Former Athena Grand building reopens as Goodwill ... PG 3 Takeaways from MAC Media Day 2026 ... PG 6 Guide to upcoming Athens events and festivals ... PG 9 THEPOSTATHENS.COM
AUGUST 20, 2026
VOLUME 117, ISSUE 1
ILLUSTRATION BY ABBY DOENCH DESIGN DIRECTOR
US Headlines Blanche confirmed as AG, wildfires in western US cause evacuations, ICE electric shock gloves
Tips to navigate move-in day
BRIDGET THOMAS FOR THE POST
ins and move-outs.
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Todd Blanche confirmed as Attorney General On Saturday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general. The vote was passed in the Republicanled Senate, 50-49, confirming Blanche’s role in the Justice Department. Blanche was opposed by two Republican senators and all Democratic senators. Blanche is President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, who has led the Justice Department in an acting capacity since Pam Bondi’s departure in April, according to the Associated Press. The confirmation was a long process in which Republicans worried that Blanche’s close ties to Trump would interfere with the responsibilities of the head of the Justice Department. Blanche promised in writing the Justice Department would abandon Trump’s $1.8 billion compensation fund aimed at assisting Trump allies, according to the AP. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-LA, served as the deciding vote after Blanche’s promise swayed him, claiming Blanche is the best option for the position to push Republican ideals. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., argued against the confirmation, stating now is the moment when the U.S. most “needs an attorney general above reproach, who is clearly dedicated to ending corruption.”
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Wildfires continue across western US and Canada as residents evacuate Wildfires in the Western US and Canada have left some residents waiting for evacuation orders, while others are actively evacuating. Over 20,000 people are leaving their homes in Canada in areas such as British Columbia, which declared a state of emergency on Saturday, according to the AP. Three wildfires in Spokane, Washington, were reportedly not growing on Sunday after being contained by fire crews. The rural town of Malden, south of Spokane, was urged to evacuate Saturday immediately, but by Sunday, the order was downgraded to be ready to leave quickly if necessary. Malden dealt with harmful wildfires in 2020, losing its fire station, post office, city hall and library, according to the AP. On Friday morning, two people were killed in a helicopter crash in Utah as they responded to wildfires. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash, according to the AP. continued pg 3
LIBBY SHOEMAKER HUMAN INTEREST STAFF Whether it is in a dorm or off-campus housing, move-in day can be exciting but chaotic. As Ohio University students move into their spaces, upperclassmen, along with the move-in crew, offer tips on how to move in efficiently and transform spaces into a home. Many Bobcats moved into their new dorms and housing Aug. 15, after filling out the early arrival application. Hearing from those who have experience in the OU movein process provides insight into what to expect for future move-
Joy Hudson, a sophomore studying psychology, shared some of her experience along with things to avoid during the moving process. “I had a lot of family members that helped me move in, and I would probably argue too many,” Hudson said. “I think sometimes if you have too many people helping you, and … if you have a roommate or multiple roommates that are also moving in at the same time, having too many people can be a little bit overwhelming and stressful.” Limiting the amount of helpers on move-in day is something Hudson prioritized this year, bringing only one person to support her. In the dorms, space can be
filled quickly between people and moving bags. Hudson added that she learned packing light is most efficient when it comes to living in the dorms. “I made a deal with myself essentially that if I couldn’t fit it in my car, then it couldn’t come,” Hudson said. “Because that’s about the amount of space that you’ll have living in a dorm, or to live in it comfortably.” Hudson also recommended purchasing storage containers and IKEA packing bags for movein, especially if the dorm hall lacks an elevator. Before moving into a living space, the university recommends staying organized to ensure the moving process goes smoothly. continued pg 12
Negotiations continue between OU, UAOU KAITLIN HOGG FOR THE POST Negotiations between the United Academics of Ohio University and Ohio University are still ongoing during the 2026-27 academic year, following over a year of previous negotiations. The negotiations began after the faculty union was approved in May 2025 by the State Employment Relations Board. However, there was no smooth transition into the union, as OU filed a lawsuit against SERB nearly a week after 70% of staff voted in favor of the union. The lawsuit is still underway,
with the official notice of appeal stating, “The University appeals SERB’s decision where it failed to conduct the necessary investigation into the University’s post-election objections.” A decision on the lawsuit is still being awaited. This is the first time since the university’s founding in 1804 that there has been a faculty union. Joe McLaughlin, an English professor and union bargaining member, said that the group filed a compensation proposal on Oct. 29, 2025, and that proposal has yet to be acknowledged by the university.
McLaughlin is one of nine OU faculty members on the UAOU negotiating team. On Thursday, Aug. 13, UAOU posted a photo of a group of UAOU organizers to their Instagram page with the caption, “This morning, Ohio University faculty showed up at the board of trustees meeting to deliver our open letter, signed by more than 1,000 faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members and allies calling on the board to support a fair contract for faculty.”
Photo by CAMDEN PAELTZ | FOR THE POST
continued pg 2
Athens City, County part of potential data center talks
UPC drag show, series of events during OU welcome week
KAITLIN HOGG FOR THE POST
GINA NAPOLI MANAGING EDITOR
Both Athens City Council and Athens County Township Trustees approved one-year moratoriums on data centers after Saadia Holding LLC, a New York-based manufacturing firm, reached out to both the city and county and expressed interest in potentially building a data center. The moratoriums pause the approval of zoning permits, halting the development of data centers in the area for up to one year. According to the Ohio Consumers’ Council, there are over 200 data centers in Ohio alone, with most of them being in central Ohio. That number places Ohio fifth overall for most data centers out of all 50 states.
FRESH HEADLINES DAILY
Connor LaVelle, Athens County planner and floodplain administrator, said in an interview on July 29 that anything related to Saadia Holding and their interest in the Athens area was preliminary. However, LaVelle also said that “three or four months ago,” the Athens County Regional Planning Commission “established a subcommittee just to begin discussions of data centers and their impact on Ohio, and then also looking at what impact they could have on Athens County.” LaVelle said that the meeting with Saadia Holding was a short Zoom call, and the company did not have any site or building plans for a potential data center. LaVelle also said the meeting “was not very deep.” continued pg 2
The Drag Collective isn’t the only group performing. Athens drag queens Rock M. Sakura, Kazma Knights and Evelyn Everything will also perform. “(The show) is honestly one of the coolest performing experiences because there’s easily 800-plus students there,” Chris Nevil, or drag queen Kazma Knights, said. “Hearing everybody screaming and having a good time is so invigorating. When students come up to me, or the other performers, and say this is their ‘first ever show,’ they’ve ‘never felt so safe’ or they’ve ‘never felt so accepted’ … that is what makes it all worth it.” Nevil was born and raised in Athens and started his drag
career in 2017. He said the UPC show is not only lively, but also an opportunity to make new students feel comfortable and accepted. “What I look forward to the most is getting to expose a little bit of Athens to the new students … I always take a little time on the mic to welcome them to Athens and tell them that they’re valued,” Nevil said. “Being able to welcome them to the town that I grew up in and I’ve lived in, to tell them that they’re welcome there and that we’re equally as excited to have them there.” Elena Valentine, a member of the Drag Collective and Athens resident, is drag queen Orion Vega. The 23-year-old said they began their drag journey back in 2021, after frequently visiting drag shows and Pride events hosted in Fremont, Ohio.
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