September 24, 2020

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2020

Preparing for the election

COVID-19 pop-up testing leads to complaints

PG 3

Jeff Boals sells shirts for scholarship fund

PG 16

OU students establish themselves through fashion brands

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EDITORIAL

OU needs to better address mental health during COVID-19

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has impacted college life in practically every way, and Ohio University students are no exception to that.

As the pandemic continues, students are being forced to adapt to Zoom classes, teach themselves course material and deal with the pain of being away from friends and classmates. Not only are students attempting to balance all of this while being confined to their homes and bedrooms, but they’re expected to stay sane while doing so. In the midst of these circumstances, it seems the mental health of students has been pushed to the back burner, and OU hasn’t been doing much to combat that.

Sure, going to school from home means you can roll out of bed and go to class in your pajamas, but it also means you’re working in the same place that you eat, sleep and relax. The joy of classrooms is it gives students an environment strictly for learning, and COVID-19 has taken that away. That loss and the grueling task of completing assignment after assignment in your bed can be mentally fatiguing. Working from home causes you to feel like you’re never actually turning off or taking a break from schoolwork.

It’s also hard to feel like OU genuinely cares about how COVID-19 is affecting its students when it sends out mass automated text messages. These texts include brief surveys asking students to rate their ex-

perience with virtual learning, but there’s no real substance behind them. A student might reply saying they’re having a horrible time adjusting to online classes and merely receive a computer-generated response of “Thanks for the feedback!”

Where’s the human connection? How are these surveys benefiting us? Receiving a pre-written message doesn’t seem like the university is actually listening to its students’ concerns. The last thing students want to do right now is answer a survey that will have no concrete effect on their current situation. We are individuals who deserve a real response from a university that claims it’s doing its best during these unprecedented times.

While the university tries to keep students informed by sending out weekly emails with updates on COVID-19 in Athens, it’s mentally exhausting to read about how progress is being made yet, as an individual, it feels like the school year gets harder and harder as the semester goes on. And who’s checking in on our mental state? Not the university, that’s for sure.

This is not to say that university provided-resources, like the Counseling and Psychological Services, aren’t doing their jobs. Rather, OU does a poor job of marketing them. The circumstances facing Ohio University students are extraordinary, and such circumstances require an extraordinary response from the school.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Molly Schramm MANAGING EDITOR Baylee DeMuth DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Geiger EDITORIAL NEWS EDITORS Abby Miller, Nolan Simmons ASST. NEWS EDITOR Ian McKenzie LONG-FORM EDITOR Shelby Campbell SPORTS EDITORS Jack Gleckler, J.L. Kirven CULTURE EDITOR Riley Runnells ASST. CULTURE EDITOR Keri Johnson OPINION EDITOR Noah Wright ASST. OPINION EDITOR Mikayla Rochelle THE BEAT EDITOR Madyson Lewellyn ASST. THE BEAT EDITOR Emma Dollenmayer COPY CHIEF Bre Offenberger SLOT EDITORS Eli Feazell, Anna Garnai, Katey Kruback, Molly Powers ART ART DIRECTOR Mary Berger ASST. ART DIRECTOR Olivia Juenger DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Kelsey Boeing PHOTO EDITOR Nate Swanson DIGITAL WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Brianna Lender SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Taylor Burnette DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA Ethan Sands BUSINESS STUDENT MEDIA SALES INTERNSHIP MANAGER Andrea Lewis MEDIA SALES Emily Cassidy, Ali Gifford, Kyle McCort

2 / SEPT. 24, 2020

The COVID-19 crisis has students facing thoughts and feelings they have never experienced before.

Many of our peers, including some of us at The Post, have been left isolated and tasked with shouldering the burden of OU’s decisions.

To any university administrators who are reading this: Your students are suffering. Those included in Phase 2 return to a shell of what their school once was, and those left out get to watch in envy — continuing their tumultuous semester at home while still paying full tuition. Bobcats in both groups need help.

And lastly, to any students who are reading this: Your feelings are valid. It’s OK to not be OK. The past few months have been traumatic and frustrating, complicated further by a school that attempts to assuage your pain with robo-texts and poorly worded emails.

We’re in this fight together. You’re not alone.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors: Editor-in-Chief Molly Schramm, Managing Editor Baylee DeMuth and Digital Managing Editor Matthew Geiger. Post editorials are independent of the publication’s news coverage.

COVER PHOTO BY NATE SWANSON THE

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COVID-19

Complaints Students report long wait times, confusion at COVID-19 testing centers EMMA SKIDMORE STAFF WRITER Some on and off-campus Ohio University students reported frustrations with the process of OU’s asymptomatic COVID-19 testing after receiving emails notifying them they must be tested.

A number of tweets made by students who went to testing locations said the locations were understaffed, causing long wait times, and it was unclear where to go to get tested.

OU has partnered with CVS Health to administer the COVID-19 tests. Carly Leatherwood, a university spokesperson, said there was an “excellent turnout” on the first day of testing.

“While we were pleased by the response, we understand that there was some understandable frustration

with the wait time, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused,” Leatherwood said in an email. “We are learning as we go in this unprecedented situation, and we thank everyone for their patience as we work out the specifics in our system.”

Leatherwood said if students were not able to complete their test due to long wait times, they should email COVIDoperations@ohio.edu to reschedule an appointment.

CVS Health also released a statement and apologized for any inconvenience students may have experienced.

“We have taken immediate steps to help ensure a seamless experience for those being tested, and look forward to continuing to help Ohio University achieve its important goals during these unprecedented times,” according to the statement.

Ari Kocab, a junior studying anthropology, is living off-campus and was chosen to participate in random testing. Kocab said she does believe off-campus students should still be tested for COVID-19 because they are still involved on campus. “‘Off-campus’ is just people who are not in a dorm and it is not related to who encounters who,” Kocab said in an email.

Kocab said besides missing a class because of the long wait times, getting tested was ultimately worth it.

“They were an hour behind when I first arrived, and then it took about 15-30 minutes to be checked-in, tested, and handed our results,” she said in an email. “We had to swab our own noses with a healthcare worker instructing us on how to.”

Alica Burdette, a senior studying creative writing, said she is glad students are being tested, but it was clear the centers were unprepared.

“I waited an hour-and-a-half, but apparently, that mostly stemmed from the fact that when we all signed up, there were multiple testing sites when in reality there was only one,” Burdette said.

She also said she didn’t feel the space was well-ventilated, though the university assured students it was in an email.

“The actual test itself wasn’t terrible for me, but the wait was just a little irritating,” she said Kocab said the workspaces were thoroughly sanitized, and everyone was kept 6 feet apart, but there’s some room for improvement. She said there should have been more than one testing room open.

“Even though it was only supposed to take 15 minutes, all the 12:45 pm appointments were in one place instead of four, so it took an hour and a half,” Kocab said in an email.

Kocab said she is pessimistic about the situation improving with more students coming to Athens for Phase 2. She is worried it will be too difficult to monitor the behaviors of that many people and that they could have COVID-19 and be asymptomatic. Underclassmen who are looking for the full “college experience” may also break social distancing guidelines by partying, she said.

“I wish I could be positive about Phase 2, but honestly, I am worried about the number of people coming back on campus, and the ones already here,” she said in an email.

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An Athens County Board of Elections ballot drop box outside its office on Court Street in Athens, Ohio.

(NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR)

Ballot Box Boost Outdoor ballot boxes to help voters comfortably vote absentee this election

BEKAH BOSTICK FOR THE POST The Athens County Board of Elections now has two ballot boxes located outside its building that voters can use to return their absentee ballots in for the upcoming election.

One outdoor ballot box was required by the secretary of state for all 88 counties in Ohio during the primaries and is still required during the presidential election.

The Board of Elections has had a ballot box by its back entrance for several years, Debbie Quivey, director of Athens County Board of Elections, said. The one in the front was allowed because there are two entrances.

“We have two entrances — one at the front and one at the back — so we were allowed to have two,” Quivey said.

“We wouldn’t be allowed to have one here and have one at Walmart or somewhere like that, and that’s what the difference is on those.”

Quivey believes that voter turnout will increase as a result of the ballot boxes. The number of absentee ballots has doubled since last election.

4 / SEPT. 24, 2020

Comparing absentee ballots between this presidential election and the last presidential election, there has been a significant increase in absentee ballots requested. During the 2016 presidential election, between 4,200 and 4,500 ballots were requested. This year, there have already been about 8,400 ballots requested, Quivey said.

Maxeen Ramlo, a junior studying chemical engineering and student recruiter for Bobcats Power the Polls, believes the ballot boxes will help improve voter turnout as well. She said the boxes are very visible on Court Street because of their decorations and bright colors.

“It’s also great for college students because for early voting, the times are pretty restricted, and for the ballot box, you can go and drop off your ballot whenever you can,” Ramlo said. “That’s really helpful, especially with classes and organizations. I know all of our schedules are busy, so having that 24/7 access to drop off a ballot is really helpful.”

In order to vote through the ballot boxes, voters must request an absentee ballot. An absentee ballot can be found on the Athens County Board of Elections website for printing.

If the voter does not want to go into the Board of Elections

and does not have access to print the application, they can call the Board of Elections and request to have it mailed to their address.

A voter can also mail a letter to the Board of Elections requesting an absentee ballot.

There is a list of requirements that must be included in the letter, which can be found on the Board of Elections’ website.

The absentee ballot form needs to have the original signature of the voter and be sent back to the Board of Elections, Quivey said.

The ballot cannot be faxed, due to it needing the voter’s original signature.

Absentee ballots will be sent out from the Board of Elections starting Oct. 6. Once the voter receives their ballot, they can fill it out and return it to the Board of Elections using the new outdoor ballot boxes. Otherwise, voters can turn the ballot in at the Board of Elections counter.

In order to not have an absentee ballot become disqualified, the voter needs to fill out the ballot using the instructions online.

The steps are numbered, tell what needs to be filled out and when the ballot needs to be returned to the Board of Elections.

All ballots need to be at the Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m. on election night to be counted. Any voter sending their ballot by mail needs to have it postmarked the day before the election, which is Nov. 2.

The location of the two ballot boxes is toward the bottom of the Board of Elections’ website, which also has directions to get to the boxes. Voters do not have to get out of their car to turn in their ballots to the drop box, making them coronavirus-friendly.

“I’d just like to encourage everybody to vote,” Quivey said. “Voting this way, there’s been a lot of questions, a lot of controversy.

This is a safe way to vote absentee. Voting is not different than it’s ever been.”

@BEKAHBOSTICK RB442218@OHIO.EDU

“

It’s also great for college students because for early voting, the times are pretty restricted, and for the ballot box, you can go and drop off your ballot whenever you can.”

- Maxeen Ramlo, a junior studying chemical engineering and student recruiter for Bobcats Power the Polls

Campus Coordination

Campus political groups prep for the election amidst COVID-19

GRANT RITCHEY FOR THE POST Political organizations on campus still plan on gearing up for the 2020 election, even through a global pandemic.

Organizations like the Ohio University College Republicans and OU College Democrats are still preparing for elections in November through the same conventional methods they have used in the past, but now remotely.

Chase Conklin, president of OUCR, was already planning events for the election in March when the coronavirus first emerged in Ohio.

“How is the virus going to affect our events?” Conklin said. “How is this going to affect recruitment? For a while, we didn’t have an answer.”

Conklin reached out to alumni, community members, friends and other members of OUCR for ideas for how the group could reorganize for the Nov. 3 elections. OUCR has been holding meetings on Zoom and Microsoft Teams, including the meeting during which the 2020-2021 executive board was sworn in.

Even so, the fact that OUCR membership is separated is a big hurdle, OUCR Political Director Brad Kennedy said. Because not everyone is in Athens, it makes meetings harder to assemble and for everyone to be there, Kennedy said.

OUCR’s plans for informing voters about candidates have not changed much due to the pandemic.

Door knocking can still be done while maintaining social distancing guidelines, Conklin said. They are still calling registered Republicans in Athens to see if they are voting in person or sending in an absentee ballot.

On National Voter Registration Day, OUCR will have a booth Uptown to help residents register to vote.

OUCD is working in preparation for the election by promoting voter registration and encouraging members to volunteer with campaigns and county parties, OUCD President Elanor Skees said.

“We have been working very closely with the Athens County Democratic Party and their fantastic volunteers to get work done county-wide,” Skees said.

Similar to OUCR, OUCD has made phone and text-banking a centerpiece of their plan to get the word out to vote.

“We have also been getting students involved with their county parties at home to get Democrats elected down the ballot across the state and country,” Skees said.

Since OUCD is spread throughout the state due to COVID-19, Skees and members have made connections with their local officials in their hometowns.

“We’re encouraging involvement statewide, not just in Athens,” Skees said.

Though much can go on remotely, OUCR and OUCD have not been able to plan their usual parades

in support of their representatives.

“Events that we depend on doing are up in the air. Parades almost every weekend, haven’t done any due to COVID-19,” OUCR Vice President Sam Wiesneth said.

Conklin encourages people who have not registered to vote to register before the Ohio deadline Oct. 5.

@RITCHEY_GRANT GR619615@OHIO.EDU

“

How is the virus going to affect our events? How is this going to affect recruitment? For a while we didn’t have an answer.”

- Chase Conklin, president of Ohio University College Republicans

Athens County Board of Elections at 15 S. Court St. (MIDGE MAZUR | FOR THE POST)

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 5

NEWS BRIEFS

Jason Pina steps down from vice president role; city officials doubt long-term viability of pop-up COVID-19 testing EMMA SKIDMORE STAFF WRITER

Pop-up COVID-19 testing sites provide free testing, but city officials doubt the long-term viability of the method Many Athens residents have been able to get tested for COVID-19 for free because of recent pop-up testing sites.

Almost 900 Athens residents were able to be tested at Athens High School during two pop-up testing dates.

Athens Mayor Steve Patterson hopes to do more testing of residents as students return to campus for Phase 2. He also said while testing weekly would be more effective for tracking the virus, it is too expensive.

Results of the testing have impacted community decisions, such as whether or not local K-12 schools could teach remotely or in person. Chad Springer, principal of Athens High School, said the data is what allows them to make informed decisions about what the next step will be.

The tests also offer peace of mind to students or other residents who have anxieties surrounding contracting the virus. Zoe Burr, a junior studying health and physical education, said she felt much better knowing the tested negative because she worked with someone who tested positive.

Patterson and public health officials continue to stress the importance of following state orders and guidelines.

Jason Pina steps down as vice president of student affairs; Jenny Hall-Jones takes his place in the interim Vice president of student affairs Jason Pina has stepped down and will officially leave his position Oct. 26, according to a university press release.

Jenny Hall-Jones was selected to serve as the interim vice president of student affairs after serving as dean of students for seven years.

Pina has accepted a position at New York University as chief strategy officer for global programs and university life. OU President Duane Nellis said Pina has provided strong leadership to the university and wishes him the best in his future endeavors.

Hall-Jones said she is looking forward to the opportunity to advocate for students in this role and that it is an honor to serve her alma mater in the position. She has had multiple administration positions in her 24 years at OU. Coronavirus: Athens County closes in on 600 cases 282 students have been tested at Ohio University main campus, with 110 students testing positive and 142 testing negative. 34 tests are still pending.

Only one OU employee has tested positive out of 24 total, with 20 testing negative and three pending. Athens County maintains its level two status, and on campus, 62 students are in total isolation due to positive test results or symptoms.

In addition, 42 students are in isolation because they have tested positive, and 72 are quarantined due to possible exposure to the virus. Athens Country reported 588 cases with 107 active cases on Saturday, Sept. 19.

Graduate Student Senate: First amendment of the year allows for fluidity between graduate student funds More research funding will be allowed to be pulled from the travel fund due to an amendment passed by Graduate Student Senate on Tuesday.

Money will be put toward entities like research-based business and conference trips rather than travel awards.

This will be in effect throughout the Fall and Spring semesters and throughout the summer. Kaelyn Ferris, GSS president, said the resolution will enable 40 people to get $1,000 grants for their research. Previously, it could only be awarded to 25 people.

The travel grant will be reduced to $150 instead of $500 in order to fund more research, Ferris said.

@E_SKIDMOREGS ES320518@OHIO.EDU

POLICE BLOTTER

Campaign sign stolen; man fishes up firearm GRANT RITCHEY FOR THE POST

He believes the sign was stolen between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m.

The investigation is open, pending further investigation.

POPCORN MALFUNCTION The Athens Fire Department received a report Sunday of an alarm being altered due to vapors from a microwave.

The vapors were omitted from microwave popcorn.

FISHING FOR FIREARMS The sheriff’s office received a report over the weekend from a man who was fishing off a boat ramp in Coolville.

When the man was fishing, he found a pellet gun. The firearm was brought in for evidence.

SIGN STEALING The Athens County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a man over the weekend who said when he woke up in the morning, he noticed his campaign sign was missing.

6 / SEPT. 24, 2020

PHONE SCAMMERS The Athens County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a man about a phone scam. The man said he re-

ceived a call from a scammer saying they were from the Social Security Administration. The man was advised to not speak with them if they call back.

HE SAID/SHE SAID The Athens County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a man, saying his soon-to-be ex-wife would not stop calling him. Upon speaking to the woman, she said the man was contacting her. Both parties were advised not to contact one another.

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How a barber rebuilt from nothing Two fires and a pandemic, part two GRANT RITCHEY FOR THE POST

The ashes were what he remembered the most.

Piles of burnt timber became the new flooring of Your Father’s Moustache.

The bright colorful walls were now black — what was left of it anyway. The red booths where clients used to sit were tarnished. The mirrors shattered into pieces. The scissors, spray and shampoo bottles were gone, along with Smart’s job.

When Smart arrived at the shop, the demolition crew was about to destroy the shop. He ran into the shop to see if there was anything salvageable. He hurried to his desk and scrounged through the drawers, trying to find anything worth saving. He did find one sliver of hope that day — a box with some of his scissors.

It was a faint farewell for Smart. He said his goodbyes until the bulldozers started busting through the walls.

Smart later found out the fire traveled through the attic of the shop. The attic connected to multiple buildings on the east side of Court Street. Your Father’s Moustache was not the only building that was destroyed because of the fire. Flower shops and boutique stores were two of the many casualties. The cause of the fire is still unknown, though Smart has his own theories.

“I believe the fire was arson, but that’s not confirmed,” Smart said.

The fire became a symbol for what was yet to come for Your Father’s Moustache. Investors started talking with Smart about starting a training program where stylists would learn alongside him. Smart knew that was out of the picture now.

Investors started taking their shares out of the business, which made partners of the business antsy.

8 / SEPT. 24, 2020

Fritz and Bookman sold the company and moved on, leaving Your Father’s Moustache in the rubble.

Through the fire and selling the company was still fresh in his mind, one thought kept ringing through Dave Smart’s head: “you’re now unemployed.”

UNEMPLOYED Smart and the 30 other employees of Your Father’s Moustache were left to their own devices. There wasn’t another shop they could go to and start up again. Their equipment, chairs, decorations and clientele were in that now crumbled building.

“It was pretty devastating,” Smart said. “You lose 50% of your business. The personality of the shop really brings people in.”

It was time to start again or leave the business of hairstyling all together.

When the thought of leaving the business entered Smart’s mind, he remembered what helped him to get

to this point in his career: the S. Davis brothers and Fritz Bookman.

Smart then recalled the lifeblood to a successful barbershop: clients, clients who will come back even after a fire. He would get calls from clients, and each one would call Smart, saying, “I still need a haircut.” All he could think was, “What are you going to do?”

“A haircut is something you can’t order,” Smart said.

“It’s a product that is indescribable, a creative and artistic expression.”

He started making calls, asking if he could cut hair in people’s houses and cars. Finding work was the only goal.

“Cutting hair is like a relationship,” Smart said. “You have to say to yourself, ‘How are we going to make it through this?’”

Smart landed a haircutting job at Attractions Hair and Nail Salon, located further down on and on the other side of Court Street than Your Father’s Moustache. Smart was joined with some Your Father’s

Moustache alumni, which helped ease his anxieties of being in another shop.

Then, like an uninvited guest, another fire entered Smart’s shop. As he was entering Attractions one day, he was told by an employee that the shop was on fire.

“I just started grabbing what I could find,” Smart said. He fled with his cash register, appointment book and his stereo. While the firefighters were putting out the fire, Smart started rescheduling hair appointments with his clients.

“I was out on the streets again,” Smart said.

After both fires, Smart lost 50% of his clientele.

Each fire was a cut to his paycheck and reputation.

Smart still was not ready to end his barber career.

Being a barber was a way of life, and he wasn’t ready to throw the scissors out just yet. He searched for years before landing himself on West Washington Street.

Smart and his wife have been snipping and sweeping in the little blue building for over 18 years of hard work and perseverance.

When a client walks through Smart’s red lined door, they are greeted to a red wooden block sign: “Inspire, verb (1): to encourage somebody to greater effort, enthusiasm, or creativity (2): to awaken a particular feeling in somebody.”

In the waiting room, old vintage radios and desk fans line his upper shelf.

“I got fans,” Smart said. “ I always got people cheering for me.”

Traditions, however, good or bad, do not go away with grace.

TRADITIONS On March 18, 2020, the coronavirus impacted barbershops across Ohio. Gov. Mike DeWine issued an executive order to close all barbershops, salons and tattoo parlors until further notice.

Athens became a ghost town. The city was swept clean, with only townies and students who were renting apartments or houses staying. The rest of the student population was kicked out of town and headed back to their homes for quarantine. Smart’s clients were now scattered throughout the U.S. A man can only travel so far for a Dave Smart haircut.

“I have lost 50% of my business due to the virus,” Smart said.

His business is surviving, though the pandemic hasn’t made it easy.

“I’m making ends meet, but that’s about it,” Smart said. “All the money is going toward the bills.”

The funds that would go away for safekeeping are now going toward cleaning supplies and masks to keep his shop as same as possible for clients.

A barbershop is only as good as the people who come in it. Luckily for Smart, he is still having customers come in for a haircut during the pandemic.

If some customers can’t go to his barbershop, Smart goes to their home to do the haircut there.

“Dave’s reputation is giving haircuts for families.

Everyone knows him,” Bookman said. “Dave is an excellent example of an encourager.”

Like the red wooden block, Smart follows the word “inspire”: to encourage somebody to greater effort.

Through the challenges two fires and a pandemic have given Smart, he has survived and gained inspiration to move forward in the barber business.

“I really like what I do and I really like people,” he said. “I have never woken up a day in my life and dreaded coming to work. I’ve never had a boring day.”

@RITCHEY_GRANT GR619615@OHIO.EDU

“

Cutting hair is like a relationship. You have to say to yourself, ‘How are we going to make it through this?’”

- Dave Smart, Athens barber and the owner of Smart Barber Shop on West Washington Street

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY BERGER THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9

Students adjust to synchronous courses in various time zones JOE TIMMERMAN FOR THE POST On March 10, Ohio University President Duane Nellis announced the suspension of in-person instruction through March 30 as part of the coronavirus pandemic response. What initially was going to be a small extended break turned into the entire university moving to a virtual learning format for the Spring Semester, and most students have been continuing virtually through the fall.

Classes are a mix of synchronous, which meet at a specific time via Microsoft Teams or Zoom, and asynchronous, which do not have a set time.

The majority of students enrolled at the Athens campus were able to return to their homes in Ohio, but a great number of students had to find their way across the country — or across the world — to adjust to what was only the beginning of the COVID-19 ripple effect. In the 2020 Spring Semester, there were 18,590 total students on Athens campus: a mix of undergraduate, graduate and medical students.

About 20% of all students enrolled at the Athens campus are out-of-state.

Although about 80% of students who are usually on the Athens campus are within the Eastern time zone, the rest find themselves with a problem in their hands. For Noah Wolf, a senior studying journalism, the clock ticks one hour behind.

Wolf grew up living in Central Standard Time. He left his Athens off-campus apartment in March and drove around 730 miles back home to Ankeny, Iowa, and the Central time zone.

“Last semester, all my classes were asynchronous, which was super nice,” Wolf said. “I just got my work done as I needed to, had a little time here and there … Now, all my classes are synchronous this semester, so it’s a total switch. One of my classes is at 9:40 every Wednesday morning, which is 8:40 Central, so it’s not terrible, but it is earlier. I know some people in my major who are in California, and it’s like, ‘What if they were in my class?’ They’d have to wake up at 6 o’clock in the morning to get to a 6:40 class. That seems a little ridiculous to me.”

Though he sympathizes for other students facing harsher time differences, he feels his time difference isn’t a huge issue because it’s only an hour. Even with his graduation coming up in December, Wolf empathizes with the university.

“It’s less than ideal that for my last semester I am in my parents’ basement,” Wolf said. “I would so much rather be in Athens, but I think they made the right call.”

Another 1,600 miles or so west of central Iowa and two more hours of a time difference is Mission Viejo, California, which is under Pacific Daylight Time. Ryan Chisholm, a sophomore studying forensic chemistry, is there — living in his parents’ house.

Chisholm boarded a f light and f lew home in

10 / SEPT. 24, 2020

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA JUENGER March when he found out classes would be online for the remainder of Spring Semester.

“It was rather difficult at first because I had a couple labs, and they completely switched over and basically made us do worksheets because we couldn’t do labs at home,” Chisholm said. “That was a whole different experience. It was basically busy work at that point. I didn’t really get anything out of it. Back in the spring, my time zone didn’t really play too much of a role because they didn’t really have synchronous meetings. They were all asynchronous, and when they were synchronous, they would record it so I could watch it later.”

Chisholm, like Wolf, is finding new ways to adjust to his time zone this semester. He strictly uses a schedule and calendar, writing out specific times and dates when he needs to accomplish tasks.

He finds it helpful to write them down both in Eastern time and Pacific time.

Chisholm hopes to return to campus.

“I don’t want to spend my sophomore year behind a computer screen across the country. I’d rather be in Athens and get the college experience,” Chisholm said.

On the other side of the world is Hanoi, Vietnam. Sisi Nguyen, a junior studying commercial photography, is back home under Indochina time: 11 hours ahead of Eastern time.

“I prepared a little bit before everything started. I changed my clock, and now I just stay up until 5 a.m. and sleep in the morning,” Nguyen said. “Sometimes, I have to work in the morning, so it’s really hard to stay up. Four of my classes are synchronous. Most of them are at 12 a.m. or 1 a.m. My philosophy class is from 4 a.m. to 5 a.m., which takes attendance, so I have to go.”

Although commercial photography majors were included in OU’s second phase of students returning to campus, Nguyen and her parents decided it wouldn’t be safe at the time. As Nguyen

finds herself feeling “pretty lonely” at times, she has been adjusting just like everyone else.

“I don’t have the chance to meet my professors or friends in person, and I really miss the feeling of going to class,” Nguyen said.

While some students from Ohio University are scattered all across the world, it seems that nearly all students are discovering new ways to adjust to their circumstances that this year has brought upon them.

@JOET1MM JT316618@OHIO.EDU

OU’s Global Opportunities programs affected by COVID-19 pandemic HANNAH BURKHART FOR THE POST The COVID-19 pandemic has led Ohio University’s Office of Global Opportunities, or OGO, to find safe ways for students to continue engaging in global and multicultural perspectives.

While carefully planning for future programs, OGO has been able to continue programs, such as OHIO in LA through virtual experiential learning. Students in the OHIO in LA program are interning virtually and engaging in virtual activities, such as having career conversations with LA-based professionals. OGO has been collaborating with the Office of Experiential Learning as well as faculty and staff across various OU departments to offer curricular and co-curricular virtual global experiences.

“From international guest lectures to cultural engagement lab activities and collaborative group projects, OGO has a wide variety of curricular support activities planned for fall semester,” Keely Davin, associate director of OGO, said in an email. “For instance, the Global Leadership Certificate (GLC) students will engage in international consulting project work based in several locations abroad for the remainder of the academic year.”

OGO is continuing to work with global program directors to plan for future study abroad and internship programs. Davin said the office is continuing to monitor the health implications and safety suggestions of travel, whether it be international or domestic.

“Before travel resumes, there will be a robust review of programs and destinations,” Davin said in an email. “Top of mind will be the extent to which risk can be mitigated to protect both travelers and the academic mission of the program. At the same time, we will be assessing the potential impact on the host communities to ensure we’re moving forward ethically.”

Davin said OGO will provide materials and resources to ensure students traveling are fully aware of risks associated with the pandemic and take proper precautions around them.

Kaia Mckenney, a junior studying environmental studies, applied for the spring 2020 semester in Spain program in fall 2019.

Once she was accepted into the program, she took a class with a little over 20 students. The group departed from Ohio and traveled to Spain in January.

The semester was going smoothly, and Mckenney’s group was getting comfortable with its routine in the city of Toledo, Spain, when they first started getting informed by both professors and news outlets about COVID-19. Mckenney said she had no idea how severe COVID-19 would become. The

week before spring break, her study abroad group was told they probably should not leave the country. Mckenney’s family went to Madrid to visit her over break but was quickly rushed home when they were told in the middle of the night they needed to leave.

“I was just getting comfortable with living with and speaking to my host mom, and my family actually got to meet her,” Mckenney said. “It’s just sad that I had to rush and leave three days later.”

Mckenney was not able to leave Spain with her family, and she said it was scary traveling alone while everyone was rushing around in a panic due to COVID-19. While waiting for her departure date, she stayed in a hotel room with a friend one night, and then she stayed in a room alone the next night. Since grocery stores had closed at the time, she only had a small amount of food left from a bag her host mom packed her.

“I can full-heartedly say I don’t feel like I missed out on the rest of the semester because just being in a program where everyone else was from OU, it was easy to transition because we had this commonality with OU and taking classes together, so two months was long enough,” Mckenney said. “I was just happy to make it home safely.”

Winsome Chunnu-Brayda, director of OU’s Multicultural Center, was an international student from Jamaica before she became director. Now, she works with the development of international programs both through student organizations, such as Black Student Cultural Programming Board, or BSCPB, and International Student Union, or ISU, as well as in administrative roles.

“As someone who is a scholar of popular culture and who encourages students to travel and learn, what you see on TV, Zoom or Microsoft Teams in terms of another place is great because you’re seeing it, but you could also get on Youtube and see the same thing,” Chunnu-Brayda said.

Chunnu-Brayda pointed out there is no documentation of a situation exactly like the one COVID-19 has caused, so OU and OGO are trying to find ways to create experiences for students virtually during an unexpected time. She said she is hopeful the documentation from COVID-19 will be informal and helpful to future generations who experience a similar situation.

“If we want to provide some kind of light for students, at the end of the day, you want to show that you had these challenges, and here are the ways that you rose to these challenges,” Chunnu-Brayda said. “This generation of students can go off of this experience in a way that is marketable with future employers.”

@HANNAHNOELBURK HB239417@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 11

Brick City Records operates out of the third floor of Schoonover Center in Athens, Ohio.

(NATE SWANSON | PHOTO EDITOR)

Brick City Records produces music, holds events virtually

and fun contests during intermissions.

Kayla Burke, a senior studying media arts and studies with a specialization in music production and the recording industry, holds the position of vice president and director of publicity at Brick City. Burke is more than excited for Brick City to engage with audience members and artists through this new platform.

“By transitioning our performances through Twitch, we are able to connect with our audience in a more personal way than before,” Burke explained in an email. “These events will be a great experience in which everyone will be exposed to new music, artists and the virtual concert atmosphere. Brick City Records has put in a lot of hard work and effort into making this… a success for our audience. I know we won’t disappoint and neither will our artists.”

Brick City has already held two previous events.

Local artists, such as Innocuous and RJ Martin, have performed.

Catie Bugos, a senior studying recording industry studies, is one of the key members of Brick City who works in the marketing and publicity department. Bugos focuses on streamlining promotional efforts for all artists, fundraisers events and overall awareness of the label.

Bugos emphasized that switching to an almost entirely virtual environment has pushed Brick City to think creatively when it comes to marketing and promotions.

“With more people than ever online and looking for entertainment, I am very optimistic that these pregame parties will continue to gain more traction each time,” Bugos said in an email. “Brick City Records is still committed to working with artists of all capacities to bring awesome music to the public no matter what situation we find ourselves in.”

The Twitch events can be visited at https://www. twitch.tv/brickcityrecords, or viewers can interact with the events on social media by using the hashtag #brickcitypregame.

Student-run organization turned capstone course Brick City Records has been adapting to a virtual curriculum LILY ROBY STAFF WRITER Brick City Records is taking an alternative approach to music recording amid COVID-19. The originally student-run organization, which gave students an opportunity to gain experience working in the music industry, is now being run entirely online.

In 2015, professor Josh Antonuccio took the position of faculty adviser at Brick City, turning the program into a tier three capstone course. As the years progress, Brick City is becoming a centerpiece of the music production program, offering students a focus on all aspects of music production.

Students have an opportunity to run the music label, sign on artists, do the production work, market the music, work on social media strategies and even create a video production at the end of the year. An average of 30 students are involved, with an additional collection of student volunteers joining the team at the end of the year.

Antonuccio said in previous years, Brick City has 12 / SEPT. 24, 2020

signed on and produced music for amazing artists, holding performances at the end of the years for artists to showcase their work. However, the coronavirus pandemic has made things very different, as Ohio University put a strong emphasis on virtual courses and social distancing.

“The real bummer was that we had to cancel the end of the year show (last semester),” Antonuccio said.

“Coming into this year, having more time to plan has been a big focus on doing all of our meetings … All the planning is moving forward, and we’ve had to do all of our outreach events online. So that’s what the Twitch series is about — we are planning to do a new livestream from campus.”

These livestreams, which will be streamed on Twitch.tv, are a new form of media that Brick City is testing out in order to broaden its audience and get its artists’ music out there. Performers for the Twitch streams are selected based on the stream’s genre. The streams, which are called Brick City Pre-games, allow Brick City to connect with audience members as if it were an in-person event, even offering unique themes

@THELILYROBY LR158117@OHIO.EDU

“

By transitioning our performances through Twitch, we are able to connect with our audience in a more personal way than before.”

-Kayla Burke, a senior studying media arts and studies, explained in an email

Psychology students learn and practice at campus clinic KERI JOHNSON ASST. CULTURE EDITOR Ohio University’s Psychology and Social Work Clinic, or PSWC, is up and running –– virtually –– once again this academic year.

The PSWC, located in 002 Porter Hall, is an outpatient clinic mainly staffed by doctoral student therapists. The clinic offers a variety of services, from group therapy to individual treatment for conditions like insomnia, trauma, ADHD and many others.

In the rise of the pandemic, the clinic worked toward developing programming for coping with the effects of the coronavirus, Dr. Julie Suhr, director of clinical training, said. A lot of the treatment addresses COVID-related concerns and how people can learn ways to manage COVID-related stress.

“There’s a great deal of worry: fears of contamination, fears of uncertainty, worries of economic effects, interpersonal connectedness,” Dr. Suhr said. “People are feeling more depressed, loneliness and experiencing lifestyle changes and sleep-related difficulties.”

Though life has changed dramatically since March, people are still continuously adjusting to new routines –– or a lack thereof.

“Our routines are off,” Dr. Suhr said. “Maybe we’re not eating or not exercising or not having the social support groups that make us feel better.”

The clinic has adjusted to virtual, remote sessions, Dr. Suhr said. The transition was a major change –– with layered and complex implications –– but it’s gone well.

“The biggest change for psych clinics has been adapting (to) not just ‘how do I make sure we have security and privacy issues covered?’ and confidentiality, but ‘how do you interact with people in an intimate setting like therapy?’” Dr. Suhr said.

Doing therapy remotely, “via screen,” as Dr. Suhr puts it, requires a lot more clinical skill and training.

The clinic took months to teach its employees with APA and Ohio State APA Board certified training. It took a few months to make sure everybody was up to standard. The clinic also worked extensively with OU tech support.

For Dr. Suhr, all the months of training and technical adaptation has truly paid off. She said now, the staff looks at all the adjustments and how they’ve potentially improved the clinic’s services overall. It’s now easier to observe students, she said.

Matthew Perlman, a clinical psychology fellow at the PSWC, has been working at the clinic since 2014. His current position is “post-doc,” meaning he’s there to consolidate his training and become a licensed clinical psychologist. Perlman, like Suhr, is glad the clinic is able to offer telehealth services, especially those previously mentioned COVID-related ones.

“The PSWC has partnered with faculty in the Psy-

chology Department to deliver a new, evidence-based group therapy program that’s tailored to helping adults and kids cope with COVID-19,” Perlman said in an email.

“Sleep has also been a big issue for many people as their schedules have shifted. The PSWC has also launched a group that’s all about improving sleep.”

Dr. Suhr added that for some, the clinic’s services are more accessible than ever. However, those without consistent internet access, a problem that plagues Southeast Ohio, find themselves struggling. Services are available through Microsoft Teams and telephone. A simple call to the front desk can also answer any further questions, especially about insurance, Dr. Suhr said.

Therapy has been very beneficial for Kimberlea Czulewicz, a junior studying psychology. Therapy has helped her with both personal issues and her future career, she said.

“If you go to therapy for any type of help or advice, it is only beneficial if you want to be there and listen to

the therapist,” Czulewicz said in a text message. “I’ve gone through a few different therapists and once I found the one that worked well with me it truly helped me a lot and I was so glad I made the decision to get help for myself.”

Perlman likes to think of the clinic as “the best kept secret in Athens.” It’s a real asset to Athens, he said.

“We offer a lot of critical services to support the OU and greater Athens community, from therapy to comprehensive assessment, that are difficult to find anywhere else in the area,” Perlman said in an email.

“Beyond our clinical mission, the PSWC is an invaluable source of research knowledge and student training.”

@_KERIJOHNSON KJ153517@OHIO.EDU

Hudson Health Center on Ohio University’s campus in Athens, Ohio.

(KELSEY BOEING | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13

Scripps Latinx Network creates community, motivation for Latinx communication students

HANNAH BURKHART FOR THE POST

Ohio University’s Scripps Latinx Network, or SLN, is an organization that allows students in the Latinx community to connect with each other as well as with Latinx professionals and alumni.

The network was formed in spring 2016 as a way for Latinx students studying journalism, or any career path, to network with both alumni and other professionals in their community. The organization is advised by Michael Rodriguez, WOUB student professional development and production services manager, who is originally from New Mexico and is a member of the Scripps Diversity Committee.

“The Scripps Latinx Network, formerly known as The Scripps Hispanic Network, is an organization dedicated to the advancement and professional development of Latinx/Hispanic journalists and communication students,” Leslie Aguilera, SLN president, said in a message.

“Since we are a networking organization I definitely want to present those opportunities, but I really want to focus on the professional development side of the organization this year. We have a lot of really great virtual workshops planned for this fall semester surrounding mental health and building skill sets.”

Aguilera said when she accepted the position of president in spring of 2019, she was not planning on holding online meetings and hosting virtual events, but she is grateful to SLN’s executive board for helping her make the unforeseen situation that COVID-19 has caused to work successfully.

Aguilera is not a journalism student herself, and she is not pursuing a career in any field of communication, but she is active in the Latinx community and extols the success of students of color in professional settings.

14 / SEPT. 24, 2020

“I am proud of my culture and find it important that as students of color we are able to see ourselves in professional fields and have the necessary skill set needed to achieve the goals that we set ourselves,” Aguilera said in a message.

“As President I really want students that identify as Hispanic and/or Latinx to know that there is a space dedicated to them for striving greater.”

Isabella Philippi, SLN’s social media and event coordinator and former president, said she would not have made the number of connections in the industry that she has if it were not for her active role in SLN. “Scripps Latinx Network is a good step for our community here,” Philippi said. “It really shows how diverse the Latinx community’s interests are when there are specific groups like this.”

SLN has had conferences with several Latinx professionals in which members can listen to stories first-hand from professionals and have open discussions with them. For example, Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews, CBS News’ executive vice president of strategic professional development and acting Washington bureau chief, spoke with SLN over Skype in 2016 and in person during the 2019-2020 academic year. Born in the Dominican Republic, Ciprian-Matthews has become a journalistic icon to the Latinx community, specifically due to her work with CBS

during Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

Philippi, born and raised in Puerto Rico, said Ciprian-Matthews’ role in the coverage of Hurricane Maria is what drove her to pursue a career in journalism. Philippi said CBS was more consistent in its coverage of the hurricane compared to other stations.

The work of CBS and the reporter Ciprian-Matthews assigned to cover the hurricane, David Begnaud, uncovered issues that other stations ignored, such as coverage of communities that were affected greatly. Philippi said CBS’ coverage of Hurricane Maria led many Puerto Ricans to tune into the channel, and Begnaud has since been highly revered by them.

“Ciprian-Matthews is an amazing person, and we had an open forum with her and were able to ask how to work through the system and how to move up,” Luis Medina, SLN vice president, said. “She gave a lot of perspective of how to grow in journalism.”

Another Latinx figure in journalism that SLN had the opportunity to have an open conversation with was Omayra Gonzalez, a producer at El Nueva Día, one of the most renowned newspapers in Puerto Rico. Philippi also was supervised by Gonzalez in 2018 during her internship with Gfr Media, a media conglomerate that owns El Nueva Día, where she worked

in the content department.

John Quiñones, ABC correspondent and host of “What Would You Do?” was another professional that SLN had planned to partner with the OU Society of Professional Journalists and other organizations to bring to OU to speak in March 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the forum was canceled, but SLN is working with the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and other student organizations on rescheduling.

“SLN is giving Spanish students here a community where they can be around people like them,” Medina said. @HANNAHNOELBURK HB239417@OHIO.EDU

JUST LISTEN TO JL

Why the Black quarterback can be a Black boy’s superhero J.L. KIRVEN is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University

When I was a little boy, I desperately wanted to play quarterback.

I loved everything about the position. You got to be in charge, say random colors and numbers at the line of scrimmage and, of course, throw touchdowns. I wore 18 because I adored Peyton Manning, and I would often spend an afternoon throwing touchdowns to myself in front of thousands of imaginary fans in my Spiderman-themed bedroom.

But, unfortunately for me, I never got to play quarterback.

In pee-wee football, quarterback is usually reserved for the coach’s son, which was fine for me. My dad worked too much to coach, so I would never play quarterback. It sucked, but I could accept that. I was the only one who could.

My family believed my skin color was the reason why I’d never line up under center.

Throughout their lives, Black quarterbacks were a rarity that faced more pressure than their white counterparts.

I remember my grandpa telling me the story of Marlin Briscoe.

In 1968, Briscoe was drafted by the Denver Broncos. Briscoe played quarterback for a small school in Nebraska, but he had game. Yet, despite setting 22 school records and leading his team to three conference titles, the Broncos tried to convert Briscoe to cornerback.

Later in his rookie season, Briscoe became the first Black starting quarterback in the AFL after Steve Tensi broke his collarbone.

Briscoe led an 80-yard touchdown drive on his second series.

Briscoe was the best rookie quarterback in the league. The Broncos were bad, but their quarterback showed flashes of potential. His four touchdowns against the Bills is still a Broncos record.

But the next season, he was replaced and released. Briscoe found a home in Buffalo only as a receiver and never played quarterback again. I’m sure reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson could relate to that story.

It’s tough for a kid in kindergarten to

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understand racism or stereotypes. Warren Moon, who retired with several NFL passing records, had to win five consecutive Grey Cups in Canada before ever getting his shot in the NFL. Today, Moon is the only man to be in the CFL and NFL Hall of Fame.

Still when Moon played, the Black quarterback carried the weight of stereotypes.

Critics didn’t believe Black quarterbacks were as smart as white ones. They believed if you made the game too complicated, their athleticism wouldn’t be enough. My dad taught me to believe I could do anything, but lessons about racist barriers can snuff out a young boy’s dreams before they develop.

Luckily for me, I got to see those barriers break.

In 2003, the NFL MVP was Steve McNair.

In 2004, Michael Vick was on the cover of Madden. In 2005, Donovan McNabb led the Eagles to the Super Bowl. Those players were role models to me because they were Black men holding down and thriving in a position that I thought wasn’t for me.

I’m so glad that today’s game continues to produce those role models.

Today, nearly a third of the starting quarterbacks in the league are Black. The last two MVPs were Black quarterbacks, and the reign-

WANT MORE?

ing Super Bowl MVP is a Black quarterback.

Signal callers like Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson have shown that Black quarterbacks can not only lead a team, but also be the face of a franchise, while quarterbacks like Colin Kaepernick show there’s still more progress to go.

So, at this point, you’re probably wondering, “OK, J.L,. where’s the lesson you always have to teach?”

Well, here you go.

Whenever race gets brought up in sports there’s always resistance. People either don’t see color or don’t want to see color ... if you know what I mean.

But the reason why it’s important to see Mahomes, Wilson, Watson and other Black men in leadership positions is because it inspires the next generation to strive for greatness. Representation matters. Even in football.

J.L. Kirven is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University. He also serves as co-sports editor of 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 J.L. know by emailing him at jk810916@ ohio.edu.

L

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The Ohio Impact t-shirt is a traditional OU tee with a powerful twist J.L. KIRVEN SPORTS EDITOR

Teamwork, equality and unity are values so important to Ohio men’s basketball coach Jeff Boals that he wears them across his chest.

In July, Boals unveiled the Ohio Impact T-shirt.

The shirt, which was designed by Ohio alumna Taylor Rhodes and is distributed by Moby Dick Unlimited, displays the traditional OHIO logo with a twist: Black power fists instead of “Os” and shading to represent the unity of all races.

But where the shirt earns its name is in its impact for students of color. Proceeds from the shirt go to the Ebony Bobcat Network scholarship fund. So far, Boals has helped raise more than $5,000 for the organization.

“I had no idea how much this would sell,” Boals said. “I didn’t know if it was going to be $100, $1,000 or $5,000. I just wanted to make some type of impact.”

Boals originally didn’t want to sell the shirt.

A few months ago, Boals went to visit his old friend and former Ohio State basketball player Brandon FussCheatham to speak to his e-commerce and branding company, Moby Dick Unlimited. In the meeting, Boals talked to the staff about the importance of teamwork and hard work — values with which Boals wants his team to play.

After the meeting, Boals talked to his players about having a shirt that showed their unity in a time where the country seemed as divided as ever. The team wanted it, and Boals went to work.

Despite crafting the concept for the idea, Boals was no artist. He also couldn’t print the shirts alone, so he sent his idea to Rhodes so she could work her magic. Once Rhodes sent her designs back, Fuss-Cheatham convinced Boals the shirts would be a hit if they were sold.

“I thought the design looked great, and the message was important,” Fuss-Cheatham said.

Boals agreed, but his one stipulation was that he didn’t want to make one cent off the shirt.

“When I sent him (Boals) back the initial design, he loved it,” Rhodes said. “Then we started talking about being able to sell it, and he said that he would really love to do something that we could give back to the community at OU and show that unity and togetherness that he was trying to foster with the team.”

So far the shirt has made its rounds not just around Athens, but the world. Former Ohio State players such as Aaron Craft, Jared Sullinger, Evan Turner and D’Angelo Russell have supported their former coach by wearing the shirt with pride.

“Those guys have been awesome,” Boals said. “I think those guys are supporting it, and the more exposure, the better.”

But for Boals, the message has always been what’s most important. As coach, he realizes he deals with Black males from different backgrounds every day. When he saw his players using their voice to stand up to systemic racism, he knew he couldn’t afford to do nothing.

16 / SEPT. 24, 2020

“I think it’s important to know as a coach, it’s not all about the Xs and Os,” Boals said. “It’s about preparing them for life, education, you know?

Boals has said he’s talked to his players about the importance of voting and how casting an absentee vote could create positive changes in their own communities.

When he coached at Stony Brook, Boals brought in the chief of police to discuss police relations.

Conversations like the ones Boals constantly has with his team are now more important than ever. Boals won’t let his guys be unprepared on or off the court.

“As a coach it’s our job to educate, teach, reaffirm and try to progress,” Boals said.

“It starts with change and listening and just trying to be a part of what’s going on.”

If you would like more information on Ohio Impact or if you would like to buy a shirt, visit https://ohioimpact.com.

@JL_KIRVEN JK810916@OHIO.EDU

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

For Colton Snyder, football is family each other, but we always look into the crowd, and our whole family is there, and it means a lot to us. Leaning on him really helps me a lot.”

Wiseman became the third senior for the Buckeyes to get injured after breaking his foot against Vinton County. Snyder took the loss of his friend and wrestling partner hard. Without his counterpart, he will have to be even more vocal on defense, which shouldn’t be a problem.

“I try to pick up anyone’s slack,” Snyder said. “If someone is slacking off, I pick them right back up, like ‘let’s go; let’s go.” I feel like this is my defense, and that’s being a middle linebacker. I feel like it’s my responsibility

to be the loudest one out there and lead this team.”

Aside from his family in the stands and on the field, Snyder even has some on the sideline. The senior has a unique relationship with head coach Rusty Richards. He grew up with Richards’ son, Reiston, who is now a freshman on the Buckeyes roster.

“He’s the smallest guy on the field, so I think he just sort of took him under his wing and took care of him because he is a whopping 105 pounds,” Richards said. “It’s pretty neat. They’ve rode four wheelers together, so they’ve got that little bond. He took him in like a little brother.”

Snyder’s off the field relationship helps him on the field, he said. The senior is the one Richards goes to at halftime to make defensive adjustments, like he did last week at Vinton County.

“Coach relied on me in the second half and our whole defense,” Snyder said. “He came up to me and said, ‘You’ve got to get going.’ I just kept that in the back of my head the whole time.”

The adjustments made by Richards and Snyder proved to work as they shut out the opposing offense for the entire second half.

With only two games left in the shortened season, Snyder wants to make the most of his remaining time playing with and in front of his family. It isn’t lost on him that two of his teammates had their careers ended early and that the same could happen to him.

Snyder wants to extend his time with his teammates as much as possible. He feels like if the Buckeyes continue to play the way they have in their last two games, they can make a run in the playoffs.

When Nelsonville-York takes the field against Athens on Oct. 2, it could be the last time the seniors play at their home field. Snyder is trying to savor what little time he has left.

“Growing up together was great, and I’m not ready for it to end, especially with these guys,” Snyder said. “But all great things have to come to an end.”

Nelsonville-York’s Jared Justice runs the ball during the Buckeyes’ match versus Vinton County on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. Nelsonville-York won the game 17-14 in double overtime. (ANTHONY WARNER | FOR THE POST)

@SCOTT_CTHOMAS11 ST610417@OHIO.EDU

SCOTT THOMAS FOR THE POST When Nelsonville-York takes the field Friday nights, Colton Snyder’s voice can be heard above the rest. As friends and family take their seats, Snyder has the most vocal support from the stands.

For Snyder, playing football revolves around family.

“When my dad was in high school, nobody ever came to his games,” Snyder said. “Ever since I was in second grade, it’s been a thing for him, my mom, my sister, my grandparents and my aunt and uncle to have never missed a game.”

Every time Snyder makes a tackle or

runs the ball, his brigade of supporters celebrate as if he just scored a touchdown. If the Buckeyes need a stop on defense, his mom will shout “go get that ball, Colton Snyder” loudly enough for the entire stadium to hear.

When Snyder couldn’t have his whole family attend the game at Wellston this season due to a limited number of tickets, he felt off. He wasn’t used to a game where he couldn’t look into the stands and see his whole family. Snyder instead looked to his teammate and best friend, Christian Wiseman, who couldn’t get his whole family to the game either.

“We talked before the game, and I said, ‘We just have to play for each other,’” Snyder said. “We always play for

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17

SO LISTEN

HONEST ADONIS

OU’s decision to give out a six figure bonus is tone deaf ADONIS FRYER is a sophomore studying communications at Ohio University

It feels like ages ago now, but a little over a year ago, I was excited for school.

I was looking forward to arriving at Ohio University because I was told countless stories about how the school cares about its students. Here and there, I’ve found holes in that reputation, but I’ve tried my best to remain optimistic that it was simply mismanagement, not malintent.

Now, that optimism has died. It’s dead for me and many of my peers.

Watching the school deal with the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the administration to show its true colors. It has made its lack of commitment to its students and faculty clear by quietly giving Deborah Shaffer, the senior vice president for finance and administration, a $100,000 bonus.

This is egregious because it shows a poor understanding of what bonuses are for. In most cases, bonuses are reserved for excellence, either of management or character. For instance, a pro sports team might get a bonus after winning a championship or a star player might receive a bonus for being named MVP. If the financial administration was a professional team, it’d earn neither of those accolades. Instead, it’d be a losing team filled with Kwame Brown-level players and Cleveland Browns-caliber management. Just like Browns fans, the community may love OU, but there’s no faith in the leaders to do the right thing.

This became evident earlier this year when OU Faculty Senate gave the administration a no confidence vote on financial issues in May. Their frustration stemmed

from various factors: low-salary staff furloughs, teachers being incentivized to retire early and, chiefly, a steady rise of administrative salaries over the last decade as student enrollment declines.

The administration has done nothing to change those minds. Since May, more than 200 instructional faculty and administrators, 140 skilled-trade workers in the ASFCME Local 1699 union and 81 clerical and technical employees have all lost their jobs since May, triggering several Uptown protests.

Personally, I’ve been affected by these cuts, even though I’m not on campus. I lost a great adviser and was never even notified she was gone. Thankfully, I found another way to get in contact with her, but that was with no help from the administration. Many students have gone through situations just like mine and worse.

Losing that relationship while watching an administrator get a bonus for creating the crisis in the first place is unacceptable. OU has an obligation to manage its finances better because it’s the biggest supplier of jobs in Athens County. During a time with unprecedented economic turmoil, the administration should be focusing on spending every penny on those who make the school great — not themselves.

With this type of selfish management, it’s no surprise enrollment is dropping.

Adonis Fryer is a sophomore studying communications at Ohio University.

Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Tell Adonis by emailing him at af414219@ohio.edu.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legacy, impact on Athens MIKAYLA ROCHELLE is a senior studying stratigic communications at Ohio University

America has lost a cultural and feminist icon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent her whole life advocating for human and women’s rights up until her last breath. As a country, we must mourn her death and try our best to not politicize this situation.

If you have followed this situation closely, you will know that right after her death, it became politicized by politicians calling either for an appointment under Trump or to wait for the appointment until the next election.

I don’t want to talk about that. You can find columns from The Washington Post or The New York Times that will discuss what either of those decisions will mean for America. In the week following her death, it’s more important to discuss the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg rather than the messy situation that will follow her passing.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg began her career in law in the early 1960s, where she faced gender discrimination right away.

She struggled to get hired, even though she had attended Harvard Law as well as Columbia Law and graduated first in her class. Even after getting hired, she faced wage discrimination and was paid much less than her male counterparts.

RBG’s activism in the 1970s changed the way Americans looked at gender. In 1971, Ginsburg co-founded the Women’s Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union. Women all over America, including in Athens, faced similar gender discrimination in the workplace and in general that Ginsburg too faced.

There were several rules in place by the university that specifically controlled

what female students could wear, how long they could stay out and what roles they could hold in student government.

These strict and sexist rules were referred to as “women’s hours,” and violating the rules could result in expulsion.

Ginsburg’s activism and the way she changed how we look at gender equality positively impacted students at Ohio University.

Before she was even a justice, she advocated for including gender as a protected identity under the 14th amendment as well as advocated for the Equal Rights Amendment.

RBG continued her activism when she was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1980. In 1993, she was appointed to the Supreme Court

by President Bill Clinton. In her 27 years on the bench, she fought for women’s equality, women’s reproductive rights, LBGTQ+ rights and more.

These are all activism issues that continue to impact not only the whole country, but truly impact Athens. If it weren’t for the protection of women’s reproductive rights that RBG advocated for, Athens may not have a Planned Parenthood Clinic, where people can go for STD testing, HIV screenings, birth control, men’s and women’s health care and more.

The choices of the supreme court matter and impact individual communities. I am thankful that for the past three decades, Ruth Bader Ginsburg has fought for and advocated for liberties that all people deserve to have. She cared about freedom, and she cared about the people of this country. May her memory be a blessing.

Mikayla Rochelle is a senior studying strategic communication at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Tell Mikayla by tweeting her at @mikayla_roch.

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FILM REVIEW

Everyone’s a sinner in Antonio Campos’ ‘The Devil All The Time’ Robert Pattinson steals the film with his performance

RILEY RUNNELLS CULTURE EDITOR Over the years, filmmakers have tried to tackle the realities and nuances of religion in a sort of backwoods horror genre. This not only exposes the radical, cult-like religious followers but also sheds light on Appalachian groups of people living in poverty. However, none so accurately and horrifically do this justice as The Devil All The Time.

With a brutally honest message that leaves audiences with depressive feelings, The Devil All The Time is a disturbing piece of Oscar-bait with an absolute all-star cast.

The film follows a story of multiple generations being impacted by violence with religious tones in the poorer heartland of America.

It’s almost a blessing and a curse when it comes to this fantastic cast. On the one hand, you loved seeing all of the incredible actors participating in this psychologically jarring film, but on the other hand, you were upset that they didn’t have enough screen time.

Arguably the best part of the film is the cast, created

by Douglas Aibel. It’s difficult to even pinpoint where to

begin when talking about this cast, so we’ll begin by listing off the key players: Bill Skarsgaard, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Sebastian Stan, Harry Melling, Eliza Scanlen, Mia Wasikowska, Riley Keough, Haley Bennett and Jason Clarke. This ensemble cast, as well as the other fantastic players in the film, is somewhat split into generations but is absolutely phenomenal throughout without any sign of a weak link.

It’s Pattinson, Melling and Keough who really steal the show. When Pattinson opens his mouth for the first time, anyone who has ever seen him in a film would automatically drop their jaw. His accent and diction are impeccable and wildly consistent in a film full of people attempting a very specific accent. Melling perfectly captures that radical, God-driven man who believes that he, over others, is the chosen one. Then there’s Keough, who portrays a slew of human emotions ranging from a performative woman acting as “bait” for men to someone who has spent every waking moment contemplating the decisions they’ve made and how they got to the point they’re in. These three alone make the film worth it.

If not for the incredible cast, then for the fantastic production. It’s not surprising with the high level of producers, including actor Jake Gyllenhaal, that the film is

incredibly well put together. The cinematography by Lol Crawley is breathtaking, the costume design by Emma Potter brilliantly matches the economic status and time period of each character and the editing by Sofia Subercaseaux keeps the audience on the edge of their seats throughout.

For a cautionary tale and a deeply disturbing look into the minds of corrupt and crooked people who model their bad behavior off radical religious premises, The Devil All The Time is the film for you. It’s almost a sinister version of Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve in the sense that every character in the film has some sort of connection that’s revealed throughout. Director Antonio Campos creates a hit with several messages, but the one that stands out the most has to be: everyone’s a sinner.

@RILEYR44 RR855317@OHIO.EDU

ALBUM REVIEW

‘Long Violent History’ is a striking confrontation about race, tradition Tyler Childers’ new take on storytelling shouldn’t be mistaken for just another country album SHELBY CAMPBELL LONGFORM EDITOR Long Violent History only has one song with words, but it says a lot.

The album, a full and bright near-instrumental, was released with a six-minute introduction from Tyler Childers himself. He sits in front of a camera and explains the concept behind his unusual, surprise release. He begins with a connection to his listeners: he is in no place to be “preachy,” but he is disappointed.

While specifically referencing his white, rural followers, he stares into the camera, a Kentucky accent hanging on every word, and asks how they can stay silent while Breonna Taylor, from Kentucky herself, is shot in her sleep. He poses scenarios that put into perspective the kind of experiences Black Americans have and wonders how anyone can continue to excuse it. He begs for em-

pathy to understand why the phrase “Black Lives Matter” means so much to so many.

The instrumental tracks, Childers says, are to build a “soundscape” for the listener, and he successfully does so. “Midnight in the Water,” the most heart wrenching of the instrumentals, creates a whole atmosphere. The fiddle whines a beautiful scene, one of prolific sadness and hardship — but with hardship comes tradition, and that tradition is seamlessly plucked from an upright bass and blown from the open mouth of a jug. What Childers wants to leave in the past, however, is generational racism.

The final song — the only non-instrumental on the album and the title track — is built upon the eight before it. It explains every note that appears to be between the lines and clears up any question a listener might have had: racism should no longer be tolerated. At least, he won’t tolerate it.

“Could you imagine just constantly worryin’ / Kickin’ and fightin’, beggin’ to breathe?” he asks. While the song is

not subtle, subtlety isn’t working on his target audience.

He knows that interrupting willful ignorance and communicating to people who will listen to him will do more than he could by being subtle.

Long Violent History is a passionate plea for justice that goes beyond politics. It reaches out to grip his listeners’ souls, empathizing with Childers’ white, rural fans in a way that politicians cannot. Someone so deeply embedded in rural culture embracing a rally cry for racial justice communicates that it is possible, in fact, to embrace tradition while thinking critically about it.

@BLOODBUZZOHIOAN SC568816@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 19

ALBUM REVIEW

Movements is in perfect form on ‘No Good Left To Give’ The California-based quartet, after an immaculate debut LP in Feel Something, has somehow outdone itself BRE OFFENBERGER

COPY CHIEF

T

he album title’s a lie. Everything Movements has to give is good.

After its show-stopping debut LP, Feel Something, post-hardcore group Movements has somehow found a way to outdo its own perfection with its latest release, No Good Left To Give, a well-produced and well-written deep dive into what it means to exist.

The California-based quartet formed in 2015 and quickly released an EP, Outgrown Things, the next year. At the end of 2017, Movements released Feel Something, which catapulted it to emo stardom. Fans consider Feel Something an unmatched showpiece, but with No Good Left To Give, Movements is showing the sky’s the limit with its brilliance.

No Good Left To Give breathes life into the emo genre, validating mental health awareness and discussing pertinent issues of loss and love while switching between fiery guitars, ethereal vibes and frontman Pat Miranda screaming his pain away. The vibes of “Skin to Skin’’ are wavy, and the endearing lyrics are to die for. “Living Apology” may sound mellow, but its eloquent discussion of impostor syndrome and feeling out of place is anything but.

The way Miranda talks about the girl he loves but will never be with in “Seneca’’ is enthralling but depressing. With basically no flaws, the album is one of the best 2020 has given us.

Here are the best five tracks from No Good Left To Give: 5. “MOONLIGHT LINES” “Moonlight Lines” showcases that classic Movements bass riff from Austin Cressey that just feels like home. While at a low point, Miranda spends the night with someone he just needed to get his mind off things and pass the time. During a verse of spoken word, Miranda tries to explain himself and his 20 / SEPT. 24, 2020

loneliness: “I needed your warmth in the night, your composition against mine (a body to warm my bed) / Pretending that love didn’t die, my emptiness felt so alive.”

4. “SANTIAGO PEAK” “Santiago Peak,” named after a mountain in California near where Movements hails from, depicts the bittersweet feeling of missing home. Ira George’s sweet, relaxing guitar riff represents the good memories while Miranda’s subtle aggression represents the regrets of wasting the good times while he had them.

Though Movements is thriving and Miranda’s never home anymore, California will always be a part of him: “Forever the home in my heart / And when I feel a little too far / I’ll come back and restart living in my memory when I fall apart.”

3. “TUNNEL VISION” Never will you feel safer than when Miranda validates any and all feelings you’ve ever experienced on “Tunnel Vision.” As drummer Spencer York hammers the pain home beneath Miranda’s painstakingly dark lyrics and screams, the guitars swirl into their own rightfully angry world. Miranda admits “there’s nights that I wish I’d die,” and he’s ready to do whatever it takes to rid himself of the pain: “Send my illness into the trenches, desperate to end this / Tunnel vision, suffer my own submission.”

2. “LOVE TOOK THE LAST OF IT” If any lyrics on this album are going to leave a hole in your heart, they’ll most likely be from “Love Took The Last Of It.” Similar in theme to “Moonlight Lines,” the track is Miranda’s recognition that his girlfriend was his distraction from his demons, and he’s taking all the blame for their broken relationship.

Before Miranda’s vocals in the outro literally makes

listeners ascend, he explains himself bluntly, which is sometimes what someone needs to start the healing process: “And it was never really right, your hand in mine / But at the time, it’s what I needed for a stable mind … Your heart was always bleeding, but I wasn’t meant to keep it.”

1. “IN MY BLOOD” It’s impossible to describe the ethereal vibe of “In My Blood” to a T — because it’s inexplicably addicting and calming. The guitars, drums and bass, all matched with Miranda’s soothing vocals, are quite honestly the most comfort America has seen in months. The lyrics, though, are heart-wrenching because Miranda can’t stop thinking about a past love, and he’s finally revealing to her that she’ll always be a part of him: “The only thing I’ve ever loved is left to gather dust / I wish you knew I keep you in my blood.” The track is too good for this world, and it’s the best on No Good Left To Give.

RATING: 5/5

@BRE_OFFENBERGER BO844517@OHIO.EDU

Annie Muscarella, Ohio University student and founder of “In fear of x” poses for a portrait on College Green on Sept. 16, 2020 in Athens, Ohio.

Student brands on campus Purchase some new clothing, while supporting fellow students EMMA DOLLENMAYER ASST. BEAT EDITOR Fashion has always and forever will be an integral part of culture. It is essentially a form of art and self expression. Many large, corporate retail brands first began as solely an idea and, over time, have evolved into what they are known as today.

Similarly, many Ohio University students have the same aspirations. From marketing to fashion merchandising students, several of them have taken their futures into their own hands by founding brands of their own.

Griffin Hart, a senior studying analytics and marketing, has established a company better known as “TwoCups,” that was “started to make people laugh and get more involved with their peers by seeing videos/pictures of their friends on all [of their] social media,” @twocupsofficial. Not only are videos similar to Barstool Sports posts, but modern merchandise can be purchased as well as won through contest entries.

In just a short amount of time, “TwoCups” has gained a lot of recognition and an extensive following among college students. The brand that had just been created in “the beginning stages of COVID-19” has already amassed over 1,100 followers as well as sold clothing to over 200 people.

TwoCups’ goals as a brand is to continue the growth it has been seeing as well as reaching out of Athens and extending to other college campuses.

“There’s no better feeling than walking around town, or looking at someone’s social media and seeing someone wearing one of your shirts. You just can’t beat it,” Hart said. “As a brand, I’m proud of the fact that people look at TwoCups as a community. Whenever people see me, they always yell, ‘Yo, TwoCups!’ And I always yell it back. I feel as though we’re a people’s brand. I’m connected to so many people through much more than just selling them a shirt or what not. They’re supporting something much bigger than that, and that’s a company that’s involved with the community. We also sent over 50 shirts, flags and stickers to my uncle who is currently deployed in Afghanistan to show our support for the troops, which I thought was pretty cool.”

Likewise, Annie Muscarella, a sophomore studying fashion merchandising, feels the same. Muscarella originally started up a brand as a way to earn money but found the gratification of seeing others wearing her clothing was much more fulfilling.

“Even though it’s still a super small brand and doesn’t have a huge following, I still sometimes see people walking around

campus in my sweatshirts; it’s the best feeling in the world,” Muscarella said.

Muscarella’s brand’s inspiration, “in fear of x” (@infearofx), came from wanting to incorporate the universal concept of love.

“I knew that a lot of other brands had to do with love, so I looked up synonyms for ‘in love with’ and found ‘in fear of.’ From there, I kept brainstorming and thought, how cool would it be to have people’s real fears and customize them. The idea was different, and I went from there,” said Muscarella.

There is a list of many different fears one can choose from.

Some fears include are in fear of never finding love, abandonment and the future. Muscarella, however, said her most popular fear was, in fear of “f---boys.” “I think it’s hilarious and perfect for our generation,” Muscarella said.

A unique aspect of Muscarella’s brand is one can either choose what their crewneck says or Muscarella can pick for the customer.

“Personally, I love having it be random because it’s like an Easter egg, and you don’t know what you’re going to get,” Muscarella said.

Candace Clark, a junior studying fashion product development and retail merchandising, on the other hand, focuses more on the designs themselves rather than a prominent brand name.

Designing clothes came naturally to Clark, as it was her passion.

“Creating simplistic art has always been a passion of mine.

I am very inspired by simplistic designs and making each design unique. I love designing clothing and incorporating drawings of cities into my designs as well,” Clark said.

Originally, Clark made merchandise for herself and didn’t begin sharing and selling her work until her friends began asking her to make designs for them. As a result, Clark created an Instagram, @candaceeclark, “that displayed all of [her] drawings and gave [her] followers the option to order shirts or prints,” Clark said.

Though all three creators have different goals and directions they would like to take, they all commonly plan on developing and thriving.

For Hart, he has significant plans for the near future that include interacting with followers and fans and also starting a podcast.

“I’d like to be able to advertise more by going to other colleges and throwing parties or what not to advertise for us,” Hart said. “In the future, I plan on starting a podcast called ‘Sunday Brunch’ that will be on Spotify as well as Apple Music.

I also want to host a beer pong tournament. I think that it would be fun for everyone, and also help us out, too, in terms of advertising. We also want to get more brand ambassadors, which would be huge for us! The more people showing off TwoCups, the better.”

As for Muscarella, she has samples of sweatpants in progress and dabbled with the brand’s slogan, “What’re you afraid of,” and is additionally sketching out ideas for a logo.

“I plan on coming out with a lot more stuff, so stay tuned,” Muscarella said.

Lastly, Clark plans on opening an online store and selling more than just shirts.

“I want to create tanks, sweatpants, sweatshirts, etc. I am so excited for the opportunities that lie ahead,” Clark said.

@EMMADOLLENMAYER ED569918@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 21

the weekender Pomeroy Sternwheel Regatta brings town to life KERI JOHNSON ASST. CULTURE EDITOR

A staple of Southeast Ohio culture returns this weekend for its 30th edition: the Pomeroy Sternwheel Regatta. Starting Thursday, the free three-day event celebrates boating and the Ohio River.

The Regatta is an event like none other. It isn’t a festival organizer, John Lehew said –– it’s a river event.

“We are a Sternwheel Regatta,” he said. “Festivals mainly happen on land.”

The Regatta features all sorts of boats; some built in the 1930s, some built as new as 2004 and some as large as 110 feet. There will be 10 sternwheelers in total.

“Most of the boats that come were built or bought by the owners,” Lehew said. “We have some very historic river boats coming, too.”

This year’s Regatta comes with a few modifications, of course. Due to the ongoing pandemic, a lot has changed,

Lehew said. For example, the traditional Regatta parade was canceled as well as music at the riverfront amphitheater.

The event is outdoors, and Lehew collaborated with both the county health department and the Pomeroy mayor to make the event as safe as possible.

The Regatta kicks off Thursday night at 7 p.m. with benedictions and jazz on Pomeroy’s Court Street. The event also has a lot going on off-land in the mighty Ohio.

“We’re doing a lot of stuff on the river,” Lehew said. “We’re doing a kayak poker run from Racine lot 24 and a boat poker run coming down from lot 24 on Saturday as well.”

The Regatta will feature entertainment Friday and Saturday nights as well.

There will be a couple outdoor shows as well as one indoor, ends-at-capacity show at the Pomeroy Eagles on Saturday night at 8 p.m. The weekend will feature artists Next Level and Double Shot, among others.

The Regatta is great for local business-

Photo provided via Pomeroy Sternwheel Festival’s Facebook page.

22 / SEPT. 24, 2020

IF YOU GO WHAT: Pomeroy Sternwheel Regatta WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. through Saturday, Sept. 26 WHERE: Pomeroy, Ohio ADMISSION: Free

es and the town of Pomeroy, Lehew said.

“What it usually means to merchants is it’s almost like Christmas time,” Lehew said. “It brings in a lot of out-oftown business.”

One of the events hosted by the Regatta is a “Poker Walk,” with stops at several local businesses. “(People) get playing cards at each business they stop, and the highest hand wins,” Lehew said. “The money is usually over $100.”

One local business participating in the Poker Walk is Weaving Stitches, 106 E. Main St. The Regatta draws quite a crowd each year, Eloise Drenner, owner of Weaving Stitches, said.

“It just brings a lot of people into town,” Drenner said. “Hopefully, it will continue to be good for us.”

This year will be a little bit different, though. Drenner has been in contact with the health department as well as has a set capacity for the store.

“You only can have so many people in here at a time,” Drenner said.

As a local business, the Regatta is fun each year, Drenner said. It’s one of the things that makes Pomeroy special.

“I’ve been here 27 years, and this is just a good place to have a business,” Drenner

said. “I love the town of Pomeroy.”

Another business participating in the Poker Walk is Hartwell House, 100 E. Main St. As one of Pomeroy’s oldest gift shops, the store draws in plenty of sternwheel viewers and patrons alike on the annual weekend, Bobbie Karr, owner of Hartwell House, said. For her, the Regatta puts some excitement into the air.

“People love to see the boats down here,” Karr said. “It’s a fun place to be — any time you have boats and in town and the river looks festive.”

For Karr, fall in Pomeroy is a beautiful time. She greatly enjoys seeing the town come to life on weekends, especially during the regatta.

“It’s fun to see the town packed,” Karr said.

For details and up-to-date information on the Regatta, check out the event’s Facebook page

@_KERIJOHNSON KJ153517@OHIO.EDU

WHAT’S GOING ON? Join OHIO for a virtual music show; visit the new Rural Action Thrift Store ISABEL NISSLEY FOR THE POST

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 Virtual Shabbat at 6 p.m., hosted by Hillel at Ohio University via Zoom. Join them for a student-led, virtual Shabbat. Although the event is online, students are still encouraged to lead prayer, offer a D’var or contribute musically.

Admission: Free Friday Night LIVE OHIO at 8 p.m., hosted by OHIO Involvement via Twitch. Friday Night LIVE is an hour-long virtual music show that allows Ohio University students to get involved with campus life. Although the pandemic has limited options to enjoy live music, host DJ A-roc brings an exciting musical experience to students over Twitch.

There are prizes and giveaways every week.

Admission: Free

Rural Action and a number of other community organizations have collaborated to open a new thrift store and makerspace. Stop in on Saturday to check out the progress and offer feedback on this environmentally conscious, second-hand space.

Attendees can also bring recyclables, which Rural Action will accept in the parking lot. It is free to recycle all items, except for 30-gallon bags of trash, which cost $3 per bag.

Admission: Free Walk to End Alzheimer’s at 10 a.m., hosted by Ohio Bachelor of Science in Nursing Organization at Peden Stadium. With the goal of raising money and awareness for Alzheimer’s care, support and research, everyone is invited to participate in BSNO’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Participants can begin fundraising as soon as they register. The event begins with a virtual opening ceremony, followed by a socially distanced walk. Come support a good cause while you get your steps in.

Admission: Free, fundraising and donations encouraged

SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 Level 2 Flameworking at 10 a.m., hosted by Hocking College Leisure Learning at the Visual Arts Center at Hocking College. Level two flameworkers are invited to join instructor Sabrina Suman and learn to make glass objects. The class expands upon concepts taught during the introduction class and covers how to use glass rods and torch to form small items.

Admission: $50

PRACTICE S AFE SI X STA Y INFO R MED WASH YO UR H A NDS AVOID C LO SE C O N TA CT WEA R A M A SK CLEAN A ND DISINFECT MONITO R YO UR HEA LTH

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SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 Rural Action Thrift Store, Makerspace Open House at 10 a.m., hosted by Rural Action, 751 W. Union St.

@ISABELNISSLEY IN566119@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 23

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