with him and quickly came to the conclusion that a curse had been placed on him. She pulled the energy off him, and things immediately improved.

“There’s things Gina has told me and made sense out of … that nobody else could have ever known,” Martin said. “I believe her. I believe 100% that she pulled some sort of negative energy off of me. What I know is that she helped me without a doubt.”

Over the last 38 years, Kruzel has built up a clientele that spans the entire world. Her dedicated work has cleared spirits from hundreds of midwestern houses. She prides herself on staying connected to clients and promising her work.

“Once you know me, you know me forever,” Kruzel said.

“You move to Tahiti: something’s going on, something goes bump in the night. I guarantee my work. I better be the first phone call you make.”

More information can be found at ginakruzel.com.

@THELILYROBY LR158117@OHIO.EDU

ILLUSTRATION BY JELA LATHAM

Athens groups stress the importance of voting awareness KERI JOHNSON STAFF WRITER Politics can affect cities in an extremely direct way. The mayor, City Council, ordinances and laws affect everyone, even in the most benign ways.

But for those who want a say in what goes on in Athens, they can vote.

The Ohio primary is March 17, St. Patrick’s Day. However, the deadline to register to vote is on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Those who are still not yet registered are in luck because there are plenty of options and convenient opportunities around town.

One option for voter registration is at the Athens County Board of Elections, 15 S. Court St., where people can stop by Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Another Uptown option is the Athens County Democratic Party headquarters, 74 E. State St. “We do voter registration every day at the office,” Andrea Reik, volunteer at the Athens County Democratic Party office, said.

People can stop by the ACDP headquarters Monday through Thursday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., to register to vote as well as request absentee ballots and change their registered address.

The ACDP has been active in voting awareness, Reik said. Volunteers have been calling and notifying voters of registration deadlines, which are earlier than usual this year.

“We’re realizing a lot of people don’t realize the primary is this quick. It’s early this year. They think of it as May,” Reik said.

For Reik, this is an important election year, and mobilizing voters is an important part of it. This Saturday, the ACDP is partnering with the Ohio Democratic Party to register voters all across Athens.

“We’re trying to get out there,” Reik said. “This is a really important election year. With the primary moved, so many

people are not aware.”

People will be able to register at Athens County public library branches, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; the indoor Athens Farmers Market at the Athens Mall, 1002 E. State St.; The Village Bakery & Cafe, 268 E. State St; and College Gateway.

“We’re gonna be out there to give people the opportunity to register,” Reik said.

Beyond the city of Athens, people who want to register to vote can do so at one of seven branches of the Athens County Public Libraries System.

Other branches are located in Nelsonville, Chauncey, Coolville, Glouster, The Plains and Albany.

Only a few people register to vote at the Athens Public Library, Amy Drayer, branch manager of the Athens Public Library, said.

“We don’t get as many (people to register to vote) as we’d like,” Drayer said. “I don’t know if people think to come to a library to register to vote, but we do get a few.”

For Drayer, voting is something in which everyone should be involved.

“People need to register to vote,” Drayer said. “Even if it’s for local elections or national, it’s a great thing we get to do.”

Registering to vote can be fun, DJ Barticus, a local DJ, said. Sometimes voter registration even calls for celebration.

Gyration Nation was a dance party featuring Barticus on Thursday, Feb. 6, at The Union Bar & Grill, 18 W. Union St. The point was to raise awareness about the deadline to register to vote, Barticus said.

“We had people on hand registering voters, and they said it went very well,” Barticus said. “It’s a good thing to do at night at events where a lot of people are.

It was a fun crowd.”

People of all ages came out to Gyration Nation, Barticus said. It was a mix of music and people coming together.

Barticus has dabbled in local politics himself and encourages young people and students to make their voice known by voting. Barticus thinks students should register because they make up a large portion of Athens.

“If they want to say something — for their voice to be heard — they should register,” Barticus said.

There are other voter registration deadlines: July 6 for the Aug. 4 special election as well as Oct. 5 for the Nov. 3 general election. Aside from many in-person options, Ohio residents can also register to vote online at olvr.ohiosos.gov.

@_KERIJOHNSON KJ153517@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 11

Seasons of love in

ILLUSTRATION BY RILEY SCOTT

A look back at Valentine’s history in Athens through the years TAYLOR BURNETTE FOR THE POST PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE OHIO UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES DIGITAL ARCHIVES

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What are students doing this year for Valentine’s Day? In years past, they likely would have been involved in a vastly different array of activities. // Depending on the decade, one could have attended the Roaring ’20s Valentine’s Day Massacre Party, Alpha Gamma Delta annual dinner dance featuring the University Stringed Orchestra or even be at a bar, enjoying 30-cent beer bottles with a sweetheart.

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1969

In the Feb. 13, 1969, edition of The Post, the Roaring ’20s Lounge in Athens posted an ad for a Roaring ’20s St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Party to “relive” all the excitement on the 40th anniversary of the 1929 St. Valentine’s Day massacre in Chicago.

“Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Valentine’s Day massacre the way it used to be,” the advertisement read, “by getting destroyed Friday night. It’ll be a real ‘cop out.’”

The ad also says that violin cases were checked at the door.

1917

Going back to the beginning of the 20th century, as is listed in the Feb. 15, 1917, edition of Green and White, the Alpha Gamma Delta Valentine Dinner Dance was listed as one of the “most charming social functions of the college year.”

The event decor featured lighting by red candles in crystal candlesticks and baskets of carnations. The University Stringed Orchestra and two featured soloists performed through the event. After a grand march, the dancing began for about 50 couples, the Green and White said.

ing applied management, said. “Nowadays, people like the idea of having fun. They want the idea of having fun, but sometimes, they don’t want to do the activities that are there. They’re worried about what my friends might think about doing this … It’d be cool to kind of just dress up and have fun and a special day like that.”

1964

Comparatively, The Post on Feb. 14, 1964, listed that readers may want to take a “certain someone” out for a 30-cent bottle of beer. The “Never on weekends” column said all the bars in town were hosting the special.

Georgie Naumoff, a junior studying health services administration, said she would for sure take up the special.

“30 cents is a good deal,” Naumoff said.

The rest of the Valentine’s Day events listed were a swim meet against Cincinnati and a dinner at the “Campus Skillet.”

While many activities were put on for students on campus, the Valentine’s Day celebrations throughout the years were not only limited to those attending the university.

1949

Many students today still feel that this is important.

“A lot of people in nursing homes don’t really have a lot of people to talk to,” Lucia Aponte, a freshman studying geography and meteorology, said. “So it is a great idea (because) they don’t really see many people.”

Aponte believes he would most definitely be interested in participating in an event like that.

1970

Looking back at the history of Valentine’s Day shopping in Athens, students in previous years made some very different purchases than students often do today.

Members of Sigma Alpha Iota sold singing Valentine’s Day calls, according to the Feb. 13, 1970, edition of The Post. Options included “Happy Valentine’s Day to you” sung to the tune “Happy Birthday” for 25 cents, or for those “big spenders,” “My Funny Valentine” could be sent for $1.

2002

Many other formal Valentine’s Day dances were held throughout the ’40s and ’50s, hosted

by Ohio University Greek Life organizations.

Some students today still have an appreciation for events like these dances.

“I feel like our generation nowadays is so secretive …

There’s a lot of naysayers when it comes to events,” Harrison Grady, a senior study-

1957

In February 1957, a man listed only as “Grandpappy” wrote his appreciation for a young woman who came to perform on the accordion and sing for “the boys on the ward” in Green Hill News. He thanked her, saying that if he were 45 years younger, he would send her a Valentine featuring the poem “Once In Awhile.”

In more recent history, according to an ad in the Feb. 12, 2002, edition of The Post, a $14 heart-shaped cheesecake from the now defunct Zachary’s could be purchased as a special.

Today, students still find ways to spread love on and off campus, spending quality time with those they love. @THATDBEMYLUCK TB040917@OHIO.EDU

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Finishing strong Amani Burke offers consistency both on and off the court SCOTT THOMAS FOR THE POST Amani Burke is perhaps Ohio’s most experienced player. She doesn’t offer the same flash that her counterparts in Erica Johnson or Cece Hooks may display on the court, but what she does offer is consistency, and she gives it when the Bobcats need it the most.

She is the third in Ohio’s dominating trio of herself, Johnson and Hooks. That trio currently claims six different All-Mid-American Conference awards from last season, when they helped establish Ohio as one of the premier programs within the MAC. Burke, a senior from Columbus, showed that aforementioned consistency and reliability when she was put in a position to carry the offense against Akron on Jan. 29 — a game with Johnson and Hooks on the bench because of foul trouble.

“I’ve never really gone into the game like, ‘I have to score,’” Burke said. “It’s been mostly, ‘What does my team need me to do to win?’”

For Burke, the team doesn’t need her to put up those big numbers every game — even though she is confident she could.

She is always looking for the smartest play to put the team in the right position to score or to prevent the other team from doing so.

“I know for a fact I can go in and probably have 25 a game,” Burke said. “But I just think a lot of times, it’s about ‘What’s the right play?’ instead of trying to be that player that’s trying to get my averages up.”

With an average of just over 13 points per game in each of the last three seasons, the senior hasn’t raised her scoring averages, but her comfort and confidence in the offense has grown. The comfort brought on a new level of play for Burke, who has raised her assists per game each year of her career.

Coach Bob Boldon has noticed this improvement and has placed a lot of trust in Burke’s decision-making on the court.

“She knows what we’re doing, and she has the ability to do it,” Boldon said. “That’s what makes her so special. It’s one thing to know what’s going on, and it’s another to do it. She does it on a regular basis.”

Knowing what is going on in Boldon’s 14 / FEB. 13, 2020

Ohio guard Amani Burke (No. 3) drives to the basket with pressure from Akron during the 70-57 Ohio victory in The Convo on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (JESSE JARROLD-GRAPES / FOR THE POST)

“

I’ve never really gone into the game like, ‘I have to score,’ it’s been mostly, ‘What does my team need me to do to win?’”

-Amani Burke, a senior guard for Ohio women’s Basketball team

offensive scheme can be a tall task. The Bobcats like to play a positionless system that allows anybody to score at any time.

It is crucial for the team that every player knows their role, and Burke always does.

Her consistency on the court has translated to her off-the-court presence as a leader. She has tried to maintain a positive demeanor through her tone in practices and games for her final season by encouraging her teammates.

“I think in the past, we’ve had a culture of just getting on each other and not nec-

essarily shedding light on the things that we do well, but when we’re doing things bad,” Burke said.

Her positive attitude and uplifting messages to those around her have boosted the rest of the team, and with Burke’s career coming to a close soon, the team is trying to repay the favor by winning a MAC Championship and receiving a berth to the NCAA Tournament.

“We know how important her last year is to her, and we’re just trying to get it done. She wants a ring, so she’s been more

vocal than usual,” Johnson said. “And it’s not just being vocal. She’s also being positive and just being a good leader, being a good senior and being a good role model.”

Those are the things Ohio’s extremely young team needs. Burke is the only starter that won’t return next year, and the other two in the trio will be able to take over leadership of the team seamlessly.

For now, the Bobcats will continue to look to their senior to make the right decisions and lead the team as they go into the final stretch of the season.

In a month, Ohio will most likely go to Cleveland for the MAC Tournament to qualify for a NCA A Tournament spot. Burke wants nothing less than to go out big.

“It is my senior year, so I definitely been thinking like, ‘Hey. I want to go out with a bang,’” she said.

@SCOTT_CTHOMAS11 ST610417@OHIO.EDU

HOCKEY

A late-season outlook of the Central States Collegiate Hockey League Nearly every team in the CSCHL has a chance to move up or down in tournament placings

JACK GLECKLER SLOT EDITOR ANDREW ALLISON FOR THE POST On March 6, the Central States Collegiate Hockey League will begin its league tournament in Champaign, Illinois.

There are only three weeks left until the CSCHL Tournament, and many of the teams only have one league series left. While Lindenwood is locked in at first place, every other spot is up for grabs.

The Post looked at each CSCHL team and where it thinks each will end up.

LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY The Lions (19-7-0, 12-2 CSCHL) sit comfortably on top of the CSCHL rankings and have clinched the No. 1 seed for the league tournament. The Lions have only two losses in league play this season, and the reigning CSCHL champions are the favorite to win again this season.

Lindenwood has earned 35 of the possible 42 points when facing league opponents.

Only Ohio has been able to prevent the Lions from steamrolling the league.

Whoever the Lions face in the tournament will have a tough task. Lindenwood hasn’t show any signs of slowing down for the upcoming month.

Tournament Spot: Clinched No. 1 seed OHIO UNIVERSITY Ohio (19-8-3, 9-5 CSCHL) only needs one league win to clinch the No. 2 seed for the tournament. Its final CSCHL series will be against Iowa State, and if the Bobcats clinch, this will be the fourth consecutive year they have claimed the No. 2 seed.

The Bobcats have shown potential to compete with teams that are as highly ranked as them. Ohio, however, has been wildly inconsistent at points in the season.

After winter break, the Bobcats struggled to win the first game of a series whether their opponents were ranked or not.

The Bobcats seem to be rebounding, though. A sweep of Stony Brook, which was ranked No. 7 in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, might be the confidence booster Ohio needs heading to Iowa State.

If Ohio snags a win from the Cyclones, it will be in a good position against the No. 3 seed. The Bobcats have positive records against Illinois and Iowa State, who will likely round out the league’s playoff positions.

Predicted Tournament Spot: No. 2 seed IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY Iowa State (17-13-2, 6-6 CSCHL) has the

most to gain in the three weeks leading up to the CSCHL Playoffs. It has the most possible points remaining of any team in the league.

The Cyclones’ final two series against Ohio and Lindenwood could send them rocketing toward the top. If they sweep their final two series, they will bump Ohio down to third and snatch the second seed.

Having two CSCHL series to finish the season means Iowa State also has the most to lose. Facing the toughest teams in the CSCHL is a large enough order, but the Cyclones haven’t beaten the Lions since 2017.

If the Cyclones and Ohio stay in second and third place, they will still face each other again in the first round of the CSCHL tournament. The Bobcats should have a much better chance of moving further in the tournament against the Cyclones than fighting Robert Morris over the chance to play Lindenwood for the championship.

If Illinois sweeps Robert Morris and Iowa State loses out, the Cyclones will find themselves stuck in fourth place.

Predicted Tournament Spot: No. 3 seed UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS The Fighting Illini (15-10-3, 4-8-2) have a narrow window to slide into the third seed, but they aren’t in control of that window.

Their only chance to move up a seed is if Iowa State wins once in their last four league games. Illinois also needs to win once in its final league series to brush past the Cyclones.

Their only remaining CSCHL opponent is Robert Morris, who the Fighting Illini swept in their last meeting in November.

Illinois is playing a balancing act, and if Iowa State splits its final games, the Fighting Illini will be trapped near the bottom.

Predicted Tournament Spot: No. 4 seed ROBERT MORRIS-ILLINOIS Robert Morris (13-14-4, 3-8-3 CSCHL) has struggled to find any success against league opponents this season. The Eagles have only won three games against CSCHL opponents this season, and they haven’t won a league game while on the road.

It just so happens that the Eagles’ final league series will be on the road against Illinois.

The Eagles can still move up the rankings if they manage to sweep the Fighting Illini and if Iowa State loses out. If that happens, the Eagles may finish with the third seed and face Ohio in the CSCHL Tournament.

Predicted Tournament Spot: No. 5 seed

@THEJACKGLECKLER JG011517@OHIO.EDU

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@17_ANDREW_ AA816819@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 15

MEN’S BASKETBALL

A smaller lineup saw success for the Bobcats Ohio’s “small-ball” lineup leads it in 73-61 win over Western Michigan MATT PARKER SPORTS EDITOR

B

en Vander Plas took the ball on the low block, and with it in his left hand, he cocked it back and touched it off the glass to fall through the hoop.

Jason Preston dribbled his way from half-court through a clear lane for an easy layup.

Ben Roderick stepped up to the top of the key and jumped for a solid mid-range bucket.

Jordan Dartis didn’t even think when he caught and shot the ball from beyond-the-arc and swished 3-pointer after 3-pointer.

Miles Brown dished out the ball to his open teammates and forced consecutive stops time and time again.

These five players — all with different skill sets, roles, attitudes and perceptions on the game — flowed and blended together in Ohio’s second consecutive Mid-American Conference win, this one a 73-61 victory over Western Michigan.

The Bobcats, over the last four days, have found different ways to win their two games, but they might have found what they’ve been craving all season: consistency.

The buzz word, tossed around much like the ball they

use day in and day out, showed itself in Tuesday night’s win over the Broncos as Ohio’s “small-ball” lineup showcased its effectiveness.

“Small-ball,” meaning the five players on the floor who traditionally don’t play in roles where taller players are located on the court, had its advantages over Western Michigan, and the versatility of Ohio’s small-ball lineup was there.

Vander Plas was the Bobcats’ biggest player on the court despite being only the fourth-tallest guy on the team at 6 feet, 8 inches. The aforementioned players are no taller than 6 feet, 5 inches, and played against a Broncos squad that averaged just a bit taller than that.

The effectiveness in Ohio’s smaller lineup is simple.

Smaller, faster guys on the court space it out and force opponents who have bigger players to play in large areas on the court where they might not be as comfortable. For the Bobcats, all five that line up can shoot the ball effectively.

Vander Plas’ ability to play in the paint gives Ohio valuable possessions down low. Preston’s ability to drive down the lane and make the ticky-tacky shots off the glass gave Ohio the points it needed.

It’s a lineup that’s still relatively infant – it was first rolled out just four games ago against Northern Illinois – but it’s a lineup that’s starting to give Ohio success.

“It’s something that we’ve been doing a little more lately, just getting a lot of guys back healthy,” Vander Plas said. “I think it just opens up the floor on offense for us. It gives us better driving lanes for (Preston), and also, it lets us come out there and pressure the ball with a bunch of good perimeter defenders.”

Those driving lanes were apparent through the spacing as Preston finished with 21 points on 17 shots. The sophomore notched a double-double Tuesday with 11 rebounds and continued his strong second-year campaign after posting a triple-double on Saturday.

The numbers are nice, sure, but they haven’t been happening by accident.

“I think it’s really on defense,” Preston said. “We get after it on defense and get a lot of easy buckets in transition.”

The Bobcats’ defense held the Broncos to 40.7% from the field, slightly below their season average of 43%. Several times on defense, Ohio forced shot clock violations or near-violations that led to forced shots and defensive rebounds for Ohio.

Unlike the two teams’ first game this season, where the Bobcats were injured and missed plenty of open looks offensively, the nine games it has since played forced the young roster to grow up a little.

It’s that growth where coach Jeff Boals has seen his players fall into their stride and earn confidence in their ability to play the game.

“We’re getting better,” Boals said. “I think … what you want to do this time of year is to continue getting better. We were a different team when we played them game one.”

For the first time since the 2016-17 season, the Bobcats have the opportunity to win three consecutive conference games when they play Kent State on Saturday. The intangible difference-maker for them in the early goings of the post-bye stretch has been energy.

Players are loose during warmups, smiling and laughing on the court. Boals said he cranked up the music in the locker room before the game started and pumped his chest twice after his pre-game speech.

It’s those intangibles that carry a young and inexperienced team, such as this one, to achieve tangible success, and that’s what Ohio is experiencing now.

@MATTHEWLPARKER5 MP109115@OHIO.EDU

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DONKEY TIME

Daniel Kilgore is a longshot, but there’s value in his campaign

End corporate welfare

NOAH WRIGHT

ADONIS FRYER

is a junior studying strategic communication at Ohio University.

is a freshman studying communications at Ohio University.

Daniel Kilgore is one of two Democrats challenging incumbent Republican Congressman Steve Stivers for Ohio District 15 in 2020. Stivers is a juggernaut in District 15, and his reelection seems inevitable. Kilgore’s campaign isn’t just a longshot. It’s nearly unthinkable. In fact, according to FiveThirtyEight, it’s a 10% chance at best.

But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to learn from it. I called Kilgore to see what he believes he can offer.

Stivers has been in Ohio politics since 2003 and a congressman since 2011. Kilgore, on the other hand, has never held elected office. Kilgore hopes his fresh ideas can challenge Stiver’s right-wing platform.

Kilgore’s reason for running isn’t complex.

It can be boiled down to the fact that nobody else wanted to take on the challenge.

“It seems like nobody wanted to do it …

Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, it’s impossible to win.

Don’t even bother,’” he said. “They keep saying it’s useless, but when people tell you that, it kind of makes you (wonder) why can’t you?”

Kilgore is familiar with discouragement.

He claims the Franklin County Democrats told him, “It’s pointless. It’s useless. Don’t even bother.” He says Franklin County Democrats told him it would find a more established candidate, but there doesn’t appear to be many “qualified” candidates eager to fight for District 15 in 2020.

While Kilgore is a long way from a favorite in this election, that attitude from party leaders doesn’t provide much hope for the district. Kilgore believes Stivers is a “bully,” and the Franklin County Democrats have no interest in stopping him.

For Kilgore, and many other Democrats in Ohio and nationally, the fight against the GOP is about the forgotten working class.

Stivers’ representation fits the Trumpian mold of the modern Republican Party. He has a strong base with conservatives, and if he can reach that base and inflame their concerns, he can keep winning. Kilgore aims to use the economic divide and disparity in the district to challenge Stivers.

The average income in Grove City is $58,000 and only $26,000 in Nelsonville.

Thanks to strategic gerrymandering, both of those counties are in the same district.

That is where Kilgore’s “Square New Deal” could have traction. His plan is, at its core, a restoration and expansion of America’s social-safety net programs started under Franklin D. Roosevelt.

That similarity is not a coincidence. Kilgore idolizes FDR and shapes his platform around Roosevelt’s Second Bill of Rights. He sees the plan as an opportunity to bridge the divide between economically polar communities. He laid out how his plan will cover areas ranging from economic inequality to the protection of the environment.

As for the city of Athens, the leading Democrat will have no issue gaining votes.

Rural Athens County is a different story, however, but Kilgore says he has a strategy: “I have a group of people in Lancaster, and I’ve also been talking to people in Pickaway County and even as far down as Ross County … There has to be some communication lines between the county parties and the people that are trying to represent you,” he said.

He seems to want to end the dominance of Franklin County.

“For so long it seems that Franklin County has controlled everything in the district,” he said. “It seems like everything is controlled through Franklin County for almost the whole entire state ... Certain counties feel forgotten, and those things have to change.”

The biggest takeaway from Kilgore’s campaign is his desire to challenge the party. Until someone with dedication or a vested interest in Appalachia is elected, the powers in Columbus will continue to dominate politics.

It’s improbable that Kilgore will be District 15’s representative after 2020’s election, but his campaign has value. If the party continues to passively watch Stivers dominate, poverty and inequality in the district will go unaddressed.

Paying taxes is like doing the dishes: it sucks. It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, a professor or student or even a boomer or a zoomer. It’s a truth that we all hold to be self-evident. Trust me, I’m fully acquainted with the evils of both. I’m a dishwasher at a dining hall, and after hours of washing plates, a portion of that money earned is taken by taxes.

It’s no mystery why everyone hates doing the dishes. It’s a trivial, time-consuming task that gets you wet, makes you acknowledge how much you eat and, worst of all, it only solves a temporary problem — those plates are going to get dirty again.

Taxes, however, are not trivial, and you’re most likely dry while filing them.

Taxes don’t solve temporary problems, either. Instead, they fuel the American dream. It’s taxpayer dollars that fund the public transportation system that brings parents to work, pays for the schools that educate our future leaders and finances the soldiers who protect our freedom.

In reality, the hatred of paying taxes comes from a mistrust about how they’re spent. There’s agreement that there should be more money spent on things like education and veteran benefits, but deciding what should be cut is not as straightforward. Here’s a start: cut corporate welfare. It’s hurting all of us.

Corporate welfare is government support or subsidy of private business, such as by tax incentives. Those subsidies tend to benefit the wealthiest companies in the nation, like Amazon, Boeing and Walmart. Oftentimes, those payouts are justified by claiming those companies create jobs for everyday Americans.

Except it doesn’t always work out

that way. For instance, af ter the state of Washing ton awarded Boeing an $8.7 billion corporate payout in 2013, they repaid the state by cutting nearly 12,000 workers. Or look at A mazon, the company owned by the richest man in the world, Jeff Bezos, has received $2 billion in government subsidies since the star t of the centur y while some of its workers rely on food stamps for meals.

Everyone knows Jeff Bezos is a brilliant entrepreneur, but few know he’s a welfare king.

In 2012, corporate welfare cost taxpayers over $100 billion per year.

That number’s only gone up, and with a spiraling national deficit, fiscal responsibility needs to return to Washing ton, D.C. The only way to fix that issue is to vote in politicians who are against the policy.

Oftentimes, policies like the Green New Deal or Medicare for All are described as a “leftist fantasy” and a “socialist dream,” respectively. When speaking about social welfare, Trump said, “People are taking advantage of the system,” but hasn’t directed that same ire at his own tax cuts for the wealthy.

The only way to end this horrible line of policy is to vote for politicians who want corporations to pay their fair share. Unlike washing dishes or doing taxes, voting puts power in your hands.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat or Republican, sick or healthy, debt-ridden or financially free — ending corporate welfare must be on everyone’s agenda.

Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Tell Adonis by messaging him on Instagram @adondonf.

Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Noah? Tweet him @ NoahCampaign.

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17

6 non-cheesy Valentine’s Day gift ideas Out with the chocolate and in with the weighted blankets MADYSON LEWELLYN ASST. BEAT EDITOR Come Feb. 14, love is in the air, and all is well … until you realize the challenge of deciding what to gift that special someone in your life. Valentine’s Day is a day to appreciate the loved ones in your life, but it also comes with stress if gift giving isn’t exactly your type of love language. Some may prefer the easy route of heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and a bouquet of flowers, but it’s time to take a “non-cheesy” approach when gifting your sweetie this V-day.

Although Valentine’s Day may have a bad reputation for being a holiday full of cliche gifts and tacky sentimentality, one thing is certain: Flowers wilt, but weighted blankets are forever. Whether you have heart eyes or will be rolling your eyes this Valentine’s Day, look to these non-cliche gift ideas for some inspiration: HAMMOCK Spring is almost in the air, which means

the cold weather will soon make way for sunshine. Why Netflix and chill when you can hammock and chill? A hammock is the perfect gift that can also double as a future outdoor date option. Grab a speaker and embrace the warmer weather in a fun — and romantic — way by spending some time in between the trees with that special someone.

Thankfully, Amazon has a variety of hammocks priced under $20 — making it an affordable yet thoughtful gift that will provide a relaxing date option for the warmer months ahead.

MOCCASIN SLIPPERS Does anything say “I love you” more than a nice pair of slippers? Nope. Slippers or moccasins are the perfect gift for those who like to relax, especially during the colder months. While Ugg boots may have fallen from their moment in the fashion spotlight, slippers never went out of style.

It’s a simple gift that will get all the more use rather than a teddy bear from the local convenience store.

You won’t have to break the bank on a quality pair of slippers and can find them priced as low as $11.55 on Amazon.

HEART-SHAPED PIZZA This gift idea may be “cheesier” than others but proves to be more thoughtful than a box of chocolate. Valentine’s Day is usually spent over dinner in an overcrowded restaurant with surrounding couples. However, you don’t need fancy, expensive dinner plans to impress your hot date. The solution? Giving your special someone a “pizz-a” your heart this year with a heart-shaped pizza and a romantic movie night in. Luckily, many pizzerias offer heart-shaped pizza specials. From Feb. 10 to Feb. 16, you can get your hands on a heart-shaped pizza from Papa John’s for $11 with the promo code VALENTINE. Pizza Hut will also have a Valentine’s Day special available this year through Feb. 17 for a price of $11.99 or $16.99.

WEIGHTED BLANKET We all love our sleep. What makes it all the more comforting and therapeutic? A weighted blanket, of course. Gifting your partner a weighted blanket is like giving them a million cozy hugs each night. The

MORSE CODE BAR NECKLACE OR BRACELET Let morse code be your love language this year for a minimalist yet thoughtful gift.

If you’re going the jewelry route, you won’t need diamonds to express your love. With a

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morse code bar necklace, you can create a custom message for your sweetheart to decode. Keep things between the two of you with a heartfelt phrase or an inside joke in the form of a necklace or bracelet.

You can find a variety of customizable options on Etsy, which includes pricing from $9.50 to $40.

GLOSSIER SKIN CARE EDIT Rose are red. Violets are blue. If your sweetie loves skin care, this gift option is perfect for you. This Valentine’s Day, treat your special someone to this limited edition Glossier skincare edit set that includes several travel-friendly sizes of the company’s best-selling products. Inside is a mini-size of the Milky Jelly cleanser, Super Bounce serum, glow-enhancing Futuredew oil, Priming moisturizer and Balm Dotcom lip and skin salve.

The limited edition set is available for $50 and contains everything you’d need for fresh, glowing skin in gift form. The non-cliche option is perfect for someone who travels frequently or just loves Glossier products. If you’re going solo this V-day, this is the perfect gift to show your skin some extra love as well.

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magic is all in the deep pressure that mimics a hug, making the gift option particularly special for long-distance couples. Weighted blankets have been proven to improve sleep patterns and overall focus and trigger the release of feel-good hormones.

Although most weighted blankets come at a steep price, Amazon has a selection of 5- to 25-pound blankets priced below $50.

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Denzel Curry, Kenny Beats create a raw masterpiece on ‘UNLOCKED’ The collaboration is 18 minutes of pure excitement JOEY PERKINS FOR THE POST South Florida rapper Denzel Curry and producer Kenny Beats teamed up to create their new project, UNLOCKED. UNLOCKED is a pure masterpiece from start to finish, with Curry and Beats packing a lot of great content in a short amount of time.

The collaboration is the first project from Curry since his May 2019 album, ZUU. Not only did fans not have to wait super long for new music, but Curry doesn’t disappoint with UNLOCKED. Despite sitting just below an 18-minute runtime, the project excels with just eight tracks.

Curry, throughout the project, masters his flow versatility. “‘Cosmic’ .m4a,” the final track on the project, is a raw, aggressive track that Curry takes control of from start to finish. Other tracks like “Lay_Up.m4a” has Curry rapping with a more laidback, melodic tone. One of the things that makes the project great is the consistency of Curry, no matter how he approaches a track.

With the project being so short, it truly leaves no time for filler tracks. Every track has as much energy as the next, and Curry and Beats keep the flows and the instrumentals fresh with ease.

Curry’s gritty, hard-hitting flows partners beautifully with the MF Doom-sounding, modern day boom-bap instrumentals that Beats provides. The only issue with UNLOCKED is that there isn’t more.

Curry has always been an amazing rapper, and he showcases his true lyrical ability on all aspects throughout the album. Curry consistently combines aggressive sounds with introspective bars over every single track.

It is rumored that the project was created in a 24-hour period, which makes it even more impressive than it already is. Ironically enough, the project seems to symbolize the unlocking

of ZELTRON, Curry’s aggressive, violent-sounding alter ego. The collab’s raw theme gives Curry a great outlet to let ZELTRON loose, and he does it with perfection on UNLOCKED. UNLOCKED, although early in the year, is definitely a contender for the best rap project of 2020. Both Curry and Beats provide so much energy for this project, and the combination of aggressiveness and melodies by Curry is one of many things that makes the album shine. UNLOCKED is perfect through and through. The duo make the release their own while still complementing the other well. Without a doubt, UNLOCKED is a flawless, raw masterpiece by Curry and Beats.

@JOEYPERKINS_ JP391418@OHIO.EDU

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Acting Out BEKAH BOSTICK | FOR THE POST

The College of Fine Arts created three new majors for the 2019-2020 school year. Whenever change comes, tensions tend to rise.

Those new majors include film, musical theater and the newly-renovated, four-year acting major. Previously, the acting Bachelor of Fine Arts program was three years.

Film students were only Honors Tutorial College students. The musical theatre major is brand new.

Steven Ross, director of the film school, said the HTC has always offered a film major, and they average three to four students a year. Matthew Shaftel, the dean of the College of Fine Arts, wanted to expand the fine arts schools, but particularly the film school, after noticing the university only offered a graduate degree and a HTC

option for filmmaking but not an undergraduate option.

Both Ross and Shaftel decided to start there. Ross spent about a year-and-a-half designing the new major, and it was approved in October 2018 for the following Fall Semester, he said.

At the beginning of the 2019 semester, there were 23 film majors, including three HTC students. Now there are 17 students left, Camryn Blakely, a freshman studying film, said. After six freshmen left over the break, there were questions on what was happening. Blakely said that a couple of students wanted to take this semester off or switch majors. A few are switching universities altogether.

“There is pressure on finding something that speaks to your heart, that you want to do as a young person and

that you’re going to make a life’s commitment to,” Ross said. “Then there’s the pressure (that) ‘I need to be employed. I need to. I have aspirations for a family and a house and, you know, a normal life.’ Are there safer areas versus more romantic areas, more adventurous areas? To be sure, we know that. And … there’s a balance I think.

Hopefully, there will always be students who commit to the arts, commit to the thing that they love.”

Because this was a new undergrad major added to the school, there was not a clear idea of what to expect when first-years came.

“They didn’t really explain anything to us. They’re just like, ‘You’re new, and we’ll do everything as time goes on.’

So no real plan or anything,” Blakely said.

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Similar to not knowing what to expect with the film major, the new musical theater major is also trying to figure out where it is headed. Lauren Janoschka, a freshman studying musical theater, is loving the program but did not know what to expect because it is the first year it has been offered. One of the big things that the musical theater major is experiencing is this idea of where the new major is going to go.

“Some people have different visions for what shows that we’d like to be doing in the future versus what the School of Theater likes to be doing,” Janoschka said. “So I’d say the big thing for how the program is doing, it’s doing great. Now we’re just … all trying to figure out what the future of the program is going to look like and what direction we want to go in.”

The focus of the musical theater major is in contemporary musical theater, as opposed to classical musical theater, and has a strong music base, Janoschka said. There is also a strong component of acting classes that the musical theater students are required to take.

The musical theater major started out with 27 to 28 freshmen in August. This semester, there are 22 to 23 students after five ended up switching. There are only 12 students enrolled in the acting program.

The acting major has always been small.

Last year, there were fewer than 15 students enrolled for one class.

The new acting majors have found that they are encouraged to do multiple things that they are interested in. Angela Baldasare, a freshman studying acting, is studying sound design and dance alongside acting so that she can create her own path instead of a cutout for her follow. She also said she learns about the functions of a backstage setting that will help her in her career.

Baldasare said the new major is very acting-heavy, especially for the musical theater major because there is a large focus on acting instead of just singing and dancing. The first year students work with professionals in this new major as a freshman, when in past years they would start working with them as a sophomore. Baldasare said OU offered a wider range of opportunities than other schools she was looking at for her major.

Cam Smith, a freshman acting major, said he liked OU over New York University and other universities when he was auditioning for colleges because he said OU seemed more comfortable.

“I felt my audition at NYU was better than here, and I got in here,” Smith said.

“It’s just enjoyable … This has more focused learning … You can tell they care.”

There has been some tension between the new musical theater majors and the acting majors this year, Baldasare said. She said some of it could be due to the fact that

“

I’d say the big thing for how the program is doing, it’s doing great. Now we’re just … all trying to figure out what the future of the program is going to look like and what direction we want to go in.”

- Lauren Janoschka, a freshman studying musical theater

ILLUSTRATIONS BY RILEY SCOTT there might be some acting majors that did not get into the musical theater major.

Each major, however, gets advanced training in different areas once they get up to the junior and senior year.

Janoschka said she thinks that it could be due to some emotional tension. Some classes focus on the Meisner technique, which challenges students with strong emotions. The class has previously had 11 people, but this year has 30.

Cam Smith said it also might be that while several upperclassmen auditioned for the musical theatre major, none made it in.

Despite the changes and challenges for this year, Ross said that the new majors are exciting for OU and for the future.

Some students have switched majors because freshman may not understand what they want their career path to be.

“You’re a senior in high school. You have an idea: this is what I want to do,” Ross said. “You come to college. You’re making a transition from living at home in high school. You imagined a world, and now you’re suddenly seeing what it is.”

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the weekender Celebrating Southeast Asian Culture LAUREN SERGE FOR THE POST

ILLUSTRATION BY JELA LATHAM

This Sunday, PERMIAS, an Ohio University Indonesian Student Association, and Southeast Asian Students Association, or SEASA, will hold a night open to all students as well as members of Athens dedicated to celebrating Southeast Asian culture.

The event is sponsored by the International Student Union and will include various performances, such as dances and singing, as well as food, all to showcase the Southeast Asian traditions and customs through an entertaining and informative scope. The night will highlight cultural aspects of several countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Ihsan Faris is a co-coordinator for the event. Faris said the purpose of the event is to couple the breadth of the OU curriculum with a celebratory occasion to commemorate the elements of Southeast Asia.

“I’m very grateful that there are language programs here at OU that accommodate and encourage people to learn more about Southeast Asia,” Faris said. “But we want to go beyond teaching the language and also celebrate and inform people about our culture by having this event and having a feast with them.”

Junia Purwandani, a master’s student studying environmental studies, is the treasurer of PERMIAS. Purwandani said that celebrations like these can serve as a platform for individuals to publicly share their culture, which they often do not have the chance to do.

“Sometimes students need a place to show their cultural identity, and I think it’s important to let other people know about countries they’ve never been to,” Purwandani said. “It’s a way of promoting their culture to others.”

For Faris, the promotion of his culture will be more direct, as he will be taking part in one of the many performances taking place at the event.

“I’m going to be performing myself,

Ashley Kafton, a graduate student studying international development studies, is the president of SEASA and a co-coordinator of the event. Kafton believes the viewpoint of other cultures is often constrained by prejudice and a minimal willingness to learn. However, she believes that cultural events like Southeast Asian Night can help to reduce this issue, offering students a glimpse into different cultures.

“A lot of times, different regions of the world are so exoticized and are made to be viewed as an ‘other,’ and the extent of the exposure is so limited,” Kafton said. “But having events like these is kind of a humanizing thing.”

Alongside this, Kafton also emphasized the importance of building a connection between domestic and international students in an effort to increase the representation and awareness of Southeast Asian students on campus.

“We really want to raise the profile of Southeast Asia here,” Kafton said.

“OU used to have a really large Southeast Asian studies program. But since budget cuts and funding, the impact of it has decreased a bit, so we’re really hoping that this event will jumpstart that and get OU international and domestic students interested in Southeast Asia again.”

Kafton is grateful for OU’s inclusivity and how it continues to form cultural events like these that contribute to the diversification of the public and build a deeper understanding of other’s experiences.

“I think it’s really great that even in Athens, Ohio, we can have such incredible cultural experiences because there’s a really rich and vibrant international student population here,” Kafton said. “So I think it’s wonderful that they are so willing to open up their culture to us and celebrate it.”

22 / FEB. 13, 2020

IF YOU GO WHAT: Southeast Asian Night WHEN: Sunday, 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Baker Ballroom ADMISSION: $10 for adults, $5 for kids so I’m really excited to show my Indonesian culture,” Faris said. “But I’m also excited to see the culture performed by other Southeast Asian students because honestly, even if we are all from Southeast Asia, it’s rare to see such performances from other countries.”

Faris believes the significance in sharing Southeast Asian customs re-

sides in the fact that the region is frequently marginalized in the discussion of Asian culture as a whole.

“I think that to some extent, Southeast Asia, compared to other parts of Asia, is less represented,” Faris said. “So we think that this part of Asia needs to be promoted and celebrated to bring diversity to this university.”

@LAURENESERGE LS351117@OHIO.EDU

WHAT’S GOING ON? RILEY RUNNELLS ASST. CULTURE EDITOR

FRIDAY Trust Me Dance Party at 10 p.m. at

Casa Nueva Restaurant & Cantina, 6 W. State St. Anyone 18 and up can come dance to the musical stylings of DJ B-Funk for no cover charge. It’s a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with almost every genre of music.

Admission: Free Valentine’s Day Prom at 9 p.m. at

The Union, 18 W. Union St. ACRN is hosting its annual prom with a live auction of prizes from local Athens businesses. Come dance to live music from Jeremiah Hayes and GrandAce all while feeling love in the air.

Admission: $5 Cardio with Cupid at 6 p.m. at Ohio

University Ping Center Fitness.

Come get your heart rate up during the Valentine’s Day group fitness event. Admission: Free with student ID

Me & Mom Valentine’s Class at 1 p.m. at Athens Sweet Arts Bakery & Desserts by Jenn LLC, 817 W. Union St. Mothers and daughters will team up to make cake pops and decorate cookies. Admission: $25 Valentine’s Party and Dinner at 6 p.m.

at Athens American Legion Post 21, 520 W. Union St. Come join the band Heartbreak Ridge for a night full of country music and a Valentine’s Day-themed dinner. There will be a 50/50 raffle, a door prize and a pie auction. Admission: $5 cover; $10 for dinner

SUNDAY The Color Purple at 7:30 p.m. at

MemAud, 47 E. Union St. The musical The Color Purple is a Grammy and Tony award-winning musical.

The national tour is coming to OU, hosted by the OU Performing Arts and Concert Series. Admission: $22 student; $27 seniors; $30 general admission

Heartbreaker’s Ball at 8 p.m. at Athens Uncorked, 14 Station St. Join the Goddess Collective Burlesque for its annual celebration of love and heartache. There will be several burlesque performances for people 18 and up.

Admission: $10 at the door (cash); $12 for credit/debit cards

OPEN STAGE

Showcase your talent-or just enjoy a cup of coffee as a spectator

EVERY FRIDAY 8:00 pm

Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium

THE COLOR PURPLE

Don’t miss this stunning re-imagining of an epic story about a young woman’s journey to love and triumph in the American South.

Experience the exhilarating power of this Tony-winning triumph that New York Magazine calls “one of the greatest revivals ever.”

Sunday, Feb. 16th 7:30 pm $30 general admission; $27 Seniors $22 Ohio University Students

ohio.edu/performing-arts

West End Ciderhouse Little Fish Yoga at 10 a.m. at Little

Fish Brewing Company, 8675 Armitage Road. Come attend the donation-based class that focuses on slow-flow yoga. The class is available for all skill levels, but people are required to bring their own mats. Admission: Free Southeast Asian Night at 4:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

OPEN STAGE The Front Room • Baker Univ. Ctr

at Baker Center Ballroom. Join PERMIAS and Southeast Asian Student Association, or SEASA, as they host a night of exploring Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia and Vietnam. There will also be musical performances from OU students. Admission: $10 adult; $5 children @RILEYR44 RR855317@OHIO.EDU

OPEN MIC NIGHT

Join Chris Monday for Open Mic Night. $1 off most house & draft taps

EVERY MONDAY 7-10 pm

OU Gallery • Seigfred Hall AS, NOT FOR: AFRICAN AMERICAN POSTERS

Baker Univ. Ctr 3rd Floor Atrium

CLOTHING SWAP Stop by and browse potential additions and upgrades to your wardrobe. All items will be priced between $2 and $4. Receive 50% discount if you bring clothes to swap!

All proceeds support your host student media groups The Post, The New Political, SPJ, Thread, and Variant.

Thursday Feb. 20th 3-7 pm

Kennedy Museum of Art PICTURE THE WORLD: BURHAN DOĞANÇAY AS PHOTOGRAPHER This exhibition, from the artist’s personal archive of roughly 30,000 images taken in more than 100 countries.

Through Mar. 22nd

FREE ADMISSION ohio.edu/museum

Market on State

ATHENS FARMERS MARKET: THE HANDS THAT FEED US Forum Theater • RTV Building

THEATER

SHE KILLS MONSTERS

By Qui Nguyen (Alumnus, 2002) Directed by Brian Evans In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.

Feb. 20th - 22nd & Feb. 25th - 29th Feb. 27th (ASL inter. perf.)

The exhibit features a body of work created through a partnership between the Athens Photo Project and the Athens Farmers Market.

The exhibition features work from 22 APP artists who spent six weeks exploring and documenting many of the local farms and businesses that comprise the Athens Farmers Market.

on view Through April 30th

FREE ADMISSION athensphotoproject.org

8:00 pm $7 Ohio University Student / Senior $10 general admission

ohio.edu/fine-arts/theater/

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Cut out OU valentines for your pals!

Did you forget to get your girlfriend a gift? Did you just now realize it’s Valentine’s Day? Is your whole class exchanging cards and you’re almost in tears from the FOMO? We got you. Cut out these OU-themed Valentine’s and hand them out. Your friends and your bank account will love you.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY RILEY SCOTT ( HI ADAM :) )

T E N 99 4BEDS.

$ We have The largest selection in ATHENS with the amenities you want & MANY EXTRAS

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