Here's what Jack is doing in his journalism classes:

JOURNALISM LAW FALL 2019

JOURNALISM ETHICS- SPRING 2019

Social Media Story

For years, journalists held the power and the duty to dictate what news was distributed to the public. This was a result of a lack of a real feedback system for people to be able to respond to what they were reading. However, with the rise of social media, the barrier between the journalist and the reader has been broken to an extent, and now the reader can express what content they would want to see.

 While what the reader says is not typically deemed to be at the level of what was published, the consumer is able to control what is shown to them first. In the book All Your Friends Like This, by Hal Crawford, Andrew Hunter and Domagoj Filipovic they discuss right at the beginning how social networks determine how their timelines are generated based on user frequency.

 “The digitisation of social networks has augmented a natural process – and for millions of people their first exposure to information about the world comes from their friends, not directly from the news media.” (Crawford 5)

 This one revision that could be made to this statement would be that the content a user sees is based on who they click on the most. Social media sites do not necessarily understand who someone is friends with. Instead they notice how much someone engages with another’s content. This results in news being distributed by the user’s preference, not necessarily who posted it first.

 While the user seeing the content they prefer sounds great in theory, it can lead to journalism that is not to a very high standard getting to the forefront. In an article written for Medium.com, journalist Ethan Zuckerman analyzes the problems that have to do with users having more of a choice in what they choose to read.

 “There’s an understandable and legitimate fear that the “viral cycle” rewards certain types of engaging, popular content at the expense of important though less entertaining content,” Zuckerman said. “What’s especially at risk is accountability journalism, especially at local levels, which was threatened even in pre-digital days.” https://medium.com/trust-media-and-democracy/we-know-the-news-is-in-crisis-5d1c4fbf7691

 This issue is a result of how popular media has been built around entertaining the viewer. One example of this is mentioned in the book, when Crawford discusses how Britney Spear’s personal struggles back in 2007 led to the rise of gossip sites like Perez Hilton and TMZ. (Crawford 15) While these sites were able to capitalize on niche interests, social media has definitely expanded the presence of sites that may provide news that could be considered to be simply clickbait websites.

 Another website that has been able to dominate during the rise of social media has been Barstool Sports. The media company started in 2003, but didn’t really see a rise in popularity until the early 2010’s. They were originally just a sports website detailing sports opinions and reporting with a stereotypical masculine drive. It has since expanded to include entertainment news and occasionally will get involved with politics. It is a site dedicated to its users, and strategically will push social media posts that will be entertaining to the viewers. Jared Carrabis, a baseball writer and podcast host for the site, said in an article for Wicked Local Wakefield that he left money on the table to join Barstool Sports because he saw the potential for mass popularity the website had. His experiences at the website have led to him to have a desire to stay there for a while.

 “I plan on riding the Barstool wave for as long as they let me,” Carrabis said. “They want to be the biggest media company in the world, and I’m focused on helping them get there.”https://wakefield.wickedlocal.com/sports/20170809/saugus-native-barstool-sports-staffer-jared-carrabis-takes-over-new-york

 Carrabis had previously worked as the host of “The Baseball Show”, which aired every Sunday night on Comcast Sports Network Boston. The show, which has more respect within the media industry than Barstool Sports, lost Carrabis due to the freedom he would have to write about whatever he wanted in sports. It has not only led to Carrabis writing about what he prefers, but also with him getting more exposure due to Barstools big following.

 Fixing the problem with social media will have to be a result of a compromise with the journalists and the readers. Journalists will have to produce a happy medium of content that is appealing to everyone and is serious in nature. The more engagements the posts get, the more likely they are to pop up on someone’s timeline.

 “A system that used to be linear and fairly predictable now features feedback loops that lead to complex and unintended consequences,” Zuckerman said. “The landscape that is emerging may be one no one completely understands, but it’s one that can be exploited even if not fully understood.”https://medium.com/trust-media-and-democracy/we-know-the-news-is-in-crisis-5d1c4fbf7691

Citizen Journalism Story

When residents of Sandwich, Massachusetts log on to their Facebook.com accounts, they will find several posts on their timeline that range from weather warnings to recaps of town meetings. Unlike updates they may find at a local newspaper, these posts came from community members just like them.

Sandwich News is a Facebook group created by Mark Snyder, a retired journalist who wrote for publications such as Patch and GateHouse Media. Snyder serves as the administrator for the group, and also shares discussion topics for the residents to discuss with each other.

While the idea of getting news from other residents of the town can seem attractive to some, it does produce several issues. Every post has the ability to be commented on, and this allows for rude behavior to occur when ideologies don’t quite line up.

“The problem with social media is that people are in their homes,” Snyder said. “They are behind a computer or a phone, typing away and they are writing things that they would not say if they were in someone’s presence. Things frequently get testy, and unless you are monitoring the thing 24/7, issues come up all the time.”

When deciding how to keep things civil, Snyder uses the Rawls Veil of Ignorance philosophy towards moderating the group. While he assumes the power to delete any post for whatever reason, he will only delete something if it is blatantly rude toward another person in the group and is creating a toxic environment as a result. 

“I try to be balanced and try not to censor people,” Snyder said. “One thing I don’t allow is profanity and if people continuously use it they get tossed. I give people leeway but when they start insulting people I end the conversation.”

While many citizens roam the group looking to pick fights, that is not the purpose of the group. However, having a quick trigger to delete posts and trying to stop fights before they start to occur is obstructing the public’s right to speak, according to Snyder. He said that the website does allow for users to directly notify him when something is blatantly disruptive, and this function has allowed him to eliminate several cases where citizens were acting inappropriately. However, many users will send him complaints when they simply don’t agree with a post or believes it to be a form of hate speech. If Snyder were using the utilitarian ethic, he would most likely listen to these complaints, as they would probably spare people from some anger. However, Snyder said that conflict within the groups is what allows people to feel comfortable expressing their opinions, and censoring any opinion despite those that are inappropriate is an obstruction of the First Amendment.

 While it may seem unethical, the drama that ensues in local Facebook groups is part of the reason that people are so intrigued by them. In an article written for The Outline, Sophie Kleeman wrote how the comment wars that sometimes occur on posts bring more people to the site, and make it more popular.

 “Community drama is a special sort, as anyone who’s spent time in a local bar can attest to,” Kleeman said. “Because while people may join these groups for ‘community’ or hyperlocal information, they often stay for the drama.”  https://theoutline.com/post/2946/living-for-drama-in-neighborhood-facebook-groups?zi=jcqgjt76&zd=2

 The political discussion that occurs in these groups is extremely important because it forces people to see other views. Snyder mentioned how the corporate media is under many more restrictions due to having to satisfy their advertisers. This forces these publications to have a bias and not always produce the cleanest news. This is a problem because citizens can read news from a specific site and never have their views challenged. As a result, they will become brainwashed by one specific viewpoint. With Facebook groups like Sandwich News, or various other forms of citizen journalism, there is no loyalty to be had since the journalist has virtually nothing to lose. 

 In an age where corporation journalists are losing the public’s trust, citizen journalism has risen to the task and give the public the unbiased news it needs. While groups like Sandwich News have many contributors with limited journalism experience, other outlets have attracted young journalists with good intentions. Snyder said that the mainstream media is in danger of losing its influence as a result of how many stories citizen journalists are cracking.

 “The mainstream media have been proven false by local reporters,” Snyder said. “Even in the instance where Loretta Lynch met with Bill Clinton on the Tarmac before the investigation of Hillary Clinton, a local journalist broke that, not a network journalist. They didn’t know better that they shouldn’t report that. Citizen journalists have a lot of power if they use it right.”

VISUAL JOURNALISM-FALL 2018

Smoking Culture Project- Spring 2018

Juuls, Vape Pens, and How they Relate to Marijuana and Smoking Culture

By Jack Murray

ITHACA, NY––When someone claims to be “taking a smoke break” in today’s world, what exactly they are smoking may be more complicated than what one may think.

With all of the stigma associated with smoking cigarettes now, new electronic cigarettes have taken over the youth population of smokers. The two most popular choices for millenials are Juuls and Vape Pens.

Vape Pens are designed to help smokers quit their smoking habits. They serve the same purpose as regular e-cigarettes, but have many advantages over their counterparts. For example, they are portable, inexpensive, reliable, durable and taste good. They are powered with appealing flavors that allow the user to get away from the grotesque flavor behind cigarettes and e-cigarettes. One issue associated with Vape Pens include their large size. If someone is smoking a vaporizer, it will be noticeable, as it resembles a bulky fountain pen. A user constantly bringing this monstrous device up to their face is bound to garner attention. Still, an alternative to cigarettes that has nicotine and tastes good is enough for many citizens to go purchase this device.

Juuls are largely based on the same concept, but with a few key differences. The device is intended to help users quit smoking, but still have similar levels of nicotine as cigarettes. This is because the device uses nicotine salts that are found in the tobacco leaf, which is different from other cigarette supplements which use free-base nicotine.

The biggest difference between a Juul and a Vape Pen is the size and design. While a Vape Pen is large and bulky, A Juul resembles a USB port in design, and is very discreet when used. The Juul is fueled by small, vapor-filled squares called “pods”. The pods are sold in stores, but also on the Juul home website. There are limits on how many pods you can buy per month, but that is only applicable when buying online. To purchase a Juul and its pods in the state of New York, one must be over the age of twenty-one years old.

While Vape Pens are technically made for those who want to smoke tobacco, new products are coming out that allow the user to vaporize marijuana. This not only makes these devices more versatile, it also makes the simple act of smoking marijuana relatively untraceable as it reduces the smell, and is not different in shape and size from a regular vape pen. In addition, through very specific steps a normal vape pen can be turned into a fully functioning marijuana vaporizer. Juuls do not yet have the ability to vaporize marijuana. 

Why is all of this important? Well, the rise of vaporizing products will all but eliminate the regular tobacco companies due to the fact that they are more appealing and widely accepted. The development will likely skew statistics coming in future years, as while cigarette smoking will decrease in the coming years, tobacco consumption will not decrease, and it actually may increase. With Marijuana, the consequences will likely become even more dire. Citizens will have the ability to simply hide their consumption through a vaporizer and have nobody around them suspect a thing. This is applicable to many situations, including driving. Also, while Juuls are not currently made with the ability to smoke marijuana, it is likely that that is not a far-off development.

The moral of the story is that Juul’s and Vape Pens are intended to get cigarette addicts off of nicotine, but instead are gearing a whole new generation towards the tobacco industry. Knowledge will prove to be important in dealing with these new devices, and what they will do to users. If you choose to use one of these devices, please proceed with caution.

How Marijuana Use is Handled by Residential Life

Written by Jack Murray

ITHACA, NY–– When the parents of Ithaca College applicants look to learn more about the school their child is thinking of attending, they may be surprised by the schools reputation as a “stoner college”.

According to websites such as greenrushdaily.com, Ithaca College is considered the top college for marijuana consumption in the United States of America. While this reputation is not likely to be a bragging point for admissions counselors, Samantha Bobbe, the residential director of the lower terraces at the college, believes that the marijuana culture is more prevalent here than at other colleges.

“This is the third institution in New York that I have worked at, and this school has had the most marijuana use,” Bobbe said. “Marijuana is more common here where alcohol use is more common at other schools.”

Bobbe said that on any given day the odor of marijuana is noticeable from either the dorms or outside of the dorms. While residential assistants are trained to have a zero-tolerance policy with marijuana, sometimes pinpointing where the substance is being smoked can be challenging.

“Oftentimes the RAs are unable to figure out where the marijuana is being smoked,” Bobbe said. “If they are not able to tell where exactly it is coming from, we have a system of letting the RD and other RA’s know the general area it happened, and they will pay extra attention to it.”

The residential assistants, who are current students who are in charge of supervising a specific floor or living community that are housed on campus, and make sure they are not breaking any school policies. Jane*, an RA who is assigned to the lower quads area, said that issues with smoking are oftentimes not directly handled by RA’s.

“We don’t really deal with marijuana issues directly, we instead just report it to public safety,” Jane said. “We will call them and tell them that someone is smoking and what room we think it is in.”

Jane said that the RA’s also base their decision to call the Office of Public safety and Emergency Management on where they believe the students are in the process of smoking weed.

“If it smells like they are going to be finishing up soon there is no point in calling public safety,” Jane said. “Public Safety usually takes around 45 minutes to arrive from their office, so it is hard to hold people that long. What we usually do is report that the floor smells really bad and for them to keep the floor on lookout.”

College students are notorious for their use of substances such as alcohol and marijuana. Since the majority of the students who live on campus are underage, alcohol offenses are often linked together with marijuana offenses. According to the schools “Sanction and Intervention Protocol For Alcohol and Marijuana Violation” pamphlet, There are two separate levels of behavior issues, and both have different sanctions for each of the first four violations. On the fourth violation for both, the student has been removed from campus housing, and will receive a suspension from the college. Even though the punishment for the offenses is technically the same, Bobbe said that they handle don’t use the same protocol for alcohol and marijuana.

“We handle drugs and alcohol very differently,” Bobbe said. “The RA’s are trained to address situations with alcohol and respond to those and document them without having to call public safety unless there is an emergency incident escalates. Marijuana is different because it is an illegal drug on campus, so if the RA’s can pinpoint where it is coming from they are trained to call the office of public safety.”

Jane, however, said that the RA’s don’t necessarily feel fully trained to handle situations with marijuana.

“I had a situation last week where residents were outside smoking but I didn’t really know what I was supposed to do,” Jane said. “We are not prepared properly to enforce the rules in a situation where we can’t corner them in a room.”

Enforcing these sanctions also proves to be tricky for RA’s, as Jane said that she doesn’t directly follow the zero-tolerance policy for her floor, instead giving the entire hall one mulligan collectively, and after that it is zero-tolerance. However, when she is patrolling on floors that are not hers, she does use the zero-tolerance policy.

“If the incident is not on my floor and I don’t know the violators, I have to report it,” Jane said. “This is because if I write them up at a later time they will say I didn’t report them the first time and get me in trouble.”

However, as soon as residents get involved in stopping the consumption of marijuana, RA’s need to report it to public safety as soon as possible.

“When residents start complaining, that is a sign that I should call public safety,” Jane said. “If a resident is bothered by it I have no excuse ignoring it.”

With all sorts of new methods for consumption of substances, the opportunities for students to “blaze up” are endless. However, Bobbe said that traditional methods for marijuana use are still in the majority of issues.

““The most common consumption methods for marijuana on campus are through joints and bongs,” Bobbe said. “I have not seen any reports come through via usage of vape pens. We also see a lot of pipes.”

Another issue that residential life has trouble dealing with is the punishment for use of drug paraphernalia. Bobbe said that in most cases, simply owning a bong or a pipe isn’t cause for confiscation.

“Anybody can go buy a bong or a pipe, the minimum age is eighteen,” Bobbe said. “This is where it becomes tricky because they are technically allowed to have these paraphernalia in their rooms if they bought them legally. They can run into violations when residue is found within the bong or pipe, but if the residue is absent, they are technically allowed to store it in their room.”

While not technically illegal, e-cigarettes such as Juuls and Vape Pens, in addition to normal cigarettes still have certain restrictions that must be enforced. Jane said that they try to keep people away from the building, but that is really the extent of the enforcement.  

“People will smoke cigarettes on the balcony, which is violating the New York State law that you must be 20 feet away from a building in order to smoke,” Jane said. “We usually will just tell them they have to go downstairs to continue.”

With Juuls and Vape Pens however, the protocol is not clear yet for RA’s.

“I have no idea what to do if they are smoking something that isn’t marijuana,” Jane said. “If it’s cigarettes I understand how to handle it, but since juuls and vape pens have a stale smell, it is difficult to catch people.”

While marijuana use may be part of the culture at Ithaca College, those looking to “smoke some grass” must be careful with when and where they conduct their business. While most instances will probably not get caught, when one eventually is busted, the zero-tolerance policy employed by residential life is ground for harsh penalties. 

Still, Ithaca has a reputation for being a “420-friendly” campus, and sometimes even those who are supposed to be enforcing the rules are pretty relaxed about it.

“One time I caught a group of people smoking marijuana outside and when I called public safety they ran away,” Jane said. “When the public safety officer arrived, he laughed and said ‘well it is Ithaca, what are we going to do!’’

*Name changed to protect identity.

Know your Neighbor- Spring 2018

Ithaca Student Aspires to Take Over Fashion World

Written by Jack Murray

ITHACA N.Y. – When Emma Balestriere traveled with her father to his workplace for “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” she never could have known that she would discover her true passion in life: fashion.

“I was 10 years old, and they took us to see all of the magazines,” Balestriere said. “They took us to the different floors of the companies, showed us photo shoots, introduced us to models. It struck me, and got me to start reading Vogue and Vanity Fair.”

Balestriere’s father, Robert, works for a company called Condé Nast that finances various fashion magazines, including both Vogue and Vanity Fair.

“My dad is a big asset because he introduces me to people in the industry, so I can get my name out there,” Balestriere said. “After my graduation from college I hope to have strong connections and base a job off of that.”

Balestriere, a native of Stamford, CT, was drawn to fashion because of the power that fashion carries. She also believes it connects people of all cultures, beliefs, and interests. Just mentioning the word fashion brightens her smile and elevates the tone of her voice.

“I believe that fashion is a universal language, and you can express yourself in so many different ways,” Balestriere said. “You can watch fashion shows without knowing the host countries language and still understand everything that is going on. Everybody wears clothes, and it becomes a part of who you are.”

While Balestriere was dressed like a typical college student during the interview, her taste in clothing and accessories was not lacking in representation. Jewelry was strategically placed all around the room. Two handbags that were unmistakably red, which is her favorite color, were displayed prominently, one with a flannel pattern, and the other plainly red, with strong leather gleaming all over the room. 

“My favorite designer is Kate Spade,” Balestriere said. “She is not the most high fashion, but I am very bouncy and energetic, so I really like cute and bright colors.”

Growing up, showing off her taste in fashion was not always possible for Balestriere. She attended Trinity Catholic High School in Stamford. Trinity Catholic, like most other Catholic schools, had a schoolwide dress code. As one might expect, this dress code was not very up to date with the newest trends and styles.

“The uniforms were something I was passionate about because it was very restricting, especially to girls,” Balestriere said with a sigh of frustration. “Every day we would not be able to show our shoulders and our skirts would have to reach our knees. Obviously there has to be some moderation, but there would be times when it would be extremely hot and girls couldn’t wear shorts. My experience in Catholic school has made me want to prove that its not sexual for girls to show shoulders or knees.”

One huge perk of living in Stamford is its close proximity to New York City. It is about a 50-minute drive, and there is a train that runs through Stamford. New York City is not only a national landmark, it is one of the top fashion hotspots in the world, and have plenty of job opportunities.

“Living so close to New York City is a huge advantage for an aspiring fashion journalist because you can hop on a train and be in the city in under an hour,” Balestriere said. “It also helps for getting internships, as I will be able to live at home and commute easily into New York for very prestigious internships, while others would have to move closer.”

Balestriere has lived near this hotspot her whole life, and been close to it through her father’s work, but is looking forward to getting herself into the fashion world. While fashion internships can be found no matter where one, the top internships in the world are the ones in New York City.

“I don’t have any professional experience, but I write for HiFashion at IC where I have a fashion blog,” Balestriere said. “I am applying for internships at a few startups for this summer. I also applied to my dad’s company, but that one is a long-shot because of how many applicants there are.”

Balestriere is the oldest of three sisters, but is the only one to be bitten by the fashion bug.

“My sisters are complete opposites of me fashion wise, as they tend to dress more in the interest of comfort as opposed to style,” Balestriere said. “Still, they ask me questions about makeup and other fashion advice, and it has helped me practice my expertise.”

A notable issue within the fashion industry is sexism, and painting an unhealthy expectation of beauty for both men and women. Many of the popular names in fashion, including Alexander Wang, Michael Kors, and Joseph Altuzarra, are men, and while women are rising to the top, the majority of the household names are still men. Also, while the rise of plus-size models has eased the issue slightly, the majority of famous models have figures that are so emaciated that they are hard to replicate by common folks. When questioned about this, Balestriere appeared noticeably perplexed, and had trouble fully forming her opinion on the matter.

“I am a very big feminist, and am passionate about women’s rights,” Balestriere said, as her voice softened. “However, the fashion industry has a reputation for being extremely sexist, and body shaming women. I recognize that it will be hard to change issues within this industry because the beauty of the human body is an art form.”

Still, the fashion industry is a very rewarding career path, and Balestriere has the necessary drive to make a name for herself. He goals for her career are by no means modest, which proves the strength of her character.

“I want to be the editor of Vogue magazine when I grow up,” Balestriere said.

INVESTIGATIVE- Fall 2018

First-Year Experience; One Semester Later

Written by Jack Murray

ITHACA, N.Y.— As Mary Tehan stepped on the Ithaca College Campus for the first time this fall she was extremely anxious to get started with her new life as a music student.

“I knew that they had one of the top music-education programs in the country, especially for vocalists,” Tehan said. “I had an interest pretty early on, and after my audition experience I realized that I loved the campus and wanted to explore it more.”

Tehan, a music-education major from New Hartford, New York, is one of many freshmen who are just finishing their first semester on South Hill. The transition between high school and college is one of the most drastic in a persons lifetime.

The first year experience program, run by the Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs (OSEMA), is designed to help freshman adjust to their new surroundings. The program directors at OSEMA declined to comment.

Professors view this years freshmen class as pretty typical, but also more progressive than some of the preceding classes.

“I have noticed a generation gap,” James Miranda, a professor in the writing department said. “These kids have grown up in the age of technology and social media. My job is too find out what engages them.

Michael Deviney, a freshman exploratory major and baseball player from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, has been pleased with the plethora of opportunities the college provides for its students.

“The amount of opportunities Ithaca College provides are very strong,” Deviney said.“One example was when I was able to go see Steve Forbes speak at Cornell with my Republican Club.”

Deviney also said that the presence of a college town was a huge attraction for him, along with furthering his baseball career.

“As I was going through the college process, I really wanted to be recruited by a college program and compete at the collegiate level,” Deviney said. “Ithaca baseball has a prestigious program, and have had plenty of recent success as well.”

While these freshman enjoy many aspects of the school they have both found aspects of the college that they dislike, and feel were misleading when they were being recruited to come to South Hill.

“I’m really sad that a lot of the dining halls are closed at inconvenient times, especially on the weekend,” Tehan said. “This makes it hard to find food after a long night in the practice room, and early in the morning when you want to get a quick breakfast before class.”

The dining halls at Ithaca College are open from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m., during the week, but 8-12 a.m. is a promotion at terrace dining hall only. Towers dining hall is closed on the weekends, and is only open until 2 p.m. on friday

Another issue that students have is trouble expressing political views. Deviney, a self described conservative, claims that he feels judged based on his opinions.

“In some of my classes some of the material is pretty different than what I believe in, and I feel that these views are forced on us by our professor,” Deviney said. “‘I do not feel that I am always able to share my opinions.”

The movement “new liberalism”, which is gaining popularity on college campuses, is defined by tax cuts and making wealthy corporations pay, according to the Oklahoman Editorial.

The class of 2021 has finally assimilated into college life, and can look forward to the seven semesters they have left.

“I really love it here,” Tehan said, “It is a lovely environment, and I cannot wait to continue my academic career here,” 

ELECTION STORY- Fall 2018

Beedenbender Defeats Moynihan for Precinct 4

Written by Jack Murray

BARNSTABLE, M.A.– Barnstable Town Council has a new councilwoman for Precinct 4, as Britt S. Beedenbender defeated Michael J. Moynihan 355–154 on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

The seat was open because incumbent Fred Chrigotis is retiring due to term limits. The win puts Beedenbender into public office for the first time in her career. She is currently the development and communications director for the Community Development Partnership on Cape Cod, where she has worked since Aug. 31.  She recently worked as associate director of development for the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

“I am completely thrilled by this victory,” Beedenbender said. “There was a strong voter turnout, which allowed us to have a clear win. All the hard work from the campaign has paid off, and I am excited to now focus on doing the work I want to do.”

Beedenbender has been vocal about what she believes are the most important issues, and her three strongest campaign points included reducing wastewater.

“Wastewater is a critical issue today,” Beedenbender said. “We as citizens do not just rely on this water in our daily lives, it is a large part of our economy. If this increases, our local economy will plummet.”

While wastewater is one of her largest campaign points, it wasn’t her only goal. She hopes to provide affordable housing and eliminate the opioid crisis on Cape Cod.

“Affordable housing is also something I hope to develop,” Beedenbender said. “The 50+ generation isn’t our future, but they are a large amount of the population. The younger generations are leaving the cape in mass quantities. Also, the opioid crisis has plagued the Cape in recent years. Barnstable has the third-largest rate of opioid related deaths in the State of Massachusetts. I plan on providing prevention services to reduce this rate  ”

Beedenbender’s opponent, Michael J. Moynihan, was focused on one issue: clean water.

“We have a significant water quality issue here,” Moynihan said. “The water problem has been degrading at 1 percent a year, and is not improving. This needs to be looked into immediately.”

Beedenbender will officially start her term in January. 

WIZARDING WEEKEND- Fall 2018

Wizarding Weekend has Something for Everyone

Written by Jack Murray

ITHACA, N.Y.–The rain was pounding the ground this past Sunday, but the streets were still flooded with citizens of all ages dressed in Hogwarts attire. They were carrying wands, broomsticks and there was even a Sorting Hat being passes among attendees.

No, this was not actually the mythical land of Hogwarts, it was the Ithaca Commons on Wizarding Weekend. The event is a 3-day celebration of all aspects of the Harry Potter series, written by the iconic author J.K. Rowling. The Commons were buzzing with curious fans and street vendors who were promoting all facets of the world of wizards. There were also various musical performances, including the Cornell-based drum ensemble called Yamati Drumming.

One of the performers for Yamati was junior Jason Miao. Miao joined the group during his sophomore year, and has had a great experience.

“I love drumming, and the opportunity it gives me to express myself,” Miao said. “We usually play on-campus, so it was nice to play at a new venue to a new crowd.”

A little down the road was as grouping of street vendors, all either promoting or selling their products. There was a balloon broomstick tent, a jewelry tent and many more. However, one of the most intriguing tents was the “Hogwarts Running Club”. According to its CEO Brian Biggs, this charitable organization promotes staying physically fit. They have various races, that you run on your own, and submit your times to a database. All participants receive medals, and friendships develop. All proceeds go to charities that need economic support. They have seen significant interest at Wizarding Weekend.

“It has been a lot of fun seeing all of the “Potterheads” out here this weekend,” Biggs said. We have promoted ourselves, and definitely encouraged some people to join our cause. It is a convenient program, and we can run together, separately.”

Moving towards the local business areas, many shops have gotten into the festival spirit. Some are even checkpoints on the scavenger hunt that is a side plot of the weekend. One store, BodyGear, a dance studio store specializing in ballet shoes, has completely remodeled to become a Hogwarts clothing boutique. An employee named Sylvia has really enjoyed working during Wizarding Weekend

“The extra business has been nice, but just seeing the community get so excited for the Harry Potter tradition is more exciting to me,” Sylvia said. “As a dance and theatre arts store, we are already about imagination. That is why we are very pleased to have an event like this. As an avid fan of the wizarding world, this makes it more enjoyable for me. My favorite part is seeing all the children in their Hogwarts attire.”

While most of the attractions are dedicated specifically to Harry Potter themes, some are more focused on wizarding concepts. One of the more popular stations was the “Physics Bus” which has plenty of science experiments for kids to try out. Bus operator David Scovronick said that the purpose is to get children interested in physics.

“We have interactive displays that are meant to get children into science,” Scovronick said. “All displays are made by children at our workshop on Hancock street. We attend schools, and community events like this to show children that physics is fun.”

While a rainy Sunday can seem to be gloomy, the dreary weather did not faze the attendants of Wizarding Weekend. The streets of The Commons were still very crowded, and children were screaming with delight the whole afternoon. There was something for everybody at Wizarding Weekend, and all attendees left with a big smile.