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BUT AT WHAT COST? Dukes respond to Sydney Sweeney’s controversial sports betting ad 10 | Culture

Controversial downtown apartment moves forward City Council paves way for 4-story apartment with divisive B-1C rezoning 4 | News

Taaza replaces Tequila Taco Bar 10 | Culture

New field hockey coach fills big shoesJMU’S AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER SINCE 1922

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Sept. 24, 2026 VOL. 105 NO.6 BREEZEJMU.ORG

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A Duke’s guide to early voting

Harrisonburg shows its pride

ON THE COVER COVER BY: KIRAH VILLANUEVA

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: LANDON SHACKELFORD / THE BREEZE

JMU to face ODU in Royal Rivalry

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Sweeney set women back, again

By now, you have definitely seen the Sydney Sweeney sports betting advertisement. Is it setting back women in sports? Is there a bigger issue here than sports? The video promoting Novig had a roar of controversy from the media, which also highlighted Sweeney’s other controversial campaigns. The women of JMU have a lot to say about its social impact.

Find out why 10,000

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EDITORS Charlie Bodenstein & Emma Brown

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JMU recorded a record-breaking enrollment of 5,037 first-year students this year. JMU’s long-term plan is to grow enrollment to 30,000. Photos by Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

BoV recap: JMU earns record-high admissions, works toward R1 status By ISABEL LEWIS & CHARLIE BODENSTEIN The Breeze The JMU Board of Visitors (BoV) recognized a record-high first-year enrollment, highlighted its desire to be an R1 university, approved the school’s six-year plan and announced a renaming of the College of Health & Behavioral Studies building at the first meeting of the fall semester Friday morning.

Record-high first-year admissions

JMU announced that first-year enrollment has had yet another record-breaking year, with 5,037 first-year students enrolled. Additionally, the university welcomed 758 transfer students and 1,730 graduate students, University President Jim Schmidt said. Last year, 4,900 first-year students were enrolled into the university. This year, that number has climbed by 137 students. The university’s growth is not by accident, it’s part of a larger plan: the climb to 30,000. During the Board meeting, Enrollment and Marketing Committee Chairman Jack White outlined the university’s long-term plan to raise the student body’s overall enrollment to 30,000. The approximate total enrollment this year is 22,000 students. The university expects to have 30,000 students enrolled by the year 2040.

Associate Vice President for Planning, Analytics and Institutional Research Chris Orem emphasized how JMU plans to grow its enrollment up to 30,000, saying “every door must open wider.” JMU also plans to increase the populations of different types of students such as in-state and out-of-state students, international students, transfer students, adult and nontraditional students, and graduate students, Orem said. Orem added that while there may be concerns that the campus or the city won’t be able to contain upward of 30,000 students, he said not all of those students will actually be on campus, easing pressure off the campus’ infrastructure and facilities. “In fact, one of the biggest areas we can leverage and build upon is our online student population [and] our adult degree population,” Orem said. Furthermore, JMU has already set “anchors” in motion that will aid the school in growing its campus academically and structurally, Orem said. This includes direct admissions for nursing students, CHBS expansions, a new College of Business building and a new program development pipeline. Also in her report, Wood highlighted JMU’s vision of the “student pipeline.” This pipeline describes a student’s journey from high school graduation all the way through the Virginia workforce after years of higher-education schooling.

JMU strives for R1 classification

“Let me be clear: we will be our own version of an R1 unviersity.” - University President Jim Schmidt

During the meeting, university officials said that they want to enhance JMU’s research, striving to become an R1 designated university. “Let me be clear: we will be our own version of an R1 university,” Schmidt said. The pathway to the school becoming an R1 designated institution is “straightforward,” Schmidt said, adding that the university must pass the threshold of at least $50 million in research expenditures and JMU must award at least 70 research doctorates. “We will not build this infrastructure at the cost of undergraduate teaching for our signature undergraduate experience. Instead, we will reinforce it,” Schmidt said.

6-year plan approved

Schmidt outlined three major projects: expanding the College of Business, modernizing and expanding facilities for physics and chemistry building, and renovating and expanding Moody Hall. The College of Business expansion is estimated to total $120 million. Schmidt said JMU is currently requesting approximately $7 million for this expansion. The physics and chemistry modernization is expected to cost approximately $75 million for construction, Schmidt added. Moody Hall, one of the university’s original academic buildings located on the Quad, will have renovations and expansions estimated to cost $60 million. Schmidt described the Quad and its buildings as the “physical and symbolic heart at JMU”; however, Schmidt said that many of the Bluestone buildings have not received “meaningful renovations,” including air-conditioning and elevators. Schmidt outlined more goals for JMU’s six-year plan, including competitive salaries, which is in line with the university’s recent base-pay raise from $14.77 an hour to $15, starting Jan. 1, 2027. “Attracting and retaining excellent faculty and staff is fundamental to everything else we hope to accomplish,” Schmidt said. Additionally, the plan outlines growth in nursing, engineering and real-estate education. These growths are in response to Virginia’s workforce needs, Schmidt said. The Fast-Flex Nursing program will be doubled, from 30 students in the cohort up to 60, which Schmidt estimates to cost a total of $1.3 million.

JMU no longer a ‘hidden gem’

White said JMU can no longer afford to be a “hidden gem” because of the vision the board and Schmidt have for the school. According to the Strategic Plan, JMU wants to increase its enrollment to approximately 26,000 by 2032. Despite a shrinking pool of Virginia high school graduates in recent years, White said JMU’s growing enrollment hasn’t been affected.

NEWS

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org Kirah Villanueva / The Breeze

VIRGINIA NEWS RECAP Gov. Spanberger presses Congress for AI guardrails as states forge ahead

“How can we continue to serve ... our students today while building for the students tomorrow?”

Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Tuesday called on Congress to set national rules for artificial intelligence, warning that its rapid development could threaten jobs, privacy and public resources if oversight remains largely in the hands of the companies building it.

Survey finds that more than half of Virginia families with children face food insecurity Charlotte Renee Woods, Virginia Mercury

GRAM SHER student representative to the Board of Visitors Gram Sher is a public administration and political science double major. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

White also announced that JMU will be introducing a “beat” system within the university’s Marketing and Communications department. This system assigns each college a “dedicated senior storyteller to share JMU’s stories more proactively and in partnership with campus stakeholders,” White explained.

JMU increases fundraising goals

Philanthropy and Engagement chair Carly Fiorina highlighted the influx of state funding that has gone to CHBS renovations. With this, she said the school continues to raise money to further improve the college, which will go towards technology and equipment upgrades and building furnishings. JMU also announced Friday afternoon a $3.5 million gift from Richard Gilliam, honoring his late wife Leslie Flanary Gilliam, a JMU alumna and former BoV member, according to a press release sent to The Breeze. The donation will support “a broader institutional effort to prepare healthcare professionals for the region and commonwealth,” the press release read. Fiorina also noted the school is seeking to raise its philanthropy fundraising goal to $50 million for fiscal year 2027, calling this goal a “significant ambition.” Right now, JMU garners about $30 million per year from fundraising, she said.

New student representative questions Madison Promise

The new student representative to the BoV (SRBoV) and senior political science and public administration double major Gram Sher began his report by asking the room a guiding question: how will the BoV support students it already has as the university continues to grow? “I have a couple concerns about the Madison Promise,” Sher said. “How can we continue to serve … our students today while building for the students tomorrow? What is that transition going to look like?” As Sher has settled into his new role, he said students have told him they’re concerned that current student services aren’t meeting their needs. “[Services] are already strained with 23,000, so how are we going to add 7,000 to our student body and continue to provide adequate services to each student?” Sher said. One issue that Sher highlighted was the school’s transportation, which was contested by BoV member Tom Galati who asked if JMU’s transportation concerns are only related to campus parking, or if it’s a bigger issue involving buses and other modes of transportation.

“One of my daughters goes here and says there’s no parking, and I say, ‘well, there’s plenty of parking, you’re just not 10 feet away from every building,’” Galati said. Many Dukes have expressed concerns with JMU’s shrinking commuter parking. Recently, parking lot closures and spot reallocations have reduced the number of commuter spots on campus, which, in turn, has increased congestion during peak hours. “I think parking concerns are more of a convenience concern,” Sher said. “I think it’s also a bus concern — some buses don’t come on time, some buses are overcrowded … I think we just need to increase the amount of buses we have on campus in general.” Sher also listed his goals for the upcoming school year, one of which was to educate students on how the BoV works. He also said he hopes to support “student voices on campus” and collaborate with students to relay issues to the Board and administration.

Career outcomes report

Associate Vice President for Career, Experiential Learning, Transitions and Accessibility Myles Surrett and University Career Center director Libby Westley provided statistics on JMU students’ career outcomes. Here are the highlights: • 20.5% of graduates have moved on to continuing education • 1% of graduates have entered military service • 4.6% of graduates are still seeking employment or education • 0.1% of graduates are not currently seeking employment or education • 4.7% of graduates don’t currently have a career outcome • 68.3% of graduates are now working Virginia • 78.9% of nursing major graduates said they are employed post-graduation in Virginia. • 85.4% of graduates who are employed in a teaching job are employed in Virginia CONTACT Isabel Lewis at thebreezesocials@gmail. com & Charlie Bodenstein at breezenews@gmail.om. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

Virginia Food Banks, the Virginia Department of Social Services and No Kid Hungry Virginia commissioned a statewide survey that found 51% of families with children were food insecure. The survey picked up where the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual survey to assess hunger left off. The final federal survey, which ended in 2025 after nearly three decades of publication, found 42% of Virginia respondents were considered food insecure over the past year.

Virginia diesel climbs to record $6.35 a gallon Shirleen Guerra, The Center Square The overnight rise was 4 cents. A week ago, it was $5.99; one month ago was $5.50; and a year ago it was $3.60. The increases are 6% in a week, 15.5% in a month, and 76.4% in a year. Friday’s price is the highest recorded diesel average in Virginia, according to AAA, surpassing the record set Thursday.

Spanberger declares state of emergency as drought strains Virginia farmers Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury Spanberger’s Executive Order 21 temporarily exempts over-width hay deliveries from certain transportation restrictions, allowing hay to reach farmers more quickly to feed their livestock. Persistent drought conditions that began last winter have led to an estimated hay shortfall totaling 500,000 tons.

Virginia confronts $1.7 billion shortfall in highway maintenance funding Nathaniel Cline, Virginia Mercury Virginia faces a funding gap of at least $1.7 billion for highway maintenance work, with roads falling into disrepair creating an economic and safety liability that could affect future construction projects across the commonwealth, state transportation department staff reported this week.

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

Vol. 105, No. 6

Dukes’ guide to early voting in Virginia By SARA HELWE PAGET & NIKOLAI PERRY The Breeze The upcoming November midterm elections marks the halfway point of the current presidential term, putting both the U.S. House Representative and Senatorial positions on the ballot, potentially reshaping the Congressional majority. Along with these congressional positions, there are two Harrisonburg City Council seats, three Harrisonburg Public School board seats and three proposed amendments to the Virginia constitution on the ballot. Early in-person voting for the Nov. 3 midterm elections began on Sept. 18 in Virginia and will run through until Oct. 31. Polling locations and availability vary by locality and can be located on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

How can students vote at JMU?

Kirah Villanueva & Margaret Goodman / The Breeze

Students who reside on campus and are registered to vote in Harrisonburg with their dorm address can vote in person in Godwin Hall on Nov. 3, said sophomore Brady Dunn, a democracy fellow at the James Madison Center for Civic Engagement. Early voting isn’t offered on campus, but students who want to vote early and are registered to vote in Harrisonburg can vote at Harrisonburg City Hall, Dunn said. Students not registered in Harrisonburg and interested in voting via absentee ballot can submit a request for an absentee ballot through the Citizen Portal, which can be

found on the Virginia Department of Elections website. The deadline to submit an absentee ballot or to update voter registration is Oct. 23. There is no expected change or delay in processing for mail-in ballots, as the Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to restrict mailin ballots on Sept. 14, according to an AP News article. Additionally, students who are registered to vote in their hometown can go home to vote early and in-person over fall break, any time before Oct. 31, or on election day.

Who’s on the ballot in Harrisonburg?

Mark Warner (D), the incumbent U.S. senator for Virginia, is running against Bert Mizusawa (R), a retired major general with a focus on the country’s fiscal responsibility, affordability, defending the military and more, according to his campaign website. Harrisonburg is located in Virginia’s 6th Congressional District, where Ben Cline (R), the incumbent house representative, is running against Beth Macy (D), a journalist and nonfiction writer with a focus on data center regulation, affordability, healthcare, abolishig ICE and more, according to her campaign website. The Harrisonburg City Council has two of five seats up for election, with three nonpartisan candidates running: incumbent Dany Fleming, incumbent Monica Robinson and Sal T. Romero.

The Harrisonburg City Public Schools board has three of six seats up for election, with three nonpartisan candidates running: incumbent Emma Phillips, Debra Stevens Fitzgerald and Rachel G. Smallwood.

Amendments on the ballot

On Virginia’s midterm ballot are three proposed amendments to Virginia’s constitution, which voters can decide to support or oppose on the ballot. Exact amendment verbiage as well as further explanation of these amendments can be found on the Virginia Department of Elections website. The first proposed amendment to Virginia’s constitution protects personal decisions concerning abortions, fertility care and childbirth, protects healthcare workers and restricts access to abortions during the third trimester of pregnancy. The second proposed amendment removes the ban on same-sex marriage within Virginia’s constitution. The third proposed amendment restores voting rights to felons in Virginia and changes the prohibition of voting on those who are mentally incompetent to the prohibition of those who lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. CONTACT Sara Helwe Paget at pagetsh@dukesjmu.edu & Nikolai Perry at perry3ae@dukes.jmu. edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

Vol. 105, No. 6

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

SGA approves financial procedures revamp By JACK FRIEDMAN & SAM WRIGHT The Breeze Hearing its first requests of the semester, the Student Government Association (SGA) unanimously approved a total of $9,105 to three clubs: Billiards Club, Asian Student Union and Muslim Student Association. The SGA also debated and passed changes to its election policy, amendments to its constitution and changes to its financial procedure.

$9,105 allocated to clubs SGA first heard from Billiards Club president and senior engineering major Sam Willis, who requested $3,000 in contingency funds for the Collegiate Cues Tour — a series of competitions against other Virginia schools over the year — as well as updated equipment. The resolution was approved unanimously. Next, SGA heard from sophomore political science major Sayf Hamad, treasurer of the Asian Student Union. Hamad requested contingency funds of $1,645 to host the culture show, which aims to share Asian culture with JMU and the Harrisonburg area. The request was unanimously approved. SGA unanimously approved a request by the Muslim Student Association (MSA) for a $4,460 program grant. MSA president senior and biotechnology major Hisham Majzoub and its secretary, junior engineering major Ezhar Zahid, represented the organization’s pitch for its annual charity gala and auction. MSA collaborates with local businesses and proceeds go to a humanitarian cause established by Islamic Relief.

SGA debates election policy, constitution

SGA allocated over $9,000 to on-campus clubs. Cameron Terry / The Breeze

SGA debated a new friendly amendment to its election policy, meant to improve on the elections process, requiring those running for academic senate to gather 50 signatures to run. The issue faced over 10 minutes of debate but passed overwhelmingly, with just two nays. “It is essential to pass this policy in order to run elections effectively and successfully,” Elections Commissioner sophomore Andrew Larose said. Senator Emily Cantrell, a sophomore history major, in opposition, argued “What’s up for debate right now is whether or not you should be able to change the rules of the election in the middle of the election season, and I don’t think that’s OK.”

Cantrell argued that the rule change would not provide senators enough time to gather the needed signatures before elections. SGA then reopened the floor for debate on the elections policy as a whole. The policy was adopted after a short debate with only one nay. Next, SGA debated on the proposed changes to its constitution. The amendments to the constitution, described as “gloss-over changes” by sophomore senator Brady Dunn, passed unanimously. The changes rewrote the executive treasurer position, added the graduate student liaison position and slightly modified the Appeals Committee and Academic Council. The senate went on to debate the proposed changes to its financial procedures. The changes altered program grants and contingency funds, disallowing organizations from receiving both in the same year. It was unanimously approved.

SGA fills new graduate position

To close its meeting, SGA heard a nomination for Roberto Tito-Quintana to serve as SGA graduate student liaison. After a short debate period, the SGA unanimously confirmed his nomination. The graduate student liaison is a new position, intended to help improve communication between the SGA and the Graduate Student Association, announced during SGA’s last session. CONTACT Jack Friedman at friedmjh@dukes.jmu. edu and Sam Wright at wrigh4sx@dukes. jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @ TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

Vol. 105, No. 6

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

This ordinance follows the previous removal of ALPR cameras. Photos by Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

Harrisonburg bans ALPR cameras By ISABEL LEWIS The Breeze Earlier this year, City Council terminated its contract with Flock and later removed the cameras from city property. However, this didn’t prevent the city from renewing the contract. To create a safety net, the council passed an ordinance against Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR) , which would make it difficult

for future city councils to install mounted ALPRs of any kind in the city, Council Member Nasser Alsaadun said. “This time is to make it for the next any future city council, make it like not that easy. They need for community listening or discussing before they agree to let the city to have another contract,” Alsaadun said. Future city councils still have the ability to install ALPR cameras, but they will have to rescind the ordinance and involve the voices of the citizens, Alsaadun said. “We also include a definition of stationary ALPR camera, just to clarify that the cameras that are currently used on the police vehicles are not covered by this,” City Attorney Chris Brown said. Brown added that in the case of a robbery or assault near a private business, that business could share the security camera footage with the police department. However, the police department wouldn’t have any of its own footage, he said.

City Council has until Sept. 30 to send a request to VDRPT for rail expansion into Harrisonburg.

Passenger rail coming to the ’Burg

Council Member Laura Dent led the council in approving an endorsement

of a passenger rail expansion into Harrisonburg. The deadline to submit the request to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT) for the extension is Sept. 30. The timeline for the project’s start and completion has to be decided. Livable Harrisonburg Coordinator KC Kettler said in a community perspective article submitted to The Harrisonburg Citizen that the rail would increase flexibility for travelers, especially for those going to cities like Washington and Richmond, and would decrease student traffic on I-81. “It’s not as farfetched as it might sound. Right now, Culpeper gets 6-8 daily trains. Christiansburg will have 4 daily trains starting in 2027. Both cities have less than half the population of Harrisonburg,” KC Kettler wrote to The Harrisonburg Citizen.

Did you know battery energy has to be stored?

City council approved a 100,000 square foot parcel of land to be leased to the Virginia Municipal Electric Association (VMEA). VMEA will sublease this property to Lightshift Energy and it will become a battery energy storage facility, according to the city council. A second battery storage facility will be located in Culpeper. CONTACT Isabel Lewis at thebreezesocials@gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

CULTURE EDITORS Bella Arist & Audrey Fletcher

EMAIL thebreezeculture@gmail.com

‘A slap in the face’: JMU female athletes speak out against Sydney Sweeney’s ad By BELLA ARIST The Breeze I am sure you’ve all seen the Sydney Sweeney sports betting advertisement. Is she setting back women in sports? Is this a bigger social issue beyond sports? The women of JMU have a lot to say about this. The video promoted Novig, a sports betting app and had Sweeney covering her nude body parts with different sports equipment, and sitting atop a basketball hoop completely nude. A Sports Information Director (SID) in JMU Athletics told The Breeze JMU female athletes and coaches would not comment on this topic. Despite this, other women in sports still offered their opinion. “There are already a lot of barriers pushed against women already, especially in male-dominated fields, and it is hard to make progress when people are pushing a narrative that sets women back years,” senior media arts and design major Sydney Bezelik said. She had an internship with the NBA this past summer and does freelance photography with the Washington Wizards and Mystics throughout the school year. “A man will never have to be put in a position to do something like that for an advertisement, it just objectifies women’s bodies,” Bezelik said. “Some people still continue to spread the narrative that a woman’s use in sports is only meant to be sexualized because men are idolized in their success in sports.” Bezelik said Nike ads have empowering and impactful messages and would never do something like that to a female athlete. She said Nike should be the standard for how companies should advertise women in sports. “I feel like you can connect a sports betting app a lot of different ways than using a naked woman for sales and attention,” Bezelik said. She added that the type of audience this has gained traction with is men who don’t have much respect for women and push the idea that women are only meant to be sexualized. “My initial reaction when I saw the Sydney Sweeney ad was disappointment and shock,” sophomore communications PR major and sports communications minor Rebecca Zilliox said. She is a manager for JMU field hockey. In the past, Sweeney has made decisions that have caused social media uproar, like staring in the American Eagle jeans campaign. “I think Novig has done this on purpose because nobody knew what the company was before, and now they are getting the attention they wanted from the controversy,” Zilliox said. The campaign attempted to promote sports betting, and the media’s response was anything but positive. “The concept is simple: Cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports. The campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humor and a playful edge,” Sweeney said in a Novig press release.

This advertisement isn’t just about sports, it also highlights a social issue women have dealt with for decades. “As a woman, this ad feels like a slap in the face. Women already have to work so much harder in life to gain any respect, and this has just reinstilled the notion that women are viewed as objects,” Zilliox said. Looking at it from sport to sport, male and female athletes are treated differently. In lacrosse, men are given a big helmet and long stick with rules allowing them to be aggressive. Women only get goggles and a mouthguard, and the women’s game prohibits contact, according to Lacrosse Fanatic. “In the past year, women have been getting more recognition for their accomplishments within their sports, but since the ad came out, it allowed male perspectives to view women as they did before,” Zilliox said. Men’s sports also receive more publicity than women’s. For example, the WNBA doesn’t receive as much attention Photo illustration by Landon Shackelford / The Breeze as the NBA, and the stats prove it. The average salary for WNBA players of whom have posed nude for advertising campaigns in the is around $500,000, while NBA players are making around $10 past, seemingly suggesting that she is far from the first public million, according to WSN. The revenue of the NBA surpasses figure to use nudity in a sports-themed promotion,” according the WNBA by a mile, earning $14.3 billion compared to the to NBC Los Angeles. WNBA’s $400 million. “Wait, so what is the ad even promoting?” exercise Some of the public criticized Novig for using Sweeney for physiology grad student Anna Kurz said after viewing the her body rather than getting an athlete to star in the ad. “If you are looking at a man or woman and judging their athletic ad for the first time. The ad repeats Sweeney saying “sports” skills based on their physical appearance, you are looking at over and over again, never truly talking about the sports betting company itself. it wrong,” Zilliox said. “This feels very degrading, and it seems like she is making Social media has been a strong outlet for women in sports to post videos speaking out against the advertisement. JMU a joke out of women’s sports,” Kurz said. Her mouth dropped Club Gymnastics posted a video claiming the organization after seeing the full video. “hates” Sweeney’s advertisement. “I think Novig should have had an actual athlete promoting “Women in sports deserve to be seen more than their a company about sports, not just using an actress and her appearance,” JMU Club Gymnastics wrote in a Sept. 15 Instagram body, pivoting from the idea of sports to gain attraction from post. “We are athletes, competitors, teammates and leaders who a particular audience,” Kurz said. put countless hours into our craft.” The wait is on to see what Sydney Sweeney does next. “We represent the strength, health and confidence of athletes,” the post continued. “This is women in sports.” Sweeney did not respond to the criticism online directly. Instead, CONTACT Bella Arist at thebreezeculture@gmail.com. she posted a series of Instagram stories to address the situation. For more on the culture, arts, and lifestyle of the JMU “She shared photos of celebrities, including athletes Serena and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, all on X @TheBreezeJMU and Instagram @BreezeJMU.

By ALISON BAILEY contributing writer The 78th annual Emmy Awards aired on ABC Sept. 14. The highlights of the night include a huge sweep by Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay,” a historymaking win for Jean Smart and a beautiful In Memoriam section, but many have pointed out that actors of color were underrepresented in the major acting categories. Starting with arguably one of the most shocking successes of this year’s awards: Matthew Rhys and the new comedy-horror “Widow’s Bay.” Rhys took home the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for this show, as well as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for the crime mini-series “The Beast in

Me.” Alongside his 2018 win for Best Actor in a Drama Series for “The Americans,” he became the first person in history to win leading acting awards in all three of the Emmy’s television categories. He also became the first person ever to win two of those awards on the same night. Hiro Murai also made history as the first Asian director to win for a comedy. “Widow’s Bay” received six awards in all, including Outstanding Comedy Series for its debut season. Speaking of record-breaking, the final season of “Hacks” delivered Jean Smart her fifth Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, making her the first person to win the same acting category for every season of a show. She, alongside Allison Janney, joined the likes of actors like Julia Louis-Dreyfus in achieving the record-high of eight acting Emmys.

Folk singer-songwriter Noah Kahan performed a cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” for this year’s In Memoriam section, leaving much of the show’s audience in tears. In 2026, Hollywood lost plenty of both movie and television actors, many in extremely surprising and upsetting ways. Among those honored were Rob Reiner, Hayden Panettiere, Tim Curry, Dolly Parton and Catherine O’Hara. Read more online at thebreezejmu.org CONTACT Alison Bailey at bail24am@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts, and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and Instagram @BreezeJMU.

Erin Jablonski / The Breeze

Controversial Emmy Awards favors white recipients

CULTURE

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

The back of the cut cloth: ‘The Other Mozart’ review By JONAH RICHARDS contributing writer “I am like that first note of a scale: others follow.” A proclamation as proud as such, which begins the play, begs the question for Maria Anna Mozart: “If you are as influential and as groundbreaking as you claim, why are you ‘the other Mozart?’” The play’s title makes it clear that there is another, better-known Mozart. So why should we care about the lesser of the two? Why is Wolfgang the more popular of the siblings? Surely Maria’s talent and influence would be appreciated? Sylvia Milo’s award-winning play aims to answer these questions in around 75 minutes while remaining more entertaining than an ordinary history lesson. Both of these goals are met, and the play takes glee in ensuring that its message is understood and that the audience gets more than it paid for. The show arguably begins before the play itself, however. It was impossible to miss the white dress — 18 feet in circumference, designed by Magdalena Dabrowska, that makes up the play’s setting, with it being all that was on the stage. The dress, waiting for its wearer, onstage standing alone, provided a slightly melancholic atmosphere, which was not reduced by the music playing for the 30-orso minutes I was waiting for the show to begin as the audience trickled in. I didn’t know anything about Maria Anna, but knew enough about Mozart: he played the piano. And so, I expected the piano, but the music sounded very little like a piano. I predicted that the instrument being played was a harp of some kind, or maybe chimes being struck. Knowing that the play was based on real-life history, facts and letters helped little; the entire thing had a mystical air. When the play began, the riddle was solved: The mysterious chime-like sound was the sound of teacups being tapped!

The first demonstration of this playing was met with laughter, and surprisingly, the laughter continued for the rest of the play. The dialogue was often crass and informal, which was always met with joy, considering how proper the play is otherwise. However, the play does not forget its purpose just because it knows how to keep your attention. If anything, the jokes are traps set to ensure the audience is paying attention before delivering a particularly powerful moment. The teacup tapping, for instance, is the result of Maria Anna being told she was unfit to play the piano as a child, with the excuse being that the tapping would ruin her technique. Her brother needn’t worry about his technique, however, and the understanding that his sex is what allows him the opportunity to play is painfully apparent in the moment, though we were all laughing prior. The various letters she pulls from her dress as the show progresses tell of his exploits, and yet she is still stuck in her trapped position. Once Maria Anna steps into the dress for the first time, she does not leave until it consumes her. The tragedy of “The Other Mozart” is that the audience must watch its protagonist struggle to step out of her brother’s shadow with the necessary talent, just in a society that will not allow her to do so purely because she is a woman. Despite her accomplishments, her status as a “pure” woman leads to her being married off, relegated to playing a (broken, at one point) piano in her husband’s home. You have to hope for a happy ending for Anna Maria, but how can this be possible when the world seems to have chosen her destiny for her? In the end, she dons her dress of oppression completely, proclaims her identity and slinks away into the back of the stage. Since “The Other Mozart” is a onewoman play, it would be unfair if I

didn’t devote a good amount of time to profesonal actress, dancer and musician Daniela Galli’s performance. Simply put, Galli is phenomenal. She effortlessly transitions from portraying childlike glee to long-lasting grief and claustrophobia. Her final proclamation at the end of the play, accompanied by her slink away from the front of the stage, is the result of shouldering decades of inappreciation and restraint. On occasion, it almost seemed that she would take the emotion too far, with her excitement or glee seeming to border on mania; I’ve come to appreciate this more as I consider it further. The unfair societal constraints placed on Maria Anna are maddening, and if she only borders on madness, that’s a testament to her resolve. Overall, I have to give the play the highest compliment I can express: When it was over, I went and read up on Maria Anna Mozart’s life. After 75 minutes of her life were conveyed onstage, I was still curious enough to seek out more information about her. In only an hour and 15 minutes, Milo’s fine-tuned script and directing find a worthy vessel in Galli, and the two artists bring one of history’s most overlooked musicians to the center stage. I hope the play’s continuing run is long and prosperous; a study of Maria Anna Mozart’s life is here proven best experienced alongside her. CONTACT Jonah Richards at fdfsjp@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts, and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

REEL IT IN

Movie review| ‘By Any Means’ By JACK MCGUINNESS

contributing writer

Warning: This review contains spoilers When a project says “based on a true story,” how much trust should we put into the “based”? The new film “By Any Means,” directed by Elegance Bratton, wants you to believe that answer to be a lot. The movie — starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Wayne Strider and Mark Wahlberg as Greg Scarpa — centers around a young Black cop in 1960s Mississippi and his efforts to solve the murder of Vernon Dahmer (played by “Breaking Bad” alumnus Giancarlo Esposito), who was killed by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in retaliation for him offering to pay the poll tax of African Americans who couldn’t afford it. The FBI calls in Gregory “The Grim Reaper” Scarpa, a captain from the Columbo crime family in New York City and top-secret FBI informant, to assist Strider in helping identify the KKK members responsible for the horrific crime. Interesting plot, right? Crazy that this actually happened, and it’s most people’s first time hearing about it! That’s all fine, but there’s one slight issue with this: It didn’t. At least, not as the movie would lead you to believe. For starters, Strider never existed. Strider is an “amalgamation of the Black FBI experience in the South,” according to Abdul-Mateen in a press interview. Scarpa, however, did exist. If Satan has ever walked this earth, he was disguised as Greg Scarpa. Right before the credits roll, the film claims that Scarpa is responsible for “60+ murders.” However, the FBI states that they believe his number could be as high as 120 murders. Scarpa got involved with the FBI for one reason: protection. It was a great trade-off for both sides: He gave the feds inside information on the mafia and some assistance on cases that needed a “tougher hand,” so to speak, and in return, he was given protection from the law and kept out of prison. Quietly, of course. Before you ask, yes, Scarpa is strongly believed to have been in Mississippi in 1964 helping solve a murder, and this is where much of the film gets its basis. Multiple reports indicate that the FBI flew Scarpa down south to solve the murders of three men: James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner. They were activists who were helping register Black voters in Mississippi and were brutally killed by the KKK, then buried in a field. The story goes that Scarpa tracked down a local KKK member, brutally interrogated them with a gun being jammed down their throat and demanded to know where the bodies were buried. It worked. Read more online at breezejmu.org CONTACT Jack McGuinness at mcguinjr@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts, and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X @ TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

Photo courtesy of Forbes Center for the Performing Arts

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

CULTURE

A rainbow in the cold rain, 2026 Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival By SUSANNAH MORALES contributing writer Hundreds of Shenandoah Valley residents took part in the annual Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival on Sunday, Sept. 20. Despite the rainy day, the festival brought in people of all ages, orientations and backgrounds — uniting the Valley in one celebratory event. The festival was lively and full of color, music and creativity. Rows of booths packed Turner Pavilion in Downtown Harrisonburg, including local small businesses, voting registration tables, and organizations like the Massanutten Regional Library and Emmanuel Episcopal Church. In total, there were over 70 local artists, businesses and organizations present. While browsing the stands and kiosks, visitors were able to see Harrisonburg artistry put on display in the form of handmade goods. This was Harrisonburg’s 12th consecutive year hosting the Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival though it was originally called Harrisonburg Pride in the Park when the festival originated in 2005. Since then, it has grown significantly and consistently receives around 3,000 attendees. “The festival continues SVPA’s work to increase LGBTQ+ visibility and strengthen community connections throughout the Shenandoah Valley,” according to the Shenandoah Valley Pride Alliance’s official press release. Arranged by the Shenandoah Valley Pride Alliance (SVPA) — an organization devoted to supporting the LGBTQ+ community through events and fundraisers — the festival ran from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and offered a wide variety of live entertainment, including singer Shelly Fairchild. Fairchild is a Mississippi-born LGBTQ+ country singer who started her music career in 1996 at 19 years old. She’s

currently touring the United States with shows in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and even St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. Athena Dion, winner of six titles including Ultimate Miami Drag Queen 2017 and Miss South Carolina Continental 2014 and contestant in the 18th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, was another one of the festival’s special guests. The event also had local talent like the LGBTQ+ Choir Shenandoah, of which JMU senior music education major Kevin Landry is a member. “It lets the community really know how expansive we are. With how many people are coming out to this festival, we can all see each other and be more visible here,” Landry, the education coordinator at Madison Equality, said. Madison Equality is JMU’s own LGBTQ+ organization. Founded in the 1970s, the club provides a safe and supportive space for students of all orientations. Other local talents included live musicians like The Falsies and Lady Taij Band. There was also a silent auction put on by the SVPA. “It’s important to me because for people like us and for this community, there’s a whole lot of reasons to be afraid, and I think that events like this, where we can come together as a full community, enable us to be brave despite that fear, and I think that’s a really powerful thing to do together,” senior history major and Madison Equality Vice President Benjamin Annan said. The festival was a place for inclusiveness, self-expression and support, showcasing the talent and enthusiasm of Harrisonburg’s LGBTQ+ community. CONTACT Susannah Morales at ss7n84@dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts, and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and Instagram @BreezeJMU.

Summer Solis / The Breeze

Vol. 105, No. 6

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

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SPORTS EDITORS Madi Perini & Libby Mercer

EMAIL breezesports@gmail.com

Preview| JMU football opens conference play with rival ODU By LIBBY MERCER The Breeze

Last season, JMU beat ODU 63-27. Caden Burch / The Breeze

After returning home from a cross-country trip to SDSU with a win, JMU football is now 3-0 to start the season. Next up is a start to Sun Belt Conference play against in-state rival ODU (1-2). “It’s our first conference game with this team, and it’s an East Division opponent, which counts double in my mind,” head coach Billy Napier said. Last season, JMU downed ODU 63-27 and kept the Royal Rivalry champion title at home. “This is a big one,” Napier said. “Given the way the game last year kind of unfolded, we’ll have no issue getting the attention of our players. I think they know the implications of this game.” This season, JMU will travel to Norfolk, hoping to keep the same title, but this week with only six days of prep as opposed to seven. Being down a day due to cross-country travel, Napier said the team is “treating it that way.” This in-state rivalry game will be Napier’s second as JMU head coach after facing Liberty in the season opener. “I think it’s one of the things that’s unique about football in the state of Virginia, right?” Napier said. “I think, for the most part, every team in this state hates each other to some degree.” While fourth-year wide receiver Braeden Wisloski has played against ODU as a Duke, he said he doesn’t think of the game as a rivalry. “I go about every single game and not worry about the opponent,” Wisloski said. “Whoever I’m playing, I try and do my best, and I’m not really worried about who we’re playing.” Other than player history, defensive coordinator Robert Bala said the coaching staff knows “what kind of team” ODU was last season. Bala matched up with ODU and head coach Ricky Rahne while he was at Liberty in 2022. Bala said ODU uses similar play calls as SDSU and JMU.

“We got a lot of concepts through the years and even what we’ve done already and who we’ve seen already to be able to handle [ODU’s offense],” Bala said. Something Bala has been told about the Monarchs’ offense is that the offensive line hasn’t shifted through their first three games, he said. “They’re building continuity,” Bala said. Bala said his defensive group is “about where he would expect” but still has areas for improvement. “The things that we’re leaving on the bone there would be tackling the quarterback on the first third down,” Bala said. “And we got to get the tackling right.” ODU is coming off a two-game losing streak after playing Virginia Tech in Week 2 and ECU in Week 3. However, against ECU, ODU’s defense held the Pirates to only 276 yards — two more than the Monarchs’ 274 — in the 20-17 final score. “[The defense has] a lot of continuity and know what they kind of want to do,” offensive coordinator Cam Aiken said. Aiken said ODU will be a “good challenge.” “I think the number one thing is how hard they play and how they know their identity,” he said. Another standout moment in ODU’s first three games came when redshirt sophomore quarterback Quinn Henicle broke free for a 76-yard rushing touchdown against Virginia Tech. “[He’s] just a good football player … Not afraid to pull the ball and run it himself and is a very capable runner,” assistant head coach and outside linebackers coach Dave Plungas said. “Very good athlete, very good player that we have to be aware of.” JMU will kick off against ODU at 6 p.m. on Saturday at S.B. Ballard Stadium in Norfolk, Virginia. “They’ll be a contender in this conference, and we’ve got to play our best on Saturday,” Bala said. CONTACT Libby Mercer at breezesports@gmail.com. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X at @TheBreezeSports.

“For the most part, every team in this state hates each other.” Billy Napier, head coach

Napier has gone 3-0 to start his first season as head coach with JMU. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

SPORTS

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

ODU finished 10-3 last season while JMU went 12-2. Caden Burch / The Breeze

What ODU is saying about JMU football ahead of Week 4

By LIBBY MERCER The Breeze

ODU football held a Monday press conference ahead of its Week 4 matchup and Sun Belt opener against JMU this Saturday at 6 p.m. Seventh-year head coach Ricky Rahne, fourth-year offensive lineman Logan Cox and second-year linebacker Jackson Forrest represented the Monarchs. Here’s what they had to say about the Dukes ahead of their Saturday matchup:

Ricky Rahne, head coach

With both teams beginning their Sun Belt East division slate, Rahne said Saturday is a “big game,” no matter who it’s against. “We all know how important the first conference game is,” Rahne said. “But that doesn’t take away the emotion or make me not understand the emotion that goes into a rivalry game.” Given how emotionally charged rivalry games tend to be, Rahne said his team needs to be careful and keep their emotions in check. “We’ve got to play with passion but not emotion,” Rahne said. “There’s a big difference there.” With third-year quarterback JC Evans sitting out the last two games after starting the first, fourth-year Camden Coleman has taken over the primary position for JMU. Rahne said that though JMU doesn’t call the game vastly different for each quarterback, there are still subtle nuances.

“I think they’re really good players,” Rahne said. “While they may be a little bit different, they call the game essentially the same.” Looking at what to expect from JMU, Rahne said the Dukes’ defense does a good job “creating chaos up front.” “It’s a well-coached unit,” Rahne said. “I think what they’re doing right now is they’re playing really good team defense.” Rahne doesn’t have previous history with first-year JMU head coach Billy Napier, but when he met him at Sun Belt Conference meetings, he said “he’s a good guy.” Rahne said he enjoys all the head coaches in the Sun Belt Conference. “I think we’ve got really good people as the head coaches in this conference and people who care about their schools, care about their student-athletes and, and then I think even most importantly, care about the game of football,” Rahne said. After JMU put up 87 points against Wagner, Rahne noted the three special teams touchdowns in that game and said it “warrants some attention.” “I mean, you’re talking about a team that was able to do some pretty special things, you know what I mean?” Rahne said. “I think that shows that they’ve got some dynamic players, and that’s definitely going to get your attention as well.”

Logan Cox, offensive lineman

Cox said after studying the film, he thinks JMU’s defensive line is “good up front.”

“It’s going to be a good game,” Cox said. While he knows it’s a conference rivalry game, Cox said ODU approaches every opponent the same. “People say it’s conference play and people say it’s JMU, which I think will add to the hype of it,” Cox said. “But, everyone just attacking it with the same mentality is a good thing as well.”

Jackson Forrest, linebacker

Looking at JMU’s offense, Forrest said the Dukes’ quarterback is a “big player.” Forrest also called JMU a “new team” with a different scheme, noting new offensive coordinator Cam Aiken and Napier. “They all do a bunch of good things,” Forrest said. “We’re tuned in on doing what we gotta do to stop them.” With the 87-point win getting lots of attention, Forrest said the win is a “good accomplishment,” and a “great feat no matter who you play.” “When you play a prominent program, sometimes they’re going to get the best of you,” Forrest said. CONTACT Libby Mercer at breezesports@gmail.com. For

more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X and Instagram @TheBreezeSports.

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

Vol. 105, No. 6

How JMU’s leadership guides the Dukes into conference play By MADI PERINI The Breeze

Patrick Rea

As JMU football shifts its focus to conference play, many Dukes — returners and newcomers alike — have stepped into leadership positions.

Camden Coleman

Camden Coleman made his first start at JMU in the Dukes’ 87-3 win over Wagner. Caden Burch / The Breeze

During Week 1, third-year quarterback JC Evans suffered a lower-body injury, according to head coach Billy Napier, and was seen with a brace on his non-throwing hand. In light of his absence, fourth-year QB Camden Coleman assumed the role of starter for the Dukes. In guiding the offense, one of Coleman’s responsibilities is to be a leader. He’s an essential part of the on-field communications between the players and coaches. “He’s got the respect of the staff and the players because they know who he was as a player last year,” head coach Billy Napier said. “His ability to take ownership and communicate and know what everybody’s responsibilities are — he has a certain level of character that comes with playing the position.” Offensive coordinator Cam Aiken said that Coleman has all the intangibles he looks for in a leader. “He’s confident in himself — as a person and as a player,” Aiken said. “Anytime you have somebody leading a team, you want them to be confident — everybody kind of feeds off that.”

In the final year of his collegiate career, fifth-year punter Patrick Rea is confident in his growth as a leader. Rea said one of his purposes at JMU is to “impact others.” “I just know that I can encourage and bring up [my teammates], even off the field. I think that that is more rewarding than anything I can do out there on Saturdays,” Rea said.

Nakian Jackson

During his first season at JMU, fifth-year linebacker Nakian Jackson has assumed a leadership position within the Dukes’ defense. Though he said he came in seemingly quiet, he’s learned to embrace the position he’s in. “I’ve had people here who have opened up to me and said that I need to be that vocal leader [and I] worked on my communication skills on and off the field with the players,” Jackson said. “My biggest thing is leading by example — I’m glad I earned the respect of the guys on this team.” CONTACT Madi Perini at breezesports@gmail.com. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X and Instagram @TheBreezeSports.

Vol. 105, No. 6

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

This week in JMU Athletics Men’s Soccer

2-2 DRAW against Liberty on Tuesday. Up next: away at South Carolina Saturday at 7 p.m.

Women’s Soccer

5-0 WIN at Southern Miss on Friday. Up next: hosts ULM on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Field Hockey

3-1 WIN at Ball State on Friday. Up next: at Miami (OH) on Friday at 1 p.m.

Volleyball

3-0 SWEEP of UNCG, George Mason and Deleware State Friday-Sunday. Up next: hosts South Alabama Friday and Saturday. Rowan Potts / The Breeze

Read more sports coverage online at breezejmu.org

OPINION EDITOR Katie Mae Yetter

EMAIL breezeopinion@gmail.com

Sex sells: but why’s it always a woman? Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.

A “go-away” dart to this week’s gloomy weather. From someone whose emotions are affected by the weather.

A “good-try” pat to people who texted “Giada” to 21523. From someone who wasn’t ready for another elimination.

An “ugh-I-hate-you” dart to egocentric men. From someone who likes to keep men humble.

A “thank-you” pat to the Wednesday farmers market. From someone who was happy to see them, even in the rain.

Editorial Policies

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I’m sure you’ve all seen it by now. Sydney Sweeney’s Novig ad where she repeats the word “sports” over and over. The one where she’s completely KATIE MAE YETTER naked, with Opinion Editor only sports gear covering the intimate parts of her body. In case you missed it, Sweeney starred in an ad for Novig, an app for peer-to-peer sports predictions and trading, and calling it distasteful is me being nice. Well, that very ad is sparking a lot of conversation about her sexualizing women in sports, and rightfully so. Women, especially in sports, have fought so hard to earn their place in the eyes of the public as being equal to men. So the idea of a woman herself sexualizing women in sports the way she did is disgusting. You may be asking yourself, why in an ad about a betting app is Sydney Sweeney completely nude? There are so many other ways Novig could have gone about creating this ad. It could have used real female athletes or it could’ve boasted statistics. It could even have shown the excitement of watching sports and having a way to connect to each other through sports betting. But the tactic they used was distasteful and extremely disrespectful to women everywhere. When you really think about it, the biggest problem isn’t that it showed too much skin. We as a society constantly sexualize women to sell products and turn a profit. The goal of this ad was to generate conversation about Novig and gain traction. Novig certainly gained traction, just absolutely not in the correct way. Women have spent decades building a space for themselves in this world of male-dominated sports, while advertising still uses women’s bodies to sell things. Because genuinely, what does Sweeney being completely naked on a basketball hoop have to do with a betting ad? Now, this begs the question: why not men? The ad had nothing to do with being nude. It has become so normalized to use women’s bodies to sell products, which is what makes the Novig ad so frustrating. What does sexualizing women have to do with betting?

Imagine the same ad, but replace Sweeney with a male celebrity. Would you ask yourself “what is Novig?” or would you be focused on the naked man, repeating “sports”? Think about how many times you’ve seen a man completely naked with only sports equipment covering his genitalia. This isn’t to say that men can’t be sexualized, but it often seems to fall upon women in these kinds of ads. Women have fought so hard to be taken seriously as athletes. They have fought so hard to be taken seriously in any workplace. So, why, when a sports company gets the chance to put a woman in front of millions of people, is her body still the first thing we’re supposed to notice? It’s not to say women shouldn’t have the freedom to wear what they want, say what they need and participate in what they believe. But when it hurts other women in the process, we need to take a step back and see the double standard. See the male gaze of it all. Advertisements cater to what is appealing, and most of the time, that’s at the cost of a woman. Sweeney can absolutely make her own decisions and partake in these kinds of advertisements, but as a woman myself, it is extremely

The Breeze welcomes and encourages readers to voice their opinions through letters and guest columns.

The Breeze reserves the right to edit submissions for length, grammar and if material is libelous, factually inaccurate or unclear. The Breeze assumes the rights to any published work. Opinions expressed in this page, with the exception of editorials, are not necessarily those of The Breeze or its staff.

frustrating to have to watch her fight against her own gender. But what’s been even more upsetting is watching other women react in such a way to her behavior. People are criticizing her and the campaign online for setting back women and girls being taken seriously in sports. Women should support and lift each other up, but it’s difficult when she is doing what men have been doing for years: objectifying women to sell products. There’s a saying that “sex sells,” and you can defend her by saying it grabs the audience’s attention, but when the ad has nothing to do with being nude, why do we consider a woman’s body a shortcut for grabbing attention? Sweeney had every right to star in that ad, whether it was with pure intentions or not. But that doesn’t mean we have to accept the double standard that comes with it. If Novig wanted to sell sports predictions, let’s talk about sports. So, please keep your sports equipment Sydney, I’d rather see it used for what it was made for. CONTACT Katie Mae Yetter at breezeopinion@gmail.com For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

Photo Illustration by Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

Letters and guest columns should be submitted in print or via e-mail and must include name, phone number, major/year if author is a current student (or year of graduation), professional title (if applicable) and place of residence if author is not a JMU student.

OPINION

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

Voter fraud is rapidly poisoning democracy Most people misunderstand how modern dictatorships and other au t h o r i t a r i a n r e g i m e s m a i n t a i n t i g h t- g r i p p e d control over their subjects. One typically BETHANY EARMAN believes it is contributing columnist only through blatant acts of barbaric terrorism or public violence, with the tools of threats, soldiers or weaponsacts “reminiscent of historical figures such as Hitler, Stalin, and Mao Zedong,” as noted by University of Toyko Associate Professor of Comparative Politics Masaaki Higashijima in “Politics and Rights Review.” In reality, to control the populace, Higashijima notes they must present a deceptive “semblance of choice and participation [that] gives the regime a facade of legitimacy.” Contemporary regimes maintain power through a subversive and convincing lie. They pretend to be democracies. And then they manipulate the votes and the electoral process. Therefore, the protection of the individual (their rights and freedoms) and the integrity of the vote are inherently intertwined. And yet, one of the quietest current threats to America is the voter fraud epidemic. It is dangerous precisely because it has been dismissed and pushed into the shadows, and covered up by those who are the beneficiaries of its illegal activity. As a result, the average person is unaware of what has been happening, nor looking inward to investigate this issue. The very phrase “voter fraud” invokes a variety of responses, including that it never happens; that it might, but rarely; it happens

Erin Jablonski / The Breeze

but is not solvable; or that it does happen, it changes results and there are steps we can take to impactfully limit it. First is the claim that it never happens, or if so, rarely. To understand how voter fraud may occur, one must look at the current regulations in state voting and thus, see if any possibility for manipulation of the system exists. According to the Constitution, each state can administer elections how they see fit. The result is a wide range of diversity and leniency in its approach (online, in-person and mail ballots), primarily boiling down to an “honor system.” As California Attorney Bill Essayli said, the majority of states allow “anybody to register to vote on the honor system. There isn’t anyone in government checking to confirm you are a citizen.” Some states require a Social Security number or driver’s license to confirm identity, “but neither guarantees citizenship since noncitizens can get both of those documents.” According to “Ballotpedia,” 49 states merely require applicants to “honestly say” they are citizens, 12 require proof “in some cases” and only three out of our 50 states — Florida, Georgia and Mississippi — actually “require proof of citizenship at the time of registration if a person’s citizenship status cannot be confirmed by other means.” It does not take much to see how this is a vague and easily manipulated system. However, voter fraud is not limited to simply “non-citizens voting.” There are numerous ways that anyone, citizen or not, can rig the system. Read more online at breezejmu.org CONTACT Bethany Earman at earmanbg@dukes.jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on X @TheBreezeJMU and on Instagram @BreezeJMU.

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

Vol. 105, No. 6

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Festival Conference Center Sept. 18, 2026

“THRASH (PARTY STARTER)” by ISOKNOCK “brand new chanel$” by Slayyyter “Father Figure” by Taylor Swift “with you.” by asumuh “Which Witch” by Florence and the Machine “Swim Between Trees” by flipturn “Hate Cult Ritual” by Whitechapel “She Looks So Perfect” by 5 Seconds of Summer

Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

Board of Visitors discuss JMU’s future

“Haircut” by Noah Kahan

JMU’s Board of Visitors (BOV) met for the first time of the academic year to discuss the future of JMU. Five of Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger’s newly appointed members attended their first meeting as board members. The board announced its’ committment to making JMU an R1 research institution, while University President Jim Schmidt discussed his future plans for campus expansion. The board also revealed enrollment statistics for this year with record-high numbers.

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CULTURE EDITORS Bella Arist & Audrey Fletcher

SPORTS EDITORS Madi Perini & Libby Mercer

ART DIRECTOR Kirah Villanueva

PHOTO EDITOR Caden Burch & Landon Shackelford

AUDIENCE EDITORS Isabel Lewis & Brandon Portillo Aponte

TV NEWS DIRECTOR Lauren Keller

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COPY EDITORS Kayla Katounas & Luke Faircloth

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Advertising Staff

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CREATIVE DIRECTOR Heidi Ellison

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AD DESIGNERS

Corrections CORRECTION (9/17/26 5:0 0 p.m.): The previous version of ‘Iran war, birthright citizenship and diversity: Constitution Day at JMU’ incorrectly attributed some of Jonathan Turley’s quotes. The article has since been updated to reflect this.

thebreezesocials@gmail.com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Stephen Lunde

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Lee Hummel | Kenny Warlick

Vol. 105, No. 6

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 23, 2026

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol

DOWN 1 Banned Books Week org.

October 30th, 2026

9/23/26

By Nate McLean

2 Capitol Hill VIP 3 French friend 4 Show of respect 5 Entirely 6 Slalom, say 7 Genre for many an Attenborough documentary, in brief 8 Raccoon relative 9 Canadian shoe brand 10 Home of the Mayan temple El Castillo 11 Decimal base 12 Commercial leadin to Clean 17 Move like a snake 19 Spanish term of endearment 21 Early search engine 23 Distant 24 Green shade 25 Wave the white flag 26 Where toe beans are found 28 Minecraft mineral 29 “__ outta here!” 32 Deal (with) 34 Low-quality A.I.-generated content

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

stumpe

find the answers online

ACROSS 1 Japanese beer brand 6 Pet adoption org. 10 Exec concerned with network security 13 Piccata ingredient 14 “Celebration” band __ & the Gang 15 Magic spell 16 Inner selves, in Jungian psychology 18 *Tablet choice 20 Friend 22 Poker-faced 23 *Silent film based on a Leoncavallo opera 27 Overseas greeting? 30 Formally turn over 31 Panang curry cuisine 32 Summoning contraction 33 Sweet potato kin 34 Filmed 35 Oklahoma athlete 36 *Destination for a day trip from Naples 39 DraftKings user, e.g. 41 Gutter locale 42 Skin pic 45 Done (with) 46 Architect Saarinen 47 Old Testament scribe 48 Pet pest 49 *Lionel Messi’s MLS team 51 “The Trial” novelist Kafka 53 Notary imprint 54 *How like-minded people see, or a phonetic hint for the answers to the starred clues? 57 Vin in the “Fast & Furious” franchise 61 Passing through 62 Nautilus captain 63 None too trusting 64 Just right 65 Garden with forbidden fruit 66 Drum kit drum

www.breezejmu.org/ site/crossword_ answers/

35 Reveled in 37 E.B. White’s “__ Little” 38 Gives a darn 39 One to share a matching bracelet with, informally 40 Unagi roll fish 43 Radius locale 44 __ chi: martial art 46 Biological catalyst

9/23/26

47 Fashion designer Fisher 49 “__ a nap!” 50 Sends 52 First-rate 54 Actress Longoria 55 Puppy noise 56 Countless lifetimes 58 __ salt 59 Goof up 60 Caustic compound

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org

Vol. 105, No. 6

Banking Fit For Dukes!

CommonWealth One is James Madison University’s trusted, full-service financial institution. We’re conveniently located on campus and offer everything you might need financially as a student. What we don’t have? Excessive and unnecessary fees.

Lorem

Our Student Accounts Come With: 4.00% Cash Back with Kasasa Eats® Checking — Feed your stomach and your wallet.1

2.00% APY* with Kasasa Saver® — Make your money work harder.1

Duke Dog Debit Card with access to 80,000 free ATMs — Swipe with pride.

Duke Dog Credit Card with no annual fee and a low, variable rate — Build credit wisely.2

Online and Mobile Banking — Access to your money 24/7.

On-Campus Branch and ATMs — Convenience is steps away, no car required.

Open an account today at cofcu.org/Dukes-Banking!

Student Success Center (Main Floor) The Union (Next to Post Office) Monday-Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

@jmucommonwealthone

Annual Percentage Yeld (APY). 1When you qualify. Membership eligibility required. Ask a representative or visit cofcu.org/Dukes-Banking for complete details. 2Credit subject to approval. Federally Insured by NCUA. Equal Opportunity Lender. Kasasa Eats® and Kasasa Saver® are trademarks of Kasasa, Ltd., registered in the U.S.A.

v04.25.25

Vol. 105, No. 6

Thursday, September 24, 2026 | breezejmu.org