Meet the Saratoga Mayoral Candidate: Heidi Owen West

Heidi Owen West, a local business woman in Saratoga Springs, announced her candidacy for mayor in March of 2020. She is running under the endorsement of the Saratoga County Republican Committee, but is personally an Independent. In her interview with The Skidmore News, West emphasized her role and skills as a local business woman, which she believes will make her an effective city leader.

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Meet the Saratoga Mayoral Candidate: Ron Kim

Capital Region native Ron Kim is the only Democratic candidate in next week’s mayoral election. After spending eight years on the Saratoga Springs Zoning Board of Appeals and two terms as Commissioner of Public Safety, Kim is now dedicated to improving Saratoga’s infrastructure, reinvigorating democracy and restoring trust in the government. This week, The Skidmore News sat down with Ron Kim to discuss his platform, goals for Saratoga Springs, and how he envisions Skidmore students as actors in this work.

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“A Constitution for the Living”: Reflections on How Skidmore College Celebrated Constitution Day

On September 17, the little known holiday of “Constitution Day,” Skidmore College Political Science Professor Beau Breslin’s new book was the subject of Skidmore’s academic celebration. The book, titled “A Constitution for the Living,” takes up the theme of generational Constitutional reform and explores the theoretical history of the Constitution had it been re-ratified every generation.

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Album Review: Manic by Wage War

Fans waited over two years for this fourth venture from Ocala, FL metal band Wage War, and amid the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, it emerged into a world very different from that of their first three albums. As one might expect, this is reflected in the album itself, which takes a decidedly darker tone than their previous outings. Of course, singer Briton Bond and company are no strangers to discussing dark themes or negative emotions.

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“Weekly Dose of BIPOC Joy”: A Spotlight on UPLIFT

Students across departments have been fighting to increase access to vital spaces on campus, like meeting spots for clubs, financial resources, and other means of support. UPLIFT is a Black, Indigenous Persons of Color (BIPOC) affinity space for theater students at Skidmore. I had the pleasure of sitting down with UPLIFT’s leaders and directors, with whom I discussed its founding, goals, and ideas for the year.

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A Costume Guide for Last Minute Halloween Inspiration

With Halloween coming up in less than two weeks, you might still be looking for just the right look. Have no fear; I have compiled a list of ideas that can be used as group or single costume inspiration. Given how Halloween is fast approaching, these costumes can easily be put together with common items or items that can be purchased quickly and cheaply. Without further ado, let’s begin.

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To Juliet

Between the current political climate, the pandemic, and the planet burning up, it’s very easy to fall into a pit of despair and feel like time is standing still. However, now that I am three months away from turning twenty, I’ve been reminiscing on the only point in my life where I took my time, and genuinely enjoyed being a child. This is for you Juliet, thank you for being a true friend.

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The Case for Compassion: A Commentary on Students’ Reactions to SGBM

The more we stick to love and compassion, the stronger we are. If the Skidmore administration shows us that they will continue to be apathetic and “objective,” we will be the space for empathy and support. History has shown that the people are more powerful than authoritative institutions. The people have the power to create and destroy, to mold and reshape. We can’t do that without love, kindness, and respect.

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“Becoming Othello: A Black Girl’s Journey” Gifted to Skidmore from Debra Ann Byrd

On October 1st, Skidmore College had its first live performance in the JKB Theater in over a year and a half: Becoming Othello: A Black Girl’s Journey, performed by Debra Ann Byrd. Byrd (who uses she/they pronouns) is an actor, director, and founder of both the Harlem Shakespeare Festival and Take Wing And Soar Productions.

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Backstage Missing Cases in Wyoming: The Exclusion of Indigenous Peoples

Twenty two-year-old Gabby Petito’s death was nothing short of tragic. A week after being filed as a missing person, Petito’s body was found in Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming. With the official cause of death being ruled as strangulation, her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie is being pursued as a suspect. But is the same amount of attention being given to find answers and justice for missing Indigenous peoples?

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Skidmore's Return To Athletics

Last year, many of us were sent home without knowing when we could return, while others were suspended in a liminal space not knowing what their college experience would look like. When in-person students came back to campus in the fall of 2020, it was a year none of us could have predicted, as our college experience was halted and changed possibly forever. Everyone has stories of how COVID affected their lives, but what was the year like for athletes, never knowing if their seasons could be cancelled due to an outbreak?

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It Didn’t Have To Be Like This: The Skidmore Administration’s Role in the COVID-19 Outbreak

When the Fall 2021 semester began, we all had high hopes for being able to put the pandemic behind us and have a relatively normal college year. Understandably so: after the heartbreak, loss, and frustration of a year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic, we finally had 98 percent of students and staff vaccinated, and the end seemed in sight.

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Skidmore Panel on Afghanistan: What Can We Learn?

On September 29th 2021, the International Affairs department presented a talk in response to the U.S.’ abrupt departure from Afghanistan, a country they undoubtedly fractured. While the panel's goal was to fill in the gaps of information about the Afghanistan war, this discussion also explained the causes that led to this man-made tragedy, and the long term consequences of the U.S. invasion.

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Your Monthly Horoscope for Spooky Season

Happy October! In honor of both the spookiest month of the year and Mercury going into retrograde, I bring you an astrological look into the upcoming month. After consulting numerous zodiac sources, and with the help of my muse (aka a pumpkin iced coffee from Burgess), I have concocted the following predictions and pieces of advice, sure to tell you all that you will need to make it through to November 1st.

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Aesthetics of Nostalgia: The Resurgence of Film Photography

Nostalgia is a gateway to a myriad of senses— from revisiting a meal from your childhood to hearing a song you grew up with. Arguably, there is no such potent a sense as that of sight when it comes to nostalgia. When one hears “film photography,” their mind may automatically go to a Polaroid camera. How can we help it when Outkast told us to shake it like a Polaroid picture?

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