Sevan Sinton

NYC Mayor Eric Adams indicted on federal charges Michael Keehan Staff Writer Eric Adams, the sitting mayor of New York City, was indicted by a grand jury on five federal charges, the first for a sitting mayor of the nation’s largest city. These charges include bribery, wire fraud conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and two counts of solicitation of contributions by foreign nationals.  This comes after years of investigation by the FBI into Adams over his fundraising practices during his mayoral campaign. The New York Times reported on the investigation, which alleged that donations to Adams through the KSK Construction were funneled through a straw donor scheme by the Turkish government. The FBI followed this up by investigating various allies and friends of Adams to unravel a web of corruption. This included the NYPD commissioner Edward Caban and, according to Politico, a priest who was already being investigated by the church for his role in a Sabrina Carpenter music video. The New York Times reported on the indictment on Sept. 25 and two days later, Adams would plead not guilty to all five charges. He decried the indictments of being politically motivated, accusing the Biden administration of targeting him in the aftermath of NYC’s migrant crisis. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre denied this, and according to Politico, Biden had only spoken to Adams once in the past few years. The investigation and criminal charges have caused many of Adams’ allies, including Caban, to resign from their posts, and many New York politicians such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have called on Adams to resign. Adams has refused and vowed to fight the charges, which will be fought in the court of Sou […] “NYC Mayor Eric Adams indicted on federal charges”

Gettysburg College swim team under investigation after racial slur incidentSevan Sinton Associate News Editor  A community meeting was held at Gettysburg College on Thursday, Sept. 27 after an incident regarding the Gettysburg College Men’s Swim Team. On Sept. 18, Gettysburg College told media that it was investigating an incident where a white swim team member used a boxcutter to carve a racial slur into the chest of an Black teammate. According to Gettysburg College President Robert Iuliano, the incident happened on Sept. 6 at an on-campus residence. Iuliano said in a statement, “By now, some of you have heard about a student conduct report that recently was filed with the college arising from an incident where a racial slur was scratched onto a student by another student at an informal social gathering … No matter the relationship, and no matter the motivation, there is no place on this campus for words or actions that demean, degrade, or marginalize based on one’s identity and history.” Vice President of College Life Anne Ehrlich said in a statement, “[the] investigation is nearing its conclusion, and we can now report that the student is no longer enrolled at Gettysburg College.” The victim’s family did not choose to pursue charges against the perpetrator, but they did issue a statement via Gettysburg College’s newspaper “The Gettysburgian:”  “Two weeks ago, on the evening of Friday, Sept. 6, our son became the victim of a hate crime … It is important to note that he was the only person of color at this gathering. The reprehensible act was committed by a fellow student-athlete, someone he considered his friend, someone whom he trusted. This student used a box cutter to etch the N-word across his chest.” The swim team has said that the incident “is not a byproduct of an unhealthy athletic team culture or a reflection on the team itself; rather, we see in the captains the measure of what it means to be a Gettysburgian by their notification to their coaches … Racism has no home here—neither at Gettysburg College nor on our team. We stand united in condemning the actions that took place.” The Gettysburg College Black Student Union and African Student Association held a meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25 where they discussed the incident and issued a joint statement saying, “We demand swift and decisive action from the administration to hold those responsible accountable and to ensure that Gettysburg College becomes a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. Our community must come together to reject racism and bigotry in all its forms, and we will continue to fight for justice until real change is made.” The Gettysburg College Men’s Swim Team’s first event is scheduled for Oct. 19; however, it is unclear if the […] “Gettysburg College swim team under investigation after racial slur incident”

Council of Trustees receives info about 2% increase in new tenant housing costs, hears from APSCUF president Dr. Daniel Wubah speaking at the September Council of Trustees meeting. Sevan Sinton Associate News Editor In their quarterly meeting last week, the Millersville University Council of Trustees received information about a proposed 2% increase for new tenants in off-campus housing rates from Geoffrey Beers, approved the university’s operating budget for the 2025-26 school year, heard a statement from faculty union president Dr. Robyn Davis, and awarded MU Foundation endowments. Beers, the CEO of Student Services, gave information regarding a 2% increase for new tenants in off-campus housing rates. This change for Brookwood, Wellness, and College View affects new tenants who did not reside in off-campus housing for the 2024-25 year. Returning tenants who renew before a deadline will have their rates ‘frozen’ at the same cost as their previous year. The council did not mention any rise in tuition costs, as the PA State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) voted to freeze tuition for the seventh consecutive year in the 2024-2025 school year. The council also voted to approve the fiscal university budget for 2025. This comes two months after Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a new bill that provided state universities with $260 million.   “… We are making it possible for [students] to get an education at Millersville at a lower cost,” Dr. Daniel Wubah shared with LancasterOnline.  At every meeting, the Council of Trustees hears from the sitting Millersville University Association of Pennsylvania State College & University Faculties (APSCUF) chapter president, Dr. Robyn Davis. Davis’s statement included remarks of faculty attitudes embarking onto the fall semester, stating that “faculty feels assaulted on all sides,” and that their faculty morale is at a low point. “Faculty are not fungible,” Davis said. “[The Council of Trustees] are hyper-focused on financial decisions.” The Council of Trustees also voted to award the Millersville University Foundation endowments. The Millersville University Foundation’s goal is to manage gifts given to the university and administer those resources in a manner that reflects the donor’s choices. Per their website, the MU Foundation “manages more than 450 scholarship and program accounts and holds assets in excess of $38 million.”   All Council […] “Council of Trustees receives info about 2% increase in new tenant housing costs, hears from APSCUF president”

Millersville senior presents summer project on American Civil War hospitals Sevan Sinton Associate News Editor Mariana Ladrilleros is a history and archeology major at Millersville who recently completed a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) program over the summer. Ladrilleros, a senior, took part in the NSF-REU program, titled “Mapping Freedom,” which “… will help REU students develop a deeper understanding of historical change over time, and demonstrate how similar computer-based methods can be applied to analyze and visualize complex periods of history,” per the program’s website. Mapping Freedom’s goal is to inspire undergraduate students interested in various subjects, such as archaeology, to continue careers in hands-on research or STEM fields. “[Mapping Freedom] hopes to increase students’ familiarity with geography, digital humanities, and computer science topics and research,” per their website. Ladrilleros’ presentation, which took place at the Millersville University Council of Trustees meeting on Sept. 18, was centered on Mississippi Civil War hospitals, their ration requests, hospital location, and the comparison to areas where railroads had been damaged. Ladrilleros spent time at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she concluded from analyzing ration request letters that the most requested rations from Mississippi Civil War hospitals were rice a […] “Millersville senior presents summer project on American Civil War hospitals”

Fact checks galore, the Harris v. Trump debate recappedSevan Sinton Associate News Editor Tuesday, Sept. 10 marked the second presidential debate of the 2024 election. Former President Donald Trump faced Vice President Kamala Harris, in what Trump deemed to be the final debate of the year. “… We’ve done two debates and because they were successful, there will be no third debate… the voting’s already begun,” shared Trump. A large difference between the previous debate between President Biden and Trump was the addition of live fact-checking conducted by moderators David Muir and Lindsay Davis. Most notably, was the online rumor spread by Trump at the debate alleging that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were “…Eating the pets of the people that live there.” Trump was subsequently fact-checked by Muir, saying “[there have been] no credible reports of pets or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused in the immigrant community.” The former president also spread the notion that it is legal to kill babies after birth, which was fact-checked by Davis. Trump shared “Her (Harris) vice president pick (Tim Walz) says abortion in the ninth month is absolutely fine, he also says execution after birth is OK… and that’s not OK for me.” Davis responded, “There is no state in this country where it is legal to kill a baby after it is born.” Trump did mention he supports exceptions for abortion in cases of rape, incest, or life of the mother, however, this highlights Trump’s rocky history with the topic of abortion and going against previous claims where he said he would “be the most pro-life president ever.” Many right-wing pundits and commentators took to X to voice their opinion on their alleged bias of the live fact-checking. “David Muir is criticizing and attacking Trump more than Kamala is. Kamala can relax because the ABC ‘moderators’ are handling the debate for her,” said Glenn Greenwald, journalist and host of the “System Update” podcast. As for Harris’ combative statements, she went after Trump’s and the supreme courts’ decision to overrule Roe v. Wade, and his “weak and wrong foreign policy and national security.” However, Kamala also found herself in trouble when she claimed that “there is not one member of the United States military who is in active duty in a combat zone or any war zone around the world.” Currently, there are thousands of U.S. troops stationed in active combat zones in Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq, according to KSDK news. A poll conducted by ABC News showed that 58% of Americans believe that Harris won the debate, compare […] “Fact checks galore, the Harris v. Trump debate recapped”

Trump ‘safe and well’ following near-assassination attempt, suspect arrested Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Donald Trump golfing with former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2019. Sevan Sinton Associate News Editor Around 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15, the Secret Service fired upon a man wielding a rifle on Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump, who was golfing at the time, issued a statement notifying supporters that he is “safe and well,” nullifying rumors that he may have been injured. 400-yards from where Trump was located, U.S. Secret Service agents spotted the muzzle of a weapon appearing from a bush line and opened fire. The suspect was witnessed emerging from the bushes and fleeing the scene in a black SUV. The would-be assassin, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Routh, was subsequently arrested by Palm Beach County police off I-95. Found on the golf course were a bag, an AK-47 assault rifle, and a GoPro camera. Routh presumably snuck onto the course via the “shrubbery concealed perimeter” according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. Routh was previously arrested in 2002 following a standoff with police, where he barricaded himself in a business following a traffic stop in Greensboro, North Carolina for three hours – according to News & Record, a Greensboro newspaper. He was charged with possessing a fully automatic machine gun and carrying a concealed weapon. According to the Associated Press, both President Biden and Vice President Kamala were briefed on the situation on Sunday afternoon and were “relieved to know that he (Trump) is safe.” “I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America,” wrote Harris, via X. The FBI has announced they will be investigating the incident, “in what appears to be an attempted assassination.” This attempt comes just 64 days after the assassination attempt on Trump’s life during a rally in Butler, Penn […] “Trump ‘safe and well’ following near-assassination attempt, suspect arrested”