October 8, 2024

Austin Brawley, DJ Walker are the duo Ohio needed

CHARLIE FADEL | SPORTS STAFF WRITER

In the final moments of Ohio’s big win against Akron, a ball from the hands of quarterback Ben Finley was tipped and fell perfectly into the hands of a roaming Austin Brawley. The second that the electric play was over, fellow defensive back DJ Walker was the first to jump in celebration with Brawley.

“We just really emphasized that we were going to get an interception that game,” Brawley said. “I went out and got one, and he was right in my face celebrating.”

Both Brawley and Walker finished the game stuffing the stat sheet. The two back-end defensive backs combined for 12 total tackles, two tackles for loss and two interceptions on the day, with Brawley and Walker each hauling in an interception.

The Akron game was the defining moment of the safety duo's excellent start. The two players knew they had chemistry on the field coming into the season, and their bond is evident when the Ohio defense is on playing. Walker, a redshirt freshman, has idolized Brawley’s play since the day he stepped foot on campus. Brawley’s mentorship of Walker started last season with Brawley being the starter and Walker adjusting to the college football experience as a true freshman.

“He helped me a lot last year. I was more of a strong (safety) and he was the starting strong (safety),” Walker said. "Him taking me under his wing, and just always seeing what he did (really helped me)."

The camaraderie from that mentorship is easy to see on the field, especially when Brawley and Walker’s playstyles complement each other.

“We play the same type of way; we're ball hawks,” Brawley said. "We want to make the big, flashy plays. By us being that type of player, we talk a lot. We just have an IQ connection type of thing. We both really love football. We just play good together.”

With both Brawley and Walker having the rest of this season and next season to be on the field together, there’s no doubt more big plays are coming from the Ohio secondary.

“We’re just getting started,” Walker said. “We still got a lot more games to go, a lot more picks that we could get, a lot more tackles. (We’re) just looking forward to it.”

Walker and Brawley knew how good they could be early in the offseason. Their connection foreshad-

owed signs of success.

“We've manifested this since the summer,” Brawley said. “I remember going out to coach Hauser and talking about how much I love playing with DJ and just the way we can play together.”

Manifestation and speaking things into existence seem to be an important part of the players’ connection; Walker said they manifested their interceptions against Akron before the game even started.

“We know that we’re the playmakers on the back end, so one of us has got to make a play and when I got (my interception) I said, ‘It's time to get yours’,” Walker said.

The defensive roles for both players entering the season were a little different because of the experience gap between the two.

Brawley, the more seasoned half of the electric duo, went at the offseason hard after injuries marred a disappointing 2023 campaign.

“I wanted to have this type of year last year,” Brawley said. “I ended up having back surgery toward the end of the season last year and had to attack rehab hard throughout the offseason. It was kind of weird stepping into a role of not being able to practice but just watching. It honestly helped me learn more about myself and football.”

As for Walker, the freshman knew he would have a role in this defense. An untimely injury opened the door for him, and he took the opportunity and never looked back.

“I didn't know that I was going to have the starting role, but I knew that I was going to be getting into

the rotation,“ Walker said. "I showed the coaches that I could play and compete, and coach Hauser told me that I was gonna be a big key to the secondary this year. Sadly, Jeremiah (Wood) went down, and I was the next man up, and I feel like I'm making him proud.”

The stats and accomplishments don’t mean anything without the team’s success, and Walker and Brawley are willing to do whatever it takes to get to the Mid-American Conference title game.

“We know what we have, and I think we're going to shock a lot of people this year,” Brawley said.

Austin Brawley (0), left, and DJ Walker (21), right, stand for a portrait on the field of Peden Stadium, Oct. 1, 2024, Ohio. (TALITHA MALOY | FOR THE POST)

Hungry Cat allows traditional meal swipes

DREW HOFFMASTER |FOR THE POST

The Hungry Cat food truck started accepting students’ traditional meal swipes for the 2024 academic year.

Previously, students could use credit cards, Bobcat Cash or Flex Points at the food truck.

Entrees at the food truck cost $5.95 to $6.95, drinks cost $1.00 to $1.89, sides and snacks cost $1.49 to $3.75 and desserts cost $1.75 and $2.50.

Now, students can get an entree and a side for one meal swipe between 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Drinks must be bought separately.

Frank Pazzanese, the executive director of culinary services, said the idea to allow meal swipes at Hungry Cat was due to the larger influx of students and to offer more choices of places to eat.

Culinary services added the option of Brick City Deli On The Go and Earl’s Coop last school year, both of which accept meal swipes. Pazzanese said culinary services will find more options to add if attendance continues to grow.

“I think it’s important to give the students the ability to use their meal plans,” Pazzanese said. “Sometimes (students) just want what I call walking food –something they can grab quick because they have time to get to class, and they don’t have time to actually sit down and use silverware in place.”

Chito Trinidad, the assistant director of retail operations, said 90% of the menu had to be changed to allow meal swipes at Hungry Cat.

“With our chef team, we’ve done some fun, creative menu items that I think bring so much value to the meal swipe

for the students,” Trinidad said.

Trinidad said some items, such as the Korean fried chicken wrap and the Cuban sandwich, were switched in to maintain relevance to the current food culture.

“The time and effort that went into manipulating that menu was amazing,” Pazzanese said. “I remember at five o’clock at night getting off work with Chito and some of the other directors. We’d go down to the culinary studio to test food that they were practicing for the two trucks, mostly Hungry Cat.”

When Boyd Dining Hall was renovated in 2015, Hungry Cat started accepting meal swipes.

“The Hungry Cat was a solution for that,” Trinidad said.

The food truck moved to its current location on the top of Morton Hill in 2016.

Joshua Jacob, a freshman studying journalism, often eats at Hungry Cat because of the truck’s convenient operating times.

“I think it’s super convenient,” Jacob said. “The reason we go there is because we have a lot of events that go till 8 or 9 (p.m.) ... since they’re open really late, it’s really convenient on the way back from WOUB.”

Nelson Court is open until 9 p.m., and Boyd is open until 8:30 p.m.; however, Earl’s Coop and Jefferson Market are open late most nights.

“I have really two options,” Jacob said. “It’s easy to go to Earls, but obviously it’s not the healthiest … (Jefferson Market) is kind of inconvenient because it is more out of the way, and it’s a little pricey when it comes to food portions and meal swipes, but that’s the only two other options.”

Jacob said he wishes more places on campus accepted meal swipes and believes that they would receive more business if they did.

“It’d be nice if other dining halls were open a bit later or if we had a couple more options,” Jacob said. “I haven’t gotten bored of (Hungry Cat) yet, but it would be nice to have a couple more options.”

Pazzanese said adding a new dining hall is a long process, as the culinary team has to talk with consulting firms to develop new ideas.

“It’s much like building a house,” Pazzanese said. “You have a really good idea, and this is what the land looks like. Then, you bring the contractor, and they go, ‘Well, no, we’re gonna have to grade

Students, OU prepare for Halloweekend

OLIVIA

GILLIAND NEWS STAFF WRITER

As Halloween approaches, Ohio University students and administration have started preparing for the festivities with rules and regulations to keep everyone safe on Halloween weekend.

With the influx of people coming to campus in the next few weeks, Associate Director of Housing and Residence Jillian Phillips said the department has made several adjustments to ensure student safety and satisfaction.

According to Phillips, there is a one guest limit per resident, and all guests must be pre-registered. There is a $50 guest fee for non-OU students visiting.

“It covers costs for wristbands, which help monitor guests and ensure safety, as well as supplies for activities,“ Philips said. “Most importantly, the funding allows us to increase staffing during this busy time.”

Phillips said this provides better support and supervision for residents and guests. For additional security, she said the university will also lock most exterior doors.

“These steps are intended to help manage the number of people on campus while ensuring we have enough staff available to provide support and assistance,” Phillips said. “We want to ensure that all students living in residence halls

have a safe and fun Halloween weekend.”

Lincoln-Johnson Complex resident adviser Alyssa McHugh said she plans to discuss these regulations with students and address any concerns they may have by next week.

“If you’re going to have fun, be smart about it,” McHugh said. “Just making sure that while you’re in the dorm that you’re following the student code of conduct because bigger repercussions can hap-

pen.”

During Halloween weekend, OU residence halls will have increased staff available from Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. to Oct. 28 at 8 a.m.

Campus partners like the Dean of Students office and OU Police Department will also have a heightened presence and be ready to assist with any concerns or emergencies.

For those who prefer to stay in during

the land a little bit more.’ Then, we have to bring in different utilities from the street.”

Currently, plans are being made to possibly put a dining experience in the West Green Courtyard and to expand the items offered in the marketplaces, according to Pazzanese.

“We don’t have any specific places yet, but it takes a fair assessment of what the current student needs are and what they’re going to be in the next five years,” Trinidad said.

DH384223@OHIO.EDU

the weekend, however, many halls will host fun programs and events, including spooky movie nights, costume contests and game nights.

Phillips added students can ensure a successful and fun Halloween weekend, either in or out, by wearing the student-designated wristband, keeping an ID and phone on-person at all times, staying close to friends and having a backup plan in case of separation.

In addition to Housing and Residence Life regulations, Transportation and Parking Services will also create designated parking lots for Halloween weekend guests.

Gina Fenorchito, a freshman studying pre-nursing, said she respects the university’s attempt to protect students and looks forward to experiencing her first Halloween as a Bobcat after hearing about it from others.

“I’m looking forward to having a great time with my friends and being able to experience the OU Halloween, but I will also be taking those precautions and following all the regulations and rules,” Fenorchito said.

Fenorchito said despite OU being considered a party school, it is who students surround themselves with that decides how their experience will go.

Along with a reminder to not touch the horses, Philips also said students should have fun, make lasting memories and use good judgment.

Hungry Cat food truck at the top of Morton Hill, Oct. 1, 2024, Athens. (CLAIR YOUKER | FOR THE POST)

The marquee of the Athena Cinema in Athens, Ohio Oct. 28, 2023. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)

Athens adds municipal art through sculpture walk

PAIGE FISHER | FOR THE POST

Athens city administration, in collaboration with the Athens Municipal Arts Commission, is bringing more art to the city through a sculpture walk experience.

The experience will contain six permanent pieces from local artists, located on the new fire station headquarters campus near the Stimson Avenue roundabout.

Deputy City Service-Safety Director Andrew Chiki said the city allocates 1% of the cost of the new construction project toward art and city beautification.

Mayor Steve Patterson said the cost of the entire installation is included in the cost of the new fire station headquarters, and the artists will be awarded $7,500 each for their work.

The art and artists were chosen through a selection process in which artists submitted proposals to a committee within the AMAC. The submissions were then judged by members of the committee and the Athens mayor.

“Through the Athens Municipal Arts Commission, an ad hoc commit-

tee was formed to develop ideas for what kind of art could be created as part of the new fire station project,” Chiki wrote in an email.

Chiki said the firehouse campus was chosen for the project because of its high visibility to those visiting Athens, as well as those passing through the U.S. Route 33.

“(The placement) was determined that because of the prominent location in the city and a desire to showcase multiple local artists that a sculpture park would be a great way to use the percent for art allocation,” Chiki wrote in an email.

Holly Ittel is the vice-commissioner of AMAC and said the space was chosen because it is highly accessible for visitors.

“The ad hoc committee consisted of visual artists and musical artists, and we had a concern for accessibility,” Ittel said. “So the paths will be paved, there will be … no step pad, the artwork is graded to the ground to enhance accessibility.”

Patterson said accessibility is necessary because of the substantial size

of each piece of artwork that will be on display, which may require different types of foundations.

“One piece in particular is 20-feettall,” Patterson said. “Now it won’t be from grade, from ground. It won’t go up 20 feet. It’ll go up probably 16 feet up in the air, and then there’s some others that are fairly tall that require some different types of foundations for them.”

Patterson said the committee received nearly a dozen artists’ submissions and an excess of 45 individual pieces or concepts of artwork.

“We started with seven, and then we put out a call for artists,” Patterson said. “It was a request for proposals that went through the Athens Municipal Arts Commission. They managed what art would be in space. I asked to be one of the jurors because I wanted to see the art.”

Ittel said in addition to the six permanent pieces of artwork selected by the committee, there are plans to put some platforms in the area to showcase artwork from students and other local artists that would rotate

regularly.

“We are installing additional concrete pads where temporary artworks will exist, and that will probably be a future project between us and the local colleges and universities like Ohio University and Hocking (College) to get their student artwork publicly displayed,” Ittel said.

Patterson said he thinks this would be a great way for students to showcase their artwork off campus and is a way to bring more artwork into the city for residents and visitors to see.

“I’ve always thought we don’t have enough sculptures in the city of Athens, and I’ve said that to my staff in the past, I’ve said it for years,” Patterson said. “We just need to step up our game when it comes to sculptures that are open that the public can experience, and other people have said that too.”

The immersive sculpture walk experience was originally expected to open on Wednesday with its own ribbon cutting, but it is now set to open along with the fire headquarters complex Oct. 29.

@PAIGEMAFISHERPF585820@OHIO.EDU

Police Blotter: Sheriff’s office investigates stolen marijuana plants, runaway baby

OLIVIA GILLIAND |NEWS STAFF WRITER

26 Thurs____________________

Roadway incident

Deputies responded to West Main Street in Glouster Sept. 26 in reference to juveniles riding minibikes on the roadway, according to the Athens County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies were informed of an alleged assault on one of the juveniles, according to the Sheriff's Office. A report was taken, and an investigation is pending at this time.

26 Thurs____________________

I’m Batman

OUPD officers arrested an individual Sept. 26 at Peden Stadium for underage consumption of an intoxicating beverage and possessing a fictitious identification card, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

26 Thurs____________________

Bumper cars

Deputies assisted the Ohio State Highway Patrol Sept. 26 for an injury traffic accident on U.S. Route 50 near United Lane in Athens, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating this traffic accident.

27 Fri____________________ Fashion-forward

Deputies received a complaint from Athens County Municipal Courts Sept. 27 about a subject cutting off his ankle monitor, according

to the Sheriff's Office.

A report was created, and a warrant has been placed for the subject’s arrest.

27 Fri

Who let the dogs out?

Deputies responded to Lexington Avenue in Chauncey Sept. 27 in reference to two small dogs possibly attacking a woman, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Deputies spoke to neighbors but could not locate the female or the canines, according to the Sheriff's Office.

27 Sun____________________

Who let the dogs out? Pt. 2

Deputies responded to Laurel Lane in Athens for a dog bite Sept. 29, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The owner said the dog slipped its collar off before going to the neighbor's property, where it bit a woman multiple times, according to the Sheriff's Office.

28 Sat____________________

Boss baby

Deputies responded to The Plains Sept. 28 in reference to a report of a juvenile running around unattended wearing a diaper, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Deputies patrolled the area both on foot and in vehicles but could

not locate the juvenile. A drone was used but was also unable to locate the juvenile, according to the Sheriff's Office.

29 Sun____________________ Honey, where are my marijuana plants?

Deputies were called to Main Street in Millfield for a report of marijuana plants Sept. 29, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The caller stated that 10 plants were taken sometime throughout the evening. There are no known suspects at this time, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

29 Sun Fight club

Deputies responded to The Plains for a report of a disturbance involving a man with a knife Sept. 29, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Units spoke with involved parties, finding that threats and physical altercations had taken place with no serious injuries, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The man was charged with aggravated menacing and transported to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.

2 Wed____________________

B-U-S-T-E-D

The Athens County Sheriff’s Of-

fice Drug Task Force concluded an extended investigation into a drug trafficking organization Wednesday in the area following the execution of a search warrant and the arrest of two suspects, according to the Sheriff's Office.

The Athens County Special Response Team served a warrant on Fox Lake Road in Athens, where multiple people were detained. The home was secured and turned over to Detectives with the Task Force, according to the Sheriff's Office.

3 Thurs____________________

‘Merica

Deputies responded to the area of U.S. Route 33 near state Route 682 on Thursday in reference to a Blue Toyota Tundra driving with red, white and blue flashing lights, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Deputies patrolled the area but were unable to locate the vehicle, according to the Sheriff's Office.

More information regarding police reports and safety can be found on the Athens County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

League of Women Voters hosts candidate forum for Athens County treasurer

OLIVIA GILLIAND NEWS STAFF WRITER

The League of Women Voters hosted a debate Thursday between two non-incumbent Athens County Treasurer candidates, Dawn Deputy and Taylor Sappington, who answered questions from Athens residents and media organizations about their respective campaigns.

The debate between Deputy, the former fiscal officer for the Athens County Sheriff’s Office and the current treasurer of The Plains Volunteer Fire Department, and Sappington, the current Nelsonville city auditor, was initiated by the retirement of current Athens County Treasurer Ric Wasserman.

According to 2020 U.S. Census data, Athens County is home to more than 58,000 people and has the highest poverty rate among neighboring counties, making the race for treasurer a key ballot measure for many people.

The rural region also presents distinct financial challenges that both candidates hope to address for Athens residents.

DAWN DEPUTY

Deputy is an Athens County native and an independent write-in candidate for Athens County treasurer. She received an associate degree in accounting from Hocking College in 2001 before owning and operating two businesses in Athens County for 19 years.

After retiring, Deputy returned to school and received a bachelor's degree in accounting from Maryville University

of St. Louis. Deputy also worked for Athens County Job and Family Services as a caseworker and as a fiscal officer with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office.

She opened the candidate forum by expressing her connection to and concern for the people of Athens County.

“My goal is to ensure our county's financial health,” Deputy said. “As such, I will prioritize the taxpayer by being a treasurer with an open door policy for both local officials and residents, something which has been lacking in the current administration.”

As a neighbor, mother and community aggregate, Deputy said she is committed to keeping taxpayers informed about how their money is being spent and will explore new revenue sources and investments to further Athens’s financial success.

Deputy also said she is running her campaign on trust, transparency and accountability by providing financial reports and ensuring compliance with all legal requirements. She added that the office of treasurer and serving her community is as much of a responsibility as it is an opportunity.

“My goals are to increase transparency and public involvement and to ensure that the existing tax escrow program is running well and continues to help residents with their tax payments,” Deputy wrote in a press release.

TAYLOR SAPPINGTON

Sappington, the democratic nominee

for Athens County treasurer, is also an Athens County native and opened his argument by expressing gratitude and optimism for the community.

“It's an important moment of transition for the seat and I’ve found, in my experience in government, that moments of transition are the most important moments,” Sappington said. “We have to get this right and I would really like the opportunity to be that person to help get that right.”

Sappington cited his education from Ohio University and his track record in Nelsonville city government as qualifications for the treasurer's office.

“We took on a bad census and recounted the city, and made it back to city status,” Sappington said. “We turned (budget) deficits into a surplus. We took on corruption and beat back theft multiple times. Frankly, (we) have done the job and done it well in my office, and I want to take that to the treasurer's office.”

CAMPUS EVENTS October

Social Engagement & Student Org

Tuesday, October 8

Midnight Mysteries: Scary Stories in the Darkroom hosted by OU Camera Club

9:00 pm - 11:45 pm Seigfred Hall Darkroom

Fall 2 Intramural Sports Registration IS Open!!

Wednesday, October 9

Women in Entrepreneurship Alumni Panel

6:30 pm Baker Theatre BINGO

6:00-8:00 pm Nelson *prizes

Midweek Bible Study hosted by Encompass Campus Ministry

7:00 -9:00 pm Baker 366

Thursday, October 10

Regular Discussion hosted by Bridge USA OU Chapter

6:00 -7:00 pm Gordy 302

Discussion: Pre-Election Chat hosted by: OU Young Democratic Socialists of America

6:00 - 7:00 pm Bentley 120

180: Weekly Gathering of Cru 7:30 - 8:30 pm Morton 201

Sunday, October 13

OU Quad Rugby: Battle the Blitz

10:00 am -5:00 pm Ping Recreation Center

Tuesday, October 15

FBLA Fall Speaker Series: Daniel W. Squiller 5:00 -:00 pm Copeland 001

Events

Tuesday, October 15 (cont’)

Virtual Talk: Terra Fondriest hosted by: NPPA OU 6:45 -7:45 pm RTV 462

SFL: PAWS for a Cause Stephanie Foster Comedy Show

7:00 -8:30 Memorial Auditorium

Wednesday, October 16

DVAM: Sexual Citizens Book Read noon-1:00 pm Women’s Center

All Hallows EAST East Green Lawns

6:00 - 9:00pm

Friday, October 18

Concert-Transient Canvas

8:00 -10:00 pm Glidden Recital Hall

Friday’s LIVE Season 53 E03 hosted by Mimi Calhoun

8:00 pm Studio C (RTV 515)

Both candidates answered questions from community members in the audience about topics ranging from the management of the Athens County land bank to the tax escrow program. They also addressed audience members' concerns about property taxes and other economic issues that are prevalent on local, state and federal ballots.

Voter registration ended Monday, with the election for Athens County Treasurer beginning Tuesday via early voting. Information regarding polling locations, times and requirements can be found on the Athens Board of Elections website.

@OLIVIAGGILLIAND OG953622@OHIO.EDU

8th - October 25th

Wednesday, October 23

Midweek Bible Study hosted by Encompass Campus Ministry

7:00 -9:00 pm Baker 366

Absentee Ballott Party 3:00-6:00 pm Baker 3rd Floor Atrium

Thursday, October 24

Regular Discussion hosted by Bridge USA OU Chapter

6:00 -7:00 pm Gordy 302

180: Weekly Gathering of Cru

7:30 - 8:30 pm Morton 201

October 4 & 5

OHIO @ Maryville 8:15 PM & 5:15 PM St. Louis, MO

October 25

Adrian @ OHIO

7:00 PM (follow on X for streaming link)

The League of Women Voters of Athens County hosts a candidate forum for the Athens County Treasurer race. Dawn Deputy and Taylor Sappington participate in the forum at the Athens Community Center on Oct. 3, 2024. (ANDERS SALING | FOR THE POST)

Baristas practice patience, keep students caffeinated

SOPHIA ROOKSBERY HUMAN INTEREST STAFF WRITER

As the semester continues and workloads increase, many students will find themselves working late into the night and sometimes early into the morning. The solution to this cycle of sleep deprivation is caffeine. The keepers of the caffeine, also known as baristas, work tirelessly to keep students and community members fueled and functional.

Josie Nauman is a fourth-year graduate student pursuing a master’s in business administration and was recently made a manager at Brenen’s Café, located at 38 S. Court St.

“You’re either just making coffee, making food or running the orders and getting those together,” Nauman said, referring to the daily responsibilities of the job.

Eli Nisly, a junior studying playwriting, is responsible for a similar set of duties while working at the Campus Cafes.

“I like taking people’s orders, I love talking to people,” Nisly said. “I do like making drinks too but sometimes it’s just OK. I don’t like cleaning, that’s the most challenging thing.”

Nisly currently works at the South Side Espresso Bar but occasionally gets sent to work in other cafes on campus. This versatility of location grants him a unique relationship with his coworkers.

“You work with a lot of different people from all over, from a lot of different majors,” he said. “You work with so many different people, it’s not just the same couple because a lot of people cover shifts or you get sent somewhere else so you get to meet a lot of new coworkers.”

As with any job, coworkers are a major

influence on the atmosphere of the shops. Tommy Ingraham is a recent Ohio University graduate and works at Donkey Coffee, located at 17 W. Washington St. Ingraham’s coworkers encourage a very understanding work environment in the endlessly busy coffee shop.

“It can be very overwhelming sometimes, and knowing when to be like, ‘OK, I need to go step aside instead of just dealing with it’ is something I’m not very good at … but being here with coworkers who are open to that … helps,” Ingraham said.

Each coffee shop in Athens has a set of distinguishing qualities. One of the main things making Brenen’s unique is its standing as an OU alumni-owned business.

“Our bosses have owned this place for 27 years,” Nauman said. “They went here, they met here and they’re just great people. They really try to help out the community.”

This community-focused idea creates a palpably uplifting energy behind the coffee and deli counters.

“We have a very good vibe … here that I think people can see and it resonates when we’re giving orders or taking them,” Nauman said. “They can see that although we may not want to be working or if we’re having a bad day … it doesn’t really get to any of us and we have a good environment where we can pick each other up.”

Ingraham finds the curated ambience of Donkey to be its own specialty, one not listed on the menu.

“I think the atmosphere here is really nice, it’s very inclusive and welcoming,” he said. “There’s a lot of art and music too which I think most of the other coffee shops don’t really have, so I think that’s the big draw for me.”

All three baristas have found enjoyment in their work; Nisly enjoyed his first year as a barista so much that he went home for the summer and started working at another coffee shop.

All of the baristas also learned lessons

they can take with them in future careers. For example, Nauman has learned to practice patience with people who “need to be told things a couple of times to understand.”

Ingraham’s favorite part of the job is the simple pleasure at the core of barista work.

“I like making little treats for people and making their day a little better,” Ingraham said.

Walk to End Alzheimer’s Athens gathers for cause

Athens worked together to propel the mission of the Alzheimer’s Association Saturday. A total of 401 participants and 38 teams gathered at Eclipse Company Store in The Plains, located at 11309 Jackson Drive, for the 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s Athens 1-mile route.

“What makes our community unique is, of course, the university being here,” Alicia Billman, the Walk’s manager, said. “We like to also have, involved at our walks, the younger folks as well, because this is about prevention in order for us to find success overcoming this disease.”

Registering for the walk means a commitment to raising donations that “further the care, support, and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association,” according to the association’s website. Each team set itself a donation goal to work to meet before the day of the event.

“I have a gal that brings in $10,000 every year because she does a bingo and then bakes pies,” Billman said.

Sigma Kappa at Ohio University rounded up over 70 walkers for their team, led by Ava Wood, a sophomore studying environmental science and vice president of philanthropic services for the sorority. Out of the five philanthropies it serves, Sigma Kappa’s main focus is with the Alzheimer’s Association, Wood said.

“I don’t have a personal connection to Alzheimer’s, but talking to the girls in our chapter and being friends with people who do have personal connections, it’s super impactful and meaningful to get to contribute to something that will eventually be giving back to the families with people with Alzheimer’s and also people who are suffering from the disease,”

Wood said.

The sorority partnered with the fraternity Beta Chi, discussing the best ways to fundraise and encourage donations through their link. Wood, a few of her friends and other students in the sorority assisted in the setup and tear down for the event.

Another OU group involved with the inner workings of the Walk was the Aging and Gerontological Education Society, which focuses on the “support of older adults in aging,” Emma Griffey, a junior studying nursing who volunteered at the event, said.

First getting involved with the Alzheimer’s Association in her hometown in

light of her personal connection to the disease, Griffey also credits her passion for helping the older adult population in her participation with the Athens sect of the Walk.

AGES helped before and after kickoff and was a part of running the Memory Wall, which is Griffey’s favorite part of the morning, she said.

“If you know someone who had Alzheimer’s or dementia … you get to write their name on the wall and then they save all of those and you walk in remembrance of them,” Griffey said. “So I’ve done walks in the past … my grandma had Alzheimer’s… I didn’t get to do as much walking, but I still got to work the

memory wall and remember my grandma the whole time.”

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s Athens also hosts a Promised Garden Ceremony that serves as the kickoff.

“The ceremony is this solace time that we have,” Billman said. “We have four different color flowers: we have a blue, a yellow, a purple and an orange. Each of those flowers represents a reason that somebody might connect to the Alzheimer’s Association.”

A purple flower shows the walker has lost a loved one to the disease, yellow means they are a caretaker, blue represents a person with dementia and orange exhibits support for a world without Alzheimer’s.

“My grandfather passed away from Alzheimer’s, so when this position had opened up, with my background and my experience and my love for the Athens community specifically, (I took it),” Billman said. “I love all rural communities, so to be able to be a support person within the Southeast Ohio region, was calling my name.”

Following the walk, participants arrived back at the Eclipse Company Store for live music and food.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly seven million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s. Achieving 67% of their donation goal of $41,602 and receiving almost 50 more participants than last year, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Athens is working to fulfill the goals of the association in their support to fight this disease that affects the lives of millions across the country.

Josie Nauman poses for a portrait inside Brenen’s on 38 S. Court St., Athens, Oct. 1 , 2024. (TALITHA MALOY | FOR THE POST)

MAGGIE ALLWEIN | FOR THE POST

Participants pose for a photo after the Walk to End Alzheimer’s at the Eclipse Company Store in The Plains, Ohio, Oct. 5, 2024. (ETHAN HERX | FOR THE POST)

Nelsonville exhibits Appalachian culture

Women Entrepreneur ALUMNI PANEL

| FOR THE POST

Whether spending time with friends, attending a family reunion or sitting on College Green, one thing has the power to bring individuals together: storytelling. By sharing adventurous, exciting, sad or funny stories, people have passed on memories through generations, shaping the world today.

do it.”

In addition to live performances, the festival’s activities included workshops, readings and exhibits, all teaching the traditional and recent conventions of storytelling.

Wednesday, October 9th 6:30pm

Wednesday, October 9th 6:30pm Baker University Theater

Networking Reception with refreshments immediately after in the Theater Lounge.

The Appalachian Literary Arts and Storytelling Festival made its debut Oct. 5-6, and it became evident that some of the most eye-opening and heartwarming stories can be told by those in Athens’s neighboring cities.

Sponsored by Stuart’s Opera House, the festival took place across from Nelsonville’s Historic Public Square. The festival’s mission is to “encourage creative expression and action in elevating authentic Appalachian stories,” by preserving the culture through “visual, auditory and kinesthetic” storytelling.

Kaleigh Cox, founder of the event and an Ohio University alumna, said the festival taught attendees of all ages, especially children, how essential it is to share stories with others to express character.

“I think a lot of times students feel like their stories don’t matter in the face of published authors or directors,” Cox said. “This levels the playing field.” Cox also met with several businesses around Nelsonville during the planning process, as one of the festival’s goals was to support owners in the area.

“A lot of times there are these big events that close off portions of town which then just do harm to the businesses and places around,” Cox said. “We intentionally do not have food trucks because we wanted the businesses, the restaurants on the square to get all of that money.”

Each live performance was led by a different attendee, who was hand-picked by the festival’s coordinators after submitting a proposal. Beverly Wilkes, a Chillicothe resident originally from eastern Tennessee, performed a cover of “I Wonder as I Wander” by Jacob Niles and has shared a deep connection with Niles's music since the ‘60s.

“This story’s been with me awhile, since 1968 when I first heard John Jacob Niles sing it,” Wilkes said. “I got to learn it and I’d sing it every opportunity I could.”

Before the performance, Wilkes researched Niles because she wanted to create a meaningful story to share with the audience. From her research, she developed a variety of speeches and songs to perform, expressing her personality and implementing the importance of storytelling.

“As human beings, we have to share with one another and learn from one another and tell our stories,” Wilkes said. “Sad stories, happy stories, funny stories, it all connects us. We are not solo people, we need to connect with each other and this is a way to

One of the several workshops was taught by Mike Perry, a professional storyteller from Pittsburgh, who has been in the entertainment business for over 25 years.

Perry’s presentation, titled “Everything but a Story: Tools for Tellers and Improving Stage Presence,” discussed the “tools and tricks” regarding “preparation and stage presentation” when storytelling. Perry said the focus of his presentation was to share beneficial tools for those who tell stories in everyday life.

“Storytelling is really my love,” Perry said. “The only way people really understand storytelling is not only to tell stories but to teach the craft. There is so much that goes into any craft that might be invisible to an audience.”

Perry hopes to engage with audience members from all walks of life and according to his website, strives to live by the motto, “Growing up is optional. Having fun is mandatory!”

For the Appalachian people, telling authentic stories is vital in keeping family history and memories alive. Nancy Devol Rose, a citizen from Haydenville, had the opportunity to share her family's history through homemade presentations and original songs.

Rose said she shares a profound knowledge of the Haydenville Mines, as her family grew up in the district originally known as Hopperville, but later called Red Row Holler.

“We didn’t have an easy life,” Rose said. “We had to haul all of our water, every drop of water that we drank or bathed in, we had to go up to the mine and pump it in big milk cans.”

Rose performed three original songs, “Ballad of Red Row Hollar,” “Claymine Hollar” and “You Called Me Old Fashioned,” all of which honored her family’s connection to the mines and her late husband.

The festival hopes to become an annual event and seeks to give a voice to Appalachians, allowing them to share their stories and make new connections with others.

Rose said she hopes storytelling can motivate younger generations to keep the past alive.

“It is important for people to be able to tell their stories for Appalachia,” Rose said. “We have stories to tell, things that people won’t hear. Particularly once we are gone, unless it is passed on to the younger ones, it will be lost.

GN875322@OHIO.EDU @GINA_NAPOLI_

Wednesday, October 9th 6:30pm

Moderator: Krystal Geyer, Associate Director, Center for

Moderator: Krystal Geyer,

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Cierra Boyd, Designer and Founder, Friskmegood (B.S. ’17)

Toyia Montgomery, CEO of Good Vibes, LLC. (B.S.J, ‘02)

Cierra Boyd, Designer and Founder, Friskmegood (B.S. ’17)

Toyia Montgomery, CEO of Good Vibes, LLC. (B.S.J, ‘02)

Epp, CEO Scriptdrop (B.S.’07)

Cierra Boyd, Designer and Founder, Friskmegood (B.S. ’17) Toyia Montgomery, CEO of Good Vibes, LLC. (B.S.J, ‘02)

Amanda Epp, CEO Scriptdrop (B.S.’07)

GINA NAPOLI

Audience members watch The Lazy Susan Band play at 30 Public Square, Nelsonville, Ohio for the Appalachian Literary Arts and Storytelling Festival, Oct. 5, 2024. (SKYLAR SEAVEY | FOR THE POST)

Political science classes brace for impending election

SOPHIA ROOKSBERRY

HUMAN INTEREST STAFF WRITER

According to the political science department website, “political science students at Ohio get to explore the politics of yesterday, today and tomorrow with renowned faculty.” In an election year, the politics of today and tomorrow are especially intriguing subjects of classroom debate.

Ayshni Tandon, a senior studying political science pre-law, is currently enrolled in POLS 4010 American Constitutional Law and POLS 3050J Writing on Political Science Topics.

“The content we’re working on in both of them is specific to their own categories, but the election is referenced a lot,” Tandon said. “If we’re learning about a constitutional case, they’ll be like, ‘this is going to be relevant in the coming weeks’ or ‘they were just arguing about this on TV.’”

DeLysa Burnier, a political science professor, has been using the election as a part of her course curriculums throughout the semester.

“I use it more as an example, a way to highlight things,” Burnier said. “I’ve been asking people to talk about the debates and grade them and things like that, but I try to weave it in and incorporate it into the material.”

Tandon believes many professors in the department use the upcoming election to engage their students in the curriculum. One of the ways Tandon interacts with other political science students is through her role as the president of the Political Science Majors Association.

“We’ll have get-togethers to watch the debates, we’re constantly talking about it in our group chats,” Tandon said. “We are nonpartisan so you get a lot of opinions in there, a lot of people correcting each other if you get facts wrong.”

According to Tandon, the department faculty encourage looking at everything through a lens of factual accuracy to allow for political science students to be less polarized compared to non-political

science students, despite the broad range of views and opinions present in the group.

“Being a poli-sci major has definitely given me a way more nuanced view than I had before college of the election process, maybe it’s a little more pessimistic of a view,” Tandon said. “I definitely feel better prepared to take on misinformation in an election cycle.”

Burnier believes political science students are at an advantage in an election year due to their pre-existing interest in politics and through their course discussions.

Julie White, a professor of political science, hopes to use this interest within her students to the advantage of their education.

“Most of the students in our department feel pretty comfortable expressing where their political preferences lie with respect to any particular candidate, but I also hope we encourage this climate where, however (students are) voting, (they) don’t think either candidate is getting everything perfectly right,” White said.

This semester, White is instructing two classes in political science: Introduction to Political Theory and Resistance, Reform and Revolution.

According to White, the latter class puts a central focus on answering the following question: “How did we arrive at a point where elections become not just the primary, but for a lot of people the only way they

imagine the political?”

“Elections are an important part of our political life, but in the U.S. context (they tend) to eclipse the importance of organizing politically beyond the electoral process,” White said. “So much of what politicians can and can’t do once they’re elected is really a function of the work that is done outside the electoral process.”

White hopes this message encourages students to “put elections in their appropriate space in that (political) terrain” and take note of the civic groups in action after the election itself concludes.

“I think an important part of preparatory work for the election, but also the work post-election, is about reminding people that politics is ongoing,” White said. “It doesn’t end with an election, and whatever happens, there will continue to be political work to be done.”

After the election, Burnier plans to facilitate discussion and review in her classes.

“(Discussion will) give everybody a chance to talk and see what happened, what trends, what differences there are, a way to get a big picture in the short term,” she said. @SOPHIAROOKS_

(SANIAT FAHEEMA ZAMAN | FOR THE POST)

Gianni Spetic gains confidence during his sophomore season

ROBERT KEEGAN III | SPORTS EDITOR

When sophomore kicker Gianni Spetic lines up for a kick, he clears his head and has the comfortable cockiness to know the ball will go through the uprights. When long snapper Colby Garfield snaps the ball back to holder Jack Wilson, everything is in perfect unison for Spetic to make his kicks.

“I try not to think too much about it; that’s where mistakes can go wrong,” Spetic said. “When I line up, I just tell myself to attack with my plant foot … and just follow through.”

Spetic, a native of Chardon, Ohio, has had an excellent start to his sophomore season. In five games, Spetic has only missed once in six field goal attempts. He also scored a career-long 46-yard field goal in Week One against Syracuse.

“So far, compared to last year, there’s a big difference there,” Spetic said. “My confidence level is way up, and it continues to be that way.”

Spetic largely credits his jump between years one and two to his newfound appreciation for meditation practices.

“I started (meditating) this year,” Spetic said. “My aunt got me into it. I read a couple of books that talk about meditation and how it helps you.”

Before every game, Spetic takes the time to sit down and meditate so

he can go into every matchup with a clear head.

The kicker position may have the most mental impact in football. Although every position requires a fair amount of mental toughness, kickers often only get a couple of tries per game, and a miss can linger in one’s head for a while, which Spetic said he needs to work on.

“I’m very hard on myself,” Spetic said. “If I go back out there and make another kick it goes right out, but

that’s definitely my weakness.”

Even though the art of making a field goal comes down to way more than just the leg of the kicker, it can be a lonely job on a football team. The whole stadium is watching only you when you’re on the field. This is another reason why practices like meditation are so crucial to Spetic before entering a game.

Kicking is almost as much mental as it is physical, if not more.

“It sucks, just sitting there because

your body gets tight again, and you always have to be loose as a kicker,” Spetic said. “The most challenging part of my gameday is just sitting around. You got to figure out a way to keep yourself loose.”

In his true freshman season, Spetic played in 12 games for Ohio, making 18 of his 26 field goal attempts, including a long of 40 yards.

It’s rare for a kicker to come in and be the starter on a Division I FBS football program like Spetic did, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have experience. In four years at Notre Dame Cathedral Latin High School, Spetic was a four-year varsity letter winner in football and baseball.

Spetic holds his high school’s record for the longest field goal made with a 49-yarder in his senior year, where he was also named First-Team All-District.

At Ohio, Spetic has quickly become a reliable point scorer for the special teams unit that has thrived in Ohio’s first five games.

“I’m really liking the operation this year,” Spetic said. “It’s been good, and it's been on point. Hopefully, we can keep it up as we go into our next games.”

@ROBERTKEEGAN_ BK272121@OHIO.EDU

Who loves football? Ohio loves football

No matter the weather — in the rain, in the snow, in the sleet, in the heat — Ohio loves football.

Like all football teams, Ohio’s post-victory locker room is a mash of music and yelling, but there is always one uniting rallying cry that brings the team together for a proclamation of the sport it loves the most: football.

The “we love football” chant has been around long before it gained traction on Ohio’s social media accounts, and it has been around long before current Director of Football Operations Jeremiah Covington was the leader for Ohio’s post-game chant.

“This is my fifth year as the DFO,” Covington said. “I inherited the position from our last DFO, Chris Rogers; he did the chant, and the DFO before him, Jason Brunes did the chant.”

Covington, a former football player at Wingate University, knew nothing about Ohio or its traditions before arriving in Athens.

“I had no Ohio ties whatsoever,” Covington said. “The only way I knew about Ohio football was Maction, watching football on Tuesday nights back in North Carolina.”

Covington knew he had reached his peak at Wingate, and when he arrived in Ohio, it didn’t take long for the North Carolina native to become an

Athens fan.

“My head coach is a great mentor; he's still a mentor to me today,” Covington said. “He gave me the opportunity to be a GA and to be a DFO there. I told him, I said, ‘Hey, I think I reached my ceiling here’… (I was looking at Ohio, and) I was like, man, this is a great place. I got here and fell in love with it.”

The chant is a Bobcat tradition that spans multiple eras of Ohio football and multiple eras of directors of football operations.

Covington knows what it is like to be in that locker room after a big win, allowing him to rally the team and keep spirits high.

“Every DFO that has been hired to this position has been former football players and former coaches,” Covington said. “So that gives us the opportunity to do our part in the game, to get the guys motivated, because we know how important that is, to keep the guys' morale and spirits (high).”

Ohio's spirits have been high all season when playing in Athens, as all three of its wins so far have come on Frank Solich Field at Peden Stadium.

The home-field environment is certainly helpful to Ohio, and the chant after the game keeps Ohio energized and engaged.

The tradition of the chant is another important thing to not only Cov-

ington but the Ohio program as well.

“Tradition is huge around here, so it was an honor when I got hired for this position,” Covington said. “Doing (the chant), I knew I had big shoes to fill from those two past DFOs.”

One player who sticks out in the locker room before the chant is graduate center Parker Titsworth. The longtime Bobcat has done the chant more than any other player on the team and still gets amped for the post-game tradition.

"All the guys love it, but Parker Titsworth keeps me ready,” Covington said.

For the sixth-year center, the chant represents much more than signaling a victory.

“That chant means more than just winning a game to me; that represents something that's lasted a very long time,” Titsworth said. “It all reflects on the culture.”

The chant and the culture of Ohio football go hand in hand, which is clear to Covington.

“It has shown people across the country when we go to bowl games, when we go across the West Coast, they see how tough Ohio football is,” Covington said. “I think that just speaks of what we say in that chant because we really live by it.”

CHARLIE FADEL | SPORTS STAFF WRITER

Photo provided by Ohio Athletics | Pearl Spurlock

Gianni Spetic (44) stands for a portrait on the field of Peden Stadium, Oct. 1, 2024, Athens. (TALITHA MALOY | FOR THE POST)

Behind the growth of Ohio Esports

As the world progresses, it seems that everything is starting to become digital, and the sports world is no stranger to this new advancement. Esports, which are professional video game competitions, have seen a meteoric rise in recent years.

The rise has been seen in all areas of the country and the world as video games globally have become a phenomenon for fans to watch.

Ohio University is included in those areas that have seen the rise of Esports, and it all started in 2017 when Jeff Khun had the idea for an Esports club and team to come to Ohio.

“I pitched this idea to the University back in late 2017, and then got kind of the ball rolling, and the initiative going into 2018 to set it up,” Kuhn said. “After that, I was asked to step into the role of the director.”

The founder and now director of the Bobcat Esports club has grown his idea exponentially since it started in 2018. His knowledge and experience with video games, along with the growing Esports scene, were some of the reasons that Khun pitched his idea.

“I have a background in games and learning, so (I always valued) games and education,” Khun said. “In 2014, the first esports team at a university was developed over at Robert Morris University. And then within a four year time, we saw 300 universities started (Esports clubs).”

The growth has been huge not only within the state but also nationally, as 18 universities in Ohio currently have an Esports club or team on campus. Interest in competitive gaming stems from many sources, but Khun points to the increasing popularity of video games among younger people as a key reason.

“If you look at the demographic data of high school and middle school, more kids are playing games,” Khun said. “They're bringing that culture with them to campus, but we didn't see that culture necessarily represented. It was a thing of student engagement … and it’s recruiting for students coming in.”

That recruitment has obviously worked, as Ohio Esports has grown into a big deal on campus. There are

over 1,300 students currently involved with Esports and more are on their way.

“We get about 10 new users a week starting to come in and check the place out,” Khun said. “We've seen the steady growth over the last two years now.”

The organization has also grown competitively, adding a varsity team for over six different video games. Those games include popular titles such as Rocket League, Overwatch, League of Legends and Valorant.

The Esports Arena, located in the basement of Scripps Hall, houses all of those games. The arena serves as a testament to how much the organization has grown despite facing challenges opening it during COVID-19.

“We got approval to build the place in 2019, and we broke ground in summer 2020; you can imagine that was a challenge,” Khun said. “We officially got the place open in September of 2022. Just growing it out from there has been a challenge.”

The arena is not just for competitive gaming and Ohio’s Esports teams, however. It is open for all OU students to use Tuesday through Friday. The arena is stocked with stateof-the-art computers and computer parts designed for quality gaming.

Esports are continuing to grow worldwide, and nothing signifies that growth like the International Olympic Committee hosting an Esports event in 2025 in Saudi Arabia. Although Esports and video games were already global, the IOC's inclusion will only grow the scene even more.

“Esports was just announced as an Olympic event. It’s hosted individually, but now we're seeing that widespread adoption, and I think it's just going to continue to grow,” Khun said. “Is it ever going to be bigger than basketball or football? No. But it's going to be something where you're seeing students develop out their love for a team and have their team that they root for.”

With the growth of collegiate Esports in particular increasing by the week at OU, expect more schools across the country to have Esports as a featured program.

CHARLIE FADEL | SPORTS STAFF WRITER

Ohio University esports at the basement of Scripps Hall, Sept. 30, 2023.

(JUSTIN DELGADO | FOR THE POST)

THE POST Darbi Ricketts’ versatility makes instant impact

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Ohio’s roster looks much different from previous years, with a major emphasis on youth, leading to many players taking on new, bigger roles than they’d have otherwise. Darbi Ricketts, a freshman outside hitter and defensive specialist from Cincinnati is one of those players.

At 5-foot-7, Ricketts is the only player on the Bobcats’ roster with her combination of positions and the smallest outside hitter on the team by about half a foot. She can fly above the net for kills, ranking fourth on the team in the category while also getting on the floor to prevent kills, ranking second on the team in digs. She even wears the libero jersey occasionally.

“(My playstyle) is something Geoff (Carlston) and Kam Hunt have been working with me at practice on,” Ricketts said. “I’m not as big as everybody else, so it's a lot harder for me to go over the top.”

Although adjusting to the size and athleticism of collegiate defenses has been a point of emphasis for Ricketts, providing pressure above the net isn’t something new for her. At Little Miami High School, where Ricketts spent two years as team captain, she tallied 840 career kills, just slightly over her digs total with 826.

Ricketts grew up in a volleyball family, so it didn’t take long for her to fall in love with the game.

“My sisters started playing first when they were in middle school, and my dad was the coach,” Ricketts said. “I was in third grade when I started coming to their practices … and from there it just took off.”

Ricketts’s passion, versatility and skill have made her an integral piece for the Bobcats just 15 games into her collegiate career. Ricketts, along with her mentor and Ohio’s leader in kills, Hunt, is one of just four players on the roster to have played all 61 sets this season.

Ricketts’s journey to get to Ohio was rather straightforward. Her high school is under two-anda-half hours from campus, making her a fairly local target for Ohio’s coaches and recruiting staff to keep tabs on.

“The assistant coach reached out on Instagram,

and they just said they wanted to chat, and they liked how I played,” Ricketts said. “I came for my visit, I absolutely loved it and I committed.”

Ricketts’s commitment was announced on the team’s social media pages Nov. 10, 2023, as one of four freshmen Ohio had brought in to comprise the youngest team Ohio has boasted in years. Of the 16 rostered players, 11 are underclassmen, with six of those underclassmen having played at least twothirds of Ohio’s total sets.

Given the team’s youth, growth is an inherent part of the season, from individuals like Ricketts to the entire roster. However, excitement exudes from this team, and the heights it could achieve in time.

“We are super young, but super talented and we are super athletic,” Ricketts said. “We have very high ceilings and we’re just trying to find our nice, sweet groove.”

Through the ups and downs that come prepackaged with a first season of collegiate sports, Ricketts shines in more ways than one. Her distinctive style of play, vocal leadership and ability to soak in the advice from teammates and coaches have given Ohio a bright spot through a season that hasn’t gone to plan thus far.

Those intangible traits, along with the highlight plays that have given her the nickname Darbi “Danger” Ricketts, affectionately called out over the loudspeaker by the Ohio athletics staple and announcer, Lou Horvath.

“It was my first game here, we were playing Cincinnati, one of my better games,” Ricketts said. “And Lou is just like, ‘Danger Darbi,’ and it just stuck.”

Ohio coach Geoff Carlston has made it a point of emphasis to empower Ricketts and the younger members of the team to play through their mistakes, noting the intangible aspects of their personalities over the statistical output.

“He has just always told me my voice and how I play the game are the reason I’m on the court,” Ricketts said. “If I didn’t have that I don’t think I’d be here.”

Darbi Ricketts (16) digs the ball during the Ohio University vs The University of Toledo volleyball game at The Convo, Oct. 5, 2024. (SKYLAR SEAVEY | FOR THE POST)

Comfort shows are comforting for a reason

ELIZABETH TALAGA | SLOT EDITOR

Everyone has a favorite thing, from food to music to books, and TV shows are no exception. In recent years, the term comfort show has infiltrated discussions surrounding people’s favorite TV shows, but it turns out there is a science behind why those favorite TV shows are so comforting to viewers.

A comfort show is a show someone will go back and rewatch multiple times. The feeling of watching a comfort show is akin to a big hug or the smell of cookies baking in the oven during the holidays. A lot of common comfort shows premiered in the early 2000s such as “Friends,” but a comfort show can be any show from any point in time.

Chivonna Childs, a psychologist for the Cleveland Clinic, told the clinic’s newsroom, comfort shows are comforting because of how the content relates to the viewer’s life and experiences.

“Often with comfort shows, they’re people we can resonate with,” Childs said. “They’re stories we resonate with, or they’re stories we wish we could resonate with.”

Clinical psychologist Alexandra Gold said in a Q&A with Friday Things, predictability is a large factor in what makes a comfort show a comfort show.

In an unpredictable world, people yearn for familiarity, and rewatching a show is less overwhelming for the brain than starting something new.

“If there’s a time in your life that you have positive memories of because of what you were doing at the time, routines with your family or friends, you might make a positive association between that time in your life and the show you were watching at the time,” Gold said.

Especially in the years following the pandemic, people are searching for comfort, familiarity and ways to make sense of their life scenarios after several years of trying to find new normals and navigating tough times.

Raffaello Antonino, a counseling psychologist, told Business Insider comfort shows can even have mental health benefits, become a safe space for people and allow people to explore and feel emotions through the show’s characters.

Many people rewatch “Gilmore Girls,” especially in the fall. Watching Rory Gilmore navigate common adolescent experiences such as breakups, academic challenges and familial disputes may help viewers get through their struggles in a lighthearted, sitcom world.

Although viewers do not live in Stars Hollow and don’t have a real-life Lorelai Gilmore to help them make sense of things, watching “Gilmore Girls” or any

‘Joker:

JUDE HANNAHS | FOR THE POST

Sequels to well-received critically and financially successful films are usually a hit or miss. The latest in this category of films, Todd Phillips’s “Joker: Folie à Deux” (2024), does not fare well with its previously acclaimed prequel, “Joker” (2019).

“Joker: Folie à Deux” picks up two years after 2019’s “Joker,” where viewers see Arthur Fleck, a.k.a. Joker (Joaquin Phoenix), in custody at Arkham State Hospital awaiting his trial for the six murders he committed.

The main defense of his attorney, Maryanne Stewart (Catherine Keener), is that Arthur has dissociative identity disorder and his “Joker” personality is responsible for the crimes. Arthur soon meets with a patient named Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (Lady Gaga) during a music therapy session, and they form a bond.

Throughout the film, Arthur and Lee grow closer together and mirror the Joker and Harley dynamic DC Comics fans know and love. However, it is not a fairy tale story for the duo as Arthur anticipates the final verdict of the trial to determine if his true identity is more aligned with being the iconic Joker or the boring Arthur Fleck.

With all of its negative feedback from critics and fans, the main issue with “Joker: Folie à Deux,” like Arthur’s character arc in the film, is a lack of identity. The film tries to be too many things, resulting in a muddled message.

For one, the film is a musical, drastically different from the original. The music numbers incorporated into the

comfort show provides a space to see how others handle common life situations. Additionally, audiences see how characters navigate life in their fictional worlds, giving viewers something to apply to their real-world lives.

Viewers can sit down to binge-watch a show, especially something that is comforting, while escaping the real world. Binge-watching releases dopamine in the brain, giving off feelings of happiness, excitement and pleasure.

Whether it is watching Ross and Rachel fall in love for the millionth time on “Friends” or watching Serena and Blair navigate life on the Upper East Side in “Gossip Girl,” people navigate toward comfort shows for a reason. The familiarity of Jess, Nick, Schmidt and Winston in “New Girl” and the humor in “The Office” is something people crave in their lives.

ET029322@OHIO.EDU

Folie à Deux’ misses the mark

film do not fit the scenes before or after them. The audience will be treated to a depressing, serious scene followed by Arthur, Lee or both singing. It just does not work in the context of the film.

The music being played is not entirely bad, but it

momentum.

would have been better uti lized if Phillips and the rest of the production crew had gone all-in on the concept of making a musical. As it stands, it comes across as inappropriate and kills the story’s

The best part of the film is when it focuses on Arthur’s mental state when he has to relive his traumatic experiences as they are being discussed in court by people who know him and his upbringing. As he did in the first film, Phoenix does bestArthur material he’s given – which isn’t much for this film.

The best thing the writers created for this character is seeing Arthur struggle with his identity. Otherwise, he

is nothing more than an archetype of better-written characters in the vein of Travis Bickle from “Taxi Driver” (1976).

Gaga’s Lee could have been so much more than what the audience got. Like her co-star, Gaga does a tremendous job bringing Harley Quinn to life and doing her spin on the character to make it her own. The problem is her character also feels underdeveloped.

The audience learns who she is and why she is attracted to Joker, but there is nothing more. She has a motive, but the audience never learns why the Joker fulfills her deepest desires. A better avenue the film could have taken was to have the classic Joker and Harley storyline where Harley is a regular, sane perwson who falls in love with Joker.

The film does do something new; however, it is in a first draft phase and not a final script. There are many cons to the film, but there are still good qualities of filmmaking present.

The film’s supporting roles, like Keener’s Stewart and Brendan Gleeson as Jackie Sullivan, a guard at Arkham Arthur hates, are excellent. The cinematography by Lawrence Sher creates some truly stunning images and scenes that feel right out of the page of a comic book.

“Joker: Folie à Deux” is a sequel that tries to do too much in such little time. Fans of the first film will probably be disappointed watching this feature now playing in theaters.

RATING: 2/5

@JUDETHEDUDEHANNAHS

(ALAINA DACKERMANN | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

What are the best comfort foods in Athens?

ASHLEY POMPLAS | FOR THE POST

With some going away to college for the first time, it can be hard to be far from home and their comfort foods. Here are some places in Athens that have the best comfort foods.

BRENEN’S CAFE

Brenen’s Cafe, located at 38 S. Court St., is open throughout the week and provides an extensive food and drink menu. Brenen’s serves breakfast sandwiches before 11 a.m. that can be served on a

bagel, English muffin, croissant, tortilla or toast. There is also a large bakery menu from which customers can select, and all bakery items are made in-house (besides turnovers).

Brenen’s also serves a deli menu where customers can select almost any sandwich. All sandwiches are served with a pickle and a choice of yogurt, coleslaw or various chips as a side.

During the cold season, Brenen’s also serves a weekly soup for anyone wanting a warm meal. Brenen’s is a great location for anyone looking for a delicious sandwich, cup of soup or breakfast to remind them of home.

BAGEL STREET

DELI

Bagel Street, located at 27 S. Court St., is another great location for anyone looking for a delicious sandwich to remind them of home. According to the restaurant’s website, customers can have any “bagelwich” they can imagine, toasted and steamed to perfection. Bagel Street’s menu has many bagel sandwiches from which customers can select, including breakfast, Italian eats, veggie delights and carnivorous cravers. For those looking for something other than a “bagelwich,” Bagel Street also offers salads, soups and other sides. A dessert the restaurant offers is an “Oweo XL,” which is a cookie or two smashed together with cream cheese. Bagel

Street also has a large selection of bagels that can be customized for the bagelwiches to fit a customer’s needs best. Bagel Street is a great restaurant for anyone who needs a “bagelwich” just like mom used to make.

JACKIE O’S PUBLIC HOUSE RESTAURANT

Jackie O’s, located at 22 W. Union St. is near the Ohio University campus for those looking for a sit-down restaurant with delicious comfort food. According to the restaurant’s website, customers can choose from a locally sourced menu, including multiple daily specials, homemade bread from the Jackie O’s Bakeshop and spent-grain crust specialty pizzas. Jackie O’s also has various experimental and traditional beer styles with 30 different Jackie O’s drafts.

Jackie O’s locally sourced menu and atmosphere make for a comforting dining experience. The menu offers foods like a gobi bowl, harissa mint pesto salmon, Appalachian chicken sandwich, Katie berry salad, Ohio hot honey pizza and scally shroom pizza. Jackie O’s is a great location for those looking for a farm-totable comfort dish.

UNION STREET DINER

Union Street Diner, located at 70 W. Union St., is an old-school landmark sit-down restaurant with a collegial vibe,

traditional American meals and all-day breakfast. USD has a traditional menu that can best fit almost all comfort food needs. The menu offers breakfast specialty plates, omelets, salads, sandwiches, burgers, chicken tenders and steak. USD also offers milkshakes and assorted flavored cheesecakes for those looking for a delicious dessert.

USD is open until 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday for customers looking to have a late-night meal to remind them of home. It is a great place for a meal with friends and family while enjoying some good food.

Lifestyle YouTubers: where are they now?

In the early 2010s, YouTube was the space for content creation. “What’s In My Bag,” seasonal morning routines and monthly favorites videos crowded the platform.

Before there was TikTok, where short videos and creators rose to fame overnight, there were lifestyle video creators — the queens of YouTube who produced long-form video content for millions of subscribers.

Content has drastically changed in the last ten years; YouTube influencers have been exchanged for TikTok creators. What happened to the lifestyle vloggers who ruled the internet, and where are they now?

ZOELLA

Zoe Sugg, a famous British YouTuber, went by the username Zoella while active. Known for her shopping hauls, day-inthe-life content and makeup tutorials, Sugg ruled the YouTube scene with over 10.6 million subscribers. During her time on the platform, the star released tons of videos to her loyal fans and even wrote a three-part book series: “Girl Online.” Besides her content gaining loyal fans, Sugg also caught the eyes of many people

when viewers “shipped” her and Alfie Deyes, a fellow British YouTuber, together. Although the internet is not always right with these speculations, this “ship” got married and has two kids.

Sugg has not posted to her Zoella YouTube channel in over six years, but she does regularly post on her vlog channel. She shares moments and adventures with her family to over 4 million subscribers. Sugg is also active on Instagram with over 9 million followers. It seems this YouTube star is living out her happily ever after.

ALISHA MARIE

Another vlogger who stole many people’s hearts is Alisha Marie. Marie began creating videos on YouTube in 2011 and gained attention for a variety of video forms such as vlogs and back-to-school content. Marie most notably produced “vlogmas,” where she vlogged her life each day leading up to Christmas with high-quality introductions that accompanied each video.

Another one of her hit video series was her back-to-school videos, which she notoriously called “schoolisha.” Her most popular video in the series gained over 28 million views.

Over ten years later on the journey of her career, Marie has remained loyal to

the platform. She still regularly uploads to her vlog channel, posts on TikTok and Instagram and even has two podcasts. She co-hosts “Pretty Basic” with fellow lifestyle YouTuber Remi Cruz and hosts “Basically Unfiltered” with Cruz, Zane Hijazi and Heath Hussar. Her viewership on YouTube does not quite amass the millions of views like her old content, she is not going anywhere.

BETHANY MOTA

The ultimate “it” girl of YouTube, Bethany Mota got her start on the platform in 2009 by posting videos with the username macbarbie07. Over the years, her channel skyrocketed in numbers as she posted hauls, vlogs, morning routines and monthly favorites.

Mota was one of the stars of the lifestyle YouTube community, setting the bar high for all that came after. Her channel has over 9 million subscribers, but her most popular videos from the past are now private.

At the height of her popularity on YouTube, Mota was doing more than just posting on her channel. She had a clothing line with Aeropostale and went on a promotional tour for the brand and placed fourth on Season 19 of “Dancing with the Stars.” Now, Mota has taken a

major step back from the spotlight. She has not posted on YouTube in over a year, but she is still active on Instagram and appears to be enjoying her California home with her boyfriend. She is still involved in media, currently hosting a competition series about content creators called “Follow Me,” which streams on the CW app.

MYLIFEASEVA

Eva Gutowski, popularly known as MyLifeAsEva on YouTube, made her mark on the scene in 2012 and only grew from there. The lifestyle guru created DIY videos, how-to videos and content aimed to make viewers laugh. Most notably, Gutowski created the hit Internet song “Literally My Life,” which now has over 50 million views on YouTube. Since her days of content creation, Gutowski has stepped away from the platform where she got her start. Now, Gutowski is pursuing a career in music and DJing as MARISOL. Her DJ career has taken off, as she has toured in New York City and Finland. While life looks much different than what it did during her days on YouTube, fans remain loyal to Gutowski on TikTok and Instagram where she shares the latest of her career.

CLARA LEDER | FOR THE POST

The outside of Bagel Street Deli Oct. 7 2024. (ALYSSA CRUZ | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF)

The inside of Brenen’s Cafe Oct. 7 2024.

(ALYSSA CRUZ | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF)

Metal Mondays: Brazilian thrash metal represents music’s power

JACKSON MCCOY | COPY CHIEF

The musical movement of Brazilian thrash metal often gets swept under the rug when discussing the most important eras in heavy metal history. Listeners often turn to American or European thrash metal outfits and usually stop journeying into Brazilian metal at Sepultura.

When metal fans do this, they ignore the politically charged history of metal in Brazil that ultimately exemplifies metal’s thesis of fighting the powers that be.

Brazilian thrash metal’s origin is generally credited to two of the scene’s underground front runners: Dorsal Atlântica and Metalmorphose. The two released the album “Ultimatum” in January 1985, just under two years after Metallica’s “Kill ‘Em All” was released in July 1983. During this time, other Brazilian bands that would later become titans in the movement like Sepultura and Vulcano were releasing demos and creating names for themselves in local scenes.

While these bands were coming together to create what would become one of the most underappreciated eras of metal of all time, a highly conservative military dictatorship that had existed in Brazil for 20 years was beginning to crack.

The Fifth Republic of Brazil, an authoritarian government led by the Armed Forces of Brazil and backed by the U.S., took control of the country in 1964 after successfully ousting the-President João Goulart. Goulart’s reformist policies,

which included increased taxes on multinational corporations and redistributing their unused land to agricultural workers, posed a threat to American business interests, resulting in his desposement and exile.

The military dictatorship that took Goulart’s place lasted until 1985. During the two decades of oppressive rule, human rights violations became widespread. American and British operatives trained Brazilian military officials in methods of torture, which were then used to beat out any opposition to the government.

Censorship was also an integral part of Brazil’s military dictatorship. Everything from music to newspapers to marketing companies were mandated by the Ministry of Justice and the Higher Council of Censorship to be regulated heavily.

Brazilian thrash metal, a movement characterized by its musical and lyrical ferocity, was born out of this censorship. Anger at the Brazilian federal government was beginning to peak in the mid ‘80s, and the country’s upcoming metal scene reflected this rage.

After years of public protests and pushback against the dictatorship, the last military president João Figueiredo signed into law a general amnesty bill, opening the floodgates for democracy to come through. However, the 1980s would still flounder under compounding crises of economic issues like inflation and mistreatment of workers, leading to continued political unrest.

This further molded the movement of Brazilian thrash. Sepultura would go on to break into increased success in the late ‘80s and ‘90s with the thrash releases “Beneath the Remains,” “Arise” and “Chaos A.D.,” but the members committed to political activism. Even as the band propelled into the mainstream with “Roots” and faced the ousting of primary members Max and Igor Cavalera, it would continue to bash fascism and censorship with its music. Albums like “Roorback” and songs like “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos” (a Public Enemy cover) cemented Sepultura’s legacy of anti-fascism.

Other bands, like ANGRA and Mutilator, remained more underground but kept up the fight against the alt-right. Hardcore punk group Ratos de Porão, mentored by Igor Cavalera in the ‘80s and ‘90s, stood out as one of the rawest musically while also being politically engaged in leftist causes. Their 2022 album “Necropolitíca” is a no punches-pulled critique of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s disastrous governance and abject corruption

The art produced in a country at any given time is often a reflection of what’s going on socially and politically. This is undoubtedly true for the Brazilian thrash metal movement; rising out of the strife of military rule and unjust foreign influence, it captured the rage of oppression the people of Brazil faced for decades. Celebrating this history remains a vital task, and listeners cannot forget the power music holds as both a political tool and a lens into the past.

Absolutely Abby: Safety culture protects the working class

ABBY WAECHTER ASST. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR

Safety culture has been used like a buzzword in the U.S. this year. From the battery system issues of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner to the deadly listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head, it’s clear that safety is a critical topic that deserves our attention.

According to Eunice Arcilla Caburao, a spokesperson for SafetyCulture, “Safety culture is defined as the collective beliefs, perceptions and values that members of an organization share regarding safety. It also includes the practices that arise from those attitudes, such as enhancing spatial awareness to proactively mitigate risks.”

A strong safety culture is crucial for preventing accidents, ensuring employee well-being, maintaining regulatory compliance and protecting an organization’s reputation.

During the Boeing Senate hearings, Congress raised serious concerns about the company’s safety culture following the 737 MAX crashes.

Senators stressed the need for accountability in Boeing’s leadership, insisting that “stop thinking about the next earning call and start thinking about the next generation,” according to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). They questioned whether FAA oversight was adequate and highlighted the necessity of protecting whistleblowers, noting instances where employees felt pressured to prioritize production over safety.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) said Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun’s “priorities (were) misplaced” and it is time for the company to “get back to making quality planes.”

Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) said Boeing has “not only failed

to uphold the highest safety standards, it appears that Boeing has fostered a culture that censors people who try to speak up and help.” Ultimately, the Senate committee recognized the urgent need for reform to foster a robust safety culture within the company.

Now, Boars Head, a supplier of deli meats, cheeses and condiments, is facing both criminal and civil charges because of a deadly listeria outbreak. 59 people have been hospitalized, and 10 are known to have died so far, according to the CDC. The controversy surrounding Boar’s Head is a stark reminder of the consequences of neglecting these principles.

According to The Washington Post, “Filthy work areas, aging equipment and haphazard cleaning at the Jarratt plant may have made some of its products microbial time bombs waiting to explode.” This situation reflects a failure to prioritize safety, resulting in inadequate controls that allowed listeria monocytogenes to thrive.

Having a poor safety culture has lasting effects on working-class Americans. For example, Sam Salehpour, a former Boeing quality engineer, “was ignored and faced retaliation, including threats of physical violence from a supervisor” when he expressed concerns regarding “shortcuts” Boeing took to ensure production targets were met, according to The Washington Post.

Additionally, despite wanting to work for five more years, Ed Pierson, a Boeing whistle-blower, retired early due to worries surrounding the company’s leadership and concerns “that Boeing was sending unsafe planes out the door.”

Boar’s Head’s poor safety culture is further affecting the small town of Jarratt, Virginia. The plant, often referred to as

the “economic heart of the community,” has created unease among residents following reports linking it to 10 deaths from listeria infection, according to Alexander Stith, a resident of Jarratt.

The temporary closure of the facility has already led to economic decline, affecting local businesses that relied on the plant’s workforce. With good-paying jobs hard to come by, residents fear the loss of this crucial employer will have lasting consequences for their community. The situation underscores how a lack of emphasis on safety can ripple through a community, jeopardizing livelihoods and public health.

The Boar’s Head incident illustrates how a poor safety culture can lead to significant health risks for consumers and severe legal repercussions for companies, much like the issues faced by Boeing following the 737 MAX crashes. Both cases highlight the critical need for organizations to prioritize safety over production pressures.

Fostering a strong safety culture is essential for companies to mitigate risks, ensure compliance and protect their reputation. This is especially true in the food industry, where it upholds product integrity and public health through hygiene standards, effective training, and consistent monitoring to prevent foodborne illnesses and maintain consumer trust.

It’s time for corporate America to step up and take the leap toward prioritizing safety culture in every aspect of their operations. By committing to transparent practices, rigorous training and proactive risk management, companies can protect their employees and customers while fostering trust and accountability.

The Lo-Down: Inconsistency plagues college football’s elite

LOGAN ADAMS | SPORTS EDITOR

The entire sports world collectively got whiplash checking the final score of former No. 1 Alabama’s supposed “gimme” matchup against Vanderbilt, the laughing stock of the Southeastern Conference.

Vanderbilt has not finished a season over .500 in a decade. Meanwhile, Alabama has been one of the most successful and recognizable programs of the last half-century. The upset was heard around the country, yet the occurrence has been all too common in this season’s brand of college football, with unknown implications on the allnew 12-team playoff format.

10 of the preseason’s top 15, including football “blue bloods” Notre Dame, Michigan, USC and Georgia, have dropped at least one game in upset fashion. For Georgia, that loss came to Alabama, in the game that propelled the Crimson Tide to No. 1. For Notre Dame, it came to unranked Northern Illinois, who lost its very next matchup to a Mid-American Conference opponent.

Michigan and USC have racked up two losses each, one of USC’s being in a matchup between the two teams, and

one of Michigan’s being to current No. 1 Texas.

Upsets happen in college sports. No team is truly immortal when it is composed of a majority of 18 to 22-yearolds, and a somewhat new element has just done more to even the playing field across the 134 FBS Division I schools. The transfer portal was introduced to college football in 2018, at first coming with many eligibility barriers but providing a way for college athletes to choose their destiny a bit more freely. Now, pretty much anybody can choose to enter the transfer portal and find a new home, playing the very next year without much complication.

With name, image and likeness and pay-for-play adding to teams’ abilities to influence the transfer portal, recruiting in the college scene is like never before, as a team’s finances are now at the front and center. Teams have the opportunity to pull players away from the team that initially recruited them out of high school, looking for more money, a bigger role or both. Ohio itself did it many times in the offseason, bringing in a handful of players from power conferences like Anthony Tyus III, who ranks among the top 50 in the nation in total rushing yards. Smaller schools like Ohio University have thrived off

finding diamonds in the rough, and searching through the leftovers of recruiting powerhouses has essentially given these schools a boost in all facets. These “leftovers” are still high-major talents. They were, after all, recruited, and the opportunity these smaller schools can provide them allows these players to showcase that talent to a degree they wouldn’t get higher up.

Inversely, there’s also the aspect of legacy. High-major talents who were missed by high-major teams in their recruiting process, and have outgrown their mid-major competition, have the chance to put themselves in the record books, becoming legends within their program. Heisman candidate and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty was asked why he hadn’t transferred to a bigger school. His response was simple.

“Money is great, money is cool,” Jeanty said. “But a legacy, an impact, that lasts forever.”

The slew of upsets has plagued the top of college football, creating a sense of uneasiness among fans regarding the 12-team playoff format. However, upsets keep sports exciting. The underdog is an essential part of sports, and an even playing field makes for better games.

SOLUTIONS 10/1

Editorial: The Post stands with The Mercury

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

The Mercury is a student-run publication at the University of Texas at Dallas. On the publication’s website, there are news stories on the student senate. There are columns on politics and film. There are stories in the “Life & Arts” section about Hispanic Heritage Month and the State Fair of Texas. There is sports coverage ranging from baseball to chess.

None of these stories, however, are on the homepage. Instead, “MERCURY ON STRIKE” is painted in bold white lettering at the top of the screen against a black background. In place of sports coverage and columns is a statement dated Sept. 14. The statement explains that Sept. 13, the Student Media Operating Board voted to remove The Mercury’s Editor-in-Chief, Gregorio Olivares Gutierrez.

Director of Student Media Lydia Lum said Olivares violated Student Media bylaws by holding multiple student jobs, causing budget overruns and thus not allowing Lum to sufficiently perform her role as The Mercury’s advisor. Olivares refuted the allegations and said the situation was really happening because Lum wanted prior review of the paper and had a different vision for The Mercury.

The Mercury’s management team said Lum provided insufficient reasoning and evidence for these claims and Olivares was removed unfairly with no opportunity for remediation. The Mercury said this was a continuation of UTD’s administrative retaliatory action following the publication’s coverage of arrests of students and faculty May 1 at a pro-Palestine encampment.

Prior review refers to the practice of allowing school officials outside of the publication’s publishing staff to read the content of a publication prior to publishing. Prior review of a collegiate publication is widely considered to be unconstitutional. Most journalism education groups have condemned prior reviews as educationally and journalistically unsound. Allowing a university’s administration prior review of content published by students only opens the doors to potential intimidation and censorship.

Although prior restraint, referring

to school officials taking action to prevent the publication of certain content, is different from prior review, both open a publication up to incredibly difficult, complicated and uncomfortable situations. Running a student publication is difficult enough without administrative intervention in any capacity.

The press is often referred to as a watchdog. Although most journalists have heard this notion a nauseating number of times, this is the truth. When a journalist is going after the truth, and that truth upsets those who hold the power, the press is simply performing the function it exists to perform. When the institution that students give thousands of dollars in tuition each year acts in a way that jeopardizes the well-being of the students, and student press reports this and the administration reacts negatively, it simply means journalists are doing their jobs. For an academic institution to want to control the angle from which student journalists are reporting has gross implications.

In the statement on The Mercury’s website, the publication makes three demands to conclude the strike: the reinstatement of Olivares as Editor-in-Chief, for SMOB to, “amend its procedures so that anyone in violation of a Student Media bylaw is given an opportunity for remediation instead of immediate dismissal,” and “For the Editor-in-Chief position at The Mercury to be democratically elected by official Mercury members rather than appointed by SMOB.”

To support the strike, add your name to The Mercury’s Strike Statement Consignatory Form here. Student journalism is journalism and demands the same respect as any other news outlet. The Post stands with The Mercury and with student journalists everywhere.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors: Editor-in-Chief Alyssa Cruz, Managing Editor Madalyn Blair and Equity Director McKenna Christy. Post editorials are independent of the publication’s news coverage. The Post can be reached via editor@thepostathens.com.

JACKSON PENNINGTON | FOR THE POST

FIGHTING WORKING OHIOANS